AUTHOR'S CHAPTER START NOTES:
Another very long chapter for you. Crucial character development, future plot hints, and vital confrontations contained herein.
Please review!
CHAPTER 8: CASUALTY OF INDECISION
Monday, July 7th, 2031 (morning)
The Floo in Rose's flat chimed to let her know she had an incoming call. Tightening the towel around her midsection, her hair still dripping wet from her earlier shower, she hurried to the hearth and answered.
"Hey, Rose," Corwin's handsome face appeared in the flames. "Can I come through? There's something we need to talk about."
A sinking, gnawing feeling erupted in her belly. He hadn't called her 'baby' or 'Rosie.' His face seemed strained with concern. He'd used the dreaded words every partner in a relationship hated to hear: "can we talk?" Yep, Corwin was breaking-up with her. He must have somehow found out about her and Malfoy.
Mother effing bleep, she thought, cringing at using "an Uncle Harry-ism."
The fact of the matter was, regardless of what she had done the night before with Scorpius, her heart had been pretty set on being with Cor in the long-haul. It had taken them years to get together, and she'd only just found and enjoyed happiness in his arms. But then the dream of them had been horribly dashed by Malfoy's wanking Veela and his unwelcome obsession with her. Today's conversation would obviously be the death knell of her and Cor's relationship.
Taking a deep breath and trying to contain the painful hitch in her chest, she nodded. "J-just let me get dressed. Make yourself at home," she offered, opening up the connection on her end and quickly stepping out of the room, down the small hall and into her bedroom.
As she threw on some cotton, Muggle casuals and brushed through her hair to get out the tangles, she heard the whoosh of the Floo activating, and knew her boyfriend had stepped through. Just knowing that he was here, and that there would be an unpleasant confrontation between them… Her anxiety levels shot into the stratosphere faster than a Mark Eight Firebolt.
Reaching for the knob to go out and face her heart's doom, she paused, unable to take the next step. Leaning against the closed wooden door that separated her from what was to come, she closed her eyes.
This wasn't fair! Having her entire future – her spouse, her reproductive life, and consequently, her career (because once she was fully mated, she'd be pregnant and have to quit Quidditch altogether) - dictated by some unknown magical creature and a bunch of chauvinistic, medieval decrees that stripped her of all her liberties was ludicrous! This was the twenty-first century and women were no longer property to their fathers or husbands!
But no, apparently only Muggle women could claim such a blanket civil privilege in modern London, as she – a witch under Ministry rule – was subject to a set of archaic laws and as such, had absolutely no rights to freedom, privacy or personal choice. She was now little more than a hole to be fucked so she could breed another generation of Veela men who would then go on to steal some other poor, unsuspecting woman's hopes from her, too.
"I can't do this! This isn't right! I want a say in my life!" she softly cried, the tears burning behind her lids.
"Then don't mate him," Corwin calmly spoke from the other side of the door.
Gasping with surprise, she yanked at the handle and pulled the portal open to face him. "Wh-what?" she whispered, stunned to the tips of her toes.
Corwin looked as heartbroken as she felt. "Don't mate Scorpius Malfoy."
Speechless, her mouth gaping open in dazed astonishment she could only blink up at her boyfriend. Stepping into her private space, pulling her into his embrace, Corwin lowered his head to hers, stopping a breath away from her lips. "I know all about the two of you. I overheard him talking to Eleri Nott at the pub last night. I figured out from their conversation what he is and what that means for you."
Rose's mouth opened and out poured the truth, uncensored. "I was already with you when his father and my mum dropped the news that I was Scorpius' Veela mate. I didn't lead you on, I swear! I had no idea about any of it until that afternoon." She clutched the front of his shirt in a tight grip. "I've been trying to find a loophole in the law, but I've already been told that there's absolutely no way to break his mating claim – that the Ministry would force it to happen, even if they had to stand around the marriage bed to make sure it was consummated. Not even breaking my wand and immigrating to the Muggle world would be allowed." The hopelessness of the situation made her feel very small and helpless, and for the first time since this whole mess began, she finally broke down. "I don't want to be forced! I want it to be my choice!"
"I… know exactly how you feel, baby," he sighed, pressing his lips to her temple and his nose into her hair. "It's wrong – all of it. He doesn't even love you! If he did, he wouldn't be cheating on you with that Nott chick."
The world came to a jarring halt.
"What?"
Her voice sounded small, even to her ears.
Corwin pulled back, contrite. "Yesterday afternoon, they talked about you, and she told him that you were looking for a way to break the mating to be with me. That bastard then asked them to go back to her flat so they could shag. Mentioned something about a deal between them and living up to the bargain. They left for the Floo together, and… well… it was sort-of obvious what was gonna happen next, you know?"
The words had been clear, but her mind simply couldn't process them. It seem unfathomable that Eleri would betray her by sleeping with her mate – especially as her friend had been rather encouraging of her trying to make it work with Scorpius…
"If you want a happy life, you're going to have to put your pasts behind you, and see what Scor has to offer you now."
"Who knows? He might surprise you."
"Before you try to end things, you should kiss him again - for real this time. Just to be sure."
Slytherin or not, her friend had continually tried to get Rose to give Malfoy and this mating a chance. That didn't seem like the type of manipulations a witch would go through if she intended on stealing a man right out from under a rival's nose - just the opposite, in fact.
Besides, Rose had always suspected that there was a man on the side that Eleri had been pining over since their school days. Her friend had been sly about keeping his identity a secret, but there was no hiding the glow that accompanied her whenever they'd been together…
Oh, Holy Circe, it couldn't be!
"You're the luckiest bitch in the world, Rose Eleanor Weasley, but you're just too bloody stubborn to see it."
The pieces of the bizarre puzzle snapped into place.
Eleri had spent a considerable amount of time back in their school days in Scorpius' presence. In fact, he was one of the privileged few to actually receive a genuine smile from the girl. Further, El had religiously gone to Quidditch games once Scor had been added to the Slytherin House team, despite a well-vocalized abhorrence to the game itself. And her friend had kept abreast of Scorpius' personal life in the society gossip columns since they'd graduated; she and El would have discussions about his current witch of the week whenever Rose brought it up in conversation.
The evidence was incontrovertible when taken all together.
