Chapter 9

By half past six Rose was a complete bag of nerves and was pacing up and down the living room glancing at the clock every few seconds. She had been on a fair few first dates in her time and had always been nervous and apprehensive but this time she felt completely different, she was so excited and terrified all at the same time. Sal had been her friend for a long time and she had only just started to see him in another way, it scared her to think about what was going to happen, would it actually work out between them? And if it didn't what would happen to their friendship? On the other hand she wanted more than anything for it to work out as she had felt so relaxed around him once they cleared up the whole misunderstanding. She had decided that tonight would prove it once and for all, if they could survive a first date then perhaps a relationship could develop which at the moment was all Rose really wanted.

"Rose will you please calm down? And watching the clock is not going to make it go faster, or slower!" her best friend, Holly, said to her.

"I don't want it to go any slower. And are you sure I should go like this?" she asked indicating the cloak she was wearing.

"For the seventy seventh time Rose, yes! Look he's been in a long term relationship with Gloria for four years and let's face it she was never the 'exciting' type at school was she? She'd probably given up trying as she had him exactly where she wanted him. Go in like that and you'll blow him away girl, he'll fall for you on the spot and you can have him where ever you want him!" Holly had called round after lunch and Rose had been so nervous that she had been unable to keep it in any longer, when her friend had heard that she was going on a first date with Salamander, who Holly had had a crush on in school, she had started her usual first date advice. The two girls had been friends since their first year at Hogwarts and had supported each other through a lot, especially when it came to boys and Holly had immediately insisted that Rose show him the usual 'good time' that they tended to reserve for the third or fourth date.

"But why now?" Rose asked remembering that they usually held off for a few more days.

"Rose I told you, you already know each other well so you can get past all that boring, what do you do? Tell me about your family crap and go straight into the good stuff, I mean you've already tried the goods haven't you?"

"Hol!" Rose shrieked turning beetroot red.

"Well you have! You know that he's a good shag so it's time to really show him what you can do! He'll be gagging for it, especially as he can't actually remember what it was really like last time, you can give him a memory he'll never forget!"

"I suppose," Rose agreed blushing but still not completely convinced, maybe what she was wearing and what it would lead to was the thing that was making her even more nervous than she usually was.

"Look, go in there, show him the 'goods'!" Holly giggled raising her eyebrows, "And he's yours! And seeing as you'll be gone all night I'll just hang around here and keep the cat company!"

"She'll be out hunting all night!"

"Yeah but if she comes back she'll need a bit of company!"

"Holly, if it's that bad at home why don't you just move in here?" Rose asked her friend who spent more and more of her time at the house complaining about her mother.

"What and give up free washing, cooking and cleaning?"

"You're incorrigible Holly Weston!"

"Yeah but you love me, and you love it when I stay here too, anyway look it's almost seven, get your delicious booty over to Sal Longbottom's house and show him what he's been missing! I'll see you in the morning!" she added smiling slyly at her friend and curling up in a soft armchair with Rose's black and white cat purring on the arm.

"Okay," she said taking a deep breath and smiling one more time before she turned on the spot and apparated to the front door of her cousin James and Salamander Longbottom's bachelor pad. She took another deep breath before knocking on the door and waiting for it to open. She was worried about eating as she was unsure of whether she could keep anything in her stomach as it flipped up and down and as the door opened slowly she had to fight the urge to be sick on the spot from nervousness.

"Rose," Salamander said softly smiling at her and opening the door wide for her to walk in.

At the sound of her name her heart had jumped into her mouth and she felt that she was babbling as she replied, "Sal."

"Come in," he said nervously, "take a seat...dinner won't be long. Can I get you some wine?"

"Yes," she coughed, "please."

"Can I take your cloak?" Salamander asked a few minutes later as he returned to the room carrying two glasses of red wine.

"No...not just yet," she replied swallowing hard and taking the glass he offered.

"Oh, okay," Salamander returned quizzically, was she not intending to stay? "I just need to check on a few things in the kitchen, please make yourself...comfortable and I'll…I'll be back in a minute." He was nervous too and it made Rose feel a bit calmer, he had obviously thought ahead and realised that if they were alone in the flat at night then they would naturally progress to the bedroom. She downed the glass of wine to steady her nerves and decided that she needed to get on with what she had come to do, even if it meant doing it before they ate. Visions of Sal's pert bottom rising up and down above her as she groaned and stroked his back turned her on immediately and she wanted to get back to doing the same thing in the hopes it would help them both to relax. Removing her cloak she laid it on a chair beside her and waited for Sal to come back into the room.

After checking that nothing was burning Sal took a deep swig from his glass of wine and headed back to the living area, why was he so nervous about this? Was it because he had not dated for so long? Was it because it was with Rose? Or was he nervous about what might happen now they were alone in the house and James was working all night? He had only actually been with Gloria and Rose but as he had no recollection of sleeping with the latter he was feeling as nervous as if it was his first time with anyone. Turning back to the living room he gasped and stared at the slim and almost naked body of the red headed girl he was falling for, "Rose..." he managed to stutter as she walked towards him.

