*J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter!
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SCORPIUS
"Scorpius!" Daisy screeches, entering my room in a hurry. I steel myself for an inevitable headache and turn in her direction. She's carrying a small stack of parchment.
"The door was locked," I point out rigidly, sighing.
Daisy rolls her eyes. "I know your password…" she frowns and wrinkles her nose. "You don't look happy to see me."
I raise an eyebrow. "Should I be?"
"You treat me so well." Daisy huffs and rolls her eyes, clearing off my desk and setting the parchment in front of me. "What are you doing, anyway? You still need to do my Potions homework, and I'd like a better mark this time."
"I can't turn in anything brilliant. Then the professor will know for sure it's not your work." It really is difficult to dumb myself down enough to do Daisy's assignments. However, it's much easier than trying to teach her anything. "Why are you here?"
Daisy purses her lips, deciding to avoid an argument. "My father sent these," she explains. "They're invitations for the engagement party. I don't know which to choose-"
"I honestly don't care," I admit. From my horrid conversation with Rose, I've now promised myself to stop denying that I don't want to marry Daisy. Pretending with her is exhausting.
"I like the gold ink on this one," Daisy continues, ignoring my lack of enthusiasm. "But it doesn't exactly go with the theme of our wedding. But I like it… Scorpius!" Daisy waves her hand in front of my face with a frown.
Taking a second to calm myself, I glance up at her. "What do you want? I said you could choose the damned invitations on your own."
Daisy places another example invitation back on my desk and sets me with an annoyed look. "Perhaps I should tell my father I won't choose any, since you obviously don't care about our marriage," she threatens.
I roll my eyes. "If only we were so lucky."
Daisy narrows her eyes at me. She puts her hands on her hips and glares at me, reminding me painfully of Rose. "You're such a little brat, thinking you have to love me to marry me."
"Then I'm glad we both know where we stand," I inform Daisy. "I don't love you."
"Why don't you love me?" Daisy asks, as if the fact that I don't has suddenly occurred to her.
I can think of many reasons why I don't love Daisy. She isn't a challenge of any sort, she's highly annoying, unable to do anything for herself… the list could go on. "If you would kindly leave-"
"Why are you so eager to be rid of me?" Daisy questions, stepping closer to me until I can smell her perfume. Her voice softens into that manipulative tone she's quite talented at using. "You haven't touched me in two weeks, love. Am I suddenly repulsive to you?"
I give Daisy a look of utter bewilderment as she slides her robes off her shoulder. "Who taught you that word?"
"Sebastian," Daisy answers with a roll of her eyes. "He says I don't repulse him." Daisy's lips are on mine, and I can't exactly bring myself to appreciate the feeling. Her kiss is different from Rose's, much less kind and unsure of itself. I know now that I don't like certainty so much anymore.
"What's wrong?" Daisy purrs, doing her best to unbutton my shirt. "Are you still upset with me?" I shake my head. I feel rather indifferently toward her now. Daisy gives me a smile, continuing to remove her own robes. "I'm sorry, but you need to be more excited for our wedding. As excited as you are now…"
How can I be? My life is going to be over the minute I say 'I do' to her. I feel suffocated by Daisy now, and I don't even see her every second of the day. I can't even imagine having to be married to her, to have to raise children with her. The more I think of being forced to do those things, the more I hate my father.
Someone knocks at the door and Daisy looks up, cursing. "Don't answer it," she orders, keeping her attention focused on me. Whoever it is decides they can't possibly wait a second. They knock again. Some childish part of my stomach feels light, hoping it may possibly be Rose wanting to speak to me again. I've become such a soft idiot.
"I have to answer it," I say, pushing Daisy away from me and urging her to get dressed. I button my own shirt and stand, going to the door.
I can't help but deflate as I find it's only Liliana. "Oh, it's only you."
"Yes, it's only me," Liliana replies stiffly.
"Is it that Head Girl?" Daisy calls in an annoyed tone. "What does she want?"
Liliana crosses her arms. "Who else were you expecting? Apparently, Daisy's already in your room."
