Rose glared at Scorpius' retreating back, only stopping when a small spark appeared behind him. A smile disrupted her anger and she got back to her studies. It was what she would tell everyone else at least, she was looking for a magical artifact for her studies. She went through, page by page, of what items had been seen recently. Those she mentally crossed off her list.
Rose got through the entire book without writing a single thing written on her parchment. There were a few things that hadn't been seen for a couple hundred years, but so far she hadn't found something not seen for a thousand years. She had gotten excited for several things in which almost passed the test, only to say it had been destroyed or disenchanted for the safety of the wizardry world and at a Museum now. It had been something that hadn't been seen for a long time until… and that's when she skipped. There had been a few she read to the end simply for entertainment, but even then it was more skimming that actually reading.
Feeling her stomach start to ache she looked at the small clock in above her. It was a neat little charm, any student who looked into the stars could see the time it was always. It didn't matter even if you hid in the smallest corner of the library. It was twenty minutes until curfew, which meant that she had to do patrols at that time. Gathering up her items as quick as she could, she checked out the last book and left the library in a brisk walk.
It didn't take her long to reach the kitchens, since she was only in the library, however avoiding Slytherin was hard. It wasn't that she wanted to avoid them per say but she didn't want to hear their jabs of insults being hurled her way. People thought that being the daughter of Ron and Hermione Granger was filled with praise and gratitude, yeah right. For those who lost their parents or relatives in the way to the dark side, it was completely different. They sneered at her and went out of their way to make sure her life was that much harder. Oh the joys of 'popularity'. She was almost there…
"Rosie!" Albus Potter's voice jarred her from her thoughts as she now heard his elephant like footsteps head towards her. He knew she didn't like that nick name, but even through her hatred a spark of kinship came to life. Curls bounced around her face as she shook her head, though she didn't smile. Albus hadn't sounded happy, he had sounded more urgent than she had ever heard him.
"Albus?" She turned around as Albus abruptly came to a stop, a rather uncontrollable letter in his hands. She didn't need an explanation for what it was. She had been expecting it the moment her mom found the scratch on the car. She had charmed the car to safely return home, without detection! However, she hadn't been able to control when the car stalled right in the middle of the air. Was she really to blame when the old junky car decided it wasn't going to cooperate. She got it started again, but not without some damage to the vehicle.
"ROSETTA MARIE WEASLEY!" It was definitely from her mom, if it hadn't been apparently from the way the note was charmed to jump to her once she was close enough to it. "YOU ARE IN SOOO MUCH TROUBLE LITTLE MISSY! HOW COULD YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD JUST...JUST GO AND TAKE THE CAR WITHOUT PERMISSION AND NOT EVEN WAIT AROUND FOR THE CONSEQUENCES?"
'Well, let's see. I had a train to catch...'
"YOU WILL BE MISSING OUT WHEN I TELL EVERYONE YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COME BACK HOME THIS CHRISTMAS! NOT ONLY THAT, YOU CAN SAY NO TO YOUR NEW PARCHMENT YOU WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS!"
Rose groaned, hating to have to stay at Hogwarts. Nothing happened, library was closed for rentals and the chairs there definitely weren't comfortable for time periods longer than two hours. On top of that, the parchment she had asked for was made in Japan. The export was best for keeping things organized. Even if you were to just constantly write, it auto corrected your words and you could move the words around or change them if you thought of a better way to state something.
Cringing slightly, Rose blushed as she looked at Albus, who just grinned at her in response. "Rosie who knew you had it in you? Stole the car, did you?" James had begged to do just that on several occasions, but each time Ron had said no. To date, no one but their parents had driven the car. Considering her parents had left her when she floo'd over to Albus' house to grab her cauldron, she had no other choice.
"If you hadn't asked to borrow my cauldron, this wouldn't have happened." Rose glared at Albus, causing him to put his hands up in defense.
"Hey, I was congratulating you! I'll buy you the parchment or whatever you wanted." Albus grinned at her and ran a hand through his hair. She supposed it didn't do the mess any worse but the mop needed a comb. Actually Dominique had tried that over the summer, it hadn't helped. A simple sleeping draught and wizarding beauty supplies had made it presentable, but then James had found Minnie's make up. While Dominique thew a fit at first, the pictures they each had now were fantastic.
