Saturday morning found Rose in the library, doing research for her Arithmancy homework. As she sat at the table, reading Numbers & The Magic Behind Them, a gently cleared throat interrupted her. Startled, she looked up.

"Oh, hello, Remus," she greeted with a smile.

"Hi," he responded. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Oh, no," she said, gesturing toward the empty chair across from her, "Please, go ahead."

The sandy boy smiled in apparent relief and sat down across from her, and she returned to her studies. As far as the Marauders went, Remus was the only one she was on a first-name basis with, probably owing to the fact that he was the kindest and gentlest of all of them. Glancing at him, she found him staring at her.

"What?" she asked the sandy-haired boy, "There is something on my face?"

"No," Remus responded softly, fidgeting.

"Remus, what is it?" Why is he staring at me with such sad eyes?

When the blue-eyed boy responded, his voice was even softer. "I couldn't help but notice. . . You- your limp is gone."

Rosalinda froze. No. "I don't know what you mean," she told him, beginning to shut her book in preparation to flee.

"Rose, you don't have to hide it. I'm not going to judge you," he gazed at her earnestly, blue eyes sorrowful. "I - I know what it's like to have a secret, to worry about what people think. You can trust me. I want you to know that."

Rose held his gaze, relaxing infinitesimally - and for a moment, Remus thought that he had gotten through to her. Then her brown eyes snapped cold, and she rose. "I don't have any secrets, Lupin." Thinking back to what he had said about his own secrets, her gaze softened slightly, and she swept out of the library.

As she made her way to the Great Hall for lunch, she found herself feeling a bit guilty. Perhaps I came off a bit too strong, she thought. He was only trying to be kind, and I reacted coldly. I haven't called him by his last name since second year. Grimacing slightly, she wondered what to do. She didn't want to toss aside her friendship with Remus - he was a kind, gentle boy, especially when compared to the buffoons he kept as friends, and she did genuinely like him.

Going to the owlery, she pulled out a spare bit of parchment, scribbled something on it, attached it to the bird's leg, and sent it off.

Setting off to go eat lunch, she smiled to herself. Perhaps that will do the trick.

"Rose!"

Turning, she greeted Lily and Louise with a smile. "Finally awake, are we?"

Louise grinned. "I've been awake hours, I'll have you know," she told the Spanish witch, "but Mrs. Sleepyhead over here can't imagine a Saturday that actually includes the first half of the day."

Rose giggled, and Lily tossed her hair over her shoulder haughtily, though she was smiling. "We can't all be naturally gorgeous. Some of us need our beauty sleep."

Rose snorted. "Oh, please, Lily. You're the least in need of beauty sleep girl I've ever met."

"Well what about you?" Lily said as they reached the door to the Great Hall. "You've grown into a stunner over the summer - don't think I haven't noticed!"

Whatever Rose was about to respond was cut off by a certain grey-eyed boy as he slung a flirtatious arm around Louise. "Morning, loves," he said, grinning as per usual.

Louise smiled back up at him, prompting Lily to look at Rose with raised eyebrows. What is that about?

"Going to sit with us?" Sirius asked Louise, who giggled and nodded in reply.

Oh, no, Rose thought, as the group made their way over to where the rest of the Marauders sat, already waiting.

Sitting down across from James so that Lily wouldn't have to, she purposely avoided Remus' gaze.

"Good morning, my beautiful Lilyflower," James greeted, loftily as ever.

"Shut it, Potter," she snarled back. Yikes, more aggressive than usual. Must still be half asleep. Rose's suspicion was confirmed a moment later when the redhead moaned, "What's a girl got to do to get some coffee around here?"

James looked ready to respond with what would no doubt be a very seedy, sleazy answer, but Remus shook his head at his friend, who snapped his mouth shut. No sooner had this happened then a large, steaming mug of coffee appeared in front of Lily, who looked at it in sleepy, confused happiness before picking it up and burying her face in it.

