Author's Note: Hope everyone enjoys and don't forget to review. I would LOVE some feedback! I had lots of views (and even some follows, THANK YOU!) on my Prologue which is exciting and appreciated, but no comments on it. I am looking for a Beta and have yet to find one, so if anyone is interested in doing it for me, please reach out.
Disclaimer (as everyone seems to put one on their stories even though it is clear we are not the goddess that is J.K. Rowling): I do not own Harry Potter, I am merely borrowing the brilliance that is in that world and am receiving no monetary gain for any of this.
Chapter One - The Engagement and Breakups
I looked out the window from my penthouse as the rain come down in buckets outside. Glad it was a Saturday and I had nowhere to be this chilly morning, I sipped my tea and watched the few stragglers on the street below. I noticed one elderly looking bloke having significant trouble with his umbrella; it kept flipping up on him and he would stop to fix it each time, getting thoroughly soaked. I flicked my wand the third time it turned on him and knew it wouldn't manage to break on him again. Turning away from the window I glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised that Amalia still hadn't woken up yet as it was 8:30. She was up right as rain at 7:00 sharp no matter what day of the week it was. Since I am the good boyfriend that I am, I wasn't going to wake her knowing she came home smashed from a hen party she went to the night before and started brewing a strong pepper-up potion. As that was simmering I started to make a nice fry up of bacon, sausage, poached eggs and grilled tomatoes, hoping the delicious smells would help her rise. It worked and I smiled as she came out of the bedroom swimming in one of my Falmouth Falcons jumpers, her hair messed and her eyes black from the smeared makeup she wore the night before; she was beautiful no matter how haggard she looked.
"Morning sweetheart." I said as I poured some potion in a glass for her to drink and handed it over.
She smiled wearingly and took the potion, "You are incredible Scorp." She downed the potion like a shot and as the steam streamed from her ears her eyes instantly started to look brighter and her skin looked less sallow. "Seriously hun, you always know what I need. Like that bacon right there."
I laughed and started making a plate for her. I placed it on the counter in front of her and grabbed the orange juice from the refrigerator. I poured us each a glass and made a plate of food for myself and sat next to her. "So you had fun last night I take it?"
"It was a good time, a bit wild." She smiled, I love her smile. "Hollie got completely ankled and I swear she was trying to shag some bloke on the dance floor. Beatrice was so embarrassed. She got over it though once we got enough fire whiskey in her. I don't remember Trixie ever getting so pissed before. She enjoyed herself. When we dropped her off to Oliver she was so happy she wanted to go out and elope right then so they could get to shagging." She stopped talking for a moment to down some juice and started right back up again. "They've been holding out for the last month until the night of the wedding, to heighten it I guess."
Amalia kept going on about the night as she ate her breakfast. I listened for a while but lost attention somewhere along the line. I'm a dutiful boyfriend though and nodded or snickered at the right times, enough at least not to get her ticked off for me zoning out.
After breakfast Amalia stated she was getting in the shower to get the previous night off of her. She headed into the bedroom and I heard the shower start. She came back out a moment later and asked if I had heard her. I nodded nonchalantly and continued to read the Daily Prophet, Finance Section. She looked at me pointedly with a raised eyebrow, "Well, aren't you coming in with me?"
I grinned and stood up, "I was waiting for you to ask." As I got to her I smacked her arse playfully and she shrieked.
"Since when do you need to be asked?" She smacked my chest lightly and shook her head before she kissed me. Her lips were soft and her tongue always stroked mine with force, daring me to conquer hers which I did because that's what she wanted and I liked being in control. Her one hand still on my chest and the other in my hair she pulled me closer to her. She's quite a bit shorter than me and being hunched over like that was not ideal. My hands that had been resting on her hips and slightly covering her arse slid further down to the back of her thighs. She knew what to do and both her hands went to my shoulders as I picked her up easily and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I could kiss her for hours like that, it wouldn't matter to me. We snogged for a while like that until she unraveled herself from me and pulled away, taking my hand and leading me demurely towards the en suite shower.
o-O-o
After our shower we got dressed and Amalia decided that she was going to go to the shop and finish up what she left yesterday. I asked her if she wanted me to join her and help with any paperwork but she declined thankfully. I left her in the bedroom as she did her make up and went back to the paper. I checked a few of my stocks, pleased that my startup investment in my mate Eddie's Wizard Tech Company had split again. As I was finishing up reading an article of the increasing market being a direct correlation of the new securities department Gringotts had established I heard a tapping on the glass one window away from me. I looked over to see a familiar eagle owl on the post waiting impatiently for me to open the window.
