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Tut Tut. I didn't get 10 reviews.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 27

Albus could tell that Scorpius was trying to drag out packing Albus' suitcase as long as he could. It was a pretty pathetic excuse to be late for dinner to avoid being mutilated by Rose Weasley.

"You know, getting there early is rather wiser if you wish to avoid her very strong hands," Albus said, smirking at Scorpius who was folding a travelling cloak for the third time.

"I'm not avoiding anything Albus, I'm trying to help you pack," he replied simply. Laying the final article in the trunk, and Albus noting that his desk was covered in various sweets and magazines, dragged his trunk over to his desk and knocked everything from it inside his trunk, much to Scorpius' dismay.

"Let's go then," Albus looked at the clock in the room: 5:18. "And it's pie for dinner and treacle tart for dessert," he continued with a grin.

Scorpius winced slightly, "you sure there isn't anything left to pack?"

Albus shrugged seeing Scorpius squirm momentarily, "it's not like it matters, we are coming back in a couple of weeks anyway. It won't be the end of the world if I forget a sock or something."

He moved towards the door and Scorpius followed after him slowly.

"Get ready to meet your doom," Albus said under his breath, though Scorpius still heard him, and kicked him in the backside, making Albus stumble halfway down the stairs.

XxX Rose XxX

Rose had stayed in her room after leaving Emma and Lorcan, slowly folding and categorizing her things. Sifting through her thoughts and actually accepting them.

It wasn't long after that Chi and Marianne entered the room to do the same before dinner.

"You're looking quite flustered Rose, anything wrong?" Chi asked with a sly grin on her face, Marianne mimicking hers.

"What do you know?" Rose asked with a sigh, burying her head in her hands as she prepared for the worse.

"Actually, nothing really," Chi replied.

"However, myself and Carina are especially ecstatic to know that this fairytale romance is finally coming to fruition. Some of the others saw your dad and Scorpius talking, and we've decided it looks quite promising, even if your dad looked like he wanted to strangle something."

Rose rolled her eyes, "I'm not surprised, just please, control yourself. I think I actually may have destroyed this whole situation, you see I wrote a letter-,"

"To Scorpius?" Marianne exclaimed, jumping animatedly onto Rose's bed who sighed again.

"No, to Victoire, but then I lost the letter, and I think that Scorpius might have it, considering he's the only person I saw after I had tucked it into my skirt and before I came back in here. And that's why it's a mess." She said rushing.

"What did you write in the letter?" Chi asked.

"I asked her, well," Rose pulled a hand through the side of her hair and breathed deeply, "I asked her what it felt like when you love someone."

"Shouldn't you know that, considering?" Marianne asked, but stopped at Rose's glare.

"Scorpius isn't the type of person to open another person's letter, anyway Rose," Chi said simply, "he's far too respectful to do that."

Rose pursed her lips and then nodded. "I suppose you're right about that."

"What's led you to this, anyway Rose?" Chi asked, taking a seat next to Marianne on the bed, Rose sitting on the floor by her trunk.

"Well Albus and Lorcan are back now, as you know." Rose said and the girls nodded. "Well we were just having a conversation and then Albus propositioned me, about whether I was... in love with Scorpius."

Marianne sucked in a breath and pushed her blonde hair from her face, "he doesn't know how to not be blunt, does he?"

Rose chuckled softly, looking at her fingers as she twisted them. "It sort of threw me, you know? How can I say that to Albus, when I haven't even spoken to Scorpius. And then he was just there looking at me, and when he came back after, he acted so casual about it, when I was going insane."

"Maybe that's a good sign," Chi said, "you are holding onto all the crazy, and he can just relax about it."

Marianne nodded in agreement, "if he was casual about it, and you had left him with Albus, maybe he knows something you don't? Maybe he sorted Albus out for you, is he still against this whole thing?" she asked with a frown.

Rose made a small smile, "I don't think he is as much anymore, he wouldn't have just gone and asked me that, and he said he didn't want to be in charge of our lives."

Chi and Marianne both grinned, "well that sounds like a good thing." Marianne said.

