CHAPTER ONE: ROSE FINDS HERSELF IN A QUANDARY.
"Merlin's beard, Rose, slow down!" Lysander called out as he desperately tried to catch up to the speeding blur of red that was racing around the Quidditch stadium.
"Oi, Scamander, my Grandma Molly can fly faster than you!" Rose laughed.
Her companion scowled, ducking through a goal hoop. "It doesn't help that your daddy's bought you the Zephyr 27."
"Cleansweep your heart out, love! What is it they've got now, twelfth edition?"
"This thing works like rubbish." Lysander gave his broom handle an annoyed smack.
"Alright, alright." Rose brought her broom to a slow. "I'll wait up for you, my turtle."
"Thanks." Lysander's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Dear Agrippa, how're you ever going to get on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team if you're in this condition?" Rose sighed dramatically.
"Hey, I'm actually alright!" He protested indignantly as he pulled up next to his friend. "Just not compared to you, of course."
"Uck. You're too much, Sandy." She rolled her eyes.
"Anytime for you, sweet -" The boy's wide smile suddenly flattened into a firm line as he noticed a group of green-clad figures enter the stadium. "Oh. Look, Rosie-posie." He nudged Rose's elbow. "It's our favorite people in the world."
Rose's blue eyes narrowed into slits as she noticed the newly-selected Slytherin Quidditch team. "Oh, of course. And there's my dear cousin." The two circled lower, preparing to land. "Say, Sand, that's not -" Rose squinted. "Bloody hell, Malfoy's been made captain!"
Lysander choked, halting in midair. "What?"
"Oi! If it isn't Weasel and Salamander!" An unpleasant, sneering voice rose up to greet them warmly.
"Malfoy." Rose returned in an equally cold tone as she and Lysander landed on the freshly-mown grass, hopping off of their brooms.
"Now, Ginger, I perfectly understand if you didn't hear that Zabini's booked the stadium for the rest of the afternoon. That awful mass of hair certainly does block the ears a bit." Scorpius remarked coolly.
Rose's fingers tightened around her broomstick, her knuckles whitening. "I can hear just fine, Malfoy, thank you very much."
"Right." He said carelessly, examining his nails. "Now that we've cleared that up, if you could just do us a big favor and run along with your little boyfriend and leave our team to do some serious practicing."
Lysander turned red, opening his mouth, but Rose cut in before her friend could say anything.
"Oh, of course. I see that you guys are really going to need the time. Especially with you as captain this year." She raised a fiery eyebrow, breezing past Malfoy before he had the chance to make a comeback. "Why, hello, Albus." She greeted the Slytherin Keeper on her way out.
"Who in their right mind would appoint Malfoy as captain?" Rose ranted heatedly, clearly failing in staying focused on her Potions essay.
"Hardly any of the Slytherins are 'in their right minds', Rose." Molly Weasley remarked. "Did you forget?"
"Bu why didn't they make Al captain? He's a damn better flier than that ferret, and a bloody load nicer to deal with during Quidditch matches."
"You really think it's going to kill you to shake hands with Malfoy, just once?" Lysander contemplated.
"Yes." Rose insisted. "I shiver at the thought of even touching him."
"A lot of girls shiver at the thought of touching Scorpius." Lily giggled.
"Uck. That's disgusting - and who asked your opinion anyways, Scout?" Rose shot a glare at her younger cousin.
"Well, it's true." Molly admitted. When Rose gave her a skeptical look, she sighed. "C'mon, Rosie, you aren't blind. He's got half the female population at Hogwarts wrapped around his finger."
Rose sniffed. "And which half are youlot on?"
Molly crossed her arms, suddenly bearing a scary resemblance to her grandmother. "Rose Weasley, don't you dare supposed I'd ever fancy that sorry excuse of a man."
"Now that's the Molly I know and love."
Lily shrugged. "As for me . . ."
"Lily!" Rose gaped.
