*Joanne Rowling owns Harry Potter!"

*Leave a review! This chap's gonna be good!

ROSE

I don't know how I'm supposed to feel anymore. I do know that my family's coming apart, but that was long since overdue. Hugo won't let Scorpius near us, and I can't say I really want to speak to him either after what he said to me. Scorpius is an ass and a hypocrite, and he's done much worse with Daisy than I ever have. I don't understand why I can't have a boyfriend, and it was perfectly fine for Scorpius and Isobelle to be in relationships. They've always been treated like the favorites and given more attention, and look just how well they've turned out.

"I can't find your brother anywhere. What an idiot," Liliana huffs, pacing around the common room. Her lips are pressed into a firm line and her eyebrows are wrinkled. I probably would have used more colorful words, but she's got the general idea. "Have you seen him, Rose?"

I shake my head. "I'm not his keeper," I say flatly. "He does whatever the hell he wants anyway."

Liliana turns to look at me, pressing her lips into a firm line. She straightens her tie halfheartedly. "Are you still not talking? What are you arguing over anyway?"

Al shakes his head quietly, telling Liliana it's best not to ask. "So much for helping me with Herbology," he mutters, casting a furtive glance in Liliana's direction. He hasn't taken his eyes off her.

She stops, and finally takes a seat near him. I don't understand their relationship, whether they're dating, or really are just friends. They sit shoulder to shoulder like they're too afraid to actually touch one another.

"I'm sorry, Albus," Liliana apologizes, giving Al a slight frown. "But I've had to organize the next meeting all on my own and-"

"Ravenclaws," Al mutters under his breath. He gets a few harsh looks from some of the other students in the common room. It really is just a rather large study group. All the furniture is comfortable enough to be in for a while with a book, but not so comfortable you could actually fall asleep. In all my years here, I've never been inside the Slytherin common room. I wonder how it compares to ours.

Liliana offers Al a dry smile, opening his textbook. "Well, if either of you know where I can find Scorpius, do inform me."

I don't say anything in reply. I'm not interested in Scorpius, or his location.

"Why are you so smart?" Al questions, looking at Liliana in awe as he rifles through her notes. She shrugs, and I notice their hands touching. Seeing them makes me miss Lorcan. He's out at quidditch practice.

"It's mostly dedication," she informs him.

"Then what does that say about me?" Al asks, dipping his quill in ink and beginning to write. He frowns when Liliana takes her parchment away from him and narrows her dark brown eyes. "You're not going to let me copy?"

"Of course, not!" Liliana says, sounding horrified. "It's dishonest. Besides, you're going to copy my assignment and forget it all by the time the exam comes. I'll teach you it."

Al gives Liliana a grateful smile and pushes his glasses up on his nose. "You're so kind," he says dryly.

Raising her eyebrows, Liliana pats Al's hand. "You'll thank me when you do well on your exam. Delayed gratification is a beautiful thing." Al frowns at Liliana like he doesn't believe her. Nonetheless, he keeps writing. His face turns slightly red.

"We haven't really talked a lot in the past," Liliana says to me matter-of-factly. We haven't had a reason to. Other than both being prefects, Liliana and I don't have much in common. I respect her, but we aren't exactly friends.

"No," I agree.

"You're really brilliant," Lilianna says with a kind smile, the kind that expresses a friendship offer. "Maybe you can keep me halfway sane."

I raise my eyebrows and glance down at my parchment. "If I can manage to stay sane myself."

I hate Transfiguration. As far as I see things, it's a pointless class. Never before have I had to transform one object into another, nor have I seen anyone else do it. The only thing that saves the class for me is having Teddy as a teacher.

The rest of the class packs up their things and begins to file out. I make to do the same, but Teddy stops me. "Rose, can I have a word with you?" he asks.

"Sure," I say quickly. Considering I have a perfect score in his class so far, I figure he must want something personal. I say goodbye to one of my friends and Teddy shuts the door. Instead of turquoise, his hair is a natural mousy brown color. He also looks like he hasn't shaved in a couple days. There's this sort of look of emergency on his face, but whatever's freaking him out, I don't know about it.

"How's your sister doing?" Teddy questions, wringing his hands. He stacks up all the papers on his desk and shoves them into a filing cabinet.