Rose looked at the ashes of what had been her howler on the floor and her stomach growled again. "Blimey, was that your stomach? Did you eat dinner?" Rose shook her head, not the tiniest bit ashamed due to her habits. The crowd of the dining hall could be a little much, and many times there were rude people that would just bump into you while you were eating. It wasn't her favorite setting.
"Well let's go then. I can't let my cousin starve! What kind of best friend could I be then? Only the worst sort." Albus seemed to grab her arm and start pulling her along. Amused, Rose let herself be 'guided' to the kitchens.
"Oh Albus you're such a gentleman. Escorting me to the kitchens, are you? I didn't know if I would make it." Sarcasm dripping from every word that spilled out of her mouth, Rose watched the confusion struggle over Albus' face. It was only for a second, but recognition soon lit up his face.
"You sarcastic twat!" Albus ruffled her curls and Rose tried to bite his hand. As vain as it sounded, it took Rose a while to make her hair presentable. Ruffling of her messy curls did nothing to help her tame the beast.
"Barbaric twit!" Rose countered in what seemed like their childish insults. Every so often he would say she was either a sarcastic twat or stubborn twat… it would switch between the two. Her response was always the same however. It was ritual for them.
Entering in the kitchen the house elves nearly fell over themselves while greeting them. There were a few more within the few years, but Rose went to the house elf she had heard stories about. Winky had always been nice to them, and had even named her son Dobby after the 'very confused house elf that none of the other house elves had apparently liked.
"Hello Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley. How is Mister Harry Potter doing?" Every year she asked the same question to one of their party at Hogwarts. Winky hadn't always been so kind to anyone, in fact she had been a right mess. After some prodding and many of the house elves taking away the butter beers she had been quite addicted too, she had come almost around. It had been Professor's McGonnagal's suggestion that she try to have a son, someone to care for much like she had cared for her last master's son. While Winky wasn't quite over her dismissal, Rose heard that she used to be much worse off.
"Father is doing fine. He has started a rather tricky allegiance with Romania and their aurors, but so far everything is doing fairly well. They are on the look for some dark wizard who escaped from their prison before he was to be brought to Azkaban. Knowing dad, the ministry will find him soon enough." Albus stated so matter of factly, Rose smiled. Harry's biggest fan and support had to be his son, despite their arguments over the summer. Albus really loved his father, in his Albus sort of way.
"I missed dinner… again; I'm just here to get something to eat." As if on cue, her stomach gave another unhappy grumble. She smiled apologetically at Winky who set forth with what food hadn't been eaten for supper. In a matter of a couple minutes, Rose and Albus had themselves a buffet. Despite having eating dinner, Albus sat himself down to get another helping. Rose had wondered for a quite some time if Albus just had an endless pit as a stomach.
After a few minutes of eating in silence, Albus interrupted with a mouth full of mashed potatoes. "So how is being Head Girl, Rosie?" Only a tiny bit disgusted by now, Rose shrugged nonchalantly. Here she was acting as if she didn't care, but just hearing herself be called Head Girl still sent chill down her spin. It was still like a dream to her. However, there were more duties than she had thought to be Head Girl. She also had to deal with Scorpius as Head Boy, so she hoped they made it out alive.
"Well, so far it's been absolutely fantastic." Her voice spoke of her excitement as she started. "I have my own dorm, which is still the same size as the ones in Ravenclaw. I get my own bath and a common room which I have to share with Scorpius. It's decorated with blue's and green's for the Head's houses. It looks rather forest like, and oddly soothing." She had never seen the Head's dorm but she had been so surprised. They also had a nice window with a view over the Black Lake. It was perfect for people watching.
"Mind if I come up and see?" Rose laughed at Albus' request. If Rose hadn't been swamped with duties, school work, and getting herself settled Rose would have invited Albus up sooner. This is the first real time they had talked outside of notes. However, instead of answering Albus instantly she let the question float in the air for a while. Taking a bit of her pork chop, she relished the taste and swallowed.
"Why of course, Muppet." Rose felt so at home with Albus. Sometimes, it's like they were twins. They had their fights, their triumphs, and she knew she could talk to him about anything. She wasn't so at ease with most people. It hadn't helped that for the first few years people had tried to use her for her fame. No, that had been harsh. People Rose had thought she could count on had just been there for their few minutes of fame.
