2nd chances (Scorose)

Chapter 4

Hi again (:(:(:(:(:

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When I woke up, all I could think about was that kiss and how it felt just the same as our first...

The end of term had been coming up and, moving away from tradition, the school had organized a Christmas party as well as the feast. There had been rumors circulating the school for months that Celestina Warbeck had been hired and everyone was eager to find someone to go with.

Myself? I hadn't been particularly bothered and was prepared to spend the night in front of the fire with some light reading. But that had all changed when he asked me.

Scorpius. He'd hung back after the end of Charms as I packed my bag and then quietly asked, "Could I talk to you a moment?"

I'd looked up in surprise, sure he must have been talking to someone else, but there was only me and my two cousins stood at the door waiting for me, looking confused as to why I wasn't leaving with them.

"Go, I'll catch up with you," I mouthed to Dom, and she nodded before leaving with Al.

"So...what did you want to talk about?" I asked, butterflies inexplicably fluttering in my stomach. It was strange. Normally Scorpius would pretend I existed unless he was playing some prank on me with his friends from Slytherin.

"I wanted to ask you to the Christmas party," he replied confidently, his hands folded behind his back as he looked me right in the eye.

I was immediately suspicious.

"I know what you're thinking-"

"What am I thinking then?" I challenged, wondering whether he truly could be being honest about his intentions.

"You think I'm going to stand you up?" He guessed, smiling softly, but looking pained in his eyes, as though he was sorry for all that he had done to me and regretted that the first conclusion I had jumped to was that.

I nodded slowly.

"I won't. I swear. Rose...I...really like you," he said, now seeming rather shy. "I would love it if you would come with me. We'll have fun. We'll dance. I heard that The Wombats are performing - they're your favorite band, right?"

I nodded once more. "How did you know that?"

He shrugged and carried on trying to persuade me. "Go on. You know it'll be fun. Honestly, what would you be doing if you didn't go? Sitting with a book, by any chance, while all the rest of your family party?"

"No!" I blurted, shocked by how well he seemed to know me. "Fine, I'll go. I've got nothing else to do."

Scorpius smiled widely. "Great! Meet you at seven in the Clocktower Courtyard?"

I nodded and he bounced away, practically skipping. I shook my head, trying to clear it from confusion, and left the classroom myself, hoping that Al and Dom would still be in the Great Hall.

In the build-up to the party, I found myself getting more and more anxious. I fretted over what I would wear while my anticipation grew at the same time. Every time I passed Scorpius in a corridor he would smile or pull me to the side and whisper, "Not feeling like backing out? Cold feet?"

I assured him countless times that I would be in the Clocktower Courtyard if he was.

The evening finally arrived, and my mum sent dress robes with Pigwidgeon only just in time after the desperate letter I sent to her, pleading for help. It was a turquoise dress, V-necked and floated down to my knees in frills. I smoothed my front before leaving the common room, sneaking past Al and Hugh messing around in their smart dress robes because I still hadn't told anyone who I was going with though I was sure that Lily and Roxy suspected as they'd seen Scorpius dragging me off a few times that week.