"Merlin Almighty, she's in love with Malfoy!"
"Who?" Corwin was clearly confused by her pronouncement.
Rose sighed. "Eleri Nott – she's been in love with Scorpius since we were in school. They've obviously had a thing going on for some time. Gods, it was so obviously and I didn't… why didn't I see it?"
Her boyfriend was quiet for a moment, considering her words. "So, they're like us, then? They want to be together, but this Veela thing got in the way?"
She bit her bottom lip, mulling over what she knew. "No, I don't think so. They've never been a formal couple. I mean, he's been shagging everything on two legs for years. That doesn't sound like he loves her back."
"Friends with benefits, then."
That was most likely, given both of their personalities. She nodded. "I think so. Poor El."
Corwin huffed. "Poor her? Your friend betrayed you, Rose. She was spying on you and reporting what she found out to your-" He gritted his teeth and clearly refused to finish the sentence, not wanting to give Scorpius Malfoy any title rights to her. "Why would you feel sympathy for that bitch?"
Yes, why, indeed?
Thinking of how sad Eleri was that day she'd stormed out of Ringo's, she realized that they were, in a manner of speaking, in the same boat. El had loved Scor for Merlin knew how long, and Rose… well, she could relate with her own feelings towards Corwin. Both women were being denied that which they most wanted, and neither had a choice in the matter.
She explained these thoughts aloud. "Besides, she never discouraged me from being with Scorpius," she continued. "In fact, she tried to get me to reconsider looking for a way out of the mating. I think she was trying to remain loyal to both of us, even as she indulged a bit in her own desires, knowing this might be the last chance she'd get to be with Scorpius. It would be a very Slytherin thing to do, wouldn't it?"
"That's just... bent. Well, what about him then? That bastard cousin of mine is fucking another girl when he knows you're his mate!" Corwin argued, affronted for her. "How can you possibly forgive that?"
Snuffing with cynical amusement, she shrugged. "Because I expect it of him. Hell, I already suspected he'd been shagging someone else days ago. I thought he'd stopped, though…" That thought bothered her not just because he meant Scor had gone back on his agreement with her, but because she was being hypocritical of her censure of him for doing so. After all, what right did she have to be angry with the man-slag when she still considered Corwin her boyfriend and had been happily engaging in a bit of full-contact exhibitionism with him in the Magpies' Quidditch stands just a few days ago - even knowing at that time that Scorpius was her Veela mate? They were both of them guilty of infidelity.
Ach! What a screwed-up relationship.
Corwin let out a deep, weary sigh. "Listen, Rosie, just please give me a few days to see if I can get you out of this mating thing with Malfoy," he begged, holding her tighter to his frame, pressing his nose into her hairline.
She felt a small pang in her chest at Cor's offer, for there was a tiny part of her that had to admit that going on a date with Scorpius Malfoy had been rather nice, especially the kissing part – and she felt like a dirty, rotten cheat for thinking that way.
She had to tell Corwin the whole truth, from start to finish. There was nothing for it.
So, she did. He listened, his spine stiffening as she explained about the dream-walking and the kisses they'd shared in that fantasy realm – even as she'd officially been Corwin's girl then. And she told him about Mr. Malfoy and her mum mating, and the bargain she'd made with Scorpius' Veela in an effort to hold off his mating of her. She ended the long-winded tale by explaining the date in Paris that they'd gone on and the kisses in real life that they'd enjoyed on the beach. "I'm sorry," was all she could offer when she'd caught up the events to today, remorseful for the hurt she knew she'd just caused this good man, who still held her in his arms despite all he'd heard. "I promised him I wouldn't see you anymore and that I'd give him the chance to court me."
The grip on her arms tightened, and Cor pulled back from her, holding her steady. "Don't you dare go near him again!" he bid. His voice was controlled and low, but his face had taken on a darker, more serious aspect than she'd ever seen him wear before. "Cousin or not, you're my girlfriend. I've waited years for you." He let her go, as if realizing that his grasp was bordering on bruising. Stepping back into the hallway, he leaned against the opposite wall and ran a frustrated hand over his hair. "Just… give me a few days, baby. That's all we'll need. Stay away from him for that time, okay?"
The tears were back, and she was unable to push them aside. They dripped down her cheeks, scalding hot against her fiery cheeks. "I can't! I told you that I made a bargain with him. He'll probably come to me in my dreams tonight or tomorrow. If I try to block him out by taking potions to sleep, he'll just show up on my doorstep the next day. He'll hunt me down and find me no matter where I go." Her face burned with shame. "And, honestly, Cor… I don't know if I have the strength to resist him. Gods help me, but I liked being with him."
Corwin squeezed his eyes shut and tilted his face to the ceiling. At his sides, his closed fists hit the wall behind him once. "FUCK!" he shouted with anger. "Fine, meet with him, but don't let him mate you – not in the dreams and not in real life. Just… A few days, baby. Buy us that time, please." He glanced at her with his heart in his eyes. "I love you, Rosie. I don't wanna lose you."
Slapping her hands over her eyes to hide was Rose's automatic reaction to his confession as her sobs shook her from head to toe. She loved Corwin – she did! But, to her horror, she realized in that moment that she also felt something of equally growing strength for Scorpius.
"I've wanted you since our school days. You were my first lo-… But you'd made it abundantly clear over the years that you'd never want me that way, so I gave up the idea."
She was sure he'd been about to confess he'd been in love with her – a thought that both confused and excited her.
"I want you above anything in this world, Rose. I have since the first moment I saw you. I've never even considered another for my mate. It's always, only been you… I can't help my nature. I can't help these feelings I have for you. And I can't undo the past or the mistakes that any of us made. But I can love you now, my pretty mate, if you'll let me."
Clearly, the Veela had no problems telling his real feelings for her, even if his host had stumbled over his own admission.
The bestial side of Scorpius may still scare her to some extent, but after the kiss they'd shared on the beach, and the adorable way he'd seemed so proud of himself for showing restraint in that moment, she couldn't help but smile with fondness. Maybe he could grow on her – if he'd let up on the possessive caveman act.
Oh, Founders help her, how could she want two men for two entirely different reasons?
"I'm so confused," she whispered. "I want both of you." She shook her head in denial. "This isn't me. I don't know who I am anymore!"
