She had had a crush on him for years. Never shy, an oppurtunity had simply never arisen for her to approach him. After all, she was a year behind, though in the same house. And he already had so many friends.... And possible girlfriends. What did he need with another one? These are the thoughts running through Rose Devine Clarkson's head as she stood on Platform 9 and 3/4, watching Harry as he talked to Hermione and Ron. It was the Trio's sixth year, Rose's fifth. While Harry was still severly depressed (his friends knew, even if no one else did) he acted normally and was beginning to face up to the fact that he had to kill or be killed. Who could blame him? He had to face his enemy, someone who could also be considered his other half, yet again. What else could be expected. At least he was trying to find things to be happy about. This comforted his friends immensely. Rose had had very little idea about how very depressed he was, though she had found out most of the details of what had happened last year. All the details that Luna had been able to give her, at least. Yes, Rose talked to Luna.
She was best friends with Luna. Rose was also very different. In fact she was a little... eccentric. Though not nearly as obviously as Luna. She was also more traditionally pretty than Luna, which helped. As far as their friendship, it was sometimes difficult, as they were in different houses (Rose was a Gryffindor, same house as Harry, remember?), but they managed. At least they were in the same year. Of course no one knew about her going-on-five-year crush on harry. Or so she flattered herself.
Luna Lovegood smiled knowingly, watching Rose. The girl was so obvious and she didn't even know it. Harry just never seemed to take notice.... But this year Luna was sure it would be different. Just over the summer, Rose had gotten a figure. That always made boys notice you. Luna privately sighed. She would never be curvy. Rose took a deep breath, as she always had to do before walking by Harry, to make sure her knees didn't give out and leave her lying in a simpering puddle on the floor. She went past. Hermione smiled at her. Harry looked to see who she was smiling at, as did Ron. Ron whistled.
"Now SHE has her... uhhh..." he paused, staring at her. "Nose put on straight." Her nose was not the peice of anatomy he was concentrating on. Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head. Harry just grinned... But he was definitely looking at Rose.... Rose, however, had forced herself not to look back. And so missed the whole episode.
As Luna floated dreamily past the Trio, she smiled privately to herself... People thought she didn't see.... But she saw more than most. And not just in a general sort of way.
Rose found a compartment, one at the very end of the train. Unaware it was the same compartment the Trio usually took. Luna soon found that was the only compartment with less than 3 or 4 people in it and joined her... The Trio came up to the door. Rose looked up at saw Harry. She immediately blushed furiously...
"Hello...." Ron was still staring at Rose's ches... errr.... Nose. So much more well placed than Eloise Midgen's.... (As if that's really what he's thinking about... HA!)
Hermione guided Ron to a seat. Luna was already sitting where Hermione had sat next to her and Ron next to Hermione... Which left Rose and Harry on the other seat! Rose was having a really hard time not hyperventilating.... 'I hope I look okay... Are these jeans too tight? I shouldn't have worn muggle clothes......'
"Ummmm what's your name?" When Rose finally surfaced from the depths of her brain, she realized Harry must have asked the same question at least three times. She blushed... Hermione was smiling as she watched over her book. Ron looked decidedly jealous. Wondering why he'd never noticed this very pretty Gryffindor before. "I'm Rose. Fifth year Gryffindor." She bravely held out her hand to shake Harry's. And she didn't even make it obvious she was melting when he took her hand for a brief two second hand shake.
Ron interposed himself between them.
"I'm Ron Weasley. Sixth year."
"Nice to meet you Ron..." She said distractedly.
"Yeah and, as you probably know, I'm Harry." She nodded, smiling smittenly.
'If only Harry wasn't so very THICK when it came to girls....' Luna thought.
"And I'm Hermione." She said, shaking Rose's hand and smiling warmly at the younger girl. Ron was still staring at Rose's chest. Harry looked kind of embarassed. Luna looked as though she was day dreaming but was seeing every move or expression anyone made.
Rose was blushing, confident and brave though she was. Hermione was exasperated about Ron staring at Rose's breasts. After all, let's face it, he's not looking at her nose.
