The second of September had arrived quickly enough, and with it came the first day of classes for the Hogwarts alumni. At seven-thirty in the morning, many of those students were already up and arranging everything they would need for their day, but not Ross Weasley.

"Come on, Rosalind" almost shouted an exasperated Hermione Granger to a bundle of cream-colored sheets and red hair. "It's almost time for breakfast and we need to get our schedules for class!"

From beneath the sheets, Ross growled.

"Get away, Hermione. I want to sleep more" she said, putting her pillow on her head to block the voice of her friend.

Soft giggles could be heard from around her and Ross stood up immediately, and just in time to feel Lavender Brown pouring a stream of cold water on her face. Ross gasped for air while the other four girls in the dorm laughed, Hermione included.

"Damn you, Lavender! I'll get back for this!" she shouted, grabbing quickly her wand and the clothes Hermione set up for her, and entering the showers. "I'm going to get revenge, you know, and you won't like it!" yelled the redhead girl from inside the bathroom.

Ross could hear the laughter of the girls going out of the room, but she didn't move. The water was running and she just stood there. Lavender had been her friend for four years, until she went with Seamus to the Yule Ball. From then on, she had pranked Ross when she had the chance. There was never any real hate, but Ross knew Lavender felt hurt because of that. Still, she had no way to know about her being in love with Seamus, so she pushed her guilt away and stepped into the shower.

The water was at the perfect temperature, as it always was in Hogwarts, but Ross felt a chill. This was the first day of her sixth year, and many things had changed since she boarded the Express for the first time. She had grown and learned a lot, but still felt like the small girl who played dolls with Ginny before the younger girl decided to leave dolls aside in favor of brooms. It didn't matter that much, because Ross loved flying too, but she could never hope to be as good in a broom as Ginny did.

She remembered once, when Charlie caught them sneaking his and Bill's broom to fly around while their parents weren't home. He laughed at the girls and taught them little tricks that Ginny absorbed, while herself did just okay.

"Hurry up, Rosalind, we're already late" came the exasperated voice of Hermione from outside.

"I'm coming, Hermione" she answered, rinsing her hair and getting out of the shower. She dressed carelessly without buttoning her blouse all the way up and tying the red and gold tie in her hair as a ribbon. She smiled at her reflection in the full-body mirror. Ginny looked better with their Quidditch uniform, she looked better with the school one. Not that it mattered, as boys tended to gravitate around her sister, forgetting about her altogether. She couldn't even get Longbottom to get as clumsy around her as Ginny did.

"Finally" said Hermione when she saw her get out of the bathroom. "Let's go already, Harry should be waiting for us downstairs"

Ross smiled a little at the thought of Harry. Her best friend since the first train ride, who had helped her train to get her Keeper spot last year. She had to admit she was madly in love with him since last year in the DA, but Harry was to busy being the Chosen One and fighting Voldemort to care about a relationship. And besides he would never look at her like that, not with girls like Hermione or Ginny, or even Luna, around.

"You took your time, Ross" greeted her Harry, with a smile.

"I needed my full beauty-sleep" she answered playfully. "Can't go on in life looking like a house elf with glasses in need of a haircut, can I?"

Hermione looked at both with impatience. "Let's go to breakfast. Do I need to remind you, Harry, that we are prefects and need to instruct the first years?"

That seemed to make Harry's sense of duty step forward and they went to the Great Hall. It felt strange to know this was their sixth year, and not their second. It seemed as if so little time had passed.

"We need to talk" said Harry to both girls when they had advanced a considerable distance from the Common Room. He told them about what he heard Malfoy say on the Express.

Hermione immediately tried to make Harry understand the impossibilities of his theory about the Slytherin, but something was off. Harry had always been more intuitive than Hermione and her together.

"A part of me thinks he was just showing off, but along with the business in Knockturn Alley, I admit is pretty suspicious" she said after considering the issue. She didn't think Malfoy could do much harm, but nobody could say he wouldn't try. "Let's watch him closely, but let's not forget he is a liar Harry, and that he would do anything to attract attention"

He looked at her and nodded. Ross knew this was not the end of the issue, but the thankfulness in Harry's eyes made her grateful she said that instead of dismissing what he said, like Hermione often did.

