Albus S P & Rose W - Rated M
It's wasn't uncommon in the Wizarding World for first cousins to marry… well at least in the old days. Albus is torn by his desire and affection for Rose and the conflict he feels falling, badly, for his cousin Rose.
It was a grey, cold and bitterly miserable afternoon the day that eighteen year old Albus Severus Potter realised he had fallen for his cousin Rose. "Typical", he thought sourly "A perfectly shitty day to reflect my perfectly shitty life."
Albus stormed into the glacial Slytherin Common Room past his wary dorm mates – it doesn't do well to get on the wrong side of this Slytherin. Albus was a very popular, very attractive and very talented wizard. Dark in the face, green eyes flashing anger, Albus stalked into his dorm room and flung his bag onto his enormous four poster bed decorated in the green and silver of the Slytherin colours.
He threw his lean, well-built frame down onto his bed, pulled his wand out of his bag and flicked the thick heavy curtains to close around him. "Fuck my life." He said to himself in disgust as he yanked his tie off and tossed it angrily at the curtains. He raked his hands through his messy black hair and rubbed his eyes in frustration.
Albus reflected on what had just happened with his number one cousin and some could say best friend, Rose Ginerva Weasley.
Being family they had argued before but this… this was different. Because in the heat of their argument Albus had come to the shocking realisation that he had fallen head over heels for his number one girl, Rose. He shouldn't really be surprised as the bright young witch was absolutely lovely, with her ocean blue eyes, long loose curls the colour of rich red wine, wide smile and a banging body to boot. It didn't help that she had the sweetest nature to walk the face of the planet. He guessed it made up for all his badness. Where she was sweet, kind and warm he was sarcastic, dark and moody.
Albus shifted uncomfortably as the more he thought about her physical attributes the more he was becoming aroused and disgusted with himself. Of course because she was gorgeous, this meant more than one admirer and right now she had the talented Gryffindor seeker, Henry Wood, as her constant boyfriend. Jealously flashed through Albus and his angular jaw set hard as he recalled their heated discussion.
Albus was sitting under the large oak tree waiting for his favourite Gryffindor cousin, Rose, to show up and help him with his a rather complex arithmancy problem. What possessed him to do such a fucked up subject was beyond him and he mentally kicked himself for choosing it.
He shivered slightly and wished he had worn his outer robes and not just his shirt and light woollen sweater as it was a depressingly cold grey day.
He heard a familiar female voice sing out to him from behind him and he turned to see his number one girl, Rose, with a large smile on her face, bouncing down the hill towards him. Waving at him she sang out "Hi Albus – guess what…I have something really important that I want to run past you before we get on to the arithmancy… something personal."
Albus frowned – he didn't like the unknown.
She sat down beside him and turned to face him with a slightly more sobered expression but still smiling, she paused and looked directly at him, not speaking, but trying to analyse his mood.
"Go on then – don't keep me in suspense, spit it out." Albus prodded.
Rose fidgeted with her curls, a clear sign to the ever observant Albus, who knew her like the back of his hand, that she was nervous about something.
Rose flushed slightly and started "… well as you know, Henry and I have been going out for several months now and it's been great, he treats me well and I really like him. However, he's been saying for a while that he wants to "take it to the next level". He feels we know each other well enough to progress beyond kissing. He said that he really cares about me and wants to get serious and if I was serious about us – I would want to too." Rose peeked a look at Albus who seemed to be hiding his thoughts pretty well at this stage.
She continued on boldly "I said I'd have to think about it because… well you know… I've never done that before and it was a big decision for me. I mean he's been in a serious physical relationship before but I haven't…, Albus….? I think I'm ready… what do you think?"
She turned now and looked directly at him her warm hands grabbing his slightly cooler ones, urging him to face her.
During her admission his thoughts had become a whirlwind of emotions and he was desperately trying to sort through them. His first instinct was "Fuck NO!" And then he tried to rationalise and compartmentalise the rising emotions that were coursing through his body as he was feeling so much right now.
