Seventh Year. December 8th, 215pm, Seventh Year Herbology
Scorpius sat in his seat and wiped his brow desperately as he narrowly avoided another tentacular vine. Gods, it was too hot in these greenhouses to be dealing with such an easily offended plant.
He looked to the right and saw Albus, hair wild, openly threatening his tentacular plant with his spade.
He looked across from him and saw Justin Finch-Fletchley Jr. sitting at the table, far away from his plant, with an exasperated look on his face. As if he had just decided: 'Nope, not today.'
He looked to the left of him and saw Rose, coo'ing and feeding her tentacular. The plant swayed gently at the sound of her voice and Scorpius found himself incredibly jealous of a plant.
"Um...hey Rose." Scorpius heard a voice say to the left of her and immediately knew who it was.
Wood was looking abashedly at Rose.
HIS ROSE.
"Yes?" Rose replied, not looking at Wood.
Scorpius felt the rage building. Was he SPEAKING to her now?
"Rose...would you know the number of ounces of blood feed I need to pour for a mid-tier tentacular?"
Scorpius was beginning to turn red. He snapped his face back to his plant, sneaking glances at Rose's expression.
"3 Ounces." She replied indifferently.
Wood shuffled for a few moments. "Um...th..thanks Rose."
" No problem." Rose replied, still never taking her eyes off the plant.
Scorpius, however, had made the very poor choice of taking his eyes off his tentacular to stare incredulously at Rose. It struck him square across the cheek, leaving a gash.
"Ope!" Professor Longbottom exclaimed. "First tentacular cut of the year! Rather later than I was expecting, to be honest…"
Neville pulled a small vile out of his dirty robes and poured a bit on a dirty hankerchief and handed it to Scorpius, who applied it to his face after staring at it in horror.
"Unfortunately, that's 5 points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy. Mind your plants people!" Neville said, smirking.
Scorpius blew out a hard breath and looked back at Rose. His heart skipped a beat. She was looking at him too. She had the most intensely adorable look of worry on her face but because they had agreed to keep their relationship under wraps, she couldn't say or do anything, lest they make everyone suspicious.
And speaking of suspicious, Albus was being insane. He seemed to be asking the strangest questions lately. He seemed to be VERY interested in Rose and Scorpius' various comings and goings. Who they were dating. What they did when they got to their suite.
Scorpius would have to be an idiot if he didn't suspect that Albus was suspicious of them. But how would he possibly know? They were acting totally normal. Right? I mean, yes, he was twisting her over, under, and sideways in their suite once they were alone, but...they weren't obvious, right? Gods, they hadn't even shagged yet, what would things be like after that happened? How would they behave then? Would there even be one moment where the lust wouldn't be deeply etched on his face?
Scorpius fought the familiar feelings of desire that were threatening to out him in a very embarrassing way. He started to shift his plant more in front of his groin but immediately shifted it back as he remembered he was working with tentacular leaves. He hazarded another glance at her.
Look at her now. With those big eyes, and that bushy hair that was extra giant due to the humidity... all that dirt on her face...smelling like manure and sweating like a pig. Gods! He must have her!
"Hey...Rose?" Scorpius heard again from the voice of the greatest threat to humanity.
Wood turned towards her in an attempt to get her to look at him. She didn't comply at first but seemed to resign herself to the fact that if she didn't look his way, he would bore a hole in the side of her head with his stare.
Rose faced him finally and put on an indiscernible expression. Wood balked a bit.
"Rose...I just...I just wanted to apologize for how I was…" Wood said finally.
Scorpius's eyebrows flew into the back of his head.
"You...were, really good to me and I screwed things all up." Wood whispered.
Scorpius' eyebrows flew to the back of Albus' head.
Rose looked down for a long while and Scorpius took the moment to give Wood the most murderous look he could muster, which was pretty damn terrifying. Wood, ever the competitor, gave Scorpius a smirk that told him that his plan to doink Rose Weasley was not over. And that was the plan. It wasn't to get to know her, not to love her, only to fuck her. He wanted to claim his victory. Scorpius knew that smirk anywhere.
