Chapter 6
It was my second day on the job, and I was handling all of the easy drinks because I had no idea how to make anything but a Butterbeer. In the emptier times of the day – like right now – Rixon would show me how to make some of the drinks, but I didn't really know why he was teaching me because I would only have this job for a week and a half. Even so, I watched him make his drinks with a flourish and tried to replicate them myself, skipping all of the fancy bottle-tossing and glass spinning.
I took a sip of the Firewhisky I had just made, wincing at the burn. Rixon smirked. "Not good with alcohol?"
"I don't drink that often."
"Is it good?"
"I guess."
"Let's have a taste." I held the pitcher out, but instead he pressed his lips to mine. He placed a hand on either side of my waist, forcing me against the table, my lower back painfully hitting the wood. I tried to pull my face away from him, but he moved his head with mine, like a snake. I pressed both of my hands against his chest, pushing him away, but he was too strong. I couldn't do anything. I was stuck in the same position as I always was – the little girl frozen under the table as her family were tortured and killed. The little girl who did nothing.
Rixon moved his hand under my shirt, and I couldn't stop him. I let it happen, just like I let everything happen. He was a man, he was stronger, I was too weak, where was my wand? My hands were glued to my side. I wouldn't be able to reach for it if I wanted to.
"Don't cry," Rixon said. I just cried harder. His fingers began prying open my top, his hand pushing away my bra to get to my breasts. I could have punched him, but all I was thinking about were Hugo's screams. I never told anyone what happened. I couldn't relive it. Nobody assumed they were tortured because nobody wanted to believe it.
"What the bloody hell?" Rixon moved away from me when someone entered the bar. "What the fuck are you doing?" The voice shouted. My legs shook and I slid to the floor.
"It's not what you think, mate," Rixon said in a measured tone. I held back a sob.
I could hear the sound of footsteps coming closer and I curled up even tighter, my arms wrapped around my knees, head resting on my legs.
"Rose?" The voice said in surprise. I looked up. Malfoy.
Malfoy turned to Rixon. "What did you do to her?" I wasn't a question.
"She needed money, and I was prepared to give it to her," Rixon said smoothly. He dropped some galleons at my feet and I shrunk away from them. The tourtured screams of Hugo filled my ears. I heard a scuffle but all I could see were some sets of legs from where I was hidden under the dining table. They moved towards the centre of the room, laughing and jeering. They slapped Mum, they pulled her hair, they killed Dad when he tried to stop them. She screamed as they tortured Hugo. I couldn't avert my gaze. He was so small. Then he dropped to the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
"Rose?" Scorpius said gently. He knelt beside me, pulling his hoodie off. "Will you put this on for me, Rose?" I looked into his eyes. He repeated his words and it took me a number of mental-repititions to let go of my legs and allow Scorpius to pull the jumper over my shoulders. I didn't care if I flashed him.
Rixon lay on the floor. "Is he dead?" I said.
"You think I could kill someone?" Scorpius joked. "I just stunned him." I nodded. Blood pooled from Rixon's mouth.
Gladly, Scorpius didn't ask me if I was okay. He pressed me close to his body, holding me as soon as we had left the inn. He rocked us both, humming an unfamiliar tune. He pulled the hood over my head, wiping the tears away with the pad of his thumb.
My legs were leaden. Scorpius resorted to picking me up, my head nuzzled in his neck and my feet dangling inches above the floor. I kept my eyes screwed shut.
We were back in the bar. I shot my head up, the sound of tinkling laughter and and glasses chiming invading my ears.
"Relax," Scorpius whispered. "We're in the Leaky Cauldron." He pressed my head back into his neck. We travelled up some stairs and then we were in a small room. Scorpius sat me on the single bed in the corner. "Do you want to stay here tonight?" I pressed the heel of my hands into my eyes, nodding. My eyes were slick with tears.
Scorpius knelt in front of me, placing a hand on my knee. "Please look at me, Rose." The sound of my name just made me cry harder.
Deftly, Scorpius pulled my hood down and ran his hands through my hair, trying to make me calm down. He moved my hands away from my eyes.
His face. His eye was turning green and his lip was swelling. "You're hurt," I said.
He smiled slightly. "Don't worry about me. Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked. I instantly shook my head. "Did he – what did he do?" Scorpius averted his gaze. "Did he take advantage of you?"
"I – not in the way you're thinking. He just…" That was right. He just touched my boobs. Since when was I so emotional?
"Whatever he did, we could tell someone."
"No." It was my fault. I could have pushed him away. I was too weak.
"Okay," Scorpius whispered.
