Draco and Rose were sitting in the library later that night. Rose was doing her DADA homework, and Draco was reading up on Potions.

"To resist the Imperius Curse is to try to find a diamond in the rough. Although it is nearly impossible to do so, some people manage to work against the evil forces behind such a spell," Rose wrote. "One of the Unforgivable Curses, Imperius, when cast successfully, places the victim underneath the witch or wizard's complete control, though a person with exceptional strength of will is capable of resisting it.

"This unforgivable curse is the most unique of all three. When cast on a victim, this victim has pearly white eyes, distinct from others. An example of how highly dangerous this curse could be was exhorted last year, as Viktor Krum—" she sighed and put down the pen.

"Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah. I'm fine."

"So," Draco said, "My friend is having a Christmas party tonight, and—"

"Is he a Slytherin?" Rose inquired.

"Well, uh—yes."

"Then I can't go! I'm not a Slytherin." Rose said.

"We could let you in! Come on, it'll be fun…"

"Well…" she said, biting her lip.

"Please?"

"Fine. But… who's this friend?"

"Blaise," he replied.

"Blaise." She repeated.

"Yeah, that's the one!"

"Well, if Blaise doesn't let me in…"

"Don't worry. I'll come pick you up and we'll go down to the Common Room together! It'll be fun, okay?"

"Well…"

"It'll be fine," he said. Rose shrugged. She was a little worried, going into a Slytherin party. Not that she would tell anyone that, of course.

"Draco?" Rose called. She was sitting in the middle of a hallway, against a wall. She heard footsteps coming around the corner.

"Nope," Ron said, sliding to sit next to her, "sorry."

"Eh." She said. Draco was only a few minutes late. She was in a white, long sleeved turtleneck sweater, and black jeans, just… waiting for her Prince to come. And she found that stupid.

"Where are you two going?" He asked.

"Slytherin Christmas party," Rose said. "Hope he'll get me in."

"I think he will," Ron said, shrugging. "Hey, here he comes."

"Rose! … Weasley."

"Malfoy." Ron beamed. Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Um… okay, Mal—Draco, let's get going. Bye Ron!"

"Bye," he said, smiling. Draco and Rose pulled around a hallway and a few flights of stairs.

"Draco, you have to be nicer to him," Rose said.

"I know, I know," he said, smiling when they made it to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Just… he's my best friend, that's all."

"I know. Dragon Eggs," Draco said. It opened and he said, "After you." He held out his hand, and she took it and climbed through. It was much… darker then she had expected. And there was a party going on here. There were people laughing and chattering, sure, but what about Rose wondered.

"Draco! You made it! And what a pretty date," Someone complimented. He had chocolate skin and short black hair.

"Um…" Rose said, unsurely, "thank you."

"You're not any less than welcome. My name is Blaise. And you are?"

"Rose," she said, shaking his cold hand. She shivered.

"Are—are you okay?" Draco asked.

"Fine," she said, faking a smile. She had a very bad feeling about tonight. No particular reason… It's just one of those things that set you off in your head. Like an alarm warning you of danger, or something. Pansy Parkinson sauntered up to them.

"Oh," she said, sweetly, "hello, Draco! How fancy seeing you here." She glared at Rose as she growled, "And who, exactly, is this?" Rose looked at her confused. Who was this girl?

"This is my date, Rose. Rose, this is Pansy." Rose smiled and stuck out her hand.

"Nice to meet you," Rose said. Pansy slowly shook her hand, like a child taking disgusting medicine. She ripped her hand away and glared at Draco.

"And?" She asked. "Well?"

Draco snorted. "What do you want from me, Pansy? A formal title? She the Queen of Bloody Cows?" Pansy gaped at him, and before she had time to answer, Blaise stepped in between them.

"Whoa! Enough lovers' quarrels you two. How about a fire whiskey?"

"Please," Pansy said, putting a hand on her forehead dramatically. She looked like she had a deadly fever. "Blaise, I need one. This quarreling has put me to ends meet." Draco rolled his eyes and Blaise turned to Rose.

