Four Years in the Running

Under Pressure Pt. 2

Rose was wandering in the hallways when she heard the soft whispers echoing in the torch lit corridor. She pressed her back to the cool stone and listened,

"You just have to hold your head up high, alright?" 

"But I didn't do anything wrong, I don't understand..." Soft whimpers came from a higher pitched voice, a few sniffles followed. 

"No, you didn't, you're right. But being defiant to their remarks will make them stop, I promise." 

"You promise?"

"I do. And if not you come and find me again on my rounds, alright?" Rose turned her head around the corner at that. It was Scorpius. He was talking in low murmurs to a first year Slytherin, who sat on a bench as he stooped down next to him. 

"Do they do it to you, too?" The young boy's remark was so innocent and quiet, it made Rose's chest feel tense with sympathy. Scorpius let out a small laugh,

"Yeah, they do." He replied simply.

"But you're so nice and you play Quidditch and are at the top of you're class!" The boy stammered in disbelief, his tears subsiding. 

"I try to tell them this, Collin, they don't seem to care much." He joked and patted the boy's arm. Rose did not laugh along. She kept hearing Scorpius say "they" over and over. Who was the "they" that was attacking Scorpius and this boy? It was evidently because of their relation to the war, their families decisions. Yet, these children were innocent. Hearing these words being exchanged only made Rose's guilt grow deeper, just an hour ago, there she was, complaining about the bloody pressure she was under. Merlin, she didn't even know what pressure was. She looked down at her feet, her eye catching her reflection in her ink bottle. She saw the same Rose Weasley she saw everyday, her father's blue eyes and freckles, her mother's outrageously curly hair, a mixture between that Weasley red and Granger brown. She was beloved because of her parents, her cousins as well. She didn't know any different. Scorpius Malfoy, on the other hand, was a completely different story. She heard herself outwardly groan from her stupidity. She had thought that she had known this boy since that day on the platform, when truly all she knew was his last name. She didn't know the first thing about this boy. 

"Rose?" Rose was pulled out of her reverie and saw that she had dropped her quill ink, the dark liquid spilling onto the stone. 

"Damnit." She whispered and bent down to grab it. Scorpius shoved his hands in his pockets and watched her rise. Collin had left, evidently, and the two of them sat down at the bench.

"I'm sorry." She spoke right away in a firm tone. "I was an absolute idiot for feeling bad for myself, when I don't know the first thing about being under pressure or being harassed."

"I don't want you to feel pity for me." He kept his eyes locked on the ground, staring intently at his shoes. 

"I don't." Rose stated as his head rose up to eye level once more. "I want to understand you, Scorpius." She was him tense up for a moment at the sound of her saying his first name, then his shoulders relaxed. 

"There's not much to understand. You've known me for years."

"Yeah, I've known the sarcastic, sadistic Scorpius Malfoy for years now. But not the person who just comforted that boy just now. I know you're kind, and I want to be friends. And not for Albus' sake."

"I'm still very sarcastic in my friendly state, you know." His voice was back at it's normal level, his eyes glinting mischievously once more. "I think you can keep up with my remarks, you'll have to work on it, though. But, friends," He paused and sat on the idea. "that sounds like something different." 

"I'll even make you a friendship bracelet." Rose said excitedly as Scorpius face revoked with horror. "Ha, we do have the same level of humor." She let out a soft laugh and pointed at his face as he pushed her on the shoulder. 

"Alright, Weasley, maybe I underestimated you." He decided and shifted on the bench. His face grew hard after his smile faded. "Please don't tell anyone about me talking to Collin." 

"Why? You don't want anyone to know you have the capability of being nice?" 

"No, I just don't want Collin to have to be associated with me or..."

They may find out." Rose finished his sentence. It was her turn to look down at her feet. 

"Yes." Scorpius let out a breath. 

"Whoever these people are, I swear to god, it's just so wrong, why... I'll hex them!" Rose felt an anger rising in her chest. 

"Rose, no." He shook his head quickly.

"Now that we're friends, I have to find someone else to hex, might as well be these-" She continued with a string of some unpleasant names. His eyes widened at this. 

They were both standing now.

"Rose, just leave it alone for now, will you?" 

"For now," she promised, "key words, Scorpius. You should have chosen your words wiser." 

"I'm sorry, too." He spoke suddenly, the hard edges of his face harshened by the moonlight streaming into the corridor. He began backing away to one side of the corridor, to the dungeons. Rose backed away towards the towers as he broke the silence. "I forgot to tell you. You have pressures too, Rose, even though they may be different." 

Rose decided that he may have been right.