"Oh my Godric! Rosie you look beautiful!" Hermione gasped as she saw Rosalyn, in her dress and makeup on, standing in front of her.

"So do you, Mione," Rosalyn smiled, as Hermione had her floaty blue dress on with matching heels.

It was Christmas Eve. Rosalyn and Hermione were getting ready for the Yule Ball together because, as they were besties, obviously they had to. Both thought the other looked amazing.

But, as Rosalyn looked at herself in the mirror just then, she couldn't deny that she looked amazing, as well.

"Oh, Rosie," Hermione smiled with teary eyes at her as they held hands. "Can you believe this? I mean, it seems like yesterday that were were just meeting for the first time on the Hogwarts express and now we're standing in beautiful dresses, four years on, and we're about to go to a ball!"

Rosalyn smiled. "Yeah. It's... amazing. But somehow scary at the same time."

"It's so scary!" Hermione laughed, as the two smiled at each other. "But... there's no one I'd rather do it with than you, Rosie."

Rosalyn grinned. "Neither, Mione."

The two girls both had tears in their eyes now.

But they were happy ones.

☆☆☆

They didn't exactly decide on a big entrance, but that was what happened anyway.

They realised they were late as they came down to the common room and no one was there, so they had to rush down the stairs in their ball gowns and heels.

"Oh shit," Rosalyn burst out when she peeked round the corner of the final staircase before the entrance hall. There was quite a crowd.

And none of them seemed to be moving.

"Oh shit, shit, shit-" Rosalyn hissed to Hermione. "Oh no! We're gonna have to do a big dramatic entrance!"

Hermione smiled, putting a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "It's okay, Rosie. No one's going to look at us anyway."

But they did.

As Hermione and Rosalyn went down the stairs, many heads turned.

Rosalyn saw Harry standing, with Parvati, who was his date. She saw Rosalie, across the room with Cedric. She saw Draco Malfoy, standing with Pansy Parkinson attached to his hip. She saw Ron with Padma, Parvati's sister, in his terrible dress robes. She saw Lavender and Seamus together. Then, finally, she saw Victor Krum and Tristan, both standing alone.

All of the above stared at the two girls as they walked down the stairs.

"Oh, they look beautiful..."

"How can someone look like that..."

"That's Rosalyn Potter?!"

"No. No, there's no way..."

"No, it is!"

Then Rosalyn saw Neville, as she reached the bottom. The boy was frozen, his mouth hanging open and his eyes bulging.

"Neville? You okay?"

Rosalyn's heart dropped as she saw who he was with. Ginny. The other sassy, feisty, brave and strong redhead in his life. Rosalyn stood and looked at them for a second before turning her attention to who was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

Tristan was just standing there, watching in awe as she came down.

"H-hello Rosaleen," he said, looking the girl up and down.

"Hi," Rosalyn said breathlessly, giving a small, gasping giggle.

"Y-you look, you look-" Tristan struggled for work.

"Okay, I hope?" Rosalyn gave a small smile.

"No, you look beautiful! More than beautiful! You're... breathtaking," Tristan told her.

Rosalyn couldn't believe her ears. "R-really?" She asked, her face practically glowing.

Tristan kissed her cheek. "Really," he nodded as he drew away.

"You look very handsome," Rosalyn smiled, softly touching the point he had kissed her on the cheek. Her date was in deep blue dress robes and his smile just topped the look off.

"Thank you."

Rosalyn was so ecstatic that she didn't even notice the look Neville was giving her from across the hall. However, as he was next blocked by McGonagall, who rushed across to Rosalyn at that moment.

"There you are, Miss Potter, now, are you and your date here ready?" She asked.

"Ready?" Rosalyn's eyebrows shot up.

"To dance! It's traditional that the three champions, well in this case four, are the first to dance. Surely I told you that?" McGonagall frowned.

"Er- no," Rosalyn said.

"It's fine," Tristan said, but McGonagall was already going away, trying to organise everything.

"Now, I need you all to line up in the procession, please," McGonagall said, organising Rosalie and Cedric, Fleur and Roger Davies (the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain), Krum and Hermione, and Rosalyn and Tristan.

Rosalyn took this as a moment to look at the other champions. Fleur Delacour looked stunning. She had her hair in a bun at the back of her head and her dress was white with colourful embroidery on it. Rosalie was standing with Cedric, and she had a white dress on as well, but it was almost glittery, and it had a bow on it just above her chest.

