third person pov

' I know it's for the better,
know it's for the better '

The next morning sun flooded through the tinted glass windows of the dorm, the sounds of gentle snores escaping from behind Whitman and Draco's curtains as they attempted to sleep off their drunken stupor like Blaise. Rose and Theo on the other hand had been up for sometime, her body wrapped in his abnormally large sweater as her head laid on his chest, fingers tracing the scars around the skin.

Theo watched her softened face as she studied the marks she had a million times in life, his hand lightly running through her hair. He wished the world could see her this way, so relaxed and calm—no one would ever quite get the honor he garnered of witnessing her in such a tranquil state.

"I remember this one," Rose murmured, dragging her pointer finger down the risen red skin close to the bottom of his neck. "Your dad didn't give you this—I did"

Theo raised a brow lazily with a small smile, "Should've taken you more seriously about knife tricks"

Rose laughed lightly and turned her gaze up to him, not even beginning comprehend the affect her gentle eyes had on his urge to cry from the simplicity of the most complicated human he knew. "I was feeling grouchy that day—didn't mean to hold a knife to your neck"

His fingers pushed through her hair with a sigh before laughing as he recalled it all, "I just wanted to make you smile—wasn't aware a drawing of a smiley face could be so triggering"

She dropped her face onto his chest with laughter, mumbling against the skin there. "Even twelve year old you didn't know how to stop trying," A moment slipped by of them echoing happiness before Rose lifted her head up with the kindest smile he had ever seen, "You've always been my sun"

His lips fully pulled up on one side, fingers moving her hair back soothingly. "Forever my moon"

Her face warmed, "Gods—we're the people we always hated" She placed her chin atop her hand, "You make me weak Theodore Nott"

"Accept it," Theo pulled her up with a taunting voice, "Accept me giving you eternal happiness!"

Rose tried to pull away with no avail, getting pushed onto her back as the comforter twisted with them, Theo placing kisses all over her face.

"No!" Rose attested, faking pushing him away as she laughed. "I refuse!"

"You will let me make you happy dammit" Theo affirmed against her skin, continuing his attack until she gave in and fell into a fit of giggles as his lips pressed over every inch.

In the bed next to them, Blaise groaned loudly with a slurred voice. "Shut up and go back to bed"

Theo halted his action just as his lips pressed to her jaw, lifting up to whisper with deviousness. "I say we ruin their morning"

"Ooo devilish Teddy?" Rose taunted before rolling out of his grip quickly, "I'll do the honors"

He scowled at her escaping his hold before sitting himself against the pillows as she started to pull the curtains around the bed back. Rose glanced over her shoulder at him with an eye roll, "Pouting makes me want to chunk a shoe at you"

"See how you said shoe and not a truly harmful object?" Theo teased, distracting Rose as her eyes landed on his bare chest. "You really have gone weak Ro"

With restraint she brought her eyes back up to his and narrowed them, "You little minx Teddy"

Theo feigned shock, "Minx?"

"Oh don't act so coy" Rose mused.

He smirked in amusement, breaking their game and sending an annoyed smile onto Rose face as she stepped into the center of the room. After, she lifted a hand up and flicked it in a circular motion, each of the boys thick curtains flying open at once.

A chorus of groans rung through the room,

"Who the hell did that?"

"It's so fucking bright"

"Salazar please stop talking so loud"

"Would you all shut the fuck up?"

Theo adjusted an arm behind his head, tuning out their voices as he fell into admiration of the grinning girl who was spinning around the room—trying to contain her laughter.

She flicked her hand again, making the half opened curtains over the windows fully let the light in. Everyone sat up and looked around until they spotted the cheerful girl,

"Morning boys!"

Draco groaned loudly and flung himself back down into the bed, "How the fuck are you alive after how much you drank?"

Whitman tossed a pillow at her and she ducked it seamlessly, "Oh come on Whit, you should know my reflexes are better than that"

He started muttering under his breathe while Blaise stifled a yawn and spoke, "Where did you two go last night?"

