third person pov

             The next morning Hermione Granger was gone, but Rose certainly did not expect her to linger either. Things were not the same as they used to be, just as they were no longer a unit of women, but a fading bond shaking by the very ground they stood on.

She awoke with a hand reaching for where Hermione would be, finding her place cold and empty with a ruffled blanket. There was a soft shove above her, and she supposed it was just a draft or her mind playing tricks—or perhaps even Orion coming back to life to strangle her for the person who was in her bed last night.

But when two firm hands flipped her onto her back, she was forced to look up at Whitman, who was far too happy to pin her down.

"Up too late again?"

She groaned and tried turning away.

He did not let her.

"Oh fuck off."

Whitman titled his head, eyeing her scowl, his lips twitching. "Must you insist on fighting a man with chronic pain?"

"Spare me." Rose turned her face away to yawn, mumbling, "You might be struggling to walk as of now, but these moons only make you stronger each time they near."

He laughed breathily, the sound quiet but full of enough rawness to fill a room.

She snapped her eyes shut.

"I'm going back to sleep, with or without you holding me like this."

"It's already eight. We've missed breakfast because of your refusal to wake up at a decent time."

The dead giggled faintly in her mind.

"Liar." She sighed, eyes still closed. "The dead are laughing at your lies."

He blinked.

The random words were still as off-putting as always, no matter how long he has heard them for.

He removed his hands from her arms and placed them next to her body before carefully, and doing so to assure not to crush her, lowering himself on top of her. He felt like an avalanche of weight on her limbs, but she did not mind it.

A smile spread across her lips as she wound her arms around his neck.

He always had trouble sleeping in.

"I reckon you could just sleep here for a bit longer, Whit."

Whitman nodded against her and seemed to fully relax, forcing his hands beneath her back with no struggle. Here she felt no need to put a shield around her body, nor her mind. Here, she felt content. Here, she felt safe. Here, she could stay for an eternity.

Her fingers pushed through his unruly hair as she welcomed the warm embrace of Whitman Rosier, and the comfort of sleep taking its toll once more.

When she awoke much later, Whitman was gone.

The curtains were still drawn over each of the boy's beds when she disappeared into the bathroom. She took her time showering and nestling comfortably on top of the sink counter to apply mascara and the dark red pomade of lipstick Walburga had made her this summer.

When she came out and slipped on a pair of mary janes and the school uniform, her mind screamed at her to check behind the boy's beds.

None of them were there, which was odd.

The dorm was usually a mess of commotion and routines all happening at once.

But she did not let herself think too much of it.

Only, she made her way to the Great Hall, with a constant string of humming inside her mind to keep her company. Upon arrival, Rose went to the very end of the Slytherin table, the furthest from where the professors sat.

Their group had chosen the usual spot to be the farthest from the school staff, and to be as far as possible from other students.

It was habitable at this point, for them to choose isolation.

Blaise was the only one already sat, picking uninterestedly at a bowl of cherries filled to the brim in front of himself. He had grown too, just as the others, and it makes her disheartened to think about.

Can they not just stay stuck forever? Be the images of children running around empty manors full of their own youthful laughter?

Rose took the seat next to him and let her bag fall to the ground with a thud. It didn't spook him, it never has. He has a tendency to be calm at every turn the world throws his way.

His hand stilled over the bowl, and she sighed as he turned slightly on the bench seat, eyeing her with a nonchalant essence he has always had. He let his gaze scan her up and down before he pushed the bowl toward her.

"For me?" she wondered aloud.

"For you." Blaise seemed more stiff than usual as he awaited, but then she put a cherry into her mouth—a sign of a treaty made, and he took a deep breath as the old times truce was metaphorically signed. "Forgive me," he began quietly. "I wanted to be there. You'd be an idiotic fool to think otherwise."

She did not look at him, propping her head up with a hand as she toyed boredly with the cherries just as he had.

"Perhaps I am an idiotic fool then."

"Oh spare me the bullshit." Blaise grabbed himself a cherry from the bowl in front of her and plopped it into his mouth, taking the time to eat it without a care. "I've known you for far too long to be worried about this pissy attitude."

