Who's Girl?
CHAPTER 1 – Summer Stipulations
The door to the mansion creaked as if it could sense the melancholy mood of the group coming in. Of the four, the brunette girl who looked out of place amongst the other white blondes appeared to be truly distressed to the paintings on the wall while the others seemed to be in their normal moods.
"Rebecca, your room will be the guest room at the top of the stairs," the white blonde women quietly stated.
"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy," Rebecca sweetly replied trying to hide how glum she was.
Orphaned as a child, the fifteen year old had been under the care of her beloved butler, Wadsworth, until his death the previous summer. His death marked a new chapter in her life. She had transferred from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts where she only knew her childhood best friend, Ryan Malfoy.
Reluctant at first, Rebecca found herself settling into her new school and making many new friends including Charlie Weasley. The red headed boy swept her off her feet with his charm and perception. He was one of the few people Rebecca felt instantly comfortable with.
This new friendship came with a price though. As the new relationship blossomed a riff was starting to show in the old one between Rebecca and Ryan. Neither seemed willing to give up on the friendship, but the tension mounted and the two found themselves at constant odds with one another. Those moments would give way to ones that were reminiscent of ones long since passed, but the tension never seemed to be too far away. Ryan could even sense the tension in those moments and thought when Rebecca was given a choice to come back to Hogwarts the next year, go back to Beauxbatons, or transfer once again to a new school that she may leave to get away from him.
Rebecca, however, had been actually excited about her choices. For once she would have a voice in what she was doing. Her final decision was to return to Hogwarts after all she had so many things to look forward to and she and Ryan seemed to have found the good side of their friendship again. In fact, Ryan rejoiced in the prospects of having Rebecca back and things being the way that they were when they were younger.
But a few ill made comments about Wadsworth on Ryan's part, and the two were at odds again. This really didn't affect Rebecca's joy of coming back to Charlie and her other Hogwarts friends. It wasn't until she found out that the stipulation from her parent's will for her decision was that she was to stay with the Malfoy's for her summer holidays did she really feel the result of the incident.
"Rebecca?" Ryan said behind her wanting her to look at him so he could see how she really felt about this living situation.
Rebecca didn't respond. She was in a trance thinking of everything as she looked up the steps that were oh so familiar. Remembering how many times she had happily traipsed up them was near impossible now, but this time was so different that Rebecca could barely stand it.
"REBECCA!" Ryan shouted at her, but she just took off up the stair trying to keep the tears she felt forming from rolling down her face while the Malfoys could see her. Deep down, she hoped that she could keep herself from crying. But she heard as she opened her new room's door, Ryan coldly stated to his parents, "She has been acting like that since she started dating that Weasley bloke. Even Wadsworth wasn't enough of a fool to think that she should be allowed to date someone so beneath her. I told you she needed to be watched."
Rebecca slammed the door and threw herself on to her new bed. She didn't want to be there at all any more. She wished she could just run home, but she knew if she wanted to go back to Hogwart's she was going to have to stick it out at the Malfoy's mansion.
'It's only a month after all,' she thought as the tears started to fall.
Rebecca walked down the stairs slightly more composed. She had spent the better part of the afternoon crying, but was able to control herself now. Ryan callousness along with the idea that she wouldn't be able to communicate to Charlie or any of her other friends for a month had just done her in.
If it wasn't for the fact that she was hungry she would have skipped tea and figured a way to talk to Charlie since she wasn't allowed to owl anyone while she was at the Malfoy's. Well, that and think of something to get back at Ryan. His words had stung and she couldn't believe that he had had the nerve to use Wadsworth's name against her dating Charlie.
Of course, it didn't help how much she missed her dearly loved butler and she did find herself wondering what Wadsworth would say about who she dated, though she highly doubted that Wadsworth would ever disapprove Charlie, because he thought that Charlie was beneath her. If she didn't see the relationship that way, why would Wadsworth.
Rebecca continued to thinking as she entered the parlor where the Malfoy's always had afternoon tea. She slowly took her seat on the couch and looked around at the other occupants of the room. They weren't a jolly bunch and never would be. Seldom did Rebecca ever see them smile for no reason and this tea was no exception. Rebecca slowly sat back wondering how she would cope without being around someone to smile just because.
'Stupid will. I would love to know what was up with my parents when they wrote it,' Rebecca thought looking up at the ceiling.
Though she had been dealing with getting direction in her life from her parents will since she could remember, this was the first time that she truly thought that her parents must have been crazy when they wrote it. Even when the lawyer informed her that she had to transfer schools, Rebecca really didn't think anything of it. It sounded similar to many of the other stipulations, but this new one seemed out of character and just plain bizarre.
"Why won't you talk to me?" Ryan hissed at Rebecca breaking her train of thought. For a moment she had forgotten he was on the couch beside her. "You barely said one word to me since we got here."
Rebecca rolled her eyes and looked at the floor trying to go back to her own thoughts.
"You are so stubborn. ... You know you never use to be this way. Weasley changed you."
"Oh, would you stop blaming Charlie for everything wrong with our friendship," Rebecca snapped back as she got up and left the room. She was not about to fight with Ryan in front of his parents.
Ryan ran out after her saying, "You know you're lucky that my family is important enough to see that you stay out of harms way."
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"It means that you had a choice and you made a bad one so now people are watching out for you!"
"And what was my bad choice?"
"Going out with that Weasel. Wads..."
"I know you think that Wadsworth wouldn't approve because the Weasley's are as rich as we are."
"You're right they are very poor and have no sense of status."
"Well, you're wrong Wadsworth wasn't superficial like that."
Ryan glared at Rebecca for what she was insinuating.
"Well, think what you want, but they are beneath us and one of these days you will figure it out."
It was Rebecca's turn to glower at him. She did it only for a moment and then stormed out the back door to the back yard.
Rebecca walked off the porch towards the tire swing hanging from a great old oak. She was still upset at Ryan, but that old swing brought back memories of times when Ryan didn't care about purebloods or money. He just wanted Rebecca to come over or him to go over to Rebecca's so that they could spend hours playing and hanging out.
Ryan came out the door and saw Rebecca standing next to the tire swing. He was surprised how much calmer she seemed outside.
After watching Rebecca climb into the tire, Ryan walked down to make a mends with Rebecca. They had to live with each other for a month there was no sense in them fighting everyday when they could have as much fun together as when they were younger.
"Rebecca?" he softly said when reached her.
"Hmm?" Rebecca responded tilting her head to look at him.
"Are you okay?" Rebecca noted the tone of concern in Ryan's voice.
"Yeah just tired, I guess."
"Is there something bothering you?" Looking more directly at Ryan, Rebecca couldn't help but think she was seeing her old childhood friend.
"I didn't tell you before, but I have to go to the lawyer's again tomorrow."
"Why?"
"I don't know," Rebecca started and then found herself opening up. "I am afraid that I might be getting another set of stipulations like I did today."
"Staying here really that bad?" Ryan asked starting to push her so that she couldn't get away.
"No, but there part of me that feels trapped with some of the stipulations."
"Oh, well we will go do stuff so that we're not in the house all the time."
"Thank you." Rebecca smiled slightly causing Ryan to keep pushing her.
The two remained out side until it was dinner. Neither had said too much but as Rebecca slipped off the tire to go in, Ryan broke the silence.
