Disclaimer - JKR owns.


The girls had already started planning the Hogsmeade weekend the week before. As if they didn't do the exact same thing each visit. Shannon, the usual instigator had averted their focus from school work on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the typical, extended plans. Traditionally they would head into the small wizarding town together as a trio to browse the shops and stop for a drink in the Three Broomsticks. Sometimes they would linger over a second drink before heading back up to the school to do some more reading before tea. Shannon would more often than not, delay plans for at least an hour wanting to check the sale rack in Twilworth and Tats. Even Jasmine could be distracted by Simon Finnegan's offer to purchase a follow up round of drinks for them as they were about to put on their cloaks. The girl didn't get out much, and the pound-galleon exchange was at an all-time low, which did nothing for her muggle savings. Jasmine had insisted that was her only reason for accepting the offer of another drink.

"I guess we're just doing the usual then?" Shannon inquired. Her voice low, carrying only so their group could hear. They'd managed to find a relatively secluded table in the library,and had avoided detection by any other student all afternoon.

"Hogsmeade, you mean? The only place we're allowed to visit outside of the castle grounds during term time? That Hogsmeade?" asked Jasmine sarcastically, not looking up from her textbook, as she idly flicked through the pages.

Shannon raised a questioning eyebrow, "yes. Wand in a knot much?" She pointed at Jasmine over her shoulder with her thumb while addressing Rose. "If we don't get old grouchy here out of the castle, she's in real danger of contracting a vitamin D deficiency." Rose grinned despite herself.

"I'm grouchy because unlike you Shannon, I really want to have this Charms work done before tea." Jasmine crossed out a line of her essay, "besides, you can take bicorn horn as a vitamin D supplement."

Shannon tsked. "I knew we shouldn't have bought you that Healer in Training book. Well, we're going." Shannon stretched out her neck, inclining in her seat to get a better look down the row of bookshelves, clearly too distracted to continue working. She glanced back at Jasmine, pursing her lips. "I overheard Finnegan inquiring if he'd be able to purchase his usual round."

Rose saw Jasmine's eyes still on the page, but she didn't look up. Her quill somehow kept scrawling.

Shannon rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You don't want to disappoint him now do you?"

Jasmine frowned, finally looking up from her work, "I'm not going to Hogsmeade for Finnegan's benefit."

"Oh really?" Shannon challenged, cocking her head. "So, you delight the Irishman in your company each visit since fourth year only because of him bribing us to stay with a round of drinks?"

To Rose's surprise, Jasmine took the bait. Her cheeks suddenly flushed.

"It's accepting a friendly offer, not bribery. And just that we happen to end up in the same place. There is only one habitable pub in Hogsmeade after all." Jasmine offered, defensively.

Shannon looked unconvinced, "so you would stay there of your own accord, without the offer of a drink?"

"Perhaps. If we had time." Said Jasmine, averting her gaze back to her parchment, attempting and failing to sound disinterested.

Shannon exaggerated the roll of her eyes, "for Circe's sake Jaz, would it hurt your pride that much to admit there's a thing?"

"There is no thing between me and Finnegan," insisted Jasmine, although the darkening colour in her cheeks might have suggested otherwise.

"Fine," muttered Shannon, quite obviously annoyed by her evasive friend, "what about you, Rose?" she asked turning her gaze towards her, suddenly startled at being addressed directly. She had been watching the ongoing exchange with quiet amusement, trying to keep out of it.

Rose had a suspicion that Jasmine could well like Simon Finnegan. But the girl was always rather closed off, and Rose had never wanted to pry or push her for answers she wasn't comfortable giving freely. She, on the other hand was more often the sharing type, and Jasmine usually played the part of the patient listener well. Rose wondered for a moment if that made her a bad friend. That she'd not asked, even without being accusatory about her friend's potential love interest. Unlike Shannon who couldn't contain her budding curiosity. Regardless, she admired Jasmine's self-respect when it came to Finnegan. Rose believed her when she said she wasn't going for his benefit, assuming it was a welcome bonus that he was happy to flirt over a butterbeer with her.

Rose having avoided Shannon's questioning gaze felt her throat tighten. She hadn't told either of the girls she had agreed to go with Scorpius to Hogsmeade yet.

"What about me?"

"You and Malfoy?" Shannon urged, scooting closer in her chair, "don't go quiet on me too." She shot Jasmine an irritated glance before addressing Rose again, "if you don't someone else will probably get him to take them."

Rose heard the faintest of sighs from Jasmine who still kept her eyes to her work.