"I-where's my wand?" Scorpius pulled it out from his pocket, handing it to me.
"You were holding it but I don't think you realised." I nodded.
I held Scorpius' chin between my fingers. "Are you okay with me fixing your face?" Scorpius smirked, looking straight into my eyes. He was sitting between my legs so I had a better hold on him, but it just made things increasingly awkward.
"Stop doing that," I said, dropping his chin.
"Doing what?"
"Watching me like that. I can't concentrate."
"It's not my fault that you're so beautiful."
This was the point when I was supposed to say something cocky, like, 'I guess not,' but I was too flabbergasted. My cheeks flushed and I rolled my eyes. I was a mess – I was a teary teenager, and for some reason Scorpius decided to compliment me when I was probably going to start crying again. "Arsehole," I muttered, grabbing his chin between my fingers. I was about to cast the spell when Scorpius stopped me.
"You'll be expelled if you use your wand out of school." I dropped his face, sighing.
"And you didn't remind me earlier because…"
"I liked sitting between your legs." I groaned, throwing my head back. Such a sixteen-year-old-guy thing to say.
"Do you want to shower?" He asked randomly. I nodded, and he moved away from me, delving into his drawers. I wanted to pull him back, but I knew things would just get more awkward if I did.
Scorpius handed me a towel and some clothes. "I don't-" a blush lit his face. "I don't know if you want me to go into your room to get a bra or something?" It was surprising how cute he looked, even with all of the bruises (which he had sustained for me).
I shook my head. "I'm alright, thanks." We both stood in the same place for a moment, unsure what to do until Scorpius pointed to the bathroom door. I nodded and walked through.
Once I had washed away the feeling of Rixon's hands, I walked out of the bathroom, Scorpius' trousers hanging low on my hips, his white shirt revealing my black bra.
"Scorpius?"
"Yeah?" he said, trying to imitate my tone. I slapped his arm, sitting beside him on the bed.
"Why are you still in Diagon Alley?" When my answer was silence, I started rambling. "I mean, you don't have to answer. Don't if you don't want to. It's none of my business. Sorry for asking. I-" Scorpius put a finger to my lips.
"My mum and dad have been fighting a lot ever since she cheated. I just left them to sort out their issues."
I was dumbstruck. "Sorry. I shouldn't've asked."
"Don't worry about it." We sat in a calming silence. Scorpius asked, "What are you doing here?"
"You invited me into this room and I accepted?" Scorpius laughed. "I got chucked out," I said.
He looked at me, eyes boring into mine. "Why didn't you leave with Harry Potter?"
"Do you need to say his whole name?"
"I dunno. It has quite a ring to it." I smiled, laying back on the bed.
"Me and my aunt don't see eye-to-eye."
"Why not?" Scorpius asked.
I lay there, biting my lower lip. "It doesn't matter," I said. Scorpius had done a lot for me, but I didn't know him that well. I didn't plan on spilling my life story to him. I decided to avert the attention away from me.
"You look hot with the bruises and all. I would have kissed you, but unfortunately you busted your lip."
"How courteous of you," Scorpius grinned. "But please don't be put off by the swollen lip. Only a war scar."
"Is that so, Mister Malfoy?" I giggled at his tone, staring up at the ceiling. He lay down beside me, faced me, tucked a strand of wet hair behind my ear. I turned towards him.
His lips skimmed over my cheek, pressing against the corner of mine. I wanted to grab him and forcefully kiss him, damned be his bruised lip, but at the same time, I didn't want to hurt him. He pressed his lips gently on mine, his long fingers caressing my cheeks, my hand resting on his shoulder. I pried open his lips and we were full-out snogging.
He rolled us over so he was sitting over me, straddling my hips, but all I could think about was Rixon. I opened my eyes, trying to focus on Scorpius, but the images were the same.
"Stop," I said, pushing Scorpius away by the shoulders. He moved his lips off of mine, looking at me questioningly, but I shoved his body away from mine. He rolled onto the bed and I stood up, walking to the other side of the room, pacing.
"I was going too fast, wasn't I?" Scorpius stood up and walked towards me. "I'm sorry." Scorpius wrapped his arms around me, but I squirmed out of his grip.
"Just give me a minute," I breathed, and Scorpius seemed to finally understand. He stood a metre away from me, eyes full of pain, while I shook off the feeling of Rixon.
A/N So some dark things in this chapter. Just remember that even though Rose blames herself for what happened, if anyone is taken advantage of, then it's not their fault.
Anyway, how did you like it? Sorry for the late update, which is annoying because I had forgotten that this chapter was pre-written and ready for posting. My bad. :/
Ausilin xxx