//Rose//
"Hey." A voice sounded from above me, I turned recognising the voice instantly, I marked my place in my book and turned looking up into Harry's green eyes. "You want to join us?" He asked pointing down the table towards Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Dean, Seamus, Lavender and Parvati. I wasn't too sure that I wanted to go down there, there was enough room for two people to sit down next to each other and I guessed that Harry must have made the room so that I could join them, this thought made me not want to refuse him, but could I really sit there whilst they eat not eating myself without them noticing, I didn't quite like the idea of having to get the food back up later on.
"Sure." I answered still not really too sure. I stood up and started walking towards the space that was made when I felt something warm in my hand, I looked down, Harry had put his hand in mine.
"Oh, sorry, I just thought..." He started to say as his hand started to go limp and pull away, he must of read my surprise as disgust or something, I held onto his hand tighter and lased our fingers together, the image of last night came back to me, the way we danced, his heat rolling off of him in waves, it warmed me through making me feel almost human. Harry smiled and took step with me.
When we made it over the place where the others were sitting I sat down in the seat next to Harry and took a brief look round at the others. Ron was looking slightly surprised as was Dean and Seamus, Parvati looked slightly jealous, Lavender looked surprised and Hermione and Ginny looked satisfied.
"So it was you that Harry was with at the dance last night?" Ron asked amazed.
"Who did you think it was Ron?" Harry asked before I could answer.
"I didn't really pay much attention..." Ron muttered turning red.
"He was a bit far gone by the time he came over and asked me to dance when I was sitting with you." Hermione said and the others laughed.
"He was passed out stone cold by the time I got back." Dean said grinning.
"I hope you didn't get back too much after me." Ron said glaring between Dean and Ginny.
"Oh, you didn't care when it was Harry!" Ginny said glaring at her brothers accusations, this gave me a slight pang in the chest, Ginny who could give Harry everything, love, warmth, a family, was still in his life, what if he realised that he wanted more that what I could give him and he would go back to Ginny.
"Just because I didn't say I did, doesn't mean to say that I didn't." Ron said back to his sister.
"Oh shut it you two, I want to hear more about Harry and Rose." Parvati said turning towards me and Harry. "So how long?"
"How long what?" Harry asked gulping down a mouthful of orange juice.
"How long have you two been seeing each other?" She asked, looking between us. "From last night, since the start of term? When?"
"Last night." Harry answered. "Please no more questions I've had enough of Colin and his camera already." He said pointing his thumb in the direction of Colin who had his camera raised to take another photo. "Colin I swear if you are going to take another photo of me this morning I will curse you and that stupid camera to oblivion." Harry said angrily looking towards Colin who suddenly looked frightened and put his camera away.
I didn't say much during breakfast I watched the others interact giving a few comments here and there, and once Dean and Ron had heard that I had not even watched a game of Quidditch they decided that it would be a good idea to educate me in the supposed art of Quidditch, not that I didn't find it secretly fascinating as I think did Hermione did too as she looked like she was straining her hearing sometimes to listen to them explain the game to me. Lavender and Parvati were giggling to each other looking round the hall and pointing people out, I tried not to listen to them as all of what they were saying was gossip and nothing of real interest. Harry, Seamus, Hermione and Ginny were talking together about going into town later, Harry gave sidelong looks towards me even now and again during these conversations, he seemed to want to ask me something and I think I was right in guessing that he wanted to know if I would like to go to Hogsmeed with him, but I would have to wait and see when we were alone to find out what he really wanted to know, I'm no mind reader, though I would love to be one.
//Harry//
I woke up the morning with a strange feeling of completeness, Rose and me were going out, I thought hard laying back in my bed, was that a dream that I had cooked up or was it real? I got up and got dressed, I walked down the stairs into the common room that was quite with only a few people milling around.
Click!
Click!
Click!
My eye's danced, I blinked furiously trying to get rid of the spots of white that were imprinted in my vision. Finally I was able to and I realised I was looking into the face of Colin Creevy who was holding a black camera with the lens pointing towards me.
"What Colin?"
"I wanted a picture to go with my interview." He said looking hopeful.
"What interview?" I asked confused.
