A/n: I'm so terribly sorry this has taken so long. My first problem was spilling on my computer and frying my hard drive which had all of my work on it of course, and that is now gone so I had to start from scratch. Second drawback was midterms which snuck up on me. The last problem was that I have been extremely sick and not really up to anything.
So here is the long awaited chapter and hopefully it is worth the wait for you, because well you learn something that is pretty important and helps explain a lot.
Review please =]
Disclaimer: I don't own it.
The rest of the day I just slept in my room basically and read some books, because well there was no way I was going out to the common room. When lunch rolled around and I felt myself grow hungry I really thought about going down to the great hall but I didn't want to run into anyone because I knew the rumors were spreading around the school like wildfire already, this was Hogwarts after all. I waited until I knew everyone was in class and snuck out using the back passageways to get to the kitchen. I stocked up plunty of food for myself and then hurried back as fast as I can so as not to get caught in the crowds getting out of class.
When I got back to my room and finished eating my food I thought about how Matt must be freaking out. He had heard some of the rumors no doubt but he didn't really know the real story and I wasn't there to tell him what happened. I needed to talk to him as soon as possible but I didn't really know how I was going to do that today, because I definitely was not going to leave my room anymore.
Later that day when I knew it was time for classes to be done for the day I closed my curtains to make sure that my roommates wouldn't talk to me because i'm sure they wouldn't have any nice things to say for nearly killing their god. I heard them enter and start complaining loudly and saying some nasty things about me but I really didn't care what they had to say. Just when I was about to silence my bed I heard a knock on my door.
"What do you want," Payton said after she opened the door.
"I came to talk to Della, so if you could all leave, that would be great," said a girl I wasn't quiet sure who it was. When they finally left I heard the girl walk up to my bed.
"Della it's me, Rose, I just wanted to let you know that Matt has been worried sick about you and he practically begged me to come check on you and see if you were willing to come talk to him or anything, he said he understood if you didn't want to but he is waiting outside the common room for you," I slid open my curtains and looked sheepishly at Rose.
"Is there a lot of people in the common room right now?"
"Well yes, but I talked Lily and Hugo into causing a distraction for you if you want to get out,"
"Goodness you are the greatest Rose," I said as I hugger her.
"Yes, yes I know now I am going to go and signal them to start distracting the people, you leave in about 5 minutes okay?" she said and I nodded. After about five minutes I started to walk down the stairs and I saw Lily and Hugo on the other side of the room singing at the top of their lungs and dancing like fools. I saw Miles and Liam join in with them and then caught eyes with Brayden and he winked at me. I smiled and made my way out the door without a single person other than Brayden noticing me.
As I exited the portrait I found Matt leaning against the wall looking at me with concern etched across his face.
"Della," he let out as he walked over to me and pulled me into his arms.
"Are you okay, I have been so worried about you all day, I really didn't know what to believe, I heard so many different stories each more bizzare then the rest,"
"I'm okay, I was just a little shaken up last night, but the jist of what happened was that me and James got in a row and I was so upset that I threw a book at him which hit him in the head caused him to topple backwards in his chair land in near the fire and catch his robes on fire," I decided not to tell him what we were fighting about because then I would have to tell him about his sister and James going at it in the hallway and me getting in a fight with her, and well I wasn't too sure I wanted to tell him about that.
"'I'm sorry he has been such a prat lately, I wish there was something I could do for you," he said as ran his hand over my hair.
"Just being there for me is enough," I told him, and It was true, he was so comforting when I was with him nothing else mattered.
"You know what tomorrow is right?" He asked me and I nodded my head.
"Our two year," I said.
"You didn't make any plans right?"
"Of course not, what would I do hangout with all the people in my house who think I am looney," I said jokingly and he laughed.
"Just making sure that you were all mine tomorrow, well except for during classes,"
"Yes, except that," I said wishing he hadn't reminded me that I didn't have an excuse for not going to class tomorrow, at least it was a Friday so that we could spend the night together.
"Don't worry, I don't think it will be as bad as you think it will be," he said with a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"Can we stay together tonight?" I asked him pleedingly.
"I know just the place," he said taking my hand and leading me away. We winded up in a hallway and he took me up and down it.
"What are we doing?" I laughed at the ridiculousness of our antics.
