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Hillnerd — Taking a Shallow Breath- chapter 13
#harry #potter #fanfiction #malfoy #rose #scorpius #weasley
Published: 2015-11-09 18:09:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 623; Favourites: 3; Downloads: 0
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Scorpius wanted to panic, wrestle away from the ropes, throw up- anything! But his arms were bound, and his breathing was irritatingly even, as if he were asleep. It was a terrifying, helpless feeling. All he could do was hope Rose would get to the house and warn her family in time."Rose!" he heard a voice yell, but it was from beside him. He was not sure, but the voice sounded familiar.
"Expeliarmus!" shouted Mr Potter.
"Get away from him, you git!" Bellowed James. Scorpius had heard him yelling enough to know that voice.
"James, no!" Rose started yelling from across the yard.
Scorpius had never wanted to crane his neck more in his life.
In impressive time James was across the yard tackling Scorpius's attacker to the ground with a large smack. Leave it to James to physically attack someone rather than use his wand.
"James, stop!" Rose hollered, getting closer. She was taking significantly more time to get across the yard than James did. "Stop!"
James punched the attacker a few times.
"Ok..." James said letting out a breath, before punching the attacker once more with loud crunch.
"It's stopped!" he called back to the house.
"You stupid arse!" Rose growled, pushing James to the side.
James stood up. Scorpius could just see his face. James looked like he was about to retort, when his mouth turned into a smile.
"Fuck me, it's Brad!" James crowed, before ruefully laughing.
Mr Potter came over and undid the ropes and petrifying charm with a quick flick of his wand. Scorpius let in a large gasp of air. And sat up as quickly as he could. He looked over to see Rose kneeling beside Brad.
"Are you ok?" Rose asked.
Scorpius tried to steady his breathing. It was hard to not feel angry that Brad had bested him and was now being nursed by Rose.
"Scorpius, I asked are you ok?" Rose asked again, putting a hand on his.
Scorpius was surprised and could only nod. He assumed Rose had been asking Brad if he was alright. After all, Brad had just been on the receiving end of several punches from James, who was well-muscled and known for bar-room brawls with Muggle rugby players.
"Rose..." Brad let out. He sounded drunk. Scorpius was not sure if it was due to drinking, or because he was suffering from a concussion. He did not much care, and rolled his eyes.
"I'm here," she said, moving behind Brad so he could lean against her.
"Rose..."
"What is it?" she asked, sounding less patient.
"Rose..." Brad whispered again.
"What?" Rose responded shortly.
"Come closer."
She leaned in and he started whispering to her. Her jaw dropped and she backed away from him.
"Aaaand, I'm drunk," Brad announced proudly.
"Great," she responded flatly, abruptly standing, letting Brad fall to the ground with a few groans of pain. "That's great, Brad."
"You might want to take it easy on him," James said putting his hands up.
Rose fixed him with her best glare.
"I meant physically. I could be a professional boxer or something. I was pretty incredible."
"I swear to god, James, if you say one more word, I am going to scratch your eyes out with a rock," Rose ferociously growled.
"Fair enough," James replied, taking a few steps away from Rose. "I'll leave you to it."
"Rose," Brad called out. She shook her head and started walking out to the field.
Scorpius got up to follow, and saw Lily kneeling beside Brad to heal his face. Brad was scrambling to get up and follow Rose, but was unable to coordinate his limbs.
Scorpius followed Rose. She was at a breaking point of emotion after today. Anyone would be, but Rose seemed to feel everything more than everyone else. If she was happy, she was instantly the most joyful person on the face of the planet. If she was sad, the sobs would only be held back for moments before the dam overflowed. It was dizzying, but it was what he loved about her. She was the most raw, passionate, wonderful person he knew.
"Rose--"
"Leave me alone!" she yelled.
"Where are you going?" Scorpius asked stopping in the field. "What are you running from?"
Rose stopped walking, her shoulders rigid. He approached her slowly. It was strange, at one point in their relationship they trusted each other so implicitly, and he did not have to push her to share. As close as they were, he could feel the palpable distance in their relationship.
"Talk to me."
Rose shook her head, eyes tight. She looks like she might pass out.
"Talk to me?" Scorpius asked. Somehow this came out strangled and desperate. He was supposed to be calm and supportive. He was always the gathered one with his emotions in check. Somehow this made her turn around and hug him tightly, her whole body shaking. He put his arms snugly about her.
“Scorpius, I just don’t know what I should do. Is it all fate?” she began nonsensically. “I can’t help but think maybe every thing went wrong for a reason. Maybe I’m not meant… I just feel… When things start off so right, they can go so very wrong. Things used to be so different… Now I don’t know if I even want to m-” she stopped herself with a gasp.
“Want to what?” he quietly asked.
“Nothing. Nothing. I’m being silly.” She slowly pushed herself away from him.
“I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into all this mess. I am going to my room… Please send Brad to my room in a bit? I’m sure Lily’s healed him up. I only hope he’s sobered too.”
Scorpius dumbly nodded. Rose and he shared a look. There was more to be said, but neither could bring themselves to say anything.
“Goodnight,” said Rose, before quickly making her way back to the house.