She was wearing long black thigh high boots over fishnet stockings which were fastened to black lacy suspenders. The boots had a high platform with a pencil thin stiletto heel and were made of patent PVC. A push up black lace bra contained her small but creamy breasts and they had slits in them which revealed her pert, erect nipples. A matching black thong was pulled tight between her buttocks and with her hair tied up revealing her pretty face Salamander was gob smacked, "What's the matter Sal?" Rose asked in a deep sultry voice, "Is there something wrong with my...clothes?" she added walking closer and leaning up to kiss his neck, simultaneously she grabbed his hand and pushed it against her thigh pulling it up towards the knickers which he now realised were also crotch less. He gasped when he felt her soft pubic hair and she began to bite his ear longingly, he allowed her to do it for a few seconds and then she began to whisper in his ear, "Tell me what you want you bad boy," in a seductive voice, but the moment he heard the words he realised what he wanted her to do. He wanted her to stop, this wasn't Rose Weasley and this was not what he wanted from her. "Tell me bad boy, tell me," she went on stroking his back with her hand and lifting his to touch the protruding nipple of her left breast, "What do you want me to do?"

"I...I want you to stop," he said softly taking his hand away from her breast.

"Oh," she said with a groan taking a step back and hurriedly grabbing her cloak from the chair beside her, "I...I thought that...I...Oh," she stuttered pulling the cloak around her tightly and taking another step away. "I thought with...with us being...being...alone that...er...never mind...I...I'm sorry I..." she headed towards the fireplace glowing bright red with embarrassment and desperate to get away from him, how could she have made the mistake?

"Rose," Sal said gently, "don't go," he begged as he saw he take a handful of floo powder and jump into the fire, "please."

"I...I'm sorry Sal I...I'll see you...later," she blurted before throwing the powder in the air and disappearing in a whirl of flames. Salamander sat down on the sofa feeling deflated, he had not wanted her to go he had just wanted her to be herself which the Rose who had just attempted to seduce him had not been. He sighed and walked into the kitchen to turn everything off, he had not meant to upset her and he was determined to try and salvage some of the evening if he could.

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"Salamander Longbottom, I ought to give you a piece of my mind," Holly shrieked as she opened the front door to Rose's house and saw him standing sheepishly on the other side of it. "Do you have any idea how nervous the poor girl was about tonight? She put so much effort into showing you a good time and you just rebuffed her like that, I thought you liked her?"

"I do," Sal implored, "I just...is she here?" he asked not wanting to explain himself to Holly as well as Rose.

"She won't want to see you!" the indignant girl spat.

"Holly, it's alright," Rose called from the sitting room, she had known it would be him and had managed to compose herself enough to explain to him that perhaps their relationship was not destined to be as there were so many false starts.

She looked at him sternly as she showed him to the living room where Rose was curled up on the sofa wrapped up in a soft dressing gown hugging a cup of tea made for her by Holly who had been shocked by her sudden return. After she had managed to coax out of her what had happened the loyal girl had been hell bent on giving Salamander a piece of her mind once she had cared for her broken hearted friend. "If you upset her again Salamander you'll have me to deal with," she barked when he had entered the room and stood beside the sofa looking down on Rose. "She put her whole heart out there for you tonight and you shattered her confidence in one fell swoop!"

"Holly, it's alright, you go on home, I'll be okay. I think we just need to get things straight." Rose said looking imploringly at her friend and begging her not to embarrass her any more than she had already been that evening.

"Fine, but just you remember Longbottom, you don't get away with it that easy when it comes to me!" Then after giving Rose a quick peck on the cheek and checking that she did not want her to wait upstairs she flooed out of the house and left the two of them alone again.

When she had departed Salamander took a tentative step towards the sofa and sat down, "Rose, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to knock your confidence I just-"

"Sal it's fine," she interrupted, "we kept trying but this was obviously not meant to be," she went on looking into his eyes.

"Oh..." he replied downheartedly.

"There've been so many mistakes and issues it's just clear that we weren't supposed to be together," she smiled at him, "we've been friends for so long and I really don't want to lose that. I thought that perhaps there was something there but there really wasn't was there?" She looked at him with a wry smile before continuing,"It's alright I'm not embarrassed by what happened now, I realised that it wasn't what you wanted really so I think it's best that we just forget it all and pretend it never happened, don't you agree?"

"Well...well if that's what...if that's what you want," he said unconvincingly but she didn't notice his tone at all.

"I think it's for the best," she replied.

"Oh," he returned sadly. "Okay then," he added although he wasn't completely sure that that was what she really wanted either, "I...I'll go then," he suggested and she nodded at him as he stood up to leave. He walked towards the fireplace and she stood up to see him off but when he reached it he turned to look at her, without any shoes she was much smaller than him and appeared tiny against his height, "But before I go," he said, "can I...?"

