Hello lovelies!
I've been suuuuppppppeeeerrrr busy. And revision is killing me!
BUT I JUST NOTICED I'VE HAD OVER 100 REVIEWS!
So to celebrate, I've taken a teensy break to finish and post this chap for you all. Thank you for being patient and sticking with me as always!
Special thanks for this chap go out to:
mayarpai; Tregetma; Anne O'Nemus; Jily71102 and 10wrighth for all the faves and follows.
And to my super-duper reviewers:
mayarpai~ So glad you kept reading and still liked it! Thank you so much!
~I'm so glad you survived that! Not too many bruises I hope. Glad you liked it, your review made me laugh so much. Thank you! Also, sorry your phone played up and gave you false hope :(
Plucie~ I'm sorry to confirm, yes he was being that stupid. Hope this chap makes you feel a bit happier.
Susie~ I have to say, part of me was hoping for reactions like yours. Glad you didn't like that bit but I hope the rest was okay, and that this chap makes up for it!
Lupin~ Here you go, thanks for waiting so patiently!
escapingrealityy~ Yes, there's more to come! And soon I hope!
SiriuslyMoony~ We'll have to wait and see about Logan... I'm actually still toying with a few ideas for him, your warning bells may or may not be correct...
mayarpai.2 (sorta.3)~ Your allowed to send rushing notes if you like! And to answer your question... I HAVE NO IDEA! *shocked face* Genuinely, I've never thought about how long this thing would be, I didn't even expect it to be this long... I figure I'll just keep going until it feels right to end it or you guys get bored of me. Whichever comes first :)
Lupin.2~ I KNOW! I'm sorry! Don't worry, I did say it wouldn't be Scorose. Have faith in me, will 'ya?
SassySlytherin~ I'm so glad you're keeping an open mind. I'm certainly not enough of a fan of Scorose to start writing it, so don't worry! I'm sorry for the break! I'm glad you see them this way too, and I have to admit, I do see them in Slytherin every so often (but that's a whole new fic I don't have time to write at the moment!). Also, Dom and Teddy... that's more fic-spiration right there! [You're killing me with new ideas here!] I have been trying not to make Logan scummy, so glad you appreciate it. (It would be soooo easy!) But I won't... At least I will try not to. Happy Birthday! I'm sorry it's slightly belated (I did try to finish this before then!), but you can just pretend this birthday gift came by Muggle Mail from another country. ;)
So go ahead, give it a read, I hope you enjoy it...
Love you all,
Cookie x
Chapter 32- Gloating and Going Back
Rox sat up slowly and only had room in her head for one thought; never had she been so grateful for her older cousin. She could hear the shower going and Dom's bed was empty, but when the older witch had woken she'd kept the blinds closed and left a small bottle of potion next to Roxanne on the bedside table.
A small note on it said 'drink me', and Roxanne was vaguely reminded of a Muggle story she'd read, and half expected to grow exponentially when she drank. Or was it shrink?
Of course, she did neither, but her head cleared and she felt instantly less sick and her body no longer ached.
She sat up, more easily now, and stood. She was in pyjamas she didn't recognise, deep blue ones that matched the colour of her dress last night. She assumed that she or someone else had just transfigured her dress into them. She picked up her wand and proved herself right as she undid the spell and was suddenly standing in her full length gown again.
Stepping out of it carefully, she hung the dress on the wardrobe door as Dominique had her own.~
"So, why did you do it?" Lily laughed.
Rose shrugged at her little cousin a slight smile on her lips. "I don't know, Lils. I just, I wanted to I guess"
"Not because of Roxanne?" Lily asked with a raised brow.
"What, no. I don't do everything because of her you know. I just wanted to kiss him, so I did. He's hot Lily"
"Do you like him?" Lily smirked.
She shrugged and bit her lip, "I don't know. He's smart, he's funny, hot. Great Kisser. From what Florence said, great at everything else too…"
"But?" she asked, sensing there was more. There always was more with Rose.
"But he's a player. And he's friends with Roxanne, I don't want to spend that much time around them all"
"They're not that bad" she said casually.
"Really? Why is it you pretty much ditched her then? Why was she such a bitch to you that time in the Hall?" Rose snapped but Lily held her gaze.
"I didn't ditch her. And that was a misunderstanding. We're just different people. She has more in common with Hugo than me. There was no use pretending to still share everything." Lily shrugged, "Besides, we talked. We're okay now" she smiled a little, she felt way more comfortable around the Burrow now that she and Rox were sorted.
"When did you talk?" Rose looked a little shocked, Lily realised she'd never mentioned it to her roommate. Oops.
"Before New Year's Eve. We had a long chat, cleared everything up. We both agree. We're still friends, just not best friends"
Rose rolled her eyes, "I really don't get it"
"What's not to get Rosie? She's a nice person, I don't see why you hate her" Lily had had this argument before, she never really understood it. As much as Rose was way more open with her than anyone else, Lily knew there was still more she held back. Like, the real reason she hated Roxanne.
"Yeah that's the issue Lily; you don't see what she does. She's just like Dom, she manipulates everyone around her and she thinks she's better than everyone else"
"I don't think-"
Rose sighed, "Yeah I know Lil, you don't think she's like that. But she is, trust me, I should know when people are being manipulative"
"What? Because you are too?" Lily asked with a slight scoff. Lily knew fully well she was just about the only person who could say something like that to Rose and not get an earful back.
Rose actually shrugged, "Pretty much. But I did it because I had to, you understand that right? I told you what it was like, you get why I act the way I do?"
"Yeah, I get it Rosie, I still don't think it's necessary but I understand…"
"Well that's fine, as long as you understand it."
"How could I not once you told me? Of course I understand Rosie but, I still think if you just told every-"
"No, Lily. How many times? None of them would get it. I told you how supportive Dominique was. You're the only one I can trust with this"
"What about Al?" Lily asked, with concern in her voice.