"You should have been there." It was the most serious Rose had spoken to him in years. There was no airy tone, nor a mumble of riddles, or a laughing joke about to fall off the tip of her tongue.

Blaise shifted, lowering his head toward her, as if to keep this moment secret.

She straightened up, but refused to look at him as her finger ran over the rim of the bowl.

"You just, you should have been there."

"Look, I am truly sorry," Blaise murmured. "Mother just cannot. She gets wrapped up in these men and forgets the world around her, and I think she just...I think she feared to see your state."

Her eyes snapped over to his own. "What state?"

"Grief, the real sort." He paused, but only for a moment. Again, he never needed time to fear her reactions. He could never be scared of Rose in moments like these. "It is not the usual funeral she would enjoy, but a personal one. I suppose one where she might have to see her little girl be torn to pieces."

Rose thought for a beat, and nodded. Her eyes softened, and she took a deep breath of relaxation to force the tension from her body.

"So she did not wish to see me after it all..."

"Yes." Blaise nodded back. He was not being as arrogant as normal, or keeping his pompous nature on display. They were as if twelve again, staring at each other with a deep mutual understanding. She was still only a girl, and he was only a boy. "Grief is a nasty and terrifying thing to witness up close."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders with haste, and she did not fight the embrace away as his head laid on top of her own.

"But I am no coward, and I am here now."

"Forgiven then," murmured Rose.

Blaise smiled, the dazzlingly kind that could knock a man or woman right off their feet.

She pulled a connected pair of cherries into her palm and yanked them apart, offering one up to him as she muttered, "But don't you dare leave me alone in such an awful manner again. It's horrid, the way no one can be quite like you."

"Never." Blaise grinned wider, then put the cherry into his mouth.

It did not take long for the others to get there.

They came in a pack of three.

Whitman was the first to sit down, a cane clutched tightly in his right hand.

Next was Draco, right on his heels.

And when Rose felt her heart swell up, it was Theodore Nott sitting next to her—his face groggy enough to belong to someone just waking up.

He was always so exhausted.

Or perhaps it was all in her head.

Most stuff usually was.

Draco opened his mouth first, and Rose tuned him out instantly, choosing instead to focus on Theo lazily filling up a cup of coffee and pushing it in front of her before filling his own with the same inky substance.

Rose nudged his shoulder with her own.

His eyes, which always appeared more dead than anything, seemed to have a spark of life come into them as he dragged his gaze down onto her face.

"You alright?"

Theo's lips twitched. "Depends, how is my girl?"

"Hm." Rose shrugged. "Just thinking."

"Oh? And about what?"

She leaned up and pushed a hand through his hair, titling his head up as her eyes narrowed. "Just wondering why you went with those two fools to smoke without me."

"Oi!" Whitman snapped.

Draco scoffed, tearing a plain pastry apart his hands as he watched Rose and Theo. "We can hear you, you know?"

Theo brought her hand down and brought her knuckles to his lips, mumbling, "Forgive me, baby."

Rose rolled her eyes, shoving him away from herself. But it did not go far, because he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his chest until he could place his chin atop her head.

"Do you always have to be touching?" Draco spoke the words with pure disgust, his eyes burning holes into the both of them.

"You are just envious of our healthy friendship," hissed Rose. "Something you are incapable of having."

Theo kept his chin atop of her head, but looked away toward any other part of the Great Hall.

"Yeah..." muttered Blaise. "Super casual bit you've got going there."

"I'm leaving." Draco stood abruptly. "I have things to do."

"Oh yes," Rose said. "Many people to harass and torment, yeah?"

"Pretty much." Draco turned away and went away from them in a hurry, as if they were all standing in a fire and he did not want it to catch up and touch him.

*

When the time came for their first class, Divination, Rose had jumped on Theo's back. He rushed them throughout the halls and up the staircase freely with laughter until they reached the steps up to the trapdoor, where Draco Malfoy blocked the pathway with a smirk and his two goonies beside him.

