Has anyone noticed that I'm using song titles for each of my chapters?
Well, I have been.
They're songs that I feel fit the mood of the chapter.
Yay for you if you noticed! ;D
Thanks to everyone that's reviewed so far!
And if you haven't...no time like the present.

--

Pressure

Rose woke groggier than she had been in a while. There wasn't a specific reason, no dreams to give her a restless night, so she just sat in bed for a moment, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. The crimson cover that wrapped around her reminded her of a warm cucoon. The thought was alluring, making her want to just fall back onto her pillow and forget about the day of classes ahead. That's why she unravelled herself and threw her feet onto the floor. The air in her dorm was warm enough, but she could tell the air outside was still freezing. She wrinkled her nose. Cold weather was not her favorite.

The redhead shuffled her way past her busied roommates without saying anything, and after rooming with her for seven years now, they expect no different. The cold water of the shower jolted her awake, and she quickly twisted the other nob. She had been so tired that she hadn't noticed how she turned the wrong nob. A deadly mistake. Okay, well maybe not so dramatic, but her surprised shriek did earn her a few laughs outside the shower curtain. Images of last night flashed in her head and she smiled.

"Like you're saying goodbye."

The smile faded. Now she remembered what gave her a restless night. He said he hadn't meant it to come out like that, but she knew why it had. She felt it every time they were together. There was a goodbye looming over the young couple like a rain cloud. They made each kiss feel like it could be their last, and in all truth, it very well could be. Their relationship was a ticking time bomb. It was a secret now, but how much longer could it remain one? She was afraid that they were getting more and more careless, but she never thought very much about caution when she was with him. What if someone saw them? She could only imagine the catastophe that would follow. And even if they weren't caught, what would they do after graduation? Rose wanted to be a Healer, and that didn't come cheap. She would have to live at home, would the excuses come easier there then at school? In theory they would, but Rose always had the worst time trying to lie to her father. It just wasn't how their relationship worked, Rose never had to hide anything from her father before. Minus the first occurance with Scorpius, but that lie was all her mother's doing. Where would everything stand after graduation? If they even made it that long?

"Hey, Red!" She heard Dom call outside the shower curtain, "Did you drown, or are you just paying extra attention to hygeine today?"

"Sorry Dom," She said, snapping out of her daze, "Guess I'm just out of it this morning."

"Well snap out of it, we're gonna miss breakfast."

--

The Great Hall was buzzing as usual as Rose and Dom entered through the large wooden doors. She glanced at the Slytherin table inconsipiculously, but couldn't find the one she was looking for. Rose was always careful about her search, she never knew who was watching. Mostly she suspected Molly, the cousins hadn't talked since Rose decked her. Not that she was complaining. The pair sat down at their usual spot near the end of the table, and Roxanne quickly joined them.

"Rose," She asked in her normal tone, then turned to a whisper, "Is it true?"

"What?" Rose squinted her eyes at her cousin after a moment, having expected her to say more. Roxanne looked at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What everyone's saying!" Rose stared dumbly at her cousin, still expecting her to say more.

"What?" She asked, trying her best to not lose her temper. Roxanne looked around and glared at a pair of Ravenclaw Second Years until they turned around. The redhead had to hide the little bit of pride that swelled in her heart. She taught Roxanne that trick.

"They're saying..." Her cousin lowered her voice again and leaned in across the table, causing the other two girls to do the same, "That someone saw you snogging with Scorpius Malfoy last night." Rose felt an imaginary piano drop on her head.

"WHAT?!" She yelled, causing several people to turn around an watch. Rose wasn't fooled, she knew that she had been their topic of gossip just seconds earlier. She turned her astonishment into insane laughter. "Are you bloody kidding me?! Me and -- " Rose didn't finish her sentence, instead she broke out into laughter again. She was about to lie for her life. "That is bloody disgusting!" The redhead turned her amusement into disgust. "What kind of sick joke is that?!" The girl was talking loud enough for the whole Hall to hear her, and they were all definitely listening. "Find another fall girl for your pathetic little rumors! It's not my fault your lives are dull -- take it out on someone else!" Even the teachers were staring at her by that point, though she wasn't sure if they knew what was actually going on. "Now excuse me while I get some fresh air and try not to throw up over that mental image!"

Rose grabbed a bagel and with a brief grimace at Dom and Roxanne, she was out the doors and stumbling towards the grounds. The cool air hit her face and instantly brought the situation into light. Someone had seen the two of them last night. Someone saw them. Someone was witness to what they had been trying to keep hidden. Unwillingly, she bit into the bagel. She didn't feel much like eating, but she knew that she would need her strength today.

