Sorry this is late I know. Basically, I had it written and everything, but I went away and forgot my laptop so I had no way to upload. Whoopsy. Anyways, this chapter was fun to write. Please leave a review if you enjoy.

Disclaimer: All rights to JKR.

Chapter 13

So that was how Rose found herself alone at a table in the middle of her eldest cousin's wedding. For a single second, she was relieved for the solitude, however momentary. But the next second, she found herself wishing Malfoy had never left her- however strange and foreign that thought was to her. She'd been wishing he'd leave her alone for just about the last seven years.

The reason for this traitorous wish, took the form of a certain blond wizard that was currently making a bee-line for her table. To be specific, it was the certain wizard who had unexpectedly and unceremoniously dumped her only two weeks prior.

Rose groaned loudly, feeling a sinking sensation in her stomach and looking frantically around her for some sort of rescuer. Perhaps a great-uncle that she could drag off for a dance, or a vague relation she could spark an impromptu conversation with.

But as fate, or luck, or coincidence, would have it, Rose found herself with no escape- not even a drink in front of her to pretend to be interested in as Lorcan took the seat opposite to her.

He sat casually, leaning back and looking around the room as if we were just friends and he'd just walked over for a bit of laid-back chit-chat. I raised an eyebrow at him- waiting for him to get to the point, or at least look at me instead of gazing around the hall.

"Your cousin really pulled it out of the bag, didn't she?" He opened. There was a moment's silence.

"Did you really come over here to talk about Vic's wedding planning skills?" I asked. There was more silence, but at least he was looking at me now.

"I miss you Rosie-" He began, but hardly got to finish before I was rolling my eyes and scoffing loudly. "I do," he persisted, "We were so good together."

"Didn't work out with Annette then?" I asked, my voice dry with irony. If I was sober, I probably would have just got up and walked away. But I wasn't sober.

"No," he responded, and I was almost impressed by how genuine he made himself sound. "We tried, but... it just wasn't the same. Not like it was with you."

"That's interesting, because I spoke to Annette just over a week ago, and she told me the both of you hadn't decided to 'give this marriage thing a proper go', or however you said it," I replied sarcastically, suddenly glad that there was nothing in my hands, because I didn't trust myself not to start just throwing things at him. "Do you think she forgot or... you just hadn't told her yet? Because that seems like a conversation she would have been included in."

"Rose please, I'm sorry about what happened, can't we just-"

"Why did you lie, Lorcan?" I asked him, cutting off his plea. "You wanted to be with Annette instead of me, so you lied instead of just telling me the truth? Why? To make you seem like a better person?"

He didn't respond.

"And now... what? You've realised she doesn't want you, so you're coming back to me? Second choice am I?"

"Rose..." He struggled to find a response. "It's not like that, I-"

"Can we help you?" Malfoy's voice came from behind me as he placed a drink on the table and proceeded to remain standing behind me.

"I'm talking to Rose, Malfoy, buggar off." Came the sharp reply from the other boy across from me. Honestly, I thought, what had I done to end up in this situation? I clutched the glass of champagne in front of me, eagerly taking a sip- just for something to do really.

"No, I don't think I will actually, Scamander." Came the smooth reply of the boy who still refused to move from his spot behind me.

"Rose," my former boyfriend turned his gaze to me. "Tell him you want to speak to me alone." I looked up from the glass I had been directing all my attention to.

"Honestly, Lorcan, I'd much rather you just left," I told him, and his face fell, before morphing into something ugly I hadn't quite seen on him before. It was like the face toddler's make when their parents tell them 'no', just before they throw a tantrum. He looked up, above me, to Malfoy who I could only imagine was looking insufferably smug.

"That's right, run along now and leave me and my wife alone," Malfoy told him, and I buried my face in my hands. It was as if he wanted to make a scene in the middle of my cousin's wedding. Not to mention, hearing Malfoy refer to me as his 'wife' left a sensation in my stomach that I really didn't like.

"Don't forget Malfoy," Lorcan said, and the threatening tone he seemed to be going for really didn't suit him. "She was forced to be with you, she chose to be my girlfriend."

"Whatever Scamander. It's still an upgrade."

Lorcan got to his feet hastily, the action pushing his chair back loudly and causing quite a few people on surrounding tables to turn and look at the scene. I sighed, exasperated as I got to my feet.

"Calm down," I told Lorcan, my voice low, "You want to have it out with each other? Fine, but not at my cousin's wedding."

"I'm not afraid of this fu-"

"Merlin's beard, Lorcan," I cut him off, "shut up. Will both of you just let it go - this isn't the time or place."

