A/N: Please note that this chapter has been REWRITTEN! Different ending, so make sure you re-read it.

There will be an explanation for my absence at the bottom of this chapter.

Chapter 29 - A Happy Screwed Up Mess

James Potter felt eternally better after Byron Adams and Gavin Peterson were expelled from Hogwarts.

There had been some debates over whether or not they were actually responsible behind leaving Rosalie alone in the Forbidden Forest. Not only was it strictly against school rules to even enter the forest this time of season, but their actions almost had fatal results. Obviously the punishment for whoever was responsible was going to be extreme. Not that they didn't deserve it.

Professor McGonagall, no matter how much she trusted James' words, could not decide the verdict until Rosalie woke up and was fully aware of everything, in her right state of mind.

Those days drove James crazy. Classes ensued, and seeing Adams and Peterson in the corridors, walking around freely, made him sick.

When Rosalie did wake up, she was still under the influence of the potions. So they had to wait one more day before McGonagall could actually do anything about it.

James was on edge for the entire duration.

And finally, Rosalie's words were taken very seriously and the two Gryffindors who were responsible for nearly killing her were sent back to London, never to come back.

He was glad the whole ordeal was settled, even though he knew it would never be truly over.

Students were still whispering about it, and it made him slightly uncomfortable. But he decided to just ignore everyone else, and focus on moving forward.

"Madame Pomfrey, can't I go now?" I said, struggling to keep my voice calm.

She sniffed, not looking up from her desk. "I said in an hour, Miss Flint. I haven't changed my mind since the last time you asked, two minutes ago."

Staring up at the infirmary ceiling, I was desperate for anything to entertain me. It was late in the afternoon, the setting sun's warm light shining through the window. Classes were over now by now, and at this time, I would have probably been getting ready to eat supper in the Great Hall.

Easter was creeping up on me. It would be the first holiday that I didn't spend with my family, and the feeling was relieving but also cold. Easter was next Sunday, right after the final game of the tournament on Friday evening. I had already earned Madame Pomfrey's consent to play, after plenty of pleading, even though she wasn't quite happy about it.

Goosebumps formed on the surface of my skin, just thinking about the tournament. It sent absolute chills down my spine. I was more than ecstatic, and beyond nervous, and totally overwhelmed with plenty of different sensations.

Playing Hufflepuff would be breezy, if everyone had the right mind set. It's when you become too cocky that victory slips from your grasp. But all of my hard work depended on this game. Everything I had done, everything I had sacrificed... it would all be in vain if we didn't win this game.

It was invigorating and a means of motivation, but also nerve wracking.

When Madam Pomfrey finally permitted me to leave the infirmary, I changed into some casual clothing and hurried towards the Great Hall, craving real, hot food. While imprisoned in the blasted place, I was only allowed to have simple and easy foods to chew. I was pampered like an infant, much to my distaste.

Pushing the door open, the smell of food hit me hard. But before I could hunt down a seat in the crowded mess hall, I was assaulted by a small individual.

I groaned on contact, falling a step backwards and craning my neck to try to identify the attacker. I was startled when I recognized Kate's blond locks, and my limbs became stiff, unsure of how to react.

The embrace felt strange. To feel someone's arms wrapped around you, and to have them so close to you, is a different experience. Mother and Father had never hugged me as a child. Sure, they kissed my cheek, which was supposed to be a sign of affection, but it was cold and distant. And being embraced by Matthias could hardly be compared to a hug from Kate.

Tentatively, I returned the hug, awkwardly patting her back.

"Uh, hi Kate," I said as she pulled away with a huge smile on her face.

Jared, who had come up behind her, offered me a small grin. "She's been sitting by the door for an hour, waiting for you. She wanted to be the first to see you."

It meant more to me than anything ever had. I paused for a moment, and then returned her smile. "Thanks Kate."

Her hands flitted around quickly, and Jared translated. "She wants to know how you're feeling."

My cheeks flushed; I wasn't used to all of the attention she was giving me. "I'm much better, thank you for asking." My stomach began to rumble, and I was reminded of my hunger. "But I'm starving, so I'm going to get some food. But," I closed, "it was nice. To see you two, I mean."

Eyes wandering, I found a seat at the end of the Slytherin table, and quickly gathered a plate full of food. But my solitude was short lived, as another person came over to me, greeting me.

"Rose!" Albus said, clapping my back as he approached me. "How're you feeling?"

"Much better," I told him truthfully.

"That's really good," he said, giving me a smile.

I smiled back.

People continued to come up to me and ask me how I was doing. Some of them I knew, most of them I didn't. If I had felt anything negative coming out of the infirmary, it had evaporated by now.

Soon, I gathered myself together and made my way to the Slytherin common room. I was desperate for some time alone, and while having a number of people asking about you is touching, I was running out of ways to politely respond to them. I wanted to be left alone, just for a short while.

