Finally! Here it is! Chapter 13!

I hope you like it! Added something special just for you guys!

It had been two days since I had read my father's letter. Words kept playing over and over in my mind. I know you're going to win. I'm very proud of you. Such simple words with so much impact. At first I had been crushed. Words like that are typical of a parent but never when used against their own daughter.

By now I've come to realize how petty it all is: the glares, the cold-shoulders, the family drama. I'm going to have to face them but it doesn't mean I have to accept them. I'm far better off pretending they don't matter.

And now, as I stride down the corridor on my way to the owlery, I put my new technique into effect. I barely register the fact that Reilly Wood glares at me as we pass or how Ashton Jordan calls me a backstabbing snake after a fierce bump against my shoulder. I take notice and for a second they sting. It only takes me a moment to recover, thinking that if I believe these things I'll sink but if I rise and ignore them I'll be the one wearing Chudley Cannons robes in a few years' time.

I climb the steps one at a time, my letter clutched in my hand. I had written it the night before. The note was for my parents, my mum primarily given my father's attitude, telling them I planned on staying at Hogwarts with the rest of my team during Christmas. I had no need to go home where I would only face increased torment and hatred. If anyone knew how to hold a grudge it was a Weasley, specifically Mr. Ronald Weasley.

My owl, Arke, was perched in his typical spot. Upon my sight he let out a gleeful hoot and flapped his wings, carrying himself over to the window nearest me. "Hello," I smiled as I patted his chocolate feathers. "Miss me?" Arke went in to peck at my fingers, tell-tale sign that he was at least a little miffed at me. "I know and I'm sorry. Things have been pretty chaotic around here. But that's no excuse. I should have come up to see you. I'm sorry." Arke hooted and snuggled up against the palm of my hand.

"Well, he's quick to forgive."

"Yeah, he is," I nodded before turning to look at my cousin. "I don't blame you for hating me, Roxanne. I deserve it."

She shook her head but remained as distant across the room as possible, "No, you don't. Not all of it."

"What I did to you. I deserve that."

Roxanne twisted her head, blocking her face from view. She shook her head in agreement, "You do. You still do. But what did you ever do to them? You don't deserve the whole school's wrath. Just mine."

I shrugged, "Picked the wrong team, I guess. Betrayed the sacred rule of house loyalties and broke the unwritten rule of Gryffindor. Thou shall not befriend a Slytherin."

Both of us were silent for a moment, though in retrospect that moment felt like ages. Roxanne took a deep breath before finally meeting my eyes. Last time we'd spoken they had been filled with disappointment but this time they were full of questions. "If you had to redo it, change everything, would you?"

"No," I admitted truthfully, shaking my head, "I wouldn't. Sure, there would a few things I'd change along the way, hurting you mainly, but no, I wouldn't. I chose my path and I think I chose the right one. For me."

Roxanne took a minute to digest my words and slowly bobbed her head up and down when they had settled in. "Alright."

I smiled, "I miss you, Rox. Good luck in the tournament."

"Good luck," Roxanne whispered with a curt nod before disappearing down the stone staircase.

With the departure of my cousin, I turned back to face Arke. He looked up at me with wide eyes and a tilted head as if asking me what was going on. I snickered and patted his head, "It's a long story. Now, take this to mum. And if you see dad bite him for me please."

Arke hooted and took hold of the letter by his beak before swooping out the window towards his destination of the Burrow.

"I'm sorry I'm late," I apologized, still attaching the guards for my forearms as I strolled forward on the Quidditch pitch. "Had to send a letter to my parents about Christmas."

Scorpius shook his head, "Always so proper aren't you, Rose?"

"I don't know what you mean."

He took a few steps closer, his boots squishing in the mud with each step. "Did you ever think that maybe you didn't have to inform your parents that you weren't coming home? Did it ever occur to you that, I don't know, maybe you just simply didn't show up?"

"And give my mum a heart attack? No thanks, but I'd rather stick to having just one parent hating me."

Scorpius laughed, "Suite yourself, Red."

"So," I tightened my glove straps and adjusted my boots, "what is the agenda for today's practice? Why just the two of us? You aren't planning on murdering me so that you can take the captain spot all for yourself, are you?"

"Tsk tsk, Weasley," Scorpius smirked. "I thought you'd know better than that. Of course I hadn't planned on killing you. I was thinking more along the lines of torture."

I laughed, "Yeah? And what form of torture were you thinking of acting out upon me today? Crucio? Kira Wilkins?"

"No," Scorpius rested his chin upon the handle of his broomstick and widened his smirk. "My plan was to have you spend the day with me. Thus causing you to lose your mind as you sit here having to watch me play Quidditch, listen to me drawl on and on about how sexy I am, and have you stare at the gorgeousness that is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy."