She ran over to Rosalyn and Hermione. "Hey beautiful bitches! You both look absolutely stunning by the way!"

Hermione and Rosalyn giggled. "Thanks, Rosalie. So do you!"

"Aww, thanks guys!"

Once the four champions and their dates had lined up, the music started. The doors to the Great Hall opened and instead of four tables, Rosalyn saw lots of round tables and a gleaming dance floor. A huge Christmas tree lay at the end of the hall and because the ceiling reflected the night sky, everything was snowy. Rosalyn smiled as she and Tristan walked into the hall, hand in hand.

And aisle of students had been formed down to the dance floor. Rosalyn waved to people in the crowd she knew and people that waved to her.

As she walked past she heard Padma Patil say to Ron. "Is that Hermione Granger? With Viktor Krum?"

And Ron say back. "No, nah, it can't be."

"Hate to break it to you, Ronnie, but it is," Rosalyn hissed venomously to the boy as she walked by. Ron stared on at the scene, still shocked.

Rosalyn saw Hermione turn round, beaming at her. Rosalyn smiled at her best friend and she smiled back, knowing that they were both going to have so much fun tonight.

When they reached the dance floor, they separated and Rosalyn and Tristan smiled at each other as the music started and they waltzed around the floor.

"Where deed you learn to dance?" Tristan asked her as they floated round the room.

Rosalyn explained. "My older brother, Bill. When I was nine or ten, he and I went to this Ministry ball with Arthur, Mr Weasley. Bill and I danced together, and the two of us had such a good time. He had a hard time teaching me, but I managed it in the end. I remembered how to dance from then on," Rosalyn smiled.

Tristan nodded. "In Beauxbatons, everyone has to learn 'ow to dance for our winter balls. Having this here is nice. It reminds me of home."

Rosalyn asked him. "Do you miss France? I mean, you're away from it for a year, so..."

"A bit," Tristan answered. "But I like being here, with you."

She smiled, and before she knew it, a whole load of different couples had taken the floor. Dumbledore and McGonagall, Karkaroff, and - Rosalyn was surprised to see - Professor Sinistra, and Ginny and Neville, who Rosalyn was trying to avoid eye contact with.

Snape, of course, was standing, looking at the dancing students like this whole event was above him. Filch was 'dancing' with Mrs Norris and Moody was tapping his prosthetic leg along to the music.

Hagrid was shuffling closer to Madam Maxime, signalling if she wanted to dance, but she was so clueless that he had to do it several times.

Rosalyn was having so much fun, she and Tristan were smiling at each other and she knew that she wouldn't swap this night for anything.

In fact, as she looked at Tristan, and his hair and his eyes and his beautiful smile... she properly saw him, truly, this time she looked. And in seeing that, she realised that she was ready to tell him her not-so-secret secret.

"C-can I tell you something?" She felt her heart thump in her chest as she looked at the boy.

Tristan's gaze snapped to hers. "Yes?" He asked.

Stay calm, Rosie, he's not going to laugh at you.

"I- I like you," she blurted out. "I really, really like you, Tristan. You're nice and kind and oh my Godric you're handsome and I just needed to tell you that I really fucking fancy you-"

She stopped abruptly as the French boy before her cupped her cheek.

"I like you too, Rosaleen," Tristan said, smiling, taking his hands down from her cheek and holding her hands in his. "I mean, how could I not? You're beautiful, you're brave, you literally fought a dragon in front of me two weeks ago. I'm just... mesmerized by you. You're amazing and I just don't measure up."

"Of course you do," Rosalyn said, jokingly leaning closer to him.

Then it just sort of happened.

They were just so close, looking in eachother's eyes with smiles on their faces.

Then, suddenly, Tristan leant in.

Rosalyn had never kissed someone before, but she wouldn't mind Tristan to be her first.

When their lips touched, she found that the boy tasted sweet and sugary and she could just feel the love pulsing from his lips.

As soon as they lent out, both of them grinned.

The song suddenly changed, and it went from a nice waltz to a crazy Weird Sisters song. The Weird Sisters were a famous wizard band. Rosalyn had danced around the Burrow's kitchen with Fred and George (and Bill and Charlie when they were at home) to their songs many a time.

This one was a crazy rock song, and Rosalyn didn't hesitate to grab Tristan's hand and run out back onto the dance floor with him.

However, as she and Hermione had fun and danced with their dates, she had no idea that Harry and Ron were sitting at a table, not having very much fun at all.

