A week had passed and there had been no mention of the budding Neville and Rosalyn romance. Hannah Abbot was quite resentful towards Rosalyn at that moment, but Rosalyn didn't mind. She was and had been the same way.

Anyway, now, everyone was in the great hall, doing homework, chatting with friends and practicing spells.

Rosalyn was reading Advanced Potion Making beside Hermione on a bench, whilst Neville, Seamus, Harry and Ron faced them. Rosalyn just couldn't get her mind off those three words.

𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒂 - 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒆𝒔

She knew an enemy that she wanted to try it on, and she definitely knew that they were up to something... the only problem was catching them at it.

And yes, this was Malfoy. Where is he... Rosalyn thought as she looked around the room. She couldn't see him. Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson were sitting at the Slytherin table but Rosalyn couldn't see Malfoy between them.

She soon gave up.

But then- if he wasn't there, then where was he? It was lunch, so classes resumed soon... and where was he gonna be?

Then she saw him. He was up near the teachers table, trying to not be noticed, so, naturally, Rosalyn kept a (perhaps unnecessary) close eye on him. She noticed him slip away, and more than hastened to follow him.

He practically ran through the corridors, but Rosalyn had no trouble keeping up. She made sure to keep a safe distance, but she had to follow him.

If he goes into the room of requirement, I'll be able to get in the door before it closes, Rosalyn thought.

But he didn't go to any room of requirement. He went to the boy's loos.

For about three minutes, Rosalyn stood outside the toilets, wondering if she could go in or not. Perhaps Malfoy was just doing his business, and she did not want to see that.

I have to catch him at it...

But it's the boy's toilets!

But Malfoy's doing something, and his reasons for being in there won't be innocent...

You can't seriously be thinking of going in there.

But I am.

You can't be!

On and on this went for three minutes until Rosalyn realised that she had to swallow her pride, grit her teeth and go in.

When she entered, she saw Malfoy, jumper off, shirt untucked. He was breathing hard, perhaps crying. His hands gripped the sink and his knuckles were white.

Rosalyn felt no pity. "I know what you did Malfoy. You cursed her didn't you?"

Malfoy turned round, and the next moment he sent a non-verbal hex at her. She dodged, yelling back. "Furnurculus!"

Malfoy, again, dodged and it hit the sink, shattering it. He ran and so did Rosalyn, she opened cubicles and yelled hexes.

"Reducto!"

That burst a pipe and water went spraying everywhere.

"Stupefy!" Malfoy bellowed. This shot past Rosalyn, who got herself out the way just in time.

She peeked round the corner, shouting. "Petrificus totalus!" But it didn't work as Malfoy was nowhere to be seen.

Rosalyn went down on her knees, looking underneath the cubicles. She saw several toilet bowls, water splattered on the floor and lots of soggy toilet paper, but no Malfoy.

"Diffindo!"

Suddenly he was back, shooting spells at her. "Protego!" She fought back with, casting a shield.

Malfoy suddenly disappeared round the corner, his body hidden from sight. Rosalyn warily walked forward until-

"Stupe-"

"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

Rosalyn had yelled it. She raised her wand high and watched Malfoy blast back round the corner. She ran round, and what she saw made herself regret her life.

Malfoy was twitching on the soaking ground, crying. His white shirt made it so much more obvious to Rosalyn- oh why had she used that spell?

Blood covered his shirt, obviously the spell had made deep cuts in his body. He was crying in obvious pain and Rosalyn just stood there, speechless. She couldn't justify her actions, not even against Malfoy.

Suddenly, Professor Snape came sweeping in, the bottom of his cloak now sopping with water. He began to mutter incantations to clean up the blood, which began to slowly seep back into Malfoy, healing him. He looked at Rosalyn, and said. "Potter, what on earth were you thinking you were doing?"

Rosalyn was out of words. She could never justify doing that to a fellow student. Ever. Not even Malfoy.

"Where did you learn the spell that did this?" Snape continued to question her.

"In a library book, I can't remember-"

"Don't lie, Potter," Snape told her irritably.

"I'm not lying," Rosalyn lied miserably. All she wanted to do was break down and cry.

Snape surveyed her for a second before telling her. "Bring me your school bag, and all of your school books, now."

Rosalyn practically ran back to the common room, finding Harry, Ron and Neville sitting chatting in it.

"Give me your potions book," Rosalyn told Harry. "Please, now, I'll explain later."

"But what about the Half Blood P-" Harry said, retrieving his ordinary copy of Advanced Potion Making.

"Not now, later!" Rosalyn yelled, taking the book from Harry.

She ran back to Snape, hoping desperately that he would buy it. She knew that he was already onto her, she just wanted to make it a little further. Getting out of trouble, of course.

When she got back to the bathroom, she handed her bag over to Snape. He ruffled through it, not even bothering to look at many of the other books, bypassing them all, and heading for the potions book.

He flipped it open, reading the name inside the front cover. She knew that Harry wrote 'Potter' on all his things, she just prayed that he hadn't written 'Harry Potter'.

Snape handed her back the book resentfully. "You can go, Potter, but believe you me, if I find you casting illegal spells in this castle again, you will pay."

Rosalyn exited the room. She felt so bad, and she had no desire to return to the common room. She didn't want to see anyone and she didn't want to look at anyone.