Rose groaned as Theo sat her down, and Draco began speaking with a condescending tone.

"Morning, Black."

She showed no expression across her face while pulling the cherry wand out of her robes and pinning her hair back with it, "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"I want nothing from filth like yourself, but do tell me...how is it being the deranged daughter of a murder treating you?" Draco spat with the intention of keeping up their usual behavior, as Crabbe laughed and Goyle looked purely sympathetic.

Rose turned to the side, stomping her heel down onto his leather toed shoes. The sheer force of her mary janes colliding down made him bend over, the young witch seizing the opportunity to smack his head harshly.

"Pretty fucking nice, you imbecile," Rose proclaimed before grabbing a laughing Theo's hand and tugging him up the stairs, through the trap door.

The Divination class had tons of small, circular tables crammed inside it, surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was extremely warm, and the fire which was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls and a huge array of teacups.

Naturally the Slytherins and Gryffindors took to opposite sides of the room. Rose dragged a lazy Theo to a front table in the middle where Blaise sat with Whitman, who was twisting his one too many rings around slowly while gazing up at the ceiling.

"Do you feel the suffocation of this perfume in the room?" Blaise asked.

"Perhaps you are simply suffocating yourself," Rose said, winking at Theo as he pulled out her chair before she dropped her bag onto the floor with a bang—a bang that made Neville jump in surprise to the left of them.

Blaise began to respond with confusion all over his face, being cut off by Sybil Trelawney's airy voice. The Divination Professor sat in a wide throne-like chair, directly in the center of the room with her bug eyed glasses making her appear wild. "Welcome, my children. In this room you shall explore the noble art of Divination...In this room, you shall discover if you possess the sight!"

The ending of her words were spoken in a shout, startling everyone in the room except for a minor few like Blaise, Theo, Whitman, Rose, and Draco. All of them were used to the sudden and constant yelling.

Draco was directly behind Rose, so close she could have tipped head back and touched his own.

Trelawney began to stand with a rush, "Hello! I am Professor Trelawney! Together we shall cast ourselves into the future!"

Rose's eyes widened in amusement as she shared a glance with the three boys at her table, "She's most definitely something, isn't she?"

Before any of them could give a reaction, the professor continued on. "We shall be focusing on tea leaves this term, so please take the cup of the person opposite of you after drinking it!"

After waiting for the awful tasting tea to cool, each of them began to drink until they were left with nothing but small bits of leaves in the bottom of the cup. Rose exchanged her own with Theo, Whitman and Blaise doing the same beside each other.

"The truth lies hidden like a sentence within a book! But first you must broaden your minds...you must look beyond!" Trelawney shouted excitedly, grasping onto Seamus's head and shaking it at the end of her sentence.

The voice of Hermione Granger comes out of nowhere, much louder than meant to be from the silence floating in the room. "What a load of rubbish!"

This actually makes Rose jump, confused on where she came from until spotting the golden chain tucked under Hermione's Gryffindor robes.

A timer turner.

That's my girl, Rose thinks proudly.

Suddenly, Trelawney rushed towards the table where Rose and the three Slytherins sat, making each of them look at her oddly—with the exception of Theo, whose eyes remained normal while raising an inquisitive brow.

"You boy!" The professor points at Neville, at the table next to Blaise and Whitman. "Your grandmother, is she quite well?"

Neville looked over, locking eyes with Rose as terror contorted his face. "Uh, I–I think so..."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that!"

Rose's lips twitch as Theo murmurs in her ear about the professor reminding him of herself after five cups of coffee, but their moment is ruined by Trelawney slamming her hands down on their table and sticking her finger directly at Rose.

Draco could be heard laughing with some Slytherins while Rose swats the hand away as if offended by the closeness of the professor.

She was, in fact, offended.

"And you girl!" Trelawney put her finger back in Rose's face, shaking it reverently. "Beware of a blonde-headed man!"

Rose swatted once more at the professor's hand as her eyes grew wide, and she turned in her chair, staring at the back of Draco's head. But from the side view, she could see a knot in his throat being swallowed.

