A/N: Well, once again not the fastest of updates.
But at least it doesn't take me more than two weeks.
Oh, and you know how much I love you right? (DO tell me if this nagging in fact helps to forgive me!)
Well, it is tradition to make dedications in the cute chapter of every story.
So I would say that this chapter is dedicated to:
Brooke73, jasmineflower27, Gii3-DaydreamOfABeliever , Saoirse Darkwind, dork-with-glasses, RoseScor90, xxx-angelin-xxx, babiixilyx3 , SH, Zillionz, lilyre, XAnnabubbleX, P.o.T.t.Y.F.a.N.x, callmedaynuhh , Joelle8, forever4, georginacastleorpington, meandering-bluebottle
And because I'm bound to have forgotten some names, please forgive me and be sure I'll mention you in the next cute chapter.
Well, a review would be sweet.
Enjoy!
P.S.: LAST CHANCE to vote on the poll!
Chapter 11: Guardian Angel
"Rose!" I call out my somewhat unnerved cousin. "Oh, Merlin, we were looking all over the place for you." Andy, Ethnie and I walk towards her but she chooses to ignore us. With her back turned out way she is fixing her shirt's sleeves and her hair.
Strange. Rose is just not the kind of girl who spends all her time dolling up.
Well, anyway, at the moment we have more pressing matters than my cousin's looks.
"Oh, hey Al, Ethnie and… Andy?" She eyes the poor Slytherin suspiciously. Which is, let me tell you, really unfair cause he's just working for her and that doofus…
"What's up with the glares redhead? I come in peace." The brown-haired guy raises both his hands in mock surrender.
"Well, that's hard to believe." Rose just scowls. I wonder what's the matter with her.
"What do you mean?" Ethnie intervenes troubled. I look at the back of her head all the memories of our –how did Goyle put it?- private session coming back to me full force. Oh, great! Just what I needed now…
"I'll tell you later." Wow, boy, was that a cold tone? I widen my eyes. Whoever got her so pissed is not going to live long to regret this.
Quickly I make up my mind to stay at the background in this. I don't want her to transfigurate me into a frog or something. Cause that way I won't be able to continue with Ethnie from where we-
Oh, crap, stop thinking about it Al!
"Well, never mind that. Look Rose, we came here to talk about-" Ethnie starts shaking her head.
"Scorpius." My red-haired cousin puts in strictly. All three of us give her an impressed look.
"How did you-?" I mumble, still hiding behind the other two.
"He's been a popular topic today." She rolls her eyes dragging her sleeves just a little more, almost hiding her hands in them completely.
"I see." Andy sighs looking away. Then, taking in a deep breath he tries again.
"Well, I came here to tell you, you're making a terrible mistake."
"That's for me to decide."
"It was. Up until you made the wrong decision. Now it's for us to correct." My and Ethnie's eyes drift from one to the other, causing us both to end up dizzy.
"I didn't ask for your help." Rose hollows dangerously.
"But you need it. Cause this is just plain stupid and it's your entire fault." Ok, now I think Andy took it a step too far. Sure Rose is at fault but there's a huge deal of things that supported her decision, however bad it is.
"How is it stupid? Do you expect me to think that he just happened to become nice as soon as I told him all about the 'perfect guy'? Or did he suddenly transform to the knight in the shining armor I never had?" And that's my cousin for you. Spiffing!
Plan 'make Rose change her mind about the idiot blonde' going downhill, apparently.
"I don't know about knights and armors but sure as hell he made up his mind to go all out and you're simply shutting him down without a second thought." Now both are breathing hard, Andy looking practically livid and Rose fuming from her ears.
"Oh, screw you all! Why do you insist so much on me giving him a chance?" With her red hair swinging around her and her hands a bit too busy holding her sleeves to hold them back, my cousin comes closer menacingly.
"Because you got it all wrong. He wanted to be with you, deal or no deal." Ethnie attempts to get a hold of her but I pull her back before Rose manages to push her away.
You must think I'm a real coward who doesn't deserve this crimson and golden crest one bit, but had you seen her last year when James dyed her hair blue for New Year's you would clearly understand why most people in our family would rather go resurrect Voldemort rather than confront an angry Rose.
"Oh, really? Cause I don't recall him saying anything of the sort when I was leaving…" Her face turns the same color as her hair and Rose pouts, ready to cry.
"Rosie…" I lose my hold over Ethnie who rushes to comfort her.
"Come on, Andy, calm yourself down. We didn't come here to force her into anything." I grab his shoulder to stop him from adding something even more hurtful in his list.
