(p.s. yes i know it's been forever but this chapter was so long and i could not figure out what to cut. i do pull a robbery here but you have to forgive me bc there's a million more of those scenes coming loll oh, and there is a ST reference)

third person pov

Whitman flipped the same book he had read a million times as a form of comfort, sitting on a windowsill of the empty common room. He enjoyed having time next to the soothing, soft melody of the water sloshing against the glass when everyone left to their dorms. He pulled a cigarette out, planning to smoke without care because despite their common room being the only one where you cannot open a window—nobody ever dared to scold students for smoking here.

"Hey, Whitman." A feminine voice made him look up from his book, pausing the mission of opening a zippo lighter.

"Lily," He acknowledges through his teeth, as he lit the cigarette.

"It's been a long day." Lily sighs, hopping up onto the windowsill. She was a sweet girl. Blonde, half-blood, and a year younger. They'd hooked up a few times in recent months, but that was that. "Sooo....what're you up to?"

"Trying to read but can't seem to focus"

"Oh..."

Respectfully, Whitman closed the book and blew his smoke away, relaxing into the stone behind himself. It would be wrong to send the girl off when she clearly didn't want to leave. "Are you okay?" He quizzes bluntly, confused by her casually coming to speak.

"Yeah," She smiled brightly, "Just passing through and saw you."

"Oh...." He mused with a hint of awkwardness, clueless on anything to talk about. Not that Whitman would refuse a conversation, but he never formed any type of attachment to the people he hooked up with. It wasn't like he asked about their interests when naked. He always placed clear lines though, never wanting to intentionally break some girl's heart because she believed there was something more. Anything beyond the world of hooking up did not exist for him.

Lily let out a small laugh, "I might've also been wondering if you were going with anyone to the task tomorrow...forgive my ulterior motives"

"Lily, I—" A bit of horror had struck him. There's no way this girl was going to ask for some weird form of a date. "I'm going with mates, Rose is competing so..."

"Of course," Her eyes nervously flip out onto the common room, hands crossing together. "Erm...you've all been friends for a while, right?"

Whitman could see it all over her face, that specific look. The one most students held toward his group of friends, a point between mesmerization and fear. Unlike the popular trio of Gryffindor at Hogwarts—his group was anything but welcoming.

Untouchable, completely unrelatable, carrying fierce loyalty to only one another, never acknowledging anyone else. Merlin forbid you mess with one of the five, suddenly four more people would be wishing death on you. No one really understood them or how they worked, always seeming to communicate with looks to each other instead of words. The weirdest thing was not a single student truly knew anything about them, other than what the group wanted everyone to know. Nott, a smart and charming but quiet boy who would undoubtedly bash someone's skull into a wall with a smile. Malfoy, crude and sadistic, finding genuine humor in the harming of others. Zabini, Casanova to both genders, a pompous and arrogant heir who would proudly let you know how little he thought of you by simply acting as if he breathed in a different form of oxygen. Rosier, notorious good boy in the eyes of his professors but anything other to his peers, always the instigator but never the one caught—cleaning up the messes of his friends like clockwork. Oh, and a infamous womanizer.

And that left Black, the most perplexing of them all. Once a Gryffindor, now a Slytherin. The only one who ever dared to branch out but when she did it was never to the suspected bunch. Instead reaching to one's like Neville Longbottom or Luna Lovegood. To be fair, Black was a considerably nice girl but as if the human form of a ticking time bomb—she could explode at any moment. Going as far as to torture people who dared her patience. Always putting her superiority complex to good use when she would hand out rubies and diamonds to those 'less fortunate'. Smart, too smart for anyone to believe her. Knowing everything about everyone in the school. And surprisingly enough, the ring leader to the group of five. What she said, they did. What she wanted, they got. Where she went, they followed. It was so painstakingly obvious that Black had each of those boys so tightly wrapped around her finger. But still, Black had to be the most hated of them all. Whether it be because she was simply a woman with an attitude problem or because of the stereotypes placed on her from being so close with the five males. Perhaps that's why her niceness only got her so far. No one ever seemed to acknowledge the fact she had to work two times harder for everything those boys had.

"Yeah," Whitman answered through a quick puff, "Our whole lives. Why?"

"Just wondering," Lily shrugged, "Don't really know anything about you or them"

His lips quirked up on one side, cigarette between his teeth. "That's exactly how we want it to be"

"Fair enough," She laughed before leaning over to place a hand on his knee, "Do you want to come to my dorm tonight?"

His eyebrow lazily raised, "For what exactly?"

"Don't make me say it out loud—It's too vulgar"

Whitman almost agrees because why not? He doesn't particularly have the urge at this very moment but if anyone offered him a distraction from reality for an hour, he'd take it.

Something catches his eye though, forcing him to do a double take. It's Rose, she's casually walking through the portrait hole and straight toward him. Her state is what's truly making Whitman silent. His sweater is swallowing her and her skirt whole. No shoes on her feet, just fluffy socks that cause him to blink in slight mortification. And she's clutching onto a large, metal bowl—an opened bottle of wine and folded up prophet in her other hand.

"You won't believe this shit," Rose announced loudly upon her arrival to the windowsill, dropping a copy of prophet down into Whitman's lap. "Apparently I'm flirting my way to the top by hitting on Ludo Bagman? A grown man who literally holds no power or money?" She scoffs, "He wishes I would flirt with him, that fucking creep. Go media, sexualize the young girl for breathing!"

Whitman and Lily equally stared at Rose, eyes raking her from head to toe as she angrily started sipping on the wine.

After a few seconds, Rose brought the bottle down slowly, "What are you staring at me for?"

"Where are your shoes? Is that my sweater?" Whitman asked prior to noticing the blood on her fingers clutching the bowl. "Why is there blood on you? Should I even be surprised?"

"I'm going through a rough phase," Rose muttered, glancing at her fingers. "Oh, and that idiotic Tiffany kept talking about Luna so I stabbed her hand with a fork...couldn't find my dagger in time"

Lily blurted out, "You...stabbed her?"

Rose's head lazily turned toward the girl, a blank expression held inside her eyes. "Should I have cuddled her? Whispered sweet nothings in her ear?"

"No, no, I—" Lily stuttered as she leaned back into the stone for some distance, beginning to look for anything to switch the subject onto. Finally, she noticed colorful and interestingly tacky beads on Whitman and Rose's wrists. "You have matching bracelets...that's cool!"

"Oh," Rose muttered tiredly, "I made them for everyone."

Lily unexpectedly laughs, "You made them?"

Confusion flashed over Rose's face, "What's funny?"

"It's just, well, it's surprising!" Lily smiled with flushed cheeks.

Rose cocked her eyebrow, "It's suprising that I know how to put a bead on a string?"

"No!" Lily attested quickly, "Not at all!"

A pleased look took over Rose, "Oh okay...thought you were calling me dumb"

Whitman cleared his throat, pinching the cigarette out with two fingers. "Ro, what's in that bowl of yours?"

"Cherries." She replies, bringing the bottle up to her lips as she extended the bowl toward Lily. "Davies, you want a cherry?"

"I'm okay" Lily answered, relaxing finally. "Thank you though"

"Davies." Rose stated firmly, eyes narrowing. "Take a damn cherry."

"Okay..." Lily reluctantly reached in and grabbed a plump cherry. Looking to Whitman for help once again as Rose continued staring at her but he only wore an amused smile.

"Well? What do you think of my cherries?" Rose quizzed once the girl finished chewing. Lily seemed scared, or even disturbed—probably assuming Rose held some undermining meaning to her actions. In Rose's eyes though, she genuinely just wanted to know if the girl liked what she gave. Dobby had tossed the fruit in a glossy, red sauce and Rose needed a second opinion.

"They're, um, it's really good..."

"Great!" Rose smiled, her attention swinging back to Whitman. "What're you two doing?"

He scratched his neck uncomfortably, "I was going to her dorm but I can come with you—"

"No need" Rose cut him off, turning to leave but stopping by Lily and nudging her shoulder. "He's quite good with his mouth, I don't blame you." She finished off with a wink, instantly walking away with the bottle rising back up.

Whitman's jaw went slack as Lily choked on air, equally in a state of shock. There were no words to be said.

Ever so slowly, Lily's eyes trailed over to Whitman. "You...hooked up? With her?"

"She's just drunk," He remarked distantly as he watched Rose disappear up the stairwell. Whitman shook his head, "You ready to go to your dorm?"

"Depends," Lily began to smirk, "Can I be in control for once?"

"Absolutely not." Whitman deadpanned, "What do you take me for?"

And then Lily laughed, leaning forward, "At least I tried..."

His hand glides smoothly around her throat, bringing their lips centimeters apart. "Don't do it again" Whitman warned teasingly.

Her eyes fluttered shut, "Whatever you say"

"Mhm." Whitman hummed lowly, yanking her lips onto his own. Just like that, attempting to forget reality.

When Rose reached the dorm, she didn't enter. Only leaned against the door and stared up at the moist ceiling of the stairwell. Busy replaying the conversation over and over.

