Disclaimer: Not the Fray, or JKR, as per usual.

Chapter Three

Up in the Air

It's all up in the air and we stand still to see what comes down
I don't know where it is, I don't know when, but I want you around
When it falls into place with you and I.

"I'll never understand why I thought taking Arithmancy was a good idea," Scorpius whispered to his companion. It was a bright-sunny-clear-blue-sky kind of day and he was stuck in the dusty back corner of the library. He had is final in the aforementioned class tomorrow and was beginning to regret ever signing up for it. He was staring at his notes sullenly, wishing that somehow the words written there would transport themselves into his memory. When his co-hort let out, what could only be described as a giggle, he looked up.

Rose was sitting next to him, hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Her eyes were filled with mirth as she tried to tame her laughter, lest she get kicked out of the library.

"What?" He asked a bit moodily. He hated Arithmancy and everything to do with it. He especially hated the fact that he had been sitting in the dark and moldy library for near four hours, when he could be outside, lying beside his favorite fountain and listening to Rose Weasley's sweet, smooth and sensual voice read aloud to him. The overall effect had put him in a bit of a mood.

Rose looked over at him, giggled once more and then said "Nothing. You. You staring at your notes like they have done you a great injustice." She was smiling that sweet smile again and Scorpius found himself brightening. He was just admiring how the sunlight streaming in through the small window was playing with Rose's golden-red locks when she started speaking again. "C'mon, you'll never pass if you don't start studying." She was only half teasing. Heaving a theatrical sigh, Scorpius opened his dreaded Arithmancy text and started to memorize formulas.

His recent dislike for Arithmancy had half to do with the subject itself and half to do with the fact that he couldn't concentrate on formulas and numbers today. He blamed the beautiful weather and the incredibly distracting girl next to him. She had worn her hair up today and Scorpius found it beyond troubling. Having her hair up made him acutely aware of her soft face and slender neck. Also every time that ponytail moved, Scorpius caught the scent of lilacs that was slowly driving him round the bend. Groaning inwardly he focused on the print of the text. Professor Boot was focusing on the much harder Chalden Method of numerology this term and its complication and incredible dullness was exactly what Scorpius needed to take his mind off Rose Weasely and the fact that her white cotton blouse was unbuttoned at the top again.

Rose for her part was having a difficult time focusing on the task at hand as well. She was very aware of Scorpius' presence next to her. She was mildly concerned about the two of them being seen together, but every time her anxiety peaked over what would happen if someone happened to wander to the very dark, very depressing, very hidden corner of the library where they were deeply emerged in Arithmancy tomes, she would tell herself that studying with a fellow prefect wasn't a crime. 'We aren't doing anything wrong,' Rose told herself and forced herself to believe it. Feeling torn she reached across the small desk to where her scrap parchment was laying.

She didn't even look up from her book until she felt Scorpius' hand on her own.

Scorpius wasn't sure what had made him do it. All he knew was that he had been a state of limbo for the past week or so and he didn't think that his heart, head or hormones could take it anymore. He didn't want to be Rose's friend, at least not just her friend. Unfortunately he hadn't done anything in the past week or so to make her aware of that little fact. He had almost kissed her a few day ago when she was talking about the Gryffindor ring around her slender neck. It was the combination of the setting sun and her overwhelming lilac scent that had put him on edge. But when she smiled at him, that sweet, friendly smile, he knew that he couldn't. She didn't see him that way. Did she?

But sitting in close proximity to her all day had once again put his frayed nerves on edge and he couldn't help himself. It was time to make a move. He thought that kissing her out of the blue would gain him nothing but a black eye and the loss of a study partner, so he started slow. He saw her hand reaching for the scrap parchment between the two of them and before he could fully register what he was doing, his hand reached out and placed itself on top of her pale smooth one. He made sure to keep his eyes on his book even though he wasn't reading it at all. He just couldn't stand to see her clear blue eyes with disgust in them. He was so sure that she was hating every clammy moment that his hand was in contact with hers. He was certain that he was perilously close to death. She was three and a half seconds from blasting his nose off. He knew it. He was certain. He was preparing himself for it.

What he wasn't prepared for was her clasping his hand back and shifting her fingers so she could better grasp his.

