CHAPTER 12: Because Nothing Really Matters
Her head was bursting; it felt like a thousand knives trying to break into her skull all at the same time. The world around her was all hazy and spinning around. Rose swung her legs off the bed, sat up and buried her head in her hands.
What the fuck happened last night? Did she even make it to her house? What happened after the fiftieth shot? Why did her mouth taste of sugary sweet cream? And whose butt was that?
Rose stumbled off the bed in alarm and hit the carpeted floor with a dull thud. The slightest of noises seemed to ring in her head and ears loudly. She pulled out a shirt from under the bed and slipped it on. The clock said it was around five thirty; shit she did not go back last night. She could imagine the look on Scorpius's face…holy shit.
Rose's eyes fell on the shape huddled on the bed. The white blanket was drawn carelessly to his waist and he was naked. So hot.
Rose searched for her clothes all over the place when she found them along with a pile of trousers and Jockey underwear in the living room. She was putting her bra on when the contents of her stomach churned violently. Rose could not make it to the washroom and grabbed a pair of her stilettos (Which were lying in a sauce pan on the table) and vomited in to them. Her Jade Pickett shoes were dripping with strands of puke.
"My Holy Merlin's mother" cursed Rose, pulling her hair out of the soggy liquid in her shoes. There was a hangover potion somewhere in the depths of the knapsack.
Rose dressed haphazardly and all this while her crotch hurt. Rose was almost ready to leave when she realized that she was not wearing her knickers and had to summon them with her wand. The lacy things came zooming out from the top of a shelf. With almost all her clothes and organs in one place, Rose scribbled a note thanking Vladimir for a wonder full evening (and a night which she barely remembers) and left.
It was still quiet dark outside and the street lights bathed the lane in small pools of light. Rose shivered, her jacket was somewhere inside. Her wand was stowed safely in the invisible holster on her arm. Rose found it very uncomfortable so she hardly carried it that way. She shut the door and began to walk when something pulled her back, slamming her in to the wooden frame. A sharp noise followed; a part of her dress tore clean from her left arm and the wand slipped out of the holster and fell on the porch steps. A few angry red and golden sparks issued from the tip and burnt the leaves of a rose bush.
"Shit" Rose cried out and swiftly altered the foliage. She stuffed her wand back into the holster and ran across the street; barging through the entrance of #15.
That's enough of sex, hot Russians, fifty shots and wand work for one year.
She never saw him; did not even realize that the carefully knit cover the cutie pies had spun was slipping fast. A wand, they were all imposters. Why would wizards want to live here all of a sudden? Was it time to hush them all? It was some time before he had seen young blood on his hands. Or would he wait for Tamara Patrick's to give the names? What if they had more cover near by? Millions of questions were bubbling in Johnny Gulliver's mind; all thirsty for answers. If they were the British aurors he had told Rodolphus about, he had this feeling that they had gotten past them. But if they had substantial support why the fuck were they waiting for the sun to rise? It had been months since the four had come in. I need the bloody names. Who were they? How stronger were the four from them, from their magic?
Rose tiptoed inside, dragging her stinking shoes and bag behind her. She unlocked the cupboard under the stairs to put away the heels. No questions about a pair of puke wrapped Jade Pickett's. There was no sound from the living room, thank the damned Merlin. Rose turned around soundlessly to head back to her room when she heard footsteps right behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks…shit.
"Going somewhere or returning?"
"Returning"
"From Vladimir's house?"
"Yeah"
"You were suppose to be back exactly five hours ago"
"I got caught up"
"Caught up…really?" Scorpius asked with a hint of mock in his tone.
"That's what I just said"
"Hmm…so…how was the sex?"
"Excuse me?" Rose snapped. "Didn't catch that?" she said rashly.
"I didn't throw anything" Scorpius said callously.
"Hey…hey shut the fuck up. Not interested to hear your croak first thing in the morning" Rose retorted astringently.
"Oh yeah! Everything except Vladimir's voice is now sounding like a Grindylow singing isn't it, Rose Weasley Irglova?" he said unfeelingly. He then gave her one of those infamous Scorpius Malfoy smirk's which was usually reserved for Lysander Scamander from the Department of Care of Magical Creatures.
"Scorpius, don't you dare cross your boundaries. It is my life and I can take care of myself"
"Oh yeah, you can care yourself but just not the responsibilities assigned to you. You need to work out your priorities as an auror"
"What? You are teaching me how to work?" Rose snapped.