"What? You have to admit he's ridiculously good-looking -" Rose snorted, "And he can be awfully charming when he wants to."
"Lily Luna, don't you dare fall into that ridiculous trap he sets up for naïve little girls like you." Rose warned, a furious glint in her eye.
"Look- I know full well what a huge sleaze Malfoy is." Lily reassured. "But it doesn't make any difference to me. I'm not as serious about guys as you are, Rosie." Lily continued before Rose could protest. "You know me - I'm more of the fling-ish type."
"A fling-ish type?" Lysander raised an inquiring eyebrow.
"Oh, Lils, you settle for such low standards." Rose sighed, exasperated, scratching away at her parchment.
"Not really. I'm just never looking for a serious relationship, so I don't really need to care how mentally compatible we are."
"You just care how physically compatible you are." Lysander guessed, wrinkling his nose.
"Exactly." Lily flicked her hair back briskly.
"Lily." Rose groaned. "What am I ever going to do with you? Your outlook on love is awful."
"You're one to talk!" Lily laughed. "How many guys have you gone out with?"
Rose flushed as red as her hair. "That - that's completely besides the point!" She spluttered.
"Mhmm. Nil. That's what I thought." Lily smirked knowingly. "I've had four boyfriends since third year - and I'm two years younger than you!"
"Well, you are a fling-ish' type, after all, aren't you?" Lysander remarked as he flipped through his index of 100 Must-Know Facts of the Muggle World.
"Lily, dear." Molly set down her novel, her hazel eyes assessing her younger cousin. "Have you ever considered looking for a more - well, real relationship? You know, one that involves actual feelings, rather than just casual fooling around?
Lily shrugged. "No, not really. I just haven't yet met anyone who makes me feel that way."
"Really?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "In all of the four years you've been at Hogwarts, you've never had a single actual crush?"
Lily thought for a moment. "No. Like, I think guys are hot and stuff, if that's what you mean."
"You've never met anyone who - say - sends a chill down your back every time you see them in the halls, or makes you feel like there's butterflies in your stomach whenever they talk to you?"
The young Potter cocked her head. "Not really. "
"Never?" Rose stopped writing, peering over her reading glasses in disbelief.
"Nope." Suddenly, Lily's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why, have you ever taken a fancy to someone?"
The tips of Rose's ears turned red. "No, of course not!" She said too quickly. "Never."
"Your ears tell all, Rosie dearest." Lysander smirked victoriously.
"Rose likes someone!" Lily shrieked, only to be immediately reprimanded by Madam Hayworth, who had ears like a bat and would pop up behind a bookshelf when you least expected it.
"No! I don't like someone, you dimwit!" Rose hissed angrily, then quickly added, "And I've never liked someone before either."
"A past flame?" Lysander teased.
"Oh, do tell us who it was!" Molly insisted, eyes wide with curiosity. "C'mon, Rose, you can trust us!"
Rose was suddenly extremely fascinated with the nine organic components of Bagroot Antidote. "There was no one."
"Rose. C'mon, spill." Lysander whined.
She huffed in exasperation. "Honestly! There's nothing to spill."
Lily looked skeptical. "Right."
"Right." Rose said stubbornly, returning to her homework.
They knew there was no hope getting anything out of her after that.
"Double Defense with the Slytherins. What were they thinking?" Rose complained as she and Molly headed up the third-floor staircase. "They've just got to go on and ruin my favorite cla -"
"Watch out for the vanishing step, Rose." Molly reminded.
"Thanks, Mol." Rose carefully stepped over. "What would I do without you?"
Molly shook her head. "I have no idea. You get so carried away sometimes."
Rose smiled sheepishly as they came to the landing. "I know. I'm sorry, it's just I bloody hatethe Slytherins in our year. They seem so much more unbearable than all the rest of them."
"But our cousin is in our year." Molly reminded.
"Okay, but Al's about the only living sixth-year Slytherin organism I can tolerate sharing breathing space with."
"Perhaps you're a bit too severe, Rose."
