Chapter Five

The Power of Love

We're heading for something

Somewhere I've never been

Sometimes I'm frightened

But I'm ready to learn

Of the power of love

~Power of Love, Celine Dion

Rose had initially been startled when Michael's grip was removed from her wrist and it took a moment for her brain, as highly advanced as it was, to comprehend the events. First, she took in Michael sprawled on the floor, looking dazed and confused. Then, she took in the crowd around her. Moments earlier, the students had been dancing to the upbeat music and were either oblivious to her plight or consciously ignoring it. Now, they were all focused on the situation and facing one direction in particular.

Slowly, Rose turned to look in the same direction. She wasn't sure what to expect and whether or not she'd like it when she saw it. However, everything she'd thought and imagined paled in comparison to what had grabbed the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

Standing in the middle of what was now a clearing was Scorpius Malfoy, his wand drawn and nearly every muscle in his body tensed. Rose was shocked at the sight and stood for a moment in silence. When she was finally able to function again, she grabbed Scorpius' hand and began leading him through the crowd and out of the Great Hall. She didn't stop until they were out the front doors of Hogwarts and out in the grounds, halfway to the lake. When she was sure they were safe from the prying eyes of the dancers and the accusatory stares of the professors, she stopped where she was, dropped his hand, and turned to face him.

"What just happened?" she finally asked. As she'd led him out of Hogwarts, she'd thought and rethought about every possible reason as to why Scorpius would hex another person for her. As the silence dragged on, her theories became wilder and wilder until she began thinking that Scorpius may actually have feelings for her. She'd laughed that off –internally- as her overactive mind being crazy again. Scorpius was just starting to be her friend; there was no way he could have stronger feelings for her than friendship.

A silence passed between the two that quickly became awkward. Rose couldn't understand why he was finding it so difficult to answer. It hadn't been that hard of a question, or so Rose thought. All he had to do was explain why he'd hexed Michael. Yet, the silence stretched on. It was getting to be so long and awkward that Rose was beginning to worry.

"Scorpius?" she asked, hesitantly, worried he may be having a seizure or something.

"Sorry, I was just trying to find the best way to explain it. You know, in a way that doesn't reflect poorly on me or makes me look like a total creep," he finally responded.

"It's this difficult for you to come up with a version like that?" Rose blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "Were you trying to kill him or maim him or something?"

"No, I just wanted to get him to let you go. It was obvious he was dragging you against your will. I had to do something," Scorpius explained, his tone slightly defensive in the face of Rose's accusations.

"That didn't make you sound like a creeper. In fact, you actually sounded quite heroic, saving the damsel in distress from the evil bad guy. Why was it so hard to say?"

"That part wasn't what I was struggling with. What was difficult, and had the possibility of making me look like a creep if I didn't express it correctly, was why I did what I did."

"To help me? What else?"

Scorpius paused for a moment, another awkward silence threatening to develop. However, before it became to prolonged, Scorpius broke it.

Scorpius didn't remember much of the dash out of the castle; his mind went blank and ceased functioning the moment Rose had grabbed his hand. He felt idiotic for reacting that way over something so small in the grand scheme of things. It was how silly, over-emotional little girls reacted in annoying muggle romantic comedies; it was not how mature men reacted in the real world. In an attempt to make himself feel a little bit better about the situation, he explained his brain failure on the emotionally overwhelming events that had occurred in the last few minutes.

His brain finally started working again once they were out in the grounds and headed towards the Black Lake. The crisp evening air hit his face and acted as a kick-start for his brain. It was fortuitous because, in the next instant, Rose dropped his hand and asked him the question that, even though he hadn't thought about it before, he now dreaded.

"What just happened?"

It was a simple enough question, and one that the previous events most definitely warranted. Of course Rose would want to know what had happened, why it had happened, and why he did it. However, his momentary brain malfunction had put him at a disadvantage. Rose had obviously spent the time coming down here thinking things over. Scorpius hadn't.

As soon as the question was asked, Scorpius began contemplating it. It was simple enough to answer in its most basic form. What just happened was he'd hexed the guy Rose was with. He could just say that and hope it was enough, but he knew it wouldn't be. Rose had most definitely already discerned as much. What she was obviously looking for was why it happened. Why had he hexed that boy? What had been his motive behind it? That was less simple.

Why he had done it was because he was hopelessly in love with her. He couldn't stand her being unhappy as a result of another male and that was why he had hexed the other guy. However, that explanation could very easily backfire on him. Firstly, it made him appear over-involved in her life –which he was. He was the only one in the vicinity to the two who had noticed what was going on and reacted to it. They were barely friends; their relationship did not warrant such a strong reaction. Secondly, his confession could be rejected and that would leave him heartbroken and devastated. Explaining why he had done it would only end badly for him.