In a comfortable silence, they reached the Great Hall, where every set of eyes turned to see the Chosen One.

"Ignore them, Harry" Hermione told him.

"Yeah, they'll get tired of you pretty soon. You're not that interesting, mate" said Ross, gaining an honest smile from her friend.

They sat in the middle of the table, near Neville and Ginny. Ross promptly put food in her plate and her mouth while the others ate at a more sedate pace.

"We're going to have so much free time this year" said Ross once they had gotten their schedules. "I know Hermione, we will need to study extra because next years we have NEWT's, but relax. It's only our fist day here and we haven't even had our first class"

"Which, by the way, will be a free period" said Harry, writing out some ideas for the tryout on a spare parchment between his new A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration book. Ross smiled, wondering once again why Harry always felt the need to have pieces of parchment in every book he had.

"Well, I do have class, so I will be going before I'm late" said Hermione.

"But we just got here and you haven't eaten enough" said Ross, while Harry and Hermione exchanged looks and chuckled.

"Told you she's turning into a Mini-Molly" said Harry fondly. Ross groaned and kept on eating her bacon.

"Want to go back to the common room?" asked Harry. "We have an hour and a half before Deffense"

"Just let me take some cake first" said Ross.

They spent the period reading on the Defense book and talking about how everything could be taught at the DA, Harry's head on Ross' lap like they were so used to.

"You really want to get us together again, right Harry?" said the girl. "You're not telling me this just to remember 'the good old times with everyone', are you?"

Harry didn't look up from the book, but Ross could see his hardened eyes and thoughtful expression.

"Cedric died, Sirius died... I don't want anyone else to die for me" said Harry sitting up "but there are some I won't stop from fighting. Not anymore. Not after how much you helped me in the Ministry last year. And if I can't prevent you from bein in the middle of everything, I can at least make sure you will be prepared for what is coming"

Ross looked at him sadly. She hated to see him like this. To see how much he had suffered just because the ambition of the power-hungry Dark Lord. The weight of the world was a burden on his shoulders since he was born, and Ross despised that. She despised the damn prophecy that had destroyed his life.

"We'll be the best support for you, Harry" she said, taking his hand between hers, the book forgotten in her lap. "Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna... Hell, if you ask Lavender or Ernie Macmillan they'll say yes too. This is not just your world. It's not just your responsibility"

She could see Harry's eyes starting to water, and without thinking it she hugged him. Ross knew of how the Dursley isolated Harry and then made him feel as if everything was his fault; she also knew how Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape emphasized that since Harry got here. It was time he knew he was only part of something bigger. It was time Harry realised he was part of something, and that not everything happened because of him.

"Thank you, Rosie" he told her. "You have no idea how much this means to me"

She smiled to him. "You have nothing to thank for, Harry. That's what friends are for. But let's get going already, before Snape expels us in the first class"

Both of them walked towards the portrait hole, both noticing, but neither one caring about their still linked hands. Still, Ross couldn't help but feel nervous. Was this really happening?

They were about to arrive to the dungeons when Hermione appeared around a corner. She didn't seem to notice anything about them, and started complaining about how much homework she had.

"You know, Hermione, if you don't like to have that much homework, you should take less classes" said Ross, which gained her a harsh look from Hermione.

"Not everyone is like you, Rosalind" Hermione told her. "I will have much more trouble getting a job after Hogwarts than you will. I need to be prepared"

Harry was about to add something when Snape oppened the door. "Inside" he called them and the small crow of students entered the classroom without making any noise.

Ross was disgusted by the awful pictures of people with injuries but did not look away and made sure to see every one of them. That pictures were the real thing. The photographs were hung in the classroom so they could see the threat the Dark Arts posed when in hands of evil. She saw Neville wipe a tear and turned to see what prompted it. Ross was not surprised when she saw a picture of a shrieking witch. Mentally, she cursed Snape.

