Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Harry Potter, I'm too poor for that.

'We're all mad here'

- Cheshire Cat

The next morning presented Rose with a pounding headache, sandpaper like throat and a terrible stomach. A bright light shone in through the window and Rose gingerly outstretched her arm in an attempt to draw her hangings shut, however upon opening her eyes she realised that she wasn't in her own room. The deep red hangings she were used to were replaced with a black and mustard yellow; Chudley Cannons posters were stuck to the walls, their players whizzing about with glee and badger plushes decorated- or rather scattered against the floor.

Rose groaned, the back of her hand places against her eyes in an attempt to shield them from the bright light for it was too early to even think of getting up. She collapsed back into the bed, any normal person would have been worried about waking up in some strange room, Rose didn't exactly class herself as normal and besides it was too early to be worrying about things so the redhead settled on trying to catch some much needed rest.

However it seemed that the universe or her added company had other plans as the loud noise of someone singing a tune with a happiness for such an early hour filled her ears. With a groan Rose turned over to her front the action serving as somewhat uncomfortable due to her crushing her own bust and she proceeded to bury her head underneath the large pillow.

"Read between the lines whats fucked up and everything's alright check my vital signs-"

Rose was one to appreciate all types of music from the wizarding and the muggle world, however with the worst hangover in history she didn't exactly appreciate Green Day being belted at stupid o'clock in the morning, so with a loud groan she pressed her face closer into the mattress in the hopes of drowning out the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

"Oh, Rose..you're awake" Mimi muttered. Rose lifted her head out from under her pillow cave at the moment she looked a mess; her auburn hair in tangles, her eyes bloodshot and last nights make up smeared over her face.

Seemingly noticing Roses expression Mimi shuffled awkwardly, the towel wrapped around her head was now hung pathetically over her hair and she tightly clutched at mustard yellow bath robe tied at her waist.

"Sorry about the singing...it's just mornings make me happy" She added with an apologetic smile. and Rose groaned, this girl was just too cheery so early in the morning and it was almost sickening.

"Hmm that must be nice for you…" She responded her voice dripping with sarcasm, her legs swinging off the edge of the bed in an attempt to get up.

"Was that sarcasm...because I can't really tell" Mimi muttered, her gaze now focused on the floor. Rose shrugged in response, there were even times when she couldn't even tell when she was being sarcastic- she had gotten that good.

A small figure of what appeared to be a badger was doing cartwheels across the large dresser table, due it being a Hufflepuff dorm room this explained the vast amount of Badger themed produce. Someone clearly had house pride.

"So this is your room then?" Rose asked, her eyes darting around the room which was painfully bright. Mimi nodded, she pulled off the towel to reveal damp chocolate brown curls and started on picking up items of clothing from the floor.

"Yeah," She paused before gesturing to her jeans and Rose quickly turned around.

"You were um...really drunk and so I brought you here since I couldn't go up to yours without another Gryffindor" Mimi explained now fully dressed.

Rose nodded in understanding, she rubbed the last remnants of sleep from her eyes before standing and upon looking at the mirror noticed her thick auburn hair was an untamed mess.

Glancing around she noticed the other beds were all empty and neatly made. Rose had already known Augusta since her own family had a longtime friendship with Professor Longbottom, however Mimi's other roommates were three very 'enthusiastic' girls and to be honest Rose didn't want to get to know them.

"So where are your roommates?" Rose asked, her fingers now entangled in her mass of curls she had to tug on her wrist with her free hand to release her fingers from their snare.

"Down at breakfast-" Mimi added before adding some foundation to her face "Where we should be…well after you change" She added with a sing song voice. Rose groaned realising that she was still in fact wearing her cat costume from the previous night. On weekends the students were allowed to wear whatever they wanted however Rose doubted that corsets were allowed to be seen during meal times.

Mimi smiled at Rose's horror and the two of them heading through the Hufflepuff common room. The groups of first year students glanced at her before whispering, it wasn't common for an outsider to be in their common room, for one it was against the rules and two it was of a secret location. There were very few people who had actually seen the Hufflepuff common room, her uncle and father had been to every common except the Hufflepuffs so Rose knew that this was an experience she was to be sharing during the christmas break.