Apparently, the punishment that Scorpius had inflicted on him had not taught him the lesson he hoped it would. It only made him more ferocious. Something told Scorpius that Wood knew how he felt about her. He suspected he may have known for some time and he was becoming ever more certain that this was Wood's revenge plan.
Albus had not missed ANY OF THIS. He stood, waiting for his opportunity. Albus had always been a man who could recognize a good opportunity and the one playing itself out before him was too perfect to pass up.
At this point, Albus was 90% certain they were dating. But this conclusion would not be satisfying until he could make them say it. Even so, his investigation had unconsciously drifted away from proving they were dating to testing Scorpius as a man and love interest for his cousin. His blood.
Casually, he leaned back and waited to see what Wood was going to do.
Rose looked back up at Wood. He smiled softly.
Wood took in a breath, his eyes tender. "Gods, you're still so beautiful when you look at me like that." He whispered, he reached out and squeezed her arm. "I...I just, I really wish you'd give me another shot to prove myself. I know this seems out of nowhere but, honestly Rose, I've been thinking about you for months. I can't shake this feeling...this feeling like we're supposed to be together, you know? Like we're perfect for eachother."
PERFECT FOR EACHOTHER. Scorpius thought. HE DOESN'T KNOW THE FIRST GODDAMN THING ABOUT HER! THEY DATED FOR TWO SECONDS!
Gods, he was ready to curse him out so hard. He was ready to put his knowledge of her to the test:
What's her favorite flower? White Roses.
What's she allergic to? Bees.
Where did she get that beautiful little scar on her forearm? From that time I threw a pebble at her and yelled SPIDER and she fell down screaming and it was hilarious.
What's she afraid of? Failure
Where is her favorite place to hide? Disillusioned Herbology garden by the Black Lake.
What was her favorite food to celebrate with? Lemon Coconut cake
What's her favorite thing to eat when she's upset? A very specific chocolate that Scorpius started meticulously carrying on him in case she became too upset. Because he didn't think he could handle it if she started crying.
Obviously.
What the FUCK could he possibly know about her to make the wild ass claim that they were meant to be?
Nope. He couldn't tolerate this. Wood had to die. It was the only way. Really, if Scorpius thought about it, there were a million different ways he could both kill Wood and dispose of his body.
And like clock work, Albus chimed in.
"Wood! I almost forgot you go here! How's the eye?" Albus announced snarkily, he had to punish Wood a little bit. Albus could tell he was torturing Scorpius. He saw that look. Scorpius was his best mate.
But even as the amusement washed over him from the embarrassed look on Wood's face, he had a job to do. "Wood. I think it's right decent of you to apologize like this. Who knows, perhaps you are meant to be. Scorpius? Rose? What do you think?"
They both turned slowly to look at Albus. Rose looked horrified and kept sneaking worried glances at Scorpius. Scorpius looked like he was calculating the effort it would take to incorporate a second vicitim into his murder plans.
Suddenly, Rose felt a hand glide down her arm. "Rose?"
She turned around to see Wood's deep green eyes staring back at her. "Oh...oh Wood, I…"
"Okay!" I think that about does it for the day!" Professor Longbottom announced. "Leave your plants and I will grade your progress. Your term rolls for this project are due next week. I expect 9 rolls of parchment, discussing the proper planting and maintenance for Tentacular; including Moon cycles, people! Don't pretend like you forgot them when you submit your rolls. You wouldn't be the first students to purposely neglect discussing the moon cycles...Im on to you people."
With that Neville dismissed the class.
Wood smiled gently at Rose before looking at his watch. "Damn. I've got drills with Puddlemere today. You know they are recruiting me straight out of school right?"
Rose shifted uncomfortably. "Yes...you used to talk about that alot but-"
Wood lifted his hand and went to brush his finger across her cheek but his hand was immediately blocked by Scorpius.
"Maybe you should piss off now, Wood" Scorpius growled.
