"Oh, bollocks," Scorpius groaned. "Has everyone come to see me released? This is ridiculous."
"It's supportive," Dominique pouted.
"Yea, we're supporting your recovery," Albus added.
"We weren't sure how good you'd be at walking," James pushed Fred into the room in a wheelchair. "Will you need one of these?"
"This is absurd," Scorpius tugged his Muggle jacket on with a smile he couldn't resist. "Absolutely absurd."
"Where did you steal that chair from?" Rose's voice was clipped as she stepped into the room. "Go put it back where you found it."
"But Scorpius may need -"
"Now," Rose cut Fred off.
"Yessir," James pushed Fred out of the room as quickly as he could and Albus hid his laugh behind his hand.
"Mr. Malfoy," Rose said in a more gentle voice. "You're to report back here in a week's time for your check-up. We'll decide then if you're ready to report back to field duty."
"Thanks, Healer Weasley," Scorpius smiled at Rose as he stood up straight.
"Yea, thanks, Healer Weasley," Dominique said with a wide grin. "It's been bloody fun to see you work and your office."
"You've barely seen me work, Nic," Rose couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Your parents are in the lobby," Rose said to Scorpius. "They knew you had too many people in here and decided to give you some air."
"Thoughtful of them," Scorpius glared at Lily. "Didn't want to suffocate me -"
"Pish posh," Lily said in a singsong voice. "Now, come along, Scorp, let's get you to a pub."
Rose opened her mouth to tell Scorpius to rest but Scorpius said instead, "I'd much rather go home to my flat first, Lils, darling. I don't think I'm ready for a pub yet." He turned his head slightly and winked at Rose. "I need my rest, after all."
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Flashback, Post-Hogwarts
"Ms. Weasley," Healer Dawson said from the door. "You shouldn't be here during your rounds."
"He's my friend," Rose turned her head. "I just wanted to check on him."
"He's being healed by -"
"I know," Rose sighed and turned back to the cot where Scorpius was sleeping, his face pulled into a frown, his arm in a sling.
"You can see him when he's awake, Ms. Weasley," Dawson said gently. "When you aren't on duty."
Rose nodded and quickly squeezed Scorpius's hand before following Healer Dawson out of the room; but she knew she wouldn't come back and check on Scorpius again. She wasn't even sure why she had now. With a final glance back at Scorpius she shut the door behind her.
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"Weasley," a low voice said from Rose's office door and Rose smiled up at the middle-aged man who stood there.
"Dawson," she nodded. "Come in, won't you?" Rose pushed her files away from where she was reading them and opened her bottom drawer and pulled out two tumblers and a bottle of Muggle Scotch whisky.
"Ah," his face broke into a grin. "A Macallan 12? Not bad, Weasley."
"Easing myself into learning more," she laughed and poured them both a splash. "I'm looking for a good teacher, would you know of any?"
"My husband would be more than happy to teach you," Dawson chuckled as they clinked glasses. "He's always looking for a new tutee." They both took a long sip before Dawson peered into his glass and asked softly, "How's it feel to be back?"
"Strange," Rose admitted after hesitating for a moment. Her dark blue eyes stared into the amber liquid in her glass before she finished it quickly and poured them both some more. "Less strange every day."
"It's good to have you back," Dawson said gently. "We really need your perspective on things," he sighed. "It's getting rather," he hesitated, looking for the right word.
"Stagnant?" Rose offered.
"Yes," Dawson admitted. "We need new procedures and new ideas," he shifted his weight slightly in his chair. "Lang knew we had to get you back in order to start that process."
Rose chuckled, "I've barely seen Lang since I've been back." The Head Healer was notoriously busy and after going out of her way to bring Rose back to St. Mungo's and meeting with her on her first day, had barely been by to see how Rose was getting on.
"Even with the Minister here?" Dawson let out a low whistle. "Thought for sure she'd jump in then."
Rose eyed him warily, "What do you know about that?"
"Nothing," Dawson sighed. "Was hoping for a bit of gossip."
Rose let out a disbelieving laugh. "And to think I shared my whisky with you!"
"That's because I was your mentor," Dawson laughed and shook his head. "It really is good to have you back."
"Glad to be back," Rose admitted. "As odd as it is."
Dawson finished his whisky and stood up, "Come by for dinner one evening, won't you? Frank is a wonderful cook."
