The last month had gone by in a whirlwind for Rose and she couldn't really believe it was October already. It felt like all she's done is sit and do homework, go to the library and go to bed, it was beginning to become extremely repetitive so it was on Saturday the 1st of October she decided that she was going to explore the castle grounds properly.

After showering and dressing she left the dormitories on her own and set off to sit by the lake for a while, she had been sitting by the lake admiring the tranquillity of the water when she sensed someone sitting down beside her, thinking it was James or Al she turned around with a smile but she saw that it wasn't either of the Potter boys it was Scorpius Malfoy. Rosie hadn't talked to Scorpius since their argument in the entrance hall on the first day and she simply ignored him in potions but she couldn't pretend that she hadn't been thinking about him, she really did feel sorry for him having to live in such a hostile environment all his childhood and he obviously just didn't know how to make friends so maybe he really didn't mean to say what he did on the Hogwarts express. She even considered saying sorry for being so harsh on him but she pushed away these thoughts by telling herself that if he really wanted her friendship he would come and talk to her. But here he was now sitting beside her, this was their chance to get over their differences,

"Hey Weasley" Malfoy said meekly not even sneering her surname

"Hello Malfoy"

"Look I'm sorry about everything we really got off on the wrong foot which is a shame because I'd say we could be good friends. If I could go back and do it differently I would" he sounded genuinely disappointed

"I don't think we have met, my name is Rose Weasley" she said with a smile

"What?" he didn't seem to get what she was doing "Oh I get it! Scorpius Malfoy pleasure to meet you" he added with a wink

"Oh the pleasure is all mine Mr. Malfoy" she imitated his aristocratic accent

He laughed with her while thinking in his head that maybe he didn't fancy this girl after all, it seemed like they would have a good friendship and he seemed content with that. They walked around the lake talking about themselves and their families for what must have been two or more hours but they were disturbed by someone calling Scorpius from the castle doors,

"Who's that?" asked Rose

"Oh that's Marco Zabini, his father was Blaise Zabini and Blaise has been my fathers best friend all his life, I've known Marco since I was three he is one of the only close friends I have"

"Well I'm your friend Scorpius" she said with a smile

"Thank you Rose, that means alot to me" Scorpius returned with a smile

"Come on I was supposed to meet Erika ten minutes ago and you better get to Marco"

As they walked through the doors Marco looked at Scorpius slyly but didn't say anything but hello to Rose which she returned before hurrying up the stairs.

"Man she's pretty! Who is she?" Marco asked incredulously after Rose had left

"That's Rose Weasley" Scorpius answered ignoring Marcos previous comment

"And what might a young Mr Malfoy be doing with a "blood traitor" Weasley?" Marco asked making speech marks with his hands

"We're just friends, I thought I fancied her for a while but I realised now that I don't, I just like her as a friend"

"Mmmhmmm" said Marco sceptically

x-x-x-x

Rose hurried into the library and found Erika sitting at their usual table at the back looking rather put out,

"I'm so sorry Erika, I went for a walk down the lake and then Scorpius came then we were talking and I lost track of..."

"Scorpius Malfoy?" asked Erika brightening up a little "What were you doing with him? See we knew he fancied you!"

"He does not fancy me we were just talking as friends" said Rose indignantly

"Yeah, Yeah that's what they all say!"

Rose ignored this comment by pretending to be reading a passage in her textbook but she couldn't help the thoughts that were running through her mind, She didn't fancy Scorpius did she? And he definitely didn't fancy her! Or did he? UGGGH she didn't want to think about boys, her mother had advised her to concentrate on her studies for her first few years and she shouldn't have to think about boys until at least 3rd year, she agreed with her mother on this point as well, her studies were much more important than silly school girl crushes. She cleared her mind of all Scorpius related thoughts and got stuck into her studying after all if she wanted to get her mothers title a brightest witch in the year she would have to work for it!

x-x-x-x

Later that night when Rose was in bed unable to sleep she heard a pecking on her dormitory window so she went over to investigate, outside the window was the most beautiful eagle owl she had ever seen, She took the note attached to its leg off and saw that it was for her, she opened it and read

Rose, Thanks for today it's nice to know I have another friend that's there for me, Come and meet me outside the Slytherin Common room tomorrow morning at 10 – Scorpius

She read it with a smile, of course the most regal bird in the school had to belong to Malfoy, she scribbled a note back and attached to the owls leg before getting back into bed. She was surprised to hear pecking on the window again a few minutes later.

I see you have problems sleeping aswell, what thoughts would be keeping up a carefree young woman like yourself on a Saturday night? Maybe those of a handsome young man she spent the day with.

