Rose would have been lying if she said she hadn't put in slightly more thought into her outfit and makeup that Monday morning.
And, well, the rest of the week leading up to the gala too.
Scorpius was caught in a meeting and wouldn't be able to make lunch on Monday, but he sent Rose an owl asking what time she was done with work. When Rose was leaving that evening, Scorpius was sitting in the visitor's waiting room waiting for her. "Well," Rose couldn't help the smile that began to stretch across her face when she stood in front of him and he slowly closed that day's Prophet. "I wasn't expecting to see you here," her voice was low.
"I hope I'm not overstepping," he smiled at her as he stood. "But I wanted to see you." He glanced around, "I don't think anyone's noticed?"
"That hair of yours is hard not to notice, Auror Malfoy," Rose teased. "I don't know how you're able to sneak up on anyone with that bright -"
"Yes, thank you," Scorpius said in her ear and guided her towards the exit. "Fancy a walk through Muggle London? I've some Christmas gifts yet to buy."
"You always do things so last minute?" Rose arched an eyebrow at him but couldn't help the teasing smile on her face. "I'd love a walk," she assured him, putting a hand on his arm."And something to eat?"
"Of course," he smiled and as they stepped out into Muggle London, put his arm around her waist to pull her closer to him as they braced themselves against the cold.
"Talk to me about something that isn't the gala," she grinned up at him as they walked.
"Bored already?" He teased.
"Tired," she admitted with a sigh. "I just want the bloody thing to be over with," she pointed at a shop. "Who do you need gifts for?"
"Mum, dad," he listed off, "Albus." He shrugged, "Everyone, really."
"You don't get a gift for everyone, do you?" She frowned at him. "Surely you're in the pool as well?"
"I've been told not to buy gifts for anyone," he laughed, "every year. But we Malfoys -"
"Hmm," Rose cut him off. "You really shouldn't, you know."
"Only for your grandparents, the Potters, and your mum -"
"My mum?" Rose leaned away from him slightly in shock. "You get a gift for my mum?"
"She is my boss, Petal," he pulled her back towards him. "Just a lovely book like I do every year," he kissed the top of her head. "I don't give it to her on Christmas, don't worry."
"Bloody 'ell," Rose shook her head in disbelief. "You get my mum a gift -"
"I like to think of it more as I'm giving a gift to the Minister of Magic," Scorpius chuckled. "Does that make it better?"
"I suppose so," she sighed in such a dramatic fashion that it made Scorpius think she learned it from James and Fred and he let out another small laugh. "You're not getting me a gift, Malfoy," she said seriously and poked him in his side, knowing he'd barely feel it through his thick winter coat.
"Not even a nice bottle of whisky that I hope you'll drink with me?" Scorpius asked casually, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
"I could never say no to whisky," she admitted. "But not on Christmas," she amended. "No gifts this year, yea?"
"This year?" Scorpius pulled her closer still to him and bent his head to kiss her cheek quickly. He bloody liked the sound of that.
They spent the evening walking and shopping and teasing each other, neither of them once talking about work, which Rose didn't realize until she and Scorpius were each eating a slice of very greasy "New York style pizza" from a small shop. When she did realize neither had spoken a word about work or the upcoming gala, a small, soft, smile appeared on her face, her eyes flashing to Scorpius for a moment before she drew her attention back to her pizza.
"You reckon this is really what they eat in the states?" Scorpius asked her. "Rather oily."
"Needs more cheese," Rose agreed. "I've never been to the states," she shrugged. "Would rather like to go one day and try all their pizzas."
"All their pizzas?" Scorpius looked confused.
"My mate in Stockholm said something about Chicago style pizza once," Rose wiped her mouth with her thin napkin. "I assume there's got to be more types," she said with a shrug.
"Hmm," Scorpius nodded as he chewed thoughtfully. "A trip to the states to try their pizzas," he smirked slightly. "Rather an expensive trip just for pizza."