I gasped, "That sounds horrific!"

"I know," Scorpius nodded, "but sadly it's your only option, seeing as we're captains and we need to practice."

I sighed dramatically and paused, pretending to consider my options. "I guess, if it's for the good of the team, I'll do it."

"Good," Scorpius shoved my broom into my chest, "we're starting with a hundred laps."

I groaned, "That is torture!"

"Do you want to beat the Gryffindors?"

"Yes."

"Then get up there!" Scorpius ordered, smacking my bum before taking off himself.

"Malfoy!"

"Got to catch me, Weasley!" he called out, laughing as he circled the pitch.

I straddled the broom and narrowed my eyes. "Game on," I smirked, taking off after my blonde teammate. Leaning down on the broom with my chest just touching the handle I propelled myself and rocketed forward.

He looked over his shoulder to calculate the distance between us and sped up. His broom lurched forward, zipping past the Hufflepuff seating. I followed suit and urged my broom to pick up speed. With each second I was getting closer and closer. Just a couple of meters now. I reached out my hand as if ready to clasp it around a golden snitch. Once again Scorpius looked over his shoulder. His eyes grew a bit wide and he jerked his broom to the side, turning around the bend.

I huffed. I was annoyed now, having been so close to putting the ferret in his place. I slowed down, a new plot forming in my head. Out of the corner of his eye Malfoy spotted me and he too slowed up. He raised his eyebrow in a questioning glance. I shrugged my shoulders and continued to loop the pitch at a tortoise's pace. Gradually I moved towards the center, narrowing my laps.

"What are you doing, Weasley?"

"Nothing, Malfoy…"

Scorpius shook his head and kept his eyes trained on me from across the pitch. I had to wait for the opportune moment. I counted down mentally, "Five…four…three…two…"

At one I launched forward, driving myself at full speed towards Scorpius. He shifted to the right, rounding around one of the towers. I remained on his tail, zigzagging all around the pitch. He tried to wiggle away by flying around the hoops and undulating up and down. Scorpius took a turn around the backside of the Slytherin's tower. I leaned further down and chose to keep going straight. As he came around to exit out the opposite side I was there to meet him. With an outstretched hand I tapped his arm informing him that he had in fact been caught. "Gotcha!"

Scorpius raised the head of his broom to bring it to a stop. "You cheated," he teased, maneuvering himself to fly at my side.

"Technically, there were no rules. That means that cheating is impossible. I merely outsmarted you…again."

"Oh," Malfoy laughed, giving me a playful shove, "I see how it is. You and your know-it-all ways. What am I going to do with you, Red?"

"I don't know but you can't get rid of me."

"Really? Why is that?"

I smiled smugly, "Because I'm far too entertaining. Without me you'd have no one to pick on. And you would have no one left to argue with. Without me your life would be even more pathetic than it already is."

"There's always Lily."

"No," I chuckled, "she'd sooner snog you than get in a debate. For some ungodly reason she doesn't seem to find you as vile as I do. Your best bet would be Lucy. She, like me, finds enjoyment in seeing your ego suffer."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes and looked at me skeptically. He pursed his lips and shook his head. "You're a devil, Weasley. Under all of those fiery curls is a pair of devil horns. There's no trusting you."

"If you can't trust me then who's left to trust?"

Scorpius gave a tight-lipped smile, trying to suppress a laugh. "The Gryffindors."

"Riiiiiight," I laughed, "because that'll work out so well for you."

"Hey, once they get a load of this smile they can't say no." Scorpius tilted his head and grinned cheekily. As his hair whipped in the wind I couldn't help but think how dreadfully cheesy he looked.

"Needs some work."

Scorpius waved me off, "Forget you. Let's head down."

"Alright," I puffed as we set ourselves back down on solid ground, my chest heaving from the exercise, "what now?"

Scorpius raised his arm, holding out a single quaffle. He smirked, "How about a challenge?"

I crossed my arms and nodded my head slightly, informing him that I was interested in his offer.

"First person to score two goals from halfway down the pitch wins. No keeper. Any of the three hoops."

"What are the stakes?"

"The stakes?"

I nodded, "Yes, well, I don't think I'd have any interest playing your silly game unless there was something in it for me. Glory is nice and all but having you as my slave for the day would be far better."

"Alright," Scorpius agreed, "I'll do this your way. What do you want if you win? Though considering you're playing against me I don't believe that victory is really an option for you."

I carefully placed my broom on the ground and strode over to the Slytherin. Slowly I walked around him looking him up and down, making a mental note that Scorpius did in fact have a nice arse. "Well," I contemplated as I circled him once more, "I could go for the whole humiliation factor and make you walk around Hogwarts in a red bikini."