Emboldened by his success, he chanced a glance at her through his eyelashes. She was blushing but had a smile on. He smiled too, face still buried in his book. He didn't want her to see that he was blushing as well. His sweaty hand had a mind of it's own it seemed and his traitorous thumb started rubbing small circles in her soft skin. When she didn't pull away but rather grabbed his hand and brought it beneath the table, so they could continue their ministrations in private, Scorpius was fairly certain that one of two things were going to happen. One: he was going to explode from either happiness or pent up desire or two: he was going to die of relief. She didn't hate him, she didn't hex his face off. And he was fairly certain she was enjoying the newly discovered joy in hand holding.

Not caring that he looked like a third year, who was grinning like a maniac because he was finally touching a girl's hand, Scorpius continued to stroke Rose's fingers and read though his Arithmancy notes. But when she returned his caresses, he lost track of what he was reading and had to count to three to stop himself from kissing her madly.

The next day, Rose Weasley was on cloud nine. She had just passed her Arithmancy Final with flying colors, she was fairly certain she was going to be made Head Girl next year, and she had just gotten a letter from mum saying that her father had been promoted. Add to that the fact that the weather seemed to be mirroring her mood (Sunny and Hopeful), and it's fairly safe to say that Rose was having the best of days.

She was skipping out to the back fountain to talk with Scorpius and tell him all about her wonderful day. Not even pausing to ask herself when telling Scorpius of all people became the first thought in her head. She bypassed a row of suits of armor, checking her reflection quickly in their shiny chest plates.

Humming faintly and very poorly, she rounded the corner that would lead her to the back of the school. She was so eager to see Scorpius that she didn't notice a large group of 7th year Gryffindors headed her way until she ran into them. Literally.

"Hey there," said a familiar voice as Rose attempted to maintain her balance. Strong arms steadied her and when she looked up she was staring in to the familiar brown eyes of James Potter.

"Hey!" Rose greeted enthusiastically. She had always looked up to her barely older cousin and had always gotten along with him very well. But despite being in the same house, they rarely saw each other while in school. None of their classes coincided.

"Where are you off to in such a rush?" James asked. Rose found her self fumbling for an excuse, a lie, anything. As much as James and her got along, she had a feeling that he wouldn't feel that great about her being friends with a Malfoy. He was more Weasley than Potter in that respect.

"Nowhere," Rose mumbled, looking towards her feet. Waiting until her face became less red before looking at James. "What are you up too? Shouldn't you be studying? I mean you do have N.E.W.T's this year," Rose said, a slight reprimand in her voice, very aware that the tips of her ears were still bright red. She desperately hoped that the question would distract James enough so he wouldn't notice.

"Yes mum!" James rolled his eyes. "I was on my way to the library actually. I was just letting off a little steam after my Potions N.E.W.T today." With that, he gave a huge shrug and rolled his head around, as if he was loosening a kink. Rose was fairly certain she was in the clear, when Scorpius choose that very moment to walk past. He didn't say anything to Rose ('Thank Merlin!'), but he did give her the subtlest of winks as he strode behind James.

Rose turned pink again.

James noticed this time and turned his head just in time to see Scorpius walking out the back door. "I can't stand that smarmy bastard." James' voice was cold and harsh, and his eyes were hard and narrowed.

Rose was three seconds away from coming to Scorpius' defense, when she caught herself. "Why?" she asked in a mildly curious voice.

James turned his hard look on her. "Is that a serious question?" James said, a frightful bite behind his voice. Rose had heard it before, but never once had it been directed towards her. "He and his whole family are nothing but a bunch a worthless, vile Death Eaters. I mean his dad tried to kill Albus Dumbledore. Merlin Rose!" James was getting visibly riled up now and Rose thought that it was probably best to put an end to this conversation before he got violent.

"James," Rose said quietly and patiently. Desperately trying not to think that James Potter had just popped her happiness bubble, she made a very valid point. "Scorpius isn't a Death Eater." At James' fierce look she backtracked. "I'm not denying what his family is, but that doesn't mean he's like them." She was trying to break through James' stereotype, and felt she was doing a very poor job indeed. "He's not…" Rose faltered not wanting to give anything away. "He's not bad," she finished lamely.

"How do you know?" James asked, edge in his voice still evident.

"He's a prefect with Albus and I." Rose answered quickly. At Albus' name James visibly relaxed. "Scorpius is surprisingly nice, and courteous." 'Really Weasley you are horrible at this. Courteous?! Really?!' Rose reprimanded herself. "Albus thinks so too." It wasn't a lie and it was the perfect thing to get the spotlight off her.