Out of nowhere, Hugo appeared around the table, wand already in hand. "Is there a problem here?" He asked, as if that would be intimidating. Somewhere, deep down, I found it sweet that he felt like he was supposed to do this for me- but much more than that, I was just an older sister who's patience was wearing thin.

"Hugo, put the wand away," I told him, hoping Albus or Alice or someone would appear and help me deal with all this angst. "Everything's fine, Lorcan was just going."

My gaze moved to the aforementioned expectedly. For a moment, he remained where he was, his gaze moving between us. Then, eventually, he left the table, walking back across the room the way he'd come.

"You can go back to whatever you were doing now Hugo." He stuck his chest out proudly as if he himself had successfully intimidated Lorcan into leaving me alone. I rolled my eyes but let him have it as he walked away.

I sat back down heavily, letting out a big breath as Malfoy sat beside me.

"You didn't have to provoke him," I told him irritably as I took another sip of the drink in front of me.

Malfoy only shrugged. "What's a wedding without a bit of drama? Besides, you had nothing to worry about. I'm pretty sure your brother had it covered."

I gave him a nasty look. "Don't mock him."

He held up his hands in surrender, "I'm not." Came the simple reply. "Just remind me never to cross you, I don't think I'd survive an attack from Hugo Weasley."

"You're mocking him again," I warned, watching as my now-empty glass magically refilled itself. If all the drinks did that, there would be carnage by the end of the night, I thought as I picked up my glass again.

"I'm sorry." He said, and somehow it did sound earnest. There was a pause. "What did Scamander want anyway?"

I sighed loudly, "I don't want to talk about Lorcan, do you?"

"What then?"

I probably could have told him to just go away... in fact, I was wondering why he was still sitting with me. I'm sure his grandma was appeased by now, we'd convinced her of the whole happy couple act. Surely he could go back to his family now, and I could go back to mine. Strangely, though, I was finding that I didn't mind his presence. Besides- this was the most civil we'd been with each other in weeks... I didn't want to ruin that.

"Oh I don't know," I began thoughtfully, "we could-"

"Scorp, Rose," Al barrelled into the scene- a drink-fuelled grin plastered firmly onto his face. Alice followed behind him, their hands linked. The latter giggled, pulling Al straight as he swayed on his feet. "Scorp, mate, Rose... you've got to come."

He didn't bother explaining before he was heading off towards the door with a sense of excited urgency- or at least however urgently someone can move when they've had that many drinks.

I cast a dubious look at Malfoy, but we got up and followed my cousin anyway.

"James-" Alice began to explain, still clutching Al's hand. "James is outside trying to fight a blast-skrented rewt." She hiccupped, frowned, and then laughed loudly. "A blast-ended skrewt."

I might have been worried as to why my friends were so inebriated, if it hadn't been quite so amusing- especially as we watched them stumble their way out of the castle as if they'd never learnt how to use a door.

Outside, under the vast stars, there was already a loud crowd gathering around something we couldn't see yet. Oh Merlin, if James really was 'fighting' a blast-ended skrewt, then he was stupider than I'd thought. Or perhaps just drunker.

Following my friends, we pushed through the loud audience until finding the middle- like the middle of an arena. And, like in the ancient Roman gladiator fights, two beings were in the centre.

One was my cousin, the other was- indeed- a blast-ended skrewt.

"Oh Merlin," I said, disbelief, before letting out a genuine laugh at the ridiculous sight. I felt Malfoy beside me and watch as his eyes lit up in amusement at the scene before us, just like mine must have done.

James was still in his wedding suit- he'd opted for a more muggle approach to formal wear- but his blazer had been discarded to the side and the sleeves of his shirt had been rolled up. For some reason I don't think I will ever understand, he had seemingly opted to not use his wand- as he was now standing in front of the skrewt, in a boxers position and empty hands. Clearly, the method wasn't working very well, James was already sporting many stings and cuts, and the shoulder of his shirt had been burnt away by a blast from the skrewt, revealing angry, raw skin underneath.

"Your cousin is mad," Malfoy leant down to say in my ear so that I would hear him over the din of the crowd.

I looked up at him, laughing. "absolutely mental."

The skrewt, contrary to James, seemed to be in perfect health.

My cousin went in for an attack, diving elbow-first, onto the skrewt. The crowd cheered, watching as James landed hard on the skrewt's shelled back in a way that seemed like it would do more damage to himself than the animal. Nevertheless, the creature's legs buckled and it was flattened into the floor.