"This one." He said and before I knew it he was bombarding me with questions. "When did you first meet Rose? How long after that was it that you found that you had feelings for her? Was it before or after your breakup with Ginny Weasley that you decided to act of these feelings? Was it a reason for your breakup? What is your relation..."
"Colin shut up!" I said pushing the camera out of my face as he went to take another picture. I walked out of the common room with Creevy following behind still asking questions and taking pictures every now and again running in front of me to take it.
"Creevy leave me the bloody hell alone!" I said warningly, he fell behind a bit before I heard one more Click from that camera and heard his footsteps trying to catch up with me. I turned round and pointed my wand down the corridor towards Creevy, an invisible barrier erupted in the middle of the corridor stopping Creevy from coming any further towards me, I rounded the corner and pushed on one of the bricks in the wall at the end of the corridor, the wall drew in opening revealing a secret passage way, my barrier was only temporary and as I slipped through the opening in the wall I heard Colin's footsteps running down the corridor that I had just exited. I was relived, I don't know how I would have coped not knowing all the secret passages in the school, they were a good way to get around unwanted fan girl attention who had all seemed to have memorised a copy of my time table and would wait in the corridors of my classes to pester me about something or other, usually quoting the latest article about me asking if things were true.
I made it down to breakfast a little later than I would have usually if I had taken the corridors, just because they are secret doesn't always mean that they are shortcuts.
"Hey." I said greeting the others as I walked over to where they were sitting.
"Hey." They greeted back all looking at me slightly strangely, both Hermione and Ginny had satisfied looks on their faces.
"So good night last night?" Seamus asked smiling up at me.
"Yeah it was." I said noticing that Rose wasn't there, I looked up and down the table searching for her, my eyes fell on long brown shiny straight hair, that must be her. "Excuse me for a bit please." I said walking over to her wondering what I was going to say to her. "Hey." I said once I had reached her, Rose turned around marking her page in the large volume that she was reading. "You want to join us?" I asked pointing up the table, I wouldn't mind sitting down there with her alone without the others but something told me that they wanted answers and wouldn't leave me alone until I gave them.
"Sure." Rose answered in her perfect floating voice. She picked up her bag putting her book away and started to walk to where the others were sitting.
I didn't know what I was doing, I just wanted to be near her, to feel the coolness of her skin that melted me thorough, she seemed startled at this sudden contact and looked down at our hands. "Oh, sorry, I just thought..." I started to say as I pulled my hand away from hers, she wasn't ready for that then, I mentally slapped myself for not letting her make the first move as it was she that was the one that was most worried about our closeness, I had decided to promise myself to go as fast or as slow as she wanted. To my surprise she pulled my hand back and laced our fingers together and continued to walk alone to the place where my friends sat looking slightly surprised, the other occupants of the hall were looking almost the same with slight faces of shock on their faces.
"So it was you that Harry was with at the dance last night?" Ron asked Rose amazed.
"Who did you think it was Ron?" He saw me he must have known that I was with her!
"I didn't really pay much attention..." Ron muttered turning red.
"He was a bit far gone by the time he came over and asked me to dance when I was sitting with you." Hermione said, the others laughed and I grinned slightly.
"He was passed out stone cold by the time I got back." Dean said grinning.
"I hope you didn't get back too much after me." Ron said glaring between Dean and Ginny.
"Oh, you didn't care when it was Harry!" Ginny said glaring at her brothers accusations, I was starting to feel uncomfortable about this conversation now I was sitting there next to Rose with Ginny making references to out just finished relationship, what if she thought that she was just a rebound girl?
"Just because I didn't say I did, doesn't mean to say that I didn't." Ron said back to his sister, Dean was looking uncomfortable too and had started to play with his food.
Luckily Pansy cut the conversation short, well lucky for Dean and Ginny anyway. "Oh shut it you two, I want to hear more about Harry and Rose." Parvati said turning me and Rose grinning like she did when she wanted to get some juicy gossip out of people. "So how long?"
"How long what?" Harry I asked gulping down a mouthful of orange juice trying to act calm and collected.
"How long have you two been seeing each other?" She asked, looking between us pressing us for information. "From last night, since the start of term? When?"
