One of the longest chapter in a while, but I hope you all like it.

Oh, and I just wanted to give you all a BIG thank you for still reading and always voting and commenting. Means the world to me. (:

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It was starting to snow. Tiny snowflakes fell from the clear sky and covered the green of the grounds of Hogwarts, making beautiful little patterns on whatever they touched.

It was a little early for the snow to come down, but it was a perfect signal that the holidays were soon approaching; making most of the shivering students in the castle content with the cold weather. Besides, it gave them an excuse to snuggle up with one another or to have a reason to attack one another with magicked snowballs.

And enjoying the snow, and the much needed moment of silence, Ariana Malfoy sat underneath a tall tree; her back against the bark as she watched the air she was exhaling become fog and fly towards the furthest ends of the grounds. It had been three hours since she was out there, completely concentrated in the scene before her even as she could feel the blood in her body begin to thicken, but she didn't move. The silence always set her free somehow so she didn’t mind the numbing feeling on her skin.

In the loneliest of days is where she felt the more at peace, where she felt that everything inside her young mind was starting to get clear. Almost as if she could see all of her problems resolve themselves before her like a loving source of magic she knew was out there. Something pure that would show up and protect the ones she loved; to protect her from this constant feeling of worry.

But the real question that hadn't been answered in her solitary moments was this: what did she want protection from? What was she so damn afraid of?

"—You shouldn't be out here, Ana." Distracting the lonesome Gryffindor from her view on the Black Lake and her thoughts, Fred Weasley shivered in his stance. Arms crossed over his shaking chest as he momentarily regretting walking over after spotting her. "It's completely freezing. Trelawney expects a snowstorm, you know?"

Moving her fingers alongside her legs, Ariana gave a small snort. "It's Saturday morning and the woman is giving forecasts? Isn't there someone's death she should be predicting?"

"You're still upset over that, are you?" Fred asked, still shivering as he looked down at the girl.

"See you've heard about it,” the girl retorted, trying to get the feel of her fingers back. "Who was the charmer that let the entire castle know?"

Looking torn between telling the girl the truth, but then again knowing the damage she would inflict if she found out he lied to her, the redhead boy let out a foggy sigh. "It might have slipped out from Frank Longbottom."

"…Brilliant." The tips of her fingers began to burn. "Outed by Frankie Longbottom, the idiot who got caught starting a skrewt-farm."

Fred nodded a little, understanding the shame. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, he just told the Gryffindors."

"He's in Hufflepuff," Ariana snarled, feeling her blood flow normally again as it began to bubble with anger.

Groaning inwardly to himself, it took all of Fred's courage to drag his body to Ariana's side and take a seat by her. "What are you exactly mad at, Ana?" He asked, his left hand flying into the pocket of his jeans where his wand was; just in case she decided to aim a nonverbal jinx at him. (He was older, but the witch was much more skilled than him.) "That Longbottom tried to explain why you bolted out of Trelawney's classroom in fury, or because the woman said you were marked by death and there's nothing you can do about it?"

Pressing her lips into a line, the brunette flickered her eyes down to the fragments of white ice covering the grass beneath her. "Neither,” she confessed, feeling herself cringe at the thought that she was starting to get too trusting with the Weasley/Potters. (Her grandfather Lucius had always said to keep people in a distance because she wasn't like them; because she had more Malfoy-reflexes that prevented her from feeling fully.)

Clearing his throat, Fred nudged the girl with his shoulder lightly. "...Then?"

"I'm upset that I can't figure it out,” she spoke, coming up with the conclusion that maybe it was best for her to get that thought out of her head and into the open air. "That I don't know whether to believe her prediction or not." She raised her head again, her caramel waves hanging lower behind her back. "What's there to fear, Weasley? How can I possibly die?” She paused for a second. “…That's why I’m upset. All because I can't see a reason to be scared...and that frightens me."

