When Scorpius came down from Lucy’s room, he wore a fraction of a smile.
“How’d it go?” I asked softly.
“Good,” he said, voice full of relief. “Really good. She’s… well, I don’t think she’s determined to die. I told her about some of my past, and I think I got through. She seems to like the idea of hanging out with me or whatever.”
“Did… did she say anything about… about why?” This stammered inquiry came from my aunt.
Scorpius shook his head. “I thought it best not to pressure her too much. There’ll be plenty of chances for her to tell you, or me, but she’ll do it when she wants to and not before. I know how it goes.”
Aunt Audrey managed a frail smile. “You’re probably right. I’m going up to her now, so you two may stay or go as you please. I hope to see you both again before too long. And thank you, Scorpius, for talking to Lucy.”
“It’s my pleasure, Mrs. Weasley.”
My aunt kissed my cheek and murmered a thanks in my ear before ascending the stairs to return her full attention to her daughter.
I sighed. “Poor woman… she hasn’t had it easy.”
“Few people do.”
“Always the optimist,” I said dryly, shaking my head at Scorpius.
“It’s true, though. You don’t meet many people who can truly say they’ve had it easy. Life is a very cruel thing.”
I tilted my head at Scorpius. The comment wasn’t peculiar in and of itself, but there was something foreign and concerning in the way he’d said it. “What’s got you in such a negative mood?”
He wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Nothing. Nothing at all. I’m just tired.”
Frowning, I tried to read the strange tone of his voice, but I discerned nothing. “Perhaps we oughn’t go out tonight, if you’re so tired. We could stay at my house… watch a movie or something.”
The blond boy hesitated. “I’m not that tired. You’ve been looking forward to this; I don’t want to-”
“It’s fine, Scorpius. It’s only a play… Besides, it’ll be in town for months, it’s not the end of the world if we don’t see it tonight. Let’s stay in.”
“Alright,” he sighed. “If you insist.”
“Shall we go, then?” I stood up lightly. “A lovely evening of dim lights and romance awaits.” Feeling mischeivous, I winked.
I thought I saw Scorpius’ jaw clench for just a moment, but I must have imagined it because he was quick to laugh. “I hope you don’t intend on seducing me into watching a dreadful rom com or something of the sort.”
I hummed playfully. “Do you mean to imply that you find me seductive, Mr. Malfoy?”
Rather than playing along as I expected him to, Scorpius looked away. “I meant nothing of the sort, and you know it,” he said crossly.
Sighing, I turned towards the door. Something was certainly bothering him, but I was at a complete loss as to what it might be. He said the talk with Lucy had gone well, and I didn’t doubt that. So what had caused this change in him, between when I’d left him and when he’d returned? I supposed only time would tell.
“Let’s go,” I said softly. And we did.
• • •
Upon reaching my house, supper had already been eaten and cleared away, as we hadn’t been expected home. Mum was quick to inform us, however, that there was plenty of food to be had in the refrigerator if we wanted it. “What do you two intend to do tonight?” she asked, mildly curious.
“We’d like to watch a movie, unless you and Dad have already staked a claim on the basement.”
My mother smiled, a bit conspiratorially. “Oh, help yourselves. Your father is going out with Harry and Neville, and I’ve got a good deal of work to do. And don’t worry about putting Willow to sleep; I’m happy to do it myself. You two have a good time, alright:? And be responsible… one baby is quite enough.”
I blushed. “Mum! You know it’s not like that.”
She waved her hand, laughing. “Yes, yes, I know.” Then she retreated up the stairs, still chuckling to herself.
I shook my head. “She thinks she’s so funny.”
Scorpius, who had been rather silent throughout the whole exchange, remained so.
Frowning, I tilted my head. “Are you quite sure you feel well? You’re more than welcome to take a rain check on the whole affair.”
He seemed to recover himself, and smiled. “I’m really fine, Rose. Let’s go down and pick a movie.”