Daisy pushes past me, giving Liliana a condescending look. "I was just leaving. I don't care about any of your boring work, anyway." Daisy gives me a warning glance and a possessive kiss before leaving my room. "Choose an invitation," she reminds me, starting down the stairs. As if I could be bothered.
Once Daisy is out of sight, Liliana turns back to me, raising her eyebrows with a look of slight amusement. "So how does that work exactly?"
"How does what work?" I question, already finding myself annoyed with her.
"The whole marriage thing. Do your parents just choose whoever and hope it works out?" The way Liliana seems utterly amused makes me want to hex her in her smug face.
"You don't know?" I question.
Liliana shakes her head. "I have no desire to," she counters, entering my room as if I've invited her in. she empties her bag on my table, rifling through some papers. "Besides, my parents are muggles. They don't sell their children off to the best suitor."
"You're muggle-born?" I don't ask because I harbor any sort of prejudices, I just assumed she wasn't. Now, I realize I never really had a reason to assume otherwise. She always had a sort of haughtiness about her most muggle-borns I know don't have.
Liliana nods plainly, daring me to say something rude about it. "Is it a crime to be?"
I shake my head. "No, I just never knew," I say defensively. "I don't care at all what you are."
"I'm glad," Liliana replies, although there isn't any positivity in her voice. "Here's a list of younger students who need tutoring."
Liliana thrusts the list into my hand, not giving me a choice on whether or not to accept it. "What am I supposed to do with it?"
Rolling her eyes, Liliana frowns. "If you'd listened to anything I said during the last meeting, you would know that some are the Prefects have volunteered to tutor younger students, and you were to assign them." If it was her bloody idea, then she should do it her damn self.
"When the hell did you even say-"
"I don't know, but I said it," Liliana says dismissively. "Honestly, Scorpius, being Head Boy takes more than having high marks. You need to be dedicated as well."
"Regardless, you can't just spring things on me. That's rude," I say patronizingly.
Liliana turns from her mountain of papers to face me. Her expression is tight, her dark eyes trained on me. "Well, you never help me with anything. We can't go about our separate ways all the time Scorpius. You do know this is a job for two people?"
"I'm well aware."
Liliana glances at the clock over my bed and purses her lips. "Just make sure you do that, all right? I'm going to the library." She tries to grab her bag off the table, but she does it so quickly, papers and books come spilling out. She knocks off some of my papers and letters as well. Liliana curses.
Without thinking about it, I bend down to help her. She truly isn't as organized as she likes to think she is. "I'm just glad ink didn't spill," Liliana sighs in relief.
I frown, spotting a Herbology textbook with a familiar pumpkin juice stain on the cover. "This is Albus' book. Why do you have it?" I question.
"He left it in the common room last night when we were studying," Liliana says plainly, although her face goes slightly red.
"What's the situation between the two of you, anyway?" I question.
Liliana looks away from me, continuing to stuff papers into her bag. "There's no situation," she says with an edge to her voice, handing me some homework of mine. "Albus is nice, and we're friends. That's it."
"You know, it happens to be my best friend you're embarrassed about," I inform her. I don't understand why she won't admit that she and Albus are dating.
"I'm not embarrassed," Liliana persists, taking her papers out of my hands and stacking them neatly. She smells fresh, like toothpaste or breath mints. "Why does it matter so much to you anyway? If Albus doesn't care, then you shouldn't."
The thought of Albus having a girlfriend is rather foreign to me. Admitted, he's had passing fancies previously, but not to the scale he has with Liliana.
Liliana picks up a letter and photograph and smiles faintly. "Who's this? She's adorable." She turns the photograph around to face me, and I realize it's a photograph of Delphine, smiling and proudly holding up a drawing of herself and me. "
"It's my niece," I answer, taking the picture and the letter from her quickly, in case Isobelle mentioned anything of our plans for Simon.
"Niece?" Liliana repeats, her nose wrinkling.
"My eldest sister is nine years older than me," I inform her. "It's her daughter."
"I didn't know you had another sister," Liliana says matter-of-factly. She looks at the ground for a moment.