"I just don't get why Dumbledore would want to see Theo," Rose complained to Luna as the two walked toward Ravenclaw tower. "Not like I care or anything..."

"Rose," Luna huffed out a sigh, "Give the act up already"

"Whatever!"

Luna had raised her eyebrows at the snappy attitude, looping their arms together. "Anyways...did you let Theo do his seer thing on you? Figure out how tomorrow is going to go?"

"Obviously not." Rose made an aggravated noise aimed toward the ceiling, "He hasn't used them on me since I started hanging around Mattheo at the beginning of the year. Guessing he was scared to see a future of where I ended up with that idiot or simply scared of seeing a flashback of me hooking up with Mattheo—too many possibilities that would break his heart."

"So you know he loves you?" Luna asked earlier, watching how Rose's throat bobbed. "I just say that because you acknowledged it would break his heart, you're clearly accepting the fact he is in love with you."

"Doesn't matter if I know, does it? Which I don't but still, we'd never get to be normal. Just before Walburga died she threatened to disown me if I tried to be with Theo, now his father...." Rose shook her head, staring straight ahead at the upcoming Ravenclaw door. "Borrowed time, that's all we'd have. Sneaking around in closets, making eyes at each other across rooms, lying to everyone—until the day would come where his father started pushing him into marriage and I'd have to sit idly by and watch Theo indulge woman after woman to keep his father off our trail. Of course he wouldn't have to actually get married but he'd have to pretend to be looking and I'd have to smile. I cannot love him silently, I just can't do it when it's him."

"What do you plan to do then?" Luna asked.

"What do you mean? There's nothing left to do."

"That's not the Rose I know?" Luna shot back with a spurt of sassiness, snapping Rose's head toward herself. "You are not allowed to give up"

"I'm not giving up, I'm saving him. Giving up would mean falling out of love with him and that's impossible." Rose muttered, yanking her arm free to wrap it around Luna's shoulders. "Trust me, if I could, I'd gut his father from head to toe and then run off into the sunset with my Theo..."

Luna yelped, wide eyed looking over to Rose. "Like...gut him, gut him?"

"Don't worry Luna, I wouldn't make you watch. Only help me get rid of the body" Rose winked, tugging the girl closer. "Now—tell me the name of that girl who bothered you today"

Laughing and loud voices coming up the bottom of the steps stole Rose's attention, forcing her back to earth with a tired groan. She turned around to push open the door because frankly, nothing in her felt like dealing with a group of boys.

A soft blue glow filter throughout the room, bringing an old memory of how the aquarium in Rome made her feel. As if she was walking through a deep part of the glass tubes there, always something that seemed from a different world as the water reflections turned her skin teal.

Rose had recently agreed to help Snape with his first year classes. As much as the man tried to hate her, he had to admit she was an extremely bright witch—it helped that she hated Sirius too. The first years classes were easy, but that didn't mean it wasn't taking a lot of energy out of her.

Rose huffed out a sigh at the closed curtains around everyone's bed except her own and Theo's, sliding off the disgustingly dirty socks midway through the dorm. She had one place every part of her wanted to be and nothing would stop her from going there.

Draco heard his curtains shift open, flipping through a book with a candle floating around his enclosed bed. "Where have you been?" He asked without looking up.

Rose crashed down next to him, clutching onto her bowl of cherries as she brought the bottle of wine up to her lips. "Had business to handle in Ravenclaw tower"

"Hex someone over Lovegood again?" Draco flipped through another page before looking over to Rose. Eyebrows raising at the objects in her hands, "Why do you have a bowl of cherries and....cheap wine? Is this a new phase?"

"Want some?" Rose asked, getting an amused shake of his head in return. "I had to go break a few of Tiffany's fingers but don't worry, that cunt will make a speedy recovery..." She casually plopped a cherry in her mouth, "Minnie took Theo about an hour ago—worried his father came to the school or something so I stole a bottle of wine to ease my nerves."

He snapped the book shut, disregarding the fact Rose just admitted to breaking someone's fingers. "Is that what's going on? Did Theo's father say something to you?"

"I don't want to think about that" She muttered, bringing the bottle up again. "I just want to be here, with you."

As if reading an open novella filled full of Rose lore, Draco carefully took the bowl of cherries away and set them in the floor. Tugging on the comforter, "Get under."

Rose followed his instructions with a sigh, shifting herself under the blankets as he scooped Lyra up from the end of the bed. Dropping the kitten in her lap, which no longer appeared to be a baby. Lyra had grew increasingly bigger, only thing which appeared the same was her tongue still sticking out.

Draco groaned as the curtains rustled, a large snout poking through. This dog was the second bane of his existence, Rose the first.

"Jade!" Rose called happily. At once the massive black dog jumped up onto the bed and straddled Rose's body, making Draco grunt as one of the paws kicked him. "Lay down baby, Draco's in a mood..."

Jade's dusky eyes looked toward Draco in suspicion before slowly laying her head in the Black's lap, Lyra meowing loudly and scurrying over to Draco.

Regardless of how heavy the dog weighed, Rose felt her chest warm from being in it's presence. Jade hadn't gained too much weight because taking a starving animal and forcing a pound of food down their throat would be detrimental. It had to be a slow process but was working perfectly none the less. The furry coat of raven hair no longer matted. The white's of Jade's eyes no longer bloodshot. No signs of a rib cage bulging out. A dog that once seemed to never know happiness, walked around cheerfully every time Rose neared.

Dumbledore had been a struggle to convince but if Rose was condemned to be mentally ill for the rest of her life, she would take whatever opportunity arises with that as payment from forcing a curse onto her.

So what did she do exactly ?

Rose walked into Saint Mungos and went straight to the psych ward, paying off a mediwizard to write a letter of recommendation for an emotional support animal. Dumbledore couldn't legally say no anymore unless he wanted a visit from a ministry official.

But Dumbledore did state his terms. Claiming Rose would have to get the animal trained to prevent such a large being from attacking students.

"She did do good this morning," Draco commented gruffly, recalling how Rose forced everyone to follow her into the London's wizarding world to see how Jade's training had been going. "Almost took that guys bloody arm off"

"I took her to the mediwitches before you all came to meet me, said Jade will probably be around a hundred and twenty-five pounds once at her full health" Rose boasted like a proud mother, taking another swig of the wine as she scratched behind the dog's ear. "You know...you're one of the only male she's warmed up to so far"

"Don't know why, I hate animals." Draco scoffed, looking over to find Rose frowning.

"You love Lyra and Nyx!"

"Don't talk about Lyra! She's simply someone I am forced to deal with!" Draco snapped back, rolling his eyes as Rose smiled down at his hand stroking Lyra's head. "Don't give me that look either! Nyx hates Jade too!"

"Because Nyx is jealous of anyone getting my attention for five seconds! She won't even speak to me when I'm petting Jade!"

"Something me and Nyx have in common."

"You are so annoying" Rose mocked with a giggle while focusing back on Jade, "I want to adopt every single animal in the world when I get older...let them run around on the manor grounds"

"Merlin, save me." Draco deadpanned up to the ceiling, his arm wrapping around Rose's shoulder and tugging her into his side. "Can I just buy you a stuffed animal? I'll let you have as many as you like...."

Jade didn't not appreciate him touching Rose in the slightest bit. Her head snapped up, a terrifying growl erupting.

"Hey!" Rose grabbed onto the dog's face with one hand, "Go play with Lyra!"

"No?!" Draco stated in horror, bringing Lyra close to his chest. "They play together too much!"

"Draco."

"Fine." He huffed, releasing Lyra and gesturing her forward. The cat instantly hopped off the bed, slipping through the curtains. Jade wasted no time following after, inciting another groan from Draco as the large animal stepped on him in the process.

Rose craned her neck up to him with a laugh, extending the bottle over. "They'll be fine, Jade hasn't tried hurting her or Nyx once...don't play the worried father card"

Draco yanked the bottle away, "I'm not worried." He replied defiantly, taking a sip of the wine. Simultaneously choking from the taste, "Gods—" He coughed while setting the bottle on the bedside table, "That is awful, Rosie."

"I know...Poppy drinks cheap wine" Rose muttered distantly, bringing her knees up and burying herself into his side as much as humanly possible. "I've missed you."

Draco doesn't say anything at first. Only brings his arm around to keep Rose close, not wanting to lose this moment of her balled up into him. There laid something inexplicable about Rose, how she would hide her feeling so seamlessly when the walls had to go up but also the minute she felt ready, every emotion would flow from her mouth so beautifully. An equilibrium to Draco, who often times acted as if he was the most emotionally unavailable human present. It wasn't true though, all an act. He had more emotions than he knew what to do with.

He still doesn't know what to say as she lays against his beating heart, capable of only bringing his free hand around to graze her cheek. Unbridled emotion making a knot form inside his throat, choking on all of that warmth at once. He never lied when proclaiming to be overwhelmed by her existing, overwhelmed to finally be holding her in this plane of existence instead of his dreams.