She reluctantly met Shannon's gaze who was looking on expectant. "Well yeah, about that…"

Shannon's eyes grew comically wide as she reached out silently to shake Rose's arm urgently. As if this would shake loose the secret Rose was withholding from her.

Rose avoided Shannon's gaze again, nibbling the end of her quill, suddenly embarrassed about it all. About how she had been ignorant to Scorpius' feelings. About how she hadn't seen the broom cupboard scheme under her nose. And about how she now somehow had procured some feelings for Scorpius that still felt awfully new and confusing.

Rose took a sharp intake of breath, "I might have agreed to go with him to Hogsmeade actually."

Jasmine stilled, looking up through her dark eyelashes, quill paused mid-scrawl. Beside her, Shannon released her arm and slammed her hands down on the table causing Jasmine's inkpot to jump a few inches off the table. The ink that splashed over the title of her essay went unnoticed.

"When were you going to tell us?" Shannon demanded, in a newly hushed tone upon hearing semi-aggressive shushing from a few shelves away.

Jasmine, seemingly not noticing the seeping ink sat back in her chair, "yes, Rose." Her voice was awfully serious, causing the knot in Rose's gut to tighten. "When were you going to tell us?" Rose averted her gaze purposefully. Guiltily.

After a rather pregnant pause, she coughed abruptly, "we sort of agreed to it on Saturday."

Shannon raised her eyebrows, blinking overtly, "well today is Tuesday and you didn't think to bring it up before then?"

"We've had a lot on," said Rose, knowing full well it was a crappy excuse.

"We've only hung out every day since then, which is rare these days anyway!"

Rose bit her lip, "well he was casually seeing someone else, so-"

"Of course, he was," muttered Jasmine, knowingly. Rose felt an unexpected stab of anger in her chest. Jasmine knew Scorpius even less than she did.

Rose tried to ignore Jasmine's comment, "I didn't want to assume anything until that was sort of…taken care of," she admitted, feeling a wave of embarrassment again.

Shannon smirked a little, "and he's leaving her for you?"

Rose flushed, "it's not like that. At least I don't think it is. I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't believe he was going to end it with her. I told him I would only go with him if it were exclusive. I might have turned the tables a bit, actually giving Scorpius a chance, but I'll still not be one of many or anything."

Jasmine didn't even try to hide the roll of her eyes, "did you even speak to McGonagall?"

"What on earth does Rose seeing Malfoy have to do with dear old Minnie? Come on Rose," Shannon pleaded, "some details, please!"

Rose shuffled uncomfortably under Jasmine glare. Shannon, who appeared to notice, but clearly wasn't aware of exactly why Rose felt uncomfortable reached forward and squeezed her hand, "please." Rose cracked the smallest of smiles. "I'm in a complete drought of gossip. And I want to hear about it because you're my friend-"

"Did you go to McGonagall?" Jasmine interrupted. Rose's smile vanished.

The problem with Jasmine was that she didn't do things by halves. And while Rose was all too happy to defend her friend it was often occasions such as this that caused conflict within their group. When Jasmine set her mind to something it was incredibly rare you could change her stance on the matter. However trivial. If she was drinking, she would drink like a sailor. If she was working, she would work til the early hours for the extra credit every time. And if she thought for a moment Rose was going to go to McGonagall to inform her of Albus and Scorpius' antics, Rose knew she had better have a good enough excuse as to why she hadn't.

Rose sat down her quill and drew a hand across her face. Shannon studied the two of them for a moment before laughing lightly. "Am I missing something?"

Jasmine merely raised her eyebrows in silent judgement.

Rose knew she shouldn't be mad at Jasmine. By all accounts, she was right to think she should have confessed everything to McGonagall. As Head Girl is was definitely the right thing to do. But now, her new-found feelings for Scorpius apparent, it was going to be difficult to defend her choice in not telling her. Everything would circle back to how she was letting them get away with it. And all reasoning would point to her letting Scorpius off because he had charmed his way around it. Strictly speaking this wasn't true at all. Rose, having listened to their reasoning couldn't help but agree that students would do it without any input from Scorpius or Albus. The school's teenage population would forever try to find quiet corners for fooling around, because that's what teenagers do. Yet Rose knew she couldn't explain away the money changing hands, the illicitness of it all. She didn't have even a feeble excuse to explain that away. All her energy had gone into making sure she hadn't said anything about Albus' attack on Chambers. And she knew that she couldn't possibly tell either of the girls that.

Rose considered for a moment how she was going to approach the subject. How she might avoid an argument with Jasmine in the process. She sighed, suddenly feeling more tired than she had in months.