"I will," Rose smiled. "Thanks."
Dawson hesitated at the door and turned around to face her again, "It's hard to have friends or family as a patient." His voice was soft and gentle and Rose stilled, feeling as though the emotions she had ignored the past few days would erupt at any moment. "I know how hard it can be to see them on the table, unable to," he swallowed and nodded his head. "I wish I could say it gets easier."
"Thanks," Rose swallowed thickly. "I -"
"It was the same young man as before," Dawson nodded. "He's a tough sort and you pulled him through."
Rose didn't know how to respond; Dawson merely nodded at her as he turned and left her office. Rose poured herself another sip of whisky.
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Scorpius had barely managed to peel himself away from the assortment of Weasleys and Potters that had flitted around him all day; his parents could tell immediately how overwhelmed he was with what felt like hundreds of friends swarming around him as soon as they arrived at his and Albus's flat and left once he was settled. James and Fred thankfully left before lunch for Quidditch practice, offering to meet up for a pint later which Scorpius politely declined. Dominique offered to buy groceries, but Scorpius told her he and Albus were grown men and they could do their own shopping. Lily teased him some more for being "done in" by a dragon until Roxanne arrived to "get in on the teasing" ignoring Albus's stares and glares. Eventually Albus, ever empathetic, shooed them all out of the flat, reiterating Rose's instructions of 'rest'.
"Godric, thank you," Scorpius sighed as he leaned his head against the back of the couch. "I love them dearly but Merlin's beard I'm exhausted."
Albus shrugged at his best friend, "I'll leave you alone until dinner. I can pick us up some takeaway?"
"Go out with Catriona," Scorpius looked at his friend. "I'd like to take a walk alone, be out in Muggle London for a bit."
"You sure that's," Albus started.
"I'm quite capable. Part of the Healing process, all that," Scorpius said kindly. "As bored as I was before and after visiting hours, I'm feeling a bit," he sighed.
"Overwhelmed?" Albus offered. "Fair dues. I'll see you later?" He grabbed his jacket. "Catriona and I do want to have dinner with you and Rose, maybe at the weekend?"
Scorpius nodded, "Lovely."
Once Albus had left the flat Scorpius walked to his bedroom and collapsed on his bed, pleased to be alone with his thoughts for a moment. He could tell Albus knew he hadn't been attacked by a dragon, and he was certain the others - at least Dominique - would realize soon enough, but he was used to lying to them about work whenever necessary. He sat up, wondering exactly how bad the scarring would be; there had been no mirrors in his room at St. Mungo's, and although his chest didn't hurt, he knew he'd been hexed there.
He walked to the bathroom and pulled off his t-shirt, surprised to see only a small zigzag scar right in the middle of his sternum, surprised that it was already skin-colored and not the ugly, mottled pink and red the scar from his last hex that had stayed on his bad shoulder for weeks. He'd have to thank Rose, as he assumed whatever she had done had meant the scar healed faster and less noticeably.
He glanced at his face in the mirror and rubbed his chin where scratchy dark blonde and reddish hairs were growing, thankfully less haphazardly than poor Albus who could barely even muster a mustache. Scorpius shrugged, wondering what he'd look like sporting more facial hair. He glanced down at his Muggle watch, and deciding it was nearing the perfect time for a pint, went to his closet to throw on a flannel, slipped on a pair of brown leather boots, and grabbing a denim jacket, left his flat to slowly make his way to his pub.
He ran a hand through his hair as he walked towards his pub, and wondered, briefly, how long it had been since he'd gotten it cut; it wasn't too long that it fell in front of his eyes, but it seemed to be getting dangerously close. He scratched his chin and glanced at himself in a storefront window; he thought he looked rather rugged in his flannel, denim jacket, and brown boots, his hair long-ish and slightly unruly, he felt like he could have just come from the Dragon Reserve in Romania. Not that any of the Muggles around knew about dragons. He could have come from, where was somewhere outdoorsy a Muggle could work?
He pushed open the door of the pub, relieved to see it was relatively empty until his eyes fell on the bright face of Rose Weasley, her box braids wrapped in a half bun on top of her head. "Wasn't expecting to see you here, Petal," he ran a hand through his hair, his slate grey eyes darting to her blood red lipstick before settling on her dark blue eyes.