"No, I won't calm down!" He shouts in my face. "Cause for once that idiot decided to open up and that's what happens!" I frown at the sincerity of his words.
Well, Merlin help us all, but apparently Scorpius is into my cousin. So into her that, the moment she gave him an opportunity he did his best to prove exactly how helpless and awkward he actually is. And for that he deserves more credit than she's giving him. No doubt.
"So if you want me to calm down make her see!" I manage an unsure glance at Rose.
"See what?" She challenges.
"Just how much you must mean to him to bring about such a revelation with only a smile of yours." I exclaim boldly, taking up from where Andy left off.
That seemed to shake her a bit. She mumbles something under her breath and gives me a plaintive look, making me feel like the most evil person on earth.
"Why does everyone keep shouting at me?" She sniffs audibly.
I catch Andy's eye. He appears equally regretful.
I march forward and motioning to Ethnie that it's gonna be ok, I take Rose in my arms, massaging her back that is now shaking.
"Rose, I'm- I'm sorry." Andy mutters staring at the ground. "I didn't mean to sound like a jerk either." We all nod at that.
"I realize that Scorpius hasn't been clear about how he feels. So you can't really know he cares." The Slytherin stops to take a breath.
"But he does. I promise you he-"
"He cares. I already know Andy. I can tell." Rose sends a sweet look over at Scorpius' best mate.
"I'm just so freaking scared that he's confused, or that he doesn't think clearly… It's too big a change to grasp and I-" Then she hides in my arms again.
"No! No change. He didn't change. He only showed how he really was. And I think that now of all times he has made up his mind." Andy announces convincingly.
"I won't meddle anymore, Rose, but just consider this option too." He smiles broadly at her and she smiles back.
"Why are you doing all this?" His face gets grim at once.
"I can't stand his nagging." He replies easily.
"I swear I'll hex him to next century of he keeps this up for much longer." Andy Goyle mutters darkly crossing his arms. We all roll our eyes, synchronized. All but Rose that is. She has this epiphany look all over her face as she gasps and frees herself from my hug.
"Hex? Oh, Merlin, I forgot all about this." She plays with her sleeve for the last time as she adds. "I really gotta go. We'll continue this conversation when I take care of this." And she leaves like that.
"What got into her?" I ask perplexed. It's like she just zoned us off and run away.
"I have no idea…" Ethnie scratches her chin thoughtfully.
"What got into whom?"
"Scorpius!" The brown-haired Slytherin waves his hand at an approaching and very sick looking blonde Head-Boy.
"What got into whom?" I walk coolly towards the three people standing in the middle of an otherwise empty corridor, knowing fully well just how miserable I look.
To be perfectly honest, that question was redundant.
I already knew who they are talking about. I'd bet half my family's fortune that I just heard her speak a minute ago.
But now she's gone. Like always. The one moment she's next to me, happy, cheerfully making me cheerful, and the other she asking me to let go of her.
So I won't fall into their trap and admit knowing she was here. No.
They'll have to tell me themselves. And then I have the perfect opportunity to act cool, as if nothing is wrong.
Since yesterday, I did some thinking. I love her, granted, still, I cannot mope around for any longer. It's getting ridiculous after a point and I will not have any more idiots like Will coming and making me feel like the biggest fool alive.
I don't stand a chance, I got it already, you don't need to yell it into my face people!
Which means that from now on I'll be more contained. Head over heels, but a bit more serious while doing that.
"Scorpius!" Andy exclaims, psyched. I try not to roll my eyes.
"What are you three doing?" I inspect the situation for a second. Really, what are those people doing together.
"Andy don't tell me you barged in somewhere and interrupted those two." I cross my arms and smirk at the redness of their faces.
At least I'm getting my smirks back.
"Out of topic." Albus Potter, like you've never seen him, interrupts. I grimace inwardly. I knew this was coming, right?
Diverting the conversation to Albus and Ethnie's love life was never going to work.
"Look, Scorpius, I know how all you want now is to kill Rose on the spot, but I think something's happened to her." I don't want to kill her. I want to kiss her. But I refrain from pointing that out.
Trying not to flinch at the mention of her name and trouble I move a little closer to Andy who just said that.
"What do you mean? Is she not-" I pause to admire the pointlessness of my I-couldn't-care-less attitude up till this moment. "-well?"
I can practically feel the helplessness in my voice as I speak. I bet the three of them can too. I bet Will could too.
Yet, if I really am so easy to read then why the hell did she not understand?
"Well, she didn't look sick…" Andy tries, thoughtful.
