Chapter 1

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A knock echoed against the doorframe and Rose turned away from her view of the lake, where a group of second years were skipping stones into the Giant Squid's territory.

Her mother stepped into the room, offering a smile to Rose's housemate as the tall girl turned to leave. "Thanks, sweetheart." The witch nodded perfunctorily, and Jackie sighed as the door clicked shut behind her. "Blimey, they aren't half snooty around here, are they? I dunno how you've stood it."

Rose gasped on a laugh. "Mum!"

"Well, 's true." She paused and took a good look at her daughter. "Oh, don't tell me you're not ready yet! The graduation's in an hour!"

Rose glanced down at herself, still in worn jeans and a t-shirt, and crossed her arms self-consciously. "I've got plenty of time."

"Like hell you do! Come on, let's get you into your dress, and I can help you with your hair—" Jackie froze, looking around the messy room. There wasn't a speck of taffeta in sight. "Do you even have a dress?"

"Mum—" there was a crackle of blue light by the door, and Rose dragged Jackie out of the way hurriedly. The steady cerulean light grew into a ragged seam in the air and with a hiss, it opened and a red-haired figure stepped out—no, make that two red-haired figures.

Jackie gaped at them as the two women shook their heads, grimacing as the light fizzled and faded. She leaned over to her daughter, her whisper carrying loudly in the quiet room. "Is that normal?"

Rose winced. "Not exactly. Hi, Donna, Ginny."

Jackie whirled to face Rose, her hands on her hips. "You told me the security on this place was top notch. So d'you mind explaining to me how two people have just stepped out of thin air?!"

Donna cleared her throat. "Hello to you, too, Mrs. Tyler."

Jackie shot her a glare. "We've gone over this. It's Jackie. And I'm waitin' to hear what my daughter has to say, thank you very much."

"Mum, Hogwarts is safe. This is just a transport spell the Doctor's been working on."

She narrowed her eyes. "Of course it is. So has himself been popping up to visit you, then?"

Ginny coughed on a laugh as Donna hid a smirk and Rose flushed. "Mum! No!"

Jackie snorted. "Right, like I believe that. I've seen the way he looks at you, Rose. And the way you look at him. Don't even try to pretend you don't."

"Mum, we aren't—we haven't—I've got to get ready for graduation, I am not talking about this now."

Ginny grinned and stuck her hand out to Jackie as Donna patted Rose on the shoulder, still looking amused. "And that's my cue. Ginny Weasley, ma'am. Rose asked me over to help her with her dress. It's nice to finally meet you—my mum's told me all about you."

Jackie harrumphed. "It's nice to meet you, too, I guess."

"Mum!"

Ginny cleared her throat and shot Rose a quelling look as she pulled Jackie off to the side. "Actually, I'd love it if you could help me out a bit."

Rose's brow furrowed, but Donna poked her with her elbow, lowering her voice. "Just go with it."

She sighed and opened her closet, pulling out her graduation dress—a fluffy pink retro affair—and switched clothes with a grumble. She'd seen it in the resale shop down the block on her last trip home, and had fallen in love at first sight.

Ginny nodded judiciously at it, then looked at Jackie, who had her lips pursed thoughtfully. The older woman motioned for Rose to twirl, and she did. "Well, it could stand to be nipped in at the waist, and the petticoat needs some fixing."

Ginny pulled out her wand, twirling it with a flourish. "You're right about that." With a quick flick and a murmured spell, Rose felt the fabric cinch in about her torso as the petticoat patched itself together, and Jackie's eyes widened.

"Blimey, that's useful. No wonder you haven't been buggin' me about new clothes."

Rose shrugged, smiling at Ginny. "I've got a brilliant tailor on speed-dial. Well, when she's not off leading her team to glorious victory."

"Damn right." Ginny grinned at her, then turned back to Jackie. "Growing up with my mum, you learned to make money stretch."

Jackie nodded sagely then turned aside with Donna to consult about makeup, and Rose cocked her head at Ginny. "How is the team doing? I haven't had a chance to keep up, with the N.E.W.T.s and all."

Ginny held her hand up with a flourish. There was a heavy gold ring on her pointer finger, covered in elaborate scrollwork. "You weren't wrong about the glorious victory thing. Say hello to the captain of the new Regional Champions."