Rose tossed her napkin at him with a deep laugh.
Scorpius insisted on walking Rose home and when they stood outside her flat door and he tried to kiss her quickly, she grabbed at his coat collar to pull him closer, deepening the kiss with a soft moan that made Scorpius wrap his arms tighter around her waist.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Petal," he whispered against her cheek when he finally pulled away, winking at her.
On Tuesday, Scorpius brought Rose coffee early in the morning before he was due at the Ministry. She nearly jumped out of her chair when he knocked on her office door, reaching for her wand, but grinned widely when she saw it was him. "What are you doing here?" She asked as he walked around her desk and set the paper cup on her desk.
"I'm working late tonight but wanted to see you," his lazy smile made Rose's heart beat faster as he leaned against the desk and bent to kiss her chastely.
"That's awfully thoughtful of you," she whispered against his lips before waving her hand for the door to shut and lock. "Do you have to go right away?"
She looked up at him, her eyes a very dark blue and Scorpius pulled her up from her chair as he leaned on her desk and pulled her to him. "Not right away," he murmured before tilting her head back slightly to kiss her properly.
On Wednesday, Scorpius asked Rose out for lunch and took her to his 'favorite chippy' in Muggle London that was within walking distance to the Ministry.
"We really should have a green," Rose leaned against him with a laugh.
"I promise to have a green for dinner," he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her tightly against him and grinned when she laughed.
On Thursday, Scorpius popped by Rose's flat for a brief moment before he had to go back to the office after dinner for a 'late-night strategy meeting' to give her a small bottle of whisky and snog her senseless against her front door.
"This isn't a Christmas gift," he whispered, his breath tickling her face. "It's not Christmas yet."
"I promise I won't drink it without you," Rose couldn't help her small smile as Scorpius's lips moved slowly along her neck.
"Saturday," he promised, his hand gripping her waist.
"If you don't go now," Rose breathed, letting out a small gasp when Scorpius tilted her head back slightly to kiss her deeply.
"Can I see you tomorrow?" He asked, when he finally pulled away.
"You better," Rose pushed him away slightly with a coy smile. "Goodnight, Malfoy."
"Night, Petal," he winked at her and slipped out of her flat.
On Friday, Rose owled Scorpius to let him know she'd be at the Ministry with Astoria and Healer Dawson for the final walk-through for the Ministry gala, and told him she'd be popping by the Auror office to say hello to her Uncle Harry. 'And you, if you're around'.
Scorpius couldn't help a grin from stretching across his face as he tucked the note into his pocket and stood up to get himself a cup of tea. He wasn't sure when Rose would be stopping by, but he hoped it was towards the end of the day so they could leave together and get dinner or a drink.
"You look too bloody pleased," Fiona huffed at him as she took the tea bag out of her large porcelain mug. "Why are you so bloody happy?"
Scorpius tilted his head slightly and pouted at her, "Do I not always seem happy?"
"Cough it up, sir," Fiona rolled her eyes. "You're never this happy."
"Not even when you got Zhuk, sir" Catriona strolled into the room. "Bloody smiling at your desk -"
"Is it a crime to smile?" Scorpius narrowed his eyes at them.
"The way you're doing it, sir," Fiona bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Maybe I'm just excited it's the holidays," Scorpius shrugged as he went about making himself a cup of tea. "Maybe I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's gala -"
"Bollocks," Catriona laughed. "It's more than that," she watched him carefully.
"We'll get to the bottom of it, sir" Fiona agreed.
"We're Aurors after all," Catriona smirked slightly. "We learned from the best."
"Thank you," Scorpius turned, putting his hand on his chest. "That means so much -"
"From me," Bruce trudged into the kitchen. "They learned from me, Malfoy. I'm the best."
Scorpius rolled his eyes and patted the older man on the shoulder, "Course they did, Bruce, sir." Scorpius shook his head at Fiona and Catriona and left the small kitchen to head back to his desk.