She laughed and sat back down on Theo's bed, ruffling his already messy hair. "Me and Theo had many things to do"

Theo grinned at her, "Many—many things"

"What things exactly? You know me and Draco had to go on a hunt for a drunken Whitman all alone" Blaise was now looking at her oddly and rubbing his eyes.

Rose smiled before flopping down on her back, putting her hands infront of her to twist the rings around. "Things and where did Whit go exactly?"

Theo sighed and dropped down, staring at her rings. "Probably ran off with that Ravenclaw—need to stop hooking up with people on the verge of blacking out Whit"

Rose gasped and looked over at Theo, "Another Ravenclaw? I feel betrayed"

Theo laughed at her when Whitman spoke up with a hoarse voice, "Oh fuck off—I saw you against that wall and then running up these stairs"

She rolled her eyes, "So what? Maybe I flirted with Pucey for fun—I didn't go fuck him like you tend to rub in my face with every woman possible"

Draco shot back up in his bed, "You did what?"

Blaise busted out laughing, "Draco? Don't look so angry"

Rose grinned as Theo grabbed her hand with the Black family ring and his family ring too, starting to twist them around like she was doing.

"Why would you fucking flirt with that sorry excuse?"

As much as she wanted to be annoyed with Draco's comment she couldn't, blame it on the wonders of last night or the fact Theo looked so sleepy and precious while twisting her jewelry.

"Adrian is actually a grand person! He is the only one on our quidditch team who doesn't cheat and he doesn't harass muggle-born's! Not to mention every time I've spoke to him he's been nothing but amazing!"

Whitman scoffed, "Yeah because he's a pussy"

"Or he's just so good he doesn't need to cheat!"

Blaise clapped dramatically then winced at how loud it rung in his ears, cheekily speaking after the ringing died down. "She's got a point, boys' a bloody menace on the broomstick"

"He's a drug addict Rosie, he needs help or he'll end up like his cousin"

Rose blinked, "That's not okay to say Draco....Clark only died two years ago and how do you even know Adrian has a problem?"

Draco scoffed, "It's clear as day and it has been for years"

"You know most people who abuse drugs have experienced some form of trauma that makes them want to escape—it provides temporary relief that they end up chasing more and more of" Theo spoke lazily, "Statistically speaking we're actually all high risk for addiction so I don't think it's necessarily right to speak on the topic"

Whitman and Draco both mumbled under their as Rose smiled widely at Theo, "Do you know how hot it is when you start speaking with that smart brain?"

Theo's lips twitched, "Does my genius do things to you?"

She hummed in response, starting to giggle as Theo pulled his family's ring off and slid it back on. Blaise looked over at the two being in their own little world, "We've just woken, can we have a little before you both have to start being up each others arse?"

Theo spoke before she could, "No can do Blaise, we enjoy being that way all hours of the day"

"Agreed! Best part of my existence!"

Draco grumbled as he stood, turning to go into the bathroom. "Disgusting, both of you"

"Nyx!" Rose yelled loudly, "Nyx!"

Theo slipped a hand over her mouth, sitting up on his elbow. "Are you trying to make my ears bleed?"

Rose shook her head and Theo gave her a firm look, making her sigh against him in conformation she wouldn't yell again. Slowly, he removed his hand and Rose sat up so quickly he moved back.

She moved the end of the bed, finding Nyx slithering across the floor to her. "Nyx!" Rose reached off the edge and scooped up the white snake, beginning to speak in parseltounge. "Where have you been?!"

"I slept with Draco after having to slide out of the room from you! I know what happened last night!"

Rose gasped and brought Nyx close to her chest with horror, "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!"

Nyx peeked over Rose's shoulder at Theo who wore a smug look before speaking, "Whit doesn't seem too happy....seems crushed actually"

Rose glanced at Whitman burrying himself under blankets solemnly, "I'll stop when he stops fucking random people"

*

Inside the great hall the core five sat at the Slytherin table, a swarm of owls had been flying in and dropping letters down as everyone attempted to eat breakfast. Theo passed her another coffee as she listened intently to Draco recalling Goyle running away last night, Rose gratefully took the cup and began chugging it while attempting to ignore the gloomy presence Whitman radiated as he emotionless moved his food around.

