Last time on Growing Up, Moving On, and Other Things Rose Sucks At: Rose Weasley remembers going to her Nana's place to celebrate getting her first new job. There, she bakes with Scorpius Malfoy and shares a somewhat intimate moment with him, after which she tells herself that there would be no way that Scorpius would like her, that he was probably interested in intelligent girls, girls who were studying arithmancy, statistical wizardry, potioneering, or something similar.
Chapter 3
2026
Rose closed her eyes, the memory still fresh in her mind.
"Your journey is not wrong, just different. You are not stupid, you are just a different kind of intelligent. And not everyone can be a genius anyway," she thought to herself, repeating to herself a mantra she'd developed over the years. She clutched the paper in her hand tightly and closed her eyes.
2024
Rose had just finished arranging the last of the blueberry scones in the display. The last of the breakfast rush was done, and Jimmy said they had about an hour of peace before the lunch frenzy would begin.
"Hey, you can take a break now if you want," Rose said. Jimmy had taken over for her an hour ago and she wanted to return the favour.
Jimmy looked relieved.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I just need to serve and handle the register, right?" she asked. She'd already done this several times since opening time that day, but she felt the need to double-check everything.
"Yup, I'll be back in like ten minutes," he replied, with a reassuring smile.
Rose nodded and turned back around, eyes darting for the door in case any customers came in. She sighed. For the moment, Rose was completely alone. Her shoulders sagged and she leant against the wall next to the cash register.
Last night, Rose had moved out of her home and into her dorm. All her things were packed neatly into cubes, using a spell from a book she'd nicked from her mother. She stood at the door, and called out to her parents.
"Mum, Dad! I'm about to head out!"
She heard a pair of footsteps rushing downstairs.
"Now?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Rose said simply, offering no explanation for why she hadn't given them any previous notice.
"I'll come help you set up your stuff," Hermione said, moving to put her slippers on.
"No, Mum, that's okay, I'll do it myself."
"Rose –"
"No really, I got this."
"Rosie honey please –"
"Mum, I know this may be difficult for you to believe, but I am actually capable of doing certain things," Rose said, immediately regretting it. She had felt angry and resentful for days, but she had never meant to say something like this.
Hermione's expression and ensuing silence only made Rose feel worse. It looked like Rose had hit the nail on its head.
"Rose, you know that's not true," Ron said, stepping forward and placing a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Sure," Rose replied, looking at the floor.
"Please let me come with you," Hermione said again.
"It's alright, Mum."
Ron's eyes flitted between the both of them before he spoke, "Message when you're all set up, okay?"
"Sure, Dad." Rose gathered her boxes around her and prepared to apparate.
"We love you, Rosie," Hermione said.
Rose's eyes filled with tears as she grasped her wand. She didn't want to leave now, not like this.
"I love you too," she said and with a whispered spell, her old home dissolved around her.
Rose was greeted by "Cozy Coven" painted in big, curly letters on a signboard. Brushing her tears away with a slightly amused smile, Rose pushed the door open and walked into a courtyard in the middle of the dormitory complex. She scanned the doors for number 12 and then made her way over. Setting her boxes down, she turned the handle and looked around. Inside, there were three bunk beds, six desks, and a tiny kitchen corner. Rose walked over to the only empty bed and began arranging her things under it and next to it.
"Hi, need some help?"
Rose recognised the voice as Siobhan, who she'd met when she checked out the dorm out earlier.
"Hey! No, I'm good."
"There's some storage space in here," Siobhan said, knocking the wall right next to the bed, "And just let me know if you need anything!" She then walked over to one of the desks and sat down.
"Thanks!" Rose called out. The mess of packing cubes before her made her feel a bit queasy, but she didn't feel like asking for Siobhan's help. She didn't want to bother her, not on her first day at the dorm.
Rose took out her e-Owl and began jotting down a quick to-do list. She made a note of what things needed to be organised right away, what needed to go where, as well as the things she needed to purchase. Then, taking in a deep breath, she started at the top of her list. About fifty minutes in, there was a knock at the door. Rose brushed the hair out of her face and turned. One of the other girls who she hadn't spoken to yet walked over and opened the door. Rose was shocked to see Victoire standing in the doorway.
"Vic?" she called out in surprise.
"Thanks," Vic mumbled to the girl who had let her in, before coming to Rose's bed.
"Hey, Rosie!" Victoire said, wrapping her arms around Rose.
