"fifty six… fifty seven… fifty eight…"

"Weasley?"

Rose's concentration on counting the window panes in the hospital wing was broken by the sound of her name. The right side of her face was bandaged, which meant she had to turn to find the speaker, though she would have recognized that voice anywhere.

Her brow furrowed, causing her to wince, and she attempted a blank expression. "Scorpius? What are you doing here?"

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy lingered in the doorway of the Hospital Wing, glancing once over his shoulder toward the corridor before fully entering. "You weren't in class." It wasn't a question.

Rose smirked then winced again, lifting her bandaged hand to her bandaged cheek. "Who knew aconite could do so much damage?" she attempted a joke, but even the slightest movement of her smile threatened to undo Madame Stuart's hard work.

Her classmate moved closer, lingering at the foot of the bed. "Madame Stuart said I was lucky to find you after your accident."

Rose swallowed and averted her gaze. "She's right."

"Your accident?" This time it was a question. He had a brow raised at her, unable to comprehend how he hadn't ended up with a week's worth of detention for what he'd done.

"It was an accident," Rose replied, smoothing the edge of her sheets. "Anyone could have done it."

"Not you." He wasn't letting her off the hook.

"Scor, please. It's not a big deal." Of all things, she never expected him to be upset with her for taking the blame. In fact, after his exam she doubted he would have a reason to speak to her again.

However, he remained at the foot of her bed, gaping at her in a very un-Scorpius like manner. "Rose, I nearly burnt your face off."

At that she laughed, and then her nose crinkled as she fought back tears, pressing both palms to her cheeks to put pressure to the pain. "I'm fine," she breathed when the worst of it subsided. "Did you pass your exam?"

Scorpius shifted, reaching into his bag, and when his eyes found hers again, his smirk had returned. "Exceeds Expectations."

"Good! Ow…" Rose really had to stop getting excited, or having any kind of emotion at all, at least until she healed.

"Merlin's beard, Rose," Scorpius chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't rip the bloody thing back open."

Rose gave a pathetic pout and patted the bandage on her cheek, not daring to think about what a pitiful sight she must be. Madame Stuart had patched her up, but the potion was strong, and it would take three or four days for her wounds to close entirely, then nearly a week for the swelling to go down.

"Looks like you'll get to play in the match after all." This time she kept her smile away, but it was in her eyes and her voice all the same.

Scor shoved the paper back into his bag. "All thanks to you."

Rose feigned surprise. "Did Scorpius Malfoy just say thank you?"

"Oh, shove off," he replied, but his smirk grinned at her. "I still don't see why you told her it was your fault," Scor added, his voice low. "I should be in loads of trouble for that."

"Well, you're not," she replied, suddenly fidgety. "It just came out. I wasn't thinking straight last night, you saw me."

A strange look flashed in his eyes as he recalled the catastrophe, and the concern on his brow bothered her. "Scor, seriously. Let it go. Can't you see it's not a big deal."

He expelled a slow breath, unconvinced.

"Besides, do you seriously want a howler from my father for trying to kill me?"

Like magic, his smirk reappeared. "No, thanks. I get enough of those from my father." The corner of his mouth twitched as if he had just revealed too much, so Rose decided to let the moment drop. He changed the subject before she could have replied anyway. "Are you going to the match tomorrow?"

Rose shook her head and raised her right arm. She looked like a mummy. "I can't. It's supposed to rain, and Madame Stuart has me in here through Monday."

Scorpius nodded.

Something was off. Rose couldn't read him as easily as she was used to. Maybe he felt guilty for putting her in the hospital wing. Two months ago she would never have thought him capable of feeling guilt, shame, or care for another person, but he was human, no matter how he may deny it.

They spent hours together each week pouring over textbooks and potions, him doing anything to avoid studying and her trying everything she could to keep him on track. In the halls and in other classes they ignored each other, as per usual, but something was different. She could see it in his eyes here and now.

"Good luck though," she said brightly, genuinely. This, too, confused him. Rose had never seen him at such a loss for words or with so blank an expression. It was almost laughable. "Scor, relax. You look like you've seen a ghost."

This snapped him back to reality, and a smug smirk took over his features as he adjusted his bag. "A ghoul, actually, or maybe a troll," he teased, gesturing to her bandages.

"Okay, don't be that relaxed," she laughed, this time ignoring the pain in favor of the smile. "You can go back to insulting me next week. Keep feeling guilty for at least a few more days. Or I might change my mind and turn you in." Rose didn't mean for him to actually feel guilty, and she had no plans of turning him in. But she liked this easy rhythm. It was new.

The door to Madame Stuart's office opened, grabbing both of their attention.

"I should go," he said, backing up towards the door.

Rose nodded, though she had the sudden urge to ask him to stay. Instead she simply watched him on his way, her brow furrowing when he lingered awkwardly in the doorway.

"I'm fine," she repeated, waving him off.

Scorpius hesitated still. Finally, finding his voice he said, "Thanks, Rose," before slipping out the door. She barely had time to register his comment before he poked his head back in saying, "But if you tell anyone about this, I will–"

"Just go!" she laughed, her smile sliding into a wince and a moan as she sank back into her pillows, clutching her cheek.

Rose could have sworn she heard his laugh before the blonde disappeared from sight. She couldn't see him any more, and luckily he couldn't see her. Even with the pain, and even covered in bandages, her smile was wide and steady. And that was all his fault.