She's real, He often had to remind himself.

When Rose speaks again it's quiet, as if she's afraid. "I think everyone believes I love Theo more, maybe it's my fault for making them believe that." Her fingers trail across his waist, "It's not true, you know? I—I got so used to you not being there. Accommodated to loving you from afar, none of that lessened how much it hurt. Theo just, well he's my best friend. The one I leaned on when I cried for you. And then one day I lost you both at once."

It take everything Draco has to swallow, "Rosie, you don't have to—"

"No, you deserve an explanation. A real one without any hidden truths." She interrupted quietly, toying with the hem of his tee. "So maybe losing him affects me in visible way, one that's glaringly obvious because I've never experienced that loss before. I do love him and I'm sorry, I wish I didn't love either of you..."

Draco stilled.

"Because it's not easy, you're not easy. You're cold, callous, and everything I shouldn't want." Rose sounds so quiet that she tethers between whispers, the words almost too much for him to bare. "I don't want to love someone as much as I love you. It's all consuming, I can't stay away, everything hurts when you're not there, every dream includes your face, no matter what we do we can't ever stop...."

Draco slides his finger under Rose's chin, carefully titling her head up. Being met with her watery eyes, the arm she held over him becoming tight.

"I want to finally be happy with you," Rose informs as a whisper, "But I can't be myself without him in my life. Just like I was never myself when you were gone. I can't be who I need to be right now."

"I'll wait for you." Draco promised lowly, softened gray eyes trained on her. "I'll wait for you until every piece of oxygen leaves my lungs because you're the beginning, the middle, the end and everything in between. Rosie, I—" He paused as her breath hitched, thumb caressing the underside of her lip. "Every part of me is a reflection of you, something I know you understand. There is no hiding from who you are when the person in front of you has seen the worst parts of you. All of that anger, all of those fights—we've seen it all"

Rose watched him in a state of bittersweet heartache.

"I'll fight." Draco continued on as his fingers weaved through her hair, voice holding a certain sense of danger, "I'll fight death, I'll fight every elemental force if I must but I'm never going to idly sit back and watch you leave. I was a coward, a coward that didn't deserve you." His eyes gloss over, a rare sight of Draco Malfoy brought to tears. He pulls Rose close enough for his lips to hover over her own, "I'm going to be someone worthy of you. I don't care about my father, I don't care about my title, I don't care about the money—I'm going to love you for the rest of my life and I'm going to make all of them watch."

This time her breath doesn't simply hitch, instead comes as a sharp intake of air. Because the ending of his promise sounded dangerous, a veiled expression of the lengths he would go. Rose doesn't need Draco to say anything else, she sees a certain darkness in his eyes that's always loomed under the surface—rising out at this very moment to make sacred vows.

He means every word.

Their mouths inch together as Rose carefully slides her hand up onto the side of his neck, equally taking unsteady breaths.

"I wasn't lying in Venezuela," Draco mumbles across Rose's lips, his hand not latched into her hair gliding down onto her hip. "I'm not Draco Malfoy without you and I never will be."

She brings them together by a tug on his throat.

And she kisses him, kisses him deeper than one would ever think possible. Despite the tears running down her face and despite his own beginning to mix in, Rose kisses Draco with every emotion she had bottled because nothing else matters. Not the year of heartbreak, sadness, joy, and yearning.

There is only him.

Without the world, without last names or expectations, without the slight drift of air rolling through the dorm.

Something so pure and twisted about how easily they manage to make one another forget about everything else. How easily their souls twist together, falling back into a language spoken without words.

Draco guided his hand down Rose's hip, wrapping underneath her knee and tugging her into a straddling position while deepening the kiss.

But then Draco gently pulled on her hair, yanking their mouths apart. His thumb came up to cup her cheek, lips pressing down against her tears. "Don't cry" He mumbled.

"But you are" Rose breathed out, overcome by emotion and how it felt to have his lips against her skin.

He whispers hoarsely against her jaw, "I know."

Nothing in Rose wants to wipe his tears, because she needs him to be in just as much emotional turmoil from simply being able to kiss her skin.

Lost in the moment, Rose slides her fingers underneath his sweater and begins lifting the material away in a hurry. Draco breaks apart long enough for her to free him, his desperate hands reaching to tear her own off right after. This isn't one of those times where you speak filthy things in the others ear. No, it's only about being close to one another and there's too many feelings to formulate words without the risk of crying. Rose needed him more than anything right now, and not in a rough way. She had spent too many weeks doing that with a man she didn't love.

And at that very second the one she did love, the one her body craved more than anything—was desperate to have her as well.

As soon as her sweater came off, Rose attempted to grab his face and kiss him again but was stopped by a gentle, firm hand wrapping around her throat.

He looked into her gaze with his pupils blown wide and hair ruffled, eyes slowly trekking down until landing on the lace covering her chest. Draco's breath hitched, bottom lip rolling between his teeth in restraint.

His eyes flicked back up onto her own with something wicked flaring inside, "Take it off." He demands hoarsely.

The sound of her heart beating rung loudly but she kept her eyes trained on his and reached behind herself, muffling a moan as he tightened his grip just enough to be the perfect amount.

He gave a slight nod as if begging her to go on as she unclasped the bra, lace slowly sliding down her arms.

His fingers glided up into her hair as she finally slipped the lace off. Letting out a breath of relief because time finally resumed all at once, his hand wrapping around her breast and yanking her head back—lips attaching to her throat hungrily.

"Draco," She gasped at the actions, holding onto his shoulders. His lips moved further and further down, sucking and biting so purposefully she began to moan his name over and over. Something possessive flipped inside of him as his tongue moved around her breast and her hips rolled down against him.

His low groan vibrated against her skin as she pushed down again, tugging on the platinum locks desperately.

"Please," Rose begged with eyes screwed shut, "Now."

In an instant Draco's arm glides around her waist, lifting her hips enough for him to pull the rest of his clothes off.

He doesn't let Rose down after like she wanted, still keeping her lifted up as their lips brush. There's no time to take off the skirt pooling by her hips or the lace covering her. His fingers simply push the lace to the side before he guides his tip to her cunt, and relishing in the moan that leaves her lips—her forehead dropping against his.

"Tell me if you're mine," Draco panted against her mouth as he moved his tip up and down, "Tell me."

"Draco, please—" She whined, arms circling his neck tightly.

His hips bucked up involuntarily, voice hoarse, "If you want me, tell me."

"I'm yours," Rose promised while sucking on his bottom lip, pulling a groan from Draco. "I always have been,"

Draco pressed their mouths together desperately and sank her down onto his dick, filling her up until she cried out for him.

"Rosie," He moaned as her head tipped back, his hands reaching to pull their faces back together. Marveling in how she felt, how she looked, how she sounded.

His thumb pulled out the lip she was biting down on, taking the flesh in between his own teeth. "I—" He mumbled breathlessly, "I love you."

At that very moment he thrusted up, gaining a whimper in response, "I love you."

"Yeah?" He hissed, "I don't want to share you, and I don't—" Draco grabbed her hips, lifting her off of him and making her think he would pull out before he drove into her again, again, again, and again. Reminding Rose that he was in charge despite her being on top, "I don't want anyone else to have this."

"They—they won't." She wasn't speaking properly, already a mess as she moved and he jerked to meet her.

As soon as the words left Rose, he forced their lips back together. Flipping them over, bending her knee and pushing inside as deep as possible.

And when all was said and done, Rose laid against his bare chest as he stayed propped up against the pillows. Both still in a state of breathlessness as his fingers pushed through the raven hair soothingly, a soft smile across the Malfoy's face as she looked up to him.

Equally seeming so peacefully, so tranquil.

Everything bringing him a foreign sense of peace, the comfort and intimacy that Rose gave him.

But, of course—

The curtains ripped open on one side so quickly neither of them managed the time to look before Whitman crashed down against the pillows, next to Draco.

"This is the worst day of my life." Whitman announces up to the ceiling.

"Excuse you?" Draco looked over in disbelief after making sure Rose's back was covered up, "We don't have clothes on if you cannot tell?"

"What—" Whitman trails off as his eyes rake over Draco's bare chest and onto Rose, who wore a soft smile for him. Every thought leaves his brain for a moment.

"Whit?" Draco nudged his shoulder.

"Why are you both naked?" Whitman quizzes stupidly, brain-rotted from having to witness this.

Rose tucks her chin into the crease of her elbow on Draco's chest, "We had sex" She says casually, as if it doesn't make Whitman feel sick.

The Rosier's throat bobs as he focuses back up on the ceiling, adjusting an arm behind his head. "Whatever—I've seen you both naked." He shouldn't be upset, frankly Whitman questions his ability to be a good friend at that very moment. Draco, the coldest boy in the world, smiled for her. Maybe Draco didn't always show a smile across his lips, too taken by the need to hide such, but ever since they were kids—even when Draco claimed to hate her—his eyes always smiled when he looked at Rose. How awful is Whitman for wanting to take that away?