"Yes, kind of. You are mixing work with pleasure which is disastrous. You should know that considering the fact that you were Sreetama's favorite student"
"I have been working as an auror for three years. Nobody ever tells me to what to do and even if they do, I fucking don't pay any heed"
Scorpius raised his eyebrows.
"Maybe that's the reason why you have lost control because you are completely free from authority"
Rose felt sick again; sick in her heart and her reaction was kind of unexpected. Rose marched to Scorpius and punched him right in the face. Her fist made contact with the bridge of his nose. Years of backyard fights had given her some strength in punches.
"Ouch" Scorpius shrieked. "Are you fucking mental, woman?" Blood was spurting from his nose.
"What's wrong with you, Rose? Too much of Russian sex?" he bellowed.
"Don't you dare exert your stupid opinions, you bastardly tosspot. YOU WILL BLOODY WELL STAY AWAY FROM MY LIFE, DO YOU GET THAT? Who do you think you are? It was okay till Hogwarts and then a little into auror training, but I am twenty five and you are NO FUCKING OLDER BROTHER OF MINE"
"And I am least interested to be one. Look at yourself Rose. You are such a slut right now. One bloody date, a few drinks and you're ready to lick his cock? Do you even know what is happening in the house? OR HOW FAR ARE WE IN THE CASE? DO YOU KNOW EVEN KNOW THAT WE WORKED OUT A PART OF IT? NO, YOU DON'T KNOW ANY OF IT BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO BUSY BEING VLADIMIR'S WHORE" he hollered.
Scorpius took a deep breath and looked at her with sudden shock. The magnitude of his last words weighed down on Rose. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"What did you say?" Rose whispered. "You called me a whore?"
"Hey…umm…I'm sorry. I did not mean this" Scorpius pleaded. He tried to wipe the tears away but Rose slapped his hand away.
"My best friend called me a slut" she murmured.
"Rose… I am…"
"Shut up, Scorpius" Rose yelled. She rarely lost her temper this way.
"DO YOU WHAT THE MATTER IS WITH YOU" Rose continued, "YOU ARE JEALOUS. JEALOUS OF A PERSON LOVING ME BECAUSE DEEP DOWN INSIDE YOU ARE TIRED OF ALL THOSE FEATHER HEADS AND YOUR ONE NIGHT STANDS. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT IF SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU HAS A PROPER THING BECAUSE IT SURPRISES YOU THAT HOW CAN ANYONE STAY WITH THE SAME PERSON ALL THE TIME AND LOVE THE SAME PERSON. YOU ARE SO JEALOUS AND THICK, THAT THE DAY WHEN YOU WILL FIND YOUR MATCH SCORPIUS HYPERION MALFOY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY HER LET ALONE MAKE IT WORK. HOW CAN YOU IF DON'T EVEN BELIEVE IN LOVE?" ALBUS NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BUT I WILL. IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR FUCKING COLDNESS AND CONSTANT DISCOURAGEMENT MAYBE AL AND VASUNDHARA WOULD STILL BE TOGETHER AND THEY WOULD BE HAPPY. YOU MAY HAVE BROUGHT AN END TO THAT ONE BUT I WILL NOT LET YOU SPOIL MY RELATIONSHIPS." Rose screamed. After a moment or so she realized that maybe a few thoughts that were always meant to be locked away had spilled out.
Scorpius was starring at her with his mouth hanging wide open.
"What? What about Al and Vasundhara? He told me her parents did not approve of a British boyfriend and she had to go abroad so they broke up…WHAT ABOUT THEM?" Scorpius bellowed. He grasped her arms and shook her violently. "Tell me, now" he sneered.
"Let me go… just remember that they loved each other and you were the bad guy…all the time"
Rose slid from his grip and ran up the stairs. She was feeling so shitty, so broken. She promised Vasundhara that she would never breathe a word about the break up to anyone. Rose rushed in to her room and pulled out an album from the depths of her knapsack. Rose rummaged for a picture taken a year or so back.
She was so pretty and the two of them were so cute…so adorable. They kind of reminded her of Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. Albus's long fingers were knotted in Vasundhara's shiny hair and hell, they were making out pretty violently. Rose brushed her fingers against the picture…I am so sorry Vasundhara, I am so sorry Al.
Her words echoed in his head. The more Scorpius tried to ignore them, the more they haunted him. What had happened between Albus and Vasundhara? Had Albus really lied to him about the supposed "break up"? Was Rose right about him? Was he that thick headed and old school? And most importantly was their cover and security the only reason he was so averse Rose and Vladimir's relationship?
