In a dilapidated armchair before the fire of a deserted common room that night, Rose was questioning her emotions.

She had never been a particularly emotional person, but now . . . she didn't know what she felt.

Did she . . . did she like Scorpius Malfoy?

Scorpius Malfoy, that son of a jerk who was a lazy, spoiled brat with that gorgeous blond hair and those dreamy eyes and -

Merlin's beard, she did like him.

Rose was a very rational person, so she tried to view her feelings for Scorpius Malfoy objectively.

It didn't work.

There was nothing logical about her liking Scorpius. There was nothing rational about her liking Scorpius Malfoy. Nothing at all.

Rose was going to have to experiment with something different: feelings.

Maybe she should take him up on his Yule Ball invitation.

She hit herself mentally. What was she thinking? Albus and James would tease her till the next Ice Age if that happened. Just the thought of what they would say if she came waltzing in on the arm of Scorpius Malfoy gave her chills.

Not the good kind of chills.

Okay, maybe a little.

But time was running out. She needed someone to go with. Several boys had asked her, but she'd said no to each. She wasn't quite sure why.

Rose shook her head, hard. There were a lot of nice boys out there who would be more than happy to go with her if she asked them.

But they wouldn't be Scorpius, a little voice whispered.

Rose shook her head again and decided it was time for bed. She bade Lily good night, climbed the girls' staircase, and, stifling a yawn, opened the door to the fourth-year dormitory.

Her jaw dropped.

Lying on her pillow, a slender silver ribbon tied in a neat bow around its stem, was a single, long scarlet rose.

Rose's eyes widened. She moved forward and picked up a note underneath.

I have connections everywhere, Rose. Don't worry, the girl that I asked to put this on your pillow thinks it's just a quill I borrowed from you. I put a charm on it. I'm good with charms- in more ways than one.

Rose rolled her eyes at the pun and continued reading.

Anyway, want to go to the ball with me? Albus thinks I can't get you to do it, but I think I can. And wouldn't you also love to see his face when he realizes he's wrong?

-SM

Rose put down the note, sat down on her bed, and sighed deeply. No putting it off, she figured. It was time to write a note of her own.