Chapter 5- The Stinging Spell

Sopping wet from practice, Rose opened her Quidditch locker and was surprised to find a bar of Honeydukes chocolate that had not been there before practice. There was no note attached and Rose was puzzled at first. Then she remembered that yesterday, after three weeks of courting, was Vlad's first date with Poppy. Apparently, the two hours of conversation cards she helped Vlad write had not gone unappreciated.

She tucked the chocolate into her bag for later. Vlad could be sweet when he wanted to be. She supposed that was why she never got angry at him for too long when his antics lead to her being dangling over the Black Lake to taunt the merpeople or something equally unpleasant. Then again, they were probably even ages ago for the merpeople incident. She was the one who landed them in detention when she came up with the brilliant idea to charm all the names on the other teams' Quidditch robes to read things like Albus Plopper and Adrian La-crotch.

"Good times," She audibly chuckled.

"What are you on about?" Flow asked, as she stripped off her soaked robes.

"Oh nothing," Rose said.

Rose debated whether it was even worth changing into school robes. She knew that she would just get drench again as soon as she left the shelter of the locker room.

Due to the first game of the season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, tomorrow Quincy was giving the team their first day from practice. Although, Rose knew that they would inevitably making up the lost time, with double practices the day after the game, she intended to use this free time to enjoy herself. A decent bath in the prefects loo seemed just the sort of indulgence she was interested in.

Making up her mind Rose gallivanted the distance between the men and women's locker room. She banged on the door, so that the occupants would be aware of her presents, and then walked in. All the lads looked pretty waterlogged.

"Oi, Lancelot," Rose shouted. Lancelot came out of the showers, a towel wrapped around his waist, not the least bit surprised to see a girl standing in the locker room.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Could I nick the password to the prefects loo from you?" Rose asked.

"What do you want it for?" Lancelot questioned.

"Thought I'd take a soak," Rose explained, "Nikki use to sneak me in all the time."

"Now that is something I'd like to see," Will grinned, unlacing his flying trainers.

"Sorry it's a birds only party," Rose teased him.

"You know we have a shower right here and I wouldn't mind sharing," Will countered jokingly.

"How that line ever works on birds is beyond me," Rose snorted.

"Can't blame a bloke for trying," Will lamented unfazed.

Turning to Lancelot she asked, "So, how about it Lancelot?"

"I guess it is all right. Just make sure you don't get caught. The password is Pepperup Potion."

"I really appreciate this," Rose thanked Lancelot.

"You know I hear that there is room for at least two in that prefect tub. Mind it I-" Will started cheekily, but stopped abruptly when he saw a look of anger flood over Rose's features.

Rose was staring at the far wall of the locker room rooms. There was an assortment of bras tacked to the wall with sticking charms. This wasn't what caught her attention though. They had been there for as long as Rose could remember, cataloguing her male teammate's conquests. No, what bothered her in particular was just one bra. Blue and frill less it stuck out among the collection; an exact replica of the bra she had packed in her bag this morning. Rose suspected that if she checked her bag now it would be missing.

"Vlad," she scowled, marching over to the offensive object and charming it off the wall.

"Yes," Vald said innocently, appearing from between a row of lockers. He had managed to get halfway into his robes, so the only part of him visible was an arm protruded out of the mass of fabric.

"What's this?" Rose asked.

Vlad's head appeared through a sleeve, as he tried to put the robe on.

"That's a bra Rose," Vlad smirked.

"-And who's bra is it," Rose accused.

Vlad's head reemerged in the proper opening.

"Yours," Vlad answered.

"-And what is it doing in here?" Rose asked in an impressive finally to the interrogation.

"It is being admired for its glorious bosom enhancing qualities," Vlad informed her, "I don't see why you are so upset. It is a time-honored tradition. You are becoming part of history!"

"Keep your ruddy hands off my undergarments," Rose growled her wand pointing dangerously close to Vlad's face, "If I ever see one of my bras in this locker room again I'll tack you up on that wall, in nothing but your pants."