Because she was right, there was nothing to fear. They had sworn peace throughout the Wizarding World so what was there to be scared of? That she would be mugged and killed like her Grandfather? That she would attempt to save her friend's life and die in the process like Mister Finnegan? Or take a badly-aimed curse and end up living by a string like her little sister?

What was it going to be?

"From the cold, perhaps,” the Fifth Year teased, sacrificing his mittens and handing them to her. "Look, Ana, take it from a bloke that doesn't necessarily believe in fortune-telling—nothing is set in stone. There is no chalkboard or grand wall of marble where Merlin wrote what was supposed to become of us before we existed. And that includes the time in which we depart." He smiled confidently at her, waiting for her to turn and look into his brown eyes. "So ease up, just enjoy what's left of term, yeah? There's nothing to ponder over, the professor's just getting more mad day by day that everything she says is rubbish."

Biting her tongue so she could not retort that prophecies exited in their world—which contradicted everything he had just said—Ariana pulled on a fake smile. "Thanks, Fred."

"-—Hey, what are you two doing here?"

"—I've been looking for you, Ana!" Appearing behind them, climbing up the hill together, Savanna Zabini, Roxanne and the two Potter brothers waved in greeting at the two by the tree. "I should've assumed you'd be here," James continued.

"With my brother, not what I expected," Roxy offered after her cousin, tightening the ruby and gold scarf around her neck as she smiled at the Malfoy girl and her twin brother. "But you got to keep warm, am I right?"

Fred glared at Roxy, his shoulder contracting away from the witch next to him instinctively; looking up nervously at James. "We were just talking."

Feeling like he was the one who was supposed to be receiving the explanation, Al cleared his throat as he accidentally stared directly into the silver eyes of the girl he—of that girl that he thought a lot about. He felt a light heat rise to his face as he saw how light the gray in Ariana's eyes were, the snow making them look vibrant and illuminating. "Hey, Ana."

"Al,” the Gryffindor replied indifferently, crossing her arms over her chest as she started feeling irritated. (She just didn't know how to handle Al's mood swings anymore.)

"Please tell me you haven't been out here thinking about what old Trelawney said?" Savanna frowned at her friend. "That was yesterday, Ariana, and I'm sure she even forgot about it."

Giving it a second, Ariana tossed the Ravenclaw her phony smile. "Of course not." She stretched it out a bit more, knowing that Savanna was the only one who came the closest to distinguishing her smiles. "Just enjoying the snow, I just can't wait to go home."

"Ah, Christmas," Roxy interrupted, shivering in delight as her eyes lit up. "I can't wait for the holidays, either. Mum said Lavender was going to come into town to celebrate with us, there's no way they can spend the holidays alone, can they?"

Savanna and Ariana shared a look, and this time the Malfoy girl let a true smile appear on her beautiful features.

"That's great!" Savanna Zabini exclaimed too happily. "I've been talking to Alice Longbottom and she can't wait for Dash to come home. She said the Finnegans were staying with Mrs. Thomas, and you know how much time Alice loves to spend with Luna." She grinned mischievously."Must be a great excuse for her now, eh?"

Roxy stopped looking happy. "Excuse for what?"

Savanna gave Roxy a you-know-what stare.

The redheaded girl's happiness deflated a little. "…Oh,” she murmured, swallowing a knot as she felt the cold digging into her skin. "But I thought Alice was with Lysander Thomas now?"

Savanna shrugged, pretending like she didn't see the hurt gleaming in the older girl's eyes. "I suppose Alice is noticing what she let go, you know? Like your dad's always saying, Roxy, you never know what you have until you lose it."

"Or someone else has it," Al mumbled automatically with a glance at Ariana; surprise seeping into his system as he realized what he had just said. "Erm," he coughed, “Dom says it too...Same meaning, right?"

"The point is," Savanna cut in before Dash Finnegan faded from the conversation, "Longbottom will be extra cuddly with Dash these holidays. I won't be surprised if they end up together and they snog from house to house."