"Fine. She's adjusting, I suppose. She likes your class," I assure him.

Teddy shakes his head at me. "I meant Isobelle."

I don't know why he would have to ask me that in private. I know he and Belle are close, but her well-being really isn't that urgent. "We don't talk," I shrug. "Ask Scorpius, I'm sure he knows."

"Well, if you do talk to her-"

"I don't plan to," I inform Teddy. He doesn't know what sort of irresponsible and irritating person Isobelle is. I appreciate my time away from her.

Teddy frowns. He waves his hand, shutting the window and closing the blinds. The classroom becomes dark. "You shouldn't be hard on her. She's-"

"You too?" I question, frowning at Teddy in disbelief. He seems smarter than to get caught up in Isobelle's rubbish. He's old enough now that he should probably start looking for a wife of his own.

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to defend her? Isobelle's an adult. She doesn't need you inquiring after her like you're her parent or something. That's why she is the way she is, everyone wants to babysit her." I've known Teddy my entire life. Sometimes it's hard to maintain a teacher-student-relationship with him, especially when he's being ridiculous.

Teddy looks lost. "Well, I don't know what's gone on between you and Isobelle, but-"

"Ask, Scorpius. That's all I have to say. He talks to her, and I don't," I say in simple terms. Hopefully Teddy can understand that.

Teddy sighs. "I did, and he told me that…" his voice trails off. "Never mind. I'll see you on Thursday, Rose." Teddy gives me a curt nod and gestures that I can leave. I don't wait up.

I walk down the hallway on my own. I have a free hour now, and then lunch. Hopefully I'll be able to see Lorcan for the first time today. We don't have classes together every day and on those days we don't see one another quite as much.

Since the school is thousands of years old, there are hundreds of hallways and corridors everyone uses for shortcuts even though we technically aren't supposed to. I'm guilty of doing it one-hundred percent. It's quicker, and no one's got the time and energy to walk up and down hundreds of stairs all day.

Apparently, I'm not the only one. In an abandoned classroom I can hear two students having a heated conversation, a boy and girl. They seem to be nearly yelling at each other, but taking care to somewhat keep quiet. Upon closer inspection, I realize it's Scorpius and Daisy.

Not that I particularly care what goes on in their relationship, but I am a Ravenclaw nonetheless. Besides, I want to know what's going on between them that's got Scorpius thinking he can treat the rest of us like shit.

"Do you not understand? Are you fucking deaf?" Scorpius says, his voice full of rage. I can hear him pacing, something he does when he's angry. His footsteps or so heavy it sounds like he's going to crack the stone floor.

Daisy clucks her tongue. "I understand perfectly. But I told you, if you deny me, there are hundreds of others willing to take your place for a night," she drawls. Daisy's disgusting. How can Scorpius call me a whore when he's marrying trash like her?

Scorpius slams his fist on something. "I told you not to go sleeping around! We're to be married soon, and that sort of behavior I won't accept!"

I can practically hear Daisy rolling her eyes. "It was only Sebastian, and you know it wasn't the first time with him. He's quite a bed," Daisy informs Scorpius in a taunting voice. "You see, he does this amazing thing with his-"

"Shut up!" Scorpius hisses. As much as I hate him, I commend him for not killing himself yet. I would if I were stuck in such a dead-end relationship. He can't even break up with Daisy. Maybe he deserves to not get what he wants at least once in his life.

"Let's not pretend you're a beacon of abstinence yourself. You've probably slept with as many people as me," Daisy counters. As far as I knew, Scorpius didn't sleep around. I suppose that's not something he would ever mention, though.

"I haven't this year," Scorpius says gruffly. "If I hear about it again, I'll-"

"You'll what?" Daisy asks in a low voice. "Refuse to marry me? We both know you can't do that. There isn't a thing you can do."

Scorpius stops pacing. "You're absolutely correct, Daisy. There's nothing I can do to change that fact that I'm being forced to marry some disgusting whore." I'm glad to know he throws that word around like it's nothing. But in Daisy's case, it's the complete truth.

"What am I supposed to do, love? Be a boring prude like your sister?" Daisy questions, a pouty tone in her voice. For her to hate me, she sure as hell brings my name up often. "I thought you appreciated my talents."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore," Scorpius says venomously. "She thinks she's in love."

