"Bugger," Rose said as she tripped down the last three stairs to the Charms classroom. Professor Flitwick would have a fit. It would be the second time in as many weeks that Rose Weasley, Head Girl had been late to is class. Oh, he would not really have a fit, but he would demand she do better on her essay than usual in order to obtain her O.
She took a seat behind Scorpius and Albus at the back of the classroom and hurriedly got her notes out. It was advanced repelling charms today, and Rose had missed the first ten minutes of the lecture. Last night had been a particularly bad dream. Not bad in the sense that it was bad, but bad in the sense that she felt rather scandalous being in the same room with the object of her lustful imaginings, Lord Malfoy.
The dream had started out as usual with dancing and a little champagne. A few snide comments from Lord Potter about her choice of partner, and then she'd wound up on the balcony of a grand Georgian house with her back against the wall and her skirts up around her waist. While Lord Malfoy pleasured her in ways she could only begin to imagine.
Rose glanced at the back of his head and fought the nerves that fluttered in her tummy. Ridiculous. That was the only word that summed up these wicked dreams. Scorpius threw a glance over his shoulder and smiled brilliantly at her. Rose quickly looked down at her notes again fighting a blush.
As the class drew to a close, they all packed their bags and moved toward the door. Scorpius and Albus waited at the end of the row for her.
"It's not fair," Albus muttered. "Rose misses the first half of class and still performs the perfect repelling charm before anyone else. It is bloody-well not fair."
"I didn't miss half the class," Rose said in defense, glancing sidelong at Scorpius who had taken up flank on her right side.
"She's just brilliant," Scorpius said shrugging at Albus. "There's nothing more to be said for it." Rose tripped over her own foot and Scorpius automatically reached out and righted her. "And damned clumsy."
"I'll see you guys later," Rose said hurriedly, fighting the sting of tears behind her eyes. Why did she always make a fool of herself in front of him? And why did it suddenly matter so much? Things were just as they had always been. Scorpius and Albus were still her best friends and she was still Rose. Nothing had changed. Nothing aside from the increase of her heartbeat and the rush of magic that flowed through her body at the sight of Scorpius.
Nothing had changed at all.
"Rose, wait up!"
She groaned as she took two stairs at a time. She came to a stop on the landing and spun to face Scorpius. His face was flushed from keeping pace with her, and his hair was slightly mussed where he'd run his fingers through it in frustration during Charms class.
Thud…. Thud…. Thud, thud, thud…
Rose's heart sped in her chest. Who was she kidding? Everything had changed.
"What do you want Lo…. Malfoy?" her reply was short. She cursed her mind for thinking. She had almost slipped.
"Whoa," he said taking a step back toward the banister. He held his hands up in surrender, "Sorry about the clumsy comment, I was just making an observation."
Rose cocked her head to the side. He thought she was angry with him. She almost laughed at the absurdity. It was the exact opposite, in fact. She was angry with herself for being affected by him. Rose was angry at herself for wanting to press him against the banister and snog him senseless right here in front of God and everyone.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Well?"
"Oh," he said dropping his arms and taking a step closer, "I just wanted to talk to you."
"I'm listening," she said trying to school her features to say cool, calm, collected, not eager, wanton, take-me-now-on-the-stairway.
Scorpius looked around at the students passing by on their way to lunch, "Maybe later." Rose stamped her foot and groaned in frustration. She whirled and started to sprint up the stairs. "Wait," he called out and grabbed her by the strap of her bag. She stumbled back off the first step and twirled back toward Scorpius, right into his arms.
"Well," he said swallowing hard, "I was just wondering what you were doing for this Hogsmeade weekend."
Rose raised an eyebrow trying to ignore that his hands were resting on the curve of her waist. "I imagine I'll be going with you and Albus like always."
"Thing is, Albus had a date and…" he took a deep breath, "I was hoping you'd still come with me… just the two of us."
Rose bit her lip and took a step back. Obviously being that close to Scorpius was clouding her ability to think. She was daydreaming, and he hadn't just asked her to Hogsmeade. She took a deep breath, feeling some of the heat pour out of her face. "What was that? I don't think I heard you properly?"
Scorpius groaned and stepped closer to her, "Are you really going to make me ask you again?" he whispered as a group of fifth years passed them. Pale pink spots were forming on his cheeks, and Rose started to wonder if she had heard him correctly after all.
"I… you… want?" Rose stuttered incoherently.
"Yeah," he replied smiling sheepishly down at her. Scorpius reached out and clasped her hand in his.
***
Rose walked into the room on the arm of her younger brother, Hugo. Her lady's maid had spent an inordinate amount of time on her tonight. She had seen a lot of Lord Malfoy over the past two weeks. They'd gone on rides in the park with her mother and even one with his mother, the Dowager Duchess, or as she'd begged Rose to call her, Astoria.
