I could still feel the soft tingle of Rose's lips on my cheek. Although some days had passed, our final conversation in the astronomy tower seemed to have taken place only minutes ago. The memory remained fresh - and so did the pain.
The deep ache of being separated from the girl I loved was worse at some times than others, but it was always present. I found myself not doing much, because everything I did hurt. Everywhere I went, something reminded me of her.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor. Malfoy Manor was, above all else, cold, and the unrelenting stone it had been built with added to that impression. I hadn't wanted to come here, but Father put his foot down and said he wasn't going to leave me at home by myself all weekend.
Truthfully, I think he was afraid of what I might have done - not that he had any real reason to be. I wasn't suicidal, I was just... sad. There was probably a better word for it, but I didn't care enough to find out what it was. I was sad. I missed her. That was all.
I heard a tap on my door. "Scorpius?"
I ran a hand over my face, sighing quietly. The last thing I wanted to do was have tea with my grandmother, but I probably wouldn't have much of a choice. "Come in," I said quietly.
Grandmother walked through the door wearing a rather melancholy smile. "I’m sorry to bother you, but I wondered if you… well, if you wanted to talk about… about what happened.”
I looked away. “Did Dad tell you?”
“No. I read about it.”
I groaned. I had hardly thought about how many reporters were there that night. I’m sure they thought it quite interesting. I wondered how much they’d exaggerated things. “Can I see it? What you read.”
“Only if you come to my rooms for tea.”
Her voice was teasing, but I knew she was serious. My grandmother would always be, if nothing else, a Slytherin who knew how to get what she wanted. I chuckled slightly. “Alright, you win.”
I rose and followed her through the corridors to her quarters. Ever since my grandfather died - almost three years ago now - she had given up staying in the master suite, choosing to reside in what had previously been the largest of the guest bedrooms. It had its own small sitting room, which she was quite content to use for receiving close friends and family.
When we were in her parlour and she had called a House Elf to make the tea, my grandmother handed me a magazine - Witch Weekly. I was perturbed to discover that I had made the front page. The glossy cover of the magazine was a photo of Rose and I on the dance floor. The caption was Heartbreak at Hogwarts: scandalous marriage proposal turned down by Rose Granger-Weasley.
I turned to the indicated page and began reading with a sigh.
The Hogwarts Graduation Ball, which took place this past Tuesday evening, was full of revelations that shocked outsiders. Perhaps the biggest of these was the fact that Rose Granger-Weasley, daughter of (obviously) Harry Potter’s two best friends, attended the ball with Scorpius Malfoy, whose father Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater during the War and has never been on good terms with the Golden Trio. At the beginning of the evening, while the couple danced together, Granger-Weasley’s parents were seen conversing with the elder Mr. Malfoy, whose wife will be dead five years in July.
After joining their parents in a bit of socializing, Malfoy took Mrs. Granger-Weasley onto the dance floor while his father danced with her daughter. This was when Malfoy shocked everyone by getting down on one knee and asking Rose Granger-Weasley to marry him. Although he was confident, the object of his affections seemed shocked, and after apologising she fled from the room. Malfoy attempted to run after his lover but was held back by his father. Hermione Granger-Weasley followed her daughter out of the room, while a clearly upset Scorpius Malfoy remained seated until eventually taking his leave.
Classmates say that the pair have had a rocky relationship since they first went out in back in April. Granger-Weasley graduated at the top of her class, and has generally been thought of as a model student and good girl all through her time at Hogwarts. Malfoy, meanwhile, is rumoured to be morally questionable and has a reputation as a player. Many expressed that they were taken aback by Granger-Weasley's decision to date such a character. While it is not certain whether the dramatic exit means the relationship is permanently over, it seems unlikely that Malfoy and Granger-Weasley will be seeing much of each other in the near future.
The article was accompanied by a picture of the proposal itself. I put the magazine on a side table with a sigh, and sat down heavily. “That was surprisingly accurate,” I said drearily.
My grandmother sighed. "Do you want to talk about it?"
I shook my head. "I'm okay, really. I guess I should have expected it… I knew in my heart that she wasn't ready."
"But you went through with it anyway?"
"I love her."
It wasn't a perfect explanation, but I saw that she understood. She nodded. "Very well."
She didn't bring it up again.
• • •
My dad was out of town over the weekend on a business trip, which was why he’d exiled me to the Manor. He finally showed up on Tuesday morning to take me home, and I was relieved to go. I loved my grandmother, but long periods of time cooped up with her tended to put me on edge. I suppose I really didn’t need to do as my father asked and stick around - I was an adult, and could do as I pleased - but maybe I preferred isolation to whatever awaited me out in the world.
Dad didn’t say much at the Manor, but I couldn’t miss the anxious glances. After apparating back to our house, he almost immediately spoke.
“Scorpius-”
“I’m fine, Dad. You don’t need to worry about me.”
He sighed. “I know you’d rather not talk about it, but trust me when I say you should. I invited Albus to come stay with us for a few days-”
“Dad. Seriously?”
“He’s your friend, Scorpius. I just want you to talk things out with someone-”
I scoffed. “Look, just don’t bother, okay? I have no desire to talk about Rose with you or anyone else. I’m not a little kid you need to look out for anymore, Dad! I can take care of myself, and I think it’s about time you realized it!”
I stormed off without allowing him another protest. Why was he so bloody determined to get in my business? I didn't need to talk to anyone about Rose; those thoughts and feelings were better left unsaid.
A fresh wave of memories flooded me, and my shoulders shook as I sank onto my bed. I hadn't cried since the night she left me in the tower, but the grief I had been trying so desperately to avoid for the last week came crashing down on me and I couldn't hold back the tears any longer.
That was where Albus found me, not twenty minutes later. I didn't hear or see him come in, but I suddenly felt the arms of my friend around me and I was grateful for his embrace.
When my eyes were dry, we sat on the bed and we began to talk.
"Thanks for coming, Al," I said quietly.
"I knew you needed someone, even if you said otherwise."
After the Ball, I had assured Al that I was fine and run off without another word. I hadn't wanted to think about anything that had happened. I still didn't - only now I could see that my Dad was right and I did need to talk.
"I've been so numb for the past week," I confessed. "From the second I woke up on Wednesday, all I did was try to distance myself from all of the feelings. My heart still hurt, but the pain didn't consume me. It was just there, and easier to deal with because it wasn't so immediate."
Al sighed. "Sometimes you have to let your pain consume you and run its course before you can be free."
"I think you're right. I know it. I've just spent so long running from grief... I'm not sure I know how to let it in."
There was something heavenly about the way Albus looked at me. I could see the affection and - yes - admiration in his eyes, and it made me feel like I was capable of doing impossible things.
"We'll figure it out," he said. "Together."
I nodded, and found that a real smile had slipped onto my face. "Together," I agreed. And I knew we would.