The first Quidditch match of the season! Rosalyn was already in her red and gold robes with 8 POTTER on the back when Ron walked in the great hall. He looked like he was about to be sick, and Rosalyn could only hope that her and Harry's plan was going to work.

"I'm counting on you, Ron! Two galleons on Gryffindor, eh!" Seamus came up and patted Ron on the back. This did him no help whatsoever.

When Ron sat down at the table Rosalyn heard someone shout "loser!" It came from the Slytherin direction.

"Takes one to know one," Rosalyn muttered mutinously under her breath.

"So, how was it?" Ron asked the three of them.

"How was what?" Rosalyn snapped at him, because she knew perfectly well what he was referring to, even after she had just stood up for him.

"Your dinner party," Ron replied sarcastically.

"Quite boring actually," Hermione said with a faint smirk on her face. "Though I think Harry enjoyed dessert."

Rosalyn sighed, too exasperated to smile, reaching into her pocket to touch the small vial of felix felicis that lay there.

"Slughorn's having a Christmas do," Hermione was saying, and Rosalyn remembered hearing about this last night. "And we're meant to bring dates-"

"I expect you'll be bringing McLaggen," Ron said harshly. "He's in the Slug Club, isn't he?"

"Actually I was going to ask you," Hermione said, a sigh in her voice.

"Really?" Ron wasn't convinced.

Suddenly, Lavender Brown came up to the quartet, giggling. "Good luck today, Ron, I know you'll be brilliant."

After she had gone, Ron leant over and hissed to the twins. "I'm resigning, after today's match, McLaggen can have my spot."

"No, he can't," Rosalyn said determinedly. "He's got half the brains you have and twice the stupidity. C'mon, drink this," she sent a glass of juice over to his side of the table. A few seconds ago, she had 'spiked' the juice with liquid luck. She just hoped someone had noticed.

"Hello everyone," Luna Lovegood suddenly said. Everyone looked at her, as she was a Ravenclaw, after all, and didn't belong at the Gryffindor table. However, she was clearly supporting Gryffindor, as she had a massive lion headdress on, with red and gold tassles everywhere. "You look dreadful Ron, is that why you put something in his drink? Is it a tonic, to calm the nerves?"

Rosalyn quickly let Hermione see her putting the small vial of felix back into her pocket. "Liquid luck," she said slowly, then to Ron. "Don't drink it, Ron!"

Ron, however, took a sip anyway. "You could be expelled for that," Hermione said warningly to Rosalyn.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said innocently, however, she was smirking slightly.

Ron, meanwhile looked loads better. Harry looked at Rosalyn and she grinned back. "Come on Harry, Rosie, we've got a game to win!" He said. The twins laughed inside, trying to avoid each others gaze. Their plan had worked.

The match was soon underway and Rosalyn smiled to look at how improved the new team had gotten.

Right now, the Slytherin chasers had the quaffle, but Rosalyn, Demelza (a fifth year girl who was the reserve chaser and was filling in for Katie Bell) and Ginny were hot on their trail. However, it was no use and they were speeding towards the hoops, the chaser shot and-

Ron saved. He kicked the quaffle to Rosalyn, who caught it gratefully. She was so proud of him.

And as the game went on, he saved more and more. Rosalyn, Demelza and Ginny scored and scored and Ron saved and saved. Even Hermione, Rosie noticed, was clapping him now, though she was also shaking her head.

"Weasley! Weasley! Weasley! Weasley!" The crowd chanted on.

And, half an hour later, they were still chanting this. The Gryffindor common room was a mess of confetti and people. Ron was the star of the show, in the centre of attention, and he seemed to be loving it.

"You really shouldn't have done it." Suddenly Harry and Hermione were beside her, all watching their best friend. The latter had spoken.

"I know," Harry said sarcastically, shaking his head.

"You were in on this as well?" Hermione rounded on him.

"Relax Hermione," Rosalyn sighed. "Anyway, we're not the only ones, we could've just used a confundus charm..."

Hermione flushed. "That was different. That was trials, this was an actual game."

"Oh yeah?" Rosalyn said, showing Hermione the still sealed, unused bottle of felix felicis.

"You didn't put it in," she breathed. "Ron only thought you did."

The twins nodded, and they all turned back, seeing something they all didn't want to.

Lavender Brown was entwined around Ron, snogging him fiercely. They were right in the middle of everyone else, sucking each others faces off. Rosalyn wrinkled her nose, but then she saw Hermione.

To say the look on her face was crestfallen was an understatement. She looked like she was about to cry. Suddenly, she started to push her way through the crowd, out of the common room.

Rosalyn nudged Harry and he nodded. They both went tearing after Hermione.

They found her in an abandoned stairway. She was crying, her breathing hitched here and there, and she had a flock of little canaries flying round her head like a halo.

"Charms spell," she answered without a question. "I was just practicing."

They sat down on either side of her.

"How does it feel," she began. "When you see Neville and Hannah, Rosie?"

Rosalyn looked at her, not wanting to answer. "Or when you see Dean and Ginny?" Hermione asked Harry, her voice thick with tears.

