Curiosity Is Not a Sin

Gossip

"Thanks," she said.

He slung his bag onto his shoulder. "No problem." They began to make their way past the other house tables in the Great Hall. "Do me a favor, though."

She glanced over at him. "What?"

Damien's mouth twitched. "Be nice to him," he said.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Rose exclaimed before she could help herself, and Damien's smile broadened.

"Who else has said that?"

"Albus," she muttered. "Noah." She thought for a minute. "His friend Claire, probably. I think even James has."

At her tone, Damien cocked his head to one side. "You're jealous of Claire, aren't you?"

"No." He stopped in the doorway of the Great Hall to frown at her, and she sighed. "Maybe a little," she admitted. She knew that it wasn't really rational, but according to her mother, romance wasn't rational. Rose was beginning to believe her.

"Don't be." Damien glanced around them before saying very softly, "I think he'd rather go out with the giant squid than her."

Rose was startled into a giggle. "We should keep walking." He nodded, and they headed toward the secret passage that would take them down to the dungeons. "He told me that, too, you know," she said. "About me, I mean. Before things... happened."

"Well, he was lying to you," Damien said. "It's true about her." Rose wasn't sure how to respond to that, but thankfully, he changed the subject. However, just before they entered the classroom, he added, "Oh, if you talk to him before I do, tell him that I wasn't trying to steal his girlfriend back."

Between Lindsay Pritchard blowing up her cauldron again and the nasty bite she got in Herbology, Rose was feeling quite awake as she left the greenhouse that afternoon, despite her lack of sleep.

She stopped suddenly when she saw Scorpius sitting under a nearby tree. He appeared to be completely absorbed in a book. Colleen and Holly, who had already left the greenhouse looked from him to Rose curiosity. Holly let out a loud giggle, while Colleen contented herself with a wink.

Scorpius looked up as she approached. "Hi," he said, putting the book away and standing up.

"Hi," she replied, feeling a little confused.

"Charms let out a little early," he said awkwardly. "I thought I'd come down here and meet you. To see if you wanted to do anything." He swallowed audibly. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Rose said after a moment. "Sure." He shifted uncomfortably, and she said, "Yes, it is. I'm sorry. I'm just a little slow today. Not enough sleep."

"Oh." He rubbed the back of his head. "Um. Well, we don't have to do anything, if you want to go sleep or something. I just thought I'd ask."

"I want to," she said quickly. "As long as you don't mind me being a little stupid."

He was shaking his head when they heard Albus's voice. "I'm feeling a little hurt, Scorpius," he said from the door to the greenhouse. He was leaving it with Damien and a Ravenclaw named Sawyer Ackerly. "All this time we've been friends, and you've never come to meet me after class."

Scorpius snorted. "I see you plenty, Al," he called back, "and I've also never wanted to kiss you."

"Whereas you've been dying for my cousin to discover your charm so you can kiss her," Albus replied, coming to a stop in front of them. "I get it. I get it. I'm feeling ignored and abandoned, but I expect I'll get over it."