"Please," Scorpius scoffed, "I look brilliant in a bikini. That would be a gift to Hogwarts, not humiliation."

"Fine. I could torture you and make you cater to me hand and foot."

"You'd only be torturing yourself. Think about it: my snarky comments, refusal to listen and not to mention the sexual tension…"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Scorpius laughed, making me pause at his side. He turned his head meeting his grey eyes with mine. The corner of his lip rose slightly, transforming a simple smile into one of his trademark smirks. "You can lie to everyone else, Weasley, but don't lie to yourself."

"I'm not," I defended.

"Fine. Continue."

I grinned mischievously, "I think I've found the perfect idea. If I win, you, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, are not permitted to utter a single word for an entire week."

"Suit yourself, Red. I know you'd miss my silky smooth voice after a while."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll live. Now, what about you? What do you want if you win this little bet?"

Scorpius crossed his muscular arms and looked down at me through his nose. "I'm not going to tell you."

"No," I gaped, "that is not fair. I told you, you tell me!"

Malfoy raised a hand and patted down the red curls atop my head, "Sorry, Red, but that wasn't part of the deal. Guess you'll have to be surprised."

"I loathe surprises, Malfoy."

He shook his head and sighed, "Pity. But you'll have to get use to them if you're with me. I am a surprise."

"No," I countered, "you are an enigma."

Scorpius bent down to pick up his broom and shrugged. "Same thing," he said before we lifted off the ground towards the center of the field. He tossed the quaffle to me. "Ladies first."

"Such a gentleman," I teased. Positioning myself straight in front of the hoops I took a deep breath before throwing the ball up and hitting it away. Short. "Shite. Your turn."

"Go fetch the quaffle."

"Excuse me?"

"You miss a shot you have to get it. Now, if you happen to make it I'll gladly bring it to you. However, you missed. So fetch." I glared and grudgingly went to retrieve the ball.

Upon my arrival, Malfoy took his spot and aimed. His quaffle was much closer than mine had been, just clipping the top of the left hoop.

This went on for a while, until I clobbered the quaffle and it streamed through the air. I bit my lip in anxiety as it got closer and closer. It nicked the top of the hoop as it tumbled in. "Yes!" I cheered. I shot my co-captain a smirk and pointed down the pitch. "Fetch."

He sighed, "Yes, Madame."

On his next shot Scorpius brought the competition to a tie, his shot going straight in the right hoop. He smiled wickedly at me and without further instruction I recovered the ball.

The game was now equal and the game was now more intense. My palms couldn't help but sweat at the thought of losing. I had no idea what Scorpius had in store if he were to actually defeat me. I couldn't take any chances. So I lined up smack dab in the center of the court. I lifted my hand and tossed the ball above my head. My eyes were trained on it as it went up and up before falling. When it was close enough I grabbed hold of the wooden handle and twisted the broom, making contact with the quaffle. It flew in an arch higher in the sky. I held my breath as it continued on its path. To my dismay it went too far left of the center hoop and zoomed straight through the gap between the two goals.

Next up, Scorpius raised his hand, lofted the maroon ball into the air and at the precise moment whacked it with the tail of his broom. I didn't smile as it soared straight through the middle hoop.

"Yes!" Scorpius cheered with a clenched fist. "Victory!"

A slight smile cracked on my face as he did victory laps around me. He whooped and hollered, tossing his head back as he pumped his fists triumphantly in the air. I lowered my broom and stepped foot on the grass below.

Scorpius came down after me, a silly grin taking up his angular face. "Do you have something to say to me, Rose?"

"No."

Scorpius pouted, "Not even a congratulations?"

"Congratulations," I muttered through tight lips.

"Well," Scorpius dropped his broom and held out his hand, "thank you for appreciating my excellence."

Reluctantly I placed my hand in his and shook. "No problem."

The grin on his face slowly morphed into a playful smirk and before I could piece together what was happening a foot swept under me, knocking me straight into the mud.

"Urgh!" I wiped the splatters of brown muck off of my mouth. "Really, Malfoy?" I cried. "This was your prize for winning?"

"No," he shook his head, laughing at me as I struggled to stand up on my feet. "This was just for fun."

"Fun? Fine, I'll give you fun!" And quickly I bent down and scooped up a handful of mud. I reached out and smeared it across his face being sure to get a good amount in his shiny platinum hair as well. "You're right," I smiled, taking a step back to admire my artistry, "that was fun."

The boy in front of me rubbed his palm across his face, swiping the mud away from his eyes and mouth. He snarled, "Oh, you are going down, Weasley!"

"Bring it!" I challenged, just in time for him to tackle me into the soft and squishy muck.

