Disclaimer: Not mine!

Chapter 12

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! Why can I not calm down? Deep breaths, Rose. Deep breaths.

I breathe in and out and slowly come to my senses. It was just a kiss on the hand! I need to calm down. Merlin, it's like I've never been kissed before! And this was just on my hand! Not a big deal.

I mean, obviously it threw me out of place. It was Scorpius Malfoy who did the kissing. Honestly, if you had asked me if this would have happened about ten minutes ago I would have been willing to bet my life that it wouldn't. We're enemies! I hate him!

He just wanted to break the spell.

But there was more to it, I know it.

Why did he only kiss me after I declared (like an idiot, I might add) that Tyler and I broke up? Is he messing with me or something? Trying to make me fall for him so he can break my heart would be pretty low, even for Malfoy.

Not that I would ever fall for him.

And even the great Scorpius Malfoy isn't that good an actor. That look he gave me said something. Something that I can't place, but it was definitely something. He may let a few emotions slip through in flashes, but nothing like what just happened. It was almost like he was human. (Okay, I know he is. But sometimes it's easier to believe he is an emotionless robot).

Also, now that I think of it, what am I going to do the rest of the night? I cannot go back to the dorms where that prick is probably waiting to laugh in my face.

I really don't know if this is the type of thing I want to share with Lily "President of the Rose/Malfoy Fan Club" Potter.

But what choice do I have?

I find my bearings and start heading forlornly to the Gryffindor common room. I wonder if Malfoy knows the effect he just had. If he was going for shock value, he was a complete success. He is probably waiting for me to come back to the dorms. Actually, he is probably laughing hysterically because he knows I'm too afraid to show up.

I arrive at the portrait of the Fat Lady and walk into the common room. A few people are still awake and I see Lily in a corner with a stack of homework. Homework on a Friday? Seriously? Even I don't do that. Usually.

I take yet another deep breath and walk towards her. Time to bite the bullet and tell the story. There's no way I can keep analyzing the conundrum that is Scorpius Malfoy by myself.

"Conclusion one: He loves you," my cousin says after I recount the tale for her. I frown and get ready to protest, but she continues. "Conclusion two: He is messing with you on purpose. Although that seems low even for Malfoy. Conclusion three: He honestly just wanted to get out of there and that was the quickest and easiest way." She gives a satisfied look and proceeds,

"Now, Rosey, I'm sure you realize, being the logical person that you are, which of these options makes the most sense."

I roll my eyes. I was expecting this. She goes on, "Yes, my dear, you are correct. Option one!" She gives a huge smirk.

I silently consider this for a moment. Then I slowly begin, "I hate to admit that you're right, but I can almost start to believe you this time. The evidence is piling up. Maybe he does have some sort of weird attraction to me. After all, I'm pretty much the one girl that he sees as unattainable. There's got to be some sort of pull in that. I don't think it's anything emotional. But maybe he wants to, you know, attain the unattainable or something. Boost his ego a bit." I look at Lily for a response.

She smiles. "Okay, now we're getting somewhere. I prefer to think you two are destined to be together and he is completely in love with you," I glare, "but, your theory also makes sense. Maybe you should try to be friendlier with him and see what happens. If he doesn't see you as a challenge anymore, maybe he will leave you alone."

But do I really want him to leave me alone?

"But do you really want him to leave you alone?" Lily looks at me with prying eyes.

I struggle to roll my own. "Of course I want him to leave me alone! I'm sick of the prat. Maybe I will try the whole 'friendly' thing. If it gets Malfoy away from me, then it sounds pretty good!"

The next morning, I head back to the dorms determined to be friendlier towards my sworn enemy. After all, we got along quite well last night, so it can't be that hard. It kind of seemed like we were friends for a while. I could've gotten used to that version of Malfoy. Maybe I could've even liked him enough to be friends.

Alas, he is a total git.

As I enter the common room I see my blonde nuisance of a roommate sitting on the couch. He is wearing emerald pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Dear God, he looks good.

Focus, Rose. You can't be friends with a guy you think is hot. Or a guy who is an absolute jerk, but who's keeping track?

And he isn't hot. He's above average.

"Morning, Malfoy," I say casually, not making eye contact.

I get no response and look up to see him looking at me with those metallic eyes. I feel my stomach jump. Okay, being friends will be pretty difficult if he keeps this up.

I walk over to the table and set down my bag, still feeling him watching me.

"Excuse me, but do you want something?"

He looks away abruptly as my eyes meet his. "Not at all."

I make a frustrated noise, but then regret it. Be nice, Rose. "Okay, then. You want to explain why you keep staring at me?"

He gives an irritated sigh. "I wasn't."

"Yeah okay, sure. Your eyes were just following me around the room, but that's not the definition of staring so never mind." Now he looks really annoyed. Oops.

"I wouldn't stare at you, Weasley," he spits with venom. "I could stare at quite a few others and get much more pleasure from it. I wouldn't waste my time staring at the likes of you."

Excuse me? I flash a death glare. "Excuse me, but I don't mean just now. I feel you looking at me in the Great Hall constantly. Every time I look up from my plate, your eyes mysteriously lock onto mine. So don't tell me you don't stare. I see it. I'm not stupid. You are always watching me. And to be perfectly honest, you know quite a bit about me whether I want to accept it or not. So since we have never talked about anything remotely personal, you must have learned these things through observation. Thus, I have proof that you are really constantly staring at me."

Take that, Malfoy. Who's right and who's wrong now?

