TREMOR | HP | ✓

⌘ Chapter 12

"How do you stop its breathe
when it steals it from you?" - Angela

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RAINCLOUDS COVERED THE evening sky. I sat on my bed, waiting for any visitors to come. By now, I was sure, everyone knew I had come back to school - for better or worse. Yet, nobody showed up. Some distraction was high on my list, after having Mr bipolar with me. Not only that, I just wanted some familiar faces to be around. Spending so much time alone made me all agitated and depressed. I was not used to it.

But no one came.

What did I expect; everyone running back to me after months of my disappearance?

True friends would stand by my side, no matter what. This was preached by my parents regularly. Mum, dad and uncle Harry were the best example in that matter. From the very first year on until todays' days they were still isseparable. One reason why James and Lily were more like siblings, than cousins to me. But if they were right with their wise quote - did it mean I had no true friends?

My eyes paced over the gifts at the table on the end of my bed. Some of them did come when I arrived. Since then, however, I couldn't remember any of my friends checking on me, aside from Hugo.

Weird was, not even he, who usually would get to me once a day, had bothered in doing so.

"Perhaps I don't have any, after all," I told myself with a scowl. I had been so busy pleasing everyone, I didn't imagine it might be my downfall someday.

What was going on? Not even Madam Pomfrey was here. Last time I saw her was yesterday.

Sooner or later-

"Hello Rose."

My heart fell down to my knees at the unexpected student approaching. I sat up and crawled to the furthest edge of the bed and, glaring at him.

"Stay away from me!"

Scorpius stopped, the gleam in his silver eyes fading at my reaction. He held his hands up in defeat, not daring to try another move.

"Albus is coming too. I got here before him, I-"

"And now we're on that tour again?" I spat, "Forget it. You can't confuse me anymore, you already showed me your true face, you bloody goblin!"

Yes, I was slightly paranoid. He brewed enough panic in me for a day.

What was he even doing here? After revealing himself to me, that was not the smartest thing to do.

The blonde on the other side of the room frowned in irritation. I should be applauding him - he was a good actor.

"Rose - my face? What's wrong with my face?"

"Everything!"

"Rose!" Albus walked over to me and pinned me down. "What's wrong with you? He did nothing wrong."

"You have no idea," I groaned, still staring at the scowling Malfoy, "You have absolutely no idea, Albus. He is no different than the rest of his family. He is worse. So much worse."

My cousin glared at me, as he let go - as if he had been touching a pile of hot needles. His hands curled into fists.

"How..."

"I'm telling the truth - Albus. I thought I was dreaming, but it was him. He is the cause why I'm laying here," I blutered out, but he cut me off.

"Scorpius? He was with me all along. There is nothing he could have done. You asked me to forgive you and start the drama from new on. I actually," there he let out a scoff, "I actually believed you, Rose. I wanted to move on and give you a chance. But you just destroyed it by making a terrible accusation to someone who could never even hurt a fly."

Tears shot up my eyes. I didn't know where this desperation came from but my instinct to tell Albus about his two-faced best friend was hard to keep at bay. Thinking back on it, it had been a stupid idea, but at that very second, I couldn't hold myself back.

Scorpius shook his head and smiled faintly. His face was unreadable; as in a daze.

"It's okay, Albus. She really hates me, doesn't she?"

"I despise you," I corrected. His pretty face fooled me in the past, but thankfully I couldn't fall in his trap this time. I had never regarded him as a threat before - until he ripped my goodwill out and threw it to the dogs. I felt betrayed, partly chaotic and out of my mind. How could he stand there and act like none of it had ever happened?

"She seems irritated," he said firmly, "Rose, we will leave now."

Something I didn't expect him to say.

"Leave? You never leave me alone."

"Enough, Rose! He didn't do a thing to you, you're being ridiculous. Did you set all of this up too? To pull me closer and then slap me on my face again?"

"Alb-"

"Didn't you do enough?"

Albus went over to his friend, not taking a second glance back.

"Let's go, Scorp. We're done here."

Scorpius nodded, taking one last look at me. There was worry and pain glinting in his eyes.

"Rose?" he said and if I wouldn't have known what I knew about him. This gesture would usually break my heart from the sheer tone he used.

But not today.

"What now?"

"I... well, I-"

"Scorpius," Albus warned, to which he shook his head and held a hand up, to stop him.

"I love you, Rose. Always..."

He couldn't finish. Next thing happening was Albus hauling him outside by his tie. And Scorpius followed like a dog - a disordered and hurt puppy. His eyes met mine one second longer and at that moment, they sparked up. The glittering split into one million pieces, shattering so loudly, I could almost hear the black noise roaring in my ears. The brilliant grey trembled, as oceans washed over them, taking the last bit of light that was left.

He was in pain. He was suffering because of me.

Stop it, Rose. This time he won't fool you.

Scorpius' head sunk, together with my heart.

"She doesn't deserve you," I heard my cousin say before the door slammed shut after them.

My head hurt. This was all another trick of his, so why did it get me restless? My stomach felt strangely light and my neck was tingling from the risen pulse.

"Curse you, Malfoy," I muttered.

I hated him so much, even my body didn't know how to respond properly to his malevolent advances.
What kind of game was he playing?

He might have succeeded to draw Albus away from me but if he thought this would frame me, he had no idea what I was capable of. I would defeat him.

Pulling my cousin into this was a huge mistake.