He felt sick to his stomach. It was the same feeling he got when he ate apricots or almonds (he was slightly allergic). It was the same feeling he got when he had the flu, the same feeling he got when he did poorly on a test (which, quite frankly, didn't happen all that often).

He should have been elated. He had wanted this. Here he was, revolving slowly in the great hall, with Lily Potter holding onto his shoulders. She smelled sweet and looked so beautiful. And yet, when he looked over the top of her head, he could see Rose Wesley standing some meters away, laughing it up with her date.

It was infuriating, and saddening all at once. He could see now, how simple it all would have been. He could have asked her, he could have asked Rose to be his date. And if he had, maybe everything would have fallen into place…

"Was it something I said?"

Scorpius was yanked back to reality. Lily was looking up at him with a furrowed brow.

"Sorry?"

She smiled, with a slight edge. "Where's your head at, Malfoy?"

"I'm sorry," Scorpius apologized. "I really don't mean to be rude."

"I know. That's why I asked if you were distracted. It's not like you."

"No?"

Lily smiled. "You're focused, you know? Whenever I see you, it's like you're headed somewhere with purpose. It's like you know what you want."

"Yes…I…usually. I think I just ate something funny at lunch." Scorpius smiled at her. "I'm glad I'm here with you."

It wasn't a lie. Being here with Lily—it was good. She was kind and pretty and he had fun talking to her. He could have just as easily been stuck with someone he didn't get along with, or perhaps by himself. But she was right—he knew what he want and it wasn't the girl in his arms.

"Hey Posie," Lily said suddenly. Scorpius turned his neck quickly, so quickly it almost cracked, and saw Rose standing next to him. She beamed at Lily, her eyes alight and twinkling, and her face was almost flushed. "Wow, you look so beautiful!"

"It's all thanks to Jaclyn," Rose said with a chuckle. "I'd never quite know how to do all of this…you know. Hair and stuff. I need some help."

"Are you having fun?" Scorpius spoke up. He was afraid, for a moment, his voice might quiver from nerves. But instead, he sounded cool, confident. He sounded like he himself were having fun. It was funny, sometimes, how people could trick themselves into believing things.

"Yes, yes of course." Rose beamed at him, and he felt his knees shake. Lily suddenly pulled her hands from Scorpius' shoulders as the song came to a close.

"I'm sorry, have to run to the loo." She patted Scorpius on the arm and lightly tucked back a loose curl that had escaped from Rose's hair. "There. Perfect. I'll be back in a flash." And then she disappeared into the crowd, leaving Scorpius standing with his feet slightly apart and his hands empty.

"You look nice—" Scorpius murmured, and at the same time, Rose said:

"Do you want to dance?"

Scorpius didn't answer. He simply offered Rose a hand, and she slid her palm into his. Her skin was soft and smooth and somehow, it felt like her palm had been made just to fit into his. Two halves to a whole. Rose stepped into his space, her eyes level with his.

"Well, aren't you going to dance with me?" She asked, smiling a bit. Her cheeks were growing redder.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed Scorpius' other hand and placed it on the small of her back. He could, if he yanked suddenly, have pulled her against his chest. He could have felt her body against his, her curves and her…oh no. He shook the thought from his mind and cleared her throat.

"How's Travis?" If he sounded venomous, he didn't mean to. At least, not towards her.

"He's actually been quite nice. Quite a gentleman." Rose had her arm around his shoulders, her fingers against his back. She was absent-mindedly skimming her fingers back and forth in a slow, calming motion. "I'm afraid I've been too harsh with him. It must be hard, to have feelings for someone and not know what to do about them."

"Yes," Scorpius choked. "It must be."

"I'm sorry," Rose said suddenly.

"For what?"

"If I've been…different this week."

"I thought you were angry with me, perhaps." Scorpius titled his head towards one side, trying to gauge her reaction. Rose bit down on her lip.

"No. Well, yes. It's because of Lily, you see."

"Oh?" His heart beat faster. Was it mean of him to feel a sting of pleasure in the fact that she might be jealous? Was it terrible of him to hope that she wanted to claim him for herself?

"Well yeah. She's just a baby, Scorp. I didn't like hearing that you planned to ask her because…well it's almost like she's my little sister, you know. I just felt protective of her."

His heart dropped. "Oh. You just…?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know what I was going to say." He blinked at her, found her eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry for being mad. Usually I would just come out and yell at you about it, but it's a delicate situation, isn't it? I want you to be happy and I want Lily to be happy. Just don't hurt her."

Scorpius laughed. "Fat chance. I think you two are far more fierce than I am."

Rose sighed. "You are sweet. But fierce does not mean tough. I trust you don't mean to hurt her. But sometimes, people hurt the ones they care about without meaning to, without even knowing they have."

"Right."

"You're an excellent dancer," Rose observed. "I was correct."

"I am?"

"Well, I mean, you aren't stepping on my feet, are you?" Rose snickered. "I don't think Al can say the same." She pointed past Scorpius and he turned to see Al, dancing in a horrifically erratic manner. He was moving completely out of rhythm with the music, and poor Jaclyn was dodging his heavy feet almost every other second.

"Good god," Scorpius muttered aloud, and Rose giggled.

"They are cute though, aren't they?" Rose nudged Scorpius with her elbow. Jaclyn gathered Al's hands in hers and began to guide him instead of the other way around. Al was so red he could have been a strawberry. "I like it when Al is all flustered and happy."

"Yeah," Scorpius agreed. "When he's with Jaclyn, then he doesn't talk about her so I don't have to hear it." Rose laughed, and then turned towards him. She smelled like honeysuckle. She was so close to him, he could see the goosebumps rising on her arms. Something within him wanted to kiss her arm, her shoulders, her collar bone, her neck and her lips.

"Oh, there's Travis." Rose waved over his shoulder and smiled. "I should go back. I told him I just wanted to dance with you once, you know? Give you a thrill."

"Shut up." He meant to sound good-natured and joke about it, but he just sounded strangled and sad. Rose furrowed her eyebrows slightly but continued to smile. She touched his shoulder lightly, her fingers making that calm, circular motion again. And then she slipped away, through his fingertips, and walked away. He watched her go, his heart burning furiously.

"I'm gone for just a few moments, and you look like you've been slapped." Lily cropped up alongside him. She giggled a little. "You're more pale than I've ever seen you."

"Am I?" Scorpius said lightly.

"Come on, Scorp. There's nothing in this world that can't be fixed with a Cauldron Cake."