James grimaced. "Not in my house,” he interjected. "If I find Finnegan and Alice snogging about my property, I will hex them both back to the school."

Tightening her scarf again, Roxy focused on the snow she was stepping on. Something inside her heart hurting as she could see Alice Longbottom's pretty face smiling up at Dash; captivating him in a way she had never been able to.

Perhaps if she had learned to accept her feelings, learned how to speak up when she had the chance, she wouldn't be suffering over the sandy-haired boy. All she had left of him in her memory was his distraught face, the aftermath of his father's death. She wanted to hug him, to race up to his mother and him and just hug them. To make their pain go away...but of course Alice and her family had beat her to it.

So, was that how it was going to be for her? To always come in second place behind Alice Longbottom on everything that involved Dash Finnegan?

Her eyes burned and she wished she was hiding under her blanket in her four-poster, hiding her remorse and broken heart from the people around her.

"It's going to be embarrassing, then."Ariana chimed in, sending a secret frown at Zabini as she could tell how far her pushiness went. (It was great that Savanna tried playing matchmaker, but by making the girl cry was not the way to make it happen.) "For Longbottom,” she continued, smiling helpfully at the redhead that looked up in a daze. "Lorcan Thomas told me that the last owl he got from Finnegan he mentioned this particular witch that he liked. And it wasn't Longbottom's cow-of-a-face."

Roxy lit up all over again, her face filling with color. "She is a bit of a cow, isn't she?"

"Loads," Savanna laughed, shivering to herself as a gust of icy air blew through them.

"Cold, are you, Sav?" James said to the witch. "Let me help you." He smiled dazzling, all of his charm pouring out as he put an arm around the tan-skinned girl. Even being as kind as to fixing the pale-blue scarf around her neck. "Better?"

Trying not to turn a shade of pink, Savanna cleared her throat and tried to return the smile at Potter. "...Yeah, thanks."

Fred raised his eyebrow in the exchange between his cousin and the Ravenclaw. His confusion growing as James just smirked with the greatest arrogance, like he had just won a trophy, even as his 'girlfriend' sat staring up at him. "Ana—"And turning to face the said 'girlfriend', Fred gaped at the lack of emotion or fury crossing the girl's face.

"Yeah?" She responded, leaning closer to the tree.

"Erm...your nose is bright red." Not knowing whether he should voice his opinion about the lack of disrespect James was giving Ariana, Fred just cleared his throat. "You'll get sick, and I doubt Hermione needs another kid in the hospital."

The brunette felt an automatic flinch of nostalgia. "Can't really stay warm out here, you know, Weasley." She gave him one of her off-handed smiles.

"Here,” he offered, scooting closer to the Gryffindor and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He looked up at James, hoping that some kind of remorse would flicker through his brown eyes as he hugged Ariana closer to him.

But narrowing his eyes cockily at the redhead bloke, James leered more profoundly. He knew exactly what Fred was doing, with his morals and all, but James Potter was not to play the gentleman. "Hey, Sav, do you fancy a hot chocolate? I can get Winky to whip one up in no time."

"Ah, sure," Savanna mumbled, the same confusion that was previously on Fred's face was now living in her gaze. "Ana, want to join us?"

Ariana shook her head, saying nothing as she turned her head out towards the Black Lake.

"Oi, wait!" Fred called as James proceeded to walk the Ravenclaw back towards the castle. "Roxy wants chocolate too!"

Roxy raised an eyebrow. "No, I don't."

"Shut it and walk!" The redhead boy ordered his twin, gripping her by the arm and tugging her behind their cousin.

And in the silence that the little spot by tree suddenly went into, Al stood rigid in his place; blending in with the background, just how Ariana made him feel every time he would come around her now. But despite that void she put him into, the youngest of the Potter brothers felt a deep pang of anger as he watched the girl ignore him.

