AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would just like to say to all of my reviewers and to all that added this story to their Favorite Stories and Story Alert list: Thank you SO much guys!!! I never expected this fanfiction to grab this much attention, though to some it might not seem like very much. I am immensely flattered that you guys enjoy this story so much. It really means a lot. It's truly been a joy to write, and I appreciate the constructive criticism and your appreciation of Fred's 'mistakes' with Rosie's name. But I really must stress something: As much as I dearly appreciate your enthusiasm for updates, please refrain from pressuring me to do so. I DO have a life outside of and the rest of the internet, which includes a part time job and AP Spanish homework, not to mention artwork I'm working on and a social life. So please, please bear with me when I say that I may not update as often as you all would like me to. On 8/12 I will be heading to Cedar Point, so I most certainly will not be writing anything, and probably won't for most of next week. I haven't even begun writing Chapter 10; in fact, I JUST finished Chapter 9 a few minutes ago. So please, respect me when I humbly ask you to not pressure me to update. Again, thank you all for your kind reviews and enthusiasm, especially RoastedGrover, who has offered very insightful reviews and encouragement. It seems that every Canadian I meet is really nice o.o Thanks so much girl!! Anyway, enjoy Chapter 9 everyone!!
When Rosie closed the portrait hole behind her, she let out a high-pitched squeal and flailed wildly. She was going to Yule Ball with Fred. With Fred!
"Is that you or is it your cat dying?" Meredith's head popped up from behind one of the armchairs. When she saw the look on Rosie's face, Meredith's lips stretched into a wide smile. "Did Fred snog you or something?" Rosie rolled her eyes, though her cheeks did turn a few shades of pink.
"He… he asked me to the Yule Ball," she said quietly, barely containing her joy. Meredith nearly vaulted over her armchair to wrap her in an enormous bear hug, emitting a shriek.
"I'm so happy for you!" she said as she nearly suffocated Rosie with her hug. "Just imagine," Meredith sighed dreamily when she released her. "The two of you dancing to a romantic song, you in your dress, and Fred probably in a suit of some kind. I bet you he'll try to kiss you."
The raven haired girl's cheeks turned as red as her namesake. "K-kiss me? You really think so?"
"Of course," Meredith reassured her. "How many times have I been wrong?" Rosie had to admit, there hadn't been many.
"But what if I—" Rosie started, but Meredith cut her off.
"No buts! Nothing can go wrong on Christmas Day." Rosie bit her lip. She did have a point. Plus, the ball falling on Christmas Day made it that much more romantic in Rosie's eyes.
"Are you going with anyone?" Rosie asked as the two of them made their way to the dormitories. Meredith shrugged.
"I think I'll go by myself. It's more fun that way." Rosie nodded. Whenever Meredith had a date or a boyfriend, she always ended up getting dumped or dumping them. Fortunately that was about all she had bad luck with. "It's you I've got to watch," Meredith smiled, pointing a knowing finger at her. "I'm going to have to teach you about dating." Rosie felt gloom—made worse by the potion—overcome her suddenly. She had forgotten that she had absolutely zero experience when it came to dating.
"No time like the present," Rosie mumbled halfheartedly as they went up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
Despite the festivities that were to be held the following month, Rosie's workload only seemed to multiply. Still, she reminded herself, it was better than being one of the champions trying to sort out a golden egg that screamed when opened. Rosie had heard rumors that Harry Potter had been doing almost nothing to figure it out, which rather surprised her. Considering he had Hermione Granger to help him, Rosie thought that he'd be the first to discover the secret.
Rosie couldn't help but smile a little smugly to herself as she pored over One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi in the library. So Hermione really wasn't such a brain after all. 'Probably got so frustrated that she gave up,' Rosie thought. In fact, she imagined the brown haired girl becoming simply irate at the fact that for once, she didn't know the answer. Rosie twirled her quill between her fingers, staring down at her tiny script on a piece of parchment she was using to write an essay on the various uses of Mandrakes. Inevitably, though, her thoughts drifted elsewhere, to a redheaded, freckle faced boy with a mischievous grin. Smiling hopelessly, Rosie rested her forehead on her open book. Now that Fred was on her mind, there was simply now way she could concentrate.
"Bugger," Rosie giggled, straightening up and moving to put away her things. Then quite suddenly, a pale, bony hand snatched up Rosie's half finished essay.
"What sort of rubbish is this?" sneered Draco Malfoy, pulling away the parchment as Rosie tried to snatch it back. Oddly enough, Malfoy was without his trollish chums.
"Give it back!" Rosie hissed in a whisper, so as not to irk Madam Pince. The taller boy's pointed face twisted into an evil smirk. When he spoke, it was in a cool whisper.
"Let me copy it, or else your precious Freddie might have a little… how shall I put this… an accident? Perhaps a hex, maybe a jinx or two might… misfire on him." His eyes glinted with malice. Rosie's lips trembled, but she refused to back down, especially when Fred was involved.
"If you so much as breathe within twenty paces of him, I'll curse your wand so far up your ass you'd think it had always been there." It was no idle threat. Rosie had a knack when it came to complicated curses. Still, Draco Malfoy barely flinched.
