"We're done."
He sits down beside me, burying his face in my neck, taking a deep breath before exhaling noisily against my pulse point, making me giggle squeamishly. He knows exactly where my ticklish spots were and he uses them to his advantage.
"Mhmm," I hum contentedly in agreement, snuggling further into his side, clutching my book tighter to so it wouldn't fall in my lap.
Scorpius tilts his head against my neck so he had easier access to read my book with me and I hear him chuckle softly.
"I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees."
His voice gives me the chills as it glides over the vowels and consonants slowly, deliberately, enunciating every syllable in a poetic, almost lyrical, tone. Even though I know that the line was meant adoringly I can almost sense the meaning that Scorpius most certainly thinks it means and all I can imagine right now his him, his smell, his feel. And then I roll my eyes.
"It's not meant to sound that way."
"What way?" He widens his eyes innocently.
"In the way that you are implying."
"And what way am I implying?" He nuzzles the crook of my neck and I sigh in resignation, no longer caring about winning the argument.
"Whatever,"
We sit in silence for a moment longer.
"We still going to the shack soon?" He mumbles against my neck.
I sigh and consider for a moment, the temptation of skipping the preposterous gathering much too strong, but the guilty, logical side of me wins out. This is the last time. So I nod and snuggle further into his side.
"Yes."
"We don't have to stay long." He entwines his fingers with mine.
I feel that sometimes he enjoys freaking me out by practically reading my mind. It's truly quite frightening.
"Okay."
I continue to read one-handedly which is actually quite difficult until I feel a warm, wet sensation on my neck.
"Scorpius!"
He sniggers devilishly, licking me again.
"I just wanted to taste you." His breath is cool on my neck and I shiver slightly.
"You are ridiculous." The look he's giving me makes my stomach flutter and I long to throw my book to the other side of the corridor despite being so enthralled in it just moments before.
"Only for you." He smirks before effectively closing my book and engaging me in another enjoyable activity.
The clearing of a throat caught our attention and caused a halt in our activities.
Al stands before us, a slightly sick look on his face, before he turns away for a few moments so that we could rearrange ourselves into a more...proper position. I still remember when my family found out that Scorpius and are were doing…whatever it is that we are doing.
Lily found us and of course, as per her usual manner, the entire school knew within a few hours. For the most part my family, the small circle of them actually present in the castle, was completely fine with it. They like Scorpius and that was that and though Scorpius never officially got down on one knee with a bouquet of roses (how romantic!) and asked me to Hogsmeade or anything, that he was with me is common understanding. We snog, we talk, he's the only one I'm seeing, I'm the only one he's seeing, and so we're whatever it is that we are.
We're both glad that my family approves, but also very grateful that we don't have to do the awkward meet-the-parents situation just yet as neither of us is quite sure what our parents will say about our relationship. One of the many pros to going to a boarding school, I suppose.
When I think about it like that, it kind of makes it seem more complicated than it really is.
"Right, time to go to the Shack?" Scorpius asks, regaining his sense of normality faster than I.
"Yeah," Al grunts.
Scorpius hops up and extends his hand to me, which I take gratefully.
Al and Scorpius start talking about Puddlemere United's chance at the World Cup while I tune them out and enjoy the soft breeze and Scorpius's hand around my waist where it sits in just the right place where I won't squeal girlishly every time he squeezes lightly. Our steps are in sync with each others—him, walking a little more slowly, me walking a little more quickly than usual, but at a comfortable pace all the same.
By the time we reach the Shack, Al and Scorpius have decided that Puddlemere's chance is very slim to none, much to their chagrin.
We enter and see the usual group: Hensley, Lily, Liz, Bea, Hugo, and Calvin. Hugo also brought Tallie and Noah who seem to be a happy enough couple. Also in the far corner, huddled amongst themselves were a few other people in Scorp's and my year, whom I have rarely ever held even a polite conversation with, but he seems to know well enough.
Lily and Hensley were standing sort of in the middle of the room. Lily had her back to Hensley, but she was completely encased in his arms as he held her to his body tightly, looking like he never wanted to let go. Then again, he probably didn't.
Scorpius and Albus make their rounds, while I meander over to grab a Butterbeer for Scorpius and myself, smiling shyly at people along the way.
Bea and Liz both wink at me when they see Scorpius heading my direction, and I try to fight the blush that I know is overcoming my face.
Scorpius takes the Butterbeer from me with a thankful smile and sits down near the rest of the group, motioning for me to sit on his lap which I promptly do.
"…just so happy NEWTs are finally over so I can relax this summer before I start at The Daily Prophet." Nicole Armstrong is saying.
Albus pulls out a chair and is looking at her admiringly before he catches my glance, scowls and looks away.
The conversation continues to flow easily as I look around and observe. Bea is watching Al, Al is watching Nicole, Nicole keeps glancing at Anthony Miller, who seems to have a thing for a crack in the ceiling, and Hugo keeps looking over at Tallie.
If this isn't a huge setting for repressed teenage romantic angst, I don't know what is.
