A/N: Okay, I'm back from holidays and the brief busy-ness of an early harvest. Going to upload the last 10 chapters in the next few weeks and finish this story :) Hope everyone is doing well!

Chapter 27. Where Scorpius realises he is the world's biggest chickenshit

Where would she be, where would she be? Needless to say Scorpius was up super early in the morning – if it could even be said that he slept.

Weasley was a werewolf. She had to be. There could be no other explanation for it. Unless he had imagined everything last night. Merlin, did he imagine everything? No. No way.

But – how on Earth was he supposed to approach her about it? Should he even do it? It's not like it changed how he thought of her … but fuck.

Maybe it was his imagination playing with his imagination about what actually happened yesterday and last night?

But no. She had to be. It only made sense.

So where would she be this morning, if, hypothetically speaking, she was a werewolf? What time does one un-become a werewolf? Would she still be in the forest? Was she injured? Did she already go to bed? Did she go to the Hospital Wing? Did something happen?

Merlin, now he was flipping worried about her! He had no idea. What the bloody hell was her schedule around a full moon? How had he never noticed before?

How bloody long had she been a werewolf? … if she was a werewolf?

He crept down into the common room – rather nervous that she would be there because he really hadn't thought out what to say yet.

The room was empty.

Even though he felt like a complete doorknob, Scorpius checked everywhere in the room. He lifted cushions, moved blankets and pillows to the floor, checked behind chairs, lifted blinds from the windows. He couldn't think straight.

Some part of his mind that was not internally freaking out was calling him ten types of stupid. But he couldn't stop his irrational behaviour. He was scared to find her, scared to not find her.

He felt especially dumb while sticking his head under a table when a soft voice behind him started speaking. "Umm … Scorpius. What are you doing?"

He grimaced and slowly pulled his head out of the table, rubbing the back of it in embarrassment. "Hi Cass … I'm looking for Rose. Rose Weasley." Merlin how many Rose's were there? It's not like she would not know. Calm down Scorpius!

"And you think she'd be under the table? What happened to your eye?" Cass looked very confused.

"Oh! No. That's unrelated. Dropped something last night … umm. Yeah. So, my eye. Walked into a wall," he said. Oh he was dumb. He needed to calm down – even if she was a werewolf it's not like she'd be one now. He suddenly had an idea and blurted, "Have you seen Rose at all?"

"No. I don't think she came to the dorms last night. Is she okay?"

Oh man. That was the question. She had to have been a werewolf for years now … so … most likely? She'd been hiding it well, but now that he knew – or thought he knew, it was so obvious. But Hugo last night … well. He didn't get the impression she was in a lot of trouble. It was sometimes so hard to tell with Hugo. Scorpius had a feeling he was as good at hiding his emotions and keeping secrets as his sister. It just didn't dominate his life so much as hers.

"I think so … but if you find her can you let me know?"

She smiled. "Yes of course. Hold on a second. I can grab some balm for your eye. It'll reduce the colour and bruising."

She ran back up the stairs to her dorm and Scorpius waited patiently swaying from foot to foot instead of frantically searching other random places in the common room.

"Here." She owned a similar bruise balm to him. He scooped some out with his finger and generously rubbed it on his face, looking at his faint reflection in the window. He passed it back to her after.

"Hope that helps. I'm headed for breakfast, so I'll be there and can send you a note if she shows up."

"Thanks Cass."

Scorpius finally left the common room after casting a spell to check if there were any humans around. No Rose.

He even came across Rennings outside the common room and dared ask her. He didn't know why he did, but he was getting desperate.

She was utterly unhelpful however. "Follow the scent of wet dog maybe," she said and walked away. He refused to think about it. It was a comment. That was all.

He didn't even know where to go next from the Tower. Up or down? He was way too flipping scared to even go near the Hospital Wing right now so he visited the Transfiguration corridor for no reason. Then Charms. He asked the Bloody Baron to no avail. He even asked a random painting on the wall if they'd seen any auburny-brown-black-curly-but-usually-straight-and-short haired women wandering around. They did not.

His heart beat the whole time as he crept through the library. He checked every back corner, went into the Restricted Section, and looked behind the couches. She wasn't there.

There were only a few students in the Great Hall, especially for so early on a weekend in the middle of March. No Rose.

His stomach growled. He went to the Ravenclaw table and sat next to Cass, grabbing a pumpkin roll to stuff into his mouth.

"She wasn't here?"

She shook her head. "Nada. But to be fair, it's not exactly as if she's a regular here."

Of course! Merlin, he could kiss her! "Damn Cass, you're a genius!"

She looked surprised. "I am?"

Scorpius waved at her and took off at a run. He was headed to the kitchens.

He was greeted by the House Elves upon arrival and he gently shooed them all away. If he asked would the elves cover for her? He walked over to the imitation tables, turning the corner to get them all in view. There were a few house elves putting food on tables where the early bird risers were sitting with food magically floating up to the ceiling to go to the Great Hall.

It was empty. The tables were all empty except – there was one lone figure in the back corner, head down on the table, swaddled in a blanket or bulky clothes. She was in shadows, a small blip on the table that could easily be passed over. Scorpius' heartbeat picked up. It was her.

Her head was resting on the table, hair splayed out around her in the most chaotic mess of curls he'd ever seen. She wasn't moving, but looked to be breathing still.

He approached cautiously.

"Rose?" he said quietly. "Hey, how are you doing?"

