A/N Sorry this chapter took so long, I've had so much going on this week. Overdue projects and a very ill dog and so on. But anyway, thanks to fantasygirl20 and a new reviewer sanityisnotmything!
Chapter 21
For the next few days, Scorpius had several magical restraints on him. Any time he tried to stand a huge force would out him back on his bed, an alarm sounded, and a nurse came running with a boiling hot, orange potion that would knock him out for hours. But relentlessly, Scorpius still tried to walk around. Just under a week after he'd first woken up, Scorpius flung his legs over the side of his bed and stood up, half-bracing himself for another dose of that foul potion. But nothing happened. No huge force, no alarm, no nurse with a boiling hot, orange potion, he just stood there unharmed. Lights danced in front of his eyes, and for a second he was overwhelmingly dizzy, but no-one was trying to stop him getting to Rose.
Fortunately for him, Ron and Hermione had gone for lunch and they had forgotten to put the defensive charms back up, so Rose was alone with no barriers. Scorpius ambled across the corridor as fast as some-one in his state could before collapsing in a chair at Rose's bedside. He took a moment to catch his breath and let the pain subside, then stood up so he could see Rose properly. She was hooked up to all sorts of drips and machines, wearing the horrid paper dresses that every long-term patient did. Scorpius looked at her face. It was the only thing that wasn't marred by medical apparatus or covered in stitches or bruised. She looked so little when she wasn't scowling or wearing make-up. Round-faced and freckled, she looked no older than thirteen. Scorpius stroked a wisp of auburn hair from her cheek. What he'd give to be able to wake her.
"Rosie? Will you wake up?" he asked in a whisper. The monotonous beep of her heart was the only reply. "I miss you."
An undoubtedly romantic nurse from across the corridor kept glancing over, which reminded him to put up some defensive spells against eavesdroppers. The pair were now encased in an invisible dome that kept out all sound and unwanted visitors. Scorpius drew the curtains, now able to talk properly in privacy.
"That's better." he said to himself, but the little lights that must have been caused by standing up for too long reminded him that he was still ill and needed to sit down. He pulled the chair closer to Rose's side and sat in it.
"I want you back, Rosie." he said, wondering if she could hear. "I want to go back to Hogwarts. To the west side of the grounds. To watch the sun set with you. I want to talk about nothing, or not talk at all. All I really want is to see you happy again. That's all that matters to me." He held her hand. "Come back, Rosie. Please."
He waited. He didn't know what for. For her to wake up? For her to reply? Maybe both. But neither happened. He decided to return to his bed before some-one noticed his absence, and gave Rose's hand a squeeze. But then she gave a squeeze back.