I ran my fingers through the blades of the grass, my pale skin contrasting heavily against the green of the grass. It felt good to be back at Hogwarts. It was scary that my Hogwarts lifespan would end within two years. This school could nearly quench my thirst for learning, I had grown up within those corridors with many memories to recall, I had found my second family here, I had found myself here.
"Rosie! Thought I'd find you here," I heard the voice of my cousin Roxanne. She sat down next to me.
"Yeah, I just couldn't wait to see this view again in the early hours of the morning," I said sighing as I looked across the Black Lake.
"I'm so proud of you," My rebellious cousin commented.
"Because I was determined to see the view?" I asked confused.
"No silly because class starts in 5 minutes and you're still here," Roxy said smirking. I hopped up immediately and flung my bag on my shoulder.
"Shoot! See you later Rox!" I yelled behind me.
"I knew it was too good to be true," Roxy called backed teasingly.
"That was a close call before class, ey Bud," The arrogant voice of Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy rang in my ears.
"I still made it on time didn't I Constellation?" I shot back. Scorpius smirked at me before sitting down opposite me. Albus soon joined simultaneously as Arielle sat down next to me.
"I've seem to have forgotten how many Nargles lurked at Hogwarts," Lysander said thoughtfully as he sat down beside me.
"Hasn't Lorcan been there to try and fight them off?" Arielle said teasingly.
"No, besides the fact that we do not share all of our classes together, he seems quite infatuated with the young Miss Potter," Lysander said filling his plate. I involuntarily stiffened as Albus looked up from opposite us.
"Where's Patty?" Scorpius said in a pathetic attempt to change the subject.
"Said she'd be helping her father with the Mandrakes," I replied.
"Huffellpuffs," Scorpius huffed.
"Like you would deny your father anything," Arielle said as Scorpius face went stone cold.
"Arielle," Albus warned.
Luckily Roxanne appeared at Albus' side.
"Tsh-Tsh Rosie you call yourself a Gryffyndor while confidently sitting in a snake's den," Roxy said with a faux disappointed look playing on her facial features.
"Have you and James, the Gryffindor aurors come to pick me up?" I asked teasingly trying to lighten the mood.
"Eh, we'll let you off this time Miss Weasley," Roxy said winking as Scorpius stood up and walked away.
"His too bloody sensitive," Arielle commented when everyone turned to look at her.
"No, his f*cking not, you just know what buttons to press," Albus' aggressive side coming out, the one hardly seen, the one Arielle seemed to aggravate the best. He followed his best friend out of the Great Hall.
"Looks like all those Nargles have been up to mischief," Lysander commented bringing a smile to my face, as well as Roxy's.
"Oh, shut up Lysander!" Arielle said as she too stood up and walked away.
"Hey, don't speak to him that way!" Roxy screamed after her before I could. Students in the Great Hall turned to face us including Lorcan who had a questioning look from besides Lily, that I had ignored.
"It's okay, I don't mind being used to let off some steam after what the Nargles did, Merlin knows how mean they are," Lysander said making me smile again.
"Well they must be really at work because here we are, two Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw, at the Slytherin table with no immediate visual reason since all our Slytherin friends have left and look James Potter is coming this way. Whoops!" I said as Lysander and Roxy laughed along with me.
I walked up the continuous stairs leading to the astronomy tower, I found myself envying the short distance Lysander had from his Ravenclaw tower. I reached the open platform to find a paled haired boy's back facing me.
"Still drowning in self-pity?" I asked as I sat down crossed legs next to him.
"I could ask you the same question, pathetic really, and cliché, liking the golden boy," Scorpius said hitting all the wrong notes within my body.
"And it's pathetic that you cower just at the mention of your father's bloody name," I retaliated. Scorpius stiffened beside me.
"Sorry for not basking in my heritage, I don't exactly come from a family tree of bloody heroes," Scorpius hissed.
"Doesn't mean you have to be a bloody git!" I said my hands clenching.
"Then what else would I be?! It's what's expected of me, can't let the spectators down now!" Scorpius said harshly, abandoning the telescope in front of us and turning to face me.
"You shouldn't care what other people say about you!" I said placing my hand on his thigh mere inches away from my leg, his body heat radiating through my body in one touch.
"Come off of it Bud, it's easy for you to say, you're bloody Miss Perfect, with the good head start of being born to two thirds of the golden trio, nobody would dare look the wrong way at you or any of your family members," Scorpius said as he ran his fingers through his pale locks, clearly frustrated.
"Then why are you friends with me? With Albus? With my family?" I asked and brought my unoccupied hand to his pale handsome face and made him face me once more.