Merlin. Why'd he say that? Clearly she wasn't doing very well right now. She had been a werewolf all last night, without the Wolfsbane Potion if he were to guess the sequence of events correctly. Full blown wild thing running free. Frig, he didn't remember much about werewolves; they barely covered them in Defence class.

She moved almost imperceptibly.

Scorpius sat down across from her. So …

There was no way he could say anything right now. Merlin, you can't just ambush someone with a statement like that.

Oh hey, are you a werewolf?

Rose took a larger breath. Basically the only indication she was alive and reviving.

"Hmmm … what are you doing here?" her voice was quiet – like she was still in a state of half-sleep or lucid dreaming.

"Came for some food. Have you eaten yet?"

"No … Sort of … I keep falling asleep."

Okay. So. Hypothetically speaking if she had spent the night as a werewolf, she was definitely in dire need of food and energy.

"How about I bring some things over for you to eat and then we'll head to the Ravenclaw Tower?"

"Hmmm … are you going to feed me too?" She lifted her head up and rubbed at her eyes Merlin, she had bandages on her left wrist with fingers poking out. But why? At least it looked like she had made a trip to the Hospital Wing first before coming to the kitchens. There were minute scratches over her neck and face.

One of her cheeks still had the table imprint visible from where her head had been resting.

Her eyes could barely stay open but she still gave a smile – with both sides of her mouth this time, though the right side was slightly higher. And this was a new one he'd never seen. This was a very vulnerable smile. She was placing a lot of trust in him and not yet not fully aware of her surroundings because Scorpius hella knew that if she were totally lucid she'd be her stubborn ass self again and would not respond to his offerings.

"I'm kidding …" she continued. Then yawned, mouth stretching wide, sharp canines exposed – Stop it! he told himself. She's not a werewolf. Fuck. "… but I could eat five whole horses right now, just a warning."

"I will start sending some food over," Scorpius said seriously. And then was up and over next to the elves.

He carried over a large plate of croissants, pancakes, fruit, and sausages. That seemed to perk her up more and she sat upright without any questions. She started eating immediately.

He felt a little odd standing there and staring at her, so he went back to the cooking area with the elves. He made up another platter of food and then got to work on making a warm drink. He talked casually with Tibby the house elf while he juiced some oranges and lemons, warming it with his wand and adding coconut water, honey, and salt. Tibby was a good distraction from the looming moral and ethical question about how to ask someone if they were a werewolf when you didn't know, and whether it was appropriate when you weren't friends.

She was gnawing on a sausage when he carried over his concoction in a mug and a second platter of food. She looked at it a little suspiciously.

"What is it?"

"Just drink it."

She gave him a look, still in this vulnerable phase where she listened to him, and complied without another word. And as crazy as it was, all the food he'd brought before was basically gone.

"So round two?" he asked, pushing the second tray of food on the table closer to her. It was enough food for at least three people.

She nodded and took a large drink of his hot energy tea, she pointed at it. "Good, actually."

After round two, she was definitely a little more alert and aware of everything. Namely, him sitting across from her, gnawing on some bacon.

"What are you doing here?"

Shit. "Umm … got hungry."

"Why are you bringing me food then?"

"Well. You looked like you needed it and I was here."

Her eyes narrowed. "No. Stop. We are not friends. We're not. Only teammates. Don't act friendly with me, you'll regret it." Her voice had a dark tone to it.

It's okay Rose, I know you're a werewolf. It's okay. Merlin, how stupid would he be if he said that now, and then she said she wasn't a werewolf and that he was crazy. Maybe he was delusional.

Or maybe he was a chicken shit.

"Right. Okay." He had a lump in his throat that he ignored by going to track down more food. He wanted her to trust him.

By the end of round three she had colour back in her cheeks.

"So, did Hugo find you?" he asked. This time sipping some tea of his own, a rather plain mint tea he spiced up with cinnamon and lemon. Weasley was finally slowing down food-wise, the mass amounts of food seemingly disappearing without trouble.

"Ah. Yes. Right. Forgot I asked you to find him last night …" she trailed off and looked at her plate, picking up some crumbs with her fingers and sticking them in her mouth. "Yes. He did. I've already seen him this morning."

Shit. What did he do, stay awake all night guarding the entrance?

"And everything good there?"

"Yes."

"Well … good."

She took the remaining food and put it in the bag at her feet. "Well, I think I'm going to go to bed now. Umm … well, thanks for … you know. The food. The tea."

He shrugged. It was the least he could do for his friend who didn't want to be a friend. Oh, there was the lump in his throat. He ignored it. He followed her out of the kitchens, wanting to make sure she got back to the common room all right. She had other plans of course.

"I'm heading this way." She pointed down the hallway away from the direct route back.

"Aren't you headed to the common rooms? To sleep?"

Her eyes were averted. "We're not friends, I don't have to tell you where I'm going. Just don't really want to … see people."

Did she mean someone in specific or everyone? She looked so worn out and beat up. He wanted to help her. The lump in his throat rose again and he pushed it away. He was not going to cry. Not here. Not in front of her.

She was so on and off – he swore she wanted to be friends with him as well sometimes. They were friend's goddammit! But there wasn't much he could do when she turned him away half the time.

He stood motionless in the hallway as she nodded goodbye before leaving him standing there. He had a sudden thought about Hugo before she got too far away. "Didn't Hugo have Quidditch practice this morning?"

She turned and was facing him, walking backwards a few steps. "Not sure. But he went to bed. Probably cancelled it." She turned back around.

And there it was. That was literally all the proof he needed. Rose Weasley was definitely, undeniably, a werewolf.