Scorpius made his way to the house very slowly. Half way there Lily joined him.
“I’ve put some extendable ears through the vents so we can hear what Rose and Brad have to speak about. I really think this stunt he pulled will be a big blow to it all,” she said with a smile. When Scorpius pursed his lips she asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I’m tired. Why don’t you tell me what happened later.”
“Look, Scorpius. I’m not touchy feely, like you.”
“I’m not-”
“Please,” said Lily rolling her eyes. “ I get mad or whatever, but you get ‘upset.’ You’re just sensitive. It’s fine. No one is judging you for being like that. Rose likes you like that. It gives you patience for her weird paintings and poetry and all that junk. I know this is hard. You’re seeing Rose all upset and weepy and it’s making you get upset and weepy. Right now, you have to toughen up, though. We have to do this, and it’s hard, but in the end it’s for Rose’s own good. We’re letting her naturally discover that she and Brad just are not right for each other. We’re not pushing her into a decision. We’re just helping her see what’s going on. Brad is a good person, really- but that’s not enough to marry a person over. Right?”
“Er right…”
“Exactly. So you go to bed, get some rest, and tomorrow we’ll continue our super secret plan. Now off to bed.”
With that, Scorpius followed her orders. He disagreed that he was sensitive or touchy-feely. He was known for being cold and intellectual. He was a bit upset about all of this, but who would not be seeing someone as wonderful as Rose in such emotional upheaval.
His sleep was restless, with visions of Shaw and blood stained walls playing through his head.
The next morning he woke as some sunlight played across his eyes. Blearily he got dressed and made his way down the hall. Delicious breakfast smells were wafting along the hallway. Behind him a door opened softly.
“Morning,” Rose said with a yawn, and a bleary smile.
“Morning,” he repeated back. Her hair was in a haphazard top knot, very well the size of her own head, and she had large dark circles under her eyes. “Are you feeling any better?”
“If I look as good as I feel, I must be a train wreck,” she said studying his face. “Yep. I am perfectly miserable.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Like you had to,” she smiled. “Well, there is nothing a bit of bacon can’t solve. I think gran came over, because I smell her sweetbuns. Between them and the bacon, we will cure our heavy souls, no doubt.”
“I hope so.”
Rose studied him for a moment, before shyly continuing.
“Scorpius. I wanted to thank you for yesterday. I know it was a veritable storm of emotions and us galavanting across England and everything… And you were there for me the whole time. I’m very lucky to have your friendship.”
“You’ll never lose it,” he said earnestly, grazing a hand across her cheek.
Rose smiled.
“No, I don’t think I will,” she said, before giving him a kiss on the cheek, and heading down stairs. Scorpius was about to follow when he felt a large tug at the back of his collar.
“What the!” Scorpius let out, as he was dragged backwards towards his room. He craned his neck to see a very angry looking James pulling him into his bedroom.
Down the hall came a shout from Lily “James, don’t!”
James pushed Scorpius across the room and quickly perturbed the door before Lily could stop him.
Scorpius felt a cold wrenching fear in his gut.
“What’s going on?” Scorpius let out, trying to regain his footing with dignity.
“That’s what I should be asking you, really,” James said with pure malice. James was a few inches shorter than Scorpius, but in this instance he seemed to tower over him. “What are you playing at?”
“I honestly don’t know what-”
“Shut it. I saw you in the hallway flirting with Rose, like you always do. You’re dating my sister now, you twat, and she is no second place trophy,” James pushed him into a chair and was menacingly hovering over him while holding his collar. “Now this is between you and me. If you tell Lily, I will personally rip our your larynx and feed to to your cat. You want to be with a pretty red head, so you ‘settle’ for my sister because Rose is going to marry that wanker? Fuck you. No one gets to settle for Lilly. She’s perfect! Don’t you touch my sister, she’s worth a million of you. If you don’t end it now, I’m going to break every single bone in your body, tear off your nuts and mail them to your mum, you pathetic excuse for a--”
“James! We’re not dating!” puffed Lily from the window. She was red faced and out of breath.
“Huh?” James asked angrily, still holding Scorpius quite tightly by the collar.
“It’s all a giant ruse to get Rose jealous and see she shouldn’t be with Brad. Now let him go!” Lily said firmly.
“Oh man,” James said with a smile. “God, I’m glad I don’t have to pummel you. I’ve always liked you.”
“That’s nice,” said Scorpius tightly. “Can you please let go of me?”
“Quite the relief” James said, letting go of Scorpius’s collar at last. He did not apologize. “Can I help with your little plan or whatever?”
“Just don’t strangle Scorpius and I think we should be ok, idiot.”
“All this work defending your honor has made me hungry. See you downstairs. Want me to imply you were fucking or something?”
“No!” Scorpius and Lily answered.
With that James left the room.
“Well, this has been a fun little adventure,” said Lily. Scorpius did not see it as fun in even the most remote sense. “It was kind of sweet what he said. Don’t tell him I said that.”
Scorpius was not planning on interacting with James any time soon. Potters were mental.
“Well, I’ll tell you all about what Brad and Rose talked about later. I’m starved. Let’s have some sweetbuns!”