I got up and opened the window and Al's owl hopped in and helped himself to the treats sitting on the sill as I untied the parchment from his leg. "Easy Hurdus, you'll make yourself sick." The owl turned his yellow eyes on me as if to say that he knew what he was doing. He grabbed one more treat and flew back out of the window. I closed it quickly behind him to stop more rain coming through and sent a drying spell over the window, sill, chair and table where rain water had settled. I untied the scroll and read Al's scratchy handwriting.
Scorp,
Keeper's, 8:00 tonight! Big news!
-Albus
Big news for Albus could be that he got a new pair of shoes. For as long as I had known him, he has always worried over trivial details and would overshare his inconsequential revelations. He is a good bloke though, the best in fact; I don't know where I would be without him and his friendship. Since I was eleven years old he has been there for me. He stood up for me right on our first September 1st train ride to Hogwarts and chose me over Rose.
They entered my lonely compartment and stared. Rose knew who I was and she already seemed to hate me, but Albus asked if they could stay awhile, and then it started. "Rose, will you please stop hitting me?" Albus whispered. "I'm not hitting you." Rose hissed back. "You are hitting me, and it hurts." I knew what she was on about, but Albus had no idea. So I told him I knew who they were and introduced myself. It was uncomfortable and Rose was rude and called both my parents Death Eaters and we got into the rumor about my supposed father all in a few minutes before she decided it was time to go. "Yes, well, we probably should sit somewhere else. Come on, Albus." Rose had insisted. Albus shook his head disgusted, "No, I'm okay. You go on." Rose said she wouldn't wait, looked at him imploringly and then stormed out of the compartment, but Albus stayed. We rode most of the way without incident and we ate pepper imps and other sweets that Albus didn't normally get to eat until a group of older boys looked in a walked through the door."Looky here boys, we've got a junior death eater on the train today." A tall, burly, light haired boy pushed his fist into my shoulder. I gripped my wand and looked up at him trying not to show just how scared I actually was, especially once I noticed four other boys behind him. "Pity you won't make it to Hogwarts." The boy drew his wand and my eyes grew wide but I raised mine as well. The boy laughed. "I wouldn't do anything if I were you, McLaggen." Albus said, seemingly surprising the boys by being there. McLaggen turned his glance towards him, "Yeah? What're you gonna do? Floo your daddy?" "Maybe. You want to take the chance of your name getting back to THE Harry Potter and him getting back to YOUR daddy? He doesn't take kindly to prejudice in his department." McLaggen still had a glint in his eyes when he turned back towards me, but he lowered his wand. "You got lucky this time Malfoy. Potter won't always be around. Let's go boys." The crew of older boys went back the other direction of the carriage. I watched them until they entered another car and then turned to back to Albus. "Thank you." I meant it more then he knew.
Amalia finally came out of the bedroom, her makeup made up to perfection albeit too much in my opinion. "What time do you think you'll be back?" I asked.
"I don't know. Figured I could do some shopping afterwards. Then maybe we can meet for dinner around 7:00?" She said as she came around being me and rubbed my shoulders a little.
"Can we make it 6:30?" I looked slightly up at her. She wasn't much taller than me even as I was sitting down. She scrunched her face a little, she liked dinner at 7:00. I handed Albus' note to her, "Albus wants to meet up. 7:00 would cut it close."
"Do you think Shaina's up the duff?" Her eyes shone with slight wickedness; for whatever reason her and Al's girlfriend didn't get on too well. "She's been looking a bit rounder and I didn't see her with a drink at all at the New Year's Eve party."