So many things raced to his head: How could she let James practically flaunt another girl in her face? Did she have no respect—weren't they dating? And when in the Dark Lord's hell did he ask her to be his girlfriend? Was it just a rumor, then? Was she ever going to inform him, or Scorpius for that matter? And what the bloody hell was just that with Fred? Did she enjoy cuddling with members of his family? Wait. Did that mean she enjoyed cuddling then? If so, then why didn't she want to hug him? Why has she never hugged him at all? Was he not attractive or charming like James? Was he not funny and a nice bloke like Fred?

No, the thing here was that she loved torturing him. Yep, he's sure of it. The witch was insane; probably living up to a fully planned-out operation to drive him mad and straight to St. Mungos.

Yeah. That had to be it.

"Are you okay, Potter?" Interrupting the hectic swirls inside his head, Ariana looked at the Third Year with a bit of boredom. "You look like you're about to combust."

"You're a two-timing wench, Malfoy, do you know that?" Al snapped, the only logical thing to do in his dizzy head.

Narrowing her silver eyes, Ariana tried not to roll them at him. "What’s that even supposed to mean, Potter?"

Grunting at the girl, Al shook his dark hair in a disbelieving manner. "What do you think it means, Ana?" He scoffed at a shrug she sent his way. "It means stop groping my cousin when my brother is here. Look, I may not particularly care for James half of the time, but he is my brother. And if you are going to be in a...relationship with him, it wouldn't be too much to ask you show some respect! I don't—I mean, James doesn't have to see how any other git in this castle can have you, alright?"

"You make absolutely no sense, Albus." And finally, Ariana rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You blabber too much, you know?"

The Slytherin glared, arms crossing on his chest as the snow started falling thicker from the skies above. "It's not meant to be amusing, Ariana."

She smirked, her Malfoy traits coming out from their sleep. "I disagree."

You disgust me," Al spat too quickly before he could stop and think about what he needed to say next. (Well, it's not like you can blame him, can you? She was mocking him! And when has a Potter ever let a Malfoy get away with that?)

"Just...go away, Al."

As the girl turned that amazing gaze to the ground, Albus finally found more regret appearing inside his chest. "Sorry, Ana...I-I didn't think that straight. I'm sorry. I'm a down right git for—"

"You know what, Potter? You disgust me," Ariana retorted, peering up from her thick lashes in a rage. "I'm not particularly fond of your brother most days either, but at least he has more courage than you'll ever have in a lifetime. And I feel sorry for you." Something dark bubbled in her gray eyes. "What else is there to feel for a coward, right?"

Gritting his teeth, and with the swirls and twirls his brains cells were doing, Al did the smartest thing he could have done in that situation; something he always did when it came to Ariana Malfoy.

He walked away, just like the coward she knew he was.

                                                                                         X

"It's really not that hard, Damien—" With a book wide open and all of the windows of the greenhouse shut tight to protect the plants from icing, Rose smiled at the dark-haired student seating across from her on one of the few empty tables. "Pay attention,” she added with a sweet smile as a few Hufflepuff girls gossiped among each other in the table next to them. "Come on, what's the answer?"

Removing his attention from the gossiping witches, sure that they had mentioned something about the annoyingly-perfect Ariana Malfoy and an incident in a Divination lesson, Damien McLaggen looked down at the book his girlfriend had open. "Um, Harry Potter?"

Rose furrowed her brows. "What's my Uncle Harry have to do with this, Damien?"

"Aren't we studying History of Magic?" The Seventh Year asked. "Because if we are, I'm pretty sure the answer is Harry Potter. That man is everywhere in those books and is practically the answer to every test. Professor Bins feels the need to explain the story of Potter every year that you can guess what the  ghost will put on the exams."

"Herbology," Rose informed, lifting the book up so the Slytherin could see the title. "I'm helping you study for your Herbology exam."