"Um, Rebecca I don't want you to be upset or anything, but Russel is going to be coming over tomorrow. ... He always comes over right after school lets out..."
Rebecca let out a sigh and stopped listening. Yet another downfall of staying at Ryan's for a month appeared.
Russel Flint was Ryan's best friend at Hogwarts and he more than once scared Rebecca out of her wits. She didn't know how long or often Russel was going to be at the Malfoy's, but all of the sudden having to go to the lawyer's in the morning was looking a whole lot better.
Rebecca quietly sat down for dinner and couldn't wait until she could get up so that she could go to bed. She just wanted to get to the lawyer's as early as possible in the morning.
Russel walked into the Malfoy's mansion about unable to contain his excitement. Though it was only ten in the morning, but the dark haired boy had been up for hours because he wanted to see Rebecca so badly.
He had fallen for Rebecca the moment that he met her on the Hogwart's Express. The girl made him crazy with her warm smiles and innocent frame of mind. He couldn't wait to do something to cause Rebecca to smile and get him one step closer to her forgiving him for frightening her so.
"Ryan?" Russel called looking around for a sign of where Rebecca might be as well as trying to find his friend.
"Hey, Russel!" Ryan called as he walked out of his room and down the steps. "How are you doing?"
"Oh, pretty good. Got all unpacked last night so I am set for the summer."
Ryan couldn't help but start to chortle Russel kept craning his neck around to see if Rebecca was anywhere to be found.
"She isn't here," he laughed and before Russel could ask where she was he added, "She had to go to the lawyer's again so she left her at eight. But don't worry mate she should be back this afternoon. Come on."
The two boys ran up to Ryan's room. They had some planning to do. Ryan knew of Russel's desires to be the guy in Rebecca's life and was looking to use this to get his childhood friend back from Charlie Weasley. Actually, managing to put her into Russel's arms would just be an added bonus after all that could be perfect. He could help out Russel and keep a close eye on Rebecca and keep Cassie as his girlfriend. Having such close bonds with the two girls would make his uncle, Lucius Malfoy, very happy, though exactly why he wasn't quite sure of yet.
Russel wasn't ignorant of the fact that Ryan had been told by Lucius that Rebecca was important to Ryan's future so he did have a slight suspicion that Ryan had an ulterior motives to helping him woo Rebecca, but he didn't care. He wanted her too badly to care why anyone was aiding him.
"I need to do something to gain her trust," Russel stated pacing Ryan's room.
Ryan who was lying on his bed, smirked slightly, and then replied, "What do you have in mind?"
"I don't know. But I know that if I gain her trust this week as long as I don't screw anything up, I can sweep her off her feet before she leaves here."
"And what are you basing that on?"
"Last Christmas... You remember me telling you about how she really opened up to me and that if I had another week with her, she would have forgotten about that loser, Weasley."
"Yeah, you said that she didn't mention him and then the day that everyone came back, she kept watching for him."
"Exactly, if we could have kept going the way we were going then, we would be a couple."
"So you think if you can recreate some of the magic that happened between you two, she is going to dump Weasley?"
"Yep, he'll get a 'Dear John' letter or should I say a 'Dear Charlie' letter." Russel started to laugh still pacing just a bit slower now.
Ryan chortled slightly before he said, "Too bad she isn't allowed to owl anyone."
"She's not?"
"Nope, one of her beautiful stipulations for the summer..." Ryan continued to tell Russel of Rebecca rules for while she stayed at his house.
"So she isn't going to have any contact with him, then?" Russel inquired when Ryan finished.
"Not if I have anything to do with it."
"Oh, this day is getting better and better," Russel stated as he looked at his watch to see what time it was. "Hey it is almost time for tea. Did she come back already?"
"I don't think so. I have a charm put on her door so that I know when she enters it."
"That's cool. Of course you know she isn't going to react too well when she finds out about it."
"Yeah, but I don't care if it drives her crazy. She is driving me nuts with her melancholy sulking. You should have seen her yesterday and at breakfast." Ryan got up and started towards the door, as he stated, "Come on, let's go to tea."
Russel shook his head and followed his friend out of the room. He was hoping that Rebecca would already be down in the parlor for tea. Unfortunately when Russel entered the room, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were the only ones down there. Taking a seat and thanking Mrs. Malfoy for the tea she offered him, Russel hoped that Rebecca would show up soon, but as tea drew to a close there was no sign of her.
Ryan and Russel exited the parlor to go back up to Ryan's room to hang out until dinner just as Rebecca entered the front door.
"Hey, Rebecca," Ryan simply said when he saw her.
"Hey," she responded not realizing that Russel was with Ryan in the entryway.
Rebecca had a sweet smile on her face as she turned to shut the door causing Ryan to ask, "What happened?"
"Hmmm? Oh, nothing much. I found out that I was put into a self-defense class."
"Oh, that's cool. I thought for a moment that you saw someone."
Rebecca innocently smiled hoping Ryan didn't ask her if she had. Something about telling him that she had ran into James Patterson, a friend of hers from Hogwarts, didn't sound like a good idea.
She had been walking back from self-defense class to the lawyer's when she looked in the ice cream parlor and noticed the back of a blonde boy that she thought was the right height to be James. When the boy turned around, she found out that she was indeed right, because it was her friend. His parents owned the shop and he would be working there this summer.
To say that she was excited to hear James' news would be an understatement. Rebecca had ecstatically gave James a hug, because she now had a means to communicate with Charlie and her other Hogwarts friends that she wasn't able to write them letters and she would have a familiar face to see every day that she walked from the lawyer's office and the center where the defense classes were. She was torn on which was really the best surprise.
Luckily, Ryan didn't press her on the subject anymore, instead he said, "Come on drop your stuff off in your room and we'll hang out in my room."
"Okay," Rebecca started but then she caught sight of Russel who had a huge grin on his face. There was no way that she wanted hang out with him, so she quickly added, "but is okay if I go to the kitchen and grab a quick snack first? I didn't have time to eat with being at the lawyer's and then at the gym. I don't think that I will make to dinner if I don't have something."
"Fine, we'll meet you in the kitchen."
Ryan moved so that Rebecca could get past him to her room. As she walked to the stairs, Russel finally got up the nerve to say, "Hello, Rebecca."
"Hi," Rebecca nervously responded as she glanced his way and then continued to the stairs.
When she opened the door she heard, Ryan say, "Come on, mate. Rebecca will be down in a minute."
Rebecca shut her door and threw her bag on the floor. She was really hungry so she knew that Ryan was right. Sooner or later she would be down in kitchen to get something to eat and she would be forced to interact with Russel.
"Why did he come over so soon?" she muttered as looked over to her bed to find two letters.
Very confused, she picked them up to see that one was from the lawyer's and the other was from Stacy. Quickly, she opened the letter from the lawyer's. She couldn't help but fear that she was in trouble because she received an owl from a friend when she wasn't suppose to have written contact with anyone.
Miss Carter,
Due to the length of our meeting this morning and the importance of making sure that you made it to your other appointment, I feel that a letter to recap everything .
1. The letter restriction – You are not to send any owls while at the Malfoy's. Upon further reading of your parent's will there is a loophole that allows you receive owls from anyone hence this letter. I am sorry I was not able to tell you this ahead of time, but it wasn't until I wanted to send you this letter that I found the loophole.
