Epiphany |Scorpius Malfoy|

Chapter Forty-Six

In the days that followed Astoria's birthday, Isabelle made no mention of Scorpius's reaction. He hadn't told her the reason he had cried that night but she didn't push him. She knew, she would receive any answers when he was ready to tell her. However, his reaction made her keep a close eye on him.

It was evident his mother's death was still affecting him and she felt like it was her responsibility to make him feel better or to take his mind off of things. After all, as far as she knew, she was the only one who was aware of his little outburst after coming back to Hogwarts from the Manor.

She didn't do anything she wouldn't do on any other day, of course. She didn't want to make it seem like she was trying too much and have him thinking the motive behind her actions. She tried to act like she normally would. She interacted with him the way she always did, like nothing had changed, with the difference that whenever she felt like it or whenever she could see his expression turn serious, she would take her hand in his and squeeze it or kiss his cheek at random points, efficiently managing to catch him off guard and stop thinking about whatever was troubling him.

She was just there, more as a friend than a girlfriend. She didn't know if what she was doing was the right thing, but from the way he smiled at her every time she did it she could only guess she was in the right track.

Unfortunately, she couldn't be with Scorpius all day long. With April Fool's fast approaching, an event that Cassidy had not stopped talking about that past week, so were her NEWTs, and she had to study for the most part of the day. Learning things like that didn't exactly come easy to her, and the fact that she was easily distracted by other things didn't help her in the slightest too. Even when she was in the library, there was always something to catch her attention and disrupt her from studying, whether it was the footsteps of someone walking closer or the soft murmurs from the other side of the shelf, there was always something to catch her attention.

In hopes of helping herself study, she had taken to going to the library in the early hours of the morning, when almost nobody was there. That did help her. There were less people around, so, less distractions.

That morning just a day before the first of April was no different as she studied for at least two hours and then headed to the Great Hall in order to join her friends for breakfast. With her Transfiguration textbook at hand, she limped as quickly as she could to the lower floors and from there to the Great Hall. After about five minutes, she finally reached the room and got inside after a group of fifth-year Ravenclaws.

She looked around at the students sitting at each table, catching sight of Cassidy, Bernard and Hailey before heading straight to the Slytherin table, where she had seen Scorpius sitting in the company of Albus. She sent a smile at her friend as she got closer before leaving her Transfiguration textbook on the table softly and throwing her arms around Scorpius's neck in a hug.

Scorpius's eyes widened at the contact and he instantly turned to see who it was, but as he caught sight of a blonde braid he relaxed and let a smile form on his lips. Without hesitation, he placed a hand on her arm, rubbing it gently.

"Hey, Belle."

"Good morning," she mumbled as she placed a kiss on his cheek before turning to Albus. "How are you, Albus?"

"Well," he smiled slightly, "I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend tomorrow."

Isabelle's eyebrows furrowed before she realised who he meant and she nodded in realisation. However, as she processed the meaning of his words, she stopped nodding and shot him a funny look. "Albus, it's April Fool's Day tomorrow."

"I know."

"And you don't think she is going to take it as a joke?"

"That's what I told him," Scorpius muttered as she unwrapped her arms around him and instead sat down beside him on the bench. "He is ruining any chances he could ever have."