Hello readers (and hopefully reviewers)! I'm so, so, so, so, so, so sorry I didn't post a long time ago- I meant to do it all the way back on Valentine's Day, but the power went out, and then everything got complicated and I got tons of schoolwork because of all the snow. Plus, I recently had a performance, and then got pneumonia, which certainly didn't help my cause. We will try harder to post regularly, don't worry! Anyway, you aren't here to listen to my pathetic excuses, and for that reason I will put up the disclaimer right now so you can go ahead and read what we have:

Nothing that you recognize from Harry Potter belongs to me, sadly, just the wonderful JK Rowling.

I hope this chapter is to your liking! Please give feedback in the reviews. Thank you to those who have let us know you enjoy what we have written! We do appreciate it, I assure you. Constructive criticism is also welcomed, of course.

-Eva :)

Rose

Rising Tensions

"Hey, Cammie!"

A voice rang out from Rose's right, and she turned to see a girl with wavy blonde hair beckoning Chamomile over to her. The girl smiled at Cammie, mouthing something that made both girls stifle laughter. Rose stiffened from a few feet away and rolled her eyes at her school books.

Chamomile Marre giggled to the blonde in a way Rose hadn't known she could, and she knew then that there had been nothing at all between them; the whole sarcastic tomboy attitude wasn't all there was to Cammie. Not in the least. Rose walked slowly across the corridor to her next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, or DADA. It wasn't at all far from where she was, so at least she had no worries of being late.

What a trivial matter, friends, Rose thought, but her heart wasn't into it. She should be focused on her future, and her OWLs, and her schoolwork, not her social life! Still, she felt a strange, unfamiliar kind of hurt and longing when she saw all the pairs and pairs of classmates that hurried by without a care in the world.

Normally, Rose would stick by Albus and he'd cheer her up immediately, even if she was already content, by just being there with his natural wit, amiable modesty, and loyalty to his family and friends. She was sure glad she had such a big family, especially because the Potters were close friends with them. There were so many that were considered her family, Rose always felt welcome… well, usually.

As she was prompted to reality, she remembered that Albus wouldn't possibly come. He was in Slytherin and would consequently never hang out with a Gryffindor, assuming that he had the time to, anyway. Perhaps he was only busy, and that was why he hadn't talked with her.

"Hey, Cammie," Rose said hopefully as she passed by. Rose had really only walked forward about 4 feet since she'd started thinking, but she had about twelve more minutes until DADA, anyway.

"Huh- oh, hi… It's Daisy, right?"

Rose blushed and groaned to herself. Yep. Definitely nothing there. "Rose," she corrected, embarrassed, walking faster as an onlooker snickered. She focused on her books.

"Rosie!" an unexpected voice called out, and Rose's heart filled with delight as she pictured his sea-green eyes, floppy black bangs, and lopsided smile. He was the only one other than her mum and dad she allowed to call her Rosie. Rose lifted her head up ashamedly, and then she knew it was true: Her cousin Albus was here! But… who was he with? He was not alone, just as she'd figured.

Rose watched curiously as the two figures approached. She caught a flash of blonde hair, a smug smile, icy blue eyes… Oh, no! No! Rose's eyes widened and she started walking rapidly in the other direction, shock and outrage marking the lines of her narrowed eyes and her pursed lips. Because it just wasn't possible. She knew who this was; everyone knew who he was. Albus just couldn't be friends with… with… a Malfoy! Scorpius Malfoy and that self-satisfied smirk, crossed arms, and those eyes that saw only everyone's weak points, like the judgmental person he surely was. This was the kid everyone knew and everyone avoided because of his family line, but there he was. And there was her cousin, Al, right beside him. Friends with him, even! Rose felt her eyes fill slightly and her heart plummet in betrayal, and then she ran like the wind, ignoring Albus' unrelenting calls.

"Rosie! Rose, hey, wait up! Rose Weasley, answer me, please! Rose?"

Scorpius Malfoy just blinked in uncertain confusion, staring after Al until he came to his senses and began running up to him. With an overbrimming heart, Rose glanced back one more time to show her hurt expression to her clueless cousin.

Rose noticed with slight satisfaction that Albus looked stricken as he watched her sprint away like he had the plague.

When Rose looked back once more, she saw Scorpius glaring at her. Not to be outdone, Rose immediately glared back, sensing the cold challenge and, well, admittedly being a bit dramatic. Neither student was going to back down soon, that became clear within only a few moments; it was almost like a duel was happening from the looks in their eyes. Albus was glancing between the two, hurt and confusion by this apparent rivalry etched on his face. Why was everything so complicated? The thought was echoing in the heads of all three kids, all for different purposes, but leading back to the same idea. Then Rose turned around to show only her back to Scorpius Malfoy as he glanced worriedly at Al, the large movement breaking the tension. She gave a small glance herself towards both boys, but then her face hardened and she stalked off, trying not to be late but remaining in earshot as long as she could to see how Al would take her response.

Albus took an audible breath and muttered lightly to himself, "...couldn't even see past his last name… even more stubborn than I thought… she'll come around, she's got to…"

Scorpius paced anxiously around the corridors, not really sure if he should step in or not. "Hey," he said tentatively, "Al, maybe we should get to class."

"Right," Al replied as he let out a breath. "Well, how mad can she really get? I mean, I'm her cousin, she tends to get a bit dramatic, and it was only an encounter in the hallway… Sure, friends can separate, but in the end, family is still family."

Their footfalls were soft as they started walking to DADA, which brought Rose to reality. Yeah, she was usually a tiny bit dramatic, but this pretty much betrayed some of the views she'd been given since birth! Malfoys were people to stay away from, she'd been told.