My head smacked against the ground, getting the dirty filth deep in my hair and in the nooks and crannies of my ear. I knew not even a shower could clean this up properly. I grabbed the back of Scorpius's head and pressed hard, lowering his face into the sludge. He raised his head and spit.

"That's it!" he yelled. And in a moment I was off the ground and in his arms only to be dropped into the biggest, messiest pile of mud on the field. I sat up to see that my practice clothes were covered head to toe in brown splotches. "How do you like that, Red?"

I stood and glared straight up at Malfoy. "I'm covered head to toe in mud. How do you think I like it?"

"Oh. Well, I've got a solution to that."

"And what might that be?" I asked narrowing my brows.

"More mud! Come on!" Scorpius held out his hands. "Take my hands."

I shook my head wildly. "No. I refuse. Last time I ended up on my bum!"

"Trust me," Scorpius replied sweetly. Normally I'd tell him to bugger off but since he said it like that I couldn't refuse. It was like his charm had hypnotized me and I had turned into a drooling teenage girl. "Now," he said as he led me to another large puddle, "run!"

"Hmmm?" I asked. But Scorpius didn't bother to answer as he took off running down the long streak of mud before dropping onto his side and sliding further down the pitch. I laughed, shrugged my shoulders and did as instructed. I was out of breath but my smile couldn't be any bigger.

"Again?" Scorpius offered, placing out his hand to help me up.

"I've got a better idea," I grinned, tugging him onto the ground. He landed next to me with a big thump and an even bigger splash. "How'd you like that? Got a taste of your own medicine, did you?"

"Smart-arse," he laughed, sitting up. I tilted my head back and succumbed to a fit of giggles. "What's so funny?"

I laughed even harder. "Your face. You look absolutely ridiculous!"

"Oh yeah?" he nodded. "I wouldn't be talking, Rose. You look pretty ridiculous yourself!"

Despite the insult I couldn't stop laughing. He looked like the mud had taken him, swallowed him whole, and transformed him into some sort of mud-monster. I could only guess I looked the same, possibly worse.

"Here," Scorpius directed me closer with his finger, "you've got a giant spot on your cheek. Let me get it." He reached out and cupped my cheek. My stomach flipped and butterflies started to twirl as he brushed his thumb across my skin. "There."

But he didn't let go. He didn't even back off. Instead he leaned a bit closer until he was kissing me. It only lasted a second before he pulled back and sat, just staring at me.

Scorpius swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled timidly. "That was my prize."

My heart pounded and my mouth gaped like a fish. I didn't know what to say. I closed my eyes and took a breath, hoping desperately for the words to come to me. I took my time before smiling for a moment. "Thanks."

"Thanks?" he asked, a slight amount of teasing was present in his voice.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Okay," he said, nodding right back.

"I've got to go," I said, scrambling to my feet. "I need some air."

Scorpius stood on the field, watching me as I jogged away. "You're outside, Weasley!"

I didn't bother to answer. I didn't have time. All I needed to do now was to find Lily. We needed a stash of sweets, primarily chocolate frogs, and a night of girl talk in her dormitory.

I got up to the Gryffindor tower and muttered the password to the Fat Lady, gaining entry. A few bewildered expressions were shot my way based on my appearance, no doubt. But I didn't mind them and continued up the girls' steps.

Amelia exited our dormitory, meeting me in the hallway. She stiffened at my sight and clutched the bottom of her sweater, a nervous habit she'd never been able to get rid of. "Hello."

"Hi," I nodded, stepping closer to the fourth year door.

"You look… dirty…"

"Practice. With Scorpius."

Lia's mouth formed an O. "I see."

I shook my head, "Don't think on it, Amelia."

She took a few steps forward, her shoulder brushing against mine. Her face turned towards me and she looked at me in her typical knowing manner. "Deny it, Rose, but you can't escape it. You'll waste years trying to ignore it. Trust me." She gave a weak smile before continuing further down the hall.

I stood alone for a minute, reflecting in her words. My fingers wrapped around the door knob and I yanked it open. Lily sat on her bed reading a chapter in her textbook for Potions. She looked up and me. She opened her mouth to admonish me for carrying the mud into her room but I cut her off.

"Lily."

My cousin slammed her book shut and scampered over to me. She took hold of my shoulders and met my gaze. "Are you ok?" she inquired, a hint of panic in her voice.

"Scorpius."

Lily nodded. "Yes, yes, what about Scorpius?"

"Lily," I gasped, "I- I…"

"Yes?"

I looked left and right and then finally back at Lily. In a hushed whisper I said, "I think I…like Scorpius."

About time?
Since I had such an eventful chapter I'm not going to tell you what happened next. You're going to have to guess. And review... reviews are necessary.
:P