The film started as I snuggled back into Scor's chest with him looping his arms around my waist and pressing his cheek against the top of my head.
As the beginning credits rolled up, a thought occurred to me.
"How did you even get in here?" I mumbled, my voice scratchy by my sore throat.
"Sorry?"
I repeated the question, growing slightly annoyed at being ill and unable to be understood.
"I have my ways," he replied mysteriously.
"Care to reveal the secret?"
"Nope, the film's starting."
Rolling my eyes, I turned my attentions to the iPod that rested against my stomach where he held it.
"I know by the way," I yawned, smiling at the film.
"Know what?" Scorpius asked.
"I know about your talk with Hugo."
He leant to the side to look at me.
Rolling my eyes, I continued, "I know he's gay."
"Oh thank Merlin!" he exclaimed. "I hate hiding things and keeping secrets from you."
I smiled and laid my hand over his.
"I know."
He kissed the top of my head and tightened his arms about my waist.
We lay in silence watching the film for a few moments before my curiosity got the better of me and I asked, "So what happened exactly with you and Hugo?"
"I'm not sure I should tell you..."
"I already know he's gay so what difference is telling me how you found out going to make?" I reminded him.
"I guess you're right," he replied before beginning his tale. "So you remember I followed him from your Common Room?"
I nodded, tipping my head back to look at him.
"Well, I hurried after him - he was walking kind of quickly so I ended up running to keep up and kept shouting his name, but he just ignored me and sped up. Eventually we were both running through the corridors, and even though I managed to draw level with him, I couldn't get Hugo to stop until I backed him into a corner round by Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."
"What happened then?" I interrupted as Scor paused for breath, desperate for any information. Remembering the last time Scorpius and Hugo had been alone, I couldn't help worrying that there might be violence involved in the story.
He stifled a laugh and continued, "Well then I started to question him. I mean, it was obvious that something was bothering him; you could see it in his eyes. He was looked weary, stressed - though I never imagined what it was that was causing that. I just thought it was about me and you, or something else"
"-What did you say to him, then?"
Sounding amused, Scorpius said, "Well if you'd let me finish, I'd be able to tell you." He looked at me with his eyebrows raised for a few moments, as if he was daring me to say something smart or challenge him, then carried on speaking. "The first thing I said was, 'Listen, I know you and me aren't exactly friends, and that you don't like me or the relationship I have with Rose, but it's obvious that you need to talk to someone and I'm willing to listen.' Hugo, of course, stared at me looking surly, his look so intense that I almost believed he was contemplating which curse to use on me."
I looked at him in doubt. Hugo never used to be like that. His eyes were never dark with deep hatred or anger. He just wasn't capable of anything like that. As a child his eyes had always held happiness. I'd just attributed his more recent mood swings and anger to being a teenager and inheriting the prejudice against the Malfoys that the rest of our family had.
"I'm serious. If looks could kill, I wouldn't be here to tell you the story!"
Reluctantly I accepted his story and allowed him to continue.
"Anyway, he didn't have anything to say to that. So I just carried on talking and told him that I understood he wouldn't want to talk to me but I might be able to help, like I did with the gambling."
I bet he wasn't happy about that, I thought.
"And then all of a sudden he was shouting in my face. I'm telling you it's a good thing Filch is too scared to go down near Myrtle's bathroom since Mrs Norris got it there, or we'd have both got detentions."
"What was he saying?" I asked quietly.
"All kinds of stuff really. Stuff about how my family was dirt, how he hadn't asked for my help, how he didn't need any help." I squeezed his hand in sympathy. "Thanks," he mumbled. "Then he balled his fists and held one up like he was about to punch me."
I gasped and covered my mouth. They had fought. I knew it.