Harry had managed to get Parvati and Padma Patil to go with him and Ron to the ball, but neither of the two girls looked like they were having much fun. Parvati was in a pink dress with an orange sash and Padma was in an orange dress with a pink sash.

Harry and Ron, meanwhile, were just sat, stuffing their faces, as the twins frowned upon them and tried to get handsome Beauxbatons and Durmstrang boys to ask them to dance.

Rosalyn sighed, turning her attention back to Tristan as the song changed and the two teens both admitted that they were absolutely exhausted. They headed off the dancefloor and, for a second time, Rosalyn looked at Harry and Ron.

Tristan smiled at her. "Go see your friends, I'll get us drinks."

Then he kissed her on the cheek again, and he was gone. She grinned. The she went over to Harry and Ron, where Hermione already was, and heard Ron halfway through a rant.

"...we wouldn't want to join you and Viktor."

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Hermione asked.

But Ron cut her off. "He's a Durmstrang. You're fraternising with the enemy."

Rosalyn instantly stormed over to Ron. "Oi!" She shouted as she sat down. "Would you mind, Ron? Just because Hermione's found someone who loves her for who she is and who actually knows she's a girl, doesn't mean you need to be a jealous arse at her!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Shove off, Rosie."

"No, Ron, you shove off-"

This time Hermione cut her off, finally finding her voice. "You're calling him the enemy? Who was it wanting his autograph? Besides the whole point of the tournament is- International Magical Co-operation, to make friends."

"Think he's got a bit more than friendship on his mind," Ron said in a patronising tone.

Hermione just stared at him, as if she still didn't quite believe what she was hearing. Then she stood up and went to find Krum.

Rosalyn watched her go then rounded on Ron.

"Way to go, Ron! You've already ruined Padma and Hermione's nights, d'you wanna go for a hatrick and ruin mine?" She snarled.

Ron looked at her. "I didn't mean-"

"I don't give a damn what you meant, you still did it," Rosalyn went on, standing up. "And you wonder why girls didn't want to be your date."

And with that she was off, going to the drinks/buffet table to find Tristan.

She found someone else first though. Neville was at the buffet. He turned round and said. "Rosie, how're you liking tonight?"

He seemed different. He was happy, but it wasn't right. Like he was faking that happiness or putting it on.

Rosalyn had to snap herself out of the small shocked trance she was in. She said. "Neville! Yes, I'm- erm- enjoying it."

"Good, I am too," Neville said. He was in dark dress robes and he looked so... different. To Rosalyn at least. "It's nice, isn't it? I'm almost glad that you turned me down."

Rosalyn took him in for a second before stuttering. "N-Neville-"

"Nah, we're just so... weird," Neville gave a silly, affected little laugh. "I could never see us together, you know?"

Rosalyn looked sadly at him and tried to get a word in. "Neville, listen-"

"Yeah, we make no sense," Neville shrugged. "But anyways... have fun tonight."

Rosalyn stood there, shocked. She felt as though she was frozen to the floor. Why was Neville doing this? Yes, he had asked her, but it wasn't like she had turned him down because she didn't want to go with him, someone else had asked her, so she had had to.

"Rosaleen? D'you want to dance?" Tristan was suddenly there, beside her. He held two pumpkin mocktails in his hand and he handed one to her.

"Oh, yes, I'd love to," Rosalyn took his hand.

He led her back to the dance floor, where a slow song was playing. Rosalyn smiled as she draped her arms over Tristan's shoulders, his hands settling on her waist.

"You look so beautiful," Tristan told Rosalyn.

"You've already told me that," Rosalyn laughed giddily, trying to stop herself from blushing.

"Then let me tell you again," smiled Tristan. "You're so beautiful, Rosaleen."

Rosalyn grinned, again, trying to stop the blush from coming.

☆☆☆

Rosalyn and Tristan danced around, to slow and fast songs, for the rest of the night. Rosalyn was absolutely exhausted by the time she and Tristan made their way off the dance floor some three hours later.

"That was amazing," Rosalyn smiled.

"It was," agreed Tristan, planting a small kiss on the girl's cheek.

As he drew back, Rosalyn found herself captured in his eyes again, and she couldn't help herself when she said. "I... I really meant what I said earlier. I... really like you."