It seems almost impossible to me that Liliana has no idea who Isobelle is. I can't remember the last person I met who knew nothing about my family. "The name Isobelle Malfoy means nothing to you?" I ask.
Liliana shakes her head. "Not a thing. I don't keep up with the wizard media. It's even more ridiculous."
"I may have to agree with you for once," I admit.
"I never thought I'd see the day." Liliana smiles to herself. Her lips look immensely soft, but her teeth are slightly crooked and she has a pig-like nose. She isn't conventionally perfect by any means, but I understand what Daisy means when she says she's pretty. I'm still not very fond of her, though.
"Well, I'd have to agree with anyone who disliked large families as much as me."
Liliana gives me a sympathetic look- one I've seen her direct at other students but never myself. "I know what you mean. I have three older brothers," she explains wistfully. "They're all muggles."
I don't know what to say. I don't particularly care what Liliana is saying, because a part of me can tell it's obvious that her family is perfect. Why the hell else would she feel so damn entitled?
"She looks like your sister," Liliana says after a long bout of silence. "Rose, I mean."
It takes me a second to realize she's talking about Delphine. The mention of Rose's name sets my face into a frown. "I've heard she looks more like her mother."
"You're arguing still?" Liliana questions, closing her bag. "It's been weeks, you two need to work something out."
I shake my head. I couldn't possibly explain the truth to Liliana. It's difficult enough believing it all actually happened, that I was stupid enough to act on feelings for Rose I wasn't even certain I had.
"You can't argue if you aren't even speaking. I wouldn't expect you to understand."
"I'm not trying to," Liliana assures me. "But Rose is brilliant. She's one of the better Prefects. So just don't make things hard for her, all right?"
I clench my jaw. Why must Rose always be the victim? Why am I always the evil one, the antagonist? "Perhaps she's making things difficult for me, have you ever considered that?"
"I highly doubt that."
"I'm glad you know the ins and outs of my family," I say in a harsh tone.
"I'm not saying I do, I only… family is important."
I curl my lip in disgust. "Now isn't the time for sentiment. Especially considering you're not in any place to give me advice."
"Is anyone?" Liliana questions, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, Scorpius, you're difficult for no reason. I have no idea how everyone else-"
"You're right. You don't know, so quit implying otherwise."
Liliana stands abruptly, as if she's suddenly remembered she doesn't enjoy speaking to me. She straightens her robes out with her hands and adjusts her tie. One of the rings on her fingers has a small cross symbol. It sort of resembles an elongated addition mark. "There's a meeting at one. Should I expect a chance to speak or-"
"Depends on if you're saying anything relevant," I inform her bitterly, still annoyed by her comment about Rose.
Liliana lowers her chin, shouldering her bag. "Ah, I thought you were going too long without a snide comment."
"I'm a creature of habit."
"Not all habits are good habits," Liliana says mindfully. She makes her way to the door, giving me a final look before shutting it behind herself.
The Common Room is staggered with students, mostly waiting around and killing time until the next class. Nina and Al are playing a game of chess, although Nina doesn't seem to really be too into it.
"You should move your castle there," I suggest.
With her fist under her chin, Nina lazily directs her piece to do the exact opposite of what I say, watching blankly as Al's queen smashes her castle to bits.
"Are you all right?" All questions, lifting his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "Maybe you're just tired. Hell, I know I am."
"I'm not," Nina says plainly. She looks as if she's biting back tears.
"Um, I'll clean this up," Al says uncomfortably, pulling out his wand. Not about to let my sister cry in front of everyone, I pull Nina up, leading her to a secluded corner of the Common Room to ourselves. She won't look at me.
"What's wrong?" I question. Nina shakes her head. "Georgina, look at me."
"Don't call me that," Nina mutters quietly.
I ignore her, trying to figure out what the hell's got her in such a horrible mood. I swear whoever did it will have hell to pay. "Tell me what's wrong."
Nina's lower lip trembles. "I don't want to be in Slytherin," she says sadly.
"Why not?" I question, although the reason is obvious. She's uncomfortable here, she thinks she doesn't belong in Slytherin House, with all the other evil beings she thinks we are.