"But there seemed to be some problem with her." Albus adds.
"Except for the usual that is." Ethnie finishes.
I sigh and give Andy a look. He, catching my thinly-veiled agony, grabs me by the collar and drags me away from the other two.
"Sorry I interrupted you two before. Carry on from where you left off. I'll take care of this." He speaks having already turned his back at them.
After we've crossed some classrooms my friend finally comes to a halt.
"Care to let go of my shirt?" I mumble panting behind him.
He nods and moves backwards.
"I had a talk with Rose." I widen my eyes. Oh, sweet. Now she knows. She must be thinking the worst of me.
That I'm a coward for not telling her, that I acted like I was a friend just to get her to date me, that… Merlin what am I saying?
What reason is there to get crazy about this? Besides she already thinks the worst of me anyway.
At least if Andy told her I love her then maybe she'll believe that I was not nice to her because of the deal.
"And?"
"I didn't tell her you love her." He explains.
"So what did you talk about?" It seems to me that a well-planned conspiracy took place earlier.
"How she's being stupid about you." My black-haired friend sprouts this like it's no big deal.
"You didn't have to do this Andy. I did some thinking and if she cannot trust me enough to be friends with me then I must be a total idiot to expect her to love me back." I breathe out. Damn I hate it when I have to talk about this. I sound so much like a lovesick, giggly thirteen year-old it's making me worry.
"I see you decided to take a step back." He comments. I just nod.
"What's the point anyway?"
"Now's not the time to give up." Acting like he didn't hear me, Andy goes on unaffected.
"There's nothing to give up. I'm already alone. She gave up on me." I reason out.
"Doesn't matter. Here, do you trust me?" I raise my eyebrows at his senseless question.
"Good, then go find her, before she does something dangerous." Dangerous? I shake my head letting the information sink in.
"Dangerous?" I repeat loudly this time. "What are you talking about?"
"No idea. She just had that killing look when she left. I reckon she's going to do some damage." Andy admits. Is it me or is he a lot more perceptive than me?
Yeah, totally rhetorical. Don't answer that.
For a second I feel my heart beating faster in my chest. Trouble, danger, damage, Rose… I have to do something. Go help her… oh, I don't know!
Then reality hits me hard.
Help her? Whatever for? To have her mock me and say I did it all as part of the deal?
Or perhaps to have her ask me to let go once more.
Cause that'd be a joy!
"Fine, then go tell Albus about it. He's good enough in DADA he'll go save her." I mutter grimly. My friend shoots he an are-you-kidding-me glance, to which I reply with a shrug.
"Merlin, how many times do I have to yell today?" He messes his hair undecided.
"Sorry but I'm sick of doing all I can for her and getting nothing. Not even a thanks!" I whine.
"Give me your bag." He stops me before I manage to utter some more lies.
I glare at Andy and then at my bag.
"What for?" He doesn't reply.
All he does is taking the bag from my hands and opening it up.
I watch dumbfounded as he searches it's insides for some time before digging up a piece of parchment.
It takes me a whole minute to identify it. Up until he throws it to my face that is.
" 'What a guy should ask from a girl.' " I take the paper and read aloud.
And then it dawns on me.
Nothing.
You don't ask for anything.
Most relationships have a bit of selfishness in them. You always want something back. You want the happiness, the joy, the excitement. That's why you date. That's why you work, that's why you get people gifts... To satisfy your own need to be admired, loved or at least liked.
But when it is about falling in love the rules change, right?
When you're in love it's not about you. It about someone else. Someone else's excitement, joy, happiness. Slowly I begin seeing what everyone's been trying to tell me.
If I claim to love her I cannot think of my image. I cannot worry about what people will say; what she will say. Even self-respect and pride need to lean down and obey.
Because, I have to admit that even during those few weeks we spent as friends I always asked –no, better yet, expected- something in return. A smile, a hug, some love, or at least a friendship. Something that she would give me for being there for her.
But now I have to race without having a prize to win.
It sounds pathetic, I know; but now I see that's how it has to be. And it's ok. I'm sure I can afford being a loser for once in my life.
"I'm gonna go embarrass myself in front of many people and get yelled at." I announce feeling ready to throw up. Andy grins.
"Have fun, mate." I hear him calling after me.
After walking a few yards I come to realize I have no idea where to look for her. The library? No, that's where she was before. The Great Hall? But we ate an hour ago.
Oh! I know!
I run across the corridors throwing killer looks at some people that stare at me. I might be making a fool of myself but they're so getting detention when I see them again.
