To those of you that are, like me, crazy about Twilight in addition to Harry Potter, Rosalie is just a name, not Rosalie Hale. I just fell in love with the name Rose and, well, I'm big on nicknames and I think Rosalie is a pretty sassy name.

The usual disclaimer applies: I don't own Cedric Diggory or any other Harry Potter related elements, just Rosalie!

Chapter 1

She walked with her nose in her Transfiguration book, studying furiously to master the latest spell. McGonagall wasn't going easy on anyone: they were fifth years now and should know what they were doing. And besides, she was a prefect. She was supposed to be ahead of the rest of her class.

"Saturday is a Hogsmeade trip." A low voice said in her ear. Rosalie looked up from her book and allowed her companion to pull her out of the way of two oncoming Slytherin seventh years. She glanced at Cedric and rolled her eyes.

"I know what Saturday is."

"Could we go together?" He asked politely. He was in no way, being rude or arrogant or pretentious. Rosalie just liked to think of him that way. They'd known each other since birth and it was impossible to believe he had an actual interest in her. He'd seen her through the awkward years, and the first boyfriend stage, and the first breakup stage. He'd born witness to everything, as she had with him. They'd also watched each other go through many dates to Hogsmeade and hold hands with different people in the halls and in the common room.

And of course, he was her first kiss. Standing in the meadow between her house and his, they'd met in the middle—as they had so often during the summer months and at dusk at the tender age of twelve, he'd leaned forward and kissed her on the lips saying, "it's gotta happen sometime, why not with you?"

Their parents, also, had their sights set on marrying the two of them off. Rosalie was positive her mother had wedding plans already in the works with Mrs. Diggory.

She was beautiful, of course, but so were the girls throwing themselves at Cedric. Her brown hair and bright blue eyes were not in any way spectacular. She wasn't petite, but Cedric's frame made her five feet and eight inches seem insignificant. She was thin and fair and had a shining, genuine smile.

Rosalie flashed that same smile at Cedric, "Cedric, you're my best friend in this place."

He shrugged and stopped when she did, in front of the Transfiguration classroom. As Hufflepuff fifth-years they'd be in class together but this was no conversation for the classroom. "Why am I the only wizard on earth that can't get you to agree to a date? I am your best friend, after all."

She sighed, resting her arm on his hand, "because Ced, I can't afford to lose you."

Cedric rolled his eyes and walked ahead of her into class. He sat down next to her—in their regular seats—and wrote at the top of his parchment: I'll get a yes someday. She looked up at him after she'd finished reading it and he winked at her, turning his attention to the lecture.

"Morning, Rosie." Cedric dropped into the empty space beside her at breakfast and put his arm around her waist, kissing her on the cheek.

"Hi, Ced." She smiled at him over her plate and continued eating.

"Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Anything, Cedric. What do you need?"

"Would you take a walk with me after breakfast?"

Rosalie looked at him wearily and then sighed at the expression on his face, "yes" she told him quietly. He grinned at her in thanks and shoveled down two pieces of toast and a large helping of eggs. Gulping down a drink and grabbing a piece of bacon to go, he pulled her hand.

"Alright, I'm coming!" She laughed at his exuberance. "I need a jacket though. Can we stop back in the dorm?"

Cedric groaned but pulled her down the stairs to the entrance. He shoved her lightly through the portrait hole and she shot him a look over her shoulder. She was up the stairs, into her dormitory and returned to his side before he could gripe any more. "I'm all yours."

He took the jacket from her hands and held it out to her, helping her into it and playfully wrapping her scarf over her eyes. She tugged it away but couldn't help grinning at him. "Shall we?" He held out his hand and she hesitated before placing hers in it and following him through the castle and onto the blustery grounds.

They made their way in silence over to their favorite spot. They often found themselves in this spot to study, or to come and think. If one of them hadn't been seen in a while, the other knew they'd be sitting here. It was a little cove near the shore of the lake, covered with big, black, shiny boulders, and edging up to a clump of trees. It was relatively private if that's what you needed, but if anyone wandered the grounds, you could still be seen.

When they reached their spot, Rosalie raced ahead, bounding up onto the rocks and making her way to the highest one, perching on it and looking back to Cedric.

He stood on the farthest rock, watching her. His eyes were carefully guarded. Slowly, he made his way towards her and stopped when he reached her, looking at her without a word.

"Cedric, you're scaring me."

He smiled perfectly and held his hand out to her. She looked at him curiously, her eyes wavering between his hand and his eyes. Finally she took it and let him pull her to her feet. Her rock was higher than his and, with her standing, she was looking down at him. Both of his hands were at her waist before she could think and he pulled her down onto his rock.

"I don't mean to scare you." He spoke quietly, still holding her, "but I don't know how else to prove my devotion to you."

"Devotion? Oh, Cedric," she started hesitantly, putting her hands over his in an act to push him off.

"No please, just listen."

She nodded and he continued, "You are my very best friend. And you are more important to me than the world." He looked at her earnestly. "I want you to see how much you mean to me. I want to know what I can do to prove it to you."

"Cedric," Rosalie shook her head, "it's not that I don't believe you. I'm just—I'm just too scared to lose you."

"You keep saying that!" Exasperated, he pulled one hand off of her waist and ran it through his hair.

"Listen, if I say yes to you, and I let you sweep me off my feet like I know you will, what happens when things don't work out? Or what happens if there's some accident. Or for whatever reason, we can't be together. I'll be devastated."

Cupping her face in his hands, he carefully watched her. "That will never happen. I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours forever if you say that's what you want."

Rosalie sighed, "Never say 'never.' You can't promise, Ced! I wish you could and I wish that would be enough but you can't."

Cedric recoiled slightly, taking a step back. He dropped both of his hands and turned away from her, looking out over the lake. "Rosie," he mused quietly.

"I'm sorry, Cedric."

Suddenly he was smiling. "No, it's okay. You didn't say no this time."

Rosalie looked at him, abashed, "you're not giving up?"

"Never say 'never', right?" He winked at her. "Let me take you back inside, I know you must be freezing."