"The next morning I wake up earlier than usual, with a quite apparent fluttering in my stomach. The memories of last night are still fresh but the feeling of that searing heat is fading. I guess I'll have to see how today pans out what with the Quidditch after party (most likely hosted by Slytherin). No matter what happens with Malfoy and I, I don't expect him to stride up to me and start making out with me in front of the older half of the student populous. Also I think I'd quite literally die. The interrogation by the family I'd receive let alone kick start the rumour mill into overdrive. I cross my fingers in my pajama pockets as I head to the bathroom that Malfoy, although I hope he remains interested, actually has a concept of subtlety now something has actually happened between us.

After a rather hot shower that does nothing to relieve that burning between my legs from the previous night I dress quickly and head down to breakfast. It's not until I'm about to enter the Great Hall that I realise what I'm wearing. Dark muggle jeans, trainers, a forest green jumper and winter cloak topped off with my Gryffindor scarf. There is a stark contrast between the green, red and gold which makes me initially think of Christmas, but then realisation hits that people could quite easily jump to conclusions with my choice of attire. Patricia is the first that comes to mind with regard to 'people'. Personally if we weren't in Hogwarts and I knew Malfoy played in green, then I'd keep the jumper to make my intentions to Malfoy so blindingly obvious it's like being swiped at by a Grindelow.

I take a deep breath and enter the Great Hall to find it infact quite empty. The only large group of people is indeed the full Slytherin Quidditch team who are huddled together in the centre of their house table, heads together and only mere mumbling heard from across the quite hall. I try not to think about Malfoy's back facing my direction. Oh there is probably a scratch or two you left behind from last night, Weasley. I can't hide a smile at that as I remember the feeling of him between me and the wall and sit down, non-so-subtley facing the group dressed in emerald green.

A ruffled looking Alice enters the hall shortly after me and scurries over when she spots me (my hair isn't exactly the most inconspicuous thing), her black and yellow scarf ruffling in her wake. She sits herself down next to me on the same side and drags the coffee towards her.

"Everything alright?" I ask with a raised eyebrow as I reach for some toast (how the Hogwarts toast remains warm throughout Breakfast I think will be mystery to me forever).

"Gah! They're at it again. Delilah and Aisha. The never ending circle of gossip, argue, fall out, make up. Today was fall out over who should be aloud to come to tonights post-Quidditch party wearing purple. Why the hell does that even matter?!" exclaimed Alice, earning a few looks from the people dotted about alone in the hall.

"It doesn't." I reply flatly.

"Then why the hell do they make it their mission to wake me up nearly every Saturday morning with such drivel?"

"Some girls just want to watch the world burn I guess." I reply, quite clearly sarcastic and not helping.

"You're really not helping," states Alice shaking her head at me. She pours a second cup of coffee and I reach to pour some milk into my tea.

"I really don't envy you Ally, perhaps ask Scarlet if she can switch beds with you? She gets on better with them both on the whole doesn't she?" I try, sounding more sympathetic. I have to share a dorm with Patricia after all.

"Not anymore. She wanted to knuckle down this year, but they always come asking her for help or even sit with her in the library and just chat when she's trying to work. Think she's about as fed up as I am." Alice's shoulders slumped and she pulled a full plate of bacon towards her.

"I don't think comfort eating is the answer," I say, putting a few rashers onto a plate instead and passing over the brown sauce. She looks down at the bacon before covering it with the sauce. She spears a slice onto the end of her fork, "Bacon, you've never done me wrong," before eating the whole slice in one go. I sneak a glance in the direction of the group of Slytherins again to find they've spread out a bit to eat breakfast. I can see Malfoy flicking through a copy of the Daily Prophet with his steaming coffee sat beside him. A hand waves in front of my face.

"So yuhf an' Maylfawy egh!?" asks Alice eyes twinkling and her mouth still full of bacon.

"What do you mean?" I ask, feigning innocence terribly as I feel my cheeks heat up slightly. I fiddle with the silver spoon across the table. Alice swallows.

"You're watching Malfoy. Don't be creepy. Did anything happen during your brewing session last night?" Alice wasn't so subtle about putting brewing session in air inverted commas.

I toyed with the spoon some more. I really don't know if I should tell her. I mean, I love Alice to pieces and I would trust her with anything. But if I tell her, I'm going to have to tell Albus. I feel like I can't really tell one without the other, and although Al and Malfoy seem to have some sort of unvoiced respect for one another I'm not sure if I want to prod the sleeping dragon that is the issue of me "seeing" Malfoy. Also considering it was one make out session (make that heavy make-out session) that I think it's a bit too early to inform Albus of any goings on. As for making out with a guy, I don't think I can't tell my best girlfriend this little factoid.

"Don't you dare squeal."

"When do I ever squeal?!" Alice burst out, quite literally shuffling to the edge of her seat in anticipation.

"I've heard it before."

"Fine, just tell me already! Clearly something is going on otherwise you wouldn't be being this shifty." Thankfully she'd lowered her voice to just above a whisper by this point. I glanced around the room to make sure (somehow) none of my relations had risen yet.

"Well we did finish brewing the potion by the end of the evening...," I trailed off, looking away. It's this point Alice punches me rather hard in the arm.

"Stop stalling. One of your tens of thousands of relations may walk in at any moment and spoil everything."

"Jeez woman, calm down!"

"I told you I'm living vicariously through you; now spill." Alice looked rather put out and chanced a glance at the back of Malfoy's head that was shaking with laughter at something one of his teammates had said. I took a deep breath.

"Well we headed to the kitchens and we ran into Trish and Davies...in a broom cupboard."