A letter started to drop right on her plate, easily caught by Whitman with a silence falling on the table.

"Mail?" Draco questioned, swallowing thickly with a sudden sick feeling. "Walburga never writes on Monday's"

Whitman scanned the perfect cursive across the front before handing it to Rose and wrapping his arm over her shoulders, "We can open it later"

"Nonsense—she can't ruin my day" Rose affirmed before tearing open the envelope, pulling out the yellowish parchment and beginning to read it with Whitman.

Rosalie,
We need to chat.
Please use your mirror to call for me
before I go off to meet Narcissa.

from, Walburga

"Odd" Rose muttered, folding the paper up. "Short letter"

"Rose!" Blaise yelled on accident as he stood, noticing reddening marks on Theo's neck as he loosened his tie even more than usual from the heat of the great hall. "Come with me!"

They all looked at him oddly as Rose slowly rised up to her feet, sharing an equally confused glance. Without another second Blaise yanked his bag up and started walking toward the exit, Rose blinked rapidly before grabbing her bag.

"I Um—I better go see what's happening there" She murmured before leaning down to Theo's ear, "We'll talk after class, yeah?"

Theo hummed with his lips pulled up on one side, eyeing her as she leaned back up. The way he looked at Rose made her feel lightheaded, her eyes rolling with a smile as she pushed his face away before going after Blaise.

He watched her disappear out of the elongated doorway before turning back to his food, giving Draco and Whitman an annoyed look at their questioning stares. "What the fuck are you two looking at me for?"

"Fucking stupid" Draco scoffed, "Something happened with you two"

Whitman sighed heavily, "Can you two please not fight about her right now? I'm not in the mood"

Theo eyed Draco in a demeaning and uncaring way all at once, "You only have yourself to blame for being such a cunt that you're incapable of admitting you still want her"

Draco stood up with hate flickering over his features before bowing sarcastically, "Excuse me for not being as perfect as Saint Theo"

Theo shrugged casually, "Not everyone can be"

The blonde laughed humorlessly, "You are such a piece of shit"

"Remind me where you were last night?" Theo rubbed his neck as if he was doing nothing, but truthfully it drew Draco's attention to the marks on his skin. "Right," Theo affirmed, "You were alone and I was with her"

Yes he was petty, and no—Theo had zero apologies to give.

In a instant Draco went to lurch over the table, making Whitman stand up and push him back as Theo sat with an unimpressed look. "What the fuck is wrong with you two?" Whitman asked as he held Draco back, "You act like couple dogs that are desperate for her attention" Draco went to pull his shirt out of Whitman's grip with no avail as the Rosier continued on firmly, "You both need to get a hold on your emotions—it's embarrassing"

Draco yanked himself away with a deadly glare before grabbing his bag and heading out of the great hall, Whitman rolling his eyes before dropping back down.

"If I can keep a hold on my words and anger than there's no excuse for either of you" Whitman directed at Theo with aggression and annoyance.

Theo hummed, "Well it's different. You haven't felt that way about her since we were kids—Draco's nuts about her and is just too much of idiot to admit it"

"Yeah" Whitman directed his gaze onto the group of students rushing past the Slytherin table, "I was smart enough to know it was supposed to be you or Draco for her"

"Oh how generous of you" Theo teased tiredly.

Whitman huffed and passed Theo a croissant, "Truly"

*

Blaise had dragged Rose all the way up to the third floor without letting her speak, each time she attempted to talk he shushed her. It wasn't until he dragged her into the DADA classroom and slammed the door did he speak breathlessly.

"You fucked Theo!"

Rose went wide-eyed, slapping a hand over his mouth and pushing him against the door roughly. "I swear to Merlin and back Blaise Zabini I will kill you if you ever yell that phase again"

Blaise eyebrows raised and she pushed him harder against the door with a sharp voice, "Do you understand me?"

