LILY

I had had a terrible day. After we left Scorpius and Rose I had engaged in a shouting match with my boyfriend. What made it worse was that I knew I was wrong. Though after the way he responded to Rose's attentions I did fell slightly less guilty. But I honestly didn't know what to do. The right thing to do would've been to break up with him and let him move on but I couldn't. So much effort had gone into getting him, I didn't want it all to be for naught. So I just yelled at him, hoping Scorpius Malfoy was just a phase. A bug I needed to get out of my system.

'He's my brother's best friend,' I screamed. 'There's nothing going on.'

'Are you sure because you seem pretty friendly lately,' he yelled back. 'I hate Mondays because you go off for rounds with a huge smile on your face and I know it's him that's put it there.'

'Are you fucking kidding me? I would never cheat on you,' I shouted.

'How do I know that? He hasn't exactly got a spotless reputation and he's had no qualms about taking girls off their boyfriends before. And he had two girls in your bed for Merlin's sake,' he yelled.

'You can't talk. You were practically drooling over Rose,' I shouted.

'No I wasn't. I was just glad someone was paying me attention,' he said, suddenly very quiet.

I touched his face. 'I wanted this to work so badly,' I said softly. 'At this time last year I was desperately hoping you would break it off with your girlfriend and profess your undying love for me.'

'I wanted it to work too,' he said. 'But it's obviously not is it? Every time he touches you Lily I feel such intense rage and I hate feeling like that.'

'I'm sorry,' I said, tears running down my face. 'You're a really nice guy and I really like you.'

'It's over isn't it?' he asked.

I just nodded, unable to speak. He kissed my forehead and turned around to walk back to the castle. I just continued on till Hogsmeade. I saw my brother, Daemon, Lorcan and Scorpius dueling with a couple of people outside The Three Broomsticks and made sure to avoid that place. After a drink at the Hog's Head (I ordered Firewhiskey the bartender's an old, extremely disreputable friend of the family) I made my way back to the school. I went straight to the Gryffindor common room. Rose was sitting on the couch.

'Lily,' she said. 'I have to talk to you.'

'I'm really not in the mood right now Rose,' I said, and walked straight up to my dormitory.

She followed me. 'I just wanted to apologize,' she said. 'I've been awful to you.'

I turned to her. 'You have done everything you possibly could to humiliate me and you really think an apology's going to make it all better?'

She looked shattered. 'I was jealous,' she said quietly.

'Why?' I asked. 'Why would you ever be jealous of me? You're gorgeous and incredibly smart.'

'It's because everyone approves of you. Mum would be thrilled to have you as a daughter.' I heard bitterness creep into her voice.

I looked at her stunned. Rose always seemed so confident. It was odd to see her like this. I had never seen her cry before and it felt weird. It was like watching something slowly crumble. Then came the deep heart-wrenching sobs. I never knew Rose could make a sound like that. I held her just hoping she would stop. It scared me. One thing I had always admired about Rose was her strength; it was unnerving to realize that she was as insecure as the rest of us. I started crying too. It had been a weird day.

'Oh Rosie, I messed up,' I said once we had calmed down.

'What did you do?' she asked.

'I broke up with Danny,' I said, 'and I don't know if it was the right thing to do.'

'It was the right thing to do,' she said firmly. 'You were making each other miserable. I saw how you looked at Scorpius and so did he.'

'It's just that he's such a nice guy and I feel terrible but I can't help liking Scorpius,' I said.

'If it's any consolation Scorpius feels the same way about you. He bawled me out for being such a bitch,' she said. 'But you also have to know that he can't do anything about it because you're Albus's sister.'

'I know,' I said, feeling like I was going to burst into tears again.

She hugged me. 'You'll get over him, I promise,' she said soothingly.

'I don't want it to though,' I admitted. 'I like feeling this way. He makes me feel so alive.'

'Well he is supposed to be really good in bed. But I don't think it's worth it,' she said rather matter-of-factly.

'I wasn't even thinking of that,' I said blushing. 'I don't plan to have sex with anyone soon.'

'I'm sure you aren't,' she said smirking.

'Fine fine. Enough about me. What's going on with you and Corner?' I asked, poking her stomach.

