Another chapter for you guys. Things are getting better!
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Now on to the chapter!
Chapter 15
December 14
Saturday
~oOo~
"Just focus. Breathe. Concentrate on the energy you feel, I know it can be overwhelming but you need to try and channel all the power through your wand. Focus it into the spell I showed you. You can do this."
Rose took a breath, her hands shaking slightly. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to relax her limbs and concentrate solely on what she was doing. It wasn't easy, the hospital wing was quiet but when you are trying so hard to focus the smallest noises seem much louder.
Footsteps and breathing, murmured words and the rustle of clothes. It was all so distracting. Every tiny sound seemed amplified, like a drum beating in her ears.
Come on, Rose thought, you got this, just focus on something else.
She had meant to focus on her breathing or the feeling of her magic but that was not the thing her mind latched onto. To her surprise, her jumbled brain decided that the best thing to concentrate on was a heartbeat. And not her own.
Beat beat beat. Steady, Strong. Reassuring.
She decided to just take what she got and not analyze it. Not to focus on how much she had been relying on that heartbeat over the last few days. Instead, she focused on her task. Her breathing slowed, her heart rate evened out from its previous nervous patter, and her mind calmed its thoughts.
She could do this.
Her eyes flashed open, her hand extended and her feet found their proper footing. She knew how to do this, it was in her blood and flowed through her veins. This was who she was. A witch. And a damn good one at that.
"BOMBARDA MAXIMA" Rose thought silently and with a sharp twist of her wrist, she focused all her magic into the spell.
She watched wide-eyed as her spell blasted from her wand tip, shooting like a bolt of lightning through the air and hit the training dummy at the other end of the room square in the chest. With a BANG the dummy exploded and all that was left was stuffing floating down to land in a mess on the floor.
"Beautiful Rose," Healer Lynde said, lifting her pen to her clipboard and scribbling for a minute before looking back up. "Alright, that's all for you. Now that we have practiced with you both separately, I think its time we try it with you both."
Rose nodded, rolling her shoulders against the soreness lingering in the muscles. They had been going at this for hours. They had started out simple, Accioing things, levitating objects but slowly they had begun to increase the difficulty level, trying harder spells, larger distances, heavier objects. Until now they had started casting spells wordlessly, something Rose had never done before.
But this was all part of learning to use and control her new magical strength. Her magic was much more powerful now, just how powerful Rose hadn't known until today. When Healer Lynde had come into the Hospital wing and done their weekly exams, Rose had thought that it would be like all the weeks before. They would get their checkup, be asked questions about how things were going then they would leave. But today had been different, after looking them over Healer Lynde had announced that it was time to start using their magic more intensely.
After so long of being cautious when it came to casting harder spells, Rose had been taken aback. When asked why now the Healer had explained that their magical levels had stabilized at last.
"When first bonded," she had explained, "your magical energy fused with your partner's. This is a massive merge of power and takes time to settle. Your magical energies are both very different from each other, they had to have time to mix and solidify before they could be used. According to the tests taken today, your magical cores have finally stabilized, meaning it's time to start using it in order for you to smoothly learn to adapt and control this much power."
Which lead to the present, a present where a tired and slightly grumpy Rose Weasley stood in the middle of the hospital wing, test dummies lining the back wall and the ruins of their buddies littering a back corner.
"Madam Pomfrey we're ready now," Healer Lynde called and a moment later the door to the head nurses office opened and both she and Malfoy stepped out.
Rose released a breath she didn't know she had been holding at the sight of Malfoy. Gratefully Rose let down the mental barriers between them and felt Malfoy do the same.
Healer Lynde had had them block each other off as completely as possible and had then proceeded to put them in different rooms before beginning training. She wanted to get clear conclusions on their magical levels separately before seeing what they could do together.
Rose understood that. She knew that her power was greater when Malfoy was next to her and they were mentally open. But even with Malfoy as far away as he could be comfortably and even with their minds closed off to each other Rose's power was much greater then it had ever been. She was able to lift items without hardly a thought, she could cast most simple spells wordless just with a flick. It felt incredible what she was able to do now. It felt unreal.
