Rose Weasley
Rose is in an armchair, brown eyes sparkling and looking up at her boyfriend, the ineffable Scorpius. He has one hand resting in her short red curls, idly playing with them while they joke and banter like the closest friends in the world, always a sharp, playful retort at their lips.
They're rarely apart now, reasoning that if they are happy and radiant and in love, why not make the most of it while it lasts? So they walk to lessons together, return to their separate towers as late as they can, wander the grounds hand in hand over lunchtimes in every weather.
Rose always said she wouldn't be dependent on a guy, would never let a relationship define her, and her mother fairly bristled with pride when she declared that at the ripe old age of twelve. And in some ways she hasn't – she's still that fiery girl who jokes and comments sharply at family gatherings. But before Scorpius there was always a slightly spiteful edge to her jokes, an underlying current of meanness and a hint of cruelty. He's softened her, made her more kindly and more womanly, pleased to inspire happy laughter that bounces off the walls like a shining ray of energy.
And she's done the same for him, changing his motivation for all the pranks from embarrassing people to making everyone laugh at themselves, rather than at the humiliation of some poor person who really only wanted some small acceptance. Now they are always found making harmless jokes instead, helping Hugo with his schemes or just charming the castle to surprise people (like the corridor that was suddenly transformed into a fairground, or the singing streamers that festoon the entrance hall right now)
People watch them all the time, wondering how this strange union of two opposing everythings can possibly last, Gryffindor with Slytherin, Weasley with Malfoy, but they don't care. They know, yes, and it bugs them sometimes when people whisper as they go by and make bets on when they'll fight again (because the fights are spectacular) but they know better.
For two people so young, they're frighteningly mature, seeing at once that no matter the fights they're better together, happier, brighter, more content with the world.
So when they hear the whispers they just link hands and smile at each other knowingly, and carry on gliding through life as though they know it all already.
And they look like magic.
A/N - Two left! And then we can get on to the story snippets :) Thank you all so much for the reviews, you're all quite lovely!