"Just wait and see," he said as a door appeared to our right and I let out a small scream.
"After you," he said and I pushed open the door to find a beautiful room with a big fireplace with an even bigger bed in front of it which was covered in the most comfortable looking blankets and pillows I had ever seen. There was even a bathroom attached with showers for us to take in the morning. It was like we were in a suite in a hotel really.
"What is this place?" I asked him.
"It's the room of requirement," he told me and I remembered reading something about a room like this in Hogwarts: A History.
"It's amazing," I said walking over to the bed and falling back on it Matt came and laid next to me, and I realized I was incredibly lucky to be here with him.
The next morning I woke up to an alarm and looked next to me to find Matt gone but a note was on his pillow with a single red rose. I picked up the rose and smelled it then opened the letter.
Good morning love, hope you slept well. It's time for you to get up however take your time as I have set the alarm for an hour before breakfast starts, which you can go to or not but the house elves will be bringing up some food in a little bit. I also had the house elves bring your bag with all your school stuff in it here so take a shower and get ready, and I will see you in class. I'm sorry that I am not there with you now but I have a few last things I need to do to get ready for the day so you just relax and enjoy yourself before class and I will see you there.
p.s. This is rose number one for today and it represents the first month we spent together, i'll never forget our first date and how nervous I was when asking you, then how happy I was when you agreed. Then the date itself was a disaster and when my shaking hands spilled my butterbeer all over you I was sure it was over, and then you just looked up at me and laughed, and my heart skipped a beat. You were so lovely in that moment and honestly I couldn't believe how amazing you were, and that I was the lucky guy who was out with you. When I asked you out the next day I was sure you were going to say yes, but when you smiled at me and said you would like nothing better I felt I was going to die with happiness. I will never forget that moment and how it started off the best two years of my life.
p.p.s. I love you
He was so cute. I got up and went over to the shower it was huge and amazing and I took a pretty long one. After I was done I changed into a bathrobe and went out to find a table set up with an abundance of food. It really was too much but I sat down and ate anyways. Taking my time and not wanting to rush things. I then got dressed in my uniform and fixed my hair taking time to make sure that it was in good condition. I put on a bit of make up because I wanted to look really good today and then left the room. When I exited I found Brayden standing across the hall with a rose in hand.
"Morning, hope you slept well," he said with a genuine smile.
"I did, thanks for your help with the distraction, but what are you doing here,"
"Well I was told to give you this, and escort you to class," he said handing me the rose which had a letter attached to it.
This is rose number two, which represents the second month of our relationship. I will never forget our first kiss and how perfect it was, there you were after the first snow with your cheeks flushed and a smile on your face and I couldn't control myself with the sight of you. I leaned in and kissed you right then and there and I remember when I pulled back and looked at your face you still had your eyes closed you let out a big sigh them smiled and told me it was about time that I kissed you. This month was a magical time full of blissful memories and also embarrassing moments as we learned about each other. This was a time when our romance was just budding and beginning to grow but it was still as lovely as this rose.
p.s. I love you
I smiled as I read it and followed Brayden to class. When we started walking by people I heard people talking about me but I was too happy to care about any of that, so I just ignored them as I got to class. I didn't even think about the fact that I would have to have class with James and that it was going to be incredibly awkward being around him until I sat down with Brayden and saw him sitting in the row in front of us. He stayed looking forward though and didn't say a word.
Right after the lesson Lily was waiting outside the door for me with another rose in hand.
"Hey there Della, this is for you, and I'm supposed to tell you that Matt isn't going to make it to classes today but that he will tell you where to meet him in these notes," she said with a smirk as I excitedly took the rose and letter in hand.
This is rose number three which represents our third month together. This was when we made it out of the blissful moments of a new relationship and into our first fight. The fight we had over you and James becoming friends again. It was a big fight and caused a lot of trauma in our lives but we made it through and It made me realize how much I wanted to be with you and how much I wanted to make it all work out. I was even willing to ask James if we could get along, apologize, and beg for fogiveness just because I wanted to be with you and would do anything to keep you.
p.s. I know Lily told you that I wasn't going to be in classes but I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry but this is taking more time than I thought it would. Plus it would make these letters more meaningful if you didn't see me until you got all of them.
p.p.s I love you
I walked off to my next class just and wasn't paying attention to anything I was just waiting for my next rose to come and couldn't contain my excitement. As I got in my next class which I had with the Ravenclaws I went and sat next to Tavis as James was the only one of our group in this class and I wasn't about to go sit with him, even if I wanted too.