"Severe? Not at all." As they walked into the classroom, the two girls were immediately dive-bombed by a fleet of bewitched paper airplanes."Exhibit A." Rose spat.
"Oops, sorry, Weasley." Abby Goyle called, not sounding sorry at all. "Didn't mean to hit that large head of yours. Terrible if you lose a few brain cells."
Rose clenched her teeth, pulled out her wand, and immediately caused the paper airplanes to burst into flames.
"I'm a prefect, it's not very wise of you to be making such foolish decisions around me." Rose reminded in what she hoped was an intimidating voice.
"Ooooh, I'm scared." Hugh Nott snickered. "Report me to Whitwicke, won't you?"
"Don't forget, you're not the only prefect around here, Weasel." Scorpius Malfoy smirked, standing up from his huddle of Slytherins. He polished off his shiny badge. "I have every authority that you do."
"Well, I don't see youpulling in the reins on your prat friends!" Rose hissed. "Ten points from Slytherin for disruptive behavior and physically harming other students."
Shouts of protest arose from the Slytherins. "Bloody hell, Weasel, I didn't even know it was possiblefor you to be more of a troll!" Scorpius said, plainly showing how royally pissed off he was.
"Only for you, Malfoy." Rose fired back, taking her usual seat at the front of the room, as far away from the Slytherins as possible. She folded her hands primly on the wooden desk, trying to maintain a calm façade.
All the other students scrambled into their seats as the bell rang and a smartly-dressed Professor Jones breezed into the classroom.
"Good morning, class." Jones said in her crisp, no-nonsense voice.
"Morning." The students answered dutifully.
"Now, if any of you have been paying attention on class, you'll know which unit we'll be beginning today: Curse Studies."
Rose sat straighter. How could she've forgotten? She'd been looking forward to this project for the past month.
Jones went on to elaborate. "The class shall be split into pairs. Each pair shall sign up for a curse study of their choice. No Unforgivables." She said firmly, glancing warily at the Slytherins, who looked noticeably disappointed.
"Once your curse is chosen, I am giving you two weeks for you and your partner to do research on the spell." Jones continued. "At the end of the two weeks, your pair must give a presentation to the class, in which you must demonstrate how to properly defend yourself from the curse. One will act as the instigator, the other as the victim."
Molly shot Rose a nervous look. Rose opened her eyes wide and shrugged.
Jones went on to list the other things she required to be researched, and then it came time for picking our partners. She'd taken the names of all the boys in the class and put them in an old, tattered hat, and called the girls up to choose a slip of paper one by one.
"Well, that ruins the chance of usbeing partners, Mol." Rose sighed.
"Too bad. If you're lucky, though, you might get Al." A mischievous smile construed on Molly's face. "Or maybe Daniel Creevey."
Rose blinked incredulously. "Oh, Molly, you don't actually think I like him?" She laughed. "Look, I told you lot last night - I don't fancy anyone. Honestly. Swear on Merlin's pants."
"Whatever you say, Rosie-Posie." Molly said slyly.
"Molly Weasley!" Professor Jones said sharply.
Molly turned red, quickly snapping to attention. "Yes?"
"Pay attention, Miss Weasley." Jones shook the hat impatiently. "Come pick a name."
"Huh. Looks like I've been stuck with Creevey instead." Molly said as she sat back down.
"Well, he's better than most of the guys left to pick out from." Rose said, glancing meaningfully at the wayward-looking Slytherin boys. "At least Creevey won't be looking for every single excuse to hex your head off."
Molly laughed. "That's true. Too bad he hasn't got a head himself."
"He's got into Gryffindor. That got to say something." Rose remarked.
"Rose - my dad got into Gryffindor."
"Alright, so maybe it doesn't say much." Rose admitted.
"Rose Weasley!" Professor Jones called.
Rose raised an eyebrow. "Here goes nothing."