I quickly ran a shower in the girls' bathroom, stepping in and enjoying the hot sensation of the rushing water. I washed and scrubbed every single inch of my body, trying to get rid of the smell of the infirmary that lingered on my skin. After I got out, I stood before a long mirror, and observed my damaged body for the first time since the forest.

There was a scar on my forehead, running from my hairline to the corner of my right eye. It had faded significantly from Madam Pomfrey's many treatments, but it was still visible, and it still marred my face in an ugly way. On my thigh, three harsh claw lines trickled down from my thigh to the top of my knee. I winced, remembering the pain that had been caused by the wolf's jagged and apical talons.

Shaking my head and willing myself to glance away, I unraveled the towel that had been wrapped around the top of my head.

And then I screeched in complete and utter horror.

"My hair. It's black and yellow!" I screamed, throwing my hands into the air furiously.

Kate and Jared burst into laughter at my appalled expression. "Hufflepuffs aren't as kind as everyone would assume," Jared said simply. "They're tricky, they are."

"MY HAIR IS BLACK AND YELLOW."

"I wonder who's responsible," Jared said, stroking his chin. Kate followed suit, and they looked absolutely ridiculous together.

But not as ridiculous as my hair.

Practically seething, I stomped my foot. "You both know who did this, don't you?! Tell me! I will give them hell! Oh, Merlin's saggy balls, this can't stay in my hair for the tournament!"

"I have a feeling it will," Kate signed, which Jared translated out loud.

"You guys are no help!" I snapped, stalking back down the corridors. I had wasted a lot of time banging on the Hufflepuff common room entrance, screaming for someone to come out. Apparently, all of the Hufflepuffs were afraid to face me, so they had to search for Jared and Kate.

By then, it was nearly after hours, and I was somewhat thankful that no one else was around to witness the atrocity that was my hair.

Hufflepuff was going to suffer my wrath tomorrow.

"Albus Potter has done it! He's caught the snitch! Slytherin wins!"

I ran a hand through my hair and then threw both of my arms up in victory, screaming on the top of my lungs as I landed on the ground quickly and gathered my team together. They all leapt off of their brooms and joined the huge embrace, acting like they almost liked each other for just a moment, jumping up and down in victory.

We had won.

I felt a giant knot in my stomach release, and every pain and struggle and sacrifice I had put into this team paid off. I couldn't have been happier about how we played, how we won. I felt like I was on top of the world.

"Get ready Gryffindor!" Albus yelled loudly, a huge smile on his face and a twinkle in his green eyes. "We're coming for you next!"

"They've done it!" Siobhan Finnigan's voice boomed over all of the cheering and clapping. "Slytherin has done it! They're going to the finals! They'll be competing against Gryffindor for the trophy! Next weekend, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff will be playing for third place..."

"Finals here we come!" Vandevort yelled, grinning. It was the first time I'd ever seen Corrin smile genuinely. It was weird, and slightly creepy, but I guess we had finally done enough to earn it.

"Albus, you're bloody amazing!" I told him, shoving him. "You're bloody amazing."

He gave me a shining smile, his green eyes wide with shock and happiness, like he couldn't believe he had pulled the final string that would give us a one way ticket to the finals, as the rest of the team congratulated him.

I turned to shake the hand of the Hufflepuff captain, who wasn't quite pleased about being within 100 kilometers of me. But I could have cared less at the moment. And he did seem to greatly enjoy the new color of my hair.

We celebrated our victory in the common room. There was a lot of yelling, really loud music, and plenty of firewhiskey. But I found myself growing exhausted, and retreated to my dorm room for the night, feeling incredibly happy.

"You played a good game yesterday."

I jumped up and swerved around. I was surprised that anybody had found me in my hiding spot within the library. Normally, people overlooked my tiny crevice. I looked up to see Louis Weasley staring down at me, a contemplative expression on his face.

"Hi Louis," I said calmly, even though I didn't feel settled at all. We hadn't spoken since the Valentine's Day ball, more than a month and a half ago. Guilt flooded me as I stood up and brushed off my skirt. "Thanks."

"How are you feeling?" he asked sincerely.

"I'm fine, really."

Louis' blue eyes glanced at the scar on my forehead. His expression was unreadable. I couldn't tell why he was here, talking with me, and it made me feel uneasy.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked bluntly. His voice wasn't accusatory or convicting, which helped me remain composed.

His down-to-business posture and unquestionable tone of voice were admirable. I remembered briefly that when I'd first became acquainted with Louis, I'd been impressed by his bluntness.

I didn't try to deny his claim. He was too intelligent, and to try to deny his statement would be insulting. Instead, I said to him with a hint of remorse, "It's got nothing to do with you."

"Then I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem explaining the situation to me?"

Sighing, I looked away from him, unable to meet his eyes. "Remember the ball?"

He nodded.

"I never fell ill that night. I lied to you. Directly in your face."

"I know."

It didn't surprise me. "Who told you?"

