I decided there was too much tension in this chapter for Scorpious to- wait a minute, I'm giving away the plot :s keep reading.
Rose was feeling on edge all day. Not only was she nervous about her future meeting with Scorpious, she couldn't seem to get Matt out of her sight. It was like he knew she was going to meet him. Everytime she stole a glance at Matt, he had this determined, angry look on his face. Rose was beginning to feel scared. Hoping that she would be able to get rid of him, after Charms, she was the first person to leave the class, hoping to make a quick exit to the Gryffindor common room, practically the only place Matt wouldn't be able to enter. Well, apart from the ladies bathrooms. But there he was, standing outside the charms room casually. Rose pretended to be ignorant of the fact he was not there, yet he stood firmly in front of her.
Hey , Rose," he said in a low voice.
"Oh, hi, Matt!" she said cheerfully. "Erm...what are you doing here?" Matt walked nearer and Rose flinched. He laughed softly.
"Relax, babe. I'm not going to hit you." He swung an arm around her shoulder and they walked together. "I just want to spend the whole day with you because we've barely seen each other lately."
"We just saw each other this afternoon," said Rose. Matt laughed.
"Yeah, I know. But I just want to spend the whole day with you."
"I see," said Rose. Great, how was she going to do this? What was she going to do? It looked to her like Matt was going to be tagging along, following her everywhere. And even if she did retreat to the common room, heaven knows, he'd probably be waiting outside. The thought made her cringe.
"Erm...Matt,, I just need to use the bathroom, is that okay with you?" she asked him."
"Sure," he said. They walked to the outside of the girls bathroom and he leaned against the outside of the wall.
"I'll just be waiting here," he said. She grinned nervously and entered the room. She spotted some fifth year Hufflepuff girls she didn't know before, Amy and...
"Dani!" she squealed, hoping Matt couldn't hear her outside. However, she couldn't help experiencing a relaxed feeling steal over her at the sight of her friend. Dani turned around, and smiled at Rose.
"Hey, girl! What's up?"
"Dani," said Rose softly, running up to her, struggling to be as discreet as possible. "It's about Matt." Amy looked up and edged nearer, green eyes' alight with excitement of yet another bit of girly gossip. Dani noticing this, turned to her.
"Scarper, you stupid kid. This is a topic of discretion. Don't worry, we'll invite you to the conversation when something of insignifacance arises. Like you, perhaps." Amy's face fell and flashing an angry look at Dani, she walked out of the bathroom with a slight 'humph.'
"Silly girl," muttered Dani. She turned back to Rose.
"Look, I'm sorry about what I did before. I was just...saving you from yourself."
"What?" asked Rose, now very confused.
"Okay, so I was meant to be aiming in some other...place, but admit it, it did help, right?"
"Hang on," said Rose, slowly catching on. "You threw that ball at Matt today?"
"Yeah, because I-" She stopped shortly, noticing the look on Rose's face.
"Oops," she said, giggling. "You didn't know, did you?" Rose whacked Dani on the arm. A couple of Hufflepuffs looked around in interest.
"Why did you do that?" asked Rose angrily Dani sighed. When she spoke again, it was as if she was speaking to a three year old toddler, hoping to calm her down.
"It was for your own good. There's no point in kissing someone you have no feelings for."
Rose opened her mouth. Then closed it again. There was truth in what Dani had said.
"What you looking at? Have you never seen a verbal bitch fight before?" snapped Dani at the Hufflepuffs. They shot alarmed looks at each other and then walked out of the bathroom. Rose unexpectedly giggled.
"Dani, you're acting so wierd today." Dani grinned.
"Yeah, I know. It's all the big words, right?"
"The way you talk is so different." Rose paused, looking at her closely. "But I guess, in a wierd, distorted way, it suits you." Dani rolled her eyes'.
"Yeah, Robert's been teaching me these new words and they come in handy- especially when you're opponent is as dumb as a squashed-"
"Rose? You done in there?" rang out Matt's voice from outside the bathroom. Rose's eyes' widened as she remembered the reason for coming into the bathrooms in the first place and she grasped Dani's arm.
"Please, Dani. Please get rid of Matt for me."
"Why?" asked Dani, turning to the mirror to straighten out her shiny hair.
"Because I have a feeling he's going to be following me around all day," hissed Rose.
"Don't you want that?" smirked Dani. Rose groaned loudly.
"No, I don't. I'm supposed to be meeting Cori tonight." Dani's mouth fell open and she turned around.
"Rose! Are you two- timing?" she questioned, looking slightly awed.