She stood up, making her way towards the Professor's desk, where Jones was waiting with the hat. Rose reached her arm in, feeling around. There weren't that many names left. As she sifted through the scraps of parchment, trying to find a good one, Rose scanned the room to see which wizards were still available. There was Brett Thomas and Murphy Spinnet from Gryffindor - Brett wasn't too bad - and then there was Nott, Malfoy, Krum the transfer student, and some other yucky-looking guy from Slytherin.
Please let it be Brett . . . . Rose willed as she swished her hand around the patchwork hat. She analyzed each scrap of paper with her fingers. This one? No, it didn't feel quite right. What about this crumpled one? Hmm, maybe . . .
"Miss Weasley! We haven't got all day." Professor Jones snapped.
Rose flushed as she heard Malfoy and Nott snicker loudly. She hurriedly grabbed a random name and rushed back to her seat.
"Who've you got?" Molly asked curiously, leaning over.
"I dunno. Let's see." Rose unfurled the curling paper, then stared. Her head swam.
This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. Rose shut her eyes tight, willing the words away in her head, then opened them again.
Nope. They were still there, staring stubbornly up at her. Two words written in Hestia Jones' tiny, immaculate black script.
Scorpius Malfoy.
"Great GRINDELWALD!" Rose screamed.
"You've got quite a temper, Ginger."
"Shut up and don't talk to me!" Rose snapped as she feverishly flipped through her worn copy of Curses Through the Ages by Marx Borogovitch.
"Isn't that a bit redundant, Weasel?" Malfoy looked like the picture of ease, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded behind his head. "Of course, I know being in such close proximity with such a good-looking wizard like myself certainly befuddles your brains. "
Rose gagged. "You're a downright, egotistical bastard, Malfoy, and you're lucky I don't hex your large head right off." She spat, then turned back to their work."Now, are you going to help me find a curse or not? You heard what Jones said - they're first come first serve. If you keep fooling around like this, all the good ones will be taken and we'll be stuck with something awful like the Earsprout Curse."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, now you want my help? Didn't you just say to shut up and not talk to you?"
Rose groaned, rolling her eyes. "Merlin, you're hopeless." How was she supposed to work with such a thickheaded dimwit?
"Look who's talking." He sneered, eyeing her bushy red hair and unflattering clothing.
"Can we just get to our damn work already?" Rose was getting more riled up by the second. Even a thickheaded person like Malfoy could figure out that she was reaching the end of her fuse.
"Alright, alright." Malfoy said drily, pulling out his copy of Curses. "I'd hate to be stuck with carrots hanging out of my ears."
"Absolutely not."
"Why?" Malfoy demanded, trying to keep up with her brisk pace as they walked back to the D.A.D.A room.
"Hallucinati is an extremely dangerous curse that, technically, could be classified as Dark." Rose retorted. "If you don't do it right, you could severely impair someone's mental health!"
"I don't see how your mental health could be impaired further." He muttered under his breath, but, being Rose Weasley, the bane of his existence, she still heard him.
"Are you implying that I'm going to be the victim in our presentation?" Rose shook back her thick mane of hair indignantly.
"Why?" Malfoy displayed his signature smirk. "You scared that you might not be able to hold me off?"
Rose snorted. "More like the other way around."
"Oh please, Weasel, don't flatter yourself." Malfoy sneered. "I'd never be beaten out by a mere half-blood, much less a girl."
A dangerous red flush crept up Rose's neck. She stopped walking and whipped around, her wand clenched tightly in her hand.
"Prove it then." Rose said quietly, a furious glint in her eye. "You play the victim, I'll be the instigator."
"What? No!" He snapped.
"Now, that's one 'fraidy ferret." She jeered, turning back around and resuming her course to the classroom..
After a quick internal debate, Malfoy made a decision."Fine then! You've got a deal." He snarled, catching up to her pace. Seconds later, he wondered how in the world he had given in to Rose Weasley's demand.
Rose smirked as they walked into the Defense room. "Oh, and we're not doing the Hallucination curse, either."