Rose seemed to realize this. She looked at Ron and smiled very, very sweetly. Too sweetly.
"Do I have something on my shirt, Ron?" Ron went beet root red.
Hermione snickered behind her book. Luna half-smiled. Harry surpressed a grin. 'Obviously Rose can stand up for herself...' He thought, amused. Hermione had already decided she likes her, and is considering that, since they are planning on continuing the DA, maybe they could invite Rose to join.... 'I'll have to talk it over with Harry and Ron, of course.' She thought. Just then, as that thought sped through Hermione's whip-quick brain, and was replaced by another, needle sharp thought, the compartment door slid open....
Revealing Draco and his thugs. Rose shifted just the slightest bit... And was that a hint of a flush? No... It must have been the light.
"Well if it isn't Potty, Weasel and the Mudblood..." Draco drawled in his very best 'You're a Gryffindor, I must torture you' voice.
Ron tensed, hand grabbing his wand... Hermione laid a small, restraining hand on his forearm, which was partially bared due to the fact that the robes are two years old, and at least one size too small. Harry stated to jump up too. Without thinking (female maternal (or love bird) instinct must've kicked in) Rose reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Harry glanced at her in surprise but sat back down. Rose removed her hand as though she'd been burned.
"And Loony.... And if it isn't Rosie-Wosie, great protectoress of animals and firsties a like. After all, not much difference between a firstie and an animal." Crabbe and Goyle chuckled menacingly. "I suppose you thought that when you were one, Malfoy?" Rose said, coldly, though she still looks a bit red... must be from touching Harry. Malfoy went a little red. Ron looked approvingly at Rose. Luna stared dreamily at Draco. But not really AT him... Mostly THROUGH him.
"You're going out with Pansy Parkinson." She told him. Draco looked midly startled.
"Ummm yeah..." He said, almost in a normal voice. Then he caught himself. "She's not a know-it-all, insane...." He looked at Rose. "Nor is she an insane fan-girl."
He looked pointedly from Harry to Rose and back again. He walked right up to Rose... Everyone, quite uncharacteristically, stayed where they were.... "And her father isn't a criminal." He said, whispering that part into her ear. He sneered, and left because Hermione seemed to have snapped out of it and was holding her wand pointing at him. Rose went beet-root red. Looking very, very upset.
"I... Got to.... I'm..... Bye." She left the compartment, nearly in tears.
"What... Wha? What happened?" Ron asked.
"Draco, that ass, said something to really upset Rose....." Harry said, looking a little mad...
"Should I...." Harry didn't finish the scentence. He was interrupted by Hermione.
"Harry," said Hermione giving him a look. "You don't KNOW her. AND you're horrible at comforting crying girls, as your performance with Cho last year shows." Harry's turn to go red. Luna got up, looking a little angry.
"I'll go find her." She does not have her dreamy look. Her's is the face of a woman at war. You don't mess with Luna's friends.
Rose had found a corner in the hallway and curled herself into a ball, crying into her arms. It wasn't her fault her father was a convicted criminal.... And it wasn't her fault that Draco had somehow found out... God, he could make her life hell this year... How had he known? No one knew.... Well, almost no one.
Luna came up to the corner.
"Rose... Rose... Shhhhhhh Rose...." Luna knelt down next to Rose. Yes she was unusal. But the dreaminess, was, partly, an act to help cover up how hurt she was by the insults, and the stealing of her things. If others thought she missed everything, she could pretend she missed some of it. Such as the insults. She could even pretend to herself.
"Go away..." Rose said, still crying. "If you're going to let an ass like Draco Malfoy upset you like this then you're not nearly as strong as I thought." Luna said. She hates to be mean but Rose needs a kick in the pants. Rose looked up, sniffling.
"You're right," She paused, half-smiling "though you didn't need to be mean about it, Lune!" Rose said, using her nickname for Luna. 'Of course, Luna doesn't know about father... No one knows.. Except Draco and herself, and, obviously, her mother... Well, on second thought, Snape might know.......' She thought. He hated her, just as he had hated her father.