She felt somewhat uneasy due to the vast number of eyes watching her as they headed to common room exit, however Rose knew that Hufflepuff's weren't exactly known for being violent so she was confident that they weren't going to hex her.

"None of this to Professor Bones" Mimi said with a wide smile and the Hufflepuff students nodded in unison.

They exited the common room and Rose was surprised that they were now outside of a large stack of barrels and next to kitchens.

"So this is-" She said in awe, glancing around the door from which they had just been.

"Meet me in the great hall okay" Mimi stated before walking ahead "And not a word about…you know" She added before disappearing into the small gathering crowd of students.

Rose turned heading towards the Gryffindor tower when she saw Scorpius. The last night's events replayed over and over in her mind like film on the muggle televisions and she instantly felt the same feelings of dread in the pit of her stomach. Al noticed her first and offered her a smile and when she didn't return it an expression of confusion flickered over his features.

She quickly walked past the pair, her head lowered and gaze averted to the floor and she knew it was going to be more difficult to forget than she first anticipated.

It was too cold to congregate outside by the lake like they used to, so after breakfast that girls had taken to studying in the library. Rose was sitting at one of the desks, a copy of Quidditch Weekly sat opened next to her, however her focus was set on finishing her ancient runes essay.

Mimi was sprawled out against one of the book shelves avidly reading 'The Monstrous Book of Monsters' , Kaylee sitting on one of the desks and Augusta and Suzanne sitting either side of her. Rose stayed clear of the book, memories of her third year were coming back to her where the book failed to behave in her presence.

Kaylee was animatedly talking, her arms waving about as if to demonstrate what was happening, the story causing Suzanne to loudly giggle a sound which was proving to be distracting.

"-And then he passes out next to, right Rose?" kaylee asked. Rose placed her quill down with a scowl, Augusta shuffled away slightly to avoid her mood whilst the rest of the girls watched her intently.

"You seem a bit out of it today…" Augusta muttered out as she started inspecting Rose. The rest of the girls hummed in agreement, causing Rose to sigh.

"Just leave her…" Mimi muttered before closing her book. The book growled in protest causing Augusta to flinch slightly, like Rose she also had bad luck with the book.

"She's probably still hungover" Kaylee commented, though Rose was vaguely listening.

Though Rose had started to feel more comfortable around the other girls, she felt most at ease with Mimi. Kaylee and Suzanne were nice enough and were her roommates, though sometimes they didn't seem to understand her dark humor or obsessive love of Quidditch. She found to have slightly more in common with the Augusta and Mimi, though Augusta was more closed in than her slightly more louder roommate.

Rose's own roommates, Kaylee and Suzanne would stay up hours on end gossiping about the other boys in their year, make up and sometimes even other girls. Sometimes she felt as if the two Gryffindor's tolerated her more than being her actual friends.

"So Mimi…" Suzanne started with a clap of her hands and a wide grin across her face.

"Rumour has it that you and Al were getting it on last night" The dark skinned girl stated before letting out a giggle.

As if sensing the small girls unease her book started to loudly growl which caused Suzanne to tense slightly.

"Um…." Mimi muttered, her hand gently stroking the books spine in an attempt to calm it.

"You know rumours…they're just rumours" Mimi said with an added weak laughter.

Suzanne leaned forward with a wide grin, and gently nudged Kaylee the two Gryffindor's looking very interested.

"So it's true...you two snogged?" Suzanne asked with curiosity, whilst Mimi muttered incoherent sentences with her cheeks slowly turning pink.

Rose shook her head in disbelief before poking Suzanne in the ribs. The dark skinned girl let out a small yelp before turning to face Rose with a slight frown whilst slowly rubbing at where Rose had poked her.

Though the conversation wasn't directed at her, Rose just wished to forget that the previous night ever happened and finish her essay. However with her roommates gossiping this didn't seem very likely.