"And you?" He asked. Rose looked confused.

"We're… we're underage, Blaise." She looked to Draco out of the corner of her eyes, who looked at the ground.

"So?" Blaise asked.

"So… we have to abide by the law," Rose said. Blaise snorted and Pansy laughed.

"Ha! Itty bitty baby Wosey couldn't dwink an ounce of fiwe whiskey!" Pansy laughed.

She was getting mad. "Uh…" Rose said, smiling, "it's not that I can't, I just won't." She pulled on her sweater.

"I say you can't," Pansy smirked. Rose glared. And Draco must've known she was getting mad. Because the next thing out of his mouth was:

"Bugger off, Pansy." He said. Pansy gaped at him, and Rose smirked. Blaise stepped in between them and handed Pansy her fire whiskey.

"So… Pansy," Blaise said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Want to dance?" Pansy scoffed, but took his hand and went out onto the dance floor anyway.

"Thanks," she said, smiling.

"No problem," he said, shrugging.

"You know, you save me an awful lot." She said.

He shrugged again. "Eh. Want to dance?" Rose nodded.

"I… I guess." She took his hand and they went out to the dance floor. And Draco kept her laughing, and giggling, and smiling… but…

She still felt… this was a bad idea. This was a very bad idea.

The night had gone on, and Rose and Draco were sitting on the Slytherin couch. All they had done was dance, and listen to Goyle go on about his trip to the Ministry over the summer.

"And then, and then the minister took me father into the office, and he—"

"—Oh, shut up, Goyle!" Pansy snapped. "Your father's an arse. And if he hasn't kicked the bloody Hell out of you yet, he's not doing a good job!"

"Pansy, go to 'Ell!"

"Ladies first!"

"YOU KNOW WHAT?"

"WHAT?"

"Uh," Rose said. "I think I'll go now. Bye Draco. Thank you; it was a… a very nice time." She stood up and smiled to everyone.

"I'll walk you." Draco said.

"No, no," Rose said, waving her hand absently, "I'm okay."

"No, I'll—"

"Draco," Pansy said. She was quite drunk. "Leave her go. She doesn't want you to go, obviously! But… but we all want you here." She hiccupped and put her arm around his shoulder.

"Pansy, get off." Draco said. He jerked her off of his shoulder.

"What? So you can walk Wose hewe back to hew Gwyffindow Common Woom? I hate her! Why should I let you do that?" She smirked.

"Why should you hate me?" Rose asked.

"Listen, you filthy mudblood… No one wants you here."

Rose cocked her head and glared. "Don't call me that, you stupid cow."

"It's like I said, you ugly bint! No one wants you here."

"That's not true, you stupid sod."

"Wait… are—are you sure? Because I really thought no one cared about you, but… Oh my! I must've forgotten Prince Charming here. He doesn't want you here either, right?" She kissed him on the cheek. Rose glared so hard Pansy might as well have set on fire. "What? Oh… wait a minute; did I just—did I just kiss your boyfriend? Oh no! What're you going to do, Princess? Are you going to… kill me off in your silly little story, with your silly little quill?" Pansy laughed and turned to Blaise, and then back to Rose, smirking.

Rose stood still for a moment. And then, she punched her. Pansy stumbled back and Rose stared at her hand. How could she have done that? It was against the moral of her very being to punch anyone. Draco smiled and Pansy gaped.

"She hit me! Little writer girl hit me!" Pansy shrieked. Rose stiffened. All eyes were on her.

"Uh… I've gotta go. I'm so sorry, Pansy."

She started crying and fled from the Common Room. She ended up on the Quidditch Pitch once again. She was freezing, because she had no time to grab a coat or anything. She kicked off the ground, and flew around the field for a little while.

"Rose! Rose, please come down!" Draco yelled.

"No!"

"Rose, please?"

"No … Again!"

"Please?"

"I—I—No, I—fine!"