So we descended to the basement, which had been furnished with a large, comfortable sofa and a sizeable flat screen television for most of my life. I lowered myself to the ground and opened the cabinet beneath the tv, ready to dig through the sizeable stash of movies, and one near the top caught my eye.
Smiling, I held it up for inspection. “Have you seen this?”
Scorpius raised his eyebrows. “La La Land? Sounds like a chick flick.”
I laughed. “It’s a musical. Ryan Gosling. It’s really good, actually, and I’m not just saying that.”
“Merlin, isn’t Ryan Gosling like, fifty?”
“No, I think he’s more like forty-five. Besides, this movie is ten years old, so he’s mid-thirties.”
He couldn’t help rolling his eyes, I suppose. “If I don’t like it, I’m going to make you watch some disgusting male-targeted trash movie.”
Laughing, I put in the movie and reached over to turn on the tv. “Would you like to go make some popcorn while I watch the trailers?” I said teasingly. Scorpius had an inexplicable aversion to popcorn, something I’d learned only recently.
“Very funny,” the blond boy muttered, half-smiling as he turned down the lights before sinking onto the sofa. I joined him, sitting close but not too close, and pulled a blanket up over me as the film began.
We remained in our original positions, close but not quite touching each other, until perhaps halfway through the movie. Scorpius, who had been stealing frequent glances at me that he thought I didn’t notice, eventually put his arm up on the back of the sofa, not exactly around me but giving me the choice of if I wanted it to be. And after a moment’s hesiation, I settled into his shoulder, deciding that there was nothing wrong with a little bit of cuddling.
In only a minute or two, Scorpius’ arm came down, and I let him draw me in even closer. I watched the remainder of the film with my head resting on his chest, while his arm held me close. And in all honesty, I cannot say I didn’t like it.
As the credits rolled, Scorpius turned to me, open-mouthed. “You mean to tell me they don’t end up together!?”
I couldn’t contain my laughter. “It seems someone got rather invested in the story.”
“But they- they have to end up together! That’s bullshit.”
“That’s life,” I countered.
Inexplicably, my words seemed to sober the blond boy. He stared at me, a strange look on his face. “Don’t say things like that. Plenty of relationships survive, don’t they? I dunno why stupid fucking Ryan Gosling had to go and be a buzzkill.”
I frowned, wondering once again why he seemed in such a foul mood. “Scorpius, what’s bothering you?”
He stiffened. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
“You’re not. I can always tell.”
Tears sprung into his eyes, and I saw them before he could look away. “It’s not important.”
Turning my body to face him more directly, I cupped his wet cheek gently in my hand. “It’s upsetting you; it must be important. Why won’t you tell me?”
“Because- I can’t, alright? I-” his voice cracked. “I just can’t.”
I wanted to keep asking questions, but Scorpius had begun to really cry and all I could think of doing was comforting him, so I wrapped my arms around his frame as best I could and just held him. He was shaking, and he latched to me as if his life depended on it, head buried in my hair as he sobbed. I wanted so badly to know what was tormenting him, just that I might help him through it…
I think that was the moment when I felt absolutely certain that I loved Scorpius Malfoy with every bit of my heart. For so long I had wavered, unsure if I really cared for him in that way, but from that moment on I didn’t feel that there was any question. Whether it was a good thing or not, however, remained to be seen.
Suddenly Scorpius retracted himself from the embrace, quickly wiping away any remaining traces of tears. His eyes were fixed on me, in them an expression that could have been interpreted as bordering on despair. “Can I kiss you?”
He didn’t say it the way I would’ve expected him to. It wasn’t a soft request, or even really a gentle one. It was pleading; desperate. Demanding, even. Still… what could I have said? I loved this boy with the deepest parts of my soul, and it was clear that right now he needed to be comforted. And if the comfort he sought was in a spot of harmless romance… who was I to withhold that from him?
Smiling just slightly, I nodded, pulling the blond boy closer to me. “You can do anything you want.”