Conversation went on lightly before Albus finally asked the question Rose had avoided all summer. "So what had happened with Brent? You never told me exactly what happened." Brent had been Rose's boyfriend all last year. He had been a nice boy, she supposed. She remembered the way he smiled and the sound of his laugh with a sharp pain in her chest. Why did it still hurt after all summer?
It wasn't her fault she hadn't been born a man. It had been a bit of a surprise when you find out you were just a test to see if you were really gay. She supposed that could be taken as a compliment, but it just hurt. He had liked her personality and company, but when it came to attraction… Nothing. She couldn't really blame him too much for just making sure, but wished she had been privy to such experiment. Perhaps she hadn't been the right girl, however. She didn't think of herself as sexy. Nothing she wore exactly exaggerated that. Perhaps she should try to dress more like a girl. She would need Minnie's help with that. She had no idea how to be a girl, despite living as one for seventeen years.
"He's gay." Rose whispered to Albus. Yorky the house elf was a notoriously gossip. Rose had her eyes trained on him and she wasn't sure it was what she said or how he felt her eyes on him that caused those tan eyes to twitch. "You can't tell anyone though. He said he wanted to wait till over the summer to tell his parents but, I don't feel right telling his secret." She knew what Albus was thinking. He didn't even have to say it. Rose the saint, even after having her heart broken and shoved down the loo. At first she had wanted to shout it in the entire student body as tears rolled down her face. He was gay because he didn't find her attractive. They would have laughed at her just as much as been surprised and shocked at him. She hadn't been his first girlfriend, but he'd been her first. He had been her first kiss, a kiss which had caused her to blush at night.
Albus' eyes stayed wide for several seconds before he reached over the table and grabbed her into a hug. Rose was so shocked a chocked laugh escaped from inside her chest. She hadn't expected this. Maybe some pity looks and swearing that Albus would get his revenge for her. She raised her arms to embrace him over the table and laid her head on his shoulder. She could tell he was angry, his entire body was shaking. She didn't want to laugh, but she had to fight to keep it inside. Poor Albus, if only he knew that Brent had a crush on him now… The fact would make him shy away from Brent instead of want to face the man. James teased Albus enough even when he went on dates.
"Let's head up to the Head's dorm then." Rose finally said, it getting awkward as they just hugged above the table. Her back was starting to hurt from leaning over and she was sure her necklace was hanging in her goblet now. Albus let her go and nodded, but she could tell he was making an effort not to say anything. Good, maybe he would leave the subject alone.
The trip from the kitchens all the way up to the Head's dorm would be a long one. Located on the seventh floor, Rose wouldn't have to worry about exercise that year. After one look at her class schedule and comparing it to her new privileges and what was required of her that year, she knew she would be up and down the stairs multiple times a day. She already felt the pain in her legs as her very unsporty legs began to gain muscle. Even from last year living in the Ravenclaw, the amount of times she went up and down those stairs increased considerably.
That familiar pain was now only a thought in the back of her mind as she stood in front of the portrait door. She smiled at the four founders of Hogwarts. She knew it was just a portrait, but she liked to have small chats with Rowena Ravenclaw before entering the door. No one seemed to be missing from this portrait at least, but they did have a visitor, a clumsy knight with a loud mouth declaring he would find justice. Justice in what? The founders did seem entertained by the fellow however.
"Jitsu"
Slowly the portrait opened for them and she grinned inside. It seemed dark, lit only by the large fireplace in front of their sofa. She entered, pride filling her that this place was partially hers for the year. She had earned this. Even her mother had never been Head Girl, though surely she would have been if she actually finished Hogwarts.
"I thought I smelled something awful blew in." Scorpius was lounging on the sofa, Rose now realized, reading some an icy blue bound book. He looked so at ease on their black sofa, in his element. Rose controlled her sudden urge to stick her tongue out at him by showing him her back. He didn't deserve her response, and neither did his comment. All Scorpius did was torment her in here. Luckily, Albus didn't seem to have heard Scorpius comment, or like her he had ignored it. He stared wide eyed at the place, then at the two staircases that ascended to their bedrooms. On top of both doors held their first and last names with a small charm. While Rose didn't have to guess what was charmed around Scorpius' name, her own had ever blooming roses budding around her name.