"Okay, you moody cunt." Draco huffs out, "Go on, tell us what's made this the worst day of your life since you clearly don't plan on leaving."

"I—" Whitman forces himself to focus back on the rant, "So I go to Davies dorm, the girl I've been hooking up with recently?"

Draco resumes pushing his fingers through Rose's hair, sounding distant as he watches her stare at Whitman, "I thought you were hooking up with a Puff?"

"Well, that's one of the other ones but that's not who I'm talking about right now." Whitman grumbles, eyes flicking down to Rose as she scoffs. "You have something to say?"

"Nope!" Rose pops the 'p' at the end, sounding unfazed. "Go on, Whit."

Whitman takes a deep breath. "I'm in Davies dorm, and everything's fine. I laid her down on the bed and started kissing her but it wasn't working so I went down on her and still—"

"Please, spare us the details." Rose interrupts harshly, "It's gross."

"I just—" Whitman covers his face up with a groan, "I can't even bare to say it out loud..."

Draco yawns, "Just say it"

Whitman swipes that hand over his mouth, then his jaw. Mumbling, "I couldn't get it up."

A deep laugh immediately left Draco, "Oh mate," His laughter growing louder only made Whitman scowl. Eventually, Draco turned his head toward Whitman with a mocking voice, "You fucked so many girls your dick stopped working?"

Rose snorted as Draco fell back with more laughter, "Karma..."

"It's your fault," Whitman raises his voice, adjusting the arm behind his head to look Rose straight in the eye. "I'm blaming you!"

"How is it my fault?!" She snaps back defensively.

"What you said to Lily! It kept replaying in my head!" Whitman speaks without thinking, "And she's warm! So bloody warm and you're freezing! Even with my eyes closed I—"

"Huh?" Draco's voice overlapped his, "The fuck are you getting at?"

"He's being stupid." Rose remarked with a shrug before propping her head up, "Whit, can you hand me that sweater from the floor?"

In a way Whitman is grateful she stopped him from going further. There's no good version of Draco finding out what happened, or even a world where Draco wouldn't despise him for still having feelings for her. But, that doesn't stop Whitman from shifting uncomfortably against the arm by his head, lips forming a frown as she stares at him. What he meant couldn't have been more glaringly obvious to her. With a sigh, Whitman lazily drapes an arm off the bed, grabbing the sweater and tossing it over.

Rose adjusted herself further up on Draco's chest, pulling a necklace from the inner pocket of the sweater. Cupping the object in a closed palm, a mischievous glint her eye as she smirks.

"What's in your hand?" Draco asks reluctantly.

"Luna made you something to help with the Nargles and Wrackspurts"

Draco grimaces because in an instant she's opening up her palm and showing him a ratty string necklace holding a butterbeer cork, "What the fuck—"

He was silenced as she slipped it over his neck with a goofy grin on her face. Rose sighed, and ran her fingers over the string, "It looks wonderful!"

Draco closed both eyes, trying his best to push back the disgust for the object. Then, he flashes her a extremely pained smile, "Oh yeah..."

Rose patted his cheek, "I thought you would hate it!"

Keeping his wary smile on, he looks down at the necklace, "Uh yeah—I mean no. No, it's fantastic, Rosie."

She laughed at Draco's pained expression, knowing he was trying to make her happy. Rose dropped her head back onto his chest, deciding to see how far she could push it. "Don't take it off unless your showering, okay?!"

Draco closed his eyes again. Cursing Merlin for making him so hopelessly in love with the girl that he knew he would listen to her. "I won't."

Rose felt a glimpse of happiness flood her, grateful their bond was never changing. It reminded her of when she made him her first painting at six. It was absolutely terrible but he hung it up in his room and even then, he had his own version of a pained smile as he showed Narcissa and raved about how talented Rose was.

"Well then," Whitman snorted at Draco, "I'm off to bed."

"Night" Draco called as the boy slipped away.

"Hm" Rose hummed, body moving on it's own accord as she buried her face into his neck. "How are you always so warm?"

"Someone has to balance out your freezing cold skin" He retorts quickly, cheek in his voice as he starts to run his fingers down her spine. "Like a version of a walking snowman"

She shivered at the mind-calming touch, smiling against his neck. "Tell me the happy ending like you used to"

Draco let out a laugh of disbelief, not hearing the request roll off her tongue in ages. "It's been a long time since I told you that"

"Did you seriously forget it?"

He rolled his eyes, "I could never forget. Don't insult me like that."

Rose smiles wider, waiting for him to tell it to her.

Draco took a deep breathe as he began reiterating what they took turns telling each other when life used to go bad, when they thought they would never escape the abuse. "Years from now we'll be far from here. We'll buy a big house, but it won't feel dark, it'll feel like home. We'll have those big columns you always loved. There'll be a lake behind it, with a forest surrounding. I'll get you a cat and we'll name her Nova..." Draco had to stop at the realization she did in fact get him a cat. He felt her tiredly kiss his neck, signaling that she understood. Continuing with the lines that were imbedded into his brain, "We'll have a balcony on the back of the house so you can paint freely. A big swing on the wrap around porch, one you can lay in when you need your peace. None of our families will be welcomed, except my mother. Theo and Whitman will live with us, making sure we don't ever separate. You'll find the cure for Whitman's curse, that way he doesn't have to turn anymore. I'll get you a separate building that connects to the house for your experiments. Every night we'll sit by the lake, watching the sun go down and wait patiently for the moon. We'll have a huge rose garden, one that has a clearing in the middle so you can read with Theo there and he can write peacefully. I'll become a potioneer, refusing to follow in my fathers footsteps, helping you with your exploits when I'm off work. The cruciatus curse won't exist anymore. The ministry will no longer discriminate against werewolves. You'll find out who your mother was. I'll make you a cup of chamomile tea every night and you'll complain about how it burned your tongue, but you'll still drink it while it's boiling hot, forcing the rest of us to follow suit." He spoke the next line shakily, "We'll all have forever. And most importantly, we'll be safe."

When he looked down to Rose, he saw a faint smile on her lips as she slept. Turning his head to kiss her hair, "I love you, Rosie." He mumbled quietly.

*

Draco woke first to the feeling of hair all over his face. Almost jumping out of bed at the body pressed tightly against himself until the smell coffee, cigarettes, and cherries flooded his nose. An awfully heavy dog laid at the end, weighing down the blanket. He attempted to move the mass amount of waves but halted upon Rose grumbling.

She flipped over with a scowl, coming face to face with Draco. "Is there a reason your swatting at my hair this early?"

He gave a dumbfounded look, voice hoarse, "Do you realize how much hair is on your head? It made a curtain over my face."

She raised her eyebrows in amusement before slowly sitting up, "I fucking hate mornings"

Draco followed after, moving at a much quicker pace. "Well, you've never been a morning person"

"Can you blame me?" Rose mutters as she stretched both arms above her head with a yawn, "Who doesn't want to sleep all hours of the day?"

"People who enjoy life" He smirks at her from the side, "I adore the morning time..."

She groaned, going to lay back down only for him to hold her up. "Let me go back to sleep, you psychotic morning person!" Rose protested weakly.

Draco rolled his eyes while rising out of bed, "You've got to get to the second task. Do you remember the spell?"

Keeping herself propped up with both hands, Rose narrowed her eyes at him. Unable to count how many times he had asked that question, "Of course I remember the fucking spell!"

Never phased by her anger, Draco yanked open the curtains to let in a flash of blinding light. Speaking with mirth, "Now now, Rosie, there no need for that attitude."

Rose stole a glance toward the bottom of the bed where Jade snored softly before grabbing a pillow and chunking it straight to Draco.

Worry began to overshadow her annoyance as she climbed out of bed and saw Theo's untouched mattress.

"Draco..."

The Malfoy looked Rose over from head to toe, then followed her eye-line. "Hm," He shrugs, "Maybe he found some new friends"

Rose let out a loud scoff while dragging herself to the bathroom, "I hate you, Draco Malfoy!"

"Do you?" Draco quizzes, following after her with quick steps. "If I recall, your actions last night scream otherwise—do you remember screaming my name or am I losing memories?"

"I'll kill you!" Rose gasps out, slamming the door in his face. Yelling through the wood, "It's too early for you to be an arse!"

Draco leaned against the doorframe with a peaceful sigh, "I'd hurry up, darling. Champions are supposed to be on time and yes—the rules do apply to you."

"None of the others are awake!" She shouts back, slipping on the one piece bathing suit that made her grimace.

He tutted, looking over his shoulder to see Whitman and Blaise opening their curtains. "Seems like you've woken them up"

Rose hooked the leg garter on that held her dagger, happy to use it if needed. Quickly throwing on a Slytherin jacket and the horrendous pants she was being forced to wear. When Rose finally finished a quick morning routine, she opened up the door where Draco stood, blocking her path with a smirk.