With that declaration Rose turned and stalked out of the room.

As the door clattered shut Will turned to Vlad and proclaimed, "I can't believe we didn't think of that sooner. Next time we will have to use a stronger sticking charm."

Rose reemerged a few hours later from her bath feeling refreshed. The rain had stopped but the sky remained overcast, covering the castle in a gloomy, early evening, light. Rose took the long way back to the common room, enjoying a rare moment to herself. The castle was unbelievably quite. Everyone had clearly chosen to vacate the halls in favor of comfortable fires.

As Rose turned into the charms hallway Scorpius blew past her. He was walking in long strides his face lowered, as though to hide it. Rose was so surprised to seeing someone else in the silent halls, that Scorpius had almost made it out of sight, before she realized that Scorpius did not usually carry himself in this manner.

"Scorpius," Rose called in the direction he was retreating.

He stopped, as though unsure that to do, and then continued walking away. Rose could tell that something was off. She picked up her pace and came along side Scorpius.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, concern evident on her face.

"I'd rather not say," Scorpius said in a quiet tone. He slowed his pace but refused to look over at Rose. His response only heightened Roses anxiety and she put a hand on his arm to halt him completely. He persisted in covering his face.

"Scorpius whatever it is, you can tell me," Rose voiced. He couldn't bring himself to lower his hands. He hated anyone seeing him like this, most of all Rose. He tried to push past her once more, but years of Quidditch practice made her a formidable obstacle. He felt one of her hands gently come up to remove the hands that concealed his face.

Rose let out a little gasp when she saw that he had tried to hide from her. His face was swollen, a telltale sign that a strong stinging hex had been placed on him.

"Oh Scorpius," Rose questioned, "Who did this to you?"

"It's nothing," Scorpius rebuffed her, trying to move out of Rose's sight. He felt ashamed that she has seen him like this. He always tried his best to show Rose his strong, noble side. This was defiantly not his shining moment. All he wanted to do was to find his way to the hospital wing before anyone else caught sight of him.

"This is not nothing," Rose said horrified. She fished in her bag for her wand and told him, "Stand still," before muttering a healing charm. Scorpius's face reduced in size and his features became recognizable again. Nothing was left from the Hex except a slight discoloration along his jaw where it hit.

"It's not perfect, but you should be able to see now," Rose apologized observing her handwork, "I've never been great at healing charms but I've gotten a lot of practice with all the Quidditch mishaps."

His vision now unimpeded Scorpius could see the concern in Rose's expression. Somehow her worry for his wellbeing surprised Scorpius. He could count, on one hand, the number of people who actually cared for him. Scorpius hadn't thought to put Rose in that category, but the way that her whole being seemed to be focused on him made Scorpius question this choice. She looked up into his face and drew her thumb lightly over his bruised jaw. Scorpius held in his breath, so she couldn't see the pain that her tender touch had invoked.

Rose pulled away quickly, from the way his breath hitch she could tell it hurt. Scorpius was usually so passive, reserved, and guarded with his emotions. Rose knew that whatever had just happened must have been substantial, because a dark tumult echoed in his eyes.

Scorpius was the gentlest, kindest, and most well-mannered guy she knew. She couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt him. She also didn't comprehend how it happened. Scorpius was a quick witted and skilled duelist. Someone was clearly playing dirty.

"What happened?" Rose repeated, "Who hexed you? I'll kill them!"

Rose's own pronouncement startled her. She sounded like her father.

Scorpius couldn't bring himself to tell Rose about this. What would she think? They were only study partners after all, it wasn't like they hung out and visited each other on holidays.

Scorpius always found that these things were more manageable when less people knew about them. He did not know how Rose would react. They had never talked about his father's, not so pleasant, history before. If her family's stance on the matter was any indications of how she'd react, surely telling her would only make him feel worse.

"Please Weasley, could we just pretend this didn't happen," Scorpius almost begged. He wanted to turn in the other direction and run.