"Because Rose and Hugo…" Nina says shamefully, her voice trailing off. "They don't want to talk to me anymore, only Hugo does a little bit. They think-"
"Fuck what they think," I say, shaking my head. "Especially Rose. You're better than both of them."
Nina frowns, shaking her head. Her fists clench slightly, and then she unclenches them. I've seen Delphine do the same thing when she's about to throw a fit. "Why do you say things like that?" She asks, frowning deeply. Her blue eyes are ice cold.
"Because they don't have any right to ignore you just because of their problems with me."
"What problems?" Nina looks confused and angered. She doesn't understand half of what's going on in our family. I vaguely remember being in her position, being so much younger than Isobelle and never understanding any of the shit that happened in our family. It isn't pleasant.
"It's not important."
"You're lying to me," Nina snaps. "Why does everyone lie to me?"
How am I supposed to tell Nina I kissed her sister, or that I'm going to help Isobelle kill her husband? There are some things she shouldn't know. "You're eleven years old," I remind her.
"So?" Nina mutters. "Why does that matter? I'm not a baby! And I don't anything, but that Rose and Hugo hate me, and that's not fair!"
"No one hates you," I say tightly. "No one could ever hate you."
Nina turns her head from me. "It's your fault, because you're always so mean to them, and now they think I'm mean too."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Because you won't tell me anything!" Nina says indignantly. With another glare, she walks past me, stomping off. I make a mental note to myself to pray heavily for guidance if I ever have a daughter. I haven't yet had a successful relationship with a woman, platonic or not.
I turn around as I hear a noise coming down the boys' stairs. It's Sebastian, and I don't know if I'm yet in the mood to speak to him. Recently, he seems to like spending more time with Daisy than he does with me.
"Rough deal with your sister?" He questions, his gaze following Nina's direction.
"You have no idea."
Sebastian raises his eyebrows, running a hand through his slicked back hair. "Families are bullshit. Here's something that'll cheer you up: my parents wrote me this morning."
Sebastian pats me heavily on the back, leading me further into the common room. "Tell me. I need a laugh," I mutter dryly.
"So, my parents have finally decided who I'm going to marry," he mentions, as if he's about to burst into laughter. "She doesn't speak a lick of English."
I can only I wish I was so lucky as to never be able to understand a word Daisy was saying. What a gift that would be. "What language does she speak?"
"French," Sebastian answers. "She's from Beauxbatons. You speak French, don't-"
"I'm not translating anything."
Sebastian laughs. "I wasn't going to say that, mate. I was going to offer to switch with you. She's really pretty, part Veela or something. They say as soon as I finish school, she's mine if I want."
"Then why don't you want to marry her?" I question. "I can't see what you would want with Daisy… actually, never mind that."
"Well, for starters, Daisy isn't fourteen," Sebastian says, shaking his head. He puts his hands up mockingly. "Excuse me, fourteen-and-a-half."
I frown. "Well, congratulations. She'll keep you young."
Sebastian punches my shoulder. "You bloody wanker." He collapses onto the sofa, looking over Albus' shoulder. He's got his Herbology book in front of him, newly returned, and is reading some parchment with a stupid smile on his face. "Reading a love letter? Anything dirty in there that I might enjoy?"
Al's cheeks turn pink. "No… she's not… she's not like that." I roll my eyes. I've seen Third Years with more intimate relationships than Albus and Liliana.
Sebastian snatches the letter from Albus, holding it in front of his face.
"That isn't funny!" Al snaps, lunging over the couch to attack Sebastian. "Give it back, you fucker! I swear to Merlin, I'll kill you!" I wouldn't ever stand in the way of Al and something. He may act like a girl at times, but he sure as hell doesn't hit like one.
"Wow, no hint about her knickers or anything?" Sebastian asks loudly, causing some of the students to turn around and look at him. "How dry." Al tackles him to the ground, looking ready to rip his throat out.
"Shut the hell up!"
"Oh, and look here, you can almost see how much of a prude she is from her handwriting!"
Al roughly snatches the letter from Sebastian, giving him another rough shove before getting up. "Fuck you!" Al snaps, before taking his things and disappearing out of the common room.
