A/N: Yep so uhm… this is another chapter. It's another 'waiting for the skivvies to dry' chappy. Hope you peeps enjoy it YO! Review because it makes me happy. Yep that's a good reason. Tell me how it made you fell (yes lets discuss it as a group, every one gather round and let us share with one another our feelings)

Conclusions

Today had been like riding on an old Comet broom with the flying charm on the fritz; up then down then up then down. She just couldn't trust any of her own feelings anymore.

The afternoon was merely an uncomfortable blur of various awkward moments and embarrassed silences. The only bright spot was seeing Freddie at lunch covered in head to toe flashes of "Happy Birthday" When questioned as to how he got caught in his own prank he just shrugged before admitting he had been preoccupied with a certain whatever Gryffindor was his flavor of the week.

Rose waited on her bed, where she'd taken refuge immediately after classes; opting to skip dinner to avoid further humiliation. Classes were unbearable enough, but there were distractions there; course work, a new skill to master. Free time though? No she couldn't face him. Not after what he'd proved to her today.

He didn't want her, not really. Some part of him saw her yes. Any idiot could tell that last night had awakened him to the fact she was female; she wanted more though. When assaulted his physically nature took over, when given a chance to touch or be near her he had taken full advantage of the situation. She had thought she'd pass out from the sensations sent coursing through her body as he wrapped his hands around her legs, touching her in ways that were in no way innocent.

She had been elated, under the diluted impression that his feelings for her were a mirror to hers for him. Then he just froze. Nothing . She was left hanging there, the desire for his lips to move forward and discover anew the touch of skin; it was a deep ache inside her. When he saw her he stopped. When he saw her as his friend Rose, her face, he'd simply stopped.

Being an ass and thighs and breasts he could want her; but when he realized it was just Rose he'd stopped. What a fool she'd been to think that those caresses were anything more than just a man touching a woman. Captivated by passion and sensual nature; the newness of such things to the inexperienced. Not Scorpius touching Rose though. No, when he had realized that he had stopped. Unable to cope with sitting by him, revising or joking as they usually would on a lazy afternoon; she just couldn't handle it.

So she'd runaway, as a petulant child would flee, she hadn't even tried to delude herself to the contrary. She wasn't crying though, Rose was intensely proud of being able to hold herself together enough to stave off the tears prickling at the back of her eyes, threatening to spill themselves upon her freckled cheeks.

No, Rose would be stronger than that. She would face the reality of her shattered hopes like the brave girl she so desperately wished she could be.

***

Agitated, aggravated, annoyed, aroused, bristled, chafed, displeased, exasperated… Scorpius lost his concentration on listing the entirety of how he was feeling in alphabetical order; the reason clear and obvious from what the list consisted of.

He uncrossed his ankle from where it was resting on his knee and shifted his weight in the stuffy arm chair he sat in. The arm chair perfectly poised so as to keep the stair case to the girls dormitory in plain sight. She had disappeared hours before without a word and he had just waited for her with an unattended text book sitting in his lap, he hadn't read a single new word since he opened it and covered the first sentence; it was just the same words over and over each time. Yet for all the gold in Gringotts he couldn't recall what it was about if questioned.

All his focus was on the opened door and the spiraling stone steps. Each time footfalls would sounds he'd glance up fervently, only to slink deeper into the worn cushion in disappointment.

His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall, half past six. She'd have to come down soon if she wanted to make it to their detention on time. The past hour had simply been a zealous countdown to their shared punishment. Never had he so eagerly awaited detention, it might have been fun to have a detention in the green houses with Rose. Rose from this morning that is he mused. This morning she had been fun and flirty, blushing in a way that made his chest swell at the pleasure of being the cause of the blood rushing to her face.

Afternoon Rose though had been quiet and sullen. Insecurity radiating from her every muscle; how could he have been so stupid? Flirting with her was fun, but that was all it was. To her it must have seemed like a new added layer to their friendship; no big deal, just make out and then tease each other about how much the other wanted them. He shouldn't have been so blinded by emotion that he didn't see she was just doing what came naturally to her, made fun of it all.

Had his almost kiss spoiled it all though? Had she realized his intention had been to do more than just rub her knee with ointment? Was she unhappy with that? Was she disgusted by the memory of his hand sliding up her thigh, encroaching upon the unforgivable recesses of his thumb grazing the inside of her panties?

Scorpius bereted himself for being such a fool; how could a girl like Rose fall for some dorky guy like him? After all she was a Weasley, the quintessential Weasley with red bouncing curls and freckles galore, brilliant and beautiful, confident and witty. He was just a Malfoy, nothing special out cast in all things Malfoy.

His thoughts swelled in agony until he saw out of the corner of his eyes the feet he'd been anticipating all evening. He almost glanced away because she wasn't wearing there ever present striped stockings but he'd know the shape of those legs anywhere. How could she get away with the travesty of covering up such perfect limbs with those lurid colors? Typically he liked the garish bright hues that were her signature but upon seeing her long legs descending the steps he knew he would curse them forever more.

She didn't look at him as she passed a group of third years playing exploding snap. It was as though she knew right where he was and avoided his gaze by purposeful design. It ripped his heart in two to realize she wasn't even going to look for him to walk down together. He watched her rush through the threshold and sharp stabs bit at him.

Then at that moment he knew it didn't matter. She would need to do a lot more than avoid his eyes to get him to stop. He couldn't go back into tortured best friend limbo. He was going for what he wanted, really truly wanted without regard for what it would mean to anyone else for the first time in his life. Rose would have to tell him she didn't want him before he would believe it.

It meant to much to him to leave it open for vague interpretation.

With that he stood up, letting his book fall onto the floor with a thud and he followed her. Because in that moment he knew that he would follow her to the ends of the world. He loved her, and he had to find out if she loved him too. He stepped into the corridor just in time to see a bushy mane of red hair rounding the corner to the staircase leading down stairs.

"Rose," he shouted fervently. When he received no response in return he simply quickened his pace forward.