Harry looked at Hermione and Rosalyn, wondering how they could know. "I know. I see the way you look at her. You're my best friends, both of you."

Suddenly, a very giggly Lavender along with a very happy Ron entered.

"Oops," Lavender said in a giggly voice. "I think this room's taken."

"Yeah, sure is!" Rosalyn burst out furiously.

Lavender just continued to giggle more.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but Hermione's in a state and you think that's funny?" Rosalyn hissed.

"Don't talk to her like that, Rosie!" Ron said as Hermione began to sob harder.

"I'll talk to her how I like!" Rosalyn shouted. "Look what she's done to my best friend!"

Lavender looked quite sad by these words, but she found the courage to say. "I haven't done anything to her."

"Yeah, whatever you say," Rosalyn smiled sarcastically.

Lavender looked quite taken aback. "I'll wait outside," she said softly to Ron.

When she left, Ron tried to confront a fuming Rosalyn, but neither of them could say anything before Hermione stood up.

"Oppugno."

All of a sudden, the canaries around her head all turned on Ron. They chased him and tried to smash into him, only to hit the wall in a flurry of feathers.

Ron ran.

Hermione meanwhile, muttered a "thanks, Rosie," before sitting down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Harry took a minute before finally answering her question.

"It feels like this."

☆☆☆

For a day and a half, Hermione had been ignoring Ron, cold shouldering him like Rosalyn was doing Neville. Ron was also cold shouldering Rosalyn, since she had been mean to Lavender. Rosalyn honestly didn't care, however, as she saw that right now, Hermione's need was more urgent than his.

Rosie wanted to tell her best friend that this was how she had felt, and tell her that it wasn't easy to believe that "everything would get better" when you were in the situation.

Right now, Hermione and Rosalyn were in the library. Hermione was storming around, putting books back on shelves and speaking as she did.

"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whoever he likes, I really couldn't care less. Was I under the impression he and I would be attending Slughorn's Christmas party together? Yes. Now, given the circumstances... I've had to make other arrangements."

"Have you?" Rosalyn asked.

"Yes, why?" Hermione asked her, putting the last of her books away, now only holding a leaflet on only Godric knows what.

"Well, I- I thought that you and I could go alone, and just dance together, as friends," Rosalyn explained. "Harry's sorted now, as well, because he asked Luna Lovegood yesterday..."

"What?" Hermione asked incredulously, and Rosalyn told her the story.

In truth, it had been Rosalyn that had prompted Harry to ask Luna, after the blonde had given the red head a long monologue about how she would love to go to the party. Rosalyn, who had still been hopeful for a date, didn't invite Luna as she was now inviting Hermione, but she did, however, volunteer her brother for the job.

Harry had asked Luna the next day, recieving a gracious thank you, and so even he was sorted...

"Anyway," Rosalyn said, after she had finished. "What about it? Going as friends?"

"I would, but I didn't think of that..." Hermione said regretfully.

"What? Why? Who are you going with?" Rosalyn asked her.

"It's a surprise," Hermione said testily. "Anyway, it's you we need to worry about. You can't just take anyone." She pointed to a boy with black, gelled hair and a Gryffindor tie. "You see that boy over there? That's Ralph Vane. Apparently, his sister Romilda bought Fred and George's love potions and are trying to smuggle you and Harry one."

"Really?" Rosalyn asked.

"Yeah, and he's only interested in you because he thinks you're the 'chosen one'," Hermione said bitterly.

"But I am the Chosen One," Rosalyn said, flashing a toothy grin at her best friend. This comment, however, quickly earned her a whack on the head by the leaflet Hermione was holding.

"Ouch! Okay! Okay!" Rosalyn said, her mind racing.

And then she suddenly had a thought.

Her and Seamus Finnigan had always been quite close friends at Hogwarts. It had been a friendship Neville was quite jealous of, in fact. And although there was nothing romantic between the two, they were still very close.

"Seamus," she told Hermione, who smiled.

"Well go and ask him then, stupid!"

☆☆☆

This was easier said than done, because Dean, Seamus, Neville and Hannah were sitting together in the common room that night. Rosalyn, ignoring the pain that was cutting her heart in two to see Neville and Hannah holding hands and sitting together, walked over, completely ignoring Neville and his so-called girlfriend.

"Hey! Dean, Seamus! Good to see you!" Rosalyn said, smiling, talking to the two boys but not the boy and girl opposite them.

"Hey, Rosie!"

"Erm- Seamus, I wanted to ask you something," Rosalyn cut to the chase.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Do you want to come to Slughorn's Christmas party with me?"

Seamus looked quite stunned for a second, before saying. "I'd love to, Rosie!"

"Okay!" Rosalyn's face broke into a smile. "I'll meet you in the entrance hall at eight o'clock tomorrow night, okay?"

"Okay, Rosie, thanks!"

And Rosalyn walked away, a huge smile on her face.

Meanwhile, Neville was gobsmacked. Of course, he had already asked Hannah to the party, but that didn't help him scrutinizing Rosalyn with a distinct look of jealousy as she walked away with a slight spring in her step.