2. Driving lessons – You will be taking driving lessons so that 'you can independently move and take care of yourself.' It will take place an hour before your defense class.
3. Self defense classes – You will be enrolled in defense classes. Everyday you will have these classes.
4. Weekly visits to my office – we will be checking progress on your stipulations
5. Free time – when you are not in my office or at one of your appointed lessons you are to be under the supervision of one of the Malfoys. Your other activities during your stay are to be clear with them.
If you have any questions, feel free to stop by the office.
Yours Sincerely,
Jasper Spangler
"Oh, so I can get owls," Rebecca muttered when she finished the letter. She could have jumped for joy, except for the fact that she knew that if her friends were not getting return letters from her then they would wonder what was up.
'I guess I will just have to get James to write them,' she thought as she opened Stacy's letter.
Hey Rebecca!
How are you doing? I got an earful from Ben about you on the way back home from Beauxbatons. I am so sorry that you and Anna got pulled through the fire. I can't believe that he did that! I thought it was bad when he knocked me out that one night, but it is obvious that he is out of control. Anyways, did you get back to Hogwarts okay? Please let me know! Oh and beware, Ben said on the trip that he was going to have a discussion with you this incident. I wish I could come and stay with you so that you wouldn't be alone when he tries to contact you. Unfortunately, I can't. My family is going on holiday for a month.. Maybe if we are lucky Ben won't try anything until after I get back, which should be a day or two before your Anyways, sweetie, I have to go. Kerry and Kalie say hi and hope that you are okay after your whole Ben ordeal.
Later,
Stacy
"Oh, Stace," Rebecca muttered thinking of her best friend from Beauxbatons. "She must be so worried. ... I'll have to get James to owl her for me."
"Hey, Rebecca!" Ryan called up to her.
"Coming," Rebecca called back as she exited her room to go down to the kitchen.
As Rebecca entered the kitchen, she heard Ryan say, "But you still have the date."
She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the thought of the bet that caused her to have to go out on a date with Russel.
"Just remember, I get my ring back," she darkly commented settling herself as far from Russel as possible.
"At the end of the date," Russel replied. Then with a big smile, he added, "when I get my kiss."
"Hmph."
"Hey, that is part of the agreement."
"But remember, you can't get that if you even brush up against me."
"I'll just have to do it before that."
Rebecca saw the look of determination in Russel's eyes. He wasn't about to let her get his goat and he was going to control himself to get that kiss. Suddenly, she figured out something that would drive him nuts.
As innocently as possible she asked, "So you're saying that if you kiss me the date is over then and there."
Russel glared at her. He could see the angle she was going to play. If he agreed with her, then she would thing to figure out how to make it so that he kissed her without it being on her lips so that they didn't make it a step out the door.
"That isn't what I said."
"You said at the end of the date." Rebecca tried to keep her innocent act going, but she couldn't help but smile mischievously.
"Yeah, after everything that I have planned for the night!" Russel's voiced raised slightly giving Rebecca a bit of satisfaction.
"What took you so long?" Ryan inquired when he felt that Russel and Rebecca's bickering was just going to cause Russel more problems and he better say something before Rebecca had a chance to keep the row going.
"I had letters to read," she plainly stated.
"I thought you couldn't get owls?"
"No, I can't send them, but I guess I can receive them."
Russel, who had been all smiles since Rebecca walked in the door of the mansion, grimaced at the thought that even though Rebecca couldn't initiate communication with anyone, Charlie could still send her letters and remind her that she was dating him. With these circumstances, it would be a miracle if Russel and Ryan could pull off half of what they planned.
"I'm hungry," Rebecca muttered trying to get the reason she was down in the kitchen with the guys to be the focus of the converstation.
Around the corner of the counter came one of the Malfoy's house elves who Rebecca had known since she was little, but whose name had never been used by the Malfoys or the elf itself.
"Miss needs to eat," started the house elf. "What does Miss want?"
"Something with some kick. ... How about that piquant chicken that you always use to make me?" Rebecca asked hoping that she wasn't burdening the elf.
"Of, course, whatever Miss wants."
Rebecca gave house elf a sweet smile and started to reread Stacy's letter.
"So who is the letter from?" Ryan asked as the house elf rushed around to make Rebecca's food as well as dinner.
"Stacy," Rebecca replied blandly not looking up.
"What's she say?"
"'Hi!'"
Ryan rolled his eyes and snatched the paper out of Rebecca's hand.
"HEY! That's mine!"
Rebecca quickly stood up and grabbed the paper back, but it was too late. It was such a short letter from Stacy that Ryan was able to read it all.
"Who's Ben?" he growled causing Rebecca to meekly sit back down and Russel to look at Ryan curiously.
"He was a friend from Beauxbatons," Rebecca quietly responded hoping that would be the beginning and end of the interrogation.
"What was that part about you getting pulled through the fire?"
"Anna and I were talking by the fire and he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the fire. I latched on to Anna and she fell in with me."
"When was that?" Russel asked anxiously.
"The night that Anna and I landed into Slytherin."
"So you fell into Slytherin when you were coming back from that?"
"Sort of..."
"So when Jason found you coming out of the fire you were you or were you not coming back from Ben pulling you into the fire?"
"We were but before we got to Slytherin we had a side trip to Durmstang."
Russel looked shocked. Jason Calloway just told him that the girls said they were lost. Obviously the former Slytherin quidditch captain had failed to find out where all the girls had been.
"Let me get this straight," interrupted Ryan looking directly at Rebecca. "You got pulled into Beauxbatons, in getting back you ended up at Durmstang, and when you finally got back to Hogwarts you landed in Slytherin?"
"Yep."
Ryan then turned towards Russel and in a very aggressive manner asked, "And you knew about this?"
Russel knew no matter how he answered he answered Ryan wasn't going to be happy because he hadn't been told about the incident. Finally he said as non-offensive as he could, "When you went to deal with Cassie's latest crisis, Calloway had called me to the common room where I saw Anna and Rebecca."
Ryan didn't say anything but looked at Russel as if he betrayed him. Rebecca silently laughed at the two as the house elf set a plate of food in front of her.
For a moment, she had forgotten how hungry she was, but looking at the chicken, rice, and vegetables that she was given reminded. Instantly she picked up her fork and started to shovel food into her mouth.
Russel watched the speed at which Rebecca ate wondering if she was actually chewing. Apparently, Rebecca hadn't been lying to him or Ryan about not eating.
"Food that good?" Ryan asked noticing the same thing Russel had.
Rebecca just nodded and went back to eating. The house elf smiled as she continued work around the three to make dinner. Ryan glanced over at Russel who seemed eager to say something, but couldn't seem to get anything out. The three sat there in an awkward silence until Rebecca ate her last bit and headed to the kitchen door.
"I'm stuffed," she stated walking out the door.
Both Ryan and Russel got up and followed her into the hall as Ryan joked, "I didn't know you were a turkey, does that mean that you have to go into the oven to roast?"
"Ha, ha. ... I'm going to go take a shower," Rebecca said and started up the steps.
Russel was about to say something to about her saying that she would hang out with them after she ate, but before he could Ryan mundanely replied, "Sounds like a good idea. Dinner will probably be done when you are, so we'll see you down in the dinning room."