The soothing circles that the pad of Scorpius's finger is drawing on my wrist cause me to look down at said boy and smile. He glances up at me and smiles back before returning to the conversation at hand. He's the mouthpiece of our duo.
I turn my attention instead to Lily and Hensley who seem to be in their own little world, whispering in hushed tones to each other. Their earnest expressions seem a bit too harried, too agitated, too…something else I can't quite seem to pin down.
Then, Hensley grabs Lily's wrist and pulls her into the hallway.
Immediately, I spring into action. I can't believe that he would choose here of all places to do this, but I want to be on hand just in case.
I jump up, startling Scorpius, and give him a harried whisper of my own telling him that I'll be right back before bustling off to the hallway. I get there just in time to hear Lily.
"No. You listen to me Darren Hensley. I know what I'm doing! You think I haven't thought of this? You think that it hasn't been in the back of my mind since we got together? I know that you're leaving! I know that! Merlin!"
She begins pacing up and down the hallway in front of him.
"I thought about it. Long and hard, especially have what you said the other month."
"I think that this is the best—"Hensley starts.
"Bull! That is complete bullshit! You didn't ask me what you thought is best! You're taking the easy way out! You're being practical!"
"But if you just—"
"No Darren! I know what I want. I want you. I don't see that changing anytime in the near future. So, unfortunately for you, you're stuck with me. I'm not going anywhere. I don't care that I'm two years younger than you. I don't care about all these stupid facts that you're spitting out about how long distance relationships never work! I care about you, I want you, and it can be that simple."
Hensley's voice lowers and he cups her face with his hand. "But what happens on those lonely nights, or when you hear through rumors that I'm sleeping with someone else? What happens when I can't see you every minute of every day? What happens if you start to regret this decision?"
Lily sighs. "I don't think I'll regret this, but if for some reason, I do," she rolls her eyes, "I'll know that this is my decision. Our decision. I'll know that it wasn't a decision that was made for me, but something I chose. I think I can live with that."
And then she is in his arms, hugging him tightly, and the shocked expression on his face is enough to make me giggle. He looks like he can't believe his luck. I'm proud of Lily, she stood up for what she believed and forced Hensley to realise that there were two people in the relationship, both with feelings that needed to be addressed.
Who knew Lily could have such a mature relationship?
I practically skip back to Scorpius, happy to have part of the knot in my stomach loosened by the fact that Lily and Hensley are going to be okay for now.
"Ready to leave?" Scorpius asks me as I approach him.
I nod enthusiastically, extremely pleased at the prospect of leaving the Shack and spending some more alone time with Scorpius.
We stand up, say goodbye to the group and head on our way.
I explain to Scorpius everything that happened in the hallway with Hensley and Lily but after I finish the story he seemed strangely quiet.
"What about us, Rose?"
"What about us?"
He turns me to face him and looks me dead in the eye.
"What about us during the summer? What about us after we leave here?"
He looks so deadly serious and I start fidgeting with my hands.
"Well…" I say quietly, "I wouldn't mind seeing you frequently over the summer."
He chuckled.
"I wouldn't mind seeing you either." He says, resting his forehead on mine.
"I'm waiting on a letter from my parents though; it should be coming soon, so the finer details will have to wait."
"I can deal with that." He smiles and then presses his lips to mine in the most earth-shattering, toe-curling kiss that I ever experienced.
I pull away from him and giggle, but he just pulls me even closer than before and we resume the activities that we were doing before Albus so rudely interrupted.
As I make my way up to my dormitory after leaving Scorpius I feel a kind of adrenaline high that I get only after spending time with Scorpius. I smile at nothing and even begin to sing as I creep in, determined not to wake any of my roommates.
"Rose?"
Caught. I turn around to see Matilda standing there, the shadows casting an eerie light on her figure, yet again.
"Hi Matilda," I say softly.
"Your owl came. It dropped this off for you, and I gave it a treat so it flew to the Owlery."
"Okay, thanks."
Matilda smiles and me before climbing back into her bed and pulling the curtain behind her.
I tear open the letter excitedly.
Rosie,
After some careful consideration, your father and I have decided that you're right, this could be a fantastic opportunity for you. You could broaden your horizons and learn more about the world around you both in present time and throughout history, and maybe even learn a little about yourself along the way. Do not, however, take this as a free-for-all. We will have to set some guide lines, especially if you are doing this on our galleon. We will discuss this more when you come home in a few days. And don't think you're off the hook about the Scorpius Malfoy thing either—it seems we have plenty to discuss when we see you again!
Love,
Mum
Well, there go my best laid tentative plans.
A/N: Ta-Da! A chapter with Scorpius! And this one only took me three weeks to write! Blergh. I know, I know, I suck. Writer's Block reared its ugly head again. But I persevered and wrote this chapter. Which actually turned out differently than I had originally envisioned it. I also had written myself into a corner at the beginning of this chapter and it took forever for me to figure out my way out of it (which turned out to be changing ONE word, seriously). I literally thought about it every day. But anyway, it's over now.
So let me know what you think, as per usual. I really do appreciate your reviews and they do encourage me to update faster.
I hope you liked this chapter.
~wwccd