A/n: A bit of a filler chapter, with some important filler fluff.

Rose

I do as Amelie requests – talk to Dominique. There is no way in hell that I'm going through Scorpius's bag. Dom is excited about the auction and agrees to spread the word and help out the team. We whip up some posters and she puts them in the common rooms of the different houses. Amelie, realising that not many people take notice of the house poster-boards, plasters the rest of the school – the corridors, the loos, the alcoves and the broom cupboards – so that there is no chance of someone missing the auction.

We also pass the word on by mouth.

'So, Julien.' I ask as we patrol the seventh floor. 'Any plans for this Friday?'

He pushes his blonde hair out of his eyes and looks over at me with a smile. 'I believe that I'm attending the auction being held in the Great Hall by the Ravenclaw quidditch team.'

'Good boy.' I say, taking his arm. 'Don't forget your wallet.'

We walk the floor twice more before giving up for the night. There aren't quite so many couples snogging in broom closets on Wednesdays as on Fridays. I walk Julien to the Gryffindor common room, but don't go inside. I don't fancy seeing my cousins right now – no doubt they're in uproar about the auction. Instead I hurry down the hall to the stairs, my full intention to cuddle up in my bed and escape the cool fall chill that's settling into the castle.

But, as I turn a corner on the fifth floor close to the Ravenclaw tower, I'm stopped by pair of hands. One lands on my mouth, smothering my cry, the other gripping my waist and slamming me against the wall. Instinctively, I place my hands on my attacker's shoulders and push, attempting to fight them off. The only response I receive is a low chuckle in my ear and warm breath on my neck.

'Weasley.' His voice is a grunting sound, and I recognise it from six years of taunting. I scowl and reach up to pry his hand away.

'Nott.' I reply, returning to my efforts of getting him to release me. 'Let me go.'

'Merlin, who knew that under those baggy school robes you actually had figure. Not bad, I say. For a Weasel.'

'Let me go.' I repeat.

He pulls away for a moment, his leering face looking down at me. 'I think not.' And then suddenly his lips slam down on mine, stealing a sloppy kiss. I smash my fists into his chest and try to knee him in the crotch, but I'm like a fly to him, buzzing about and bothering him. With a simple move of his hand he pins mine and I'm stuck.

'Oi!' Someone calls out.

Suddenly Nott's legs give out and he falls to the floor, releasing his grip on me. Nell is standing there, wand held out in front of her and eyes wide as saucers. It appears that she has used the jelly-legs jinx on the Slytherin.

'Rose!' She cries, rushing forwards. 'Rose, are you alright? What a horrible boy.' With a swish of her wand she silences his rebuttal. 'Petrificus totalus.'

I turn on my heel and run down the hall to the common room, leaving Nell standing next to Nott's inert body. I hold my angry red cheeks and try to keep my tears from falling as I cross the room, avoiding everyone's eyes. I bury myself in my covers and pretend to be asleep when my dorm mates enter a little later.

'Rose,' I recognise Coraline's voice. 'I know that you're not asleep. Come on. Tell us what happened.'

'Slytherins boys are all gits. Slimy, disgusting snakes.'

Amelie

Nell enters the common room looking as angry as I've ever seen her.

'Where's Rose?' She asks, looking from me to Coraline to Ida.

'I saw her go up to her dorm.' Mariah says, entering the conversation. 'She seemed rather distressed.'

'She just had a nasty run in with that oaf from Slytherin – Nott.' Nell snarls. 'I don't know what happened exactly, but she didn't seem all that pleased with what he was doing to her.'

'That slime ball!' Coraline yelps. 'Poor Rose. What did you do?'

'Silencio, petrificus totalus, bat bogey hex, the works. I left him propped up near the snake lair.' She shrugs. Coraline jumps to her feet and drags Ida up the stairs.

'Um,' A small girl appears at my side. 'There's a Slytherin outside asking for someone from the quidditch team.'

Nell raises a brow at me, then turns to the stairs, leaving me to deal with the Slytherin. I thank the little girl and slip out the door, finding myself face to face with Scorpius Malfoy. He shuffles his feet awkwardly, waiting for me to start the conversation.

'What do you want, Malfoy?' I ask.

'I want to see Rose.' He replies in a hurry. 'I heard what Nott did and I want to make sure that she's alright.'

'Why? Why would you want to do that?'

'I just... I care about her, I guess.'

'You guess?'

He looks at the ceiling and twiddles his thumbs. 'Yeah. I care about her. I mean, we're friends, right? That's what friends do. Besides, Nott is on my team and he's my responsibility. He skived off practice tonight and I should have gone to find him – if I had Rose wouldn't have gotten into any trouble. Is she alright?'

'Yeah. I think she's fine.' I reply, watching him with narrowed eyes. He shifts his weight, eyes darting from the ceiling to the ground to the door behind me, but never meeting mine. 'Just tell Nott to stay away from her.'

'You won't let me see her?' He accuses me, glaring.

'It's late, Malfoy. You can see her tomorrow.'

His glare softens slightly. 'Right. Tomorrow. Well, tell her that I came by, please.'

I nod and watch as he descends the stairs. Then I sprint through the common room and up to the sixth year girls' dorm.

'Rose!' I cry, throwing open the door to see her and her friends huddling together on her bed. 'Tell me about this Scorpius Malfoy.'

Her cheeks redden and she shrugs. 'What do you want to know? He's my cousin's best mate, he's the Slytherin Quidditch captain, and he's shoddy at writing essays, but he's getting better.'

'Not any of those things, silly. I mean, what's he like around you? Do you spend a lot of time together? What do you do together?'

'Oh, um, he's nice. I guess.' She reddens further.

'You guess?'

'Yeah. He's nice. He doesn't swear, he doesn't make crude jokes, he's genuinely interested in learning – I honestly don't know why he wasn't put in Ravenclaw!' Rose laughs a little, then quiets. 'Yeah, he's nice. We study together, you know that. And we have a few classes together. Apart from that, I don't see him much.'

'Well, guess who came to see you tonight.' I say, raising a sly brow.

She shakes her head at me. 'I know what you're on about, Amelie, but it's nothing like that. We're friends.'

'You may not be able to see it, Rose, but believe me. That boy is as good as in love with you. I'd bet my captain's badge on it.'

Mariah

I wake at some late point in the night, feeling altogether too hot and uncomfortable. I kick away the sheets and spread my legs out on the bed, trying to settle down again and reclaim the lingering threads of the dream I was having.

I can just remember...

I like you Mariah Affey. A lot.

Wait. What?

A/n: Next chapter we have the auction!