Chapter Two: Of Pajamas and Good-byes

A/N: I'm so sorry there hasn't been any Rose/Scorpius stuff yet. The last chapter wasn't very good, I know, but I'll try to make this one better and Scorpius will enter in this chapter – anyways, the first chapter was more of like an introduction to the story, kind of just getting everything started, and I needed to set up a few things that are important to the story.

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I wake up to the sound of crying. My senses on alert, I peek out of the curtains. Not surprised, I hear the sounds coming from Ava's bed.

"Ava?" I ask cautiously, making my way over to her, "Are you alright?" I slowly open her curtains before sitting down next to her. Considering it's almost nine o'clock, the room is almost empty, since everyone else has left for breakfast already.

"No," she whispers, wiping at her eyes.

"What's the matter? I told you you're going to get through this, I know you will," I respond.

"I know – but I was thinking last night. And I know what I need to do now, I'm just not sure if I c-can," she starts tearing up again at the end of the sentence. Before I can reply, she continues, "Rose – Rose, I need to leave."

I gasp. "What? Why?"

"I need to go to St. Mungo's – to their rehab ward. Not just for the drinking, either. To get over the d-death of my m-mom..." she trails off, letting it sink in.

"But Ava –"

"No, Rose, I can't – I won't. I have to. I already talked to Professor McGonagall about it. Rose, I'm leaving today."

"But that's so soon," I sputter, thinking up excuses, "You can't possibly leave that –"

"I am, though, Rose," she cuts me off, "But there's things I have to do first. Loose ends to tie up, you could say."

"You say that like you're never coming back. Like you're never going to get better. God, Ava, you say that like you're going to die!" I stand up, getting hysterical. "This isn't funny Ava! Do you think this is funny? Is this a joke? A sick, cruel joke?"

She shakes her head sadly. "It's no joke Rose, but I'm not going to die. I'm not sure if I'll ever be back, here, at Hogwarts," she sighs, "But before I go to McGonagall's office, come with me."

She pulls at my hand, and in a daze, I follow her out of the room.

This isn't happening.

My best friend since forever is not leaving me.

I won't have anyone without her.

Well, okay, that last statement was an exaggeration – I'll have my brother, and my, oh, a million and one cousins. But still.

I don't realize where we are until we're at the top of the Astronomy Tower. It's empty. And dark.

"Albus?" she calls hesitantly in the dark, and somehow I know what it's about. I've always known what it was about.

The cloak comes off, and Albus is there, with Scorpius. Since they're like, Siamese Twins or something. Except that now Ava is hugging me and whispering good-bye, saying she won't get a chance later. Then I'm being pushed out of the Astronomy Tower, wondering why she even brought me up there in the first place. A voice breaks me out of my daze.

"Nice pajamas, Weasley," Scorpius says, snickering and drawing out the a.

I look down, and realize I'm still in my pajamas. My flannel plaid pants and an old Holyhead Harpies tee-shirt, no less. Hiding my embarrassment, I say, "You're just jealous of them."

He snorts. "Hardly," he drawls, and I roll my eyes, "Coming Red?" he asks, snickering again.

"Uh, where?" I ask; I probably sound dumb.

"They're saying good-bye, obviously – took them long enough to get together, though – and didn't you hear your friend? She said she wouldn't have time to say good-bye to you later because you'd be in classes," he shakes his head, probably at how I'm always so zoned out of everything.

But one thing he says registers at me. "Wait," I say, "That was the last time I saw her before she leaves?" I ask, dumbfounded. I really need to learn to pay attention.

He nods.

"But I wasn't done saying good-bye!" I protest, "I have to go up there and finish –"

He grabs my arm to stop me. "Don't interrupt them, Weasley." Then he tugs me down the stairs after him, "It's your own fault, anyways," he says, "For not paying proper attention and saying good-bye to her when you have the chance. And now," he says glancing at his watch, "We're going to be late for class."

"I don't know why Albus is even friends with you," I say, and he chuckles. "I was serious, you know," I say.

"Oh, I know," he answers.

--

I spent the rest of the day running around the castle looking for Ava and then running back to class, which I keep being late too. Neither Ava nor Albus have been at any classes all day long. I'm beginning to worry.

No that's an understatement; I'm beginning to freak out.

I don't even care that I have three detentions to serve this weekend for being late.

Maybe I do. Just a smidge.

"Oy! Where've you been?" I question, when I see Albus sitting on a staircase. Finally, I'll get some answers.

"Around," he answers hoarsely.

"What's the matter with you?" I ask.

"My heart. It hurts. She left." He clutches his heart dramatically, and I can't help but let out a snort.

"Albus, you never even went out with her," I point out.

"We're going to, when she's done," he pauses, "there. When she's done there. And I've liked her for practically ever."

"I know, Albus. You were both kind of obvious about it."

His head jerks up. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on," I say, "Ava always got completely tongue-tied around you; and you always blushed around her and cracked lame jokes – that were not funny, I might add. It was so obvious."

"Well," he says, probably trying to think up some retort, but having no luck.

"What a nice comeback, Albus," I say sarcastically.

"You didn't let me finish," he whines.

"Go ahead," I prod, rolling my eyes, "Let's hear your ridiculously great comeback."

"As I was saying, well, I know who likes you and you're too thick too notice – you're too thick to notice, you're too thick to no-tice!"

"And I'm too smart to ca-are, I'm too smart to ca-are!" I sing back, rather badly.

"Fine, then, don't care. I'm going to bed. To sulk." He stands up and walks off

"Have fun sulking in your cold, depressing dungeon!" I call after him, and I can almost feel him rolling his eyes.

What a goofball.

Except something about our conversation struck me.

I do care who likes me.

I hate Albus. What a little git.

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A/N: There's chapter two! Please review! (That was totally a rhyme). There was a little bit of Rose/Scorpius hinting in there. One guess who it is that likes Rose – I know you all know who it is, obviously, judging by the pairing in this story. Now you definitely know if you didn't know before. The next chapter will, hopefully, be much more eventful. We'll see.

Lots of love, and PLEASE REVIEW,

Paige