3 months later
Rose woke suddenly to the sound of books hitting the floor.
"Shit," she muttered taking in the mess of quills, ink, parchment, and textbooks that now littered her floor.
She heard a groan coming from the bed next to her. She could see Emma Longbottom, certified best friend, slowly stretch her aching limbs through the curtain before pulling the maroon sheet back to reveal Emma's light brown hair messed up from sleep and angry hazel eyes staring at Rose.
"Sorry," Rose muttered. "Didn't mean to wake you."
"Ro, it's fucking," Emma paused to look at the clock Arthur Weasley had given Rose for her 12th birthday, "10 o'clock on a Saturday! What is the meaning of waking up so early?"
Rose rolled her eyes at the exasperated tone. After living with Emma for six years, she knew when she was being melodramatic.
"I'm gonna take a shower," Rose said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "We'll go to breakfast in 20."
"Ugh! You are SO difficult sometimes!" Emma cried, throwing her hands up in the air. They flopped back down lifelessly as she muttered: "I hope the elves made pancakes."
Once copious amounts of pancakes had been consumed, the two witches discussed day plans.
"Al told me he could help me in DADA before the final next week," Emma told Rose. "I have a lot to still learn, Bradshaw is not a very good professor. I probably won't see the light of day until next month and you until dinner tonight."
"There are windows in the library, you know. That's fine, I've got some prefect things to work on. I can keep myself occupied. Have fun with Albus."
They parted ways at the entrance to the Great Hall. Emma through the front doors to meet Al outside and Rose up the stairs to the 7th floor to study in the dorm.
The events of six hours later would change alter the life of the Gryffindor Sixth Years forever.
5 hours and 58 minutes later
"OOMPH"
Rose squeaked as she ran into a hard body on her downward trek from the girls dormitory. Finally regaining her balance, she addressed the wall of a body that had just made the aforementioned noise.
"Alex! I'm so sorry I didn't see you there."
"It's okay Rose," came the deep voice of Alex Wood. "I was actually about to go up looking for you."
"Looking for me? In the girls dormatory? You know there is a protection charm preventing boys from going up the stairs." Rose said, in her perfected prefect tone.
"Don't think I don't have my ways," the handsome Seventh Year wiggled his eyebrows and Rose laughed.
"Is there something I can help you with?" Rose asked, suddenly shy. She had know this boy for years, how had she never the flecks of light brown in his otherwise dark chocolate colored eyes?
"Well, as you may or may not know, I am scheduled to leave Hogwarts at the end of next week due to the unfortunate fact that I am, in fact, graduating."
Rose smiled slightly and Alex stepped forward.
"I figure that this is now or never, because honestly, I know I will never, ever have the balls to do this if I see you again outside of Hogwarts, especially at those stupid quidditch gatherings we are always dragged to by family." Rose smiled, remembering how her father always got them tickets to those things, he WAS on a chocolate frog card and gosh darnit if he wasn't going to use that to his advantage. (Also his sister was a former professional quidditch player and always had tickets but that's beside the point.)
"Rose Jean Weasley," Alex took a long breath, "I have had a major crush on you since for a while noe and I've only recently decided I was going to do something about it." Rose face turned the color of her hair.
"Oh," Rose said.
"Oh?" he replied.
"Oh," she smiled up at him to which he took as an okay to lean down and kiss her.
Well, fuck. Rose thought.
He was a good kisser, thought Rose as she kissed him back. It wasn't like she was particularly versed in the matter, she could count the amount of people she'd kissed on one hand. She moved her hands from his shoulders to his hair. She had her eyes closed and imaged how the blond hair must look between her fingers.
Wait. Alex is isn't blond. Shite.
Rose pulled back from Alex's face. Both of their breathing was shallow and Alex smiled as he looked down at Rose. She smiled back at him. Suddenly a cough startled them both out of their moment.
Rose turned around to see Scorpius standing there.
