Chapter 15
As she danced with Albus, Alison caught a glimpse of Rose running back from beyond the tent, cutting her way through the crowd, heading straight into the burrow. It seemed Albus had followed her gaze and noticed too, they shared a look.
"I better go," Alison said with concern, placing a hand on his chest to stop him from following. Albus nodded in understanding as he watched her leave. Albus exited the dance floor; he looked intently over at where Rose had run from only to see the outline of a body. He had a suspicion of who it was.
Alison found Rose in her room packing her stay over bag, rather heatedly. She was roughly shoving her clothes into the bag as she sniffed and wiped a shaky hand over her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears that ran down her face. Alison quickly closed the door, marched across the room and took Rose into her arms. Rose returned the embrace and hugged Alison just as tightly. Once Rose had calmed down a bit, they both sat down oh the bed and Alison finally asked what was wrong. When Rose only shook her head, Alison voiced her own suspicions.
"Does it have something to do with Scorp?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Doesn't it always?" Alison said with a knowing look to Rose. She knew there was only one person that could extract such strong emotions out of Rose. With Rose and Scorpius everything was extreme. They were either making each other extremely angry or extremely heartbroken.
"It does?" Rose mumbled. Alison nodded her reply, before summoning a tissue with her wand. She handed it to Rose and she used it to dry her tears. "I don't hate him anyone more," she said sounding defeated, "in fact I don't think I ever did."
"Really?" Alison mocked. Rose shot a glare at her, before dropping it and sighing. Alison put a hand on Rose's shoulder, "Rose, this is a good thing," she said genuinely. Though Rose just hung her head and continued to fiddle with her tissue in her lap. "Isn't it?" Alison asked unsure.
Albus approach Scorpius unsure of what was going on. Scorpius hadn't moved from the position Rose had left him in, only now it was clear he had been crying.
"Scorp, are you okay, mate?" Scorpius slowly gathered his composure and stood up straight, dropping his hands from the tree. He ran his fingers through his hair before turning to Albus.
"Yeah, fine," he said simply, with a fake smile. Albus wasn't buying it but didn't know what to say. He had had only ever seen Scorpius like this once before, his features bursting with regret, with misery. It was the night that Scorpius had appeared on his door step after he had moved out of Malfoy Manor. Albus, still to this day, didn't know the exact events of what had happened that night and he suspected never would. They never talked about it much. Albus brought his focus back to the present. Both men should there gazing at the ground in silence.
Rose sighed and her eyebrows knotted in confusion. "I don't know, maybe," she muttered shyly. "I mean it can't hurt, since you and Albus are very serious now," she added smiling at her blushing best friend, changing the subject from herself.
"We always were serious," Alison replied with failing to hide her blissful smile, "but stop trying to change the subject, Rose," she added warningly. Rose chuckled quietly at her friends attempt at a stern look. Once you had seen Hermione Weasley's stern look, no one else had the same effect. However, she still turned her gaze away from her best friend and back to the tissue in her lap. Alison knew that Rose wasn't a very open person but she would open up when she was ready. The only thing that worried Alison was that, just like everything to do with Scorpius, it could it an extremely long time. Nevertheless, she knew she wouldn't get anything out of the red-head tonight. "Rose, I understand if don't want to or you're not ready to talk about it tonight," she started turning a little to face her, "So I'm not going to push you but I just want you to know that I am here when you are ready." Rose smiled and pulled Alison in for another hug, so appreciative of having such an understanding best friend.
"Thank you," she mumbled into Alison's shoulder.
"So," Albus started awkwardly as he rocked back and forth on his heels with his hands in his pockets, "was that Rose I saw running inside earlier?"
"Probably," Scorpius said bitterly.
"Is there a problem?"
"There's always a problem with her," Scorpius sighed dismally, running his hand through his hair again. Albus was about to say something when Scorpius cut him off, "look Al, its nothing for you to worry about, okay?" After a moment Albus decided not to push the issue.
"Okay," he said with a nod.
"Okay," Scorpius copied with a nod, "How about we go and enjoy the rest of this party." Scorpius said in a final tone, as he started back towards the tent.
Scorpius entered the large crowed tent and headed straight for the Bar. He had ordered three shots before Albus had even caught up with him. He had this look in his eye; Albus knew it all to well. It was his 'I am going to get smash and then get laid tonight if it's the last thing I do' look. Scorpius had downed the first two shots before asking Albus if he wanted the third. When Al refused it, he downed that one to, as he ordered more from the bar tender.
Rose had cleaned up, with the help of Alison, so that you could hardly tell she had been crying. Alison had convinced her to come back downstairs and rejoin the party.
"So are you ready to get your boogie on?" Alison said as she linked arms with Rose.
"Hell yeah," Rose giggled.
"Good." They made their way downstairs laughing, Rose feeling a hundred times better.
After his 6th consecutive shot Albus grabbed Scorpius by the arm and tired to pull him away from the bar, unsuccessfully.
"Scorp, I think that's enough," Albus said trying to reason with him only to watch him make quick use of his 7th shot. These shots plus the whiskey he had earlier was not a good combination. "C'mon this isn't going to solve anything."
"Sorry Al, but if you will excuse me," he said as he caught sight of some blonde girls standing not to far away, "I have some business to attended to," he finished winking at Al as he moved around him on his way over to who Albus identified as some of Victoire's distant French cousins. Albus rolled his eyes at his best mate but was worried all the same.
Rose and Alison went straight to the dance floor. Together, they moved their bodies to the upbeat music, laughing at their dance skills or lack there of. They were joined by Dominique, then by Lily and Roxanne. Soon the other Weasley girls joined the large group, taking up the whole dance floor; Victoire standing out with her white bridal gown as they got their boogie on, sing along to the lyrics together. Once the song had finished, Alison grabbed Rose and pulled her through the crowd and off the dance floor, Rose knew with no doubt to find Albus.
Albus watched with glee at seeing all his cousins and his girlfriend dancing together with such bright, beaming smiles dominating their expressions. After the song ended Alison and Rose made emerged from the crowd in a fit of giggles. Alison spotted Albus first and pulled Rose behind her, towards him. Alison kissed Albus' cheek in greeting before wrapping an arm around his waist, settling comfortably against his side, smiling up at him. Her smile faulted as she saw passed his glee and noticed the worry in his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he said dismissively, but giving her a look that said 'later'. "So I see you were having fun without me."
"Don't be so surprised Al, we've been having fun without you for years," Rose seemingly back to normal herself, giggled at both Albus' and Alison's half hearted glares. Alison looked back up at Albus.
"But that doesn't mean I love you any less, sweetheart," she said before stealing a chaste kiss. Rose laughed at her cousin's giddy expression, before her laughter stopped suddenly, as she caught sight of something behind the happy couple. Albus and Alison noticing straight away, turned around to find Scorpius Malfoy pressed up against a beautiful blonde, playing a passionate game of tonsil tag.
Okay so that was chapter 16, and after this it is going to get pretty rocky. Thank you to my reviewers and followers. Don't be afraid to tell me what you think. Please review, follow and fav :)
