Working Through the Rest

Alone

A few hours later, after Draco leaves, Madam Pomfrey insists that I go to dinner, eat something, go to bed, and come back in the morning. Because Scorpius is still asleep, I agree and trudge down to the Great Hall.

The staircases are mainly quiet, and the noise emanating from the hall suggests that I'm reasonably late for dinner, or later than everyone else, because dinner isn't a specified time. I try to slip into the hall without being noticed and Rose catches my eye, frowning, I assume, at Scorpius' absence.

I ignore her. The school will find out eventually. She can find out with the rest of them. It's not as if she'll care that much. It's not as anyone will care that much. It'll just be another talking point, another laughing point.

I sit down at the end of the Slytherin table, putting a little bit of space between myself and the closest group of chattering students. They're completely oblivious and I both hate it, and am immensely grateful for it. At least they don't have to experience this pain. No matter how much I hated them, I would never wish this feeling on anyone.

This fear, this hurt, that I've only had for a matter of hours. And yet it is eating me alive. I need to eat something so that Madam Pomfrey will let me back in tomorrow morning. I need to eat. But I feel so unwell that I don't think I could even force food down my throat.
"Hello," Zack sits down next to me, smirking.
"Fuck off," I mutter, starting to stand up.
"Oh, Albus." A hand, belonging to Max Coleman, lands on my shoulder. "Where are you going?"
"Nowhere," I snap, shrugging him off.
"Where's your friend?" Max grins.
"I don't know," I lie.
"Bullshit," Zack continues to smirk. "You two are so inseparable it's a wonder you aren't making out with each other."

I don't respond to that. I should be able to snap back at him that he's talking out of his arse, but there's something about his words that hits home. Maybe it's because, every time he talks about Rose, my stomach pangs with a strange mix of jealousy and fear.

Fear that, in the unlikely event that he asks her out and she says yes, he would start to ignore me. In all honesty, I don't think that he even could ignore me, but that fear is still incredibly present.

I don't know why the jealousy surfaces. I'm not jealous of Scorpius getting a girlfriend. I don't want a girlfriend. I'm not trying to reassure myself when I think that. I am just very, very sure that I do not want a girlfriend. But I still feel jealous when Scorpius talks about Rose.

Albus, stop. Not important right now.

I start to walk away and the footsteps follow me. I turn around, sighing in exasperation.
"Why are you so obsessed with being such dicks?" I snap.

I step backwards quickly as Max stalks towards me, scowling. He isn't much larger than me, but if he decides to start hitting me, I wouldn't stand a chance.
"Leave me alone," I start to walk away again.
"No," Zack grabs my good. "Not before you grow up and accept that we want answers."
"If this is about Craig," I say, "please leave me alone. That was months ago, and I really don't want to think about that right now."
"Why not? Guilty conscience?"

I am about to make a run for it, hoping that I might be able to make it somewhere safe, when Rose appears behind them, smiling serenely.
"Albus," she takes my arm. "I was wondering where you were."
"Were you really?" Zack sneers.
"Yes," Rose looks back at them. "Mum asked me to tell you something. As a family friend. Could we go somewhere more private?"
"Yeah, sure," I shrug, following her out into the Entrance Hall.

I can see through her act, as can most people, I imagine, but I'm still grateful. The likelihood is that it would have gotten very violent if she hadn't interfered.
"Thank you," I mumble. "For stopping them."

I turn to go to the Common Room but Rose stops me gently. I turn back and she pulls me into a hug. It's surprisingly comforting and I hold on tightly, tears springing into my eyes.
"Mum did ask me to tell you something," Rose says quietly.
"Yeah?"
"It's going to be all right," she smiles. "It's going to get better."
I nod. "Please don't tell Scorpius about them."
"Albus–"
"Please."
She nods slowly. "Okay."
"Thank you."