Rose tried to not sound too relieved when her tour with Mrs. Malfoy, Healer Dawson, Thomasin, and one of Thomasin's colleagues finally came to an end. She shook everyone's hand and thanked them, promising to meet them all an hour before the gala to make sure everything was in order.
"Everything will be in order, of course," Astoria said to Rose. "But it's always nice to come a bit early and nick a few drinks or bits of food."
"Drinks?" Rose was surprised.
"Sober-Up Potions," Astoria flashed her a quick smile. "Sometimes it's more fun attending a Wizarding event," she winked at Rose. "See you tomorrow," she waved at them all and walked towards the front entrance of the Ministry.
"You want to come up to the Minister's office?" Thomasin asked Rose with a small. "I know your mum's got a 5 minute window in her day right about now."
"Oh, that'd be brills," Rose returned the smile. "Thought I'd pop in and see Uncle Harry too, but I didn't think mum would have time." Rose followed Thomasin to the lifts after saying goodbye to Healer Dawson and assuring him again that he wouldn't have to speak at the gala the next evening.
"I wanted to apologize to you, Rose," Thomasin's voice was soft as she leaned against the wall of the lift across from Rose. "I acted like a right prat when I burst into St. Mungo's -"
"You were just doing your -"
Thomasin let out a gruff laugh, "My job, sure. But my job was awful and it made me act in ways I regret," she met Rose's eyes. "I've apologized to Malfoy already, always harassing him for bits and bobs for articles," she shrugged, frowning slightly. "I still need to apologize to Fred, but I'm very thankful to be out of there."
"I'm glad you're out of there too," Rose grinned at her former yearmate. "And now that I'm more settled in my own gig," she steeled herself slightly when the lift shook. "I'd love to get a drink with you."
"I'd love that," Thomasin's smile was infectious and when the lift opened, she tucked some of her long dark blonde hair behind her ear. "I've got plenty of gossip about the others that I'm dying to tell you."
Rose let out her deep-throated laugh and Thomasin laughed too as they walked towards Hermione's office.
"Oh, Rose," Hermione smiled up at her daughter when Thomasin knocked on the door frame. "How was the tour of the atrium? Everything to your and Mrs. Malfoy's satisfaction?"
"It'll look wonderful tomorrow," Rose smiled. "Just wanted to pop by and say hello, but I don't want to hold you up -"
"Please," Hermione waved her hand. "Thomasin made sure I'd have a few minutes free when you were done with the tour," she winked at Thomasin. "She's too bloody good at her job."
Thomasin's cheeks pinked slightly. "Just trying not to get fired," she joked.
"You can go home early, Thomasin," Hermione continued. "I'll be leaving shortly too, and I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yes, Minister -"
"You're not working as such tomorrow, Thomasin, don't forget. So please do try to have some fun," Hermione winked.
Thomasin let a chuckle escape before she put a hand on Rose's shoulder, "See you tomorrow, Weasley."
"See you, Carter," Rose grinned at her friend, pleased that she and Thomasin had managed to get over whatever weirdness there had been when she returned to England, and knowing full well she had Scorpius Malfoy to thank for that.
"Do you need me for anything tomorrow, Rose?" Hermione asked, her hands on her desk as she leaned forward slightly. "As the Minister or as your mum?" She tilted her head slightly. "I mean, besides my normal routine of shaking hands, making small talk, and making a short introduction of Mrs. Malfoy and Healer Dawson."
"I'll actually be speaking on behalf of Healer Dawson," Rose said confidently.
"Oh," Hermione beamed. "That's wonderful!"
"Thanks," Rose couldn't help her small smile. "Healer Dawson doesn't love public speaking and asked if I'd do it instead."
"Do you want me to introduce you, or Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione's brow furrowed slightly, "I know it's hard, being the Minister's daughter and all."
