Last chapter kiddies! It's been a long 13 months and 12 chapters, I think I'm going to miss this Rose. I did try to write this in time for the story's one year anniversary, but have been busy with schoolwork and Christmas. So then I tried to finish it before New Years, but that failed too. At least it's up now!
I don't think I'll do a sequel, pretty preoccupied with new ideas – but if I do any more second generation fics in the future I think I'll definitely keep these characterisations.
So here it is, the final chapter of A Lovesick Rose..
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I felt something poking my arm. I rolled over and ignored it, I was too comfy under my duvet. I felt poking again, but this time harder. I opened my left eye a tiny bit and peered through my eyelashes.
Al and Hugo were stood over me, the former had his arm stretched out and was now shaking me.
"Go away." I groaned.
"But it's Christmas, Rosie!" Al said as Hugo pulled my covers away. Merlin's beard, Lily's room was cold!
"Okay, I'm up, I'm up!" I said, leaping up off the bed and lunging for a trusty Weasley jumper and a pair of think socks. I turned to see Lily rubbing her eyes sleepily then pulling a pair of slippers onto her feet.
We were then pushed along the landing to James' room, where we were greeted with profanities too explicit to put down on paper, as Al rushed in, turning all of the lights on and pulling the curtains back.
"Look James, snow!"
"Albus," James gave his brother a foul look, "We've had snow for the past month, it isn't that amazing."
James looked around the room and let out what I can only describe as a 'manly squeal' as he realised who was in the room. He hastily grabbed a t-shirt and some checked pyjama pants because prior to this moment, he was only wearing his boxers.
"You could've knocked!"
"Keep your knickers on," Lily grinned. "It's not like Chloé walked into the room."
"Nah, if she walked into the room he'd take clothes off, not put them on." I smiled.
James blushed and looked down at his feet.
The smell of bacon wafted into the room from downstairs and I watched as Hugo and Al each took in a deep breath.
"Bacon butties?" Hugo muttered questioningly.
Al was out of the room faster than a firebolt.
/\
The five of us were sat on the floor, surrounded by wrapping paper. Al had just tucked into his fourth bacon sandwich.
Ginny came in and handed out cups of tea to everyone except for me, instead handing me a mug of hot chocolate. As I said, I hate tea. Mum and Dad then came through into the living room, wishing us all a merry Christmas.
"I see you found the presents then." Mum said, folding her arms and looking down at us all clutching our gifts.
"Dad said we could," Lily smiled sweetly. "Thank you for the necklace, by the way."
"You're welcome," Mum said. "Thank Rose, she helped me pick it." I smiled.
"Speaking of Dad," James said, looking up from one of his new books, "Where is he?"
Ginny shrugged.
"We'll go look." Lily said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up from the floor.
The dining room was empty, so we went through to the kitchen which was empty as well. Mum and Ginny had already started getting Christmas dinner ready, I watched as light from outside reflected against the sharp knife that was slicing carrots on the counter by the sink. In the corner a peeler had been put to work, already half way through a large pile of potatoes.
"He's out in the garden!" Lily exclaimed, rushing to the back door. She pulled on a pair of wellies and went outside. A rush of cold wind blew into the kitchen and I shivered.
There was a thud against the kitchen window, making me jump.
"Bloody hell!"
I looked up so see a snowball sliding down the glass, Harry and Lily at the bottom grinning from the bottom of the garden. I stuck my tongue out before getting my coat and wellies to join them.
/\
My teeth chattered as I came back inside. Maybe a snowball fight wasn't a good idea when you're wearing pyjamas. James, Al, Hugo and Dad had joined us shortly after I went outside. Mum and Ginny stayed in the kitchen, they were already planning the Party for New Year's Eve. Christmas isn't even over yet!
So as soon as I got into the kitchen, I pulled my wellies off but kept my coat on for warmth. Mum and Ginny were sat at the kitchen table, going over a long list of names.
"So Nev and Hannah will be coming, what about Luna and Rolf?"
"I have no idea, I thought they were spending New Year in Sweden?"