But even though it felt natural, simplistic to cast most of the spells the Healer had presented to her, Rose was starting to feel the wear and tear of hours of magical training. Seeing Malfoy however, letting down her metal guard and having him move closer to her made the ache in her limbs lessen and the weariness lift.
"Hi," Malfoy said as he walked over to her, a small smile pulling at his lips.
"Hi," Rose said in return, pushing her curls from her face and allowing a small smile of her own to appear. He was beside her now, his form so close she could feel the warmth of his body next to hers. She closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds, relishing in the sensation before forcing herself to concentrate on the task at hand.
"I know it has been a long hard day," Healer Lynde said, her smile warm and understanding, "but it's important that we get this data before your magic grows, so we have a solid foundation to build on."
Rose smiled, "We're fine Healer Lynde, we can take a bit target practice." The Healer nodded and then turned to Madam Pomfrey. The two started swapping data and discussing the results.
"How are you doing?" Malfoy's voice was a deep lull in her mind, calming and steady.
Rose cast her eyes to the left, looking past her curls to the boy next to her. There was that smile again, soft, almost like he was amused.
There was a time when Rose would have brushed off a question like that, looked away and walked past him.
"I'm fine, more tired than anything. Being extraordinary is quite tiresome after all." She replied, feeling a warmth spread through her at the little twinkle that sparked in his eyes at her answer.
Malfoy's hand brushed against hers as he shifted his weight. It was only the slightest of touches but even that was enough to shoot bolts of electricity up her arm.
Rose pointedly looked forward.
"Alright," Healer Lynde consulted her chart, "let's start with the basics. Scorpius will you please levitate this object. After he's done Rose will you please do the same."
Thus proceeded with another round of levitating and accioing objects and items. Spells got harder, objects heavier and after the intermediate level spells came the harder ones.
Rose and Malfoy did spells that they would only be doing near the end of the year, then they started doing spells they would be doing next year. Even after that, they kept going, performing spells only seasoned witches and wizards could have accomplished.
But something happened as they took their places for the next round of spells and fighting dummies. When the first dummy stepped forward, Malfoy looked over at Rose, their eyes met for a moment and it was like they just knew what to do.
They seemed to dance while casting, twisting and twirling, arms reaching and wands pointing. They performed like a well-oiled machine together. Like they had done this so many times before. It was like walking on flat ground, easy and sure. Rose didn't have to think or say anything as she moved to the left, the dummy they were fighting dogging that way as Malfoy fired off another spell, allowing Rose to hit it when it's shield was down. It really was like dancing. They waltzed and pirouetted as dummy after dummy stepped forward to fight and one by one they took them down, working together seamlessly. They knew each others moves before they even took a step. Rose's mind was calm, her only thoughts were that of the spells they needed to be using. As the last dummy fell Rose took a breath, her mind seeming to click out of gear, slowing to a stop.
"Alright alright, that's enough for now. Let's take a break and drink something. Give you two a chance to cool down." Rose and Malfoy were both breathing heavy, and neither was saying no to a break.
Healer Lynde flicked her wand and food and drink appeared on the side table of the nearest bed along with some dessert.
Rose's stomach grumbled hungrily at the sight.
The sun was high in the sky now, even though they had started early that morning. It was tiring and slow, but Rose couldn't help but grin. She took a seat on the bed and let out a little laugh. "That felt-"
"-Incredible." Malfoy finished, and Rose wasn't even annoyed by his interruption.
Her body buzzed and hummed, her nerves were electric but in a good way. She felt alive. Energetic. She felt powerful. Never before had she cast so many complex spells. It felt so good. It felt like a challenge while at the same time it was like second nature. It was thrilling and she loved it.
By the grin on Malfoy's face, Rose knew he was thinking the same thing. She didn't know that using magic could feel like this. So fulfilling.
