2nd chances (Scorose)

Chapter 18

I couldn't help but worry as the clock ticked and I waited for my boyfriend and brother to return, hoping against hope that neither of them would come back with a cut or bruise.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Molly said, trying to reassure me.

I nodded, but my heart still pounded in my chest and I barely heard the conversation going on around me. Every time the portrait swung open, I stopped breathing and made to move towards the door but it wasn't Hugo or Scorpius. Instead I watched Fred and his "just friend" Sienna come through first, then a group of four first years whose names I probably should have known, followed by Luke McClaggen and then two second years, a third year and three seventh year girls. I think I was lucky not to go into cardiac arrest.

I breathed a sigh of relief when finally Scor and Hugo returned, both of them free of any marks. Looking between them, I was surprised to find them both smiling as Hugo waved goodnight and went up to bed. Albus and Louis frowned before following him up the boy's dormitory stairs.

"What did you two talk about?" I asked, confounded by how they suddenly seemed to be friends.

"My family," Scor replied without hesitation, though his eyes shifted around and he wouldn't look me in the eye.

"I know what you look like when you lie," I reminded him, crossing my arms over my chest and preparing to wait the night to get an answer.

"Rose, it was just guy talk. Anyway, it's getting late. I should be getting back to my common room." I stood dreamily, as he pressed his lips to mine and then headed out the portrait hole, looking distracted.

"Was it just me or did anyone else think that was odd?" Lily asked thoughtfully.

I turned to find all my cousins with their hands in the air.

"Good to know I'm not going crazy..."

"Maybe I should ask Hugo what they talked about," I suggested to them.

"Already tried it," Louis commented as he and Al came back down the stairs and reclaimed their seats. "Hugo is not giving any details."

"Strange," Dom mumbled, doodling on the back of her potions textbook.

Everyone murmured their explanation, but no one was particularly coming up with a suggestion for why Scorpius had lied to my face and why Hugo was being like a sealed box.

Forcing my mind away from the dilemma, I considered again what I might buy Scorpius for Christmas. I'd have to get something soon or I would be buying him a Valentine's gift at the same time.

I was staring at the back of James' new monthly quidditch magazine when it hit me. I could arrange a meeting between Scorpius and his favorite team, Falmouth Falcons. He'd love a chance to get their autographs and pictures.

It wasn't terribly romantic, but I could do something better for Valentine's Day, couldn't I?

After finally deciding what I was going to give Scorpius as a late Christmas present, I was free to turn my attention back to whatever it was he had talked about with Hugo. I hadn't voiced my concerns over his sexuality to Scor, so they couldn't have talked about that surely. If they hadn't talked about Scorpius' family, then what had they talked about?

I thought it over all evening before falling asleep in the armchair and only waking up slightly as my cousins walked my drowsy body up into my dormitory.

The next morning came and I had a plan.

I was sure I could get Scorpius into telling me what he and Hugo had talked about. A girl could hold a lot of power over a man - there was so much she could use to bribe him, and if that failed, I could always fall back on the new spells I'd found while doing our Defence Against the Dark Arts homework.