Chapter Four

As Winter approached, the days kept getting shorter and shorter. It was barely four pm, and the sun was already drowning in the inky waters of the Great Lake. Behind it, the sky was a magnificent impressionistic painting: small, imprecise brushstrokes of orange and gold intertwined with decisive splashes of purple and crimson. The fading light refracted on just an handful of clouds, quite witnesses. Above it all, the looming night was waiting her turn.

It hadn't snowed yet, but, that day, in Hogsmeade the air smelled like Christmas.

"You have to tell him. You can't keep going on like this" said Albus, right before taking a sip of Butterbeer. The Three Broomsticks Inn was as always warm and crowded, which was pretty much the reason why they'd decided to spend the evening there. No one would recognize them, sitting at the table in the corner, as far away as possible from the entry door.

"I know! Ugh, I should've done it months ago. I just- Every time I'm about to, I freeze. It's not easy" she replied.

"Of course it isn't. You've been together for almost a year now. But he's crossed the line and you clearly don't care anymore"

"I'll ruin everything, Al. We've been friends for ages, I'm not sure I'm ready to end things". She downed her firewhisky. Being seventeen wasn't that bad.

"Well, it's not your fault he decided to be such an asshole all the time!" he argued, crossing his arms.

"He's not an asshole. He.. I don't know, I guess he's changed. He used to be so much fun, you know? I loved hanging out with him, he really made my days. He always knew what to say and when to say it. Now, he's different. I know I surely have my share of responsibilities, but I don't feel like myself around him, and what bugs me the most is that we used to be best friends! I knew him like the palm of my hands, I got him, now I just don't get him anymore. Like, why did he care so much about me being tutored?" she asked. Although it was empty, she kept her grip on the glass.

"You've both changed, I mean, it's been a year after all. At our age a year matters, I guess. Sometimes I feel like even a couple of months can make the difference. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you lately, none of us has really, but this year is so much work. Quidditch is killing me, the next match is in two weeks and if we want to beat Hufflepuff we have to practice a lot".

"I know, I bumped into Lily on my way to breakfast. She's spending the entire weekend in the Library, she's behind with Arithmancy and Herbology, she's afraid Neville will tell aunt Ginny about her P". Rose had take million times in Herbology, but Neville had never snitched on her, so she doubted Lily would get into any trouble.

"Yes, I had to write my Potion essay last night to be here today" he paused, thought about what he'd said and, in a split of a second, added: "Not that it bothered me at all, I had to do it anyway, it was better this way"

This made her smile. Sometimes she forgot how much she loved her family.

She had always been close to her family, especially when she was little. Had they been in the same House they would surely be able spend more time together, unfortunately this wasn't the case. Albus and Dominique had been sorted in Slytherin, Lily and Lucy in Revenclaw and Hugo in Hufflepuff. The only Weasley in Gryffindor was currently Louis, but he was a little too young to hang out with her. James, Roxanne and Fred also used to be in Gryffindor, and she missed them terribly. They tried their best to be there for each other all the time, but truth is, sometimes they just couldn't.

She wasn't mad at him. She rarely was. He was, after all, her favorite cousin.

"So now all I'm to you is a burden, right?" she teased him. He cracked a smile.

"Pretty much" he replied.

"Jerk" she blurted.

"Someone had to tell you" he shrugged.

For a couple of minutes, they stood silent, taken up by their own thoughts.

Albus broke the silence first. "Talking about school. How are you doing?"

She pulled a face. That really wasn't among the top five things she enjoyed talking about.

"I'm getting by, I guess" she replied, suddenly wishing she had something to drink.

"Meaning?" asked Albus.

"I'm trying, Al" she said, tapping her fingers on the wooden table. She knew he probably was the only nonjudgmental one in her family, she still felt uncomfortable.

"Again, meaning?" insisted the boy.

"Meaning that I'm really studying. It's not like I could do otherwise. The only time I forgot an assignment, Malfoy reported me to McGonagall. I swear, I'll either end up dead or at Azkaban"

"Shit, really? I thought he was just playing the part to take his credits. He's serious about this." said Albus, finishing up his Butterbeer.

"A little too much. I mean, what's in for him? It's like ruining my days is his only source of joy"

"I think he genuinely likes teaching. He's not that bad, Rose"

She'd forgotten Albus knew him as well, they were in the same House after all.