"Albus? He of all people wouldn't get it. No, I can't tell him, anyway just a couple more years then I'm shot of school. After that, none of it will matter"
Lily nodded; she really should have known to stop arguing this point with Rose by now. Nothing would get her to change her mind about the way she acted.
"Anyway, back to Scorpius… did anything else happen?" Lily just wanted a nice light-hearted chat with her cousin.
Rose smiled slowly.
"Well..." ~
Dom walked out of the shower room in her underwear to find her cousin lounging on her bed with her pet mini dragon.
"Why are you on my bed, Rox?"
"Iri was here, and I wanted to stroke him"
"So, call him over to your own bed. Isn't it about time you trained him anyway?"
"I have been training him. He's really well behaved, look" she tickled the side of his abdomen and the dragon rolled over, exposing his belly.
"I swear that thing is a cat or something"
Roxanne just grinned and continued to tickle Iridis.
Dominique pulled on a pair of leggings and a Harpies jersey that had been lying on a beanbag.
"Mine" Rox called, referring to the jersey her cousin was now wearing.
"You have another don't you?"
"Yeah but, whenever you wear my clothes, they look way better. And it makes me sad"
Rox pouted and Dom threw a pillow at her.
It hit her face then fell on the dragon, who sat up, shot Dominique a disgusted look and curled up with its back to her. Dom laughed.
"For the record, you look stunning in this jersey, but I can't be bothered to find anything of mine, so I will wear it. Feel free to wear anything I own"
"All the things you own would show more cleavage and or midriff than I've ever had out before" Roxanne half-complained half-accused.
"Well, it's hot in the training room. And I spend a lot of my time in there, so really, they're practical"
"Oh, speaking of hot in the training room. I never got to ask, that guy you were talking to last night? That's your trainer isn't it?"
"How'd you know?"
"Hot, muscly and he stands like you"
"Stands like me?" Dom couldn't help but laugh.
"Yeah, like you, Teddy and Uncle Harry do. You all stand really straight and, like you're constantly ready for something to happen."
"But not Uncle Ron?"
"No, not Uncle Ron" they laughed. The entire family knew Ron was a great Auror, but an equally unconventional one.
"So, anything interesting happen with this trainer you said you'd not bother with?"
"I don't recall that"
"You did say, even if you did like him, you'd never do anything about it"
"Hm, well I didn't"
Rox narrowed her eyes.
"Honestly, Roxanne have you so little faith in me? I didn't even kiss him"
"Why not?"
"Because he wanted to kiss me" she said like it made the most sense in the world.
"But if you both wanted to kiss each other, why not?"
"I don't want to get a reputation as being easy, Roxy. If he wants me, he can work for me. Also, I really do want to graduate without being kicked off the course for having a relationship with my instructor"
"Do you think he'll work for you?"
"Could be that I've read him wrong-" she began.
"But you never read guys wrong" Rox added with a little smile which Dom rolled her eyes at.
"Could be that I've read him wrong, but I think he will. Or he'll try to, at least"
"Anyway, let's talk about your escapades. Did I, or did I not see you enter that wonderfully romantic garden at one point?"
Roxanne blushed, "You may have. Could be wrong though"
"So, how was it?" she jumped up and bounced on the bed next to her cousin like an excited teen.
Iridis lifted his head to shoot her another glare, "Oh, bugger off then reptile" she told him, he tucked his head under a wing and went back to his sleeping position.
"So?" she turned to Rox, who was laughing at her exchange with the Parva.
"So, it was…I dunno. What do you want me to say? It was really good" she smiled as she remembered.
"Good? That it? Not fantastic? Not heart-racing-mind-melting-magic? Not-sweep-me-off-of-my-feet-and-take-me-now-amazing?"
"What was that last one?" Roxanne laughed.
"Okay, the last one was a bit advanced for you, maybe. But just good?"
"I said 'really good'" Rox corrected.
"We all know 'really' and 'very' are just useless words, that make things sound better than they are. You meant good. Why only good?"
"Okay fine, so it was more than good. It was amazing, it felt so perfect Dom but-"
"Too perfect?"
"Sort of. I guess, I don't know. I just… I have nothing to compare it to, so I don't know. And I don't know how it was for him" she sounded unsure.
"Oh, honey. Don't you worry, the look on that boy's face when he looks at you? It's really good for him too." She smiled. "But, if you're ever unsure of anything, Rox don't-"
"Don't let anyone pressure me into anything, I know"
"Well, I was going to say that, but I was also going to say don't not tell me, because I'll be up and kicking his ass before you know it"
"Dom, I've always assumed you would be, no need to say it" Rox laughed.
"Yeah well, I felt I had to. Merlin knows you've only got those dumb boys to fight for you otherwise"
Roxanne laughed, "I think Freddie might be offended with that comment"
"Oh please, I've seen Freddie in fights, he's all action, no thought. My comment stands"
"Freddie told me he'd never lost a fight"
"Oh, he hasn't, but only because no one else knows how to fight either"
"Well, we can't all be almost fully trained Aurors, Dom" she laughed.
Dom made a face at her and poked out her tongue.
"Speaking of, are you going to move once you qualify?"
"Yes. I've already been looking at flats in London. I can't believe I let mum convince me to stay at home for so long. Really, I should have left years ago! Besides, dad's already had a chat with me, under no circumstances am I to stay home if mum asks." She laughed, "As if I was ever planning to"
"Where's the money for it coming from?"
"Well, seeing as I've been home for the past three years, I've been saving the money you get paid as you train. I've got enough for a deposit or a few month's rent. I haven't decided if I want to buy or not yet"
"Well, you know what Uncle Percy would say…"
"Buying a property is one of the smartest investments one could ever make" Dom recited in their Uncle's tone that so often made them roll their eyes and want to sleep all at once.
"I guess you've got to buy then. Though make sure there's two rooms"
"Why's that?"
"For me of course. When I leave, I'm coming to live with you"
"Unless you move in with a boyfriend or something"
"Oh please, You think I'm going to find someone I love enough to move in with, in the next three years?"
