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I'm not thick. I repeat. I'm NOT thick. Uh oh, Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. You must understand I'm all worked up right now. Why you ask? Well, these buggers who I call friends think I'm this incredibly oblivious, thick as a wall, lost to the world moron. Which is so NOT true! Who am I? Hmm.. Forgot to mention that yet again, didn't I?
I am Albus Severus Potter. Ha! Got you there. Three very important names in the Wizarding world, son of the Hero who vanquished the Dark Lord (years ago) Harry Potter and the Quidditch superstar (now in retirement) Ginny Potter. See, I told you I have an impressive background.
Sadly, all this pre-degree is of no grand use as my wonderful (please note the desperate attempt at sarcasm) set of friends which includes a large number of family in the form of cousins (call it the Weasley's curse) think that I do not see the obvious. To be honest, they have a point (don't tell them though). For years I have stayed unimaginably ignorant, but now? Not a chance. Now I see more than the others.
Now you want to know what is it that I see? Quite nosy aren't you? Ever heard of Rita Skeeter? Would you be related to her by any chance? No? Just asking, you can't be careful enough these days. What with absolutely nothing interesting happening in the wizarding world unlike when my parents were growing up. They had a lot to deal with then, thank Merlin we don't have a snake-faced soul splitting maniac to worry about now. That doesn't mean we are without our problems. Like I tried to mention(and got sidetracked) earlier as well, now the entire attention is on the trivial, that can get quite nauseating. You want an example? Here you go, the main news the day before yesterday was that my mother (yes yes, Ginny Potter) broke her toenail trying to escape from reporters trying to photograph her shopping in the Diagon Alley. I mean, toenail? Really? Trust me, I love my mum, but even my dad who adores her (yeah including the toenail *gags, but true, sighs*) wouldn't be too concerned about it (maybe just a bit, but they are in love and all that) but now the entire wizarding world is supposed to worry about it. What utter load of crap.
Ok yeah, if you are still here wondering what I see. No we have no seer blood in the family, so I don't mean the "inner eye" looking at the outer world sort of stuff. What I see is that my cousin and best friend, Rose Weasley and my other best friend, not cousin, son of old enemy- now an acquaintance of my dad, Scorpius Malfoy are in love with each other. Takes a deep breath. There I said it, don't you dare say, took you long enough. Don't. You. Dare.
So, how did I come to this conclusion? Well, for one its obvious, but hey, I am not going to say that in as many words okay? It's a long story for the most of which I was, for the lack of a better word, oblivious (looks around furtively). Pathetic really, James had a bet on them almost from the second year and he never even liked Scorpius much then. Lily giggled every time she saw them together even when she was eleven. My mum and dad decided the first time they saw them bicker that they take after my uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione (needless to say they are married and even now unbearably (gag-worthily) in love).
Sigh. I'm not even talking about my other family members, I'll only embarrass myself with further comparisons. Me, their best friend from the very first year, for the past 5 years was the last in the entire school to realize that they are freaking made for each other. Or Mad for each other. Or about each other. However you want to put it. It's infuriating how thick I was. Notice the use of past tense. How much ever Alice Longbottom thinks I'm oblivious (there that O word again!) or Anita Patil thinks I'm thicker than the thickest wall at Hogwarts, I still see what they don't see. At least Lysander Scamander doesn't think I'm a clueless loser (So what if he believes its because of the infestation of wrackspurts around my head that has made me the way I am).
Right, coming back to the story, Scorpius and I became friends on the Hogwarts Express, he was a decent bloke and I was, well me. So we ended up being buddies. It helped that he got sorted into Gryffindor along with me. Now comes the third wheel into the friendship, Rose, my dear cousin told tales of disturbing actions of Malfoys of the yore (Read - Scorpius's grandfather and to some extend his father) while growing up refused to extend her hand of friendship to Scorpius. I don't think he cared much initially. You see, Rose had a tendency to be quite bossy (which she got from Aunt Hermione) and Scorpius never really appreciated being told what to do. However, loyal as ever, she was my friend first, so she put up with Scorpius.
So I had two best friends, who both needed to spend time with me and there was only one me. (I know, poor me). So we ended up doing things together. I don't know if I noticed it then (I did not) but they were just perfect for each other. They were both incredibly intelligent. Made me look quite dull in comparison, I mean I always managed an E even an occasional O on assigments, but the two monsters with me would jump into the black late and get eaten by the gaint squid than get an E in their assignments, so you see the psychological trauma this caused me?(Well that's the subject of another discussion, lets get back to our original story now). I was trying to say they were intellectual equals.
Then they both were matched personality wise – he sometimes needed someone bossy to tie him down. He tended to get too carried away with his I-don't-care-a-damn attitude of his. She definitely needed someone to loosen her up, she was sometimes too wrapped up in her academic pursuits (ah yes, I can't stop myself from rolling my eyes).