He nodded slowly and Rose slipped her hand off his mouth with a heavy breath. After straightening out his robes Blaise smirked and touched one of his cheeks, "Did you feel my cheeks warm from your aggression?"

Rose stared at him for a moment before rolling her eyes and yanking him forward, "You're a mess Blaise"

"I'm serious!" He attested as she dragged him to a desk and shoved him down, his leg immediately starting to bounce. "I felt myself physically blush"

Her eyes wandered the empty clsssroom to assure no one was there before she tilted Blaise's chin up, making him cease the bouncing of his thigh. "Do I make you nervous Blaise?"

"Honestly?" Blaise rubbed his lips together in thought, "Yeah—you also scare the life out of me"

"Good"

Rose laughed, patting his cheek before sitting down next to him. Blaise reached out and draped an arm on the table as Rose faced him, "Come on—you can't get out of telling me"

She propped her head up with her hand, recalling the night. Theo going down on her to the point where she felt as if the memory of her name was gone, him then sliding down her throat, the way his hands felt in her hair, the sound of him whimpering and her name falling off his tongue—

Her thoughts were halted as Blaise grabbed her face in one hand and squished it together, "You dirty dirty girl—you're thinking about it right now!"

"Nuh uh," Rose murmured with a reddened face.

Blaise smirked and squeezed her face tighter as he turned it to get a good look, "Tell me Rose....how was fucking the love of your life? Second to me of course"

She swatted him away with a scowl, "We didn't fuck! Gods"

Blaise leaned closer as if they were sharing the biggest secret in the world, "Then what did you do? Come on and tell Blaise all about it"

"I hate when you talk about yourself in third person" Rose rushed out, starting to pop her fingers. "I don't wanna say it! It's so vulgar"

Blaise stopped her hands with a warning look before letting out a deep laugh, "The most vulgar girl I know can't say what she did?"

Rose grimaced, only furthering his amusement as she latched onto both his hands. "Well he you know—" she gestured downward with a nod, "That"

"So he ate your—"

"Stop!"

Blaise chuckled, giving her fingers a squeeze. "Use big words Rose—don't let a man make you flustered like this"

She grimaced again before speaking, "He um....he went down on me and then I well—I went down on him"

Blaise's mouth fell open, "You ate his arse?"

Rose gasped and started pushing his face away, "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

He was a mess of laughter as he kept trying to grab her arms down, achieving the task after a few tries. "Rose! Pull yourself together!"

She took a deep breath, yelling much louder than intended. "I did not eat anything!"

Blaise choked a laugh before grabbing her frantic face, "Okay okay....so you just sucked his dick?"

Rose nodded quickly, "Mhm..." She paused with a grin taking over, "Who knew men could turn so weak?"

"There's the girl I know" Blaise smiled and released her face, "So what do you think?"

"That I'd do it again and again with no questions asked" Rose whispered before covering her mouth.

Blaise rolled his eyes and tugged her hand down, "What did my mother alway say? There is nothing wrong with being sexually active Rose—you're the raging feminist so that's something you should remember applies to yourself"

"I know I know! It's just...I really kissed Theo" Rose giggled.

"You lovesick fool" Blaise teased with a shake of his head.

*

Classes for the day flew by in a rush, one after the other coming and going. It had a been a cheerful day besides the mood swings everyone faced from Draco and Whitman.

Rose had excused herself at the end of potions, confusing Mattheo as she rushed out of the room. She headed straight to the dorm and began fixing her messy hair and covering her eyebags with concealer before sitting down on her bed with Nyx circling in her lap—the delicate but handheld silver mirror sitting right in front of them tauntingly.

"What do you think she wants?" Rose asked down to Nyx with steady breaths.

Nyx hissed up, "Probably to remind you that she is in fact a bitch"

Rose snorted and blew a kiss to Nyx, one the snake snapped it's jaws at before they both heard the unmissable voice of Walburga Black coming out of the mirror. Rose grasped onto the mirror handle and settled her back against the pillows, coming face to face with her grandmothers chiseled cheekbones and scolding eyes.

