AN: Alright, so, it's been a while. Two years, give or take? Anyway, I hope this update helps to make up for it, almost as much as the next few might. It's good to be back, and I hope you enjoy!


Scorpius ran his wand along the wall in search of any magic barriers, while his other hand felt over each brick in case of a more physical mechanism. For a moment, he allowed himself to treasure the relief of a distraction - one that kept plenty of space between them, at that, as well as busying his hands. At least on this side of the room, he was sure she couldn't hear the pounding of his heart. He could breathe. It was a welcome change from the sudden need for performative sarcasm to cover up the recurrent moments in which Scorpius Malfoy caught himself reaching to touch Rose Weasley.

This certainly wasn't how he'd anticipated he'd spend his passing period.

He glanced over his shoulder, and immediately regret the decision; not because she caught him, but because he didn't think of the possibility that she might until he'd already done it. Rose was diagonal from him now, nearing the corner faster than he was somehow. She also wasn't using her wand. A brief look over, and it caught his eye - in her hair, holding up the messy bun she hadn't been sporting earlier. When had she put her hair up? And why? Normally he'd tease her about it, given that without using her wand she'd miss anything a muggle couldn't do. Alas, he wasn't in the mood to antagonize her. At least he managed to keep that priority in check: first, get out of this exitless room; verbal sparring could wait until later. Yet now, here he was, so caught up in questioning her searching methods and her hair that he'd missed a couple bricks and nearly stopped moving.

He was hopelessly distracted. No wonder she'd already finished a wall, while he was only just over halfway.

Maybe a little antagonization was in order.

"Are you a witch or not?" he called over, smirk readily in place.

She paused for a moment before turning to him, one hand going to her hair. Her eyes narrowed. Had she forgotten it was there? "It's more efficient to check one way, then the other. I can check the whole room at once from the center later."

He wouldn't let himself be distracted by the way she leaned against the wall, chin up and squint relaxing to simply looking at him with hooded eyes and the hint of a smile in her cheeks. "Why not try that first, then?" He lifted his chin in a jerky motion, and hoped it looked challenging rather than nervous.

Then the smile met her lips. "You'd be surprised how much of this castle remains hidden due to that sort of thinking. No one thinks to try anything 'lesser' than charms. Though, I suppose it's hardly your fault our curriculum teaches us all of our problems can be solved with the proper application of a wand."

He swallowed. Crossed his arms. Shifted to face her more head-on, tapping his wand against a brick over his shoulder. "Is that so?" When she only hummed in affirmation, he pushed more. "Pray tell, what sort of surprises am I missing?"

Rose covered her mouth with one finger hooked over the others in her fist. Scorpius had the funniest feeling she was hiding something. Perhaps a giggle? Or, rather, a real secret? "You'll get nothing from me so easily, Malfoy. Now, you search your way, and I'll search mine." She turned away. He tilted his head and tapped his fingers a few times before doing the same. This time, he committed to picking up the pace.

The rest of the check passed in relative silence, until they'd both checked two walls each and Weasley made her way to the center of the room. Scorpius watched from a few feet away as she pulled her wand from her hair and began incantations. Wild curls tumbled past her shoulders, and swept across the middle of her back as she moved. His head tilted, eyes sweeping over her face as it settled into the same relaxed concentration he saw whenever she got a lost in a project. If nothing else, he had to admire her capacity for focus.

They'd known each other for years. Perhaps not as well as actual friends; everything he knew was based on observation and hearsay... though in all fairness to him, he'd say Albus was likely the most reliable source of 'hearsay' one could manage when it came to his favorite cousin. Still, he realized now that he'd never thought of Rose Weasley as entirely human. Not in any sort of conspiracy theory way, of course; he'd never claim she was a siren like some of the younger boys, nor a sleepless superwitch like he'd once heard a group of their peers whisper while she studied unawares through to the end of library hours. He'd always thought she was untouchable, in a way; like a star he could orbit but never near. He'd thought he'd had a solid idea of her nature, but he'd never seen her vulnerable the way she'd been the other day. He'd never seen her cry. He'd never seen her distraught over anything more than academics. He'd never hugged her before, never even touched her on purpose as far as he could remember.

Perhaps that had something to do with his newfound urge to rub the dirt from her chin.

"You know, this is the first time we've been alone in a room together." The words left his mouth before he could stop them, caught up in the movements of her hands as he was.

Her reaction was once again slow, contemplative. Her eyes slid over, locked to his. One eyebrow lifted slightly higher than the other. "We were alone the other day."

"Ah, but that was outside," he retorted, shrugging one shoulder. "Doesn't count."

She squinted at him for a moment. Then, gloriously, she laughed. Her eyes lit up, curls bouncing as she shook her head at him. "Okay, Malfoy. Are you planning to help get us out of this room, now, or..?"

Huh. He was expecting more of an argument.

Clearing his throat, he made his way over. They stood back to back as they continued their charms.

His breath hitched every time her shoulder blades bumped his back.