Daisy laughs. "That doesn't make her any less of a prude. Besides, who would love her?"

Daisy shouldn't be the one asking that question, especially considering she's only engaged to Scorpius because that's who her father chose.

"The right man would," Scorpius tells Daisy, his voice contemplative. "But Rose doesn't understand that, and I'd rather not discuss her." Good. I'd rather he didn't discuss me.

Scorpius and Daisy are silent for a while. "I'm coming to see you tonight," Daisy informs Scorpius. I'm sure I'll vomit.

"You can't," Scorpius says. "That stupid bint of a Head Girl's been looking all over for me, and I finally promised her I'd help her catch up on some things tonight so she'd finally quit complaining." It isn't fair to Liliana that Scorpius doesn't know how to work with others. He's been going behind her back, doing all of his work alone.

Daisy makes a noise of distaste. "I don't like her," she says.

"Oh, and I do?"

"I mean, I don't like the way she looks at you," Daisy continues. Please, Liliana wants nothing to do with Scorpius.

"Are you jealous?" Scorpius asks in disbelief.

"No," Daisy says sharply. "But she's pretty. Plain, but pretty. I don't like the way she looks at you in Potions." I don't think I've ever heard Daisy refer to another girl as pretty. She's too conceited to think anyone else could be attractive.

As if Liliana is looking at Scorpius in any sort of way. "It's Albus she likes," Scorpius mutters.

"I know," Daisy pouts. "Stupid bitch, I want to have sex with Albus first…"

Scorpius clears his throat. "But you won't…"

"Then you'll have to do for now," Daisy says boredly. "How much time do we have?"

I don't want to hear anything that comes next. I walk off quickly. Since when does Daisy like Al?

"Easy there, Rose," Lorcan says, resting his hand on my shoulder. "I'd hate to be on the receiving end of your fork."

"I'm not in the best of moods at the moment," I say gruffly, staring at the Slytherin table. I don't know where Scorpius is, and because of it, Daisy's practically in Al's lap. She's combing through his hair with her fingers and touching all over him- she doesn't even care how uncomfortable he is. Al's face is a deeper shade of red than the Gryffindor banner. He says something to Daisy and she pouts. Al lamely attempts to push her away. It doesn't seem to work.

I scan down the table to look for Nina. Her back's to me, and she's talking to two other girls. From what I can tell, they're making friendly conversation. At least if Nina won't talk to me, she has other friends.

"Why's that?" Lorcan questions. I give him a look. "You know how Scorpius is."

I'm getting incredibly tired of everyone saying that to me. I've known Scorpius for twelve years now, I know that I know him. And in the time I knew him, we never argued so badly nor had he ever said something so mean to me. We were actually quite close until everyone we knew decided to start having problems. Now we're as different as night and day.

"That doesn't make it any better," I say coldly. "He still wasn't right."

Lorcan nods in agreement. I wonder how tired he gets of listening to my complaints about my family. I try not to make things about myself so much, but sometimes it's difficult. Anything that can ever go wrong in my life always seems to.

"I know," Lorcan sighs. "You're still coming to my match this afternoon, right?" I nod. Hopefully they'll beat Gryffindor.

"I'm still coming."

"Thanks," Lorcan says with a kind smile, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Now we'll have to win."

I nod. "I'm not coming out to see you lose," I tell him seriously. "If you're going to play such a horrible sport, I at least hope you're talented at it."

Lorcan raises an eyebrow and gives me a lopsided smile. "You don't think I'm talented?" He asks playfully, nudging my shoulder.

"I didn't say that. But I would like for you to win, since you're playing Gryffindor and all. I've heard they're good," I say, turning to Lorcan. When I look at him, I can't understand why he would ever be so kind to me. Lorcan's nice to everyone. People like him don't come by so often.

"Thanks," I say quietly, so that none of our friends at the table can hear us. It isn't like anyone is listening, The Great Hall is loud and full of crazy chatter. Even though Lorcan and I are close to each other, it's still a bit hard to hear.

Lorcan frowns slightly. "For what, Rosie? For letting you finish off my pumpkin juice?" I roll my eyes.

"No, you git. For being my boyfriend."