I looked back down at my paper, "That was over a month ago. He'd have told me by now. Besides, Al won't have kids before they're married. They won't even live together until they're hitched; he cares about Shaina's virtue." She stopped rubbing my shoulders.
"We live together and aren't married! Am I a slag because of it, some wonton hussy with no virtue?" She shouted, actually shouted at me. We don't shout at each other.
I put my paper down and calmly stood up. "Love, I never said you're a slag."
"You implied it you arse!" she huffed.
"I didn't." She was about to say something but I continued, "We don't technically live together either. You just haven't stayed in your flat for a few years. I value your virtue too, you know." I reached for her hips and smiled, she loves my smile, and her eyes softened a bit. Thank Merlin.
She smirked a little, "You weren't so concerned about my virtue in the shower an hour ago."
I could barely suppress my laugh and kissed her to stop myself from upsetting her again. We stood there snogging for a good five minutes at the kitchen table before I pulled away. I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "So, 6:30 then?"
Amalia nodded, "Yeah." She stood on her tip toes and stretched to give me a quick peck on the lips. "I'm off then. See you later." She apparated on the spot before I could say anything more.
o-O-o
I finish my dinner date, if that's what you can call it, with Amalia at 8:16. In our nearly three years together we never really fought. She'd get in a tizzy from time to time about something or other and I'd bring her flowers at work or buy her something shiny and everything would be better. I brought her flowers to dinner just to make sure everything was smoothed over from her lapse in normalcy earlier. At first everything seemed fine. She was happy for her roses and I ordered a nice bottle of honey mead for her, I hate the stuff. Then our entrees arrived and she just started pushing around her potatoes. I made the mistake of joking about too many carbs and she flipped. She actually started a scene in the restaurant. I was mortified. Without finishing our meals, I put more than enough galleons on the table and we headed outside. We apparated back to the flat and she started yelling about how I don't really care about her and I'm just wasting her time. I told her I had no idea what she was talking about, because I didn't. I didn't even know how this all came about. After I said that she chucked a vase, along with other things, at me and told me to not come home tonight. That's when I lost it. I snapped back that it was my flat and she could leave. I felt bad the second I said it, but it didn't make it any less true so I didn't apologize. The look of rage on her was a little frightening, I thought she may try to hex me, but I knew I'd be quicker. Instead though she just said I made it quite clear that it is just my flat and I've made her keep hers all this time and maybe for a good reason after all. With that she turned on her heel and apparated somewhere. I quickly cleaned up the broken porcelain and glass with a wave of my wand and apparated outside The Keeper's Inn and walked in looking for a mop of messy black hair.
Albus was sitting at a two top in the back. I strode over and sat down opposite him. "You're never late." He said flatly.
"Sorry mate, Amalia and I got into a row." There wasn't much more to say than that was there?
His eyebrows raised almost to his hairline in surprise, "Really?"
"Yeah. Bloody ridiculous too. She hurled a vase at my head like a damn quaffle!" I scoffed.
He thought it was hilarious based off the grin he had. "That is fantastic. What'd you do to tick her off?"
"The hell if I know." I shook my head. "She's right miffed though." I glanced around for a barmaid, caught her eye, and she came right over.
"What can I get you love?" She almost purred.
"Double Ogden's. Neat." I said with a wink. The girl's attractive; blonde hair, light green eyes, and big tits. I like tits, and hers look lovely with just enough spilling out of her top. I am not usually like this and wouldn't normally blatantly flirt with other woman, but Amalia set me off tonight.
The waitress smirked, "I would have thought you liked things dirty." It was terrible of course.
But without missing a beat and throwing another wink, "Only in the bedroom love." I know I should tread a little more carefully, I am a pretty prominent political figure, but the girls at Keeper's are ace. They deal with political urchins on a regular basis. Most of them welcome the passes. Rich and powerful men are attractive. I don't worry too much about it though.
She snickered a little before she turned her attention to Al. "You want another Butterbeer hun?"
"Please." He nodded. The waitress turned and started to sashay towards the bar, her hips swaying nicely. I'm not ashamed that I watched the whole time until I couldn't see her. "What has gotten into you? Amalia will Avada you after she hexes your bollocks off."
