Another one coming! I figured that since the last chapter is so short, I could just do this today! I have a few chapters left, so keep your fingers crossed and the reviews coming!
Chapter Five: Berries and Birthdays
"How're we gonna get her outta the house? She's not exactly dumb ya know?" Fred asked Charlie. It was Rose's sixteenth birthday, and her brothers were trying to figure out the best way to surprise her. Today was the day that they would tell her the truth about everything. Before sunset, she would also be brought home to the castle and introduced to her fiancée. They were trying to find a way to get her out of the house while they set up a nice surprise party for her, so that they could tell her about her family in style.
"We could tell her to go out with Hermione, but she said her family's going on a trip today..." Ron mused, his ears starting to glow red. In light of the bigger problem, the twins ignored it.
"Me and Fred can just drug her guys. We have a pill that was supposed to explode in your mouth, but we botched it and now it puts people to sleep." George suggested.
"Good idea! How long is the effect!" Ron wanted to know.
"No. No drugging her. She's not even up yet y'know..." Bill said.
"Nah. The slightest bang will wake her up, and then she'll catch us in the act." Fred told them gloomily.
"Well then, we'll just send her out on an errand." Charlie said, the tone of his voice final. "ROSE!" He bellowed up the stairs. A loud bang and shriek told them that she'd been startled out of bed, but awake none the less.
"WHAT? I was sleeping!" Rose shouted down the stairs at Charlie.
"Get dressed and come down here. We would like you to go pick berries."
"Did that yesterday!"
"Yeah, well, you ate them all yesterday! How about the rest of us?" Ron shouted up.
"So get 'em yourself jerkface!"
"Don't call your brother a jerkface. And Rosie, you know where all the good ones are. Before you began doing it, Charlie and I used to bring back the most bitter ones by mistake." Bill pleaded softly to her. They all brightened up as they heard Rose sigh.
"FINE! Bill, I hate you!" Rose shouted storming off. Bill grinned knowing she didn't mean it.
"Did they forget that it's my birthday? Maybe they think it's tomorrow." Rose muttered as she pulled on a deep green dress and fixed the wrinkles in it. She quickly ran and washed she face and brushed her teeth before starting downstairs. "You guys owe me for this!" She said coming downstairs quickly.
"Oh, no Rose wait-" George's warning was interrupted by the sound of breaking wood and thudding as Rose's body tumbled down the rest of the steps. "Fred and I accidentally burned through the third step with acid trying to work on our tickle bombs yesterday." He said softly.
"Owwwwwww. SHIT! That hurt." Rose swiped her now messy hair out of her eyes, which gleamed maliciously at the twins. "You two!" She tried to lunge at them and kill them, but was caught by Bill, Charlie, and Ron.
"Chill out, the bucket's by the door, see you later." Bill said setting her to stand on the floor facing away from the twins. Rose left, only to trip later and let out a tirade of words that would kill even a sailor.
"We really have to find some way to make her quit doing that. Mum will kill us." Charlie said.
"Yeah well, living with boys all these years really made her pick up some stuff." George sighed.
"I'm going now." Rose crossed to the door the sleeve of her dress was ripped a bit and a bruise on top her bare foot.
"Shoes." Ron said.
"Don't be a prick. I'll be fine." And with those words, Rose left, leaving the boys to prepare.
"Fred, get the decorations, George, c'mon, let's go to town and get the stuff. Ron, you and Charlie start sweeping." Bill said. Ron groaned.
"Why can't we go into town and you and George sweep?" Charlie whined.
"One reason." Bill stated. The two in question looked interested. "I'm older, I say so!" And with an evil laugh, he went for his cloak and George went for the money.
"Those dolts. I shoulda just stayed in bed. I was having that dream about the guy again..." Rose sulked in the midday sun. Next to her was the basket, which was only half full and her fingers and lips were stained red. All around her, animals twittered and screeched, scampering around. She smiled as a squirrel sat on her knee and looked at her. "Yeah, I was dreaming about him again. Dancing with him, and him kissing me. And always, before I learn his name, something wakes me up!" The squirrel chattered as Rose began to sway to the forest's music. Soon, she got up and started dancing and singing softly.
"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream.
I know you; the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam..."
"Samson, C'mon, we only have a few hours of freedom dad says. Then we have to get back to the Weasley's." Harry told his horse, trying to make him cross the stream. He was staying at the castle while awaiting his fiancée, the Princess Ginny to arrive. The only other kid there aside from Hermione, who automatically went to the castle's library, was Percy. And nice as he was, Harry needed to get away from him. "Samson, cross and I'll give you an extra bucket of oats when we return." The horse snorted as if saying 'No deal'. "And a sugar quill..." The horse perked up and began to cross. Suddenly, Harry and Samson heard something on the other side of the stream.
"But if I know you
I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once
The way you did once
Upon a Dream"
"You hear that Samson? Maybe it's a Water sprite! Let's go look." Harry insisted, trying to urge the horse on. Samson however, tried to turn around, plunging them both into the water. Harry pulled off his sopping hat and spat water out through his teeth. "No Sugar quill." He said sternly. They quickly crossed and Harry took off his wet cloak and shoes and set then to dry while Samson drank. Beyond the trees, the song went on:
"I know you, I walked with you
Once Upon a Dream
I know you, the gleam in your eyes
Is so familiar a gleam..."
