Never Be The Same {SCOROSE}

Chapter 6 - Scorpius [UPDATED]

I ran my fingers through my hair, frowning. "Look, it's not that simple, okay? We both drank a lot... I wasn't thinking straight. It just happened. At her initiation, I might add. Not mine. So don't go acting like I'm the only one to blame here."

Al scoffed. "How about you don't go acting like any of that is an excuse? You could have stopped it, and you know that very well. You should have stopped it. The fact is, you just didn't want to. You were being selfish, at the cost of Rose's reputation and her self-esteem. That's not excusable under any circumstances, and honestly, I will be furious if you try to argue with me any longer on this... So, don't."

I buried my head in my hands. "I'm not arguing... You're right. It was really fucking stupid, and I know it." Swallowing, I looked back up at him. "You talked to her, didn't you? How... how upset is she?"

My best friend frowned. "More than she lets on, I think... but she hardly seemed angry with you. She's humiliated, and she blames herself for the whole thing. She didn't say so, but I can see she's terrified somebody is going to find out. She's probably worried about her parents."

I couldn't help grimacing at that. "I'm really fucked if they find out, aren't I?"

Al nodded pensively. "Aunt Hermione wouldn't even know what to say... Uncle Ron would probably hex first and ask questions later. So, yeah. You'd better hope they never find out what you've done to their perfect, brilliant, virtuous daughter."

"Merlin... you make it sound like I've done something completely unspeakable."

He stared at the ground, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Not unspeakable, but perhaps unforgivable."

I rubbed my eyes, trying to tone down the anxiety that was building within me. "Do you really think that?" I asked him, my voice more hoarse than I would have liked it to be.

Albus shrugged, lifting a hand to push his dark hair back from his forehead. "That's Rose's call and no one else's... but I wouldn't get your hopes up, Scorp. It won't be easy for her to trust you again. Or to trust herself."

On that happy note, he turned away, making it clear that the conversation was over. He'd said all he wanted to say on the subject. Now it was time for me to do something about it.

---

The next morning, I sat in DADA and watched Rose determinedly ignore me. I thought I was being rather sneaky about it, until Al tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned, he was giving me a look. He held out a piece of crumpled parchment, and I took it, curious.

I swear, Al, if your asshole best friend doesn't stop staring at me, I'm going to send a reducto at his balls.

I suppressed a snort, and smirked when it made Rose glance back at me, glaring. I turned the paper over, snatched my quill, and scribbled out a reply: You'd never follow through on that... they gave you far too much pleasure.

I tapped the paper with my wand to send it back to her, and watched her open it. I could tell from the aggressive intensity with which she wrote her response that she was not amused.

Don't be such a prick, Malfoy - and didn't I tell you to stop staring at me?

I scoffed and wrote, It's not my fault that you're beautiful. Now that I've seen all of you, can you blame me for not wanting to look away?

I couldn't see her face, but I would have bet money she turned beet red. I expected another resentful reply, but instead, she crumpled up the paper and stuffed it in her bag. I bit my lip, and started to take out another piece of parchment, but Albus stopped my hand. I shot him a questioning glance, and he simply shook his head. Sighing, I turned my attention to Professor Howell, and tried not to think about the redheaded girl in the front row for the rest of the class.