what our fathers never had ( ✓ )

chapter sixteen

Saying you were done with drama was one thing, but staying true to that claim was something else entirely. Within the last day, Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy had been through a hell of a lot together. Between demons infiltrating the Black Lake as a result of poor maintenance and a literal attack on another student, the two boys would have to be insane to think matters would clear themselves up in only a few hours' time. And regardless of what Albus had told Scorpius, a part of him was still seething — though towards whom, he wasn't sure anymore.

A part of him was still very angry for what Scorpius had said to his cousin. But another part of him was angry at Rose for blackmailing him in the first place, ruining his life for such a long time when anyone else would've just said 'if you're not ready to tell him, you don't have to.' And this led him to be mad at himself, because his crush on Scorpius had lasted way longer than the blond's initial relationship with his cousin, and if he'd have just spoken up back then, none of this would've been happening now.

And still, he was sad for his cousin's sake. Assault, no matter the degree, was never something to be taken lightly. What if nobody had heard her screams? The things Bruno could've done to her... Albus was the most angry with Bruno, he decided, as that little German prat who didn't even belong in their year had spoken vulgarly about his cousin all year, had degraded women constantly and introduced and preached ideologies which hadn't been relevant since the 1900s - okay, maybe the early 2000s. He wished he knew what those Aurors had done with Bruno; he wished he had stepped up when he'd had the chance and punched him square in the nose. He wished he had done something other than cradle his cousin against his body and question everything around him in confusion.

He wanted to see Rose: he wondered if his aunt and uncle had come to collect her and take her away from this place yet. In a flash, he was dressed and ready to head out the doors of the Great Hall and towards the Hospital Wing, ignoring Scorpius' questions as he ran with complete disregard. He shoved the doors open and was relieved to see his cousin sitting upright in her bed, a bowl of oatmeal in her lap.

"Rose," he breathed, rushing forward and dropping into the seat beside her bed unceremoniously. Her eyes were wide and alert at this sudden rush of movement and the Slytherin winced as he hadn't taken into consideration the trauma she was most likely feeling. "I've been so worried about you."

"Albus," her voice was hoarse, sad. "I'm sorry, for everything. I know you don't want me to blame myself, but it was still wrong of me to blackmail Scorpius for so long – to blackmail him at all, actually. If I hadn't kept him from you, perhaps none of this would've ever happened..."

"I don't want to talk about that right now." He was quiet for a moment, trying to decide on how to phrase the question which was really on his mind. "Has McGonagall told you what's happened to Bruno? Where've they taken him? And where's your mum and dad?"

"They've been keeping him in custody until his parents can make their way to him. As for Mum and Dad, I'm sure they'll be here soon." No sooner had she finished her sentence then the doors were bursting open once more and familiar couple was walking briskly into the room. Aunt Hermione's hair was as wild and bushy as ever, a distressed look on her face as she searched the wing for her daughter for a moment before finally catching sight of her. Uncle Ron followed behind quickly, worry and anger flashing across his face like strikes of lightning in a thunderstorm.

"Oh, Rose!" Aunt Hermione cried, and no sooner had Albus risen from his seat then his aunt was hugging her daughter. Rose sobbed into her mother's shoulder and Uncle Ron moved to the other side of the bed, rubbing his daughter's back with a faraway look in his eyes.