Time After Everything || a Sequel to Saving Myself

XLVIII

TW MARKED WITH "***"

Scorpius stared at the rock his father had given him, not knowing how many minutes or hours had passed. His breath rattled in his lungs as he stood still, tapping his forefinger to his chin in an uneven beat.

Talk to her, Draco's voice rang in his ears. With trembling hands, he lifted the stone from his pillow. Scorpius turned it over in his hand three times, thinking of Astoria Greengrass and how dirty Draco Malfoy did her while she was alive.

"He would never."

Scorpius stopped, his entire body freezing. He had dreamt of hearing that voice for years now. But he didn't turn around at first.

"Scorpius?" she hummed, her voice light and a bit echoey. Astoria Greengrass sounded kind and motherly, something Scorpius hadn't experienced before.

"This---this has to be a trick or something."

"Turn around, then."

And Scorpius did so, his head feeling quite dizzy at the sight of the woman standing there---or, rather, floating. Her body resembled that of a ghost at Hogwarts, silvery and shining. He could tell her hair was on the darker side and her skin was pale.

Scorpius blinked rapidly as he covered his mouth. "Th---you---you're here?" he whimpered.

She smiled. "Yes." Astoria Greengrass held her hand up as if she were trying to cup her son's face. "You're so grown now."

Scorpius' eyes filled with tears as he sunk to the ground, his chest heavy as he fought to keep his voice quiet. "D---Draco did this to you." He whimpered, sobbing into his arms. Scorpius shut his eyes.

He didn't want to see Astoria. He didn't want to hear her voice. Now, he just wanted her gone. The sharp edge of the stone cut into his palm, making it burn.

"No," Astoria told him. "He didn't do this, Scorpius. My body just couldn't handle having a child."

"Stop. . ." he whispered, pressing his forehead to his knees.

"It's the truth. You're hearing it straight from me, aren't you? Draco isn't trying to convince you here."

'"A---are you sure? He didn't do anything?"

"No, Scorpius. He would have never."

"Yeah. . ." murmured Scorpius, swallowing thickly. "Yeah, you're right." He held his face in his hands, fighting back tears as he said, more to himself than to Astoria, "What do I do now? I---I was sure that I was right."

"Nobody blames you. But you know the truth for sure now, so you can get better from here. But you have to let me go in order to do so."

"But I---I don't want you to leave," Scorpius told her. "I want you to stay."

She smiled sadly. "I can't do that."

"Please?"

"I love you, Scorpius."

Scorpius gave her one last, longing look as the Resurrection Stone fell from his hand onto the floor, her spirit slowly fading before his eyes. His entire body felt heavy, his breath slow and sticky.

He didn't feel how he should have. He was supposed to be lighter and better after speaking with Astoria Greengrass. But all he experienced was dread.

Scorpius didn't move a muscle. He felt like crying, but his eyes were dry, as if he could no longer cry.

There was a knock on the door and he quickly rolled the stone away from him, hoping it went under the bed. Teddy came in, frowning when he saw Scorpius on the floor. "It's not comfortable down there, is it?"