"You're dating someone now aren't you? Don't tell me you already know its not going to last" Dom teased.
Roxanne laughed, "No, I'm not saying that. Just that I can't imagine moving in with Logan. Or anyone other than you, Dommy"
"You could move in with Freddie"
"If I wanted to live in a health hazard, I could yeah"
"So, really... You want to move in with me because I clean?"
"Yeah basically"
"Well, you can cook so you're welcome to my spare room"
"Ah, I love that our relationship is built on mutually using each other." Dom pretended to look offended.
"Don't say it like that! It's because we need each other Roxy" she pulled her cousin in a crushing embrace.
"Ohkayyy" she coughed. "Enough of this mushiness. I'm hungry"
"Alright then, you go eat, I went down earlier."
"What are you going to do this morning?"
"Bit of light reading" she answered. Pulling out what was a brick of a book, Rox read the title.
'Combat techniques of the 19th century'
"Sounds riveting" she laughed, pulling on some different pyjama bottoms and a jumper.
"Positively" Dom replied, just as sarcastically.
"Don't pretend you don't love it"
Dominique grinned. Jumping on the bed and pulling the book into her lap.
"You know me too well"~
"Lils, could you pass me the sugar?" Rose asked from across the kitchen table.
She, Lily, Albus and Freddie were sitting at the table. Hands identically around their mugs of tea.
Lily slid the sugar pot over to her cousin and smiled as Rox entered the kitchen behind her.
Rose turned, and looked, then quickly turned back to her tea. Lily could only assume she'd at least glared at the entrant.
"Morning" Roxanne addressed everyone.
They all, except Rose of course echoed greetings back to her.
Rox sat next to Freddie, a few seats from Lily.
Rox gave her a little smile that said 'sorry' but Lily nodded. She understood, why would she want to sit directly opposite Rose?
"How hungover were you this morning then sis?" Fred inquired half-jokingly.
"Not very much at all, Freddie. I barely had anything to drink"
"Liar, I saw you take shots during that game" Albus added with a laugh.
"Yeah well I didn't fancy telling everyone my first crush at Hogwarts, the last dream I had or how many people I've slept with. Shots were necessary." She shrugged with a laugh.
"Fancy telling us now?" Lily laughed.
"Um, how 'bout not? Anyway, Freddie you were way drunker than me" Roxanne accused.
"Only because Elliott, James and I got were drinking during fireworks"
"Well then, you would have woken up more hungover than I did."
"Just making sure I did, you could have gotten much more pissed after I fell asleep. You never know. It would be wrong for my little sister to be drunker than I" he grinned, knowing his logic would make her roll her eyes.
"Well I assure you I didn't" she laughed, "I think it might have been me who drew on your face though"
"You little shit, I had to go to mum to get that out"
Roxanne laughed harder, "What did she say?"
"Not much, she did the spell to remove it, then asked if I was old enough to be told to fuck off. She might have been a little hungover too" he chuckled.
"You shouldn't have bothered her then"
"You shouldn't have drawn dicks on my face!"
"That wasn't me. As a skilled drunken artist, I take pride in the rainbows and fairies I drew on your cheek. Someone else was drawing with me" she crinkled her eyebrows to remember and Lily chuckled silently.
Rox turned on her and narrowed her eyes.
Lily laughed and held up both her hands.
"Sorry Freddie. Call it payback for that time I leant you and James my quills"
Rox looked confused momentarily.
"They charmed it to write swear words every time I tried to use it" Lily explained with a chuckle and an eye roll. ~
Rox laughed along with her cousin, she didn't feel bitter when she heard stories about her Gryffindor family now. She liked it in fact, now that she knew where she stood with them all, well all except Rose.
"How drunk were you Lils?" Freddie asked his younger cousin.
"I'd say I was probably the most sober of everyone here" she claimed proudly.
"Nope." Albus shook his head, raising his hand. "I'm claiming that"
"No way!" she argued.
"Yep. I decided it would be much more interesting to listen to all your answers or lack thereof, than get drunk." He sat back and smiled smugly, "I was right"
"Go on then, impress us with you sober wisdom" Lily rolled her eyes at her brother, who in all fairness probably had been more sober than she.
"Well, Freddie here for instance didn't answer the question of who he'd most like to fuck in the Prefect's bathroom" Al smirked at Fred.
"Yeah because it was tasteless" Fred protested, trying to keep a straight face.
Roxanne and Lily laughed, as if Fred ever cared about being tasteful.
"Or because the boyfriend of that girl was in the room?" Al countered.
"Could have been that." Fred admitted, "But come on, Albie. Everyone knows about me and Helena"
"Is this the girl you used to date? The one you're convinced still likes you, even though she's dating someone else?" Roxanne asked, with a laugh.
"See, even Roxy knows" Fred raised a brow at Al. Did he not have anything better?
"Okay, hm. Let me see…" he smiled a little, "Lily, you didn't answer the question of the last guy who appeared in your dreams. Rox, you forgot to mention who your first ever crush was. Rose, you didn't say who it was you last made out with" he winked at them all.
Lily and Roxanne laughed but didn't say any more. No way was either of them admitting those aloud.
Rose blinked, lifting her head at the mention of her name. She hadn't been listening to the lovey-dovey cousin bonding conversation that had been going on, it was nauseating.
"What was that?" she asked Albus.
"Just talking about last night and who did and didn't answer what. I said you didn't answer the one about who you last made out with" he teased.
She smirked, "Only because he requested I not tell the entire room what we got up to" she winked back at him. Rox noticed their friendship came easily, they'd always seemed close, even when Rose had 'gone dark' as Dom had referred to it recently.
"So he was in there?" Freddie asked with a smirk. He didn't have the same protective nature over her as he did with Rox, Lily and to an extent Lucy. He would have at least frowned if any of his younger female cousins or of course little sister had said that.
"Yeah, I was sitting with him. Spent a lot of the night with him actually"
"But you were sitting with… Scorpius?" Al asked, confused.