YOU ARE SO JEALOUS AND THICK, THAT THE DAY WHEN YOU WILL FIND YOUR MATCH SCORPIUS HYPERION MALFOY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY HER, LET ALONE MAKE IT WORK. HOW CAN YOU, IF DON'T EVEN BELIEVE IN LOVE?
Was she right about him? Scorpius did not want to spend his entire life being a fuck buddy for millions. He wanted to fall in love…or maybe not…fuck buddies are much happier in life. He only loved a girl once…but she never loved him back. It was ten years back, during their fifth year at Hogwarts. A lot of time had passed since then…and he had managed to hide his feelings, when he slowly realized that Rose considered him to be more of a brother.
It was one night, when he tried to convey his true feelings…but the courage, the effort he build up for the occasion, was all in vain. He was sixteen then. Something had happened, about which nobody ever spoke again. He learned to confine his feelings inside his heart. Whenever he saw her getting cosy with a guy in Hogwarts, a monster erupted in his stomach. All this while, he felt that it was just a brotherly instinct. This feeling had slowly died, as Rose never brought her boyfriends in front of him and Al since Hogwarts. But, the monster had resurrected, when he saw Rose hugging Vladimir. He felt like hitting Vladimir with the beater's bat, as if he were a bludger. And now Rose slept with him?
North Carlisle Point
23, Dahlberg Lane
Union Square
#12, London
Albus Severus Potter in his study
Dear Albus,
What's up? I hope everything is going well. How is your family, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Rose, Hugo and Scorpius? It's been a long time I've sent an owl; missing you guys so much. How is work? Congratulations on the success of Firebolt 234; looking good on the cover of Grace Wizards. Everything is fine in Delhi, classes on Transfiguration are really good but not as good as those of Pr. Granger. I have some how managed to grab an internship in the Indian ministry for the summer but assholes are paying really less It is still worth a shot.
Things with Jay are good…both of us have been very busy off late but we try to meet during the weekends. Mum and dad are ecstatic that finally I have got an Indian guy. Bloody old school! Jay wants to take me for a trip to Ireland this Christmas, just the two of us. I told him that I would love to meet you guys again and Jay said we would definitely try to do so. Hope I get the chance, I want to know what you think of him. No embarrassment intended Al, but fucking you has really set my standards high. Alone with Jay in Ireland…hmm…hope he makes his move….Jeez, I am still a pervert.
But I am really happy the way things are going for me. I think I should mention this to you, after we broke up, I never really thought that would I ever be able to move on. But he makes it easier. Hope you get your girl soon. Make sure I am the first one to know. I don't know why am I telling this to you…maybe I needed to justify my thing with Jay to someone I trusted blindly. Write back ASAP.
Love
Vasundhara
P.S. pray he makes his move :)
Albus clutched the letter firmly until his nails hurt his palm. He flattened the paper and stowed it away in a file with other notes written in the same tiny and clear handwriting. She was doing well, good for her. Albus was in no mood to reply; it had been a tiring day at work.
He would write back of course, a short letter with lots of make up to hide the emotions underneath the scrawny writing; a stupidly optimistic thing, encouraging her and praising Jay. He felt so sick, writing lies to someone who trusted him. But it was for both Vasundhara's and his good. If she was moving on, why disrupt the process. Unlike him who was just stuck in the moment. He turned off the light and headed for dinner in The Leaky Cauldron. Albus was dining with few of his colleagues that night. He plastered a fake smile on his face before entering the pub.
Such pain, Albus thought.
He had no clue that miles away there was a girl madly in love with him and who had a forged smile on her face all day long.
Author's Note:
Thank you again for all those amazing reviews. We did receive lots of criticism for making Rose sleep with Vladimir but I figured out that a massive trigger was required to activate the ten year thoughts in Scorpius's head. Both Sreetama and I are hardcore Rose- Scorpius people, Vladimir is really not that important. How was the lemon? Too tacky? We are taking you amazing guys back to Hogwarts in Rose and Scorpius's time in the following chapters to show what had happened that night ten years ago.
The part about Al and the Indian chick Vasundhara was never a part of the plan. This is being done for one of my best friends who is pissed and this is the compensation because I did not forward the lemon chapter.
Please read and review. It feels great. Love you all and Jar of Hearts just crossed 1300 hits.:o
And, please REVIEW!
~Vidisha & Sreetama
