Lovely (a Scorbus story)

Part 23

"What color are your dress robes for the Yule Ball?" Emma asked conversationally, leaning against the door.

"Blue," Polly said dreamily. "Light blue."

"Like your eyes," Emma smiled, walking into the girls dormitory and looking around. "I'm not sure about my robes...they're lovely but I'm not sure they're right."

"Who are you going with?" Polly asked absently, steaming her robes with her wand.

"Albus," Emma said. Polly gasped and dropped her wand.

"Albus Potter? But I thought he was—"

"First of all, I'm pretty sure he's bi. Secondly, he and Scorpius had a big fight anyway. And third, we're just friends."

"Friends. Right." Polly picked up her wand. "I see the way you look at him, Emma. I'm not stupid."

"What, you want me to get over him that fast?" Emma said angrily, quickly checking to make sure there was no one else in the room. Olivia Davis was there, but she seemed to be deep asleep. Emma cast a quick Muffliato charm and turned back to Polly.

"Well, I don't know." Polly looked uncomfortable. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't think this is a good idea."

"I want to go with Albus, and I shall." Emma strode over to her bed and sat on her trunk, crossing her ankles. "I think...he might like me, anyway," she added. "I'm not giving up hope."

"No, well, I can see that," Polly said darkly. "Be careful, okay?"

"What's careful?" Emma laughed.

There were footsteps, and Max poked her head into the room, soaking wet as usual. "Hey, Emma."

"What are you doing here?" Emma pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"I hear you're going to the Yule Ball with Albus," Max said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yes," Emma said a little shortly. "I am. He asked me. I said yes."

"Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful," Max said, crossing the room to sprawl on the floor in front of Emma.

"Well, thanks," Emma said gruffly.

"I'm going with Scorpius," Max announced.

"What?" Emma sat up straight. "Who asked who?"

"Oh..." Max waved her hand. "It was sort of a mutual agreement. There wasn't anyone else I particularly wanted to go with anyway."

"A mutual agreement?" Emma narrowed her eyes, giving Max the coldest look she could muster. "What does that mean?"

Max looked slightly uncomfortable. "That's not really your business."

Emma's eyes narrowed further.

What the hell?

"What aren't you telling me?" she demanded.

"Nothing." Max rose briskly to her feet. "What's with you today? Wake up on the wrong side of the lake?"

"Do you have to be rude about your deception too, or is that just something you usually do?" Emma asked politely.

"Knock it off, Carthowler."

And she was gone, out the door with a faint whiff of lake water.

"What was that all about?" Polly asked, looking horrified.

"I don't know," Emma said savagely, crumpling a piece of parchment in her hands. "She's so frustrating!"

"Why is she so cryptic?" Polly wondered, now hanging up her dress robes in the wardrobe.

"That's Max for you," Emma sighed. "I guess I should ask Scorpius, he's easier to get answers out of."

But she was proven false the next day, when she slid into a seat next to Scorpius at breakfast.

"I was talking to Max yesterday," she began casually.

"I heard." Scorpius slammed his fork on the table. Emma felt for him; he looked pale and exhausted.

"Well, I think it's great that you're going to the Yule Ball together—"

"Yeah, get to the point, will you?" Scorpius was uncharacteristically angry.

"What's going on? Max won't tell me something, what is it?"

"That moron," he growled under his breath. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Oh, that's convincing," Emma snapped, crossing her arms.

"Hey." Albus appeared at her shoulder, avoiding Scorpius's eye. "Em, what's going on?"

"Nothing," she said, getting up. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Don't try to protect me or anything," Albus warned.

"I'm not." She pasted a smile onto her face. "Come on, let's go to class."

It occurred to her then, as they walked together, shoulders brushing, how much they seemed like a couple.

If only.

Albus looked at her. "Why were you talking to Scorpius?"

Emma opted for truth. "I, ah...I heard he and Max are going to the Yule Ball together, and I just wanted to ask him something about it."

"He's going with Max? Max James? Triwizard Ilvermorny Max? Redheaded nightmare?"

"Sorry, Albus."

Albus snorted. "Fine. Whatever. He can do what he wants. It's not my business."

Emma stared at the floor.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Don't worry about it."

"You're a good friend, you know that?"

"I've been told," Emma quipped. "Hey, just try not to think about it, okay?"

Albus nodded. "I'll think about something else instead."

"Like what?" They had taken a wrong turn, Emma noticed, but made no move to correct it.

"Like how fun the Yule Ball's going to be," he grinned.

"You're going to be the life of the party," Emma predicted.

Albus laughed, giving her a hug.

A hug that seemed to last for eternity.

They looked at each other for a moment, sapphire eyes meeting green.

"Come on," Emma said finally. "Let's get to class."