Rose bit her bottom lip for a split second before she shook her head, "Yes, we'd love for you to introduce us. And you know what, it's not hard." The words tumbled out of Rose's mouth, "I'm my own person, aren't I? And if people don't want to respect my position at St. Mungo's, that's their prerogative, but it doesn't bother me." She let out a long breath as what she said washed over her; she didn't care anymore; she wondered when that had started and why she hadn't realized it until now.
"Oh, Rosie," Hermione's eyes teared up slightly as she walked around her desk to pull her daughter in for a hug. "I love you."
"I love you too, mum," Rose chuckled softly and returned the hug.
"I'm so proud of you, you know," Hermione pulled back to look Rose in the eyes and wiped away a tear. "Your father too, although I know he tells you all the time. It was so hard to see you go to Sweden, we missed you so much, but I understand why you had to do it," she put her hand on Rose's cheek. "You needed to become your own person out from under our shadows -"
"Mum," Rose's face fell slightly.
"I understand, darling. I needed to get out from my own shadow once too," she smiled sadly at her daughter and let her hand fall to her shoulder. "You're going to do great things at St. Mungo's, love. Or wherever you decide to go -"
"I'm staying at St. Mungo's, mum," Rose's lips twitched and she pulled her mum, the Minister of Magic herself, in for another hug. "I'm not leaving."
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"Well, isn't this a splendid surprise!" Harry looked up from the file he was reading and grinned at Hermione and Rose in the doorway. Scorpius, who was sitting across from Harry with his back to the door, turned slightly in his chair, his face breaking into a sly grin he couldn't help when his eyes landed on Rose.
Catching himself staring at Rose for a beat too long, Scorpius stood up and smiled at Hermione, "Minister Granger-Weasley, it's wonderful to see you again. Please," he offered her his seat, but Hermione shook her head.
"I've come to steal Harry away," she grinned at him. "We're meeting Ron for a drink -"
Harry let out a surprise laugh, his bright green eyes wide, "We are?"
"A Christmas drink, come on," Hermione's eyes were bright as she laughed too. "Just the three of us before the gang meets us at the Leaky -"
"The gang?" Harry laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Godric, how long's it been for the gang without any bloody kids," his eyes darted to Scorpius and Rose. "No offense."
"None taken," Rose laughed and Scorpius's lips twitched.
Harry closed the file on his desk and handed it to Scorpius, "We'll deal with that on Monday, Malfoy." He grabbed his coat off the coat rack, winked at Rose and Scorpius and followed Hermione out of his office with a wide grin.
"See you two tomorrow night!" Hermione called back to them as they left the office.
"The gang?" Scorpius asked.
"Their schoolmates," Rose shrugged. "I think, at least. Probably most of the DA," she let out a soft laugh. "They'll probably shut down the Leaky for them. James and Fred tried to sneak in once under the cloak when they got together years ago to see how drunk they got but," she bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"They got very drunk instead?" Scorpius asked with a knowing smile.
"Very," Rose laughed, her dark blue eyes flitting over his body for a long moment before she arched an eyebrow at him. "Fancy a drink?"
"I'd love one," he took a step to her and put his hand on her lower back. "Let me grab my things quickly and I'll meet you at the lifts." He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before he left Harry's office.
Rose didn't have to wait long at the lifts before Scorpius met her there with a huge smile on his face. "So, how was your tour of the Atrium?"
"I'll be glad to see it finally done and decorated tomorrow," she sighed, glancing at him briefly as she stepped into the lifts ahead of him, glad it was empty. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple softly. "I'm glad I'm doing very little of the planning bit," she chuckled softly, leaning into him.
"You'll never have to do much of it," Scorpius chuckled and reluctantly pulled himself away from her as they neared the Atrium. "Unless you want to, of course."
"Your mother's much better at it," Rose smiled. "She's got a better eye for how the room should look," she stepped out of the lift and led Scorpius to the front entrance, not paying much attention to who was still milling about. "Thomasin joined us," she turned her head back towards him. "It's been lovely to see her outside the Prophet," she smiled. "I'm excited to be proper friends with her again."
