AN: Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all of your kind & helpful reviews! They really inspired me to get this up as fast as possible. It did take longer than I thought to write, however, mostly because I kept re-reading it and re-writing some stuff.

Rating changed for some language & mature situations

Enjoy! I'd love hear your thoughts on this one!

On her way back to the feast hall, Rose had decided she would look for Alessa, her handmaiden and the only other person she considered a friend, to spend the rest of her night with. She was too embarrassed to go back outside and see Tyrion.

She knew she had acted like a stupid young girl when he questioned her about her attraction to Jon Snow, but how could she admit she was attracted to the Bastard of Winterfell? While she was a born a bastard herself, Rose became a Lannister by law and bound by all that it means. Despite being sixteen years of age and a woman who has bled, her father had not yet promised her to any lord for marriage, but she knew there would always be a chance her father could marry her off to secure an alliance or something of the sort.. Cersei, however, always reminded her that her mother was a whore and no matter what name she had, no nobleman would ever want to marry a woman with a baseborn's blood. No matter what her future may be, she knew for certain it could never involve a romance with Lord Eddard's bastard son.

As she made her way through between the crowded tables looking for Alessa, she caught the ice-cold glare of her half-sister from the table above. Frustrated and disconcerted, she left the hall and decided to drink alone in her chambers for the rest of the night.

Just before she escaped the room, Rose stumbled into one of the serving girls who accidentally emptied a pitcher of wine on her. Some of the guests around them fell silent and stared.

The serving girl stammered and shouted numerous apologies to the young Lannister as she grabbed as many rags as she could, trying to help clean the mess. Rose only scowled and shook her head in response, shoving the server away.

Quickly, she gathered the skirts of her crimson and gold gown and stormed out.

The last thing she saw, out of the corner of her eyes, was Cersei staring at her with a satisfied smile.

Rose could feel the cold wine seep down through her underclothes, making her skin and clothes feel sticky. It was another reminder of much of a fool and embarrassment she had been tonight, not only to herself, but also to her family.

She walked down the corridor swiftly, her expression as hard as the stone on the walls. It was silent and empty, for the most part. She could hear somebody walking behind her. Their steps were quiet and cautious.

"Lady Rose?" a voice called out to her.

The blonde turned on her heels. "What?" she snapped. Immediately, her face softened at the sight of Jon Snow.

When she first turned around, Jon took note of the harsh expression on her face. It reminded him who he was calling out to – the queen's own sister.

You should talk to her sometime.

That damn Imp. What could Jon, a man with Stark blood, possibly have in common with Rose, a Lannister? Half Lannister. He could almost hear the dwarf's voice in his head.

"I - is this a bad time, my lady?" he said, warily.

"No, I just…" Rose shifted awkwardly and was reminded of the sticky clothes clinging to her body. She sighed, "Come. We will talk in my chambers."

Reluctantly, Jon followed her to her guest room. 'What am I doing?' he thought to himself.

Arriving at her room, he opened the door for Rose, allowing her in first and he followed.

"Could you shut the door behind you, please?" she asked as she lit a few candles.

After closing the door, Jon turned around and found her going through her chest of clothing. She pulled out a red, silk nightgown trimmed with Myrish lace and moved behind her dressing screen.

"Is there a reason you wanted to speak to me here, my lady?" he asked, taking a seat on the foot of her bed.

For some reason, Jon found himself nervous in her presence. Was it because she was a Lannister or was it because of what the Imp told him? Or would she ask him why he was staring at her with such intent when she arrived? He honestly didn't know the answer to the last one, should she ask. When he saw her for the first time, nothing else mattered, but he could never tell her that. He was nothing more than a bastard, a Snow. She may have been born the same way, but Rose became a real member of her family and was given their name. If he ever told her he was attracted to her would she laugh, make a spectacle, or worse, would she be insulted? It didn't matter though, he told himself. Uncle Benjen would take him to the Wall and he would become an honorable brother of the Night's Watch where he would never have to worry about a woman and family. The brothers would be his new family.

Jon heard a small laugh from behind the screen, which snapped him out of his thoughts. "You are the one who called my name, Jon Snow." Rose said to him.

Surprisingly, it didn't tug at any nerves when she called him by his full name.

Quickly, he had to think of something to say. 'Damn it, why did I even speak to her?' He looked up at the translucent dressing screen. Jon could see her silhouette undoing the laces on her dress and sliding it off of her body.

"I was going to ask why you were leaving the feast?" He said, somewhat convincing.

She paused. "I… well… It's just…" she stumbled, trying to think of what to say. She decided to be honest, but skipped a few of the details. "My brother, Tyrion. We were talking privately outdoors, as you saw, and he upset me. When I returned to the feast I could not find who I was looking for and decided to leave. Then some wench spilled wine on me and so I left. Now, here we are."

"What did he say that upset you so much, if I may ask?"

She did not think he would ask her that.

"Oh, well…" Rose bit the inside of her lip in thought as she removed her chemise. "He… he made some stupid remark about the way my hair was done. He told me it looked as if my handmaiden had been drinking all day before she dressed me. It was foolish of me to be so offended at such an idiotic remark."