"What?" she asked with a delicate smile on her face.

"A goodbye kiss?" he asked and without waiting for a reply he leaned down and placed his lips against hers hoping and praying that he had not been wrong and that she didn't really want to end this before it began. For a second she did not return it but then her instinct and actual desire gave in and she responded by kissing him back and allowing him to pull her into his embrace so he could deepen the kiss as he crushed his lips into hers. She felt his tongue begin to probe her mouth and she accepted it, returning the gesture with her own while his arms held her tight and her hands rested against his chest. After a minute of standing there and kissing he pulled his head away but did not let her out of his arms, "Did you really mean that?" he asked, "Please tell me that you didn't mean any of it. There have been mistakes and false starts, but nothing which makes me want to stop exploring this...avenue."

"But at the flat you-"

"Because that wasn't you, not the real you, not the Rose that I'm...falling for," he whispered and she gasped slightly. "You were so...full on and...and hard. The Rose I've got to know, in fact the one I've known all my life is the beautiful, natural one standing before me now. I like this Rose and I want to..." he coughed and continued in a shy whisper, "I want to sleep with this one. I mean don't get me wrong, the outfit was...stunning and I'm not averse to ...sexy underwear," he whispered shyly, "but I've only ever been with one other woman besides you and...well...I can't exactly remember being with you and I want...it...us to be special and real, not forced. You looked so uncomfortable and I don't want it to be like that."

"So if I told you I was still wearing most of it under this gown?" she questioned.

"Then I'd say, let me see," he giggled pretending to open her gown, "but I'd rather see the real you, for now!" he added raising one eyebrow at her. He was still holding her tightly and was afraid to let her go in case she wanted to leave again, "Please come back to the flat with me," he begged gently, "the dinner is still there and...I don't want this to be over before it's started, let's just try tonight again okay?"

"Okay," she nodded and he felt his heart leap into the air, "let me just go and get changed and I'll be back in a minute."

"I'll wait right here," he told her finally letting her go and watching as she walked to the living room door and opened it. "Oh and Rose," he called before she closed the door and her head shot around the side of it, "leave the stockings on!" he whispered shyly going bright red and she smiled before closing the door and bounding two at a time up the stairs.

Ten minutes later she reappeared and found Sal pacing up and down looking scared out of his wits, "Are you alright?" she asked concernedly as he whirled around. She had let her hair down and it fell in big bushy curls around her face, the heavy makeup that had covered her eyes was gone and instead she had simply applied mascara to tint her pale red eyelashes. She wore a simple black, knee length dress which wrapped across the front and tied at the waist in a small knot, Sal was glad to see that she still wore fishnet stockings and he followed the stems of her legs to the opened toed plain black stilettos which adorned her feet.

He smiled shyly and whispered, "Rose you look beautiful," while revelling in the natural beauty that she had. Her body was slim and she had small breasts and hips with a slight curve to her waist which was accentuated by the nip of the dress around her stomach. She had the usual pale skin which went with red hair but it was creamy and looked soft and inviting, a quality he had not seen when she was dressed so harshly before. He had liked the kinky look but not as much as this natural one and he suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to see the rest of her body again, "Shall...shall we go?" he asked shaking his head to pull himself out of his reverie and Rose nodded as she approached him. One by one they stepped into the fire and whirled out appearing seconds later in the living room of Salamander's flat.

Rose appeared after him and when she looked up he was stood beside the fireplace holding out his hand to help her out, "Thank you," she whispered and he nodded before leaning down again and kissing her passionately as he pulled her close once more.

"I wish I could remember what it was like," he whispered when they broke apart and she looked at him quizzically, "on New Year's Eve."

"Oh," she replied looking down as she remembered Salamander sliding his hands along her body and touching her intimately, "we could watch the memory," she suggested.

"But you destroyed it," he reminded her.

"I have the memory of watching it though," she explained blushing a little as she thought again of his bottom bouncing up and down, "or we could extract your memory," she said touching his cheek with her hands, he felt himself lean into her touch and he closed his eyes as he breathed deeply.

"We could just make a new one," he whispered still keeping his eyes closed but sliding his hands to Rose's waist and pulling her closer to him. He felt her hand move to her side and he opened his eyes to see her extracting her wand from inside the dress, he watched curiously as she pointed it to her head and began to withdraw a familiar looking fog like substance in a long string. "What are you doing?" he asked letting her go for a moment so she could twist the ribbon into a cocoon.

"Putting us back on an even keel," she explained spinning it rapidly into a ball and letting it hover in the air between them.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

However before she replied she pointed her wand at the swirling mass and whispered, "Destructo," then watched as it exploded quietly and disappeared. "Now we can make a new memory," she explained, "and neither of us know what happened in the old one!" she finished feeling quite strange realising that she had known what had happened to them only moments before and knowing she had been slightly embarrassed about remembering it but having no idea why.

"Oh," he whispered quietly as she took his hand in hers and tugged him gently in the direction of his own bedroom.