"Don't bother listening to rumours, Suzy, they're just made up by gits with no lives" Rose snapped rather darkly, her gaze fixed on Suzanne.

She probably didn't need to be so forceful with Suzanne, however she was starting to get rather irritated with all the talk about the night she so desperately wanted to forget. Suzanne and Kaylee exchanged confused glances, whilst both Mimi and Augusta kept their heads lowered in an attempt to avoid a possible upcoming confrontation.

If there was one thing Rose had in common with Suzanne Jordan it was their tempers. It took Rose a split second to realise what she had just said to her friend, and before she could take it back Suzanne was already stood up and her features had formed a scowl.

"You call Jodie a bitch, yet you're both the same. And you wonder why we're your friends " Suzanne shot back icily and she hastily got up and stormed off.

Kaylee glanced around the direction which Suzanne had left and offered an apologetic smile before following after their roommate.

Rose visibly deflated, she propped her elbows onto the table and buried her head into her hands. The group were reduced to silence and Rose was sure she could almost feel the pair of eyes watching her and abruptly turned to glare at Augusta.

"Anything interesting?" Rose challenged, the dangerous edge to her tone had clearly made Augusta nervous and the blonde quickly left to avoid Rose's temper.

Rose sighed, a hand running through her hair in frustration. She'd made a mess, snapped at her friends and she felt terrible. Her temper was terrible and the fact that the last night even happened made it a whole lot worse, and she couldn't help but feel that Suzanne was right. She wasn't exactly 'little miss popular' her peers avoided her like the plague and in her lessons, trying to find a partner was easier said than done.

"You could have handled that better you know…"Mimi commented quietly, her gaze soft and a small smile on her face. Not liking the attention on someone else, Mimi's book once again growled and the brunette gently stroked it's spine to calm it down.

Rose found herself shaking her head in disbelief, it didn't matter what she did but Mimi would always remain by her side she was like a loyal crup.

"Still here are we?" Rose asked with the same dangerous edge she had used on Augusta, however either Mimi was too foolish too realise or simply ignored it. Rose assumed it was a bit of both.

"You remind me a lot of my sister" The smaller girl commented offhandedly, before placing her now quiet book in her lap. Rose frowned, Mimi's sister was a tall and somewhat stocky girl in her fourth year and had a rather notorious reputation among her classmates.

"In what way?" Rose asked slightly interested. Mimi hummed quietly whilst kicking her legs against the edge of the table.

"Well you both have a temper" She stated, which caused Rose to snigger slightly.

"And both have trouble opening up to other people…" Mimi added before producing a bag as if out of thin air and offering Rose one of the blocks of fudge inside.

Rose smiled before pulling one out the bag, and enjoyed the soft taste of the candy.

"Mimi I-"

"Don't want to talk about it" Mimi finished, a dreamy smile on her face once she had pulled out another block of fudge.

"Saoirse...she's the same. And like I always say to her; I'm here if you need me" Mimi added before removing herself from the table and walking down library aisle.

Rose smiled somewhat, though most thought of Mimi as just a girl of good looks she was rather insightful when need be. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to have a bit girl talk after all they both needed it after the night they had.

Quickly getting out of her seat and practically running out the library, Rose just about managed to catch up with her small friend and with the smile on her face Rose mused that Mimi knew she were coming.

"Kitchens?" Rose asked with a shrug.

"Kitchens" Mimi confirmed with a nod and the two girls both heartbroken linked arms and headed for the kitchens.

The previous night had offered an interesting turn of events, once the Halloween festivities had turned to full swing Scorpius found his inhibitions had lowered and that a once grotesque girl appeared to be very snoggable. However what had confused him was the way Rose had not so subtlety avoided him and his friends earlier that morning. As far as he was concerned the two of them were acquaintances slowly walking down the road of friendship, so somewhere down that road something had happened to make her want to avoid him.

He couldn't understand why that bothered him, he had remembered the two of them getting on somewhat the night before so Scorpius was sure that he hadn't said anything to offend her which meant there was another factor at play.

