Questions

Chapter 6: Changes

"Your assignment is to write an essay on the practical application of a Strengthening Solution! Include all of the ingredients and what parts they play!" Professor Patton, the Potions professor, yelled over a class that was beginning to pack up their belongings.

"All the ingredients?" a Hufflepuff with brown hair and glasses called out. "Sir, with all due respect, that's bullocks."

"Anyone that agrees with Justice's views on this can join him in detention on Saturday," Professor Patton stated pointedly, looking around the class to see if anyone dared disagree with his assignment.

The Hufflepuff sputtered, "B...but--"

"Noon on Saturday, Justice. See you then," Professor Patton said. He then looked at the rest of the class and smiled merrily. "Class dismissed."

The students finished packing up their things and began leaving the room, unbeknownst to Rose, who was staring at the table, completely lost in thought.

It was Wednesday now. The Hogsmeade Debacle, as Rose liked to call it, had happened four days ago and Scorpius just continued on with his days and evenings like nothing had ever happened. He didn't talk to her, look at her, or acknowledge her in any way, just like always; it was driving her to the edge of sanity.

How could he go on like this? Rose thought to herself, randomly doodling on the corner of her parchment. He punched my date in the nose. This is a big deal!

"Rose? Rooooooosieeeee!"

She shook her head quickly and saw Cici and Chessie standing in front of her, their backpacks over their shoulders.

"Oh, is class over?" she asked, looking around and seeing the nearly empty classroom.

"Uh, yeah," Cici answered. "There was an assignment, a detention, a dismissal..." She stared at Rose, a look of concern on her face. "Where have you been, Rose?"

"Hogsmeade," Rose muttered to herself. She began to slowly collect her things when she saw the object of her bemusing musings still packing his school supplies as well.

"Um, you guys go ahead," she said to Cici and Chessie. "I, uh... I've got to..."

"Blah blah blah," Chessie laughed, completely aware of what her friend had to do. "Good luck." With that, she and Cici left the room. Rose was going to have to remember to thank them later for putting up with her for five years.

Rose dilly-dallied with her belongings while Scorpius slowly packed his things. He then exited the classroom and turned right, presumably heading up to the Great Hall to eat lunch. Before he could make it too far, however, Rose grabbed his arm and dragged him to the left, further into the dungeons. When she was sure that they were alone, she let go of him.

"I have a feeling you would like to say something, Rose," Scorpius remarked sarcastically, leaning against the cold wall.

"I..." she started. "I just wanted to..." Well, there's no delicate way to say this, may as well be blunt. "Why were you following me and Bryan in Hogsmeade?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes and threw his arms up in the air. "I wasn't following you!" he exclaimed, frustrated.

"Scorpius, Bryan may be an idiot but he was right. You were everywhere we were that day."

Scorpius crossed his arms and glared at her. "Have you ever thought that maybe you were everywhere I was?"

"That's not what happened and we both know it," Rose said patiently. "Please tell me why you were following us."

"I was not follo--"

"Scorpius."

Scorpius pursed his lips and stared Rose in the eyes. He took three deep, slow breaths, and then said, "My life sucks, Rose."

Rose's eyes widened at the statement. O...kay. Rose thought to herself. I'm not quite sure what this has to do with anything...

"I don't have friends and I know it's because of the way I am. I'm quiet and reserved and I'd rather be by myself. I'm not dense; I know this is the main contributor." Scorpius sighed and looked to the ground to talk to his feet. "Being so quiet helps me hear what people say behind my back. I play it off like I don't hear the mean things people say. I act like it doesn't bother me. But it certainly doesn't help when I'm already in a sour mood." He stopped for a moment and took a few more deep breaths. "You're the only person who's ever stuck up for me. Even when I don't stick up for myself, you're there to tell people to leave me alone." Scorpius rubbed his eyes and kept his hands over them when he was finished. "Because of this, you've unknowingly developed the ability to settle me when I'm angry or frustrated at the world. It doesn't matter if we're simply in the same room or you're on a date with an idiot. Merely being around you makes my life tolerable."

Rose stared at Scorpius, completely stunned. "I..." She really had absolutely no idea what to say to him. "I..." Think, Rose, think!

"I'm sorry," Scorpius murmured sadly before she could say anything else. He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against and walked back towards the potions classroom and up the stairs, leaving Rose with some serious thinking to do.

*****

The next day, Rose dawdled after Transfiguration class. She had tossed and turned all evening, Scorpius' revelation playing over and over again in her head. After hours of sleeplessness and lots of soul searching, she deduced that she had no idea what to do.

It wasn't until the next day, when Rose was in Transfiguration learning about Animagi, that she decided she just needed to confront him. She told her friends to once again go on without her so that she could speak with the young man.

After everyone left the class except for Scorpius (he was always the last to leave, she was noticing), she walked to him and calmly asked, "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

Scorpius started, not having realized she was still in the room. He glanced around to see if anyone could save him from what he knew was coming, but saw no one. He sighed and averted his eyes to the ground before nodding.