"You got off with Malfoy?" Fred asked and Roxanne spluttered a little of her tea. Rox noticed Lily had no reaction so she assumed they'd already discussed it.
Scorpius and Rose? That had to be a joke!
"Something wrong, Roxy?" Rose asked, in a far from concerned tone.
She recovered.
"No nothing, Rosie."
"Oh good, I was worried you'd be upset with me"
Rox snorted. "Upset with you? Why would I be?"
"Well, you and Scorpius, seem awfully close I didn't want to intrude, or mess up anything between you"
Rox's brows crinkled. Fred looked at Rose pointedly and Roxanne wondered if he'd had a conversation with her about not being mean to his little sister anymore.
Oh well, Rox could take it.
"You realise I have a boyfriend right? Besides, I doubt you could mess up my friendship with Scor"
"Oh, that fifth year? Forgot about him. That's good, I was worried Scorpius was lying when he said he had no feelings for you whatsoever and there was nothing going on."
Rox was surprised at how cutting her words were. Of course they were just friends, so why did it bother her that Scorpius had said those things? Though she was talking to Rose, who was probably making everything up to get a reaction.
Rox shrugged, giving her none, "No need for you to worry then is there? Though, I suppose I can't blame you. Scor doesn't exactly have the best reputation with girls, bit non-committal, uses them for short periods of time, and never really cares about them, that sort of thing."
Roxanne realised she was being a bit unnecessarily mean, but Rose had started it, and she hated the implication that there was something going on with her and Scor when Rose knew she was dating Logan. It reminded her of the Florence Fiasco. Roxanne was not the type of girl to cheat, or to cheat with someone else.
"Oh, don't worry about me having my heart broken by Scorpius Malfoy, Roxanne. I'm not even sure if I'll have anything more to do with him, despite his…. Talents." She smirked, and Roxanne blushed a little.
What was she implying? Had Scor had sex with her cousin?
Rox laughed, "What makes you so sure he'd want anything more to do with you?"
"Well, he seemed pretty into it last night" she paused and bit her lip, "and he owled me this morning" she shrugged and looked at her nails before screwing up her nose, "bit needy if you ask me"
Why would he owl her? Or was she lying again?
"Hm. Can't blame him I guess, don't think he's ever gone this long without a girl. I mean he did tell me he was looking for something better, you know a girl with some standards and a bit of substance, but obviously not. I ought to ask why he went back on that, probably the drink"
Roxanne took a sip of her tea and raised an eyebrow at Rose for a follow up comment.
"Funny that, he wasn't drunk when he kissed me" she said smugly.
Roxanne wanted to hex that smug grin off of her face.
"He was pretty drunk by the end of the night though. Maybe he tried to drown out the memory?" she suggested, finding herself smirking back a little.
Rose had another think coming if she thought Roxanne was just going to let her win this one. She'd started it, but Rox would finish it.
"You're coming off a bit jealous Roxanne, are you sure you haven't been sleeping with Scorpius behind everyone's back? I wouldn't blame you, he is as good as they all say…"
"Oh I'm sure he is, but did you know you're coming off as a-"
"Annnnndddddd, I think you and me should take a walk Roxy" Fred interrupted, standing up and leaning on the table so he blocked his sister's view of their cousin. He then pulled her chair back a bit for her with a look to Albus, who put a steady hand on Roses' arm, where her fist was clenched on the table.
Roxanne's fists were clenched too, she hadn't noticed that. Freddie hauled her out of her chair and pushed her toward the back door.~
"Care to explain why the fuck you just did that, Rose?" Albus asked as Rox and Fred shut the door behind them.
"Don't question what I do Albus. Like you care" she snapped.
"Of course I care if one of my cousins is being a bitch to the other for no apparent reason. What did you have to start that for?"
"Start what? You brought it all up"
"Yeah, we were having a nice, funny conversation. You made it horrible"
"Well, I guess that's just what I do isn't it?"
"But why, Rose. Why do you have to be like this?"
"Be like what Albus?! This is me, and if you loved me you wouldn't care. You'd support me no matter what!"
"This isn't you though Rose! Stop pretending and you know that I love you, but I can't support you if it means not saying anything when you try to start fights within the family!"
"As if you don't fight with James all the time! Does this mean you're choosing her?"
"That's not the same and you know it. And Rose don't be stupid. I'm not choosing anyone"
"Don't call me stupid, Albus. I'm not stupid"
"For fuck's sake Rose, then stop acting it! Stop playing whatever fucked up game it is you're playing because we all know it's not you. Stop trying to pick fights with Rox and Dom. Stop being cold to your mum and rude to your dad. Stop trying to push away everyone who cares about you"
"Funny that you pretend to care, but you introduced your girlfriend to my brother before me. To Lucy before me. And to fucking Roxanne who you've barely spoken to, before me!"
"Want to know why, Rose?"
"I'd imagine it's got something to do with me not being who I really am" she rolled her eyes, making a whingey voice as she imitated Albus.
"Yeah exactly that Rose. I used to know exactly what you were thinking, when you were thinking it and now? I can't even tell anymore. I didn't introduce you to Violet because you're so on and off, you might have been okay, and even just a little bit interested in meeting her, or you might have been a total bitch about it. Rose, if you don't tell me what's going on, how am I supposed to support you?"
"Nothing's going on Al, except that you and almost everyone else in this family can't seem to accept me for who I am."
"I refuse to believe that this is who you are. And I know you know it too"
"Well, there you go then, you just don't like that I'm not the same little quiet nerdy girl that followed you around."
"No, I never expected you to be, Rosie. I don't mind who you are, as long as you're being true to yourself, and I don't know why you're still doing this, but if you're not going to tell me then I guess I'm done trying to find out"
"So, you're giving up on me?"
"No, I'm giving up on this girl you're pretending to be. The real Rose, my Rosie, when she's back, let me know"
"I'm not pretending to be anyone. I am being me"
"Well, if this is you, which we both know it isn't, I guess I am done then. I'm over trying to help you"
"Later, Lils" he directed at his worried looking little sister, before putting his mug in the sink and walking outside.~
Fred and Roxanne had finished talking by the time Albus came out.
