Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Just this fanfiction.

ROSE

Rose returned home from high school as fast as she could. She had her shift at the restaurant in an hour and it would be her first day, so she wasn't going to be late. The girl took a quick bath to cool off, slipped on comfortable shoes, a cotton T-shirt, and denim shorts. She tied her red hair into a loose bun and ate the salad Hope had left for her. Her stomach rumbled with nerves as she walked towards the bus stop.

Fortunately the bus arrived without delay and the girl sat in one of the seats at the end. The phone Albus had given her last night rang with a message from him reminding her to let him know when it was time to return to home. She responded with a reassuring message and smiled as she paid attention to the bus route. She was beginning to become familiar with the district and she liked that, because it made her feel independent for the first time in her life.

The bus stopped and she hurried down. To Rose's surprise, Scorpius was waiting for her in the same place where they had said goodbye last night.

"Hello redhead," he greeted with a sexy side smile, "Ready to work?"

"Scorpius," she greeted, nodding her head and trying not to denote that her heart was beating violently and that she was worried that he might hear it, "Did Cass told you to wait for me here?"

He laughed, "I came because I wanted to"

The butterflies in her stomach came to life but she tried to ignore them.

"Thank you then," she said with a soft smile, "We should probably get going, I don't want to be late for my first day"

Scorpius nodded and walked alongside her. There was a comfortable silence between the two that lasted until they reached the restaurant. Once again he surprised her because, instead of leaving, he entered the place and sat at one of the tables.

"Rose!"

Cassie walked over to her and led her into the kitchen. Once there Rose put on a T-shirt with the restaurant's logo and grabbed a couple of menus. Her first customers were two boys who ordered hamburgers and milkshakes. Fortunately, they didn't order anything that she didn't know as she hadn't had time to study the menu yet.

The first hours of the shift were quite slow but when the night came more people arrived and she had to run from one side to the other. She didn't notice when Scorpius left because she was busy, although she was a little disappointed that he was no longer around.

Close to nine o'clock the rhythm was calmer again, so when her shift ended she put on her shirt and said goodbye to Cassie's parents.

"You were pretty good today," she said smiling at Rose

"Do you really believe it?" Cass nodded forcefully "Thanks Cass, for all"

"It's nothing," she smiled at her, "See you tomorrow in class?"

"Yeah, sure, but hey, do you think we can walk together to the bus stop? There is something I would like to tell you"

She hadn't had a chance to tell her what Scorpius had told her yesterday before getting on the bus or to ask her if what Albus had told her about him was true. And Rose was dying to do ask.

"Oh Rose I would love to but," she looked around nervously, "I have to help mom to clean and ..."

"Right, yes, of course, tomorrow then, Cass"

They hugged before saying goodbye and Rose walked briskly to the bus stop, wishing inwardly that Scorpius was there with her.

Once inside the bus she sent a message to Albus who, as promised, was waiting for her when she arrived. Her cousin asked her the usual questions and she answered as honestly as she could, though she omitted Scorpius waiting for her at the bus stop.

"Well, I have a lot of homework to do, until tomorrow cousin."

"See you tomorrow Rose"

Albus smiled at her and she entered the apartment. Rose really had to catch up on her homework and although she was tired she focused on the trigonometry exercises. It was close to midnight when she finished, so she took a bath and fell asleep immediately.

The next day at school she couldn't see Cassandra until lunchtime because they didn't have any classes together. Once they had their food trays and were settled at the usual table, she whispered her conversation with Scorpius.

"What?!" Cassie's blue eyes widened in surprise, "Are you serious? Did he tell you he likes you? He really said that?"

The disbelief in Cass's voice amused Rose, but she nodded.

"Wow! I've never… I've never heard him admit that," she smiled, "This is new but it's good."

"I really don't know what to think," the redhead admitted, "I honestly like him, I like him a lot but sometimes he's so ..."