"So, mate, have any plans about that Halloween party yet?" Sirius asked James, his mouth full.

"Probably just in the common room," the boy in question responded.

"Costumes?"

"Of course!"

This was quite funny, really, when you considered that a few years back, being both purebloods, the boys had no idea that Halloween in the Muggle World consisted of dressing up in outlandish costumes and going on the search for candy. When they were informed of this, they found the practice hilarious in all the right ways and took to it like a fish took to water. As such, every year they had taken to throwing huge Halloween parties in the Gryffindor common room, where all manner of good-natured debauchery took place.

An owl swooped down to land in front of Remus, holding out its leg as it stared at him with regal eyes.

"Got a letter, Moony?"

"That's strange, normally post comes in the morning," Lily said, frowning.

Shrugging, Remus removed the letter, and the owl took off again as James stared after it. "That was a school owl," he said, proving that Lily wasn't the only one capable of critical thought.

Rose stared steadfastly at her plate as he opened it. Studying it carefully for a moment, a small smile appeared on his face. and he stuffed it into his pocket. A feeling of relief spread through Rose, and she met Remus' eye, a small crooked smile on her face. He nodded at her, and the others stared between the two, stares of blatant confusion on their faces.

Rose flushed and went back to her lunch. "So, Louise, what were you planning on being this year for Halloween?" she asked, hoping to distract the group.

Louise shrugged, "Not sure yet, but we'll have to go shopping the first Hogsmeade weekend," she smiled. Hogsmeade weekend trips were always the highlight of the school year, although this year that title was likely to go to the Christmas ball.

"When is it?" Rose asked Lily, who as a prefect, was responsible for organizing the trips.

"Not for a couple weeks," the redhead responded. "We wanted to give everyone a chance to get settled in first."

"Lily - " James started, no doubt planning on getting a jump on asking Lily to accompany him to Hogsmeade.

Lily, too, seemed to suspect this was his plan, for she cut him off grimly, steadfastly ignoring him. "Do you think you'll end up going with anyone, Rose?"

Rose shrugged, hiding her amused smile at the crestfallen look on James' face. "Not really, no."

"Ah, no one's caught your eye yet, Ruiz?" Sirius asked teasingly.

"No, I've been too busy - what was the phrase you used, Lily? - too busy 'getting settled in'."

"I'm sure someone will ask you," Remus said reassuringly.

"They had better not!" Louise interjected hotly. "We've got to go shopping!"

"But the party's not for over a month!" Peter replied, looking a bit confused. Rose giggled. Poor boy. He just doesn't understand the ways of women.

"Exactly!" The brunette snapped back. "We've got just enough time to get everything perfect!"

Lily nodded thoughtfully. "It wouldn't be a bad idea for us to pop into Gladrags and see what they have in the way of dresses for the ball, either."

Rose stared at her. "The ball isn't until Christmas, Lils."

Lily stared back, as if what she had proposed was the most natural thing in the world. "I know."

"It's only September!"

"Lily's right," Louise told her. "We've got to start getting some kind of idea as to how we want to look. There's color, style, makeup, hair, and shoes to consider!"

Rose groaned and dropped her head dramatically on the table in front of her, her long her falling forward to cover her face, prompting the other two girls to giggle.

"I swear, Rose, you are the least girly girl I've ever met." Louise said.

"That's not quite true," Lily replied, "she does wear makeup now."

"Which I thoroughly blame you two for." Rose responded, snarling playfully.

"Oh, dear, you should be thanking us!" Charlotte interjected as she sat down next to Lily. "After all, look how gorgeous you are!" She grinned. "Boys, isn't she gorgeous?"

The four boys at the table looked distinctly uncomfortable, and Rose hastened to change the subject. "Where have you been, Charlotte? You're rather later than usual."

Charlotte flushed and mumbled something under her breath.

"What?" Lily asked. "Didn't catch that."