"'Go on, hit me,' I said, not really bothered if he did. At least that way I thought he would get over his dislike for me. And then he really surprised me. Instead of smacking me one in the eye like I expected - and had prepared for - he turned and, with a yell of frustration, punched the wall. I mean, who punches a wall? You know it's going to hurt. I was almost frozen in shock as he shouted swear words, holding his fist in agony. So I said, 'What in the name of Merlin did you do that for?' I didn't think he'd even answer me, but he did. He just blurted, 'Look, I'm gay alright?' I was flabbergasted. I barely noticed him push past me, still gripping his hand. By the time I got after him, he'd stopped outside and it looked like he was crying. Before I could even say anything, he angrily muttered, 'Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm a wimp. It's hurts, alright?' I offered to fix his hand but he still seemed wary. 'Either I fix your hand without asking for anything in return, or I fix your hand and you properly talk to me,' I said."
"I take it you fixed his hand anyway," I said.
"Of course," Scor replied. "He wouldn't really talk to me, but he did listen to me. I told him that it would do no good to hold in his feelings and try to hide who he was. He just kind of looked at me then. Eventually, I gave up on trying to help and said, 'Look I'm no good at this kind of thing. You need to talk to someone-' and then he interrupted and told me, and I quote, 'I'm not going to a councilor. So I reminded him that he could talk to you and he ordered me not to tell you."
"Why wasn't I allowed to know?" I asked.
"I don't know. I guess he didn't want you to judge him or think badly of him..."
I thought it over, remembering how Hugh didn't want me to tell anyone else - specifically James and Fred because they already mocked him.
"Anyway, I didn't agree with him. I tried to remind him that you're his family and him being gay would never change that. I can only assume he listened. I was about to leave then and come back inside, but he stopped me, called out 'You're alright you know - for a Malfoy anyway-"
"-He did not!" I exclaimed. There was no way Hugo would have ever said that.
"He did!" Scor asserted.
"Look, there's no way he'd have said that. You're just making it up."
"Then how else do you explain the fact that he was being friendly when we got back to Gryffindor Common Room?" he asked.
Grudgingly I admitted he had a point.
"Anyway, then he started to talk to me about quidditch and Krum's retirement, of all things."
I nodded, accepting his story. "I'm glad the two of you didn't fight."
"Me too," Scorpius said. "Your brother has a seriously good right hook! I learnt that the last time."
"He's only thirteen! You're almost three years older than him!"
"So?"
I had to cough to mask my laugh.
"Okay?" he asked, peering around to look at me and stroking my back.
I nodded, feeling a bit guilty for laughing at him.
"Wait a minute...does you think this means I broke the Unbreakable Vow..?"
"What?" I asked, my throat closing up and strangling my voice.
"Well technically I wasn't supposed to tell you...but if you already knew then have I still broken the vow or not?"
"You didn't?" I asked in fear.
"Hugo made me-"
He broke off and held his hand to his throat, miming something. Making wheezing sounds, he pointed at his chest and held his throat.
"Scor!" I screamed, grabbing hold of him.
Suddenly he burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, I couldn't keep it up," he said.
"Don't do that to me!" I exclaimed, slapping his arm.
"Teach you to laugh at me," he muttered, still chuckling and pulling me back to lie against him again.
"I was coughing," I told him, struggling to maintain my cool. I could feel my cheeks heating up though.
"Pull the other one, Rosie. I know when you're lying just like you know when I am."
"Okay, okay. I was laughing."
"It's alright. I'll prove to you how daring and brave I am some other way."
"Perhaps you should go back to your lessons and think about that then," I suggested.
"Rose Weasley, are you trying to get rid of me?"
"Nope, but I have a feeling that Dom and Lucy will be returning soon and I thought you might like to escape all the girl talk..."
"Girl talk?"
"Yep. All we talk about in here is which boys are hot, the current gossip-"
"-That doesn't sound so bad," Scor murmured, leaning towards me and brushing his lips against mine.
"Our periods," I continued.
"And that's my cue to leave!" Scorpius said, sliding out from under me and standing, the tips of his ears and his cheeks turning beetroot pink.
As if on cue, Dom barged past Scor and dropped onto my bed.
"Rose, you are not going to believe what Luke McClaggen asked me today? He wants me to go with him to Madam Puddifoot's this next Hogsmeade trip!"
I squealed with her, smirking as Scorpius hurried from the room in what looked like abject fear.
👫💄💉👫💄💉👫💄💉