I couldn't conventrate on my lesson but that was to be expected as all of the stuff I had been through lately and my anticipation of what Matt was planning for tonight. I knew he was good at anniversaries, and he was good at spoiling me but I never had any idea what he was going to do. He was right when he told me class wasn't going to be as bad as I thought because it was like I wasn't even there with my mind wandering so much.
Halfway through class however Tavis took ourta rose and slid it over to me, I looked up at him and saw him smirking and I rolled my eyes as I opened the note attached to the rose.
This is rose number 4 and it represents our fourth month together. This was when I really started to realize how important you were to me and I wanted to share everything about myself with you so on our anniversary I took you to our tree and showed you my secret place where I went to be alone with myself because I didn't ever have the need to be away from you, I never had the want to be by myself when I could be with you. I instead wanted to get away with you and so I shared with you something I had never shared with anyone else and let you in to my sanctuary.
p.s. I love you
I smirked as I read over the letter again and put it into the bag with the rest and put the rose with my pile making it four. I gave up on trying to pay attention even though I knew I wasn't going to get another rose in this class. I just found myself wondering what the next one would say and if he was really going to do this for all of the 24 months we had been together. If so I had no idea how he was going to think of such a significant moment for all 24 months, I also couldn't think of 24 people who he would use to give me these roses and how he would fit it in to the day without seeing me first.
After class as I was packing up my things to get ready to go to lunch I saw Rory get up and wait for me as the rest of the students in the room left. I looked up to find him bring a rose out from behind his back and hand it too me.
"Personally i'm not a big fan of giving roses to girls, but if it's for you guys i'll do anything, but I just want you to remember that this was Matt's cheesy idea and not mine," he said with laughter in his eyes, and making me laugh.
"I think it's sweet, and you thinking it's corny is just further proof as to why you do not have a girlfriend," I said with a smile on my face so he would know that I was just kidding, he laughed along with me and told me to open my letter as we walked to the great hall for lunch.
This is the rose number five and it represents the fifth month that we spent together. This month was when I truly realized that I loved you and I had to get the courage up to tell you this. As I was trying to think of a way to do it romantically and just at the right time however you beat me to it and said it casually one day after I kissed you. I'll never forget the ease with which I rolled of your tongue and also how right it felt saying it back to you. I have always regretted not being the first one to say it, but I have also always loved that you were the one to say it first.
p.s. I love you
I laughed as I read this and remembered clearly the moment that I told him I loved him. I said it first because I had figured out that he was having trouble finding the right time to say it and I figured I would help him along. I often times had found him with a look of deep contemplation on his face as he played with my hand or hair, trying to find the right words but winding up skirting around the three words he was nervous to say.
As I got to lunch didn't quiet know where to sit but as I was walking with Rory I went and sat with him, plus I figured the Ravenclaws would be talking about me a little less than all the Gryffindors would be. It was a lot harder not to notice everyone talking about me in the great hall though because it was a lot more concentrated and there were a lot more people. I really tried not to think about it but it was hard to do when every twenty seconds I heard my name coming from a different direction. I almost got up and left when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around to find Liam with a rose in hand.
"Well I guess it's my turn to give you one of these ridiculous things, and you better appreciate me having to walk around with a rose almost all day for you," he said.
"Thank you very much, I know it must have been an incredibly hard thing to do," I said laughing as I took the rose from him.
"You know i'm just going to ignore that sarcasm I heard and take that as you being sincere," he said before he walked away.
This is rose number 6 and it represents the 6th month of our relationship. Im sure you remember this night as well as I do but at six months was when we were with each other completely and made love for the first time. Even though it was a little awkward it was still one of the most amazing nights of my life because of how strong our connection was and how much love I felt between us. I know it might be lame of me, as a guy, to say that I always wanted my first time to be with someone I loved but I am really glad that it was truly with the love of my life and that I can share that experience with you forever. It was truly beautiful and made our relationship that much stronger.
p.s. I love you
I was a little embarrassed that I had to read this one in front of everyone and I could feel the blush heating up my face but I tried not to let it bother me. I also felt horrible because he talked about how he wanted to lose his virginity to someone he loved and he did that, but see the thing was I didn't do that. I mean yeah I love James, but I don't love James like that. Plus Matt didn't even know about James and I having sex, he thought I was a virgin and that his first time was also my first time. It was something that when I thought about it weighed on me heavily and made me feel like a horrible person. It was a huge lie to be keeping from him, but there was no way I was telling him now.