"Noooooooo," let out Alice in one long breath.

"Yes. Precisely. So among the expected nasty exchange between Trish and Malfoy she rounded on me essentially implying that even if Malfoy had an interest in me that I'm too brainy, however I'll take that as a compliment, but that I'm also," I look around the room squinting as if searching for the best possible phrasing, "acutely unamourous."

"That ignorant slut." I laughed heartily at this point. I couldn't hide my gratitude towards Alice for supporting me in this very uncharacteristic venture of mine. Lowering my voice even further as the hall started to fill with more students. Most Slytherins slapping their team on the back as they passed.

"Anyway, they left, we managed to give them some well deserved detentions."

"Good on you!" Alice rolled her hand infront of her face inferring, I assume that I should hurry the hell up with my story.

"We grabbed some food from the kitchens and he was apologetic for Trish's behaviour, which to be honest was quite unnecessary. He shouldn't have to answer for her. Then he made a comment about not being emjust/em into blondes. We made a few jokes, my father got mentioned-"

"Are you joking?"

"Nope. He said he'd just run away from him fast." I smiled at the memory.

"And then he made a pass at me." At this Alice did squeal.

"What did I tell you?" I chided looking once again at the blonde head of hair in emerald Quidditch robes but it appeared he had yet to look over here.

"Just some basic chaste kiss, and I was kind of like emwhat the hell/em and he pulled away and was just grinning at me."

"Which is naturally gorgeous."

"And so I did it, I listened to that tiny Alice voice in my head."

"Aww thanks." I rolled my eyes.

"And I grabbed his robes and we ended up making out. But to be honest I think the best part-" at this point Alice began shaking her arm and biting her lower lip staring at the hall entrance which could only mean some blood relative of mine must have come in so I just sped up the story.

"Aafter some heated, well you know I then just gave him one last kiss and strode off as nonchalantly asipossiblycouldandlefthiminthelurch-," I turned in my seat quickly.

"Al!" chanted me and Alice in unison, sharing a rather meaningful look as he sat down opposite us on the bench, annoyingly obscuring my view of the back of Malfoy's head.

"Right, both of you," Al began grabbing a croissant and the butter dish. "I've already taken bets off Lorcan and Lysander. Caught them en route to the Owlery for a Galleon each."

"Al, isn't it usually James that takes these sorts of bets?" Al just shrugged in response.

"I think he's a bit predisposed. Said someone should take the reigns on the betting as most people expect it."

"I guess you've got a point there. Alice?"

"What're the odds Albie?" Alice asking in a singsong voice that earned her a withering look from Al.

"Seeing as usually I'd much rather play than take bets I didn't work out odds for exact scoreline." He took some folded up parchment from the pocket of his robes and passed it along the table and took out a small leather pouch from the other. "As usual it's 3 sickles to bet. We can't be paying out every time according to James." I looked down at the parchment to see a scrawled list of odds and a few names other than the Scamander twins with their monetary bets listed at the bottom.

Odds

Ravenclaw win 3-1

Slytherin win 5-1

Lambert catches the snitch 2-1

"Slytherin really aren't the favourites?" I can't help myself blurting that out. I see Alice give me a side on glance as she kicks me in the shin. Al grabs back the parchment.

"According to James, as a whole Ravenclaw are stronger with Lambert but Malfoy is the better Keeper. Hence the odds the way they are. It's possible that if the Slytherin Chasers are on form Ravenclaw will have their work cut out. As a member of the Gryffindor team, naturally I've been observing in what conditions the other teams have been playing in. It's been rather mixed so far this term, although the winds picking up today so who knows." Albus finished, adding more butter to his croissant.

"You know they're made with basically just butter and flour right?" I ask pointing incredulously at the thick layer of butter he was still applying. Albus nods through a mouthful. Now the Great Hall is positively buzzing with energy, the Ravenclaw team having entered in gradually over the course of breakfast. I'm pretty sure they were even training last night.

"You really are related to James aren't you?" said Alice, "he didn't tell you that little spiel description." Al shrugged and turned to her.

"I'm trying to do best by James; I owed him a favour anyway."

"Fine." Alice clearly taking the bait. "A galleon on Ravenclaw." She reached in her back pocket to pull out a single galleon before tossing it to Al who caught it easily and with the swiftness expected of a seeker. He added the coin to the leather bag.

It was at this moment that the Slytherin team rose from their seats to exit the hall. The supporters adorned with silver and green began cheering and whooping. My eyes flickered to the mop of blonde and our eyes met. His lopsided smile froze at the sight of me, looking me up and down. His eye rested for a moment on my green jumper beneath the red and gold scarf and he grinned wickedly before whooping and hollering with his fellow teammates as they moved out of the hall. I turned to Alice who'd apparently been watching me. She was giving me a smirk that was probably more convincing than most Slytherin's could manage.

"I saw that." she whispered at me. I felt my face heat up but I couldn't help but grin back.

"Saw what?" Asked Al looking back up from his plate at the both of us.

"Nothing Al. I'll make a bet though," I thrust my hands into my pockets and put the coins on the table. I feel my skin heat up and can't quite hide the excitement in my voice. All my thoughts are on dragging Malfoy away from the party to a secluded, dark corridor tonight making me feel a little giddy. "Three galleons on Slytherin to win."


Apologies there isn't much Rose/Scorpius action in here. There will be tonnes in the next one. This little snippet just got away from me a bit and I wanted to add it in for the time being as a shorter chapter. Also a bit of banter between girlfriends is always fun to do. I've definitely had a conversation with a friend of mine very similar to what I've just written here. Unfortunately for me, I was the Alice.

Reviews always welcome. Always.