Healer Lynde looked over at them and gestured. "You're both feeling it right? The rush of energy, power." The teens nodded and the Healer smiled. "That's the bond. You two have been working together to cast these spells, the bond is encouraging that behavior. Teamwork is one of the things it pushes. The more you work together to cast spells the stronger you'll get. Not only your magical ability but your bond will grow as well. Your souls will strengthen causing you both to have heightened senses and abilities."
Rose sat forward, reached out and grabbed one of the cups filled with pumpkin juice. "How come I never read about any of this in the Bonding books in the library? I mean that, what we just did, it was incredible. But I never found anything like that when reading."
Lynde chuckled. "That would be because those books only hold common knowledge. You won't find anything in there that isn't just the basic outline of what the Soul Bonding Curse is. The only reason I know so much is that as you know my mother was the head Healer on the last Soul Bonded couple. I still have her old journals."
Rose's eyes lit up. "Journals on Soul Bonding?"
Lynde nodded, "Yes, my mother was an avid journalist, kept record of everything. She must have had about three hundred journals, she started when she was eight, kept writing her whole life. Most of the later ones are full of her research into the Soul Bonding curse though, they have come in quite useful in helping explain in detail how this Curse functions."
Rose stared in awe. How could she have been so dense? Of course, Lynde's mother was the Healer on the last Soul Bonding Curse case. She had known this. Why had she never thought of the records the Healer might have kept? They were sure to be filled with useful and thoughtful information on this curse. If Rose could only read them, maybe she could better understand what was happening to her, maybe she could finally understand it all.
"Healer Lynde," Rose said tentatively, "Is there any way you could lend me those journals? I would love to read through them, to understand the Curse better."
The Healer, who had just picked up a sandwich from the tray, tilted her head slightly at the Rose, her gaze thoughtful. She didn't seem mad or insulted by the thought of letting Rose read through her mother's journals. Maybe there was a chance.
"I would have to think about it. There are some personal subjects in those journals besides just the Soul Bonding but... yes I don't think that would be a problem. As long as you promise to take care of them."
Rose beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Thank you thank you thank you! Of course, I would be exceptionally careful with them, no harm would come to them. Oh, thank you!"
Lynde laughed, a light sound, a happy one. "Of course Rose. I'll go through them and see if there is anything I don't want you to see about her personal life but as I remember there isn't much. If I find nothing I'll owl them to you and you can return them when you're done."
Rose felt like clapping but she restrained herself. The idea of understanding this Curse better was so exhilarating to her that she could barely contain herself. It was a chance to be a step ahead of the Curse.
"Wonderful, now she's going to be up at all hours of the night reading again. She just stopped doing that after the last series she finished." Malfoy stretched out beside Rose, laying down and putting his head right next to her leg.
She glared down at him. "I always read downstairs. I never kept you up."
Malfoy chuckled. "Weasley, do you know how many thoughts run around rampid in your mind when you read? I swear you think of every single twist and turn that could possibly happen in a book before the author even does. It's a little maddening when trying to sleep."
Rose just snorted, "You're just annoyed because your brain can't handle more than one thought at a time."
Malfoy smirked, "Maybe, but at least I'm not wasting my thought on sappy romance novels at three in the morning."
Rose gasped and shoved Malfoy hard, causing nothing to happen but for Malfoy's annoying laugher to echo through the room.
Though they didn't notice it Healer Lynde looked on smiling, glad to see her patients getting along better. "Okay," She said, hold up her hand, "Stop arguing and have something to eat before we have to get back to work."
Rose, still grumbling grabbed a triangle of sandwich from the tray and took a bite. Scorpius, on the other hand, shoved the entire triangle in his mouth at once, causing another outburst from Rose which just made the blonde laugh all over again.
Lynde just shook her head.
~oOo~
Later
Honeydukes candy wrappers littered the coffee table in the Gryffindor common room. Butterbeer and drinks, snacks and chips and any junk food a person could want lay about, happily being devoured by the older inhabitants of the tower.