Charlotte huffed and said more loudly, "I was with Barnabus Lott."

Seven pairs of eyes stared at her blankly, before the three girls burst into squeals, congratulating her. Barnabus Lott, despite having quite the unfortunate name, was widely considered to be one of the best looking boys in the school - giving even the Marauders a run for their money. A year older than them, he was a tall boy, built from his years on the Ravenclaw quidditch team, with dark brown hair that brought out a startlingly blue pair of eyes.

"When did that happen?"

"Just this morning," she said, happily tearing into a roll. "He approached me out by the lake, and asked me if I would like to go to Hogsmeade with him, when we finally did start going."

Louise squeaked shrilly. "But that's so far off!"

Charlotte nodded. "I know. That what I told him. I said why wait? We could start off with a walk around the grounds." She grinned devilishly. "Only we didn't end up doing much walking, if you catch my drift."

"That means we'll be one down for our shopping trip," Louise frowned.

"Oh, I'm sure I can get some time away," Charlotte said, shrugging.

Lunch came to an end amidst many sighs of envy over Charlotte's good luck, and as the weeks passed she and Barnabus became quite the couple, only surpassed by Sirius and Louise. September drew on, and although Rose was aware of the strange attention the Marauders paid her, she mentally shrugged. If they, like Lily, suspected anything, they were keeping it to themselves - which was just how she liked it.

She began brewing whenever she had a moment, and her side business of selling joke potions began to take off - just as well, as she would need money to both buy a Halloween costume and a dress for the ball.

In mid September, it was time for the Hogsmeade trip. Louise went with Sirius and Charlotte accompanied Barnabus, leaving Lily and Rose mostly on their own. Lily had, of course, been asked multiple time by James, but had turned him down each time.

"I don't understand how you're not freezing!" Lily complained to Rose, who just shrugged in response.

"Don't be silly, mami. I'm a witch - I have warming charms to keep me perfectly toasty." This, unfortunately, was a blatant lie. While her school robes might have been acceptable, when she donned her own personal clothing, it became obvious that her wardrobe was somewhat lacking. It wasn't that her family didn't have enough money to buy good clothing - far from it. While they were definitely still middle class, her father lived comfortably on the money he made from the small cafe the family owned - he just didn't care enough to go shopping with her to buy new clothing, and was far too tight-fisted and stingy to just give her money so she could do it herself. And while she did make tips from working in said cafe, most of it went toward school supplies and new school robes (since they got worn the most anyway), and the small remainder was spent on the potion's ingredients she used in her joke products.

There was also the fact that he had begun giving his money in support to the dark wizards.

In past years, it hadn't really been a problem - she had a few items of clothing from each year and pooled them until she had a fairly decent wardrobe, but this year, as Lily said, she had grown. In a multitude of places, she thought, glancing down at her chest with a grimace. The end result was that the only clothing she had was what her father had been forced to buy her after her old things stopped fitting - and it might work in Spain, but was hardly fit for fall in Scotland. Her current jeans and long-sleeved shirt left much to be desired in terms of warmth, and the wind cut straight through them. In acknowledgement of this, she had donned her school robe, but even that didn't help much.

The only item on her body really worth something was her boots - genuine leather harness boots, they were bought for her mother before she died when she was much younger, and it was fortunate that her feet had remained much the same size. Scuffed and worn they may now be, they were possibly her favorite thing that she owned.

"Are you really wearing a school robe?" Sirius asked incredulously, walked side by side with his arm over Louise.

"Yes," Rose huffed.

"But - "

"Oh look, the village!" Louise interrupted. Having lived with her for the past five years, she was more than aware of the state of Rose's wardrobe, and knew her proud Spanish friend would not appreciate having her face rubbed in it.

Louise and Charlotte dragged their respective boyfriends off to Madam Puddifoot's, having planned a double date. The two remaining friends snickered as the boys grumbled but acquiesced.