"Loving the outfit, really brings out your eyes..." He teased, laughing dryly as Rose gave him the middle finger and attempted to slip by. His arm came around her waist, amused by how she appeared to be so annoyed. "That's not very nice behavior"

Rose wanted to stay aggravated but it was impossible when he held her, a ghost of a smile crossing over. "I don't like you, Malfoy."

"No you don't. What is it you feel for me?" Draco asked pompously, his stupid smirk affecting her much more than it should. "I believe the word starts with an L"

A surprise giggle left her, heading burying into his chest. "I cannot handle you this early—I'm too weakened by sleep"

"Letting me get the last say for once?" Draco mumbles as he presses his lips to the top of her head.

"Did Theo go get breakfast?" Whitman rasped tiredly from the edge of his bed.

Draco groaned as Rose gasped and tore away from him, leaning himself against the doorframe as she started to pace the room. He couldn't stop her now, only watch on as Jade woke up worried at the state of Rose.

After a full minute of watching Rose, Whitman scrambled out of bed and grabbed onto her shoulders. "What is up with you?"

"Where the fuck is Theo?!"

Whitman's eyes opened wide at her rare, frantic voice. "What do you mean?"

Rose yanked free, dramatically pointing at Theo's bed. "Untouched! Completely untouched! I will not go to that damned task without him!"

Blaise went to open his mouth but she started patting down the bed like a maniac while yelling, "Cold as ice! Minnie comes to get him and then poof! Like a fucking bubble! Someone is going to help me find him!"

A deaf silence fell over the room, Whitman sharing an uneasy glance with Blaise.

"Don't do that!" Rose shouted, head shaking. "I know what you're thinking and it's impossible! He doesn't even look at girls here!"

"Yeah but..." Blaise began to mutter in horror at the idea, "He's been really fucking sad and drunk constantly, Rose. Maybe he got too drunk last night and did something..."

"He wouldn't." Whitman affirmed, "But when you're really drunk, you're not yourself. Sooo, let's not worry about it. Just get ready."

"Why—" Rose whispered brokenly, recoiling away. "Why would you say that? Do you not even know your best friend?"

"That's what we mean." Blaise began, "It wouldn't be him if he was black out drunk and I mean, everyone has a breaking point. Maybe he finally hit it."

Draco blinked in shock before shoving off the framing, "Both of you idiots shut up." He spat, walking through the room tensely from seeing her glossy eyes. "Theo would have more chemistry with a metal pole while black out drunk than some girl."

"Hey!" Whitman bit back, "We're just trying to not assume that he's dead in a ditch somewhere!"

"I mean yeah, we know he would never," Blaise added on, "But it's better to assume he did something out of character than dead!"

"He's not you two....not like that." Rose whispered to the ground.

"Great way to start the morning" Whitman laughed dryly, "Sex shame your best friend"

Draco ignored Whitman with an eye roll of aggravation. "No, he's not like them." Draco brought her into his chest, "Let's just feed the animals and go to the task. If he's not back by then we'll go searching, okay?"

"Okay."

An unsteady wooden boat had taken the group over the black lake and to three large platforms that held five levels, the largest level being atop the center tower with murky water turning into waves from all the stampede of people rushing to get a good spot. Whitman had talked a mile a minute to try to distract Rose, but failed miserably considering he was off his A-game. He didn't dare tell her the real reason he and Blaise had proclaimed lies, both figuring out that Theo was in the black lake after Whitman ran into Mcgongall talking to Snape around midnight. He had been sworn to secrecy and ended up informing Blaise since the boy was the only one he thought awake when he came back last night. He wanted to tell Draco too, but found Rose in the boy's bed.

Upon stepping onto the platform, Rose rushed from the group before any of them could manage to keep up, losing sight of her amongst the crowd. She fell into the front lines where the other three champions stood. All she had to do was get this over with then she could find Theo.

Whitman shoved through body after body, coming up behind Rose and hugging her tightly. "Don't you ever walk away from me like that again."

Rose patted his arms with slight distaste, aggravated at his assumptions from the morning but also too zoned out to think properly.

Moody, whom she had told her plan to, surprised Rose by supporting the use of dark magic. The professor walked in between Rose and Harry, pulling the girl back a few feet. Using a quiet voice for only her to hear, "I'm ready to see the look on those ministry puppets when you use something they fear."

Snapping out of a daze, Rose looked to Moody confusedly as Whitman continued latching onto her. "Didn't you work for the ministry?"

Moody appeared take back momentarily, "Didn't mean I liked them..."

"Understandable." Rose mutters, peering around at the water inches from her feet. "I've lost Theo, my Theo, the one that visited you with me."

"It's not possible to die in the lake, right?" Whitman spoke up worriedly, ignoring Rose's trying to pry his arms off.

Moody wanted to tell the girl where Theo was but knew that would simply be impossible. It didn't help that he always felt the urge to break down at the sight of a Rosier and Black having such a strong bond. Evan Rosier would be proud of his son, and Moody knew damn well Regulus Black would be proud of the witch Rose was. Almost letting out the truth for the two teenagers in front of himself, but didn't. Instead, he turned Rose around and pushed her towards the champions. "Worry about him later, worry about your life right now."

Whitman let go of her prior to glaring at the man, "If something happens to her I will personally set fire to this whole school. Then, I'll set you on fire."

Moody let out a loud laugh, putting his scarred hand on the boy. He had a spirit like Evan, "Don't you worry about her. She's much stronger than you give her credit for."

When Rose reached the edge of the platform, she pulled off the jacket and pants. Not registering Harry or Cedric saying her name.

Harry placed a hand on her shoulder, immediately making her jump away, "Sorry Rose, it's just, we've been trying to speak to you for like two minutes..."

She glances down at the murky water, "My mind is elsewhere."

Cedric smiled brightly, putting a hand on her other shoulder that she didn't feel. "You've gained weight, Black." He smiles, "You look good."

Rose flinches at the words being spoke aloud, eyes slowly falling downward to look at her stomach, needing to see if it was that obvious. She wasn't stupid or a child that needed to be coddled but something about her gaining weight being visible made Rose sick. It wasn't like she could blame Cedric, but Rose was used to people who knew better than to acknowledge what was happening.

Before she could go too far into her own mind, Dumbledore's voice started to ring out. "Welcome to the second task!" He silences the crowd, "Last night something was stolen from each of our champions, we took what truly means the most to them. These four treasures, one for each champion, now lay on the bottom of the black lake. In order to win, each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough! Except for this, they will have one hour to do so and one hour only. After that they will be on their own, no magic will save them. You may begin at the sound of the cannon!"

Rose could feel Draco come up behind her, roughly shoving Cedric's hand off with a fierce glare. Her head turned up toward him, witnessing the blonde grimace at the gagging Harry was doing off to the side.

"Anyways," Draco mutters in disgust as he drags his eyes back to Rose. Tone flipping to one of seriousness, "Do the spell, Rosie."

With a curt nod Rose brought a hand up to her neck, eyes closing as she began muttering the incantation, "Phasmoto ladia oxygeni." Black smoke gliding from the flat of her palm, and flowing into her nose.

Draco let out a breathe of relief, reaching around to squeezed her hand tightly. Without thinking properly, he bent down to press his lips to her shoulder. "I believe in you." He muttered.

Her eyes fluttered, almost lost in the touch but then the cannon blasted off and she was diving into the water before anyone else. Desperate to finish this task so she could find out what happened to Theo. There came a split second, as her body seared from the pain of icy water, that the crowd above silenced and her heart kicked up. Every piece of weight from the water heavy against her chest.

That feeling of nothingness.

But then the other champions jumped into the water with loud sounds of bubbles, her eyes opening to realize she could barely see more than twenty feet in front of herself.

' An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took.... '

' Time runs out and lest what
you seek stays here to rot '

The melody of the mersong which played from the golden egg used in the prefects bathroom weeks ago rung out inside Rose's brain, sending her swimming further and further down hurriedly.

Amongst the foggy water Rose pulls the dagger out, spotting a trench between two rocks. Deciding there were a few positive things despite the slimy fish darting by her—no giant squid in sight and no human bodies.

She couldn't help but mentally scold herself upon making a reckless decision to cast a spell which sped up her movements. Sending herself straight into darkness, surrounded by muddy seaweed. Merpeople, this place would be infested with them. Clutching the dagger tightly, Rose grimaced at what was to come before swimming through the seaweed. Internally gagging at how slimy it felt against her skin.

Kill me, was all she could think while pushing through more sea weed, well aware of what's coming. A mermaid quickly swam by, sending her rolling. Until a Grindylow attached into her arm. She didn't hesitate to take her dagger and stab the blade into the small arm, the demon screeching and swimming away.

Rose seemed to have forgot she was witch during her daze. That was until a group of five Grindylows all latched onto Rose at once, ready to drown her. It was times like these she was grateful for her ability to do wandless and wordless magic. Using a free hand to send a Revulsion jinx at them, letting the boiling hot water spell repel them all away.