Wood looked at Scorpius' hand wrapped around his wrist, then looked at Scorpius like he was ready to fight him anytime, any place. "Careful Malfoy. You got lucky last time." He murmured dangerously.
Scorpius' eyes became dangerously dark. "I assure you, that was nothing but skill and I would be MORE than happy to prove it."
Wood and Scorpius stood face to face, at roughly the same height, it was an intimidating sight to see. The stand off had begun.
Finally, Albus broke them up. "This is all swell and good. Everyone has a giant set of balls, but Im honestly too tired to deal with this right now and, Wood, if you and Scorpius get into a fight... I'm going to tell you right now, you will be getting jumped by both of us. So let's all calm down and move on with our lives before this becomes something unnecessary."
Albus Potter was being the adult?
Wood sneered at Albus before turning his attention back to Rose. "I look forward to speaking with you...privately, very soon." Wood replied.
Rose's face screwed up into that of incredible annoyance. Was he completely delusional? Did he not have a brain? Had he forgotten how utterly horrendous he had been to her? That first week after he dumped her, she thought she was drowning. It wasn't so much that she really liked Wood, she actually thought he was kind of a meathead, it was moreso the way he made her feel about not sleeping with him, which became the eventual reason for their break up.
The pressure was constant. It felt like he used every manipulation in the book to get her. Guilt, challenging her adulthood, questioning if she cared about him? Eventually, it turned more to insults and comparisons:
Lagnia Delvecio didn't have a problem being with me? Why do you?
You know, Belle Travers let me touch her whereever, what's your problem? Honestly, I thought you were an adult, Rose.
Well, if you're not ready then I'm going to head out. Don't you think it's kind of messed up that you keep teasing me like this?
Often times, he would just completely ignore her. Particularly at school, where he seemed to be ashamed of her, never showing her any affection around others. Never once calling her his girlfriend.
But the thing that bothered her most of all during that first painful week after the break-up was her utter inability to stand up for herself with him. Sure, one could argue that by sticking with her guns to not sleep with him, she had stood up for herself...but she didn't yell at him when he said cruel things. She didn't take him to task when he compared her to other girls.
He made her feel weak and unlovable. She didn't feel like Rose.
And then he dumped her. Via owl. In three sentences. She should have stood up to him, she should have left HIM. She spent WAY too long blaming herself for their breakup. Not for him leaving her but for her not leaving him first.
The thought of this sent her reeling with anger. It took her so long to move past that and yet here he was, pretending like he could just...just...apologize and all would be forgiven?
Rose moved to be the third person in that greenhouse to curse him out but Wood winked at her and was gone before she could say a word. Once again, he had abandoned her with that horrible feeling of regret for waiting too long that had come to characterize their relationship.
Albus watched him go and let out a slow whistle. Amazingly inappropriate as always, he turned to Rose and Scorpius to gauge the efficacy of his work.
Scorpius, of course, looked like he was about to explode. Rose looked utterly confused.
Albus stared at them for a moment. "You know. The truth is always better in the end." He finished.
Both Scorpius and Rose seemed to snap back into reality with that statement.
"What?" They almost said in unison.
Albus sighed. "Okay, so we're going to keep doing this, huh?"
Scorpius stared at him for a long while. "I...I dont have any idea what we're talking about."
Rose didn't reply at all.
Albus sighed hard and dragged his hands down his face. "Fine. Just remember, you two made me do this."
"Do-?"Rose started but Albus was already walking out the door.
Rose stared off curiously after Albus when she found herself being suddenly and violently yanked into a supply closet off Greenhouse 7.
Scorpius slammed the door shut and rounded on Rose immediately. He looked into her eyes for a moment and all Rose could see was rage. Suddenly, he yanked her into him and kissed her hard. Pushing her up against the door, he hoisted her up and attacked her neck as she suddenly found herself hovering over him, held in place by his hips.
Rose had no idea what was happening. The only information her body seemed to be able to process was that, whatever was happening, it felt good. For a moment, she was perfectly content to let this whole thing play out but her pesky brain kept interrupting with small updates about how this was probably weird.
