If you stand by me

We'll get away somehow

It's a jungle out there and the teeth are out

Find a better place to be

Safe with me tonight

In this wild world

It's a wild life

~Wild Life - Hedley

A/N: Full apology at the bottom!

When I wake up, I'm on the sofa. It takes me a while to remember how I got there, but it eventually it comes back - I fell asleep leaning against Scorpius. He's not beside me, but I can hear the water running in the bathroom. I go into my bedroom and pull out my clothes, waiting till the water shuts off before going into the bathroom and showering and getting ready. I towel dry my hair and pick up my bag, intending to go straight down to breakfast, but Scorpius is waiting in the
common room, holding something behind his back.

"Morning." I try to look around him to see what he's holding.

"Happy birthday, again," he smiles, holding it out to me. A flat square package about the length and width of my forearm wrapped in red tissue.

"You got me a present?" My eyes widen. "I hope you didn't spend too much on it-"

"I didn't, don't worry," he interrupts me. "Go on, open it!"

I pull the tissue off it. It's a collage-style picture frame, made of wood without any frills or fancies. Each little frame inside the big one is filled with pictures. I look more closely at them, and they're mostly filled with pictures from this summer - the whole family posing together, me with fireflies sitting on my arm, Scorpius and me with Leo, me in midair jumping off the big rock at the lake, Lily and Jasmine and Dom and I arm in arm by the bonfire, Scorpius and I holding sparklers. I look up at him and grin. "I love it! Thank you!"

"You're welcome," he mumbles bashfully, the tips of his ears turning red.

"I'm going to keep it right on my nightstand," I declare, darting into my bedroom to do so. When I come out, he's got my bag over his shoulder. I raise an eyebrow. "Are you going to carry my things for me?"

"Only because it's your birthday. This isn't going to be a regular thing or anything, so don't go expecting it, Weasley."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Malfoy." I slip on my shoes and we leave the common room together to go down to breakfast.

In the Great Hall, as soon as Lily sees me, she squeals and runs over, squeezing me tight. "Happy birthday, Rosie!"

I grin and hug her back. "Thanks Lily!"

As soon as Lily releases me and runs off to call Jasmine, someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn around to see Dom.

"Happy birthday, Rose," she says quietly, with a small smile.

"Thanks, Dom." I hug her, and she stiffens, but then hugs me back. She feels thinner than before, fragile, almost. "Come sit with us?"

"Can't." She avoids my gaze and turns to leave.

"What do you mean, can't?" I demand, grabbing her arm. She squeaks and pulls her arm away, holding it at an odd angle.

"I just... can't." And she walks off and sits down at the Hufflepuff table, facing away from us.

"What's wrong with her arm?" I hiss at Scorpius.

"I can't tell," he whispers, and then someone attacks me from behind.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSIE!"

"Love you, Al," I laugh, hugging him. Jasmine joins the hug, wishing me as well. When I sit down, I receive quite a few owls with presents from Mum, Dad, James, Fred, Vic, Teddy, Nana Molly and Grandad Arthur, and Nana Jean (Mum's mother). Hugo, Louis, Caroline and Lorcan also drop by and hug me happy birthday. Even Lysander waves at me and mouths it across the hall.

In Potions, Slughorn slips me a piece of crystallized pineapple, and Uncle Neville - sorry, Professor Longbottom - awards ten points to Gryffindor during Herbology for no real reason. None of the teachers give us any homework, except Professor Vector, so all I have to do is write an essay on the properties of the number seven after classes are over. I sit in the library with Scorpius, Al and Jasmine. Al doesn't have Arithmancy, so he's just messing around, reading books on brooms.

"Oh, and Scorp," he says conversationally, "We have a Quidditch practice at six tomorrow morning."

Scorpius drops his quill and glares at Al. "Why."

"Because, if you haven't noticed, our first match is in less than two weeks!"

"Yeah, but it's against Ravenclaw," points out Scorpius. "Since Malcolm Corner left they don't really have much potential."