When I reach the painting of the two battling knights I lea forward, putting my hands on my knees.
"Flo-agh-…" I pant heavily receiving worried glances from the two knights.
"Are you alright dear Sir?" The blonde one asks using his sword as a cane.
"Ye-…" I try again.
"He's been running give the boy some space." The other one interferes.
"Oh, you think you know everything Sir!"
"One doesn't have to know everything to outwit you!"
"Vanity does not belong to the weak."
"Weak? Don't make me laugh! I'll show you who's-"
"Floo Powder!" I cry out exasperated. Merlin these guys… Grumping, the two knights nod and open the door.
Entering the Head's Common Room I can practically smell the tension.
Andy's suspicions are confirmed ten seconds later, when a furious Rose Weasley paces out of the bathroom and towards me.
"He'll see now. Oh, yes! I'll give that arse a lesson to remember." I take a small step backwards and put my hand in my pocket. However as soon as I get hold of my wand I realize I didn't need it in the first place.
She's not talking about me.
"And to think that he dared to- Agh!" She shouts and her mouth forms a scary, albeit interesting, scowl.
"Hey!" I cut in curtly. Rose freezes on the spot. In tantalizingly slow motion she turns her pretty head around to gape at me.
"What-…?" She looks as if she's at a loss for words.
"What's the matter?" I ask boldly. She inspects me for a moment, probably wondering what the hell am I doing.
"I…you…what?" I try to hide a small laugh. She's really cute when she gets awkward.
"Are you looking for something?" I put a hand at the back of my neck.
"Found what I was looking for, bye." She looks down at her feet while speaking.
"Why are you here, all alone, yelling?" I point at the room around us. She shakes her head dismissively, as if she's arguing with herself. Her red fiery hair are falling testily on her shoulders, looking even more messed than usual.
"I- I need to go." Rose chokes out and I narrow my eyes. Nervous. She's just so nervous. And freaked.
"Not so fast." I outstretch an arm at the door keeping her from running away from me once again.
"If there's some Heads' business you can tell me later, now I have to-"
"-Go. Yeah, figured as much. Where are you off to?" I finish her sentence impatiently.
"The Libra-…erm, I mean the Gryffindor Common Room." Wow, well that was persuasive. I grant her a raised eyebrow. She settles for a wistful look at the door behind me.
"Rose…" I try, feeling the bitter taste her name has in my mouth and then look down.
"No." She cuts me off brutally. I don't dare to look into her eyes. Their fires are always a bit hard to resist. And I cannot afford to lose in this argument.
"The truth." I order plainly.
"No." She insists her curls strikingly pointing her refusal by swinging around her face.
"Now." I disregard her words.
"Never." She counters.
"Please." Maybe that will change her mind. She gives me a teary glance which makes my chest ache.
"No." She bites her lower lip to contain herself. From what? I have no idea.
"Tell me." I beg.
"Stop this, now." She whispers.
"Never." I glare at her.
It seems to me that she's starting to lose her confidence. She shifts uncomfortably in front of me, obviously playing her options in her mind.
"There's no reason for you to worry." Hah! I cannot help but snort at that. She looks at me unsurely, fighting to figure out what's on my mind, when –for all intents and purposes- I'm pretty easy to understand.
"Let me be the judge of that." I retort. She doesn't reply immediately.
And when she does, her answer is the last thing that's on my mind.
She's clutching her left wrist, trying and failing to pull her shirt lower to cover it.
"It's really no big deal." But before she manages to hide it, I've already spotted the blackish purple handprints on it, that's hanging loosely from the rest of her arm.
I widen my eyes and gulp.
What the hell?
I breathe heavily as I put a hand to my forehead. Shit, shit, shit! What is this awful bruise?
Forgetting all about a human's free will, I walk forward and look down at her menacingly.
"What is this?" I screech. She blushes and closes her eyes, half-expecting me to hex her or something. I feel my stomach turning up-side-down upon realizing she's in fact scared of me hurting her.
I put a hand on her chin forcing her to look up at me.
I give a gray look to her blue eyes that are shining. Merlin, I'm gonna kill whoever did this.
"Who did this to you?" I continue shouting my lungs out.
"I'll-I'll take care of it. It's not like I'm helpless or-or anything." She mumbles while I wonder how did a not-helpless person end up with a horrible bruise on its wrist.
"I didn't have my wand with me." She explains, as if she reads my mind.
"So you will excuse me…" Before I even take in what's going on she has released herself from me, opened the door and escaped.
Stupid Rose!
Why did she have to do everything alone?