Another mermaid swam quickly past her, making Rose follow. When her fingers reached through the last few strands of seaweed, the serene sound of feminine singing filled her ears. There were faces everywhere, faces of horrific mermaids. A cautionary tale Walburga would tell her as a child, of beings that resembled demonic creatures. Sharp teeth, pasty skin, and silvery tales warped like knives. A whole crowd of them floated in front of homes that appeared as a mer-version of a village.

Rose swam, and swam without a care. Noticing a gigantic mermaidian statue for only a moment, her eyes hooking onto the towering archway next to it.

Then, her heart dropped.

Five bodies floated behind the archway with ropes tied around their ankles. Four of them became blurs her mind, the only person she could spot being Theodore Nott.

Rose moves quicker than she ever thought herself capable of while a storm of murderous ideas swarmed her brain, because Dumbledore had put Theo down here. Her Theo, down here. As she swam through the archway she passed a mass of merpeople, all floating between the random rock columns.

As soon as Rose reached Theo she carefully grabs onto his cheeks with both hands, flipping the dagger so it doesn't cut him. He looked so sickly, so pale and corpse-like that Rose felt the need to throw up.

A few merpeople floating closer made her snap back to reality somewhat, still not taking note of the other four bodies hanging.

Quickly ducking down, she used the dagger to cut the rope from his ankles before swimming back up to interlock their arms. A powerful screech made her head turn to the left where a pissed off mermaid swam quickly, holding onto the injured Grindylow.

Well aware the water-demons were kept as pets, Rose still felt no guilt. Holding her hand out, and shooting the mermaid so far back that the being flew out of sight.

All at once, a group of three merpeople quickly held their staffs under her neck. Rose almost scoffed—would've scoffed it hadn't been for the fact she was underwater. If these beings wanted to fight, she would gladily do it. One thing anyone should be scared of is her trying to protect Theo. In an instant Rose lifted a hand, repelling the merpeople away.

It would never been easy pulling a six foot-four boy from thirty feet deep water. Rose had to do it no matter though, despite how much it felt as if her arms were being ripped off. Because, if he died in the bottom of the lake, she wouldn't waste a second joining him. Theo would always come first, she doesn't care how selfish that makes her sound. If it ever came down to a last minute decision, she would save him before anyone. He's the person her anger and ego could never leave. It wouldn't matter how many amazing people Rose has, nothing about this life would cease to matter without him. So let the human race be angry, but she could never sit back and lie by saying there's a world where anyone comes before him.

He is everything.

But they always walked a very thin together.

Right when the pair reached the surface, Rose gave Theo a push before coming out. He stirred awake, letting out a rush of air. Rose didn't register any of the clapping or that she had finished first. Only focused on grabbing his face with the most pained look possible, eyes brimming full of tears to see him awake and breathing.

Theo smiled at her lazily, "Miss me that badly, Ro?"

"Theo," She whispered in a hoarse, small voice.

He shook his head in understanding, wrapping a tired arm around her waist and pulling Rose toward the bottom platform. Draco and Whitman waited with outstretched hands, hastily helping them out of the water.

Rose didn't spare either boy a glance though, her arms going around Theo and his soaked robes tightly as soon as they landed on the wood. Theo laughs breathily when towels were wrapped around them, choking slightly from how much force she was using to hold onto him.

"Did you guys let Ro think I died?" He asks, his wet curls ghosting the side of her face.

Draco felt like he could breathe again, but stayed unable to give a response. Having had become too worried when Fleur Delacour was rescued, fearing what was truly down in those water with Rose.

"I'm going to murder Dumbledore—" Rose sniffled against his chest, "—For putting you down there."

Theo carefully lifted her head up, thumb crossing down her cheek, "Guess Dumbledore knew I'd be the best motivation for you to save" He finished off the sentence with a smirk, that smirk which became her ending.

He watches Rose's eyes round, her face overwhelmed with what seemed to be emotion.

But then she lays the hardiest smack possible against his chest, "You idiot!"

Theo recoils back, hand holding where she had just hit in shock. "Excuse me?!"

"Don't—don't smirk at me!" Rose scoffs as if scandalized toward him. Then, she's furiously pointing a finger in his face, "And don't ever let yourself be put in that position again!"

In the utmost state of shock, Theo's mouth opens with nothing to say. Blinking at the pure anger across her features.

"Where are you going?" Draco asks confusedly as she begins walking away.

"To shower in Luna's dorm." Rose replied curtly, stepping by Draco and sure enough almost crashing into Luna who had been making her way over. Rose catches the girl's wrist, and spins them around to push through the crowd.

But she stops for a moment, turning her head to yell at Theo with wide eyes, "You could've died! Died, I tell you!"

And then she's gone, disappearing through the mass amount of bodies.

"What.." Theo mumbles, brows pinched together as he stared where she last was. "What did I...do?"

"Well mate," Draco unbuttons his suit coat with a laugh, clapping Theo on the shoulder. "Mum's mad"

Theo groans loudly, "Oh fucking amazing"

"Mummy's very mad at us..." Blaise whistled as he spotted her and Luna getting into a boat on the other side. He looked to Theo, "Best not bother her for a bit, eh? Try not to spend the night in the lake again either."

"Real common thing for Theo," Draco teased toward Blaise, "Always sleeping underwater these days...don't know what we'll do with him"

Blaise snorted, "That true? You find comfort with the fish-people?"

"Theo! Adjust your fucking towel!" Whitman spat angrily out of the blue, fixing the towel to lay back over Theo's shoulder's—worried that the boy would be prone to hypothermia after a night in the lake.

*

Mcgongall sat behind her desk, the room casted in a comforting glow from the fireplace as she lit a lavender wrapped stick. Placing the burning herb inside a seashell and pushing it toward the other side of the desk where Rose fiddled around, clearly uncomfortable.

"Now, tell me what's really going on." says Mcgonagall, watching Rose frustratedly wipe the droplets of water off her face from the freshly washed hair. "I lit your lavender, now spill to me."

"Mattheo's in the infirmary." Rose mumbles.

"I know."

"I think Theo did it." Rose leans back into the back into the chair, eyes focusing on the burning fire. "I just can't prove it. Obviously I don't want him in trouble, I simply needed someone to talk about this with and I know you don't agree with Theo's methods but you love him too. You won't put him in harms way by getting him in trouble."

Mcgongall's throat ran dry before she huffed out air through her nose. "I like your skirt" She replies curtly, refusing to acknowledge what Rose said. Instead nodding toward the long purple skirt covered in moons, "What did you call your style, hm?"

"Whimsigoth" Rose rolled her eyes, "They've made a term for it in the muggle word now."

"And what does that mean?"

"Whimsical and gothic" She finally looked back to the professor, "It's interesting, isn't it?"

"I think it suits you perfectly dear," Mcgongall smiles softly, doing a slight wave of her hand to push the smoke from the burning lavender toward Rose. "You need to take me shopping soon, me and Poppy are headed to Greece for the summer..."

The idea makes Rose's lips curve up, "We'll have to get you some new robes then. I'll be sure to tell you all my favorite places in Greece as well."

"Oh yes, we must!" Mcgongall teased happily, pulling the pointy hat off her greying hair.

Rose laughs, laughs so genuinely that it brings warmth to Mcgongall's chest. "Do you want to paint our nails together?" She asks out of the blue, "I think we should do a pale yellow this time"

"Do you have all of your stuff for it?"

"Minnie," Rose deadpans, "I always have nail stuff...how many years have we been doing this for?"

A small laugh leaves the professor's lips, who picks up her wand and turns on the radio with a quick swish. Meanwhile, Rose scoots the chair close as possible to the desk, pulling out every essential from a velvety bag. Eventually Mcgongall follows the given instructions, outstretching her hands across the desk so Rose can remove all of the nail polish for her.

"I'll push your cuticles back before we paint" Rose mutters.

The professor raises her eyebrows, "I'm getting the full treatment?"

"For you?" Rose looks up to her briefly, "Always, Minnie."

Mcgongall laughs again, amused by how focused Rose becomes. A few brief moments of silence pass, Rose beginning to hum along with the music. It's peaceful there, a calming place to be.

"Only loves makes us that crazy, darling..." Mcgongall speaks up minutes later, thinking of the horrifying possibility that Theo might actually be the reason Mattheo is deathly ill. She waits until Rose flicks her eyes upward to continue on, "And that damn stupid."

Rose shrugs the emotion off her shoulders, lips pursing together. "Love is too risky as of recent"

"What is life if not full of risks?" Mcgongall begged the question, one that needed no reply. She didn't suspect Rose to verbally voice her emotions, not a common thing for the young girl these past few months. But Mcgonagall knew Rose was listening, providing love in her own way by simply painting the professors nails and giving company. Expressing love with actions instead of words.

*

Theo sat at the foot of his bed, freshly showered and running a hand through his hair to push the wet locks back—completely annoyed by the curl that kept falling in his face. Everyone seemed to be in the same state, Blaise and Draco sat on the velvety couch with raised eyebrows, Whitman sitting on his own bed tensely. All watching as Jade stared at them from her spot in front of Rose's trunk, lowly growling, as if daring any of the boys to move.