"Hello grandmother"

"Rosalie dear" Walburga began, scanning every inch of her viable skin. "Your eyebags look much better"

"Yes well I've made sure to cover them up daily"

Walburga nodded, letting Rose see her take a seat on a leather chair inside the lounge of Grimmauld. "You haven't wrote to me for a while—figured we must catch up"

"Grandmother it's only been three days" Rose teased, "I do apologize though, Halloween weekend is always crazy for me"

"I understand in a way but you know I do not like not hearing from you," Walburga paused, pushing her cascading black curls back as the setting sun hit her face through the windows of Grimmauld. "You are all I have mí amore"

It was things like this.

"You look beautiful" Rose said softly, "Truly"

Walburga pursed her lips with a smile, "I do, don't I?"

Rose laughed lightly, relieved with how this conversation was going. "The picture of youth and beauty"

Walburga went to open her mouth but stopped as she studied Rose's face again, "Something is bothering you—go on and tell me"

Rose shrugged, fiddling the Slytherin sweater sleeve with her free hand. "It's nothing"

"Rosalie Aries Black....you know you can tell me anything"

"Well it's just—" Rose bit her lip anxiously, "Some stuff happened with Theo last night and I'm just nervous about what it means"

Walburga sat up straight with shock, "Did you have a fight with Theodore?"

"No—quite the opposite actually"

"Well then?"

"I mean we've been so happy today and he wants to talk to me tonight....I want to be with him"

"But what happened with him?"

"We kissed" Rose blurted it out before horror took over her features.

Walburga's features fell, "Rosalie—what were you thinking? Now is not the time"

"But grandmother! What if he loves me how I love him? I could be happy—he makes me everything okay! Isn't that what love is?"

"You can love someone and know you shouldn't be with them"

Rose furrowed her eyebrows in discomfort, "But you always supported how I felt about him and I want Theo to know how I feel!"

Walburga eyes closed in annoyance, "Do you not remember the past year of your life? Salazar Rosalie—do you not remember the past few years?"

"I lived them!" Rose spat back before shaking her head, "Are you trying to tell me I'm not worthy of him because of all that?"

"Mí amore you know I think you are worthy of anything you want but now is not the time for all of this with Theodore" Walburga stated calmly, "You can't give him or Draco or anyone what they need in their life"

"Yes I can!"

Walburga's tone flipped cold, sending a chill down Rose's spine. "You have been to St Mungos twice in eight months for your inability to lower your eating properly and let us not even speak of what happened when Orion passed—they had to strap you down in that hospital over simply finding a dead body...you take medicine everyday for Salazar sake or you'll lose your mind"

Rose turned her face away pained, "I found my dead grandfather who took his life!"

"Can you not see this is me caring about you? Love weakens us and it is a disease that slowly destroys a person" Walburga paused, "I want you to end up with whomever you wish but that will not be possible if you ruin things now"

Silence.

"Rosalie dear...you must understand that I am protecting you with all of me. Are you really ready to have everyone know of your inability to bear children? That's a conversation that has to be happen before you can be with him—you are not stable enough to handle anyone's reaction to that"

Rose scoffed, pushing down the thump in her throat. "Theo wouldn't care! I know he wouldn't care and there's still a chance I can!"

"But how will his father feel to hear that you're ruining his family line? That just like your mother a child is likely to kill you—can you know Theo would save you first?"

"That's so far away it doesn't matter and I know he would save me without hesitation!"

"But it does matter! At the end of the day you must face the fact someone as mentally unstable as yourself at this time cannot provide anyone with the love they need" Walburga shot back, "You are not what is best for him—deal with it"

Rose's eyes filled with tears, turning the mirror up at the ceiling to prevent her grandmother from witnessing the breakdown to come. Walburga sighed heavily, giving her a moment.

"Rosalie—Rosalie let me see you"

With reluctance Rose turned the mirror back down after wiping the tears that fell, Walburga shaking her head at the sight.

