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Chapter Fourteen

Stupid Gray Area

Rose was vaguely aware of what was going on around her. It was dinner time. The plate full of untouched food in front of her, her brother to her left and her parents across from her proved that. Hugo, bless his stupid heart, was trying to get her to talk to Dad, but it would take a lot more then her Father's halfhearted apology to make up for paying her male cousins to interfere in her relationship. Not that it made much of a difference anymore.

She was inclined to forgive her Father after the letter she'd received from Stephen, though.

Lots was about to change because of that letter. Not just her mood and attitude towards her Father, but her whole outlook on her family. If things were going to work out the way they needed to, Rose needed to reevaluate the way she treated her family and the way her family treated her and her personal privacy. There were no secrets in the Weasley/Potter clan. Everyone knew everyone else's business and that made having an intimate relationship very difficult.

For her anyway. The oldest and youngest Potter children seemed to doing a fine job of it. But then again their parents weren't getting overly involved in their personal lives.

Stephen's letter had arrived hours ago and Rose was unable to stop reading it. She'd wanted to respond immediately, but knew that her knee jerk inclination could lead her astray as it had last time she'd had to make a seemingly difficult decision regarding Stephen. The letter read:

Dear Rose,

First and foremost I have to apologize. It's taken me far too long to figure this out and for that I'm truly sorry. I thought I could handle just being your friend but I can't. It's all or nothing for me. I can't stand this stupid gray area. I want to be with you so much I've refused every date I've been asked on. I just feel like I'd be betraying you somehow.

I know this seems to be coming out of nowhere. We've been playing this casual game for months. At least I hope it's a game for you because it sure as hell has been a game for me. It takes me hours to write to you because the first few drafts of my letters always seem to reveal too much. But now I'm laying it out there.

I want to be the man for you. I'll deal with you crazy family for the rest of my life if it mean I get to have you. I'll only ever kiss you in secret if it means I get to kiss you. I'll make you smile everyday if it means I get to make you smile.

I don't want to pressure you into making some huge decision about your feelings for me, but I thought you should know the truth. I adore you, just know that won't change. The only reason I agreed to break up was because it seemed to be what you wanted and I just want you to be happy.

Write me back if you want me back or if you don't. Either way I have to know. So that's me putting myself out there.

Love you Always,

Stephen

P.S. I mean that. Every. Word.

Rose felt her heart soar. Stephen wanted the same thing she did. He'd been having the same trouble keeping their relationship light that she'd been having. He hadn't even gone out with another girl! They would be back together as soon as Rose wrote him. She knew that she'd have to set aside her pride if she was to be with Stephen again. She'd have to admit that she'd made a mistake and that it had cost them both dearly. If Stephen was willing to forgive her she was willing to make it work, even though it would be tough with her still in school.

The happiness of being with Stephen was worth it.

It was worth all the trouble in the world. You simply can't put a price on happiness.

The problem was that as soon as her Father got wind that she and Stephen were back together he'd sic her cousins on them again. The few times she'd be able to spend anytime with Stephen they'd be surrounded by family and unable to do anything to express their feelings. And Rose was more then willing to express all of her feelings for Stephen. Her time apart from him had shown her how truly special what they had (and would have again) was. She didn't want to waste a moment of the time she had with him being uncertain.

Hugo gave a dramatic sigh and Rose finally managed to draw her attention away from her letter. He'd been annoyingly persistent that she resolve her issues with her father lately. It was most unlike him to be so involved in her problems. But she supposed that her anger with their father put quite a strain on their family and Hugo was no doubt feeling it. Rose figured that she'd have to actually forgive her father. She'd done a lot of reflecting lately and had come to several realizations.

The most prominent realization being that problems with one relationship (let's say, the relationship between Rose and her father) often caused problems in other relationships (like the relationship Rose had with Stephen). If she was going to have a long and happy relationship with Stephen she'd have to find it in her to really and truly forgive her father. But to do that she'd have to understand a few things. Things that eluded her since her father had set her cousins on her and Stephen.

But she couldn't ask him. She was still too pissed. She'd have to ask someone she knew wouldn't sugar coat the truth. Rose turned to her left, towards Hugo, who had vanished.

"Where's Hugo?" she asked her parents hoping they hadn't vanished as well.

"He said he was going to watch telly over at Ruby Christopher's house," her father answered. He sounded pleased, probably because this was the first time she'd even marginally spoken to him.

"Do you mind if I head over there too?" Rose made a point of asking both her parents. Part of fixing her relationship with her father involved recognizing his presence. Something she'd childishly ignored for weeks.

"Not at all, sweetheart," her Dad said.

Rose gave him a little smile before heading for the door.