"Scorpius?" Rose asked hesitantly, breaking his train of thought. He hadn't realized he had taken such an extended amount of time to answer, but Rose was obviously worried for his sanity as a result.

"Sorry," he apologized, feeling extremely awkward about the extended pause, "I was just trying to find the best way to explain it. You know, in a way that doesn't reflect poorly on me or makes me look like a total creep." He figured that honesty was his best option at that moment. A lie would take him a moment to perfect and he didn't have time for it.

"It's this difficult for you to come up with a version like that?" Rose blurted out. Scorpius was a little taken aback by her bluntness, but he felt he had deserved it for the awkward pause. "Were you trying to kill him or maim him or something?"

"No," Scorpius exclaimed, "I just wanted him to let you go. It was obvious he was dragging you against your will. I had to do something." In the heat of the moment, Scorpius quickly explained himself. As soon as he'd said it, he realized he could have said it from the start and avoided all the awkwardness. It seemed something in the universe had it out for him.

"That didn't make you sound like a creeper. In fact, you actually sounded quite heroic, saving the damsel in distress from the evil bad guy. Why was it so hard to say?" Scorpius was asking himself the same question. Why hadn't he thought of explaining it as him being a nice guy and helping a girl in need? Why had he immediately jumped to including his feelings in it? They had been included in the action, but why had he needed to include them in his explanation? Maybe it was a sign. Maybe he was supposed to include his feelings in his explanation.

"That part wasn't what I was struggling with. What was difficult, and had the possibility of making me look like a creep if I didn't express it correctly, was why I did what I did."

"To help me? What else?" Rose asked, true curiosity filing her tone. Scorpius paused for a moment to collect himself for what he was about to say.

"The reason why I hexed him was to help you. The reason why I was the only one paying attention to you and your plight is because," he paused once more to collect himself, "I'm in love with you."

"Ouch, Carly! Watch where you're stepping with your clown feet!"

"Shut up Laruen! We're going to miss what's going on if you keep talking!" Carly shot back at one of the three other girls who were crouching behind a bush on the expansive Hogwarts' grounds. After the events on the dance floor –which the entire school was aware of within moments of it happening- the four Ravenclaw girls had crept down after Rose and Scorpius to see what would happen. Carly was certain that Scorpius was Rose's poem-writing secret admirer. Now, she was certain it was all about to come out and she wasn't about to miss a second of it.

However, the three other girls were in the midst of a small, yet extremely distracting struggle over the limited amount of space behind the bush. Their argument, while whispered, was making it next to impossible for Carly to hear what was being said between the two people standing several feet away. She turned to face her companions, her expression showcasing the annoyance and anger she felt inside.

"Would you either shut up or leave!" she seethed. Whether it was her tone, her expression, or a combination of the two, the three immediately shut up. Feeling extremely pleased with herself, Carly turned back with a satisfied bounce just in time to see Rose throw herself at Scorpius.

Carly's satisfied smile grew.

"I'm in love with you."

The words hung between the pair for several seconds. Rose was stunned by them, by his confession, and she could not respond for several seconds. Of all the reasons for why he'd hexed Michael, Rose had not expected that. She had considered it, but had quickly laughed it off because it was absurd. She had thought he was the one other person in the entire school who hadn't gone love crazy. However, unlike every other individual at Hogwarts, Rose was not immediately put-off by the fact that Scorpius was just as love-crazed as the rest of the school. In fact, she was actually glad because of it.

Scorpius must have taken her shocked silence as a sign that she wanted him to continue explaining himself because, after several minutes of muteness, he began speaking again.

"It's not a new thing or a result of the Valentine's craziness and explosions of 'love' that has recently taken over the school. I've been falling for you for years now. Though I think I decided to start acting on it now because of the fervor of the school."

Rose instantly focused on his last comment and found herself confused by it. The way he had phrased it made it seem as if he had done several things over some time to express his feelings for her.

"What do you mean acting on it?" Rose finally vocalized. Scorpius blushed red in response -redder than he already was- and began stuttering. Finally, he was able to compose himself and answer Rose's question.

"I've been sending you letters with poems this past week." Scorpius admitted. Once again, Rose was shocked into silence. Scorpius, her new friend, was her letter-writing secret admirer? Once that knowledge had fallen upon Rose, her logical side kicked in and she began examining how it made her feel. Was she happy? Disgusted? Put off? Did she return his feelings? She quickly, yet thoughtfully, regarded each question.

After determining how she felt, she reacted. Without too much thought on the action itself, Rose sprung at Scorpius and planted her lips on his in a hurried kiss. However, the force of Rose's spring sent the two of them toppling to the ground. After the momentary incapacitating effects of the impact, the two turned to look at each other and burst out in joyous laughter. Scorpius then, in a rare surge of courage, wrapped his arm under Rose and pulled her close to him.

It was in this position, laying on the ground in each other's arms, staring up at the stars in the sky, that the pair spent the rest of the evening.

The End