"I don't like the way he looked at Rose after she came back to our table. We have to talk to him." Fred told his brother and their best friend as he pointed to Draco Malfoy.
"Are you sure? He's a Malfoy, why would he be interested in Rose? To him, she's probably a blood traitor or something." Lee argued.
"I saw the way he watched her. I'm talking to him." Fred decided before he went to corner Draco between classes.
"What do you want, Weasley?" Draco complained.
"Rose. I want you to stay away from her." Fred growled.
"News flash: she came to talk to me." Draco smirked.
"What my brother means is that while we don't mind you talking to her or even trying to be her friend, you better not try anything more with her, or you could grow to regret it." George added.
"She's taken." Fred told the blond Slytherin.
"Taken? Really? Doesn't look that way to me." He replied.
"She's spoken for and I won't risk what we're going to have for someone like you who could fake a relationship and hurt her just to get to her brother." Fred snapped.
"Don't worry, Weasley. Yes, I'm interested in Rose, but not in the way you think. She was nice to me and made a few valid points about my possibilities for the future. All I'm interested in building with her is a friendship, maybe. If I can find a way to justify it to my housemates." Draco reassured him, somehow managing to remain calm and somewhat polite.
He had said the last part in a smaller, thoughtful voice.
"Good. Keep thinking like that." Fred nodded, letting Draco go.
"A word of advice though, if you wait too long, you will lose her. Your house members aren't the only ones interested in dating her. I've heard a couple of guys from my house saying that they wouldn't mind going out with her, half blood, blood traitor or Potter's sister... it doesn't matter to them. She's... hot, as I'm sure you've noticed. If you're serious about her, you should make your move sooner rather than later." Malfoy told Fred before he moved away.
"I hate to say it but he's right." Lee commented.
"I know he is. Let's go to class. I've already missed Rose with all of this." Fred growled.
For the rest of the day, Lee and George were a bit amused by the fact that Fred was grumpy. He didn't even try to see Rose between classes.
"What has gotten into you?" George asked him mid afternoon.
"I'm not even sure she's into me. What if she'd prefer someone else to ask her out?" Fred asked him.
"Oh come on, it's obvious she's crushing on you or she wouldn't blush the way she does every time you do something sweet for her."
"Maybe she'll think I'm too old for her once I ask her out." Fred complained.
"Too old? What, are you 95 or something?" Lee replied, laughing out loud.
"It's only 3 years Freddy, plus, I've heard girls saying they preferred older men." Georges chuckled.
"What if I'm not old enough for her then?" Fred asked again, making Lee and George laugh some more, as discreetly as possible.
"You can't know if you don't ask her." his twin brother replied wisely.
"It's like every guy over 14 is into her, even a few girls. Can I really compete with them all?" Fred asked again.
"Of course you can, you're Fred Weasley and you have something others don't have: her twin brother and guardians like you." George insisted.
"Listen, why don't you try something tonight? See if she's interested or not?" Lee asked his friend, trying to cheer him up.
"I'll see… Come on, we don't want to be late for Sirius's class." Fred declared.
That day, after class, Fred was still undecided and feeling down. George was about to get him something from the kitchen to cheer him up when he saw Rose entering the common room, looking at Fred with concern and he decided to help his brother out.
.
Draco knew that the fact that he had been nice to Rose Potter, that they had laughed together, would reach his parent's ears soon enough through the mail so he quickly came up with an excuse for it. He never wanted to join the Dark Lord, but he needed to make sure he'd stay safe, and so he decided to write his Aunt Bellatrix, who was close to the Dark Lord, a letter, mentioning the incident and a fake plan. This way, nobody, not even his father, would bother him for it.
"Dear Aunt Bellatrix,
I'm sure that eventually, news of recent Hogwarts events will reach you, my parents and the Dark Lord. Surely parents of my housemates will complain that I'm turning my back on our family values and on our Lord. That is a lie and this letter is to explain my idea before you jump to the wrong conclusions. If our Lord disapproves, let me know and I'll wait but I had to act quickly, I'm sure you'll understand.
This morning, in the Great Hall, Rose Potter came to talk to me. She wanted to ask me, as a prefect, to put up a poster in Slytherin's common room for a club she was starting (cheerleading) and, one thing leading to another, we laughed. Of course my house mates aren't happy about it, but, unlike them, I saw an opportunity. Rose wasn't judgmental, she was nice and hinted that because my father followed "the wrong man", it didn't mean that I agreed, and that she was willing to give me a chance to be her friend. I saw here an opportunity to get close to Potter's inner circle and, maybe, manage to learn valuable information once I gain their trust.
Hearing Rose saying that she understood that I didn't have much choice because of my father and that she was ready to give me a chance and be my friend, seeing her talking to me like she did with anyone else, gave me this idea and I'm sorry. Maybe I should have waited for approval from the Dark Lord but I thought it would be best to act quickly.
So I pretended that I didn't approve my father's choices and that I wanted out, but that I was afraid.
Later, the Weasley twins approached me, wanting to know my intentions about Rose. I could tell one of them was very interested in her and so I played along, told him that I was just interested in her friendship, in the fact that she was willing to help me "change and escape the Dark Lord's influence".
So far not much happened, I was just polite, friendly. Until you write to me telling me not to do it, I'll keep on looking for any opportunity to get close to her or Potter's inner circle. If she trusts me, she could convince her brother to trust me, and then, imagine the kind of information I'll have access to, eventually.
This plan could take a long time, but I thought it would be for the best.
Give my mother my affection,
I'll wait for you owl with your, and the Dark Lord's, answer.
Draco Malfoy"
Once he was done, Draco gave the letter to his owl, aware that he had lied but convinced that he could get away with it.
This had been a good idea, a good plan. There was no doubt about it and by 'asking for permission' through this letter, he was making sure his house mate's parents would warn their kids to leave him alone. It would give him plenty of time to figure out what he'd do. How he'd get out from the Dark Lord's inner circle. Maybe Rose was right, maybe he should speak with Black.
He definitely needed to speak with Rose again, away from anyone who could overhear them.
Do you think Draco will manage it? Step away from Voldemort while pretending he was spying?
Review please
Lorelei Candice Black