"Never tried it before," Sebastian mutters, sitting up with a smug grin. He looks at me for an explanation. "Isn't he with that Head Girl?"
"They're both denying it."
Sebastian makes a face of disgust and dusts off his robes. "Al could do much better than her. She looks like a bloody horse, and not even a good one."
"No, she doesn't." I don't know why I feel inclined to defend Liliana, but she really isn't ugly. I don't like her, she just isn't. Perhaps I just don't want Al to look bad.
"Whatever. I still wouldn't touch her with a bargepole."
"Well, then it's a good thing no one's making you."
Sebastian puts his hands in his pockets and raises his eyebrows accusingly. "Well, well, got wandering eyes, do you?"
I shake my head. "I don't like her any more than I like Daisy, but she's not… she's not hideous."
"A lot of people aren't hideous, but that doesn't make them good-looking either," Sebastian points out. "I'll tell you who I think is good-looking."
"Who?"
Sebastian gives me a look. "Don't kill me, mate, but you've got to admit your step-sister's pretty fit."
I stare at Sebastian blankly, never in a million years thinking he would ever look at Rose. It seems that everyone's trying to torture me, bringing her up as if I'm supposed to care about her. I hate that I do.
"I don't have to admit anything," I say stiffly. Rose has made it pretty obvious she's got no interest in any man who could be good for her.
"Oh, please," Sebastian scoffs, bumping my shoulder and leading me out of the Common Room. "You two aren't related. If it were me who lived with her, I'd get into her room every night and show her what a good step-brother really was." Sebastian seems to be salivating at the pure thought of Rose. It sickens me.
I move his hand from my shoulder. "Shut up."
"We can't have a proper meeting if we all shout over one another," Liliana says diplomatically. "Now, I think we should all raise our hands, and then wait to say what we need."
For the most part, everyone ignores Liliana. If anything, the room gets louder. The only person who's really silent is Rose. She's making a point not to look at me. Even Lorcan's talking to some of the other Prefects. She's behaving like a child.
"Shut it!" I shout. "We're choosing students to tutor, not bidding for house-elves! Next person to talk out of turn hands their badge in to me!"
That seems to quiet the room. "Thank you," Liliana says with a short nod, then in an undertone, "you don't have to be so rude."
"And how exactly was kindness working for you?" I question.
Liliana doesn't reply. She clears her throat and redirects her attention to the list of students, her ponytail swinging behind her. As she studies the list, her eyebrows knit and she chews her lip slightly, making them pink. I still can't believe Sebastian thinks she looks like a horse. I don't see it one bit. "Well, Hufflepuff has six students they're going to tutor, Gryffindor has four, Slytherin has five, and Ravenclaw has eight. There's one more student, if anyone wants another. Gryffindor, maybe?"
"Who is it?" One of the Prefect girls from Hufflepuff asks.
Liliana purses her lips as if she'd rather not say. "Nina Malfoy."
I could wring her little freckled neck, embarrassing me like this. I'm definitely going to write my parents about this. I've got no other choice. They need to know Nina isn't taking her education seriously, and she's probably doing it only to spite me.
"I'll do it," Rose and I say in unison. Once she realizes it, she gives me a harsh glare.
"That's kind of you to offer, but Ravenclaw already has enough students," I reply bitingly.
"You've got enough on your plate already," Rose says stiffly, narrowing her eyes at me.
"Not that you'd care to involve yourself in any of it. You made that clear."
Liliana puts her hands up in a placating gesture. "That's enough. A Gryffindor can do it." She crosses Nina's name off the list, her jaw set tight.
Rose crosses her arms and shakes her head as Lorcan whispers something stupid into her ear.
"I said I would do it, and that's the end of it. I'll educate my own sister, thank you," I say, taking the list from Liliana. She looks as if she might crack.
"You're so egocentric," Rose says, her chocolate brown eyes boring into mine with a fire that makes me uncomfortable, but I still make an effort to reciprocate it. "As if you're the only one who gets to decide things."
"Either way you're not the Head Girl, so your decisions don't hold any weight."