"Did you know about the broom cupboard scheme?" She rubbed at her tired eyes.

Shannon merely looked blankly between her friends, a knot forming along her brow.

"Al and Scorpius were in charge of it?" she continued. Shannon raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

Rose swallowed, Jasmine's eyes on her felt like a heavy weight. "You've never paid anyone to leave you alone in a broom cupboard with a guy?"

Shannon barked out a laugh of disbelief, "no need." She shook her head, considering both girls for a moment before relenting. "Sunday nights, Trelawney vacates the divination room in favour of a nightly stroll down to the grounds. And there is a rather ample sized chez long behind a curtain in the back. Ambient lighting. I've never had a need for a broom cupboard, Rose." Shannon added a little smug.

Rose nodded, letting the information sink in. "So you've never even heard of it?"

"A broom cupboard scheme? Maybe whispers. I just assumed it was a load of rubbish. And I wasn't about to indulge my sweet spot to anyone besides the few blokes I might invite up there."

"Oh, alright." Rose spared Jasmine a glance who she found still staring transfixed at her. "Don't look at me like that, please."

"You didn't tell McGonagall." Jasmine said evenly.

"Alright I'm still a tad lost-"

Jasmine looked incredulously at Rose, and all she could do was not shrink into her chair, "You want me to spell it out for you?" She tossed down her quill and leant across the table scowling, "Rose found out about this broom cupboard scheme. Promised she'd tell McGonagall and is now essentially going along with it!" Another stab of anger hit Rose squarely in the chest.

"I still don't-"

"I never promised that. I said I'd speak to Albus. And I'm not going along with it-" Rose replied hastily, trying not to let her temper dictate her for once.

"What did you do then?" Jasmine asked sardonically, folding her arms.

"McGonagall wanted to talk about careers," muttered Rose angrily under her breath. "I wasn't about to just bring it up!"

"Wait," said Shannon, holding up her hands between them in an attempt at ceasefire, "this scheme was Al and Scorpius' doing? And you're going along with it?"

"I'm not going along with it!" Rose found herself insisting, against her better judgement. "I'm just… turning a blind eye. People will always try to fool around in school where we have limited privacy-"

"That sounds like their spiel to me."

Rose found her temper rising. Indignation spurring her on. She tried hard not to think about Albus, and everything she knew. All the secrets she shouldn't be privy to. It made the anger flare ever hotter than before. "Maybe it is!" she snapped, "but it could be considered reasonable if you just-"

"You're seriously just going to ignore it because now it's in your interest to keep Malfoy in your good books?" said Jasmine, her tone layered with derision and disappointment.

Rose wondered fleetingly why she hadn't just stayed in her room to study.

"Hold on, can one of you just start from the beginning?"

"I can't believe you're going along with this, Rose." Jasmine shook her head, her eyes furious.

"Oh for gods sake Jasmine, would it kill you to just let it be? I'm trying to make something positive for myself for once."

Jasmine lifted her eyes heavenward, "Isn't Head Girl enough for you now?"

"Maybe it isn't," Rose spat. Her temper flared again and she spoke without an ounce of forethought, "I realised that perhaps I could have a bit of actual fun with Scorpius, for crying out loud Elliot wasn't exactly a choice based on genuine attraction. And yes, Scorpius might be kind of aloof, but he's not and never had tried to pretend to be someone else. And surprisingly he's got his head screwed on to his shoulders more than most people might believe-"

"Oh I bet you found alllll that out on your Saturday night excursion!" scoffed Jasmine, gritting her teeth. Shannon, for once looked at a loss for words. Rose stared for a moment at Jasmine, her mind conjuring up cruel things she might say if she hadn't been biting down on her tongue. She felt hurt that Jasmine wasn't supporting her in this. She hadn't even given her a chance to defend herself.

"Maybe if you actually ever tried to have a bit of fun, Finnegan might actually ask just you out for a fucking drink!"

Jasmine's face fell unexpectedly blank. And Rose immediately felt the seed of regret take root in the pit of her stomach.

"Jasmine I'm sorry. That was uncalled for," she began, raising her hand to her forehead, her head beginning to throb.

Jasmine had begun to pack away her things silently, Rose didn't have a clue what else to say. "Actually, it was pretty fucking accurate, Rose." Said Jasmine coldly, pulling her bag onto her shoulder and disappearing quickly down the book shelves.

"Shit." Rose breathed out. Regret overwhelming her. She cradled her head in her hands, willing Shannon to speak, to say absolutely anything into the gapping silence left in Jasmine's wake. "I should go after her, shouldn't I?"

