TREMOR | HP | ✓

Prologue - Year 4 - P. 2

I BLINKED AND frowned at his words.

"What do I smell of?" I asked. He didn't stop there.

"No, I meant it as a nice thing, you smell like a mixture of fresh flowers and fresh... bread."

I turned back to Albus, not sure what to make of his best friend's advance. He was my goal at the moment. He needed me and I was willing to be there for him.

"Albus, I'm here, okay? If you need me."

"I mean, nice bread, good bread, bread... what's wrong with bread?" Scorpius babbled on, now irritated himself. I exited the cabin again, shaking my head. Where was he thinking? Weren't the weird greetings and frequent glances enough?

"What's wrong with bread!"

If that bread-thing would stay the only problem.

Not to mention about the whole situation Albus put everyone through after that day. He had to use that bloody Time-Turner. He and Scorpius messed time up so badly, it was hard to get things back to normal. So I heard, at least.

In the end it worked out. Everything was back to normal. Though... I had a slight strange gut-feeling ever since.

I almost forgot; rumours about Scorpius Malfoy's existence vanished with the risky quest as well. He was not Voldemort's son. Not that I had believed such rubbish.

There was this day, a class in Defense against the Dark Arts, where he suddenly walked up to me, all edgy. It was the end of the class, so I was preparing myself to move to the next lesson, when he blocked my way out of the classroom.

"Hello Rose," he said, holding a book against his chest, as if to maintain his attitude.

"Scorpius," I replied, less animated. Today, his hair looked messy and even though his pale skin barely ever showed a sign of exhaustion, for once he seemed like he could use some proper sleep again.

"Can I, well, I was wondering," he stuttered.

Arianna and Jane were standing behind him with an amused grin. Albus leaned against the door, as he watched us intently. I never had felt so uncomfortable before. Slowly, I started feeling bad for him, since it was kind of clear where this was heading. No one was making things easier for him.

Neither will I.

"Wondering what?" I asked the blonde, now giving him my attention and ignoring the others.

"I was wondering if you have time today, so we could maybe, do stuff? I mean, go out and do stuff. Go out with me and do stuff," he clarified, then cleared his throat, "Would you like to go out and do something? With me?"

"Go out and do something with you?" I retorted and crossed my arms. Bad Rose. I was being terrible to the already pressured guy.

Wait, was I actually feeling sorry for him?

Scorpius looked at me wide-eyed. I feared his voice being gone, but he was faster: "No! I mean go out. With me. Would you? Rose Granger-Weasley.... would you like to go out with me?"

Even though, I did see it coming, it took me a second to react. Did I show any signs of interest? He liked me really this much, even though I had been showing so much dislike and hatred towards him? How was that even possible?

"No!" I called, feeling how my hands had turned cold by the question. I was thinking too much.

He stared at me. For a moment his expression was unreadable. Everyone in the room, even the newcomers who were about to start the lesson after us, just stood there and gawked. I didn't know what to do, so all I did was keeping my eyes locked with his clear, grey ones. Something inside me would like to reassure him, for some strange reason. He just looked so beaten up. A crucial silence followed and with it, a small, defeated smile formed on his lips.

"I understand."

I wanted to say something, but he was already gone, his fast steps echoing through the corridors. Albus hurried right after him, obviously having a hard time keeping up.

"Wow," Arianna smirked, "A Malfoy after you."

"Shut up," I groaned, before heading out of the classroom myself. They would never stop teasing me after what they just saw and I couldn't blame them.

As I made my way through the stairs, I heard voices coming from a room further in my direction. I walked by, as I finally could make out whose voices these were. Scorpius and my cousin, of course. I stopped before they could see me to listen more closely.

"... She used to hate me, but did you see the look in her eyes when I asked? That wasn't hate, that was pity," Scorpius declared. I couldn't help but sneer.

"And pity's good?"

"Pity is a start, my friend," he went on, "a foundation on which to build a palace - a palace of love."

I really had to pull myself together. Was that what he thought of me? Merlin's beard, I really was enjoying this conversation.

"I honestly thought I'd be the first of us to get a girlfriend," Albus stated.

"Oh, you will, undoubtedly, probably that new smoky-eyed Potions professor - she's old enough for you, right?" his friend teased. This got the rest of me. I had to press a hand against my mouth to keep it together. Now I was starting to understand what my cousin saw in him.

Albus bellowed: "I don't have a thing about older women!"

"And you've got time - a lot of time - to seduce her. Because Rose is going to take years to persuade."

For some reason a smile escaped my lips. I didn't know he was this persistent and what was even more odd; I liked it.

"I admire your confidence," Albus admitted. This was my chance - my move. I pulled myself together and walked past with loud steps, then glanced over to the boys, only to come up with a "Hi.". They exchange looks, not sure how to reply. Because there was no reaction, I turned to Scorpius instead, stepping closer to him. He didn't move, just watched my every move keenly, letting me come closer, as I started rearranging his school uniform.

It was all pure out of tease. I leaned in close, steadying his tie and pulling on his shirt, to leave them more tidy. Scorpius just stood, almost in a trance.

"This is only going to be weird if you let it be weird," I explained. He had to get the message. I hoped he did. He was a smart guy, his nerdy self couldn't take that away from him.

"Received and entirely understood," he said with a small nod. I smiled faintly, as he leaned in closer, only inches separating us. But before anything could happen, I let go of him and walked back to the corridor. Scorpius, who had been leaning on me before, almost fell on his knees, but caught himself just in time.

"Okay. Scorpion King," were my last words and with that I continued my way down the stairs, another small smile plastered on my face. It was excrutiating, what was I even doing?

Everything was just too hilarious. Even though my heart was hammering against my chest and perhaps I should be worrying over the fact that I actually enjoyed the closeness and teasing, it was something that had to be done.

He wouldn't stop anyway, or would he?

---

: Finally, the last part of this long Prologue. How was the read? Was a lot to take in, I know.

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Greetings~ 🌹
Rose