"On a completely unrelated note, I think we're getting a blizzard tomorrow morning," Jasmine pipes up, grinning at me.

Scorpius immediately looks hopefully at Al, but Al shakes his head. "Don't give me the eyes. We're playing. It builds character to play in bad weather."

"I have character up to here." Scorpius raises his hand to just above his eyebrows. "If I build any more character I'll suffocate."

"Suffocating builds character," I chime in, then beam at Scorpius when he turns to glare at me.

"I really hate you right now."

"You can't hate me, it's my birthday," I smile smugly.

"Then I'll really hate you tomorrow, around six in the morning."

"I'll live with it," I shrug.

"Stop bloody complaining, Scorp," says Al sternly. "Be out there or I'll dye your hair red again."

I nearly fall off my chair laughing as Scorpius stares at him in shock. "That was you?! I was convinced that was Rose!"

"It was," I agree cheerfully.

"But that doesn't mean I can't do it as well," threatens Al.

"Fine!" snaps Scorpius. "I'll come down and practice. But I'll hate every minute of it!"

"That's the spirit," nods Al. "Well, I think you're almost done your essay."

This last aside to Jasmine - Al had been growing edgier and edgier the whole time we were talking.

"Done her essay, or done with her essay?" I inquire.

Al ignores me and turns to Jasmine. "Coming?"

She jumps up, gathering her things, and leaves with him, waving goodbye to me over her shoulder. Beside me, Scorpius stretches. "I think I'm done too."

"Same." I snap the book shut and roll up my parchment. "There's only so much about a number you can write."

"Want to head back to our common room then?" he asks, standing up, and I nod, swinging my bag over my shoulder. We leave the library and head down a rarely use corridor that's a shorter route to the stairs. Then I hear a thud, and a muffled cry. Scorpius whips his head to look at me, and I lift my shoulders as if to say I don't know.

What was that?

I pull my wand out and creep forward, and now I can hear someone crying.

"What did you do that for?" demands a rough male voice. Josh!

"I- it-" There's a girl crying and she sounds very familiar.

Dom.

"It's her birthday," she sobs. I freeze, and so does Scorpius beside me.

"Did I say," Josh's voice, low and threatening, "that you could talk to her?"

"N-no, but-"

"Then why did you?!"

"I had to wish- no- Please!"

I unfreeze and burst around the corner, lifting my wand and shouting, "Stupefy!" I hear Scorpius beside me do the same, and two jets of light forward. They both hit Josh, who had his arm raised over Dom's figure, right in the chest. He flies backwards from the force of the double spell and hits a wall ten feet away, lying there unconscious.

Dom drops her arms, which she was shielding herself with. "Rose?"

"That- that- bloody bastard!" I scream, marching past Dom to where Josh is. "I am going to kill him!"

Scorpius puts a hand on my arm and pulls me back, leaning down to murmur in my ear. "Later. I think Dom needs you more right now."

I look behind me, and Dom is standing against the wall staring at me in shock. I walk over and put a hand gently on her shoulder. "Dominique? Dom?"

"Rose," she gasps, and then she buries her face in her hands and starts crying.

"Dom, shh." I try to lift her face. "Look at me."

"H-he said that you- that you would try and-" Her breathing is getting faster. "And I- just want-wanted to wish y-you-"

"I know, and thank you for wishing me," I say gently, lifting her face up by the chin. "You could've talked to me Dom, you always can, and you need to know that. Now let's get you to the Hospital Wing."

This because she's clearly hysterical and has a bleeding lip and bruised cheekbone. It makes my anger at Josh surge up again, a white hot flame. I turn to Scorpius. "I am taking Dom to Madam Pomfrey. You wait here with Josh."

"Can I-"

"No. Save him for me."

Scorpius grins at me. I can't help grinning back even as I lead my cousin away.

"He's a good bloke," hiccoughs Dom when we're halfway up the stairs.

