"What?!" Charlie exclaimed, dropping his quill and glaring at me from the across the table.
Rose shot him a look, shushing him. The library was actually fairly busy for a Wednesday night, and someone was bound to complain if Charlie didn't lower his voice.
"Don't you shush me, Weasley," he sniffed, cocking an eyebrow. "What do you mean it's a secret?"
"What do you think I mean?" Rose hissed back in hushed tones, leaning over her roll of parchment on the desk in front of her. "You can't tell anyone."
Charlie rolled his eyes. "I understood that much, Rose. But why?"
She shrugged, fiddling with the length of the quill. "It would cause unnecessary drama."
"So, in other words, you're a coward."
"Excuse me?" Her expression twisted to a scowl. "Do you have any idea how our families would react if they found out Scorpius and I were friends?"
"Oh, please, enlighten me."
Rose scoffed, dropping her quill on the table and crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. "I shouldn't even have to, Charlie, it's common sense. Our families don't mix. They don't like each other — they never will and they certainly won't like our friendship."
Charlie narrowed his eyes, copying Rose's defensive stance of folded arms and a scowl. He didn't speak for at least a minute, just studied her with that same expression on his face. Finally, he dropped his arms to his lap.
"You two are impossible," he sighed. "Fine. My lips are sealed."
Rose's lips turned up in a small smile of gratitude. She didn't say another word, however, and the two revisited the essay they had been trying to write since class had finished over an hour ago. Rose was fairly pleased with the progress they had made so far — although, granted, a lot of it had been her own work, rather than a combined effort.
Charlie really was not the brightest of boys, however, he was trying. And that was enough for Rose to be pleased with. She would gladly take on the majority of the work if it meant they came out the other end of it with the best grade they could.
Truthfully, Rose just wanted to beat Scorpius.
The two of them had stayed on the Astronomy Tower for much longer than they had planned. They laughed and joked and confided in each other. Rose told him about her sometimes rocky relationship with James — which he had already witnessed firsthand — and her cousin's desire to leave school to help out in the joke shop.
Scorpius admitted to owning a few too many Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products which, if his dad uncovered hidden away in a box at the back of his wardrobe, would undoubtedly be confiscated due to their brand.
Rose had felt a flower of warm pride blossom in her chest at his confession. She was truly so very proud of her family and their roots.
She glanced over at Charlie. He was frowning deeply at the textbook in front of him, chewing his lip as he did so. After a few seconds, he made a face and sat back in his chair, a long sigh escaping him.
Rose struggled to stifle a smirk. Charlie was something else.
"Where was Scorp today?" She asked casually — or, as casually as she could — eyes trained on the words she was scribbling onto the parchment. "I didn't see him in any of our classes."
She looked up in time to see Charlie's lips curl up at the corners. He shrugged, however. "I couldn't get him up this morning. He's probably still dead to the world."
Rose frowned. "Is he okay?"
Scorpius was as diligent about missing classes as she. It wasn't like him to sleep in.
"How should I know?" Charlie retorted. "I was already running late when I tried to wake him."
"Maybe you should go and check on him..."
"I'm not his mother, Rose. He's probably fine!"
Rose said nothing. She wasn't at all convinced.
Charlie sighed. "If you're really that concerned I'll go and see him before dinner." He then fixed her with a pointed look. "You are aware that none of this would be happening if you didn't keep him up and out all night?"
Rose began writing again. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Charlie shook his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered. "You're just as bad as each other."
By the time Charlie left to check on Scorpius — an action he tried to argue against again — Rose was very nearly finished writing the essay. Charlie had, admittedly, been helpfully supplying her with a steady flow of information which she did indeed use in their essay. As dim as he was, he had really pulled through.
Rose watched him leave the library as she packed up their things. She slipped their essay, her roll of parchment, ink pot and quill into her book bag and turned to pick up the six-book-high pile of textbooks they had referenced.
She took her time putting them back in their respectful places on the shelves. She still had half an hour before dinner and she wanted to hang about in case Charlie came back to tell her how Scorpius was.
The time passed slowly. It had been nearly thirty minutes before Rose accepted that Charlie wasn't coming back and that she was going to be late for dinner.
Not to mention that she was still worrying about Scorpius.
She trudged to the Great Hall. There were still plenty of other students milling about, making their way there with friends. Once again, Rose felt a pang of loneliness in her chest. She wasn't alone anymore. She had her family. She had Charlie. She had Scorpius.
And, yet, she still felt lonely when she walked through the school with no one at her side.
Rose sighed, and banished those thoughts from her mind. With them, the voice in her head whispering you know how to fix it, Rose... faded away.
Students had already begun eating the feast by the time she arrived in the Great Hall. But instead of searching for her family at the Gryffindor table, Rose's eyes sought out two others. At the Slytherin table.
However, she only found one.
Charlie caught her gaze almost immediately. He shot her a small smile and shook his head.
Rose frowned. She was smart, yes, but how was she supposed to know what he meant by that?