"Last night." I answered looking at her and not at Ron, he may be my best friend and even though Ginny was going out with Dean whilst we were dating I don't think Ron would take the news that I had fallen for someone else whilst still with his sister well. "Please no more questions I've had enough of Colin and his camera already." I said catching the raising of a black lens out of the corner of my eye and pointing towards it. "Colin I swear if you are going to take another photo of me this morning I will curse you and that stupid camera to oblivion." I said letting my temper get the better of me as I turned to see him turn slightly white with fright and put the camera back down.
The rest of breakfast went past with no more questions asked about me and Rose, but I knew it wouldn't be too long before they would start again. Hermione, Seamus and Ginny were talking about taking a walk into Hogsmeed, I looked towards Rose during this conversation wondering if she wanted to come alone with the rest of them or would prefer to go on our own, or even not go at all and sped the day in the grounds or in the castle but I couldn't think of a way to ask her without everyone else over hearing, which I didn't really want to go through in the middle of breakfast with most of the student population looking over at us every few seconds and Colin and his camera still at such a close proximity.
I finished breakfast and looked down at Rose's plate to check that she was done, her plate looked untouched as if no morsel of food had even reached it, that was strange I looked her up and down, she was thin but she didn't look too thin as if she didn't eat, maybe she just didn't like breakfast, 'or maybe she doesn't eat food but feeds off something else...' a voice inside my head suggested, this idea made me slightly weary, just what did she eat? I decided to put it out of my head but reminded myself to spend some quality time in the library looking up magical creatures and added the feeding off other food sources to my list of characteristics which so far comprised of good sense of smell, graceful, cold touch and beautiful which I couldn't decide if it was natural or just part of what she was.
I stood up, hoping that she would take this a sign to leave as well, she seemed to feel my movements and turned to look up at me.
"I'm going to get my stuff for Hogsmeed." I said looking at the others and then down at her, she stoop up too, excused herself and walked with me out of the hall, I took her hand again and walked out the great hall doors into the entrance hall.
"One...two...three." Counted as we walked towards the marble steps, she looked at me confused as I pointed up at the ceiling at the same moment that talking erupted from the hall, excited chattering. She raised her eyebrows at me. "Didn't you notice that it was oddly quite in there?" I asked smiling at her.
"Yeah I did, not as harsh on my ears as usual." She said as we walked up the stairs.
"You have sensitive hearing too?" I asked looking down at her as she looked forwards down the corridor.
"Yep."She said smiling again.
"So you can hear what, everything?"
"Not everything." She said playing with my question tantalising. "But I could hear everything that you were saying at meal times for the whole term."
"So you can't hear through silencing charms or what is going on in other peoples dorms then?" I asked feeling slightly warm because of embarrassment.
"I don't know about silencing charms but I guess I could hear into other dorms as long as they are in Gryffindor tower." She said seeming slightly confused by the question. "Why?"
"Oh no reason." I said as we walked along the corridor and up another flight of stairs, I don't think that she really believed me that there was no reason to my question as I felt myself blushing slightly, but if she did know why I was embarrassed she never let on.
We reached Gryffindor tower and I said the password holding the portrait door open for her, she passed through and I caught a smell of her in my nostrils, not totally romantic or anything but the smell was intoxicating, sweet, it reminded me of chocolate, it made my keens go weak. I walked up to my dorm Rose followed behind me, crossed the room and sat down on my bed without a word, I looked at her questionably.
"How did you know that was my bed? Or did you just sit down any anyone you wanted?" I asked.
"I knew." She smirked.
"How?" I asked wondering if she had ever came up here before.
"If I told you, then I would have to kill you." She joked smirking, I laughed and opened the trunk at the bottom of my bed and took out my money purse and stood up. "You don't mind going to town with all of us do you?" I asked, hoping that she would rather want to go with just me.
"No, it's fine, only if you want to go that is."
Oh great she turned the question back on to me, I smiled to myself. "I would rather go with you, like on a date, a proper one."
"So last night doesn't count?" She smirked at me again.
I thought wondering if my answer would offend her, I decided that it wouldn't. "Yes it did, but, if you would allow me, I would like to have some time alone with you, to get to know you."