A louder cheer to that, and the crowd jostled forward in excitement. The skrewt screeched, and it's stinger lashed out and hit James in the middle of his back. He jumped up, yelping, earning a mix of hyena-like laughter and a chorus of 'ooooh's as people cringed at the painful manoeuvre.

"Who brought a skrewt to Vic's wedding?" Alice asked loudly, over the pandemonium of what was happening around us.

"Aren't they illegal anyway?" I returned, earning a short burst of laughter.

"What a fucking idiot." She yelled back.

I searched the crowd as the attacks continued to go to-and-fro. Well, I say that... it was mostly just James launching himself at the skrewt and ending up getting severely hurt, whilst causing no damage to the animal.

Daisy was at the corner of what I can only describe as James' 'stage'. She was looking severely worried, and her wand was out and ready as if at any moment she might have to intervene to stop James from killing himself. And, to be fair, that probably was a good idea of hers.

Roxy and Fred were also in the crowd, looking like they had been crying of laughter for about ten minutes- barely able to stand but still somehow managing to throw pebbles in the vague direction of the skrewt to make it angrier.

A group of gasps and cries had me looking around just in time to see the skrewt send a fiery blast into the crowd- sending the spectators scattering and diving away from the projectile. The yelps of distress were soon followed by a cheer and suddenly I wasn't sure who we were supporting in this fight.

James was currently circling the animal, which was clearly becoming more agitated. It whipped it's tail around, sending its opponent sprawling onto his back. I felt myself cheering along with everyone else at the victory of the skrewt.

It was at that moment that a voice exploded over the cheering and yelling. "WHAT EES GOING ON HERE?!" It was Aunt Fleur.

The crowd began to scatter frantically- all in different directions. I laughed and took Scorpius' hand and began running in the direction her voice wasn't coming from. We ran together up the grassy hill, taking a long way round to the other side of the castle. Slowly, the people fleeing with us broke off- until me and him were the only ones left. We ran along the stone outside wall of the castle in the direction of the main entrance, me pulling him behind me, eventually slowing to a stop when we were far from Fleur's wrath.

I noticed only then that I was still holding his hand- and dropped it hastily as we came to a stop, still breathing rather heavily. Breaths that looked like mist in the cool night air.

We caught each other's eyes through the moon-lit night, and suddenly I was laughing. Laughing breathily and helplessly into the fresh air. Once I had started I couldn't stop, the bubbling feeling in my stomach fuelled by the drink in my body.

Scorpius was watching on with some level of amusement- and maybe it was the drink again, but I wasn't embarrassed. She had never laughed like this with him. It didn't feel... entirely unpleasant.

My sudden laughing fit and the champagne I had consumed earlier made me wobbly and sent me stumbling to the side. Scorpius reached out, with reflexes as quick as a seeker's, and steadied me with a hand on each of my arms.

He didn't take them away. Even as I gained a firm footing again. Nor did he take them away when I eventually found it in myself to stop laughing. The hands were still there, on either side of me, as we stood, silently, inches apart from each other. So close that the mist of our breathing mingled in the air between us.

The rest of the world was strangely quiet all of a sudden. All I could hear was our breathing and, strangely, my heartbeat, as we looked silently at each other. His steel grey eyes looking down into mine and everything else felt a million miles away.

It was just him and me, his platinum hair creating a halo around his hair in the silver moonlight. Just me and him and the air between us.

I broke the trance, stepping back and disconnecting us. His arms fell to his sides.

"We should get back," I told him quietly. There was a pause before he nodded in agreement, before leading me through the tall, main doors of the castle and into the well-lit but empty entrance hall.

We floated through the vast room and the corridors that followed, heading towards the sound of music and chatter that got increasingly louder until we found ourselves back in the main hall that was full of people.

We headed, naturally, to a table in the corner of the room. Sat around it were Al and Alice. They looked up as we sat with them- and if possible, Al looked even drunker since the last time we'd seen him.

"Scorp, maate" He grinned, clapping his friend on the back as Scorpius took the seat next to him and I took the one next to Alice. "You made it out of there too, eh?" He asked, his words slurred. "I would not have liked to face Fleur after encouraging a skrewt-fight at her daughter's wedding."

Alice giggled loudly. "You're so drunk, Al." She told him.

I scoffed at my friend, eyeing the drink she was currently clutching in her hand. "You're not much better."

She smiled coyly, "I don't know what you're talking about, this is my first glass."

"As if," Al interjected, "she'd been drinking like a fish all evening."

"Albus!" Alice exclaimed, pretending to look scandalised.

It was at that moment that James, Fred, Roxy and Daisy decided to appear, collapsing into chairs and looking utterly defeated.

