Chapter 17
"Rosie!" Ron cried, the second he saw his daughter sat in one of the beds, fully conscious and disgruntled.
"I'm fine." She said to Madam Promfrey. "You didn't have to go worrying my parents. It was just a little fall and - Dad - you're suffocating me!" The last was cried when Ron seized his daughter in a fierce hug.
"Rose, we were so worried." Hermione said, her colour returning as she pulled Ron away and hugged her daughter, too.
"There was no point in them dragging you our here. My wrist was fixed in, like, a mille-second. I don't see why I can't just go."
"I'd like to keep you overnight because of the head injury." Madam Promfrey replied, in the impatient tone developed from so many years of dealing with students who didn't want to be in the hospital wing. And, of course, those who desperately wanted to be.
"Is Lily OK?" Rose asked, deliberately ignoring the matron. "I came round as they were bringing me in here, and she was crying -"
"She's fine." Ginny assured her. "She's upset, but Teddy's with her."
"Oh. That's fine then." Rose said, sounding relieved, causing Harry to smile at the way the whole lot of the them looked up to Teddy. "Can I go now?" Rose added, looking back at Madam Promfrey.
"No. I insist on an overnight stay."
"But -"
"No buts, Rosie." Ron said firmly. "You'll stay here until you're completely fixed."
"I am completely fixed. Mum -"
"Rose, I'm sure you can manage one night in here." Hermione said, shaking her head. "It's not that bad, I promise you."
"Yeah, I spent lots of time here." Harry said with a smirk.
"I remember." Madam Promfrey muttered, but offered a fond smile.
----
"Scorpius?" It was several hours later that the Weasleys and Potter's reached the Gryffindor tower, having refused to leave until they could see Rose and ascertain for themselves that she was fine. But Scorpius was waiting, slumped on the floor next to the fat lady. He had been drifting closer and closer to sleep, but Al's surprised voice caused him to leap to his feet to fast he went dizzy.
"Is Rose -?"
"She's fine." Al assured him, and when Scorpius' eyes searched the crowd for her face, he added; "She's got to spend the night in the hospital wing, 'cause she banged her head."
"But she's definetly OK?"
"Definetly." Al nodded, then grinned. "Not happy about staying the night."
"And the head injury -"
"Just a little bump. She's fine." James interrupted firmly. "I swear to you, mate, there's nothing wrong with her."
"And Madam Promfrey is right there if she gets sick or anything." Hugo added, looking at Scorpius with a strange expression on his face, as though trying to figure out if he was genuinely worried or not.
"OK." Scorpius said finally. "Well...night."
"Night." Several voices chorused, and Scorpius started down the corridor as Fred gave the fat lady her password and she swung forward to admit them.
"Hey - wait -" Lily's voice was low as she caught him up, obviously not wanting her family to hear her. When Scorpius turned to her, he was surprised to see the anger on her face.
"You idiot." She said, her tone implying anger.
"Uh...why am I an idiot?" Scorpius asked, and she rolled her eyes.
"For breaking up with Rose. Why, have you done anything else stupid lately?" She replied sarcastically. "What were you thinking? And don't give me any of that about the family, 'cause ours would have got used to it, and I bet your would have too."
He struggled for a moment or two to find a reply. "It was just too hard." He sighed finally, and Lily made an angry noise in her throat.
"I'm two years younger than you, and even I know nothing worth having ever comes easy." She snapped.
"I..." Was all Scorpius managed, unsure what Lily wanted to hear.
"Of course it was hard. Bound to be, 'cause of all the old family rivalry. But you should have just worked at it, worked it out. You should have fought for what you had, not given up."
"Look, we did what we had to -"
"You haven't even got to see her! She could have been really hurt, and you didn't even care -"
"Of course I care!" Scorpius snapped, careful to keep his voice quiet, even through his annoyance. "You think I haven't gone because I don't care? I stayed away because I do care. If I saw her like that, I'd..." He trailed off, deciding it was best not to finish the thought. "I knew none of you would want me there. And I bet they called her parents in, right? The last thing Rose needed was for a moment like that."
"They wouldn't have even noticed you! They were so worried they wouldn't have -"
"Lily? Are you coming in or what?" Molly called, from just outside the portrait hole.
"One sec!" She called, then lowered her voice. "I hope you know what you've given up." With that, she whirrled away from him, her long red hair flying out and around her, inexplicably emphasing her annoyance.
Scorpius watched her leave, then gave the smallest nod.
Because he did.
He turned slowly, and continued walking down the corridor. It was late, and he knew it was best not to get caught out here. He and Al had got caught once, in their second year, when James was using the invisibility cloak and Al had forgotten the marauder's map...