"Who said?" An unmistakable edge laced Malfoy's voice.
Rose gestured at the board. "Albus and Abby have signed up for it already. " She gave a mock pout, her blue eyes opened wide. "Looks like we're stuck with Reducto after all."
Scorpius Malfoy was not happy.
"I really do feel sorry for you, Rose." Lysander said sympathetically.
"Sorry?" Rose said vehemently as she, Molly, and Lysander made their way down to their spot by the Black Lake. "Sorry doesn't do anything with the fact that I'm stuck with the biggest, egotistical, ignorant, lazy prat for a partner." She crossed her arms childishly and huffed. "I'm to get a D for sure on this one."
"That's not true, Rose." Molly reasoned. "Malfoy's at the top of the class, in case you've forgotten."
"I haven't." Rose said darkly, reminiscing in how she and Malfoy had tied for O.W.L scores last year. "But I'll blow him out of the water with the N.E.W.T.S next year, I swear on the Order."
Lysander shook his head, as they sat down at the roots of the big, shady, oak tree. "The competition between you and Malfoy is ridiculous."
"It's not fair! He doesn't even try in school!" Rose complained childishly, crossing her arms. "Never raises his hand, never participates, barely puts an effort into his homework -"
"But yet he still has astonishing grades." Lysander reminded. "Maybe you should pick up some tricks from him, Rose. Then you wouldn't have to exhaust yourself silly with all the schoolwork you do."
The mere thought of "picking up some tricks" from Malfoy was enough to make Rose want to retch straight into the lake.
"But, anyways, let's not talk about Malfoy." Molly pulled out her Herbology homework. "When are you holding the first Quidditch practice, Rosie?"
"Ugh, I've been so caught up with all this nonsense -" Rose sighed tiredly, fiddling with the hem of her robes. "I haven't given it much thought, to tell you the truth." She turned to her other friend. "Sandy, when's Lennox holding Ravenclaw tryouts?"
"Wednesday." Lysander replied.
"And the pitch is also booked tomorrow." Rose thought aloud, then turned to her cousin. "Mol, how does this Thursday sound?"
"I'm free." Molly shrugged.
"Alright. I'd better tell the others." Rose pulled out what looked like a bronze knut and performed a quick charm. The serial numbers on the coin switched around to display the date of practice.
Lysander let out a low whistle. "Impressive, Rosie."
"Just something I picked up from my mother." She winked.
"Has everyone on the team got one?"
"Yes." Rose shot Lysander a warning look. "Don't you even think about running off to Lennox with my idea."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Lysander winked.
"Hey, look, Scout's coming." Molly elbowed her cousin. Rose turned around to see the slight brunette coming down the lawn to join them.
"All right, you all?" Lily greeted cheerfully as she joined the three sixth-years.
"What're you doing here, Scout?" Rose narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Whatever do you mean?" Lily blinked her green eyes innocently.
"Shouldn't you be running off with Finnigan Junior?" Lysander asked.
"Oh, who, Callie?" Lily shrugged as she pulled out some parchment from her bag. "Nah, I figured I'd just come and hang out with you guys for a while."
"Scout, you never hang out with us on weekdays." Rose raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You don't like to be infected with our 'nerdy germs', remember?"
"Well, I decided it was time for a change." Lily shrugged nonchalantly, pulling out her quill.
"Come on, Scout. No one's falling for your bull." Lysander raised a blonde eyebrow. "What's really brought you hear, eh?"
Molly squinted at Lily's papers, covered in her messy scrawl. "That certainly doesn't look like homework to me, Lils." She observed, her voice full of suspicion.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright." She sighed, putting her hands up in surrender. "I give in. The truth is, I've been trying to get to the bottom of Rose's love mystery. So far, after a fitful night of thinking and going over observations, I've narrowed it down -"
"Oh, great gargoyles, Scout." Rose groaned. "Do you have a life? I've told you already, I don't fancy anyone. On my oath!"