"First of all," Rose began, "you can't say the kind of things you said to me yesterday and just apologize and run off. It leaves me in a state of perpetual confusion and a night of restlessness. If you ever feel the need to confess to me again, I'm going to have to ask you to stick around so that I can give a proper reaction and we can talk things through. Is that understood?"

"I don't know if you've noticed, but talking isn't really one of my strong suits," Scorpius said, leaning against his desk.

"Oh no, you're a very eloquent speaker, which brings me to point number two. Things are going to have to change," Rose explained, sounding very resolute.

"What do you mean, change?" Scorpius asked skeptically.

"I want to get to know you. And not in the way that I know what your classes are or what your best subject is. Those things are obvious. I mean I really want to get to know you. I want to know your past, plans for the future, your likes and dislikes, things like that."

Scorpius' looked away, an uneasy expression on his face. "Rose..."

"If you're going to hang around me so that your 'life is tolerable'," she quoted, "then I want to know you. I'm tired of trying to guess what's going on in your head. I want us to talk and to have actual conversations. I want to know the real Scorpius Malfoy. I want us to be friends."

Scorpius thought about this proposition for a moment. He then shook his head roughly and stood up to his full height, staring down at Rose. "What if I don't want anything to change?" he asked, almost menacingly. "What if I want everything to stay the same and I don't care what you think?"

Rose raised an eyebrow and looked him straight in the eye. They stayed that way for several seconds, Scorpius glowering at Rose's skepticism, until Scorpius gave up. He sighed and sat down at his desk. "What do you want to know?"

Rose smiled brightly and sat down across from him, thinking of a question. One popped into her head almost immediately and she asked without even thinking, "Why didn't your father want to go and find you when you fell off the broom that night?"

"I told you all ready. He said--"

"I know what he said," Rose voiced, "but I also know there has to be a deeper reason than that--something you're not telling me."

Rose saw that Scorpius was about to protest that there was nothing more to reveal about the tale, but instead he sighed and shook his head, looking down at the desk. "Can we start with something a little less hard hitting?" he asked in a small voice.

Rose was overly curious now about the answer now, but she wouldn't push the issue for fear that he would run away from their new understanding. "All right," she replied. "Hmm... what's your favorite color?"

"Red," Scorpius replied without even thinking. He then glanced up at her quickly, eyes wide. "Um... can we be... I think we're done for now. We'll continue later," he stumbled quickly before gathering his belongings and leaving the classroom.

Rose leaned back in her chair and smiled. They were definitely getting somewhere.

*****

Rose walked into her History of Magic classroom later that day with a mission in mind. She saw that her seat with Chessie and Cici was open, but instead she navigated to an empty seat behind her usual row--a seat right next to Scorpius Malfoy.

Chessie and Cici stared at Rose with identical looks of amazement on their face before they turned around and began to whisper back and forth. Chessie looked back after a few seconds and gave Rose thumbs up. Rose smiled at her and looked over to Scorpius, who was staring at her with shock written on his face.

"What are you doing?" he whispered.

"Sitting. Preparing to learn some history of magic. Why? What are you doing?" She replied, smiling at him.

Scorpius shook his head slowly and turned back to the front of the class, where Professor Binns had just floated in through the chalkboard.

Rose and Scorpius took notes about the International Warlock Convention of 1289, which they had already learned about in second year. It wasn't long before Rose realized that there wasn't any new information coming their way, so she continued with her mission. She wrote a question on a piece of parchment and slid it to Scorpius.

What's your favorite food?

Scorpius looked at the note, then back at Rose. She was facing Professor Binns but watching Scorpius out of the corner of her eye. He shook his head in exasperation before scribbling on the note and passing it back.

Steak and kidney pie.

What's your favorite animal? Rose wrote next.

The Basilisk.

Really?

Yes, I find them to be fascinating.

Rose looked at him after reading his response and saw him shrug.

What's your favorite number?

People actually have favorite numbers?

Rose giggled silently at his response and saw him smirk.

Okay, what's your middle name?

Hyperion.

Rose snorted out loud, causing Cici to look back at her. She gathered her composure and wrote back.

Are you serious?

I don't know if you could tell by my little flying to the stars story, Rose, but my father isn't a very nice man.

Rose accidently let out a bark of laughter that caused the entire class to look at her.

"Excuse me," she mumbled, looking down embarrassed. She glanced over at Scorpius, who had a perfectly straight face. His seriousness only made her want to laugh more, and she put her head on her desk so the giggles wouldn't be so obvious.

When she calmed down, she realized the note was gone. She looked over at Scorpius who was writing.

When do I get to start asking you questions?

Well, I suppose right now, since you just asked me one.

Scorpius rolled his eyes at her.

Who is your favorite cousin?

Rose groaned, trying to think of an answer. The thoughts of death by ten cousins, however, wouldn't allow her to finish her thoughts. Can we start with something a little less hard hitting, please?

Scorpius looked over and smiled at her before writing.

Favorite color?