Book lovers both, Lily and Rose spent over an hour in Tomes and Scrolls, after which they wandered into Honeydukes. As per usual, Rose didn't buy anything, but Lily bought extra, and she always shared. Realizing that it was time to meet Louise and Charlotte in The Three Broomsticks as they had agreed, they set off in that direction.

"Looks like we're here early," Lily said, craning her head around in search of the couples and not seeing them. "Why don't you go find us a table, and I'll get a couple of butterbeers."

She nodded, and the girls went their separate ways. Fortunately, finding a table wasn't too hard, and she sat in a rather cozy one set off in a corner. Turning, she found Lily, ready to wave if the redhead needed help finding her.

Lily, however, was otherwise engaged. She stood, leaning against the bar casually, the two butterbeers in her hand, talking to an incredibly handsome bloke that Rose believed to be from Hufflepuff.

"All by yourself?" Turning, she saw Louise grinning at her, with Sirius right behind her. The two sat down, and Rose shook her head.

"Lily's just getting some drinks," she told them, just as Charlotte came over with Barnabus.

"Sounds like a good idea," Barnabus said, shedding his coat and draping it across the back of his chair. "Butterbeer, Charlotte?" When she nodded, the Ravenclaw leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips, and set off for the bar.

"I believe that's my cue as well," Sirius said dryly. "Same, Louise?"

"Yes, thanks," the petite girl responded, and Sirius leaned down and gave her a kiss - it wasn't a quick kiss, as Barnabus' had been, but rather a lingering and deep one that made the girls watching uncomfortable and lasted until the whole pub began hooting and whistling at them.

Sirius straightened, bowed toward the crowd, and sauntered off, a pep in his step.

"I take it that's going well, then?" Charlotte said, tone wry.

"As well as can be," Louise replied with a grin, taking a compact out of her bag and fixing her lipgloss. "We don't talk much, but then who dates Sirius for the conversation?"

"So you mostly snog, I take it," Rose said, and Louise smiled mischeviously.

"And it is a great snog, let me tell you."

"Who's a great snog?" Lily asked, settling in and placing a butterbeer in front of Rose.

"Sirius," she intoned as the redhead sat beside her. "Or possibly that bloke you were chatting with," Louise continued, leaning in as if sharing a secret. "Tell us."

"Abram Ackerly, Hufflepuff. Fifth year, like us," she replied.

"I knew he was Hufflepuff," Rose said triumphantly. Taking a sip of her butterbeer, she just about melted in satisfaction. There was nothing better on a cold day than a warm butterbeer. The warmth of it just seemed to seep into your bones, and warming charms could really only do so much.

"He's quite handsome, isn't he?" Louise said, her head swiveling to stare at him.

"Aw, thanks, dove," Sirius interjected, sitting down with a smirk. "I appreciate it, but really, you don't have to remind me every five seconds."

Louise rolled her eyes. "Whatever you think, Sirius."

Sirius pressed his hand to his chest, feigning hurt.

"What's the plan, then, girls?"

"The plan for us is to go shopping in Gladrags. I don't know what the plan for you boys is," Louise teased.

Sirius huffed in indignation, "And after I bought you butterbeers, too!"

Charlotte laughed, "Excuse me, but Barnabus bought my butterbeer, and Lily bought Rose's, so you can't argue that."

Cocking his head to the side, Sirius shrugged. "True, although Ruiz over there looks like she's in need of another one." The girl in question flushed and hunched her shoulders, her hands still wrapped around the empty mug, uncomfortable to be the sudden center of attention. "What do you say, Ruiz? If I buy you a butterbeer, you'll take my side, right?"

A full butterbeer appeared in front of her suddenly, and Remus sat down. "Not likely, Sirius," he told his dark haired friend, taking a sip of his own drink.

"Moony, you stole my comrade! My compatriot!" he whined

Remus laughed and shook his head, patting Rose on the back. "Drink up, Rose. You look like you could use it."