Rose's jaw dropped. "That's brilliant! How on earth did I miss that?" She laughed. "Ginny, you're amazing!"

The redhead shrugged modestly—or it would be modest, if you missed the smug grin on her face. "You've been busy, Rose. From what I hear, you and the Doctor have been living up to my brothers' legacy."

Rose's eyes widened and she shook her head as Jackie turned at that, an eyebrow raised imperiously. "An' what sort of a legacy is that?"

Ginny cleared her throat and focused on the spangled bodice of Rose's dress, charming the fallen sequins back into place. "Academic excellence, of course."

Jackie pursed her lips at their sudden, intense focus. "Of course."

Donna nodded, shoving the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes shopping bag under the bed before Jackie spotted it. "The Doctor got some of the highest N.E.W.T. scores Hogwarts has ever seen—he broke all the records but one, even over Hermione's scores."

She sniffed. "Yeah? What was the one?"

Donna grinned. "Defense Against the Dark Arts. That one was broken by your daughter."

Rose shuffled her feet as Ginny's jaw dropped and Jackie stared at her. "Sarah Jane helped me prepare, is all."

She lost her breath in a huff as Jackie pounced on her, hugging her tight. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so proud of you!" Jackie stepped away, blinking back tears. "Look at you, record holder. Your dad would be so proud of you."

Rose smiled at her, biting her lip, but was saved from a reply by a knock at the window, a light tap-tap-tap. Donna opened it to find the Doctor gaping at her from atop his broomstick.

He frowned, steadying it carefully in the spring wind. "What are you doing here?"

She crossed her arms. "I could ask you the same thing, you plum."

Jackie pursed her lips together, glaring at her daughter. "Hasn't been visiting you, my arse."

The Doctor nearly fell off his broomstick. "Oh, hell—hello, Mrs. Tyler. Jackie." He gulped nervously. "'Lo, Rose."

She smiled shyly at him, running her hands nervously over her skirt. "Hello."

His eyes went wide as he stared at her, his gaze intent and lingering. "Blimey, you look gorgeous! I mean, not that it's a surprise, or anything—" Ginny snickered, and he seemed to wilt as he noticed her, too. "Hello, Ginny."

She grinned and waved. "Nice to see you, Doctor."

Rose bit her lip. "So, were you up here for something?" She defiantly ignored Jackie's snort.

He nodded and sat up, gripping his broom carefully as he dug into his suit pocket. Rose took a moment to admire the trim cotton suit he had on; a rich brown shot through with pale blue pinstripes that only emphasized his long limbs. She had helped him pick it out on their last trip to Hogsmeade when Wilf had come to visit and, much to the Doctor's dismay, to buy his adopted son some graduation clothes. Despite being entertained for hours by the gift shops whenever they visited a museum, the Doctor hated shopping.

Then again, he did live with Donna. Rose had never met as ruthless a shopper as Donna. She'd gone shopping with her on Boxing Day once, and once was more than enough.

"A-ha!" The Doctor crowed, holding up a small packet bound by pink ribbon. He began to wobble and hastily steadied himself before ducking his head shyly as he handed the package through the window. "Here it is. For, um. For graduation. You know, if you want. I'd better get back downstairs, then. I'll see you later."

With that, he darted away from the tower window. Donna grimaced and pulled it shut as he skimmed down the side of the castle, an arm's length away from the ancient stones. "I swear, that boy can never resist a chance to show off."

Rose bit her lip as she smiled down at the small packet in her hand, and Jackie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Well, come on then, open it already."

Ginny snagged the ribbon as Rose pulled it off, setting it next to Rose's dress, and the blonde gasped as she looked inside the the package. Nestled against the paper was a pair of earrings, the dangling stones the precise shade of Rose's dress.

"These are perfect. How did he—?" Rose looked up, and Donna smirked and tossed her hair.

"I may have done some reconnaissance earlier this week." Donna's sentence ended with a whuff as Rose tackled her in a hug.

"Thank you. So much."

Donna laughed and hugged her back. "You're welcome, Rose. I had to chip in somehow—you're family, after all."

Rose stepped back, blushing furiously, and Ginny clapped her hands as Jackie's lips tightened. "Right! The dress is done, now let's get your head ready. We've got half an hour until you have to be downstairs, and you do not want to see what Headmistress McGonagall is like when you're late."

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