"Sure you haven't seen any trouble ahead in your crystal ball?" Rose asked Chi, who smiled and shook her head.

"I've been spending my time with Dino, and away from the crystal gazing, sorry."

Rose sighed and shrugged, taking a glance at the dorm's ornate clock: 4:45.

"You two want help packing?" she asked, getting up from her seated position and closing her trunk.

"Well, that would–," Marianne didn't get to finish as the door was bashed open, Carina stumbled inside, her face red and a grin on her face.

"What happened to you?" Marianne exclaimed as Carina crashed onto the bed next to Chi and Marianne. Rose looked surprised and sat across from them all, sitting on Zelda's bed.

"Ladies, I think it's happened. I just came from the Owlery and Selena literally ran in, spouting about just coming from the Gryffindor Common Room where Albus and Scorpius were talking rather loudly." She said hurriedly, and Rose groaned. "Don't you want to hear it Rose?" Carina asked with a pout.

Rose shook her head, "not really."

Marianne gasped, "it's probably very interesting information, Rose."

"It's probably very private information as well, during a private conversation that Selena rudely listened in on." Rose replied, nodding her head knowingly.

"Actually, Albus practically shouted it, do you really not want to know? Are you that considerate about Scorpius' feelings, when they very well may involve you?" Carina asked, shock colouring her eyes.

"Yes," Rose replied, though quite reluctantly.

Marianne gasped again in protest, "well I want to know, goodness Rose."

Rose groaned, but before she could say any more, Carina had started up again.

"Albus exclaimed that Scorpius was in love with his cousin," she said excitedly, looking at Chi and Marianne, who had broken into grins.

"What did Scorpius say?" Chi asked.

Carina paused in thought, "well nothing."

"Did it even cross your mind that he could have meant someone else? Roxanne, maybe?" Rose spoke up, her face extremely passive.

"Well, you're rather optimistic today Rosie," Marianne replied sardonically, a look of surprise on her face.

Rose sent her a glare, "I won't accept fourth hand information, thank you very much." She said with finality, standing up and straightening her uniform.

"But Rose," Chi started.

"No, I'm not going to listen to any of you. I'm going down to the Great Hall for dinner, you're more than welcome to join me. But no talking about this," she said sternly.

"But Rose," Carina tried.

"No buts, stop being so persistent." She replied, moving towards the door and opening it.

There were a chorus of sighs and Chi followed after her, but the other girls held back slightly.

"Well?" Chi asked them both.

Carina and Marianne conversed quickly, and both nodded. They also got up and walked out of the door and down the stairs with Chi and Rose.

"We're only coming because we want to see what you do," Marianne said to Rose with a smirk.

"I'm not going to do anything," she replied easily, walking through the common room, opening the door and making her descent down the spiral staircase.

The girls were whispering behind her, and she sighed.

XxX

The Great Hall was quite empty as it had only just gone 5 O'clock.

Rose took a seat on the Ravenclaw table, pouring herself a glass of pumpkin juice while waiting for the dinner to appear in front of them. Chi took a seat beside her and Carina and Marianne sat across from them.

"Are you seriously not going to do anything?" Carina asked, stretching across the table with a frown.

"Yes, just leave it alone, or I'll move," Rose replied, sipping at her glass and putting it down.

Carina pouted and grabbed at the jug.

Marianne rolled her eyes and sat straighter, "doing anything for Christmas, Rose?" she asked quite innocently.

"I suppose just going from one family member's house to another, like usual. We might take a trip to my Aunt and Uncles cottage in Tinworth, but that's about it." She replied, finishing her juice and checking the clock at the end of the hall: 5:15. Soon after, the dinner appeared on the tables – a selection of meat and vegetarian pies.

"Oh, so will Scorpius be there?" Marianne said, a sly look evident in her eyes.

Rose pursed her lips and took her pick of a Steak and Kidney pie. "I suppose he may visit Albus at his house. Scorpius doesn't often come to my house, considering we weren't friends and my father doesn't like him."

"New tradition then Rose?" Marianne asked.