It was late and normally everyone would be up in their dorms but it was Saturday and on Saturdays, Scorpius would sit down here with his mates and they would eat and drink, most of the time something stronger than butterbeer and they would talk and laugh about the weeks' events. It was a ritual that they had kept all throughout their years at Hogwarts. The people switched out, sometimes it was almost all the Gremlins, sneaking into a different house every week, sometimes it was just him and Al. Now, however, it wasn't just him and Al. It wasn't just the Gremlins.
"Argg," Rose complained from her seat on the floor. Scorpius glanced down and watched as she rolled her shoulders. Straightening an arm in an attempt to loosen the knots in her back and shoulders.
Scorpius winced in sympathy at the twinge of pain he felt himself as he moved his shoulders. He knew he had it better than her though. He often worked for hours with Al or someone else for the Gremlins on enchanting objects to do what was needed for a prank. He was used to the strain it took to cast magic for so long but that didn't mean he wasn't hurting too.
From his place leaning against the coffee table, Fred smirked and in a voice he would use when talking to a child he said, "Ahhh is poor Rosey feeling tired from using all her amazingly epic magical powers? Shame. Want me to kiss it and make it better?" A leather-bound tome hit Fred's head with a dull thud.
Laughter erupted from the surrounding group, and all of them decided to take turns tossing something at Fred as well. Scorpius watched with amusement as Al threw his empty box of Honeydukes chocolates, making Fred complain loudly that next time he deserved at least a few marshmallow filled ones.
Ashley, who was adorning the love seat next to the fire with Mary, snorted with amusement before returning to her sketchbook, her charcoal piece swishing across the page in light and dark streaks as she drew.
"Oi marshmallow! Hand me a butterbeer." Scorpius felt a smile spread across his face as his friends continued to banter back and forth, Rose's dorm mates rolling their eyes and saying how immature they were being. Rose who was sitting at his feet, her back against the couch shook a little with her giggles, her curls swishing back and forth with her movement.
He watched as a pillow flew through the air and the muffled cry of outrage once it hit made him laugh too.
"Your friends are morons," Rose commented lightly in his mind. Scorpius just smirked.
"And yours are judgemental."
Rose elbowed his knee, the closest part of him she could reach and in retaliation Scorpius lightly pulled on a curl of her red hair. Her hand flew up to her head and she turned astonished eyes to him.
"You did not just pull my hair! Are you five and in kindergarten?"
Scorpius felt the laughter bubbling up in his chest despite his want to stay stonefaced. After a moment he couldn't help it and a bark of laughter escaped.
Rose let out a huff of annoyance and punched him in the stomach. It didn't hurt but that combined with his now animated laughter made him quite breathless.
Seeing that her physical abuse had no effect on him Rose scowled and turned back around, folding her arms firmly over her sweater and crossing her legs to sit criss cross in front of her.
Even without looking at her face Scorpius knew she was pouting.
"Now who's acting like a five-year-old?" He questioned, smiling even wider when he got his foot stomped on.
They stayed like that for a while, watching the ruckus around them, smiling and commenting when they felt like it.
Scorpius kept an eye on Rose though, he watched her roll her shoulder again and he felt her flinch. She was in pain, not a lot from what he could tell but she was uncomfortable.
"Here I can help." He said leaning forward on his knees. Rose looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes narrowed, questioning.
Scorpius smiled again, his easy smile, calming. "I can help." He said again. Rose gazed at him for a moment longer, gauging before she nodded and turned back around.
Reaching out he brushed her hair aside, revealing the back of her neck and most of her shoulders. She was wearing a large oversized sweater, a sweater that was trying very hard to be an off-shoulder sweater.
He placed his hands on her shoulders. She tensed under him, her shoulders moving up in a reflexive way. Scorpius tried not to let that hurt. They had been doing so well together but he knew that they were still learning to trust each other whether he liked it or not. A second later Rose relaxed, her shoulders dropping again and she took a breath. She was trying.