Trelawney rushes away from them, heading over to the opposite side of the room where Lavender Brown sat, but Rose could only force herself to turn back and sit normally in her chair.

The three boys with her kept their gazes locked on the professor as Rose repeatedly attempted to push past Draco's Occlumency walls.

It was no easy fight, and one she could not win unless he wanted her to.

But when she tipped her head back ever so slightly, to where she could just barely feel herself resting against him, her ears started ringing—and she felt something begin scratching inside of her skin.

"Please," she murmured, within her own mind.

And he must've heard it in his head, the softness of her tone even if she did not mean to, because then she felt the battle she had to get within his mind shift. There was a door being cracked open, just a sliver, and she did not hesitate to walk inside mentally.

"Beware of a blonde man?" Rose spoke into his mind. "What in the name of Merlin does that mean?"

She had to open her mind up, only a little, for him to speak back.

The moment she did, she felt his presence there—like the hand of a scorned lover caressing her brain into relaxation.

"Maybe you're going to fall hopelessly in love with me, Rosie."

What if I already am? Rose thinks to herself, but makes sure he can't hear those thoughts.

Occlumency was tricky, with many layers and many ways to hide things.

The mind was a labyrinth, if you will.

She scoffed at the assumption.

"Not in this lifetime or the next will I love you."

On that note she puts her walls back up, shuts the door of her mind, and feels Draco be pushed far from thoughts as she sat up straight.

Whitman, Blaise, and Theo all look at her expectantly.

"What?!" she snapped.

Blaise threw up his hands in defense as Theo pulled her chair closer while wrapping an arm over her shoulders. She huffed and relaxed into him, as Whitman snorted to himself at her frustrated state.

And against her better judgment she glanced over her shoulder, finding Pansy Parkinson leaning down to whisper to Draco.

As the professor had done the whole class, she suddenly began to yell frantically enough to gain everyone's attention while standing by Harry. "Oh—Oh dear boy...you have...you have the grim!"

The class looked around confusedly as Seamus spoke loudly, "The grin? What's the grin?"

Bem, a Gryffindor in the back of the room, began to scold his fellow housemate. "Not the grin, the Grim, you idiot!"

Rose giggles without a care, forcing heads to snap towards their group as Theo let out a low, deep laugh.

"Taking the form of a giant spectral dog," Bem continued, "It's among the darkest omens in our world. It's an omen of death."

The finisher of his sentence sends Rose over the edge. 'The Boy Who Lived' having an omen of death was the best thing she had heard in months, if not the most obvious.

Each person there looked at her as if she had truly lost.

It was not too much of an unusual occurrence.

People often looked at her like all the screws in her brain were loose.

Sara Langley, a third year Slytherin sat at the top of the room, shrieked, "What?! Are you crazy?! Why are you laughing about one of your friends having an omen of death?!"

The Black could only roll her eyes.

But then Sara stood, pointing down at her from across the room.

"She's just like her deranged father!"

Rose smiled happily.

Blaise whipped around in his seat, shouting up, "And why don't fuck right off? How's that for a change?!"

It would be impossible for Trelawney to put an end to the soon to be fight as soon as Rose opens her mouth, speaking almost too calmly, "Talk about my father again and I'll show you just how deranged I am, deal?"

Theo raised his middle finger directly up to Sara, with a shoulder squeeze of reassurance to Rose before the professor gasped loudly at them all.

"Detention Miss Black, Mister Zabini, and Mister Nott for your foul language!" Trelawney turned to face Sara while adjusting her goggles, "And you girl...what's your name?"

Sara smiled, clearly feeling a sense of victory over the notorious trio. "Sara Langley, ma'am."

Trelawney shook her head before speaking clearly, "Your hateful energy will be the death of you!"

Sara copied the professor's gasp of real shock, a few of the classmates laughing at her reddening face, as Whitman gave Rose a look of sympathy she waved off.

Trelawney stares around the classroom worriedly before shouting, "Uh—Class dismissed! Class dismissed!"

Rose doesn't need to be told twice.

