She, she is the words that I can't find

How can the only thing that's killing me make me feel so alive?

And I couldn't speak

I couldn't breathe to save my life

All of my chances swim like sinking ships

This time it's it

I'll drown or make her mine

-She (for Liz); Parachute

CHAPTER 14

ROSE WEASLEY

I'd been back at Hogwarts for a week before Dominique started up again. Her and Fate Brown had banded together to hate me. I was surprised they didn't already have "I hate Rose" badges and or started an "I hate Rose" club. James and Fred began to notice that Dominique and I were becoming enemies. They obviously knew before that we weren't getting along, but I think they just thought we'd get over it in a few days. So what did they do? They called fucking Teddy.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Teddy Lupin. He was not only one of my favourite cousins but he was also both a kid like us and an adult like the parents, so he got listened to when he bailed us out of trouble. Teddy had become the sort of peacemaker in the family. Whenever we had a fight between us – usually Albus and Dominique or Albus and Lily – Teddy would be able to sort it out. But I realised just how annoying that is when it happened to me.

Rose,

James and Fred wrote me, saying that you and Dominique were in a fight. I know it's hardly my place to try and sort it out (he always said that) but James asked me to come down and try, and you can hardly say no to my brother.

I believe the next Hogsmeade weekend is this weekend, so James has asked me to come down then. I look forward to seeing you Rose.

All the best,

-Teddy.

As I read it I couldn't help but think how nice it must be for Teddy to have such a close-knit family. He loved his adopted family so, even going so far as calling James and Albus his brothers, Lily his sister, and Harry and Ginny his parents. It surprised me that he was willing to, mostly because he was sort of on the same level as Harry in the family tree, kind of. With Teddy's father being one of Harry's father's best friends… it sort of confused me slightly.

Yet still, Albus dragged me down to the Three Broomsticks on the weekend to hopefully sort things out with… her. As soon as we walked in, we saw Teddy, James, and Fred sitting in a booth. I greeted Teddy with a hug and I sat down. Now the only people we were waiting for were Dominique and Lily. I was getting nervous, and I cast my eyes around for something to stare at in a bid to take my mind off it, and I landed on no other than Scorpius Malfoy, the one person I'd been dying to see. He was sitting in a booth on his own on the opposite side of the room, most likely waiting for Adrian. Suddenly, his head turned and his eyes locked with mine. Even this far away I could still see the twinkle in his grey eyes, the outline of his muscles that jumped through his thin cotton t-shirt. I wondered absent-mindedly how he wasn't freezing.

Then the door opening snapped both of us awake as we turned and stared at the door. Lily and Adrian walked in, Dominique following closely behind. She had a look of disgust on her face that was pointed towards Adrian, who had his arm wrapped around Lily's waist. Adrian's eyes searched the room until they landed on Scorpius. He leant down and gave Lily a kiss, one which she happily returned, and walked towards his grinning best friend. Lily practically skipped over to us on the opposite side of the room, with Dominique trailing behind her with the disgusted look still etched firmly upon her pointed face.

"Teddy!" Lily exclaimed, beaming at her brother.

"So, that's the infamous Adrian, huh?" Teddy joked, returning her smile. Lily giggled in confirmation, and Teddy laughed. He waited until Dominique had sat down – thankfully not on the same side as me – to start talking. "So guys, what's going on? You've been best friends since you were born!" He spoke evenly, and Dominique let out a shrill laugh.

"Not anymore. She's an attention-seeking, back-stabbing whore!" She practically screamed, her eyes full of fury.

"Yeah, attention-seeking and back-stabbing, that's me! I forced you to give me a black eye and made you not talk to me for no fucking reason!" I glared back at her, anger building up inside me.

"Come on guys, let's just calm d–"

"Do not tell me to calm down, Teddy! Do you know what she did?" Dominique yelled, turning her fire-blazing eyes towards Teddy.

"Yeah, come on, enlighten us. What did I do?" I forced myself to stay calm. I leaned back and crossed my arms, waiting for her response.

"You know perfectly well what you've done! She's dating Scorpius Malfoy!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, and the whole pub went quiet, including Scorpius. I felt my face go red.

"HEY! WEASEL!" He shouted across the room to Dominique. "I KNOW YOU LOVE SCREAMING MY NAME BUT SAVE IT FOR YOUR DREAMS." Adrian smirked

"SHUT UP MALFOY, YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS."