It's not like I said she was weak. It's not like anyone who asks for help is weak.
I run behind her. When I get back to the corridors I look around. No sign of her.
Then I turn towards the two knights on the painting outside the Heads' Common Room.
"Which way did she go?" I ask.
"That way." The dark-haired knight points to my right with his blade.
"Thanks." I mutter back.
I pass by various people without finding one single strand of red, curly hair. I look at the library and the Great Hall but my search is fruitless.
And suddenly a strange sound comes to me.
A bunch of things breaking and people yelling.
Aha!
Found her.
I follow the sound like hounds follow scent and it leads me to a crowded hall. A circle of people is concealing an outraged Head-Girl.
"That's for twisting my wrist." She screams at her target.
While I go through the tons of students who found this a delightful sight it dawn on me, right now the person who did this to Rose is over there.
I feel my blood boiling and my mind getting dizzy from anger and frustration.
However when I finally reach the middle all thoughts of revenge evaporate, giving their place to fresh, pure shock.
"Will?" I hiss. The Slytherin who is currently been pointed at by the Head-Girl looks at me pleadingly, but Rose spares no time explaining the situation.
"Incendio." She shouts forcefully and flames start burning Will's shirt.
"Reducto!" My now terrified, former friend of mine falls back on an old armor.
I try to think fast to stop things from getting really out of hand. I mean it's not like I care what happens to that disgusting bastard, but Rose could very easily lose her badge if Filch came out of a corner just now.
Acting instinctively I grab her waist with my right arm and, turning her around, I force the wand out of her hand.
"You, all of you," I speak to the crown of nosey students. "If you're not out of here during the next ten second I'll start taking points from every single person I see." Fortunately that has them going.
"And you!" I turn to Rose. "Stop this instant." I hollow.
"No! Release me. I'm not done killing him yet." The redhead struggles in my arms, trying to free herself, but, honestly she's not half-as tough as I am. So without a wand she really is very fragile. I suppose that's why Will did such a terrible thing and… and… Oh, I don't know, maybe I should just let her kill him.
"Rose, you're Head-Girl." I whisper in her ear and I feel her shivering with as much awkwardness as I sense going down my own spine.
That makes her stop and look up at me. With a pouting irresistible face only inches from mine.
"As for you!" I focus my attention on the person I do not fancy the pants of. "Are you a freaking idiot?" I point out my every word with a deadly conviction.
"No. That would have to be you." Will retorts. I roll my eyes at his persistence on the matter. The matter of me being stupid that is.
"Enough with that." I put out the more authoritative voice I can master.
"Enough? But there really is no limit to your idiocy. To think that you actually hoped, expected her to-" I swear inwards.
"Shut up!" I order. She can't learn about this that way. I refuse to have him expose me like that.
"That had better been shame." He smirks and I curse my red face.
"Finally the right reaction!" He laughs sarcastically at my embarrassment. As if he knows…
"Shame is indeed what you should be feeling. Betraying your House for such a ridiculous girl." I raise both my eyebrows while still mocks me.
"Whoever said-?" I don't get to finish my sentence.
"And she's weak too. So much for being the daughter of two heroes." I sense my anger rising alarmingly fast. Meanwhile Rose is just staring at me questioningly.
"All I had to do was…" He puts his right arm forward clenching and turning it around right in front of our faces. Slytherin cowardice should have preventing him from doing that. But I guess he really wants to die.
"Bastard! That was because I didn't have my wand. Do you want me to show you again how many hexes I know?" The redhead proves once more exactly how fiery her anger can be, but I'm no longer listening.
"How dare you do that to my face?" I take a step towards him, who is still twisting an imaginary hand.
"Don't you know?" I spit as he stands up to face me. "Don't you know what's going to happen if you insult her to me?"
"That bitch? Oh, please. I thought you had better tastes. It's time to get back to real girls. So just shag her and get it over with, already." I see.
Well that does it.
In one word?
Murderous.
His gray eyes suddenly shine with a killer's instinct and his fists become white from being clenched too much. Two seconds ago all I wanted was to smash that bastard's head to the stone wall. Now I'm trying to think up a way to save, him from death and the both of us (Scorpius and me) from Azkaban.
Talk about role-reversal.
You know this thing when you're really, really furious, but then someone comes along, ten times angrier than you, and at that moment your logic kicks in, just to spare humankind of a disaster of such proportions?
Well, yeah.
"That bitch? Oh, please. I thought you had better tastes. For Merlin's sake just shag her and get it over with. Then you can go on flirting with normal girls." Those words register in my mind and so does their meaning, so does the hatred behind them.