She ripped herself away from Theo and yanked her bag off the floor before elbowing past people to rush out of the room before anyone could catch up to her.

The walk Rose made to Hagrid's hut was hurried with the need to avoid conversation, proving unsuccessful as two large presences settled themselves on either side of her. Their long legs and towering heights made it easy to keep up with her fast pace. She, of course, ignored Theo and Whitman's stares, keeping her eyes trained forward while walking down the grassy hill.

"Don't try to ignore us, Ro," Theo said softly, looking down at her as if he could read her mind.

With a sly grin on his face, Whitman added, "Unless you want to be harassed into speaking, I suggest you look at us."

Rose paused, students walking by them as the flood of third years headed down for their next class.

"I'm feeling rather ravenous for a fight right now so unless you both want to be hexed into next year, I suggest you leave me alone."

Theo started to join Whitman in smirking, making eye contact with a silent communication that made Rose aware of what was coming.

She huffed, pushing by them with urgency to leave before it could happen.

But fails, being swung up onto Theo's shoulder with ease as the two boys chuckle at her and resume the walk to Hagrid's.

"I actually despise both of you now."

"Well," Theo began, "We couldn't let you pout over someone as insignificant as a Langley. Could we, Whit?"

"That wouldn't be very much like our Ro, Theo."

"I'm not pouting, I simply want to be alone in silence."

Theo and Whitman began a conversation, completely ignoring her to give the requested silence.

She began to prop her head up on Theo's back to clearly see the direction she faced before digging her elbow into his back with sheer force.

"What the fucking hell was that for?!"

"For ignoring me, you bastards!"

Theo laid a harsh smack to her behind, making the passersby give them the same odd look both received when he did it in the Great Hall last night.

Rose gasped, struggling in the process but nevertheless laying an even harsher smack to him in the same place.

"Oh, now you're gonna get it," Theo said loudly.

They were about thirty feet away from reaching Hagrid's hut when Theo placed Rose down.

He pulled at his already loosened tie, tilted his head down, and murmured, "You're done for, Princess."

As quick as wink, he lunged for her, but the girl had already taken off in the best sprint she could muster—no care for the way she would likely twist her ankle in those heels.

The chase began, and it was much more tiring than Rose coil;d have imagined.

Weaving and bobbing through the mass of students, with a shout from Hermione Granger when they passed a certain trio.

But of course, Rose did not listen, nor did she ever.

Once reaching Hagrid, she jumped up onto the doorstep next to him, and the man began to laugh, "What' ye' runnin 'from, Rose?"

From within a crowd of people, an out of breath Theo appeared, and Rose tucked herself behind Hagrid's arm for a shield.

He pointed to her with a heavy breath.

"You can't hide with Hagrid forever, Ro."

Rose looked up at Hagrid with a smile as the man chuckled at them.

"Watch me, Theodore! I will gladly live here with him and Fang!"

Hagrid patted her on the back a little too hard, making Rose stumble forward slightly.

"Whoops! Sorry, Rose!"

She laughed it off, stepping down to come face to face with a disappointed Hermione beside Theo.

"You could've hurt yourself running down that hill between everyone! That was very irresponsible!"

Theo grinned at her and raised his eyebrows, making Hermione suddenly turn to him.

"And you! You are just as much to blame for almost injuring her!"

Theo's grin drops in confusion, not believing he put her at any risk.

Rose couldn't resist the urge to smile sweetly at him while throwing up her middle finger behind Hermione.

Out of nowhere, Whitman bumped into Theo, suddenly red faced and breathless as well.

"That is it! You two are being separated for twenty four hours! I've had enough of you both to last a lifetime!"

Hermione nodded firmly in agreement. "Thank you, Whitman! I completely agree!"

As if, Rose thinks.

The Black heir took Theo by the arm with a scowl, refusing to let anyone separate them for more than ten seconds.

"Is it just me or are they the same person?"

Theo looks the two over with judgment, his teasing tone matching her own. "So much alike it's freaky."

Hermione and Whitman both huff in unison, making Rose and Theo laugh loudly before she grabs his hand. He tries to interlace their fingers, but she refuses—keeping only their palms together.