"Oh, come off it. She won't find out and anyway I'm just being friendly." I brush him off. Albus raises his eyebrow and shakes his head. "Come on, it's not like I'm going to take her home with me. I just was flirting a little. We've got other things to discuss. What's the news?"
With that Albus grinned ear to ear and slid a small black velvet box across the table. I looked at it and he gestured me to take it. I opened it and there sat a great big red stone flanked by two diamonds in gold; it looked a bit like a snitch on a ring actually. "What do you think?"
I closed the box and handed it back to him. "I love you Albus, I really do, but I think this is just moving too fast. My poor Mum, rest her soul, would be heartbroken she won't get any grandbabies and although my father has become a rather accepting man, I don't think he would handle this well."
The busty waitress came back with our drinks before Albus could respond. She placed his Butterbeer in front of him and then put mine in front of me, bending forward a little more than necessary so I could get a nice glimpse of her cleavage. I noticed a name and floo spell on the napkin under my drink as she squeezed my shoulder slightly and ran her hand across my back as she walked away. I watched her again, this time slightly ashamed. Turning back to Al, "You have to admit that is a nice arse though." I gestured towards Vivienne the Waitress as I took a sip of my fire whiskey.
"I didn't look." He said quickly and I had to laugh at his expense as the Weasley blush didn't escape him just because his last name's Potter.
"Relax, it's not like I'm going to tell Shaina." I promised.
"Whatever." He shook his head. "What do you think though, really? You think she'll like it?" He looked suddenly a little ill, "You think she'll say yes?"
"It's a bit too Gryffindor for me, the colors and all, but she'll love it."
"Do you think she'll say yes?" He repeated seriously.
I take a deliberately long sip of my Ogden's as if I'm really contemplating it, which I'm not because the answer is obvious, and then slam my drink down on the table. "Albie," I start just as serious as he asked his question and then finish with a grin, "she's tits over arse about you. Of course she'll say yes."
Relief visibly washed over Albus. "Wicked. I've been thinking about it the last few months. And today I was at the jewelry store to pick out something for Valentine's Day and I saw this and just knew it was it and it's time."
"A few months? You've only been with her a year." I said a little disbelievingly.
"A year and a half." He said childishly. "You think it's too soon?"
I down the rest of my drink. Do I think it's too soon? I've been with Amalia for triple the amount the time and we're not engaged. We've barely even talked about it. She's mentioned it of course but I'm always good at distractions and avoid really talking about it. I can see Albus and Shaina getting married easily though. "No. I don't think it's too soon, not for you two."
"Good. It'd suck if you'd refuse to be my best man because you think I'm throwing my life away or some rubbish." We both laugh. "When are you and Amalia getting hitched?"
It surprised me a little, "Merlin, I'll need another fire whiskey to talk about that. Just because you're all doe eyed and in love doesn't mean I want to tie the knot." I lift my glass a little indicating towards Vivienne and she notices, I see her go to the bar presumably to get me another drink.
"You don't want to marry Amalia?" He asked, a little stunned himself.
I shrug a little, "Well, sure, I mean, we'll get married eventually. I haven't thought about it much." Vivienne brings me another double and I sling it back before she leaves the table and hand back my empty glass, "I'll take another." She leaves the table, I don't watch her walk away this time.
"You've been with her three years mate, what're you waiting for?"
"I don't know. It's not like I've been looking elsewhere. I just figured we'd get married eventually. She is pressing me yet, and nor is my father."
Albus shakes his head and tells me something about how Amalia is the type of girl that is definitely looking to get married and not just eventually. At this point I really didn't want to hear more about his proposal, but I certainly didn't want to talk about my future, so I ask him about his plan. Vivienne comes back with my drink and I tell her to keep them coming. My plan is to get smashingly pissed.
I'm not sure how many more fire whiskey's I had in the time that Albus told me his Valentine's Day proposal and also how he'd have to be tasteful because one of his many cousins just had a bad breakup that day. All I know is that I succeeded in my goal of getting thoroughly trollied and was able to ignore most of the details Albus was droning on about.
o-O-o
The next day, Sunday, I don't hear from Amalia. I debated to floo over to her flat, but decided against it. I debated to owl her, but decided against that too. I didn't do anything wrong for her wand to be in knot and be angry with me; I'd swear she was a werewolf if I didn't know any better the way the full moon affects her. She would have to come and apologize.