Rose danced with the birds as she sang, oblivious that she might be heard. On the ground, a pair of squirrels heard the hooting of an owl. Looking at where its wing was pointing, they saw Harry's boots, hat, and cloak in a tree and on the ground. Getting the idea, they ran and picked up the hat and placed it on the owl, which also slid under the cloak. The squirrels hopped into the boots and went off. Rose saw them and giggled. She began the song again and danced with them.
"Samson, I'm going to check this area out. It must be near a village on the outskirts of our kingdom. Maybe I can find that sprite. No human sings that well. She even beats Hermione." He mused walking along. As he entered a clearing, he saw a marvellous sight. A girl, with flaming red hair, was dancing and singing. He revelled in the voice and smiled. Next he had to pull his glasses off and wipe them on his shirt. She was dancing with his cloak, hat, and boots! He crept up behind her and shoved the dancing articles of clothing aside. As she paused, he sang into her ear,
"But I know it's true
That visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you
I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once
The way you did once
Upon a Dream"
Harry smiled as she turned with a gasp. Rose looked into the bright green eyes. 'My dream! It's the guy from my dream!' She thought happily. The pair started to dance until he leaned over and kissed her. 'This is wonderful! And no Gred and Forge jumping on me, or Hermione dumping water on me...' She thought as her arms wrapped around his neck and she played with his messy hair. Once they broke, she smiled.
"What's your name?" Harry asked the girl.
"Briar Rose." Rose grinned. "And yours?"
"I'm Harry." The two sat down by the stream and began to talk.
"So you have five brothers? I have a sister." Harry said to Rose as they talked about their families.
"Really? I wish I had sister. But I do have Hermione."
"Hermione?"
"My best friend in the world. She's smart, and funny, and we both think guys need to go for more than a pretty face. She needs a mind more." Rose said firmly.
Harry stared at her in awe. 'Rose? This is Rose? Hermione never told me her friend was so great!' He thought. They continued to talk until the sun was no longer visible through the trees.
"Oi! I have to go! I'm sorry Harry!" Rose jumped up and tried to go, but Harry caught her hand.
"When can I see you? Where do you live?"
"I live in the house on the glen. Come there tonight if you can. I think you'd have fun." Rose grinned as Harry leaned over and kissed her softly. "Bye!" Rose ran of and waved.
"All done! The place looks great!" Charlie commented looking around the room. It was decorated with streamers, balloons and a banner reading 'Happy Birthday Baby Sister!' across it.
"Yeah, she'll love this." Fred said. In the kitchen was the cake Bill and George had ordered earlier that day.
"Where's Bill?"
"I'm here!" Bill came down from his room carrying a dress. "This is from dad's advisor Dumbledore. It's magic. You tell it what colour to be, and it turns that colour!" He set it on a chair.
"Really?" Fred asked in awe. "She'll like that. Make it pink." In a tiny shower of pink sparkles, the dress turned pink.
"No you dolt! Make it blue." George said. The dress was blue in a similar shower of sparkles.
"PINK!"
"BLUE!"
"PINK!"
"BLUE!"
"Let's evacuate!" Ron shouted as sparkles filled the room bouncing out the chimney.
Outside, Draco flew around hooting angrily. He hadn't found the royal children as yet and it was making him cranky. He let out a screech as shots of pink and blue shot at him. Seeing where they came from, he flew down to the window and saw the twins chasing each other around while sparks flew around. He quickly headed back for Slytherin Mountain, much happier.
Rose came home in a happy daze. She opened the door slowly.
"She's coming! Hide!" Ron hissed at his arguing brothers. They all dove into spaces as George made the dress blue.
"Hello! Where are you guys? Don't tell me you sent me out there and left! It's my birthday! Remember?" Rose shouted as she opened the door. She saw nothing but blackness in the front room.
"SURPRISE!" Rose let out a yelp as her brothers popped out of their hiding places and scared her witless.
"Hey baby sister. Happy Sweet Sixteen." Ron said. He hugged her and tried to soothe her gasps for breath.
"So, you like?" Fred asked. He waved his hand around the room, not taking note of the dress.
"I love it! And my, he'll like it too." Rose breathed.
"He who?" Bill wanted to know.
"Harry. A guy I sorta met and fell in love with today..."
"WHAT? In love? But Rosie, you're engaged!" Charlie freaked out, scared of what might happen.
WAAAAHAAAAHAAA! A cliffie! I'll finish it, but it'll take a while. Read, review, criticize, flame (lightly if you will) just gimme feedback!
and my Thank Yous:
Harry/Ginnyfan4ever: Here ya go! Harry and a nice cliffie!
Crazayladay: Sorry that bugs you, I just figured that after living with five boys, it's rather unavoidable... But I'm glad you like me none the less. More to come! As for the twin thing, they are so close that they are like family in my eyes, and I just thought it would be a good way to get everyone in! About Herm and Ron, well, I could easily make a sequel out of that if you guys wish...
Brown Eyed Faerie