"Right, Rose." Lily said passively, waving her off. "So, so far this is the list I've made of the possible suspects." She waved around the piece of parchment that Molly had been looking at.
Rose immediately snatched it up, scanned over it, then promptly cracked up laughing. "Oh, Scout, give it up, will you? It's hopeless. I've never liked anyone on this list of yours."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you admit you have liked someone?"
"Gods, no. I just meant - Oh, I give up!" Rose threw up her hands in frustration.
"Lemme see this." Lysander picked the list off from the ground, and he and Molly pored over it.
"Brett Thomas . . . . . .Christopher Lee . . . . . .Matt Lennox . . . ."
"Oi, you've taken a fancy to my Quidditch captain?"
"No!"
"Mastoff Richards . . . . . .Riley Erminoff . . . . .Oh, Scout, you thought to put Creevey too?"
"That nancy-boy?" Lysander laughed. "By Dumbledore, Lily, you're hopeless. I would as soon say that Rose was secretly in love with Scorpius Malfoy!" This led to an outburst of hysterical laughter that left all four of them breathless.
"Well, you know. . . . . . ." Lily began mischievously as they regained themselves. "There is another person that I highly suspect of being the object of Rose's affections. But -" She smirked. "Perhaps I shouldn't mention it in the present company." The fourth-year stole a sly glance at Lysander, who promptly turned red in the face. Luckily, Rose didn't notice, because her attention was suddenly dragged elsewhere by an unpleasantly familiar, cold voice.
"Has the Weasel taken a fancy to someone, now?" Malfoy appeared from behind the tree, in full green Quidditch regalia with his mint-condition Windwhistler slung over his shoulder.
"No, I haven't." Rose snapped. "And its none of your business anyways."
"Been stalking us, have you, ferret?" Lysander said coldly, clearly have gotten over his temporary embarrassment. "Finally run out of things to do with your miserable life?"
"Don't flatter yourself with the thought that I'd actually waste my precious time spying on you tossers." Malfoy sneered contemptuously. "If you really must know, I was just on my way to the pitch to get some practice."
"You'll need it." Rose muttered under her breath.
"Want to say something, Lover Girl?" The Slytherin Seeker shot Rose a look that could've frozen the Sahara.
"I was just saying that you'd better get on with your practicing, Malfoy, and leave us to our own." Rose said pleasantly as she casually twirled around her cherrywood wand like a baton, but the threat in her eyes was unmistakable.
Scorpius dawdled for a moment, then decided to play it safe. He shot Rose an evil smirk as he turned away. "Cheers, Weasel. Good luck with writing your love sonnets."
It took the combined efforts of her three friends to prevent Rose from hexing the life out of Scorpius Malfoy.
"You know, I would've never taken you for the 'romantic' type, with the personality of a Hungarian Horntail and all, but, then again, I guess everyone has their secret side."
"Malfoy, let me make this clear one - more - time -" Rose clenched her teeth tightly as she ran her fingers along the bindings of the library books. "I am not in love with anyone, contrary to popular belief, and that has absolutely nothing to do with our project." She pulled out a few promising-looking, dusty texts and dropped them with a thud on the table, causing Scorpius to start. "It's been five minutes and we haven't gotten anything done yet!"
"Bloody Merlin, woman, are you this anal-retentive all of the time?" He gave a disgusted sigh. "No wonder why half your family's barking - they've got to put up with you."
The blood pounded in Rose's ears. She took a few deep breaths, leaning against the bookshelf, trying to calm herself, but she ended up with her wand at Malfoy's throat anyways.
"You've crossed the line, you prat." She hissed, jabbing it into his Adam's apple. "If you say another word about my family, you can bid adieu to your mighty big head."
Malfoy remained frustratingly complacent. He blinked his gray eyes at Rose, a familiar sneer appearing on his face. "Just a tip, Weasel - guys don't really find this whole passive-aggressive thing attractive. "
Rose dropped her arm in shock. "I'd hardly want to be attractive according to your judgement." She choked indignantly. "That'd be an insult."
