Written for the War of the Elemental Song Quotes Challenge on HPFC with the prompt "Take a chance, take your shoes off, dance in the rain." - Panic! at the Disco, "I Have Friends In Holy Spaces"

A steady drizzle could be faintly heard pitter-pattering on the Hogwarts grounds. The day appeared to be rather gloomy, although for Rose it was anything but depressing. After all, she'd received an O on her Potions essay without even trying, and her parents would surely be proud. As Head Students, she and her friend Will were sitting opposite each other in Professor Slughorn's office, determining whether a pair of fourth years should get a "Poor" or an "Acceptable" on their Girding Potion.

"He looks like he tried rather hard, you know, this Seghan kid," Rose said, "even if his partner didn't help at all."

"Well, Seghan shouldn't have partnered with him, then," Will argued.

"Can't we just leave Slughorn to do this?" complained Rose as she sleepily positioned her head in her hands. It was nearing midnight, she'd never been one to stay up late, and grading the teachers' assignments was the most tedious task that came with the Headship.

"Come on, Rose, you know we can't do that." Will was grinning, but his friend could tell he was serious.

She sighed. "Can we at least take a break?" The Ravenclaw boy looked hesitant, but at last he nodded. "C'mon," Rose beamed, taking Will's wrist. His cheeks turned faintly pink as she pulled him out the door and through the corridors.

"Where are we going, Rose?" Will protested. "We can't be out for long, you know, we need to finish those assignments, and we'll get caught…"

"We are Heads, Will! We're not going to get in trouble!"

Rose dragged him towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower and then towards the small entrance that led to the training grounds. "We're not going - oh, come on…"

The Gryffindor grinned as she quietly pushed through the doors, Will's reluctant expression only encouraging her. It was raining slightly harder now, becoming more of a rain than a drizzle. Rose slipped off her shoes and pulled off her socks as she stood there in the stone doorway, looking expectantly at Will as if he was required to do the same.

Will groaned. "I'm going to kill you for this," he warned her. All the same, he pushed his shoes off his feet and joined her on the muddy earth. They stood there for a moment, not saying a word as rain fell softly on the grass.

Then, "See, isn't this nice?" Rose asked the boy grimacing as his robes and hair were pelted with raindrops.

"I'm going to be absolutely soaked when we get back in. Can we just go inside again?"

"You go ahead."

"Then you're going to be soaking wet. And cold! Don't forget cold."

"It's just drizzle!"

It was more of a downpour now.

"Yes, just drizzle. Nothing uncomfortable," Will frowned, shivering.

"You're right. Nothing uncomfortable."

"Let's just go back in, Rose, please, we've got to finish grading Abercrombie and McLaggen's assignment…"

"No, I'm enjoying this!"

"Yes, well, I'm not. I happen to not particularly enjoy rain. I also happen to not have any qualities of a Gryffindor, and whereas I'm quite sure most Gryffindors would enjoy such fun, fearless activities as standing in the rain getting soaked, I don't like this."

Rose pouted. "You aren't a Gryffindor, you're right," she said sadly.

"And the hat didn't even consider me for Gryffindor, you know."

"Oh," Rose said in a small voice, but after a moment, she grinned. "Just go inside, silly," she admonished. "Why'd you keep arguing with me? Go inside!"

Will opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again, gesturing with his hands as if trying to explain something to a foreigner.

"Oh, let's go inside, Will," Rose said as she rolled her eyes.

The Head Boy thanked her for allowing them to once again enter the castle as they pulled on their socks and shoes.

"Thank you for going out in the rain with me!" Rose replied brightly.

He sighed. "It's fine."

"It was not. You had absolutely no liking for that experience."

"I did!"

Rose looked at him skeptically, but he didn't look like he was lying. "All right then, Will," she said finally, "we've got some projects to grade." She once again grabbed his wrist and pulled him off towards Slughorn's office, and this time, her hand slunk down a few inches until Rose Weasley's fingers closed upon those of Will Larson.