Chapter Seventeen: Liar, Liar

POV: Rose

Usually, I am not wrong when judging someone's character. It is easy for me to tap in on their intentions, morals, and personality. Upon meeting all of my new friends, I thought I had them all in perfect little categories. Well, I, Rose Weasley, will admit I had Nia Harper all wrong. Well, partially.  From the moment we met she was sarcastic, sharp, and a little intimidating; I thought she was only going to bring chaos wherever she went. While that was true, Nia proved me wrong by having an incredible work ethic. She applied herself fully to anything she did. Even things I did not find important. 

"Thanks again, Professor. See you tomorrow," Nia said with a beaming smile, waving at the Muggle Studies professor as I pulled her by the elbow out of the classroom. "I love this class," she now said to me, all her joy bringing beautiful light to her face. "Professor Winter really knows how to engage her students, doesn't she?"

"You know, Muggle Studies is a non-compulsory lesson. It does nothing for our academic life," I reminded as our fellow Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs passed us down the spiral staircase. "And next time, heed my warning. Muggle sweets are practically toxic for the body by the amount of sugar they have."

"Well, no one can say Muggles don't know how to live," she laughed, on the verge of an overdose of candy and magic. 

I released her elbow once I was sure she would not tackle any of our classmates down the steps. "You're not going to learn anything in Ancient Runes with this sugar rush."

"See, Weasley, while you consider Muggle Studies a waste of time, I think Ancient Runes not all that important." At my gasp, Nia laughed loudly, the sound echoing off the marbled walls of the Northern Tower. "Not that it isn't a great subject, I'm just not going to be a symbol translator or historian of old scrolls. Now, Muggle Studies is crucial. What if I decide to take my law career to the other side? What if I meet a charming Muggle boy whose automobile broke down? I'd like to impress him with my maniac skills."

I furrowed my brows at her as she pulled her long, blonde hair into a messy bun at the top of her head. "I think you mean mechanic. Although, you do excel at being a maniac, too."

"I suppose you're right," she said to be with a shrug. "Besides, when would I ever do anything in my life for a bloke?"

We looked at one another, nodding firmly. Oneself before a boy. 

We were about to turn right on the corridor when someone shouted my name from the top of the staircase. Nia and I turned to find Lysander Scamander taking two steps at a time toward us. 

"Hey, San," I greeted with a smile. 

"I was wondering if I can speak to you, Rose? Alone. Just for a moment," he added with an apologetic smile at Nia.

She narrowed her blue eyes at him as she scanned him, like she could spot any concealed weapons or bad intentions that way. Everyone knew the Scamander brothers were as threatening as a pygmy puff, but for Nia the precaution was necessary. 

Once she deemed him safe, she said, "Word to the wise, Scamander, make it quick. If she misses Ancient Runes consider yourself blacklisted."

I rolled my eyes as she turned the corridor by herself. "I did not blacklist Zabini because he made me late," I yelled after her. "I blacklisted him because he screwed up my potion!"

That really did not make things better.

"Assertive, isn't she?" Lysander commented with a laugh as I frowned at myself. "I can see why Lorcan has a soft spot for her."

"Oh, San, everyone knows Lorcan has a soft spot for her," I said with a laugh. "Anyway, did you need something?"

The smile that had taken residency on his face slowly slipped off as his blue eyes became serious. It made me raise a brow. Scamanders were hardly solemn about anything in life. 

"San?"

Lysander cleared his throat. "Right. Well...You know how we tend to have those late nights in the common room after all of Gryffindor has gone to sleep?"

I was not entirely sure why my heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach. 

"Is this about the Ancient Runes homework?" I asked, panic fraying the undertone of my voice. "Because I found it to be somewhat problematic, too. The professor didn't explain Atlantis cryptogram all that well in my opinion, but then again, he was rather sick that day. Bless him." My legs shook as I added, "Still, it's nothing a few hours in the library can't fix. Oh! I can owl my mum and have her send over old notes. She keeps them in a box in case of emergencies. I'm not sure how I feel about that, thinking about it; having my mum help me on my coursework is—"

"Rose!" Lysander exclaimed, amusement flashing in his blue eyes as he put his hands on my shoulders, squeezing. I swallowed the knot of anxiety in my throat. "Breathe."

I wasn't aware I was holding my breath.

