Helping Xavier with the clue was really taking a toll on Rose. Most days she found herself unable to concentrate in class. She couldn't believe she couldn't crack one simple riddle. Rose stared drowsily at the front of the class.
"Miss Weasley!" The strict Arithmacy teacher quipped. Rose's eyes became focused again.
"Uh..what?"
"Perhaps you'd like to serve detention for a week? Miss Weasley."
"No." Rose said.
"Well pay attention and keep your head out of the clouds." Professor Ashard warned before turning her attention back to the black board. She heard the Slytherins snickering in the back. She looked back over her shoulder at Scorpius who was smirking at her smugly. Rose glared venomously back at him and turned to the front.
Why was she helping him? He was acting like an arrogant prat. Rose should just let Xavier tell everyone she helped him. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Even as much as she'd like to see James win the tournament she couldn't bring herself to get someone disqualified. Even if it was a Malfoy. Rose sighed and sucked on the end of her sugar quill and waited for class to finish.
Rose walked down the corridors toward the girls bathroom. Roughly she was jerked into a classroom.
Rose regained herself and saw it was James.
"James? What the bloody hell was that about?" She inquired angrily.
"Rose please. I really need your help. This bloody clue is driving me mad!" James complained.
Rose sighed. This was all she needed. To help someone else with their clue.
"James I can't. It's cheating." Rose declared dismissively.
"But Rosey I'm your cousin. You did it before."
"Yeah, because I was worried about you."
"Well you should be worried this time too. Listen to this," James pulled out a scrap piece of parchment and cleared his throat.
"Children fear me adults too, come too close and you'll surely lose. I cannot move, walk or talk, but I can kill someone with a fatal movement. You'll have to turn, swerve and steer to retrieve the person you hold most dear. You can't tell me that doesn't sound scary."
"Okay it does. But what if someone finds out about me helping you?"
"No-one will." James assured. "Come on Rosey. I'm your cousin."
Rose sighed and crossed her arms.
"I'll think about it." Rose said. Jame's face lit up.
"I knew you'd come through Rosey."
They both left the classroom and went separate ways.
Rose began to think about the riddle even more. What could it be? It can't walk, or talk but can kill you with a fatal movement. It made no sense. Rose never thought this would happen to her. It was a riddle for Merlin's sake.
She just knew it was under her nose.
As the weeks led up to the second task, more pressure was being forced onto Rose.
Every day Xavier and James would ask her if she solved the riddle. And the answer was the same. No.
"Monsieur Martin was looking for you." Hugo smirked. Rose who was on the couch in the Gryffindor common room let out a frustrated sigh. "What did he say?"
""E said zat, can you tell my little flower zat 'e wants to meet you for anuzzer snogging session." Hugo laughed. Others listening to him chuckled in the corner. Rose turned red with anger.
"How can you be going out with such a git." Fred asked.
Rose shrugged.
"Oh Merlin." Delilah Brown, who was sitting in the corner reading witch weekly shrieked. "Rose, your in here again."
Rose felt the blood drain from her face. Quickly she sprang over to where Delilah was sitting.
"See?" Delilah said pointing to pictures from the ball. Rose examined the pictures. There were several of all of the champions but there were two that caught her attention. One with her and Xavier and one with her and Scorpius.
"What were you doing with Malfoy?" Delilah asked. Rose snatched the magazine from Delilahs hands and raced up into the girls dormitory.
She glared at an article under the pictures of her.
Triwizard Minx.
Rose Weasley, a Gryffindor prefect at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and wizardry. Has seemed
to have taken a leaf from her mothers book and taken a shine to two champions. Rose's mother
Hermione Granger-Weasley, at the last Triwizard Tournament was romantically linked with Harry Potter
and Viktor Krum. Rose Weasley is linked with Scorpius Malfoy and Xavier Martin. The Weasleys and the Malfoys have been in a bitter family feud for decades. Could this Romeo and Juliet story be the end of it?
Is it love or a ploy for attention? You decide.
Francine Laughlinbelle.
Rose narrowed her eyes and ripped the article out of the magazine. How dare she write that. And she had no right to bring her mother into it. Rose scrunched up the article and threw in on her bed.
