Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers.

Chapter 11 Kiss From a Rose… Almost

It was now February, and James still wasn't talking to Albus. James and Fred were walking down the stairs from their dormitory to the Common Room.

"How long is this going to last, James? Albus is a good kid. He looks up to you," Fred said.

James looked a little shocked at his cousin's attitude. The always cheerful and joking Fred was now very serious. More serious than James had ever seen him.

"You know why I walked away, don't you?" James asked.

They glanced around the Common Room and saw no sign of Albus. James's eyes met Molly and Roxanne's. They both rolled their eyes. James looked down and sighed. They really hadn't been happy with him after the accident.

"Yeah, but he didn't at the time. He was really hurt," Fred said.

James and Fred sat at a table, far away enough so no one could hear them.

"I just didn't want him getting his hope up either," James admitted with a sigh.

"So, when are you going to apologize to him?" Fred asked.

"I don't know what to say," James said.

Fred rolled his eyes.

"Tell him you were a git and you deserved that month of detention," he said.

James looked at his cousin, a little hurt at his words.

"Don't hold back now, Fred," he said.

Fred then started laughing.

"Just tell him you're sorry," he said.

xxx

Rose and Albus were sitting next to each other in the library studying for Transfiguration. Lucy had given up trying to study with them.

"Your cousin doesn't seem to like me very much, does he?" Albus asked.

He had given up calling him James. It had seemed to have gotten even worse Albus had noticed as he and Rose grew closer.

"James is just overprotected of me. That's all. We're more like brother and sister really," Rose said.

Albus looked at his homework, but couldn't focus. He knew James was protective of Rose, but ever since the accident, it seemed to be more prominent.

"Do you think he'll ever like me again?" Albus asked.

Rose smiled and turned to Albus, but he wasn't looking at her.

"I'm sure he will. I know I do," she said, quickly looking away.

Albus then began to move closer Rose. When she turned, he was leaning in to kiss her. She closed her eyes and waited for their lips to touch. However, Rose found herself stopping. She opened her eyes to find that Albus too was no longer leaning in.

"I'm sorry, but this doesn't seem right," Albus apologized.

Something had caused the both of them to stop.

"It'll be like…" Rose began, thinking of the right word.

"Kissing my cousin," they both said.

Their eyes grew and they stared at each other for a second.

"Oh my God," Rose gasped.

"Oh my God," Albus mimicked.

His breathing became very heavy.

"You really don't think…" Albus began, but couldn't finish.

"My mum and dad are the only people that I can think of that would know," Rose said.

She then looked down. Her parents were indeed the people to ask, but they didn't seem to want to budge when Rose had questioned them again at Christmas.

"But I thought…" Albus began, thinking of what Rose had told them after returning from Christmas.

Rose's head bobbed up and down, knowing all too while of the conversation.

"I know I said that when I asked they changed the subject, but…" she began.

Albus couldn't believe this. If there was a possibility… he had to know. Then again, there much more time left before they boarded the Hogwarts Express to go back home.

"We could just wait," Albus said.

"Until when?" Rose asked.

"After term, I'll be living with my aunt and uncle. We'll find out then if my aunt and uncle are your parents," Albus said.

The realization of this made him laugh. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Rose asked.

"My dad might possibly be Harry Potter," Albus said.

He smiled at this.

"James's younger brother," Rose said.

Albus looked at her, forgetting all about James. That then caused Albus's attitude to change.

"Didn't you tell me not to get my hopes up?" Albus asked.

"That was then! Albus, this is huge," Rose whispered.

"Well, let's just wait," Albus said.

With the thought of James in his head, he turned back to work.

"Yeah, I think that's for the best," Rose sighed.

She had to admit though, this revelation would change everything.

AN:

Sorry for it being short.