"You haven't even seem my room yet, Al. Just wait." It was Rose's turn to drag him from his wide eyes stance in her common room and up to her room. Decorated in her most wonderful house colors, she felt right at home. She had a large canopy bed, something she had always loved, right in the middle of her room. On one side there was a bookshelf full of some of Rose's favorite books. It was almost scary they knew her favorite books, however they could have easily owl'd her parents to ask. On the other side was her dresser with a large mirror on top of it. As if she'd really want to see how badly she looked each day. However, it did seem to push her to look better now.
Kicking off her shoes and placing them neatly by her closet, which was a walk in closet! She had never had one and never wanted one until now. It was a perfect little place to just hide away in when she wanted to block everything out. The plush carpet under her feet made her sigh happily and turn around to see Al's response. He still looked a little wide eyed so Rose decided to help him in that matter. She pinched him.
"Ow! Sod off, won't you? Certainly you just stood gazing for a while. If this is what your room looks like, I wonder what the Head Boy's room looks like." Knowing he didn't even have to ask, he began to look around. He opened the door to the closet and laughed at her piles of books in the closet. There were a few dresses she had placed inside, but mostly it was books.
"You're happy to go ask for a tour I suppose." Rose teased, though she thought he just might. Albus and Scorpius weren't enemies per say. They had a more friendly rivalry going on. Unlike Rose and Scorpius, the men weren't at each other's throats whenever they were in the same room.
It was about that time Albus opened the door to their bathroom. He gazed open mouth at the large bathtub, showers, and sink full of hair product that he knew wouldn't be hers. His gaze instantly shot to the other door directly opposite of the one he entered. He quickly went to make sure that the door locked. Returning to her side, he was frowning at her.
"You share a bathroom with him?" Albus hadn't needed to tell her who he meant by 'him'. She had to share a bathroom with him, yes, but so far they hadn't had any problems. They always knocked and when in passing, they didn't even say a word to each other. There were no insults or polite hellos. So far everything was just silence. Rose wasn't quite sure how to answer that, or how to explain their agreement. She just stood there for a moment and as she opened her mouth, she heard the door open.
"Yes, we do." Both Rose and Albus jerked their heads back to the newly opened door to see Scorpius staring at them. "You both talk very loudly." Rose took a deep breath and held it, not wanting to be the first to break the silence. She was perfectly content to let it stay that way, even as she stared into those grey eyes. She swallowed and let go of her breath, holding his stare. Her eyes were drying but she wouldn't look away. Wait, was it wouldn't or couldn't?
"Congrats on the position, Scorpius." Albus said, taking the hint that Rose wouldn't break the silence. Scorpius turned away from her and she was let out of whatever stupor she must have been in. Her heart was still pounding and she wondered what it was about this room that rendered her speechless whenever he came into the room. It just seemed too… intimate in here. Surreal. Scorpius smirked at Albus and pushed away from the door frame, walking to the center of the bathroom to return a clean wash cloth to the bathtub edge.
"Well thank you. However, don't think that just because I have more responsibilities now doesn't mean I won't still kick your arse in Quidditch this year. Slytherin will take the cup." Scorpius looked so certain of it, Rose was surprised. Was he just being cocky or did he have some sort of trick up his sleeve? Would Slytherin cheat like they did last year? Well the previous seventh year wasn't even at Hogwarts anymore, but it hurt Scorpius that they hadn't won the year before. The score had been so close but when Timothy Harp had knocked another player off their broom using his bat. He had to be taken from the team. It had given Gryffindor the edge to win the game, and in turn the Quidditch Cup!
"Don't be so sure Malfoy, I have a great keeper this year." Albus countered easily, returning Scorpius' grin. It was safe to say, Albus hadn't heard Scorpius in the common room. "None of your Quaffles will be able to make it in." Scorpius hadn't made Quidditch captain, but he was certainly one of their best beaters. Instead, the honor had been given to Russell McNair as she had heard.
Before Albus could finish an explosion sounded from somewhere in the castle. Even the stone floors on which they stood on shook, but Rose was not going to let it daunt her. This castle was built not only by one of the most dedicated and creative wizarding architects but protected by magic as well. It could be damaged, but there were several barriers you had to blast through in order to truly destroy it. Rose pulled out her wand and noticed that she hadn't been the only one. Together, the exited to find what exactly had caused the explosion.
Now sadly this is pretty much without a beta reader since when I do get a response, real life must get in the way because I don't hear from them again. If anyone who is reading this would like to be my beta ready, don't be afraid to just send me a pm and I can let you in on all the juicy details. ;)