Rose had to laugh at this and she wrote back

More like the thoughts of the pompous git she spent the day with

This time instead of going back to bed Rose waiting sitting in the window seat knowing that it wouldn't be long until the owl was back and she was proved right when the owl flew straight in the window this time, not 5 minutes later

Ah but you are thinking of me?

This time she responded with just one word

Git

And with that she fell asleep right there on the window seat of the first year girls dormitory

x-x-x-x

Rose arrived outside the Slytherin common room at exactly 10 o' clock the next day to meet Scorpius and he was late as appeared to be a habit of his. The Door to the common room opened and Rose turned around expecting to see Scorpius but instead seeing Marco standing behind her.

"Hello, I don't believe we have been introduced properly" he said in an English accent with the slightest Italian lilt that suggested he may have grown up with Italian parents

"Oh yeah, Hi I'm Rose Weasley"

"Marco Zabini"

"Scorpius tells me that you have been friends all your life?"

"Yes we have our fathers are good friends, I see you and Scorpius are getting on very well" he said with a wink

"Oh yes we are just friends you know"

"Ah yes I understand" he said with a nod

At that moment Scorpius came out of the door and looked suspiciously from Marco to Rose before saying

"Oh I say you have properly met"

"Yes I was just saying to Rose here that you two are getting on very well" Marco said with a smirk

"I was explaining to Marco that we are just friends" Rose said with a smile.

With that Rose and Scorpius headed off towards the stairs out of the dungeons not hearing Marco mutter under his breath

"Yes just friends that stay up until all hours of the night owling each other"

x-x-x-x

October and November passed just as quickly as December and before she knew it Rose found herself packing her trunk getting ready to go home for Christmas! She double checked her trunk and when she was sure she had everything she went down to sit at the fire for a while before bed. She had been spending more and more time with Scorpius lately and he had nearly become her best friend for some reason she trusted him more than she trusted Erika, Lisa or Angeline. He was so easy to talk to and he made her laugh, they would sit in the library together most evenings studying in companionable silence occasionally looking up and talking an answer to a question over. Potions had become her best and favourite class even though Professor Snape thought it having Scorpius as her partner made it alot easier as the two of them were the best in the class and they had abit of fun along the way. She had also had a few more run ins with Adam Taylor and honestly she couldn't see what other girls (or her on the first night) saw in him , he's a player who thinks he can get any girl and then just break their hearts and move on, he's also rude and quite frankly as Al and Dan put it on the first night he's a git! Speaking of Dan he's been acting kind of strange lately, everytime she said hello to him at breakfast or dinner or even in the common room he sort of froze and just nodded his head, She tried asking him was he okay but he just nodded and said he better go that he left one of his books in the library and ran off. Maybe she should try and have a good talk with him after Christmas, Yes that's definitely what she would do. Her thoughts were interrupted by someone coming into the common room she looked up and saw James approaching the arm chair beside her, she had always liked James, she was very fond of Al as well but James was so easy to talk to he was like one of her best friends.

"Fancy seeing you here" James commented with a smile

"Same for you James, It feels like ages since I last talked to you! Sit and gossip with me"

He laughed at her but sat all the same "Well you're staying at mine the Christmas so we will have lots of time to talk then"

Rose was staying with the Potters for Christmas break because her mother was gone to America for a convention on the rights of magical creatures and her father was gone to Paris for an Auror Job.

"Oh yeah it should be fun spending Christmas with you lot, is your dad going on the job to france with my dad? She asked

"Yeah he is"

"So It's just me, you, Hugo ,Al, Lily and Aunt Ginny" smiled Rose

"And Dan" added James

"What?"

"Al's friend Dan Taylor is staying with us for Christmas his parents are going away as well"

"What about Adam Taylor?" asked Rose suddenly downhearted, she could handle Dan for Christmas she would actually enjoy that but If Adam was staying as well It would be too much.

"He's staying with his Aunt, but he's coming over for Christmas dinner" James sighed "And I'm no more happy about it than you but we have to be polite and deal with it" he added

"Yes I suppose with my parents gone for Christmas I should know what it's like, I'm just blessed to have you guys"

"We love having you Rosie you are literally part of the family" he laughed

"Thanks James, you always know how to cheer me up"

"No problem"

"I think I better get to bed it's late" Rose stood up to leave

"Night Rosie"

"Night James"

A/N : Okay I know I said mostly James and Rose but the chapter just had a mind of it's own! Sorry for skipping a few months but I really want to get ahead to when their abit older! Next chapter is Christmas and Rosie's first kiss but with who? ;) If you're really good and review I might even get the next chapter up today or tomorrow morning at the latest

Love

Dora :)