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Chapter Eighteen

Albus woke up with pains all over the next morning, and he had no idea why. Whenever he saw him rubbing the back of his neck or his forehead, Scorpius would burst into laughter. "What's so funny Malfoy?" Albus would snap, then he'd cringe because he'd contorted his body drastically in one direction or another.

The students leaving for the holidays rushed through breakfast, said goodbye to friends staying behind and went out to the Hogwarts Express. Rose and Scorpius were attatched at the hip, nowing they wouldn't see eachother for a few days.

"Both of you act like te other is dying." Charlotte said, rolling her eyes at them.

"It's sickening." Katie added.

"And yet incredibly desireable all at the same time."

Rose and Scorpius just laughed, and Katie shook her head in disbelief. "I don't know why I even try, Charlotte. I really dont'."

"What?" she asked, genuinly confused, "What is it?"

"Nothing." scorpius said, because Rose was still laughing and Katie had her face in the palm of her hand.

Hugo, Rose's younger brother peeked in the window of the compartment, before sliding open the door. "Rose! There you are. And Charlotte, and Katie..." Hugo flashed a smile at Katie, and when she smiled back he blushed. He'd always had a thing for her. "And... Malfoy? Fancy seeing you here."

Rose rolled her eyes when Scorpius greeted him, "Why hello mini Weasley. How're you today?"

"Great, actually!" He walked over and squeezed between Rose and Scorpius, half sitting on Rose as he did so. "I just got out of two month's detention with Slughorn. blamed it on someone else, I did."

"Oomf! Hugo, get off of me!" Hugo just pat Rose on the head, and listened to Scorpius's praise.

"Nice job, buddy. Sounds like something I'd do."

"Scorpius, you should not be encouraging him!" Rose said, smacking any part of Hugo she could reach.

"Scorpius?" Hugo asked, and looking between his smashed sister and the blonde boy beside him, realization flooded his face. "OH MY GOD!"

"That's my ear, Hugo."

"Oh my-OH MY GOD!" He yelled again, hopping up from his spot on Rose and glaring accusingly at the two of them. "OH MY GOD!"

"Please, call me Scorpius."

Rose put her head in her hands, and Hugo kept yelling. Charlotte and Katie were no help at all, finding the outburst rather funny. "I-I can't believe this! Dad... DAD IS GOING TO KILL YOU! Oh my god, I don't want you to die."

"I'm not going to die, Hugo-" Rose started.

"You don't know that! Dad'll be furious, and I don't want either of you to die... OH MY GOD."

"Really Hugo, call me Scorpius."

"Is this a joke? Are you joking?! Malfoy, Rose? Really?"

"You're making it into something bigger than it is!" Rose said, yelling now too. "You're being ridiculous! I'd expect this from Dad, but not you! Not Albus!"

"I-I'm going to tell dad! As soon as we get off the train I'm telling him!"

"Oh no you don't! Hugo, why do you have to be so obnoxious!?"

"Well maybe I wouldn't be if you weren't so bloody... so bloody insane!"

"INSANE? I am not insane, if anyone's insane in the bloody compartment its you for freaking out like this! How old are you, three?!"

"I am fifteen! i am fifteen Rose, and you know that!"

"Shut up!"

"OH MY G-"

A hand clasped over Hugo's mouth, and Rose couldn't have been happier. Hugo looked around, and when he saw Katie attatched to the hand, and sat down next to her and let her calm him down. Rose sat down beside Scorpius, who held on to one of her hands and kissed her sevearal times on the cheek. He couldn't help but notice how both of their faces were beet red, and how they both had quite a voice on them. That darn Weasley temper.

Rose was shaking, hating being rejected and scorned by her family. She never took criticism well, maybe because she wasn't used to it. It made her nervous, which in turn made her shake like mad. Tears were welling up in her eyes and she was determined not to let them fall.

After they had both calmed considerably, they decided Hugo should be let in on everything. Rose told him about the letters and that summer, about why she'd been in the hospital wing and why she and Albus never spoke anymore. Once they were done, Hugo looked a bit overwhelmed, but he nodded his head and hugged both his sister and Scorpius... and Katie. But only because he wanted to get a cheap feel.

"So... you're going to tell them at the Ministry event?" he asked, still letting Katie rub his back. The little perv.

