AN: Yes, I know I have missing in action for about two months now. Yes, I know I should have four other chapters written besides this one. But, alas, I have chapter thirteen completed.
I really don't want to have a really long author's note, but there's no other option. There is going to be a long, detailed author's note.
As you may be aware, I am in school still. I am in the International Baccalaureate program at my school. I am a lead in our spring musical. I am in dance classes. I am heavily involved in our school's music program. Life pretty much shit on me recently and I've got no time. Oh! - I also have to do two more college visits in order to decide where exactly I plan on going to college. Yay me!
I'm buried up to my eyeballs in projects and studying and memorising lines and essays and loads of other shit. So please, bear with me. I highly doubt that I will be able to pop out another chapter until May. Two months per chapter seems a pretty good deal, eh? That's how long it took me to get this one to ya.
For all my faithful readers, I apologise for my inability to write and/or post chapters in a timely fashion. Although it may be too much to ask of you, please review. All authors thrive on readers' feedback and that very well may help me to write more and post sooner. I'm always open to plot suggestions (small ones, like what the imminent graduation should be like, or something of that nature). Constructive criticism is a god-send, so please don't hesitate to tell me in a polite manner whether or not my chapter sucked.
Even though this is one of my shorter chapters (the actually content is somewhere in the 3800-3900 word count), I hope it is suffient and up to par with the rest of the story.
For those of you who actually read this author's note, I thank you and I hope that you will enjoy this chapter.
Constant Vigilance!
magick
Chapter Thirteen: Clear
"Oh Merlin! I just want our N.E.W.T.s to be done and over with!" Rose cried frustrated.
"Rose, they'll be over soon enough," Cecelia reminded her. "Our first and second are tomorrow. Then after that, only eight more to go!"
Rose groaned, her head clanking upon the table. "Merlin, I just want them to be over!"
"Yes, you've already said that and I understand."
"But I really want them to be over."
Cecelia ignored her best friend; there wasn't anything more she could tell her.
Cecelia took Rose's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Well, we can't possibly do any last minute revising, so we best find our boys."
Smiling lightly, Rose agreed. "That sounds perfect."
Dragging Rose out of the Library, the two girls ran through the halls toward the dungeons and Slytherin common room.
"How do you know they'll be here?" Rose asked her best friend warily. Despite accepting Slytherins themselves, she absolutely hated the Slytherin common room. It was wet and dark and dreary; it unsettled her.
"Al told me," Cecelia told her matter-o'-factly. "While you were busy banging your head on the table, he sent me a message to go to the Slytherin common room for a surprise."
They now stood before the Slytherin entrance. "Okay then. I like surprises, but did they have to make us come to the Slytherin common room? It's creepy."
"Yes, of course they did. We bring them into Gryffindor all the time and they don't complain about its incessant cheerfulness, now do they?"
Rose sighed. "I suppose not."
"See what we do for love?" Cecelia told her smiling. "Serpentis."
The tapestry covering the entrance lifted at the password, welcoming Rose and Cecelia with a spine-chilling breath of frigid air.
"Ugh," Rose cringed, wrapping an arm around herself.
"Oh, come on," Cecelia laughed, pulling a reluctant Rose behind her, down the stone staircase and into the Slytherin common room.
"Oi! Look who came to visit! Rose and Cecelia!" Evie Harper cried, rising from her seat beside Owen Wilkes and Simone Rosier. "Crazy!"
She ran over to them and gave them both a great, big hug.
"Hello, Evie. Al actually told us to come here. He said something about a surprise," Cecelia told her kindly.
"Oh, of course. You'd never come down here to just visit other Slytherins, only your precious fuck buddies," Finola Finch-Fletchley hissed.
"Fucking hell, Fin! Leave it alone!" Christopher Button hollered at her. He was at his last straw with Finola being a bitch.
Rose just glared at Finola before turning to Christopher. "Don't worry about it. She's probably upset she's not getting any."
This comment certainly surprised the Slytherins and Cecelia. They weren't used to a rude Rose.
"Wow, the Head Girl actually can stick up for herself," Simone commented, impressed. "Very few people pit themselves against Finola the Fierce. You're rating just went up in my book!"
Simone was a very harsh critic and this was a huge leap for her.
"Well I'm glad," Rose told her sincerely.
"So, do you know where Scorpius and Al are?"
"I think they're in the dorm," Owen told Rose.
"Alright. Thanks. We'll head on up," Cecelia told them.