"You do like to push me, don't you Marianne?" she replied, cutting into her pie and taking a bite. It was extremely hot, which caused Rose to go red, her eyes to water and her to try using various methods to cool her mouth.

The girls giggled between themselves, taking their own pies and blowing on their forks before putting the food into their mouths.

"Did you get distracted there Rose?" Carina asked with a grin.

"Yes, by your annoying questions obviously," she said, speaking past the hot food, as her face reduced in heat and she roughly swallowed the hot mouthful.

"They aren't annoying, you love the attention," Marianne said with a wink.

Chi laughed, and spooned some vegetables into her mouth, "At least it's you and not me, they were practically begging me to look into the future, like I can even do that." Chi gave the two girls a stern look and they looked defeated.

"You could probably make a very good guess," Carina muttered, which made Chi laugh.

"How was your dad and Scorpius this morning anyway?" Marianne started, "his face didn't look exactly amused."

Rose made a small laugh and put another load of pie in her mouth, "It was amusing to say the least, my dad really dislikes him. Scorpius would attempt light-hearted humour, and my dad would just get angry. Then he probably made the worst hiccup in history by being sarcastic to him. My dad went completely red, and would have killed us both if given the chance."

They had all sat up, "what did he say?" Chi asked eagerly.

"Well," Rose began, a smile on her face at the thought of recollecting the situation. She was distracted however by a loud noise, which happened to be coming from the large doors.

She turned quickly, as did the majority of the students in the room, to see Albus laughing with a moody looking Scorpius at his side.

A lot of the students noticing Albus' appearance, bounded over to them both, asking where he had been. Albus was laughing away as he was led by a sea of people towards the Gryffindor table, sending a glance Rose's way.

Rose looked back at her food, and began to silently eat.

"Rose?" Carina asked cautiously, "aren't you going to finish?"

She looked up, a surprised look on her face, "what?" she asked distantly.

"Well what did Scorpius say?" Marianne asked, a lift in her eyebrow.

"Oh," Rose muttered, she shook her head quickly, "it doesn't matter, are you finished?" she asked quickly, finishing her pie and placing her cutlery in the plate.

The three girls shook their heads, worry on their faces.

"What about dessert?" Chi asked.

Rose laughed slightly, "you're beginning to sound like my family members," she wiped her mouth with a napkin and got up from the bench, again straightening her skirt before moving towards the doors.

"Hey Rose!" she heard as she reached the door, she turned to see Albus ushering her over to the very congested part of the Gryffindor table.

Her lips pursed as he sent her a genuine smile and she began towards the door again, before another voice piped up.

Scorpius.

She turned reluctantly and walked towards the table, there were intakes of breath which slightly confused her.

Some of the Gryffindors moved down to make space for her as she sat across from Albus and next to her brother, who was digging into his pies. Plural. Rose smiled briefly at Scorpius who was sitting next to Albus, and who hadn't touched the food in front of him.

"I see everyone is glad to see you're back," Rose started, as Albus took a bite of his dinner, and he nodded enthusiastically.

"I know. You just faltered at the door there, didn't want to see me?" Albus asked, his mouth half full.

Rose gulped uneasily and shook her head, "I'm quite busy, I have to pack and..."

Albus burst out laughing, "pack?" he exclaimed, "I know for certain you've been packed for days, you can't trick me Rose."

She gave him a shrewd look before looking over to the Ravenclaw table where Marianne, Carina and Chi were looking at her eagerly.

"Manage to talk to your cousin then, Rose?" Scorpius asked, stock still, his dinner still untouched.

Rose nodded, though didn't look at him, just stared down at her brother's plate.

"You can't have any by the way," Hugo said to her, thinking that her looking was because she wanted some. "This is the first time we've had pie in weeks!"

"I don't want any Hugo, don't worry," she replied, sighing. "What did you want Albus? I'm only here because you asked me to be."

Albus swallowed and nodded, "I wanted to apologize, for what I said earlier. It was a bit... forthright."