"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked, feeling Alex's arms encircle her waste from behind.
Scorpius raised his blond eyebrow before saying, "Actually yes. Emma asked me to deliver this to you." He handed her a folded up parchment before turning on his heel and walking out of the common room.
"What is it?" Alex asked as Rose spun around in his arms to face him.
"Hmm," Rose muttered as her eyes scanned the parchment.
Dear Ro,
I'm so so so SO sorry, but I can't make it to dinner tonight, Albus told me we need A LOT more work if I'm gonna pass this exam. I don't know how much free time I'll have between this and stuDYING for all of my other classes. I don't have my owl with me so I'm just sending this note up with Scorpius. Hope you don't mind.
Love ya,
Emma
"It's nothing really," Rose said, looking up at Alex. "Emma is studying and won't be able to make it to dinner."
"Oh I'm sorry," Alex said, not looking very sorry. "Well, I would love to eat with you tonight. I feel like we should talk a little, not just make out. But I do like making out."
Rose laughed, before grabbing Alex's hand and pulling him out of the common room.
4 months later
Rose walked along the crowded platform holding tightly to her boyfriends hand.
"I can't believe I won't see you until Christmas!" Rose cried, throwing her arms around Alex's neck.
"Well, keep me up to date on Hogsmeade weekends and I'll try to make it."
Rose smiled widely, kissing him slowly as the train whistled behind her.
"I gotta go," Rose said detaching herself from his lips.
"I know." Alex breathed out, staring at the ground.
"I'll write you as soon as I can."
"Travel safe, love."
Rose kissed him one last time. She watched him walk back through the baracade into King's Cross, before swiviling around to find her parents.
She found them within a mess of ginger.
"Mum, dad!" Rose called, waving as Ron and Hermione turned around.
"Darling, how was breakfast with Alex this morning?" Hermione said, putting her hands on her eldest daughters shoulders.
"It was wonderful. I'm sorry this is such a short goodbye."
Her parents smiled. The train sounded it's whistle again. Her mum pulled her in for a hug and a kiss, followed by an engulfing hug by her dad.
"I'll see you soon Rosey," Ron whispered in her ear.
Rose smiled and turned, walking onto the Hogwarts Express for one of the very last times.
Currently sat in the prefects compartment waiting for the Head Girl, Scorpius Malfoy looked out the window as the pretty redhead girl boarded the train.
He had gotten the letter with the Head Boy badge nearly a month ago, but it still felt foreign in his hands. His fellow Heads name had not been included in the packet, a fact he had been highly annoyed with. He did, however, know it was not Rose. Scorpius had spent a large percent of his summer in Albus' company and was sure that it would have come up in conversation. Hopefully. He could barely stand to look at her all summer, with her new boyfriend. Whenever he was invited over to the Burrow he had opted to spend time with Al and Emma, the two of them becomig closer after spending so much time together studying. Rose was always hanging onto her boyfriend's arm. Laughing at his jokes, talking to him in secret whispers, wishing it was himself she was telling such private things to. Not that he was jealous. Only slightly. Not really. Okay just don't tell anyone he thought that.
Suddenly, Scorpius felt a lurch as the train departed the station. He looked out the window to see his parents searching the train windows for their only son. When they finally found him, Astoria started to wave wildly with Draco's arm around her waist and a small smile plaguing his lips. He had decided to stay at home for the summer as to spend more time with his parents and he thought it was very successful in bringing them all closer together. Then his parents smiling faces and the noise of promises to write faded away to be replaced with a more scenic view of trees and shrubbery.
He stayed that way for about three minutes before the sound of the compartment door caught his attention. In the doorway stood Nicole Asherman.
"Hey Scor!" She said with a big smile on her face, "I believe I am your fellow Head!"
Scorpius smiled slightly as he took in Nicole's presence. She was not very tall which did not stop her from having a powerful presence. Bright green eyes popped under thick eyelashes and makeup. Her long curly brown hair reached midway down her back frizzed from the humidity.