Tristan smiled slightly. "That's good. It's good that you're with me now. And not with that awful Neville or that ugly Hermione-"

He had a smirk on his face and a cruel look in his eyes. It was something that Rosalyn had never seen before.

And it was something she never wanted to see again.

"Wh-what?" She could barely breathe.

Tristan shrugged. "Just saying."

"No," Rosalyn said sharply, facing the boy. "No, you weren't. You just called Hermione ugly, which wouldn't be true even if we visited one hundred parallel universes, and Neville awful, which- which-"

She was lost for words. "Which is a lie! Neville's amazing and kind and caring and-"

"Alright, I get it, you're in love with him," Tristan sighed heavily, rolling his eyes.

Rosalyn was speechless. "What?!" She burst out angrily.

"Ever since I've been here, he's been getting in the way of us, and you so obviously like him too, so you've just lied about liking me-"

"Tristan I do- I do like you-" Rosalyn said desperately.

"Do you?" Tristan raised his eyebrows.

It was in that moment, that small silence, that Rosalyn decided she wasn't going to take this. If Tristan didn't trust her enough and thought she was lying when she told him she liked him, then it was his loss.

"You know what?" She told him. "Have it your way. I don't like you, Tristan Laurent. If that's what you believe."

Tristan's eyes wideneded. "What- no- no, Rosaleen-"

"Do you have something else to say about any of my friends?" Rosalyn's voice quivered. "Because whatever you say about them, it harms me, too. Only you wouldn't understand that, would you?"

Tristan was pleading now. "Rosaleen-"

"We're done," Rosalyn said. "Over. Because whatever you're saying about other people, you could just as easily be saying about me."

Tristan shook his head. "Rosaleen, please-"

"You didn't think I liked you, and I don't," Rosalyn said. "Well, I don't anymore. That was my first mistake."

And with that, she was gone.

Not another word spoken between them.

☆☆☆

Rosalyn couldn't stop the tears from flowing as she sat down on the stairs in the empty entrance hall around five minutes later.

I mean, yeah, Tristan had insulted her friends and presumed she hadn't liked him, but... he had been the first person she had felt something for.

He had just not been who she thought.

So that was why there were a few tears escaping now, as she tried to calm herself down and not let her mascara rub. She was just rubbing her eye when she felt a body sit down next to her.

Rosalyn was shocked when she saw who it was.

"N-Neville?" She asked slowly, furiously trying to rub any sign of tears from her eyes.

"H-hey, Rosie," said Neville rather nervously.

Rosalyn gave a sarcastic laugh, another tear slipping down her cheek. "Bet you're really glad you turned me down now, right?"

But Neville didn't agree. He did something very different, and something that took a lot of courage on his part. He slowly shuffled closer to the girl, and put an arm round her shoulders.

To his complete and utter surprise, Rosalyn snuggled closer to him and lay her head on his shoulder. Neville's heart was racing so fast he was afraid for a second it would explode, but it didn't.

"I'm sorry," Rosalyn mumbled to him.

"You don't need to be sorry," said Neville softly.

"But I do," Rosalyn looked up at him. "I um... I just left Tristan. Because he... he insulted Hermione. And you. And..."

She trailed off, deciding not to say that Tristan thought she didn't like him because she was too focused on Neville.

Neville frowned at her. "Why did you... leave? He insulted us, not you."

Rosalyn laughed dryly. "Neville, do you really think I want to be with someone who thinks my friends are ugly? Or awful?"

Neville sighed. "All I meant was, he clearly liked you. And you clearly... liked him."

Rosie looked down. "I, um... I did. I did like him."

She didn't want to look at Neville when she said that for some reason. She brushed over it quickly. "But it wasn't meant to be, clearly."

Neville tightened his arm around her shoulder slightly. "How are you so sure?"

Rosalyn smiled slightly. "Neville, you never just find your true love the first time. There are lots of different ends and beginnings and stories and short cuts and detours, but... you get to them in the end."

Neville smiled slightly at that.

"Well, you're going to get to your true love one day, Rosie, I'm sure of that," he said gently.

Rosalyn looked up at him, her face no longer puffy and her eyes no longer teary. She was smiling. "You know what?" She said to him, her eyes suddenly lighting up again. "I've never really been sure about it before, but... now I am."

Neville was blushing so hard that he thought his face was going to burst but he didn't care.

"Now," Rosalyn said. "How about we go and make the most of tonight, rather than sitting here feeling sorry for ourselves?"