Rebecca smiled sweetly and then disappeared into her room happy that she could be alone for a while.
"What did you say that for?" Russel stated fighting back the urge to slap Ryan outside the head. "You know she is now going to stay in that room until dinner. Are you so angry at me for not telling you that Rebecca had been in the common room that you aren't going to help me now?"
Ryan didn't respond he just started walking up the stairs. Russel followed slightly frustrated that Ryan was going to hold this against him.
"Mate, I swear I didn't know how she got there or where she had been before that. If you remember I came back into the room and before I could get out why I left, your girlfriend came in and took you out of the room."
Ryan huffed and then asked, "Did you tell anyone what Jason wanted?"
"No?" Russel was unsure why Ryan thought it was important if he had told anyone.
"I hate him," Ryan muttered to himself.
"Ben?"
"YES!" Ryan looked around to see if anyone had heard him shout, but no one seemed to care if they did hear him so he quietly added, "Come on."
The two boys quickly went into Ryan room and shut the door so no one could hear what they were talking about.
"So what is your problem with this Ben bloke?" Russel asked plopping down on Ryan's bed.
It was Ryan turn to pace the room while they talked. Looking out the window for a second and then turned to walk away as he said, "When she first went off to Beauxbatons, Rebecca would come back from school talking about him. Ben this... Ben that... She acted like he was the greatest thing."
"Okay?"
"Every letter I ever got from her had his name in it. He was stealing her away from me."
"So because your cousin wrote you about him you were worried that was affecting your guy's relationship?"
Ryan stopped pacing and looked at Russel for a moment. He forgot that Russel only knew of Rebecca as his cousin, not the girl next door.
"Yeah," Ryan quietly admitted knowing that it sounded dumb, but he had to keep up the façade he created to keep Cassie off of his back. If he didn't the drama queen he called his girlfriend would have a major fit that wouldn't stop.
"Mate, you and your cousin will always be cousins. A guy isn't going to change that."
"I know."
"So would you have thought that I was stealing her from you if I..."
"No, that's completely different. You're my best mate and it would... be..."
"Different?"
"Yeah."
Russel couldn't help but start laughing.
"What?" snarled Ryan.
"Well you said that it was when you guys first went off to different school, that she started to talk about Ben. What happened after a while?"
"She stopped."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think she knew that the guy bothered me."
"Mate, I really think you are over reacting."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. I have never seen you so possessive of someone. You are almost as bad as Cassie is."
Ryan stopped and looked at Russel for a moment. He looked like he was really mad and then suddenly he started laughing. "I guess you're right. She never did say anything about her dating anyone at Beauxbatons. In fact unless, I missed something, Weasel boy is her first boyfriend."
Russel had been laughing with Ryan, but stopped at the mention of Charlie's name.
"Of course, we'll be making sure that it isn't her last right?" Ryan stated when he saw that Russel was starting to brood. Russel just smiled and shook his head as Ryan said, "Come on, Russel. Let's go get her."
Rebecca walked out of her private bathroom feeling much more relaxed. She had no idea that she had been that stressed just being down in the kitchen. She was sure that part of it was left over from going to the lawyer's and self defense class, but she really felt that most of it had to do with having to be around Russel.
After changing and setting out a set of robes that would be appropriate for dinner with the Malfoy's, she laid down in her bed and looked out the window wondering when she would get an owl from Charlie. Of course, she had already told James to tell Charlie as soon as he could, but she could still hope that Charlie had sent her one before James could owl him. If not, it really didn't matter, because she would amend the situation tomorrow when she saw James.
Yawning Rebecca turned to see what time it was. She had about an hour until dinner.
'Just enough for a good nap,' she thought to herself as she turned back to the window. She smiled as she closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep hoping to dream of Charlie and her other friends.
Ryan and Russel knocked on Rebecca's door. When Rebecca didn't answer the door, Ryan just opened the door.
"Ryan, she isn't going to be happy that you went into her room," Russel stated remembering how mad Rebecca had been when he went into her dorm room.
Ryan just shook his head and proceeded to walk into the room. After a moment he called back to Russel, "Oh, she's asleep. She won't care."
"She's sleeping?" Russel couldn't help to walk in to see her.
"Yep."
Both guys stood at the side of the bed and just looked at Rebecca. Russel thought that she looked like an angel lying there with a sweet smile on her face. The only problem was that he knew that it was the thought of Charlie that put that smile on his face. All Russel wanted to do was swipes that smile right off her face.
"Come on, Ryan," he started pulling Ryan's arm. "Let's leave her to sleep. I want to get that date planned so that I can take her out as soon as possible."
"Okay," Ryan said starting out the door. "Let's get everything finalized so that you can sweep her off her feet. We'll get her up for dinner."
The boys sat in there Ryan's room until dinner. Russel picked Ryan's brain some more about what would be Rebecca's dream date. It didn't matter that Ryan was probably off base with what Rebecca really would like to do.
Russel's idea was to get Ryan's opinion and shape them to what he thought Rebecca would like. The way he figured it doing this would give him an upper hand at winning Rebecca's heart.
"Hey its dinner time. Let's go get her," Ryan stated getting up and heading out the door.
Russel followed him to Rebecca's room. The boys knocked again, but there was no answer. Ryan opened the door and found Rebecca was still sound asleep. He tried to wake her, but to no avail. He got Rebecca up for a second, but she fell right back to sleep. In the end Ryan retreated out of the room.
Two hours later when dinner was over and the boys were back in Ryan's room after trying to wake Rebecca up again, a soft knock came on the door.
"Yes?" Ryan asked wondering what was going on.
The door slowly opened and Rebecca walked in.
"Did I sleep through dinner?" she asked rubbing some of the sleep out of her eyes. Ryan, who was really angry with her for falling asleep when she did, couldn't help but laugh at her, obviously, Rebecca hadn't done it on purpose and was rather upset about it.
"Yeah, you did. You hungry?" he asked as Rebecca settled herself on his bed surprisingly not reacting to how close she was sitting next to Russel.
"No, I really am not really hungry. I just wanted to make sure no one messed with my clock. ... I think I might go back to bed."
Before Ryan could ask if she was that tired, Rebecca yawned really big.
"Hey Rebecca," Russel gently said not wanting to startle her. He suspected that she really didn't know who she was next to.
"Hmm?" Rebecca managed to get out before she started to yawn again.
"I was wondering if I could talk to you about the date?"
Rebecca looked at for him for a moment slightly surprised that he was still there, but too exhausted to react.
All she could do was ask, "What about it?"
"When do you want to go on it? I was thinking maybe this weekend."
Rebecca scrunched up her face slightly. She was so tired and she didn't think she would feel much better on the weekend. There's was no way she wanted to do the date when she was tired. Russel could see it all in her eyes and wasn't too offend by Rebecca making a face at him. After all he didn't want her falling asleep on him while he was trying to win her heart.
After a moment, he added, "How about we do it on a night that you feel more awake?"
Rebecca just nodded as she yawned again and blinked several times like she was struggling to keep her eyes open.
"Guys, I am going back to bed," she finally said getting off the bed. "Night."
"Sounds like a good idea," Ryan said helping her up as best as he could. "Good night, Rebecca."
"Sweet sleep, Rebecca," Russel called after her. When Ryan looked at Russel, Russel smiled and said, "One step closer, mate, one step closer."