He rolled his eyes and lifted his hands to his mouth. From there, he imitated someone being sick.
Rose wrinkled her nose. Scorpius was really sick, after all? She felt a sense of smugness. She had told him so, after all.
She waved her hand in goodbye to Charlie and made her way over to her family — who had witnessed the silent conversation between the Gryffindor girl and the Slytherin boy.
"What was that?" Lily demanded as soon as Rose's butt touched the wooden bench.
She blinked at her cousin. "What was what?"
Lily narrowed her eyes back. "That. With Slytherin Charlie."
Rose nearly laughed. Slytherin Charlie? Did that make her Gryffindor Rose?
Albus nudged his younger sister. "Knock it off, Lily. They're partners for our Potions assignment."
"He's not that bad," Rose defended. "And his name is Charlie Chester, Lil. Not Slytherin Charlie."
"Whatever," Lily muttered. "He's still Slytherin."
Rose rolled her eyes. She could just add that to her ever-growing list of reasons why her family wouldn't approve of Scorpius.
"His brother was mental," James commented. "I was only in first year when he was at Hogwarts but he didn't come back after his fourth year. I heard he went off the rails a few years ago, killed himself and a muggle girl."
"What?" Rose barely managed to utter that single word. She was shocked. Happy-go-lucky, sassy-Charlie's brother killed himself? He was a murderer?
"Yeah, I know right?" James nodded with wide eyes. "Apparently the whole incident sent Mrs Chester straight to St Mungo's. I can't imagine the rest of the family handled it much better, either."
"Charlie seems fine," Rose commented, but the words were weighed with uncertainty. How could anyone be fine after something like that? "He's not mentioned anything to me."
James cocked an eyebrow at her. "What, are you best friends with Chester now or something?"
"Well, no, but—"
"So, why would he mention it?"
Rose frowned down at her empty plate. She hadn't even had time to pick some food for dinner, but she found she lost her appetite after that conversation.
James was right. She may be friends with Charlie, but they were nowhere near close enough for him to delve into such a topic with her. However, as much as she accepted that, it still sent Rose's mind reeling. Reeling with thoughts, questions, scenarios...
She couldn't imagine the strength it must have taken for Charlie to get over such a horrific incident. Suddenly, an overwhelming rush of respect washed over Rose. She knew she would be seeing him in a different light from then on.
Dinner passed far too slowly for Rose's liking. She was desperate to find out from Charlie how Scorpius was. Instead, she was stuck listening as James and Albus teased Lily about Lorcan, who they had caught her sending sweet smiles and fluttering her lashes at.
When people finally started filing out of the Great Hall, Rose could barely stop herself from leaping up off the bench and fleeing the Gryffindor table. She took her time, however, so much so that Albus asked her if she was okay. She nodded in response. Then, much like the night before, she made an excuse about having to speak to Charlie about their assignment.
As Rose sped away, Albus watched her with suspicious eyes. Her mind was too focused on her mission at hand to notice, however, as she made a beeline towards Charlie.
He had either seen her coming, or knew her well enough by now to know that she would, because he was waiting for her next to where he had sat for his meal.
"He's fine," he said the moment she got there. Rose hadn't even had a chance to open her mouth.
She nodded, and opened it again to say something else.
He put his hand up to silence her. "He's in the hospital wing— but Madame Sutton says it's not anything serious so he can have visitors as long as they don't stay too late."
Rose was unsure of what he was hinting at when he gave her an expectant look. She stood there, staring blankly at him.
Charlie rolled his eyes. "For a bright witch, you really are dim..." he muttered. "Weasley, get a move on if you want to see him before visiting time ends."
She didn't need to be told again.
Madame Sutton was nowhere to be seen when she reached the Hospital Wing. In fact, the whole place looked rather deserted to Rose.
With the exception, of course, of the blonde wizard lying in the second bed from the door, staring up at the ceiling.
Scorpius was drumming his fingers on the white sheets next to his legs. Other than that action, Rose would have thought he was a statue.
Cautiously, Rose pushed through the door of the wing. At the sound of the creaking hinges, Scorpius whipped his head to face her. She watched the surprise that flooded his pale — paler than usual, she noticed at that moment — face when he recognised her.
She wasn't prepared for the warmth that spread to her chest when he took on a blinding grin, however.
"Weasley!" He greeted smoothly, unaware of the current fire in Rose's chest. "What are you doing here?"
She stepped further into the room, nearing the bed he had been allocated. "I just thought I would check on you. Charlie said you were sick?"
"Yeah." He pulled a face and looked away. "I woke up this morning and it just overcame me. I couldn't even get up, other than to be sick."
"You didn't take a puking pastille, did you?" Rose asked in a light tone, but she was only half-joking.
Scorpius cast her a glance and rolled his eyes. "What am I, twelve?"
She cocked an eyebrow. "You sure can act like it sometimes."
"Oh, ha ha." He ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "Did I miss anything in class?"