"I hate to interrupt, Ro," Luna said, using her private nickname for Rose.... "But you look like me right now." She grinned. Rose stood up, wiping her eyes.
"Do I really?" Luna didn't answer.
They headed back to the compartment, pausing, listening to what they were saying...
"What did Draco mean by that fangirl nonsense?" Harry asked Hermione. God the boy was obtuse when it came to girls.
"Yeah what did he mean?" Ron asked.
"Good lord you two. If you can't see what's literally right next to you," She looked pointedly at Harry "Or across from you, as the case may be," Then she stared pointedly at Ron. "Then you'll never be Aurors."
Rose, blushing furiously, because even if the boys hadn't got it, she had, opened the compartment door.
"Sorry about that. Shouldn't have let Dra..." she paused. "Malfoy, get to me" Rose said, sighing.
"Yeah... well Draco's an ass... He gets to all of us." Hermione said.
Ron pretended to be in shock that Hermione had used bad language. Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head. The other two girls exchanged knowing glances, while Harry just looked bewildered.
While all of this was going on, the snack-cart witch tapped gently on the compartment door. Hermione stopped smacking ron and Ron stopped hiding. Rose reached over and opened the door.
"Snacks, dearies?" The old witch asked with a kndly smile. Everyone but Ron bought snacks. He looked more than a bit embarassed. Everyone eneded up sharing with him in the end anyway though.
Some conversation went on during the train ride that is of interest to my readers:
"Rose, I don't mean to be rude, but I noticed, you have an accent..." Hermione commented.
"American?" Ron questioned in a muffled voice through a mouthful of Pumpkin Pasty.
"Ron, that's truly disgusting!" Hermione said, as Harry chuckled.
"Yeah, I'm an American Exchange student. Mom wanted me to go to school here, like she did. She's American too."
"Wha', 'bout 'our da'?" Ron said, through another HUGE mouthful of Pumpkin Pasty. Rose, quite unfortunately, understood him.
"He is... was, English. He's dead." She said shortly Luna looked piercingly at her. Rose ignored her.
The afternoon passed comfortably, other than that episode, with Rose ending up feeling as though, if she was not exactly a part of the Trio, she could consider herself in the outer limits of their circle of friends. Not a bad first-day accomplishment for a weirdo student. Not a bad first day at all. She reminded herself that there was still the sorting and the feast to get through, then shrugged it off and went back to her game of wizard's chess with Ron.
Everything would be fine.
She was best friends with Luna. Rose was also very different. In fact she was a little... eccentric. Though not nearly as obviously as Luna. She was also more traditionally pretty than Luna, which helped. As far as their friendship, it was sometimes difficult, as they were in different houses (Rose was a Gryffindor, same house as Harry, remember?), but they managed. At least they were in the same year. Of course no one knew about her going-on-five-year crush on harry. Or so she flattered herself.
Luna Lovegood smiled knowingly, watching Rose. The girl was so obvious and she didn't even know it. Harry just never seemed to take notice.... But this year Luna was sure it would be different. Just over the summer, Rose had gotten a figure. That always made boys notice you. Luna privately sighed. She would never be curvy. Rose took a deep breath, as she always had to do before walking by Harry, to make sure her knees didn't give out and leave her lying in a simpering puddle on the floor. She went past. Hermione smiled at her. Harry looked to see who she was smiling at, as did Ron. Ron whistled.
"Now SHE has her... uhhh..." he paused, staring at her. "Nose put on straight." Her nose was not the peice of anatomy he was concentrating on. Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head. Harry just grinned... But he was definitely looking at Rose.... Rose, however, had forced herself not to look back. And so missed the whole episode.
As Luna floated dreamily past the Trio, she smiled privately to herself... People thought she didn't see.... But she saw more than most. And not just in a general sort of way.
Rose found a compartment, one at the very end of the train. Unaware it was the same compartment the Trio usually took. Luna soon found that was the only compartment with less than 3 or 4 people in it and joined her... The Trio came up to the door. Rose looked up at saw Harry. She immediately blushed furiously...