Rose quickly glanced at Scorpius who had paled, "it doesn't matter," she spoke up, "I should be used to it anyway." Rose began to get up, pushing her hair from her face as she did so. "I'll see you two at the carriages," she said with a wry smile.

"You're not going to stay? What about McGonagall's speech?" Scorpius asked, licking at his lips, and rubbing at his neck.

She blinked, and took a quick look at the teachers table which was mostly full. "Well, I didn't think to," she replied.

"Stay," he pleaded, a strange look in his eye.

Rose looked at Scorpius again and thought hard.

"It's treacle tart for dessert," Albus said excitedly.

She couldn't help laughing at Albus' tone, and making another sigh, sat back down. "You should really eat that before it gets cold," she stated to Scorpius, who was smiling.

Scorpius didn't reply, he just dug into his food in a similar fashion to Albus and Hugo, which worried Rose slightly.

"Why is he eating like that?" she mouthed to Albus, who laughed joyfully.

"Where are your manners Scorpius?" Albus said as Scorpius forked another mouthful of food into his mouth. He sat up quickly, slowing his pace, and going back to eating respectfully with his knife and fork.

Rose sat watching him, laughter coming from her without her input.

Albus watched the gleam in her eye as she watched Scorpius eat, his every motion precise, which made her laugh harder. Especially as he surreptitiously began to cut the ends off his broccoli, and only eat the bushy end.

"You're a strange eater Mr Malfoy," Rose chimed in.

Scorpius swallowed and sent her an accusing look, "I am not, I eat perfectly well."

Rose shook her head, a grin on her face, "if I had had the honour of noticing how you eat before today, I would have told you how ridiculously you eat. It's quite shocking."

Hugo was rolling his eyes, "please, go be all flirty somewhere else," he said, spooning peas into his mouth.

His sister raised her eyebrows in surprise as Albus laughed, "I tell him all the time anyway Rose. You should see my mum and dad when he eats around the table. They try not to laugh, and then it takes him ages because he cuts the chicken off the bone with his knife and fork instead of just picking it up."

Scorpius had a hurt look on his face, "that's bad manners, I'm sorry if my eating is too civilised for the Potters and the Weasley's."

Hugo pocked his tongue out at him, and Rose nudged him playfully. "Now that's not how a 14 year old should behave," she chided.

Her brother rolled his eyes, "sorry for defending the family name. You act like it won't be yours for long," he said, the meaning clear.

Rose gaped at him, before shaking her head, making her hair move in ripples. "Mum told me what you did, I'm not amused in the slightest."

Hugo gulped some of his juice and laughed, "like I don't do it all the time. Plus, her and dad have to know what you get up to at school." He said, sending Scorpius a look.

"Well lucky for me she doesn't show them to dad," Rose replied with a grin.

The food began to disappear and be replaced by the dessert, which Rose's surrounding relatives grabbed eagerly at. She took a slice of tart herself, and covered it in cream.

"I'll be sure to forward them straight to dad then," Hugo said, and then stuffed his spoon into his mouth.

Rose rolled her eyes, "maybe," she said, taking a bite of her tart. "However, you never know what could happen to ole Enoch, now do you?"

"You're not going to do anything to my owl, empty threats Rose," Hugo replied, his mouth full.

"You never know what your sister could be capable of Hugo, I think you should be careful," Scorpius said, and took a bite of his tart.

Hugo coughed out a laugh and shook his head, "she's sure capable of that black eye you have there."

This made Albus laugh mid chew, "yeah, what are your parents going to say about that?"

Rose was glowering, and silently eating, she muttered a "sorry" directed at Scorpius.

Scorpius brushed it off with a simple shrug and a smile, "don't worry about that, I'm sure there are plenty of ways to cover up a black eye, isn't there Rose?"

She looked up quickly, seeing the grin on Scorpius' face. "I suppose there are, concealer could work, though I don't know where you would get that from."

"So you'd wear girl's make-up?" Albus asked, hiding the laugh that would inevitably escape his lips.

"Only options Albus, do you have to make fun of everything?" he asked tiredly.

"Yes actually, it's therapeutic," Albus replied.