She didn't feel the air stir as he quickened to her and once more wrapped her in his embrace. This time, he easily lifted her and dragged her to the bed, laying them down upon it. His hands pried hers from her face and his mouth latched on to her lips. Corwin kissed her as if he meant to drown in her. "I love you," he whispered as he dragged her clothing off with hurried, shaking hands. "I won't let you go."
Caught up in the moment, in the feelings he evoked, and needing to a momentary escape from their reality, she kissed back with passion. Thank Nyx she'd started taking a birth control potion three days ago, because it didn't seem as though Corwin was in the right frame of mind to stop and cast any sort of anti-contraception spells. The last thing she wanted to worry about just then was a pregnancy.
Doing this will get you into trouble, the saner part of her mind suddenly spoke up.
The vindictive, angry side answered: Did that bastard care about how it would affect you when he fucked Eleri?
The answer was a resounding 'no' and so there was nothing more to debate. Reaching for Corwin's trousers, she unbuttoned and unzipped them, yanking them and his pants down his legs. Her own hung by one ankle as he parted her thighs, gripping them tight and slammed inside her with a single, snapping thrust of his hips. They both cried out and hung on, guided by their hunger and need, their bodies moving with force across the length of the mattress, shoving the blankets up with them. They finished with her head hanging off the opposite end, his lips firmly latched onto a nipple, leaving a love bruise, his satisfied moans loud in her ears as his semen shot deep into her womb.
She didn't come – again.
Frustrated, knowing what this meant, she started crying. Corwin held her tightly to him, until she quieted long minutes later. Eventually, with a sigh, he scooted off the bed and began redressing, not meeting her eye as he did so. It was awkward and painful for Rose, lying in a tucked fetal position in the center of her bed, watching him and not knowing the right words to say. Should she apologize, and for what exactly? Where did she start?
Bloody hell, she'd mussed this all up!
"Will you come to my party this weekend?" he asked as he tucked his tired cock back in and fixed his clothing.
Taking a shuddering breath, she nodded. "If you want me there, then yes."
He reached the doorway and stopped, leaning against it. "Don't come with him, though, all right?" It was obviously whom he was referring to.
"I'll bring Albus," she promised him.
Accepting that with a nod, he seemed to struggle with what he wanted to say next versus just walking away. Resignedly, he turned and looked at her over his shoulder. "I meant it, you know. I love you, Rosie. Even if you can't say it back, I meant it. And I want you to fight for us, but… that has to be your decision. I can't force you to pick between us." He gave her a sad smile. "If you want me, for any reason, you know how to find me, yeah?"
He walked away, quickly took the Floo home – and broke her heart in half in the doing.
Turning her head into the bunched coverlet, Rose wept again.
X~~~~~X
Monday, July 7th, 2031 (evening)
"The lad's right: you're going to have to choose, Roz, and soon."
Rose had come to the Burrow that evening for a free meal and some solid advice from the man she loved and trusted most in the whole world: her father. And he was giving it to her – without pulling any punches.
"I know, daddy," she sighed and threw her weight back into the cushions of the well-worn, orange and red-striped couch, staring up at the recently renovated ceiling in the main living area, absently noting that some of the cream-colored paint had sprinkled onto the side wall's dark wood paneling. "I know. It's just a lot more complicated than you think."
Ronald Weasley had doted on his daughter throughout her childhood, giving her everything she'd wanted, assuring her mother wasn't pressuring her to her breaking point, and that the men in the family didn't pick on her too awfully much. He'd been the jovial, but dutiful parent; assuring that his wife and their younger son attended every single Quidditch match she'd ever played (both at Hogwarts and professionally for the Harpies) to show their support. Sure, he'd terribly embarrassed her by blasting off a slew of W.W.W. fireworks at her graduation when her name had been called to receive her diploma, and he always jumped up and down like a maniac whenever she caught the Snitch, but he had never failed her. She'd always counted on her dad's support and guidance.
However, she didn't think he'd take what she was about to divulge very well, especially after mum's most recent mating.
"It's just that the two men are Corwin McLaggen and Scorpius Malfoy," she admitted. "They're first cousins. And, well, you see… Scorpius is a Veela, like his father and grandfather."
Her own father sat up straight in his chair and took his reading spectacles off the bridge of his freckled nose, tossing them to the coffee table, his face tensing with alarm. "And Scorpius… he's…" He swallowed, seeming to firm up his courage. "He hasn't already picked you as his mate, has he?"
Rose closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, his Veela's made it clear I'm his one and only."
Ron did something then that she had never heard him do before: he swore up a storm. Every profanity imaginable raced from his lips as he leapt to his feet and began pacing back and forth in the small, enclosed area. His face turned an interesting shade of puce and his fists whitened. "This cannot be happening!" he finally shouted at the roof, looking like he wanted to break something.
Susan, Ron's second wife and Rose's step-mum, came running in from the back yard, a small gardening spade in hand, ready for action. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking about for the danger.
Making her feet, Rose went into the kitchen and got a glass of water for her dad, bringing it back and handing it off to him. "I've just informed dad that I've been claimed as a Veela mate by Scorpius Malfoy, but that I'm actually in hots with both him and his cousin at the same time and can't choose between them."
Her step-mum's spade dropped to the floor and the woman made an adorable 'o' with her mouth in surprise. Clearly, she knew about her husband's first wife and her recent mating to his formal rival, Draco Malfoy.
No one spoke for several moments as Ron loudly gulped down the contents of his water glass. Susan quickly took the cup from his hand the moment the last drop hit his tongue, though; better to get the fragiles out of his grasp as soon as possible. "Well, perhaps we should all just sit down and discuss this rationally," the woman offered, speaking in a very gentle, yet firm tone, guiding them back towards the sitting arrangement.
Once he slumped back into his favorite cozy chair, Rose's father snarled. "What's there to discuss? The Malfoys have fucked over the Weasleys again."
"RON!" Susan reprimanded.