There hadn't been much to say, Fred had told her to calm down and not let Rose get to her.
Rox had told him she was calm and that she did try, but there was something about having a family member hate you for no apparent reason that always managed to get to her.
Fred had told her he didn't know why Rose didn't like her, but that Rose had been a bitch to him before too, if that helped.
She'd laughed, they both knew it wasn't the same, and didn't help but she appreciated the effort.
Now, they were sitting in silence in the garden swing chair.
Albus squeezed in between them.
A memory flashed through Roxanne's mind. James, and Freddie had her and Lily on their laps, Rose and Albus sat between them, all of them chattering away, all of them sitting on this swinging chair. There was a photo of it in their hall at home. They had all looked so happy.
"What did she have to say?" Fred asked Al.
"Not much, the usual victim complex she has going on. I'm not being supportive enough, I'm not accepting her for who she is-"
"But it's not who she is" Fred frowned.
"Exactly. I told her so, and she still denies it. I swear, I can't count the amount of times I've asked her to tell me what's up. I've tried to be there for her, whatever it is that made her change must have been pretty big but she's never wanted to tell me. So, I told her I was done trying"
"You what?" Roxanne asked.
"I lost it, Rox. I've always been so patient with her, but I'm tired of it, so I told her I was done with her while she's being, not her, I guess"
"Thanks for sticking up for me, Al" Roxanne told him. She knew how close he and Rose had been, she really appreciated it.
He shrugged it off, "Yeah well, I was trying to stick up for you both. You and the old Rose. Besides, we've still got to cover advanced defensive spell theory when we go back. Can't lose my one of my tutees before such a topic like that"
"Ugh, thinking about school already?"
"Only DADA" he grinned, "You should be though shouldn't you, Ravenclaw?"
"And you should be working on tying your shoelaces, Gryffindor"
"Oi, are you implying Gryffindor's are stupid?" Fred asked, offended.
"No, I'm just saying, if we're going along with House stereotypes, i.e. Ravenclaws are nerds who cant stop thinking about schoolwork, then you guys… aren't the smartest"
"We're not Hufflepuffs!"
"No, Hufflepuffs are generally considered smarter amongst, well all the other Houses. All that charging off head first into things you can't handle? Not the smartest decision"
"Yeah, but Hufflepuffs wouldn't do anything, they'd be too scared to!"
"Er, no. Hufflepuffs would come and get help if they needed it, which is the smart thing to do"
"The right thing isn't always the smart thing. Gryffindors always do the right thing"
"Ah, but you see, the smart thing, is always the right thing"
"What? That makes no sense!" Fred complained.
"Doesn't it? Are you sure?" she asked, slowly with a sympathetic face.
"Hey! Stop trying to confuse me"
"Not too hard though is it?"
"Fred, I do think you're little sister has let that birdbrained attitude get to her"
"Hm, I do think you're right. We may have to…dampen it?"
Roxanne looked at them confused.
"Legs?" Albus asked, with a huge grin.
"Arms" Fred nodded and they lunged at her.~
Roxanne trailed into the kitchen behind the laughing boys soaking wet., they were all out of breath, Roxanne having chased her brother and cousin around after their attack.
Dom snorted when she stepped in.
"Wand" she held out her hand, to her cousin who just shrugged through her laughter.
"It's upstairs"
"Ugh. Anyone?" she looked around the kitchen, it contained her Aunt Ginny, her mum and her Uncle Charlie.
Charlie sent a drying spell at her.
"Thank you" she told him with a grin, frowning as she noticed his jacket and case by the fireplace.
"You're leaving?"
"Yeah, sorry kiddo. There's been some kind of flu outbreak at the sanctuary, they're short staffed. I've gotta go back"
"But you were meant to hang out with me and Iri" she pouted.
He chuckled, "I've just been to say goodbye to the little munchkin now. You're doing fine, he looks really healthy, he might even like a fly outdoors now, he's big enough"
"I'll give it a go" she nodded, stepping into the hug he offered.
"Take care, kid"
"You too Uncle Charlie." She moved to sit with Dom and her Aunts as Charlie said goodbye to Fred and Albus, the last two in the house he hadn't said his farewells to yet.
He gave the room a salute and threw his bags into the fireplace, stepped in after them and Floo'd back to the Sanctuary's outpost in Romania.
"Tea, Roxanne?"
Ginny asked, pointing to the teapot on the table.
"Nah, I'm okay. I'm going to make some toast though, anyone?"
Fred and her mum raised their hands while the rest of the room shook their heads.
"Didn't you come down for breakfast ages ago?" Dom asked.
"We took a walk" Fred told them.
"A walk through the river at the back?" Ginny asked, pointing her wand at the puddle Roxanne had made when she's first entered the kitchen.
"Oh no, that was because she insulted Gryffindors"
"Only because you took the mic out of Ravenclaws first!" she laughed.
"Well, Rox, normally I'd tell my son and nephew off for throwing you in the water but that was my former House you know" Ginny said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, I didn't quite think it through. I forgot for a second I was the odd one out"
"Emphasis on the odd" Dom muttered.
"Oi!"
"Joking Roxy"
The toast popped up out of the industrial sized magical toaster and Roxanne buttered the slices and put them all onto one plate, she sat next to her mum across from Freddie and picked up a slice. They did the same.
"Toast has never tasted so good" Angelina muttered.
"You're welcome mum"
"Don't think it's got anything to do with your toast making skills. Probably more to do with the fact toast really gets rid of sobering solution after-taste" Ginny teased.
"Ahaha! So you were hungover" Roxanne laughed, poking her mum.
"You shut it Misses, you're exceptionally lucky I told your father about your boyfriend before he turned up yesterday"
"Ah" Roxanne remembered, and hung her head, she looked up slowly.
"Is he angry, mum?"
