A/N: So sorry for the delay, I've been taking a break and started reading a Drarry fanfic – I became hooked and had to read the whole story in one sitting. So no writing got done! Sorry.
Thank you to my reviewers - much appreciated. Enjoy!
Chapter Three
The next morning at breakfast Ron and Hermione gave the boys a lecture about responsibilities and dangers of alcohol. Rose shuffled in at about 10:30am, looking like death warmed up.
"Ow mum my head hurts" she whined.
"Yes that is the hangover kicking in – serves you right young lady" she was frim as she looked at her daughter.
Rose rolled he eyes, Hermione always called Rose 'young lady' when she was angry and disappointed in her.
"Mum can I have a hangover potion or something?" she sat next to Scorpius and put her head in her arms and placed her arms on the table.
"No you cannot, see it as punishment, you think your old enough to drink then you are old enough to deal with the consequences." She pushed some toast and water towards her, "Eat, it will help and if I was you I would stay out your dads way for a bit – he is livid." She stood and went out towards the living room.
"Argh! My head is pounding, why did you let me drink so much?" she asked both boys,
Al laughed, "We didn't let you do anything, don't try and blame us and anyway Scorpius tried but you were being a bitch" she snapped her head up and groaned as the movement hurt her head.
"Do you remember much of last night? Remember your boyfriend being a wanker as usual or you puking at your dad's feet?" Al said and added "It was funny though, he wasn't impressed".
She smiled weakly, "I puked at his feet, surprised I missed his clown feet".
They all jumped when they heard Ron say, "You are not in the position to be making jokes young lady, living room now!" and he waited until she walked out and he followed her.
Rose returned thirty minutes later, plonked down next to Scorpius and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Dad has just spent the last thirty mins lecturing me and he kept raising his voice – not helping my head at all"
"You got off lightly" Al told her "We also got a lecture and we didn't even drink" he added.
Scorpius was surprised that Rose wasn't annoyed at him for telling her dad, but I guess he would have taken one look at her and guessed anyway.
"Scorpius almost knocked Rich's lights out last night, bloody wanker insulted Draco and dad again and insinuated that Scorpius was also gay." Al's voice held a serious tone.
She massaged her temple, "He only says these thing as he knows you react"
Scorpius frowned, "So what if we react Rose, it doesn't make it right, and he shouldn't say those things in the first place. He's a narrow minded asshole and you can do a lot better."
She turned her piercing blue eyes onto him, "I don't think he really believes the things he says, and he just says them as he knows they affect you the most." She went to touch Scorpius' hand but he jerked it away.
"No Rose, open your eyes, you just don't want to admit that your boyfriend is a homophobic, big headed twat." He stood and left the kitchen, heading for their bedroom.
She looked over at Al, "Merlin what's gotten into him?" she really could do without all this arguing.
Al shook his head, stood and headed for the door, turning he looked at Rose, "Scorpius may try and act like these things don't bother him, the famous Malfoy mask and all that. But Rose what Rich says about us, his mum and our dads really gets to him, maybe you should be more supportive" with that he left a stunned Rose alone.
Al was ignoring him in favour of texting Natalie, he had finally asked her out and now Scorpius had lost his other best friend to a relationship.
They received a post card from their dads and Scorpius brightened as they sounded like they were having a great time – at least someone in their family was.
Rose was at Rich's house and Scorpius tried to block out what they might be getting up to. He smiled when he remembered that Hugo was due back today. At least he could talk to him – for a fourteen year old he was alright.
Later that night Rose had returned and Hugo was back. Ron and Hermione had made a special dinner for Hugo's return. They were all sat in the garden enjoying a nice conversation and no one was snapping, arguing or bloody texting on their phones.
"So Scorpius any girls you have your eye on? Now that Al here is tied down and Rose is with Rich, you're the only one of the three of you single" Hermione shot her husband a glare.
"Don't worry about him Scorpius, it's perfectly normal to be single." She said in a motherly way.
He groaned in his head, "Nope no girls yet" Al smirked and Scorpius knew that smirk, that was the smirk he gave when he was about to act like a little shit.
"Oh funny that Scorpius I remember the other night at the concert you were sucking a blond girls face off" he moved his foot before Scorpius could stamp on it under the table.