"What?" he countered, obviously too angry to care if he offended anyone's sensibilities at the moment. "You know the deal, Suze," he slammed his fist down on the arm rest. "You heard what Fleur said to me the night Rose's mother came to tell us all her 'joyous' news about her mating." He sounded a tad bitter. "Once you're claimed by a Veela, there's nothing that can be done short of a challenge or death. And no one wants to tangle with a Veela, 'cause not only are they protected by the Ministry, but they're bloody powerful when-"
Rose interrupted him, interested in what he'd just said. "Wait, wait! Dad, repeat what you just said."
He blinked, starting at her rather owlishly. "Your mum told us about her mating that bastard, Drac-"
She shook her head. "No, the next part. What did you mean that there was nothing short of a challenge to prevent the Veela claim? What sort of challenge?" And why hadn't her aunt included this little tidbit when they'd talked on the subject a week and a half ago?
Her father ran a hand over his mostly-bald pate. "Uh, from what Fleur said, if another Veela challenges for you, the two fight to see who gets you."
Rose's hopes sunk. "Only another Veela, huh? Can't just be any plain, old wizarding-type?"
Ron shrugged. "Not sure. You should talk to her and find out."
She rubbed a hand over her eyes. "I already did. She told me that there was nothing I could do to prevent Scorpius' claim on me, and urged me not to fight it. She didn't mention a thing about challenges, though."
"I wonder what else she's held back, then," Susan stated, reaching out and putting a supportive hand over Rose's as it rested on her knee. "Perhaps you should talk to her again, and this time, demand answers."
Rose nodded. "I also think I need to find out more information about Veelas. Clearly, there's a lot to them that isn't covered in the school texts. Someone has to know more about this mating thing."
"Try the Department of for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures-Being Division," her grandfather, Arthur, chimed in from the kitchen doorway, his stooped figure supported by his favorite, sturdy cane. "They probably have cabinets of information regarding Veela laws, as well as research information." He smiled, his old eyes crinkling with that sparkling, youthful mirth that he was so beloved for. "Sorry to interrupt. Was just on my way to get a glass of lemonade for Molly and couldn't help but overhear."
Rose hopped up and crossed the room to give the elderly man a big hug. "Hi, grandpa! How are you feeling?"
Arthur returned the embrace one-armed. Despite his age, her father's father still had strength in his hugs, and she smiled as the familiar menthol scent of his favorite joint cream tickled her nose. "Today, I'm feeling quite spry, Petal," he replied, using her childhood nickname. "Tomorrow… ask me then, yes?"
It was their standard greeting; the same game they'd played with each other since she was five-years old. Over the years, Rose had learned how to gauge the truthfulness of that statement by how much her Pops leaned on his cane. Today, he seemed to be telling the truth.
"How's grandmum?" she asked, leaning back.
Her grandfather sighed and made a face indicating 'eh, could be better' with an incline of his head. "She just needs her rest, dear. Be fit as a fiddle in a few days, I'm sure."
Now she knew he was lying by the heavy weight of his frown. It was no secret that her grandmother had never fully recovered from the death of Uncle Charlie just ten years prior, in an incident involving an accidentally unlocked dragon pen and a Swedish Short-Snout. Her health had been up and down since, with more lows than highs lately. It seemed that everyone knew it was only a matter of time now. The thought made Rose intensely sad, for she loved both of her grandparents something fierce.
If only the gift of a Veela's long life could be given to such wonderful people as them, instead of someone as undeserving as the Malfoys.
Okay, that wasn't quite fair. Scorpius had his good points, if she cared to be truly honest about it, and her mum was clearly off-the-wall for his dad, so there had to be something sizzling going on there, too.
Arthur's arthritic knuckles brushed her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. "You like this Malfoy boy, Scorpius?"
She bit her lip and swallowed, hating to openly admit the truth. "Sometimes."
Her grandfather's true blue eyes met hers, piercing and sharp, despite his advanced years. "But you're in love with his cousin?"
Sighing, she looked down. "I thought I was, but I'm not sure anymore. When we together, it's different now that Scorpius has… well, kissed me. It's like all of the attraction Cor and I had is slowly dying away. I think it's the Veela's doing, but I can't be sure." Tears prickled, threatening to spill over.
Across the room, her father snorted. "That sounds eerily familiar. Your mum and I went through the same thing."
Wiping the moisture away from the corners of her eyes, she turned to him. "When? What happened?"
Her dad rubbed a hand across his eyes and frowned. "You'd just started at Hogwarts. Hermione snuck out one afternoon. Thought I didn't know she'd gone to see the rotten, little ferret, Malfoy, to give her condolences when his wife died. I knew where she'd gone when I'd seen the paper laid open on the kitchen table and Astoria Malfoy's obituary was in the news. Your mum always had a weakness for pathetic and lost causes. Too bloody compassionate for her own good." He shook his head with cynical disbelief. "When she came back hours later from the Malfoy's place, everything changed between us. We never-" He stopped, pursing his lips. "What we had faded away after that. She just… wasn't in love with me anymore." He made a tsk-ing noise. "Now that I know about his family being Veela, I'm sure that has something to do with it. He must have chosen her for his next mate right then – not five bloody days after losing his first mate. He'd changed her that afternoon, somehow. Must have." He reached out and took Susan's hand in his, squeezing it to reassure her that he was pleased with how things turned out, even if he hadn't liked the method of getting there. "Anyway, I'm just saying that maybe you're going through the same thing."
Rose made a mental note to go see her mum first thing tomorrow and to send a note asking to meet with Aunt Fleur later in the day, and to make plans to visit the Ministry on Thursday, as she wouldn't have practice then and could use the whole day for her research.
"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you, Petal," her grandfather smiled. "Before you dash off, though, could I convince you to help an old man to get a long-overdue glass of lemonade for his tetchy wife?"
Chuckling, she nodded. "Sure, one sec." Rushing across the room to her father, she hugged him right as he came to his feet, preparing to follow her out. Susan stood at his side. "Thanks for listening, daddy."
Warm, comforting, bulky arms came about her and held her to a barrel chest. "Anytime, sweetheart. You know I'm better at breaking heads, but occasionally I offer up some good words, too." He kissed her cheek. "You just be careful, Roz," he cautioned as he pulled back. "Veela are pretty tough creatures, so I've heard. If Malfoy hurts you in any way, you come tell me. I'll take care of him."
She kissed his cheek. "Don't worry – I'm a Weasley. We can hold our own, and I've got my share of invented hexes I'm just itching to try out."