However, as soon as it came rage goes away.
Man is an animal which fights for survival. Or so I've read. And right now, making sure both I and Scorpius don't get expelled is a matter of survival.
And while those thoughts cross my mind a blonde Head-Boy flies forward, grabs the collar of a half-laughing, half-shouting Will Denvers and pins him to the wall behind a destroyed armor…
Wait did I crash this armor?
Well, never mind; now's not the time to think about that.
"Don't say one more thing." Scorpius extends his wand to the other guy's throat and I shiver. It's a rare -and far from welcome- sight to see him like that. Literally collapsing from stress and pain, with only anger –of all things- to keep him going.
I ignore the need to empty the contents of my stomach on the floor and shake my head to regain actual consciousness.
"You wouldn't do anything-" Denvers mutters, though his voice comes muffled from –well…- being pushed against a wall by a well-shaped, tall, furious person.
"Awful? Reckless? Dangerous?" Scorpius dares his housemate.
"Illegal?" He adds with a glare that makes him look too scary to describe. Denvers just gulps.
"She's not worth half of the things you do for her." Now I gulp. Great, even that sod has figured out.
"It's not for you to decide. How could you touch her?" Oh, here we go again. My co-Head sounds just like my father.
"Oh, it was quite easy. I can show you again-"
"Scorpius, no!" His fist goes inches from Denvers' face before it stops abruptly, my sudden intervention being to thank for that.
The blonde look behind his back, right into my eyes, sending a silent question my way.
'Why not?' He asks. I smirk.
"I'm sure we can think of something better than this." His face goes blank, contemplating my suggestion. Then, luckily, he wears his favorite smirk and turns back to his target.
"Three months detention with Filch and fifty points from Slytherin." Scorpius starts.
"Also, McGonagall is going to hear of this." The blonde points a finger at my left hand.
"You should know that if I had a say in this you'd be expelled." With that he pushes the other Slytherin to the wall again.
"Still, try messing with us again and what happened today will be merely a breeze comparing to what will come." Scorpius concludes loosening his grip on his housemate. Both guys breathe heavily but neither speaks.
Instead, a blonde Head-Boy puts his wand in his pocket and storms off. Yet before he is out of the picture he takes my unharmed hand in his and makes me follow him.
"Wha-?" I gasp, but get carried along anyway.
Scorpius decides to act cool and not satisfy my honest need for explanation. So we continue pacing around the school; me trying to mouth my questions and he pretending to not hear me.
"Where-?" Dizzy images of classrooms and students pass before my eyes, until I finally relax and follow him without more protests.
Suddenly it feels delightful to have someone holding your hand at all costs. And in all my independent nature I kinda enjoy leaning against someone else for a change.
I look down at my right hand, while he holds it in his pale long fingers. I remember that day when he tried to stop me from leaving him. That day when I said a lot of things I didn't mean and he said nothing in reply.
Admittedly it's not the first time I feel this warmth running through my entire body; it's not the first time I feel safe from everything bad, or so excited I could dance.
However it must be the first time I make up my mind to accept it. He's gonna laugh, I know. He's probably going to refuse to shame his family by dating a stupid and plain person like me. And even if he doesn't, odds are he feels nothing like I do.
Sooner or later he'll find a smirking, awfully hot girl, a female version of himself, and he's gonna forget all about me. He'll realize, I bet, that his old friend was right, I'm not worth it.
Well, whatever.
I, for my part, will do my best. For once, I'll give it my all and pray to Merlin he cares, just enough to look at me in the eyes and say exactly what's behind that stoic, charming face of his.
"Come on." His drawling tone wakes me up from my slumber. Raising my eyes I come across the last thing I expected. A sign.
'Hospital Wing'.
Could he…could he possibly have brought me here for my hand? I-I hadn't even considered taking care of it. But he did… how unexpected.
I walk in quietly, lost for words.
"Miss Pomfrey, Rose needs her hand fixed." He announces curtly, compelling one to obey him, like only he can.
The old woman approaches with a worried look and takes my –wow, when the hell did it get so purple?- hand in hers.
"Miss Weasley that's quite a twist." I nod obediently as she disappears to her office, probably to bring out something I'd never drink on my own accord.
"Scorpius?" I look around the place worriedly. Just as I expected he's not here anymore. I should have guessed he wouldn't like to talk to me now. After all I was the reason he lost one of his best friends and is now laughed at by everyone.