"Oh," Scorpius ran a hand through his hair.
"And I have you to thank, Malfoy," she winked at him before turning her gaze back in front of her. "I know you won't accept it, but thought I'd say it."
Once they were out in Muggle London out of the view of wizards and witches, Scorpius wrapped his arm around Rose's waist, "Have a particular type of drink you want?"
"Anything," Rose shrugged. "Or nothing," she glanced at him and winked. "Could just pop back to mine for a glass of -"
"Save that for tomorrow's nightcap," Scorpius laughed and pulled her tighter against him. "Let's have an early dinner and get you home -"
"Rubbish," Rose laughed and put her hand on his arm. "Want to see a Muggle film?"
"I know a small theater that shows old, classic films," Scorpius couldn't help his grin as Rose laughed.
"Of course you bloody do," she shook her head. "As long as they've got popcorn."
"They do," he laughed. "And pints. Shall we?"
"Let's," Rose agreed with a wide smile.
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Scorpius walked Rose to a small bistro after the film for a glass of wine and a small dessert before Scorpius insisted on walking Rose home. He kissed her outside her flat quickly and whispered, "I do wish I could escort you to the gala tomorrow -"
"But I need to be there early anyway," Rose's hand was on his cheek and she caressed her thumb across his sharp cheekbone. "And you promised me a nightcap."
"And I plan on holding you to that," he leaned into her hand before pulling his face away and kissing the palm of her hand quickly with a smirk. "Try to enjoy getting ready with your cousins tomorrow."
"I will," Rose laughed with a small shake of her head.
"Have a goodnight, Petal," he stepped away from her as she opened her door. "See you tomorrow."
"I'll be the one in the lovely dress," Rose called after him with a laugh.
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Flashback: Summer before 7th Year
Rose accepted a stolen flute of champagne from Dominique with a devious grin, "Wicked." She clinked the glass with her cousin and took a small sip. "I think I prefer Uncle Charlie's whisky," Rose giggled.
"He let you have some?" Dominique pouted. "No fair! He wouldn't let me have any until I was 18!"
Rose shrugged, "He's scared of your dad, not mine."
Dominique rolled her eyes and looked out at their family members dancing and drinking around them. "Wish there were more blokes to dance with," Dominique sighed.
"Aren't you dating -"
Dominique scoffed, "He bloody wishes."
"She dumped him weeks ago," Lily laughed and tried to steal Dominique's champagne flute out of her hand.
"You're much too young," Dominique sniffed haughtily. "You won't appreciate the taste -"
"Shut it," Roxanne rolled her eyes and shoved a glass of beer into Lily's hands. "Drink it fast before anyone notices. Fred nicked them for us -"
"You broke up with," Rose frowned as she trailed off. "I've forgotten his name."
"Exactly," Lily giggled.
"Or are you already too drunk to remember?" Roxanne laughed.
"Shut it," Dominique huffed at her younger cousins. "We aren't dating, we barely even did date," she finished her champagne in one gulp. "Want another?"
"No," Rose shook her head. "I'd rather something else," she turned, hoping to spot her Uncle Charlie again to no avail. "He didn't leave, did he?"
"Uncle Charlie?" Fred asked from behind him.
"He's having a cigar with Uncle Bill," James pointed out past the treeline behind Andromeda Tonks' home. "Something about them being old -"
"Now that Victoire's married," Fred finished with a laugh. "You lot need another drink?'
"No," Rose said with a glare. "They're too young -"
"Yes, please!" Lily and Roxanne cheered.
"Come on," James and Fred pulled their sisters away from Dominique and Rose who rolled their eyes.
"Despicable," Dominique huffed before laughing again. "Guess we should let them have some fun. It's a wedding after all."
"Suppose so," Rose agreed and grinned at Albus when he walked over. "Where's Emma?"
"Stealing drinks with Scorpius," Albus grinned. "They'll bring some over for you -"
"We don't need," Rose started but Dominique interrupted her with, "Brilliant!"