This was not the place for such.

Rose began pulling him away at the realization they had all been too wrapped up in conversation to notice the class being led into the forest.

With the pace of her movements, Rose and Theo ended up towards the front line of students, somehow stopping behind Draco with his two followers, and Pansy trailing behind as if waiting for any ounce of attention.

Rose nodded her head at Pansy, leaning up to speak to Theo, "She's like a chihuahua, thinks being close by might get her a word or two spoken. Needy little thing."

The suspecting laugh never came as Theo furrowed his brows, "What's a chihuahua?"

"Purebloods," Rose huffed out.

"Says the Pureblood. Not my fault I don't have a muggle-born friend to tell me about those weird things."

"It's a teeny tiny dog, Teddy. Real desperate for attention and acts all scary, but truthfully like five pounds."

"It's a dog?"

Rose laughed and reluctantly took her hand out of his, grabbing the monster book from inside her leather bag.

Theo followed suit with a slight pause, still traumatized from the attack he and Whitman dealt with when the books were first bought.

As they neared the padlock within the forest, Hagrid yelled out, "Form eh' group over by the padlock an' open ye' books to page forty nine!"

"Exactly how do we do that?" Draco spat, Rose and Theo sharing a look before the Black muttered to herself.

If there's one word to describe Draco Malfoy it would most definitely be 'Drama Queen'.

Hagrid whipped around, speaking as if it was the most obvious instruction in the world, "Well, just stroke the spine, of course!" He chuckled before speaking under his breath, "Goodness me..."

Draco paused and ran his hand down the spine.

Rose felt the notion slide across her skin like a ghost.

Theo pushed her forward, albeit gently.

"Salazar, what's up with you, Ro?

She cleared her throat. "Nothing, nothing."

Theo's lips pulled up as he dragged her over to a rock where they watched Neville fall, his monster book attempting to attack him.

Rose had to elbow Theo harshly as his musical laughter rang out before she reached down to help Neville up.

Draco spoke harshly while passing by, "Don't be such a wimp, Longbottom."

After she dragged him up, he started to breathlessly wipe his chewed up robes.

"Thanks, Rose...I don't know where my book went though!"

She raised her eyebrows and gave a pointed look toward her feet. Neville followed her gaze, spotting his book pinned tightly under her right shoe.

He nervously chuckled while picking it up, all too reluctantly. She pointed at the spine with one of her long fingernails while looking over at Draco's smug face.

"Incendio," she whispered, wandlessly making a small fireball head straight for Draco.

Rose smiled at Neville after, grabbing onto Theo's hand and pulling him to a large group of rocks this time. It gave her the perfect view to see Draco trying to find out who burnt his leg.

Hermione happened to be close by, pulling Harry and Ron towards Rose and Theo. Upon greeting, Ron continued grumbling about the book.

"I think they're funny, Ron!"

Rose looked up to find Theo's face riddled with disbelief, recalling the way his attack happened for the third time since pulling the book out that day—he just wanted this class to end, clearly.

Of course, Draco couldn't help himself as he watched the moment Harry smiled at Rose.

"Oh yeah...terribly funny! Really witty!" Draco scoffed before continuing, "God, this place has gone to the dogs, wait until my father hears that Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."

After his words, Draco looked over with a smile at Crabbe and Goyle as they laughed, and Whitman had to groan as he walked away to Rose—refusing to be a part of what he knew was coming.

Meanwhile, Blaise happily takes his place beside Draco, smiling at the chaos to come.

Theo watched as Harry began to turn around.

It makes him bend down to Rose's ear to whisper, "Here we go again..."

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Harry shouted.

Draco, Goyle, and Crabbe all chorus together a response of, "Oooooh..."

Right after Draco dropped his bag onto Crabbe's arm, like a servant, making Rose scoff at the action with her lips involuntarily twitching.

He is so fucking smug, she thought right then.

Draco stepped forward while wearing a huge smirk, making Harry step forward too.

"Sure you don't need your protector for this, Potter?" Draco asked, looking over at Rose.

