Malfoy Manor

Within the lavishly decorated hall of the Malfoy Manor, a bunch of people stand together talking about politics, business, and whatnot. They were all here to try and please the Malfoys.

"The Zabini family congratulates you, Draco."

Blaise raises his glass to Draco, who nods, barely addressing his friend. His eyes were fixed on the door to the Great Hall. Blaise stops for a second, then smiles, realizing who Draco was waiting for. He takes a quick sip of his champagne as he continues to smile at Draco who finally shifts his attention back to him.

"Has anyone told you your smile is really creepy?" Draco asked, looking at Blaise in disdain. Blaise shrugged.

"None that I know of." Draco shakes his head disapprovingly.

"I really don't get what the other girls see in you."

Suddenly voices begin arising near the door to the Great Hall.

"Who is she?"

"No idea."

The other guests whisper to one another while a servant bows at you.

"Welcome, Miss Caeru."

"Caeru? The Potions family? I thought their daughter never left the house!"

You barely attend such events. Looking around, you realized you barely knew anybody. However, you weren't worried you would be left alone. A whole lot of people were already swarming around you.

"Hello Miss Caeru, pleased to meet you. May I have this dance?"

"You'll scare her! Hello Miss Caeru, I am…"

Upon hearing the clamor near the door, both Slytherins looked over to find you surrounded by guys in suits scrambling to get your attention. You were no longer the little girl who put toads into her brother's drawer as a prank, but a beautiful and graceful woman.

Draco, upon seeing the mass of males surrounding you, began to regret his decision to invite them. He briskly walked over to you.

"You're here? Let's go, Sylvie." He grabs your hand and pulls you away from the crowd. You breathe a sigh of relief.

"That sucked." You complain. Draco laughs then scrunches his brow.

"Why are you wearing so little?" You raise your eyebrows.

"Am I? My mother handpicked this outfit for me. Are you judging her tastes?"

"It's not bad… it's just… I don't know! Something's wrong!" You look at him in confusion. What was he talking about?

"Draco!" Before either you or Draco could do anything else. You hear the annoying voice of Pansy. You remember Christmas, when Draco kissed 'Pansy', and your hatred for her grows even more. Pansy grabs Draco's arm.

"Let's go dance! I've been saving my first one for you!" You cough, reminding them of your presence.

"Oh, you're here." Pansy exclaims, as if she hadn't seen you beforehand.

"Anyway, c'mon Draco!" Pansy pulls a reluctant Draco away. He had no choice. Mr. Parkinson was here too. Once again you were left alone with the other guys, who swarm you like flies. Unable to bear it, you run out to get some air.

You sigh as you lean against a ledge, letting the summer air blow on your face. You hated events like this one, there wasn't anyone there whom you knew.

"Hey." A familiar voice pops up behind you. You turn around to find Blaise behind you, holding a glass of champagne.

"Came out for some air? I knew you wouldn't like this event. Doesn't suit you." Blaise walks up and stands next to you. You shake your head and sigh.

"I hate it in there."

"Me too."

"Then why'd you come?"

"Same reason as you. I'm Draco's friend, kinda necessary." You both fall silent again, but the silence isn't awkward. It's more like a comfortable silence that you had both gotten used to around each other.

Blaise looks at the blue rose brooch pinned on your chest.

"I heard you have a blue rose garden at your house." You nod.

"I've never seen a blue rose before, can you give me one?"

You smile slightly.

"How could a man ask for flowers from a lady?"

"Well, why not?" Blaise turns to you, admiring your smile. You shake your head.

"We Caerus cannot give away a blue rose easily. Want to know the story behind them?"

Blaise nods, his interest perking. You lean back and begin telling the story of a boy and a girl.

Once upon a time, there lived a boy deep in the forest. He had a rose garden that grew roses of many different colors, which he all loved and cherished. However, there were no blue roses, as they are the rarest and most beautiful type of roses on the planet. So the boy wished every day for a blue rose he could one day give to the one he loved.

Then, one day, He found a girl in the woods, lost and injured. He brought her home and tended to her wounds. Then, they fell in love and lived happily together for many years.

However, the boy was sad. He wanted a blue rose for his garden. But he was unable to grow one no matter how hard he tried. Soon, the girl saw his unhappiness. So in order to make her love happy again, the girl secretly made a blue rose out of blue paper and fabric, and planted it into the rose garden.

The next day, the boy found the 'blue rose'. He was overjoyed, he had gotten what he wanted the most and the one he loved. He was finally content.

He spent the entire day guarding the blue rose, marveling the blue rose, until he fell asleep in the garden.

That night, a storm came. The girl awoke to thunder and felt scared. She had this nagging feeling inside her that something was wrong. She ran into the garden and froze.

The rain continued for many hours. Then finally, the sky cleared and the boy awoke to find the girl drenched, standing by him. The ground was littered with blue scraps of paper and fabric. But the blue rose he loved so much was gone. He looked at the girl, enraged. He realized what the girl had done.

She had tricked him.

He saw the girl soaked with water, with rain or tears he didn't know.

He saw the pleading in her eyes.

But the boy left anyways. He thought she had betrayed him. He didn't trust her love.

He thought everything was fake. The rose was fake. So their relationship must've been fake as well.

From that day onwards, the girl was alone once more. She cried every day in the rose garden, waiting for her boy to come back to her.

Days past, then months, even years.

But the boy never came back.

Eventually, the girl ran out of tears. She was withering, and so were the other roses in the garden.

Then one day, the girl stood up, looking at the dying roses around her.

Suddenly she began to cry again, blue tears streamed down her face and onto the soil, reviving all the roses. Once again the garden was alive, but this time with a sea of blue roses.

It was beautiful. Everything was beautiful.

Later that day, the boy returned. He was back to find his girl.

He finally understood their love was real. She never betrayed him. She loved him. And he loved her.

He had regretted his decision.

He went back to their home and stared at the garden of blue, dumbfounded.

He was ecstatic, he ran back into the house and searched every corner of it, wanting to see his love.

But he never found the girl.

She was gone.

Within the middle of the sea of blue roses was the most beautiful one of them all. There were many raindrops sitting on the petals. Almost like tears.

(*Based off the many myths and legends about roses)

"That boy was my ancestor. And this is why we cannot give away a blue rose easily, as they are extremely precious. Unless the receiver is someone worthy of being cherished and trusted by us for all eternity."

Blaise nods thoughtfully. You smile at him.

"It's a beautiful story, isn't it. A girl turning into a blue rose to stay by her lover's side forever."

Blaise nodded once more, still smiling at you. You couldn't help but ask:

"Has anyone told you your smile is really creepy?"

Blaise froze for a second, his smile cracking.

"Just then... there was one."

You grinned at him.

Suddenly Draco appeared. He had been looking for you everywhere until he found you out here. Except there was an unwanted guest next to you too: Blaise Zabini.

Since when have these two become close? Draco thought as he briskly walked up to you.

"You are way prettier when you are smiling than when you are crying." Blaise remarked, staring at you. For once he was smiling, not because the situation requires it, but because he genuinely felt happy. You gawk at him. You just realized:

Blaise had a beautiful smile.

Draco coughed, notifying you of his presence.

"Here you are Blaise, Pansy is looking for you!"

"Oh? Then I'll be going." Blaise nods at you once more and leaves.

Then suddenly he stops and turns around, but you and Draco were already gone. Blaise sighed.

Forgot to ask her what was in her perfume again...