In truth, she was angry at herself. Angry that she had used that stupid spell on Malfoy and had caused him so much pain. She couldn't believe what had happened.

"Rosie?"

It was Neville. He had a look on his face that said 'let's just get this over with' and his teeth were gritted.

Rosalyn, however, turned on her heel and walked away.

Neville tried to chase after her. "Rosie-"

"I don't want to talk to you, Neville," Rosalyn said, still not turning round.

"Why not-"

"Because-"

"Rosie-"

"Look, I just don't-"

"Please-"

"Stop i-"

"Why don't you-"

"Because if I have to talk to you, I would have to tell you that I'm in love with you!"

Rosalyn was facing him now, shouting, her heart beating rapidly in her chest, her eyes teary.

Neville had stopped dead, too. "Wh-what?"

Rosie took a small step towards him, saying. "I love you."

Neville was speechless as Rosie went on. "And I-I just needed you to know that, because I couldn't go on-"

She turned round, fully wanting to just get out of this situation.

Neville, however, did something that was unexpected for both of them.

Stepping forward, he closed the gap between them and turned Rosalyn round, gently placing his hands just behind her ears, his thumbs slowly stroking up and down her cheeks.

He looked at her for a second, taking in every detail of her beautiful face, her hazel eyes and...

And her lips.

"Rosie..."

And then, before either of them knew it, they were kissing. And it felt so natural, so normal.

It only lasted for a few seconds, though, before they pulled away, looking at each other, taking in each other. Rosalyn's arms were now round Neville's waist, and he was holding her body close to him.

Then, in unison, they smiled, chuckling slightly. Rosalyn waited a few seconds before leaning in again, on her tiptoes.

Their second kiss was slightly deeper, slightly more meaningful, and both of them smiled into it. Rosalyn's heart felt like it was going to burst, and her stomach was filled with so many butterflies that she thought one might even escape.

As they pulled away, Neville said. "I love you too, Rosie. I've loved you ever since I ran out of that stupid train compartment in first year..."

Rosalyn smiled, her cheeks going slightly red. "Took me a bit longer to catch on, but here we are."

Neville smiled slightly. "W-will you be my girlfriend, Rosie?"

"Of course," Rosalyn smiled warmly at him as she slipped her hand into his, interlocking their fingers as he gently squeezed hers, and they made their way back to the common room.

☆☆☆

It took about five seconds for everyone to find out. I mean, Rosalyn and Neville walking into the common room holding hands was a big giveaway. Hannah Abbot was a bit sad now, and she and her friend, Susan Bones, had been seen whispering about Rosalyn behind her back. Rosalyn didn't care, however, for she had Neville now, and that was all that mattered.

The next day, Rosalyn was sitting down in the common room, telling Hermione the full story of the 'sectumsempra scene' (as it was now called) when Hermione interrupted.

"Rosie, where is the Half Blood Prince's book?"

"Erm- I just left it in the dorm, but-" Rosalyn got interrupted again.

"Rosie! You need to get rid of it!" Hermione told her. "It's dangerous."

Rosalyn sighed. "I guess you're right."

She and Neville ended up going. They walked along the corridor holding hands, ignoring the Slytherin's jeers.

Rosalyn had decided to hide it in the room of requirement. The two of them entered and Rosie saw that the room had become full of things that people had been hiding for years.

Rosalyn took Neville's hand again and he smiled slightly. "I don't wanna do this," Rosalyn admitted.

"You don't wanna give up beating Hermione in potions, you mean?" Neville teased her gently, squeezing her hand.

Rosalyn rolled her eyes. "Shut up?"

Suddenly a sound that sounded like fluttering filled the room. "What was that?" They both asked at the same time.

Rosalyn saw a random big cabinet in the middle of the room. Her conversation with Arthur didn't even cross her mind as she went to open it.

She and Neville ducked as a little bird flew out. Rosalyn laughed. "You never know what you'll find up here."

Neville laughed as he took the book from her, his face inches from hers. He slowly whispered. "Close your eyes, Rosie. So you can't be tempted to come and look for it."

Rosalyn sighed and closed her eyes. She waited for about a minute before she felt soft lips on hers. She kissed back, but Neville pulled away seconds later.

Rosalyn's eyes fluttered open and he came into focus very close to her. She smiled at him, and he at her. The two of them then set off out the room of requirement, shutting the door quietly and watching it disappear.

The two of them walked down to dinner, but suddenly Rosalyn and Neville ran into Slughorn. He quickly made an excuse to avoid them.

Since the poisoned mead affair, Slughorn had been going out of his way to avoid Rosalyn again. Rosalyn was starting to lose hope, thinking that, maybe, she might see Dumbledore's merry blue eyes turn ice cold again.

"Still no luck with Slughorn, then?" Neville asked her. She had previously disclosed to him about her mission to get Slughorn to divulge his memory, but she didn't tell him what it was about. He understood.

But one word stuck out in the question. "Luck! Neville that's- that's it! You're a genius! I'll use the liquid luck that I got from Slughorn!"

Neville laughed. "I'm not a genius, Rosie, but that's a great idea."

"You are," Rosalyn said, placing a kiss to his cheek.

So now Rosalyn had a plan again. And she was going to use it.