"Oh," McLaggen breathed, his ears twitching to go back to the conversation the Hufflepuffs were having. "Well, in that case...gillyweed?"

"Alihotsy, McLaggen, Alihotsy,” the redheaded girl sighed with a dim smile, shaking her inflamed hair. "Honestly, how can you not remember the answer to that? You used Alihotsy on a Fourth Year two weeks ago."

"Oh, yeah,” the older student chuckled, remembering perfectly well the damage he had caused to that stray Slytherin. "Alihotsy causes hysteria to severe degrees. Always a classic."

"Right,” Rose rolled her eyes. "Chop three or four of those leaves and mix them with his dinner, and you'll have a hectic Fourth Year convinced that the ghosts of the castle are trying to murder him and that the Fat Lady tried raping him."

"Not to mention the suicidal-episode he threw when he swore he saw a mermaid invite him to live in a majestic castle underneath the Black Lake." McLaggen chuckled again. "Priceless."

"Not funny, Damien," his girlfriend repented, trying not to laugh at the aloofness of McLaggen's tone. (She always fancied observing him when he had a smile on his face rather than that smirk he tried out-doing another Slytherin with. Because every time she did see him smile, she knew that everyone else was wrong about him.) "He could have drowned."

Shrugging and leaning further back into his chair, ears perked up at the louder words from the girls in the table next to him, McLaggen adjusted the hood of the navy-blue sweater he had on. "Well, that's what you get when you take a McLaggen's chair by the fireplace on a snowy night. I've bet he learned his lesson, though, so it won't happen again. Promise."

"—No, but she said she would die."

"—Who would die?"

"—Did she threaten the Professor with death?" A blonde Hufflepuff looked around for show, pretending like she didn't see McLaggen practically leaning on her to listen in. "I bet she can do that, you know? If she wanted...Her dad's a Death Eater."

"He's an ex Death Eater, Brenda."

"Wait, I'm confused, who's going to die?"

"Ariana."

"...So the Professor threatened her?"

"No. Trelawney predicted that Malfoy would die."

"Ohhh." The girls said in understanding; some gasping and shaking their heads in pity.

With a soft bang on the floor, McLaggen readjusted his chair as he turned back to Rose. Grinning largely as the girl was submerged into the book and not paying attention to the best piece of information he had ever received. (Finally, Merlin was answering his prayers.) "I'm excited to go home for the holidays, aren't you?" He said in a peppy tone, bringing Rose back to the now.

But as she looked up from the Herbology book, Rose saw a tall blonde enter the greenhouse with a dark-haired witch attached to his hand; fingers intertwined. Both of them looking painfully beautifully, catching the attention of all the students that were taking refugee of the snow inside the classroom.

They walked in with so much power, with some much elegance and essence of superiority that Rose felt her fists contract in anger as silver eyes skimmed by her; not even bothering to glare or send her a mocking glint when their sights connected for a millisecond like it was accustomed. Like how it always have been.

How dare he, she thought. How could he walk into the greenhouse and cause such an erratic havoc among all the jealous girls and envious boys. Ha. Like if any of them would ever be jealous or envious of that blonde idiot if they really knew how he was. If they really knew how much of rubbish he was actually filled up with inside.

"So, what do you think?"

Swallowing a ball of curse words as that couple got a few students to evacuate their table so the two could sit. Almost as if they were the muggles Queen and King. (Idiots.) "...About what?" Rose asked, still not fully looking at the Seventh Year.

"Of what I proposed?" Damien offered, raising his eyebrow. "Now who's not paying attention?" He laughed, finding that the girl always put him in a good mood with her naive-ness and innocence. (It was a perfect combination for a guy like him.)

Watching as the blonde boy tapped his wand and created a smoky, small butterfly to burst out of his wand-tip and gracefully fly into the girl's stretched out palms, the Gryffindor looked up at McLaggen with the deep need to hurl. "I'm sorry,” she sighed, reaching up to her temples and rubbing them. "I feel slightly faint, but what were you saying?"