Scorpius grimaced, "well it's either I wear make-up, or be ridiculed by my parents, and most likely –,"

"Flogged?" Albus suggested.

He gave him a stern look, "my parents do not flog me. Actually I'd most likely be –,"

"Thrashed?" Rose chimed in.

Rose and Albus both laughed at Scorpius' annoyed expression, and he attempted to continue. "Really? Can I finish now?" he asked, and received nods, as Rose and Albus were holding in their laughs. "I'd most likely be –,"

"Flayed?" Hugo finished for him.

All three burst out laughing, and Scorpius went slightly red.

"Fine, that's it, I'm going to the library," he started, standing up, "where do you think my parents are from? Victorian England?"

"Oh come on Scorp, it was only a joke," Rose said with a warm smile, the use of his nickname convinced Scorpius to sit back down, however he was still grumpy.

Albus had a grin on his face, "yeah, we know you don't get flogged, thrashed or flayed. You only get chased around the house with a rolled up copy of the Prophet," Albus said simply, taking a final bite of his treacle tart.

Scorpius was startled by this, and gave both Rose and Albus a suspicious look, "did you tell him that?"

Rose put her hands up defensively, "of course I didn't, I can keep a secret," she replied abrasively.

"Then how did you know?" he asked Albus.

Albus started to laugh again, remembrance gleaming in his eye. "I came to yours during the summer and your mum answered the door and told me you couldn't come out with me at the moment, because your dad was too busy chasing you around the house with his newspaper because you called him bald."

"My mother really doesn't know how to keep things quiet," Scorpius said with a sigh, "now Hugo knows."

"Perfect material, really," Hugo said with a grin, "my dad will love to hear this."

Rose gave her brother a look, "you do that and I'll make you grow leeks out of your ears, and stick that tongue of yours to the roof of your mouth."

This made Albus laugh again, and he slammed his hands on the table, making Scorpius jump and then grimace.

"This dinner seems to have made a mockery out of me," Scorpius stated, shaking his head.

"You're such a ponce, Scorpius," Albus said simply.

Scorpius sent him a glare.

"That's not very nice Albus, you don't see anyone calling you a git out loud now do you?" Rose said with a self-explanatory nod.

"Yes," Scorpius said nodding, and then realised what he was nodding to, "wait, are you calling me a ponce too? Just because I like to dress nicely and –,"

Rose rolled her eyes, making Scorpius stop.

Albus pushed up his chest, "that's because I'm not. He's the slick git, common knowledge really."

"Excuse me, but how am I a slick git?" Scorpius shouted back, looking as if he had taken that as a deep insult.

"Well you look like one for starters," Albus replied.

Scorpius grimaced, "If I look like a slick git, then what do you look like?"

"A man, thank you very much," Albus said.

Scorpius laughed, at him, "oh really, you have the arms of a chicken and couldn't grow a beard if you even tried!"

"Chickens don't have arms! And I could, actually! I just enjoy comfort over having one hundred percent manly good looks. I'm sorry if you are jealous because you have skin like a baby's."

"You wish, you look 10 years old, you're like 5ft!" Scorpius replied, a smirk on his fine features.

Albus scowled, "I'm not 5ft! I'm taller than Rose and she's 5ft1!"

"What? By like two centimetres," Scorpius said with an eye roll.

"No actually, see, this is how you're a git, and a... a wanker!"

Scorpius feigned injury, gripping his heart, "oh you've wounded me Albus, how can I go on now that you think of me like this? I've heard it a thousand times! Prat," Scorpius finished.

Rose took this chance to stand up and back away slowly, a smile on her face. "Bye," she said and began walking away.

"Bye Rose," Albus said quickly, sending Scorpius a pompous look. "Well you're a twat!"

Scorpius smirked, opening his mouth to send another insult at his best friend, before he realised that Rose was leaving, and had already reached the door. "Wait, Rose?" he called after her, she turned quickly, sent him a smile and exited.

"Gonna go after her? Loser," Albus said, sending Scorpius an annoyed look.