"Oh, isn't he? You don't know what you're talking about. He's awful"

"He's not. If you gave this tutoring a chance, you would notice"

"Oh, Al, come on! I am giving it a chance, it's not my fault he spends his time proving that he's so much better than me. I think he thinks he's smarter than anyone, really. I can't stand him, and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual" she argued.

"He is pretty smart, to be fair" he replied.

"That doesn't give him the right to talk to me like I'm too stupid to breathe the same air he breathes"

"I don't know Rose, you do sound a little biased" he said.

Rose shook her head.

"Have you ever tried hanging out with him outside tutoring sessions?" asked Albus.

"I don't need to! He's absolutely insufferable. And by the way, why are you defending him so much? You don't know him that well either!"

"Better than you do, for sure" then, Albus' gaze shifted behind her back. "Speaking of the devil" he mumbled. She turned, following his gaze.

Scorpius Malfoy had just entered The Three Broomsticks, hanging on his left arm was Kelly Raynolds, one of the most beautiful girls in their year. Of course Hogwarts' prodigy wouldn't settle for any less.

"Oh, Merlin, no" muttered Rose under her breath.

They were a great match. It was obvious just by looking at them. Both extremely attractive, both extremely clever, both extremely rich. Well, they kinda looked like siblings, but once past that, it was all downhill.

Even outside Hogwarts, Scorpius liked formal wear. His ash blond hair was pulled back, he was rocking a pair of beige chinos, a pale blue Oxford shirt and he had even matched his blazer to his lace-ups. He should've looked like a total fool, instead, he was frustratingly handsome. That shirt was the same color of his eyes. Had he thought about it or was it just a coincidence? She hoped for the latter.

Kelly, wrapped in a definitely more casual red dress, was just as stunning. How much time did that hairdo take her, though?

"He's so fucking weird" Rose blurted, blatantly ignoring her actual train of thoughts.

"I would look ridiculous in those clothes, I don't know how he's able to pull them off" replied Albus, perplexed.

"He does look ridiculous" she argued, crossing her arms.

"That's the proof you're not giving him a fair shot" said Albus, raising his eyebrows.

"I told you I am" she hissed.

"Prove it!" he bit back.

"Wha- How?" she asked, confused.

"Invite them at our table" he smiled.

"Yeah, I think I'll pass, and they're probably on a date, I wouldn't want to be bothered if I were them" she snorted. That boy had lost his mind.

She really didn't need Mr. and Ms. Perfection gently sipping a cup of tea at her table. Not when she had just eagerly chugged a highball glass of firewhiskey. And yes, she had kind of dressed up, but thinking about it, none of her clothes seemed a good choice now.

"I told you to invite them, not to force them at our table"

"I won't, stop it " she said.

"Then I'll do it!" he stated.

Her heart missed a beat. He really had lost his mind.

She didn't have the time to say anything else that Albus had raised his left hand, waving it to get their attention.

"You're out of you mind? What- Stop. I swear to Merlin.."

For an instant she hoped they wouldn't notice him. They were far and the place was chaotic (and probably fully packed). But, of course, they were looking for a place to sit, thus, they did see him.

Rose felt sick. This was worse than when McMillan had told everybody she fancied Logan during her first year.

As they approached them, Rose's mind flew to a billion ways to get out of that situation. Unfortunately, none of them ended up with in her not being held at St Mungo's Mental Illnesses Department.

"Hey, how's it going? Uhm, we saw you coming in and since there probably isn't any empty decent table, Rose thought it would be a good idea to invite you over, if you don't mind, obviously" greeted Albus.

Rose flushed. She was going to kill him. She absolutely was.

"I did not" she grunted immediately.

Under the table, Albus kicked her. She bit her lips.

"She didn't think it was a good idea, she thought it would be a brilliant idea" he added, smiling.

While Kelly looked a bit confused, Scorpius was clearly fighting back a smirk.

They took an embarrassing lot of time to decide.

"Well, I wouldn't mind, if it's okay with Scorpius" replied, finally, Kelly, a small awkward smile on her lips.

"I don't mind either, it's better than going to The Hog's Head" he said, pulling first her chair back so she could sit, and then proceeding to take a seat as well.