"I said that I'm hoping I can see you sometime during the holidays, Rose," Damien continued, not bothering to ask why she was turning an angry shade of red. "I won't have a problem asking your parents, your father was in school with mine. Good mates, as dad puts it."

"Erm...Well, I don't know, Damien," Rose muttered, still trying not to point her wand at the back of the blonde set of hair and curse it all off. "Mum's pretty strict about family holidays, and dad will murder me if I don't spend a day or two with my Grandparents."

Not knowing why he was feeling in the mood to play the perfect-oh-so-sensitive-how-other-girls-wished-they-had-such-a-swell-bloke type, McLaggen gave the redhead a sad smile. "I suppose I'll just try to find a way not to miss you so much. Don't think an owl from time to time will cut it."

Groaning to herself, the Fifth Year witch settled in patting her boyfriend's hand. "Look, Damien, if you owl my dad with a week's notice and ask him for permission, I can get my mother to make him let me go visit you."

"Brilliant." McLaggen grinned again, loving the idea. It wasn't like his family was around much, and maybe that way he'd have the gorgeous redhead to himself without any of her stupid family getting in their way. (And maybe—just maybe—if all went well, he'd finally get to do more than snog Rose and find out on Christmas that the Malfoys lost another member of their family.) "I better get started on that now, then."

Receiving a light kiss on her red-lips, Rose sat by herself without a chance to retort or protest as the Slytherin exited the greenhouse, a large smirk on his face. Leaving her alone to glare and frown at the couple three tables away.

"…How long does the enchantment last?"

"A day or two." Liking the way the girl's eyes sparkled with glee that he caused, proving that he was not a monster, mostly to himself, Scorpius Malfoy smiled against his nature as the butterfly he’d produced for the girl fluttered its wings in her hands. "I was thinking all day about how to make it last longer for you, but I think I got the longest extension possible."

"It's beautiful, Scorpius, really," Lana McLaggen said, her breathtaking smile shining towards her fellow Slytherin. "I'm just glad you thought of me."

Malfoy shrugged, trying to brush off that touchy-feeling crap he had been feeling all the time he spent with McLaggen. "Just something I picked up in Charms class three years ago, nothing exciting,” he defended for himself. "But, I know you like them,” he added, not wanting to let his anti-people skills ruin the girl's happiness.

"You've been traveling without Al or Angelo lately, you know?" Lana pointed out randomly, her emerald eyes focused on the smoke-like insect. "I hope it's not because of me."

"Why would it be about you?" Scorpius asked.

"They don't really like my brother, do they? I just imagined it would be the same with me...And since we are spending so much time together..." The dark-haired witch shrugged, not feeling the need to continue as she proved her point.

Trying not to roll his eyes at the girl, Malfoy settled on reaching for her face, placing a caressing hand on her left cheek. "Nor Potter or Zabini are a problem, Lana." He looked deeply into her gaze, both of them remaining silent for a split second as he grew proud of the glow he gave her.

"I like spending time with you," Lana spoke, breaking the tiny moment of silence.

But not knowing how to reply to that, because Scorpius wasn't sure if he could say the same at the current moment, Malfoy leaned towards her. Pressing his lips onto hers in a soft peck, giving a second to feel the slight warmth she radiated out; then moving his lips expertly with hers.

He knew people were around, probably gawking at them and whispering about the kiss the two Slytherins were sharing, but what he didn't expect was that they would actually interrupt the passionate snog he was sharing with Lana.

"—Excuse me." But of course with Rose Weasley around, good things always came to an end for Malfoy.

"Need something, Weasley?" Scorpius snapped, aggravated that the damn redhead was smiling dramatically at them. Her entire presence screaming phony and annoying. (Like he didn't know she had something up her sleeve.) "We were actually in the middle of something."