"Where did all of you get to?!" James asked those of us who had already been at the table, as though he was personally offended by us. "We just had to listen to a twenty-minute lecture from Aunt Fleur, whilst all of you got off scot-free."

"To be fair, James," Daisy smiled, looping her arm around his waist as he snaked around her shoulder- as naturally as if they'd been together for years. "They weren't the ones fighting a skrewt at a wedding. That was just you"

And we could still see the proof too. James had his blazer back on, which covered the worst burn on his shoulder, but many of the stings and cuts across his body were still visible.

"You look like shit," Al told him. Not one to beat around the bush on a regular day- and certainly not whilst this drunk.

"Yeah, that skrewt really just fucked you up," Roxy added, taking a swig of firewhiskey.

James sighed, ruffling his already-messy and slightly singed hair. "I'd still rather fight two skrewt's at one time than listen to another lecture from Fleur."

"She is bloody scary," Fred joined in.

James nodded, then let a wicked smirk crawl onto his face. "Fucking worth it, though."

"Oh, that reminds me," Roxy exclaimed, getting to her feet. "I need to go find Louis... I bet him five galleons that you'd lose."

And just like that, she disappeared across the room- manoeuvring easily around tables and dodging elderly relatives in a way that I just hadn't mastered.

The night aged quickly, and drink after drink graced the table as I talked and talked with my friend and family. Eventually, all that drink got to my bladder, and I stood up, announced that I would be back in a minute, then left the table in pursuit of finding the bathroom.

Like I said, I was not so good at avoiding slightly awkward conversations with distant relatives. So ten minutes and three interruptions later, I was finally alone, staring at myself in the bathroom mirror with my hands braced on the sink. It was certainly the drink that had sent me here, but now I was finally alone and there was no music or chatter- I realised it was the first time that I felt vaguely calm since the start of the day.

Of course, it couldn't last long.

A sobbing sound was coming from one of the stalls in the bathroom. I turned, looking towards the sound and weighing my options in my head. I could leave? Perhaps they wanted to be alone? I wasn't the best at helping with people's emotions... I never had been.

But no, I couldn't do that... they surely would have heard me come in anyway. I couldn't just leave and pretend I'd never been there.

"Hello?" I asked apprehensively. The sobbing paused and I walked towards the only stall with its door closed. "Are you okay?"

"Rose?" Said an instantly recognisable voice.

"Dom?" I replied, frowning in concern and pushing the door open to find my cousin sitting on top of the toilet lid, her eyes red and puffy and her mascara running.

"Dom!" I crouched down in front of her, "what happened? What's wrong?" I asked her urgently.

"I-" She sobbed heavily, and put her face in her hands. "I just... walked in on Byron-"

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I began to get the gist of what had happened. I took her hand and gave it a squeeze because it was the only thing I could really think to do in the moment.

"He was... with another girl." She finished finally and broke out into sobs again as she leant forward and enveloped me in a desperate hug. I returned it, holding her just as tightly.

"And I tried to storm off and go home, but I'm so drunk and I can't find a fireplace and I began to panic and I-"

"Shh, it's okay," I told her, in what I hoped was a soothing voice. "I'll get you home, okay? To the Burrow or Hogwarts?"

Dom sniffled softly into my shoulder, pausing for a moments thought. "Hogwarts," she decided softly.

"Okay, we'll get you back to bed before you even know it," I told her, feeling like I was speaking to a child who'd hurt their knee. "I'm just going to say goodbye to everyone and then I'm coming straight back."

She nodded silently, clutching a tissue in her fingers. I got up, unsure whether I should leave her alone, but I felt I had to let my family know where I was going. Besides, I'd left my wand at the table.

I hurried back to the table we'd all been sat at, finding my cousins and friends and... Scorpius having a heated but seemingly light-hearted debate about something or other.

"See you later everyone," I interjected, picking up my wand.

"Aww Rosie," Al complained loudly. "Where are you going?"

"I'm taking Dom back to school," I told him as he stood up to give me a hug.

"I'll come with you." Malfoy decided, getting to his feet. Taken aback, I just looked at him for a moment.

"Alright," I said eventually, then, "bye," aimed at my family.

I was met by a chorus of 'bye's' and 'see you later's' as I walked from the table, Scorpius following closely behind. I didn't ask why he'd decided to join me- I didn't know what answer he would give and that worried me, so I just stayed silent.

We found leaning against the corridor wall outside the bathroom. She eyed Malfoy warily but didn't seem to have the energy to object to his presence.