CHAPTER 1 – Summer Stipulations
The door to the mansion creaked as if it could sense the melancholy mood of the group coming in. Of the four, the brunette girl who looked out of place amongst the other white blondes appeared to be truly distressed to the paintings on the wall while the others seemed to be in their normal moods.
"Rebecca, your room will be the guest room at the top of the stairs," the white blonde women quietly stated.
"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy," Rebecca sweetly replied trying to hide how glum she was.
Orphaned as a child, the fifteen year old had been under the care of her beloved butler, Wadsworth, until his death the previous summer. His death marked a new chapter in her life. She had transferred from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts where she only knew her childhood best friend, Ryan Malfoy.
Reluctant at first, Rebecca found herself settling into her new school and making many new friends including Charlie Weasley. The red headed boy swept her off her feet with his charm and perception. He was one of the few people Rebecca felt instantly comfortable with.
This new friendship came with a price though. As the new relationship blossomed a riff was starting to show in the old one between Rebecca and Ryan. Neither seemed willing to give up on the friendship, but the tension mounted and the two found themselves at constant odds with one another. Those moments would give way to ones that were reminiscent of ones long since passed, but the tension never seemed to be too far away. Ryan could even sense the tension in those moments and thought when Rebecca was given a choice to come back to Hogwarts the next year, go back to Beauxbatons, or transfer once again to a new school that she may leave to get away from him.
Rebecca, however, had been actually excited about her choices. For once she would have a voice in what she was doing. Her final decision was to return to Hogwarts after all she had so many things to look forward to and she and Ryan seemed to have found the good side of their friendship again. In fact, Ryan rejoiced in the prospects of having Rebecca back and things being the way that they were when they were younger.
But a few ill made comments about Wadsworth on Ryan's part, and the two were at odds again. This really didn't affect Rebecca's joy of coming back to Charlie and her other Hogwarts friends. It wasn't until she found out that the stipulation from her parent's will for her decision was that she was to stay with the Malfoy's for her summer holidays did she really feel the result of the incident.
"Rebecca?" Ryan said behind her wanting her to look at him so he could see how she really felt about this living situation.
Rebecca didn't respond. She was in a trance thinking of everything as she looked up the steps that were oh so familiar. Remembering how many times she had happily traipsed up them was near impossible now, but this time was so different that Rebecca could barely stand it.
"REBECCA!" Ryan shouted at her, but she just took off up the stair trying to keep the tears she felt forming from rolling down her face while the Malfoys could see her. Deep down, she hoped that she could keep herself from crying. But she heard as she opened her new room's door, Ryan coldly stated to his parents, "She has been acting like that since she started dating that Weasley bloke. Even Wadsworth wasn't enough of a fool to think that she should be allowed to date someone so beneath her. I told you she needed to be watched."
Rebecca slammed the door and threw herself on to her new bed. She didn't want to be there at all any more. She wished she could just run home, but she knew if she wanted to go back to Hogwart's she was going to have to stick it out at the Malfoy's mansion.
'It's only a month after all,' she thought as the tears started to fall.
Rebecca walked down the stairs slightly more composed. She had spent the better part of the afternoon crying, but was able to control herself now. Ryan callousness along with the idea that she wouldn't be able to communicate to Charlie or any of her other friends for a month had just done her in.
If it wasn't for the fact that she was hungry she would have skipped tea and figured a way to talk to Charlie since she wasn't allowed to owl anyone while she was at the Malfoy's. Well, that and think of something to get back at Ryan. His words had stung and she couldn't believe that he had had the nerve to use Wadsworth's name against her dating Charlie.
Of course, it didn't help how much she missed her dearly loved butler and she did find herself wondering what Wadsworth would say about who she dated, though she highly doubted that Wadsworth would ever disapprove Charlie, because he thought that Charlie was beneath her. If she didn't see the relationship that way, why would Wadsworth.
Rebecca continued to thinking as she entered the parlor where the Malfoy's always had afternoon tea. She slowly took her seat on the couch and looked around at the other occupants of the room. They weren't a jolly bunch and never would be. Seldom did Rebecca ever see them smile for no reason and this tea was no exception. Rebecca slowly sat back wondering how she would cope without being around someone to smile just because.
'Stupid will. I would love to know what was up with my parents when they wrote it,' Rebecca thought looking up at the ceiling.
Though she had been dealing with getting direction in her life from her parents will since she could remember, this was the first time that she truly thought that her parents must have been crazy when they wrote it. Even when the lawyer informed her that she had to transfer schools, Rebecca really didn't think anything of it. It sounded similar to many of the other stipulations, but this new one seemed out of character and just plain bizarre.
"Why won't you talk to me?" Ryan hissed at Rebecca breaking her train of thought. For a moment she had forgotten he was on the couch beside her. "You barely said one word to me since we got here."
Rebecca rolled her eyes and looked at the floor trying to go back to her own thoughts.
"You are so stubborn. ... You know you never use to be this way. Weasley changed you."
"Oh, would you stop blaming Charlie for everything wrong with our friendship," Rebecca snapped back as she got up and left the room. She was not about to fight with Ryan in front of his parents.
Ryan ran out after her saying, "You know you're lucky that my family is important enough to see that you stay out of harms way."
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"It means that you had a choice and you made a bad one so now people are watching out for you!"
"And what was my bad choice?"
"Going out with that Weasel. Wads..."
"I know you think that Wadsworth wouldn't approve because the Weasley's are as rich as we are."
"You're right they are very poor and have no sense of status."
"Well, you're wrong Wadsworth wasn't superficial like that."
Ryan glared at Rebecca for what she was insinuating.
"Well, think what you want, but they are beneath us and one of these days you will figure it out."
It was Rebecca's turn to glower at him. She did it only for a moment and then stormed out the back door to the back yard.
Rebecca walked off the porch towards the tire swing hanging from a great old oak. She was still upset at Ryan, but that old swing brought back memories of times when Ryan didn't care about purebloods or money. He just wanted Rebecca to come over or him to go over to Rebecca's so that they could spend hours playing and hanging out.
Ryan came out the door and saw Rebecca standing next to the tire swing. He was surprised how much calmer she seemed outside.
After watching Rebecca climb into the tire, Ryan walked down to make a mends with Rebecca. They had to live with each other for a month there was no sense in them fighting everyday when they could have as much fun together as when they were younger.
"Rebecca?" he softly said when reached her.
"Hmm?" Rebecca responded tilting her head to look at him.
"Are you okay?" Rebecca noted the tone of concern in Ryan's voice.
"Yeah just tired, I guess."
"Is there something bothering you?" Looking more directly at Ryan, Rebecca couldn't help but think she was seeing her old childhood friend.
"I didn't tell you before, but I have to go to the lawyer's again tomorrow."
"Why?"
"I don't know," Rebecca started and then found herself opening up. "I am afraid that I might be getting another set of stipulations like I did today."
"Staying here really that bad?" Ryan asked starting to push her so that she couldn't get away.
"No, but there part of me that feels trapped with some of the stipulations."
"Oh, well we will go do stuff so that we're not in the house all the time."
"Thank you." Rebecca smiled slightly causing Ryan to keep pushing her.
The two remained out side until it was dinner. Neither had said too much but as Rebecca slipped off the tire to go in, Ryan broke the silence.
