Disclaimer: I still own none of the Harry Potter material. Do you really think I do?!
Note to readers: I… am… so… tired… head droops and barely keeps from falling asleep on the keyboard You have no idea how much sleep I sacrificed for these stupid chapters (I'm allowed to call them stupid because I'm tired and they deprived me of MANY HOURS of sleep). Enjoy the three chapters while I get some sleep… Oh! And here are the thank yous, everyone got an award!!!:
LittleMagie – You get the award for being the first reviewer of chapter seven AND you get the award from the most dramatic change in reviews. You're so nice in your reviews… I'm always getting paranoid about this fic and especially about Rouge. I'm always worried people will get bored with the plot or people won't like Rouge's character… But that's just me, so THANKS FOR THE REALLY NICE REVIEW!!! That pretty much sums it up…
Ashley Malmstrom – Well, you get the award for the review that is closest thing I've ever gotten to a flame on this fic. I know my chapters are short… But that's why I released these three chapters at the same time. So I hope this segment of chapters is long enough for you… You also get an award for being the 42nd reviewer (I think). So be happy! Your review number is the answer to life, the universe, and everything! evil laughter BWAHAHAHA!!! SEE YOU IN THE MESSAGE BOARDS!!!
Skade – Once again, you have given me a review that left me grinning like a madwoman for at least an hour. So that's what you get an award for. Thanks. You've always been so nice to me in reviews and always encouraged me to continue writing by pointing out the good things I write to the smallest detail. I just hope you'll get the next chapter of Rain out soon…cough
CaptinNobody - YAAY! I was worried I wouldn't get a review from you, Cassie. But the thing about Chris… NO-OO!!! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO-OO!!! I wasn't talking about Stopher! I can't believe you think I still have an infatuation with him shudder. I have a friend at my new school named Chris (it's a common name…). So it's not what you think… You don't get a review for being too damn oblivious! HAHA!!! Just kidding, you get an award for being a first time reviewer so far along in the fic.
Feather – Yes, you can whine. You get the whining award and the award for the review (e-mail actually) that has made me cry with happiness. But one thing I keep wondering; everyone keeps saying that they like Rouge… but why? I'm just not sure… Oh, well… I LOVED, ABSOLUTELY LOVED your new story! You're such a beautiful writer (have you noticed I always refer to your writing as 'beautiful'? has my point been made yet?) and you make me more happy than you could ever imagine by just stopping to read and review the things I write. Thanks.
AMB3R – I forgot to thank you for reviewing all my writing in my last review of "Hermione's Crush" so I'll do it now: THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH!!! You get the award for reviewing everything ('cept my new short story, but I don't expect you to read that… it's… strange…). You're such a nice reviewer… I'm still not sure what ships will be in this fic. Probably by chapter 12 I'll have everyone who wants to participate in the pairings poll, e-mail me with their votes. I'm pretty sure I know what your main vote is (Hermione/Harry), but I'll still keep everyone updated on the poll… Thanks again!
ChosMurderer – You get an award for a really cool pen name (death to Cho)! You get an award for having the reviews that scare me the most (especially the Snapiex48 review). AND you get an award for being the 47th-53rd reviewer (50 is in there somewhere…). Don't you feel so special?
PotterGirl – Thankies for the nice review! I'm glad these chapters "just keep getting better and better" or I'm sure you readers wouldn't be happy with me… I hope you get the next chapter of your ficcy up soon! Oh, and you get an award for being the most constant reviewer.
Mei Bridgens Ridle ) – You get an award for saying "HOLY QUAFFLE!" because I think that's funny. You get an award for being a wonderful artist and taking the time to draw Rouge ('tis so perddy!) and you get an award for being obsessed with Snape like millions of other HP fans, but still be very oblivious. Rouge and Sevvy know each other cause Sevvy's a Death Eater!!! COME ON! Thanks for the nice review!
Okay, now that that's out of the way, I've gotten 55 reviews and I love them all! Thank you so much everyone! Enjoy the three chapters!
Chapter 8: Summer Playmate
When Rouge emerged from behind the classroom door, someone stood there waiting for her in the empty dungeon hallway.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Rouge," came Draco Malfoy's taunting drawl. "Magie, did you call yourself? Who do you think you're kidding? You saw Snape's face."
"Nice to see you too, Draco," Rouge snapped at him. "Now, why don't you go bother someone else and save me some time, energy, and a little sanity."
"Touchy, touchy. You should be a little softer towards me by now, Rouge. You did spend almost every night in August with me."
"You along with all the others. And you might want to be careful who you say that around, Draco dearest. You wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea about you and a Gryffindor. "
"Ha, ha. Very funny, Rouge. You know you shouldn't be in Gryffindor, with your father being who he is. He'll have it in for you when he finds out."
Rouge was thankful Draco remained vague in his talk about her father. Who knows who could have been listening beyond their line of sight? But Draco knew better than that. Being a Death Eater-in-training, like Rouge, he knew better than being careless and giving themselves away. But Rouge was still annoyed nonetheless, because she knew he was right.
"I don't care," Rouge said trying to sound braver than she felt, "and neither should he. It's just a stupid house. It doesn't change anything. What's he going to do about it?"
"You shouldn't talk about your father so lightly, Rouge. That bruise on your wrist should have taught you that."
Rouge instinctively tried to pull her sleeve farther down in attempt to hide the hideous bruise that her father had left on her wrist, but the damage had already been done. Draco had been there when it happened. Rouge had made the mistake of talking back during a meeting and it still surprised her, as much as the bruise still was painful, that her father hadn't crushed the bone beneath his grip. Rouge could have healed her wrist with any of a dozen different healing charms, but she left the bruise there. She left it to remind herself that her father would show no pity to her, family or not. She was never safe.
"Well, anyway," Draco continued with a satisfied smirk at the pained expression on Rouge's face, "I just received word from my father that another meeting is coming up. He suspects it'll be on Halloween."
"That's just like Father to tell Lucius about something before anyone else," Rouge muttered bitterly.
Draco beamed with pride. Rouge barely resisted the temptation to hex the grin off his face. But Rouge knew that wouldn't do any good, as amusing as it would be, so she kept an empty expression. It was her defense mechanism, hiding her emotions, because if she didn't she'd have probably been green with envy then, walking in the dimly lit dungeons with Draco. It sickened her that Lucius, even Draco, and just about every other Death Eater was more respected than she, daughter of You-Know-Who or not. She could never live up to her father's expectations. She was always a disappointment.
Rouge didn't want to be a Death Eater, unlike Draco. But she didn't like always being abused and the one to be a waste.
Why couldn't she be like Draco was?
Why couldn't she accept her fate?
Rouge watched Draco walk up the dungeon steps after a brief goodbye, pondering these questions.
Why can't I accept it?
With the same regret she always felt when she came to the same conclusion she always did, she answered, "Because I'm not my father."
Note to readers: I know, I know… It's short… I didn't originally plan to write this, I just sat down and wrote it so… Here it is. Now… REVIEW!!!