'I like him,' she said, her eyes softening. 'He's nice. And rather good in bed.'

'You've slept with him already?' I asked, a little shocked.

She nodded.

'I didn't know you had slept with anyone,' I said, knowing I sounded like a prude.

She just laughed. 'I lost my virginity about two years ago Lil. It was entirely unsatisfying and we broke up a week later. It took me at least six months till I was willing to try again.'

'I just never realized…' I trailed off.

'Well I don't exactly boast about it at family dinners,' she said. 'And we haven't really talked much in the last couple of years.'

'Yeah, I guess,' I said, feeling a little uncomfortable.

'You're such an innocent,' she said. 'I hope Scorpius doesn't ruin you.'

ARIANA

Arya had told me about Rose's breakdown in the pub and I felt really sorry for her especially after seeing the beginning of it. Even though Rose is an absolute bitch everyone feels this unaccountable need to protect her. It's like you'd rather she was bitchy than sad. So I cheered along with the most of the school when Scorpius set off a firework in the Great Hall at breakfast which, after making a great deal of noise spelled out 'I'M SORRY ROSE. PLEASE FORGIVE ME' in large letters.

She stumbled over to the Slytherin table and hugged him for ages. Then the five of them walked through the hall laughing and joking. Rose and Scorpius were still holding on to each other and I realized with shock that this must've been the first real fight in their group. I was struck by their beauty too. They were all so attractive it almost hurt to look at them. Rose looked over to the Ravenclaw table and finding Arnav gave him a huge smile. I noticed Arya's sudden intake of breath. She had obviously seen it too.

'I hate her,' she said with sudden venom.

I looked at her, unable to keep the pity out of my eyes. 'Rose's relationships never last very long,' I said comfortingly. 'I'm sure she'll be done with him by Christmas.'

'You didn't see them yesterday,' she said despairingly.

I saw Lily sitting with her friends but staring at Scorpius with such an obvious look of longing that she may as well have gotten up and yelled it to the whole hall. I went to join her.

'Come on,' I said. 'You look like you could use some air.'

We walked to the lake and collapsed under a tree. She sighed.

'So Scorpius?' I asked.

'Is it that obvious?' she asked blushing.

'Yes. It's a wonder Al hasn't picked up on it yet,' I said.

'That's because you all his thoughts are on you,' she said.

'Don't be silly,' I said. 'We're friends, that's it.'

She just grinned. 'I made up with Rose last night,' she said tentatively.

'That's good,' I said, unsure of how to react.

She impulsively hugged me. 'I really think Rosie's trying to be nicer and it feels good to have my cousin back.'

Eager to get off the topic of Rose who I think we all talked about far too much I asked Lily what she was doing for her birthday which was only a week away.

'I dunno. Not much you can do on a Thursday night really,' she said shrugging. 'And besides sixteen isn't a particularly important birthday. Next year's the one to look forward to.'

After about an hour or so we went back to the castle. I had left Arya at breakfast today so she probably wasn't too happy with me. I went to the loo to freshen up. I was not expecting mass panic outside the bathroom.

'Rosie please come out,' Al shouted banging on the door.

'We'll get the bastard that did it just come out and talk to us,' Scorpius said.

'What's going on?' I asked.

'Can you please go get her out?' Daemon asked. 'She's in there crying.'

There was quite a crowd gathered outside the bathroom. The boys weren't letting anyone else in worried that they might upset Rose more.

I went inside and saw a very different Rose from the one at breakfast. She looked broken. That was actually the only word for it. Her eyes were red and swollen and her eyeliner had run down the side of her face.

'Rose what happened?' I asked softly.

She looked at me with dead eyes and held up a piece of paper.

a/n: So I'll try to get the rest up as soon as possible but it may take a while. It'll definitely be up by Saturday though. Oh and the next one's gonna be from Rose and Albus's POVs. You said you wanted drama so this is the best I can do. So I hope you liked this chapter and please please revieww. Reviews inspire me. And I just realized that this story's longer than any of my other ones so I'm kinda proud. Anyway you're probably bored by my stupid long author's notes so I'll just stop. Oh and the extremely old, disreputable friend of the family is Mundungus Fletcher. I thought he'd be the type to open a bar in his old age :P