Muttering her thanks, she did as Remus requested.

In the end, the ladies went to Gladrags, and the boys ended up joining James and Peter at Zonko's. They may have gone there to discuss costumes, but naturally, the conversation ended up drifting toward the upcoming ball.

"Oooh, look at this!" Louise gasped, holding up a pale yellow frock.

"That would look great on you, Louise," Rose told her. "Here, what do you think?" she asked, holding up a ball gown with a full tulle skirt.

"Very pretty," Charlotte said, "though how you'll dance in it I just don't know."

Rose giggled. "Well, it's very likely I won't even have a date, so I daresay you won't have to worry about that."

Lily gasped. "Don't say that! You'll find someone. Why on earth wouldn't you?"

"Lils, I'm not exactly. . ."

Lily put her arms on her hips, green eyes flashing. "Not exactly what?" She put down the dress she was holding, gripped her dark haired friend's arm, and unceremoniously dragged her over to the mirrors. "Show me, Rose. What exactly is wrong with you? You're gorgeous."

The other two girls came over, supporting the redhead's opinion.

"Look how beautiful your hair is!" Louise said, reaching out to touch a curl. "Do you need to know what I would have to do to get my hair to look like this?"

Rose shrugged. "I just. . . I'm not pretty, not like you guys."

Charlotte shook her head at her friend. "You've got to stop thinking like that. Sure, you may have been awkward, but that was a few years ago. You've grown into a beautiful girl, Rose. Don't kid yourself."

Lily nodded. "Stop selling yourself short. You're gorgeous. Maybe you're a little quiet, but you're kind, and you're smart."

When Rose opened her mouth to disagree, Louise interrupted her. "You're a potions whiz, Rose. Why do you think no one else has the same business going as you do? It's because no one can."

Lily nodded again. "You have gorgeous hair, and the best figure." The Spaniard turned to stare at her slender, willowy friend in shock. How she'd wished to look like that, and not what she had.

As if reading her mind, the redhead glared at her. "You're curvy, Rose. Not many of us Brits can claim a figure like that. It's pure, feminine sex appeal, straight and simple."

Charlotte nodded, "And then there's that accent."

Rose's nose wrinkled as if she smelled something foul. "Really, you guys? My accent?"

"Yes!" Lily snapped. "You're adorable, okay? Get used to it."

Louise grinned, "And men love accents just as much as we do."

Rose laughed and shook her head. "Can we just get back to looking at dresses? Please?"

Lily looked ready to argue further, but she was preempted when her curly-haired friend quickly strode away from the mirror.

"What do you guys think of this one?" she asked. Gasps and squeal met her all around.

"That's perfect!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Merlin, that would look incredible on you!" Louise told her, and began shoving both the girl in question and the dress she was holding toward the dressing rooms.

As she resisted, Lily joined in. "You have got to try it on, Rose. We're not giving you a choice!"

Laughing, she gave in and stepped into the dressing room, shucking off her clothes and pulling on the light pink frock.

When she stepped out, a stunned silence greeted her.

"Merlin," Lily finally breathed. "You look. . . ." Grabbing her friend, she dragged her over to the mirror once again - and all Rose could do was stare at her own reflection. Wow.

The dress was a dusty pink, with a sheer top that covered a bustier underneath, shimmering lines on the bust and sleeves. A sash went around the narrowest part of her waist, complimenting her curves, but the real wonder was the skirt. A smooth underskirt with a slight sheen, almost like silk, was covered by a full sheer fabric, which the underskirt skirt was just visible beneath. The full effect was an incredibly romantic frock. It looks like a fairy princess dress.

"Quite the gown," a voice drawled, and all four girls turned to face the newcomer - and Rose felt her blood run cold.