Rose made a disgusted sound, "Oh yeah, she looked a right skank".
"Rose" her mother cried.
"What it's true!" she didn't like the blond twerp, who walks up to a stranger and just snogs them. She was very protective of her best friends.
Scorpius was rattled, Rose always managed to say things to wind him up or get under his skin,
"Funny that as if I remember correctly you were hanging of Rich like he was a pole" his snobby tone of voice talking down to her.
"Scorpius that is out of order, apologise now." Hermione had told him.
"Sorry Rose for saying it, but it's the truth. Excuse me I'm no longer hungry." He stood and left the garden and went back into the house.
He knew he had been rude and his dad would ring his neck when he finds out. But when he and Rose snap at each other he tends to forget other people are around.
Later that evening he apologised to Ron and Hermione – saying Rose and he always ended up getting to each other in hurtful ways but he never meant to.
Hermione smiled sadly and said she knew what that felt like and looked to Ron – who threw his hands up and proclaimed 'What'.
He was sat in the living room using Hermione's laptop – she had taught him a few years ago how it worked. He had purchased a muggle I-Pod some time ago and was using the laptop to update his songs.
Rose came in and sat next to Scorpius, drumming her fingers on the leg – it was annoying.
"What do you want Rose, I'm busy" he only glanced at her once – he knew the easiest way to annoy her would be to ignore her, Rose hated being ignored.
"Isn't that obvious, I want a proper apology – you were very rude earlier!" she had snapped the lap top shut as she finished her sentence.
"Rose – I was in the middle of downloading something" he huffed as he opened it back up again.
"So you're not going to apologise for insinuating I was like a stripper using Rich as my pole? Don't you think that was insulting and rude" she was scowling at him.
"I didn't say you were a stripper – they wear more clothes!" he laughed though and she knew he was joking.
"Prat! That wasn't an apology but I guess I should chose my battles" she squeezed his leg, "We're okay yeah?" she sounded unsure.
He sighed, "Yeah we're cool", they then spent an hour listening to Scorpius song selections and laughing at some of the lyrics.
The next few days went by with no problems, they were grounded for that time and had to stay at the house and garden. Finally they were allowed to leave the house and Rose had planned a shopping trip in muggle London. Scorpius didn't mind he liked buying clothes – but Al was whinging, until Rose said that Natalie would be joining them.
Scorpius had found a few items of clothing that he decided he would have to keep away from his dad – he too kept up to date with fashion and was actually one of the rare oldies that could pull it off.
They enjoyed a nice day out, laughing and joking and they appreciated it more after being grounded. They were currently in a pizzeria having a late lunch and Scorpius was feeling relaxed – he and Rose were like their normal selves again, when he forgot about fancying her and treated her like his best friend, the both of them were happier.
"Do you think dad will let us go to a house party tomorrow?" Rose asked them all.
"Not a chance Rose – after puking by his feet and drinking irresponsibly, do you really think he will be stupid enough to allow you to go to a party" Al said shaking his head.
"Well I can say I'm sleeping over at Natalie's and I can go from hers, don't know what you two could do though?" she pondered that for a moment.
"I'm not risking it, your dad seems to think it was my fault you got drunk and after insulting you in front of them, I am not in their good books – if we go to a party without permission and get caught, I'd be done for" Scorpius was adamant – no way was he risking his neck.
"Fine don't go then, me and Natalie will go without you – they will think I'm at Natalie's and as long as you two don't rat me out, I'll be okay" she pointed a finger at each as she said the last part.
"Whatever Rose, just don't drag us into in when you get found out" Al didn't want to be grounded for the whole month and his dad would have kittens if he knew he was at a house party, doing Merlin knows what.
Rose had convinced her parents to let her sleepover at Natalie's and they didn't suspect anything. Rose left the next day and warned the boys to keep their mouths shut.
After flying with Hugo and Al for a bit, Al and Scorpius decided to hang out at the local youth club.
"Okay boys but be back by 10:30pm at the latest and don't make me regret letting you go" Ron wasn't messing around.
They had been at the youth club playing pool for about an hour when Al and Scorpius both received an identical text message from Rose.
Need help – sneak out and come to 55 Bernard Avenue, quick. Rose x
What the fuck Scorpius thought – he didn't want to go to this party and he didn't want to get in trouble, but he would go as Rose had asked for help.