"No, sweetie, not angry but I think he wants to talk to you. I told him to wait till we get back"
"Get back?"
"Yes, we're all going home. It's New Year and I think we've all spent too much time under one roof this year" she chuckled.
Albus looked at Roxanne with a little laughter in his eyes.
"But what about New Year's Lunch?" Fred asked sadly.
"We've already broken tradition once this year. Your Grandmother is tired, everyone's already packing. We can eat at home"
"But Mu-"
"I'd watch the next words you say, Freddie." Their Aunt Ginny interrupted, "We all know Grandma Molly cooks better food than us all, but no mother likes to hear it from their son"
Albus snorted. "Still holding on mum? James was five"
"It was a terrible moment in my life, Al. Now go get packing. And wake your father, he's probably gone back to sleep"
Al laughed, nodded and left the kitchen.
"I was actually going to moan about having to pack, Aunt Gin" Freddie told her.
"Mum has the best cooking in the world" he smiled at his mum who rolled her eyes.
"I always knew I'd raised a suck-up"
"Only for you mummy" he told her cheekily, before grabbing some toast, giving her a kiss on the head and disappearing down into the boy's room to pack.
"You not going to pack, honey?" Ginny asked Roxanne.
"Trying to get rid of me?" she asked with a sad face, "And no, I assume that one there has taken the liberty to do it for me" she pointed at Dom who nodded.
"Correct. She packs too slowly"
Roxanne grinned.
"See?"
She stretched lazily.
"Don't act like you have the morning off. You're still not dressed, Roxanne"
"Fine, you and Aunt Ginny clearly are conspiring against me. I'll go upstairs then" she sighed dramatically and finished her last bite of toast. Flouncing out of the room, she didn't realise she was half-right.~
The three women were silent until they heard the door to the loft stairs open and close, then one of the older women broke the silence, as the other sipped her tea slowly.
"Go on then, Dominique, what's your take on this boyfriend of hers?" ~
Once Rox was home with her parents and brother the remainder of her holiday was a lot more relaxed. She could do small little things with her immediate family she hadn't been able to do back at the Burrow. She cooked and trained with her mum, played chess and helped out at the shop with her dad, argued and fought playfully with Freddie. She was able to write to Logan without Dom taking the piss, though Fred tried his hardest to take that place. She even managed to forget about the whole Scorpius/Rose incident, deciding she didn't really know how to put it all into a question in a letter anyway and that she would just wait until she saw him to ask.
The last week of the holiday was lovely, and much quieter, but it all was over too soon. Before she knew it, her small little family of four were Floo'ing into one of the grates at King's Cross and she and her brother were going away again.
"Good Luck with that game, Roxy" her mother told her as she hugged her goodbye.
"You too, son" she told Fred.
"You can't wish us both luck, mum. We're playing against each other."
"Oh, I can. The luck is just so that neither of you end up in the hospital wing. I don't mind which of you wins" she told her son with a small smile.
"Now, do I get a hug?" she asked him, with her arms wide. He rolled his eyes and took a quick glance around the platform. It was busy enough that no one was paying attention to their quiet farewells.
He stepped into her arms and she began to sob loudly. He immediately tried to pull away from his mum but she only held tighter.
People began to look, Roxanne and her father burst into laughter as Fred, face flushing tried to escape his mum, now making a scene, covering his head with tearful kisses.
"PROMISE ME YOU'LL WRITE, MY JELLYBEAN!"
"MUM, Get. Off." He growled, still struggling.
"PROMISE ME!" she wailed, louder still.
"Fine, I promise!"
"EVERY WEEK, SUGARPLUM?" she questioned, slightly quieter, but loud enough to give her immediate audience the giggles.
"I'll write okay? Now just get off of me!"
Angelina let her son go in a tinkling laugh. She wiped the fake tears from her eyes, and gave her son a little wink.
Roxanne and George gave her a little clap and she gave them a bow. Fred huffed and picked up his case and his sister's which he'd agreed to carry and strode away from them all, towards the train.
"I LOVE YOU TOO SWEETIE!" Angelina called after him and he shook his head as he walked away.
"Jellybean?" George asked his wife with a chuckle.
"Just trying it out. I still think Sugarplum gets the best blush though"
"Honey-bottom is a close one though" Rox added.
"Dammit, I forgot about honey-bottom"
Rox laughed, giving both her parents one last hug each, glad it seemed to be her brother's turn for embarrassment rather than hers this time.
She grabbed the case she carried Iri around in in one hand and Ginger's basket in the other and followed her brother's path to the train. ~
She had a hard time battling through the crowds with both her animals so when she passed a compartment that Scorpius was alone in, she was so relieved, so much so, that she practically fell inside.
"Hello to you too" he chuckled as she heaved a massive sigh as she entered.
She smiled back at him, placing the two animals down carefully, and most importantly, on opposite sides of the compartment.
"Sorry. I just forgot how annoying this was with the both of them" she gestured to her animals.
"So, are you joining us this time in favour of the freckled bunch?" he asked as he stood to greet her with a hug.
She rolled her eyes but hugged him back all the same, breathing in his familiar scent with a smile.
"Hm, we've got some chatting to do about a particular member of the freckly bunch" she told him as she stepped back, taking a seat at the window.
"Uh-oh" he laughed, running a hand through his messy hair nervously.
"Yeah, uh-oh. And I've told you like a million times, traditional Weasley carriage only happens on the way in at the beginning of every year, Scor"
"Oh, sorry how silly of me. I really should start writing all these things down" he said jokingly, taking the window seat opposite her.
"Yeah you should, like how many female cousins I have, should you decide to make out with any more of them" she said a little too harshly.
He looked a little taken aback and raised a brow ever-so-slightly at her.
"Rox, are you angry at me?" she shook her head, that wasn't supposed to have come out.
"No, I'm not- I'm sorry. That was mean, you have every right to make out with whomever you want. Ignore me"
"Ignore you? As if I ever could." He moved to sit next to her.
"Rox, you are allowed to be angry. I was sort of hoping you'd shout at me, actually" he told her softly.