"Is that a threat?" he asked delicately, craning his neck to study the small print on Rosie's parchment. His tone was idle, bored even. "I'm guessing you haven't made very many." Again, Rosie lunged for her paper, trying to take advantage of Draco's seemingly relaxed demeanor. She managed to grasp it, and was about to pull it away from him when he did something quite unexpected.
With his free hand, Draco seized her other wrist. He pulled it upward, rendering it useless, and all at once, Rosie felt his lips crash roughly against hers. He wasted no time in shoving past her lips with his tongue, which Rosie bit promptly purely out of reflex. Malfoy made a muffled noise of displeasure when she bit his tongue and pulled away from her She was utterly shocked and confused, but most of all she was revolted.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Rosie screeched at him, the very sight of him at that moment filling her with revulsion.
"I hate that you're such a goody-goody," he sighed regretfully, running his tongue over his lower lip. "But I just love it when you're furious." Shoving the crumpled essay into her face, he swaggered past her with a wink. "I figured you'd never kissed anyone before, but God, I didn't think it'd be that easy to ruin your first one." Oh yes, he had ruined her first kiss for her. Rosie was shaking with rage; she wanted to throw up, she wanted to slap Malfoy, she wanted to scream.
But now… now she was angry. And this kind of anger required more than a well aimed punch to the crotch to be extinguished.
After thoroughly cleansing her mouth of the taste of Draco Malfoy, Rosie headed straight to the Gryffindor dormitories. She had to talk to Fred and George, but more specifically, she needed a certain Creevey boy. However, when she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she realized that she didn't know the password. She let out a groan of frustration. There was no way her plan would work if she couldn't get Colin and the twins together. With a sigh, she slumped down next to the Fat Lady, hugging her knees to her chest. Rosie racked her brain for an alternative she knew would not come to her. She simply couldn't do it alone.
"Now I know that draught isn't behind that sad, pretty face of yours, Buttercup," said a voice above her. A long pair of legs clothed in jeans appeared before her, and then the figure crouched down in front of her.
Rosie's eyes lit up with joy as the freckled face of Fred Weasley beamed at her.
"Speak of the devil," she smiled. "Um…" Rosie hesitated. She wanted to tell him what had happened with Malfoy, but she feared his reaction. Then again, they weren't dating. But what if he blamed her?
"What's the matter?" Fred asked, snapping Rosie out of her downwardly spiraling thoughts. He cocked his head and raised his eyebrows. Rosie chewed her lip for a moment, and then sighing she told him what had happened in the library, and how she wanted the twins and Colin to help her get back at Malfoy.
"Well, he certainly is a lousy git for stealing your first kiss from you," Fred said after a moment. Rosie studied his expression carefully—did he look disappointed about it? His eyes certainly had lost a bit of their usual sparkle. "As for getting back at pasty face, George and I would be more than happy to make him look like the perfect ass for you. Leave Colin to us," he finished with a wink. "Your plan's brilliant, m'dear. Couldn't have thought of anything better myself." Rosie turned pink and smiled lightly. He had called her dear. She felt comforting warmth spread throughout her as she and Fred stood up.
"Thank you so much, Fred," Rosie breathed, moving forward and standing on her tiptoes to hug him. It was the first time she had ever hugged hi. Their bodies fit each other so well, she noticed. His shoulders weren't very broad, but they felt strong under her arms, and his arms that held her waist felt gently warm and protective. She didn't want to let him go.
Maybe one day she wouldn't have to.
It felt like only a moment had passed when Rosie reluctantly released him, settling back on her feet and resting her hands on his upper arms. She smiled up at him and moved to step back, but Fred's arms tightened just a little around her waist. Her smile faded into a look of confusion, but Fred just looked down at her reassuringly, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips for a brief moment.
"Fred?" Rosie whispered, but Fred shushed her softly. The girl's heart raced. Time seemed to be crawling and flying at the same time. Was he going to…?
"Fred, do you remember the password? I forgot it," said a meek voice behind them. The spell broke between Fred and Rosie, and the girl could have sworn she saw him wince as he pulled away and turned to face Neville Longbottom, his toad Trevor in hand.
"Well, it ought to be 'bad timing'," he said in an exasperated voice. From behind his back, Rosie saw Neville glance at her for a moment, turning red with embarrassment. Neville must have caught Fred's not-so-subtle hint that he had indeed interrupted something—or an almost something anyway. "It's nettle bug," he sighed, the Fat Lady's portrait swinging open. Neville scurried past him and Rosie, smiling in what seemed to be an apologetic way as he did so. Rosie nodded to him, turning back to Fred. He turned to face her, resting his hands on the back of his neck.
"I'll set things up with George and Creevey. Then all we'll need to know is where things will take place." Rosie nodded, smiling again, but all of a sudden it felt awkward.
"I'll… I'll see you later then," she said as Fred went through the portrait hole.
As Rosie walked back to the Ravenclaw dormitories, though, she couldn't help but wonder at what might have been.