"It's a demon," Theo remarks quietly, raising a brow as Jade's head snaps toward him. "An angry little demon"

"Just wait until Ro gets here" Whitman added on, "She'll be acting like a bloody saint"

"Right on cue," Blaise speaks in a gruff voice as the door swings open and Rose walks in. Jade's tail smacks against the trunk so loudly that Whitman flinches, the dog suddenly excited but unable to move until given the command.

"Jade!" Rose calls as she shuts the door, "Come!"

Everyone tenses as Jade rushes across the room. Jumping up and placing her paws atop Rose's shoulders, their vast size difference sending Rose slamming against the door with a smile.

"Oh, Jade!" Rose giggles as the dog licks her face, turning in every direction to avoid being licked but failing miserably. "That's enough!"

Whitman stands in preparation, "Rosalie Aries Black, that dog is too big for you! We won't always be here!"

"No she's not," says Rose, reaching the scratch Jade's sides while wobbling from all the weight pressed against her shoulders. "She's a sweet little angel and don't disrespect my child! She's trying to gain weight, you insensitive bastard!"

"I'm not giving her an eating disorder from speaking!" Whitman shoots back, "Shes a dog for crying out loud!"

Rose gasps and covers Jade's ears, "She is a little girl! Don't you ever call her a dog again!"

"Merlin," Whitman breathes out, not even shocked at this point.

It takes a little before Rose commands the dog down, struggling for balance after as Jade just looks up at her with happiness. The boys are all too intrigued by the animal to speak, watching Rose go fill up the dog bowls and how Jade sits patiently until told to eat.

"Where have you been?" Draco asks when she finally takes a seat on the arm of the couch, "Luna keep you hostage for that long?"

"I painted my nails with Minnie after showering," Rose holds hand in front of his face as he leans forward, his own fingers wrapping around her calf. "Are they not pretty?"

Draco cocks an eyebrow, "Yellow?"

She shrugs, "It was between that or rainbow...Minnie doesn't like when we do rainbow nails though. Thinks they're too distracting and since we haven't matched in forever, well, I wanted to chose something she'd like."

Mentally Draco wonders why it would ever be between yellow or rainbow but he doesn't because the last time he made fun of her for painting rainbow nails, she chased him around with a butter knife at the ripe age of ten. Instead, he visibly grimaces at the thought but forces a firm nod of proudness when she checks his face. "Good choice, darling" says Draco, sliding his fingers up her leg soothingly.

"Can we talk about you missing yourself be named first place in a rare fucking tournament?" Blaise piped in with a scoff, "You should've been there to see Krum and Diggory's face."

The conversation starts bouncing back and forth, full of boisterous laughter after Rose finishes recalling the task and all the others start explaining to her Krum's transformation into a shark, Draco's fingers tracing circles over the fabric of her skirt. Except she's not truly laughing along, not finding the task funny, but smiling softly at the three boys being so full of cheer and animation. Forcing small laughs every once in a while.

And then Rose's eyes slowly drag onto Theo who sits with arms draped over his legs, already staring back at her. It's almost scrutinizing how he looks at Draco right then, like the blonde is some second place medal or understudy to him. With a slight head tilt and malicious gaze, Theo communicates without words, showing how much he wants to beat Draco's face in her name. Rose wishes for the ability to shout at Theo, scream that she isn't his problem anymore. As if it's not painful enough to be parted and only speak with gut-wrenching eyes of yearning, the way he looking at her says so much more. Adding on top of all the pain. 

Her breath hitches loudly before she looks away, voice holding the smallest of shakes for no one to catch, "I have to go do something and then I'll be back to take Jade on a walk."

Very slowly, the conversation dies out and each of the boys face her in confusion. Whitman spoke, "Where are you off to now?"

The words didn't reach her brain as she stood up, wanting nothing more than to escape from the four walls that felt like they were closing in. Rose crossing over to open her trunk, pulling out a large bag but stopped short while shutting the latch back in place. Theo's head was turned toward her, no facial expression or even slight movement but she knew what he was asking.

"I don't need your help." Rose snaps, tossing the bag to Theo's feet and stiffly walking to the door.

"I'm helping you." Theo spat back, the rare sound drawing a flinch from Blaise.

"No explanation?" Draco rolls his eyes, "You just plan to leave with a large, mysterious bag?"

Rose ignored them, all of the boys except Theo. Her head turning around as she yanked the door open, "Well? Are you coming or not?"

She didn't give him time to answer, walking out of the room but leaving the door open as if she knew Theo would follow. Which he did, Rose getting confirmation when she heard heavy footsteps a few seconds after making her way down the staircase.

They walked in silence, and it was almost amusing the those in the Slytherin common room when Rosalie Black came passing through with a lifted chin, Theodore Nott following a few steps behind—his face full of pure anger and aggravation but following nevertheless.

Upon reaching the room of requirement both doors opened almost immediately, revealing a much different space than the last time they saw the place. Now, a small room with a large crimson rug in the center. Candles hung every few inches on the walls to give a hazy amount of light.

Finally, Theo took charge, pulling her over to the rug. Paying no attention the attitude she gave him the whole way over.

"Are you sure you don't need the spell book?" Theo asks as she kneels in the center, his voice sounding hoarse and annoyingly calming to her.

"I have been studying it since second year," Rose remarks while sitting on her knees. Outstretching her hands toward him, "It's burned into my brain, thank you very much."

He couldn't help himself, it was almost like a curse to be unable to keep his lips from quirking at her sassiness. He reaches into the bag she got him to carry, handing off the stone and powder before kneeling down. "There's my smart witch" Theo mutters as her eyes fixate on the stone, knowing a million thoughts were behind her gaze.

She swallows, "This isn't going to be pretty..." Her voice trails off, "I don't want you to look at me differently."

In a mindless moment Theo tilts her chin toward him, unbelieving she thought it would ever be possible for him to look at her in a different light. "Nothing could change how I see you, when I look at you I see your soul. My light."

Rose peered at him with a gaze of longing that she didn't register herself doing. His words were like soft sirens calming every rainstorm of doubt that filled her. "There's something else you should know," She let him brush her cheek softly, taking a deep breath to stabilize how it made her feel. "If other spirits try to push through you can't try to stop me. Just block out the voices no matter how nightmarish it gets. If I look like I'm in pain, I'm not. It's just apart of pushing through the wall. Necromancy is scary but I promise you, I can handle it."

His face contorted at the mere mention of having to see her in pain, afraid he wouldn't be able to handle such. When Theo slid a knife across Walburga's throat, he swore to himself Rose would never have to go through anything like that again. "I know," He pushed out, "I remember everything."

She wrapped her hand around his still slightly touching her cheek, pulling it down and giving him a reassuring squeeze. Thankful he had been helping her research this for years and that he never doubted her, but in utter pain to have to breath properly around him.

Turning back to the stone and powder, she placed the stone directly in front of herself. Lifting up from her sitting position, and pouring some of the bright white powder behind the stone.

When Rose was sure everything had been set up properly, she pulled out her dagger. Sliding the blade across her skin without so much as a wince. Appearing very focused as she held her palm over the stone, letting her blood drip down.

In an instant, Theo held his hand out, "Let me help. It'll be stronger."

Nothing in her enjoyed the idea, but she knew how strong his magic was—especially considering he held seer blood—something connected to the afterlife.

"Theo, I—"

He grabs her fingers holding the dagger. Demanding, "Just do it, Ro."

Looking at him with pure hesitation, she slowly grasped Theo's hand and slid the dagger across his skin. Repeating her actions of guiding him over the stone, breathing shallowly as his blood dripped over the shiny surface.

After a full minute of blood pouring, she pulls his hand back and interlaces their opened-wounded palms with a sharp inhale. "I'm sorry, I...I can't let you heal until it's over."

His eyes grew heavy as he felt their blood pooling together, "Don't act like I haven't done a million of these rituals by your side."

"You cannot say the spell no matter what." She ignores him, jaw ticking. "Just help by keeping me grounded."

He nods, and she instantaneously faced the materials infront of herself. Using a free hand to mutter a quiet spell, forcing the blood to stay on the stone before placing her palm firmly against such.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly started to chant the Latin memorized by heart with closed eyes.

Theo watched on as all the candles blew out in perfect synchronization, then a black cloud began forming a circle around them. Before he knew it, a hundred voices started to scream in an ear piercing way.

What surprised Rose was how easily she felt herself pushing through, realizing maybe it was time to have more faith in the magic she held instead of believing Dumbledore when he told her how necessary it is to hold back. She tried to drown out all the voices, focusing on the mental imagine of Regulus. Attempting to call out to him and him only.

Theo releases a shaky breathe as some of the black cloud starts drifting into her nose, trying not to be worried. He couldn't help but smile when he saw a twisted grin make it's way onto her face, knowing she enjoyed the feeling of the dark magic filling her up and everything was okay. He didn't know if this was supposed to be disturbing, but to him it was most definitely not. She looked like a god in his eyes, something immortal.