Rose blows air out of her nose. "You're an ass."
"Ouch, that really hurt right in here," I mock her, putting my hand on my chest and faking a pained expression.
Rose leans forward in her chair, letting go of Lorcan's hand. Perhaps she'll start thinking for herself again. "You've got to have a heart to be hurt in it."
"If I didn't have a heart, I'd be dead," I remind her casually.
Rose bites her lip, seemingly irritated at my response. "Then it's amazing you managed all these years."
"I could say the same for you. Not talking to your own sisters, bit cruel isn't it, Weasley? Seems your family's got a thing for ignoring people who should matter to them."
"Only when they have to go and ruin a good thing," Rose counters, giving me a steely gaze. I don't understand what was so good between her and me originally. The last time I can even remember remotely liking her, even platonically, I was about thirteen years old.
"Scorpius!" Liliana hisses, narrowing her eyes at me.
"Stay out of this. This doesn't concern you."
Liliana puts her fists on her hips and steps in front of me. "It does when you're ruining our Prefect's meeting! Argue on your own time!" She says indignantly in that annoyingly shrill voice of hers.
"As if Rose speaks to me outside of meetings. She's showing out," I say under my breath, but loud enough for her to hear.
Rose makes to stand up, but Lorcan put his hand on her knee to stop her. The idiot has a death wish.
"Go," Liliana says rigidly. "Both of you leave! Since you obviously can't handle yourselves, get out!"
I pause for a second, wondering just who the hell Liliana thinks she's speaking to. The other students go silent, and the tension in the room is apparent. I hate Rose. Utterly and truly. "You don't order me to do anything."
Liliana pinches the bridge of her nose. "Go."
"Fine. This meeting is bullshit anyway." I storm out of the room, glad to be rid of those assholes. It's disappointing they're the top students of the school. Seconds later, the door swings open again, Rose's heavy footsteps.
"Lorcan, I'm fine!" She says sharply. They make a brief exchange, and the door shuts again. Rose huffs, cursing under her breath.
"Let him down a bit rougher next time, will you?" I say, knowing it'll irk Rose. I turn around to check her expression. She's determinedly staring at the ground, but her cheeks are red with anger.
"Shut up," she mutters coldly. "You just got kicked out of Prefect's meeting and you still won't quit!"
"Kicked out or not, this is still my school," I remind her. I'm the Head Boy. Liliana can have her little victory now, but it'll soon be over.
Rose stops walking, looking as if she doesn't know what else to do other than laugh in utter disbelief. Her nose wrinkles and she tilts her head back, her curly brown hair framing her face. "That's your problem. You think you own everything!" She protests. "Including me."
"I've never thought that," I assure Rose, shaking my head. Leave it to her to make a national crisis out of nothing. I kissed her, and it was nothing more. Admitted my judgment was terrible, but honestly it can't be the worst thing that's happened to her.
"Yes, you did. You wouldn't… you wouldn't have done what you did," Rose mutters, as if saying it will kill her.
"You know that for a fact?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Right, because you know everything, don't you?"
Rose shakes her head. "I didn't say that. But I do know you think you're better than me."
I hate how Rose honestly believes that. As annoying and bossy as she is, she's probably a better person than I'll ever be.
I step closer to her, knowing it's just enough to drive her mad. "Do you know what I know?" I question, taking a lock of her curly hair between my fingers. Rose swats my hand away. "It's far too easy to get you worked up. That's what I know."
"I hate you," Rose says forcefully.
I shake my head. "No, you don't."
Rose nods her head in protest. "Get away from me. I'm serious, I will tell," Rose threatens.
"Tell what?" I ask, playing dumb.
"I'll tell what you did- what you're doing," Rose says in a poor attempt to sound threatening, sounding rather choked up instead. "I have a boyfriend."
I shrug. "I have a fiancée." As if any of that is important.
"Why are you doing this?" Rose asks, her back against the corridor wall. Her breaths are heavy, and her tanned chest rises and falls rapidly, catching my attention.
"Why?" I repeat, searching for a reason myself. "I need you to understand, Rose, that that boy in there's going to do nothing for you." I point in the general direction of the Prefect's room, although we're a long way away from it.