Then there was the Weasley temper that she had inherited (Trust me it is bad, my mother was a Weasley, so I know all about it) and I worry she got a blast of the Granger temper as well (This can be quite bad, my dad tells me). The only person in the whole world who can calm an angry Rose is Scorpius. I have no idea how he does it, she would be screaming, her red curly hair flying all over the place and her face matching the color of her hair, he would be there pale as ever (Sometimes paler, but that can be overlooked), calmly waiting for her to cool down. Sometimes he would just put his hands on her shoulders and just let her finish her rant. She acts like the monster book of monsters when traced across the spine when with Scorpius. (That is, the book just shudders and opens quietly) To the rest of us, well, she is like the book when we don't know how to open it.(bites and harms!)
Then there is the whole disappointed and frustrated with life Malfoy act that Scorpius comes up with sometimes. No, I know it is not an act, sometimes school going kids can be prats and big bullies. Scorpius got to bear the brunt of his ancestors' actions (Especially in his first year, a little in his second), then Rose Weasley got into action. The one thing about Rose is that she knows no fear. She also has a look that can make a giant quiver in his shoes (if giants wear shoes, or lets says in whatever footwear or lack of). She single handedly took on a bunch of Slytherin bullies in their final year when Scorpius had come back hurt after an encounter with them. (No we weren't with him them) She made sure she set her entire family and friends on them (that could be more than half the school) besides alerting the professors. There, end of story.
Nobody messes with Scorpius Malfoy unless they want to face the ire of Rose Weasley. Quite funnily as Scorpius grew into a lean tall fit (ugh, I didn't notice this, I hear people say this all the time) intimidating fifth year, the reverse also became true. Nobody messes with Rose Weasley unless they wanted to duel/get into a physical fight (yeah, pick your option) with Scorpius Malfoy. This of course was a blessing for us cousins who would otherwise have to put on an elder brother/cousin act and look out for the girls in the family who were all undeniably good looking. (Why couldn't Lily find someone like Scorpius, it would've helped me stay lazy. Sigh)
So yeah basically, they had all these qualities complementing each other. They had some common factors too. Like Quidditch. Oh Like me. Like me. I love Quidditch too I'm the seeker for the Gryffindor team (and some say even better than my father – there I'm flying without a broomstick). So these two are chasers and trust me, bloody amazing they are together, they just read each other's minds when it comes to passing quaffles and scoring goals. I think James sometimes feels a little left out as the third chaser (he is quite good too, but don't tell him I said that), well he did get around to liking Scorpius after playing with him. (which to be honest was a huge relief, I was getting quite tired of James trying to hex my best friend at every given occasion.)
Then of course, in the third year Alice requested me to tutor her in some subjects. Though, I have no idea why she needs tutoring as she is naturally smart. Also, Rose is her dear friend, dormitory mate etc etc. She still says (after 2 years) she doesn't want to be tutored by Rose as it would give her an inferiority complex about her intelligence. This I can understand of course because I already get that sometimes (very very rarely, mind you) when I'm around Rose (or Scorpius for that matter). Though why Alice continues to want to be tutored by me (and why I continue to tutor her) is still a mystery as she sometimes gets better grades than I (Sigh!). Then again, I'm not complaining I find her very cute. Oh Did I just say that, umm I think you may need to erase that from your memories, yeah obliviate there, nice and easy. I love Magic.
Yeah about the third year, Since I was busy with Alice (tutoring her of course!), Rose and Scorpius spent a lot of time together, alone. Bickering. Studying. Bickering. Talking. Bickering. Practicing Quidditch. Bickering. Having fun. Bickering.. You get the drift.
So it went on uneventfully, or eventfully however you like to look at it. They got incredibly awkward with each other after that. If I was having a headache dealing with my best friends constantly bickering, it was nothing to the whole deal with my best mates being awkward with each other. Sample this, they were awkward passing the pumpkin juice at breakfast. They refused to make eye contact and constantly jumped away from each other at slightest of contact. I swear there were a few times I wanted to just jump onto a broom and fly off to the mountains and become a hermit or something. Then, I thought of the giants that reside there, so settled for dealing with whole best friends acting like jerks situation. I still wonder if the giants are as bad as they are made out to be.
There was also one thing in common between Rose and Scorpius. Intense Possessiveness. This one was just hilarious. Any guy interested in Rose has to pass through the Scorpius test. No, I haven't wondered why no guy has ever passed this test. I mean OWLs and NEWTs are like kids games in comparison to Scorpius' high expectations for a guy who dares to date (try to date, to be accurate) Rose. Uncle Ron would be proud of the test. Well, he is proud of it. He actually laughed out so loud when I mentioned it to him and he actually patted Scorpius on his back approvingly. Big step coming from Uncle Ron who had always been just a little vary of Scorpius (Again the whole Malfoy blah blah).
You think any girl can reach Scorpius easily? Think again. Rose Weasley was (is)a girl so she had access to all the places girls went to (especially the toilets and stuff) and (a big AND) she was the best student in the whole school. So she knew all the hexes and spells. No girl wanted to have a sudden pimple appear on their forehead (though I don't see what the big deal is) or some such atrocity happening to them.
