Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter book series or movie adaptations.

Note: I know that this chapter is shorter; don't worry, the next one will be longer again, I just didn't want to fill this chapter with unnecessary drivel for the sake of length.

Chapter Six: Late

1 July 2025

Rose,

We need to talk about what happened the other night. Please owl me back.

Scorpius

I woke up the morning of the job interview feeling possibly the most optimistic that I had felt all summer. For the first time in a month, I had something meaningful in my life that couldn't be tied back to Scorpius. For the first time in a month, I had something of my own.

The interview was supposed to happen at the Daily Prophet's Diagon Alley location, just across from The Ministry Press's publishing house, at nine o' clock. I was awake by seven in the morning to begin getting ready. I ran Sleakeazy's through my frizzy curls, which I tied up with a white ribbon into a ponytail, and putting on small touches of makeup. After that, it was time to actually get dressed.

I had done plenty of research, and everything that I had read said that for a job interview one should wear something blue. Studies show that an interviewee that wears blue is more likely to get the job, for some reason. In any case, I settled on a navy blue pencil skirt and a white button-down shirt, with a pair of sensible black heels (which, for some reason, happened to be my least comfortable pair of shoes, even when enchanted with a cushioning charm).

It was nearly eight when I finished getting ready for my interview, and my stomach was in knots. I'd wanted this for years; if I didn't get this job, I wasn't sure what I would do.

I floo'd into Diagon Alley at eight o' clock, determined to walk around and, hopefully, shake off my nerves before my interview. A lot of shops weren't open yet, but there was one tea shop that was. The place was relatively new, and I had never been in before, so I decided to try it.

Upon walking into the shop, however, I decided that I was an idiot for even thinking about it.

At the counter of the shop, talking to the barista, was Scorpius. Of course it would be Scorpius.

The bell hanging above the door jingled as I walked in, and it brought attention to me from almost everyone in the shop. I fought the urge to cringe as I continued to walk into the shop and toward the counter, where Scorpius still stood staring at me.

"Weasley," he said with a nod.

"Hello," I said quietly before turning to look at the barista. Her name tag read Adrina. "Is it alright if I have some chamomile tea? No milk, no sugar."

Adrina smiled at me and nodded. "Absolutely," she said. She started waving her wand immediately. "What size can I get you?"

"Medium," I answered, and she flicked her wand again. Behind her, a disposable cup began moving toward the number of tea kettles adorning the back wall, and I stepped to the side to make way for other customers, who had begun to form a line behind me. .

I stood there in silence for a few seconds, looking anywhere except for at the blond standing to my left and praying to every deity that I could think of that he would, just once in his life, keep his thoughts to himself.

Predictably, he did no such thing.

He cleared his throat. "Weasley."

I took a deep, calming breath before turning toward him. "Yes?" My voice came out sharper than I meant it too, but I couldn't find it in me to care.

He lowered his voice. "We need to talk about what happened before," he said.

I pursed my lips. "If I wanted to talk about it I would have owled you," I said.

Scorpius' gaze hardened. "Look," he said, "I've been about as patient as I can be, Rose. I get that you're pissed at me, but you can't just-"

At that moment, Adrina came toward us and handed me my drink. I thanked her politely and turned on my heel, walking away from Scorpius and toward the Daily Prophet. I had scarcely made it ten feet from the door to the tea shop when I felt someone take my arm and drag me into the nearest alleyway. I was too shocked to even grab for my wand until I felt my back connect with the brick wall behind me and saw Scorpius standing with less than six inches between his face and mine.

"You can't just ignore me like that, Rose," he began, anger apparent in his grey eyes.

"I absolutely can," I spat, yanking my elbow out of his grip and reaching for my wand. "Don't you ever manhandle me like that, Malfoy!"

"Listen to me!" Scorpius' voice was almost a yell now, and if the street had been busier I'm sure we would have attracted a cloud. "We're going to be married, Rosie. Can't you find it in you to forgive me? It was a mistake. It was a stupid, careless, horrible mistake that I'll never make again in my life."

I was seething. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Scorpius!" My voice came out all but an animalistic growl. "You chose to be jealous when I told you that it was pointless to be. You chose to not trust me. You chose to sleep with someone else, and you chose to hurt me. Now it's my choice whether or not I choose to forgive you, cutting whatever corners you did to get us matched and then manhandling me in an alleyway will not force me to do so!"

Scorpius looked like he'd been slapped. "You think I did this on purpose?" His voice was barely a whisper.

I nodded. "Of course I do," I said. "Your father works high up in the Ministry; I'm certain that he could have helped you if you asked."

His face steeled again, completely devoid of emotion. "I was never going to force you to do anything," he said. "I didn't ask to be paired with you. I was ready to let you go, like you asked me to. I was going to let you pretend nothing ever happened and get on with your life. Believe it or not, I was never going to ask you to forgive me, Rose."

I searched his eyes for any sign that he was lying and cursed at his ability to mask his emotions so well. "Regardless," I said icily, "It doesn't matter. If I choose to forgive you, it's going to take a while. You can't expect the hurt that you inflicted on me to magically go away because the Ministry paired us for this damned law."

"I don't expect it to," Scorpius said, nodding. "I just want you to stop avoiding me, and avoiding talking about the other night."

"I don't want to talk about it, Scorpius," I said. "There is nothing more to be said about it. I was drunk and I did something stupid because I was drunk." I mentally cringed at my choice of words, but at least he knew better than to point out that that had been his excuse, too. Drunkenly trying to kiss your (however unwilling) fiance was very different than getting drunk and cheating on your girlfriend. I looked down at my watch. 8:50. "Look, Scorpius, if you want to talk about it that badly we can do so. Later. Right now I need to get to my job interview."

I pushed past Scorpius and walked away again, grateful that he didn't try to follow me.

I was two minutes late as I walked inside for my interview.

"I slept with someone else." His eyes pleading with mine. "Do you think you can ever forgive me?"

"No." Hurt written across my face. "You're a monster, Scorpius. You should have thought about how sorry you were when you were screwing someone else. I hate you." I turned and began to walk away, willing my tears to stay hidden.

"Stop." His voice was commanding now, and it halted me. I tried to move again and couldn't. My heart beat faster. "Forgive me, Rose."

Blood rushed to my ears and my mouth moved of its own accord, the words coming out in my voice but not of my thoughts. "I forgive you."

I woke up gasping for air.