THORNS & VENOM | h.p.a.u

HOGSMEADE

A WEEK HAD GONE BY and somehow she'd managed to avoid him the best she could. In the mornings, Rose would wake up extra early just to leave before him. She spent most of her evenings in the Gryffindor common room and returned once the hallways were empty of even Filch and Mrs.Norris.

This time, however, she seemed to have the unfortunate luck of catching Scorpius in the Slytherin common room.

He was wearing a black cable knit sweater, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He wore dark wash jeans that cradled his book between his thighs. Rose felt strange seeing him like that- she wasn't used to seeing him without a signature scowl on his face.

His head was propped on his fist, elbow balanced on the arm of the chair as he flipped through the pages.

"A little late, aren't you?"

She paused, biting her lip before sitting down in front of him. "Roxanne and Dominique had boy troubles. Asked for my opinion."

He didn't look up from his book. "So your cousins needed advice every night for the past week?"

Rose didn't like his tone. "I don't see the problem."

Scorpius sighed and closed his textbook. "The problem is you run the risk of getting caught coming so late to the dungeons. Try and be more discreet. Albus and Thea have spotted you twice. If they can find you, it's only a matter of time before a professor does."

"Then maybe we shouldn't be playing with fire. Honestly if my parents knew about this, you and I and Albus would be buried alive. Call this ridiculous thing off now. Before either of us ends up dead, or worse- expelled." she huffed.

The corner of Scorpius' mouth tipped up into an uneven smirk. "How did I know you were going to say that?"

"Because you know I'm right." she insisted.

He dragged a hand down his face. "Look Rose, all I'm saying is don't expose yourself to unnecessary risks when you can just come back to the dorms that same time everyone else does."

She rolled her eyes and hiked her book bag higher up her shoulder.

"Okay. I'm retiring first." she waved at him and made her way up to the dorm.

Scorpius stayed in his seat, lounging comfortably.

Her bedroom was still covered in emerald green. Tomorrow was the Hogsmeade trip that Heads would take, something Scorpius and her agreed to the beginning of the school year.

Which meant her and Scorpius.

Alone.

At Hogsmeade.

For two days.

She rolled over and screamed into her pillow.

~