Author's note:Thank so much to all those who reviewed. Gives out hugs and kisses. So here's the next chapter. I hope to post chapters as frequently as I can. Hope you like it.:)
Disclaimer: What would JK Rowling be doing, writing fanfiction?? Translation: I am not JK Rowling.
CHAPTER FOUR
"You can start by replacing the bed sheets. After which you can clean the medicine cabinets and all of the trays. Without using magic of course. Normally they're done by house elves, but after what you did to Miss Weasley, I would say its well earned," said Madam Pomfrey, looking as though something pungent had landed under her nose.
Scorpius nodded obediently. Words failed to escape him as he felt the humiliation melt his skin, since he was being given orders right in front of the Potter clan who had come to visit their cousin.
"If you need anything, I'll be in my office." said Madam Pomfrey and went to check on Rose, before leaving the room.
The Potters soon started throwing him ugly looks. Scorpius, ignoring this, went to the beds and began to take the sheets off them, one by one . He decided to start from the one that was farthest to the Weasley's bed. But his plans to avoid the Potters went in vain, as the eldest one walked up to him with an expression that suited a thug.
"You do that to her one more time and I swear I'll jinx you so bad that you'll be screaming for your Mommy," said James gritting his teeth, his hands gripping his wand tightly.
"Believe me Potter. I wouldn't waste my time trying to hex that thing. She's so vile, even my wand isn't interested. I tried to hex her today and it wouldn't even shoot a spell," he spat.
Albus, on hearing this, got up from Rose's bed. He strode over to Jame's side and used a more defensive mechanism.
"Come on James. Why are you bothering. Besides, we shouldn't disturb him. There are lots of bed pans he needs to clear." he said and both the brothers started laughing.
"Rose. If you need anything, just ask Scorpius to get it for you," said James, in the middle of the laughter.
Scorpius could feel his lip bleeding from his teeth pressing into it. He had never been so humiliated in his life and realized that he was completely helpless in this situation. He decided to keep quiet while the Potters went over to Rose's bed, continuing with their snide comments and insulting jibes.
An hour later, the two of them bid goodbye to Rose. Before leaving the hospital wing they threw Scorpius a filthy look which he chose to ignore. Soon after, another occupant was sent away by Madam Pomfrey after being treated, leaving Rose and Scorpius to be the only two people remaining in the hospital wing.
Scorpius was almost done with his work and was wiping the last of the medicine trays clean.
"You missed one over here," he heard the Weasley calling out from the other end. He turned around to see that she was pointing to the medicine tray on her bedside with her left hand, the other hand wrapped around in a cast.
Scorpius, his lips pressed tight walked up to her bed, emptying the tray and wiping it with his cleaning cloth.
Rose mean while studied his expression and laid back on her pillow enjoying the frustration etched on his face. She prepared herself to rub salt on his wounds.
"Its truly wonderful how fate works. How I'm lying here comfortably on my bed, while you're having to slave right in front of me," she remarked, enjoying the red blotches that were appearing on Malfoy's pale cheeks.
Scorpius, despite getting worked up, remained silent. He wasn't going to let her get to him this time and tried to fill his mind with other thoughts while the redhead crowed on.
"Nature knows how to deliver justice. It knew that you were a scum and landed you in a situation where you have to wipe filth. Fitting isn't it?" she said, chuckling.
Add a drop of Mertlap essence and mix in the lacewings, which should be let to simmer for five minutes. Scorpius tried to think of anything that would shut her voice out of his mind.
To anyone else, Rose would have presented a pitiful image - lying alone in the hospital wing with an injured hand. But Scorpius, at present, was revolted by everything from her red hair to her freckled skin and wanted nothing more than to close his hands over her neck.
Rose, mean while, kept on with the insults "Tell me Scorpius. This must be really hard for you. After all, I suppose you don't even take a shower by yourself, unless your enslaved house elves help you with it,"
Scorpius, still mute, rubbed the trays rather harshly, taking out his anger on the metal plate instead. Rose kept staring at him unabashedly, wondering when he would crack.
But before she could taunt him any further, Madam Pomfrey came out of her office.