"You had every right to be offended." Jon said, softly. "You looked beautiful tonight." Immediately after speaking, Jon silently chastised himself. Why was he being so blunt with her! At the next chance, he was going to excuse himself.

Rose was taken back by his compliment. As small as it was, it caused her heart to pound and her hands to freeze as they pulled apart the braids and knots in her hair.

"I… thank you, Jon." She said with a smile.

Although he could not see it, Jon still felt her smile in the words she spoke. "You're welcome, my lady." He looked down, shyly, not knowing how to continue or why he was still in her chambers at all.

"You know," she said, "you do not have to call me 'my lady' all of the time. You may call me by my name."

"I'm sorry, my- Rose." Jon said as he looked up again.

To his surprise, she had come out from behind the curtain. Her hair was completely undone and fell around her in soft, golden curls. She was wearing nothing but her underpants and breast coverings. As soon as he saw her, Jon stood up and turned away. "Rose!"

When she walked out from behind her dressing curtain, Rose went over to her dresser and poured water from a pitcher into a small washing basin. She took a rag and dipped it in the water, then proceeded to wipe away the wine that had soaked through to her bare stomach. Jon's reaction to her mostly naked body caused her to laugh.

"Have you never seen a woman in her underclothes before tonight, Jon?"

"That's not- this is not appropriate!" he exclaimed.

She turned to him and smiled wickedly as she dried the spot on her body that she washed. "Am I making your cheeks flush? Why are you so afraid to look?"

Still turned away from her, he shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "We hardly know each other and you are undressing in front of me! Even if we were familiar, this is dishonorable to both of our families."

Rose put her hands on her hips defiantly. She opened her mouth to speak, her brow narrowed in offense, when she was cut off by a loud knock on the door. Jon and Rose both quickly turned their heads to the door.

"My lady? Are you in there? Lady Rose?" It was Alessa.

Both Jon and Rose met each other's worried gaze for a moment before Rose stumbled through a reply.

"I, uh, yes… Don't come in! I am, ah, not decent." She bit the inside of her lip, looking to Jon and then back at the door.

"I am so, so sorry I wasn't there to help at the feast, my lady! I should have been there; my sincerest apologies I was not there for you! Please forgive me, my lady." she said. There was a slight fear in her sweet, young voice. Alessa was afraid that Rose would punish her.

"Do not fret, Alessa. I forgive you."

Outside the door, the handmaiden sighed in relief. "Thank you, my lady. May I come in now, to assist you before bed?"

"No!" Rose quickly shouted. "I… I would like to be left alone tonight. I can put myself to bed. You should go enjoy the rest of the feast. And… and do not worry about your duties in the morning. I will see you after we break our fast."

Alessa was surprised by her orders. "Oh. Are you certain, my lady?"

"Yes, yes. Now go, please."

"T-thank you. " she replied. Despite having a door between them, the handmaiden still curtsied out of habit before taking her leave.

After a few moments, to make sure the girl outside the door was gone, Jon and Rose looked at each other. Rose could not stop a laugh that had managed to escape.

"Well, that was certainly fun." The blonde said with a small giggle.

"Fun?" Jon said, anger laced into his voice. "Could you imagine what would happen if we were caught? The Stark bastard caught with Tywin Lannister's youngest daughter, half naked in her chambers? It would bring shame to both of our families!"

"Shame?" Rose's face twisted in resentment. "Oh, as if my birth didn't bring shame to the Lannister name sixteen years ago? As if my unnecessary legitimization didn't bring my father scrutiny from every eye in Westeros, especially his newly crowned queen daughter? How about the shame I bring to our name every time Cersei reminds the world my mother was a whore? What about the daily reminders that I am considered by so many to be Lord Tywin's 'golden mistake'? Tell me Jon Snow, do you honestly believe I care anymore what others would say if we were found like this?"

Jon was taken aback by her sharp retort. His shocked expression then turned into a scowl. "You think you had it tough? My father is too ashamed to tell me anything about my own mother! Lady Stark refuses to look at me sometimes, let alone speak to me. Nobody will even call me by my name; I'm just 'the bastard' to them! I doubt Lord Eddard even considered giving me his name, even though the king is his friend and would gladly do so. And now I have to go and live the rest of my days on the Wall just to have a chance at any honor or respect! I'd like you, Rose Lannister, to tell me if you honestly know what it means to earn anything or work hard for what you want?"

The fury in his response surprised Rose. She stood, facing him with her hands on her hips. Her mouth hung open but no words came out.

Both of them stood, staring each other down with nothing but malice and bitterness in their eyes. Jon had his arms crossed over his chest and his head held high. Rose' s hands were on her hips and her head was cocked cynically, much like the way her half-sister Cersei would.

Breaking the silence, Rose sighed and ran one hand slowly through her hair.

"I'm sorry. I do not know why…" she said, shaking her head.

Jon just continued to stare her down, waiting for some sort of explanation.

She looked at him with an apologetic expression. "I didn't mean to come here and yell at you when we met. Before, when I was asking about Lord Eddard's children, I heard about who you were and I just thought…" she shook the thought away. "It was stupid and I am sorry."