"Um, Rebecca I don't want you to be upset or anything, but Russel is going to be coming over tomorrow. ... He always comes over right after school lets out..."
Rebecca let out a sigh and stopped listening. Yet another downfall of staying at Ryan's for a month appeared.
Russel Flint was Ryan's best friend at Hogwarts and he more than once scared Rebecca out of her wits. She didn't know how long or often Russel was going to be at the Malfoy's, but all of the sudden having to go to the lawyer's in the morning was looking a whole lot better.
Rebecca quietly sat down for dinner and couldn't wait until she could get up so that she could go to bed. She just wanted to get to the lawyer's as early as possible in the morning.
Russel walked into the Malfoy's mansion about unable to contain his excitement. Though it was only ten in the morning, but the dark haired boy had been up for hours because he wanted to see Rebecca so badly.
He had fallen for Rebecca the moment that he met her on the Hogwart's Express. The girl made him crazy with her warm smiles and innocent frame of mind. He couldn't wait to do something to cause Rebecca to smile and get him one step closer to her forgiving him for frightening her so.
"Ryan?" Russel called looking around for a sign of where Rebecca might be as well as trying to find his friend.
"Hey, Russel!" Ryan called as he walked out of his room and down the steps. "How are you doing?"
"Oh, pretty good. Got all unpacked last night so I am set for the summer."
Ryan couldn't help but start to chortle Russel kept craning his neck around to see if Rebecca was anywhere to be found.
"She isn't here," he laughed and before Russel could ask where she was he added, "She had to go to the lawyer's again so she left her at eight. But don't worry mate she should be back this afternoon. Come on."
The two boys ran up to Ryan's room. They had some planning to do. Ryan knew of Russel's desires to be the guy in Rebecca's life and was looking to use this to get his childhood friend back from Charlie Weasley. Actually, managing to put her into Russel's arms would just be an added bonus after all that could be perfect. He could help out Russel and keep a close eye on Rebecca and keep Cassie as his girlfriend. Having such close bonds with the two girls would make his uncle, Lucius Malfoy, very happy, though exactly why he wasn't quite sure of yet.
Russel wasn't ignorant of the fact that Ryan had been told by Lucius that Rebecca was important to Ryan's future so he did have a slight suspicion that Ryan had an ulterior motives to helping him woo Rebecca, but he didn't care. He wanted her too badly to care why anyone was aiding him.
"I need to do something to gain her trust," Russel stated pacing Ryan's room.
Ryan who was lying on his bed, smirked slightly, and then replied, "What do you have in mind?"
"I don't know. But I know that if I gain her trust this week as long as I don't screw anything up, I can sweep her off her feet before she leaves here."
"And what are you basing that on?"
"Last Christmas... You remember me telling you about how she really opened up to me and that if I had another week with her, she would have forgotten about that loser, Weasley."
"Yeah, you said that she didn't mention him and then the day that everyone came back, she kept watching for him."
"Exactly, if we could have kept going the way we were going then, we would be a couple."
"So you think if you can recreate some of the magic that happened between you two, she is going to dump Weasley?"
"Yep, he'll get a 'Dear John' letter or should I say a 'Dear Charlie' letter." Russel started to laugh still pacing just a bit slower now.
Ryan chortled slightly before he said, "Too bad she isn't allowed to owl anyone."
"She's not?"
"Nope, one of her beautiful stipulations for the summer..." Ryan continued to tell Russel of Rebecca rules for while she stayed at his house.
"So she isn't going to have any contact with him, then?" Russel inquired when Ryan finished.
"Not if I have anything to do with it."
"Oh, this day is getting better and better," Russel stated as he looked at his watch to see what time it was. "Hey it is almost time for tea. Did she come back already?"
"I don't think so. I have a charm put on her door so that I know when she enters it."
"That's cool. Of course you know she isn't going to react too well when she finds out about it."
"Yeah, but I don't care if it drives her crazy. She is driving me nuts with her melancholy sulking. You should have seen her yesterday and at breakfast." Ryan got up and started towards the door, as he stated, "Come on, let's go to tea."
Russel shook his head and followed his friend out of the room. He was hoping that Rebecca would already be down in the parlor for tea. Unfortunately when Russel entered the room, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were the only ones down there. Taking a seat and thanking Mrs. Malfoy for the tea she offered him, Russel hoped that Rebecca would show up soon, but as tea drew to a close there was no sign of her.
Ryan and Russel exited the parlor to go back up to Ryan's room to hang out until dinner just as Rebecca entered the front door.
"Hey, Rebecca," Ryan simply said when he saw her.
"Hey," she responded not realizing that Russel was with Ryan in the entryway.
Rebecca had a sweet smile on her face as she turned to shut the door causing Ryan to ask, "What happened?"
"Hmmm? Oh, nothing much. I found out that I was put into a self-defense class."
"Oh, that's cool. I thought for a moment that you saw someone."
Rebecca innocently smiled hoping Ryan didn't ask her if she had. Something about telling him that she had ran into James Patterson, a friend of hers from Hogwarts, didn't sound like a good idea.
She had been walking back from self-defense class to the lawyer's when she looked in the ice cream parlor and noticed the back of a blonde boy that she thought was the right height to be James. When the boy turned around, she found out that she was indeed right, because it was her friend. His parents owned the shop and he would be working there this summer.
To say that she was excited to hear James' news would be an understatement. Rebecca had ecstatically gave James a hug, because she now had a means to communicate with Charlie and her other Hogwarts friends that she wasn't able to write them letters and she would have a familiar face to see every day that she walked from the lawyer's office and the center where the defense classes were. She was torn on which was really the best surprise.
Luckily, Ryan didn't press her on the subject anymore, instead he said, "Come on drop your stuff off in your room and we'll hang out in my room."
"Okay," Rebecca started but then she caught sight of Russel who had a huge grin on his face. There was no way that she wanted hang out with him, so she quickly added, "but is okay if I go to the kitchen and grab a quick snack first? I didn't have time to eat with being at the lawyer's and then at the gym. I don't think that I will make to dinner if I don't have something."
"Fine, we'll meet you in the kitchen."
Ryan moved so that Rebecca could get past him to her room. As she walked to the stairs, Russel finally got up the nerve to say, "Hello, Rebecca."
"Hi," Rebecca nervously responded as she glanced his way and then continued to the stairs.
When she opened the door she heard, Ryan say, "Come on, mate. Rebecca will be down in a minute."
Rebecca shut her door and threw her bag on the floor. She was really hungry so she knew that Ryan was right. Sooner or later she would be down in kitchen to get something to eat and she would be forced to interact with Russel.
"Why did he come over so soon?" she muttered as looked over to her bed to find two letters.
Very confused, she picked them up to see that one was from the lawyer's and the other was from Stacy. Quickly, she opened the letter from the lawyer's. She couldn't help but fear that she was in trouble because she received an owl from a friend when she wasn't suppose to have written contact with anyone.
Miss Carter,
Due to the length of our meeting this morning and the importance of making sure that you made it to your other appointment, I feel that a letter to recap everything .
1. The letter restriction – You are not to send any owls while at the Malfoy's. Upon further reading of your parent's will there is a loophole that allows you receive owls from anyone hence this letter. I am sorry I was not able to tell you this ahead of time, but it wasn't until I wanted to send you this letter that I found the loophole.
