Taming

They had just started kissing again when a teasing voice interrupted them. “I take it you’ve worked things out?” They turned around to see Lily, hands on her hips, grinning like a loon.

“Tentatively,” Scorpius said, smiling back at her.

She made a mock pout. “So you’re not officially back together yet?”

“We haven’t discussed it, Lil,” Scorpius told her honestly. “But it looks good.”

Albus squeezed his hand.

“I just wanted to let you know that mum is coming in about fifteen minutes to take us to see Rose,” Lily informed them.

“Do they know anything yet?” Scorpius asked.

“She didn’t say. I expect we’ll find out when we get there. We’re supposed to meet her in Professor Longbottom’s office.”

They all walked down to the ground floor. Ginny was already waiting, chatting with the professor.

“Any news?” Scorpius asked immediately.

“Not yet, but the healer wasn’t finished examining her when I left to come here. Hopefully they’ll have something to tell us when we get there.”

“Let’s go, then!” Lily said impatiently.

Waving to Professor Longbottom, they followed Ginny through the floo to the lobby of St. Mungo’s. They all piled into the lift and headed for the fourth floor. Hugo and Hermione were sitting with Rose, they jumped up, smiling.

“She’s going to be just fine!” Hermione said excitedly. Ginny ran over and the two women hugged. “The healer just left. They were able to isolate the hex used. The only reason that it’s taking time to bring her around is that the antidote is a potion rather than a counter-spell. They’ve already given her the potion, but they said she has to wake up in her own time. But she’s going to be as good as new soon!”

They all started jumping up and down and hugging. Scorpius was beyond relieved. He still had unfinished business with Albus, but he hoped that would be easy to work out.

Hermione tapped him on the shoulder. “Scorpius, love, I have court in an hour and since I know she’s going to be alright, I should probably go. Hugo and Ginny have been here all day with me. Would you mind sitting with Rosie until Ron arrives so that they can go relax a bit. It’s been a long day to say the least.”

“Of course not. Albus and I will stay here.”

“Thank you. I have a feeling she’s going to want to see you when she wakes up anyway. Ever since you started seeing Albus, her letters have been more about you than about herself,” Hermione said with a smile.

“Rose is… she’s like the sister I never had, but so much more than that. Besides Albus, she’s the most important person in the world to me.”

She smiled and touched his cheek. “She’s lucky to have you. I know what it’s like to have friends like that. You kids remind me of us when we were young. Ron and I were always destined to be together, even though it took him longer to see it. We were meant to be, like you and Albus. And then there was Harry. He was my very best friend, and even though it was always Ron for me, in several ways, Harry and I were even closer. He’s definitely the brother that I never had.

I knew I’d marry Ron eventually, but I knew Harry and I would always be together in some capacity, too. Although there were a couple of times where I almost wondered if I had made the right decision…” she trailed off, lost in thought.

“You and Harry?!” he whispered with a grin.

She blushed, looking guiltily over at Ginny who was talking to Albus and Lily. “Well, nothing ever really happened. But there were a couple of times…”

“I know what you mean,” Scorpius said, blushing.

She looked at him askance and then burst out laughing. “I don’t want to know!”

“Good,” he said with a smile.

She shook her head. “Things can be a little complicated when you’re seventeen.”

“You don’t have to tell me!” Scorpius laughed.

She hugged him. “Ask Ron to owl as soon as she wakes up, even if I’m still in sessions.”

“I will, Mrs. Weasley.”

“Call me Aunt Hermione, darling.”

He smiled at her. She did remind him so much of Rose.

Hermione headed off to get ready for court and Ginny left to take Hugo and Lily back to school.

Alone at last, Albus and Scorpius stood by Rose’s bedside and exchanged another heated kiss. Mindful of the fact that a healer could walk in at any time, they held back from doing anything else. Reluctantly, they separated and sat down in the chairs next to Rose’s bed.

“So…” Scorpius started awkwardly. “Do you want to continue our discussion?”

“Here?”

“Well, we have the time,” Scorpius pointed out, grabbing Rose’s hand and squeezing it gently.

“Are you really okay with what happened?” Albus asked fearfully.

“Honestly? No. But I will be. I think you were a piece of shite for doing that, but what’s done is done. And I’m not in the mood to hold a grudge about it.”

Albus’s cheeks were red, but he nodded. “I really am sorry.”

“I know. I’m sorry, too. I… I have to confess something as well. And it’s not going to be easy for you to hear.”

Albus looked stricken. “Did you…? Another guy? A girl?”

Scorpius winced. The girl thing was going to be a high hurdle for them to get over in their relationship, but he couldn’t start fresh with Albus without telling him the truth.

“I, uh… I sort of… I tried to sleep with Rose,” he said quickly, before he could lose his nerve.

Albus gaped at him. A moment later, he was still gaping. “Albus?” Scorpius asked nervously.

A tiny smiled tugged at the corners of Albus’s lips. “You tried to shag Rose? My cousin Rose? My female cousin Rose? That Rose?” he gestured at the bed.

Scorpius nodded.

“And she turned you down?” he sounded shocked.

“Flat.”

Albus burst out laughing. Not expecting that reaction, Scorpius couldn’t help but chuckle himself. “You should have tried my sister! She would’ve done it!” Albus said between snorts.

“That’s just what Rose said,” Scorpius laughed.

“She really turned you down?”

“Yes! I gave her all my best material, and it didn’t work at all.”

“When was this?”

“Just last night actually. After supper, I uh… I saw you and Kane disappear into the Slytherin dorms, and I was feeling quite sorry for myself.”

“Merlin, I’m so sorry about that,” Albus started, but Scorpius waved him into silence.

“I know. Anyway, I was feeling pretty heartbroken. And I was staying with Rose, as you know, so we were in bed and I just kissed her.”

“You kissed her? Like romantically?”

“Yeah. Are you angry?”

“Well, a little. But I certainly don’t think I have a right to be in light of my recent idiocy. So you were in bed, and you gave her one of your best kisses? What were you wearing at the time?”

“Just boxer shorts. Why?”

“So you were in bed together, you were half-naked, and you gave her a real kiss? With tongue?”

“Yes,” Scorpius admitted weakly.

“What about touching? Were you touching her at the time?”

“A little,” he hedged.

“Well, I’ve just discovered something about Rose. She’s either a lesbian or she has the strongest willpower of anyone on the face of the Earth.”

Scorpius burst out laughing. “So you’re not upset?”

“I’m more amazed right now. I mean, yeah, she’s my cousin. That’s a little weird. But at least you didn’t go through with it.”

“I would have, though.”

“I know. And I’d have to have some nerve to be angry about it, even if you had.”

“It was only because we weren’t together and I saw you with him. I’m not secretly lusting after her. Or any girls for that matter.”

“Okay, point taken. I was a complete tosser.”

“If you’re waiting for me to disagree…”

Albus stuck out his tongue. And then Scorpius sucked it into his mouth.