On Monday I go to work as usual and it's a slow day so I sit in my office basically until it's time to go home. I honestly expected Amalia to be at the flat cooking dinner, but she wasn't. I debated with myself in the shower to send her an owl, but decided against it again.
Tuesday was brutal. Idiots all over England botching up love spells and charms preparing themselves for Valentine's Day had me and my entire staff all over the place fixing things up. One stupendously stupid bloke had tried to bewitch a batch of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes Christmas Firework Display into hearts and cherubs and it ended up exploding in his face, catching his house and the neighboring muggle shop on fire. I personally had to see to that mess. I wanted nothing more than a good hot dinner, a shower, and a shag when I got home, but still no Amalia. I decided I'd send her an owl tomorrow.
Wednesday morning I grabbed a quill and set to it over my morning tea at the office.
Amalia dear, I love you. Come home.
I honestly didn't know what more to write. I do love her and I want her to come home. I'm not some muggle poet to write about my undying love and all that. I may read it all, but I'm not a writer. More than anything, I miss her cooking and I want to shag. I knew that wouldn't go over well, I'm not completely dense. Regardless though, I wouldn't say more than what is really essential, what's the point? My father always said to never answer a question more than what is asked and to not give more information than necessary. I didn't get an owl back however and she wasn't home that night.
During my lunch on Thursday I decided to stop by Amalia's shop but she wasn't there. Rufus, the supplies manager, said that she was working offsite today. I decided to apparate to her flat, something I hadn't done in ages, but she wasn't there either. I saw my note from yesterday on the desk by the front door, but no response. After rummaging through some of the desk drawers I found some spare parchment, a quill, and ink pot. I sat at the desk, it was far from my plush office chair, and wrote another note.
Amalia,
Please, love, come home. I miss you. It's been dreadful these last few days. I promise not to be a prat about it and make it up to you.
Love,
Scorpius
I considered apologizing but didn't. I still don't think I did anything wrong. Instead I conjured a single rose and left it with the letter on the desk before apparating home.
Friday at the office was worse than Wednesday. The Ministry was whizzing with red and pink heart shaped paper airplanes, people sending sickening Valentines to one another during work time. The floo calls coming in about fools doping unsuspecting individuals with love potions hidden in chocolates, scorned Valentines jinxing their ex-lovers only for it to backfire on themselves in their incensed state, or about teddy bears transfigured to give hugs actually instead strangling their intended recipients. I hate Valentine's Day. Bloody ponces just trying to get laid. Amalia better be home tonight.
I smelled the delicious smells coming from the kitchen the second I apparated home. Thank Merlin. She's here. Amalia standing in the kitchen making dinner was a perfect sight. She knew what she would to do me seeing her there cooking in that red dress I like so much. It's bloody sexy seeing a woman in a kitchen dressed like that in heels. I love it. Now, I don't want a woman who just sits home all day and waits on me hand and foot with dinner on the table when I get home, who's 'career' is to take care of me and the house and to throw big galas and fundraisers; I don't want a woman like my mother in that respect. I like strong woman and one with a sense of purpose, but I definitely don't mind when they do take care of me, looking impeccable while doing it no less.
Amalia heard me apparate in but she didn't turn around so I conjured a bouquet of roses, she loves them. "You look beautiful Sweetheart."
She turned around and smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. I walked over to her and gave her the flowers and kissed her cheek. "Thank you. You like tired."
"I am. It was a long week." I didn't make the sarcastic comment I wanted to make about how I said she looks beautiful and how I get a comment like that back. "I missed you." I threw in instead.
That did the trick and her eyes softened a bit. "Why don't you go take a shower and relax while I finish dinner?"