As she made her way down the sidewalk to Ruby's house only a few houses down, she thought about what she'd write to Stephen. She desperately wanted to see him but couldn't think of a way she could without her father finding out. She knew Stephen's schedule backwards and forwards from his letters and knew that if she lied to her parents about where she was, she could go to his flat outside of London, but she preferred not to lie. Lying to her parents left a bad taste in her mouth. She was trying to mend her relationship with her parents and lying to them seemed counterproductive.

Certainly a lie of omission wouldn't be remiss, though. Rose stopped in front of Ruby's house. The blinds were open and she could clearly see Ruby and Hugo sitting on the couch watching the telly. She thought about her idea of simply not telling anyone about her and Stephen. Her parents worked all day during the week, Hugo wouldn't pester her about where she was going, he'd been the one to tell her to get out of the house, hadn't he? This lie of omission idea was sounding better and better. If she and Stephen figured out a place to meet on the weekends, she could tell her parents she was going to see a friend (not entirely falsehood, Stephen would be her boyfriend) and really sneak off with Stephen.

Rose did a little happy dance. If she kept her relationship a secret until she graduated, she and Stephen could be together without her family's interference. The future suddenly seemed worlds brighter. Rose looked to her brother and Ruby again and gasped. It seemed she wasn't the only Weasley to get the lie of omission idea. Rose snorted as the feisty blue eyed blonde haired Ruby climbed onto Hugo's lap and began snogging him with gusto.

Rose shook her head. She could ask her brother about their father later. They both had better things to do. Hugo had to snog the Muggle girl who lived down the street and Rose had a letter to write.

---

Clenched in Stephen's hand was the missive he'd received from Rose. The content of the letter was as simple as it was heart lifting. It had been trying acting like he was only interested in being her friend when he wanted to be so much more. It had taken him days to write the letter that revealed so much of what he was actually feeling. It had taken far longer then it really should have because he had to continue writing casual letters to her. He'd initially thought to hold off on writing her more letters until he'd sent the one that actually meant something but she'd comment in one of her letters about how much she enjoyed their correspondence, limited though it was. Stephen just couldn't stop doing something she enjoyed.

She needed to be happy and he needed to be the one making her happy.

Apparently Rose felt the same of so her letter told. It read:

Dear Stephen,

I want to kiss you.

I want you to make me smile.

I want to be with you.

Meet me outside Diagon Alley tomorrow at 10 am.

Love,

Rose

P.S. I meant that. Every. Word.

So here he was. Sitting outside Diagon Alley waiting for his lovely Rose. He'd been waiting for a little over thirty minutes. She wasn't late, he'd been early. He had been so excited about seeing her that he'd arrived early in the hopes that she would be to. But as the hour reached 10 it was becoming more apparent to Stephen that she'd be arriving promptly at the hour and no sooner. He shook his head. He wasn't all that upset. It was better to wait where he was then to wait around his flat. He'd have been bouncing off the walls if he'd have waited there. No it was better that he was out.

Stephen looked at his watch again. Two minutes. In two minutes he'd be kissing his Rose again. He'd be holding her. Telling her all those things he'd avoided in his letters. In two minutes the horrible pressure that had been on his chest ever since Rose broke up with him would ease. Stephen looked up as someone approached. He quickly looked away. Whoever it was, was wearing an oversized black cloak with the hood obscuring their face. He didn't care what the shady fellow was up to so long as he didn't interfere with his glorious reunion with Rose. They'd kiss as Stephen spun them around in the sun. It would be per-

"Stephen,"

Stephen looked towards the bloke in the cloak who had called out to him, sounding remarkably like his Rose.

"Stephen." The hood twitched to the side revealing a lock of Weasley red hair.

"Rose?" Stephen got up from the bench he'd been fidgeting on for the past thirty or so minutes. "What are yo-"

"Shh!" she glanced back the direction she'd come as if to see if she'd been followed. But by who Stephen hadn't a clue. "You can Apparate, right?" she asked.

"Well, sure, but-" he began, reaching out for her.

Rose rushed into his arms. "Get us to your flat, and hurry!"

"But, Rose-"

"Hurry!"

Stephen pulled his wand from his robes and with a POP! they vanished from outside Diagon Alley. Once they'd landed in Stephen's flat, Rose breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the cloak off. Stephen took in her silky pink skirt and white tank top. He was so used to seeing her in her school uniform, seeing her in something that flattered her figure so nicely was new and utterly delightful. He wanted to kiss her, badly.

"Rose." She turned away from the tiny mirror over the fire place which she'd been fixing her hair in to Stephen. She must have recognized the look in his eyes because she immediately walked back into the circle of his arms and kissed him. Stephen wrapped his arm around her waist and relished in the feeling of her small body pressed again his large body. They fit together perfectly. Him and his Rose.