Of all the things she might have disclosed to him – he hadn't expected that one. But given she was a gorgeous eighteen year old virgin with a hot boyfriend, apparently serious about her, he really shouldn't have been surprised. He mentally kicked himself for not being prepared for this!
He was rendered speechless as he tried to sort through his feelings. All he knew right now was that for some bizarre reason he did NOT want that arse-wipe Gryffin-dick bastard touching his cousin! He needed time to examine this – these protective, angry and possessive feelings. Albus instinctively knew what he was feeling was a bit more than one of a concerned cousin looking out for her. His other cousins Roxanne and Dominique were sexually active and that didn't bother him so why did it bother him so much with Rose?
He was bought back from his thoughts by Rose's small hand squeezing his and a tentative voice "…Albus…?"
Albus looked down at her hand and then into her face. He took an angry breath in and let it out slowly as he tried desperately to control his emotions.
He looked at her darkly and said in a cold restrained voice "I think… you should dump him." He paused and the muscle in his jaw worked as he tried to control himself not to lose control and say something rash. He lost.
"Wood is a prize prick and he is clearly trying to bully you into sleeping with him, otherwise he would leave it to you to decide. It's no doubt for bragging rights – so he can say he "popped" Rose Weasley's cherry."
Once he started he couldn't stop as he ploughed on and when angered, well, Albus – he just got mean. "Sleep with him if you want but what you WILL get is a reputation for being another one of his slags! The guy is a player Rose – his dick has dipped more wicks than James. I have heard he's been shagging other girls while he's been "waiting" for you."
This wasn't true, he made it up, but the Slytherin side of him just wouldn't be restrained and he wanted that bastard gone and out of her life! The thought of Rose and Wood tangled together in the heat of passion just drove Albus to the point of madness.
He continued on and added, knowing it was malicious and cruel "Do you want to get yourself a nice little reputation as being a "now available – ready for action – slag."
Rose's mouth dropped open, hurt flashed through her eyes as she sputtered, went red then white as she stared at this stranger before her. Then she was angry.
Her eyes were stormy and she trembled with anger as she stood up shouting "How DARE you!" Albus stood as well, posture hard and unyielding as he towered a head above her. She shoved him, but he was immovable with his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, she continued "How dare you say that! Me a slag, when you…YOU, are one of Hogwarts biggest playboys – if it's got tits and wears a skirt you'll shag it. You're one giant walking penis!"
Albus's dark countenance flushed and a pang of guilt and shame stirred in his guts. Yes he had shagged a few girls but not as many as was made out. They had all been willing, eager in fact, and all of them had been "around the block" a few times before with other blokes.
Albus countered hotly "Hey those girls… and by the way just to set the record straight, I have only shagged four girls – not forty… those girls initiated the sex - I NEVER EVER pressured any of them to sleep with me EVER!" He raged on "Go on then – go and shag him, but don't be surprised when he brags about it afterwards and then dumps your arse when he's bored with you and wants a new toy to play with!"
He was truly raging now because those stupid rumours really didn't sit comfortably with him, at first he enjoyed the reputation – but now, he just felt irritated by it all.
In anger Albus stepped in closer to Rose, only inches between their bodies – he could feel her body heat all around him as he stared at her stormy eyes and wild hair, heaving chest… then her lips. That was the moment - that was the moment when the veil had been lifted from his consciousness - that was the moment that something in him had woken up. Something in him that was primal and all too familiar…desire, lust and hunger. His eyes flew wide and he hastily took a step back as the realisation hit him full force.
He wanted her. He wanted to kiss her full on the mouth, to taste her, to feel her, to have her respond back to him. He wanted to mould her body to his… it was like a punch in the guts… and it ached.