Scorpius did not seem to care at all. His lips were everywhere. He was grunting wildly and running his hand feverishly up and down her body. He was behaving like an absolute animal, not a posh and polished Malfoy, and It. Was. Incredible.
As far as Rose was concerned, sex had grey eyes and blond hair.
Still, the voice of her brain was getting louder and she knew she had to interrupt her own ecstacy.
"Scorpius!" She finally yelled and he broke away from her immediately, facing the wall. He crossed his arms roughly.
Rose went from aroused to perplexed in about half a second. "S...Scor-"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Scorpius shouted.
"W...what?" Rose eeked out, his voice was commanding and abrupt.
"YOU CANT TALK TO WOOD ANYMORE." Scorpius bellowed.
Rose stood for a minute. You can't talk to Wood Anymore. Anymore? You can't? Her confusion started to change as she realized what he was ORDERING her to do.
And suddenly, Rose had a little explosion of her own.
"EXCUSE ME." Rose commanded defiantly, not asked, commanded .
Scorpius turned on her suddenly and looked directly at her.
"You're done with Wood. I don't want you ANYWHERE near him. Do you understand me? I dont want him looking at you. I dont want him BREATHING at you. Merlin help him if he touches you, Rose. You stay away from Wood." Scorpius seethed and the intensity of his gaze was sweltering. Rose was having a hard time deciphering whether she was feeling rage or arousal.
She decided on rage.
"I...dont know WHEN you got the idea that you could EVER speak to me that way. You WILL NEVER dictate to me what I CAN OR CANNOT DO. DO YOU UNDERSTAND MEEEEEEE?!" Rose yelled. "I am NOT one of your little FOOLS AND I SWEAR TO MERLIN MALFOY, IF YOU EVER SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN, I WILL TRANSFIGURE YOU INTO A CHAMBER POT SINCE YOU INSIST ON BEING FULL OF SHIT!"
Scorpius reeled back and spluttered just a bit. She had called him Malfoy.
He recovered. "Rose! Don't you see what he's trying to do? With that…"meant to be" bullshit?!"
"Of COURSE I know what he's trying to do! I...I knew what he was trying to do the first time AND YET MY HYMEN REMAINS INTACT, SO PERHAPS YOU SHOULD LET ME FIGHT MY OWN BATTLE, YES? WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE MY NEXT BATTLE?!"
"BATTLE?! I SHOULD BE YOUR ONLY BATTLE! THERE SHOULD BE ONLY ONE MAN THAT GETS A RISE OUT OF YOU AND THATS ME!" Scorpius yelled. And he mean't every word of it. Their battles were the hallmark of their relationship. It was how they learned about eachother, it was how they pushed their boundaries. In a weird way, it was how they fell in love.
Wait. Fell in love? Calm down Scorpius.
Scorpius shook his head. No. Battling was THEIR thing. He couldn't tolerate her doing that with ANYONE else. "You don't get to argue with anyone but me." He whispered, he looked down at the floor in a finite way.
Rose wanted to yell back. She really did. But the look on his face as he whispered that last part...she couldn't. She understood. She didn't know why or how but she understood.
She breathed hard. "Scorpius…"
Suddenly, Scorpius gave her a blazing look. "NO! You dont get to do that! You dont get to give me those big eyes and that pouty face! You can't distract me from this! You are STAYING AWAY FROM WOOD."
And suddenly, Rose found her ability to yell again.
"DAMMIT SCORPIUS, ARE YOU DAFT?!" She started.
"YES!" He yelled and his lips were back on hers before she registered his movement. He had crushed her against him and she knew she was outmaneuvered. His hands dragged slowly down her back and cupped her arse, hard.
He broke the kiss, leaning into her ear. "You are driving me absolutely mad…" He whispered desperately as he laid endless, desperate, angry kisses down her neck. "Why can you never just do what your're told!"
"Rose Weasley has no master." She breathed and Scorpius almost yelled his groan as he kissed her deeply once again.