Stephen threaded his fingers through her hair, tilting her head slightly to the side so he could more thoroughly plunder her mouth. Rose grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him to the couch, which they both tumbled onto. Stephen on top of Rose. She hiked her leg up over his hip forcing Stephen to settle more firmly on top of her.

Stephen finally found the will to pull away from Rose. But it was hard and looking down at her mused hair and kiss swollen lips wasn't helping. "Rose, I thought…" Her leg slid down from his waist, rubbing against his butt and legs. He growled deep in his throat.

She moaned in response and Stephen lost it. He covered her mouth with his again, slipping his tongue past her lips to the silky depths beyond. She moaned again fisting her hands in his hair. Rose wiggled ever so slightly beneath him and Stephen felt himself become very interested in the direction of this snog.

He pulled away again. He couldn't let her know just how excited her moaning and wiggling was getting him. His mother had raised him to be a gentleman and a gentleman didn't let his new girlfriend know how aroused she was making him. They needed to talk and there was no way that was going to happen with her wiggling and moaning beneath him. He had to know why she'd demanded they move their date to his flat, why she'd been wearing that cloak and why she'd seemed to believe she was being followed. These were all vastly important questions. Questions that were more important then snogging.

Snogging could wait for the time being.

At least until he'd gotten himself under control enough that he didn't attack her. She was too desirous for his peace of mind.

"Rose, we have to talk," Stephen got up and moved across the room just to be safe.

"But I don't want to talk," she said, breathlessly. "I want to kiss you."

"I want to kiss you too-" Stephen began.

"Then come back here." She opened her arms and Stephen had to fight his hormones that were telling him it would a fabulous idea to fall back into her arms.

"But we have to talk, Rose," he insisted. "Why were you dressed in that cloak-"

"I didn't want my parents or any of my relatives or any of the friends of my parents or relatives to see me coming to meet you," she said, sitting up and fiddling with her hair again.

"Why?" Stephen asked unsure of whether or not he should be offended.

"If my father doesn't know we're back together he can't sic my cousins on us," she reasoned, a giant grin on her pretty face.

"But Rose I told you in my letter that I'd deal with you crazy family," he asserted. "There's no reason to keep it a secret!"

"I wish you were right about that, but I don't want my family watching every move we make. Just think, would we have been able to have that fabulous snog if my father knew I was here?" Stephen sighed and shook his head. No, they wouldn't even be at his flat if Rose's father knew they were together. "And you… enjoyed our snog, didn't you?" Rose asked, seductively.

"Rose," he warned.

"What?" her bright eyes wide and innocent. "I was just asking if you… liked our snog. It's a perfectly innocent question." Rose pouted her lips and crossed her arms under her breasts. The entire image was meant to drive Stephen crazy and it was damn close to doing just that. Apparently he hadn't done as good a job as he'd hoped hiding his excitement.

"You know exactly 'what,' Rose," Stephen said through clenched teeth. His control was hanging by a thread, a tiny, thin, barely visible thread and the feisty red head sitting on his couch was holding a very sharp pair of scissors in her soft hands. "Rose, if we are going to have a mature relationship we have to act like two mature individuals. And mature people don't hide their relationships from their parents."

"Our situation is different, Stephen. To have a mature relationship we have to hide it," she reasoned.

Unfortunately for Stephen's side of the argument he was beginning to see that her reasoning was sound. If they were going to have a mature relationship they needed certain freedoms that just weren't afforded to them with her family watching their every move. He needed to be able to kiss and touch her without some red headed maniac threatening to murder him if he did it again. If he had any hopes of building up a resistance to her allure so he could kiss and touch her without losing his cool, then he needed to be able to kiss and touch her innocently without threats of castration.

Damn it, she was right. Under the circumstances there was no way that her family could know about their relationship until she was legally an adult and no longer living under her parents' roof. Until then their only hope of being together was to keep it a secret. From everyone. Which would be hard.

"What happens when you graduate and your parents find out that you've been lying to them about our relationship?" Stephen asked. He didn't want to cause too much tension between Rose and her parents. He knew from her letters that her relationship with her father was on rocky ground at best.

"We'll manage that hurtle when we reach it," she said a smile stretching across her face now that she knew he agreed with her idea. "Maybe they'll learn not to interfere in the lives of their children."

"That's wishful thinking," Stephen smiled. "Wasn't it your grandmother who interrupted a wedding to ask Kira Fitzsimmons if James Potter was a good snog?"

"You're probably right, but right now I'd rather have you right here." Rose stroked the couch cushion right next to her. His self control shot, Stephen was powerless to disobey.