The New Year's Eve Party at the Potter Mansion was in full swing, but Rose Weasley was not in the mood to celebrate. She made her way across the makeshift dance floor and barely missed tripping over her cousin Lily, who raced past her, laughing gleefully and being chased by her brother Hugo, who was yelling something about "You cheated!"
She passed the table around which her father and godfather, Uncle Harry were playing…was that Wizard's Chess? Rose rolled her eyes.
Seriously? It was New Year's Eve and they were playing Wizard's Chess?
She would never understand them.
Her mum and Aunt Ginny were supporting their respective husbands, whispering suggestions in their ears, and cheering whenever another poor chess piece got smashed to bits.
Rose walked over to the bar, where Teddy Lupin, the bartender-for-the-night, winked at her and said, "You look like you could use a drink,"
He laughed at Rose's somber expression and continued, "But your father would murder me if I slipped his 16-year old baby girl any alcohol, so it'll be Butterbeer for you, missy."
Rose grinned at that, and accepted the golden-brown drink from Teddy.
She sat down on a stool and chatted to him for a while, sipping her drink.
Rose gave a startled jump when she felt a tap on her shoulder, and a familiar voice behind her said, "May I have this dance, Milady?"
She relaxed and turned around to see the beaming face of her best friend and cousin, Albus Severus Potter. She stood up and clasped his outstretched hand, and with a curtsy, she said "Why of course, kind Sir."
She laughed as, with a wave to Teddy, Albus proceeded to drag her to the dance floor and madly swing her around in circles.
In the middle of one particularly complicated dance routine that they had made up when they were little, he grinned and said, "I hope you aren't still sulking about Scorpius not being able to make it."
Rose's smile faded a bit at the mention of her boyfriend's name, as she sighed and said, "A little bit."
Albus grabbed her hands and said, "Well then, I think you need to shake off those blues, because you know lover boy would be here if he could. It's not his fault that his parents forced him to join them on their holiday at the last minute." And with that, Albus literally began shaking and twirling Rose around.
After he was done, Rose was laughing and gasping for breath. "All right, Al! I'll be fine! And please let me go now, because I am worn out and I think I need to sit down for a while," she panted.
Albus, apparently satisfied with Rose's improved mood, chuckled and said, "Of course, darling cousin. I am now going to find my dear brother James, to see if he's up for one last legendary, Potter vs. Potter duel. That is, if he's not too busy snogging his girlfriend-of-the-month." Shaking his head, Albus walked off.
Rose sighed as she left the dance floor and made her way up the Potters' enormous grand staircase, and sat herself down at the top. She surveyed the scene below her.
She saw her Professor/Uncle Neville talking animatedly to Aunt Luna and her husband.
She saw Dominique Weasley gracefully twirling around on the dance floor, with boys openly gawking at her, while her sister Victoire leaned across the bar to kiss her fiancé, Teddy. Rose smiled to herself as she saw her cousins Roxanne and Lucy jumping around Grandpa Weasley, trying to reach the bag of Chocolate Frogs he was holding over their heads, while getting a good laugh out of teasing them.
Her entire mad family seemed to be having a ball, and here was Rose, sitting on a staircase, mourning the absence of her boyfriend.
She knew that she was being silly and should just go out and enjoy herself with her family and friends, but she just couldn't seem to get into the mood.
Suddenly, Uncle Harry stood up and yelled, "One minute to midnight!"
Everyone gathered together excitedly as he conjured up a huge silver clock and suspended it in the middle of the room, and everyone watched the seconds go by.
Rose sighed. She wouldn't be kissing anyone when the clock struck twelve.
These were her depressing thoughts as she made her way down the stairs to wait for the New Year with the rest of the crowd.
When the second hand reached 10, everyone raised their wands as they yelled,
"10! 9! 8..."
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and an all-too-familiar voice spoke into her ear, "Did you miss me?"
Rose gasped as she recognized the voice and whirled around to see the devastatingly handsome face of Scorpius Malfoy, looking down at her and grinning from ear to ear.
"You didn't think I would actually leave you alone on New Year's Eve, did you?" he said.
"3! 2! 1!" roared the crowd, and as the clock struck twelve, Rose let out a scream of delight, threw her arms around Scorpius, and kissed him for all he was worth.
The huge silver clock exploded and showered confetti down on all the kissing couples.
Rose laughed as she pulled back and looked into Scorpius' twinkling eyes.
It looked like the New Year wouldn't be so bad after all.