Scorpius may have been a head taller that Rose, but when Rose glanced up at him he reminded her of a child. Scorpius' air of distress was reminiscent of the way Hugo use to look at her, back in first year, when he was homesick. Rose couldn't help it, she pulled Scorpius into a hug the way she use to hug Hugo, before he decided he was too old to have his older sister hug him when he was upset.

Scorpius stiffened at first, not sure how he should react. This was the first time anyone had held him since he was little. Unconsciously he felt himself relax. He let his head fall onto her shoulder and nestle in her wet hair. Wrapped in her arms he felt safe. Hot tears suddenly found their ways into Scorpus's eyes for the first time in years.

"It'll be ok," Rose soothed.

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to deal with this," Scorpius whispered.

"S'allright. Your easier to take care of than Vlad mooning after Poppy Fronsac," Rose joked.

"It is not always this bad," Scorpius began. Now that he started he was unable to stop. It felt good to voice his trouble. He took a long breath and began to recount, "It was worst in first year, my whole house hated me then, even Albus. My family may have a few murders in it, but I didn't kill anyone. Everyone seems to conveniently forget that. It doesn't take much bravery to hex a first year with no mates and Gryffindor has more bravery than sense sometimes."

Scorpius's words were half mumbled into Roses hair. He couldn't bring himself to look at her but he couldn't stop talking either.

"They eventually wised up. Still I'm not sure I even blamed them for what they did to me. When I finally got up the nerve to read about some of the things my family did I was sick. No one talks about it at home."

Rose rub circles in Scoprius's back as if to reassure him. She knew what it was like to live with a parent's notoriety and her grandfather wasn't rotting in Azkaban.

"After second year things got better. Albus and I realized we had a lot in common and became mates. That seemed to wake up most people to the fact that I was not a villain. The rest just seemed to get bored when they couldn't get a rise out of me. I became too good of a dueler for anyone to get the upper hand on me and I never retaliated. I'd just cast defensive charms. It almost felt like I deserved the abuse. There are still numerous people around Hogwarts that don't have a parent or two because of the Malfoys."

"Tonight Marcus Creevey got lucky. I used to be quicker at casting protective charms, but it has been ages since anyone has dared to attack me. I am a bit out of practice. Binns is covering the Second Great War right now in class and I think it brings out the old resentment," Scorpius finished. Rose hadn't moved. He took this as a positive sign.

"They are all gits," Rose informed him pointedly removing all his doubt.

"It's hard to live with the fact that I hate myself just as much as they do. I can't stand what I represent as the only heir of the Malfoy family," Scorpius breathed. He had never told anyone this, not even Albus.

"Now you listen to me," Rose said, detaching his head from her shoulder so that she could look him firmly in the eyes, "You are smart, talented, and I am pretty sure there is not a single evil bone in your body. You hold doors and don't talk behind peoples back. You can't go around beating yourself up for thing you didn't do. I'm not going to let you. You're too much of a nice bloke."

Scorpius actually managed a half smile. It was nice to hear Rose compliment him. He understood now, why Rose always had some lad hanging off her. It wasn't that she caused blokes to fall for her left and right. No, being in Roses arms made Scorpius feel like he was the only person in the world that mattered. For ages when he had seen her in similar embraces he had always suspected some arduous feelings involved, but now he realized that Rose was just one of these rare individuals that made you feel safe, warm, and at home. People flocked to her out of unimpaired friendship.

"You are something else," Scorpius couldn't help saying.

"So are you, and don't you forget it," Rose encouraged him. She let her arms drop from around him and pulled the bar of chocolate Vlad had given her from her bag. Breaking off a piece she handed it to Scorpius, "have some chocolate. It'll make you feel loads better."

He took the offering and the two began to walk in silence. After a quarter of an hour they neared Gryffindor tower.

"Weasley, thank you for listening to me. I don't have very many people I can talk to about this stuff," Scorpius admitted.

"I'd be happy to do it again, if you ever need to talk something out," Rose informed him. Rose gave him a reassuring squeeze of the hand and advised him, "Keep your head up. You may find that if you have more mates than you think."

With that they parted way.