"Oh, then you're welcome," Lorcan says, taking his hand in mine from atop the table. The doors to the Great Hall open. Scorpius comes in with his friend Sebastian. I don't understand how they can be friends with one another, considering they're both sleeping with Daisy, and she's engaged to Scorpius. Perhaps Scorpius is just too far beyond the point of caring.

I can't help but stare at him. I'm so angry at Scorpius, and I don't understand why he's acting like his life is incredibly perfect when it isn't. He's been acting like he wants all of this, but he's making me feel guilty for my choices. It's bullshit.

"Rose," Lorcan says in a low voice, squeezing my hand and following my gaze. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm not," I assure Lorcan, even though it's a lie.

Scorpius and Sebastian pass the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. Hugo gives them both an intense look of hatred. Scorpius either doesn't notice or he purposely pretends not to. As soon as he's near enough to see Lorcan and I, he stops. He stares at me, shaking his head in disgust and muttering something under his breath that I can't hear. His posture is stiff and he rolls his eyes, muttering something else to Sebastian before turning around.

I let go of Lorcan's hand and get up. Scorpius is going to tell me why he's being such an ass, whether he likes it or not. It's been three weeks since we've said a word to one another. I want an explanation now.

"Rose, don't go after him. You're just going to get into an argument," Lorcan says in a calm voice, trying to reason with me. He can't. I'm determined to get an answer. People aren't just rude idiots for no reason.

"I'll be at your match tonight, I promise," I say, giving Lorcan a quick kiss before walking quickly to follow Scorpius out of the Great Hall. I feel bad for leaving Lorcan, but I need answers. I push the heavy wooden doors open. When they shut, Scorpius looks over his shoulder quickly. When he realizes it's me, he turns around and keeps walking as if he hasn't seen me. His pace stays even and he shakes his head slightly.

"What the hell is your problem?" I demand, going after him. Scorpius begins to walk quicker. It's how he always is. He'll talk a bunch of shit, but he won't ever handle a confrontation. "Answer me!"

"As if it matters," Scorpius mutters under his breath, walking even quicker. He rounds the corner of a corridor, and I know he has no idea where he's going. He's just trying to rid himself of me however he can. It won't work. I'm not going to let him get away from me without answering me.

"It does matter when you call me a whore but let your girlfriend sleep with anyone she wants! The whole bloody school knows we're arguing because you're being childish! Sooner or later Mum and Dad are going to find out too, and they'll blame me! You're never at fault! You never do anything wrong!"

Scorpius rounds another corner, but his shoulders go completely stiff as if my words have speared him in the back. He practically stomps away from me. I follow him. Every corridor he goes down, I go too. If Scorpius wants to waste time and play games, then he can. I'll play right along with him.

I don't even know where we are anymore. Scorpius has gone down so many hallways I don't even hear any students. I've never been to this part of the castle before. Almost everything's covered in cobwebs and a slight sheet of dust, showing that it's probably been abandoned for years. Maybe even decades.

"So you're going to ignore me?" I ask, raising my voice. It isn't as if anyone can hear me. "Because you're better than me, right? I'm not worthy of a response from you! I'm not worth your time! I'm just your insignificant, half-blooded sister!"

Finally, Scorpius turns around. His expression is darker than I've ever seen, and his jaw is clenched hard, all the angles and outlines of his bone structure clear as day. Whatever he's feeling, or thinking, it's unreadable in his eyes.

"You're not my sister," he says rigidly. "That's what you always say, isn't it? That's what Hugo said! We aren't related, so let's not pretend anymore. The fact that my father loves your mother means nothing in relation to us!"

Ever since my mum married Dad, Scorpius has never referred to me as anything other than his sister. I know he's serious now. He'll never tell me why. He thinks he's better than revealing his feelings. It almost makes me feel guilty for joking around with him so much, reminding him we weren't really siblings. I didn't know he took it so seriously.

"Just because we're not really related doesn't mean you get to treat me however you want," I say. "I've never been mean to you, nor have I ever been hurtful. What you said to me was wrong," I tell him. Whether or not Scorpius wants to throw a fit isn't going to change what I came to say to him.