"How come you're here?" she asked, her expression of confusion and relief, that one of her favourite cousins was here.
"Your mom said you both fought and that you might want some help." Vic sat down, with a questioning look. Rose sat down next to her, the lumpy mattress bouncing slightly.
"You know how she is," Rose whispered, "Any decision she wouldn't take is the wrong one."
"I'm not here to defend her, but you know she's just worried because she loves you, right?" Vic said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"That doesn't mean she can make me feel like shit all the time," Rose said.
"Like I said, I'm not here to defend her or anything, I just don't think you should let this fight go on too long. She's your mother."
Rose sighed. Victoire was right, of course.
"Okay," she said, in a voice so small, that it seemed like she was only telling herself.
"Alright, well I am here to help you, so let's get to it, yeah?"
Rose nodded and showed Victoire her to-do list. In an hour, they had ticked everything off and they sat together on the newly made bed.
"Shall I come with you when you go shopping?" Vic asked.
"No, it's okay. I'll go after work sometime tomorrow."
"And what about that one box over there?" Vic asked, pointing to the last cube, sitting alone under the cabinet.
Rose bit her lip, weighing between two options in her mind. Vic tilted her head in question, and Rose made a hasty decision.
"You can't tell Mum – or wait, scratch that, you can't tell anyone."
Victoire's eyes widened. Rose swallowed.
"I'm taking two distance education courses from the Ministry – one on Applied Charms and one on Advanced Spellcraft."
"Oh Rosie! That's amazing – you always loved Charms and now you're going to study it! But – but why is this a secret? Aunt Mione would be so happy!"
"That's the thing, Vic, she'd go and have a thousand expectations and she's ask a thousand people if I could do an internship or something with them – and I just don't want any of that. I just want to learn, that's all. And I don't want to be scared of what will come of it – you know?"
Victoire frowned slightly, but nodded.
"Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone. But you'll tell your parents one day, right?"
"Yes, Vic, I will. One day."
"Okay then. Shall we put that at your desk?"
Twenty minutes later, Rose's drawers had her new textbooks arranged inside neatly, along with some fresh parchment and shiny stationery. Victoire picked up her purse and the two walked back into the courtyard outside Rose's room.
"So you're good?" Vic asked. Rose nodded and hugged her.
"Thanks for everything," she whispered, tearing up for the second time that night.
"It's no problem," Victoire said, smiling gently when they separated, "Take care, don't stay up too late, you've got work in the morning."
Rose nodded, wiping her eyes.
"Bye, sweetie," Vic said.
"Bye, Vic," Rose said, and a second later, Vic disappeared with a loud crack.
The next morning, Rose woke up blearily to the sound of her alarm. Despite Vic's instruction, Rose only fell asleep well after twelve. Try as she could, she could not quiet the thoughts of her parents, her new job, the textbooks at her desk. But most of all, what kept her up was the question that grew louder with every iteration, "Am I doing the right thing?"
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she rushed to brush her teeth and take a quick shower, before apparating to the back door of Cindy's. By 5:15 AM, Rose had pulled her orange Cindy's apron and hat on and was starting the machines up for the first batch of cinnamon rolls, with Jimmy's guidance. At 6 AM, she stocked the display with fresh rolls while Jimmy prepped the coffee. Soon, the rest of the baked goodies were arranged as well, and their Cindy's was officially ready for their first throng of customers for the day. Rose Weasley, however, didn't feel very ready.
Five minutes after Jimmy flipped the "We're Closed!" sign to "We're Open!", a customer pushed the door open and Rose's heart clenched with panic. Jimmy must've noticed because he mouthed "You got this!". After taking the order and double and triple checking, Rose had officially sold her first cinnamon roll and coffee.
"See, wasn't so bad!" Jimmy said, patting her back. Rose laughed nervously and mumbled a thanks. In the next couple of hours, Rose had seen so many people that she lost count. Every so often, she would remember to tell the customers about the blueberry scones – the newest item on their menu. When the rush had slowed down a bit, Jimmy had asked her if she wanted a break. She shook her head and said she wasn't tired, but he insisted.
The minute Rose ducked into the locker room and took off her cap, she realised she did need a break. She threw a grateful look towards the door, in the direction of where Jimmy was and wondered how people did that – how they just understood others like that. A few sips of water and a quick stretch later, Rose was back, assisting with the coffee until the customers slowed to a trickle. That's when Rose offered to take over while Jimmy took his break.