"No, of course not," said Rose quickly. "We're just meeting up for a little talk." At Dani's raised eyebrows', she added, "He just wants to explain everything. Like, why he's been angry at me and everything." Dani snorted.
"You don't need Cori to explain. We've already told you a hundred times."
"Told me what?" asked Rose. Dani sighed.
"It doesn't matter." she fiddled one more time with hair. "Right, so you want me to distract Matt for the whole day?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Rose, shrugging her shoulders.
"Hmm," said Dani, thinking. "Well," she said, turning to Rose and grinning cheekily. "I have an idea."
"What is it?" asked Rose urgently.
"I flirt with Matt," she said, giggling. And before Rose could protest and say Matt was younger than her, didn't flirt with other girls and wasn't going to let Rose out of his sight, Dani flounced out of the bathroom. Rose followed her, looking glum.
"Hey, Matt!" giggled Dani exuberantly. Matt, looked taken aback to be addressed so directly by Dani but answered. "Hey, Dani. You alright?"
"Swell!" she said happily and put an arm around Matt's shoulders. Matt looked even more surprised and tried to prise her arm off his shoulder but she held on tight.
"So...Matt, tell me a bit more about yourself." Rose took one last look at them and slipped out of sight, feeling Matt's gaze on her. She walked through the corridor and stopped short to see Robert walking towards her way. Towards the girls' bathrooms. Rose's jaw dropped. Robert grinned at her.
"Hey, Rose! How's it going?" he asked happily.
"Okay," she said quietly.
"Cool," he replied. He looked around. "So you seen Dani anywhere?"
"N-no, not really," she answered.
"Okay," he said, still smiling happily. "If you see her, could you tell her I'm looking for her?"
"S-sure," she said, voice still a little shaky. She hoped with all her heart he didn't go in the direction of Matt and Dani. She'd always known Robert to be a little sensitive and she didn't want to see him get hurt.
"See you around," he said and walked past her. Rose let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding and walked on towards the Gryffindor common room.
9.00. Rose gulped and looked down back at her book. The fire was blazing and she had never felt more hot in her life. She couldn't understand why she was getting so worked up. This was Scorpious- her best friend for so many years. Why was she acting so strange? She mentally hit herself and returned her attention back to the book.
...Dementors are known to suck all happiness and every good memory that was ever in the possession of a person and their surroundings. Dementors leave you drained, physically and mentally and can also...
Rose's mind drifted again. Why did she have to pick this book? She knew all there was to know about Dementors'. There was a yawn as she heard someone descend the steps. She looked up to see James. He looked startled to still see her there.
"What are you doing up at this time?" he asked, walking over to her and sitting down. "You're the first one to sleep- even before the first years finish their dinners," he teased. Rose whacked him with the book.
"Oh, shut up, James," she said. "What are you doing up?" James's smile vanished.
"I have to meet someone."
"At this time?" she asked suspiciously.
"What are you doing up?" he asked, equally suspicious. Rose blushed.
"I have to meet someone."
"Who?" asked James, leaning back against the sofa.
"No one that might be of any value for you," she said simply.
"So that's counting out the Gryffindors' and Ravenclaws'."
"And why not the Hufflepuffs any Slytherins?" she asked. James rolled his eyes'.
"Because the only intelligence the Hufflepuff's hold is how to produce a paper house. As for the Slytherins'...they're as sneaky as- well, a snake."
"I'm sure they have their reasons for it," said Rose tightly. James looked at her closely.
"You don't have this meeting with a Slytherin, do you?"
"Hell, no," said Rose before she could stop herself. James laughed.
"It's with Scorpious," she said softly. She couldn't understand why she was confiding in James of all people. James who teased her to no end. Who used to play pranks on her when she was little. James who was cheating with Albus's girlfriend.
"I was kind of expecting that," he said. Rose looked up. "Who are you meeting with, James?" She caught the reluctant look on his face and immediately guessed.
"Rebecca," she whispered. James looked away.
"James," she said, leaning more forward. "You have to stop this. Right now."
"I can't," he said, eyes' full of sorrow. "I can't help how I feel about her, Rosie."
"What about Al? This is going to hit him so hard when he finds out." James bolted up and grabbed Rose by the shoulders. Hard.
"If he finds out. Rose you can't tell him. We're not ready. He's not ready."
"He'll never be ready. Do you know how much he cares for her? He'd do anything for her."
"I care for her more than he ever will. I love her more than him." James' voice was raising, his grip tightening on Rose, his dark eyes' flashing. Rose could feel a lump in her throat.
"I don't want to see Scorpious get hurt. I won't let you hurt him."