2. Driving lessons – You will be taking driving lessons so that 'you can independently move and take care of yourself.' It will take place an hour before your defense class.
3. Self defense classes – You will be enrolled in defense classes. Everyday you will have these classes.
4. Weekly visits to my office – we will be checking progress on your stipulations
5. Free time – when you are not in my office or at one of your appointed lessons you are to be under the supervision of one of the Malfoys. Your other activities during your stay are to be clear with them.
If you have any questions, feel free to stop by the office.
Yours Sincerely,
Jasper Spangler
"Oh, so I can get owls," Rebecca muttered when she finished the letter. She could have jumped for joy, except for the fact that she knew that if her friends were not getting return letters from her then they would wonder what was up.
'I guess I will just have to get James to write them,' she thought as she opened Stacy's letter.
Hey Rebecca!
How are you doing? I got an earful from Ben about you on the way back home from Beauxbatons. I am so sorry that you and Anna got pulled through the fire. I can't believe that he did that! I thought it was bad when he knocked me out that one night, but it is obvious that he is out of control. Anyways, did you get back to Hogwarts okay? Please let me know! Oh and beware, Ben said on the trip that he was going to have a discussion with you this incident. I wish I could come and stay with you so that you wouldn't be alone when he tries to contact you. Unfortunately, I can't. My family is going on holiday for a month.. Maybe if we are lucky Ben won't try anything until after I get back, which should be a day or two before your Anyways, sweetie, I have to go. Kerry and Kalie say hi and hope that you are okay after your whole Ben ordeal.
Later,
Stacy
"Oh, Stace," Rebecca muttered thinking of her best friend from Beauxbatons. "She must be so worried. ... I'll have to get James to owl her for me."
"Hey, Rebecca!" Ryan called up to her.
"Coming," Rebecca called back as she exited her room to go down to the kitchen.
As Rebecca entered the kitchen, she heard Ryan say, "But you still have the date."
She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the thought of the bet that caused her to have to go out on a date with Russel.
"Just remember, I get my ring back," she darkly commented settling herself as far from Russel as possible.
"At the end of the date," Russel replied. Then with a big smile, he added, "when I get my kiss."
"Hmph."
"Hey, that is part of the agreement."
"But remember, you can't get that if you even brush up against me."
"I'll just have to do it before that."
Rebecca saw the look of determination in Russel's eyes. He wasn't about to let her get his goat and he was going to control himself to get that kiss. Suddenly, she figured out something that would drive him nuts.
As innocently as possible she asked, "So you're saying that if you kiss me the date is over then and there."
Russel glared at her. He could see the angle she was going to play. If he agreed with her, then she would thing to figure out how to make it so that he kissed her without it being on her lips so that they didn't make it a step out the door.
"That isn't what I said."
"You said at the end of the date." Rebecca tried to keep her innocent act going, but she couldn't help but smile mischievously.
"Yeah, after everything that I have planned for the night!" Russel's voiced raised slightly giving Rebecca a bit of satisfaction.
"What took you so long?" Ryan inquired when he felt that Russel and Rebecca's bickering was just going to cause Russel more problems and he better say something before Rebecca had a chance to keep the row going.
"I had letters to read," she plainly stated.
"I thought you couldn't get owls?"
"No, I can't send them, but I guess I can receive them."
Russel, who had been all smiles since Rebecca walked in the door of the mansion, grimaced at the thought that even though Rebecca couldn't initiate communication with anyone, Charlie could still send her letters and remind her that she was dating him. With these circumstances, it would be a miracle if Russel and Ryan could pull off half of what they planned.
"I'm hungry," Rebecca muttered trying to get the reason she was down in the kitchen with the guys to be the focus of the converstation.
Around the corner of the counter came one of the Malfoy's house elves who Rebecca had known since she was little, but whose name had never been used by the Malfoys or the elf itself.
"Miss needs to eat," started the house elf. "What does Miss want?"
"Something with some kick. ... How about that piquant chicken that you always use to make me?" Rebecca asked hoping that she wasn't burdening the elf.
"Of, course, whatever Miss wants."
Rebecca gave house elf a sweet smile and started to reread Stacy's letter.
"So who is the letter from?" Ryan asked as the house elf rushed around to make Rebecca's food as well as dinner.
"Stacy," Rebecca replied blandly not looking up.
"What's she say?"
"'Hi!'"
Ryan rolled his eyes and snatched the paper out of Rebecca's hand.
"HEY! That's mine!"
Rebecca quickly stood up and grabbed the paper back, but it was too late. It was such a short letter from Stacy that Ryan was able to read it all.
"Who's Ben?" he growled causing Rebecca to meekly sit back down and Russel to look at Ryan curiously.
"He was a friend from Beauxbatons," Rebecca quietly responded hoping that would be the beginning and end of the interrogation.
"What was that part about you getting pulled through the fire?"
"Anna and I were talking by the fire and he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the fire. I latched on to Anna and she fell in with me."
"When was that?" Russel asked anxiously.
"The night that Anna and I landed into Slytherin."
"So you fell into Slytherin when you were coming back from that?"
"Sort of..."
"So when Jason found you coming out of the fire you were you or were you not coming back from Ben pulling you into the fire?"
"We were but before we got to Slytherin we had a side trip to Durmstang."
Russel looked shocked. Jason Calloway just told him that the girls said they were lost. Obviously the former Slytherin quidditch captain had failed to find out where all the girls had been.
"Let me get this straight," interrupted Ryan looking directly at Rebecca. "You got pulled into Beauxbatons, in getting back you ended up at Durmstang, and when you finally got back to Hogwarts you landed in Slytherin?"
"Yep."
Ryan then turned towards Russel and in a very aggressive manner asked, "And you knew about this?"
Russel knew no matter how he answered he answered Ryan wasn't going to be happy because he hadn't been told about the incident. Finally he said as non-offensive as he could, "When you went to deal with Cassie's latest crisis, Calloway had called me to the common room where I saw Anna and Rebecca."
Ryan didn't say anything but looked at Russel as if he betrayed him. Rebecca silently laughed at the two as the house elf set a plate of food in front of her.
For a moment, she had forgotten how hungry she was, but looking at the chicken, rice, and vegetables that she was given reminded. Instantly she picked up her fork and started to shovel food into her mouth.
Russel watched the speed at which Rebecca ate wondering if she was actually chewing. Apparently, Rebecca hadn't been lying to him or Ryan about not eating.
"Food that good?" Ryan asked noticing the same thing Russel had.
Rebecca just nodded and went back to eating. The house elf smiled as she continued work around the three to make dinner. Ryan glanced over at Russel who seemed eager to say something, but couldn't seem to get anything out. The three sat there in an awkward silence until Rebecca ate her last bit and headed to the kitchen door.
"I'm stuffed," she stated walking out the door.
Both Ryan and Russel got up and followed her into the hall as Ryan joked, "I didn't know you were a turkey, does that mean that you have to go into the oven to roast?"
"Ha, ha. ... I'm going to go take a shower," Rebecca said and started up the steps.
Russel was about to say something to about her saying that she would hang out with them after she ate, but before he could Ryan mundanely replied, "Sounds like a good idea. Dinner will probably be done when you are, so we'll see you down in the dinning room."