"Still…" James still looked a little worried. "Just stay away from him Rose. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Scorpius was waiting at the fountain for Rose when she finally escaped James. He had shed his book bag and was loosening his tie when he saw her come out the back door. Her forehead was puckered in thought and she was chewing on her bottom lip with so much force he felt that she was going to draw blood. She was walking with purpose and it wasn't until she was closer to him that he realized that Rose was angry.

He had never seen her upset before and he was now realizing that he didn't like it. Not one bit. Rose Weasley should never be upset. She should be happy all the time, smiling that sweet smile. He wanted to hurt whoever had caused her distress, whoever had made her upset. And that was the train of thought Scorpius was following when Rose finally came to stand behind him.

Rose was angry, Rose was upset. Upset that some stupid family grudge was going to keep her from being friends with Scorpius. 'Or possibly more...' a corner of her mind whispered to her. 'Shut up back there!' she reprimanded it forcefully. She was cursing James Potter for being such a git. Of course it wasn't his fault. It was the way he (and she) was raised. But that didn't make it anymore acceptable. He should have a mind of his own! He shouldn't pass judgment on people who have done him no harm!

The worst part of it all was that Rose knew that he was not the only Potter-Weasely descendant who would feel this way. Stupid grudge! Stupid stereotype. It was ruining her chances of moving things forwards with Scorpius. Because, she finally admitted to herself today during the Arithmancy exam, she did want to move things forward with Scorpius.

Now that she knew that he felt the same way as she did, (Thinking back of their hand-holding-study-session of yesterday still brings a smile to Rose's face.) it was taking all her will power to stop herself from kissing his sweet lips. Unfortunately, instead of giving her butterflies of joy in her stomach, that thought only brought her back to cursing James Potter and the rest of his (and her) family, for indulging stupid prejudices.

She avidly avoided thinking about what her father would say if he knew what she was thinking.

"Hey you," She heard a voice say. It was Scorpius. He had an ugly face on and Rose stopped her inward storming to question him about it.

Scorpius was still thinking about the many painful ways he could hurt the prat who had upset Rose. Thoughts of pliers, hot candle wax, and eyelashes zoomed out of his head however at her next words.

"What's wrong with you?" Normally Scorpius would not be fazed by a question of this manner, but normally Rose wouldn't be glaring at his loosened tie and her voice would have carried a kinder inflection. Shocked and a little bit hurt (He was, after all, just thinking about torturing some unsuspecting sod in her name), Scorpius didn't exactly think before his mouth answered.

"Nothing! What's your problem?" Not the best way to calm the situation.

Rose had just surpassed angry and was rapidly approaching furious. Scorpius' tone did not help. She looked at his face, he looked offended. Instead of thinking that maybe he was upset because she was being a bit crass, blind fury made her snap. "Oh! Nothing at all!" Rose said, her sarcasm coming to her defense now. Can't he see that she was upset because her stupid family was making things difficult for them? Didn't he understand the pressure she was under? Didn't he grasp that she was falling in love with him and it was creating a gulf between her and her stupid family? Judging by his half-confused, half-infuriated face, she gathered not. "Never mind." Rose said with a sigh of annoyance.

Scorpius was sufficiently peeved. All he wanted to do was spend a little time with Rose before his Defense exam, but clearly that was going to have to wait, considering some cruel hellion had taken her place. Angrily picking up his forgotten bag, he narrowed his eyes and quit the whole stupid conversation. "Fine then." He couldn't stop his mouth from forming the words. "I won't mind." And with that he brushed past her and stomped his way to the castle. Just when he thought he was getting close...

Rose stood there shocked. How dare he walk away from her? How dare he be upset? Ignoring the tears that where forming, she looked at the fountain ahead of her, and suddenly hated it. It had started this whole stupid thing. 'Rose. That makes no bloody sense,' a voice that sounded an alarming amount like Common Sense told her. She gave no indication that she had heard it. Turning to head back to her dormitory she couldn't help but wondering how a day that had started off so good, could go so wrong, so fast?

And it wasn't until she was laying in her four poster, desperately trying to remember everything she needed for her Charms exam, that it occurred to her.

She had absolutely no idea what she and Scorpius had fought about.

A.N: Don't hate me just yet, and Don't hate James quite yet either.

Next time we'll see just how far we can stretch the sexual tension.

Reviewers are better than hot summer days and cool iced tea.