"No actually," Scorpius replied, stretching his arms behind his head, a smirk on his lips.

Albus' eyebrow rose and he leaned forward slightly, "why? You've chased after her on numerous occasions, why not now?"

Scorpius shrugged, "I wanted to spend time with my best friend obviously," he replied with ease, however Albus could see right through him.

"You're a nervous wreck!" he shouted laughing, attracting attention from most people in a 5 metre radius. Including the majority of his family members, who glared at him.

"I'm not," Scorpius replied, pushing his knife and fork into the middle of his plate, and carefully wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I'm perfectly calm, unlike you who is shouting to the high heavens. Merlin Al, you can't keep quiet for 5 minutes can you? I bet those girls who ran out when you had your episode in the Common Room told everyone about what you said, and –."

Albus' mouth opened with realisation and he grinned, "that's why! You're scared she knows what I said and if you question her about it, she might laugh at you!" he exclaimed, and Scorpius recoiled.

"Could you stop shouting?" he said under his breath, giving Albus a menacing look.

The green eyed boy smirked and crossed his arms, "then go after her."

Hugo was trying as hard as he could to ignore them both, though it was getting increasingly hard to when they were talking about his sister. He wasn't amused. "You don't go Scorpius, and I might just strangle you both right now," he said seriously, sending them both deathly glares.

"Touchy aren't we?" Albus commented, swallowing some pumpkin juice, "well go then Scorpius, times-a-wasting."

Scorpius frowned, reluctant to do so, but he did get up and walked toward the doors, opening them swiftly and exiting. He turned to the left and stopped abruptly when he saw Rose sitting on a bench, her head in her lap and breathing steadily.

"Uh Rose?" he said, stepping closer to her.

She quickly looked up, blinked and then smiled, "oh, yes," she replied.

"What are you doing?" he asked cautiously.

"Just thinking," she said smiling up at him, "it is quite loud in there."

"Hmm," he murmured, and took a seat next to her.

Rose turned to face him, "had enough of throwing insults at Al, then?"

Scorpius leaned his head against the wall, closed his eyes and nodded, "yeah, it does get a bit ridiculous sometimes."

"Who won?" she asked, watching as his eyes moved under his lids.

"Me, naturally," he replied, a smile reaching his lips and they turned up slightly.

"Oh really? You didn't just give up? Because I know Al can last a while," she said with a grin.

Scorpius shook his head, "he actually told me to leave."

Rose sat up, turning fully to Scorpius, "really? And why was that?"

"Well, he is rather loud as you know," Scorpius stated.

She was waiting for a continuation which did not come. "Yes?" she asked, a frown on her face.

"That's it, he's really loud. I say something, and next thing you know he's shouting in the middle of the Common Room that I have a crush on Moaning Myrtle, when all I said was that I spoke to her." He said sighing.

Rose straightened herself up, "so he exaggerates things, you could say?"

Scorpius nodded, "then I have to tell everyone that no, I am not going on a date with Myrtle in the second floor girls toilets. It's like he isn't aware that he is in a public place."

She didn't reply, just turned away from him and stayed silent, looking at her fingers.

"Rose?" he said, leaning forward and opening his eyes. "What?"

"Oh nothing," she replied, trying to hold back the frown on her face, "I was just thinking about something, but it doesn't matter now. Don't worry about me though, I don't believe hearsay anyway." Rose gave him a weak smile and stood up, reflexively straightening her skirt.

Scorpius was confused, especially as he watched as Rose gave him a final goodbye smile and walked away and up the stairs. He thought again about what he was saying and realised his fault. He knew she had heard about what Albus had said. And as he had just said that what Albus says, is an exaggeration of the truth, and mostly not true at all. He had therefore implied that his feelings towards Rose were nowhere near love.

He got up sharply, rushing after her, but he couldn't even hear her footsteps anymore.

Then he stopped abruptly realising what this meant. If she was hurt thinking that he didn't love her, it meant that she most likely loved him.

WOO. This is like the second to last chappy! :D

I'm thinking about a sequel of some sorts. How about that? Hmmm. I shall ponder.