I'm so sorry I missed last week, guys! School picked up, and I kept forgetting to post...
This chapter's shorter, too, but I promise to try not to miss another update!
Rose saw Scorpius walk into the library and tried to distract herself from the book in front of her by waving him over. He came, but with a confusing amount of caution.
"Can I help you?" he asked, not sitting down.
She shrugged. "We just never talk anymore. What's up?"
"Not much."
"You taking anyone to the winter dance?"
"Nope."
Rose smiled.
Scorpius looked on edge. "Why? Are you?"
"Me? Oh no, not me, I'm free as a bird." She found herself grinning largely, although she couldn't quite understand why she was so happy at this turn of events.
"Right." Curiosity got the best of Scorpius. "What are you reading?"
"Oh," Rose looked at the book in front of her and blushed. "Possession and the Art of Identifying It," she mumbled.
"Interesting choice."
"Can you keep a secret?" Then she thought of how Scorpius had said those exact words in the pantry and blushed. It seemed like he thought about it too—at least, he blushed and nodded, staring at his hands.
"My aunt Ginny was possessed once and the way she described it, random gaps in her memory…I've been experiencing it too. I thought I ought to look into it, at least. I'd prefer being possessed to having a brain tumor, which is the other likely cause. You don't think I'm insane, do you?"
"Not at all." But Scorpius did look thoroughly disturbed. "I'm sure you don't have a brain tumor. And you're not possessed. I-I don't know what it is, but it's probably not that. You'll be fine." He waved an awkward goodbye and spun on his heel, leaving the library without looking back.