Scorpius had known her throughout Hogwarts, always friendly but never having much of a chance to bond. Fifth year had slightly changed that when they did rounds together for duty. Then, during the summer between fifth and sixth year, Nicole had gone through a transformation. She had always attempted to look pretty, but over summer she had lost 10 pounds and figured out how to do her hair and makeup. She was rather curvy, of course he noticed, he IS a boy after all, and was not afraid to speak her mind. For such a small girl, she did have a certain air about her that commanded a rooms attention. She was organized and commanded respect with her large lungs that could get a crowd of 50 to be quiet without straining her voice.
This was going to be a good year, thought Scorpius as Nicole sat down on the bench across from him to begin planning prefect schedules for the upcoming year.
2 months later
"I call that a success."
Scorpius flopped down on the couch in the heads common room as Nicole sat in the comfy chair by the fire.
She was slowly untangling the flowers she had intricately woven inter her hair in order to become the "hippy" she had dressed up for for the Halloween ball they had just gotten back from.
"I'm so glad that's over though! We don't have to plan another one of these stupid dances again until Valentines," Nicole threw one of her untangled flowers into the fire.
"Didn't you have fun?" Scorpius asked. He had seen her talking to her friends all night, laughing and joking, pretending not to know the punch was spiked, but avoiding it none the less.
"No I had a good time, it's just" she sighed, pulling out a green flower. "No, it's nothing. I'm going to bed it's been a long day."
Scorpius was shocked, he had never seen Nicole so quiet.
"Hey." Scorpius said, stopping Nicole in her tracks. "I know that we aren't the tightest of people, but I have worked quite closely with you the last few months and we will be together the rest of the year, so just know if you ever want to talk, I'm all ears."
"Scorpius, that is maybe the nicest thing a boy has ever said to me, thank you so much." Nicole smiled widely. She stood up and walked over to the couch, bending over to give the Head Boy a kiss on the cheek.
"And Scor, the same goes for you, if you ever need an open ear or a shoulder to cry on, I'm only a short trip across the bathroom, ok?"
"Ok."
"Good, right. I'll see you in the morning, sleep well."
6 months later
Not much had happened in the months since Halloween. Life continued on like normal for the Seventh Years. Emma and Albus continued to study together and grew much closer seeing as both of their best friends where otherwise occupied. Rose and Alex where still going strong, he had even gotten permission to attend the Valentines Ball, much to Scorpius' chagrin. And Scorpius was busy with Head's duty. Now that Easter break was over, he and Nicole had already began to plan graduation.
"It's weird," Nicole said from her spot on the floor. She was absentmindedly playing with the hem of her Flying Sirens concert t-shirt.
"What's weird?" Scorpius was currently sitting on the couch going over some plans Nicole had just finished. The two where sitting in the common room, their only company was the not-so-fierce fire in the fireplace and two nearly empty, long since steaming cups of tea that sat on the end table.
"That we are graduating."
"I know, it is weird," Scorpius was by now used to Nicole's midnight (or after midnight as the case often was) ramblings usually kept in one's own head.
The two where silent for a few more minutes.
"Eric doesn't like you very much."
"I know, he's just jealous because of all the time we spend together, he likes you." Scorpius had realized about seven months ago that the fastest way to get Nicole to stop talking was to be very straight with the point. He did not, however, realize how she would take this information.
Nicole sat up quickly. "What? He likes me?" She looked at him over the coffee table between them. She laughed briskly, "No, he doesn't, your just lying to get me to shut up!"
She layed back down on the ground.
"Whatever lets you sleep at night," Scorpius replied not really paying attention.
"Wait," Nicole was up again, leaning over the table this time, staring at Scorpius. Her eyes turned the colors of emeralds as her face heated up. Her hair was frizzy from the carpet and she had a line from the sweatshirt she had used for a pillow across her right cheek. She looked ridiculous.