The map. Scorpius felt a smile spread across his face as he realised no one had asked for it back. He drew it from his pocket, unfolded it, and scanned the lines he'd forgotten to wipe. The hospital wing was empty, save from Rose, and Madam Promfrey in her quarters. Scorpius started a fast walk towards the stairs, ran down them, all the while making sure his path was empty. His heart jolted when he saw the cluster of dots and names of Rose's parents, aunt and uncle, and Teddy Lupin, but he relaxed when he saw them moving down the marble staircase with Professor McGonagall. They were leaving.
He reached the hospital wing on a light run, opened the door the smallest amount he could fit through, and slipped inside.
She was sleeping. He was relieved at that; it meant there would be no awkward conversations. He'd just sit with her a while, then leave, certain that she was perfectly alright. He considered leaving the map, too, so she'd know he'd been, but decided he'd need it to get to his dorm undetected. So, that decided, he slipped into the seat beside her bed, and laid his hand over hers.
"I wondered if you'd come." She murmured sleepily, her eyes still cloased, causing Scorpius to jump violently.
"I didn't mean to wake you." He whispered, drawing his hand away. "I'll -"
"Didn't wake me. Not asleep yet." She told him, without opening her eyes. "Soon. Don't go, 'K?!"
"OK." He agreed. She'd be asleep in seconds, he figured. Then at least she'd know he'd come, at least she'd know he cared...
Of course, that shouldn't be important anymore. It shouldn't matter, he shouldn't care...If only...
Her breathing deepened and evened, and he knew she was asleep. He'd just stay a few more minutes, just to make sure she didn't wake back up. She shouldn't wake up alone, should she?
And then someone grabbed the back of his robes and dragged him away from the bed before he could even yelp. Before he knew it, he was three feet away from Rose's bed, struggling to regain his balance, and on his feet only because whoever it was had hold of him.
"What are you doing here?" A low voice demanded, and Scorpius froze. He didn't recognise the voice, but he had a sinking feeling...
He turned, looked up, and knew he was correct. Even if he hadn't already seen Rose's father at the station, countless times, he'd have guessed it was him from the red hair, the blue eyes the same shade as Rose's...and, of course, the furious expression may have been some give away.
"I - I thought you'd gone." Scorpius muttered, the slight accusatory note in his voice an automatic defence.
"Hermione forgot her cloak." Ron replied, then seemed to realise he owned the boy no explanation. "But that's my daughter, I'm allowed to be here. What are you doing?"
"I just wanted to make sure she was OK." Scorpius replied, and nearly fell to the floor when Ron released his robes.
"You could have asked Albus, or one of the others."
"I did! I waited by the fat lady for them, but I had to make sure, I had to see -"
Ron looked at him, as though surprised, then narrowed his eyes. "And why do you care? You two aren't together anymore, are you?" It wasn't a question, but a statement. Scorpius nodded anyway.
"We decided it was - was the best thing to do -"
"So Hugo said." Ron told him coldly. "Rose didn't write to tell us, though. Which makes me think she's upset."
It took a moment for the words and the tone to sink in. It would have been laughable to those who knew him, Ron Weasley using his best "threatening" tone on a young boy. Those who knew him would laugh harder at the fact that the tone worked on Scorpius, as none of those who knew Ron had ever been remotely frightened by this tone.
"You - you're mad that we broke up?" Scorpius asked, confused.
"I'm mad that Rosie got hurt." Ron corrected.
"But - but that means you're mad we broke up." Scorpius pointed out. "You were mad we went out, and now you're mad we're not?"
Ron hesitated, then shook his head. "I'm ecstatic that you broke up. But you should never have gone near my daughter in the first place."
"Yeah, probably." Scorpius sighed. Then he met Ron's gaze. "I never meant to hurt her. I swear."
And even Ron Weasley, with the emotional capacity a teaspoon would be proud of, could see the honesty and regret all over Scorpius' face.
With that, Scorpius left the room, unaware he had gained a small amount of reluctant respect from Ron.
With a sigh, Ron walked slowly back towards his daughter's bed, and picked up Hermione's travelling cloak from the chair. "I don't think I'd ever have understood, Rosie." He murmured. "But I would have accepted it." He hesitated, aware that Rose was asleep and wouldn't know he said this. Maybe that was why he chose to say it now, so his conscience would be eased but Rose wouldn't get any ideas.
"If the two of you ever work it out...You wouldn't have to worry what I thought, OK? If you two wanted to get back together, I'd accept it."
With that, he kissed her gently on the forehead, and left the wing. In the dark, Rose opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, more confused than ever.