Delicate - eng version

Red Rose

I eventually leave the bathroom after many tears and attempts to prove the damned pregnancy test wrong. I know I have to tell someone and there is only one person that I'd even consider telling – Teddy. He would know just what to do in a crisis situation such as the one I'm having. Although, having said that, he's just as likely to kick Scorpius' arse as James and Al.


I suppose technically I should probably tell Scorpius first.


But something at the back of my mind tells me to keep it from him for as long as possible. After all, we've barely ever spoken.


Then how, I hear you ask, do I find myself pregnant with his child?


Well, it's a mixture of Firewhiskey and revenge. As most pregnancies are.


It's almost two months ago that James decided to throw a massive party in the Gryffindor common room in aid of his eighteenth birthday. It was the usual business – non-explodable balloons (that people tried to burst anyway), the entire stock of Honeydukes chocolate, Butterbeer, Firewhiskey, food of all sorts from the Hogwarts kitchens and of course, a guest list longer than the last population census. And it wasn't just Gryffindors either. James' brother, Al, is in Slytherin so he and all of his friends were invited to the party. The Gryffindor tower password was changed and everyone who was anyone was able to come.


Among Al's Slytherin friends was Scorpius Malfoy, who is his best friend - unfortunately. He's a handsome one, with blonde hair that falls right into his brown eyes. He's quite tall and is the seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team. I'm keeper on the Gryffindor team – well, I am for now. I doubt the broom will be able to get off the ground in three months time.


It's odd that I may never hear the delightful sound of "Weasley Is Our Queen" echoing from the Quidditch stands when I save a goal ever again.


Anyway, back to Scorpius. Like I was saying, he's handsome. But he's not irresistibly gorgeous or anything. He gets the odd spot here and there like every teenage boy. Still, he's a damn sight better than some of the mutants Hogwarts has to offer. But Scorpius and I never really got on with one another. It wasn't that we fought or anything, there was just some sort of mutual dislike between us. This is why I now find myself very shocked to be carrying his spawn.


Back to James's party.


Earlier that day, my sort-of-boyfriend Carl had broken up with me in front of the entire school. Yes, the entire school. It didn't just feel like the entire school. It was the entire school.


It was in the middle of dinner that Carl stood up from the Ravenclaw table and shouted over to the Gryffindor one:


"Oi! Rose! I don't think we should go out anymore!"


He was a complete prick. James and Al offered to beat him up but I told them to leave it. I hexed him while he was kissing Chastity Finch, a girl in my year, later that day.


Chastity had a nice laugh at that one. She even high fived me. Lovely girl.


Nobody breaks up with Rose Weasley in front of the whole school.


Although Carl had indeed received his comeuppance, I was still pissed off when the time came for James' party. And I sought comfort in the first drunken idiot I found – Malfoy. He spun the usual crap blokes spin about how I was "too good for Carl" and "he doesn't know how lucky he was" to have me.


Blah blah blah.


But for some reason, the lines worked on me. They never worked before, but I was taken-aback that the boy who blatantly ignored me since we were first years was now talking to me, comforting me, flirting with me. And before I knew it, we were kissing.


And he was a good kisser. I can still remember how good he was – that's saying something, because I can barely remember what age I am most of the time.


Then, the next thing I knew, we were in my dormitory, awkwardly tearing each others clothes off. I remember feeling so nervous, but not being able to stop what was happening. It was as if there was an animal instinct part of me completely overshadowing my common sense and reason. At the time, I wasn't even thinking about the precautions that should be taken before having sex. I mean, I never had sex before. But apparently Malfoy knew what he was doing so I let him take the lead.


But I regret that now.


We didn't speak again after that out of sheer awkwardness. We both agreed not to tell anyone – I think we were both feeling the shame of what had just happened. And so, after that night, we went back to our usual ignoring of each other.


Of course, that's going to be significantly harder now that I'm having his baby.


I sit in the common room reading a book about death. I feel like it's me waiting to succumb to my terrible fate. But dying seems like it would be so much simpler.


Dom comes in through the portrait hole with her bag slung over her shoulder. She sits down beside me, flicks her strawberry blonde hair back and whips out a packed of Honeydukes' finest jellies. She points the packet at me, silently offering me one. I shake my head. She sighs and looks at me with the familiar look in her eye – she wants gossip. I sigh back to tell her that I have none. She nods knowingly. She slaps her knee, picks up her bag and stalks off up to the dormitory.


And I realise that I've just had a completely silent conversation with my cousin.


That happens quite often, come to think of it.