Chapter Eleven: HIDING IN THE SHADOWS

"Are you okay?"

Rose couldn't believe the voice that she heard behind her. A part of her knew that someone would end up following her up to the Astronomy Tower. She was almost certain that one of her family members would be standing there, but relief set in once she saw the face of Scorpius. He was so handsome dressed in his dress robes from the dance.

Rose ran straight into his arm. The warmth from his body was comforting, she didn't realize just how cold she had become sitting in the snow and was shivering.

"Rose! You must be freezing! We need to get you inside."

Scorpius put his coat over Rose as he led her downstairs. As they reached the bottom Rose looked up at Scorpius and gave him a long kiss. As they parted Scorpius gave a half shocked, look to Rose, she looked stunning in her deep teal dress that really brought out her eye. He drew her in and gave her another kiss.

"You know if you hadn't used that Stunning Spell on that idiot McLaggen I would have gone a punched him right in the face myself."

"Thanks." Then the thought back of using the Stunning Spell on Corey came back.

"Oh no! I bet that I am in so much trouble now!"

"Oh I don't think you are. When I left I over heard the Headmaster and a few of the Professors talking about it. Seems like if you hadn't done something they would have and I think McLaggen's more in trouble than you would be. I guess some of the guys got went to Hogsmeade before the dance and got too much Firewhiskey in them."

Rose was relieved to hear that she wasn't in any sort of trouble, but hoped that her cousin didn't get into all that mess.

"Albus, is he okay? He wasn't with them was he?"

Scorpius cringed at hearing Albus' name. Even though he new that he was Rose's cousin and best friend neither of them ever talked about him with one another. Albus and Scorpius just hated each other. As nicely as he could Scorpius responded.

"No, he's fine. Something about picking up dress robes or something"

Rose recalled the conversation with Freddie and Albus and felt better.

"Thanks for looking out for me, but won't your date be kind of mad that you left her?"

"Pandora? Maybe, but I don't really care. She kind of always wanted to go out with me because of the whole bad guy on campus thing, not because she cared about me. So I knew when I'd ask her to the dance she'd say yes. I just wanted to make you jealous."

"Well it worked."

"Sorry, but I was mad. I half thought you actually wanted to go to ball with McLaggen."

Rose took Scorpius' face by her hand and gave him a soft kiss.

"I realized that I wanted to go with you."

Rose and Scorpius sat cuddled next to one another in comfortable silence.

"Rose. I'm so sorry about being such a hot head the other night."

"I'm sorry too."

Rose shivered, even though they were inside. The top floor below the Astronomy Tower was still freezing.

"It's way to cold in here. How about we head bad to our dorms. It should be close to midnight by now."

As they got up Rose handed back Scorpius his coat, he took it and threw it on the ground. Scorpius grabbed Rose by the waist and pulled her in for a long loving kiss.

"I love you Rose."

"I love you too."

Just as those words came out of Rose's mouth both of them heard footsteps coming toward them as a person comes out form the dark shadows of the doorway.

"Well you two sure have gotten yourselves in a dilemma."