03 July, 1997 (9:22a.m, Tuesday)

Scarlett woke up, her head pounding, she was still in Theo's green quidditch jersey and her hair was matted to the back of her head. She sat up on her bed, she could hear people walking the hallway. The sound of two pairs of footsteps walking into Draco's room and the door closing.

Probably just Theo.

Theo.

Oh no.

Parts of last night came back to her in a blur, trying to call it off with Adrian, dancing with Astoria, talking to Theo, kissing Theo. Going back home with Draco, stumbling to her bed, not bothering to comb her hair out of the braids she'd had them in.

Shit.

She climbed out of her bed and opened the door, she started to walk out but noticed that Draco and Theo were leaving, Theo looked at her and down to her lips.

Scarlett raised an eyebrow.

She waited for them to walk down the stairs before making her way to the staircase.

"Wait a minute, Malfoy, I forgot something in your room." She heard Theo tell him.

Fuck.

She turned around and walked back to her room, she tried to go as fast as possible— and she succeeded, she made it all the way back to her room and had her hand wrapped around the door knob but Theo was faster.

He reached his arm out and pressed it to the door, keeping it from opening for her. "Scarlett..." He trailed off.

She looked up at him, "We don't need to talk about it."

He nodded, "I think we do."

She shook her head, looking away from him, "I was drunk, it shouldn't have happened."

"I know. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I should've stopped you. I know that you don't necessarily like Adrian- I mean I fucking hate him, but I'm sorry. It was wrong to kiss you when you have a boyfriend."

She nodded, looking back up at him, Merlin, this was harder than she thought. "It's alright, Theodore, honestly, he never has to know. Besides, he doesn't care about me anyway, he just wants to have sex. He basically told me it last night."

Theo bit the inside of his jaw, "Scarlett, please just break up with him. He's a waste of your time. You deserve better than that."

"And what? You're better?" She asked.

He looked towards the staircase making sure no one was there, it was empty, so he leaned down to where only she could hear him, "I think we both know the answer to that."

"Well maybe we do, but we are nothing. It'll never happen, the kiss was a mistake, it was a lapse of judgement. This flirting that you're doing is a waste of time. You know it's going nowhere, you just do it to annoy me, you scare off half the boys that do like me because you're always around trying to be broody and mysterious."

"Scarlett, I- is that really how you feel?"

No.

"Yes, Theo, it is."

"Well then I'm terribly sorry, I won't bother you anymore."

She nods, "That's probably for the best."

He turns back towards the staircase and disappears down it.

She leaned against her door, sighing.

Why did she do that?

She went into her room and got ready for the day, she had dance practice in an hour so she quickly showered and spelled her hair into a braid, then she headed down the stairs to eat a quick breakfast.

She sat down across from Narcissa, "Well, how was your night?" Narcissa asked.

"It was good. This morning I told Theo that I don't like him because I think I was too nice to him last night and made him think I liked him. Also, I really hate Adrian, but we're dating now. I can't wait for the ball to be over that way I never have to speak to him again."

Narcissa blinked, "Well.. That was certainly a lot of information. When did you and Adrian begin dating and why is this the first I've heard of it?"

She shrugged, "Well, it's a complicated story. Astoria and I went to Theo's last night with Draco and Adrian happened to be there. I discovered that Adrian liked me and I tried to stop it before it even started, I was like 'Adrian I don't think that we should' and he cut me off and said that he agreed and that we should date, which was not what I was going to say to him at all."

"So you were at Theo's for a party?"

Scarlett frowned, "Cissy, how do you know all of this stuff?"

She laughed, "Believe it or not, Scarlett, but I once was a teenager too. We also had summer quidditch tournaments and whoever's family was gone for the weekend threw the after party. As long as Lucius doesn't find out and as long as you and Draco stay safe and behave like Malfoy's should, I have no problem with you two going out and being teenagers. However, if Lucius finds out, I will deny that I ever knew anything about it."

"Thank you."

