The night of Roxanne's hen party arrived in a flash. The last few weeks had been packed full of endless hours pouring over her research and trips to Uganda. Rose was relieved that Mr. Adero was regrowing skin on the portions of his forearms now devoid of feathers. Professor Faso told her that they were able to cut back on the amount of blood replenishing potion being administered. Rose was thankful for the chance to leave her work behind, cut loose, and have some fun with her friends.
Of course, the planning process had demonstrated how much Rose's definition of fun differed from her co-bridesmaid. Lily Potter could be downright raunchy and if given her way would have planned a night full of debauchery and lust. Over many owls, the two cousins had reached a compromise. They would meet up in the early evening for dinner and drinks, and then would proceed to a wizarding club for dancing and yet even more drinks. The night would conclude with a visit to a muggle strip club. Rose fought against the notion of strippers, but gave in when Lily insisted that it was practically a requirement for a hen night. It was either that or a magical strip club, and Rose thought that they'd have less of a chance of being recognized and appearing in the morning edition of the Prophet at a muggle establishment.
The damn Prophet had been hounding her for weeks. Rose had worked hard to explain to her friends and family that the pictures and accompanying were being taken out of context. It had taken several hours to convince her father not to hex Scorpius's bollocks off. She wrote to the Prophet to demand a retraction, but her request was denied.
Reporters followed her around trying to get the exclusive scoop. Rose hadn't been able to set foot into the public without having a camera and a quill shoved in her face. She'd floo directly to work, take a portkey to Uganda, and return home by floo at the end of the day. Poor Alice had to deliver food to Rose's flat after she'd been bombarded by an editor of Witch Weekly when she tried to catch a quick bite at The Leaky. Rose was pretty miserable from being cooped up for so long. She had neither seen nor heard from Scorpius since the night in question. She assumed that he must be lying low to avoid the press vultures as well.
'I need this hen night', she thought as she smoothed out her dress. Rose had dressed for the occasion and wore an outfit that was a lot more revealing than she'd typically choose. Her little black dress was sleeveless and the neckline plunged in a v-shape to show off quite a bit of cleavage. The silky material clung to her frame and the hemline ended at mid-thigh. Rose hoped that she wouldn't find herself trying to pull the dress down all night. The dress was complimented by a pair of strappy sandals with a four inch spike heel that Lily insisted Rose wear. Lily's elfin sized shoes were magically enlarged to fit Rose's feet and Lily had cast a balancing charm on them so that Rose could walk without breaking her ankle. She left her hair to cascade down her back in silky waves and finished applying a thick coat of mascara. Rose looked at herself in the mirror and was stunned at the witch standing before her. 'Merlin,' she thought, 'I look sexy!'
Rose's apparated to her Uncle George's house to meet up with the rest of the hen night crew. She noticed that she was the last to arrive. Compared to the other's Rose was dressed like a school girl. No, Rose corrected herself, Lucy was dressed like a school girl; her cousin was wearing a shrunken version of her Hogwarts skirt with the pleats barely covering her arse, a tight, white button down shirt and knee socks. Rose laughed at her cousin's strange sense of humor.
The guest of honor was wearing what Rose would call a wizard's fantasy version of a muggle ballerina's tutu. Roxanne was cinched into a white corset, a gauzy white mini skirt, and wore a sash which alternatively flashed "BRIDE TO BE", "TAKEN", and "IF FOUND RETURN TO LYSANDER". Rose suspected it was a Wheezes product that Uncle George was using his daughter to advertise.
"Finally!" Lily exclaimed, "I'm glad I told you to get here 10 minutes earlier than you needed to be. You're always late, so now we are right on time to leave." Rose blushed, punctuality was not a strong point for her.
The group apparated directly to the Italian restaurant that Scorpius had taken Rose to weeks before. The maître d' escorted the group to a private room set up for them. The party placed their orders are were left to enjoy the many bottles of wine already in the room.
"To Roxanne," Rose toasted, "I hope you and Lysander are very happy together!" The group raised their glasses in cheers and conversation began to flow.
Rose was seated between Roxanne and Victoire. When Roxie was pulled into conversation with Lucy and Dominique, Rose turned to the beautiful blonde. "How are you, Victoire? I haven't seen you since Christmas! How're Phillippe and Teddy? Rose asked.
"Everyone is doing well. Phillippe is such a little joy. I'm very fortunate, he's already sleeping six hours every night. Teddy enjoys doting on us, and I'm enjoying being pampered For the first few weeks, Teddy tried to stay awake to just gaze at the baby all night long. It was very adorable. Philippe looks so much like Teddy. Of course he can change his appearance at will, but he chooses to look like his dad. He does have my pouty mouth though," Victoire gushed.
"Yeah, I had noticed that when Scorpius snuck me down to see him in the hospital," Rose admitted, "He's a beautiful child, but he's got a pair of very attractive parents."