The bell at the door tinkled and Rose stood up straight. Her face broke out into a smile before she could even think about it when she saw who it was.
"Scorp!" she blurted out.
"Rose!"
"What are you doing here!" she said.
"I thought I'd come by and see how the world's worst barista was doing," Scorpius replied, with a cheeky smile.
"Har har, and I'm not a barista."
"Do you sell coffee?"
"Yes, but –"
"You're a barista."
"I don't primarily sell coffee, I sell cinnamon rolls."
"But do you sell coffee?"
"Yes –"
"Then you're a barista."
Rose let out a huff just as the door opened.
"Well, what do you want anyway?" she asked Scorpius.
The customer at the door paused and looked at Rose. She flushed and hurriedly said, "Don't worry Sir, that kind of customer service is reserved only for him."
He chuckled and came up to the counter, while Scorpius made way for him with a mumbled, "After you."
"What can I get you?" Rose asked, wiping her palms on her apron.
"I'll have a tall coffee with a Grande cinnamon roll, please."
"Would you like to try our blueberry scones?" she asked, while grabbing a paper cup and filling it with piping hot coffee.
"You have scones now?" the customer asked, scanning the display.
"Yup, they're our newest item!" Rose replied excitedly.
"Sure then, can you replace the roll with two scones?"
"Coming right up!" Rose said, levitating two scones into a tiny orange box while she typed the order into the machine. Pushing the box and cup towards the customer and depositing his sickles and knuts into the register, Rose wished him a good day. Scorpius stepped back to the centre of the counter.
"Not bad for the world's worst barista, huh?" Scorpius said.
"Right?" Rose said, smiling wide.
"Can I get a medium coffee?"
Rose began dispensing the coffee.
"What are you doing here though? Isn't there a Bean Machine on campus?"
"There is, but I think this is closer."
"Really? But Cindy's is outside the campus!" Rose asked, placing the coffee on the counter.
"Yeah, but it's still closer to my department, I'll show you." And with that, Scorpius took a paper napkin and scribbled down a quick route map, before turning it and sliding it to her.
"Huh," Rose said.
"And besides," he said, "The Machine doesn't have any cinnamon rolls."
"So, you want one?"
Scorpius seemed to think about it for a second. Rose frowned, if he had come here for rolls, why was he thinking about it only now?
"Uh, sure. One Grande please."
Rose took the paper napkin off the counter and a fresh cinnamon roll drifted out from beneath the glass. Before she could serve it on a paper plate, Scorpius picked it up out of the air and took a bite.
"It's so good," he said, mouth full of warm, sweet bread. Rose felt like her insides were melting. She shook her head. What was it about Scorpius that made her so downright silly?
Stepping to the register, she printed out his bill and handed it to him along with his steaming coffee.
When he was done paying, he continued standing before Rose, alternating between bites of the roll and sips of his coffee.
"How's college going?" Rose asked after a moment of silence.
"It's going well. Classes are going great – a bit hectic, but great."
"And do you have any friends?"
Scorpius laughed, "It's been a week, Rose!"
Rose blushed. To her, the thought of him making friends on his first day seemed entirely plausible.
"There is this one guy I sit with at most classes, so I guess he's a friend?"
"See!" Rose said with a chuckle.
"And you're all settled in at your dorm?" Scorpius asked.
"Yeah, Vic came by and helped me last night."
Scorpius opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when the bell at the door rang. A group of four or five walked in.
"Anyway, I just wanted to see you on your first day. I'll meet you tomorrow?" Scorpius said, picking up his cup.
"Yeah, okay. Wait, Scorpius?"
"Hmm?"
Rose leaned forward and gave him a one-armed hug.
"Thank you." She hoped he could tell how much she appreciated him coming. How good it was to see someone familiar, how good it was to see him.
"Of course," he whispered, patting her back.
"Bye then! See you tomorrow!" Rose said, as Scorpius stepped away.
"Bye, Rosie!"
-x-
2026
Scorpius stopped by the next day. And the day after that, and then just about everyday. Until today, two years later. A tear fell from Rose's eye onto the crumpled paper-napkin-map. After today, she wouldn't see Scorpius for his coffee and occasional cinnamon roll. And then soon, he would be in France, and she wouldn't get to see him much at all. And, after what had happened that day, maybe he wouldn't even want to meet her.
No, she thought to herself, I'll apologise. He's my friend, we'll be alright.
A/N: Hope you liked that update to Rose's story :) See you in the next chapter!
Love,
Blue Hedwig :)