Rose flew down to the ground and stood in front of Draco, who put his arms around her waist. "Rose, you shouldn't feel bad." She looked at the ground and her bangs fell into her face.

"I feel like a horrible human being. It's against my moral code to hurt anyone, or anything, and I punched Pansy! I punched her! With my own hand! It's—I—she… Draco Malfoy! Why the Bloody Hell are you smiling?"

"Because you're… you are just so pretty." He beamed. She blushed.

She looked up and beamed. "R-really?"

"Of course…" And the sky opened up and it began to snow. "Um… here," Draco said, putting his coat around her.

"Um… thanks." She said, smiling and looking down again.

He smiled too. And then, he reached down, pushed her hair out of her face, and kissed her warmly on the lips.

"So? What happened next?" Hermione asked, grinning. She and Rose were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room on the Fred and George couch.

"Well, I… I hit her," Rose whispered. Hermione beamed.

"YES! It's finally time someone did her in!" Hermione cheered. Rose looked grim.

"No, no. I didn't want to hit her. Please don't tell anybody."

"I won't, I swear. So… after that?"

"I ran, and ended up on the Pitch. And then Draco showed up and… it started snowing. And then he gave me his coat, and… he…"

"Well?"

"He kissed me." Hermione grinned again.

"Finally!" She yelled. Rose shushed her. "And then?"

"And then he walked me back to the Common Room, and we said good night. And then I hit you with a pillow, and you said, 'Rose, if you do that again, I'll kill you.' So, then I went to bed, and you know the rest."

"Wow…" Hermione said. "So, Christmas is coming up next week. What're you going to get him?"

"Who?" Rose asked.

"Draco!"

"Oh! Um… I don't know yet. I was thinking about getting him a new broom, you know. But that's a lot of money. Not that I don't have it, but… maybe a book? I don't know, Hermione. What did you get Viktor in fourth year?"

"Oh," Hermione said, smiling. "Um… I think I wore my dress to the Yule Ball!" Rose laughed. "No, no. I gave him a coat." Rose smiled.

Her mind flashed to a story her Aunt Emily told her about her mom.

"So, I was in the library yesterday…" Sarah Banks said, flipping her pixie cut beach blonde hair out of her baby blue eyes. She and her best friend Emily Masterson, with light green eyes and raven black hair, were sitting in the Great Hall, eating lunch in their fourth year. "And I was reading up on Potions. And I realized… that I am not very good at it." Emily laughed.

"Sarah, everyone knew that." Emily said, smiling.

"Well… let me pretend!" Sarah harrumphed. Emily laughed again and Lily Evans sat next to them. "Hi, Lily! So, where's James?"

"Hm? Oh. Yes, he's on the phone with his cousin Lionel. He's a squib, unfortunately." Sarah shrugged and went back to her plate.

"Is he cute?" Emily asked.

"Kind of. He has… hair." Lily answered.

Emily laughed and said, "Do you know who's cute? Lucius Malfoy." Sarah wrinkled her nose. "Oh! So, Sarah—do you like him?"

"Ew!" Sarah yelled, "Emily, get real!" Emily laughed and Sarah shoved her. Lucius Malfoy, hearing the terrible commotion… and his name, sauntered over to the Gryffindor table

"Hello, ladies." Lucius charmed. Emily giggled and Sarah rolled her eyes. "Sarah… Banks, right?"

"Yes." She replied. "And is there something I can do for you?"

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Hog's Head with me this weekend." Emily giggled.

"No thanks, Lucius." Sarah said, getting up and moving quickly for the door.

"Sarah!"

"Rose? Rose, pay attention!"

"Hm? Oh sorry, Hermione! My mind slipped!"

"Yes, yes… so? What're you getting 'im?"

"Hm… Maybe I'll knit him a sweater… it works when Mrs. Weasley does it!"

"Honey, you're her children! Draco is your… boyfriend!"

"Oi… maybe…"

"Rose! Hermione!" Ron yelled. He plopped down in between them, and Harry sat on the chair by the fire.