"You're the only people that bothered to put up with me, that and Albus would have been black and blue his first week in the Slytherin common room if I hadn't intervened, since then the bugger can't seem to let go of my hand, unless of course when he has the rare chance of carrying Patty's quills and scrolls," The Slytherin boy said with a slight pride that shone in his eyes as he brought his hand to mine and slid it from his face.
"Sometimes you're so-"
"Charming? Handsome? Irresistible?" Scorpius teased still holding onto my hands, so naturally it felt right.
I rolled my eyes. "Insufferable."
The sound of students could be heard in the background and the two of us jumped apart. We were soon surrounded by our fellow Gryffindor and Slytherin peers. Albus, Arielle and Lorcan came to join us.
"Early as always," Lorcan noted as he smiled from next to me.
"Can never trust those ever-changing staircases, now can I?" I said replacing my hair over my ear to try and disguise its tinge of pink that had always arisen around Lorcan. Scorpius huffed from besides me. Albus looked through the telescope that
had previously been occupied by Scorpius.
"Really? Looking at your own constellation," Albus chuckled as he shook his head.
"What? I think it's the best-looking constellation, why bother with the others?" Scorpius said and made his surroundings laugh.
"Ever the modest one," I commented sarcastically.
"It's good to be back," Lorcan said.
"Yeah only because you're cradle snatching my little sister," Albus said under his breath that could only be heard by a very amused Scorpius and an upset me.
"I hope you don't mind Rosie, but I need to make a detour, see you mates tomorrow," Lorcan said cheerily and headed down the route that has always seen Lysander and other Ravenclaws alike safely to their common rooms.
"How much quid do you want to bet that his not making an illegal visit to his brother?" Scorpius said.
"For Merlin's sake my sister is only a fourth year, sometimes I wish Uncle Ron was our dad just for this reason," Albus huffed.
"To be fair, you did make out with Hannah Goyle in fourth year," Arielle said with a look of distaste.
"That's different!" Albus defended himself.
"No, it's not!" Arielle replied as the two walked ahead of us before turning down the corridor that would lead to their common room. When Scorpius walked straight past the corridor with me I questioned him on the reason.
"Well to make sure our little Rose gets safely back to her garden of course," Scorpius said sickly sweet and sarcastic.
"The expiry date on your dry humour has come and gone already constellation," I said as he took my book bag from me.
"Yet it's still very effective in annoying you but seriously those two have been bloody arguing all day, their bad days drive me up the wall, might as well walk you to your common room and suffer slightly less," Scorpius said as the remaining Gryffindors by passed us at the rate we were walking.
"One would think you and I would argue like that, given all our history, but I know you do all of this because you're obviously secretly in love with me," I said wiggling my eyebrows.
"How did you know? Oh, my beautiful Rose, what are we going to do about our fathers?!" Scorpius said dramatically taking my hand and holding it close to his heart. My laugh echoed down the dark corridors as his joined in soon after.
"We could always just fly away on your broom to France or Spain or even Brazil," I mused as we let our hands swing between us.
"But then we couldn't live a life of luxury in the Malfoy Manor," Scorpius countered.
"What's wrong, can't the little Scorpy live without his imported linen sheets?" I teased. Scorpius pulled me by my hand into a dead stop as we faced each other.
"Never- ever underestimate my love for those sheets Rosie, I love it as much as- as my love for you," Scorpius said seriously. The amusement swimming within his enticing grey eyes.
By the time we got to the Fat Lady tears were rolling down my eyes and my knees were buckling because of the hysterical laughing I had been doing. It was a good thing Scorpius had taken my book bag from me.
"My lady I believe this is where we have to part," Scorpius said bringing our intertwined hands to his mouth where he gently placed a kiss on my hand. When he let my hand go I threw my arms around him and held on tightly.
"Thank you Scorp," I whispered into his ear as I stood on my toes. His arms snaked themselves around my waist and he placed a kiss somewhere in between my wild red curls. I let him go and took my book bag from him.
"See you tomorrow morning Bud," Scorpius said as I told the Fat Lady the password.
"Sleep well Constellation," I said smiling as I walked through the hole and into my common room.
I woke up feeling happy, not only was I back at Hogwarts but I had this ridiculously giddy feeling inside my stomach. My smile faded once I ran into Lorcan though in the common room.
"See you got safely back last night," Lorcan flicking a stray red lock that had come undone from my loose bun.
"Yeah well so did you," I said shrugging and walked past him intending to leave for the Great Hall.