While that moment of uncertainty was rare for Lysander, his confidence thwarted it and returned to take residency. "As much as I like our late night talks over homework, I was wondering if we could, you know, have something like that in Hogsmeade. There's a trip in two weeks and I'd like to go with you. No homework talk. At least, not all the time."

Oh, for goodness sake.

"What? Why? I mean...why?"

He chuckled at my reaction. "Why not? You're one of the best people here, Rose."

"I really am not," I said.

"You are," he squeezed my shoulders again. "And if I'm being honest, I think I might have a crush on you. I would have said something sooner, but I thought there was something between you and Malfoy."

"Scorpius?" I laughed. A little too loudly. A little too embarrassingly. "That's rubbish. We're just friends. Impossible, really."

"Yeah," he said, unaware of my inner struggles, "that's what I figured, too. He's clearly fancies Emily Taylor."

My laughter died instantly. Along with my heart (at least that's what it felt like). "You, um...You think he likes Em?"

"I've seen the way he looks at her."

I wasn't sure why I wanted to convince him otherwise. Maybe I wanted to convince myself. I was sure Scorpius and Em were just best friends, that only pure, innocent affection existed between them, but...

"You sure you'll be all right?" The hall filled with the voice of that boy that frustrated me and intrigued me all at once. 

He was not alone.

"Stop being so nice to me," said the voice of the devil (Belinda Rookwood). 

Two blonde Slytherins stood before Lysander and me. Scorpius had an arm around Rookwood's shoulders, holding her close to his side as she allowed herself to melt into him. There was something almost human about her brown eyes and how she sought Scorpius' warmth. 

"Rose," Scorpius said, brows furrowing as he clocked in on me.

Being the apprehensive (evil) witch that she was, Rookwood tilted her head to the side when she noticed my narrowed gaze at her and Scorpius' proximity. It made a small smirk tug at her lips when she nestled further into him. 

"Thanks for everything, Scor," she said in a tone that was too sweet for someone like her. He looked down, his nose almost touching hers. It made me want to rip her hair out. "I trust this will stay between us?"

"Yeah," he agreed instantly, "I promise."

Rookwood raised herself on her toes, closing the few inches that separated her from Scorpius. She pressed her lips on his for a tender kiss. 

My heart was already out of my chest, but I still felt it shatter. 

Rookwood pulled away from Scorpius, turning those sharp eyes in my direction. "San," she said in a neutral tone, "Good to see you."

"You too, Bell," said Lysander with a genuine smile, like he actually could tolerate the Slytherin witch. He waved at her as she removed herself from Scorpius, turning right into the corridor. 

Mum always said never to make a decision when I was not emotionally stable, but in that moment I could not heed her advice. I looked up at Lysander and said, "You know, San, I would like to go to Hogsmeade with you."

He looked at my, a flash of surprise on his features that was quickly replaced with general excitement. "Wicked!" he laughed, pulling me into a firm hug that I could barely return. "You won't regret it," he vowed before placing a peck on my cheek and then running back up the spiral staircase.

I rose a brow at the interaction. 

Still, before I could ponder if Lorcan and Saar Finnegan were in a classroom above, having had encouraged Lysander to ask me to Hogsmeade, Malfoy was in my line of vision. His silver eyes were darkening as he asked, "What, you fancy Scamander now?"

"I thought Rookwood wasn't your girlfriend," I snapped in return, unable to keep the bitterness from mixing in with my words. 

"She isn't," he replied firmly.

I huffed. "Really? So you snog anyone? You snog Em like that?"

He narrowed his eyes at me, a flush of angry red taking over the tops of his cheeks as he put one hand on my shoulder. I don't know exactly what I expected, but him pushing me against the corridor wall, pressing his chest flush against mine, was not at all what I assumed would happen. 

He bent down slightly, the tip of his nose brushing against mine, and I felt all the oxygen in my lungs leave. This was the closest we had ever been. There was not a single inch of space between us. 

He parted his lips, the mint in his breath tickling my nose, and I swore I was going to die right here. If he would have closed the distance, I would have fainted in his arms like a silly woman from those trashy novels Dominique likes to read. But he did not. Instead, his mouth had opened for him to say, "Reserve a table at Madam Puddifoots. Every couple in Hogwarts tries to schedule their dates there and her tables run low. Best hurry."

Then he was gone.