This was all such a pain. Why couldn't Scorpius have been born into another family? One that didn't have some stupid childhood vendetta against her parents. Her parents -- what if the rumor got back to them? She couldn't imagine how it would...it's not like Hugo had it out for her, though she hadn't seen him much this year. He was still going through that "everyone older than me is so stupid" phase. Unfortunately, that included her. She just figured that he would outgrow it. Still, she had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach that wouldn't go away. What was going to happen now?

--

"Rose, it's gonna look bad if you don't show up for dinner." Roxanne paced the floor of the Gryffindor Seventh Year girl's dorm.

"Well, I don't feel like going. It's not the first time I've just grabbed something from the kitchen." Rose, already pajama clad, slipped under her covers and began rumaging through her tattered school bag.

"Yeah," Her ebony skinned cousin continued to protest, "But after this morning, it's not a good idea!" Rose raised her brow.

"Why is it not a good idea?" Roxanne flung herself on Rose's bed.

"Because! You're the biggest subject of gossip in the school right now!"

"Technically," Rose started, her tone dull, "I would be half of the biggest subject of gossip at the school right now." Roxanne wrinkled her nose, accepting that fact, but she wasn't finished just yet.

"Yeah, but..." She struggled to find convincing words. "It would still...look bad. You have to face it for it to go away!" Rose raised her brow again and stared at her cousin.

"I didn't do that this morning?" Roxanne opened her mouth to say something, but Rose continued before she could. "Look, Rox, I really appreciate the concern, but it'll be okay. It's just a rumor. And it's not exactly worse than the pregnant one, trust me."

"Yeah, but it's the second one about you and Malfoy -- "

"And that makes it more convincing?" Rose interrupted, "It'll blow over. No one has any proof. Besides, Dom's already gone to get us some food." Roxanne nodded, and was quiet for a minute. Rose began shuffling through her papers, trying to find the DADA essay that she had been working on.

"Rose?"

"What, Rox?" She asked, still focused on her papers.

"You said that no one had any proof...like there was some." Rose kept her expression in check as she looked up to meet her cousin's enquiring eyes. Then she sighed.

"Oh, Merlin, Rox. You believe them?" She questioned, hoping the trick would work.

"No, no!" She denied, her eyes wide. "I was just -- It only sounded like -- "

"It's okay, it's okay!" Rose laughed, putting her papers down just as Dom came through the door with an armful of food.

"Alright, ladies." Dom spoke, carefully setting the food down on Rose's bed. "I have to eat fast, so hurry up and get your grub outta my way."

"Where do you have to go in such a hurry?" Rose asked, picking up her own plate.

"Potions tutoring." She replied with a slice of turkey already filling her mouth.

"Again?" Rose questioned, stopping what she was doing and staring at her cousin. Dom stared back.

"Well, yes Rose." She started, her dull tone back, "Not all of us are blessed with the ability to be amazing at everything. Others have to work at it."

"Psh." Rose muttered, a little embarrassed, "I'm not amazing at everything..."

"You're right," Dom smirked, "I've seen you try to dance."

Rose hit both of her cousins with a pillow around the end of the five minute mark when they didn't stop laughing.

--

The morning had started out well enough. It was sunny outside, promising warmer weather for the day. Rose had actually slept well, and none of the girls had managed to get any of their dinner spilt on Rose's bed. Really, that's all she could ask for. She had a test in Potions and History of Magic -- both of which, she was completely prepared for. Not that anyone would be surprised. And, as she, Dom and Roxanne walked into the Great Hall, it seemed that she was no longer a topic of gossip.

Well, maybe she was, but no one was pointing and staring. Any more than usual, anyway.

There was the familiar sound of wings flapping and birds screeching, and Rose absentmindedly wondered if her copy of Broomsticks would come today. It was a new Quidditch magazine, one that actually had decent articles. She stuck a spoonful of cereal in her mouth as she saw Pig -- the family owl -- swoop in front of her. Dom and Roxanne, who had been caring on a conversation immediately stopped as Rose dropped her spoon back into the bowl, causing milk to splash over the table.

In front of her sat a crimson red envolope.

"Oooh! Malfoy has a Howler!" Someone yelled across the room, and Rose felt a panic threatening her heart.

"Run." Dom said, shoving the letter at Rose. She didn't have to say it twice. Before the thought even registered, Rose was just a blur of crimson hair and black robes, streaking down the hallway. In the back of her mind, she knew that Scorpius would do the same. Running was the best thing a person could do when they got a Howler. As if the idea of getting one wasn't humiliating enough -- everyone else hearing it was worse.