"No, he's horrible," I say sternly. "Anyone who does that doesn't deserve you, Dom."

She shakes her head, wincing slightly. "I meant Scorpius."

"Oh." I process that. "Yeah. He is."

I push open the door to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey immediately darts over, pulls Dom behind a curtain amidst frantic queries on what happened to her, and then makes me leave. I have to wait at least an hour before I can see Dom, so I wander back to where Scorpius is waiting with Josh, who is hopefully conscious right now.

I want him to feel it when I hex his bollocks off for what he did to my cousin.

I turn down the corridor where I left them. Scorpius is leaning his back against the wall, hands in his pockets. I get distracted for a moment, staring at his profile before I realize that Josh is missing.

"Where is that spawn of Voldemort?" I ask Scorpius, and he turns to see me.

"Damned if I know," he shrugs.

"I thought I told you to save him for me! What did you do to him?"

"Nothing," he says, a smirk playing on his lips.

I pull out my wand. "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, I swear to Merlin-"

"Fine, fine!" He raises his hands in supplication. "I wasn't lying though, I didn't do something to him and I have no idea of his whereabouts right now. You see, all the Weasley-Potter males that currently attend Hogwarts decided to use this corridor while you were gone-"

My face breaks into a grin. "Excellent."

Just then, Louis walks by, twirling his wand. "Oh, hello, Rosie, Scorpius. Fancy seeing you here."

"What did you do to him?" I instantly demand.

Hugo walks up and slings one arm around Louis' shoulder and one around mine. "You could say he's, er, more than six feet under."

"Did you kill him?" I ask eagerly. Scorpius mutters something about being worried about my mental state and natural inclination towards violence.

"Nope," says Albus as he walks up as well, popping his lips at the end of the word. "Young Hugo here wanted to, but I discouraged him."

My nose wrinkles. "Why?"

"Al said it would be too quick," says Hugo with a very blasé air.

"Difficult to miss the wisdom in that," Louis nods sagely.

"Indeed," murmurs Scorpius.

"Well, cheerio, dear cousin and friend," says Albus with a little salute. "We have some, er, unfinished business to, er, take care of."

"Can't I have a hint?" I practically beg.

"Sorry." Louis shakes his head. "We the Gestapo have our, erm, liabilities."

"I told them what the Gestapo was, from that Muggle movie we watched with the factory," interjects Hugo.

"You're calling yourself the Gestapo?" I question. "Isn't that a little insensitive?"

"They're torturing a teenager in the dank passages underneath Hogwarts," Scorpius points out. "I think 'insensitive' missed the Portkey."

Oh, that's why they said more than six feet under.

"I will say, though," Hugo winks at me, "keep your eyes peeled tomorrow morning."

And the three of them saunter off arm in arm.

"They're a little scary when they talk like that," observes Scorpius.

"You don't have to be scared of them," I assure him. "Just don't mess me over or something."

He steps closer to me and looks down, into my eyes. "I won't."

I blink several times. "Um... Okay."

"Oi, Rose!"

I turn down the hall to see Lily walking towards us.

"You want to tell me where they're holding Josh?" she asks sweetly.

"Something about dank passages below Hogwarts," I respond breezily. "Any particular reason?"

"I'd like to get a word in, if you will." She twirls her wand and it emits sparks that burn the stone floor where they land, then prances off with an angelic smile. Scorpius watches her go, eyes wide in fear, then turns to me.

"Is there anything I can do for you, your Highness?"

I point imperiously in the direction I took Dom. "I wish to go to the hospital wing. Carry me, peasant."

"As you wish," he smirks with a glint in his eye which I recognize. Before I can back away from him, he puts one arm around me and sweeps my legs out from under me, and suddenly I'm in his arms and he's walking nonchalantly towards the hospital wing.

"Put me down!" I shriek.

"You told me carry you," he reminded me. "And then called me a peasant, although I am much more aristocratic-looking than you ever will be."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you actually would! And how the hell do you define aristocratic looks?!"