He stands up. "I don't know where you are getting this, but I've never stared at you, never wanted to stare at you, and never will stare at you. If you want to pretend that I have some sort of fixation on you, be my guest, bu-"

I truly hate this boy. "Oh, give it a rest, Malfoy! I am right and you know it! Go right ahead and revert back to your rude and self-absorbed ways if you want." I see that emotion I've become so used to flash across his façade, fleeting. "And to think, I actually kind of enjoyed your company yesterday. Guess I won't be making that mistake again."

Malfoy looks openly injured by this comment. Ha! That's what he deserves. Before he can say anything else, I turn on the spot and head to my room, shutting the door on all things Slytherin.

So much for being friendly.

Later, at lunch, I find Randy sitting alone with a book. I guess it is a bit early for the usual crowd.

I take a seat across from him. "Hey, Randy!"

"Hi, Rose," he says with a genuine smile. "How's life with Malfoy?"

I roll my eyes. "Don't even get me started. I don't know what game he's trying to play now but I can tell you that I'm no-" Quit while you're ahead. "Never mind. You don't need to hear it."

Randy gives me a sympathetic look and I decide to change the subject.

"So, the wonderful Scorpius Malfoy and I did some dance planning last night…"

He raises a questioning eyebrow. "Isn't it top-secret dance planning?" He chuckles.

"Yes, sir," I say, "But, I thought you might be interested to hear about it. Seeing as it's a couples ball. Meaning, everyone needs a date. And it might be completely perfect for you to ask a certain someone known as Lily Potter." His cheeks turn slightly pink, but he is grinning.

"Don't you worry, I've already got plans for that. However, due to intense secrecy, I cannot disclose any of them."

I dramatically fake a sad face. "But, you've got to tell me!"

We both laugh. "Sorry, Rosey. No can do! Top secret!"

At this point, I see Lily and Hugo entering the Great Hall. They take a seat and as the conversation turns once again to quidditch, I absentmindedly look towards the Slytherin table. For a brief moment, my eyes meet Malfoy's. He almost immediately looks away. He doesn't look at me for the rest of the meal.

Or any meal, for that matter. He deliberately avoids me for the rest of the weekend and I can't say I mind.

As Sunday night rolls around, I hear the portrait to the Heads' dorm open and close as I'm lying in bed. My wand is across the room, so I get up and head to the bathroom for a drink of water. As I'm straining to reach in a tall cabinet for a cup, the door opens. What do you know? Malfoy apparently can't avoid me for too long.

He walks in. "Hello, Malfoy. I don't know if you realize this, but I'm bus-"

At this point he moves my arm, still in the cabinet, aside. He brushes against me, and I move away as he swiftly grabs a cup from the top shelf and hands it to me.

I look at him, stunned.

"You should move those to a lower shelf," he says without looking at me. I stare at him for a second longer before filling the cup from the sink and leaving.

I pause and mumble, "Thanks," before shutting the door.

In potions the next morning, Malfoy sits as far away from me as humanly possible.

Unfortunately, this doesn't last. Of course, when the prince of Slytherin clearly wants nothing to do with me, we get assigned a potions project. Once again as partners. Why can't we get new partners? Why can't teachers see that we are terrible partners!? Sure, our grades have been at the top in every class. But there are always problems getting there.

Malfoy walks over, devoid of his usual saunter, never meeting my eye.

He takes a seat and we begin working, and after a few minutes I say conversationally, "I took your advice."

He basically ignores this statement and continues to work, so I elaborate, "I moved my cups to a lower shelf."

Once again, I am completely ignored. What a prat.

"Fine. Don't talk to me. Make this project as miserable as possible. You know we can get along if you put in a little effort, but why do that? Why make life easier? Oh wait. It's because you are Scorpius Malfoy, king of the pricks." I glare at the lacewing flies I'm supposed to be crushing.

Malfoy finally looks at me. His eyes look fiery, not the usual emotionless stare. "Stop being so dramatic, Weasley. We aren't going to get along. We never were going to get along. You know why? Because we aren't friends and we never will be. It isn't my fault that you got your hopes up." He says this with such disdain I feel like I could cry, but I won't give that twit the satisfaction.

I keep it together for the rest of the class as we sit in silence. What an absolute arse! I hate him. I hate Scorpius Malfoy. But the thing is, I know that he doesn't hate me. He might try to, but I can tell he doesn't. And let's be honest. I could definitely learn to not hate him if he didn't revert back to his prick-ish ways every 10 minutes.

As class ends, we both begin packing up our things. I get up quickly and walk toward the door, sensing Malfoy directly behind me. Once I reach the doorway, I make a snap decision and quickly turn around. Malfoy grabs my arm to steady himself and keep from running into me and I feel goosebumps form at his touch. He swiftly pulls his hand away.

I glare, attempting to block out memories of the last time we stood under a doorway together. "You could act a little bit human sometimes and you might actually make some friends," I snap fiercely.

I turn around to leave and feel his hand on my wrist. I look back at him and try to read the emotions behind his silver eyes. But then they're gone, replaced with a blank stare as he lets go of me, walking briskly past without a look back.

A/N: Don't worry, Scorpius Malfoy can't hide his feelings forever! Next chapter is definitely one you won't want to miss ;) I should have it posted by Wednesday night, so I hope you all come back for it because it's a good one!

I want to thank everyone for reading and send special thanks to the followers/faves and, of course, the reviewers! You guys are the best! When I started posting this story, I didn't expect anyone to even read it, but the amount of supporters just keeps growing! And we are closing in on 100 reviews which will seriously make my day! :) You guys motivate me to keep editing and updating so quickly! Thanks so much to you all and I can't wait to hear your thoughts/comments/suggestions!