Do continue to take care when reading these chapters, although the event is over, Rose's processing may still be stressful to read.

Previously: Rose and Scorpius snogged at a party. But that was before Nick. He lulled Rose into a sense of duty and then took advantage of her drunken state. She managed to escape and Scorpius spent the night comforting her. Rose is far from ready to share what happened with anyone else, and so when Albus asked - she lied, and blamed herself.

"I'm sorry I pushed, Rose. I won't mention it again." His voice was soft but he forced himself to look her in the eye. Rose's plan had worked. Albus was so embarrassed at the mention of Rose having sex that he accepted her explanation.

Scorpius' hand had clenched around her shoulder, his eyes hard. Rose was being ridiculous, and he could not understand why she would lie to Albus like that. He deserved to know the truth, and Nick deserved to be punished.

"Well good riddance to him," Liam smiled, "Rose deserves better. Someone who knows how lucky they are to have her." He wrapped an arm protectively around Carmen, "Like how I know how lucky I am to have Carmen."

Carmen turned and gave him a peck on the cheek, completely satisfied with his oddly eloquent wording.

"I think Carmen may be doing something to Liam, that sentence actually made sense." Scorpius chuckled as he spoke, but his hand was still clamped on Rose. He needed to talk to her. Now.

"I wouldn't be surprised, Carmen's always believed she can change people into her idea of perfect." Rose smiled warmly at her friend to let her know it was a joke.

"Lots of work still to go then." Scorpius quipped quickly.

"Give me some time." Carmen joked back, but Liam interjected with a grunt of dissatisfaction and she turned towards him, all humour gone from her face. "You're already almost perfect, don't worry."

"Almost? I'm already perfect thank you very much." Liam flexed his arm and pouted, showing off what he obviously thought were his two greatest features.

The conversation shifted onwards and Scorpius took his chance. "Rose, can I talk to you outside please." He muttered it politely, but it was clear it wasn't a question.

Rose stood slowly. She supposed it was only fair to explain what she had told Albus, since Scorpius, as his best friend, would have to keep up the lie if ever asked about it. Not that Albus would ask, but still, Scorpius had been the one to find her, she might as well try and explain her thoughts to him – and to herself while she was at it.

"We're going to find the trolley." She smiled at the rest of the compartment while Scorpius held the door open for her.

"Oh hold that door for me too. I need to take a leak." Liam sidled past Scorpius like a celebrity, and Scorpius bowed sardonically before moving out and closing the door behind him.

As they walked away from the compartment, they heard Carmen's voice, "Yeah, manners is definitely something we need to improve on."

Scorpius and Rose smiled good-naturedly, but Liam was full on chortling. A moment later the found the trolley and Liam continued on without them. After purchasing a chocolate frog and a box of Berttie Bott's, Scorpius and Rose turned back until they found an empty compartment.

Rose followed Scorpius inside, waiting cautiously for him to share his clearly distressed thoughts. Sure enough, a second later he rounded on her.

She was surprised his evident distress and sharpness with her didn't bring back any bad memories of Nick. Even his hand on her shoulder had felt more comforting than harmful. Now his hard eyes held enough warmth that she knew his concern for her outweighed his frustration and anger.

As Scorpius was about to grill her for answers, he felt himself deflate, and completely different words slipped out of his mouth. "Are you okay?"

"Well this whole thing is one step closer to over now that Al believes me, so I'm better than I was… I guess." She smiled in what she hoped was a comforting way. It was partly true. She could guess that once the whole situation was over and people stopped looking at her like it had just happened she would feel better. But right now the only thoughts crossing her mind were how it was her fault.

"I'm not as daft as Al, Rose. I can tell when you're lying."

Rose remained silent. She wasn't even sure if she knew the honest answer to his question.

"Why did you lie to Al?"

This at least was a question she could answer. "I just want it to be all over, Scorpius. Move on with my life. If Albus found out the truth he wouldn't stop until Nick paid for what he did."

"But that jerk should pay. He r–" Scorpius stopped short, unsure if he should say the word.

Rose could see the glint of pity in his eyes and her temper flared. "Why should he pay? There's nothing that would change what he did, whatever that was. And even if it could, maybe some of it is my fault." She clapped a hand over her mouth, shocked that the last phrase had escaped her mouth. No one needed to know the self-blaming thoughts that had been dancing around her mind.

"Your fault?" Scorpius spluttered incredulously. "That is absolutely ridiculous, Rose. If you did something you didn't want him to, then you are not to blame. At all. It doesn't matter you were drinking or what you did before, any of that. You did not deserve this and it isn't your fault." He was nearly growling by the end of his speech, frustration building.

"It's not like I don't want sex eventually. And I was the one who went out back with him when I was drunk." Her voice went up slightly, panic at the memory fuelling her. "Hell, I didn't even listen to your warning. If I did all that wrong then maybe he deserves to get away with it. And even if I didn't, Albus hitting him or thinking worse of me won't help at all."

"Albus would never think worse of you! No one would. But Nick needs to know he can't get away with what he did. And somebody has to teach him that. What he did was wrong, and you are not to blame." Merlin, he wanted nothing more than to snog some serious sense into her.

Scorpius looked away suddenly, shocked by his own thoughts. He chided himself mentally. There would be no snogging Rose. Not with what she had just gone through. He was surprised she was even comfortable being alone with him, or letting him touch her.

He took several deep breaths, calming himself down enough to look back up at Rose. Her eyes were welling slightly again. She hated it, hated feeling so week and vulnerable and always being on the brink of tears.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I shouldn't have gotten upset. I just… no one should ever be allowed to hurt you. And no one should ever get away with it if they do."

"Someday maybe, Scorpius. I just need to figure out what happened and get myself back together before I even think about next steps." Rose smiled weakly, unsure exactly what she meant by next steps. But her response seemed to satisfy Scorpius and he moved forward tentatively. She reached out, wrapping her arms around him and then he was hugging her safely. Rose sighed, her head relaxing against his shoulder. Slowly she pulled away, and as she did he looked down at her oddly.

"Why do you let me touch you, Rose? You move away any time Carmen or anyone else comes close. But you don't seem to mind when I do?"

Rose paused, unsure how to answer. "Well you're completely different to him? And I suppose you were safety right afterwards… Besides, you don't see me in the way he did." She hypothesized aloud, not fully sure of the reason herself.

"Well let me know if it's ever not okay. Come on, let's go, this has been a long trip to get these two measly sweets."

They stepped into the hallway and were on the way back to the compartment when Scorpius stopped abruptly and Rose walked smack into him.

"Go on ahead actually, I've got to use the loo as well."

Rose turned sideways to allow him to squeeze past her, but she couldn't resist teasing. "Boys and their need to pee together. Let Liam know I said hi."

"Well girls are equally as confusing." He grumbled under his breath as he walked on. Rose pretended not to hear him and returned instead to the compartment.

It had been long enough that Scorpius assumed Liam had returned to sit with Carmen and Albus, but a second later he nearly knocked into the shorter boy. Liam was walking anxiously down the hall towards him, too lost in thought to notice where he was going until Scorpius held out a hand to stop him.

"Scorpius. Good. I think you should come with me. There's something you need to see."

AN - Look that was a timely update! aren't you proud! and maybe a little (very very very) shocked... I am, but hey, maybe this is m e turning over a new leaf! maybe it isn't but that's besides the point...

anyway if you're feeling nice I'd love some reviews, let me know how you think the story is going, and if I'm moving too quickly or slowly after the event...

- FTLOS