So Rose and Scorpius have managed to stay single thanks to each other. Wait a minute. Yes, you got that right, they are single currently. Their obvious feelings for each other has not translated into a relationship yet. Nor have they used their intelligent brains to solve the obvious puzzle that the other person was.
Why did Scorpius sit the whole day in the hospital wing refusing to even eat until Rose became conscious (this was when Rose was knocked out in a Quidditch match)? Why did Rose blush when Scorpius smiled at her these days? Why did Rose skip (gasp!) the charms lesson (gasps again!) when Scorpius had been hexed? Why did Scorpius decide to hold Rose's hand at every available occasion?
I could keep asking these questions. As you know by now I spend the most amount of time with them and I see the changes. From strangers to acquaintances to friends, I have seen the transition. I also went through the comfort phase to the bickering phase to the awkward phase. Now they are in the touchy feely phase and the blush at the drop of a hat phase too.
I'm watching them right now. Let me see if I can see any sign of progress (The good thing is they think I'm oblivious (I just need to roll my eyes here!), so they act like themselves in front of me. Good.
I have time before Alice comes for the tutoring. I pretend to work on the foot long potions essay. Rose comes and sits in front of me and greets me cheerily. I smile back with a simple greeting. Way to go, stay cool Al, nonchalant attitude works well. On cue Scorpius comes, I mean its not even a minute since Rose came. Anyway he greets me cheerfully as well. I feel a little annoyed at their exuberance, but act normal and wish him as well. I look down at my essay but in reality, I'm watching them.
I notice them looking at each other and smiling. No greetings there. They Smile and gaze into each other's eyes for like a minute or more *gag*. I'm regretting the watching thing already. Then, Scorpius takes a lose strand of her hair (from the millions mind you) and tucks it behind her ear and softly say "hey" his fingers lingering on her face. Rose (my good dear favourite cousin) blushes a brilliant shade of red and holds on to his fingers lightly and says "hey".
More time spent locking eyes. Whatever. I would hate to hurl in the library but you can't blame me if I do especially after what I see next. Scorpius, oh so subtly takes Rose's fingers near his mouth and grazes his lips on it. The lady is smiling with the most disgusting dreamy expression that has ever adorned her face and mind you I have seen her since childhood. They slowly drop their hands, still holding onto each other as they open their text books to study. Then they are serious while studying (ah, the geeks they are, they wouldn't dare to mess with the studies) but they glance at each other occasionally communicating through their eyes. Suddenly Rose walks off to find a book, Within a minute Scorpius decides to go find her. I don't even want to spy on them I stay put stunned by what I had witnessed.
Had this happened every single day? How much had I missed. Maybe I was thick as a wall. Maybe I had inherited the "oblivious" Weasley genes that everybody said Uncle Ron possessed. They came back with a book in hand. Hair messed, flushed faces, crumpled clothes. I need to go to the astronomy tower, now! I just need to jump off, there was no point in being a best friend if I hadn't seen this happening right under my nose.
"How long has this being going on?" I ask in an effort to sound cool and unaffected as they settled back to their earlier chairs. They looked at me startled, then exchanged a look, clearly doing their communicating with eyes thing.
"End of fourth year" Rose said in a small voice.
Now I was startled, had an entire summer and another six months in school gone without me noticing, I should reconsider the astronomy tower thing. So the awkward phase had ended with the relationship phase, I see.
"We wanted to tell you Al" she started saying then stopped, clearly looking at Scorpius for help.
"And why didn't you?" I continued to be cool as I asked (ha! Beat that!)
"We were not sure" Scorpius replied looking at me with eyes that said please understand.
Ok, wait, they were not sure? Of what?
"You were not sure of what exactly?" Uh oh, that didn't come out as non-caring as I had intended to or wanted to.
"That this relationship would work, that we could be more than just friends" Scorpius said looking at Rose who was nodding her head staring at the text book in front of her.
I laughed. I'm sorry I'm not the most sensitive person around, but that called for a round of laughter. Loud. Real loud laughter. They thought they may not be good as a couple. Ha ha ha. Wait. Ha ha ha.
They both gave me confused looks.
Finally I stopped because I may or may not have seen a hurt look crossing Rose's face.
"Sorry" I mumbled. "You guys are thick" I smirked.
Both of them shot me identical quizzical expressions.
I sighed. Ok, I need to explain it to these two completely oblivious (hahaha) souls.
"To be honest, every single person in this school know that you both are just made for each other. I'm sure even Prof McGonagall has placed a bet on you both getting together."
Their expressions cleared and they blushed furiously and exchanged (ah exasperated sigh!) a loving glance. They debated with their eyes (or however they did it without opening their mouths)
"We also thought you may not be happy with us getting together" Rose finally said.
"Ah?" I gave them a look of utter confusion. Where did that come from? I told you I wasn't the one thick as a wall. Not AT ALL. These two however, were oblivious! Just completely oblivious!