Lana flushed and Rose tried not to gag again. "Actually, Malfoy, I came to give Lana a message,” the redhead informed, hands clutched in her front in a calm manner as she batted her eyelashes in the friendliest manner at the Slytherin girl. (Confusing the poor girl because, well, it was no secret Rose hated Lana with the passion of the muggles Jesus Christ.)

"Me?"

Yes, you, you idiot, Rose thought to herself, holding on to her smile. "Damien got an urgent owl from your parents this morning and he just took off to the Owlery. He asked me to tell you if you could meet him up there."

"I'll see you later?" Lana asked Malfoy, standing up from her chair next to him; a look of worry flashing across her attractive features.

And just as the blonde Slytherin nodded at the request McLaggen made, Rose ripped the girl's chair back. Taking it upon herself to sit on the chair, get in the middle of Scorpius' traveling lips and halting them, getting Lana to walk towards the exit all in three seconds."Tell your brother I'll see him at the Library later. Thank you." She waved her palm.

"Thanks for informing me about your plans later, Weasley." Scorpius glared at the redhead. "You better prepare yourself for the interruption of your lifetime. And I am willing to curse McLaggen if he doesn't take it too kindly."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rose shrugged, all of her fake friendly-attitude fading away as quick as she had adopted it.

Malfoy kept his frown, crossing his arms over his chest in irritation. "You owe my girlfriend an apology, Weasley, you know that, right?"

And instantly, Rose glared back. "An apology? For what?" She scoffed. "And...girlfriend? So, you've finally lost your marbles and decided to become an item with Lana? Good luck, Malfoy, the girl's a complete bint."

"Figures that you wouldn't know how to distinguish people, Weasley."

"Perhaps we have different definitions of who's worth it, don't you think?" Rose's anger flared. "I can't begin to comprehend what you and the rest of the castle sees in Lana. Or why you act so...human around her."

Malfoy stared at the redhead uninterested. "And why, my lovely Rose, do you say that?"

Her brown eyes narrowed. "You're intolerable all the time, to everyone, always degrading those around you because you think you have some right to do so. And then some witch comes into your life, someone you don't even know all that well, and she gets the best from you?" Not realizing that her voice was raising an octave higher, her fury residing as she felt a strange feeling deep in her gut, Rose kept staring at the blonde with rigidness. "…You don't know her, Scorpius, and yet, you adore her."

Contemplating it for a second, just examining the emotional changes within the redhead, Malfoy uncrossed his arms. Knowing perfectly well that Rose had struck a chord inside of herself, like if she was hurting by the way he smiled at Lana McLaggen and not her.

But what was he supposed to do for the girl? Give up the only shred of happiness he seemed to have found in Lana? Just so Rose could be content when he went on scowling, smirking, and laughing at the expense of others? Just because he wasn't nice to her?

(Ha.)

"You're right about that," he spoke after his moment of silence. "About us having different definitions of who is worth it and who is not." He grabbed his wand from the table, taking the chance to leans towards Rose, a centimeter away from her face.

"...Scorpius,” the redhead muttered, her face pulling back instinctively from the Slytherin.

At that, Malfoy smirked. "I knew this was about you,” he whispered to her, erasing the inches of separation she placed between them. Placing his lips tenderly onto her cheek; feeling her freeze as he also gave her a sort of hug.

Rose closed her eyes, hiding them from him as he pulled back.

"But Lana is more important to me than you'll ever be, no matter how long I've known you." He pocketed his wand, standing tall as she kept her eyes shut. "Find your entertainment elsewhere."

And as she could sense his smugness retreating from the table, leaving a trail behind of self-pride, Rose's brown eyes came back to life, a crystallized tear rolling down her cheek. Not because he walked away with the air of superiority he always had, but because that was the first time he ever got close enough to her, that he gave her soft affection. And it was all a part of his mockery for him.

She would just never be real to him.