"Distant, reserved?" she suggested and Rose nodded. "Scorp is… tough or at least he may seem like it but he's a great person. He's sweet, funny, loyal, and he deserves a good girl by his side. I'd love for that girl to be you."

"I'm not going to deny that I would also like that," she felt her face get ashamed. "I never felt anything like this before. I had a boyfriend you know but even though I liked being with him, it doesn't compare to my attraction to Scorpius. He… he's special."

Cass giggled and Rose tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

"I'll try to find out something, okay?" The brunette proposed

"But without him suspecting anything, please," she asked and Cass nodded. "What about you?"

"What about me"

"Uhum, is there someone you like? Someone special who occupies your heart?"

"No, no, not at all," she answered immediately, "The truth is that a relationship is not in my plans."

"Well, I guess eventually someone will make you change your mind"

When lunchtime ended they went to art class together. Honestly, Rose was really bad at painting but Cass was pretty good at it. After that, she told Albus and Hope that she would go directly to the restaurant with her friend, because she wanted to learn the menu so she wouldn't have to always ask everything to Cassie or her parents.

Upon arrival, Cass's dad served them a few slices of a delicious almond cake. With the help of her friend, Rose memorized the specials and the ingredients of some dishes as well as the drinks they served at the restaurant.

Scorpius appeared during the half of her shift and she felt his gaze on her for a long time.

As the days went by, she got used to the rhythm of work on the restaurant. Fortunately, she hadn't had an incident or dropped the dishes, which was one of her fears. Cassie's parents were kind and were beginning to trust her more.

There was also a kind of routine between Scorpius and Rose. He always waited for her to accompany her to the restaurant and they talked about different topics although nothing very personal. A couple of times he had grabbed a few strands of her hair but it didn't seem to be romantic gestures. The truth is that Rose was feeling a little disappointed.

"Rose? Can you take care of that table?" Mrs. Tracey, Cass's mother, asked, "I need to run and buy paper napkins. We're about to run out."

"Sure, I'm going right now"

She walked over to the table where four girls were sitting whispering and laughing. All four of them were quite attractive and dressed in very tight and revealing outfits that highlighted their figures.

"Good afternoon," she greeted, "Can I take your order?"

"You must be Rose," one of them, a brunette with olive skin and honey eyes, stared firmly at her, "I don't see that you have anything special though"

"Eh, I'm sorry?" She asked without understanding

"What did Scorpius see on you?" A short girl with very black eyes said, "You're not pretty, I don't understand why ..."

"I think I'll give you a moment until you decide what to order," Rose interrupted.

"You will stay here," the honey-eyed girl took her arm tightly causing her to gasp, "Listen Rose, I'll be considerate with you because you're new in the district. Scorpius is my boyfriend and I am not going to share him with anyone, do you understand?"

"Listen…"

"Val, her name is Val," replied the other girl, "Remember her name because she is Scorpius's only girlfriend. So you better leave him alone."

The other two girls, who hadn't spoken at all, nodded vehemently.

"You are warned," the brunette released her grip, "Now go and bring us four strawberry milkshakes"

Hearing the nonchalance in her voice, Rose felt for the first time in her life the desire to hit someone, but she forced herself to hold back. She was about to leave when one of the girls of the group hit her with her foot, causing Rose to stumble. Fortunately Cass arrived before she fell.

"What's happening here?" She asked while helping Rose, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, all good"

Cass looked at the quartet of girls suspiciously.

"Cassandra, you must tell your brother to call me!" The short girl screamed

"Elena, if my brother wanted to call you, he would have done so already," Cass replied with an icy voice before turning to Rose, "I'll take care of this table."

She gave her a grateful look and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. So this was being attacked by the collective power of a group of girls. Breathing deeply until she calmed down, she decided to put aside the comments they had made.