She laughed, "Why would I shout?"
"You're meant to tell me how much of an idiot I am for getting drunk and making out with your evil cousin"
"I wouldn't call her evil exactly…"
"Okay, but something along those lines-"
"Wait, you were drunk?"
"Yes, of course I was. No way would I have kept kissing her otherwise."
"Kept kissing her? She kissed you?"
"Yes. Why what did she say exactly?"
"Well, she said that you weren't drunk, that you kissed her, and she implied…"
"Implied what, exactly?" he said, in a low voice.
"Implied that you had sex with her"
"What the fuck!" he stood suddenly, startling her a little.
"Scor, calm down. It's fine." She put her hand around his wrist and pulled him to sit down.
"Woah, what's going on?" Ly asked, entering the compartment with Liv and Lorcan behind him.
Scor sat down next to Rox and folded his arms across his chest moodily.
"Rose decided to tell Roxanne that we had sex on New Year's Eve"
"Well, she implied it…"
Liv sat down across from Roxanne, "Why was she telling you in the first place? Hello, by the way"
"I dunno. I think she wanted to gloat, annoy me, whatever it is she likes more. Hey to you, too"
"This sounds like a story" Ly said with a grin, taking a place next to Liv, looking at Lorcan for a reaction.
Lorcan punched his brother, "What, just because you two are dating, I can't sit next to my friend?"
"Well, you can, if you don't mind us holding hands across you." Lorcan answered, sitting next to his brother and resting his hand, palm up on Ly's leg. Olivia laughed and placed her hand in his, her thumb tracing over Lorcan's skin.
"Ugh!" he broke their grip and stood.
Lorcan laughed as he slid along next to Liv. And Lysander flopped into the space to his brother's side.
He opened the basket next to him and picked Ginger up, the cat purred and settled in his lap.
"See? You're not the only ones with someone to cuddle. I can be one half of a cute couple too, you know."
"Ginger's male, Ly" Roxanne chuckled.
"Of bloody course he is" Ly continued to stroke the cat all the same, "Go on then, on with your story"
Roxanne gave one last little laugh before launching into the story of her New Year's Day morning and the arguments it had entailed.~
"So, did you owl her then?" Olivia asked Scorpius after Roxanne had finished speaking.
"No, of course not. She was lying"
"Well, I don't see the big deal if I'm honest" Ly shrugged.
"She lied and said they'd had sex at his home on New Year's Eve. Why is that not a big deal?" Liv challenged, genuinely confused by Ly's thought process.
"Well, Scor. Let's be frank, this isn't the first time a girl has lied about you having sex with them. In fact, I've heard loads of girls talk about how great you are in bed, and correct me if I'm wrong, but you're still a virgin."
Liv gave Roxanne a little look of disbelief and Roxanne nodded in confirmation, 'wow' Liv mouthed. She gave her a little 'I know right?!' face. The boys paid no attention.
"That's different though, all of those girls I've at least dated. I kissed Rose once, what makes her think she can just say things like that?"
"Scor chill. It's just Rose, she says what she likes" Lorcan offered.
"Yeah, but you know who she's friends with right?" Ly asked.
"Who?" Rox asked, she'd never paid attention really, she only knew of Lily that was friends with Rose. Obviously Rose had other friends but Roxanne had never thought of who they were.
"She told us she was friends with Samantha and that group" Ly told them, recalling their conversation from the other night, when Rose seemed to be being nice.
"Is she?" Rox asked, she couldn't see Rose with them, even when Rose was being horrible; she had a certain intelligence about it that Samantha and the like didn't show.
"Yeah, apparently, not much. She said they exchange gossip every so often"
"Well then, looks like you're going to have a few rumours going around then, Scorpius"
He huffed, still angry.
"Cheer up, Scor. Could be worse"
"Oh do enlighten me" he drawled.
"Rose could have had an older brother"
Roxanne laughed, she was in a brighter mood now that she knew Scorpius was angry with Rose for lying, in fact she was in a brighter mood knowing Scor seemed to regret it. It did dawn on her that it was none of her business that he had kissed her cousin, but she couldn't help her happiness all the same.
"True. If it had been Lily, James and Fred and maybe even my brother might have had something to say about it" Olivia told him.
"Why would Rox's or your brother care?"
"Lily, Rox and I all used to be like their joint little sisters" Olivia explained.
"Yeah, only Fred and James seemed to forget it for the past four years. But now that Fred's back on big brother duty, James probably is too"
"Oh yeah, how comes your boyfriend hasn't ended up in the hospital wing yet? I wanted to put him there and I'm only your bestest friend" Ly questioned.
"Er, I'm not sure you can claim that title, Ly. But basically because Fred actually listens to me sometimes, James is a bit harder to reason with"
"And Elliott is so chilled." Liv smiled.
"You say that now, Liv. But you're forgetting he's head boy and Lorcan's a prefect" Roxanne pointed out.
"Fuck"
"You'd actually forgotten?"
She nodded, Lorcan looked a little worried.
"Oh well, what's a few more rounds to a prefect? Don't you guys love that stuff anyway?" Ly laughed.
"It's kinda sad when the highlights of the rounds are bursting into broom cupboards and empty classrooms"
"Why is that sad? Surely everyone admits that's the best part?!"
"Liv, that's a little creepy…" Ly told her.
"No, Rox, back me up here, would that not be the best part?"
Rox looked at Liv like she was a little disgusted before grinning. "Of course it is! Just think of all the leverage you could get. The blackmailing opportunities would be endless"
"Unless no one cares if you tell people?"
"If you're making out in a broom cupboard after curfew, it's because you don't want to be seen together, no?"
"No, actually. Some people like the 'thrill'" Lorcan coughed in Scor's direction. He looked up and hummed half-heartedly in agreement.
"What? No smirk? Scor you're not sulking are you?" Roxanne asked.
"Malfoy's don't sulk" he reminded her looking out at the countryside flying by.
