~Chapter 21~

Rose

My heart fluttered as I recalled Scorpius' words. I pressed my hands on my face, glancing around the library. It was empty. I exhaled carefully, suppressing the smile that kept wanting to surface.

I was waiting for him to come. He always came after classes. My eyes were trained on the double doors, waiting for him to stroll in. He had slipped back into schedule after a week… Just a week. A week after what he'd done.

My mind kept slithering to Scorpius, and his drunk-like state. His hooded eyes, and dreamy completion.

God.

I shivered.

A groan of doors sounded, and my eyes snapped up. Raven's tired shape peeked through the doors. His shaggy, curly hair was dull, and his shoulders hunched. He raised his head, exhaling as he stepped in. He trudged towards our table, his bag in hand. Sitting down, he produced a book, its leather spine and cover bendy.

It was a muggle book. I frowned; I had seen my mother reading it many times before. I racked my mind to find its name…Grimm's fairy tales! I thought.

I slinked out of my hiding spot, dropping next to him. His head snapped up to meet my ready eyes, and his body seemed to shrink.

"Raven. It's been a month. We have to talk." I spoke through gritted teeth, pushing down on his shoulder to seat him again.

He just shook his head, worming out of my reach. He jumped out of the seat, gathering his book and stuffing it in the bag.

"You know what he's been through… Raven, you have to talk to me, if not him."

He froze, grimacing.

"Raven… Your sister was killed in a werewolf attack, right?" I said quietly, tilting my head down to watch my fingers play.

…

"How did you know?" Whispering, he lifted his head, eyes wide.

I shrugged, smiling sadly.

…

"We were outside, playing while our parents were inside. It was a cool afternoon, and mom had placed a flame in a jar for us. Blaze pushed me on the swings for a while, and then, we lay down on the warm grass, heated by the flame. My mom peeked out, telling us to hurry, as dinner was about to be served. A crash sounded from upstairs; my dad's experiments probably. I don't even remember. She hurried up, telling us she'd be right back, and that's when it happened." His eyes were clouded with sorrow, his body beaten and slouched.

"I-It came out from the forest that was behind out house, right when the moon rose. H-he… he had a taste for young girls." He shivered at the thought, a lonely tear tracing a waterfall down his face.

"My mom found me near the swing, passed out. We never found her." His eyes were focused on the black ring on his finger, toying with it. "That was a year ago. She gave me the ring a week before, telling me to hide it. I first wore it as a necklace with a thin cord, but… now." He twirled it, his eyes slowly rising up to me.

Me? Well, I was speechless. My mouth gaping as I tried to put together words. Words that didn't sound offensive, or ignorant.

"I was a coward, correction. I am one. I haven't had the courage to talk to you, or to even look at Scorpius."

"But you came when I was in the Hospital Ward." I whispered finally. "You aren't a coward. At all."

…

"Does Professor McGonagall know?"

"No." He shook his head, looking back at me. "You won't tell, will you?" He sounded like a child, a child who stole a piece of candy, and someone caught him. Vulnerable, sad… His usual charm gone.

I shook my head softly, eyes passing through his blue ones, and the green that danced in them.

"I guessed it was you. From your eyes." I spoke quietly, as if the whole world would shatter if I raised my voice.

Raven's head perked up, and his eyes widened. "Look, I'm so sorry 'bout what I did, but I couldn't control myself. I usually stick to the Whomping Willow, but- I don't know, I got out somehow." He grimaced. "God knows what I did that night. I woke up in a puddle of blood, a dead rabbit at my feet." He shuddered, his spine rocking at the thought.

…

"How was your last transformation?"

"Alright."…"I remember him howling. Scorpius, I mean. Just vague traces."

His whispers were so low, that a soft wind could silence them.

"You should visit him." I murmured in a reply.

"I can't. He'd wring my neck for what I've done to him… It would serve me right."

I frowned. "Raven Knott, he will not wring your neck, and you will talk to him." My stern words made Raven wince, and his eyes leveled to mine.

He sighed, massaging the bridge of him nose. "Darling, how do you make me do this?" He murmured. Finally speaking to me directly, he said, "Fine. I-I'll come some time."

"Raven." I warned, crossing my hands at my chest. "We were such good friends, for what? 3 weeks? Don't throw that away. Please."

"Fine. I'll go." His shoulders slumped even more, and his defeated shape shook as I strangled him, my arms curling around his neck in a tight hug. He staggered, trying to gain footing. His arms slowly slipped around my waist, and he placed his head in the crook of my neck.

"Thank you!" I exhaled in his ear. Though I didn't notice the blush creep up his cheeks, and the way he gazed at me. Or the way his eyes glinted painfully as I whispered. I didn't notice.

A.N Guys! I'm sooo sorry this chapter was so short, but I had to! I had to! I'm sorry. raises hands over face

I'll try to put the next part up soon, but school is right around the corner (literally, it starts on Monday) And I have so much to do! Sorry guys!

Thanks for reading and please review! :D

-Demi