**Sneaks in, places Chapter 21 gingerly on the floor and then scurries back out in fear that those few that are probably left after years are not furious that it's been so long**

I can hear the waves crashing. Again and again. Rhythmically, soothingly, relaxingly. I can feel each muscle loosening up a I stretch out and then snuggle up closer to the warm body besides me. My eyes are closed. The bright, mid-day sun is warming up my face and body. The wind is gently grazing over my body, making little grains of sand dance across my skin. My right hand is laying on my thigh. I can feel the gritty salt; residue from playing in the cool sea earlier on.

I feel a hand – a male hand; significantly larger than mine and slightly rough to the touch. Along my palm I can feel his fingers tracing, until his can intertwine with mine.

"Rosie," a voice says. But I don't want to move just end; I don't want this to end. I have never felt so happy and comfortable. I just want a few more seconds longer of this bliss.

"Rosie," the voice, louder now.

And then I'm falling.

I wake with a jolt and a yelp as I feel my back crashing to the floor. It takes less than a second for the relaxed and happy feeling to be replaced with the tense dread of being woken up suddenly; fearing that I must have slept through my alarm.

I open my eyes. And rather that seeing the ceiling of the dormitory, my eyes adjust to the dim light of the library.

What the... Oh yeah. I remember now. Shit.

Malfoy, the project, being locked in, the sofa and – ugh – the Fire Whiskey. But hang on, that doesn't explain why I'm on the floor? And, why in the name of Merlin I am actually behind the sofa?

"Mr Malfoy," Madam Pince's harsh yet delighted tone cuts through my thoughts of standing up.

Perhaps I'll just stay hidden down here. I can see Malfoy's feet through the gap between the sofa and the floor. He only has socks on.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asks; breaking her strict rule of being deadly silent in the library by raising her voice.

"I-" Malfoy begins, but he's interrupted.

"Alcohol!" she shouts incredulously "Alcohol? In the library?"

The glass of the bottle clinks against the floor as she picks it up. It's empty. I know that because I poured the last drops of amber liquid down my throat only a couple of hours before.

She doesn't even gives him a chance to answer before she asks her next question.

"Is there anyone else in here?". I can hear the accusation in her voice.

Oh here we go. I wonder if I'll be adopted after my parents have disowned me, from getting yet another detention?

"No."

Wait, what? I lean up onto my elbows so I'm not laying completing flat on the floor, as if that change in position would somehow make me hear things more clearly. Did I hear that correctly? Did Malfoy, just... cover for me?

"Are you sure?" she asks, I can imagine her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I'm sure. There's no one else in here," he replies.

Was it just my imagination or did he speak a little louder just then? As if trying to make it clear to me that I should stay where I am, hidden from view? How did I even get here, behind the sofa anyway? Did Malfoy drop me behind her when he was woken up by Pince opening up the library doors?

"You're coming with me," she says, "come on!"

She taps her foot impatiently. I hear Malfoy sign and then, as I lie back down flat, I see his hand reaching down to pick up his shoes. He doesn't put them on though. Apparently having cold feet is worth not aggravating Pince any more.

I hear the click of her shoes and the soft pad of his feet as they walk towards the door. Merlin knows what type of punishment he's in for. Being out of bed after hours, being in the library after it's closed, having alcohol on the premises, being intoxicated. Plus probably a whole list of other specific library rules that Pince is coming up with in her head.

I crouch onto my knees so I can peek over the back of the sofa. I watch them both walking away. The empty bottle of Fire Whiskey is dangling from Pince's fingers; no doubt being taken as evidence of the crime. Malfoy's shirt is crumpled from sleeping in it and in his right hand he's holding his shoes. With his right, he reaches up and runs a hand through his head, leaving it there for a moment before letting his arm drop back down to his side; probably wondering how the hell he is going to explain his one to his father.

What I am doing? I should stand up. I should say something. I was here too, after hours and drinking and I shouldn't let him take the blame for it all. I should share the punishment with him, and just accept the consequences, whatever they are. I mean, they surely can't expel us for this, can they?

And another thing – the thing that is making the guilt feel like a stone dropping in my stomach – he covered for me. He heard Pince coming into the library and rather than hiding himself, he picked me up and (albeit ungraciously) dropped me behind the sofa to hide me from view.