Scorpius nearly snorts. "Then what should I say?" He questions, a dark smile coming across his face. He's probably so past being angry at everything the only thing he can do is smile. "Should I acknowledge that you're in love with a boy you've dated for three months? Do you want me to applaud you for snogging some boy and thinking that means anything? If you're so in love with Scamander, perhaps you two should get married this summer right along with Daisy and I!"

I stare at Scorpius in disbelief. Why must everything come back to my relationship with Lorcan? Why is it so important to him that I get to be happy for once? Why does he care?

I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at him. "You don't get to spew all your hatred and anger on Lorcan and I because you don't want to marry Daisy. You can quit acting, I know you don't love her-"

"I do," Scorpius interjects, although his voice is weak.

I roll my eyes. "No, you don't. You keep telling me I don't know what love is when you're girlfriend shags the entire school. You pretend not to care, but you do. But don't you think it's the little price you can pay for all the attention you get?"

"Attention?" Scorpius questions as if he has no idea what I'm saying.

I scoff. "Don't play stupid. You can't go anywhere without being noticed! Hell, even when we're at home, everything is about you! 'What does Scorpius want'? 'Scorpius is a man now, we need to introduce him to the Minister to secure him a nice job'!' We can't travel the first month of summer, Scorpius is getting married'! And we've all had to put up with Daisy and the rest of your racist family for years! I don't even see my dad's side of the family anymore! They hate me!" I shout, seething.

Scorpius narrows his eyes, stepping dangerously close to me. His breathing is heavy, as if he's going to burst with rage. He's so close I can smell his cologne. It's suffocating.

"Is it my fault they don't care about you?" He questions. "Am I at fault that my own father can't keep it in his pants? Maybe you're lucky he shagged your mother! If not for that, you wouldn't be as well-off as you are! You've been living off my father's money and assets for most of your life, and you want to act as if we've given you nothing! You live in Malfoy Manor!" He rages. "MALFOY!"

I shake my head at Scorpius. He's so entitled and spoiled, and he doesn't even know it. What sort of 'man' is he, shouting in my face? "You're disgusting," I say, shaking my head. "I didn't choose to be stuck with your family. I'm sorry if we ruined your perfect pureblood image. How dare my life get in the way of Scorpius Malfoy, the most important boy on earth who gets everything handed to him? The sad thing is, you have everything, and you still act as if no one's ever given you anything."

Scorpius' nostrils flare. "'Rose is a brilliant little girl'," he says quietly in a mocking tone, shaking his head as if he doesn't believe it. "'She can be anything she wants to be! And she's so determined, Merlin, she's going to make something wonderful of herself'! But Scorpius? He has to be trained to be perfect, to put back together ever part of his family that his father fucked up! Let's raise him to be proper, to not question anything, to blindly do what his father tells him, because he's a damned Malfoy!"

"What are you talking about?" I question. Scorpius is scaring me, but I'm not afraid of him. It's unsettling to hear what he thinks, how he feels, because he's never said any of this to anyone.

Scorpius takes another step closer to me. He's too perfect-looking. Nothing about him is out of place, or unnatural. He's unreal.

"You think my life is so glamorous, do you?" Scorpius questions. "Do you think I ever enjoyed any of what I got? I understand that I'm privileged, but not for any of the right reasons! I wasn't born because my parents loved one another wanted a child like you were! I was only born to grow up and continue my family line! I was born for insurance! When all of you got to play outside and be children, I was learning how to be a man, when I was still a child! I was Nina's age when my father told me I was going to marry Daisy! And do you know what he said? He said either I marry her, or I'm not his son anymore! Despite what he says, I didn't get a choice!"

I understand that I should feel bad for Scorpius, but I can't. Maybe his situation is what's made him so harsh, but his harshness makes it hard to sympathize with him. But I understand what he's trying to say.

"I get it," I say quietly, nodding my head.

Scorpius raises an eyebrow at me. "What are you talking about?"

"You're jealous of me."

"Scorpius looks as if he's about to laugh. He runs his hand through his white-blond hair. "Why the hell would I be jealous of you?" he demands, as if it's a joke.

"Because I get to choose, and you don't," I say. "Because I get a say in who I'm going to be, and you don't. Because I know love, and you don't."

Scorpius's expression turns angry again. "You don't-"

"I do!" I cut him off. "How can you say I don't know love when you don't know it yourself? I know Lorcan would sacrifice things to be with me. I know he wouldn't try to hurt me-"

"Neither would I," Scorpius points out, his mouth tight. "You seem to forget that."

