Harry Potter : Next Generation

Chapter 10 Scorpius

I wondered why Rose had been so cold to me this weekend. Normally, she wouldn't have jumped to conclusions so quickly. Being the Ravenclaw she was, she usually thought things over more, weighing the meaning of each word I said, not just taking my typical phrase and thinking it meant something totally insane like she seemed to have been doing lately. Anyways, quidditch practice yesterday had gone great. We definitely had a chance of beating Gryffindor and Ravenclaw this year, which I would be rubbing in Al and Rose's faces. Genevieve, I had noticed, was an amazing beater, which surprised me because when we frequently talked she never seemed angry. She was usually really upbeat and kind so the thought of her being a beater was laughable really. I had met up with her as soon as I finished my breakfast and we played quidditch for a while, me trying to catch the snitch while Genevieve attempted to hit me with bludgers. She didn't hurt me of course, but I had a few close calls.

During lunch, I ate with her at the Slytherin table since Rose and Al weren't there yet. When Rose came in, she completely bypassed the Slytherin table and went to sit with the Hufflepuffs of all people. She seemed to be with Alyssa's group of friends but Alyssa wasn't even there, probably still tutoring Al (although, knowing Al they could be doing other things) . Rose ignored me every time I tried to catch her eye throughout lunch. In the end, we finally made eye-contact as she was leaving and she glared pointedly at me before walking out. I still didn't understand what she was upset about...

After lunch, Genevieve and I went our separate ways. She needed to study for transfiguration and apparently I needed to figure out what was wrong with Rose. If I didn't figure out what I had done soon, Rose was going to be even more mad that I couldn't figure it out. I wasn't sure if that was a Granger or Weasley trait. I found her in the library, no surprise, but dragged her off to the Room of Requirement to talk. If she ended up shouting at me and got kicked out of the library, it would make her even more mad. Surprisingly, she followed me to the Room without protest, though she still looked really angry.

When we finally got there it took me five minutes just to get up the courage to ask her, "Ro, what's wrong?"

"Don't you Ro me Scorpius Malfoy".

That hadn't gone well.

"Rose I can't apologize until you tell me what I've done wrong." I tried.

"Well that's part of it" she huffed, "you don't even know!"

What did I tell you? "I'm sorry for not knowing" I said, "but could you please tell me now?"

"Go ahead and guess."

"Rose please?"

"No." I sighed. Of course she was being stubborn.

"Rose I really don't know what I did"

"Well I guess you'd better figure it out then." Her words were forceful. There was no way she was going to tell me.

"If it was the fat thing" I started, "you know that's not how I meant it. At all. I would never say that. But Al makes fun of how much you eat too and you've never gotten mad at him."

"First of all he's my cousin, and it's not okay when he does it either, but that's the way my family is so I've gotten used to it. It's not that though."

"Can you at least tell me if it was before or after that?"

"Before."

"Thank you" I was met with silence. "Rose " I said impatiently, "I don't have time for this. I have to go study for Arithmancy." She stared at me pointedly. "Shite that was it wasn't it? I forgot to help you study? I can help you now. We can study together and-"

"Too late I already studied with the Alyssa's friends."

"Since when do you hang out with Alyssa so much?"

"Since you ditched me for quidditch and meeting up with your friend" she said, obviously angry now.

"Rosie, I really didn't mean to. I promise. I just have so much going on right now and I totally forgot about it. You should've said something. I would've studied with you."

"You have so much going on?!" She exclaimed, "so much that you completely forgot about one of your best friends? I shouldn't have to say something Scorpius. You shouldn't be forgetting about me just because you want to hang out with some new girl that's caught your eye. You had all weekend to help me and you forgot? You never forgot last year when you needed my help with Charms!"

"There's a reason why I didn't forget last year" I muttered.

"What was that?!" She asked.

"Nothing."

"No Scorp. Tell me. I want to know."

"Well that's the problem isn't it? You always want to know. You have to know everything. Well you know what? You can't know everything Rose. I'm sorry I forgot about studying but there's more to life than classes. I'd like to have a social life for once, aside from you and Al. Wouldn't you like to have more friends?"

"What are you trying to say?!" She fumed, "I'm not a loner. I have friends. I have Al and Alyssa, Lyla, Iris and Melanie. Sometimes Barry, Aaron and Stef too. I thought I had you but I'm not so sure I do anymore."

"What does that even mean Rose?! So I forgot to study with you once and suddenly we're not even friends?! I'm sorry you're such a Ravenclaw and only want to study all the time!"

"Yeah well I'm sorry I was ever friends with a stuck-up Slytherin who only cares about his social life." Then she left me behind.