Lucius Malfoy. She had met him a few times before, each time at her father's behest, and each time he had made her skin crawl. Six years older than her, he was handsome enough, even if that male beauty was of a cold sort - it wasn't his looks; it was that she knew what he was. She had met plenty of monsters in human skin - her own father was one. But Malfoy - Malfoy was even worse. She had seen him do unspeakable things, each time with a smile on his cold, handsome face, and a wink at her after. She had seen him do unspeakable things to her.

Fighting back a panic attack, she spat his name, all the loathing she felt for the man put into the one word. "Malfoy."

He inclined his head, a cold amusement making his eyes glitter menacingly, as if he knew exactly the effect he was having on her. He probably did. The bastard would enjoy every second.

Her friends looked to her, confused. They knew of the man; he had been a seventh year when they had been first, but all they knew was that he was a former Hogwarts student and a Slytherin. This, fortunately, did not stop them from closing ranks with her, and she was brought back from the verge of an anxiety attack by the reminder that her friends were with her.

He inclined his head in greeting. "Quite the gown," he repeated. "For the Christmas ball, I suppose? You should get it. You look just as beautiful as ever." His eyes glittered mockingly, and she fought back the memories -

"Beautiful as ever, Rosalinda," he murmured, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles, the compliment doing nothing to assuage the fear tying her stomach in knots.

"Beautiful as ever, Miss Ruiz," he whispered in her ear, whisking her around the dance floor, her skin crawling at the touch of his hand upon her waist.

"Beautiful as ever, half-blood," he panted, his hands holding her wrists above her head, her father watching on, sweat dripping from his skin to hers as he moved against her, inside -

No. Bringing herself forcibly back to the present, she said nothing, only glared at him. The soft jingle of the bell on the door made her friends glance in that direction - not her, though. She could do nothing, trapped in his gaze, all her instincts screaming that if she took her eyes off the enemy, something terrible would happen.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" she heard Sirius' voice ask.

*~O~*

When he had seen Malfoy enter Gladrags after the girls, there had been no option but to follow. The others may not know much about the man, but Sirius was well enough acquainted to know that there was no way he was letting the Death Eater around them. Especially not alone.

He may have been only a fifth year, but he was exceptionally talented in dueling - and saying so was not tooting his own horn or an exaggeration of any sort. Besides natural talent, he had also been taught a number of nasty curses and hexes; part of the Black family repertoire. He had actually dueled Malfoy once before, in a sporting, friendly match. Malfoy had beaten him, but barely. That had been a year ago. Now, he knew, he was a match for the older wizard. With James and Remus by his side, both equally talented, he knew it would take them no time at all to have the man on the run.

Looking at the fear on Rose's face as she stared at the man in question, unable to look away, though, he thought that perhaps he had been too late to protect them. No. She looked like a rabbit ready to bolt. Sweet Circe, Rose, what have you seen? Whatever her involvement in Death Eater business may have been, nothing assured him quite as surely right then and there as the look on her face that it had not been voluntary. He could only shudder as he remembered her words at dinner a few weeks ago - "Muggle women are beneath them. They can do whatever they want to them without judgment from their comrades. They think the same thing about half-bloods."

Shite. Time to end this, and end this now. He didn't like the look on her face. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

The blonde wizard posing as a gentleman responded to Sirius' question, though he never took his eyes off the Spanish witch in front of him. "Business meeting. I was going to head to the post to mail a letter, but running across your friends here gave me the chance to deliver it in person." He inclined his head. "Just in time, too. I hate to think of the disappointment that would have befallen me had I missed so lovely a sight as Miss Ruiz in this dress."

Very subtly, he saw Rose begin to tremble. Malfoy needed to be gone yesterday. Unfortunately, the older man didn't seem to be in much of a hurry. If anything, the girl's reaction only seemed to encourage him."You should buy it, Miss Ruiz," he said, and his tone could have been mistaken for gentle were it not for the look in his eyes. "Or perhaps you don't have the means? I know how your father is." He tilted his head. "Perhaps you would allow me?"