He started to gently press and massage the tight muscles of the back of her neck. He didn't know how to message well but he knew the basics. Slowly he started to work the muscles, careful not to apply too much pressure before the muscles had warmed up otherwise he might do more harm than good.
As he slowly started to press harder, working at the knots with slow sweeping moves Rose became to slump. He felt a smile tug at his lips as she tilted her head to give him more access, a small sigh escaping her lips as he worked.
"Godrick, Malfoy. Where did you learn to do that?"
Scorpius let out a chuckle and started moving his hand in a different technique. Rose all but melted. A groan came from the redhead in front of him and as he worked at easying a particularly big knot Rose shifted, bringing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them, placing her head on them. She sighed again, as he ran his hand a little lower, massaging between her shoulder blades.
"If you stop whatever the hell you're doing I'll kill you." Rose murmured letting out a little groan again.
Scorpius just shook his head and continued his work switching between her shoulders and upper back to her neck. He could feel eyes on them and every time he looked up one or another of the people around them would be watching. Either with amused expressions or in Al's case a scowl.
For once Scorpius didn't care that Potter was getting annoyed with him. Rose had been in pain and he was helping her, whether what he was doing looked like something more then a friendly message was their problem.
The talk around them continued but he and Rose weren't as involved as before, Scorpius focused on easing Rose's stiff muscles and Rose focused on sighing contentedly when he worked and snapping when he stopped.
Scorpius was so engrossed on working out knots that he didn't notice someone had moved the stand next to him. That was until Al was leaning down and speaking softly in his ear.
"Can I talk to you for a minute? In private."
Scorpius looked up at his friend as Al pulled back. His hands left Rose's shoulders and the almost asleep girl let out a groan of dismay.
"What did I say about stopping?" She grumbled sleepily, turning her head on her knees and blinking blearily up him. Her eyes found Al's and her blue irises flashed between the two of them, a frown pulling at her lips.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing love, I just need to talk to Al for a sec."
"Don't call me that." Came the grumbled replay.
Scorpius shook his head and stood, stepping over the curled up girl and walking around the couch. They moved as far away from the group as they could.
Stopping Scorpius turned shoving his hands into his pockets and looking at his friend quizzically. "What is it?" Scorpius thought he knew what it might be, after all, it wasn't every day your best friend glared at you like he wanted to rip your hands off.
Albus ran a hand through his messy black hair, looking past Scorpius's shoulder and not meeting his eyes. "I... I need you to...to." He sighed irritably and scrubbed a hand down his face. "How do I say this?" He muttered to himself.
Scorpius raised an eyebrow, "Spit it out, Al."
Albus lifted his head and looked at Scorpius. His gaze hard and just a little angry. "I need you to back off."
"What?"
"Rose. I need you to back off Rose. This thing you're doing, always looking at her, always being next to her," he gestured to the couch where Rose still sat, "touching her, almost kissing her. I need you to stop. Rose isn't ready for a relationship and what your doing isn't right. The bond is messing with her emotions right now. You can't be doing," he gestured hopelessly with his hands, "whatever it is you're doing right now. Rose is off limits. So back off. Alright?"
Scorpius frowned and shifted, crossing his arms across his chest. He studied Albus for a moment, the firm set of his mouth, the small crease between his brows, the wide firm stance. He wasn't backing down. But neither was Scorpius.
"No."
Albus's scowl deepened and his eyes seemed to spark in the dim light of the common room fire. "What do you mean no?! That's my cousin Scorpius, she's my family! I'm telling you to back off!"
"And I'm telling you no," Scorpius held Al's gaze, "I am not doing anything that Rose isn't alright with Albus. And I know her emotions are all over the place right now, but so are mine. Which is why Rose and I are friends Albus nothing more. We're trying to work through this as best we can. It's complicated and messy, and I don't need you coming in here and going all guard dog on me. I'm not getting into a relationship with Rose. We're friends."