Narcissa nodded, "Of course, but now let's get back to this situation. Adrian seems to be taking after his father. I do not give my blessing for you to date him and I'm sure neither will Lucius. If you'd like, I could tell Lucius that Adrian has asked you out and that he needs to sit him down and let him know that you are not allowed to date him. However, I feel like you won't let us do that so I'll let you handle this yourself, but I'll offer you some advice, stop it before it gets too far. Adrian is a very.." She paused, looking for a word to describe him, "ambitious is a good way to put it, I guess, he's an ambitious boy. I've heard people talk about him, he's not someone I would ever approve of you being with. His history with girls is long and atrocious. Don't let your relationship with him get too serious, he'll begin to expect things that he does not deserve from you."

Scarlett nodded, "I'm going to try and cut it off again today. He should be here soon for dance."

She got up to walk out of the dining room but was stopped one more time by Narcissa.

"And Scarlett?"

"Yes?"

"It's unladylike to kiss someone while you're with someone else. No matter how awful the other person is."

Scarlett turned red, "How do you know about that?"

Narcissa smiled, "I know everything."

She looked at Narcissa, "Don't tell Draco, please."

"I won't. But it doesn't need to happen again. Not unless you've broken up with your boyfriend. Draco will find out eventually if you proceed with Theo, though, so you should be prepared for that."

She nodded, "It'll never happen again with Theodore. It was a severe lapse of judgement."

"What was a severe lapse of judgement?" A new voice entered from the doorway. An agitating voice.

"Adrian! How lovely of you to join us!" Narcissa exclaimed.

"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy." Adrian mumbled before turning back to Scarlett, "What happened with Theo?"

Scarlett shrugged, "Nothing. Cissy was just scolding me for yelling at him earlier. I was a bit rude to him when he arrived."

Narcissa nodded, "Yes, and we can't have that getting around. It could put a damper to the Malfoy name." Scarlett could sense that she was talking about something completely different. Specifically her rash decision she'd made the night prior with a certain brunette boy.

This seemed to be enough for Adrian because he reached his arm out and wrapped it around Scarlett's waist, "Well, it was good seeing you, Mrs. Malfoy, but we've got to get to our dance practice. Our instructor won't be too happy if we're late."

Narcissa laughed, "Of course, wouldn't want to keep her waiting. It was lovely seeing you again, Adrian."

-

Scarlett followed Adrian out into the hallway and led him into the drawing room where Madam Sallow was waiting.

"You two are late. Class began one minute ago."

"Sorry about that, Madam. I was speaking to my aunt."

"Don't let it happen again."

"Of course."

"Let's begin where we last left off. Adrian please refrain from stepping on Scarlett's toes this time."

An excruciatingly long hour finally passed by and Madam Sallow was satisfied with their progress. Scarlett was tired and wanted to sleep, annoyed by Adrian's wandering hands. They had a habit of "slipping" as he called it. She just wanted him to leave the Manor so she could go lock herself away in her room.

"I will see you two in a few days. Adrian please work on your dancing, it's atrocious, why don't you ask that other boy from last week for some help. Scarlett, you're doing amazing, we just need to work on your posture a little bit."

Adrian scowled, there was nothing wrong with his dancing, he thought.

Madam Sallow walked out of the drawing room and disappeared down the hallway. Adrian turned to Scarlett, "Want to head to the Three Broomsticks?"

"I can't," She lied, "I have to go finalize decorations with Cissy."

"Oh, well, I could come keep you company so you're not bored"

"No!" She exclaimed, then realized what she said and quickly backtracked, "I mean, it's supposed to just be a girls trip. We told the designer it would just be us, but maybe you can come help another time."

He nodded, "Alright, well, see you later. I think Montague's parents are going out of town on Thursday, so he's throwing a party Friday night, want to come?"

"Depends on if Draco goes. I don't really like going places without him, he typically makes sure that I make it home."

Adrian scoffed, "I'm capable of getting you home, Scar."

"Yeah, but I also have to make sure that Draco makes it home so it's just easier our way."

"Well, whatever, see you later." He mumbled before turning around and walking out, not waiting for her to say goodbye.

authors note:
if scarlett has one fan it is me.
if she has none then i have died.