"Hello...." Ron was still staring at Rose's ches... errr.... Nose. So much more well placed than Eloise Midgen's.... (As if that's really what he's thinking about... HA!)
Hermione guided Ron to a seat. Luna was already sitting where Hermione had sat next to her and Ron next to Hermione... Which left Rose and Harry on the other seat! Rose was having a really hard time not hyperventilating.... 'I hope I look okay... Are these jeans too tight? I shouldn't have worn muggle clothes......'
"Ummmm what's your name?" When Rose finally surfaced from the depths of her brain, she realized Harry must have asked the same question at least three times. She blushed... Hermione was smiling as she watched over her book. Ron looked decidedly jealous. Wondering why he'd never noticed this very pretty Gryffindor before. "I'm Rose. Fifth year Gryffindor." She bravely held out her hand to shake Harry's. And she didn't even make it obvious she was melting when he took her hand for a brief two second hand shake.
Ron interposed himself between them.
"I'm Ron Weasley. Sixth year."
"Nice to meet you Ron..." She said distractedly.
"Yeah and, as you probably know, I'm Harry." She nodded, smiling smittenly.
'If only Harry wasn't so very THICK when it came to girls....' Luna thought.
"And I'm Hermione." She said, shaking Rose's hand and smiling warmly at the younger girl. Ron was still staring at Rose's chest. Harry looked kind of embarassed. Luna looked as though she was day dreaming but was seeing every move or expression anyone made.
Rose was blushing, confident and brave though she was. Hermione was exasperated about Ron staring at Rose's breasts. After all, let's face it, he's not looking at her nose.
Rose seemed to realize this. She looked at Ron and smiled very, very sweetly. Too sweetly.
"Do I have something on my shirt, Ron?" Ron went beet root red.
Hermione snickered behind her book. Luna half-smiled. Harry surpressed a grin. 'Obviously Rose can stand up for herself...' He thought, amused. Hermione had already decided she likes her, and is considering that, since they are planning on continuing the DA, maybe they could invite Rose to join.... 'I'll have to talk it over with Harry and Ron, of course.' She thought. Just then, as that thought sped through Hermione's whip-quick brain, and was replaced by another, needle sharp thought, the compartment door slid open....
Revealing Draco and his thugs. Rose shifted just the slightest bit... And was that a hint of a flush? No... It must have been the light.
"Well if it isn't Potty, Weasel and the Mudblood..." Draco drawled in his very best 'You're a Gryffindor, I must torture you' voice.
Ron tensed, hand grabbing his wand... Hermione laid a small, restraining hand on his forearm, which was partially bared due to the fact that the robes are two years old, and at least one size too small. Harry stated to jump up too. Without thinking (female maternal (or love bird) instinct must've kicked in) Rose reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Harry glanced at her in surprise but sat back down. Rose removed her hand as though she'd been burned.
"And Loony.... And if it isn't Rosie-Wosie, great protectoress of animals and firsties a like. After all, not much difference between a firstie and an animal." Crabbe and Goyle chuckled menacingly. "I suppose you thought that when you were one, Malfoy?" Rose said, coldly, though she still looks a bit red... must be from touching Harry. Malfoy went a little red. Ron looked approvingly at Rose. Luna stared dreamily at Draco. But not really AT him... Mostly THROUGH him.
"You're going out with Pansy Parkinson." She told him. Draco looked midly startled.
"Ummm yeah..." He said, almost in a normal voice. Then he caught himself. "She's not a know-it-all, insane...." He looked at Rose. "Nor is she an insane fan-girl."
He looked pointedly from Harry to Rose and back again. He walked right up to Rose... Everyone, quite uncharacteristically, stayed where they were.... "And her father isn't a criminal." He said, whispering that part into her ear. He sneered, and left because Hermione seemed to have snapped out of it and was holding her wand pointing at him. Rose went beet-root red. Looking very, very upset.
"I... Got to.... I'm..... Bye." She left the compartment, nearly in tears.
"What... Wha? What happened?" Ron asked.