Theo threw his arm over her shoulders as she held up her hands and said, "I want no part of this stupid masculinity game."

Hermione used her hands to cover up her face and hide her laughter as Harry and Draco both turned to stare down one another. The latter stepped forward for only a moment, before jumping back and pointing up at the sky with a fake shaky voice, "D—Dementor! Dementor!"

Harry jumped in terror while whipping around to look into the clouds, and Rose flinches into Theo's arms even more as the class follows Harry's movements.

Rose let out a rush of air to see nothing there, with the sound of Draco laughing and somehow Pansy Parkinson as well. When everyone looks back at them, the four all have their hoods up with hands held out.

Blaise will never be able to live down his happy participation in this.

"OooooOooOoooo," they mocked, Pansy joining in on their movements and making Rose cringe up—stopping her annoying admiration of Draco's presence.

Rose shook her head and pointed her wand at their feet, sending a wave of fire to hit all four sets of shoes while Hermione grabbed Harry and turned him back around, giving them all a disgusted face.

Theo snatched Rose's wrist, pulling it down quickly. If she got detention then he would, and then Whitman would, and then Blaise, of course then Draco—it was truthfully just creating a painful ripple effect.

But Pansy saw the wand and yelled out, "You! You burnt us!"

Rose laughed humorlessly. "Next time I'll make sure to aim for your face. Fair?"

Pansy gasped, wincing at her burnt feet as Draco, Crabbe, and Blaise threw Rose annoyed looks—all the while Goyle appears guilty as can be for the second time that day.

Theo put a hand over Rose's mouth while flashing everyone an actual scary glare, spinning them around. This made Rose huff and remove his hand off, taking her wand and twisting her hair back in a sloppy manner that makes Hagrid do a double take.

He has seen those exact movements before.

He was sure of it.

Rose looked over at Neville as they reached the rocks in front of them acting like a table, just as she was about to speak Draco walked up—making Neville run quickly out of fear.

He took a bite out of some stupid green apple and looked over at her.

Rose had to avert her gaze, looking for Hagrid to bring her out of the way her head buzzes at his proximity before she felt Draco lean down towards her ear.

"Thought I'd grace you with my presence, I know how hard it is for you to go all day without me."

It takes everything in her to shove him away, only stomping on his foot in the same way from earlier that day and grabbing onto his icy locks—pulling his own ear to her lips. "Next time I'm aiming for the center. Make sure I won't ever have to see those eyes on whatever unlucky woman's child one day."

Despite Theo and Whitman's protest, Rose shoved Draco with all her might and quickly walked away in search of Hermione again.

Once reaching Hermione, Rose interlocked her arm with the girl.

"I almost avada'd myself standing next to that twat. Why does he insist on being in my space all hours of the day?"

Hermione shivered in disgust, she had many things to say about Draco Malfoy.

But, for the sanity of Rosalie Black, Hermione settled for scolding the comment she would make instead.

"Do not say that, Rose! It is not funny and is considered a sensitive topic!"

"I think it's pretty funny, Mione," Ron said sheepishly, with a rub to his neck.

Rose shot him a grin, pulling Hermione closer and laying her head atop the curly-headed girl.

Hagrid finally reappears with the Hippogriff, and Rose was almost the only one not gasping.

This had to be Buckbeak.

Hermione noticed her dramatic, animal-loving friend not squealing with excitement.

"You went to Hagrids last night without us!"

Hagrid stepped forward, gesturing to the creature with a cheer, "Ta-Da!"

Buckbeak makes some sort of bird call, making Hagrid speak again in awe, "Isn't he just beautiful?!" He threw Buckbeak a ferret before continuing, "Say 'ello to Buckbeak!"

"Hagrid," Ron beganwearily, "What exactly is that?"

"That, Ron, is a hippogriff! Now first things ye' want to know about Hippogriffs is they're very proud creatures. Very easily offended! Ye' don't want to go and offend one, it might very well be the last thing you do!" Hagrid clapped his hands together. "Now! Who'd like to come and say hello?!"