I can't. I can't let him take the blame for this solely. I'm able to stand up, open my mouth to get the attention of Madam Pince, but in that instant he glances around and looks straight at me. It's almost as if he knew I was looking; as if he could sense it. He gives the tiniest shake of his head. So small that there's a chance I could have imagined it. I freeze to the spot. Unable to move and unable to speak. I watch them both as they walk out of the library. The sound of the door closing echoes around the empty space.

Shit. Shit.

How did this even happen? How did we get into this situation? It only takes a few seconds for me to snap back into action. It won't be long before Madam Pince is back. I smooth out my shirt and skirt. It's obvious that I've slept in them but I'm hoping that I'll be able to get back to the dormitory before anyone sees me. As I'm putting my shoes on, I notice Malfoy's tie scrunched up next to mine. I grab them and stuff them both into my pocket.

How am I going to explain this? Surely someone will have noticed that I didn't return back to the common room. Are they going to believe that I got locked in the library (well, yes, they probably would). But not with Malfoy.

I rush over to the table we'd been working on and gather together all the papers we'd written on. I leave the books spread all over the table. Pince can deal with those. For once I don't care. I have to get back to the common room as soon as I can. At least the library doors are open now.

Oh Merlin.

Another wave of dread washes over me. Aidan. I feel sick, and I'm pretty sure it's not just because I'm feeling slightly hungover. What am I going to say to Aidan? How am I going to explain myself? What am I going to say to Scorpious next time I see him? What is going to happen to him?

I thank every magical being and beast that I don't see anyone in the mad rush from the library to the common room, and then from the common room to the dormitory. I quietly shove Malfoy's tie in my bag. I can give it to him when I next see him. If I do ever see him again. He might be in detention for the rest of his school life.

Okay. So it's been a couple of hours now. I've showered and as the steamy hot water washed over me, I felt myself calm down ever so slightly, although there's still a knot in my stomach that has stayed firmly in place all through breakfast and now as I'm walking towards Hogsmeade with Aidan.

"Rose," I heard him staying, pulling me out of my daydream, and wrapping his arm around my shoulders to get my attention.

I force a smile and turn to him, "sorry, what did you say?"

He drops his arm, and tilts his head slightly, looking concerned.

"Hey are you alright?" he asks.

Well Aidan, now there's a question. I spent a secret and drunken night with the boy that I have been saying that I hate for years. He kissed me, and I kissed him back. But then I felt guilty so I pushed him away, even though it was the one thing in that moment that I didn't want to do. This boy who, I had already made so many assumptions about, showed me a different, vulnerable side to him. And now that's confused me. Have I had him wrong all along? Has he been putting on a mask and I, like every else in the school, have fallen for it? And he covered for me! He completely took the blame. He didn't want me to get into trouble for our actions. So does that mean he cares about me? Or does it just mean that he just didn't want to spend another detention with me? Is this just a way to confuse me, or did he do it so that I now 'owed' him? Does he hate me, like I always thought? Or has he changed his mind? Or, is he just messing with my mind so he can go back to his little friends and they can all have a laugh about how pathetic and needy I am?

I mean obviously I don't say any of that to Aidan. I think he would just turn around and run away.

"I'm fine," I say, "just tired. I was working late on this homework due in on Monday".

His mouth breaks into a cheeky smile, "well hey it's the weekend now so try to forget about it until the dreaded Sunday evening. I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about anyway," he says.

"Yeah, hopefully," I say, trying to convince myself.

We reach the Three Broomsticks and he politely opens the door for me. The noise of chatter and glasses clinking hits me before the wonderful, mixed smell of the old pub.

Aidan places his hand at the base of my back as he guides me towards the bar. "What do you want?" he asks.

Even the thought of a butter beer is making me want to throw up. "Just a pumpkin juice please," I reply. As he's pulling out the money and waiting to be served, I see Al in the corner of the room, talking animatedly about his recent Quidditch practice. "I just need to go and have a word with Al, I won't be long," I explain to Aidan.

I've had an idea. I try to walk calmly towards Al, but my insides are turning.

"Al," I say, to get this attention, "Can I have a word?"

He turns around. "Oh hey Rosie, having fun?" he asks, looking over at Aidan.

"Yeah," I reply, quickly. "A word?" I ask again, indicating that I want to stand away from the group of other students he's with.

"Sure."

He follows me a few steps away from everyone else. The level of chatter is high enough that I know they won't be able to hear what I'm saying. He looks concerned but doesn't say anything and instead waits for me to speak.

"Listen, Al, I need you to see if Scorpius is okay," I begin.