Rose shook her head, standing awkwardly at the side of his bed, looking down at him lying there. She wished there was a chair she could sit on — her legs were starting to ache, as well as her neck.
Scorpius watched her shift on her feet with curious eyes. His mouth twitched into a small smirk. "You can sit down, Rose," he said.
She stared back at him blankly. "Where?"
His smirk only grew. He gestured to a spot on the bed, next to his legs. She followed his hand with her gaze, her heart thumping in her chest.
"Oh," she said. "But I don't want to crowd you."
Scorpius laughed lightly. "I'm sick, not broken."
Rose bit the inside of her cheek. She knew she was blushing, she could feel the heat of the redness travelling up her neck. Her hands were sweating in their clasped position in front of her.
She tried another excuse. "I wouldn't want to catch anythi—"
"Madame Sutton said it's only a twenty-four hour bug. You should be fine."
Rose stared at the space on the bed. She didn't dare to look at him. She didn't want to see that smirk on his face as he watched her battle internally with herself, all the while blushing profusely and sweating like she'd just played a Quidditch match.
She was out of options, however. She had no choice but to perch herself on the edge of his hospital bed.
And that is exactly what she did.
Scorpius smiled at her when she finally settled next to his legs. She could feel the warmth radiating off of them as one of his legs pressed against her hip.
"See? Was that so hard?"
Rose shot him a glare. He snickered. She rolled her eyes, her lips twitching. When he smiled crookedly at her again, her own broke through.
She lost track of how long they just sat there, smiling at each other. She guessed it was probably much too long, however.
"Is there even anything wrong with you?" Rose teased, giving him a quick look up and down. "You're even smiling! You seem perfectly fine to me."
Scorpius shrugged, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I just fancied a day off school."
"I knew it." She shook her head. "You're only giving yourself a disadvantage, Malfoy. I have never missed a day of school in my life."
He shot her a look of irritation. "Sorry, Little Miss Perfect."
Rose pressed a hand to her heart, batting her eyelashes at Scorpius and widening her eyes in exaggeration. "Aww, you think I'm perfect?"
He rolled his eyes again. "Don't flatter yourself, Weasley."
"You said it, Malfoy."
Once again, they grinned at each other.
Rose couldn't ignore the frantic beating of her heart; the speed of her whirring mind; the clamminess of her hands; the warmth that was spreading to her chest from the site of her hip, where Scorpius' leg was still pressed against.
She didn't know what any of it meant. And she didn't know if she wanted to find out.
Rose looked into his eyes. He was smiling still, the action shining in the silver orbs that were staring straight back into hers.
That now-familiar warmth exploded in her beating heart. Frantically, she tore her gaze away from him.
She drew in a breath, shocked to discover how shaky and unsteady it was. Her hands were shaking as she moved them to her tight-clad knees. Quickly, she entwined them together, praying to Dumbledore that Scorpius hadn't noticed.
"You okay, Rosie?"
This time, Rose's heart stopped.
Rosie?
She had never let anyone except her parents and Albus call her that. It had always felt like a patronising name when other people said it.
Rosie.
But, for some strange reason, Rose liked it when Scorpius said it. Maybe it was the softness of his voice as he spoke the name, or the way it made her stomach flip, or that it made her want to smile a million watts.
She looked at him again. He was watching her, a slight frown on his face.
Rose smiled reassuringly. "I'm good, Scorp," she said.
And he smiled back. "Me, too."
— — — — —
So, I think this is how we all wanted that wee scene to go, am I right?
All you non-Brits, if you haven't seen this movie watch it immediately. It's called Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. It's the cutest, most British, most romantic thing ever! I swear you won't regret it.
So, yeah, finally managed to whip this chapter up. I'm studying for my exams (which are in 2 weeks, kill me now) so much that I got sent home from my job today because my mentor thought I was gonna pass out. Needless to say, I went straight to sleep and woke up about an hour ago (3am😭) so I am wide awake.
Ugh. Uni.
Question of the Chapter: Favourite movie/genre? And least favourite movie/genre?
Answer: my favourite movie ever is probably... Sing Street, Beauty and the Beast, Angus Thongs (lol, watch it please) or Flipped. Classic Rom-com is my go to genre but I do love a good Drama or Action film. My favourite movie series is either Marvel or (obviously) Harry Potter bc honestly I don't care what anyone says, the movies were great. Yes, they weren't exactly always true to the books (which was heartbreaking in Half-blood Prince aka my FAVOURITE book and they SEVERELY FUCKED THE MOVIE UP - not bitter at all as you can probably tell🙄) but the movies are entertaining and I do love a good film adaptation of a good book so yeah.
The essay I had due for today is now D O N E DONE SO CELEBRATIONS!!!! That bitch has taken me a month to write, it was so so confusing and complex. Ew. I hate essays. So yeah, now that that is done I only have 2 exams and then I'm off for Christmas until 15th January so I'll be getting stuck right back into this book!
I can hardly wait.
I've missed this book so much. *sobs* I hate university.