"Hey, Rose and Cecelia, do you want to hang out this weekend after most of our exams. We could go the Room of Requirement? It'll be crazy," Evie asked them.
"Sure."
Evie smiled before opening up a book. Owen and Simone began snogging while Christopher reprimanded Finola in hushed tones.
"They're so nice," Cecelia commented as she followed Rose toward the seventh year dorms.
"Yes, they are, except for Finola. I don't know what Christopher sees in her."
"You can't help who you love. Even if they are a bitch."
The best friends wandered into the seventh year boys' dorm cautiously; they both knew how boys could be, seeing they both had brothers.
They knocked on the door three times before they heard an 'enter'.
Grasping the door handle, Rose turned it and the door opened.
"Oh, Albus, Scorpius, your girls have arrived and are awaiting their surprise," Cecelia called into the dark abyss.
"Oh, well, I'm sure you'll like it!" a voice called back. They knew the voice was Al's.
Hearing the sound of feet approaching them, Cecelia and Rose took one more step into the dorm room.
A blonde boy appeared and dutifully gave his girlfriend a kiss before giving her friend a hug. "Thanks for persuading her, Cece. She would have missed out on something wonderful had she not come."
"Hey, if you asked me, I would have come," Rose said defiantly.
"Would you?" Scorpius smirked. "You're much too worried about revising and your N.E.W.T.s to even care about a surprise."
"Not true," Rose started before Cecelia stepped on her words.
"Where is Al and why hasn't he come to kiss me yet?" Cecelia wanted to know.
"He's just finishing up the surprise. He'll be here in a moment," Scorpius reassured her.
Cecelia made a scoffing noise and crossed her arms. "He better be, or I'm coming after him."
Scorpius laughed. "I'm sure he'd love that!"
"Alright, you may proceed!" Al cried from the depths of the dorm room.
Scorpius smiled at the girls before guiding them deeper into the dormitory.
There, standing in the middle of the room, was Albus and a conglomeration of wood in the shape of what looked like Siamese twins.
"What is it?"
Albus gasped, taken aback by Cecelia's inability to see the masterpiece before her.
"'What is it?' Are you blind? It's Scorp and my statue of our lovely girlfriends. See, you're standing beside one another, arms around each other's waists with your heads tilted so they are resting together. It's as obvious as the freckles on Rose's nose!"
Rose and Cecelia looked at each other, confused and wondering what in Merlin's name possessed the two boys to make a statue of them. Honestly. Especially since they both knew Al had no artistic talent. (Scorpius could sketch portraits like a pro, but that was the extent of his ability.)
"Of course it is!" Rose reassured Al and Scorpius, noticing their crest-fallen faces. "Right, Cece?"
Rose nudged Cecelia, causing her to cry out in surprise.
Quickly, she covered up her squeal with praise. "I haven't ever seen anything like it in my life."
Both Scorpius and Al swelled with pride at that.
"We can place it in Rose's common room, so as to avoid any mishaps that would destroy or ruin this work of art," Al told the girls.
"I suppose," Rose began warily. Although it wasn't the most beautiful thing to look at, she knew that Scorpius and Albus had worked very diligently and had put their whole heart into its creation. "I think it will look brilliant beside the fireplace."
"Well then, we best get it there now before we show you part two of 'Rose and Cecelia's Most Magnificent and Remarkable Unforeseen Surprise'."
Rose and Cecelia looked at Scorpius in shock. There was a second part?
Al promptly grabbed his wand and made the work of art the size of a Viktor Krum action figure. He pocketed his wand and held the masterpiece in his hand as if it were the most precious thing ever.
"To the Heads' dormitory!" Al cried, taking the lead.
Cecelia followed after him, still a bit perplexed, while Rose and Scorpius took the caboose.
No one said a word on the way to the Heads' dorms.
Rose opened the portrait hole with the password, silently slipping in, followed directly by Cecelia, Al, then Scorpius.
"Put it wherever you'd like Allie."
Gladly, he did. He hadn't even noticed that Rose had called him by that dreaded nickname, 'Allie'.
"And now, we blindfold you!" Al cried, once he had placed the statue to the left of Rose's fireplace and charming it to its correct size.
Springing upon their girlfriends, Al and Scorpius tied blindfolds on them.
"Albus, is this really necessary?"
"Of course it is Cecelia. Blindfolds are absolutely necessary. We don't want any of the surprise to be ruined by seeing where we are taking you."
Rose and Cecelia felt themselves being pushed forward, out of the Head dormitories, and taken through various corridors, not being able to tell their left from their right.