They were too young to apparate and they didn't know if it was a wizard household or muggle, so they walked – well ran to the address, it was a few blocks away.
Scorpius barged his way through the crowd of drunken loud teenagers – some who were a lot older than them.
He thought it was best to look for Rose by searching for the shock of red hair – not many people had that shade of red. Al shouted out that he had found Rose and Scorpius followed his voice.
Rose looked frantic and she ran to Scorpius and hugged him tight, he stroked her hair and rubbed her back, "Hey its okay – what's wrong?" he tried to sound calm and soothing.
"I can't find Natalie, I've been looking for ages and I heard a guy say that the neighbours have called the muggle police – we need to find her and get out of here fast" she looked up into Scorpius face and the lecture that he was about to give was gone, she looked so frightened.
He tightened his hold on her, "Rose you need to pull yourself together – come on let's go look for her", all three left to search.
Scorpius was in the kitchen when he overheard, "Some crazy chick is swimming in the indoor pool – she's off her face", Scorpius wasted no time, demanded they tell him where the pool was and dashed out there.
Sure enough Natalie was tittering on the edge of the pool – definitely wasted. Before Scorpius could reach her or even call out, she slipped in and began struggling. She was choking on the water and finding it hard to keep her head above the water line.
He reacted on instinct and dived in the pool and helped her to the edge and back up onto the edge.
"Natalie you okay?" she was coughing and spluttering and then she was sick.
"Yeah I think so, thank you Scorpius" she started crying. Scorpius could handle many situations but crying girls wasn't one of them, text Rose to say where they were and waited for her to arrive.
He couldn't even spell their clothes dry because he was underage, "What were you thinking Natalie, if I hadn't come in you could have drowned" he didn't mean to sound so harsh, but this was serious. She cried louder and he fidgeted, feeling uncomfortable.
Rose and Al ran in and they both went straight to Natalie, Rose comforted her – which Scorpius guess he should have done, she was probably in shock from her experience – but he was too angry at her. Al was holding her hand and rubbing her back, "What happened?" he asked.
"I came out here and she slipped and started choking and struggling in the water, so I jumped in and helped her" he stood and tried to wring the water out of his clothes.
Natalie's tears had subsided but she still let out a sob every now and then, "He didn't help me – he saved me, I would have drowned" they all stood and left out the side door to the pool.
Al patted Scorpius on the back and Rose hugged him tightly, not caring if she got wet, "Oh Scorpius I knew you'd help, you always know what to do – your my…" Scorpius had clamped his hand over her mouth,
"Don't say it Rose, I will kick your ass if you call me 'your hero' – I only did what anyone else would have done and I hate the word 'hero' – blame Harry" he smirked at his friends, pleased that Natalie was safe and that Rose was clinging onto him.
Scorpius told them to walk back to the youth centre and they used the hand dryers in the toilets to try and dry off as best as possible. Rose took Natalie home and the boys returned to the Weasleys hoping they wouldn't notice Scorpius' clothes were slightly damp.
Luck would have it they managed to get up stairs and into dry sleepwear before they were seen,
"Hey boys, have a good night?" Hermione asked
"Yeah it was entertaining for sure" Scorpius said, she wished them good night and Scorpius and Al stayed up talking the events over for a bit, before they fell asleep.
It always amazed Scorpius how trouble seemed to find Rose – the girl was like a magnet for trouble. Al and Rose were winding Scorpius up about being 'Mr Serious' all the time.
"You're so uptight and you never show any emotion unless it's your temper" Rose declared, this annoyed him but he tried to smother the anger as that would prove her point.
"Well out of the three of us, one of us has to be serious and keep the other two out of trouble and danger. You two seem to cause trouble wherever you go, so by default I'm the serious one." He was gesturing wildly with his hands as he spoke.
Rose smiled fondly at him, "I know we're only teasing, we would be lost without you" she then knocked Scorpius for six, she leant over and kissed him briefly on the cheek. He blushed and looked at the floor, as Al giggled.
She stood and went to fetch some drinks, Scorpius was in a daze and touched his cheek where she had kissed him.
"Mate you have it bad" Al mockingly told him.
He didn't answer still in shock and just nodded his agreement.