"That was the plan." Scorpius said, looking at Rose, who was still shaking a bit. She didn't trust herself to talk, and was glad he could speak for her. "Maybe our parent's won't freak out so much if its in public."

"Maybe. But they could always make up for lost yelling once in private."

"We'll just have to deal with it then." Scorpius declared, "I don't mind a little yelling. I have no problem with yelling back. I'm more worried about this one."

"Who, me?" Rose asked from her spot in his lap.

"No, Hugo. He's worried Hugo'll have a fit if your parents are yelling at him, of course you." Charlotte said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh shut up. Miss Grumpy."

"You've no room to talk!" Charlotte tossed a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean and Rose and it hit her on the head. Rose stuck her tongue out and and Hugo frowned.

"Can you not stick out your tongue like that when your head is in his lap?!" he practically begged, averting his eyes elsewhere.

It started out with Scorpius snorting, then Charlotte and then Katie, then Hugo and Rose joined them and they were all doubled over in laughter. "Oh my god Hugo, why would you think something like that?" Rose asked through laughter.

"Like I said, I'm fifteen Rose."

Then they laughed even harder, and tears were rolling down Rose's cheeks. "I really like your brother." Scorpius said, smiling. "He's hilarious."

"Aw look Hugo you made your first friend!" Charlotte exclaimed, patting the brunette hard on the back.

He rolled his eyes. "How exciting. OH! I forgot to tell you why I came in here in the first place. What with all this..."

"Excitement?" Katie asked.

Hugo looked back at her and dove in to kiss her neck. "Excitement indeed." Katie visibly shivered, and Rose knew her well enough that she liked it. Oh god. Hugo sat up straight, and everyone gave Katie a look, her eyes seemingly too large for her face. "I saw Albus and he was cursing his head off to Lorcan Scamander. Didn't know why though but I caught that it had something to do with you... now I see why."

"At least you took it better than he did." Rose said, looking down at the floor.

"Yeah. At least you didn't beat my arse."

"I would never do that! Rose would hurt me worse than anyone ever could if i tried..."

"That's right, runt."

"Fire crotch."

"Git."

"Carrot top."

"Jew fro."

"Love you too, sis."

"Ugh."

"I'll back you guys up, though. When you do tell everyone."

"I appreciate it, Weasley."

"Maybe if Albus was on our side, it'd be a lot easier." Rose muttered, and Scorpius put an arm around her.

"You miss him, don't you?" he asked.

Rose sighed and shook her head. "I miss the old him. Not this... this new Albus. I don't even know who he is anymore."

"It's my fault. I'm sorry."

"No, no, no! It is not your fault! He just needs to know how to handle himself better, I mean... it was bount to happen over something one way or another. Sure, I want him to come to his sense, and I will be a bit hurt if he doesn't, but that's his decision not mine. If he doesn't, at least I have you. And he's just left with nothing. Just one less person to talk to."

"That's heartwrenching and all Rosie, but I think we're here."

Rose glared at Hugo, but when she looked out the window it just confirmed his assumption. "Bugger."

All five of them rose to their feet, gathering their things and saying goodbyes. Rose hugged both of her friends, pecking them on the cheek and then hugged Scorpius. She didn't want to let go of him, but she knew she had to. "See you in a couple day, Rosie." he whispered. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. Hugo, having hugged, wooed, and kissed Katie again on the neck tugged on Rose's elbow.

"Bye." She said, letting Hugo pull her along. "Write me tonight."

The train had stopped, and Rose climbed off with Hugo's hand still around her arm. He had a thing about loosing her in crowds, "since she was so bloody small." It wasn't long before she spotted the large crowd of mostly red headed people. Her mum and dad were there, hugging her and Hugo tightly.

After greeting several Aunts and Uncles, and graduated cousins, they began walking towards the platform. "So Rosie, where's this boyfriend of yours?" her mum asked, while her dad crinkled his nose. Rose glanced over her shoulder and could see two tall blonde figures not far by. Scorpius and his dad. They really did look alike. When she caught his eye, he smiled, and she smiled back, but then his dad grabbed him and drug him away. "You'll meet him soon. At the Ministry event."

"Splendid, splendid. Now can we leave? I hate being in the same vicinity as Malfoy for longer than I have to be." Ron said, "Lets go to the burrow."

Hugo gave Rose a look, and she looked down at her feet. "Just imagine how he'll be when he finds out." he whispered, and she frowned. No, Dad. This is indeed not splendid.

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