"Alright boy, you can stop now. Why don't you wash up before you leave," she said nonchalantly as she went back to her office after asking Rose whether she needed anything.
Scorpius, who was being closely watched by Rose, went over to the wash basin behind the curtains. As he finished cleaning up, he heard a couple of gasps, followed by loud footsteps entering into the room.
"Rosie..." he heard a man call out. "Honey, how are you feeling?",
Scorpius, hidden by the curtains, took a peak outside to see who the people were and saw a red headed man and a bushy haired woman standing beside the Weasley's bed.
"Its just a fracture dad, Madam Pomfrey said I can leave tomorrow," she replied weakly as her Dad inspected her hand.
"We were here on Ministry business and we were on our way to your dormitory. Thats when your mother met Hugo and he said you were in the hospital wing," he remarked, while sitting down on Rose's bed.
Rose gulped. If she knew her brother, he must have told them everything that led to her current situation. Everything to the last detail. Slowly, she sneaked a glance at her mother, who as expected, was looking stone faced and cold.
"But what were you doing climbing the trees? I've always warned you about getting hurt," exclaimed her father.
Both Rose and Scorpius wheeled their heads around at the same time, wondering whether they had heard him right.
Rose, confused, looked at her mother who shook her head softly, as though she didn't want Rose to correct her father.
"Yeah..I..It was a bet. I'm sorry Dad. I won't do it again," she replied warily.
Ron shook his head and gave her a kiss on the forehead and left to meet Madam Pomfrey in her office. Rose meanwhile kept silent, not daring to look at her mother, who spoke out the moment her husband left the scene,
"Thank God I bumped into your brother first. If your father knew what really happened, he would have gone straight to the Slytherin dormitory and wrung Scorpius's neck. Worse still, he would have used it as an excuse to hex his father. The next thing we know, this would have turned into a full scale war between the Weasley's and the Malfoy's," she spoke, looking sour.
Scorpius's hand immediately moved to his neck. He gulped as he imagined the Weasley's father wringing it. After making sure that his neck was alright, he strained his ears to hear the conversation between the mother and daughter.
Rose thought it was better to not reply right now and act as innocent as she possibly could,
"Don't pull that look on me Rose. It might work with your father. But not with me. Hugo told me everything that happened. After everything I told you. After all the warnings, you still haven't decided to change your ways,"
"What? You're blaming me? I am the victim here!" she cried, unable to believe that her mother could be so apathetic.
"You may be the victim here. But you are partly responsible for your present condition. What did you expect Scorpius to do when you called his father a coward, just lay back and let it go? If he knocked you off the broom, then you must have provoked him enough to do so," she reprimanded her daughter.
Rose couldn't believe she was hearing this from her own mother, who was supposed to be worried for her safety, instead of siding with their family's enemies..
"Now listen to me Rose. Any more complaints against you, especially concerning Scorpius Malfoy, and you will not be allowed to go to Hogsmeade. I have told Neville to withdraw our permissions and disregard the forms we signed,"
Rose was close to tears again, but just as she was about to retort fiercely, her father came out from Madam Pomfrey's office.
"Brings back old memories this place, doesn't it 'mione," reminisced Ron while looking around dreamily and walking amidst the beds and trays which Scorpius had just cleaned. "Your Uncle Harry probably has the record for making the largest number of visits to this place," he said as he returned to Rose's bed.
The parents stayed for another few minutes after which they got up to leave. Ron kissed his daughter on the cheek and stroked her forehead. Even though Hermione reminded Rose of their previous discussion by giving her a stern admonitory look, Scorpius saw the hurt and concern drawn on her face when Rose returned her hug only half heartedly.
Once the two elders left the room, Scorpius returned to washing himself. He splashed the chilled water onto his chiseled-pointed face and looked into the mirror. Scorpius, despite having been humiliated, punished and exhausted, saw a reflection that looked indescribably triumphant. Any more complaints against you, especially concerning Scorpius Malfoy, and you will not be allowed to go to Hogsmeade he recalled the older woman's words, joyously.