"Rosie, are you okay?" Lorcan asked walking up next to me.
"Yeah, hey looks like the Ravenclaws are calling you," I said pointing to the group of Quidditch playing boys.
"I don't care I'm speaking to you," Lorcan said ignoring the calls of his friends as I walked on.
"Rosie stop," Lorcan said grabbing my arm and pulling me back.
"What is it Lorcan?" I huffed pushing the strap of my book bag further up my shoulder.
"Is it about last night? I'm sorry okay, there's something I needed to ask L- erm Lysander," Lorcan said as a slight blush appeared on his face and he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Right," I said and pushed passed him. I heard him behind me but this time he made no attempt to stop me. I entered the Great Hall with all traces of my happiness from this morning gone. At the Gryffindor table Patty was already seated having a conversation with James, if you call uncontrollable laughing a conversation, it was a good thing Albus wasn't here yet.
"Share the joke?" I asked smiling at the two as I sat down.
"Oh, it's just something silly," Patty said blushing instantly and went back to eating.
"My pranks are not something silly!" James said humorously angry. We laughed at his antics as Lorcan silently sat down next to James.
"A thorn for a Rose," Scorpius said throwing a thorn at me when sitting down next to me.
"How am I supposed to get it out of my hair now?" I asked grabbing at my hair in which the thorn got stuck in. My bun eventually becoming undone into my curly red locks.
"Stop, here I've got it," Scorpius said pushing my hands away and gently removing the thorn from my hair, a goofy smile on his face.
"All clear," Scorpius said holding out the thorn to prove it causing a smile to slip onto my face.
"Thank you, you git," I said pushing his unnaturally radiant morning face away from me.
"Morning Pat," Albus said brightening at the sight of Patty next to me.
"Hey," Patty said giving him her 1000-watt smile.
"Walk you to class Pat?" James asked finishing his breakfast.
"Sure," Patty answered shyly following James' lead and greeting us goodbye. James took her bag before leading her out of the Hall.
"I just can't catch a break, can I?" Albus said shaking his head, frowning at the now vacant spot next to me. Arielle laid a hand on his shoulder giving it a small squeeze. Albus relaxed slightly and gave Arielle a small smile before returning
to his frown.
"Rosie your hair looks marvellous today," Lysander commented sitting down next to me where Albus was previously frowning at.
"No, it doesn't, it probably looks ridiculous, no thanks to Scorpius," I said running my hand through my hair giving him an annoyed glance to which he met it with a wink.
"Hey," Lily's soft voice ended my rant about my hair. She sat down where James previously sat. Everyone had greeted her back, but she seemed to be disappointed in the lack of enthusiasm she got from Lorcan.
"I better get to class too," Lorcan immediately stood up and left the Hall.
"Yeah, we better get going, we have Double Potions first with you snakes," I said winking at my cousin and best friends. I stood up and placed a kiss on the top of Lysander's head.
"Stay away from the Nargles," I said giving Lysander a sweet smile. I went around and gave Lily a hug too.
"I miss you Lils, tell my brother not to take up too much of your time," I said as she gave me a small smile. I walked out with Albus, Arielle and Scorpius as Roxy ran in rushed shouting out an excuse for her lateness before rushing inside.
"Just another day in the life of a Hogwarts student," Albus sighed.
"It's so annoying that he'd give us so much homework and it's only the second day of school," Albus huffed laying his head on the heavy book lying before him at our table in the library.
"To be fair it is our sixth year," I said.
"That's easy for you to say Miss Seven OWLS," Albus said glaring at me over his book.
"Is this really about the homework or about Patty and James this morning?" I asked knowing my cousin and lifelong best friend.
"It's just that he can get any girl he wants, they're all chasing after him, why does he have to choose Pat? He knows that I like her, Merlin everyone besides her knows," Albus said sitting up and running a hand through his messy raven black
hair.
"You have quite a number of admirers too, you are one half of the 'bad boy duo' in Hogwarts, apparently you're mysterious and handsome and all the girls seem to love that, not to mention that you're the Wizarding World's Savior's son " I said.
"Yes, but I like Patty, I always have, and James doesn't like anyone- it's not his thing, he finds amusement in breaking girls' hearts and he'll just take her for granted and break her heart," Albus rants slouching in his chair.
The librarian sends a glare our way and suggest we take this conversation elsewhere. Albus and I pack up our things and head out of the library.
"You know maybe you should try getting over Pat?" Albus looks at me like I've got a dragon growing on my forehead.