"Pull yourself together and do not let anyone see you this way" Walburga gave her a tight lipped smile, "This is all for the better dear—I am protecting you"

Rose frustratedly wiped another tear that fell, eyes focusing off the side with pure pain. "I love him so much though"

"Then you'll leave him be" Walburga nodded, "Do not drag him further into your mess than he already is"

Rose nodded slightly, sucking in a sharp breath to attempt collecting herself. Walburga raised her eyebrows until Rose's breathing fell steady, "Good job Rosalie—in the future if by some chance he does want you then pursue but as I said you are incapable of being what he needs"

"Okay" Rose murmured with a voice crack.

"Let him go"

"I can't" Rose whispered, "I can't do that"

"Then you'll pretend? Do you hear me? You will lose him forever if you admit your feelings and ruin it in a few months time"

Rose wiped another stray tear, her voice shaking. "I have to go grandmother"

"Hm...go then dear but remember as I said"

"It's for the better" Rose confirmed.

"Yes mí amore," Walburga smiled, "Speak with you tomorrow then—do not seek things that will destroy you in the end"

Rose didn't reply, only dropped the mirror down onto the bed and shoved it away before clenching her jaw—holding back the flood that wanted to come out.

Nyx looked up at her with worry, "What did she say? Are you okay?"

Rose smiled widely with that same shaky tone, "I'm perfectly fine Nyx"

"Oh Rose...."

It was fine, everything would be fine. She could continue things as were with Theo and just keep herself from ever admitting how she felt—that would surely work.

"Just take some deep breaths" Nyx commanded up to her.

Rose nodded, laying a hand on the snakes head for some attachment to earth as she began to follow the instructions. A panic attack would ruin everything, blow the cover she was using.

*

Thirty minutes passed before the boys returned and Rose had moved to Theo's bed where she was hung off the edge in comfortable clothes, digging around for her secret stash of witches weekly.

One by one each of them filed in the room groggily, all looking her over to assure she was fine after the mirror talk she left to have with Walburga. Theo grinned widely before making his way over and tackling her to the bed, "It was too long my love!"

Whitman, Blaise, and Draco all stood at the end of the bed watching as Rose struggled under him to breathe under him.

"Should we help her?" Blaise directed at the two others.

"She does seem to be suffocating" Whitman retorted.

"No way am I getting involved in their weird little thing" Draco scoffed, turning to go to the shower, leaving the other two to watch in amusement as Rose finally rolled him off of her and sat up looking at the two left.

"Leave us alone!" She turned back to Theo before speaking again, "I was miserable without you! It felt like years!"

Blaise chimed in, "You're both ridiculous! It was barely an hour!"

Rose didn't look back at Blaise as she scoffed, "Blaise just doesn't understand us, does he?"

Theo nodded firmly, "It's the jealousy love, everyone's envious of our bond"

Blaise side eyed Whitman, "Terrible together, aren't they?"

Whitman nodded and walked over to his bed, he just wanted to go back to bed for a few years. "I'm immune at this point in my life"

Theo's hands reached out for her as he kicked his shoes off, "Are you okay?"

Rose shrugged, "No but I don't want to talk about it right now"

"Read with me then? It'll clam your mind"

She nodded with a small smile, moving to sit against his headboard. "Grab a book"

Theo reached under his bed and grabbed the muggle book they had been trying to get through for a long time, 'War and Peace'. After, handed it to her and put his head on her lap, covering them up with the comforter happily.

Before Theo's mother passed she used to read to him and Rose, what she called her 'secret muggle collection'. She loved Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy, but they were under strict instructions to never tell anyone about her books. Ever since she passed the two made a promise to keep reading all the great muggle classics in her honor. Theo always laid on Rose while she read to him just like they did with his mother.

Eleanor Nott was one of the best women Rose ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Time went by quick, an hour passing until the dorm was only filled with all the boys snoring with the exception of Theo. He was still laid against her chest and the book was closed on the bedside table as they sat in peaceful silence, Theo lightly tracing over her rings.