The thought of Jodie White wrapping her arms around his neck in a vice like grip had him almost grimacing, however even in a drunken state he knew what she was and hastily pushed her away.

*Flashback time*

The music echoed loudly and it was almost deafening to his ears, he was stood alone and awkwardly waiting for Rose to return after she left to um...relieve herself.

A number of girls who recognized to be in their fourth year walked passed him, clearly someone had to have given them alcohol since they themselves wouldn't have been able to make it passed the age charm.

Ignoring them he managed to swiftly avoid them however not looking directly where he was going bumped into another person. The alcohol was making him slightly dizzy and he assumed that he should stop now before he did something which he wild regret.

"Fancy running into you...Scorpius" a husky voice drawled.

The platinum blond turned his attention away from his soaked trousers and back to the girl in front of him. He had never spoken much to Jodie White, she was a girl mist of his year and many other year groups detested.

Though she was attractive, with her long legs and heart shaped face her tendency to make snide remarks and bully those she thought weaker made her rather ugly.

He managed to recompose himself despite his obviously drunken state and offered the girl a small ghost of a smile.

"This is a party, is it not?" He asked trying to avoid furthering the conversation however it seemed Jodie had other ideas.

"You're not alone are you?" She asked before glancing around, almost as if looking for someone.

"I saw you with Rose earlier...you were lucky to get away" She added with a snort.

"Why was I lucky?" He asked with little interest.

Jodie shrugged before taking a step closer, one of her hands was on his arm and she was starting to get dangerously close.

"She was just using you to get away from Matteus...you know the fifth year if you think she has any interest in you you're wrong she's as cold and twisted as I am" Jodie sated with such venom that Scorpius was sure that she had become even uglier in his eyes than before.

He didn't know why her words affected him, sure Rose and him were just friends since their little truce and she could do whatever she wanted however the thought of her using him never crossed his mind until now.

It was then that Jodie seemed to hunk her job was done and without warning she had sloppily placed her lips over his own almost as if trying to devour him. He placed his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to prevent another one of her kisses and managed to get her hold on him to be diminished.

Once they had parted the tall brunette scowled and briefly spared hum a glance before abruptly turning away from him.

*N'aww no more flashback time*

However it seemed that his friends had witnessed the event and we're more than prepared to make sure that he never forgot.

"Seen Jodie lately?" His soon to be ex-roommate Kai Zabini asked with a smirk as they left the great hall after breakfast.

Scorpius remained impassive, his face void if all emotion as he stared blankly at his dark skinned friend.

"Not this morning" He responded, though his friends smirk still remained plastered across his face.

His other roommate and friend Al, who happened to be the more sensible of the lot (well most of the time) shook his head in disbelief.

"No need to tease him, Kai" Al commented with a shake of his head, he draped an arm over Scorpius' shoulders and stood between him and Kai, thus planting himself in the middle.

"Snogging Jodie was punishment enough" Al added with a grin which resulted in both him and Kai falling into a loud chorus of laughter. Scorpius groaned, it seemed even Al was involved in making his life a misery and he just hoped to get the memories of last night behind him.

"Hey Al, didn't you waltz off with Finnegan at one point?" Kai asked with curiosity. Scorpius didn't miss the way Al's eyes widened or how he started to turn quite red, much like Rose's hair.

Before he could wonder why he was comparing the two or how the thought slipped into his mind, Al muttering incoherent sentences brought him out of his thoughts. The boy was really pathetic when it came to any conversation about the small Hufflepuff girl.

"-She was drunk...I not so much" He stated his hands up in a surrender whilst Kai continued to laugh.

"Yes Al, Finnegan was very drunk and you a gentleman" Scorpius commented and thus brought Al's rambling to a close.

"A fit girl snogs you...and you push her away..?" Kai stated in confusion at the situation. Scorpius nodded, before attending Hogwarts both of his parents had made sure he knew the proper way in which to treat women.

"Of course, a drunk woman isn't able to offer consent" Scorpius informed his friend.

Kai nodded in understanding before Al punched him in the arm, Scorpius being the only sane one of the group shook his head in disbelief.