Rose tried not to frown into her champagne flute; it wasn't that she didn't want to drink, it was that she wasn't exactly interested in getting drunk in front of her parents and aunts and uncles and grandparents and -
"Pints?" Scorpius squeezed into their small circle with Albus's girlfriend Emma holding several glasses.
"Thanks," Dominique grinned. "Nudge over, come on," she laughed at Rose who rolled her eyes.
"Pint, Petal?" Scorpius asked with a small smirk. Rose did her best not to growl at him as she accepted the pint glass. "What, no thank you?" He teased.
"Thanks," she hissed and finished her champagne in one sip before letting the empty glass float away without muttering an incantation.
Scorpius saw and said softly, "Impressive." Rose didn't respond but arched an eyebrow at him as she took a small sip of her lager.
Rose could feel Scorpius's eyes on her frequently as their small group chatted and even as their group got bigger when James, Fred, Lily, and Roxanne joined them, but actively ignored him unless the conversation called for it, which it rarely did. Eventually some of the others went to look for new drinks and Albus and Emma went to dance. "Has anyone seen Hugo?" Rose asked, but Lily and Roxanne shook their heads.
"Think he's with the youngins," James shrugged, his brown eyes barely open as he leaned against Fred. "You got that Sober-Up potion we bought? I want to drink more." The pair walked away.
Dominique rolled her eyes and muttered something about checking to make sure her mother hadn't dehydrated herself by crying too much, and walked away too.
Scorpius, finally with enough courage now that their group was smaller, leaned over to Rose to say kindly, "You look very nice tonight, Petal."
"Thanks," Rose muttered, craning her head to look for her brother.
"Fancy a dance?" Scorpius asked, his voice hopeful.
"Oh," Rose was surprised and brought her gaze back to Scorpius. "Thanks, Malfoy, but I'm alright. Want to find my brother," she flashed him a quick smile and hurried off.
Scorpius took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a brief moment. Noticing Lily and Roxanne were still standing there with him, thankfully having not seen that upsetting interaction, he asked, "Fancy another drink, ladies?"
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"I need to do this quickly," Rose was saying as soon as she stepped through Lily and Roxanne's Floo. "I've got to be at the Ministry an hour before the rest of you -"
"Shut it and get a glass of fizz," Lily called out from her bedroom with a laugh.
"I'll do your hair in a flash," Roxanne hurried into the sitting room in her robe. "But let's get a drink first -"
"I can't drink," Rose started to say but Aisling shoved a champagne flute in her hand.
"Sober-Up potion," Aisling winked at her and shoved a small vial into her hand. "It's good to be a Wizard."
"I still don't want to drink too much," Rose muttered but allowed Aisling to tip her glass to hers and they took a small sip.
Getting ready for this gala was more chaotic than the previous week and Rose soon found she did need several drinks - preferably whisky which she did not have - and found herself drinking more champagne than she would have otherwise liked to partake in to keep her sanity and wits about her. She allowed Roxanne to do her hair again in a similar low-bun, but this time with several braids around the crown of her head, and sipped her champagne as she listened to Lily panicking about her own hair and makeup and Dominique wondering if it was too plain for her hair to be down.
"With those bloody waves?" Aisling snorted. "They're not plain -"
"They're bloody to die for," Lily agreed as she fussed in the mirror. "Should I -"
"Put yer hair in a sleek, high, ponytail," Aisling interrupted her. "With that gown?"
"Ooh," Roxanne agreed and turned to Lily. "That'll look wicked."
"Absolutely perfect," Dominique agreed and ran her hand through her hair before she picked up her bag of makeup and settled down in front of the mirror.
"What about you, Aisling?" Lily asked. "Your hair is rather short -"
"How I like it," Aisling laughed and with a wink tapped her wand to the crown of her head and grinned as the others watched with rapt attention as some of her hair braided around her crown.