"You do realise that the more time you spend alone with me, the more likely that it is that you may not return?" She asked seriously.
My skin chilled, it was strange I believed her words were true but I didn't care, I was slightly apprehensive but nothing could detract me from the longing I had to spend time with her, it seemed even within a few days of knowing her she had become a major part in my life, and that's what scared me most of all.
"Yes." I nodded. "But it is sill probable that I won't." She stared hard back at me her golden eyes staring into mine unreadable, it was as if she was trying to see right through me.
"You place so little value in your life that you will trade it so easily?" Her words floated, they were curious and wondering, that was all that I could tell from them.
"No, but I would rather that I know that I had at least the courage to be with the one that I want to be with, even if it does mean danger for me." The words sounded somewhat poetic, but I meant every one of them. Rose stared hard back at me as if still trying to read me, but after a few moments she smiled.
"As you wish." She got up and walked towards the door of the dorm before turning and speaking to me again. "I'll get my stuff, I'll meet you in the common room in about 5 minutes." I nodded. "Remember you can decide to leave at anytime, it's your choice."
I smiled and shrugged. "I know."
Rose nodded, turned and walked away moments before Ron, Dean and Seamus entered the dorm.
"You ready?" Ron asked as he picked up his cloak and put it on.
"About that" I said awkwardly running my hand through my hair. "I think Rose and I are going to go into town on our own you know."
"Of course." Ron said shrugging. "Should have realised that you might have wanted to." I smiled at him, thankfully. "See you later, if you want to meet up just send us a message okay." Ron said as he walked out of the dorm with Seamus behind him. Dean lagged behind for a moment.
"So she is why you and Ginny ended on such good terms then." He asked with his head on the side looking at me.
"In a way yeah." I said trying not to grin.
"I'm really sorry you know, I should have come to you before." Dean said hanging his head.
I waved a hand. "Don't worry its fine, she seems a lot happier with you than she was with me." And Ginny did, she was much more open and she was always smiling.
"Yeah we are. Well have fun." He walked towards the door, but just before he reached the door he turned again. "Just one more question." I nodded and allowed him to continue. "No offence but how the hell did you land a girl like Rose, I mean she's beautiful everyone's noticed that, and it's not like your no prince charming but still she's like the kind of girl that most can only dream about."
I laughed, it was true I couldn't even believe it myself. "I have no idea Dean."
He smiled back. "Just keep doing what you are doing and noting can go wrong."
"Thanks for the encouragement." I called after him as he walked out of the dorm.
A few minutes later I was walking along the trail towards Hogsmeed hand in hand with Rose.
"Is your hand cold?" She asked as we entered into the town.
"Not really." I said, it was a little chilly slightly but her touch made up for that. "Where do you want to go?"
"I don't mind, I haven't been here before." She said looking around at the town.
"How about in here, it's quiet and does really nice coffee." I said as I walked towards the Coffee shop and held the door open for her. We entered sat down and ordered two Coffees.
"So tell me about your family, you know a bit about mine." She said as she stirred her coffee round and round without the slightest indication that she was going to drink it.
"Well, my parents died when I was a baby from a magical disease that they couldn't cure so I was brought up by my godfather Sirius Black and my parents other high school friend who's professor Lupin."
"Of course." She said still stirring the coffee.
"Don't you like the coffee?" I asked.
"Erm, no it smells lovely." She said looking at me over the table. "It's just that I'm err... on a special diet, that's all." Her lips pulled up in a secret smile.
"So that's why you don't eat at breakfast?"
Roses head snapped up mouth slightly open. "You noticed?"
"Yeah." I said, then seeing the flash of panic in Roses eyes I continued. "But I don't think anyone else has noticed." She relaxed and after that we started chatting about my childhood, she asked most of the questions about my life and I answered telling her things that Hermione and Ron didn't know, I thought she might have become bored after a while but she seemed to be fascinated with the way I had grown up so I complied by answering her questions truthfully. We spent much of the day wondering around the shops and looking at the different items in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes that had taken over the old joke shop that was in town. That night when I said goodnight to her before going to bed I think that there really was something special about that girl, more so I had before.
