Chapter 16 here! Hey, sorry for the recent typographical errors, okay? By the way, this is kinda the shortest chapter here. But anyways…

Title: The Future is Waiting

Chapter 16: Kuro-chan

"I don't know, Harry… Maybe it's just a dream after all – "

"It isn't a dream, Hermione!" Harry hissed. "How many times do I have to say it? It's real!"

They were back in the sixth years' common room in Bridgework. December was almost over and most of the school was still on vacation so that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had the whole common room to themselves.

"Listen, I haven't told you something," said Harry, lowering his voice.

"Yeah? What haven't you told us, Potter?" a drawling voice came from the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Draco Malfoy emerged. "You have to know, Potter, that lowering your voice does not work when it is all quiet like this," he smirked.

"What is it, Harry?" said Ron eagerly.

"I don't want to tell him anything," said Harry, nodding his head in Malfoy's direction. Malfoy settled himself in a chair beside Harry.

"That's fine with me," he said. Harry sighed.

"Okay… This is – this is gonna sound all weird, okay?" he said, half wanting not to tell them at all, and half wanting to get over with it fast. "Once or twice… I can't really remember… I suddenly see a – a vision, I think… Like, a scene from the dream – "

"What dream?" said Malfoy.

"We'll tell you later," said Hermione.

"Yeah, shut up for a moment," said Ron. Malfoy scowled at him, but turned back to Harry. Harry continued.

"I see Sirius and the woman kissing… And then," Harry inhaled slowly, as though bracing himself. Ron and Hermione waited with baited breath. Malfoy looked confused. "And then, when I come to my senses… I – I realize we're… we're – doing that too…"

Hermione looked confused too. Ron smirked. Malfoy had an expression of mixed confusion and anger.

"You mean…" Hermione started. "You and Rose?" she asked. "You're doing that too… You're kissing?" Harry slowly nodded. Ron howled with laughter. Malfoy's face slowly turned red.

"Is that why – is that why before the ball – " he started.

"No, that was different. That was – " Harry started, but he realized, too late, that he had said too much. Malfoy gripped the arms of his own chair and started yelling furiously at Harry.

"I KNEW RIGHT FROM THE START, POTTER! AND YOU TRIED TO DENY IT! YOU WANT HER! YOU WANT TO STEAL HER FROM ME!"

"THAT IS NOT THE SUBJECT HERE, MALFOY!" said Hermione, yelling equally loud. Malfoy was startled. "Now, if you please, we don't have to talk about that right now. You two can settle that on your own. Not in front of us. RON, WILL YOU SHUT UP?" she added, so that Ron suddenly stopped laughing.

"Look!" said Harry suddenly.

Outside the window was, not an owl, but a black crow, a cream envelope attached to its leg. Hermione opened the window and let the crow in. It landed on Harry's lap. Harry untied the envelope and the crow immediately took off, out of the same window. He looked at the envelope, but there was no name on it. He looked confusedly at the others, and they just looked back as confused. He slit open the envelope.

Dear Harry,

I am awfully sorry that I was not able to visit while you were at Castlerest. I apologize, for I am really busy.

I have heard that you, Hermione, Ron, and Draco are back at Bridgework now. I hope you had a nice time at home.

Sanada-san also wrote to me, telling me that you had some time to chat with her. She says she is very pleased to have met you, and that she wishes to see you again on another time back at home.

I am really sorry that I was not able to spend Christmas time with the four of you, but I will be back soon. I will make it up to you guys! Please mention my apologies to Hermione, Ron, and Draco as well.

Rose

PS The crow that brought this is Kuro-chan. I've had him since I was four. He's as good as an owl. He's really nice. I hope you didn't get scared of him!

"How come she wrote you and not us?" said Malfoy suddenly. Harry shrugged.

"Will you shut up, Malfoy? Don't ruin Harry's moment of glory!" said Ron. Harry threw a pillow at him.

January came in a blaze of sunshine. The weather could not be better. Perfect Quidditch conditions, as Alex Yu had hinted during one morning at breakfast.

"The days of Quidditch Playoffs will be posted later this week," he said, after Harry approached him.

"You seem to be in a really good mood today, Harry," said Hermione as they went to their first class.

"What? Oh, yeah… Quidditch season, you know," replied Harry, trying hard not to smirk.

"Right… So, do you want to practice tonight?" said Ron. "I mean, Quidditch season is starting. You wouldn't miss that just for Rose's arrival, would you?" Ron teased.

"Shut up," said Harry.

Rose was to arrive that night. It had been one week since the start of January, and she was returning only now. Harry was slightly worried that something went wrong with her trip. But she wrote on Wednesday morning saying that she was arriving Monday next week.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy approached the back door of the castle. It was one of those hidden passages. The back door led to a horse stable just outside the back of the castle. Rose told them that she was going through there when she arrives.

The oak doors opened, and in came Rose, a black coat on her, followed by Severus Snape.

"What are you doing here?" said Snape quietly in his cold voice. He approached Harry and the others. It seemed like he did not want Rose to hear their conversation.

"We were waiting for Rose, sir," said Hermione calmly.

"And for what reason is that?" he said.

"Because we want to see her!" said Ron, louder than he intended to.

"Why do you want to see her?" said Snape, his eyes narrowing.

"She wrote us, telling that she'd arrive tonight. So we're here!" said Harry through gritted teeth.

"Professor, were you with Rose during the holidays?" asked Malfoy innocently.

"That is none of your business," he said slowly. "She has been writing to you? When did she last send you a letter?" said Snape, looking rather worried.

"Last Wednesday," said Harry. Snape's worried look was quickly replaced with a smirk.

"That will be all," he said. "Go back to your dormitories."

"What? We want to see her," said Harry. A house elf approached Rose and she gave her coat to it. Malfoy walked up to her.

"Rose, how are you? What did you do at Swordswing?" he said conversationally. Snape looked as though he was going to burst. Why did he not want Harry and the others to talk to Rose? Rose just stared at Malfoy. Harry approached too.

"Rose, why doesn't he want us to talk to you? What's his problem?" Rose's stare turned into a questioning look.

"Have we met?" Snape's lips curled into an evil smile once more.