Suddenly, Scorpius was ripping her robes off and his lips were pressed hotly against her ear as he worked. "You must have me confused with a lesser man." Scorpius rasped. "Perhaps I should remind you EXACTLY what a Malfoy is capable of?"
Rose growled wildly before her lips were back on his. She was running her hands through his hair, she was sucking on his bottom lip, she was moaning as he bit hers.
Fuck it.
She gripped his face in his hands and looked him dead in the eye. "Good." She huffed defiantly. "Show me what a Malfoy can do."
Without another word, never breaking eye contact, and with the most serious of faces, Scorpius hoisted her up in the air and pressed her against the closet wall where, with his greys still boring into her blues, he proceeded to ferociously rip her shirt open.
…
Albus ambled down the glass hallways of the Greenhouse complex, having left his lying, pitiful best friends in Greenhouse 7. He knew exactly where he was going and he didn't feel the least bit guilty.
His best friends were cowards. Instead of being honest with him, the world, and themselves, they had decided to keep lying. Well. So be it.
While this plan may have come partly from a place of revenge for not trusting him, Albus knew that ultimately there was a higher goal. IF this was going to work, they would need to face the world. They had a lot of roadblocks ahead of them, being who they were and all. Albus needed to be sure Scorpius could handle it. He needed to be sure that he could protect Rose.
Rose was a strong woman. Albus learned that the hard way when she kicked him in the balls the FIRST time. But Rose wasn't invulnerable. That's why Albus was there:
He kept the line between Rose and Scorpius' during their many fruitless arguments, ensuring that they wouldnt say something to ruin their friendship completely.
He chased away all the Hogwarts fame groupies that were pretending to be Rose's friends in order to see her lifestyle. Rose had always been kind of oblivious about that but Albus, being the son of Harry Potter, knew those people all too well.
He sat with her when she would cry about a poor grade.
He would listen to her when she was feeling insecure about her place in the world.
He would practice with her when no one else would because, as James put it, "She's a she!"
He would hide in the treehouse with her when she did something bad and was trying to avoid getting yelled at. Aunt Hermione had figured that little trick out real quick.
They had always been together. But now? They were adults. He couldn't protect her forever, he had a life to live.
But he had to make sure that whoever took on the responsibility was up to the challenge.
Albus needed to be sure that Scorpius was man enough to be able to make Rose happy. And he couldn't guage that if they were hiding like this. They were making him do this.
He finally arrived at the door he was looking for and, slowly, he knocked.
He heard a shuffle before Professor Longbottom appeared at the door in goggles and was, somehow, dirtier than he was 5 minutes ago.
"Hi Uncle Neville!" Albus said in his cheeriest of voices.
Neville smiled warmly. "You better not let the other students hear you call me that. They may think you're getting special treatment."
Albus rolled his eyes. "As if I care about their opinions on anything."
Neville snorted. "I said the same thing about the Daily Prophet when I was about your age." He mused.
Albus shuffled his feet a bit. "Uncle Neville, I think one of the tentaculars in Greenhouse 7 may be underfed. I'm pretty sure Finch-Fletchly has had it with Tentacular."
Neville sighed. "Yes, I suppose its not for everyone…"
"Im sorry, I would do it myself but it's quidditch practice soon and I need to get down to the pitch to draw up diagrams before practice." Albus continued.
"Say no more." Neville replied, holding up an authoritative hand. "Im a Gryffindor through and through but I remember Harry telling me exactly how time consuming those diagrams were. You go get started. I'll take care of it."
"Thanks Uncle Neville!" Albus replied, shaking his hand before walking out of Neville's office. It was a shame that Albus had to do this to him.
Neville started to head for Greenhouse 7 when Albus re-appeared at his door. "I forgot to tell you, I think the Mardromeda is in the supply closet right off the greenhouse. You should definitely check it."
Neville looked at him curiously. Of course it was in the supply closet. Neville put it there. "Uh...thanks."