"You sure are being touchy for just being friends."
Scorpius rolled his eyes, "Don't be immature Potter. We were training all afternoon, Rose is sore and tired, I was just helping her. And," Scorpius turned to go, "I'd like to get back to it."
"I'm not just talking about now, Malfoy. I saw you two, on the bleachers. You looked pretty cosy." Scorpius still had his back to Al, but his words stopped his footsteps. "What would have happened if I hadn't shown up when I did? Hmmm? What would you have done?"
Scorpius turned. "I'm not talking to you about this Albus and I'm definitely not doing this without Rose here. If you want to talk about this like adults I'll get Rose and we can go and talk, otherwise just shut up."
"Don't tell me to shut up Malfoy," Albus was mad now, Scorpius knew how to read him and by his tense stance and his death stare he was really mad. "Rose is not herself right now and you're taking advantage so either you back off or I'll make you."
"Oh, he did not just say that." Scorpius was startled by the voice that suddenly echoed through his mind and looking over his shoulder Scorpius saw Weasley stand from her place by the couch.
He hadn't thought that he had been broadcasting their conversation to Weasley but obviously she had caught the gist. As she strode across the common room with her eyes sparkling Scorpius knew she was mad as well. Two Weasley/Potter children mad at each other at the same time in the same room. Not a good idea.
Scorpius stepped forward and stopped Weasley before she had a chance to get close enough to berate her cousin. His hands gently grabbed her arms, and he blocked her view of Albus with his body.
"Let go!" Rose snapped in his mind, struggling to get loose of his grip, her head craning to look past him to her cousin.
Scorpius sighed and tightened his grip a little, "Look at me," she didn't listen, of course, "Weasley look at me."
"Let me go. I need to beat the crap out of my cousin."
"No, you need to listen to me for a minute." she still struggled, "I'm not letting you go until you listen to me."
She huffed and angrily looked up at him. Her eyes were hard and he understood that. "He's just looking out for you Rose."
"I know. That's the problem. He's always doing this, always butting in on my personal problems and thinking he knows best. I'm done with it." Her eyes left his gaze and she again tried to see past him.
"Rose."
"No!" Her blue eyes snapped back to his. She was really mad. "He said you were taking advantage of me! He said you were using me! He is saying this is your fault, that you did this! He has no right to say that when he has no idea what he's talking about!"
"Rose-"
"He can't say that to you, he can't think that. This is my fault, all of it and he can't be blaming you, he can't be mad at you. He's-"
"He's scared," that got her attention. The mental rambling stopped and her eyes focused on him, confusion swirling in them, "He's scared Rose, can't you see that? He's scared you'll get hurt and he's right to want to protect you. He knows you. He knows that you're scared of this too. He doesn't know that we've talked, he doesn't know that we have come to an understanding. All he knows is that one minute you're in the library studying, going to class and doing your homework and more or less ignoring the guys around you and the next minute you're moving into a separate dorm, you're always around me and you're not snapping at me or ignoring me."
"All he sees is that we got closer and closer after the bond, he doesn't understand that we're just friends, that we are not in a relationship. Don't tell me you don't understand that. You're his cousin, he's your family. He knows you and he knows that this freaked you out. When you collapsed he was worried sick Rose. That scared him to death and now he's just being overprotective because he loves you. Understand that before you decide go chew him out. He needs you to talk to him, explain what is going on. So don't go into this with a head full of steam. Think first, use that head of yours."
Rose looked at him for a long moment before sighing and ungracefully propping her head against his chest. Out loud she grumbled, "why do you have to make so much sense? It's infuriating."
Scorpius chuckled, gently pushed Rose away and released her arms. "Go talk to him. I'll come over in a bit."
Rose nodded and looked past him to her cousin. Scorpius stepped around her and walked over to the couch, whereupon sitting down he saw that everyone was staring at him. He sighed, "Yes?"
Fred tilted his head, "Why'd you and Rose have a very long staring contest?"
Scorpius laughed.