I always tried not to think about James and I having sex because it was the most awkward event of my life. Not to mention the fact that we are still best mates and I do not want to think about James like that. Sometimes though, it creeps up on me and gets out of the chest in the back of my mind that I lock it in, and at those times I really feel like the worst person on this planet.
Really I was the worst girlfriend ever. Okay that is an exaggeration, because it's not like me and Matt were even friends when James and I had sex, and it wasn't as if I was just keeping it from him. I always tried to tell myself that it was for his own good, and that he didn't need to know but the truth was that because I kept this from him there would always be a block between us and I knew that, but I didn't care. I was very selfish when it came to James and I shagging, because so many things would happen if word of that got out and my life would go up in flames. So I carefully locked that moment away and pretended it never happened.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice everyone getting up and leaving the tables heading off to class. I got my things together and stood up almost literally running into Brynn.
"Here," she said holding out a rose to me and then she leaned next to my ear.
"Don't think this means were friends or anything again, i'm doing this because I love my brother. I still hate you, and I am still going to take everything you ever cared about away from you, like you have done to me," she whispered before walking away. I really had no idea how she could do a complete 180 on me like that but she did. I sighed and then opened my letter.
This is rose number seven, and it represents the seventh month of our relationship. This was the month where I realized I was completely comfortable around you. I will never forget the first night I had you sleep in my dorm and we did nothing but cuddle and talk all night, telling each other our most embarrassing moments but me never being embarrassed. I realized then that I could never feel more comfortable around another person, not even my sister. The reason for this is because I knew that as each others first loves, no matter what we would always be in each others hearts. And I knew that my heart was open to you completely.
p.s. I love you.
I couldn't believe how each and every letter he wrote to me tore at my heart strings and made me ache to be with him, and hold him. Each letter was gaining significance, just as each month passed our relationship did. It was making me forget about all my problems, and make them all seem like they didn't matter. Everything except for James hating me. There was nothing in the world that would make that not matter. James was important in my life and even with the worlds best boyfriend at my side I still missed him, and wanted to be able to laugh with him again.
I shook my head as I walked into my classroom telling myself not to think about that on this day, because this day was for Matt and I needed to let myself be there for him one hundred percent.
I couldn't pay attention in this class either which makes sense because that is how it had been all day.
After class I found Lor, Ly, and Rose waiting for me each of them holding a rose.
"Here," Lor said.
"you," Rose said.
"go," Ly said as they each held out there roses I laughed as I took them.
"Thank you very much," I said and they smirked before they walked off. I saved the letter till my next class so that I would have something to do to distract me, plus it was History so it's not as if Binn's was really going to notice.
These three roses represent the eight, ninth, and tenth months of our relationship in other words our first summer together. I will never forget how hard it was being away from you for so long. I remember there would be nights that I couldn't sleep because of how much I just wanted to hold you in my arms. I wanted very much for you to meet my parents because you were a part of me now and I wanted them to know you, and I wanted you to meet them as well. I was so happy when you came to visit and I could show you my house, my room, where I grew up, and the people who raised me so you could know everything about me. Then when I also visited you I was even more excited to learn and see all these things about you because of how I wanted to know every little detail about your life. When I met your father I was very pleased to find out that you were just like him. I will always appreciative of him for always caring for and raising such an amazing girl.
p.s. I love you
My dad loved Matt and all but I saw a weird look in his eyes when I first told him about me dating Matt. I didn't quiet know why but he looked slightly disappointed and also confused. He then mumbled 'guess I was wrong' under his breath and that was that. After that moment Dad opened his mind to Matt and saw that he was well and good for me.
After this class Miles was waiting for me and he smiled and gave me another rose.