Her gown was a pale blue silk at the height of fashion. If she so much as moved wrong, she knew her nipples would pop out of the bodice. Rose flushed at just the thought of it. Hugo nudged her side and nodded across the ballroom "Malfoy is here."
She'd known he would be.
Rose's father Ron, Viscount Ottery, scowled menacingly across the room, and she had no doubt that he was sizing up the man who was courting his little girl. Rose smiled to herself. She couldn't help it. For all the times that her father had chastised her about waiting too long to marry, he was certainly taking this hard.
When he'd returned from business at the family home in Ottery St. Catchpole to find a scoundrel calling on his only daughter, he'd been a bit put out. Ron Weasley had turned as red as the poppies in the garden and demanded to know Malfoy's intentions.
"I wish to make her my wife," he'd announced to the room at large.
Rose had nearly fainted. She had secretly been wishing, but hadn't dared to hope, that his intent was marriage. Somewhere along the second week, Rose had decided that she loved the man. He was a man of honor and good will despite his past.
They had even discussed his well-earned reputation in whispered tones under the watch of her hawk-eyed maid. She knew that he had indeed been quite a rake, but since he'd returned to London and his estate in Bedford, he'd changed his ways. No one would believe it, but Rose did. She knew that if he made her his wife, he would be faithful.
When Lord James Potter strode purposefully into the ballroom, Rose tugged free of her brother and ducked behind a potted palm. Her Aunt Ginevra had warned her that James was returning, but she did not know how soon or to what purpose. She peeked from behind a frond and saw him spot Hugo and march toward him.
James Potter was a force to be reckoned with and the fury blazing in his eyes as Hugo ratted her out took her breath away. She slipped around a thick hanging and saw Lord Malfoy across the dancehall. They were to announce their engagement tonight, and she'd be damned if she would let her overbearing oaf of a cousin ruin it.
Rose ducked out through a French door onto the terrace and leaned against the banister. As James exited the ballroom she was thankful that the area was empty. His eyes were blazing and Rose lifted her chin.
"I leave you alone for two weeks, and you've got the biggest scoundrel in London sniffing around you like a bitch in heat!" he said angrily.
"Excuse me?" Rose said raising her eyebrows.
"Pardon, but I don't think you should be comparing my fiancé to a pointer hound, Potter," Malfoy said coolly as he came through the doorway and made his way to Rose's side.
"Stay out of this Mal—Fiancé!?" James said, his face losing color.
Rose felt her heart beat quicken and her mouth go dry. She still hadn't gotten used to the fact that she was going to marry, especially someone so gloriously handsome and charming as Lord Malfoy. "Yes, dear Cousin," Rose said, her tone matching Lord Malfoy's, "Scorpius and I are to be married in six weeks. The first of the Banns will be called this Sabbath."
James sputtered and a pained look crossed his face. "I warned you Rosie," he said quietly, "I don't want you to get hurt. I love you like I love my own sister and I would have never allowed her to marry someone like…" he waved his hand at Lord Malfoy.
Rose was relieved when Malfoy laughed loudly, "Someone like me? Do you mean someone like yourself, Potter?" When James didn't answer he raised his eyebrow. He gazed down at Rose and smiled serenely but his words held a note of steel. "I'll have you listen, and listen well. If you ever so much as insinuate that I would purposely hurt Miss Weasley, I will ask you to choose your weapon at sunrise. My days of philandering are done and gone. Lady Weasley has my heart and my body from this day forth."
Rose felt the crimson rising on her chest and in her cheeks, but she couldn't look away from the smoldering gray of his eyes. She felt her breathing coming in short gasps and fought to speak, "As am I yours," she whispered.
James made an ungentlemanly noise and excused himself. Rose moved toward her Lord Malfoy. He snaked an arm around her waist and pressed their bodies together. His mouth descended on hers roughly and suddenly the ballroom had vanished. There was nothing but Rose and Scorpius. She could feel him unlacing her bodice and freeing her breasts to the night air.
She gasped as his tongue slid over the swell of her breast and lower to her nipple. She could feel the cold stone wall materialize behind her and his finger digging into the flesh of her thighs as he eased her skirt up.
Tap, tap, tap…
The vision became hazy.
Tap, tap, tap…
Rose opened one eye. It was barely light outside.
Tap, tap, tap…
She sat up and groaned out loud. Why did she always wake up just when the dream was getting… interesting?
Rose put her feet in slippers and went to her window to let the bird in. There was a large brown parcel attached and a piece of parchment attached. She unfolded it and read:
Sorry for the early post. I thought you might like these delivered to the privacy of your dormitory. I hope everything is well. We are looking forward to seeing you over Christmas holiday. We are going to stay the night at the Hogshead so we can spend Christmas afternoon with you. Be sure to invite Scorpius.
Love,
Mum
She glanced dubiously at the paper-wrapped package knowing full well what it contained. "Damned if you do, damned if you don't," she muttered to herself as she untied the pale blue ribbon to reveal a stack of six new romance novels.