"Can we talk?" He murmured quietly.

"Mhm..." Rose smiled softly with the memory of earlier gone, "Anything you want"

Theo sat up, the blankets twisting with him as he ran his fingers through his thick hair and faced her with a smile. "About last night"

He watched all the color drain from her face, back stiffending as she leaned up off the pillows.

"We don't need to"

"No need to be all tense love" He placed a hand on her knee and rubbed a gentle circle before looking up at the ceiling, "This isn't exactly the place I had in mind but—"

"We're friends Theo—best friends" Rose's sharp words took him from by suprise. He recoiled back slightly as his smile fell, his voice coming out uneven.

"W—what?"

Rose used every piece of talent Walburga and Orion had given her to hide the emotion brewing up like a storm, "We are best friends and that's all we ever need to be"

Theo's eyes flashed with unmistakable hurt, feeling her jab a knife directly into his gut and twist it. "But you need to know that I love—"

"I know you love me Theo" Rose spoke calmly, "I love you"

"You're confusing me" Theo muttered with a heavy heart, "I love you more than—"

"Stop!" Rose rushed out, "Don't say it"

"I need to!"

"I don't want to hear it" It took every piece of her to say that, to lie to his face. "Me and you are best friends and that's all"

Lie.

Theo's brows furrowed before he slid a hand over his chest for a moment, "Ro just let me say it and then you'll understand"

She shifted up, stepping off the bed and pushing his hand away that reached out. "I love you like a best friend—there's nothing to worry about"

"What if that's not what I'm worried about?" Theo questioned, appearing as if she had just stabbed him again.

Rose opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, forcing herself to look away from his eyes that were drawing her in. "We're best friends and I want us to stay just that and only that"

Here it was, another instance where Rosalie Black was shoving away someone. Once again refusing opportunities for her own reasons, punishing the people she loved for loving her back.

She regretted the words almost instantly.

Theo's eyes held a sentence she could read.

How could you do this to me?

Is that really all I am to you? A friend?

But Rose asked the same question back to herself.

How could I do this to myself? To us?

Theo pushed away the need to throw up, be sick over the major serotonin drop. He reached out a unsteady hand to her own steady one, failing as she stepped away and lifted her chin.

"I'm leaving"

Theo voice cracked as he replied, "Okay"

Never in her life had she slipped on shoes so fast and disappeared out of the room. Whitman sat up in his bed at the sound of a door slamming, slipping by the curtains and walking over to Theo just as the boys face fell into one palm. "Theo....what happened?"

Theo stood up, giving Whitman a glimpse of his own tears that welled up as he pushed by and stopped by Rose's bed—spotting the mirror laying atop the silk comforter.

"Theo" Whitman called, "Tell me what's going on"

Theo picked up the mirror with a scoff as he pushed the heel of his palm in one eye to stop the water beginning to flow down, "Fucking Walburga—she's exactly what always happens...that hag is determined to ruin any chance Ro has at happiness"

It easily clicked in his mind, Walburga always had a way of poisoning Rose's mind. The older woman wanted to assure her granddaughter could never truly get away, desperate to keep Rose close by.

Whitman came to stand next to him as he threw the mirror back down, "What did Ro say when you tried talking to her about what Walburga said?"

"What do you think she said?" Theo huffed out, pushing his other palm up in feeble attempts. "She said she wasn't fine but didn't want to talk about it"

"But—"

"Just leave me alone" Theo pushed out, hurrying to the bathroom and slamming the door behind him. His hands wrapped around the edge of the marble counter and his head dropped forward as he let out a shaky breath.

He wanted Walburga Black to die.

He wanted Rose to give into him loving her unconditionally.

He didn't want to lose her lips touching his when he had only just got that feeling.

He didn't want to go another second without telling the world how in love he was.

And most of all, he wished for the voices to stop.

Just like that, they were back at the beginning.