Chocolate was definitely food from the gods, and combined with cake it was even better. Rose was sure that the House elves had recognized her and Mimi as regulars, the small creatures always made sure to have enough food for them and Rose always wolfed it down with an appetite that would put her father to shame.

However with her impending anger the poor and somewhat defenseless chocolate cake was suffering. With such aggression the redhead was stabbing her fork into the desert, crumbs started to fly off in all directions and the house elves had quickly retreated to avoid facing her wrath.

"You sure the cakes had enough, Rosie?" Mimi asked with weak laughter. Rose sighed, she placed her fork down next to the inedible cake and buried her head in her hands.

She was losing it, the memories of the last night and that feeling of getting punched in the gut just kept on recurring. Anger boiled up inside her at the thought of Jodie White with her claws digging into his neck and threading her fingers through his hair.

Rose sighed, her hands tangled in her wild auburn curls. Even though she was having a truce with Scorpius, he still managed to affect her make her feel things and drive her insane. He had a hold over her and it terrified her.

"I'm going insane…" Rose muttered her hands now trapped in her hair.

"We're all insane.." Mimi offered with a small smile before placing a fork full of chocolate cake into her mouth.

"it's how we cope with reality"

There was some sort of intelligence to the Hufflepuffs words however Rose wasn't in the philosophical mood.

"That Jodie White she just…" She paused, glancing at Mimi's confused expression.

"Whats Jodie done...was it at the party?" Mimi asked with curiosity.

Rose sighed, perhaps it would do her good to vent out her frustrations over the bane of her existence.

"Jodie kissed him" She muttered with a scowl, her hand moving to grasp her fork once more. Noticing this, Mimi quickly grabbed the fork and placed out of Rose's reach so hopefully the already damaged chocolate cake wouldn't receive any further mistreatment.

"Jodie…" Mimi asked with confusion "What's she got to do with anything...wait. Who did she kiss?"

"She kissed Scorpius, I'm pissed and now stabbing chocolate cake with a spoon!" Rose exclaimed, unaware of the flinching house elves and the wide grin her friend suddenly possessed.

With speed any quidditch chaser would have been proud of, the smaller girl was suddenly in front of Rose with a wide smile.

"You know what this means?" Mimi asked. This only seemed to further confuse the redhead and in her frustrations tabbed her defenseless cake once again.

"If I knew then I wouldn't be stabbing cake…" Rose muttered, her voice dangerously close to a growl. Her sour mood wasn't getting better, and the fact that her friend just seemed to be smiling like a madman only seemed to make her mood worsen. Whatever Mimi knew or thought she knew for that matter she was exactly sharing and it was starting to really piss Rose off.

"Oh silly Rose, you're like the smartest in our year- maybe even this school and you don't even know what happening under your nose…" Mimi stated with a giggle, her friends giggles only seemed to make the redhead scowl and Rose was mentally counting to ten to prevent herself for doing something which would most likely get her sent to Azkaban.

"And what exactly is happening under my nose?" Rose asked, her voice thick with irritation.

"You and Scorpius" Mimi said in a matter of fact tone, however at the sight of Rose's confused features she released a loud sigh of what one could only describe as annoyance.

"Either you fancy Jodie-" she paused at the scoff Rose released- as if she would like someone like Jodie White. She was a grotesque human being with no care for what anyone else thought.

"Or you like Scorpius" Mimi finished, a wide grin at the sight of Rose's gobsmacked expression. Her jaw went slack and for probably the first time in her life Rose had nothing to say- she was speechless.

Her fork had clattered to the ground, her chocolate cake now reduced to a pathetic mess of crumbs, slowly slid to the floor with a silent thud.

She slowly raised her head and cleared her throat, an expression if feigned indifference on her face.

"I guess that explains a few things…" Rose muttered her gaze trained on the floor and she knew for certain that things were going to get much more difficult.

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Stay tuned for the next chapter where we find Rose's coping mechanism, Al is confused and Scorpius discovers a new love for something sweet.

JustAnotherFairy :)