Ron nudged her jaw. "That's my girl."
She embraced Susan next, and they said their farewells, and then she escorted Arthur into the kitchen, got him his lemonade, and helped him to his bedroom with it. Her grandmother was fast asleep in their antiquated, hand-carved bed, so she was quiet to set the glass down at her bedside, to press a light kiss to Molly's cheek, and then another to Arthur's, and finally to slip out. She Floo'd back to her flat to get ready for bed.
X~~~~~X
Monday, July 7th, 2031 (night) to Tuesday, July 8th, 2031 (morning)
There were fireworks in the inky black sky outside of the entrance to the bell tent that Rose blinked and found herself suddenly standing in the middle of. There was a thick layer of snow on the ground outside, and the encampment overlooked the Black Lake, which lay off in the distance. The twinkling residual of the lightshow's blooms sparkled across the placid, dark surface of the water.
Looking down, she found she was dressed appropriately for winter in a one-piece, black stretch suit (designed for keeping warmth in and wet out for play in the snow), matching gloves, white knee-high winter boots, and a fluffy, white woolen scarf about her neck.
None of the clothes were familiar. That could only mean one thing.
"Have a nice time last night?" she snarked, knowing that if she turned, she'd find him somewhere nearby, most likely behind her. "A little bird told me that you and Eleri had the ride of your lives back at her flat after leaving the pub."
The sound of Scorpius making his feet and stepping towards her brought all her defenses up, and she stretched her senses out to determine how close he may actually be. It was hard to tell such things here in the dream world, though - hence the reason she gave a small jump when his nose touched the bend in her neck and deeply inhaled.
"You're one to talk, honey. I can smell my cousin all over you, even through the veil of dreams," he jibed back, his voice a venomous whisper in her ear. "Is he in bed with you right now?"
Rose swallowed back her nervousness. "No. Is my friend with you? Or is it a different girl tonight?" Clasping tight to her courage, she huffed with as much disdain as she could muster and stuck her nose in the air. "I knew you wouldn't change, Scor. You're a liar and untrustworthy."
Before she could comprehend what was happening, he had her spun around and pushed back until she tripped and fell… right into the middle of a soft mattress. Struggling to get her elbows under her, she was ill-prepared for the speed at which he moved as he was suddenly kneeling over her, her wrists pinned to her sides, his weight settled across her abdomen. His face was dark with anger, his features shifting as his Veela came forward.
"We're untrustworthy?" he snapped, incredulous, his amalgamated voice thick with fury. "You lied to us from the start! The deal was just an excuse to buy time while you went looking for a way out of this mating, wasn't it? You never had any intention of honoring your word, did you, babe? You played us, Rose!" He sneered down at her with hurt and anger etched into every angle and curve of his face. "If you can fuck around on us, then why shouldn't we take our pleasure where we can, too - especially when our mate denies us at every turn and willingly spreads her legs for someone else?"
"You chauvinistic, hypocritical son of a bitch!" she spat, her own ire growing by the second. "You forced my hand – threatening to rape me if I didn't bargain with you! What the hell kind of sick, twisted shite is that? Did you think I'd just roll over and accept being told who I was going to marry and have children with, and what my future was going to hold? You could have just talked to me about it once you found out I was your mate, you arrogant bastard! We might have been able to come to an arrangement. But nooooo, you had to bully and terrorize me, just like you did back in school!"
He stared at her like she had sprouted a second head, and in a blink, the Veela retreated, letting Scorpius handle this argument all by his lonesome. "I think your memory is Confunded, sweetheart, because as I recall, you started the whole antagonism between us as children by slamming a door on my hand and breaking it when all I'd done was hold it out to say 'hello'!"
Opening her mouth to flame a retort, she stopped short as something he said hit her right between the eyes, momentarily stunning her. "What do you mean I broke your hand? You've never mentioned that before."
One dark gold eyebrow raised in derision. "You gave me a very painful metacarpal fracture and cleanly snapped both my ring and pinky fingers on my right hand. I spent my first night at Hogwarts in the Hospital Wing, drugged up on foul-tasting Skele-Grow because of you."
She blinked, too stunned to know what to say. Had she really shut the door that hard? She hadn't remembered doing so. "I… Wow. Umm, I didn't know that." Now she felt acutely embarrassed for having harmed him so egregiously. "I-I'm sorry, Scor. Really, I didn't think I'd hurt you that day."
His brows snapped together in irritation. "Why in bloody hell were you so rude to me then, anyway? I never understood what I'd done wrong. We hadn't even properly met yet, and you'd already decided to hate my guts."
Cheeks flushing with embarrassment, she looked away. "I chalk it up to a child's prejudice. I'd grown-up believing you and your family to be the 'black hat' types. I'd been regaled with tales about the rivalry between your family and Uncle Harry, my dad and my mum through my cousins. Your father was, apparently, rather cruel to them as children. And I'd also read a bit about your family in the books about the war from mum's library, so I knew that they'd supported Voldemort the Mad against my parents and that they were blood purists." Boy, it was really stifling hot all of the sudden. "And, well, that day on the platform as we were getting ready to board the train for the first time, my dad told me not to get too friendly with you and that I should beat you in every class. Since I trusted his judgment, I believed he was directing me to prove that we Weasleys weren't as inferior as your family's politics had always presupposed."
Scorpius was silent, sitting rather heavily upon her lower abdomen to keep her firmly in place.
"So, basically, I took all of that together and, well, the picture that had formed of you wasn't very... flattering... and I-I-I suppose I treated you accordingly," she lamely finished, realizing in hindsight how appalling an excuse that sounded.
Her dream companion's face had taken on an interesting shade of crimson; he looked ready to maim small, defenseless creatures. "Let me get this straight," he bit in a carefully controlled tone of voice. "You're saying that you condemned me by proxy. Basically, you judged me in the same ridiculously offensive manner as my father had once judged your mum and dad, and that's what set-off seven years of rivalry between us?"
Well, that wasn't quite fair! "Maybe, but it took two to create our twisted tango, Scor. You weren't exactly Mister Congeniality back then, you know. You still aren't. And the tactics you're using today are the same as they were when we were kids: bullying and terrorizing."