"Draco, that ass, said something to really upset Rose....." Harry said, looking a little mad...
"Should I...." Harry didn't finish the scentence. He was interrupted by Hermione.
"Harry," said Hermione giving him a look. "You don't KNOW her. AND you're horrible at comforting crying girls, as your performance with Cho last year shows." Harry's turn to go red. Luna got up, looking a little angry.
"I'll go find her." She does not have her dreamy look. Her's is the face of a woman at war. You don't mess with Luna's friends.
Rose had found a corner in the hallway and curled herself into a ball, crying into her arms. It wasn't her fault her father was a convicted criminal.... And it wasn't her fault that Draco had somehow found out... God, he could make her life hell this year... How had he known? No one knew.... Well, almost no one.
Luna came up to the corner.
"Rose... Rose... Shhhhhhh Rose...." Luna knelt down next to Rose. Yes she was unusal. But the dreaminess, was, partly, an act to help cover up how hurt she was by the insults, and the stealing of her things. If others thought she missed everything, she could pretend she missed some of it. Such as the insults. She could even pretend to herself.
"Go away..." Rose said, still crying. "If you're going to let an ass like Draco Malfoy upset you like this then you're not nearly as strong as I thought." Luna said. She hates to be mean but Rose needs a kick in the pants. Rose looked up, sniffling.
"You're right," She paused, half-smiling "though you didn't need to be mean about it, Lune!" Rose said, using her nickname for Luna. 'Of course, Luna doesn't know about father... No one knows.. Except Draco and herself, and, obviously, her mother... Well, on second thought, Snape might know.......' She thought. He hated her, just as he had hated her father.
"I hate to interrupt, Ro," Luna said, using her private nickname for Rose.... "But you look like me right now." She grinned. Rose stood up, wiping her eyes.
"Do I really?" Luna didn't answer.
They headed back to the compartment, pausing, listening to what they were saying...
"What did Draco mean by that fangirl nonsense?" Harry asked Hermione. God the boy was obtuse when it came to girls.
"Yeah what did he mean?" Ron asked.
"Good lord you two. If you can't see what's literally right next to you," She looked pointedly at Harry "Or across from you, as the case may be," Then she stared pointedly at Ron. "Then you'll never be Aurors."
Rose, blushing furiously, because even if the boys hadn't got it, she had, opened the compartment door.
"Sorry about that. Shouldn't have let Dra..." she paused. "Malfoy, get to me" Rose said, sighing.
"Yeah... well Draco's an ass... He gets to all of us." Hermione said.
Ron pretended to be in shock that Hermione had used bad language. Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head. The other two girls exchanged knowing glances, while Harry just looked bewildered.
While all of this was going on, the snack-cart witch tapped gently on the compartment door. Hermione stopped smacking ron and Ron stopped hiding. Rose reached over and opened the door.
"Snacks, dearies?" The old witch asked with a kndly smile. Everyone but Ron bought snacks. He looked more than a bit embarassed. Everyone eneded up sharing with him in the end anyway though.
Some conversation went on during the train ride that is of interest to my readers:
"Rose, I don't mean to be rude, but I noticed, you have an accent..." Hermione commented.
"American?" Ron questioned in a muffled voice through a mouthful of Pumpkin Pasty.
"Ron, that's truly disgusting!" Hermione said, as Harry chuckled.
"Yeah, I'm an American Exchange student. Mom wanted me to go to school here, like she did. She's American too."
"Wha', 'bout 'our da'?" Ron said, through another HUGE mouthful of Pumpkin Pasty. Rose, quite unfortunately, understood him.
"He is... was, English. He's dead." She said shortly Luna looked piercingly at her. Rose ignored her.
The afternoon passed comfortably, other than that episode, with Rose ending up feeling as though, if she was not exactly a part of the Trio, she could consider herself in the outer limits of their circle of friends. Not a bad first-day accomplishment for a weirdo student. Not a bad first day at all. She reminded herself that there was still the sorting and the feast to get through, then shrugged it off and went back to her game of wizard's chess with Ron.
Everything would be fine.