Rose knew that they were taking them through the various secret passageways of Hogwarts, due to the draftiness and damp cold that was clinging to her skin. The final destination was a complete mystery.
"Albus, please say we're almost there. It's cold wherever we are," Cecelia told him.
"Just a few more minutes, Cece. Not to worry; our final destination will be warm."
"It better be," she threatened.
There was silence for the remaining time in the passageway. Suddenly, the four friends were hit with a wave of heat.
"We're practically there."
"Thank Merlin," Rose sighed.
The girls heard a heavy, wooden door creak open and were inundated by a pleasing smell that reminded Rose of her grandmum Molly's cooking. They also heard laughter, felt the heat seep into their skin.
"Ready, girls?" Scorpius asked.
"We've been ready," Cecelia told him.
"Okay then."
Scooping them up, Al and Scorpius carried their girlfriends to their destination.
Only once they had been set down were the blindfolds removed.
"Surprise!" a horde of people cried.
Teddy and Victoire were there, as well as Liam and Maegan, Cecelia's brother Caleb and his wife Cailyn, Cecelia's sister Charlotte, her boyfriend Nicholas, James Potter (II) and his girlfriend Anna Holland.
"Oh my god! You did this for us?" Rose cried.
"Well, yeah. We knew you both needed a bit of time away from Hogwarts so we even asked McGonagall and she said alright."
"But that was only because we were meeting you," Teddy added.
"Otherwise, she'd have never gone for it," Charlotte finished for Scorpius and Teddy.
Charlotte opened her arms wide, allowing Cecelia to rush in to give her sister a hug.
"Hey Rosie Posie, are you gonna give you favourite god-cousin a hug?"
She looked to Teddy and gave him a grin before giving Scorpius and chaste kiss.
"Thank you. You are amazing."
"I know," he smirked.
Rose and Cecelia went about the group, giving out hugs and kisses and love. They were so very pleased with their surprise.
"So what does it feel like as almost-graduated Hogwartians?" Liam asked after they sat down at the table that had been set up in the renovated interior of the Shrieking Shack.
Rose took her glass of water (since she wasn't drinking butterbeer or firewhiskey like most) and raised it high. "Woo hoo!" she cried.
"I'll second that!" Scorpius said, raising his own glass of butterbeer.
Soon enough, all of the attendees had their glasses raised and cheers were being sung.
"Once you're out in the real world with us, there will be loads that we will need to introduce you to," Charlotte told them. "There are clubs I can hardly wait to take you to, baby sister, as well as parties and balls and lectures and so much more."
Everyone was having a thrilling time, where nothing reminded them of work back at the Ministry or Auror missions or angry Goblins at Gringotts or bossy magazine editors or N.E.W.T. exams. Soon as it began, it had to end.
Victoire had to stop at the Burrow to pick up Analise and Topher from grandmum Molly. Liam and Teddy had to return to Headquarters to finish some mission paperwork while Maegan needed to return to the Department of Mysteries after picking up and dropping Jonathan off at his dad's. Charlotte was needed back at Magical Witch to go over information about the new magazine and Cailyn needed to pick Chloe and Cameron up from their play-date. Caleb still had to pack for a Ministry trip to Murmansk. There were sketches at the warehouse that Nicholas needed to pick up for the new broom her was designing. James and Anna needed to return to the pitch for afternoon practice. Scorpius, Al promised McGonagall they would return with Rose and Cecelia no later than half four, and it was getting dangerously close to that time.
They finally parted, with the arrival of graduation swirling in their minds.
The next morning, Rose wandered into her common room. Her eyes fell on the statue her boyfriend and cousin made and she couldn't help but smile. It was ugly as hell, but it was made with such affection.
She stared at it for a while before she meandered into the washroom to get ready for the day.
Today, there was the Transfiguration and Potions N.E.W.T.s. Rose and every other seventh year were anxiously anticipating the first of many N.E.W.T.s examinations.
After a nearly silent breakfast, all the years returned to their common rooms in order for the professors to prepare the examination rooms. Soon enough, the years were directed to their examination destinations.
Rose sat at her desk, waiting for Professor Longbottom's signal to begin the Transfiguration N.E.W.T.s exam.
"You may now begin," he addressed the seventh years.
Exam booklets appeared on their desks, along with anti-cheating quills that had never-ending ink.
'Other than the Principal Exception of food, what are the four other Principal Exceptions of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration?'