"Hello, Ronald." Hermione snapped. "If you hadn't noticed, Rose and I were having a conversation."

"I noticed. I was just wondering what it was about!"

"We were talking about Christmas presents." Rose answered.

"Oh… well, I want a box of sweets, if anybody cares…" Ron said.

"Yes," Harry said. "Because the last box of sweets you ate as such a good idea."

Rose laughed and Ron said, "Oh… you're right." Hermione smiled.

"Well, we'll be going to Hogsmeade together to shop. And you two had better go shopping too. Because, Ron, last year you got me a chocolate frog card!" Hermione said. Ron stuck his tongue out and Harry and Rose laughed.

"So, I'm going to go now. I'll see you all at breakfast!" Rose said.

"Bye Rose!"

"Bye Rose!"

"Bye Rose! And remember, I got him a coat! And no sweaters!"

"What's wrong with a sweater?" Ron asked.

"Never mind Ronald." Hermione sighed. Rose smiled and made her way down to the Great Hall and in for breakfast.

"Would you look at all this snow? It's beautiful Hermione!" Hermione laughed and threw a snowball at her friend. "Hey!"

"What?" Hermione said innocently. Rose hit her with a snowball as well. "Ow!" Rose snickered. "Oh, geez, Rose."

"What?" Rose asked. She was looking at a green sweater. "Wha—? No! For Ronald, or George, or Fred." Hermione smiled.

"Come on. Let's go into Honeydukes." Rose and Hermione darted for Honeyduke's, making it inside quickly.

"Uh—uh—hello!" Neville said, holding a box of sweets.

"Hello, Neville! Whose is that?" Rose asked.

"Uh… Luna's," he mumbled.

Rose grinned. "That's fantastic, Neville!" Rose said. "We're going to go shopping. Sorry to go. Good bye now!"

"Bye Rose!" He said. Rose and Hermione walked into the back of the shop.

"What do you think about this for Ronald?" Hermione asked, picking up a square, brown box of sweets.

"It's nice." Rose said dismissively. She was looking at a platter of Ton-Tongue Toffees.

"Hm. What're you getting Harry? I haven't thought of anything."

"I think I'm getting him new Quidditch supplies. Actually… His head is probably so clouded, being the Chosen One and everything. I may just get him a dream journal! I've kept one of those since the time I was nine."

"What a good idea! Maybe I'll get him Quidditch supplies." Hermione said.

"I'm going to get Neville a new remembrall," Rose whispered. "He forgot his old one at home.… Isn't that funny?" Rose smiled.

"Why are you whispering?" Hermione whispered back.

"He might still be here!"

"Oh… well, a remembrall. That's a good idea. I was thinking a wand repair kit."

"And for Luna?"

"I was thinking the two of us could split the cost of that… interesting monsters book and packet?"

"The book of magical creatures and where to find them and the monster monster's packet?"

"Yes! That one! And Ginny?"

"A new shirt."

"Oh, that's funny… I was getting her a skirt!"

"Hm. Anyway, do you want me to check out with your gift for Ron? I already have what I need." She held up a heart-shaped box of sweets.

"Yes, yes. Here, take some sickles." Hermione put eight coins into her hand and Rose ran for the counter.

"'Ello! What can I do for ya?" The man at the counter asked. His name tag read Christofer and his long brown hair fell into his eyes.

"Um, just these two boxes of sweets, please."

"Want them wrapped?" He asked, arching his eyebrows slightly.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"Do you want your sweets wrapped?"

"Sure!"

"Okay… Please wrap them… uh…."

"Christofer!" he said, brightly.

"Christofer, of course." He walked out into the store and picked up the wrapping paper. Rose noticed one slight quirk. "Why… why aren't you wearing any shoes?"

"Hm? Oh! I never do. It's because I used to get athletes foot a lot so I wouldn't wear shoes and after it got better… I was just so used to not wearing shoes that… I just don't anymore!" Rose nodded. It was nice to ask and get an answer. She often never got answers.

"So, that'll be all?" Christofer asked.