By looking at him, that's how. But I digress.

"You know, based on all the sugar you eat, one would think you'd be a lot heavier than you are," he comments, and I can tell he's enjoying this.

"Put me down," I reiterate.

"I would, but see, I don't want your cousins to hex me for not being nice to you."

"If you don't put me down, I'll hex you."

He sighs exaggeratedly and sets me on my feet. "Fine."

We're just outside the hospital wing, so I push open the door and walk in. Madam Pomfrey is nowhere to be found, so I tiptoe over and look behind a curtain. Dom's in there, sleeping, an empty bottle of potion by her bed. I back out quietly.

"I don't think she'll wake up until much later," I whisper to Scorpius.

"Do you want to come back after dinner, then?" he asks, pulling me out of the hospital wing.

"Yeah, then I can bring Lily and Al and Lou up here as well."

Dinner's already started, so we are among the last to arrive in the Great Hall. I take a seat with Lily, Jasmine, Caroline and Ava - Hugo, Louis, and Al are conspicuously absent. Scorpius mutters something about breaking up the party, picks up a roll and leaves, possibly to intervene in the Josh situation. He's never really had much of a penchant for violence, other than the few times we got into fistfights or wrestling matches. It's quite the opposite of what you'd expect from him, really, but I'm starting to get used to that.

"Dom's sleeping," I tell Lily. "We can go see her afterwards."

"Yeah!" She brightens up. "And I have a surprise for you. I'll get it for you there."

I bite my lip. "This is entirely appropriate, right?"

Lily rolls her eyes. "Of course."

-TTIHM-

We all crowd into the hospital room, the boys as well. Madam Pomfrey arches an eyebrow, but opens Dom's curtain. She's pale, but sitting up, and her face breaks into a big grin when she sees all of us, a grin I haven't seen in a long time. We all pile onto her bed and hug her enthusiastically.

"This is the best birthday gift," I declare. "Having my cousin back!"

"I thought you liked my picture frame," protests Scorpius.

I just roll my eyes at him.

"Be right back," says Lily suddenly, and she darts out of the room.

"Where's she off to?" I ask Jasmine, but she just smirks.

Lily reappears, carrying a large white cardboard box, which she sets on the end of Dom's bed. "Happy Birthday once more, Rosie!"

She opens the box, and inside is a huge chocolate cake with seventeen candles on it. Everyone yells at me to make a wish, so I take a deep breath and blow really hard, hoping that Dom recovers well, and also, as a side note, that we crush Slytherin in the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup this year. All the candles go out with little puffs of smoke, and all the people surrounding the bed break out into song.

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday dear Rosie!

Happy birthday to you!

I cut the cake, amidst Al, Louis and Hugo singing an extra verse (you look like a monkey and you smell like one too), Dom laughing freely at them, Lily and Jasmine clapping and cheering, and Scorpius smiling at me from across the bed. This is really what a birthday should be.

A/N: I'm a horrible person. Even you cannot hate me as much as I hate myself. Really. Buuuut, on the bright side, exams are over and marks are out, and I have a 93 average! Yay! My highest mark of which is English, thanks to this writing practice. So hopefully (no promises), I can update every two weeks or so. I have AP Bio and Physics and Advanced Functions this semester though, so don't hold me to it.

Also, did you notice the song at the top? Hedley's Wild Life? Omigod. I just went to see them on their Wild Live 2014 tour. He sat down at a piano and looked at all of us and went, "I wrote this song by myself one day, when I was just sitting down and thinking about the world. And I thought to myself, 'What the fuck is wrong with this place?'" And then he sang Wild Life, and I almost cried. Look it up. Look it up now. In fact, look up the entire album. That's - again - the album Wild Life by Hedley, and the title song off that.

Anyway. Don't forget to review! Even though I totally don't deserve it! By the way, what do you think of Josh's character now?

~Meg xx