*

Rose had rushed her way to the astronomy tower, begging for fresh and cool air to hit her face—wanting to stop feeling like her skin was burning. Her emotions were a untamable whirlwind as always but she held so much that it became numbing as she climbed the winding stairs to the top of the tower with reddened eyes and dry cheeks.

Just turn it off, she told herself.

And she did just that.

Everything I did was for Theo.

This is for the best.

In the future, we have the future.

As Rose stepped up onto the top of the tower she felt a presence before even spotting a bulky man leaned on the railing with only the small lanterns hung around illuminating his curly hair that was almost black.

Mattheo Riddle.

Just her luck.

Rose stepped around the spinning rings in the center of the space, Mattheo didn't bother to turn and look for who was coming—he knew from the sound of those chunky boots.

She hesitated before settling herself right next to him, hands wrapping around the railing tightly. Mattheo glanced over, watching her take in a sharp breath and cast her eyes out to the starry night.

"You've been avoiding me" Mattheo's gruff voice rung in her ears.

"Yeah....seems we've switched places"

When Mattheo didn't reply she spoke again, not tearing her eyes away from the night in the process. "I didn't think you'd want all my friends to know it was you who I had kissed—they would've went berserk"

"I'm not afraid of your friends and I'm not ashamed about what happened"

Her shoulder brushed his as she furrowed her brows, "You don't seem to like me much—why wouldn't you be ashamed?"

"I'm not going to boost your head with that information Rose" He scoffed, "I don't think it's smart for me to involve myself in your life"

"It's not" Rose muttered as she spotted the North Star, "Doesn't mean I didn't want to know you"

Mattheo huffed, following her gaze. "Damned if I do damned if I don't type of situation, huh?"

Thunder sounded out above them, neither jumping or moving away at the sound. If anything, it brought them both joy. Rose casted her eyes down to him slowly, there was something in the way the moon hit his scarred face and empty gaze that made her curious.

She had collected information in the short amount of time since he joined Hogwarts. Mattheo Riddle was broody, a jerk, pretentious, intelligent, and had no problem being alone.

"Do you think we're doomed to repeat our parents mistakes?"

Mattheo face showed nothing as he looked up at her, letting honesty roll off his tongue despite the random question. "Yeah I do—I think we're tricked into believing we have a choice over our lives when there is no such thing"

"I think differently. I like to believe we can learn from them and be better—change our fate and all that cheesy shit" Rose searched his eyes for anything, for any spot of life and found none.

"How can we learn if we never really know them?" Mattheo quizzed with a scrutinizing look.

"Touché Riddle" Rose muttered, unable to tear her eyes away from his—it felt as if they were in a challenge of who would look away first. "Do you believe in love?"

He scoffed again, "What are you aiming at? Are we playing a question game?"

She shrugged, turning her body towards him fully. "I just wonder"

"No," He replied to indulge her, "Love is just a feeling we use to describe attachment—it can go just as quickly as it comes and I don't really believe it is real"

"That's sad—really fucking sad" Rose focused back up on the sky as droplets of rain began to fall, "I'm going to make you believe in love Mattheo Riddle"

He laughed humorlessly, watching as she stuck a hand out to feel the rain. "Miss happy-go-lucky is going to make me believe in love?"

"Mhm," Rose affirmed, closing her eyes as she reached further off the tower. "I have secret powers Riddle—I'm like the love witch"

He quickly sat up and grasped onto her as she stumbled, glaring down as she laughed. "You're going to kill yourself—that's what you're going to do"

Rose smiled lazily, "From making you believe in love or falling off this tower?"

Mattheo looked her over in disbelief before speaking tauntingly as he set her upright firmly, "Both"

Her eyes raked him from head to toe, "Sign me up then"

She reached out a hand to touch him but was stopped as his fingers wrapped around her wrist firmly with a scowl and menacing tone. "Don't"

"Okay Mister broody" Rose laughed before tapping his nose. He blinked as she turned back to the railing as if nothing had happened, "You know....you're really playing into this act"

"Act?" Mattheo questioned confusedly, "What fucking act?"

Rose threw her head back with another laugh, "Oh—you're funny"