I took her up on the offer and headed towards the bedroom. I let the hot water beat down on me for a few minutes before I started washing and then I let it beat down on me for a few more minutes before I got out. I figured Amalia would want me to get dressed for dinner since she was, but I only do that when we are eating at my father's or if we go out. Instead I opt for a pair of dark wash jeans and a black button downed shirt; she'll like it well enough. I head out towards the kitchen and Amalia has a glass of fire whiskey that she hands to me. "Thank you." Her quick look up and down at my attire with a slightly raised eyebrow doesn't go unnoticed but I don't say anything about that. "It smells delicious in here."
She smiles softly, "Stuffed meatloaf, glazed carrots, and baby reds."
"My favorites." I'd like to believe that she's being like this as a way to apologize, but something is telling me to tread carefully. I take a sip of my drink, kiss her cheek, and place my hand at the small of her back to lead her to the table. I pull out her chair like the gentlewizard I am and sit next to her at the head of the table. I take another sip of my fire whiskey and notice Amalia watching me intently and I stare back with a placid look. I'm not sure really what is going on or what she wants of me. I take another sip of my drink and she smiles again before turning to her plate and gracefully cuts a potato. I shift slightly uncomfortably in my seat before I turn to my own plate. We sat and ate in silence for a few minutes.
"So you had a bad week." She asked simply, I think it's a question and not a statement at least.
"Horrible." I take the last sip of my drink. "A bunch of morons getting themselves nearly killed in the name of love."
Amalia's eyebrows knitted for just a moment before she caught herself and her face smoothed out. "Love makes people do silly things sometimes."
"Oh please." I scoff and stab a carrot with my fork. "If these people were so in love they wouldn't need to resolve to such preposterous antics." I bite the carrot, "These carrots are delicious by the way."
Completely ignoring my compliment, "I'm sure they don't need to do anything, but it's nice to show the one you love that you do in fact care. Wanting to impress or do something extra special is romantic." She paused to wait for me to say something, I don't. "Don't you think?" She asks emphatically.
"No." It came out more vehemently than I meant for it, but I didn't change my tone when I continued. "That's shite. If someone loves someone they do things all year long for them, not just on Valentine's Day. It's a stupid holiday that was made up for woman to make themselves feel more special than they are."
"It isn't stupid!" She slammed her knife and fork down.
"Amalia, are you okay?" I'm genuinely concerned about her mental status now.
"I'm fine." She huffed. "Are we going out tomorrow night?"
"I wasn't sure if you would even be around..." I started. We don't usually do Valentine's Day, but I'm pretty sure she is expecting to go out tomorrow now. "I haven't made reservations anywhere."
She poured another glass of Ogden's from a decanter for me, "That's fine, I suppose. I didn't know if I'd be back. What did Albus have to talk to you about?"
It took me a moment to answer, caught by surprise in the change of discussion. "He's proposing."
"Of course he is." She rolled her eyes. It is not a becoming habit of hers.
"Why don't you like Shaina?" I sigh and take a long sip from my tumbler.
She pushed back her chair and stood with her hands on her hips. "It hasn't anything to do with Shaina." I remain seated, unsure if I should do or say anything. "You're clueless aren't you?"
I down the rest of my drink before I stand. "Honestly, I am! What is going on with you?"
"When do you plan on proposing to me Scorpius?"
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it." The dark mark might as well appear in the sky above us because she's about to Avada Kedavra me as well as Voldemort could if he were alive.
"You haven't thought about it?" She asked in astonishment.
"Well, no." This is not going to end well mate.
"Three years. We've been together three years and you haven't thought at all about marrying me?" She asks again more concisely.
"I've already told you no." What the fuck Scorpius? Stop it.
"You best think about it now."
"We'll get married eventually."
"Eventually? Do you even actually want to marry me?" Tears are shining in her eyes, I'm pretty sure from hurt and anger.
"I don't think so." You bloody fucking idiot.
I reach for my wand to throw a shield spell up because I am quite certain now she will try to kill me. She starts yelling profanities in between spells to hurl inanimate objects at me. I stand there with my shield up until she just collapses in tears. I take a step towards her, but she puts a hand up. "Don't. Just don't Scorpius. We're done, you arse." She stands.
"Amal…" I begin.