Albus smirked as he exited the Greenhouse and as he entered the front door to the castle, he heard a feint blood curtling scream that confirmed that his plan was complete.
Albus smiled. "There will be no place left to hide…"
…
Scorpius buried his face in her cleavage and was sucking and kissing and licking his way to providence. The sounds she was making were driving him mad. If she didn't stop him, there was no way he was going to be able to stop himself. He would have her in this filthy supply closet and it would be glorious.
Except, thats not what happened. Instead of ecstacy, what he got was a sudden blinding flash of light that permeated the entire supply closet.
And there, standing in that light, was Neville Longbottom. Staring at a slack jawed Scorpius Malfoy with his face in Rose Weasley's cleavage.
"OoooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGODDAMNSATANBLOODYHELL!" Neville bellowed as he saw the abject horror that was WHATEVER WAS HAPPENING IN THAT SUPPLY CLOSET.
He covered his eyes quickly, trying to erase the visions of his best mate's 17 year old daughter with a...a...BOY….doing...doing...DOING...
"OH GODS WHY? WHAT HAVE I DONE?! HOW HAVE I OFFENDED THEE?" Neville yelled, he stumbled backwards into the table and fell to the floor. Classic Neville stressed induced clumsiness.
Scorpius and Rose came stumbling out a second later, Rose pulling her robes hastily over the wreck that was her school uniform.
Neville sat, making several indiscernable noises for a while and neither Rose nor Scorpius dared to question it.
Finally, after some light whimpering, Neville sat silently with his arms wrapped around his knees, head down.
Rose decided to chance it, "Unc...Uncle Neville?"
But Neville just held up one finger and Rose shut up instantly.
After another prolonged period of silence, Scorpius decided to try. "Professor Lon-"
"NO." Neville said immediately and Scorpius obeyed immediately.
Neville sighed, trying very hard not to look at them, he finally spoke. "You...you couldn't have done this on the last day of the school year?" He started.
"I-" Rose started but Neville held up his finger.
"You're response is not required." Neville whispered. "This conversation is not for you."
Neville was silent for a bit before he sighed again. " I mean...its not like we ALL didnt know this was coming, but why here? Why in the greenhouse? I heard the kids love to go up to the Astromnomy tower...dont you both take Astronomy NEWTS?"
Scorpius was shaking in horror but arched an eyebrow. "...What do you mean 'we all saw this coming'?"
Neville took another incredibly long sigh and his tone came out far colder towards Scorpius than it was towards Rose. "I believe I said that now is the time for your silence. Is it possible you could have misunderstood me?"
Scorpius had never heard Neville Longbottom sound so terrifying in his life. "I'm sorry, sir. It wont happen again, Sir." He whispered.
Neville was quiet for another long moment. "Of course it was obvious. I've been noticing it since your third year. Harry wont shut up about it. Keeps saying Ron is gonna die. Harry thinks its hilarious but what he doesn't understand is that Ron is going to blame ME for this. Ron is absolutely insane. Hell of a bloke and my best mate. But he is crazy."
Neville let out a long hard breath as if he was coming to a decision. "Well, it's shoot the messenger, I guess." He lifted himself off the ground and dusted himself off, as if that was going to make any difference to his dirt caked outfit. "Well, I'll give you five minutes to get yourselves together and get out of here. 50 points from both Gryffindor and Slytheirn. I will be owling your parents tonight and will be informing Headmistress McGonagall…"
"But Uncle Neville!" Rose whined.
"Silence." Neville replied. "This isn't just a family issue, Rose. This is a school issue. You've broken several rules doing this and, as staff, I have to report it. You know that as well as I. The fact that you are Head Boy and Girl..well, I'll leave that complication up to the Headmistress...Im sure there are some enchantments she will want to place on your quarters…"
Scorpius inwardly snorted. As if that would stop him. Scorpius would spend every hour of every day figuring out how to undo those enchantments and, if that didn't work? Hell, he'd take her on the staircase, he didn't care.