"Yeah, that's it." Rose replied.

"Okay, that'll be eight sickles."

Rose dropped the eight coins onto the table and he put them in the register. "Thanks, Christofer."

"Sure thing! Bye!"

"Bye."

After her rather odd experience at Honeyduke's, Rose and Hermione finished shopping. "That was eventful." Rose commented.

"I agree." Hermione said. "So, what did you end up getting your… boyfriend?" Hermione grinned.

"Shut up," Rose said, hitting her on the shoulder. "And for your information, I got him this."

Rose pulled out her present to Draco. "Oh… Rose… that's gorgeous! In fact, that's a great gift! May I… may I touch it?" Hermione felt the silky cloth and Rose quickly put it away. "It's so soft! I can't believe it's a gift for Dra—"

"Shush! He very well may be somewhere around here, and I do not want him to know what I got him."

"Very well, very well… but if he doesn't like it… can I have it?"

"Hermione… it has the letters D.M. on it."

"So?" Hermione asked. Rose laughed and the two left Hogsmeade smiling.

"Morning, Harry!" Hermione grinned. She and Rose were coming down from their dorms for breakfast. It was Saturday, and they were leaving for Christmas a little bit later. Rose had a few presents in her hands, as did Hermione.

Harry muttered something ineligible and stalked away.

"Well good morning, sunshine…" Rose muttered.

"Thank you, someone to save me. He's been like this all morning. No idea what he's on about." Ron said. Rose and Hermione sighed.

"Come on, Hermione. I want to eat breakfast, and find Draco, Neville, and Luna before lunch." Rose said.

"No! You save me and then you leave me!" Ron yelled. Rose laughed, Hermione shrugged and they headed down to eat breakfast.

"Neville!" Rose was saying. She and Hermione were walking down a hallway, trying to find Luna, when they found Neville instead.

"Hey, Rose!" He said, cheerily.

"Hey," she said. "Happy Christmas!"

"Funny, I had something for you guys, too… I don't know where I put them though…"

"Lucky you have this," Rose said. She handed him her present, and Hermione did too.

"Wow, thanks, you guys!" He said. He wrapped them both in a giant hug.

"Neville… Neville… I can't breathe." Rose said. He let them both go.

"Sorry… sorry…" he mumbled, turning scarlet red.

"It's okay, Neville," Rose laughed.

"Yeah! Serious question, do you know where Luna's at?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, yes, she's down by the lake!"

"Thanks, Neville! G'bye!"

"Bye, Neville!"

"Bye Rose! Bye Hermione! You'll get your present's in the mail, okay?"

"Sure! Bye!" Hermione called cheerily. She and Rose took the last of their gifts and headed for the lake.

"Luna?" Rose called.

"Luna?" Hermione echoed. Luna was walking through the knee-deep murky lake water. "Luna… what're you doing?"

"Looking for mer-people," Luna explained. "I was looking to see if I could sketch one. And I did!" Luna showed Rose and Hermione her sketch. It was a beautiful woman with long red hair and a bright green tale. She had a blue belly top on and sparkling blue eyes.

"You're a wonderful sketcher," Rose commented.

"You are," Hermione agreed.

"Thank you! So you wanted me?"

"Oh, yes," Rose said. "We split on a present for you, sorry… but, uh… Happy Christmas, Luna!" They gave her The book of magical creatures and where to find them and the monster monster's packet.

"Oh, thank you so much! I've been meaning to get this for ages!" Luna grinned.

"You're welcome."

"Oh, wait, Rose… Hermione… I mailed yours…" Luna said apologetically.

"No problem," Rose said, "we'll see it when we do."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed.

"Well, we have to go. Bye, Luna!"

"Bye!"

"Bye, Luna!"

"Bye Hermione!" Rose and Hermione walked off and Rose checked her watch.

"Whoops. Looks like we'll have to take a lunch break before I can get to Draco."

"Look… there he is." Hermione whispered. She and Rose were peering around a corner into a long hallway that led to DADA and Charms. Draco and Professor Snape were speaking together. "Go! Now!"