A scrawny grey hand reached out and touched Theo. He didn't have time to manage a blink as Rose's eyes snapped opened, and she muttered something he couldn't hear to send the hand back inside the smoke.

All of the sand began lifting off the ground, almost forming a tornado shape. Then, all together, the smoke fell away with a whoosh. A voice which sounded comparable to a deep raspy man rung inside their ears, silencing all the others.

They turned sharply to the person sitting before them. He held brunette hair so dark it appeared black, that fell in tight curls. Eyes even darker and more ominous, bone structure that could challenge a knife. He looked exactly like his eighteen year old self—this was Regulus Black.

"Regulus," She spoke breathlessly with tears filling her eyes, squeezing Theo's hand subconsciously.

Regulus smiles at her, a smile he never did in his time on earth. "Rosie,"

Theo laughed in disbelief.

It worked, it really worked.

Rose tried to reach for Regulus, her hand slipping through him.

Regulus sighs, watching the girl with an undying amount of love. "Not yet Rosie, but soon."

She didn't know why so many emotions were hitting her at once, "You're here..."

Regulus nods with his smile slipping, "We don't have much time but I need you to know I'm proud of the woman you are. Standing taller than any Black ever could."

Rose had heard the word 'proud' before, but hearing such from someone who shared her blood just brought a whole new meaning to it. She didn't bother wiping her face while studying him, "Regulus, I read your journals and I watched your memories—"

Cutting her short, afraid of not being able to say everything he needs to, "I know Rosie, we are one in the same. It's why you're my favorite..." He finished off with a slight tease.

Rose couldn't have agreed more, he felt like a different version of herself. "I—I always felt this presence with by my side, like someone was trying to reach me but couldn't."

Regulus's smiles softly at her once again, "It was me, it was always me. I never left your side from the moment you were brought into this earth. I might not have been able to tell you then, but it doesn't matter if my mother and Sirius did not love you. I always did."

She laughs breathlessly. The words broke her heart and put it back together all at once, "I want to bring you back, but I don't want to if it's not what you want. I know something bad is coming to our world and I don't want you to be forced into it..."

He nods, life the first time around was miserable for him. But, Regulus believed she needed him, and he wanted to be there for every big moment in her life. "Bring me back. We'll have our own family. I promise you, Rosie."

Before she could respond he turned to Theo, finally acknowledging the boy's presence. "Thank you. Thank you for taking care of her when I couldn't and thank you for...you know what."

"Always." Theo mutters, still in shock but knowing Regulus hinted at his gratefulness of Walburga being gone.

Regulus focused back on Rose, feeling his heart ache as he watched her happiness fade. "I have to go, but you'll have me back soon. Don't try to reach out this way too much, there are demons lurking each time you open that wall that try to escape."

"Soon then" Rose spoke quietly, not feeling like her usual strong self.

He smiles at her as the sand slowly begins falling from his skin, "Soon, Rosie."

In an all too quick flash, Regulus completely disappeared, turning back into a pile of sand on the rug.

Theo wraps his arms around her because he knows it what's she needs, taking a deep breath as she all but crawls into his lap. "You did amazing" He murmurs against her hair.

Rose brought a bloodied hand up to his cheek, a small smile ghosting across her lips. All was well until she realized the blood smearing on his face, "Oh—I'm sorry."

He grabs her hand to prevent himself from losing the touch, "Leave it."

"I always knew you'd have a blood kink" Rose attempts to joke in light of the situation, too relaxed with his arms around her.

Theo took his own bloodied hand up to the side of her neck and rubbed there. Whispering in a voice that made her shift, "Only when it comes to your own being on my body."

That's when it came back to her. The letter, the separation, the pain—all of it. She tore herself away from him and put as much distance between them as possible at once. When Rose made it a few feet away, she turned around to look back at him, finding Theo was up on his feet as well. The blood wiped from his face, wearing an expression of pleading.

"What's going on with you and Draco?" He asks firmly, almost angrily.

"It's none of your buisness!" Rose snaps, "I—I don't have to justify my actions!"

Theo, one of the calmest people until pushed to a certain point, had reached his peak. "I'm the one you pulled out of that lake!" He shouts, "Me, not him!"

"That doesn't prove anything!"

"Yes it does!" Theo steps forward, pointing at his chest. "It wasn't from opinion that they picked me! You can't fight a magical test!"

"The test is wrong then!" Rose furiously shouts, "You're being insane!"

"I'm being insane?!" Theo scoffs. Looking away momentarily before yelling again, "You are being insane! You cut the most important person out of your life!"

She recoils back, blinking in shock. "You put Mattheo in the fucking hospital wing! Talk about insanity!"

"So?" His voice quiets suddenly, "You're the only one who gets to be crazy?" He takes another step, "No, no baby...." Then, his tongue clicks. "If you think for one second I was going to let him have you..."

She stops breathing, face flushing to a shade of maroon. In the most twisted sense, being highly flustered by how psychotic he looks.

"He doesn't get to touch you, he doesn't get to kiss you...." Theo grows angrier at his own words, "I would've killed him with my bare hands if I got the chance."

"So your a killer now?" She breathily replies.

"For you?" Theo's eyes trail over Rose from head to toe, "Always will be."

"But I," She pushes his chest, turning away to collect herself. Overwhelmed by everything. Rose can't afford to show the truth, not right now. "Everything I do is for you!" She yells.

"Cutting me out of your life was for me?!" Theo does everything but scream, "If you had to be with someone else, love someone else—I would push through....I would wait a million years for you if I had to! But—" He takes a shaky breath, "But shutting me out completely?! Treating me as if I'm some guy you've known for a few weeks?!"

"Theo—"

"No! You need to realize something! I know you think yourself to be this awful person, full of bullshit darkness and don't deserve anything but you are my light!" He interrupts, his eyes turning glassy. "Do you ever think about that? How you've always been the one piece of light in my dark, dark world?! Every smile, every laugh, every emotion that you've always shown so easily to me...you've never shut me out!" He furiously points to his chest, "You are the good, the best damn version of it and it's not because you were putting on some show! You got to be yourself with me, you were genuinely happy! And yeah, it really killed me to lose you but I know it killed you too because you don't actually smile anymore, you don't laugh, you don't show emotion to anyone! Not even Whit, not even Draco! You've turned into a statue of yourself! Even Mcgonagall can see it!"

"You don't know why I'm being like this!"

"I don't, I don't know at all!" He replies with a wavering tone, "Maybe it was losing Walburga, or who knows what else but this isn't you! You aren't cold and callous, you never have been! Don't you see that? This. Is. Not. You!"

"I cannot love you silently!" Rose blurts out in the form of a yell, "I—I won't sneak around with you!"

His brows pinch together in a mix of disbelief and confusion, hand grabbing onto her shoulder. "Who ever said anything about that?!"

Rose says nothing, her bottom lip shaking as she pushes his hand away and takes two large steps back.

Theo huffs, pressing a palm against his eyes to stop the tears trying to break loose. When he finally speaks again, it comes out as broken whisper of, "Please, just stay."

She clenches her jaw for some semblance of hope to mask the emotions, "Don't ask me to stay."

And then a tear comes out of his eye, so slow and real that Rose holds her breath as she witnesses the water slide down. It's worse than a boiling hot blade cutting into her skin, more painful than the cruciatus curse for her to witness.

"Please," She winces from the situation. Looking down at the ground, "Don't cry—don't make this any harder. Don't look at me, don't watch."

"What happened?" Theo asks brokenly, "What made you so scared that you've chosen this path? That you've isolated yourself? That you've put on this fake persona?"

This time, when Rose carefully lifts her head up, there's tears going down her cheeks. Maybe it would've been a relief to know she was just as crushed as him but instead, he feels sick from seeing her so genuinely crushed.

She says nothing. Again.

Only walks over to the door silently.

Too ashamed of herself.

Grasping the handle, planning to leave as the archway creaks open and reveals the corridor.

But then Theo speaks again, quieter and more broken than ever. "You forget that I know you."

I don't forget that.

And you're right, this isn't me.

But how am I supposed to be who I am when I'm harboring this secret? When I'm losing you?

That's what she wants to tell him but instead, she stiffens her back and lifts her chin—walking away with the weight of the world sitting on her shoulders.

_________________________________

A/N: omg six days...missed u all <3 i have been having the worst time sleeping but I finally got some medicine to help so woohooo

—me when Theo and Rose :( "you forget that I know you" literally kill me omg

—I still cannot decide about Jade help

—someone rlly commented "my Blaise would never touch a guy in that way" like okay?? go be homophobic elsewhere...sorry that Blaise being the best male in the book bothers you

—also i know ur mad at me for cutting the smut scene short BUTTTTT listen....I had to....

—lily? future gf? who knows?????

—there was a scene of rose going to the chamber that I cut and it's now gone forever and IM UPSET ABT IT

anyways xx bri <3