"Oh, and you will?" Rose retorts.
"If you'd let me," I assure her.
"Well, I won't," Rose says indignantly. She smells wonderful, like that sort of antique smell of books and parchment.
"Why not?"
Rose bites her lip and looks away from me. "Because you're… you're my- I don't love you," she says finally.
I give her a small smile. "I don't need you to love me," I mutter quietly, pressing my lips to her shoulder. "I really don't."
I expect to hear a protest from Rose, but I hear nothing but a soft sniffle. "Are you all right?" I ask.
"No," Rose mutters quietly. "What about… what about Lorcan? Or Mum or Dad?" Her voice trembles slightly.
"What about them?" I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks. "Don't I deserve to think of my own happiness for once?"
"I make you happy?" Rose questions, sounding unsure of herself.
"You could." I don't know if I see Rose as something to love rather than only having interest in her because she's something I can't have. It isn't as if anyone could know about whatever it is that we're going to turn out to be.
"I can't do this to Lorcan," Rose whispers. "It's not fair to him."
"Fuck being fair to him. I want to be fair to you," I tell Rose, placing kisses on her slender neck. She sighs gently, and her hands touch my chest, trying effortlessly to push me away, as if she's trying to convince herself that she's resisting me. She isn't.
"This is wrong…" Rose says quietly, although she accepts my mouth to hers. I want to be closer to her still, although virtually nothing separates us. I rest my hands on her waist, pulling her shirt out of her skirt and feeling her skin under my fingertips. I can't decide what I enjoy more- the taste of her, or her touch. Everything about Rose is tentative and calculating, and the uncertainty that radiates off her is horribly intoxicating.
"How far have you one with Lorcan?"
Trailing my fingers down her waist, I watch Rose slowly, waiting for her to either answer my question or stop me. She does neither. Her lips are slightly swollen, and a few tears pool in her eyes. "Lorcan never… he never…"
"He never what?" I question, placing a few more kisses on her collarbone.
Rose shakes her head. "It's nothing, never mind…" I don't know what she was about to say. I can only hope it was nothing too serious, or else Isobelle won't be the only one with blood on her hands. I dearly hope no one decides to get lost in the castle and stumble upon Rose and me. It would truly be difficult to explain if anyone caught me with my hand down her skirt. It's worth the risk, though.
It disappoints me that I wasn't the first to touch her, or kiss her, that there are certain parts of her that I'll never get to have completely in my own keeping. Other things, however, can still be mine. "Would you… would you let me…?" I feel rather stupid asking Rose, that's something I've never really done before.
"I'm not ready," Rose says in a small voice, as if she's embarrassed to admit that to me. It doesn't bother me, not in the slightest. Seeing her writhe under my touch is satisfying enough at the moment.
"Then forget I said anything." Her knickers are soft, and they cover the whole of her bum unlike Daisy's. There're a great amount of differences between the two of them, and I'm grateful for that.
"Just… promise you'll come to me when you are," I whisper into Rose's neck. "I don't trust Lorcan to do it properly."
Rose says nothing for a while. Her lips meet mine, gently and innocently, and she's silent other than the sound of her breathing. Although she's refused, I can't think of anything other than having her under me, making sounds of delight as I kiss every freckle she has on that beautiful body of hers. I wouldn't even treat her the way I do Daisy, I would be kind and patient, and be certain she enjoyed herself. I feel obligated to be that courteous of her.
Finally, Rose speaks up. She doesn't make eye contact, and her voice sounds strained. "I… I will."
*(A/N: This situation is pretty weird, no? Someone told me they were getting a 'rape' vibe from Scorpius, and I'd just like to say he's definitely not a rapist. I think he's more selfish than anything, and he isn't specifically out to harm Rose. I think her cares a lot more about Rose than she does him, anyway. Honestly, I believe Rose doesn't really like Scorpius, but rather doesn't know how to react to this side of him, so she'd be more the one to so something and regret it later. I think she feels the most in the middle of her family, and the 'relationship' with Scorpius is going to do nothing but make it worse.
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