"WELL, I OBVIOUSLY AM SEEING AS YOU JUST SHOUTED MY NAME AND MADE A WHOLE FUCKING PUB GO SILENT, YOU INCOHERENT MORON." Adrian laughed wildly, while everyone in our booth – except Dominique – smirked.

"YOU'RE SUCH AN ARROGANT ASS, SCORPIUS MALFOY!"

"AND YOU'RE A FUGLY SLUT, HAVEN'T WE BEEN OVER THIS?"

"MALFOY WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE OUR FUCKING FAMILY ALONE!" As she said this, Scorpius walked over to our table.

"Well, I have a slight problem with that."

"Oh here we go."

"You see, I'm in love with Rose." He spoke matter-of-factly, and our table froze. I stared at him, and he winked at me. He leant down and kissed my hand. I was in too much shock to say anything. My brain couldn't form words.

"Fucking finally…" I heard Albus mutter. "Malfoy." He nodded towards Scorpius, and Scorpius returned the favour. Scorpius smiled around all the dumbstruck faces of our booth until he landed on Teddy.

"Scorpius Malfoy." He said, extending his hand. Teddy was shaken out of his dumbfounded state and grinned.

"Teddy Lupin, nice to meet you." He said, smiling and shaking Scorpius' hand.

"Well, I best be off and let you guys deal with my little confession the way you Potter-Weasley-Lupin guys do. Lovely seeing you all." He smirked joyously, and turned and walked out of the pub, a silly lopsided grin playing on his lips.

"Nice to finally meet my dear old cousin." Teddy said after Scorpius had left, more to himself than anyone else.

"You know, Rose, sometimes I think I was wrong about Scorpius. This is one of those times. Now someone get me fucking drunk so I don't have to think that." Albus laughed, calling the barmaid over. "Can we have four firewhiskies…"

"Just a butterbeer for me, thanks." Teddy nodded at the barmaid.

"Okay, three firewhiskies, three butterbeers and a water for little old Rosie?" He asked, and I nodded without really hearing him. "Thanks a lot." He winked at the barmaid. He was such a flirt, Albus Potter.

"I need to go." I managed to croak out, and I ran out of the pub. I heard Albus shout "Cancel the water!" to the barmaid as I left and a smile almost crept across my face.

I ran out into the street, past busy students and shops until I found a spot that was completely empty. I leant against the wall and finally allowed myself to breathe. The cold air stung my face and bit into my fingers but I didn't care. I just sat there for hours.

I didn't even notice when night fell until I looked up after I heard a voice. Albus' voice. And boy did he sound drunk.

"Jamesy Jamesy James, you know what I lurrrrrrrrrrrve?" I heard him say, accompanied with a drunken giggle.

"No, what do you love, Albus?" I heard James fight the urge to laugh at his incapacitated brother.

"I love… you guyssssss!" Albus giggled harder, and I heard him slip on the ice. "Whoopsie!" He exclaimed, giggling some more. Albus was a stupid drunk. "Do you know what's weird, Jamesy, do you know what's really, really, really, really, really weird?" He asked, and I could practically see him stumble.

"No, what's weird, Albus?" James was really trying hard not to laugh.

"I think, I think, I think, that he meant it. Which is really, really weird, don't you think Jamesy?"

"Er, yeah, Al, I know what you're talking about… Let's get you up to the castle, shall we? Oi, Fred, gimme a hand, will you?" I figured I'd go and help them carry my drunken cousin up to Gryffindor Tower.

"Need some help?" I grinned at them, and James and Fred almost jumped out of his skin. Albus stared at me, and then about 15 seconds later did the same thing.

"Hey guys, Rose is here! Rose!" He said, his eyes widening and his voice going higher. I laughed and took hold of his other arm and wrapped it around my shoulders the same way James had, while Fred walked behind him to make sure he didn't slip backwards. We got up to the tower without him falling over, which we all felt was a big achievement. We sat him down in the armchair by the fire and then James and Fred when up to their dormitory. I stayed with Albus by the fire as his eyes fell shut.

"Rose… I really do think he meant it…" He said quietly, his eyes flickering.

"Who?"

"Malfoy…" He managed to whisper, before his eyes shut completely and his snores filled the common room.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

sooooo, what do you think? I know a lot of you might think I rushed into Scorpius admitting his love for Rose, but it was admitted then for a reason - I'm not just throwing random bits in whenever I feel like it.

I don't know why I've updated really quickly. Three chapters in three days, aren't you guys lucky? Haha, but seriously I have no idea why. I guess I'm just sort of getting back into it again... I'm just sort of throwing myself into my work, I guess.

well, please review!

thanks guys,

beccasophX