My eyes scanned down the list of names, half of them I didn't recognise. Who the hell is Fay Dunbar?
"She was in Gryffindor with me at school," Mum said, not looking up from the list.
I really should learn to keep my thoughts to myself.
"That reminds me, you'd better invite Kellah." Ginny said. Mum scribbled her name down.
I carried on scanning the list.
"Don't worry, Anna's invited." Ginny smiled.
Erm yeah, that's who I was looking for.
I smiled back and left to get changed, I couldn't have Christmas dinner in my pyjamas.
There was some fight over the bathroom but by 3 o'clock we were all dressed and hovering around the kitchen, waiting for the food to be ready.
"James!" Ginny scolded, slapping her son's hand away from the plate of roast potatoes that she was putting down on the table.
"But Mum, I'm hungry!" James whined.
"Have patience." Harry smiled, dropping into his seat at the head of the table. Everyone else sat down except for me and Lily, we helped Ginny bring over the last few plates of food.
"I think you've outdone yourself, Gin." Dad said, staring wide-eyed at the table full of food.
"It doesn't compare to Mum's though."
"Yep, that's why we're going to the Burrow for lunch on Boxing Day." Dad loaded his plate with food as he spoke.
"Wait, wait! We have to pull crackers first!" Mum said, stopping Dad from putting a forkful of mash and parsnips in his mouth.
"Yes, silly paper hats are a must." Harry grinned, getting up and passing crackers out.
I lost against Al, then again to Dad.
"Rosie, you're a big fail," Al laughed. "here, have one of mine, I won two."
I unwrapped the green paper hat and put it on, inspecting the slip of paper with the joke on it.
"What's your joke?" Dad asked.
"What do you call a wizard who only casts good spells?"
"I don't know."
"A charming fellow."
There was silence. Everyone looked at each other, unsure whether to laugh or not.
"Well, it wouldn't be Christmas without the terrible jokes," Harry clapped his hands together. "Let's eat!"
/\
"Lil, you look fine!" I said, sat on Lily's bed as I watched her re-touch her make-up for the millionth time.
"Fine." she sighed, putting the mirror away. As she tidied up her make-up away into her dresser I looked up at her bedroom walls.
The blond-haired player for Pride of Portree was winking at me again.
"Shall we go downstairs? Everyone should be here by now." Lily pulled me up off the bed and we walked out onto the landing. The Christmas week had gone too fast. It was now New Year's Eve and I could hear the buzz of people downstairs.
We walked past James, who had Chloé on tow. There was an awkward pause between James and Lily.
"Nice to see you again, Chloé." I said, smiling. She blushed and waved timidly.
"Where are you two going?" Lily asked demandingly.
"Nowhere. C'mon Lily, we're going down to the kitchen." I said, pulling her away. "Don't worry, nothing will happen. You can't get a minute alone with anyone in this house."
Lily nodded and smiled again as we reached the kitchen, picking up glasses of butterbeer. Al was stood talking to Hugo.
"Victoire is looking for you two, just a heads up." he said.
"Rosie! Lily!" Victoire squealed as she and Teddy came into the room. "Look!"
She waved her left hand in our faces, showing off an engagement ring.
"Congratulations!"
"Ted proposed yesterday!" she smiled, clinging onto her fiancé's arm as he blushed.
"Albus, your guest is here!" Ginny called, sticking her head around the kitchen door.
"Oh cool, that'll be Scorpius!"
Al and Hugo left together, Lily elbowed me in the ribs.
Okay Rose, breathe. Inhale, exhale. There you go, isn't too hard is it?
"Wait," Teddy said, looking over his shoulder. "Scorpius? As in Scorpius Malfoy?"
"Yeah, why?" Lily asked.
"Weasleys and Potters friends with a Malfoy? Well call me Merlin!"
"Rose is more than friends with a Malfoy." Lily said under her breath.
"Right, Merlin, we should leave the teenagers alone." Victoire said, walking through to the living room with a slightly bemused Teddy.