"No!" screamed James, now shaking Rose so hard, she could feel where his fingers were piercing her shoulderblades.
"Get off her!" came a shout from behind them. James released Rose and she felt someone help her from off the sofa. She looked up and her blue eyes' met clear green ones. She gasped. Albus.
"Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded, feeling numb. He turned to James.
"Don't you dare treat her like that again," he whispered, every word laced with venom. James opened his mouth to say something but Albus cut through.
"I heard. I heard everything." There was silence as Albus and James looked at each other. Then James stood up and made to walk towards Albus.
"Get away from me you son of a bitch!" screamed Albus, walking away.
"Al! No! It's not what it looks like!" screamed James', running after him. Rose stood by, as still as a stone statue and let James pass. She couldn't believe how fast the situation was deteriorating. There was nothing that could make the situation better. What was done was done. Rose looked up and noticed the time. 10:05. She couldn't believe how quickly the time had passed. Were they really talking for so long? Straigtening her robe, she made herself a little bit more prestenable before she was fully satisfied with her appearence. Time to meet Scorpious, she told herself and walked out of the portrait hole.
Rose saw him standing right at the top of the staircase, looking through a window. The moonlight lit up the stairs, almost making them glitter. As if sensing her close by, he looked around. The moonlight reflected in his eyes' and Rose saw for the first time the true colour of his eyes'. They weren't gray, it was something lighter. So light, it could almost be described as silver.
"Sorry I'm late, something came up," she said, climbing up the remaining steps. Scorpious sat on the first step at the top and Rose hesitated for a moment before joining him.
"Wanna talk about it?" he asked. Rose looked down.
"Al found out. About James...and Rebecca." Scorpious took a sharp intake of breath.
"How's Al holding out?" he asked.
"Not too good. He was furious. James followed him. I hope they're talking." And I hope Albus isn't angry at me, thought Rose sadly.
"What about you?" he asked. Rose looked up.
"I'm okay. Nothing to worry about." Rose felt somewhat comforted by the fact she was sitting next to Scorpious in the dead of night where no one else could see or hear them. Rose opened her mouth the say something but Scorpious interrupted.
"I have something to tell you. Something I should have told you a long time ago." Rose leaned forward, intrigued.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"Rose...I...I-"
"What?" she asked.
"Rose I think I've...fallen in love with Dani." Rose froze, though her heart carried on beating. Beating with humiliation and anger. Then suddenly...
Scorpious laughed. Rose's eyes' narrowed.
"Was that your dumb attempt at lightening the mood, Cori?" she asked, feeling a little relieved.
"Yeah," said Scorpious smirking. "The look on your face!"
"Dani's older than you, of course I was going to look surprised," said Rose stiffly. Scorpious laughed again then shrugged.
"Okay, so enough of the jokes," said Rose, standing up. "I came here to hear what you wanted to say."
"And I'll say it," said Scorpious patiently. "Now sit down." Rose looked around then sat down again. There was a creepy feeling on her that she couldn't shake. It was like she could feel something...or someone watching her. But everywhere she looked, everytime her gaze fell upon the shadows, she saw nothing and heard nothing. She finally sat down.
"I don't know..." she said, looking around. "Can't we just go somewhere else?"
"Rose, do you want to hear or not?" asked Scorpious, now looking a little annoyed. Rose shut her mouth. There was nothing worse then getting on Scorpious's bad side.
"When I met you, you were different from anyone I had ever known," said Scorpious, starting off quietly. Rose's attention riveted to him. "It wasn't your looks that made me want to be your friend-" Rose was about to open her mouth the say she wasn't even good- looking when Scorpious silenced her.
"Or even the fact that you were the daughter of one of the most famous wizard- and witch in the world." Rose found herself smiling at the thought of her mum and dad.
"You were courageous and loyal and just fun to be with."
"Don't forget I have a good sense of humour," she warned. Scorpious laughed.
"Yeah, and your good sense of humour."
"Yeah, so what went bad, then? Did I do or say something?"
"Wait, let me speak first," said Scorpious. She noticed he was looking more tense than before.
"It was just...after a while..." Rose waited. He looked like he was struggling to say the words.
"After a while I realised I had feeli-" A light shone in front of them so bright that Rose turned her face to avoid it. She looked back. Out of the darkness came Matt.
A very special thank you to potionslover, Jillo, thee-dark-enchantress, SweetSureender369, Aisucold, nadia the demented one, Hallows- Or-Horcruxes- your comments are what keep me going with this story- thank you so much for your reviews- I will never forget you :D