This is the eleventh rose and it represents the eleventh month of our relationship. When I went to your house that summer I saw no presence of your mother and there was no mention of her, nor had I heard about her from your lips. I will never forget the night you told me about her. It was after I had asked you why you didn't hang out with girls and you told me that most girls didn't like you because you were friends with James but that you didn't really mind because it was harder for you to trust them. When I asked you why you sighed and then after a moment of silence you told me about your mother. I was happy that you felt comfortable enough with me to tell me this but I was also really upset because of what your mother had done. I was very angry with the thought of someone hurting you so much and I wished very much that I could go back in time and erase everything that made you hurt. In that moment I swore to myself that I would never let you hurt like that again no matter what.
p.s. Right now I want you to go to your room and get ready for tonight. There should be something waiting for you on your bed that will help you in the process. At 5 leave the common room and you will find more instructions there.
p.p.s. I love you.
My Mother was someone I didn't want to think about today because if I did I would get extremely angry and that was one emotion I didn't need to feel today. So instead of thinking about it I hurried to my room to find what Matt had left me.
When I entered my room I found a rather large box there and as I opened it slowly I found an extremely beautiful and yet simple dress waiting for me I smiled as I held it up to myself and found it perfect. It was of the best shade of red the same as the roses had been. It was strapless and had a sweat heart cut that was fitted to my torso and flowed out down to just above my knees. It was perfect.
I made sure that the rest of me matched the beauty of the dress. I curled my hair and pulled my hair loosely back. I applied smokey eye makeup and a red lip stick. As soon as I was done and put on a pair of black heals that I had I was ready.
I left the common room and saw a boy standing there with his back to the portrait and me. I knew who it was even if it was just his back, it had to be him.
"James," I said and he slowly turned, his eyes going slightly wide as he saw me and I heard him swear under his breath. He didn't say anything else but instead just held out a rose to me. I stared at it for a bit and then took it from him.
"Does this mean were okay?" I asked him confused as to why he was doing this for me when we were still fighting, or more rather not talking to each other.
"Look just because I'm doing this for you does not mean that everything is okay between us. I still care about you and knew that you would appreciate the gesture. I just don't want to have to deal with how you have been acting lately,"
"How have I been acting? I really don't think I have been acting any differently. I mean if anyone has been acting strange it's you,"
"I might have been acting strange, but at least I have a reason for it, you however have no excuse for what you did," he said sparking my anger.
"Well it beats me what I did that was so horrible to you because for all I know you get all peeved at me and start ignoring me after the Slytherin game, then instead of ignoring me you bitch at me all the time without telling me anything or talking to me at all except to yell at and ridicule me. How was I supposed to know why you were upset when you wouldn't give me the time of day or any clue as to what I had done?"
"It isn't that hard to figure out Dell, and you are a smart one so I'm sure you can do it," James said sneering at me.
"The only time you brought up anything I had done after the Ravenclaw game when you said I was a traitor to the house or something as ridiculously absurd as that and then what do you do but you bloody bring up us shagging and then kiss me? I mean seriously James, it must have been something terrible for you to bring up the forbidden topic of us taking each others virginity. I had no idea what you were thinking, and then you kissed me? Why in the world did you kiss me? What brought all of that on I have no idea what so ever, what could I possible have done to deserve that?" and then James laughed and it was a little scary.
"I know you know what you did, but your too involved with your precious little boyfriend to realize what it is. I'll give you a little hint, how about you think about when this all started.
"Fine. After the Slytherin game was when you first started being weird, and I have thought about why you would have been peeved at me and the only thing I can think of is that I wasn't your 'cheerleader' like you wanted me to be, but I really thought that was a joke and I mean I was cheering for you pretty loud. Then I thought that maybe it was because I didn't go to the after party but you were mad before that because you just walked away when I tried to congratulate you and you glared at me when you were snogging that slag Payton,"
"What was the date of that game?"
"I don't know the bloody date, why is that important,"
"Think hard Della, it's a very important date,"
"Well it was the first weekend in October," and I stopped and gasped putting my hands over my mouth as my eyes went wide because I realized what day it was. I couldn't believe that I had forgotten something so important. No wonder he was so peeved at me
"The game was on October 5th,"
"And what is so special about that date?" He asked me his eyes looking very scary. I looked down to the ground because I was so ashamed of myself.
"It's your birthday,"
A/n: So there you go the main reason why James was mad at Della. Sorry about the cliffe, I just had to do it. I know this chapter isn't my best work but it is an important one, as the next one will be as well.