In the beginning I just wanted to win the bet and prove that a nice guy can be extremely popular. Though I never thought that making Scorpius act decently and becoming friends with him would lead in him being humiliated by his fellow Slytherins.
And what did I do to help?
I abandoned him with some ridiculous excuse, simply because –to put it bluntly- I was too scared.
So now he left before I had a chance to clear things up.
Great.
Just…
"I gave you a strong painkiller so don't worry if you feel a little dizzy and sleepy it's perfectly-" I know well that, as Miss Pomfrey makes me lie down, she keeps talking. Nevertheless I cannot fathom exactly what she's saying. All is blurry and her words might reach my ears but my brain refuses to process them.
Then I fall into a deep dreamless sleep. Alone. Totally and completely al-…
"Just go bring her some clothes." At first I hear a deep, faraway voice buzzing in my ears.
"But she's lost the keys to her room." Now a new one.
"I went and got a new pair from McGonagall."
"The old lady's back?"
"What do you think, Al?" So it is Al. I thought I recognized his clumsy footsteps.
"Fine, fine, I'll ask Ethnie to go get some and I'll go bring her lunch."
"Hurry up, Miss Pomfrey said she'll be up soon." Well, she was right. Apparently. As I hear a door close I open my eyes, hastily. Thankfully it doesn't take me long to remember what has happened.
"How long have I been sleeping?" I mumble, though it sounds nothing like me. A black and silver-blonde on the top, figure flinches next to my bed.
I blink a couple of times, trying to clear the picture.
Then a hesitant smile breaks from my lips.
"Scorpius." I speak in that muffled, hoarse tone that makes me sound like I've been down with a cold for decades.
"Oh!" He makes this noise… something between a sigh and an exclamation. The ends of my mouth turn upwards even more.
"Are you feeling better?" His cheeks take a handsome pink color.
"I though you left." I counter, paying no attention whatsoever to his question.
He winces again uncomfortably.
"I'd never-" He shakes his head and refuses to continue; instead he looks at his feet and corrects. "I didn't go for long."
"McGonagall is back and I wanted to go…erm…" He stammers.
"Tell her about Denvers and get her spare key to my dorm?" I try. He gasps.
"How did you…?" I shrug at his unfinished question.
"Well, yes, that." He recovers quickly.
"Thanks." I take a deep breath. Here we go.
"It was nothing." He clenches the sheets with his hand as he speaks. "I had to report him and I knew she had a spare so…"
"No!" I shake my head quickly. "No. That's not what I meant."
I scratch my chin deep in thought.
"Of course I am thankful for that too…" The blonde raises his head towards me so abruptly that it takes seconds for my stomach to come to my mouth.
"But also," I pause.
"Also I'm thankful for standing up for me." I count using my the fingers of my now healed hand.
"For comforting me when I broke up."
"For being my friend despite the fact that I've hexed you more than I've hexed all the others." I bit my lip. "Put together."
At that he chuckles and I smile shyly. His blonde hair falls in his face, covering his eyes, which is quite a shame, but at least I can see his clear face with a smile.
"And then for helping me with my Potions' essay, weeks ago." I recite.
"For letting me sleep in your bed for all this time."
"For assisting me in cooking."
"And…" Let's see… what have I forgotten?
"And I wanted to apologize for a hell lot of things. Like for the fact that I keep hexing you. And for the fact that I keep calling you an arrogant, cheap, unethical prat." Scorpius rolls a pair of dark gray eyes.
"And of course for …" How do I say this without making a fool of myself.
I give him a half-hearted look of regret.
"I'm sorry for lying."
At first all I see in his face is surprise. Under his raised eyebrows a pair of gray astonished eyes stare at me innocently, lucky that they can't see the mess that is my head.
"Lying?" He questions.
"Lying." I assure.
"When I said I was sure you didn't care for me. I wasn't sure. I was just afraid you didn't." I pour my heart out and -little piece of advice?- it's neither as good nor as pretty as they say.
"When I claimed I didn't want us to be friends. I've been wanting that for a really long time." I gulp as surprise doesn't leave his expression.
"And lying when I said I wanted us to be just friends." I breathe out some air I've been holding for a long time.
Scorpius' whole body looks extremely stiff, like he just got electrocuted. He is sitting too straight to look normal, let alone nonchalant (like he usually prefers to look). And his eyes are wide open, while his mouth is slightly open.
"I am really, really selfish." I try to excuse myself in his eyes.
"I always wanted more."
Oh.
Oh!
I move backwards from the impact.
Why isn't he yelling at me? Why isn't he leaving?
Why-?
Why is he hugging me?