Rose just stared at him – rendered completely dumbfounded by her most dearest cousins viciousness. She whispered hoarsely "You know what – you're…you're just a piece of work… a mean, self-centred, egotistical jerk." That's when the tears welled in her eyes and the ache he felt turned into pain as she turned to go "If he's such a player prick – what does that make you?" She turned and ran back up the hill trying desperately to choke back the tears spilling from her eyes.
He groaned and tried to grab her hand "…Rose…wait… please", but she was already gone.
Back in his bed he tried to dissect and scrutinise what had just happened but it was difficult to get clarity with such strong emotions and complicated circumstances.
How could it possibly work between them? Surely there would be huge objections from both sides of the family. It wasn't uncommon in the Wizarding World for cousins to have a relationship, marry and have children even.
However, that was in the old days – how would it be perceived now? Of course the biggest obstacle was Rose herself – surely she only saw him as her cousin and friend and nothing more… they were family for Merlins sake, what the fuck am I thinking! Albus berated himself – savagely punching his pillow in frustration.
There was a rustle at the curtains surrounding his bed and a soft baritone voice tentatively asked "Albus – mate… you ok?" It was the voice of his Slytherin friend and fellow Quidditch mate Scorpius Malfoy.
They were a formidable Quidditch force Scorpius a Keeper and Albus the Seeker – which was even more reason for Albus to dislike (intensely) Griffindors Seeker, Henry Wood. "Heard a rumour that you had one hell of a row with Rose… she's in floods of tears in her dorm room refusing to talk to anyone… well, according to Lily."
It was no secret to everyone that Albus just didn't like Wood. They all put it down to that competitiveness that comes with the fact that they are in opposing Quidditch teams coupled with the fact that Wood was also dating Albus's favourite cousin. This, of course, might mean access to vital Quidditch information.
Originally, Albus had put his feelings of dislike down to this very fact but now he knew the real truth behind those feelings of dislike – it was because Wood had Rose…and Albus did not like that…at all.
Scorpius poked his platinum blonde head in and frowned – Albus sure looked pissed about something.
"What happened – argue about Wood again?" That Slytherin was just way too perceptive in his observations and Albus narrowed his eyes and glared at his team mate. "Fuck off Malfoy".
Scorpius grimaced, pulled back the curtain and sat on the end of Albus's bed, replying "I would say that's a yes then."
Albus knew Scorpius wasn't going to go away and briefly considered hexing him but wasn't prepared to have his other best friend pissed at him as well.
He sighed agitatedly, "I've had an absolutely fucked up epiphany today and my life is pretty screwed right now – so can you piss off."
Scorpius tilted his head sideways and looked pensively at his best mate "Figured out you love your cousin huh?" Albus's startled green eyes flew to stare at Scorpius's cool grey ones.
"Yeah – I wondered how long it would take you to realise." Scorpius smiled slightly and continued "Your secret is safe with me… you kept it secret that I'm gay and stood by me when it all came out… so don't worry mate I got your back… besides my family has been marrying cousins for years."
Albus's shoulders slumped dejectedly as he replied "Is it that obvious…?" and then Scorpius could see the real conflict and pain his best mate was going through.
"Only to me, I have "skills" you know," he smiled jokingly "you're actually pretty clever at hiding things – not a Slytherin for nothing eh? What are you going to do?" Scorpius asked.
"Dunno – move to Bulgaria or something and train dragons… honestly, I don't know." Albus scowled.
"Well I might go and see if I can get an update on Rose and I'll let you know – want me to get you some dinner?" Scorpius asked caringly.
"Yeah mate – thanks... for everything." Albus sighed dejectedly.
As Albus lay back on his bed he contemplated, planned and strategized like only a Slytherin can do on how to… a) get rid of Wood; and … b) tell Rose how he feels and no matter the outcome, good or bad, be prepared to live with that and be happy. "Well that sounds like a crappy plan… except for the get rid of Wood bit." he thought depressingly
Well shall I continue – your thoughts people?