She stops me. "I'll be by Monday while you're at work to get my things." She apparates and she's gone.
o-O-o
The next day I got trollied from drinking a bottle of Ogden's Finest by myself. I hate Valentine's Day. It gave me the bright idea to send an apology owl to Amalia. It came out all garbled though and would probably make things worse, and yet I still sent it. Surprisingly she sent an owl back, a long winded monster of a letter actually, quite quickly. The gist of it was about how she had always known I wasn't in it like she was, even though she believed that I loved her. She wrote how this is really the end and she doesn't want to see me anymore at all because it will hurt too much. She said that she isn't really upset with me as I had never really promised her anything other than what I gave her and it was good while it lasted. It then went on that she will get over me and how she's only twenty one after all and only wasted three years of her life on me. No, she isn't bitter at all. The part of the letter that got me though was where she told me what's really got her bothered was that she had to take action in order for me to tell her the truth and that I need to dump the decanter of fire whiskey. Even in my drunken state it all clicked and made sense. She had put Veritaserum in my drinks at dinner and that's why I couldn't control what I said. I could have her tried for that, but I won't. I didn't say anything that shouldn't really have been said, and I do care about her. I wouldn't want her to be locked up in Azkaban for six months because of it.
The following day I had such a terrible hangover that I couldn't even get up to the potions cupboard to get some Pepper-up Potion and had to summon it. Thank Merlin for being a wizard. I still didn't leave the comfort of my bed even after I started to feel a little better. It isn't often that I lie in bed and I was enjoying it even though I still felt like I got clobbered off of a broomstick and fell thirty feet. That's a bit of an exaggeration, I really didn't feel that bad, but my head hurt slightly.
I flicked through the channels on the television, Amalia's Grandmum is Muggleborn and she got me hooked on it, but there wasn't anything on so I shut it off. I summoned the Sunday edition of the Daily Prophet and read through that. Still not wanting to get out of bed and actually do anything, I summoned the latest issue of Witch Weekly that Amalia must have brought with her on Friday. One of the main headlines was about Rose Weasley and her breakup with Robert Warwick. It then connected that Rose was the cousin Albus had told me about last week but I was too bombed to fully listen.
So I stayed in my big king bed enjoying doing nothing but reading and flipping back through the channels until of course I hear the whooshing of someone coming through the floo and a hollered "Mate? You home?"
"In the bedroom." I shouted back without getting up from the bed.
Albus poked his head around the door frame slightly and then came all the way through it when he saw it was just me. "It's two o'clock, you're still in bed?"
"Yes." I hissed, "Stop yelling."
He chuckled, "You and Amalia have a good night then, yeah?"
I snorted, "Let's not get into that right now."
"Whatever." He smiled. "Shaina and I had a good night." I looked at him with a raised brow. "She said yes."
I got out of bed for that and clasped Albus' shoulder, "Well done mate. Congratulations."
"Thanks. I guess we'll have a," he gestured with his hands excitedly, "party thing at some point soon. Don't try and get out of it, you and Amalia have to come."
I laughed a little, "I won't miss it. She won't be there though."
"I haven't even said when it is. How do you know she won't be there? I know she doesn't like Shaina, but she can't miss this. This is important to me." It all came tumbling out of his mouth quickly.
"Amalia and I are through." I said easily with a shrug of my shoulders.
A surprising, "What! When?" was followed by Albus.
"We hadn't talked at all since the fight last week. And then Friday night she was here and we were having dinner and I told her I didn't want to marry her and that was it. We're over and done with."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me!"
"I didn't want to mar your happiness. Besides, nothing you could have done about it. Unless you wanted to marry her. And then you and I would have fought."
Albus openly looked sorry for me. "I'm sorry mate."
"I'm not. I love her. I care about her. But I don't want to marry her, and I didn't realize it, but that's what she wanted all along." I knew I was okay with it, although I was sure I shouldn't have been, and I could tell my best mate thought the later as well. He needed to see I was fine though, for real, so I joked, "I saw in the paper that Rose and Warwick are over too. Maybe I can give it a go again for Rose."
"I told you that last week you wanker. And that's not funny, I dealt with you pining for her in Hogwarts enough to last me a lifetime. You stay away from Rosie." We both laughed.