"Hey, are you ok?" Cass asked entering the kitchen, "I'm sorry about what just happened"

"It was nothing"

"Those bitches," Cass shook her head, which made Rose laugh because it was the first time she'd heard Cassandra say something like that. "They are bitches! They are obsessed with the boys and ..."

"I understand Cass, believe me, it is fine," Rose smiled, "Now I'll get on with my job. We'll talk later, yes?"

She continued to focus on finishing her shift, and when it was time to leave, Cass walked her out.

"I will be at your house tomorrow at eight"

"Thanks Cassie," her friend had offered to help her with the garage sale so she would go early to put prices on things and order everything

"See you tomorrow. I leave you in good hands," she pointed to something behind Rose

The girl turned and saw Scorpius. Surprise bubbled up inside her and she grinned at him.

"Hi," she said, "What are you doing here?"

"I will accompany you to take the bus. Let's go"

She nodded and walked beside him. Many questions boiled within her, especially about this Val girl and her friends, but she did not dare to express them.

"So," he started, "I heard you met Val and the other girls today"

"How do you know that?" She looked at him surprised. He shrugged

"Did they tell you anything? They can be ..."

"Difficult?" Rose proposed

"I was going to say a pain in the ass," they both laughed, "I hope they didn't bother you."

"They didn't," she lied but added on a sudden impulse, "Although Val did mention something ..."

"That she was my girlfriend? She always says that," he snorted

"Well, is it true?"

"No," he answered instantly, "I've never had a girlfriend. And if I wanted one, I definitely wouldn't choose Val. She is crazy."

His comment brought relief and bewilderment in Rose. Talking to Scorpius was always so hard.

"What about tomorrow?" He asked. She looked at him without understanding, "I heard you talking to Cass about something like that"

"Ah! I will have a garage sale at home. You can go if you want"

"Hmm, I don't think I can go," he admitted, "You know, Slytherin members are not well received in that area."

"Of course, right, I forgot," Rose sighed, "Cass will go though"

"She is not exactly a Slytherin"

She nodded without knowing what else to say and because they had already arrived at the bus stop. They were the only ones there so she sat down on the bench and Scorpius settled next to her. His closeness caused her to shudder.

"Are you cold?" He asked with a smile

"Eh no," she replied blushing

"Too bad. It was a good excuse to hug you"

He smiled at her again before wrapping one of his long arms around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him. Rose felt her heart pump hard and breathed in his manly scent of something that smelled like peppermint and cigarettes.

"You're too pretty," Scorpius whispered caressing her face with the knuckles of his hand, "And this hair ..."

He untied the bow she was wearing and tangled one of his fingers in her unruly locks, tugging it gently. Rose gasped at the gesture and he brought his eyes to her lips before looking at her, as if asking for permission. He didn't expect her to say anything though and brought their lips together in gentle contact. Softer than Rose would have expected, or desired.

The girl clung to his shoulders and opened her mouth, sucking on Scorpius's lower lip. He moaned against her lips and deepened the contact as he tangled his hands in her hair. Their lips danced in unison until the light from the bus separated them.

He seemed to suddenly remember something and stood up. She mimicked his action and looked up at him expecting him to look at her or say something else, but all that came out was a curt "good luck at your garage sale" before walking away.

Rose got on the bus and sat by a window. Internally she was seething with excitement. That kiss had been incredible. Certainly the best kiss of her life, and Scorpius had been so tender… until it was all over and the charm faded. She muttered a curse. Why did it have to be so damn confusing?

By the time she got home Hugo was asleep and so was Hope. She took a bath and examined her reflection in the mirror, touching her slightly swollen lips. Then she changed into pajamas, set the alarm, and tried to rest.

The next morning she was basically a zombie. Rose hadn't been able to fall asleep until late in the morning, so now she was sipping a cup of coffee while Cass watched the things she was going to sell.