"I'd let her cool of a bit," came Shannon's reply. Rose was grateful she didn't sound at all admonishing. "I've been unnecessarily pestering her about Finnegan for a few weeks while you've been a bit off the radar. It's probably the final nail in the coffin for her y'know?"

"Still I shouldn't have said-"

Shannon waved her arm at her, "she'll be fine. She hangs out with me most of the time. She's got a thick skin." Shannon turned to watch the spot Jasmine had left. "I just don't think she wanted to admit she fancied Finnegan. And the fact she's probably fancied him for years. I mean, she's worse than you when it comes to guys."

"Thanks," said Rose, unable to see if there was anything positive to take from that.

"And Finnegan doesn't exactly help. You'd think over two years, and him being a Gryffindor he'd have just come out and asked her straight, wouldn't you?"

"Hmmm," Rose nodded in agreement, the regret and shame of snapping needlessly at her friend blossoming, filling her chest uncomfortably.

"But this," Shannon nodded at Rose, looking a little concerned. She sat her elbow on the desk and her chin in her up righted hand, "this isn't like you."

Rose blinked, reluctant to go over all of it again with someone. She'd had to contend with Albus, Jasmine and even Scorpius himself being dubious about the two of them together. She had managed to convince herself, only to have a ludicrous amount of backlash that she was certain wouldn't evoke this much drama for anyone else.

Shannon eyed her friend again, tilting her head in question, "you sure you're ok with this? Like… you're not trying to convince yourself or anything? With Malfoy I mean."

Rose contemplated the question for a moment. She'd had this internal argument already. How was it she found herself second guessing, again?

"I hadn't known about Scorpius. We've always had these moments where I've been left feeling weird. And it wasn't until just over a week ago that I realised that "weird" somehow translated to some bizarre attraction I'd tried to hide under multiple excuses. I mean I knew I didn't want to be just another notch on his bed post. It was more like this realisation that he'd been there the whole time, and perhaps I should give him a chance? Besides, he just doesn't take anything too seriously, and up until recently I didn't realise just how valuable that sort of attitude can be."

Shannon beamed, "and that's exactly Scorpius Malfoy."

"Eugh I probably sound so air-headed."

"On the contrary, I wholeheartedly agree that you could have much more fun, and if having fun means doing Scorpius Ma-" Rose elbowed her friend in the torso and she doubled over, her grin still plastered across her face.

"He's just been around, you know?" Rose said, spreading her hands, "and his presence has gone from something akin to maddening to something much more… welcomingly familiar."

"That'll only be the six shared school years and the same number of summers basically spent at your grandparents. You've hung out unwittingly a surprising amount."

Rose leant her head on her curled fist laid on the table, "how had I not noticed this?"

Shannon shrugged, the smile playing cautiously at her lips, "you got Head Girl, you had all that stuff with Elliot. Did I mention Head Girl duties-"

"I do feel like I've neglected you both, especially recently." Rose found herself confessing, not having intended to turn the conversation this way. Pilling on another layer of guilt.

"We all knew it was likely, given your position as Head Girl this year. We definitely make the most of the time we do have though, I wouldn't worry about that. And Hogwarts can't last forever, this has definitely been more of a taste of how it'll be when we leave. Not living in each other's robes all the time, having actual responsibilities," her eyes fluttered to the badge on Rose's chest and she corrected, "some of us will start having actual responsibilities."

Rose shook her head, "I mean, I can't blame her for it, but Jaz definitely helped plant the idea in my mind about Scorpius. She was insistent it was obvious he liked me. I don't know, just the way she said it, it almost convinced me there on the spot. I thought she'd be a little supportive."

"You know she likes to do the right thing. And to me, it doesn't sound like she's taking your new found liking for Malfoy seriously just yet."

"She drinks like the rest of us," said Rose, knowing that was a pathetic argument.

Shannon bit her lip, "she'd good at that. That might be why." She shrugged. "Jasmine's next angle would have inevitably been whether you were sure about it. Knowing what Malfoy is like and whether you might get hurt."

"You don't know that."

"We do. The broom cupboard stuff aside, if you had just plonked yourself down here today and said you were going on a date with Malfoy you know full well that would have been her first question."

"Yeah, I guess so," Rose agreed begrudgingly. Vacantly wondering if her refreshed relationship with Albus and whatever it was with Scorpius was worth arguing with Jasmine over. She knew damn well it wasn't worth throwing away six years of loyal friendship.

"And don't tell me," Shannon pointed her index finger at her, "when you found out about this broom cupboard scheme its been tearing you up ever since."