"I can't," Rose hissed. "He's talking to a professor!"

"Wait… wait, he's leaving. He's… he's leaving. Go! Go talk to him!"

"Wait, aren't you coming?"

"No! I can't, because…" Hermione made a kissing face. Rose rolled her eyes. She breathed in slowly. She was confident, she was nice, and… yeah. She strutted up to Draco, gift in hand.

"Rose," Draco said, grinning.

"Hi," she said breathlessly. She was confident, and now… not so much.

"Is there something you needed?" He asked, changing his stance slightly.

"Uh… uh… yeah, yeah." She fumbled with the gift and handed it to him. "Um… Happy Christmas." He opened it and smiled.

"It's… it's amazing," he said. He lifted the silky, green and silver scarf out of its box. On the end of either side the initials D.M. sewn into them in blue. He wrapped it around his neck and kissed her softly on the lips. "And you're amazing too."

"Oh…" Rose said, her cheeks turning pink.

"I have your present, too, actually." He said. He pulled out a box as well. "Here it is." Rose opened the tiny box to reveal a jade necklace.

"It's beautiful…" Rose breathed.

"You're beautiful." Draco said. Rose blushed again.

"Um… could you help me put this on?" Rose asked. Draco put her necklace around her neck and she smiled. "Thanks."

"Welcome." He said. She smiled and walked back around the corner.

"So?" Hermione asked, grinning.

"I did it, but… I feel like I can't breathe," Rose beamed. Hermione squealed. "Come on, Hermione. We have to go pack." Hermione and Rose made their way up to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"So?" Ron asked as they re-entered the Gryffindor Common Room.

"We got everyone," Rose said.

"Yeah," Hermione giggled, "especially Rose." Rose rolled her eyes.

"What Hermione means is, had to walk a little farther to get to one person on my list." Rose explained. Ron shrugged and Hermione giggled again. "Oh Hermione… Well, come on, let's get packing. We have a train to catch."

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Rose were playing a game on the way back to King's Cross. It was a Muggle game, and Ron, for one, wasn't quite sure how to play. "So… you have a bunch of these cards. And… you have a bunch of these cards, and… I'm confused."

"Really? Cause you're not showing it at all," Rose said, smiling. Hermione and Harry laughed and Rose said, "Well, Ron, here's how you play. Shall we play in teams instead?"

Hermione nodded and she put her cards in the deck and moved next to Harry. "Ready, Harry?"

"Sure."

Rose did the same and moved next to Ron. "Okay, so, you have two of these. They're called Kings. Ask Harry if he has any Kings. If he does, he'll give them to you. If not, he'll say, 'Go fish.' This is the card deck.

"Then you'll pull a card from the deck. And if you get a King, you'll go again, and ask for… a Jack. And if he gives one to you, it's the end of your turn. And then you fish, and since you probably won't get a Jack, it'll be the end of your turn, okay? I'll help you."

"Oh… okay." Ron said, his eyebrows furrowed. "Harry… do you have any… Kings?" Harry handed him a couple of cards.

"That's good!" Rose cried. "Okay, it's Harry's turn."

"Ron, do you have any Queens?" Ron looked confusedly at Rose.

"The one's with the Q's," Rose said. Ron formed his lips into the shape of an O and gave Harry three Queens. Harry put four cards face down onto the floor.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Oh, I forgot. Once you get four of a kind—four Queens, four Kings, four eights, et cetera—you put them down." Ron nodded and the game continued.

"So, I just have one question," Ron said.

"Anything," Rose replied.

"Why don't these cards move?"

Rose and Hermione laughed and Harry shook his head, but laughed too. "What? It's a legit question!" Rose shook her head.

"They're Muggle cards, Ronald. They don't move." Rose explained.

"Oh. Then why don't they invent them to move? Without them moving, it seems kind of silly, doesn't it?" Rose smiled

"Yes, Ron," she said. "I think it is quite silly."