Neville was absolutely mesmerized by the girl as she slowly stood up, taking his hand and leading him back to the hall, where the dancefloor was still filled with a few people, dotted about here and there.

Rosalie and Cedric were two of them.

"I see you've switched partners," she murmured to her friend as she passed.

Rosalyn smiled slightly. "Yeah," she grinned. "Yes, I have."

And it was funny. Because it wasn't awkward at all, as Neville put his hands on Rosalyn's waist and she put hers on his shoulders. It was... nice.

And it was fun, dancing around the floor with him, laughing as they did.

"Y-you look beautiful, you know that?" Neville said slowly to her, eventually.

"Thank you," said Rosalyn, with a small smile. "You look very handsome, as well."

"Oh," Neville smiled warmly, his cheeks going redder than ever. "Thanks, Rosie."

Rosalyn couldn't think about anything but him, it appeared, as she started at him, them both continuing to dance round and round.

Of course, peace like that only lasted for a while.

Sooner than later, two voices started ringing through the hall.

Ron and Hermione, arguing as they marched out to the entrance hall, Ron still angry and jealous.

"Next time there's a ball pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does!" Hermione was shrieking. She was crying, tears streaming down her face. "And not as a last resort!"

Rosalyn turned to Neville, who just shrugged and nodded at her. "It's okay. Go."

So Rosalyn ran up to her friends, now out in the entrance hall.

Ron stuttered for a moment, walking away from her. "W-w-well, it's just completely off the point- Harry?"

Harry was, indeed, walking towards them. Hermione spoke before anyone else could. "Where have you been?"

Harry was surprised and stuttered before Hermione yelled again. "Nevermind off to bed both of you!"

Harry headed towards Ron who uttered. "They get scary when they get older-"

Hermione turned round, she was sobbing. "Ron you spoilt- everything!"

Rosalyn, meanwhile, who was absolutely fuming, went right up to Ron.

SMACK!

An angry red mark appeared across his cheek as Rosalyn had just smacked him with all her might.

"R-Rosie-" Ron stuttered, as the girl fumed.

"You're a right jealous git, you know that?" Rosalyn yelled at him, hitting every inch of him she could reach. "Ruining her night just because you're annoyed she didn't ask you-"

"Ow! Ow! Ouch, Rosie!" Ron shouted in shock. "Bloody- hell- you hit hard-"

Rosalyn just stared him dead in the face and threateningly whispered. "Listen, Ron, I know Hermione may be scarier as she gets older, but I am goddamn frightening, okay? Because this rose has thorns. And I swear to godric Ron if you don't get out of my sight right now-"

He and Harry were already running.

Hermione, meanwhile, was sobbing. She sat on the stairs to take her shoe off. Rosalyn sat down beside her.

"He is an idiot," she seethed.

"T-thanks Rosie," Hermione sniffled.

"You're welcome," Rosalyn said as she swept her best friend up into a hug.

"I love you so much, Rosie," Hermione mumbled into Rosalyn's shoulder.

"I love you too, 'Mione," Rosalyn said. "You're so brave."

"No, you're braver than me," said Hermione, drawing back from her. "And you are more scary than me. You literally ditched a handsome french boy tonight after he gave you one insult!"

"Hey, my standards are high, so what?" Rosie shrugged as they both laughed.

"Go back to Neville," Hermione gave her best friend a teary smile. "You dumped Tristan to dance with him tonight and you only got to be with him for a couple of minutes."

"No, I'm not leaving you," Rosalyn said firmly.

"But you want to..." Hermione teased.

"No, I don't."

"Yes you-"

"I don't!"

"Come on, go."

Rosalyn sighed and got up. "Fine. But only because my best friend in the whole world told me so."

Hermione chuckled. "Thanks, Rosie. You're mine, too."

Rosalyn smiled, headed over to Neville and sat beside him.

"Thank you, Rosie," Neville said.

"For what?"

"For standing up for me. For protecting me."

"It's fine," Rosalyn shrugged.

They danced for ages, until they were the only ones left. Then, they walked back up to the common room together and Neville and never been more happy. When the two of them parted for the night, and he gave her a last wave, he beamed.

Rosalyn had gone up to her dorm and pulled her curtains. She got changed out of her dress and into her pyjamas. She would never forget this day. There were some ups and downs, hardships and greatness, but it had all ended perfectly. Well, for Rosalyn.

So Rosalyn settled down to leave her almost perfect day behind, and got started on a much worse night...