Bonsoir! :D

Chapter 13

"How was it?" Violet shouted, frightening Scarlett who was reading through a copy of the Prophet by Violet's kitchen table. It was just after sunset, Violet had just got back from work, and Scarlett had been waiting around for her after her lunch with Albus.

Scarlett looked up at her cousin and couldn't help letting out a small laugh, "it was great, thank you," she replied curtly and went back to her newspaper.

Violet crossed her arms and pouted, "you're going to have to give me more than that, what did he say? What did he talk about? What did you say?" Violet started, asking the questions with blunt intrigue.

Her cousin frowned and crossed her arms, "I know what you're trying to do, Violet. You're trying to find out whether I like Albus, like that. I'm doing what you asked me to do," Scarlett got up quickly, "and I'm starting to regret agreeing to it, but if you keep on pushing this, I swear I will, Vi, I will go home."

"Why are you being like that?" Violet shouted back at her, "this is my happiness on the cards, and you can't expect me to sit idly by and not ask you about everything."

"Well I don't want to tell you," Scarlett moved into the hallway, grabbed her coat and bag and went out the door. Leaving Violet annoyed, confused and frustrated.

XxX

Scarlett didn't know what was going on in her head, she didn't understand why she was crying right now. She never got angry, she had never lashed out at Violet or anyone else in that way. And now she was clutching her coat tightly against her and crying as she walked down the dark, lamp lit streets.

Maybe it was guilt.

She wasn't exactly being honest with Albus about her intentions, about Violet's wishes. She'd never done anything like this before, and she felt terrible about it.

The backs of her hands wiped at her cheeks and she sniffled.

She didn't want to hurt Albus.

Today at lunch, he had been so…wonderful. He'd been funny and interesting and he continued to pass her expectations. She just couldn't see what everyone else was seeing. Yes, he could be arrogant and persistent, but he wasn't just that, he was intelligent, he was thoughtful.

Scarlett shook her head, she didn't like this.

It wasn't often she had heard so much about one person, to have met them and not been convinced by what she had heard, it made her feel like Albus was lying to her, but she knew he wasn't.

Before Scarlett knew what she was really doing, she had taken out her wand and Apparated to her Uncle and Aunts house. She cleared her face as much as usual, breathing in and putting on a smile before knocking the door.

Her Aunt Parvati opened the door with a grin, "well hello – oh, what's wrong, Scarlett? You look like you've been crying, come in," she shut the door behind Scarlett, and with an arm around her shoulder, walked her into the living area. Her great Aunt was there, meticulously cross-stitching. She looked up when Scarlett entered the room, and sent a beaming smile towards her.

"Scarlett, what's wrong?" Mrs Zabini asked, she patted the seat beside her and Scarlett sat down, a calm expression on her face.

Parvati took the seat on the other side of Scarlett and put a hand against her back, "what happened?"

Scarlett tucked her dark hair behind her ears and breathed, "I don't know." She started, she rubbed at her eyes again, making sure they were dry. "I just…I just feel like crying," she said, her voice cracked and she thought she sounded a little manic.

"Does it make you feel better?" Parvati asked, as she rubbed soothing circles on Scarlett's back.

The young woman shook her head and closed her eyes, her older Aunt put down her work and took one of her hands. "Have you ever been told something and then…you see that thing for yourself and it's not like what everyone told you and you don't know what to think." Scarlett started, confusing herself and shaking her head.

"Of course, Cara," Mrs Zabini said, squeezing her hand, "it's always a good thing. It means you see differently to what everyone else does," she smiled. "It makes you special, it makes that person special."

Scarlett's eyes opened and she looked to her Great Aunt, "I never said it was a person."

Parvati chuckled, "it's always about a person, Scarlett."

"Violet warned me about your romance mumbo jumbo," Scarlett giggled and she felt a tear slip down her cheek slightly, she wiped it away quickly and smiled.

"Well I'm always right, did Violet tell you that? You have to be good in my field or you'll be out of the business," Parvati replied. "But Scarlett, why are you crying about him? It's always a good thing, prospective loves, romance, everything."

Scarlett shook her head, "it's not. It's not supposed to be this way and maybe that's why I'm crying. Because I feel guilty about everything," she looked down at her knees.

"You shouldn't try and push anything either way, my dear, if it's meant to be it's meant to be." Mrs Zabini stated, shaking her hand.

The girl laughed, "and should I take your word for it, Zia?" she asked.

Her Great Aunt gasped, "Scarlett, that's the kind of reply I'd expect from Violet. Just because I have had several husbands, doesn't mean I don't know anything about relationships and love."

"And if you really need confirmation, you have me," Parvati said.

"A Love Guru and a seven-times-widowed woman," Scarlett chuckled again and sighed. She felt immensely better, "thanks anyway."

"You're welcome," she was kissed on both her cheeks by the women and she couldn't help smiling again.

The door was opened and Blaise entered, "are we not eating? – oh, evening, Scarlett, what brings you here?" he asked.

"For dinner," Scarlett replied with a nod, and as she got up, she held out her hands for the two older women to take.

The Next Day

Albus grinned as he took a seat next to Scorpius in the lunch hall of the Ministry, his expression turned to a grimace, however, when he saw Rose come over with a bottle of water, a visitor pass attached to her jacket.

"Oh, you're here," Albus said with a sigh.

Rose rolled her eyes, "oh come off it, you were smiling a second ago. Don't let me zap your joy," she opened her water and took a swig.

"Had a nice lunch?" Scorpius asked, he took a bite of his sandwich.

"She is putty in my hands," Albus stated.

Rose laughed lightly, "oh I'm sure she is, Albus," she said sarcastically. "You are just that suave, she fell for your tricks straight away."

Albus folded his arms, smirking at his cousin, "that's why I have a date on Friday."

She leant forward abruptly, staring him in the eyes, "liar."

He grinned and shook his head, he took a giant bite out of his apple and chomped on it noisily. "Fact, you can ask her yourself."

Rose's eyes squinted and she sat back, and glanced sideways at Scorpius, who was eating his sandwich with an amused expression. "He's not telling the truth, right?" she asked for confirmation, Scorpius shrugged.

"I don't know, but look at his face, he's looking suspiciously pompous today," he replied with a nod. "If he has a date with Scarlett, he must have done something right. And here was me thinking that Albus could do no right."

"That's the thing," she commented, she folded her arms and assessed Albus again. "He's always doing wrong."

Albus grinned, "well on Friday, you'll know where I'll be, even if you don't believe me. And I'll win this bet, I will learn to Apparate, just you wait."

Rose glared at her cousin, "I don't like this at all."

Scorpius bumped her shoulder, "but remember Rose, Al is a terrible liar, so I doubt he's been spreading lies. Maybe she legitimately likes his company, no matter how gross that seems. Maybe Albus is… a catch?"

"What?" Rose exclaimed, she looked like she was trying not to vomit. "I'm watching you very closely Albus Severus."

Albus only winked and smiled in reply, while taking a long drink from his tea.

This is super short. But the date is in the next chapter.

And I am currently dead after Sherlock. Yup. Dead.