"Too inelegant for His Majesty's taste?" asked Rose, instinctively.

To everyone's surprise, Kelly laughed.

"He is a little too picky indeed, but I guess it's part of the character" she said, placing softly her hand on Scorpius' arm.

Rose really wanted to throw up. She hated cheesy couples. They made her feel so fucking alone. She probably should have ended in Slytherin, she was way to envious to be a Gryffindor.

"As a matter of fact, Weasley, it is" he replied, then raised his hand to get the waiter's attention.

They ordered two cups of tea. She did know something about Divination after all.

"I have to agree with him, though. The Hog's Head is no place to take a lady" said Kelly, smiling broadly. Rose winced.

"I've been there plenty of times, and apparently I'm still alive and kicking" replied Rose, not being able to hold herself.

"Obviously Weasley, it is a great for trolls after all" bit back Scorpius. His eyes flickered with amusement. The first one to laugh was none other than Albus.

Rose opened her mouth to reply but Kelly preceded her. "Well, that was rude"

Why was that girl defending her?

"It seems to me that money can't buy manners, Malfoy" hissed Rose, gripping her empty glass once again.

"They don't, and neither can they buy temper" he said, cracking a smile before sitting back in his chair. She hated him so much. How many times had she thought about that? She'd lost count.

"So.." interrupted Kelly, before either of them could say anything else. She cleared her throat, then added: "How's the tutoring going?"

Great. Just great.

To her surprise, Scorpius seemed a little uncomfortable too.

"I'd say pretty good" she answered, hoping she would take the hint and leave her alone.

"Yeah, me too" agreed Scorpius.

The conversation would have probably died right there and then, but Rose was too stupid and irascible to let it go.

"Oh, really?" she asked. He raised a brow.

"Yeah, it's going pretty good, wouldn't you say?"

"Absolutely, but tell me, if everything is so unbelievably terrific, why did you feel the need to report me to McGonagall as soon as you could?"

He blinked. "I told you the first day that I have to fill in evaluation reports, did you expect me to lie?" he replied.

"It happened once, I expected you to let it go, like any sane person would've done!" she argued.

"Had I let it go, It wouldn't have been once, trust me"

"Oh, so you're trying to discipline me? Who do you think you are? My dad?". She felt herself raising her voice.

Albus coughed, probably to get them to stop before it was too late. 'You made your bed, Al, now lie in it' she thought.

"I'm not trying to discipline you, Weasley, I'm trying to help you out! You don't need me to let things go, otherwise it's useless, you'll keep avoiding your responsibilities"

"You don't know the first thing about what I need, Malfoy" she hissed between her teeth.

"Apparently you don't know either!" he snapped.

"I do know. And I don't need to be tutored, I don't need your stupid ass making me feel like shit all the time, it isn't helpful at all, thank you very much!"

"I'm not trying to make you feel like shit, what the hell?". he gasped.

"Oh, you are"

"No, I'm-"

"GUYS" roared Kelly, interrupting Scorpius. Silence fell. Some of the people at the nearby tables turned in their direction.

Again, Kelly cleared her throat. "I think it's time for us to go, Scor, maybe you'll be able to talk this through another time, and maybe, just maybe, in a more appropriate way" she said.

Rose bit her lower lip. Albus was looking at his feet. She hoped he felt guilty enough.

Scorpius stood up gently.

"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry." he said. Obviously, not to Rose. He wasn't sorry about what he'd said, he was sorry he'd said it in front of Kelly. Like no gentleman would do.

Rose looked away.

"So, I guess I'll see you on Monday. Be on time" he mumbled, taking Kelly's hand.

Rose nodded, not bothering to say anything back. Albus shook their hands and they left.

She kept staring at the wall, still fuming.

"Well, I told you: he's not that bad after all"


A/N: Here I am and here's another chapter!

So, we're introducing new (not really) characters! I have to admit, I was a bit worried about Albus' role in this chapter, I re-wrote it a ton of times, and I guess now I'm kinda satisfied.

I did have a lot of fun writing this one, I hope you'll enjoy it as well!

Let me know what you think about it, for better and for worse.

A big thank you to Pilarofdoom, WorldsGreatestWriter and Helo for their amazing reviews!

See you hopefully next time,

Stay safe!

Anya

XOXO