This will be easy, Rose thought to herself as she answered the four Principal Exceptions.
Rose completed the Transfiguration N.E.W.T. feeling quite sure that she earned at least an E. She hoped that she earned at least an E.
That afternoon, after lounging out by the Black Lake with Scorpius, Christopher, Simone, Owen, and a few seventh year Hufflepuffs, there was the Potions N.E.W.T. to take.
The days passed relatively quickly. Soon, not only had the Transfiguration and Potions N.E.W.T.s been given, but also the Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Muggle Studies N.E.W.T.s. It was Friday June sixth and there were the Astronomy and Arithmancy N.E.W.T.s to take.
All students received a short reprieve from examinations with the arrival of the weekend.
Rose spent it with Cecelia, doing some shopping in Hogsmeade. They ate meals with Albus and Scorpius, as well as their Slytherin friends; their Gryffindor friends Michaela Longbottom, Collette Creevey and Jonah Thomas; their Ravenclaw friends Zebadiah "Zeb" Smith and Connie Chambers; and their Hufflepuff friends Devin Finnigan and Andrew Macmillan. It was their last weekend as Hogwarts students and they were determined to enjoy it with good friends.
Scorpius and Rose went on walks, finding new nooks and niches to be by themselves as Al and Cecelia wandered the castle themselves. On Sunday, however, Scorpius was on a specific mission during one of their walks. He wanted to surprise Rose.
So, for the first time since learning about the pregnancy, Scorpius took Rose to the abandoned Astronomy Tower.
"Scorpius, can you please tell me where we're going? I'm getting sick of all the surprises. It started with the statue, and then continued with the dinner with Teddy and Liam and Charlotte and James and everyone else. I honestly don't know what the obsession with surprises is."
"I promise Rose, this is the last surprise. However, I don't understand how you can hate surprises."
Rose sighed, greatly amused. "I don't hate surprises. They just bother me."
Although Rose couldn't see because Scorpius' hands were covering her eyes, Scorpius smiled.
"A few more steps and then we're there," she was told.
"Is there food involved, Scorpius? Because I'm starving."
"Perhaps," came the answer.
Scorpius stopped, which meant that Rose also stopped. They had made it to their destination.
"Are you ready to see where we are?"
"Yes. Very much so."
Slowly, Scorpius took his hands away from Rose's eyes.
"Oh Scorpius," she sighed.
"'Oh Scorpius' what? Did I do something wrong?" Scorpius asked, worried.
"No no. Of course not. It's just that – here…"
Looking back at Scorpius, Rose was on the verge of tears. By no means were they sad tears or angry tears. They were tears of joy and remembrance, as well as those of a hormonal pregnant woman.
She rushed into his arms where he immediately enveloped her, holding her tightly and for dear life.
Rose hated that she started crying just because she saw the abandoned Astronomy Tower, decorated as it had been three months, one week, and two days ago. There was a red-and-white checkered tablecloth and candles and a picnic basket that was, no doubt, overflowing with food. A bed was tucked into the corner, in preparation for whatever else would happen. It was practically March seventh all over again.
Rose hated that Scorpius probably thought she was crying for reasons other than remembering their first time, but because of the so-called "repercussions" of that time. There was so much to remember of that night, so much that Rose never wanted to forget. It was a declaration of Scorpius' love for her, and for their baby.
"Then why are you crying, love?"
"I'm crying because I'm happy, you bleeding romantic," Rose sniffled, smiling nevertheless.
"Is that a good thing?"
"Yes, you prat," Rose told him, giving him a slap on the arm.
Delicately, his thumbs brushed away her tears and he kissed her lips.
"I love you," she whispered to him.
"And I love you."
Their lips met once more before Rose pulled away.
"What have you brought to eat?"
Scorpius smiled before capturing Rose's lips. His tongue grazed her bottom lip, inciting Rose's mind to respond. Her tongue met his, the sensation arousing a tingling that began in her toes and flowed throughout her body.
Arms made their way around Scorpius' neck and hands gripped Rose's waist tightly. Pressed closely against one another, they felt the heat and the passion and the yearning that pulsated in their blood and seared their skin.
Scorpius detached his lips from Rose's, pressing them onto the flesh of her throat. Eliciting a delightful moan, Rose's hips ground into Scorpius'. Rose's hands reached for Scorpius' belt buckle as she pressed her lips to his once again in a heart-stirring kiss.
"I thought you said you were starving," Scorpius whispered huskily.
"I did."
