I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back
The less I give, the more I get back
Your hands can heal, your hands can bruise
I don't have a choice, but I'd still choose you
I don't love you, and I always will
~Poison and Wine - The Civil Wars
Disclaimer: can you say JKR five times fast?
I check every one of my pockets carefully to make sure a stray handkerchief hasn't somehow made its way in. I'm clear, so I head downstairs to breakfast. I washed out my eye last night and it seems better today. I still get the urge to rub it occasionally, though.
At breakfast, four different girls come up to us and ask about James. By the end of the meal, Lily's mouth is twisted and her nostrils are flared to the size of a bull's, and Al has pulled out half his hair in frustration. I've just sort of growled at people so they stay away.
I have double Herbology first. I pair up with Jasmine in Herbology these days, on account of Dom avoiding me and sending me dirty looks all the time. I have no idea why. In addition to this, she's closer than ever to Josh. In fact, they're together all the time.
I brush thoughts about Dom aside and continue carefully untangling my pot of baby Devil's Snare. So far, mine hasn't trapped my hands at all, which is good. Al's hands have been trapped at least four times, he's got red welts on his wrists and he looks positively terrified of his plant. Uncle Neville - sorry, Professor Longbottom - is hovering near Al because he just knows an accident is waiting to happen.
Luckily, we all survive the class and head off to lunch. I sit between Lily and Ly, like always, but I realize I really need to spend one-on-one time with Ly. Maybe I'll do that tonight, after preparing my notes and doing my homework and running the two hour long prefect meeting I have scheduled.
Then again, tomorrow might be nice, too.
-TTIHM-
I'm on my way to Defense with Al and Scorpius beside me when a group of giggling girls stops me in the hallway. "Rose, can we ask you something?"
"Yeah, sure," I respond, wondering what they'd want to know. I'm fairly certain they're all Hufflepuff fourth years.
"We want to write a poem to James," one of them explains breathlessly. "Could you tell us what his favorite colour is? And what food he likes best? And what colour his bedroom is painted? And where he lives?"
"Where he lives?" Subtle. Really subtle.
Al growls. "Rose, Scorp, why don't you make a new rule stating that every time someone asks about James you give them a two hour detention?"
The girls look scared that we might actually do this and scurry off. All except for one, who looks at Al shrewdly. "Except for the green eyes, you look just like James."
"Don't remind me," Al snaps.
She continues staring at him.
"What?" he asks, starting to look a bit frightened.
She leans closer to him and presses him on the bicep. "Ah. You'll do." Then she goes off to rejoin her friends.
"Now I'm scared," mutters Al, his green eyes wide behind his glasses.
"You're flanked by the Head Boy and Head Girl," Scorpius reminds him.
"Yeah, what could possibly go wrong?" I add.
Apparently those words around Al are like a jinx, because he immediately trips and falls flat on his face, giving himself a bloody nose in the process.
"Let's go to the hospital wing," sighs Scorpius, hoisting Al up and walking off with him. He gives me a little wave. "I'll see you in Defense."
I nod goodbye and make my way into the classroom, where I find Dom giving me the evil eye. I sit at a desk behind Jasmine.
"Why is Dom trying to skewer you with her eyes?" hisses Jasmine.
"I'm sort of worried about her," I whisper back. "When she's not glaring at me, she constantly looks unhappy or sick."
We can't talk further because Professor Shacklebolt tells us to get out our books and start reading about the theory of Unforgivables. I've done that already (no, I swear, I don't actually spend all my time studying, I do have a life) so I just sit back in my seat.
A bit later, Scorpius walks in, explaining to Professor Shacklebolt about Al's nose. Most teachers accept explanations that Al has hurt himself without question - it just happens far too often.
Scorpius walks to the back and sits beside me. Jasmine turns around. "How is Al?"
"He's fine," says Scorpius, unworried. "His nose will be mended within the hour."
Again, I notice Dom watching us across the room. She looks... wistful. There's really no other word for it. But as soon as she notices me looking, her face changes into a scowl and she turns back to her book.
I wonder what's up with her. Eventually I'll have to find out, but for now I go back to pretending to read.
-TTIHM-
Scorpius and I wait in the prefects' meeting room. It's very comfortable, with couches and chintz armchairs all over the room. We've brought along everything we bought when we went shopping (minus the fudge, of course). This meeting, we plan to assign everyone to a committee and appoint a leader to each one.
Gradually, people start filing in. Lily, Hugo and Lucy all smile at me as they walk in, Lorcan trailing them and looking around calmly. I ask him to take notes for this meeting and copy them for all of us at the end as its unlikely he'll say anything.