She sat besides Hermione, who was sitting besides Harry, and listened to Snape's rant about the Dark Arts and its Defense. She couldn't help but remember how Harry talked to them last year at the DA and compare it to Snape's own lecture. Ross realised they shared a passion for that kind of knowledge, the only difference being that Harry used it to protect the people he loves and she doubted Snape would protect even his Slytherins.

After his talk, he made them pair up and practice a nonverbal Shield Charm. While Ross was proficient in the charm, she had never tried to do it nonverbally and couldn't even invoke the most basic manifestation of it. Harry, however, had managed to cast a tickle charm at her, nonverbally.

That didn't stop Snape from demonstrating a nonverbal spell rather harshly with Harry, who shouted a Protego to shield himself.

Ross saw Snape lose his balance thanks to Harry's incantation and tried to not to laugh while everybody else stood still, fearing Snape's reaction.

"Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"

"Yes," answered Harry.

"Yes, sir."

"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."

Ross could see Snape's murderous expression and she tried hard to contain her laughter. Harry was in so much trouble, but the normal kind of trouble, where a normal student defies a normal teacher. She hoped it could always be like this. Harry bickering with Snape, Hermione complaining of homework, herself preoccupied with thoughts of Harry's admirers... But life couldn't be like that for them. He was the Chosen One, and they were his supports.

Still, right now she could do nothing but watch Harry win himself a detention with Snape.

"Bloody brilliant, Harry!" said Ross excitedly once they were away from the dungeons.

"Well, he deserved it" said Harry.

"Honestly, Harry, you shouldn't have talked to a professor like that"

"Didn't you see he was the one who attacked me, Hermione?" said Harry. "Besides, the way he talked about the Dark Arts was wrong. What is Dumbledore playing at, letting him teach that class?"

Ross and Hermione shared a look.

"Well, Harry..." started Hermione, but Ross interrupted her before she could say something that put Harry in a somber mood.

"I think you're right, but that's the same way McGonagall talks about Transfiguration" she said. "And you also talk like that when you teach. I think that's just the teacher speaking about his subject"

Harry looked at her and nodded. Ross smiled and sighed internally. There was no need to antagonize Harry, but sometimes Hermione just felt the need to point out everything Harry disliked about himself and that made Ross angry. Couldn't Hermione see how much Harry hated himself sometimes?

Fortunately, Sloper decided that was the perfect moment to appear and give Harry a note from Dumbledore.

"Snape won't like it, but I'm not going to his detention" said Harry in a better mood.

Their break went by fast enough to make them feel it didn't even exist, but the three friends still made their way to Potions class, where they discovered they were the only Gryffindors there.

They sat just in front of a gold-colored cauldron that contained an almost-white potion, with a soft pink sheen. Somehow, smelling the potion made her happy, as if the strange combination of honey, summer rain and leather could make her loose her senses. She smiled to Harry, who was looking weirdly at her, and to Hermione, who was blushing a bit.

That was the moment when their new professor entered the classroom. Harry had already met him, but this was the first time Ross looked at the fat professor up close.

He greeted Harry and Zabini with more enthusiasm than to the rest of the class and Ross sighed. Another fan of Harry Potter.

The professor wasted no time before asking them to take their books out, along with their scales and potion kits. While Ross and Harry had their scales already out, they had no books or potion ingredients.

""Sir?" said Harry, raising his hand

"Harry, m'boy?"

"I haven't got a book or scales or anything, nor Ross, we didn't realize we'd be able to do the N.E.W.T., you see..."

"Ah, yes, Professor McGonagall did mention it... Not to worry, my dear boy, not to worry at all. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard today. There are some copies of the book there, too"

Both Ross and Harry went to collect their loaned books and ingredients. When they reached the cabinet, Harry let Ross take the good book, while took the tattered one for himself. They returned to their seats and watched Hermione answer Slughorn's questions without a mistake.

"Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here... Yes, my dear?" said Slughorn, who appeared clearly amazed at Hermione's knowledge. Ross wished she could learn as easily as Hermione did.

"It's Amortentia!"

"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," said Slughorn, who was looking mightily impressed, "but I assume you know what it does?"

"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" said Hermione.

"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?" asked Slughorn.