Scorpius' trousers, shoes and socks were discarded hastily and fingers deftly pulled Rose's shirt up over her head.
Rose kissed Scorpius deeply, dragging him backwards to the bed in the corner. She positioned herself upon the bed, pulling Scorpius with her and never breaking their kiss. Scorpius whipped off his t-shirt and Rose removed her jeans.
Scorpius' body was above Rose and he couldn't bare not having contact with her skin. It set him on fire.
He held her hips between his knees as he kissed every inch of exposed flesh.
Rose reveled under his touch, under his pale blue eyes. She moaned and arched her back, loving it as he loved her.
Scorpius' hand slipped behind her back to unclasp her bra. Playing with the elastic band of his pants, one of Rose's fingers slipped inside, causing Scorpius to quiver at her finger's soft, cold touch.
It wasn't before long that they found themselves together in the most intimate way, multiple times over. With a bit of magic, they didn't need to get out of bed for food, simply levitating it over.
Once they had eaten their fill, they laid beside each other, entirely unashamed of their nakedness. Scorpius dragged him fingers about Rose's skin, reaching its destination of the abdomen. He brushed his hand all over her stomach and felt a hardness that he wasn't used to. It was a true physical change now, taking place within Rose. This pregnancy was not merely an emotional and hormonal phenomenon; it was now really taking place.
Gently, Scorpius placed a kiss on Rose's hardened stomach.
"Hello there, baby. I'm your daddy," he whispered.
The feel of his breath on her bare skin gave Rose shivers.
Rose found Scorpius' hair, lovingly running a hand through it.
"I can't believe that this miracle is now physically visible. We are really going to be parents," Scorpius said softly.
Murmuring in agreement, Rose kept playing with Scorpius' hair.
"It so strange, all of the changes my body is going through. One day, I woke up and I realised that my stomach was no longer jiggly; it was hardened, like a shell. It's absolutely amazing."
Scorpius kissed her stomach again before placing a kiss on her lips.
"As are you."
Rose blushed slightly under Scorpius' gaze.
He could still have that effect on her after more than a year of dating.
Their lips met again before Rose spoke.
"I think I should tell my mum soon. She's going to find out soon enough when I begin wearing baggie shirts and bigger trousers."
"That might be a good thing, but won't she tell your dad?"
Rose shrugged. "If I ask her not to, she won't."
"It would be easier on you, knowing that your mum knows."
"She won't be pleased, but it's not as if I'm going to change my mind about the situation now. We've come to our own agreement and that should be all that matters. All that's left is our parents' support."
Scorpius' hand rested on Rose's hip, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"We'll have it eventually, Rosie. Don't worry. As much as they may be disappointed that they're becoming grandparents now, they will love our baby unconditionally. It's a grandparent thing."
Lying on her side, Rose edged toward Scorpius. She positioned herself so her body was flush against Scorpius'. In the crook of his neck, Rose rested her head.
"I hope so."
Scorpius reassured her with a longing kiss.
"Soon, we'll be out of Hogwarts and in the real world. We can be together for everyone to see. We can start our real life together, creating something substantial for our baby."
"And money? School? Jobs? How are we going to do that and take care of a baby?" Rose asked, scared.
"We'll manage Rose. There have been others in more desperate situations than ours that have made it through. Plus, we have Al and Cecelia, not to mention Liam and Maegan and everyone else. They will all help us when we need it most."
Rose snuggled closer to Scorpius, feeling his heart beating in time with hers.
"We'll get a flat together, yes?"
Giving a little chuckle, Scorpius left a kiss on Rose's forehead. "Of course."
"Why of course?"
Laughing once again, Scorpius answered her. "Well, I was going to suggest us living together anyway, but our baby makes it more apparent that we should. We want her to grow up in as normal of a setting as any other child, don't we?"
"Very true," Rose responded.
Silence hung around them for a short time before Rose threw her leg over Scorpius'.
"Having a flat to ourselves would also be quite advantageous, as well," Rose said is a hushed voice before pressing her lips to Scorpius' collarbone.
"And what would that be?" Scorpius asked wolfishly, his hands travelling down the length of her gorgeous body.
Rose was amused. "I thought that would be clear."
"It's perfectly clear," Scorpius answered.
They were perfectly aware that they clearly would be able to make it in the long-run.
With a passion-filled, soul-wrenching, heart-racing kiss, both Rose and Scorpius were incredibly aware of their bodies and began another round of exploration.
AN: Please R & R lovelies. I'd greatly appreciate it!