"Was rather hoping to run into you, Malfoy," Rose's lips parted into a wide smile. "Can I buy you a pint?"
He was surprised she was offering to buy him a drink, and surprised she was here, at his pub, apparently waiting for him. "Yea, all right," he nodded and walked with her up to the bar.
"Two lagers, please," Rose said to the bartender before turning to Scorpius. He was very aware of how her eyes looked him up and down. "Looking very rugged," she nodded her chin at his flannel. "Think I've seen Uncle Charlie in that flannel before."
Scorpius couldn't help his wide grin as he took his pint from the bartender, "Would you believe me if I said I was trying to make my cover story more believable?"
"No," she grinned wickedly at him and clinked her glass to his glass. "Skal," she said and took a long sip of her lager.
"Chin chin," he winked and sipped his lager before leading her back to the table. He took his time settling into his seat, taking another long sip of his beer before he said bluntly, "So what made you come to my pub?"
"Ah," Rose nodded and set her glass down, clasping her hands together on the table. "Right to it, I see," she let out a breath. "Was rather hoping you'd be a few pints in before this bit."
Scorpius wanted to ask her what on bloody earth she was talking about, but if he'd learned anything about Rose Weasley over the years, it was to let her get to what she wanted to say on her own time to avoid her wrath. He took another sip of his beer, his eyes never leaving her face as she took a deep breath and met his eyes. "I need to," she stopped herself and took a hasty sip of beer as if to fortify herself. She closed her eyes as she set her beer down again and composed herself. "I want to apologize to you, M- Scorpius." She met his eyes again and took a deep breath. Scorpius braced himself. "I've wanted to for a while, but I chickened out and then you left and got yourself injured and," she stopped herself again. "I'm sorry, Scorpius."
Scorpius waited for her to continue. When it was clear she was done he tilted his head slightly, "For what?" He was genuinely confused.
He could tell from the way her face and posture slipped slightly that she was hoping he wouldn't ask her to elaborate. Her hands reached out to toy with her beer glass, clearly uncomfortable. He watched as she tapped the glass, her eyes fixed on her own hands. "You know what for, Scorpius," her voice was barely a whisper.
"Ah," he let out a long breath. Now this he wasn't expecting. He took a long sip of his beer. "Now I wish I had been a few pints in," he ran a hand over his chin, the hairs scratching his fingers in a way he hadn't anticipated and he dropped his hand immediately.
"I," Rose said sadly, her blue eyes on his face. "I shouldn't have left without saying -"
"It's in the past," Scorpius stopped her before she could continue; his voice had a slight edge that Rose didn't miss.
"I was a coward, Scorpius," Rose said anyway, her voice still soft. "I'm sorry for a lot of things, including not telling you when I left for Sweden. I'm sorry for invading your pub," she waved her hand around as she continued on, growing increasingly irritated with herself as she continued. "I'm sorry for coming back and forcing you to drink with me -"
"You didn't force me to drink," Scorpius mumbled as he actively avoided her piercing blue eyes.
"I'm sorry for leaving the next morning without saying goodbye," she continued thickly and Scorpius tried not to wince. "I'm sorry for never saying goodbye when I left again. And I'm sorry I never talked about that night with you. I was a coward -"
"Please," Scorpius's voice was gruff. "That's enough now." Rose shut her mouth with a snap, clearly itching to say more and unable to look away from Scorpius's sad face. "That was a long time ago." A lifetime in fact. Plenty had changed since then, and yet, nothing at all had truly changed.
Rose moved her hand across the table closer to him, "I won't ask for your forgiveness, Scorpius. I don't deserve it. I just wanted you to know I'm sorry for how I treated you. I was," she stopped when Scorpius finally moved his grey eyes up to her face. "Scared," she swallowed.
Scorpius's gaze fell from her face and he snorted before taking the last sip of his beer, "That I know for certain is a lie, Petal." He put the empty glass back down on the table rather roughly. "Now, you're going to buy us another round and stop with this nonsense," he said firmly to her and nodded at her glass. "We're done on that subject, are we clear?"
Rose nodded, picking up both of their glasses and bringing them to the bar to get fresh pints. Scorpius sat straight in his chair, determined to not let her see how deflated he truly felt. The last thing he was expecting today, or ever really, was for Rose Weasley to apologize to him for leaving the morning after they had sex during the Christmas hols four years passed.