"They brood" Ly and Lorcan said together, making the girls laugh.
"Alright, quit brooding then" Rox said, elbowing him in the side. "Honestly, I wouldn't have said anything if I'd have known you would get this annoyed by it"
"Yeah, but if you hadn't said anything, you would have gone on thinking I'd shagged your cousin"
"I never thought she was telling the truth" Rox said quietly, but they both knew she was lying.
"You did question it though" he said moodily, and he was right, she had.
"Only because I let Rose get to me as usual. Come on, Scor don't let her get to you too. I'm related to her, what's your excuse?"
"I kissed her" he shrugged.
"Not a good enough excuse" Liv put in.
"Exactly" she elbowed him again, "Not good enough. Besides, no one's going to care if she tells them you've had sex"
"Yeah, people already think you're a man whore" Ly added, receiving a cold glare back, which he just laughed at.
"Maybe I don't want people thinking that anymore."
Roxanne rolled her eyes in impatience. "Then find yourself a nice girlfriend and stick with her for longer than a month. And stop sulking." She poked him in the side before standing.
"I'm going to find Freddie, there's a couple things I want to steal off of him"
"Ooh, good idea. Maybe El has some chocolate frogs he might want to donate. I'm coming"
Roxanne held the door open for Liv, "You two sort sulkypants out will you?"
"Sulkypants? Real clever, Rox" he told her, with a sarcastic face that looked more him.
She scrunched up her nose and poked her tongue out at him, and she could swear the corner of his mouth fought a smile off.~
Once the girls were safely gone and down the corridor, the boys turned to Scor.
"You going to tell us why this is bothering you so much?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Not really, no" they said together with a grin.
He rolled his eyes, "I just feel like such an idiot for doing it"
"You were drunk mate, it happens, no big deal"
"Except, he thinks it's a big deal" Lorcan said, "because you told Rox you weren't going to be like that anymore?" he guessed. It was kind of unsaid between the three that Scor had a thing for Roxanne. He hadn't commented when they'd asked him last. There was no point him trying to hide it from his two best friends.
"Well yeah. Plus, you didn't see. She seemed angry at me for it. I feel like there's some kind of test and I've just failed."
"If she was angry mate, that's a good sign. It means she cares, on some level at least"
"I think it's more that it was Rose. I doubt she would care if it were any other girl. She probably thinks I am an ass now. I kissed Rose for Merlin's sake"
"I still think Rose is hot" Ly shrugged.
"Yeah, but we're not talking about hotness, I told her before I didn't want to be that kind of guy anymore, that I wanted something more real, I was hoping to prove I wasn't the dog she thinks I am"
"Okay, sooooo... What you've done is gotten off with a horrible, but hot girl, proving you're a dog, because of her personality. Simultaneously going back on what you said about looking for an actual relationship, so you're a liar too?"
"Don't forget the girl was especially bad because she's a bitch to Rox and happens to also be her cousin"
"Gee thanks, guys"
"Just trying to understand why you're so annoyed"
"I think you guys could have done that all in your genius heads, you knew"
"Yeah, but hearing you admit to it is way better"
"Besides, you need to not be so affected by this"
"Why, am I not allowed to be angry with people chatting shit about me?"
"No, you're not; because, she'll notice something's up. It's not like you to have something like this affect you so much. Scorpius Malfoy shrugs sex rumours off with a smirk."
"Yeah, the very same Scorpius Malfoy that only cares about the attractiveness of the girls he dates"
"Okay, well we know you're not that Malfoy anymore, so actually show her"
"But don't be so moody because she will suspect. And I imagine you're not ready to tell her you like her"
"No, she can't know. That would definitely fuck things up."
"So, stop being such a little bitch about this and get over it."
"So I'm being a little bitch now am I?"
"Yeah you are, staring out of the window and not talking-" Lorcan began.
"Classic little bitch behaviour" Ly finished.
Scor rolled his eyes at them both.
"You'll thank us later when she falls for you"
"Don't do that Ly"
"Do what? I've told you I think she likes you"
"Yeah, and after you said that she started dating Williams"
"Minor setback"
"Nothing's going to happen, I know that. I just can-"
"Can't help the way you feel?" Lorcan finished and he nodded.
"Remember I thought Liv would never like me?"
"Yeah, except you're a great guy and Liv didn't have a boyfriend at the time you realised you liked her"
"Rox thinks you're a great guy"
"She thinks I'm a great friend. It's not the same"
"Bu-"
"Stop, guys. I'm not looking to win her over; I know a lost cause when I see one. I just can't bear to have her think of me as some asshole who doesn't care about girls' feelings. Opinions have never mattered to me, except hers. And I know that's dumb because I know there's no chance with her, but it is how it is. The sooner I get over her, the better"
"Well then…" Lorcan began.
Scorpius laughed, "Sorry about that, not much you guys can say to it"
"Plenty I can say to that, but you're a dense, stubborn fuck sometimes and you won't listen so, yeah not much I'm gonna say to that"
"They're coming" Lorcan commented, noticing the sound of Olivia's laugh down the train.
Scorpius knew of course, because he'd noticed the sound of Rox's laugh too.
"Suck it up then pretty boy" Ly told him.
He laughed, "Thanks guys" it was half sarcastic but he looked at them both and he knew they knew he meant it.~
A/N:
So, that was kinda long right?
See, how lucky you all are to have a fabulously inconsistent 'gal like me? Long chapters just pop up for no reason!
Unfortunately I won't get any better at quick updates any time soon. Especially now that its the dreaded exam season...(ugh x1000)
Hope you all enjoyed that last one, I really liked writing it (Not sure if it was because it was good, or because I was writing instead of revision). So yeah, let me know what you thought!
Keep being the lovely patient people you are, and hey reviews might tempt me away for a few minutes at a time. And a chapter might slowly materialise and be somehow posted even when I should be working...
Good Luck to any of you in the same boat as me at the moment, I just hope your boat is a little bit more sturdy and less leaky than mine is!
Lots of Love,
Cookie xxx