Rebecca smiled sweetly and then disappeared into her room happy that she could be alone for a while.
"What did you say that for?" Russel stated fighting back the urge to slap Ryan outside the head. "You know she is now going to stay in that room until dinner. Are you so angry at me for not telling you that Rebecca had been in the common room that you aren't going to help me now?"
Ryan didn't respond he just started walking up the stairs. Russel followed slightly frustrated that Ryan was going to hold this against him.
"Mate, I swear I didn't know how she got there or where she had been before that. If you remember I came back into the room and before I could get out why I left, your girlfriend came in and took you out of the room."
Ryan huffed and then asked, "Did you tell anyone what Jason wanted?"
"No?" Russel was unsure why Ryan thought it was important if he had told anyone.
"I hate him," Ryan muttered to himself.
"Ben?"
"YES!" Ryan looked around to see if anyone had heard him shout, but no one seemed to care if they did hear him so he quietly added, "Come on."
The two boys quickly went into Ryan room and shut the door so no one could hear what they were talking about.
"So what is your problem with this Ben bloke?" Russel asked plopping down on Ryan's bed.
It was Ryan turn to pace the room while they talked. Looking out the window for a second and then turned to walk away as he said, "When she first went off to Beauxbatons, Rebecca would come back from school talking about him. Ben this... Ben that... She acted like he was the greatest thing."
"Okay?"
"Every letter I ever got from her had his name in it. He was stealing her away from me."
"So because your cousin wrote you about him you were worried that was affecting your guy's relationship?"
Ryan stopped pacing and looked at Russel for a moment. He forgot that Russel only knew of Rebecca as his cousin, not the girl next door.
"Yeah," Ryan quietly admitted knowing that it sounded dumb, but he had to keep up the façade he created to keep Cassie off of his back. If he didn't the drama queen he called his girlfriend would have a major fit that wouldn't stop.
"Mate, you and your cousin will always be cousins. A guy isn't going to change that."
"I know."
"So would you have thought that I was stealing her from you if I..."
"No, that's completely different. You're my best mate and it would... be..."
"Different?"
"Yeah."
Russel couldn't help but start laughing.
"What?" snarled Ryan.
"Well you said that it was when you guys first went off to different school, that she started to talk about Ben. What happened after a while?"
"She stopped."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think she knew that the guy bothered me."
"Mate, I really think you are over reacting."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. I have never seen you so possessive of someone. You are almost as bad as Cassie is."
Ryan stopped and looked at Russel for a moment. He looked like he was really mad and then suddenly he started laughing. "I guess you're right. She never did say anything about her dating anyone at Beauxbatons. In fact unless, I missed something, Weasel boy is her first boyfriend."
Russel had been laughing with Ryan, but stopped at the mention of Charlie's name.
"Of course, we'll be making sure that it isn't her last right?" Ryan stated when he saw that Russel was starting to brood. Russel just smiled and shook his head as Ryan said, "Come on, Russel. Let's go get her."
Rebecca walked out of her private bathroom feeling much more relaxed. She had no idea that she had been that stressed just being down in the kitchen. She was sure that part of it was left over from going to the lawyer's and self defense class, but she really felt that most of it had to do with having to be around Russel.
After changing and setting out a set of robes that would be appropriate for dinner with the Malfoy's, she laid down in her bed and looked out the window wondering when she would get an owl from Charlie. Of course, she had already told James to tell Charlie as soon as he could, but she could still hope that Charlie had sent her one before James could owl him. If not, it really didn't matter, because she would amend the situation tomorrow when she saw James.
Yawning Rebecca turned to see what time it was. She had about an hour until dinner.
'Just enough for a good nap,' she thought to herself as she turned back to the window. She smiled as she closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep hoping to dream of Charlie and her other friends.
Ryan and Russel knocked on Rebecca's door. When Rebecca didn't answer the door, Ryan just opened the door.
"Ryan, she isn't going to be happy that you went into her room," Russel stated remembering how mad Rebecca had been when he went into her dorm room.
Ryan just shook his head and proceeded to walk into the room. After a moment he called back to Russel, "Oh, she's asleep. She won't care."
"She's sleeping?" Russel couldn't help to walk in to see her.
"Yep."
Both guys stood at the side of the bed and just looked at Rebecca. Russel thought that she looked like an angel lying there with a sweet smile on her face. The only problem was that he knew that it was the thought of Charlie that put that smile on his face. All Russel wanted to do was swipes that smile right off her face.
"Come on, Ryan," he started pulling Ryan's arm. "Let's leave her to sleep. I want to get that date planned so that I can take her out as soon as possible."
"Okay," Ryan said starting out the door. "Let's get everything finalized so that you can sweep her off her feet. We'll get her up for dinner."
The boys sat in there Ryan's room until dinner. Russel picked Ryan's brain some more about what would be Rebecca's dream date. It didn't matter that Ryan was probably off base with what Rebecca really would like to do.
Russel's idea was to get Ryan's opinion and shape them to what he thought Rebecca would like. The way he figured it doing this would give him an upper hand at winning Rebecca's heart.
"Hey its dinner time. Let's go get her," Ryan stated getting up and heading out the door.
Russel followed him to Rebecca's room. The boys knocked again, but there was no answer. Ryan opened the door and found Rebecca was still sound asleep. He tried to wake her, but to no avail. He got Rebecca up for a second, but she fell right back to sleep. In the end Ryan retreated out of the room.
Two hours later when dinner was over and the boys were back in Ryan's room after trying to wake Rebecca up again, a soft knock came on the door.
"Yes?" Ryan asked wondering what was going on.
The door slowly opened and Rebecca walked in.
"Did I sleep through dinner?" she asked rubbing some of the sleep out of her eyes. Ryan, who was really angry with her for falling asleep when she did, couldn't help but laugh at her, obviously, Rebecca hadn't done it on purpose and was rather upset about it.
"Yeah, you did. You hungry?" he asked as Rebecca settled herself on his bed surprisingly not reacting to how close she was sitting next to Russel.
"No, I really am not really hungry. I just wanted to make sure no one messed with my clock. ... I think I might go back to bed."
Before Ryan could ask if she was that tired, Rebecca yawned really big.
"Hey Rebecca," Russel gently said not wanting to startle her. He suspected that she really didn't know who she was next to.
"Hmm?" Rebecca managed to get out before she started to yawn again.
"I was wondering if I could talk to you about the date?"
Rebecca looked at for him for a moment slightly surprised that he was still there, but too exhausted to react.
All she could do was ask, "What about it?"
"When do you want to go on it? I was thinking maybe this weekend."
Rebecca scrunched up her face slightly. She was so tired and she didn't think she would feel much better on the weekend. There's was no way she wanted to do the date when she was tired. Russel could see it all in her eyes and wasn't too offend by Rebecca making a face at him. After all he didn't want her falling asleep on him while he was trying to win her heart.
After a moment, he added, "How about we do it on a night that you feel more awake?"
Rebecca just nodded as she yawned again and blinked several times like she was struggling to keep her eyes open.
"Guys, I am going back to bed," she finally said getting off the bed. "Night."
"Sounds like a good idea," Ryan said helping her up as best as he could. "Good night, Rebecca."
"Sweet sleep, Rebecca," Russel called after her. When Ryan looked at Russel, Russel smiled and said, "One step closer, mate, one step closer."