Rose flung the door of an empty classroom open, just in time for the red envolope to burn her fingers. Stupid Howlers. They were embarrassing and they turned into flames if you didn't open them soon enough.

"ROSE LYNN WEASLEY!" She groaned as she heard her mother's furious voice come from the envolope floating in front of her face. "WHAT IS THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOU SNOGGING SCORPIUS MALFOY IN AN EMPTY CLASSROOM? AND ALL THE MAYHEM YOU HAVE BEEN CAUSING? PROFESSOR LONGBOTTOM TOLD ME EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT. IF I'VE TOLD YOU ONCE, I'VE TOLD YOU A THOUSAND TIMES, ROSE WEASLEY, STAY AWAY FROM SCORPIUS MALFOY! YOU ARE TREDDING ON THIN ICE, ROSE. YOU'RE LUCKY I DON'T TELL YOUR FATHER ABOUT THIS! IF I GET WIND OF ANY MORE ASSOCIATING WITH THAT BOY, WE WILL PULL YOU OUT OF SCHOOL. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SEND YOU TO BEAUXBATONS. NOW, YOU DO AS I SAY." Rose stared in horror as the envolope began to rip itself up.

Her mother had threatened to send her to Beauxatons a few times before when she had acted up, but never had she sounded like she meant it. She shuddered at the thought. Beauxbatons? Every French Quidditch team that came out of France was rubbish! She couldn't possibly play Quidditch on their school teams...did they even have school teams? Rose snapped out of her terror as she noticed she heard a man's muffled voice. He sounded like he was yelling. Timidly, she opened the door to the classroom that she had sought refuge in, and followed the voice.

" -- NOW YOU STAY AWAY FROM THAT GIRL!" Was about all she had caught of it before she heard the ripping sound. And, really, that's all she needed to hear. It took her a moment of deep breaths before she slowly pushed the door open. Scorpius only glanced up from his spot, perched on an empty desk. Rose didn't look at him until she had shut the door. The two stared off in silence, the air in the room cold and dull.

"Rose -- " Scorpius began so softly, it was barely more than a whisper.

"It's not fair!" Her voice was quiet, but much harsher. There were tears stinging her eyes a she began to pace the room.

"I know." He gazed at the ground, not able to look at her.

"They're making us pay for their stupid, pointless grudges!" Her voice was shaky, but louder now.

"What did they threaten you with?" He asked gently, after a long, unstable silence. She took a deep breath, trying to will the tears away. After a moment, she turned around with an attempt at a smile.

"Beauxbatons." Her smile was pathetic, she knew it. He glanced up at her, only to quickly look down again. It must have been more pathetic than she thought. It took her another moment to make her voice steady. "What about you?"

"Abandonment." He glanced up again with a small smile that was on the verge of a grimace. He held Rose's gaze, though she had to look away seconds later. Her heart grew heavier. Her mother had only threatened to move her to another school, his father had threatened to disown him?

"It's an empty threat." Scorpius shrugged, though Rose wasn't entirely convinced. "I'm the only thing he has left." Besides insane wealth, of course. But Rose knew what he meant. His mother had died during his second year of Hogwarts. She didn't remember how, but she did remember his absence two weeks before the Christmas holidays. She hadn't been sure at the time if Scorpius would be back for the rest of the year, but he came back at the end of Christmas break. Just as obnoxious as ever, but Rose noticed the new sadness he carried around. It was harder to fight with him after that.

"We have to stop, Scorpius." Her voice was small and quiet in the big, empty room. He didn't say anything, just continued to look at the floor.

"No." His voice was unstable, but his eyes were hard.

"We have to. I won't be the reason your family falls apart." He stood up and strode over to Rose, grabbing both of her arms.

"I can't let you go, Rose. I love you." Tears made their way back into Rose's eyes as she saw the desperate, frustrated look in his own.

"You'll find someone else." He started shaking his head. "Scorpius, please." She barely whispered, not able to keep a tear from flowing down her cheek. His eyes softened, then became unreadable. Slowly, he brought one of his hands up to wipe the tear away. She caught it and gave it a soft kiss. Seconds after that, she was out in the halls, heading away from all the voices she heard. The knot in her throat tightened, and she ducked into an empty bathroom.

Her mind felt like one big, muddled mess. The very last thing she had wanted to do was leave him in that room. But that was exactly what she had to do. She ducked into a stall, feeling queasy. The knot in her throat was so tight that it hurt to swallow, and she couldn't hold them in anymore. With one shaky sob, the tears flowed over her freckled skin. She leaned heavily against the side of the stall, trying to keep the volume of her sobs under control, in case someone came in.

No one did.

--

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