"I'm not-" was all he managed to get out before she talked right over him.
"You've forced me here, haven't you? It's your world in the dream, and I can't affect it in the slightest – not even to change my clothing to something more decent on occasion. I can't get out either without your permission." She jiggled her wrists and he clamped down on them to hold them still, proving her next point. "I can't even run to escape you. I'm your effective captive; just another conquest to add to the collection. But unlike Eleri or your other girls, I'll never be free of you. You're going to guarantee that by marking me and stealing my will, turning me into nothing more than your fuck puppet." She turned her head, the tears of helpless frustration burning, scorching twin paths down her cheeks. "At least your cousin cares about me enough to respect my coming to a decision on my own about us. He confessed he loves me today – not to get me to say it back, but just because he wanted me to know."
In the bat of an eyelash, Scorpius' Veela returned to share his consciousness, and he yanked her wrists above her head with a strong grip and pressed his forehead to hers. "Stay away from our goddamned cousin, Rose! You're ours," he warned her quite succinctly, his voice dripping with malice.
She sniffed at his incredible arrogance, tired of this game and wishing to wake up at any minute. "You wish."
He went stock-still, staring at her through narrowed, cunning eyes. "So sure of yourself, mate? Don't think I can make you beg for me if I wanted to? Shall we test the theory?" he challenged, and dropped his mouth to hers.
The kiss was not at all what she expected. Rather than the demanding, punishing pressure Rose had anticipated, it was gentle, but filled with passion. His lips easily parted hers and his slick, moist tongue swept into her mouth without resistance, dizzying her with its expert invasion. Sparks ignited in her belly when the tip of that soft, pink muscle played an erotic game of 'come hither' with the underside of her tongue.
Almighty Above, the taste was intoxicating – all hot male, dark and lush, insidiously conquering. The crux of it was that he wasn't even using his Veela aphrodisiac against her, as the succulent flavor of sweet berries and rich chocolate were completely absent. No, instead, he was taming her with a natural desire and a honed talent that he knew she wouldn't be able to resist. The cocky S.O.B. was going to seduce her into submission… and damn, if that wasn't a wicked, but effective plan, the chemistry between them undeniable and impossible to refuse. Every rational thought she possessed simply flew out the window, and all doubts and fears receded under his expert, teasing skill.
Lapping at her as if he were luxuriating in her taste, Scorpius finally succeeded in drawing her tongue out to play, entwining them, encouraging her to slip between his lips and enter his mouth next. Like a pixie drawn to nectar, she was persuaded by his persistent, sweet kisses, until finally her need for more was urging him to give up some of his tightly-held discipline. The desire between them exploded the moment she moaned in submission to the night's game, and his mouth claimed hers in deep, drugging kisses that left no doubt as to his feelings for her – or hers for him.
Rowena, save her! She was quickly becoming a slave to an overwhelming sexual attraction for the man she should be running as far away from, as fast as possible.
"Don't think," he whispered between pulls of lips. "Just feel." His mouth covered hers, feasting, suckling at her tongue. She trembled from head to toe in response, and her nipples grew into taut, almost painful peaks under the rasping fabric of the snow suit. All of her nerves went hyper-sensitive, and fire roared to life in her womb. Against her mouth, Scorpius knowingly smiled. "Yeah, just like that, pretty mate. See how good we are together?"
His mouth trailed a hot, wet path over her jaw and down her throat, finding the erogenous spot above her pulse and biting over it with light pressure. It was then that she realized that her scarf, gloves and boots had disappeared as the dream began to marginally shift around them. From her peripheral vision, she caught the movement of the tent flap as it dropped into place, closing them off from the outside. Two of the magically-floating light spheres above extinguished, creating a more romantic atmosphere.
In a blink, Scorpius was all bare, smoothly-muscled skin except for his jeans, the bulk of his clothing magically dispelled. Turning his head and meeting her gaze, his Veela fully took over. Once again, his features shifted into those of a dark angel's - shadows crept across his cheekbones, his grey irises bled to liquid silver, and his skin took on a sheen that made it appear to glow with a shimmering, alabaster perfection in the dim, flickering light. Gracefully arching wings appeared from his back, entirely obscuring her view of the tent ceiling, enclosing them in a blanket of soft, white feathers.
There was a momentary panic as fear gripped Rose's heart in a tight hold, but the Veela did not seem inclined towards any sudden, suspicious moves, simply content to watch her for long minutes in silence. When it became obvious that he had no plans to harm her, she felt her muscles slowly unknot, relax. To her utter surprise, a small smile graced his lips at her calm capitulation.
Very hesitantly, he lowered his head. "May I kiss you, pretty mate? Just me - no Scorpius this time."
Her eyes flared as a spike of panic returned. "Are you going to use your powers on me?"
He halted his advance a breath away. "Not if you don't want me to." He ran velvety soft lips over hers. "Do you want me to, babe? Would that make this easier for you if I simply took your will with my taste?"
A small shake of her head was all she could manage, as her mouth was suddenly as dry as desert sand. If they were really going to try this without Scor – oh gods, oh gods, oh gods! - then she wanted full control of her mental faculties, just in case.
His tongue peeked out to very lightly trace the shape of her mouth. "Then I won't. Can I kiss you now?"
Stunned that he would even ask, that he would show such restraint and consideration, she nodded once, wanting to know what it would be like to do this with the beast alone. "Alright, go ahead."
He was already dipping to sip from her as her whisper passed between them, and oh, this kiss was even more melting than the first one they'd shared tonight! It was reverent and delicate, as if each pass were fragile and cherished. It was, to her amazement, beautiful.
"More?" he murmured.
Rose closed her eyes and tilted her mouth closer, and that was all the invitation he needed.
The Veela swept in, and this was more the kind of kiss she expected from him – spicy, fiery, all male aggression. He took bold possession of her mouth, sampling her with broad sweeps of his tongue and sucking pulls upon her bottom lip. She rose to meet him with an equal fervor, giving as good as she got, heart slamming a heavy beat in her chest. A jolt of crackling energy traveled up the length of her spine, and unexpected warmth seeped from between her lower lips as pure, unadulterated desire shot between them.