What if someone gave Hermione the article at the Ministry again. No doubt that this time Rose would get a howler.
Rose pulled on a jumper and left the common room.
Rose walked down the nearly empty corridors, searching for the reporter. The one time Rose want to see her she's nowhere to be found. Naturally.
Suddenly a door caught her attention. It was usually used for storage and was always locked. But this door was ajar, begging Rose to take a look inside. Rose peeked inside the small room. Photos were hanging over the walls. Rose knew what room it was. She stepped inside and locked the door behind her. The room was in a red glow. Many pictures were pinned to the wall. Some were still soaking in water. Rose examined each picture closely.
There was one of when Albus and Aurore were talking. One with Aurore in the Hospital wing for her nose. A couple of Kosta and Dimitar training in the grounds. One with herself and James. The strange thing was, there were none of Xavier. Only the ones at the Yule Ball. A light-bulb went off in Rose's head when she saw one picture in particular. Her and Scorpius in the library.
That was the proof Xavier had about her and Scorpius. Rose smiled excitedly and yanked the picture off the wall and took the reels of film. Now she could finally tell Xavier to bugger off. Like she'd been wanting to for days.
Rose pocketed the picture and left the cramped room before she could get caught.
The next day Rose was in a brighter mood. She tore up that picture and hid it at the bottom of her trunk. And threw the film away.
Xavier waited outside the library for Rose. He impatiently scratched his head. Rose strided right up to him.
"Your late."
"For what?"
"What do you mean for what? We 'ave to figure out ze clue."
"No. You have to figure out the clue. I quit."
Xavier frowned at her. "Fine. Just know zat everyone will know zat you Rose Weasley are a cheater."
Rose smirked and simply walked away.
She felt like screaming in excitement. She was free. James was working much harder than Xavier sop it was only a matter of time before he cracked it.
That afternoon Rose was enjoying the approaching Spring. The snow would soon be melting and the flowers would bloom again. She strolled outside to pay a visit to Hagrid. The smoke was coming out the top of his hut as usual. Rose walked up the short set of stairs and pounded on the door. Hagrid opened the door.
"Look, I don't want to 'ere..." He trailed off when he saw who it was. "Oh. Evenin' Rosey."
"Were you expecting someone?" Rose enquired. Hagrid shook his hairy head.
"No. No..no of course not. Come in." Rose walked into the warm hut.
"Sorry we haven't been visiting Hagrid." Rose said.
"Don' worry abou' i'" Hagrid assured. "I've been ge'in visits from Fred and 'ugo."
Rose smiled.
"Plus its seems you've been pretty busy yourself." Hagrid smirked. Rose furrowed a brow.
"Are you talking about Witch Weekly?"
"Wha' abou' i'" Hagrid questioned. Rose shook her head. "Don't worry." She assured.
After a big cup of tea and stiff rock cakes, Rose started back to the castle. She tightened her scarf as the cold wind was blowing on her neck. She glanced toward the lake and saw someone leaning against a tree. As she looked more she realized it was Scorpius Malfoy. Feeling anger and butterflies at the same time she walked over to him.
Rose's foot crunched on the wet blades of grass. Scorpius turned his blond head in her direction. Rose gave a weary smile. Scorpius looked toward the Durmstrang ship again.
"What do you want?"
"To talk." Rose admitted.
"About what?"
Rose sat next to the Slytherin. "About the night of the ball. Us."
Scorpius scoffed. "What us? We made it perfectly clear that we didn't want anything to do with each-other."
"I guess I lied." Rose admitted. Scorpius turned his head toward her.
"Ever since that kiss I've been thinking about you." Rose said, aware she was blushing. "And I guess I didn't want to admit because I was afraid of what others might think. And I still am, a little."
Scorpius nodded.
"And I was just looking for any excuse to hate you." Rose shrugged.
They stayed in silence for a few minutes before Scorpius spoke.
"Your not that bad for a know it all, narrow minded bookworm." Scorpius smirked.
"And your not bad for a fatheaded prat." Rose smirked back.
Scorpius pressed his lips against hers. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Both kissed each-other hungrily. Rose smiled against his lips. They broke apart and smiled shyly.
Rose wrapped Scorpius's arm around her and leaned against him. Both sat there watching the sunset over the lake.