Al, Hugo and Scorpius came into the kitchen, followed by James and Chloé. The latter two were looking suspiciously flustered. I swear that there was lipstick smudged around their lips and all over James' cheek. James caught me looking and hastily wiped his face with a tea-towel that had been lying on the counter.
"Do you want a drink, Scor?" Al asked. "Oh, and this is Chloé."
"Erm, a butterbeer please, and pleased to meet you." Holding his hand out for Chloé to shake.
His eyes darted to me for the briefest moments as he opened his bottle.
Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush!
I felt my ears instantly burn.
I tried to distract myself by striking up conversation with Hugo and Lily.
"What are you doing?" hissed Lily. "Talk to him!"
"I'm perfectly happy talking to you two, I'll talk to him later."
"Promise?"
"Yes."
I secretly mean no. I'm just going to spend the night hiding, or at least try not to end up alone with him.
/\
I spent the night circulating, chatting with pretty much everyone. I ended up playing card games with Lily, George and Scorpius,
"Not bad for a Malfoy!" George roared gleefully as Scorpius caught him cheating in our fifth game of bullshit.
Scorpius grinned, winking at me.
Excuse me while my ovaries explode.
"Scorpius Malfoy, there you are!"
Dad stumbled over, clutching a beer.
Oh dear, this couldn't be good.
"Dad..."
"What's this about you and my Rosie?"
"Dad..."
"Let the boy speak, Rose."
I looked over at George and Lily, panicking.
"Mr Weasley, I like you're daughter. Very much. And I think that she likes me too." Scorpius said nonchalantly, looking up at my father. I went beetroot, looking down at the table, playing with the seven of diamonds in an attempt to distract myself.
"All right then." Dad said, taking a swig of his beer. "As long as you use protection."
"DAD!"
"What else am I supposed to say?" Dad shrugged and stumbled off towards Harry.
"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you should not drink copious amounts of alcohol." George said, getting up from his seat. "Now if you excuse me, I'm off to find out how drunk my wife is."
/\
It was nearly midnight and I was back in Lily's room. My heart was beating a hundred times a second, it had been since Dad and Scorpius' exchange.
Scorpius said he liked me.
He like liked me. He really liked me.
I wasn't sure how to take it in.
"Rose?"
Scorpius poked his head around the door.
"Lily said that you'd probably be up here, she mentioned something about a poster?"
Blond-haired Pride of Portree played waved at me from the wall.
"I have no idea what she's talking about." I mumbled. "I was just up here getting my … my..."
I frantically looked around for something that I could have been looking for. Aha, got it!
"I was looking for my hairbrush!"
I grabbed Lily's hairbrush from her dresser.
"Yes, because you need a hairbrush a minute before midnight?"
"Erm, yes?"
I was conscious of the fact that he had crossed the room and was now frightfully close to me.
"Hello." I whispered.
"Hello, Rose." Scorpius whispered back.
"You like me."
"I like you." Scorpius chuckled. "I have for a while."
"How long is a while?"
"Oh, you know. Six years or so." he grinned. "Oh no wait, that's you, isn't it?"
"Shhhhh!" I giggled, ears turning red.
"Well, not that long." he whispered, wrapping his arms around me. "I'm not sure when I started to like you, but when you kissed me back in September I definitely sat up and paid attention to you."
"I didn't kiss you, you kissed me!"
"No, this is what a kiss from me is like..."
He moved closer and closer to me, our lips almost touching.
"Merlin, cheesy line or what?"
"Quiet you!"
His lips met mine and his arms pulled me in tight. Somewhere in the distance I heard the final countdown to midnight. This kiss was a million times better than the awkward one outside Ravenclaw Tower. I could've kissed him forever.
...4...3...2...1..
His lips pulled away and I felt is breath against my own.
"Happy New Year, Rose."
/\
D'awww, super fluffy ending! Sorry, couldn't help it :3
Erm so yeah, if you're reading this then you've stuck with me until the very end, I thank you.
Anyway, thank you again, internet hugs to you all
xx
