Chapter 16

The next morning, after waking Wanda (who was staying in the trunk apartment's spare bedroom while the two of them waited for a house) and eating breakfast, Rose walked out of the trunk and into the store where she got a surprise.

Sitting next to Hedwig was another owl, with a letter tied to its leg.

Walking over, Rose took the letter from the owl, who took one last drink from Hedwig's water dish and flew away. Looking down, Rose saw the all too familiar writing of her former best friend. She hesitated a moment, before sighing and opening it.

Rose,

I honestly don't know where to begin, but I suppose it should be with an apology. Last summer, Dumbledore told Ron and me not to write you, that it would be too dangerous. To my shame, I listened to him. I was distracted at the time, and didn't think anything of his request. That is purely my fault, and I am sorry. I don't know if it means much, but I am. I'm sure you know that when I realized my mistake I sent you countless letters.

I don't know why you didn't open them, in fact, knowing your temper, I shouldn't be surprised.

I understand you're living in Bayville, close to my Uncle Hank. I'm going to try and convince my parents to come visit him over Christmas, I am hoping you would be willing to see me. If not, all I can do is apologize again.

Sirius and Remus are worried about you. I haven't told them, or anyone, that I know where you are. I don't want to betray your trust again, but I think you should at least contact them, just to assure them you're still alive. Dumbledore has the whole order looking for you, just so you know.

Voldemort is finally operating out in the open. It started at the beginning of summer, when he broke into the Ministry of Magic, specifically the Department of Mysteries. I'm told that he didn't find what he broke in for, and was furious about exposing himself for no reason.

I'm afraid I no longer speak to Ron. Without you to keep the peace between us, we just argued too much. He actually failed last year and is being forced to repeat it this year. Mrs. Weasley was quite furious with him. According to Ginny, who by the way took your position as seeker, she took away his broom and had him doing chores all summer. He also lost his spot as keeper (he was Wood's replacement last year) and his Prefect badge (I still can't believe McGonagall made him a prefect to begin with.)

In other news, I'm engaged. We've only told her parents so far (that's right, I'm marrying another woman. I will pay you your twenty galleons when next I see you). We haven't told my parents because I'm afraid of their reaction. She's older than me by eight years. I know that's not really all that much, but I'm afraid of what my parents reaction will be to their seventeen year old daughter being engaged to a twenty-five year old woman.

Her name is Nymphadora (never call her that if you meet her) Tonks. She's actually Sirius' second cousin, I met her last summer. I'm sad to say that she was the reason I was so distracted. But she's great. She's smart, funny, a little clumsy, and loves me a lot. If you ever saw her, you'd wonder how the hell the two of us even got together. But she's good for me.

I don't know if you're even interested in attending, but when we get married (which won't happen until after I've graduated Hogwarts), but I'd like it if you'd be there and stand with me as my Maid of Honor. You were my best friend and, aside from Tonks, I'd still consider as such if you'd permit me.

I hope you're happy and safe. And once more, I'm sorry.

Hermione

Rose wiped a tear from her eye and smiled.

She was happy for Hermione, and despite the bet they'd made at after the Yule Ball (Hermione had been miserable with her date, Victor Krum. Rose had jokingly accused that she might like women better, and Hermione had flat out denied any attraction to women, with a blush on her face at the implication. Rose had then bet her twenty galleons that Hermione would marry a woman. The bushy haired witch had accepted the bet.), Rose was genuinely surprised that Hermione had fallen for another woman.

She also felt a small twinge of guilt for not informing Sirius or Remus of anything, but that vanished when she remembered that they had stopped sending letters to find her after one. Hermione had sent them twice a week for three months, she did feel guilt for not opening them.

She was also thankful that the goblins had informed her, via her parents will, that there was a prophecy inside the Department of Mysteries about her and Voldemort. She had flamed into the ministry and taken it, though she had yet to listen to it. The prophecy was currently in a special box at the bottom of the storage portion of her trunk.

If Voldemort had wanted it so bad, perhaps she should consider listening to it. She had decided not to, because she didn't want to know her fate. She still didn't want to know it, but…. She shook her head.

She wouldn't let Voldemort or anyone other than possibly Rogue, dictate her life.

She closed the letter as Wanda climbed out of the trunk. Looking at the time, she decided to wait until after school to write a letter back.

It would give her plenty of time to decide just what to write.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000

Rogue frowned as she looked in the mirror.

Before her mutation manifested, she had loved her cloths, and her look. And while she still loved the Goth look, she hated her clothes.

Namely because they were a security barrier. Unless she gained control of her powers, she needed them so as not to inadvertently touch people. She longed for touch. It was true that you never realized how good something was until you lost it.

And while Rose could touch her, for several reasons, they had yet to really touch. Sure, they kissed, but because of her clothes, and the newness of their relationship, she had yet to really feel Rose against her skin.

It was something she both dreamed of and feared.

She dreamed of it for obvious reasons. Rose was beautiful, caring, kind, and Rogue could actually feel skin again. But she feared because she had no experience with the feelings she felt for Rose, not really. Sure, she'd had a crush on Scott at some point, but that had passed quickly.

With a sigh, she pulled on her gloves, staring at her covered hand for a moment before turning away.

She had to get to school.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000

Mystique waited until the students had left for school.

The only reason she'd bothered to take a normal looking form was so that she wouldn't stand out if any humans happened to drive or wander by. Really, the only things she'd changed where her eyes and her skin tone, otherwise she kept everything, except for the appearance of clothes, from her natural appearance.

Not wanting Xavier snooping around in her head, she walked to the gate's intercom and buzzed.

After a few moments, a slightly icy voice asked, "Raven?"

Mystique bit the inside of her cheek to keep her sarcastic response back. "Yes Storm, it's me."

"What do you want?" the weather witch demanded from the intercom.

"To speak with Charles, if he's in."

After a few moments, in which Storm was no doubt in conversation with Charles, the other mutant's voice came back on the line. "Try anything, and you'll become my new lightning rod."

Almost immediately, the gate opened.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000

The office secretary was just finishing the morning announcements over the PA system, and everyone was waiting for them to end, when she announced something that caught every student's attention.

"Finally, next Friday, after the football game, the school will be hosting a dance until ten in the gymnasium. Beverages and snacks will be served."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000

"Jean, I'm sorry," Duncan apologized. "I shouldn't have been so insistent. If you want to wait until marriage, that's perfectly fine."

Jean looked at the blonde and sighed. "Alright, just don't try it again."

He smiled and leaned it for a quick peck on the lips. "Does this mean you'll go to the dance me?"

Jean chuckled. "Sure."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000

Rose kneeled down in front of Rogue and, having earlier conjured one in the bathroom (so as to avoid being seen), she held out a thorn-less red rose and asked, "My beautiful southern goddess, would you do me the honor of accompanying a humble store owner to the dance next Friday?"

Taking the rose from Rose, she smiled at that, Rogue leaned in and kissed her girlfriend. "Of course Ah will. But yer far from ah humble store owner."

Grinning, Rose said, "I was trying to be romantic."

"Oh ya were," Rogue assured her, before pulling her into the janitor's closet for a through kissing.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000

I hope you all enjoyed, and don't hate me in regards to Hermione's fiancé. And while eight years might not seem like much of an age difference, things change when it's your little girl that's seventeen and involved with a twenty-six year old.

Please Review and Checkout the Challenges in My Forums and the stories I have up for adoption, posted under the title Please Adopt Me! And please, if you enjoy this story, look at my stories More Important Things and Bloodhound. I'd really like to see someone accept my Bloodhound Challenge.