Victoire smiled proudly, "I'll take that as a compliment! I didn't realize you'd seen him before. But speaking of Scorpius, what's going on there Rose?" Victoire dropped her voice to a whisper.
"I don't know, Vic," Rose said, "the article in The Prophet had it wrong. We aren't dating but things have changed. I don't know what's going on anymore."
Victoire suppressed a squeal, "Oh Rosie, you're going to figure it out. Just let yourself be open."
Dinner arrived soon after that and the party dug into their plates with gusto. Rose had chosen to order linguini in clam sauce instead of her favored spaghetti and meatballs. She flushed when she remembered what had happened over her last plate of spaghetti. If any of her cousins noticed her reaction, no one drew attention to it. Rose was grateful for the reprieve.
"Now that we've all gorged ourselves on heaping plates of carbs, it's time to move onto the second portion of the evening," Lily announced. The group walked as fast as their heels would allow towards the club. Flash bulbs exploded as reporters screamed at the group of witches. Thankfully the club employed excellent bouncers that prevented the press from entering after them. Security wards ensured that club goers could dance, drink, and let loose in peace.
The majority of the group headed to the reserved VIP section while Lily and Rose headed to bar to pick up the trays of shots they had preordered for the evening. Rose giggled as she recalled the names of the drinks; 'sex on the beach', 'buttery nipple', 'blow job', and 'screaming orgasm'. Rose levitated to tray behind them and the pair returned to their cousins. Each witch grabbed a random shot, cheered Roxanne once more, and downed their drinks.
"Mmmm," Rose moaned and licked her lips, "I love screaming orgasms." Her cousins all whipped their heads around to stare at her. For a moment, Rose pondered their reaction before she realized what she'd just said. She blushed bright red. "Oh fuck. I meant I love this shot." The group laughed at Rose's expense. "Screw you guys, I'm going to dance." Rose stomped off to the dance floor and began to move her hips to the rhythm.
Mere seconds later, she felt a pair of strong, masculine hands wrap around her waist and pull her backside flush to his front. She rocked against his body for the duration of the song. When the song concluded, she spun around to face the man. He was quite attractive, she noted, with sandy blond hair and chocolate brown eyes. Rose leaned in and thanked him for the dance. His skin smelled of spicy cologne that Rose thought he had applied a little too liberally. With a smile, she returned to her cousins in the VIP section.
The group stared at Rose unblinkingly before flurry of questions spilled from their lips; "Who was that?", "Holy shit, he's hot!", "Rose if you don't take him home tonight, I might!"
Victoire, the eldest and generally most mature, asked, "What's going on Rose?"
"Nothing, I just fancied a dance. It was pleasant enough. Besides he doesn't smell right," Rose concluded with a nod.
"Doesn't smell right? Did he reek of body odor or something?" Lily wrinkled her nose at the thought.
Rose laughed, "No! He just had way too much cologne on. It was the wrong smell for me. Do you guys remember potions in your sixth years? The amortentia lesson?"
"Of course, I remember. What did you smell, Rose," Victoire prompted.
"It was old books, fresh ink," her cousins laughed at Rose's bookwormish tastes, "and . . ." 'Oh shit,' Rose realized, 'sandalwood'. Rose gulped as she realized the implications of that smell.
"What was the third scent? Come on, don't hold out on us!" Lily prodded.
"It's personal, I don't want to say," Rose attempted to deflect. She had just taken another shot when she noticed Lily slipping a vial into her purse. "What was that Lils?"
"Oh just something to get you to be a little more honest with us," Lily said with a devious grin.
Rose was quick on the uptake, "YOU SPIKED MY SHOT WITH VERITASERUM?! That's illegal, Lily! How could you do that?"
"Pish posh. We're all family here. Now tell us what you smelled!" Lily said.
Rose fought to keep her mouth shut but felt compelled to blurt out, "it was sandalwood."
"And do you know what or who smells like sandalwood?" Lily pushed.
"Yes," Rose said through gritted teeth.
"And?" Roxie asked. Rose noticed all of her cousins were looking at her with wrapped attention.
"IT'S SCORPIUS, OK?!" Rose exploded. "I don't know what happened but I'm attracted to him. He's my best friend and I'm attracted to him. Oh Merlin," Rose buried her head in her arms next to the tray of shots.
"It's alright, Rose," Victoire quietly said. "You can tell us anything. Trust us."
With that Rose sat up and her inner thoughts began to spew from her lips, "Everything has been changing since he came back. He went away as just my best friend and came back as someone else. Every time he touches me, I feel like my skin is burning. He's so fucking beautiful and I can't help it. I'm lusting after my best friend. That kiss that was in the Prophet? That was just a silly little peck and it was more significant than any other kiss I've had in my life. I slept with him that night. Not sex or anything, just sleep. I loved waking up in his arms. This is all so wrong!"