Once everyone is settled, Scorpius stands up at the front of the room, looking very confident, and starts talking. "As you all know, we're responsible for planning and running events in the month of December to entertain our guests from other- yes, Carly?"
Carly Sparks had raised her hand. She directs her words at me. "I'm sure I speak on behalf of all of us when I congratulate you on James' amazing achievements, and-"
"Please!" shouts Lily, standing up. "Can all of you just stop mooning over my stupid brother already?!"
"Lily," I call quietly, and she blushes and sits down. Scorpius gives me a grateful look.
"We would very much appreciate if you all didn't mention James at this meeting," I add, and Lily gives me a grateful look this time. At my words, several girls pull off JPFC badges. I still don't know what those are for.
"Anyway, this meeting we'll be discussing our plans for the month of December, when Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are coming to stay," Scorpius addresses the group. "We've planned a few events to entertain our guests, and we'll be sorting you into committees to help organize them."
"When we receive the schools, the day the arrive, all the students will be at the lake dressed in their Hogwarts best," I continue. "The centaurs have agreed to put on a display, the nature of which we don't know yet, but they've promised it will be spectacular." I smile to myself, remembering I need to thank Hagrid for convincing them.
"The first event, which will be held that Saturday, will be an interschool Quidditch match," continues Malfoy. The prefects start looking excited at this. "We're going to assign some of you to pick a team, which anyone can try out for."
"Which of you is going to be Keeper?" asks a boy in the back. Everyone knows about our rivalry.
"Neither of us," I answer with a grin. "Since it'll be cold in December, we'll be patrolling the pitch casting Warming Charms."
"The second event is a huge snowball fight between schools," says Scorpius, smiling as several people cheer. "We'll need a few of you to referee that."
"Then, the day before the ball, which is a Friday, we'll have only a half day of classes, then have the afternoon to go to Hogsmeade." I wave a signature from Flitwick in the air. "This is teacher approved. People will probably want to do some last-minute shopping for the ball, and it's an opportunity for the students from other countries to experience the culture and customs here."
"And the ball itself will be a masked ball with a Night in New Orleans theme," finishes Scorpius. "Fifth years and over will be allowed. We have supplies for all students to make masks, as well as decorations, in these bags."
As the prefects pull out and examine all our purchases, I add, "We'll need a few people to replicate all the supplies so everyone has enough."
"So, committees next," says Scorpius, turning to the chalkboard. "Who would like to help with Quidditch tryouts?"
He puts himself down in that committee, along with Lily and one person each from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff who had raised their hands. I admire his presence of mind - there is one person from each house, ensuring the fairness of the tryout.
"Wait," says Brittany Boulstridge vacantly, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. She's one of The Slags. "I want to do that too."
From the looks she's been giving Scorpius, I think I know the reason why.
"The committee's already full," I say quickly. "We only need four people. One from each house. You'd upset the balance."
And you know nothing about Qudditch, I mentally add as she huffs and sits back. Scorpius gives me a strange look.
"And of course, we'll be managing the actual event," I tell them. "Now, the snowball fight?"
Ariana and Perceval from the Gryffindor Quidditch team volunteer to be referees, along with my cousin Lucy and Carly Sparks (the one who'd asked about James) and the twins Aidan and Abel Stiff. Scorpius and I will have to referee as well.
"The rest of you are on decorations then, the day of the ball," I conclude. "Those of you on other committees are welcome to come help out. And you should have the decorations and supplies for masks replicated by the Friday we visit Hogsmeade."
"That's all, I think," says Scorpius, glancing at me. "I'll see you all at the Quidditch tryouts."
They stay for a bit, discussing possibilities with decorations and masks, then eventually file out like ducks. Except for Carly, who comes up to me. "Now that the meeting's over-"
"No," I interrupt. "I can't get you James' autograph."
"Oh." She looks defeated. "Well, thanks anyway."
I notice Brittany talking to Scorpius over in the corner. She puts a hand on his arm, but he shakes it off lightly and says something back. She pouts and leaves.
I sit down heavily in a chair once everyone, except Scorpius and me, is out of the room. "Finally, we're done."
"We handle them well," he says, coming over and sitting beside me.
I rub my eyes tiredly. "You think so?"
"Yeah. But you sure didn't want me on Brittany's committee."
My hands drop from my eyes. "What are you talking about?"
He just gives me a knowing look.
"Oh, come on," I scoff. "She couldn't possibly know any less about Quidditch. Of course I didn't want her on that committee."