And with such passion too…
I feel a pair of strong arms wrapping around me, soothing me, like I never did for him. He buries his head in my shoulder and I put my hand at the back of his neck, enjoying his godly blond hair. I can feel his breath bringing shivers to my bare skin and I close my eyes.
Moments pass like that. Both unmoving, peaceful. How silent it is after all these fights! And I don't feel like opening my eyes again.
Suddenly he pulls away, still holding onto me tightly with both his hands o my shoulders.
Now he has honesty in his eyes.
"Can I?" He motions my fingers. I nod, not quite sure what he means.
To my surprise he relaxes his hold on my shoulder, he runs his hand all the way down to my palm and finally he intertwines his hand with mine. I feel his pale fingers, keeping my palm close to them in a cold but firm grip.
"You're cold." I whisper to his ear. He shrugs.
"Not anymore."
"You say you want this, right? And you won't regret this, or change your mind?" I shake my head in refusal. I won't. He uses his free hand to caress my cheek.
"Then don't let go of my hand. Never again. Please." His voice goes straight to my heart, pulling its strings, making it hurt and fly at the same time.
"Never again." I hope I didn't crush his bones. Cause, yeah, I'm that excited. This is more than I expected. And even though one can never be sure that things will go according to plan, right now I will hope for the best.
Things happen, I know that, stories my parents have told me make it pretty clear that bad things happen and sometimes it happens that you don't get to hold someone forever. Well, fine. What's the next best thing?
Being with someone you love for as long as you can. Keeping his had in yours till you have no strength left.
"I won't let go." I assure him.
Scorpius leans forward and our foreheads touch. I stare into his eyes and I can see my own reflection, just like my own soul reflects his face.
He kisses me softly and drives me crazy. Slowly, maybe tantalizingly so, letting me taste this feeling, I've been looking for. Only with closed eyes can I see what's been hiding for all this time. A desperate need to stay here, forever, that's what his mouth is telling me.
He takes my hand and puts it to rest on his shoulder. But he still touches it protectively, keeping me from harm's way. Well, it's ok, I guess. This is too beautiful for me to start explaining how I can take care of my self without protection.
And only when I'm out of breath do I get to breathe free again.
Scorpius plays with my hair and kisses my cheeks repeatedly, like the stupid person that he is.
"Tickles." I chuckle and pull away when he goes under my chin.
"Oh, really?" He smirks.
"Hm." I murmur. That makes shim look up, pouting.
"What?" He should not be so worried. It's not like I would hex him for something as trivial as that. Yet I guess I've scared him too many times in the past with my temper so he's quite wary of it.
I should tell him not to worry so much. Sometime. Till then why not enjoy it?
"I just realized." I decide to keep this up for some more.
"What?" He comes closer.
"You can't stay cute and emotional for more than ten minutes, can you?" I raise an eyebrow and the blonde huffs a comment like 'seriously now?'.
"Most people don't get even that. So be thankful." I fake a shocked look as he talks.
"Oh my!" I put a scandalized hand to my mouth.
"My boyfriend is so mean!" I see his eyes shine at the mention of our newly accompliced status.
"So being a bad boy works." He pecks me and comments in his usual coolness.
"You wish. By the way the deal's still on." I remind him.
"Wait! How's that possible? I'm attached now!" I let out a chuckle and fall into his arms.
"Attached!" I exclaim. "I had no idea you'd be so formal."
"Shut up!" He pouts childishly again.
"Well, we went this far, so for the next two days we'll have to hide this little piece of information from the general public." I reply.
"No! Come on…" He pleads.
"Look, we can sneak up in broom closets, or during patrols. Not to forget that we still have a Common Room all to ourselves." That seems to quiet him down for a while.
"But you won't go hexing people without telling me, ok? Cause I don't know what I'll do if you get hurt again and-" I snort loudly at that.
"What are you now? My guardian angel?" I interrupt.
"See! That's why I don't stay cute and emotional for too long." Scorpius crosses his arms stubbornly across his chest. I think I got him just a little bit mad.
Well, it is my area of expertise after all.
Good thing then that I know how to calm him down.
I make him uncross his arms and snuggle in them comfortably.
A/N: There should be some stupid mistakes cause I didn't quite double-check.
Hope you could bear them
Please, please, please, leave a review.
This is like one of the most important chapter of this story so I'd love to know if you liked it, if not and why.
By the way, I did surprisingly well in exams (not that anyone should care) so you won't have to 'hear' my nagging for some time.
Don't forget the poll,
Kisses and Hugs,
Sarah