"There are many precious things," Cassie sighed

"You can have whatever you want," Rose replied

"No, no, that would not be correct"

Rose preferred not to argue with her friend because she had already pushed something away that she thought Cassie would like. She finished the coffee, and then they began to move the boxes to the main gate of the building, where Albus had set up long tables and Hope had taped a large banner to the wall. Now it only remained to fill everything with the merchandise.

"You look terrible," Albus greeted her with a sideways smile.

"Thank you!" Rose replied rolling her eyes

"So, how else can I help you?"

"Can you and Cassie bring the other boxes that are still in the apartment?"

"Ehh Rose, I…" Cass seemed very nervous as she looked at her cousin.

"Relax kitten, I don't bite," he replied, "Unless you want me to."

Albus winked at her and Cassandra's face turned red.

"Albus, enough!" Rose said harshly, "Cassie, you better take care of the price tags, okay? I will go for the boxes"

"That sounds good," she accepted

Her cousin followed her into the apartment.

"You should tell your friend to relax a bit, she is not ugly," he said

"Albus," she warned him

He laughed and set all the boxes down before leaving, claiming that this was a girl thing. Cassie helped her with the labels and then it only remained to wait for buyers.

Fortunately people came. Albus probably had something to do with it because many girls Rose had seen with him and his friends showed up. Her clothes, books and objects were very well received; so by the end of the day they had raised a significant sum of money

"We have to celebrate this!" Hope said happily, "I'll go for Chinese food, what do you guys say?"

Cass and Rose nodded. They were exhausted. Hope went with Hugo for the food and Rose took the opportunity to ask Cass to come to her room.

"I have something for you," she said, "Actually two things that I think you will like".

"Rose ..."

"Here" she handed her a box containing a white gold pendant of a mandala. Rose could tell by Cassie's expression that she liked it

"It's beautiful! Is it ... is it gold?"

"Yup, I think it goes well with you," the redhead said, "When I went to India with my parents, the saleswoman said it gives protection and provides security."

Cassie's eyes moistened and Rose had the feeling that she wanted to say something else to her, but her friend just nodded and held her for a brief second.

"Wait, wait, I have something else" Rose said

"Another thing?" Cass screeched

Rose took out a cardboard box from her closet. She had set that dress aside for Cassie the moment she saw it among her things.

"I never had a chance to use it," she said as she opened the box. "It was one of the many that I bought on an outing with mom."

Cassandra gasped as she pulled the dress out of the box.

"Are you ... are you sure? Rose is beautiful!"

The dress was white with straps and a V-neckline. A gray ribbon under the chest gave way to a white skirt with gray tulle. It was really beautiful.

"You could use it for the winter ball," Rose suggested, "It would be good for us to go and have fun, don't you think?"

"I don't know Rose, dances are not my thing"

"At least think about it, yes?" She nodded, "Come on, now try it on"

"Right now?"

"Yes!"

Cass seemed to hesitate but nodded.

Rose left her room to give her privacy and entered a few minutes later. Cassie looked gorgeous and Rose surprised. Under the many layers of clothing her friend wore, a precious body was hidden. Her breasts were much fuller than Rose's and they fit perfectly around her cleavage. Her long hair fell in graceful waves. She looked like a magazine model.

"What do you think?"

"You look radiant," she admitted, "Cassie, you're so beautiful."

Whatever she was going to answer was interrupted by Albus's sudden arrival.

"Rose I took the tables to…" he stopped short when he saw Cassandra, "Wow. You look ... wow"

Her cousin was speechless and Cass looked on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. It was time to intervene.

"Albus we need privacy," she said pushing him out of her bedroom, "We'll talk later"

"But Rose ..."

She led him out of her room and Cass hurried to change. Once she had her clothes on she gave an excuse and called her father because she had to go. He picked her up almost immediately and they didn't have time to eat or talk about the kiss with Scorpius.

The truth is that she had noticed before that there was something very strange in Cassie's behavior. And she was going to find out what it was.

A/N: Any thoughts? Ideas? Please let me know! :)