Neville sighed again and looked at Scorpius for the first time. He smirked looking at the boy's disheveled appearance, such a stark contrast from the posh Malfoy. "You'll probably be fine." He said quietly as he turned to leave.
"Probably..." Scorpius mumbled. "S...Sir? Sir, what do you mean probably?"
But Neville was gone.
Scorpius and Rose stared at the floor for a long while before finally getting up the courage to look at eachother. Scorpius wanted to rush to her, tell her it was going to be ok. Or perhaps he was hoping she would say that to him?
Either way, they were royally screwed now. Soon, everyone would know. No more brave hiding. This was all his fault. If he hadn't gotten so out of control...if he had just waited until they got back to the suite...He looked nervously over to her. She was staring off at a Snargaloff in the distance that seemed to be trying to reach for her.
Scorpius felt immense guilt. "Rose…" He started. "I...this is all my fault. I am so sorry…" He muttered.
Rose didn't look at him. "...You're sorry." She whispered.
Scorpius was starting to sweat. He didn't always like it when she screamed at him but he downright hated it when she was silent.
Ok, so he kind of always liked it when she screamed at him. But the point remains.
What could he do? Surely, she would never forgive him for getting her in this level of trouble? What could he say?
He supposed the truth would do.
"Rose...Rose, I dont understand why you want me." Scorpius said quietly. She didn't budge, he continued. "I mean. Dont get me wrong, I know Im outstanding but...you are just...so…"
Scorpius searched for the words. "I don't want to say it because I dont want you to think Im only saying it so you won't be upset with me..."
Finally, Rose sighed. "...just spit it out Scorpius. We don't have much time."
Scorpius groaned. "I just...I dont understand why you would want me. You're you. And Im me." Scorpius ran his hand through his hair. "It's not a self-esteem thing, I just feel like Im so different from what you seem destined for."
Scorpius sighed again. "Honestly, I think that's what makes me so crazy about this Wood thing. He seems like the right English boy for you. His father is a war hero, he's already recruited to Puddlemere, the ministry loves him, He's not an absolute idiot...He seems like the kind of bloke Ron Weasley would like…he seems like the kind of guy who is good enough for a Weasley woman." Scorpius rubbed the back of his neck as his face fell a bit. "I just...I just dont think you understand what it's going to be like for you now that you're with me."
And then Rose looked at him but her gaze wasn't stern. It wasn't happy but it wasn't stern. It was a start...so he kept going, it would seem that honesty really was the best policy.
"I just...dont want you to have to deal with the nonsense... The stares you'll get for being with me. The things people will say... Gods, I can't tell you what Albus went through, to be my friend...I just feel like you would be better off with a guy like Wood...and I fucking hate myself for letting the thought get to me."
Scorpius sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "But what can I do? I can't let you go, so…"
"So you behave in tantrums." Rose muttered.
"I know." Scorpius muttered back.
"Scorpius, you don't have to tell me about what Albus went through in our first couple years, I was there remember?"
"I know." Scorpius replied shortly, staring at the floor.
"And I already know what its like to endure the stares and whispers of those who think they should get to dictate how I live my life. I'm Rose Weasley." Rose muttered.
"I know." Scorpius replied.
"Well, if you know all these things, why are you telling me this? Do you think you can talk me out of being with you?" Rose finished and her voice was finite.
"I dont. But I would never forgive myself if I got you into something that you didn't fully understand-"
"Scorpius, when have I ever been the type of individual to not do my research?" Rose replied quietly, staring intensely at him. Finally, he raised his eyes to meet hers and the connection was astounding, like an exploding star. She began quietly, "I know who you are Scorpius, because I have been your best friend for 7 years. However, I worry whether you really know me. This isn't protection, what you're doing right now. This is fear. Fear of not being good enough, fear of not deserving what you desire, fear."
"Scorpius sighed. "Of course it is."
"So Scorpius, if you truly know me, then you know that this kind of behavior is unacceptable to me…"
"Gods, Rose, of COURSE, I know that. I know Im being barmy...but Rose, I also know your heart. You tend to just...march into battle. Piss and Vinegar. No matter the odds...But war is hell Rose and I can't let you get hurt. I have to protect you."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Poetic but that sentence doesn't say anything real. Im not buying it."