"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," said Hermione enthusiastically, "and it's supposed to smell differently to each according to what attracts us,and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and..."

But she turned slightly pink and did not complete the sentence. Ross, also, turned a bit red. Leather, leather... She knew why she smelled it. It was the smell of the Quidditch protections. She turned to see Harry, who was looking at her again. This time, both of them knew why.

The class continued without Ross paying attention to any of it. Not even when Slughorn offered the tiny bottle of liquid luck. She was sure Hermione would get it, anyway.

Surprising as it was for everyone, Harry won it. She was genuinely happy for him, but could not stop thinking about the Amortentia during Harry's retelling of his findings in the book.

"That wasn't really your work, Harry" said Hermione, though her eyes spoke only of jealousy. To Ross it seemed as if Hermione said Harry didn't deserve it. "You shouldn't have done what the book said. You should have taken another instead of that one"

"He just followed another set of directions, Hermione, and it worked for him" she said, not really in the mood to argue with the girl.

"Wait" said a nearby voice Ross recognized. "You obeyed what a book told you, Harry?" asked Ginny and everyone instantly knew why her voice sounded angry and alarmed.

"It wasn't like that, Ginny" said Harry immediately. "Those were just the steps of a potion, nothing more"

Ginny nodded, and continued with her dinner, but Ross knew she would be watching Harry closely. Her sister had lived a horrible thing and wanted no one to feel the same as she had.

As for her, she was really happy for Harry's Felix Felicis, but happier because she knew Harry had smelled something related to her in the Amortentia.

That night, after dinner, she and Harry were alone in the Common Room. Well, mostly alone, as some of the other students were around, but Hermione wasn't. She was a bit angrier about the book than Ross had thought.

"You think Hermione's right about the book?" asked her Harry, said book being in his hands while he read through its pages. "It's from someone who called himself The Half-Blood Prince, but I think he was just a student like us, who just happened to be better at potions than the original author"

Ross remained silent. It was unusual for Harry to be so calculating, but he was right. If the book was there, it meant it belonged to another student.

"I think you should keep it, Harry" she said. "But analyze everything, so you don't make a mistake like Ginny did"

"Thanks, Rosie" he said, not looking at her.

"It was you, Harry" she said suddenly. "My Amortentia smelled like you"

That got Harry's attention and he turned to see her. Ross could see a certain fear in his eyes, and knew what he was thinking.

"Remember what we talked this morning?" she asked. "We'll be there for you, Harry, so no matter if I'm just your friend or your girlfriend, I will be in danger anyways. But I'd rather die fighting, knowing we are together, than live hiding away from the war, without you"

Just as the fear receded, his eyes filled with another emotion. Ross recognized immediately as she got closer to Harry. It was uncertainty of the future.

"I'll keep you alive, Rosie" he said. "No matter what"

She hugged him and didn't let go for a while. They stayed together, arms touching, for a long time. Neither of them noticed the light fading, as the fire dimmed and the torches were blown out by the elves.

"I smelled summer rain" he told her once everyone had left the Common Room. "Remember that time before the Quidditch World Cup? We were degnoming the garden for your mom, when it started to rain and you just stood there, in the middle of the garden, laughing and running around"

Ross nodded and Harry took her hand. She smiled a little at the tender gesture.

"That was when I fell in love with you, Rosie, with the carefree girl who could not care less if her hair or her robes got wet" he looked at her in the eyes. "We'll win this war. I'll defeat Voldemort, and you will be carefree again"

Ross got a little teary-eyed with his revelation, but her heart couldn't be happier. The only thing she didn't like is how he wanted to do everything for everyone, never for himself. She would give anything, just to see him do something selfish.

"We'll win this war" she agreed. "And we will live in peace. Not just me, but us. You and I, Harry"

And I will piece together the fragments of your heart, said Ross to herself.

For:

the Gender-Swap Boot Camp Challenge, using the prompt Rain,

the If You Dare Challenge, using prompt #916: fragments of your heart, and

the Music Appreciation Challenge, using Xandria's Lullaby

All of this Challenges are from the HPFC forum.