"One of my mates saw you and James together. I always knew that you had something for him." He scratched the back of his head as he shrugged. "I can't say it didn't piss me off, but I guess I should have seen it coming."

Swallowing, I said, "I'm truly sorry about that. It wasn't right for me to do that."

"'It's alright," he said to me, his blue eyes clear and observant as they watched me.

Clapping my hands together, I said to him, "No, it's not. I shouldn't have left you."

Louis studied me for a moment. Then, he stuck out his hand and said, "Friends?"

Tentatively, I took it. "Sure. Friends."

We shook on it, then our hands fell back to our sides.

"So, out of curiosity, how is it going with my dear cousin James?"

"In all honesty, I'd rather not talk about it at the moment. Why? Simply because I don't have an answer for you."

"Aw, your hair is back to it's original color. It looked good with those yellow streaks," James began. "But, I do have to admit, it would have looked better if it had been red and gold."

"Shut up," I said, narrowing my eyes.

He cleared his throat as we began to walk down the hallway. It felt good to start our rounds. It felt normal, and all I wanted was something normal for the time being.

"So... Easter is coming up," he mentioned.

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Yeah. Right after our victory party."

"Wait, I don't think so," he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "I think your mean after our victory party."

"Whatever floats your boat, Potter."

Silence ensued for a few moments. While we were walking, his arm gently brushed mine and a warm feeling engulfed me. I had to use all of my strength to keep myself from blushing.

"What are you going to do? For Easter, I mean."

Shrugging, I glanced at him. "Stay at Hogwarts. Study."

"That sounds so awful," he said bluntly.

"I don't have many options," I admitted.

His arm brushed mine again and it drove me crazy. It shouldn't have affected me in such a drastic way, but it did, and I couldn't say that I hated the sensation.

"Yes you do. Have options," he started.

Giving him a questioning look, I asked him, "What do you mean?"

"Come to our house for Easter," he offered suddenly. "That way, you won't be alone, and you can, you know. Test it. See if you want to stay the summer with us."

Taken aback, I digested his idea, coming to a halt. He stopped in front of me shortly, waiting to see my reaction.

"Your house?"

"That's what I said," he answered quickly.

I rubbed my hand over my face. "James, I don't know. Do your parents-?"

"They're fine with it," he interrupted. "Come on, we both know you don't want to be alone, studying, for the holidays. And it'll be fun! And please, Rosalie."

Our eyes met. He was watching me, trying not to seem anxious, but failing. His brown orbs shifted from my eyes to the ground, and then back up to meet mine again.

"Okay," I said, nodding, slightly awkward. I scratched the back of my neck. "Okay, that sounds... really nice, actually. Yeah. You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" he said enthusiastically, his lips cracking his infamous crooked grin. "Good! Good, good, good. I mean... that's cool. You're going to love it, Rose. We go to the Burrow, and eat loads of food - Grandma Weasley cooks the best -, and play lots of Quidditch."

"Sounds like fun," I said, smiling up at him.

James laughed. Before this year, I had never really heard him laugh. I'd heard him chortle, or snicker, but I'd discovered his real laugh, his happy one. It was loud, and cheery, and it made me want to laugh too.

"Can you believe it?" he said suddenly, looking at me. "Would you have ever imagined us like this, at the beginning of the year?"

I reflected on our relationship, prior to that year, and I shook my head.

"Me, inviting you to spend Easter with my family. Laughing together. It's weird." He paused. "But you know, I kind of like it."

"Kind of?" I challenged.

"Kind of a lot," he mended with a smirk, and he took a step closer to me.

My breathing hitched as I confessed, "I like it kind of a lot, too."

"We've been through a lot this year," he said thoughtfully, breaking eye contact with me to look up at the high ceiling. "You and I. We used to loathe each other. We were enemies."

The humor had left his tone of voice, and I could practically hear my heart beat thudding within my rib cage. "What are we now?" I ventured to ask.

His eyes flickered to mine once more.

And he leaned down and kissed me. It was short, sweet, and over in the blink of an eye. I wouldn't have believed it was real, if my lips weren't still tingling from the contact.

Our faces were close, almost too close. I could feel his warm breath. He smelled like spearmint, and I found the familiar scent to be comforting.

"A screwed up mess," he concluded. "But a happy screwed up me."

I brought my lips up to his again.

A/N 2: First off, let me start with I'm so terribly sorry for the long wait. I haven't been updating my HG fanfiction, either, and it's because there's just been thing after thing going on, and I didn't want to update if I knew that the chapter were going to be crappy (because they were - I attempted several times but nothing ever stuck). Even this chapter, before I rewrote it, was just not what I wanted.

So I did re-do it, and I hope it's to your liking.

Words cannot describe to you how sorry I am. I promise I am working on the ending for this story RIGHT NOW, and there will be two or three more chapters, and then an epilogue. Most likely something about Rosalie and James after Hogwarts.

Please, please, please forgive me. I know, I am a horrible person for leaving you guys like that.