He raised a questioning brow at her, the anger fading from his face. "You thought what?"

"I don't know… Maybe we were so alike and we could be friends or something of that sort. But you're right. We are nothing alike." Her shoulders hung in a sad, defeated way.

When Jon saw how disheartened she looked, he almost felt guilty for the way he spoke to her. Her words were not helping.

"We have grown up in such different ways and our futures will be just as incomparable. You will go to the Wall and be one of the brave men of the Watch, while I will just return to Kings Landing and likely die a virgin because nobody wants to marry the daughter of a whore." She crossed her arms self-consciously and looked away.

Jon opened his mouth to speak, a slightly regretful look in his eyes, when Rose cut him off.

"You will have women from all corners of the world falling at your feet, graciously fawning over the way you slaughter Grumpkins and Snarks and Giants!" she began in an overly dramatic tone.

She spoke with her hands, flailing them in all sorts of directions to enhance her theatrical speech. "Every mother in Westeros will name her first son after you! Every man will be humbled by your presence! And I will just return to the filthy capital. I will sit in those damn gardens every day, drinking until I cannot see straight. Nothing I do will ever have an impact on the world and Rose Lannister will never be remembered. One day, I will simply die, old and alone."

Jon's eyes narrowed at her. "Oh, now you're just trying to get my pity?"

She smiled and tossed her head back in laughter. "Did it work? I've been told I am a terrible storyteller."

At that, Jon couldn't help but give her a small smile.

Suddenly, she was astonished and pointed at him playfully. "You did it! You finally did it! I've been waiting all day!"

His smile dropped as quickly as it came. "What?"

"You smiled! I thought it would never happen." She said, a playful grin on her lips.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "You're kind of an ass, Rose."

"What?" she said with a jokingly surprised tone. "My my, Jon, It is quite rude to call a lady an ass. And you have the nerve to lecture me about honor!" The two of them laughed at her statement.

After their laughter died out, they both stared at their feet. Neither of them knew what to say.

A few moments of a slightly awkward silence passed and Rose decided to break the silence.

"So," she began, "you never answered my question earlier." She looked up to him with a sly grin and a raised brow. "Have you never seen a woman naked?"

He tried to play it off as if it were a dumb question and rolled his eyes. "Of course I have." He was not able to stop the slight pink tinge on his cheeks when she asked.

Suddenly, Rose's smile became a bit more innocent and bashful. "Really? So, have you ever... been with a woman?" Jon raised a questioning brow.

"Why are you asking me all of this?"

"Well, I was thinking, maybe…" she shrugged and shifted awkwardly. "We could possibly…" Oh gods, is she really asking him all of this? Rose looked up to him with timid eyes.

Jon was stunned. Was she really suggesting what he thought she was? There was no way in all seven hells he could say yes. First, they were not married and there was no possible way they ever would be. Then, he remembered why he refused to sleep with the whore. He did not want to get a woman pregnant and force that poor baby to live with the shame of being a bastard the same way he did. She had to feel the same way and know all of the risks, so why would she ask?

"Rose, you can't be serious."

"But why not? You said you are going to the Wall, which means you will have to swear off women for the rest of your life. I already know I'll likely never marry because my father believes it would be insulting to the other family, for whatever reason. So…" she walked closer and put her hands on his chest. Under her hands, Rose could feel Jon tense up slightly. "what is stopping us? I will only be in Winterfell a fortnight and I want to have fun while I'm here." She looked him in the eyes and began toying with the laces on his shirt.

In his chest, Jon's heart was pounding uncontrollably. He was standing with the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on and she was nearly begging him to take her maidenhead. This was too unreal.

"I… no. This is wrong. We can't just bed each other because it's fun. We would be dishonoring ourselves." He shook his head as he spoke, trying to talk himself out of saying yes.

"Again with your damn honor?" she pouted slightly. "We can just do it because it's fun. People fuck all the time just for the fun in it." She leaned in close like she was about to kiss him. "What is stopping you?"

"Are… are you certain you want to do this?" No matter how hard he tried, Jon could not talk himself out of this. He knew it was wrong, but he was finding it difficult to deny her anything.

She smiled and nodded as she began to undo the laces on his leather tunic.

After she slid his shirt off and tossed it to the side, Rose pushed him gently towards the bed. He sat down and took a deep, shaky breath when she straddled him.

"Nervous?" she asked with a small chuckle. The blonde reached up and tangled her fingers into his black curls.

He gave her half a smile. "You aren't?"

"A little, I suppose." She responded with a slight chuckle.

Cautiously, Jon wrapped his arms around her delicate waist. She looked at him with a sweet smile and instantly he felt a bit more relaxed.

Rose slowly leaned in and kissed him, gingerly. He responded by pulling her in closer and deepening the kiss. One of his hands wandered upward into the soft, golden curls of her hair.

The kiss was longer and much more passionate than either of them anticipated. They pulled away slowly and gazed into each other's eyes.

"I… wow…" Rose breathed.

Immediately, Jon pulled her back in for an intense, lascivious kiss. He held her body flush against his.

Rose was initially surprised by his sudden passion, but she didn't fight it.