"How do you know he likes me?"
"It's pretty obvious. I mean, he is always looking at you and offering you help and whatever. And it's obvious you like him too."
Nicole's face turned bright red and she groaned, hiding her face in her arms.
"Am I really thought obvious?" She spoke into her arms before looking up at the Head Boy's smirk. She groaned again and went back to her arms.
"Well, you only have a month left at school, so maybe you could just jump him at the end of the year party."
"'Maybe I could just jump him' really? That's your advice! Well I suppose you would have terrible advice, you have been pining after the same girl for years even though she has a boyfriend. Maybe I'll just ignore my feelings, forever. I can just not talk to my best friend for a while. Yeah, that's a good plan."
"What do you mean I've been 'pining' after someone? Who is this someone and how do I not know about this."
"Rose! You've been in love with her forever. It's too bad neither one of you ever said anything, I know she had a major crush on you fifth year. But, I mean, who didn't? Okay well I'm going to bed, goodnight Scor."
And with that Nicole pushed herself off the floor and walked to the door of her bedroom.
Scorpius merely grunted in response. His mind was spinning with this new information. Rose had liked him! And he hadn't even known. Damn it. If only he hadn't been so stupid about his own feelings he may have noticed hers. But now it was to late, she was with Alex.
Scorpius realized he would never be able to finish checking all of the notes Nicole had made tonight and left them on the table for the morning.
As he climbed into bed later, his mind still swarmed with thoughts of Rose and sorrow for what could have been. He had been good all year about keeping his mind off her, she had a boyfriend now and he couldn't interfere with that. He knew it was hard but what else could he do?
Across the school and 1 floor above
"Albus kissed me."
"What!" Rose cried as her best friend sat across from her on Rose's bed. Rose had been woken up by Emma, who was fully dressed in jeans and a cardigan.
"Shhh! The other girls with wake up!"
"What do you mean he kissed you? Give me all the details. Well maybe not all of them, he is my cousin."
"Oh sush," Emma pushed her friends shoulder, "No, I mean it was amazing. We where just studying in the library and I had to go grab a book so I said I'll be right back, and when I got back to the table, Al was paceing so I asked if everything was okay and he just up and kissed me! I was so taken by surprise I didn't even have time to react. Before I could say anything, he was gone! Out the door! And I was standing there in shock for a good five minutes."
"That bloody wanker" Rose had adopted the phrase from her father.
"No it's fine, but Rose, I really like him and I don't know what to do, I feel like he may think it was a mistake, after he took off like that."
"I'm just mad it took him so bloody long to do it. I've been waiting for him to do something like that for months, after he told me he liked you at Easter."
"He told you he liked me! And you didn't share! That's very sweet of you Ro, thanks."
"Well I kinda thought you knew, now that the two of you seem practically inseparable."
"We are not inseparable. It's just, you're so busy writing Alex and studying and stuff, and Scorpius is so busy with head duties, Al and I have had a lot of time to spend together. I just don't want to ruin our friendship."
"Honey, I hate to break it to you, but your friendship is already broken, there is no going back after this, unless you are okay with things being totally awkward."
Emma shook her head. "But what do I do?"
"You get him alone tomorrow and you tell him something cute and romantic about how you where taken by surprise yesterday and you weren't expecting that and if he wants to try again you would be more than happy to be a more enthusiastic participant. Or something along those lines. Then you will both leave Hogwarts and he will eventually ask you to marry him and I will be the best-man/maid-of-honor. Then you'll have beautiful little light brown haired, green eyed babies that will call me Aunt Rose, and I will be the 'Cool Aunt'. Now I am tired and must go back to the beauty sleep you so rudely interrupted. Goodnight."
Emma laughed, kissing Rose on the head before getting up and pulling her friends curtain closed. Emma couldn't keep the smile off her face, and it didn't disappear until she had long been asleep.