The sparks were immediate and impossible to deny. Scorpius kissed me eagerly, and I matched his intensity, feeling like someone who had found fresh water after months of drought. I had been standing when I stopped him from leaving, but now he lifted me up and my legs wrapped around his waist. His tongue was roaming my mouth, rediscovering every inch of it as he set me down on the bed.

I moaned softly as he pressed his hips against me, while his lips explored my neck. He worked his way under my shirt, and at the feeling of his warm hands against my bare skin I was brought suddenly back to reality.

I jerked back from him. "Scorpius-"

The blond boy looked at me, and must have seen what I was going to say, but decided he had nothing to lose. "Can't you just not think for once?" he whispered, his voice ragged and desperate. "Can't we just let it happen?" His eyes pleaded with me to say yes.

I wanted to. Merlin, I really did. So I didn't pull away when his lips reconnected with mine. I didn't protest when his hand travelled up to unhook the clasp of my bra. I continued to kiss him as he refamiliarized himself with my body, not faltering as his fingers crept downwards.

I said his name again, against his lips, but this time in pleasure rather than protest. I was acutely aware of the fact that we were maybe a minute away from having sex, and I didn't care. 

"Rosie? Are you home?"

Scorpius and I both froze at the sound of my mother's voice. Why was she home so early? I glanced at the clock, and realized with a frown that she was right on time according to her usual schedule.

"Yes, Mum, I'll be down in a minute!" I hoped my voice didn't show the panic I felt.

Scorpius pulled himself up from the bed, flushed. "What are we going to-"

"We are not going to do anything," I told him tersely as I refastened my bra and straightened my shirt. "You are going to apparate out of here right now, and my mum will be none the wiser."

The blond boy frowned. "But-"

"No buts. Go!"

"Rose, we need to talk about- about us- about what just happened-"

I shook my head. "There's nothing to talk about. As far as anyone knows, it never happened, alright?"

I watched disappointment fill his eyes at my words, and I expected more pleas, but they didn't come. "Alright," he said quietly. And without another word, he was gone. 

Glancing in the mirror to make sure my hair was smooth and my clothes unwrinkled, I grabbed one of Willow's toys from the floor and rushed down the stairs. My mum was in the kitchen, and to my relief didn't seem to be curious about why I'd been upstairs. "I'd thought to ask Scorpius to stay for dinner," she said. "He usually stays until I'm home."

I shrugged, trying to be casual. "He left a bit ago, said he had things to do tonight. He's probably hanging out with Albus." This, at least, was not a complete lie. I had no doubt that Scorpius would go to my cousin tonight, to tell him about what had happened. When I said 'as far as anyone knows,' I'd figured Al was excluded from that, because I was pretty sure those two told each other absolutely everything.

I was glad that Al had 'fessed up to his crush at Christmastime - even though I hadn't known, I knew something was weighing on him, and since they'd talked the air of uneasiness between them had dissipated. I knew that Scorpius, more than anything, hated that he'd been so oblivious to it. He was still beating himself up about it, even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone. I hated to see him like that, but I hadn't said anything, because, well, I didn't want to seem like I cared too much.

"Where's Willow?" Mum asked, no hint of suspicion in her voice.

I bit my lip. "She's... in the pack and play. I just went upstairs to fetch her this." I motioned at the toy. "It took me awhile to find it... I need to tidy up my room sometime soon."

My mother nodded absentmindedly as she glanced over the contents of the refrigerator. "What would you prefer for supper, pasta or salmon?"

"Salmon... no.... pasta?..." I shrugged. "I don't really care; I'm not that hungry."

"What did you have for lunch?"

"Um..." I had slept through lunch. I'd hardly even eaten a breakfast. But I really wasn't hungry. Thoughts of Scorpius were still running through my brain, and every one made my stomach turn. "I just had some stuff from the pantry," I lied quickly.

Mum looked ready to ask further questions, but the telephone rang, distracting her. "Can you get that, darling? I want to start the food."

"Sure," I sighed, heading over to the wall phone in the hall just outside the door. It was dreadfully old-fashioned, but dad insisted on it, 'for emergencies.' "Hello?" I said into the receiver.

"Rose?"

I squealed. "Lysa! Merlin, how are you?"

We chatted for almost an hour, about her schoolwork and my days of mothering, before she broached the subject I was hoping she wouldn't. "Has Scorpius been coming over very often?"

I sighed. "Yes... whenever he's not working."

My friend knew me too well; she sensed the uneasiness of my answer. "Did something happen?" She sounded concerned.

Glancing at the kitchen door, I cast a muffliato before speaking again. "Yeah, it did." I told her all of it, from the initial flirting to my mom's interruption, and then I was silent.

"Godric, Rose..." Lysa sighed. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?"

"Apparently not."

"What are you going to do?"

I shrugged, then realized she couldn't see me. "I don't know... Do I have to do something?"

"Well you can't just act like it didn't happen."

"Can't I?"

"Rose..." I couldn't read the tone of Lysa's voice. "You know that wouldn't be fair to him."

She was right. It wouldn't. But still the temptation to ignore it altogether was great. I hated the thought of the probably painful conversation that would have to take place. "I know," I sighed. "I just-"

Someone knocked at the door, and before I could offer to get it my mum swept past, leaving me to my conversation with Lysa. "I'll figure it out," I said, not sure if I would.

"I should go, but write me all about it, alright?"

"Of course. Have a good night, Ly."

"You too! Bye!"

I hung up, and went to see who had been at the door. I heard the murmur of my mum's voice, and another one. My heart stopped when I saw the shock of blond hair. 

Scorpius met my eyes over my mum's shoulder, somewhat apologetically, then smiled. "Hey," he said, voice gentle, interrupting whatever my mother had been saying. 

"Hi," I said softly.

"Rosie!" Mum said, beaming as she turned to me. "Scorpius' other plans didn't work out for tonight, so he's staying for supper."

I forced a smile. "Marvelous." My dad had arrived home part way through my chat with Lysa, so the meal was just around the corner.

"Why don't you two just come on into the dining room? The food is about ready to be served."

No, I couldn't sit alone in a room with him. That would be too stressful, and I was unprepared to face him so soon. "Actually, I'm going to feed Willow, alright? Call me in when everyone's ready to start."

"Scorpius could keep you company-"

This, Scorpius and I began to protest at the same time.

Mum laughed. "Oh, grow up, it's nothing he hasn't seen before."

We both turned bright red. "Mum!" I groaned. 

She continued to laugh. "Relax, darling, I'm only joking. Scorpius, you can come help me in the kitchen."

A minute later, finally alone with my daughter, I buried my head in my hands. I had tried so hard to keep myself away, and yet my mother was right - there was no part of me he had not seen; no part untouched by his hands. And such knowledge was not easily forgotten.