"Whatever do you mean by that, Ginger?"
"Oh, please, I know your 'type'." Rose scoffed. "Skimpy clothes, high heels, enough makeup to repaint the Louvre, and enough brains to fill a teaspoon."
"Hate to break it to you, love, but that's almost every guy's type."
"Not if he's a decent, respectable gentleman!" Rose insisted.
"Look, Weasley, let me give you a real piece of knowledge, as a guy." The edge in Malfoy spoke with fake kindness. "Gentleman or not, no bloke would give you the time of day if you insist on keeping this dumpy look of yours. If you don't change, you're going to end up being some wizened old witch with nine cats. Just a fact of life." He smirked. "But then again. . . ."
Malfoy paused for a moment, then clucked his tongue as he looked Rose up and down and sighed with mock-pity. ". . . sometimes some cases may just be hopeless. No matter how much you'd clean up, I don't think it'd change anything, to tell you the truth." Scorpius shrugged. "I suppose some people are just unfortunate. Good luck with those cats."
Rose swore, if Madam Hayworth hadn't happened to walk past that second, she would've Avada-ed his sorry bottom all the way to Pigfarts.
"Rose, are you going to come with me to dinner or not?" Molly Weasley could get so exasperated with her family sometimes.
Rose vaguely waved her off, not breaking her distracted pace around the dormitory. "You go, I'm not hungry. I've got some - er - some studying to do."
"Oh Rose," Molly sighed, shaking her head. "You're killing yourself! Please, just come down to have a bite. At least eat a salad or something."
"No, it's alright, Mols."
"Do you want me to bring something up for you?"
"No thanks, I'm fine. Really. Thought it's sweet of you to offer."
"Well, alright then." Molly made way for the door. "Try not to wear a hole in our carpet, will you, Rose?"
"Mhmm." Rose wasn't really listening at all. A furious internal battle was currently going on in her head - one that could've given WWII a run for its money.
She just couldn't get over the contemptuous words of a certain Slytherin slimeball. How dare he say that she was "dumpy-looking!" True, Rose did prefer roomy jumpers and had given up on her hair a long time ago - but still . . . .and of course she could catch a bloke's attention without having to hike up her skirt! She was Rose Weasley - she had brains instead.
Okay, so they really hadn't been much use in the past, but . . .
And even if all this was true; that guys only paid attention to pretty girls; it wasn't like Rose couldn't be pretty if she tried! Or at least tolerable, she supposed. But either way, she was most definitely not a hopeless case - contrary to Malfoy's verdict. And she'd prove it to him, too. She'd doll herself up and see what he'd have to say when guys fell at her feet - or so she hoped would happen.
But wait . . .Rose thought. If she changed herself, then that would only tell Malfoy that she'd actually given a damn about what he'd said. In fact - it'd be taking his advice and proving that he was right.
But if she didn't do anything about it and remained the way she was, she'd still be proving him right by showing him she couldn't be anything more than "dumpy"!
Rose Weasley was stuck in a quandary.
Oh, that goddamn Slytherin!
After another good few minutes of aimless pacing, Rose finally decided on a line of action. She pulled out her trunk from underneath her four-poster bed, unzipped it, and reached her arm in, digging around for something.
Now, I did bring it, didn't I? She thought. That's right, mummy snuck it in after I'd finished packing. Where is it now?
Finally, her fingers brushed against something hard and rectangular. Rose tightened her grip and extracted a thick, lavender leather-bound book that looked like it'd never been opened before.
Bingo.
With a thud, she dropped it on her vanity and sat down. Even though Victoire had just given it to her this past summer, the book was already gathering a good layer of dust. Rose quickly brushed it off, revealing the curlicue script embossed in gold - Aunt Adelaide's Big Book of Beauty Tips.
As she glanced at the perky-looking witch on the cover, Rose sighed and wondered to herself, What in the world am I getting myself into?
Then she cracked open the book and began to read.