Rose felt a jolt, all of a sudden. Whirring images of Albus covered in blood and Scorpius inches from her face swam in her vision. It took her a moment to realise Shannon had said something else.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said I had wondered what was up. I guess I just hastened to assume it was NEWTs and Elliot and I didn't really think you wanted anyone prying into that. I knew you weren't exactly convinced of that yourself."

Rose looked at her friend, shocked. How undeniably perceptive she was and yet how far removed those ideas had been from the truth.

"Give me some credit. I'm good at reading people. I just figured you'd come to us when you were ready to talk. You're far chattier than Jasmine is for certain; it's like trying to get pumpkin juice out of a stone with her!" Said Shannon, good naturedly. Rose felt an overwhelming urge to hug her. She leant forward and as if anticipating it Shannon leaned in herself wrapping her arms around Rose's middle. The warmth of her body had a calming effect on Rose, who had barely noticed until then that her heart was still racing.

Rose rubbed at her eyes again, her head now pounding. "I really should go speak to her, apologise. Maybe explain myself a little better."

Shannon just shook her head, "honestly, I'll go find her later. She's probably hauled up in the astronomy tower or in the dormitory. It'll be fine." Shannon glanced over her shoulder, "are you excited?" she asked the corner of her mouth twitching.

"Huh?" Rose said, confused.

Shannon licked her lips, "are you excited about you date?"

Rose sighed, allowing the smile to be coaxed back onto her face.

"Crickey, you do like him, don't you?" Shannon grinned with such reckless abandon, if Rose didn't know this was a normal sight she might have thought the girl had gone mad.

"I hadn't planned on it, you know! I'm only getting used to the idea myself, and now- you honestly don't think I should speak to her?" Rose persisted, knowing she would find it difficult enough to go on a date with Scorpius given how Albus felt without the addition of falling out with Jasmine.

Shannon rolled her eyes, "you worry too much. I'll sort it, Weasley. Now, are we going to finish these essays or are you going to explain to me how this broom cupboard scheme stuff came into being. Even with my own hiding spots I can't believe it's gone under my radar-"

"Two years."

"Blimey."

"Yeah. Hence why it came as a bit of a shock. It made me feel rather… inattentive as Head Girl. Or even thinking back before that, how we'd never got wind of it."

Shannon made a face, "and you felt a little hard done by?"

"Don't you?"

"I guess," Shannon shrugged. "But we've always sort of kept to ourselves, in the grand scheme of things."

"You less so," Rose pointed out.

"Again, I had my own ways and means. Such a service wasn't really a requirement."

Rose had a lingering thought, "how is it you're so… cool about all this?"

"Isn't that part of being a trio? You're the over achiever, Jaz is the chronically jaded and rule abiding and yours truly is the coolest and chilled one of the lot."

Rose chuckled, allowing the feeling of mirth to wash over her, "don't forget modest."

Shannon held a hand to her chest in mock outrage, "aren't I the one trying to make peace here, Rose?"

At Rose's silence, Shannon crooked an eyebrow. "He better treat you right. Him holding a candle for you doesn't automatically excuse him of that."

"I know." Said Rose, deciding to draw her textbook back towards her. Checking her watch, they had another hour before dinner.

Shannon looked disappointed for a moment before thumbing through her own textbook.

Rose knew there wasn't much she could do. Although she thought absently that the universe seemed to have a cruel way of instilling balance. Sure, she had just managed to forge something alight to friendship with Albus and was definitely gaining back his trust, but the cost of Jasmine's friendship was a high price to pay for that. And not one she was convinced was worth it.

They'd been friends since their first Hogwarts feast. Jasmine had offered the bench to Rose as the Weasley-Potter clan had looked on in shock as the second one of their number was sorted into a different house. It had taken Rose all of about twenty seconds to realise as the girl beside her smiled sheepishly and offered her the buttered peas that had just appeared, that as Albus sat on the table next to hers that this might be the start of something new and exciting.

Six years on and she was struggling to accept that it had all worked out for the best.

She trusted Shannon of course, but this argument on top of everything else made Rose feel more nauseous than ever. To top off everything else. How had she avoided such theatrics for so long to be suddenly cast head first into what felt like a thespian's dream come true?


Firstly, I really should have been doing work. Secondly, this chapter was half planned and then someone suggested there should be more conflict. I just wanted to explore the girls relationship a bit more before anything else happened and found a way of doing both. Anyway, I'm sorry there isn't much of Rose/Scorpius in this chapter. The next will have ample, I promise.