"Come on Dom," I took her hand and began leading my swaying cousin in the direction of the fireplace we arrived through. Even if I could apparate, which I couldn't yet, I'd be a fool to try it whilst so drunk. No, floo powder was the best option. I only hoped it would take us to a fireplace in Hogwarts that was close to Dom's room, so I wouldn't have to trek across a castle with my heartbroken cousin and my nemesis/husband.

Luckily, after a short walk through the French castle, and a stomach-churning trip through the chimneys that made me fight to keep my drink down, we ended up stumbling out of a fireplace into a classroom on the 7th floor.

Dom also had a battle to keep her drink down, unfortunately, it was a battle she lost. Which is how I found myself holding back my cousin's hair as she vomited out a seventh-floor window.

I cast a look at Malfoy, wondering if he was regretting coming with us yet, but he looked entirely unperturbed as he leant against the wall next to the fireplace. The classroom was dark, lit only from the moonlight filtering in through the limited window. Nevertheless, I could see his eyes watching me in a way that meant I had to look away.

Eventually, Dom seemed as though she was done, but she still remained leaning out of the window and gulping in the fresh air. "I'm sorry," she moaned, covering her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, this is so embarrassing."

"Dom, stop apologising," I told her, helping her stay steady as she straightened up again. "Let's just get you to bed, you'll feel better in the morning."

She nodded, but her legs shook, even now as she leant against the wall.

"Lean on me," I told her, placing one of her arms over my shoulder so she could use me to support her instead of the wall.

"No Rose, I'm too heavy."

She was kind of right, I decided as I felt her weight and realised I was unsure whether or not I could get us both back to her room. But, of course, I wouldn't say that.

"I've got it," Malfoy's quiet voice came out of nowhere as he crossed the room towards us. I stepped back and let him place her arm over his shoulders and replace me as her support beam.

The short trip to Dom's room wasn't that short. We stopped to let her throw up at least two times, I think, but eventually, I found myself pushing open the door to her room and letting Scorpius take Dom inside.

He sat her down on the bed and she mumbled something that sounded vaguely like 'thank you', before wasting no time in crawling under the covers, clothes and all. I walked Scorpius to the door.

"I think I should stay with her tonight," I told him quietly, standing in the open doorway as he stood in the dark common room. It must have been 1 in the morning by now, and the castle was almost as silent as I'd ever heard it. Not even the wind whistling through the windows voiced the air outside. Everything was still.

He nodded.

It was a moment of impulse, a moment of gratefulness. I reached up onto my tip-toes and kissed him gently on the cheek. Pulling back, I smiled slightly. But, as ever, the look on his face was unreadable, and the dim light didn't help.

"Good night," I said, wondering if it would prompt a reaction. When it didn't, I turned and started inside the room.

Before I could even take one step, a hand caught my arm and I was spinning back around, and then his mouth was on mine. His fingers were in my hair and on my waist as his scent was all around me. The scent of night time and old castles.

It didn't feel like last time. It didn't feel like anything I had ever felt before. And I was kissing him back before I knew what was happening. My hands were on the cool material of his dress shirt and around his neck. And I forgot where we were or who we were and I forgot my own damn name.

"Rose," he breathed against my lips, a whispered reminder in the darkening night. I didn't reply, knowing that it wasn't a question, but an exclamation.

I pressed my mouth closer to his, despising any space between us, any air between us. My hands were in his hair, tugging him closer, I wanted there to be no distinction... no way of knowing where Rose ended and He began.

We broke apart for air, panting heavily, foreheads resting together, his hands around my waist and mine still in his hair.

I didn't want to leave him, but when I opened my eyes and remembered where we were, I knew I had to look after my cousin.

"Good night," I said again, with a smile on my lips. I untangled myself from him, feeling the cold night air rush up around me in the absence of his body heat, and it took all of my self-control not to wrap myself in him again.

"Good night." He replied, and then I was back in Dom's room and there was a door between us.

The fluttering feeling in my stomach didn't go away. It didn't go away as I took my makeup off. It didn't go away when I took my bridesmaids dress off and changed into some of Dom's pyjamas. It didn't go away when I finally lay down in bed. It didn't matter, I couldn't sleep... all I could think about was how Lorcan had never said my name like that.

No one had ever said my name like that.

Lovely jubbly. That was one continuous chapter... no breaks- it was surprisingly easy to write. I hope you enjoyed. If you did, or even if you didn't, please please leave a review with your thoughts. Also, who's your favourite couple in the fic right now? I wanna know. See you next time! The next chapter is already pretty much written, just needs to be edited and such.