"Oh fuck, yeah," the Veela groaned as he ate at her with tongue and teeth and lips, shooting them into the realm of sexual insanity quicker than she'd ever been taken before. His hips glided backwards, dropping down into the cradle of her quaking thighs and mounted her, seeking their natural joining. His jeans-clad erection was hard and heavy as it strained against its captivity, unwittingly pushing against her clit as he adjusted, causing the tiny nub of flesh to throb and swell with heightened need.
Holy hell, she was in trouble! He wasn't even using his Veela wiles on her, and all they'd really done was kiss, and she was already wet and aching to be filled by him, the feel of that huge arousal against her making her burning curious to know how it would feel sliding to the hilt inside her, stretching her open.
"Okay?" he asked between kisses.
Moaning in agreement, she captured his lips again, devouring him with an ardor that matched his, consumed by the pleasure he brought her. Her fingers kneaded at air, wanting freedom so they could run through his hair to pull him closer, but his grip on her wrists kept her frustratingly immobile. Straining beneath him, she arched her back and lifted her knees, and actually whimpered a plea to be let loose so she could get at him, her desperation for them to have sex and for her to actually come this time a clawing animal raging inside her chest, wanting out.
"Slow down. Easy, honey," he panted, pulling his mouth from hers and running his lips across her cheek, seeking to control the situation. That conflux of voices was back when he spoke, and she knew Scorpius was sharing the moment with them again; knew it was his influence, in fact, that was pulling them away from the brink of madness. "Our control is too thin. If we let your hands go now, you know what will happen. We'll get naked and it'll be fast and hard. You won't want that." His lips ran over her throat, enticing her with hot breath against her ear. "But gods, the thought of our cock buried so deep inside you, fucking your sweet pussy, coming with you – coming inside of you…" He growled with hunger and rolled his hips, grinding them together. Rose whined, her pelvis surging up into his in automatic reaction, matching his movements, her cunt clenching, spasming with hot, blistering need.
Leisurely humping against each other, he pressed his mouth to her skin again, scraping his teeth ever-so-gently over the pulse. "Is this alright though?"
Shivering from the repressed desire, Rose turned her nose into his soft hair, deeply inhaling the fresh, clean scent of it and nuzzling. "Feels so good," she sighed, floating on the high of sensual need.
His fingers slid up the side of her body, cupping a breast through her clothing. "And this?" he asked, his voice a husky murmur vibrating against her throat, his hips continuing their pleasurable rhythm.
She bowed her spine, pressing up into his palm. "More," she vaguely heard herself beg, caught up in the moment.
"A little more," he agreed, and his fingers found the zipper at her neckline and pulled down until it met its end at just above her snatch. Brushing the two sides apart, he bared her naked breasts to the air. With the lightest of caresses, he cupped her, feeling the weight of her flesh, circling an areola again and again, teasingly avoiding the nipple. Just when she was about to lose her fecking mind and demand he stop playing games, he rolled the tight bud between his finger and thumb, giving her what she craved. Her gasp was loud in the enclosed space and she strained against the steely trap of his hand to free her wrists again, wanting so very much to touch him back in the same way.
"Let me touch you," she pleaded. "I have to touch you!"
Taking a deep breath, he shook his head, even as he nipped at her swollen, bottom lip. "You'd strip our self control too fast." Bending his head, readjusting his position, he lingered over her left nip, letting his lips ghost over it. "This is ours, though. We've been dreaming of sucking these pretty things for a long time."
Dropping just that fraction of an inch and opening his lips to engulf the taut, ripe berry of her nipple sent Rose's limbs to violently trembling. "Ah, Gods!" she all but screamed as he lashed over the sensitive little bud, drawing it deep into the moist cavern of his mouth and suckling with hard pulls. When his teeth nibbled upon it, her pussy pulsed, soaking her knickers with her arousal.
"We can smell you," he murmured, sliding his cock harder between her thighs. "You're so wet for us, aren't you, honey? Your cream smells rich, thick… so fucking tempting…" He turned his attention to the other breast, stroking across the sensitive flesh with broad laps of his tongue, even as his fingers smoothly glided down her bare abdomen. "Just a small taste."
Reaching the end of the zip, his fingers dipped under the fabric of her snow suit, slipping past the waist of her knicks to cup over her mound. He groaned, teasing his fingers through her neatly trimmed curls. "Bloody hell, babe," his Veela came to the forefront again. "You're so ready for me, aren't you? Damp down here, hot as hell to the touch." He slid a finger through her slick seam, stroking from bottom to top, ending by rubbing her clit in enticing circles.
To her utter mortification, Rose wailed, quaking now from the all-consuming need to be fucked good and hard. She wanted to come - needed to so much! Her pussy wept, her engorged nub fluttered, tingled. Her attempts to break free of his hold doubled, but his strength held firm.
Pulling his hand away after a final swipe through her center, she whimpered with disappointment. "Now, now, babe," he chuckled and lightly nipped her breast, her throat, her bottom lip. "Only a taste tonight." Bringing his fingers to his mouth, he sucked them in deep, licking away every bit of her sticky juices. Those unfathomable mercurial eyes locked onto hers all the while, and when he'd had his fill, his smile was as lusty as the moan that escaped his lips. "Mmm, like candy. I'm going to love eating you out."
Panting and shaking all over, Rose was consumed by her hunger for him. "Do it now," she demanded, feeling wildly out of control.
Scorpius' Veela chuckled and his wings folded back. "Admit you're mine, Rose, and I'll do anything to you that you want. Anything."
"You bastard," she hissed in mounting frustration. "You're using sex like a weapon."
His lips twitched with amusement, as his wet fingers glossed around one areola again, tracing circles. "I'm Veela, babe. It's the one talent I naturally possess."
"Is that what you told Eleri, too?"
The circling stopped and his expression dropped into a flat, serpentine boredom. "You fucked up, I fucked up. We're even. I won't repeat it, if you don't." His hand reached down and pulled the zip of her suit up to her collar, effectively shutting this session down and leaving them both desperately wanting.
"Admitting that I'm sexually attracted to you doesn't solve any of the problems or make things right between us," she clarified the situation in a tight tone. "The fact of the matter is I don't want this mating so long as you're forcing me into it. If you're going to court me, we can talk about it, but I won't be told what to do, or bullied or seduced into it." Anger only made her arousal more acute, she realized as they stared each other down, neither backing from their positions.