"That was -"
"Bloody -"
"Brilliant," Dominique breathed.
"How did you do that?" Rose asked, very impressed.
"One of my yearmates was obsessed with hair," Aisling shrugged. "Taught us a few things she created."
"Well she's a genius," Lily breathed. "Why does she not own her own shop?"
Aisling shrugged, "Tried to convince her, but her parents wanted her at the Ministry, ye know."
"Rubbish," Roxanne grumbled as she continued on Rose's hair.
"Rose, what are you thinking for makeup?" Lily asked as she began to pull her hair into a ponytail.
Rose bit her lip, "Simple."
"Lipstick?" Roxanne asked, an eyebrow arched as she looked at her cousin in the mirror.
"Of course," Rose smiled. "Not sure what color goes well with my dress," she admitted. "Any suggestions?"
"Dark," Roxanne smirked. "Very dark."
"You could do eye makeup that sorta matches your dress," Lily suggested.
"But not too much," Dominique winked as she stood back up from the mirror. "Is this too much?"
"Love it," Lily cooed and took a sip of her champagne. "I like that better than you matching your blue dress."
"Thanks," Dominique grinned and picked up her own glass. "And who's got pink lipstick I can borrow?"
"Top drawer," Roxanne laughed. "Plenty to choose from."
"You have a problem," Dominique chuckled as she pulled open the drawer.
"How's that look?" Roxanne asked Rose, putting her hands on Rose's shoulders.
"Perfect. But you better help her," Rose laughed and tilted her head to Dominique.
"She does look out of her depth," Roxanne whispered with a smirk.
"Aisling, you better be matching your dress to your -"
"Don't worry," AIsling laughed and pulled her lipstick out of her bag. "Way bloody ahead of ye."
Rose laughed and stood up from the chair she had been sitting in, to slip into the bathroom and step into her gown so she could do her makeup quickly and leave for the Ministry. She took a deep breath when she was alone in the bathroom, wondering if she should have written a short speech when her mother introduced her, but she rather thought she'd be better on the fly.
"Hurry up in there," Dominique knocked on the door with a laugh and Rose rolled her eyes as she adjusted the dress slightly and grinned at her reflection; she looked bloody good in this dress.
She opened the door and waved her hand dramatically, "Please, your highness, I'm so sorry -"
"Shut it, Weasley," Dominique laughed. "You look brilliant -"
"I know," Rose bit her lip. "Can I stay in here to put my makeup on?
"Yea," Dominique agreed. "I just want to put this lipstick on," she opened the tube of lipstick and frowned. "Actually," she trailed off, glancing at Rose through the mirror.
"Let me," Rose laughed. "It's the one thing I know I can do well." She took the tube from her cousin and carefully applied the lipstick. "This is a lovely color. I've never seen Roxanne wear it."
"I'm thinking of stealing it," Dominique said quietly as she pressed her lips together before Rose put on another coat.
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Rose laughed before saying the incantation so Dominique's lipstick wouldn't budge all night. "Now let me do my makeup quickly so I can leave."
Dominique laughed and shoved her cousin playfully as she walked to the bathroom door. "You do look wonderful, you know."
"Thanks," Rose said sincerely.
When she stepped out of the bathroom a few short minutes later, she let the others coo over her for a moment before she grabbed the pair of black heels she had borrowed from Lily the previous week. "Come on, I've got to," she laughed when Roxanne grabbed her chin to tell her how pretty the very deep plum lipstick she was wearing looked with the dress. "I'd love to stay, but I've got to get there early," she laughed again when Lily took both of her hands and squealed about her dress.
"We'll see her in a bloody hour," Aisling pulled Lily away. "Quick," Aisling laughed as Rose hurried away.
"Aren't you bringing a bag?" Dominique shouted after her with a laugh.
"Don't need it," Rose laughed, taking a small sip from her Sober-Up vial, and stepped through the Floo before anyone could stop her.
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A/N: I love New York style pizza.