"That's not what-" he begins, but is cut off as Lily bursts into the room, waving this morning's issue of Witch Weekly.
"Look at this! Look!"
She lays the magazine on the table in front of me and flips to a photo spread.
"Oh, look," Scorpius says neutrally. "You burst in unannounced again. With more half-naked pictures of your cousin."
"Why the hell is he doing this?" I demand.
"Ruining my life," grumbles Lily. "Now I constantly have girls coming up to me telling me how sexy my brother is. Why couldn't he have been a loser and not gotten signed?"
"I wonder what Aunt Ginny will do when she sees this," I muse.
Lily's eyes light up. "Me too. Okay, bye!"
She runs from the room, looking far too excited to spell anything but trouble.
"Five Galleons she's writing her mum," I chuckle.
Scorpius doesn't laugh with me. He has a brooding expression instead.
"What's the matter?" I ask.
"Nothing," he answers quickly. "Just wondering about whether the events we've planned are good enough."
"They will be," I reassure him. "Especially the masked ball! Ly loved the idea of that when I told him."
Scorpius mutters something under his breath.
"I didn't quite catch that," I grind out through gritted teeth. Clearly he's off in one of his moods again.
He rises from his seat. "Never mind that. You have fun at the ball with Ly." And he sweeps out of the room.
I relieve my frustrations by aiming a kick at the table leg. What the hell is wrong with that boy?
Suddenly I remember what he said a few nights ago, about learning to love or something. And the way he's been recently, sitting just a little too close to me, being around me just a little too long. Is it possible that Scorpius Malfoy likes me, and is jealous?
No. That's ridiculous. He doesn't like anyone, even as a friend, except maybe Al, and Lily, who he sees as a little sister. All those girls he's dated meant nothing to him (although he hasn't been with anyone this school year as far as I know). And he never gets jealous, because whatever (or whoever) he wants comes to him easily. And of course he's been near me more than normal recently - we're both Heads. We have to work together.
Anyway, the point is that I really don't give a damn what he does. He can go shag half the school for all I care (and possibly he has) just as long as it doesn't interfere with anything I do.
I push myself up and head towards Gryffindor tower. I find Lily in the common room, relaxing on a sofa and sit beside her. "Did you send that magazine to your mum?"
"Thought about it," she admits. "But Roxie convinced me it would be a bad idea."
"How did she do that?" I ask.
"She told me I should save it for when I'm around so I can see her reaction," she grins. "I decided that Rox has a good head on her shoulders."
I laugh. "That she does."
"What were you and Scorpius talking about?" Lily asks.
"How the meeting went," I answer, which isn't a lie. We did talk about that, for maybe three sentences.
"Brittany wants him, by the way," she tells me, looking at me carefully.
I scoff. "As if everyone hasn't already noticed."
"It doesn't bother you?"
"He can do what he wants - or who he wants - as long as it doesn't interfere with me. I really don't care."
"You two are weird around each other," Lily observes.
I frown. "Weird how?"
"Sometimes you act like a real team, and like you have each other's backs," she explains. "And other times you don't seem to care what the other does - or one of you is angry with the other for no apparent reason."
I nod. "That's pretty much how it is. I mean, he's not a bad bloke. He can be nice. But sometimes he gets into these moods... It's hard to explain."
She yawns and stretches. "I know he's not a bad bloke. He's always been nice to me. Here's a confession: I had a minor crush on him when I was in third year."
I gape at her. "You what?"
She laughs. "That was the year he shot up and stopped looking scrawny, remember? And then he stayed over at our place for a few days, and I stumbled into him without a shirt the one time."
I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Oh, I don't like him now," she assures me. "I sort have something going with Johnny. I just don't quite know what. Sort of like you and Scorp."
"We're friends." I roll my eyes at her. "Anyway, I'm off to bed."
"See you in the morning!" She hugs me good night and I go upstairs to my dorm.
The dorm is almost empty. But the curtains of Dom's bed are pulled tight. I consider pulling them back to talk to her, but I hesitate.
I change and get into bed with a sigh. The next few months are going to be really tiring, what with all the organizing I have to do. Not to mention it won't help if my partner is in a mood.
A/N: Hey guys! I know I said I'd update Tuesday, but I'm really sorry this is late! I've had crazy amounts of work and then rehearsals for a musical every evening until six. And my brother's been hogging the computer so he can play Minecraft or whatever the hell that is. Anyway, enough excuses from me.
You're all rock stars for reviewing. This was a filler chapter, but trust me, you guys will WANT to read the next one. I think you'll really like it. Reviewers get a sneak peek!
~Meg xx
