True to her word, Zahra was released from the infirmary three days later. Rosalyn had obviously told her about her meeting with Scorpius because Zahra seemed wary of him and used slightly irritated tones during those rare occasions when they spoke. She didn't go into class very often: Mademoiselle Pomfrey said she needed 'recuperation time' to get to grips with Hogwarts castle before going into all her lessons. Scorpius was glad Zahra was getting better but he knew things wouldn't really be the same. Eric spent a lot of time with Frederique which Scorpius didn't mind much – he found most of the time he preferred being alone.

One thing Scorpius did not like was Volkov.

Every time he saw Zahra he was there, as were Dupont and Rosalyn. Scorpius hated how close Volkov would get – often wrapping his arm around her shoulder and giving her a friendly squeeze. It made him feel uncomfortable. No, not uncomfortable…

Jealous.

He tried to ignore the feeling, but it kept surfacing in the back of his mind. He had to move on, he told himself, and if she liked Volkov, then so be it.

It was a chilly January afternoon and Scorpius was taking a walk alone in the grounds. He often did this in his free time; it helped him to think. Collect his thoughts. He shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets and let out a huge sigh. Snowy white vapour erupted from his mouth and spiralled upward before disappearing into the air. He walked to an outcrop that looked out over the Groundskeepers' hut and the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Just then the door of the hut opened and a gaggle of Gryffindor students poured out. He recognised the Potter and Weasley children. Their parents and his hadn't got on, so he didn't talk to them much but when he did they were always polite. In fact, they had never fought at all, despite what their fathers had done in the past. The Groundskeeper waved goodbye before closing the door. He watched as the students made their way up the incline. They smiled as they walked past, which he returned and then he was left alone again.

A few minutes later Scorpius heard voices. Voices he knew all too well.

"That's… Hagrid's hut and the… the Forbidden Forest…" Zahra's voice drifted over.

"Yep! Now which way should we go now?" Rosalyn's voice answered.

"That… way. To the right."

"Well done!"

Dupont, Volkov, Rosalyn and Zahra rounded the corner. Scorpius had nowhere to hide, so he stared straight ahead and tried not to attract any attention. He could see Volkov and Zahra out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh," he heard Volkov say, "Your friend is here too." Scorpius couldn't ignore them any longer. He turned, trying to look confident.

"Hello." He said.

"He's not my… friend… as such… more… a colleague." Zahra said, staring pointedly at Scorpius shoes.

"Yes." Scorpius agreed. Naturally, Dupont had to make a comment.

"Well surely," she said innocently, "There must be more to it than that. He did volunteer for the second task. He must trust you a lot." Her hazel eyes bored into Scorpius'.

"Of course I trust Zahra. She is a Ravenclaw after all." Dupont didn't say anything, but raised her eyebrows sceptically.

"Well," said Rosalyn sensing the tension that was mounting, "We better be going." Scorpius nodded.

"Goodbye, then." He turned back and looked out over the outcrop again. Nobody else moved. In his peripheral vision, he saw Rosalyn gingerly begin to move past, turning back to make sure everyone else was following. Dupont went next and then Zahra and Volkov, who had one arm wrapped around her again. Scorpius felt his insides knot up with envy. He pushed his hands deeper into his pockets, hunching his shoulders against the cold. Footsteps moved away.

"I- I want to be on my own for a bit." He heard Zahra say. Scorpius turned his head slightly, looking at the scene in the corner of his eye.

"You are cold," Volkov told her pulling her into a hug and rubbing her arms to try and bring back some warmth. "You are not thinking straight." Zahra gently pushed back.

"I'll be fine. I won't be a minute; I'll meet you in the Great Hall."

"You think you will remember, Zahra?" Volkov asked, reluctantly releasing her from the hug.

"Yeah, I think I can."

Scorpius began to move in the opposite direction, determined not to be drawn in. It was nothing to do with him anymore and there was nothing he could do. He strode on quickly, listening to the frosted grass crunching underneath his shoes. A solitary voice called:

"Scorpius?"

He stopped, turned and waited. Zahra jogged up to meet him.

"I'm sorry… it's just… I remember now… you helped me… a while ago… with the… the cryptic clue about the constellation."

"Yes. That was me." He was glad she remembered a bit about him, even if it wasn't much.

"I never really thanked you for it so, uh, thanks."

"No problem." Scorpius turned away again and began to walk, certain his feelings were going to betray him in some way.

"Your friend," she called after him, "Did she get better?"

"Um… sort of, she, uh, hurt her, um, her hand quite badly… Mademoiselle Pomfrey says it won't really be the same again."

"Oh. I'm…I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be," Scorpius told her, his back still turned, "Accidents happen, I guess."

"Yes… Bye, Scorpius, thanks again." Scorpius listened as her footsteps died away. He strolled on sullenly, deep in thought. Feeling something wet fall on his face, Scorpius reached up a hand to his cheek but deep down he knew what they were anyway: tears. He was crying. Disgusted, he wiped the tears away, flicking the droplets off the ends of his fingers.

Exhaling an angry cloud of white vapour, Scorpius walked on into the cold.

D: So many feels. Please review! n_n