I wrinkle my eyebrows. "But you have. You've been more mean to me than he ever has! You just told me my own family didn't want me! You yelled in my face!"

Scorpius wrings his hands. His expression is unreadable. "That boy doesn't deserve you," he says, ignoring my words. "He doesn't compare to what you are."

I laugh in spite of myself. "And you would know that, wouldn't you? You think you know everything about everyone."

Scorpius shakes his head. "No, but I do know he isn't on your level. Would you ever compete with him like you would with me?"

I sigh. Scorpius isn't going to change my mind about Lorcan. "Scorpius, give it a rest. As much as you can't stand the fact that someone else loves me, they do. And maybe you can't fathom that-"

"How am I supposed to deal with you suddenly becoming a woman?" He asks, the edge to his voice fading. He drops his chin.

I can't follow Scorpius' words. "I haven't been a baby for a while now."

"I know," Scorpius says. "But you haven't looked like this either. You hadn't come into your own, and you… you didn't know how attractive you were."

I roll my eyes. "Well, we don't all come out of the womb vein."

Scorpius gives me a harsh look. "I don't want anyone to take advantage of you because of that."

"I'm not going to let them," I tell Scorpius. It irritates me how he doesn't think I can take care of myself, that he believes he's the only person able to be responsible.

"No one has plans to be taken advantage of," Scorpius says with an exasperated tone. He stops suddenly, and then looks at me with urgency. "Have you had sex with Lorcan?"

I'm caught off-guard by that question. I frown. "That's private. It's none of your business what I do." I shake my head at Scorpius after I see the angered look on his face. He may just kill Lorcan if I don't answer him. "No, I haven't. You can calm down."

"Has there… has there been anyone?"

I shake my head again. "No. Never."

"Good," he says calmly. "Don't do that to yourself."

I raise an eyebrow at him accusingly. "You're probably the last person who should be telling me-"

"You aren't me!" Scorpius snaps, going angry again. He makes a sound of deep frustration. "I'm trying to help you, to keep you innocent for as long as you can be. I can tell you firsthand, being young and naïve is a hell of a lot better than the bullshit I'm in."

"This is about Lorcan isn't it?" I tell Scorpius. I'm not stupid. I know he doesn't like Lorcan for the simple fact that he loves me. Scorpius can't handle that I don't feel inferior to him, that I don't need him to make me feel worth something He can't stand that his opinion of me doesn't matter as much as it used to.

"Lorcan is irrelevant to me," Scorpius says, batting his hand. "But you on the other hand…"

"What about me?" I ask. I bring my hand up to my cheek to wipe a couple stray tears from our argument earlier.

Scorpius puts is icy cold fingers under my chin. His face is close to mine. "I didn't mean to make you cry," he says gently. Well, he succeeded nonetheless. It's amazing how his attitude can do a complete one-eighty. "But you have to understand me, and not judge me for what you think you know. You're beautiful and developed, and some boy noticing that about you doesn't mean he loves you. I would kill any boy who ever hurt you, Rose. I wouldn't even use magic, I'd use my bare hands."

"You won't have to," I let him know.

Scorpius considers me for a moment. "You used to want me to be this way when we were younger," he reminds me. "You used to be obsessed with playing princess, and it was me who was the knight protected you. Why are things different now?"

I shake my head, trying to get the feeling of Scorpius' words out of my mind. "Those were games… we were children."

"Just because people get older doesn't mean they stop playing games," Scorpius says in a low voice. "I know quite a few people who play with hearts, and they're rather talented at it."

"Then I'm sorry for you," I say plainly. Scorpius looks downward. I take Scorpius' hand and move it away from my face. He doesn't let my hand go.

"Let me know when he hurts you, and I'll kill him," Scorpius says with finality.

I swallow hard. I don't understand what Scorpius wants from me, or how he'll benefit from this conversation. "Lorcan loves me. Y-you're wrong," I say again. I hate how Scorpius can talk so smoothly that he begins to make me question things. He's a dirty manipulator, a Slytherin.

Scorpius looks amused at my discomfort. "I'm wrong to say that any man who loves you should know you for who you are and be able to compete with your potential, that he should be able to look inside you, Rose?"