"Just hear me out- you've liked her for so long and nothing has happened, and you could be happier with someone else, but you keep throwing it away," I said thinking of a certain girl's confession during summer.
"But I can't- liking Patty is like second nature, I've been fancying her since she kissed me on my cheek when we were 5!" Albus said exasperated. An idea suddenly popped into my head, there would only be one way to get Albus to
test my theory.
"You know it could even make Pat jealous? Without you hovering around her all the time she might see what's she's been missing all the time," I said shrugging nonchalantly.
"You're a genius Rosie! It's the only tactic I haven't tried. Have I ever told you that you're my favorite family member?" Albus said smiling broadly.
"Yes, well as long as you don't end up hurt," I said as I returned the hug Albus pulled me into.
"You know you should take your own advice," Albus said with a sly smile.
"Well I haven't liked Lorcan since we were 5!" I said as we exited the castle and into the last glimpse of sunlight for the season outside.
"Of course not! You've been fancying him since we were 2!" Albus said laughing.
"That's not true!" I said blushing.
"Just take your own advice Rosie, maybe you'll see what you've been missing all this time," Albus mused with a frown before running off towards Scorpius and his other dorm mates who leisurely sat on the grass. I caught Scorpius' eyes before
I turned around to head to the common room, an unconscious smile appeared on my face as I strolled back to the common room.
"You know Rosie if you actually brush your hair, thorns wouldn't get lost in it," I heard Scorpius' voice from behind me.
"You know if you don't keep throwing thorns into my hair, it wouldn't get lost in my hair," I said as we walked together towards the Great Hall for supper.
"Neither the less, Lysander was lying your hair looks horrendous, do I get an O for using such a big word?" Scorpius asked as my red curly locks swayed behind us.
"Such a gentleman, is that how snakes flirt?" I ask.
"What would make you think I was flirting with you?" A coy smile came to Scorpius' face.
"The fact that I'm so beautiful even with horrendous hair," I joke and wink at him before entering the Hall and going our separate ways.
"Is that my cousin Rosie actually dining at the Gryffindor table?" Roxy asks as I sit down next to her.
"I always eat at our table for dinner," I say rolling my eyes.
"I know I just missed you," Roxy said throwing her arms around me. I relaxed into the familiarity of my favourite female cousin.
"I missed you too," I said before she released me.
"Are you looking forward to the remembrance ball this year?" Roxy asked.
"Is my very tom boyish girl cousin asking about the ball?" I tease her.
"Maybe- I don't know, forget it," Roxy said facing downward as a blush forms on her face.
"Bloody hell you like a boy! Who is it?!" I asked excitedly.
"Rosie, we need to speak," Lorcan said standing over us.
"I'm busy," I said shrugging dishing my desired food into my plate.
"Now Rose," Lorcan said firmly in a quiet voice.
"What is it?" I asked after being escorted out of the Great Hall.
"What's wrong with you? You've being ignoring me the entire day!" Lorcan said.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said shrugging.
"Oh, don't play bloody dumb Rosie," Lorcan hissed.
"What do you want from me? Must my entire universe revolve around you?!" I asked running a hand through my hair.
"I- I just want us to be okay," Lorcan said quietly looking down.
"Look Lorcan I don't know what you want from me, we're friends but I have other friends as well," I said looking away from him.
"Yeah friends like Malfoy?" Lorcan scoffed.
"Yes, he is my friend too, do you have a problem with that?" I asked.
"You're spending an awful a lot of time with him," Lorcan hissed.
"So, what?" I retaliated.
"Is there something going on between the two of you?" Lorcan asked.
"So, what if there is? You've been sneaking around with Lily," I said looking down.
"I-"
"You make your own decisions Lorcan, and so do I," I said shrugging and pushed past him and headed towards the library with my loss of appetite.
"Quite the dramatic exit," Arielle said as she plopped down in the seat next to mine.
"You saw everything?" I asked covering my face with my hands.
"Yeah and Lorcan is a total git," Arielle said pulling me down into a side hug.
"He's driving me mad and then he brings up Scorpius like what does that have to do with anything?" I asked aggravated.
"Maybe he's jealous?" Arielle said laying her head on mine.
"Then he's a total hypocrite!" I said huffing.
"Boys," Arielle huffed before we start silently laughing.
"You're my best friend you know that right?" I said sitting straight up.
"Who else could stand to be the best friend of the most beautiful girl in Hogwarts?" Arielle said teasingly.
"Oh, don't say that, you know quite a few boys fancy you," I said.
"Yeah just not the boy I fancy," Arielle sighed.
"Boys," We sighed shaking our heads again.