"Finally," Roxanne said, "glad you figured it out. Now who owes me money?" Rose watched as Lucy, Dominique, and Molly reached into their bags and handed Roxie a galleon each.
"You bet on me developing feelings for Scorpius?" Rose asked incredulously.
Lily laughed, "It was so obvious to everyone around. We all figured it out ages ago. The only question was when you were going to realize it."
"Everyone knows? Oh Merlin, Scorpius knows too? Just avada me," Rose groaned and slumped forward once more.
"Scorpius is just as oblivious as you are. At least in regards to your feelings for him. I think he figured out that he wanted you years ago," Victoire comforted Rose.
"Scorpius is not interested in me!" Rose declared. "You saw Marguerite at my birthday party. He can date witches like that. He'd never want me."
"Oh Rose," Lily said gently, "he's wanted you since he was in Hogwarts. I read a few of the letters he sent Al after the time turner debacle."
"I knew about that. It was just a silly school boy crush," Rose dismissed, "it was a long time ago and I'm quite sure he's moved on. We're adults now."
"You are so blind, Rose," Roxanne noted, "he wants you. You didn't see the way he reacted when you were hurt at Christmas. It was like his world had come crashing down. He didn't leave your side for days. Uncle Harry had to physically restrain him after he socked Al. I think he might have killed him otherwise. Scorpius was willing to murder his first friend for you. What do you think that could possibly mean? But you can live in denial about that for a while longer."
Rose didn't believe Roxie for a moment. Scorpius cared about her well being because she was his friend. Rose knew she just wasn't enough to hold Scorpius's attention in another capacity. Why would he want to be stuck with her if he could be with someone so much more beautiful? Rose would have to settle for being his friend and hope that her additional feelings for him waned soon.
"Now that you've all gotten me to pour my heart out by less than scrupulous means," Rose sent a glare towards Lily, "can we talk about something else?"
"Who me?" Lily said slyly and pulled the vial from earlier out of her bag. Rose noticed that the stopper was still in the top and the vial was full of purple fluid.
"What's going on? Veritaserum is clear. What did you do?" Rose asked.
"I'd never actually dose you with veritaserum against your will Rose. This is hangover potion for later. I just wanted to make you think that I'd spiked your drink so that you'd spill your guts. I got the idea from my dad. He told me he pulled something similar with your dad over a quidditch game in their sixth year," Lily gloated.
The entire table laughed good-naturedly. Rose rolled her eyes, she was peeved at being tricked but admitted to herself that she did feel better now that the she admitted her changing feelings to someone. She grabbed another shot and downed it quickly. "You were sorted into the wrong house, Lils. You're devious enough to be a Slytherin."
"I know," Lily bragged, "Now bottoms up ladies!"
For hours, the alcohol flowed freely and the witches danced up a storm. Rose knew she would be in agony tomorrow due to the torture she was putting her poor feet through in those heels. Around 2am, the group stumbled outside of the club, wandered to the muggle side of the Diagon Alley boundary, and hailed a cab to take them to the strip club. Like at the previous club, Rose and Lily had reserved a private area for the group. Roxanne was three sheets to the wind and was gleefully demanding the men gyrating on the stage take it all off. The girls catcalled the strippers and howled with laughter.
"Hey Rose," Roxanne loudly exclaimed, "look over there." She pointed to a drink waiter across the room wearing nothing but a bow tie and a skimpy leopard print thong.
"Is that?" Lily sputtered, "HOLY SHIT!"
Rose squinted her eyes to try to get a better look at the man through her inebriated haze. His features looked vaguely familiar. A minute later, the man approached the group to take their drink orders.
He was looking down at his pad when you said, "Hello Ladies, welcome to the Golden Banana. May I take your ord.." he looked up and froze in terror.
Rose barked out a laugh, "Hello Daniel." Her ex-boyfriend was standing in front of all of her female cousins with his arse cheeks on display for the world to see. "Funny seeing you here."
"Yeah, I, um, got fired from the Ministry. Uhh, Marguerite dumped me too. I'm single again so maybe you and I can get back together. I get off in an hour. Maybe we can get off together if you know what I mean," he finished with a smile that Rose assumed he thought was attractive.
Rose fought off a gag, "No Daniel. I won't be doing anything with you. Why don't you go get me a screaming orgasm? The drink variety. You were always completely incapable of delivering the other kind," Rose said cheekily. The copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed this evening made her brave.
Daniel McLaggen's eyes bulged out and he turned tail and ran away from the group of witches. Rose and her cousins dissolved into a pile of giggles.
"I fucking love tonight," Roxanne managed through snorts of laughter. Rose had to concur; the hen party had been a rousing success.