I don't doubt that that person is Lorcan. But Scorpius is blinded by hatred. "Whatever, Scorpius. Bring me that man and I promise I'll love him," I say despite myself, rolling my eyes. He doesn't want me with Lorcan, but he doesn't know of anyone better.

Before I can comprehend anything, Scorpius' open mouth is on mine, his lips are against mine. He's kissing me. He's been raised as my brother, and he's kissing me. His hands make their way down to my lower waist, the waist that he commended so many times and I was too dumb to realize, lifting the bottom of my shirt gently and touching my skin without any shame whatsoever. He brings my body against his in a way that allows me to feel every part of him, and it disgusts me. Scorpius' arms are strong, and I can't writhe away from him. It isn't a fake kiss, he isn't trying to prove a point, it's very real. His mouth fights mine- his tongue is in my mouth. He touches me like I've told him this was okay, like whatever he wants to feel of me he's perfectly allowed to. One of his hands moves to the band of my skirt, his fingers dipping under it. I don't need any explanation to know what he's about to do.

I push Scorpius away. He looks bewildered, as if he didn't just kiss me out of nowhere. It wasn't just a kiss, but I can't even describe it in its entirety. I don't want to. I don't want to think about Scorpius, kissing me, or putting his hands on me in such a way. I'm so shocked and disgusted I want to vomit. "What's wrong with you?" I demand. My hands are shaking.

"You said to bring him to you," Scorpius says in a casual tone as if he didn't do what he's just done. He looks me up and down as if he's a bit shocked himself. But he doesn't look bothered at all, as if he's thought about doing what he's done for a long time.

"But you're… we're…" I stammer, finding myself unable to speak. I have so many thoughts and questions that I can't put them into one sentence. Even though it's not my fault, I feel dirty.

"Are we related?" Scorpius questions. His face is blank, and it angers me. He's gone too far. He truly thinks he can have whatever he wants without consequences. Including me.

"It doesn't matter! I live with you! You- you don't get to play word games! We're brother and sister,- or just as good as! If you ever touch me again, I'm telling Dad." I hate threatening Scorpius like that. It makes me sound like a child, but I'm serious. I don't want Scorpius, not at all. He has to understand that, and he has to stay away from me.

Scorpius steps closer to me, and I step away. "Your father or mine? They aren't the same person. And my mother is dead. Yours is quite alive," Scorpius points out, moistening his lips. He looks frustrated with me, like I'm denying him something he deserves. "We're not siblings."

I turn my head. I can't even look at him anymore. Never did I think Scorpius would do something so disgusting, or try to defend it. That's how I know he doesn't know what love is. He doesn't see me as anything different than a girl. And any girl to him is fair game.

"How long have you been looking at me like this?" I ask, my lip quivering. I want to know, and at the same time I don't. I suddenly feel uncomfortable around Scorpius, about all the ways he's seen me and everything I've ever told him. I should have known, the way he made so many comments about how I looked, or about my becoming a woman. Hugo never said anything like that.

"I told you, Rose," Scorpius says quietly his face empty of any emotion, "exactly what you deserved. "You weren't ready for it. I knew it, and now so do you."

"I would have never been ready for that!" I assure him, blinking back tears. Scorpius can't be this selfish, to put me in a position like this. I can't tell anyone about this, and it will bother me the rest of my life. Even if I did choose Scorpius, he has to marry Daisy no matter what. He didn't give this any thought. "I can't… just stay away from me."

I turn to run away, even though I have no idea where I'm going. I just need him out of my sight, for good.

"Rose!" Scorpius shouts. "Rose, listen to me!" I ignore him, going through the corridors until I can somewhat hear students again. I don't know if I can ever speak to Scorpius again.

*Yeah, that was something. After analyzing Scorpius character, I had a sitdown and decided that maybe he did have feelings for Rose, or that after being stuck with Daisy so long, he would at least think he had feelings for her. I know or a fact that Rose wouldn't ever reciprocate them, thought. They're two very different characters on that aspect. Scorpius doesn't know proper love, and, much like Isobelle, he's going to try and get it wherever he can find it, no matter what that means. He's pretty selfish in that aspect too. Looks like that's a Malfoy trait.

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