Hello Everyone! I am still alive... barely... after a demanding first year of college. For those of you who follow my first story, There's Magic and Then There's Destiny, I promise you I haven't given that up. In fact, I'm nearing the end of the final chapter, with a potential sequel in the works. For the mean time, this was an idea that came to me quite a few months ago. This prologue to the story has sat in my files ever since. However, with a few touch ups, here it is!

Prologue

I woke up with a start, my eyes widening as I took in the sheets that were definitely not mine, the decor that was definitely not mine, and the hairy legs that were wrapped around my own and definitely not mine. Shit.

The worst part about one night stands is the next day. You know, when the tequila has worn off and the delicious haziness of a situation has subsided for the cold, pounding headache of shame. I seemed to be doing this a lot lately, and that's why I had a brilliant plan, tried and true.

It started with me slipping from the bed unnoticed.

This was a whole lot easier said than done, especially when the bloke sleeping beside you is nearly attached to your hip. And the aforementioned leg tangling issue. But I did it, because I'm Rose fucking Weasley, and no muggle was going to lie in the way of me sneaking out of an apartment.

Next I had to find my clothes, trying not to cringe that my favorite super short dress was being used by the guy as a pillow and he drools. And then trying not to wince as my bra- the super cute pink lace one bought by Vic- is somehow dangling from the fan.

It seemed that drunk Rose was a fucking riot.

And after I finally slipped back on the clothes, high heels that were obnoxiously high dangling from my fingers, then I tiptoed towards the door.

And promptly swore with the dexterity of a sailor when it hit me that my wand was at my own apartment, tucked behind the refrigerator. Fat lot of good it did there. Groaning, I unlocked his door as quietly as possible and slipped out into the dim hallway.

Two subway transfers and a taxi ride later I was at the base of my muggle apartment building, an intense headache building as I huffed my way through the doors. I had used the last of my muggle cash on that taxi ride, and my mood, a sparkling globe of the dizziness of tequila and the moodiness of being hungover, was at an all time low.

"Good morning Mrs Smith." I said as politely as possible when I finally reached the landing of my eighth floor apartment. I wasn't high in the bartending rankings, which, coincidentally, meant the only apartment I could afford was cramped and not in the best part of New York City. It also meant there was no elevator, which was a real bugger.

My neighbor, who always liked to hang out in the stairwell, gave me a once over.

"And where have you been all night Rose?" She asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

I flashed a cheery grin. "Worked the late shift."

"In that get up?"

Oh Merlin, now the elderly woman next door thought I was some kind of pole dancer.

"I switched from a sensible blouse when my friend swung by." I tried to explain.

Mrs. Smith grinned, showcasing her tobacco stained teeth. "Was this friend male or female?"

I rolled my eyes. "Good day, Mrs. Smith."

"It will be when you share some of your weed with me!" She called after me, causing me to chuckle. First because she honestly thought I would stoop that low. And because if that wasn't a good representation of my apartment building, I don't know what was.

"Lovely of you to finally show up."

I jumped out of my skin, wildly pawing at my nonexistent pockets for my nonexistent pepper spray.

That is, until I spotted the trademark messy black hair.

"Al-" I groaned, clutching my heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

My cousin eyed me critically from his place on my ragged couch. "Just getting in?"

I gritted my teeth as I marched towards the refrigerator.

"Rosie," Al started, taking my silence as my response. "What the hell are you doing?!"

I swung my head back towards him, hand on the fridge door. "Getting some cereal-"

"Not food. Your life." He said quietly.

I mashed my teeth together and turned to my dear cousin. "Cut the crap Al, your life is just as screwed up as mine!"

Al raised an eyebrow. "Really, because the way I see it I'm a full fledged Auror and engaged to the perfect woman."

I scoffed, until a word suddenly echoed in my brain. Engaged. Engaged?!

"What?" I asked dumbly, always the eloquent one.

Al grinned. "I proposed to her a couple months ago. The wedding is in six weeks."

I started to smile, until another word caused me to pause.

"Months?"

Al looked sadly at me. "We figured we would wait as long as possible so that you would have less excuses to join us."

Well, ouch.

"I don't make-"

"Yes you do."

"Name one-"

"Grandma's birthday party. Lil's engagement party. Hell, you even skipped out on James' wedding."

I blinked. Maybe I had developed a bit of a tendency to skip out on family functions.

"I'm just busy all the time Albus. I live across an ocean, for Merlin's sake." I muttered, peeking in the fridge. Nothing lined the shelves except a moldy pack of cheese and few cheap bottles of beer. I groaned, the headache starting to weasel its way into my skull and stomp on my will to live.

"Rosie-"

"Don't call me that." I muttered, too tired to raise my voice.

Al sighed, running a finger through his hair. "Well, quite frankly, I don't know what else to call you anymore."

"Try Rose, it's what everyone else manages off of." I snapped.

"Who's 'everyone else'? Your abundance of one night stands?" Al said harshly.

"Fuck off." It was an automatic reply at this point.

The silence stretched between us, my nose buried in the cupboards. There must be some instant noodles, at the very least.

"Rose. We want you at the wedding." Al tried quietly. "Us three- well, four if you count Scor, we were inseparable."

"Too bad. That fantasy of me coming home and reigniting an old friendship isn't going to happen, Albus. We haven't been together as a group in… years." I muttered drily, coming up short of anything but dust.

"And who the fuck is to blame for that?!" Al snapped, finally losing his calm demeanor. Good.

I finally looked at him, really looked at him. "You're happy."

"Rose, come home." Al pressed, green eyes burning into my own.

I clanked one of the cheap beers onto my plastic counter, undoing the top with a flick of my wand. I spun back to my favorite cousin, hair frizzy, makeup half off, clad in a dress too short to see the light of day.

"I am home. This is my home now." I said, chugging the beer in a few gulps. Nothing beat a nasty hangover like getting drunk again.

Next Chapter coming soon ~ The Clever Heir