"If you take anything with you, boys and girls, when you exit this room, know that where you have been placed does not determine who you are."

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you, but no pressure."

"So that's little Scorpius. Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Thoughts heaved in Rose's mind as she ran through the corridors, determined to get away from this illogical turn of events in class. For once, she wished she could just switch her brain off, or at least coax her thoughts away from all the conflicting advice and words she knew. Was Scorpius that bad? A part of her mind said of course he was, but the other half wasn't so sure. If Albus was friends with him, what did it mean?

"Watch where you're going, first year!"

A mad voice jolted her from her thoughts. Rose inhaled sharply as she heard the loud noise from around the corner and she backed away slowly, ready to confront the speaker if he tried to harm or jinx her. Rose let out a sigh of relief as she saw him looking in front of her, to a poor boy who'd evidently run into him. Neither Rose nor the elder student had seen each other. But the voice seemed so familiar…

"To what house do you belong? You don't want trouble with me, mate."

"H-hufflepuff, sir-"

The male, who, judging by his superior attitude, was probably a second or third year, and his surrounding friends guffawed loudly at the first year's mistake.

"Sir, indeed. Yeah, yeah, kid, just know that if you ever bump into someone like me again, I'll have my wand at the ready."

The boy gave a small squeak and scurried off. Rose narrowed her eyes in mild anger as stupid giggles permeated the air. Apparently this kid's followers included lovestruck girls as well. Rose squared her shoulders and stepped in front of the older boy, looking at him for the first time.

"Why- James Sirius Potter?! What are you doing here?" The eldest of the Potter siblings really was intimidating, even if he was only a year older than Rose and she knew him.

"Kid needed a bit of authority as to what we older students are like." Her cousin shrugged. "Hey, Rose. You surprised me!" His tone was rather amused and casual, as though he'd expected her and was not at all surprised. "Being an amazingly, fantastically awesome second year, I get to hang around here and insult you puny little firsties. Also, my classroom is right over there and I've got time to kill."

Typical. Rose rolled her eyes. This big bully had no problem of violence, she knew. Only an ego about three times the size of his body and a fanclub to match. Sure enough, his response to her words was not a duel of any kind, but rather lazy contentment.

"You do realize that next year my classmates and I will all be 'amazingly, fantastically awesome second years,' as you so eloquently put it?" Rose gave him an annoyed look as she pointed out the loophole.

James just shrugged and grinned, lazily running a hand through his brownish, reddish hair, probably daydreaming about how awesome he thought he was.

"Eh. Anyways, hey, little cuz."

Rose glared with a passion that could kill, but she had a suspicion James could catch the small, amused glint in her eyes.

"Hullo, James. I'd suggest you stop tormenting first years; your father would love to know what you've been up to in my next letter- ahem, that poor Hufflepuff kid and pranking the-"

"Aw, you'd never really tell. Besides, all in good fun. The prefects probably didn't care about a few small messes to clean up. You worry too much, Rosie."

"Rose. Only Mum and Dad can call me that, you annoying jerk." Rose sighed at his hopeless interruption, "forgetting" to mention that Al called her that sometimes too.

"I was going to say I'm so sorry for calling you that, Rosie, but a jerk? Oh, dear Rosie, a jerk?" James said, dramatically feigning innocence and hurt. Rose just glared at him, but a tiny little smile played on her lips as he said her name wrong again. What an idiot.

The only reason she didn't try to jinx him right then and there was because he was family, if she was being honest.

Family. Rose felt some of her amusement fade away as she remembered Albus laughing and walking with Scorpius Malfoy. He had always been family to her, but now she wasn't sure what to think.

James' expectant smirk faltered for a moment as he sensed her solemn change in mood. Then, of course, it reappeared in a matter of seconds.

"Rose...?"

Rose took a deep breath and confided in her older cousin.

"James," Rose lowered her voice and bit her lip, "do you know Scorpius Malfoy?"

James' eyes darkened, but his voice remained merry. "That little punk? Of course. Is he giving you trouble? I'll pound him for ya if you want. In fact, I know some great pranks I could pull, too, from our wonderful Uncle George's shop."

Rose shook her head and didn't reply.

"Is- is it Al he's giving trouble, then? I should've known…"

James' expression turned scary and his tone grew solemn.

"No! No, don't give your grief to Malfoy. But… Well, I think Scorpius and Al… are friends."

James looked confused. "What?"

Then he looked around. Nobody was left except for him and Rose. James sighed, noting that his lovestruck girls had left him in order to not be late, bored of his inactivity. Then he leaned in and whispered to his cousin.

"Look… I'm not saying I'm not concerned. But talking may be better coming from you. I think it might reach his ears more effectively. He tends to get suspicious when I tell him stuff. And Rose?" Here he took a turn biting his lip. "I'll look out for him, don't worry. He may be in the House of wriggling snakes… but he's also my brother."

Rose grinned and stared at James, shocked. He looked uncomfortable.

"Don't you dare tell anyone I said that!" He snapped and leaned back, his signature ease reappearing as he blurted out the defensive words. "It'd ruin my wonderfully awesome reputation."

With that, James Sirius Potter turned and sped off, leaving Rose standing alone, wondering when roaming the halls got so complicated as she jogged the rest of the way to her DADA class. She gave one final thought about Al before closing her mind to school and adjusting her books.

Perhaps it would all work out, these rising tensions. That idea in particular made something cold in her insides start to thaw.

Perhaps it was nothing to worry about.

And, well, perhaps it was.

Another note: from now on we're going to try to have actual chapter titles! So that's pretty exciting :)

Thank you for putting up with us and continuing to read!

Hali~