Scorpius threw his arms up in exasperation. "My GOD Weasley, I swear you are like talking to a Blast Ended Skrewt sometimes!"
"Your face is a Blast Ended Skrewt." Rose replied, crossing her arms and smirking.
Scorpius stared at her for a moment. Then he snorted. And she giggled, and he chuckled, and she laughed and so did he.
She grabbed his wrist and, for the first time, she pulled him to her. He propped himself against the table and pulled her in front of him so that they were positioned front to back, wrapping both his arms around her tightly.
He Sighed. "Look, I know I'm wrong in this one, I know I was being irrational, and crazy, and my excuse for my behavior is weak at BEST...and I KNOW that by admitting it,I will never hear the end of it from you.."
"This is correct. I will use this until the day you die." Rose agreed.
Scorpius rolled his eyes, " Of course. But still, stick with me, Rose. Ill get better about this. I promise. I've never had to deal with this whole jealous Insecure thing before. Is this what life is like for you people?"
And now it was Rose's turn to roll her eyes. "First of all, and as always, you are a real piece of work. Secondly, you can't get rid of me that easily, Scorpius. You've got...stuff. So do I. It's ok to...to not be perfect all the time. We just have to keep working at it. After all, that's what we do best, isn't it? You treat me like I matter, Scorpius. That's all I care about."
Scorpius smiled deeply to himself and arched an eyebrow. "Well then." He started and his voice was like silk, "I suppose if I can't get rid of you, I will have to find something else to do with you…"
He placed a slow kiss at the bottom of her ear and Rose's eyes fluttered closed involuntarily. "Gods, you make it infuriatingly difficult to stay mad at you…"
"It's an amazing gift." Scorpius sighed deeply and squeezed her. "So...how are YOU going to handle the Wood situation?"
Rose's eyes drifted open and she let out a steadying breath. "Depends on which wood situation you're talking about."
Scorpius could see her grinning like a lunatic. "My little Savage...with her dick jokes " He grinned. " I am referring to the Puddlemere Prick."
"Oh, I get to handle it now?" Rose sighed as Scorpius ran his fingertips up and down her arm. Her hips unconsciously swayed back and forth to its tempo and Scorpius groaned softly at the contact.
Scorpius shrugged as he let his fingers creep slowly across her waist, pressing her closer to him. "I suppose its for the best. If you leave it up to me, I'll just end up in Azkaban." Rose smirked. He continued, "I trust you Rose….that's the lesson Im supposed to learn from this, right?"
Rose laughed outright. He was always so good at making her laugh. "I'll handle Wood. I know just what to do…" She finished cryptically.
Scorpius stared at her for a moment. "You're going to set-"
"-him on fire, yes." Rose finished.
"Of course. A classic." Scorpius replied.
"And Scorpius?" She whispered.
"Hmm?" He said, looking down at her.
"I want you EXACTLY because you're you and I'm me." She whispered.
He stared at her for a long while before a smile started to permeate his face, spreading wide once again. Slowly, he leaned down to kiss her once more.
If they had to awnser to the world, at least they could do it together.
"HEY!" An enraged Neville Longbottom yelled from the door, "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?!"
Rose and Scorpius jumped apart. They grabbed their bags and rushed past him.
"Sorry Uncle Neville."
"Sorry Sir."
Neville stood at the door, squeezing his sinuses and wondering what God he must have pissed off to be put in this position when, suddenly, Scorpius ran past him again.
"Sorry sir, I forgot my notebook…"
Scorpius spent several painful moments looking for his notebook before finding it under a table. He squeezed back past Neville and hovered awkwardly for a moment. "Thank you sir. And can I say, I just admir-"
"I SWEAR TO GOD SCORPIUS." Neville yelled.
"SORRY SIR!" Scorpius yelled back as he ran at top speed out of Greenhouse 7.