Leaning his nose down to hers, he met her glare with his own. "You're the most stubbornly, infuriating woman I've ever met, Rose. You're just lucky that I love you enough to tolerate it."
Opening her mouth to remonstrate that he couldn't possibly feel such an emotion for her, as he didn't really know her, she was cut her off by a kiss. The Veela smoothly dipped in and captured her tongue with his and effectively silenced her for a few moments more as the passion was renewed between them. Absently, she noted that her salt coated his mouth. At that evocative reminder of what they'd just done rose to the forefront, her hips uncontrollably undulated against his. Under his jeans, she was pleased to find that Scorpius was still solid and straining.
"Damn, babe, you make me crazy," he murmured as they kissed, pumping against her, his free hand grabbing her arse and pulling it up into him. "I want my tongue in your pussy, and my cock in your mouth. I want my teeth locked onto your throat as I fuck you for hours, until we're both too exhausted to move." He ground against her, moaning. "Shite, Scorpius says our time's almost up." Breathing heavy, he pulled up, letting her lips go and pressed his forehead to hers. "I don't wanna let you go." With a sigh, he kissed her a final time, giving the body up to his host. "Good night, mate. I'll see you soon."
The shift from magical creature to human was a rapid transformation; the wings simply disappeared, the hair and eyes reverted to normal, and the shadows melted away, leaving behind the softer features of the man. Scorpius looked tired, though, as if this long session had taken a lot out of him. Very gently, he lowered her hip back to the mattress and let his hold on her wrists go. "Are you okay?"
Moving her hands and working the circulation back into them made her realize just how much the dream world was designed to feel real to her – right down to the pins and needles sensation. How much energy did it take to generate all of this anyway? "He didn't hurt me. Just..." She faltered, unsure how much to give away.
Scorpius' fingers tilted her chin so she had to look at him. "Just what, Rose?"
Swallowing her trepidation, she foolishly offered him her uncensored thoughts. "I'm confused now, worse than ever." When he tilted his head to encourage her to go on, she sighed. "Okay, I admit that I'm attracted to both you and your Veela. But Scor, Corwin was my boyfriend before you came into the picture. We were pretty serious. I was falling in love with him, and now, I'm cheating on him with his own cousin, who I'm starting to have feelings for. And I'm being forced to give up the dream of getting married to him someday, because Ministry laws and your Veela's obsession with me won't let me deny your claim. Can't you see how awful all of that is? I've compromised my morals and I'm having my rights forcibly taken away from me! I feel like I'm a piece of property, not a person."
Scorpius sat up, moving off of her to give her space, taking up a seat on the edge of the bed. He looked up at the remaining two light globes floating in the air, his features set into weary resignation. "I'm sorry. If there was some way I could ease us into this over the space of months or years, I would give you that time and court you as you want. I'd win your heart fairly. It may shock you to know this, but I've always wanted you willing in my bed and for you to want to give me your love back." Running a tired hand over his eyes, he sighed. "I never meant to frighten you or hurt you. I don't want to steal your dreams or your freedom, Rose. But the magic pulls at me, and it's so hard to fight. The best analogy I can come up with is trying to beat the effects of Amortentia combined with a Lust Potion. It's practically impossible to stop these compulsions to mark and mate you whenever we're touching. When we're apart, you're all I think of. I wonder if you're safe, if you're happy… how much you hate my guts." He shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I want you so much that at times, it physically hurts."
She came to his side, hesitant and a little wary. "Can't you just have your Veela back off a bit? Give me a little space to think things through?"
He glanced at her sideways. "He's as compelled – actually more so – than I am. It's his nature to claim a mate, his instinct to breed. But I think I'm starting to see that there's more to it than that, too. He really does need you. Whenever you're around, he's better focused, more sincere. And I believe him when he says he loves you. He's been intently watching you since that first day at King's Cross Station, memorizing everything about you." He sniffed in amusement, even as he reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "He knows that you actually don't care for Butterbeer, but that you'll drink it anyway when your friends are all drinking it, that strawberry and chocolate are your favorite ice cream flavors – which is why his aphrodisiac tastes like that combination, that your left eyebrow is slightly more curved than your right, and that when you decide to pull a feint on your broom, there's always a quick dip downwards first before you head into the maneuver." He tapped the side of his head. "I know all of this because he does. You're the only mate he's ever considered, honey. He's never contemplated an alternative, as his feelings for you are overwhelming. So, no, I don't think he can back off more than he's already conceded to trying to do."
Rose reflected on that while she paced over to the tent entrance, fiddling with the strings that were used to tie the fabric back to create the opening. "So, we're at an impasse still? Your Veela is going to force the mating because he can't help himself, you'll have to go along for the ride, and I'm going to fight you both, because I can't abide the thought of being controlled and conquered."
Behind her, Scorpius let out a weary sigh. "It doesn't have to be this way, Rose. Let's just go back to the deal and try again. I promise never to hurt you again by touching another woman if you'll promise to let us court you and not to go near my cousin again."
She paused, her chest aching at the thought of really having to let Corwin go this time if she agreed. "Give me a few days, please. I need to… to talk more to my mum about her mating, and to my Aunt Fleur. She's a quarter Veela. They can help me understand all of this better."
Warm arms came around her from behind, and Scorpius pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'll come to you tomorrow night and we can talk more, too, alright?" Laying his cheek against hers, he rubbed softly. "Just promise to really think about us. It's not just my Veela who wants you, Rose."
With that, he opened and dropped his arms and the tent flap pulled back on its own, allowing her an escape. She took the offer, stepping out into the chilly, pre-dawn air…
X~~X
Waking in her bed, Rose glanced over at the charmed clock on the side dresser: four A.M.
Exhausted, damp between her legs, and buzzing from unresolved sexual tension, she flipped onto her stomach, punched her pillow, and decided to try to get back to sleep. After all, there was nothing worse than dragging your arse around all day to run social errands after only a few hours of real rest. And if she was going to have to face off with her mother and Aunt (and maybe even Eleri today, too, if she had the energy), she'd need a sharp mind.
TO BE CONTINUED…
AUTHOR'S END-CHAPTER NOTES:
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