He pauses, furrowing his brow, "what for?". His face then changes, like something has dawned on him. "Merlin's beard Rosie, what did you do to him?"

Before I can answer, he grabs my arm and pulls us even closer into the corner, "It's usually you and me that are the ones sorting out family dramas. What's happened?" he asks, his voice quiet and concerned.

I pull my arm out of his grasp, "I've not done anything to him," I say, disbelievingly. Well, I mean, I suppose I did kiss him. And I have let him take the blame for something that we both should have been punished for. I shake my head. In some sort of vain attempt to concentrate and organise my thoughts.

"Look, he's just got himself into trouble and I'm just worried that he might get expelled or something. It's not fair-"

My voice trails off. Albus has reached up and is feeling my forehead. I swot his hand away. What's he doing?

"I'm just checking you've not got a fever or something Rose."

Well yes, okay, I suppose he does have a point. It doesn't make sense to Al and I don't blame him. And I can't even explain it to anyone when I can't even make sense of it all myself. When and how did my life get so complicated? That's boys for you.

I look over my shoulder and see Aidan making his way over to us. This is my last chance.

"Al, Malfoy's in trouble and it's partly my fault. I know I don't like him but it's not fair that he should take the full blame. With his track record, he could be expelled or something. And I couldn't cope with that guilt, which I'm sure is why he's covering for me-" I explain hastily.

"He's covering for you?" Albus interrupts. To be fair I wouldn't have believed I would be saying all of this a few weeks ago.

"Hey Al," Aidan says, as he reaches us.

"Hi mate," says Al, "you alright?"

Aidan nods and takes a sip of his drink, "Aye, not bad". He passes my pumpkin juice to me, and gives me a cheeky half smile (which, despite myself and my current confusing situation makes my stomach flip).

"Well I'll leave you two to it then," Albus says. He gives me a look. I can tell straight away that he wants to talk to me later on; to try and find out what's going on with me.

"See you later," I say, watching him walk back to the group of friends he was with originally.

When I turn back to Aidan, he's looking at me, with a little smile on his face.

"What?" I ask.

"You're gorgeous," he replies, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "And even more so when you scrunch your face up like that because you don't believe me."

I laugh nervously, and look down at the floor; a failed attempt at trying to hide my embarrassment. The laugh feels like I've just poured a whole bag full of Pepper Imps into my mouth – I felt the tension seeping out. Once it had started, it didn't stop. I don't want it to stop.

"You're not too bad yourself," I reply, looking up to Aidan.

He grins. He looks like he's never been happier, and I can't help but smile back at him.

All too soon it's closing time in The Three Broomsticks, and I didn't even realise how much time had passed. I'd never really noticed before how caring and funny Aidan was. It felt good to laugh and talk about nothing and everything. Well, not everything, obviously. But it was nice that he actually managed to take my mind off it all. If it was only for a few hours.

"We'd best get back," he says, and we join the last, remaining students that are beginning to make their way back to the school.

I've had a lovely evening, despite feeling more confused than ever. It shouldn't be possible to like two people at the same time – it just messes everything up even more. Not that I'm even sure I actually like Malfoy. This could all just be a big act to mess with my head and I need to remember that.

Or the reason behind my feelings towards Malfoy could be because I know I shouldn't be having those feelings; like when you decide it's probably best to start eating slightly healthier after eating enough food for 15 fully grown humans over the Christmas holidays, but then someone brings out the mince pies and you can't stop thinking about them.

We take the walk back to the school at a casual pace, both of us not really wanting the evening to end. It's been surprisingly lovely. Although I did catch a few people looking at us, and then making little "aww" faces to their friends. It made me want to be a little sick in my mouth.

"Rose," Aidan says, as we reach the Common Room.

Oh Merlin, this is the doorstop moment isn't it?

"I, well," he smiles, "I've had fun today," he says.

I match his smile, "me too," I say, honestly. Shouldn't this be what teenage life is like? Not having to deal with confusing boys who constantly change their minds and my feelings, but rather nice, lovely boys that obviously care for you?

He leans in and kisses me gently on the cheek. Well that was quite sweet wasn't it? I can't help but smile.

Well... It's been a while, hasn't it?

I am genuinely sorry for how long it's been. I don't even know if there'll be anyone left interested but I really want to make sure that I finish this story off properly. This chapter is probably not a long as the other ones, but it's been a while since I've properly written anything so it might take me a while to get back into the swig of things again.

Hope you've all been well :).

- Peaches xoxo