Sirius took a step closer to Rose. "I know how your father is"? Merlin, what is going on? "That's enough, Malfoy. If she needs someone to lend her money, there are eight people in this room who would be more than happy to do so. Deliver your letter and be on your way."

The blonde smirked. "Of course. I am a busy man, after all." Pulling a missive out of his cloak, he held it out toward the girl in the pink dress.

She stared at him, seeming unwilling to take it. He reached out, as if to take her hand to place the letter in it, and she fairly jumped a foot back, nearly trodding on Charlotte. Raising a trembling hand, she reached out to grasp the letter, her hand as far from touching his as it could possibly be.

Quick as a snake, his hand released the letter and grabbed her wrist, yanking her a foot toward him.

*~O~*

His yank brought her toward him before she planted her feet and fought the momentum. Fighting the urge to shudder at the heat of his hand burning into her wrist, she tried to push away nausea as he raised his other hand to push her hair back from her face.

"You do look lovely right now, half-blood," he whispered, fingers caressing her jaw, so quietly she doubted any of the others in the room would hear him. "What memories it brings back. . ."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sirius draw his wand. James and Remus followed suit. "That's enough, Malfoy," he repeated. "You've delivered your letter. Time to go." The tone of his voice promised violence.

Malfoy released her, so suddenly she stumbled. "I do believe you're correct, Black," he responded, still holding the curly-haired girl with his gaze, suddenly as calm as if her were requesting an afternoon tea. "I've accomplished what I came here to do." With that, he turned away, releasing Rose from his gaze, and she visibly sagged in relief, her hand going to her stomach to steady herself. Turning to the shopkeeper, he handed the plump witch a handful of coins. "For the dress. With my compliments." Looking as if she'd rather spit rather that accept his money, she stood stock still, her assistant finally stepping forward to take them.

He swept from the room in a whirl of cold fall air.

Silence followed his departure, before Sirius turned to stare hard at her. "We need to talk."

Hugging herself, she nodded. What else could she expect? "Not here. The common room."

He nodded in agreement and put his wand away, stepping back with crossed arms, apparently staying to play bodyguard.

Turning back to the dressing room, she stripped faster than she ever had before, the once beloved dress suddenly seeming to burn her skin. How dare he?

He's evil. A Death Eater, her mind answered her, This is what they do. Take lovely things, and ruin them.

An even quieter voice in the back of her mind, the one she didn't like to listen to, whispered, Like he ruined you.

In the end, none of the other girls bought a dress, and Rose was left to carry the one Malfoy had purchased.

The boy from the Three Broomsticks had found them, and was chatting up Lily, oblivious to the mood of the group and the death glares he was receiving from James.

Unfortunately, as both Louise and Charlotte were preoccupied with their own boyfriends, this left Rose on her own, shivering in the bitter breeze. The crunch of snow behind her was her only warning before a coat settled around her shoulders, and she looked up into the laughing eyes of Remus.

"You look like you need it more than I do."

"But. . . Aren't you cold?" she asked him, frowning.

"Nah," he said, "I run warm at the best of times, to be honest with you."

"Oh. Well thank you, then."

"You're welcome."

She stared after him as he ran to catch up with James and Peter.

A hand touched her elbow, and she looked up into the steady, serious gaze of Sirius, who gently took the dress from her. Glancing back, she saw Louise was now chatting quietly with Charlotte. "You're dragging it." A glance down confirmed that he was right; the bottom of the bag was soaked from snow. "As much as I hate the bloke, Malfoy was right. It's a great dress, and you look beautiful in it." When she looked at him in shock, he smiled grimly and touched her shoulder gently. "Don't let him ruin something that could be good, Rose. It's what he wants."

Hooking a finger into the top of the hanger and letting the bag hang down his back, he set off to follow the other boys. He called me by my first name. She didn't know what it meant, but she could only guess that it wasn't good.