AN: Shorter chapter. Hi.

CHAPTER THREE
Emotions

Rose was sitting at breakfast the next morning, buttering a piece of toast as Jessica chatted about something unimportant. Albus suddenly dropped into the empty seat next to Rose, out of breath and looking excited about something.

"What's up, Al?" Rose said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Didn't you hear?" he whispered, eyes wide and serious.

"Apparently not," said Jessica, looking curious.

Albus looked around secretly, then beckoned them closer. Rose and Jessica exchanged amused glances and then leaned forward.

"Apparenly, Jim Hawkins was attacked late last night!"

Rose got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She leaned away from Albus, her eyes betraying her as she looked in Scorpius's direction. He was surrounded by his usual group of friends, with the exception of Hawkins.

"How?" she asked in a small voice, not wanting to know the answer.

"No one knows. But he got it hard. They can't stop him from puking up blood."

Rose went pale. Scorpius looked up and met her eyes, then looked away casually.

"Does Hawkins know who did it?" asked Jessica.

"Probably. But, like I said, they can't get him to stop chucking up blood long enough for him to talk. They had to sedate him so he wouldn't lose all of it."

Rose stared at Scorpius with shock. She suddenly grabbed her bag and ran from the Great Hall, not looking back once.

Scorpius looked to where his friend Aspen Wolfe was pointing and forced a smirk on his face as he watched Rose bolt from the room, eyes wide with fright. He felt guilt flood through him as he realized it was because of what he did to Hawkins.

He excused himself, using the excuse that he had left his Charms Homework in the common room and calmly walked after her.

He found her in the courtyard, sitting on one of the benches found at various points. He casually walked over to her and sat down.

"Why'd you do it, Malfoy?" she asked, attempting to put the disgust for him in her voice, but failing miserably as her lower lip trembled.

Scorpius lowered his gaze from hers, staring guiltily at his pale hands.

"You were there for me - " he began.

"It's different when you're the cause of it, Malfoy!" she cried, turning her body away from him, the tears she had blocked steadily rolling down her cheeks. "Hawkins is puking up blood, blood, Malfoy!"

Scorpius glared at her. "Did it ever cross your mind that I did it for you?"

She turned to look at him sharply, eyes wide with disbelief. "I can take care of myself!"

"Can you, Rose?" he asked, dark eyes burning into hers. Rose forced herself to stare straight back, no matter how much she wanted to look away.

"Yes I can!" she hissed, gathering her bag and standing up. As she was walking away he got to his feet.

"Why do you keep running away from me?" he shouted. "You did last night too!" The few people gathered in the courtyard looked their way. Rose felt herself begin to grow red with humiliation as she felt the stares of her peers on them.

"Running from you?" she snarled, not turning around. She noticed James, Lily, and her brother Hugo among the crowd watching them. She spun around to face him, her face etched with fury as she looked at his smirking face. Trembling with anger she pointed her finger at him as she walked back towards him, her face a mask of absolute rage. "You - you - you arrogant, loathsome, self-centered, egotistical JERK! To think I felt sorry for you! That I comforted you! The whole time all you cared about was yourself! You filthy pureblood!"

Scorpius glared at her, the two of them almost nose-to-nose now. Rose jabbed him in the chest with her finger, eyes narrowed in disgust. "You were stringing me along, weren't you? Thought it funny to mess with Rose Weasley's emotions! Some sick joke between you and your little Slytherin buddies!"

"Last night was no joke, Weasley!"

"To think I believed Hawkins meant it when he said you fancied me!" she shouted, getting gasps from the crowd. Scorpius stumbled back in surprise.

"He said what?"

"You heard me, Malfoy!"

Scorpius only stared at her, and Rose stopped shouting curses to his mother as she watched his struck appearance. The hatred and anger had vanished from his eyes, replaced with wonder and fear.

"No," she whispered, a sinking feeling in her stomach as she realized why. "It is true."