A wicked smile crept across Scorpius's pale-worn out face. All he had to do was provoke her enough to jinx him once and that would be enough for her to get punished. Having to stay back at Hogwarts while all your friends were having fun was not going to be enjoyable for the Weasley brat.
When Scorpius emerged from behind the curtains, he wore a complacent smile."You'll have to be here, same time tomorrow," he heard Madam Pomfrey calling out, from behind.
Rose who was wiping her eyes with her sleeves, looked up abruptly upon hearing Madam Pomfrey's voice, and saw Scorpius walking by. His jubilant expression made her uneasy. Anything that made Scorpius look so happy was not going to bode well for her.
Scorpius, meanwhile, strode passed her as though she was invisible, smiling brightly. You were right Weasley, he thought. Nature does know how to deliver justice.
"I can't believe that old cow decided to have you clean up the hospital wing. Think of all the scums that lay in here,"
The remark was made to Scorpius Malfoy who was wiping the floor clean, but the insult was clearly shot at the red haired witch who was scowling with each word the tall, blond Slytherin spoke.
The petite figure walked around the hospital wing averting her eyes from the area surrounding Rose's bed before returning back to Scorpius who was done with the floor and turned to her to reply.
"Yeah. Tell me about it. But the infirmary isn't always this dirty Mel. It just peaks in filth with certain specific visits by certain 'specific' patients," replied Scorpius and gave Rose Weasley a long piercing stare which Rose decided to return undauntedly without blinking.
The bitter rivals stared at each other defiantly for several minutes. Scorpius was the first to tear away his gaze. He then went over to his girlfriend's side.
"My poor Scorpy," moaned Melanie as she stroked Scorpius's ruffled up blond hair. Rose couldn't help but start retching in the background.
Scorpius moved closer to Melanie and within moments, to Rose's disgust, unfolded a full snog fest right in front of her.
The only reason Scorpius was maintaining this snogging tryst longer than usual was because he knew it would annoy the Weasley. He opened one of his eyes, in between, to sneak a glance at the redhead and saw that her face matched her hair's crimson.
Rose wanted nothing more than to hex the two knuckleheads in front of her. Just when the moaning became unbearable to listen to, Rose was struck with an idea.
"Madam Pomfrey, could you come out here please!" yelled Rose at the top of her lungs.
Scorpius and Melanie tore apart upon as soon as Rose started screaming. Madam Pomfrey came running to the room panicking.
"What is it my child? What happened? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Its just that I accidentally hit my fractured hands on the bedside table. I was trying to get some water. I tried asking Scorpius here to get it, but he was too busy snogging his girlfriend,"
The maelstrom that followed was loud and mixed in a sea of insults and defenses hurtled across the room with Madam Pomfrey and Rose on one end and Scorpius and Melanie on the other side. In the end, Scorpius managed to earn another day's detention and Melanie was asked, not to visit Scorpius, during his time in detention again.
Once both Madam Pomfrey and Melanie left, Scorpius turned to face Rose who was looking calm and was perched on her bed, as though nothing significant had happened.
"Yes? You intend to say something Scorpius?" asked Rose, faking an innocent concern.
Scorpius gritted his teeth and braced himself for a long reply-
"I understand what your problem is Weasley. You're just jealous. You're never going to be as pretty as the girl that just walked out of here.You'll never be as graceful as her or any other girl in this school. And so you have to resort to 'hexes' and 'pranks' to attract the attention of all the boys. You maybe popular amongst your Gryffindors because of that. But do you think any of the guys will ever look at you the way they look at Mel or any other normal girl for that matter. I'm not going to get angry and hex you right now coz I pity you. I pity you for what you have to do to get a guy to look at you..."
Scorpius was expecting the brat to shoot a spell at him any instant, which had been his primary intention. But to Scorpius's luck, Madam Pomfrey reappeared and told him that he was done for the day. Scorpius, cursing his luck, dragged himself out of the room, hoping to get back at the Weasley some time soon.
Rose was staring at the spot where Scorpius had stood a while back. Her vision was getting blurry and this time, it wasn't due to the sedatives that Madam Pomfrey had given her, but the large blobs of tears that had formed around her eyes.
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