Rose quickly took her arm off Hermione and stepped forward.

The whole class took two steps back.

She thought she was the only one left, but then there ws Harry, a few feet from her—standing as still as a statue.

"Well done, Rose and Harry, Well done!" Hagrid clapped again. "Come on now!"

Harry turned around quickly before looking at Rose and whispering, "I am not—"

"Shut it," she snapped, dropping her school bag and latching onto his arm sleeve. He tried pulling away instantly. "Oh don't be a ninny, Harold. For the love of Merlin..."

"Now, you have to let Buckbeak make the first move!" Hagrid instructed as Rose forcefully dragged Harry along, "So you step up, give 'em a nice bow, and you wait and see if he bows back! If he does, you can go on and touch em'!"

Rose instantly stood still and bowed, leaning down low and staying in that position while Harry barely lowered himself. On instinct, Rose reached for the back of his neck and yanked him down with her. She wasn't in the mood to be attacked because of his idiotic brain.

But then Harry stumbled over a stick, making Buckbeak flap his wings rapidly and rear back.

"Back off, Harry! Rose, stay where ye' are!"

"Now, keep still!"

A few moments of thick silence passed before Buckbeak bowed, and Hagrid chuckled in relief as the class let out a rush of air.

Rose smiled widely at Hagrid, sitting up straight with Harry.

"Now come on! Give him a pet!"

Where the rest of the class stood, Rose could hear Whitman speaking harshly to Theo, "I swear to Salazar if we have go jump in front of a damn bird because—"

"He's beautiful, Hagrid!" Rose began walking forward patiently, her voice so loud it made Whitman stop short.

When she reaches the creature, her hand goes out—Buckbeak sliding his beak under the cold palm. Then the class started to clap, making Rose look for Harry, only to find him with wide eyes a few feet behind.

"Potter! Move it before you have to bow again!"

After her demanding words, Harry stepped up, Rose having to latch onto his wrist to make him pet Buckbeak with her while muttering, "You can face Voldermort but not a bird? Pull yourself together!"

Hagrid doesn't hear this, only filled with glee at the moment happening. "Well done! Well done! Amazing!"

"Can we ride him, Hagrid?" Rose asked, making Harry and every other person present gasp, or have their eyes go as wide as the poor Potter boy.

"Of course! I reckon he should let ya'!"

Rose giggled under her breath, walking to the side of Buckbeak. Hagrid reaches out as she sticks her heel into the creature's wing, helping her sit down with ease. The experience is much different for the Potter boy, getting picked up by the waist from Hagrid despite his many shouts of protest.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Hagrid! Rose should just do it!"

Hagrid threw Harry down behind Rose, "Nonsense, Harry! But be careful to not pull out any feathers, he won't like that!"

Rose laughed as Harry goes to protest again, "No no I—I—,"

He was cut off as Hagrid smacked Buckbeak's behind, making Harry stop mid-sentence and throw his arms around Rose's waist frantically as Buckbeak started to take off in a run.

The Black heir simply grinned while grasping onto the neck of Buckbeak as they took off into the sky.

The two flew all around Hogwarts with Harry squeezing her so tight she was concerned passing out might be in the near future.

When they finally got over the lake, Rose tried her best to pry Harry's death grip off of herself.

"Harry, let go of me this instant and look!"

"I can't!" Harry shouted, his face buried into her back. "I think I'm going to be sick!"

"It's beautiful! And you are going to miss all of it!"

He reluctantly let go and sat upright, Rose spreading her arms out with a sigh as the wind rushed by. From the reflection of the water as Buckbeak's toe dipped in, she could see Harry copy her actions before giving in and joining the laughter.

For a moment they were free, free from everything.

But only for a moment.

When finally reaching the padlock where the class and Hagrid waited, Harry attempted to steady his breathing embarrassingly fast. As soon as Buckbeak came to a full stop on the dirt, Harry jumped down, almost tripping on his run back over to Hermione and Ron.

On the other hand, Rose slipped off and petted the animals before dizzily walking to Hagrid and wrapping her arms the most she could around his large waist.

"Oh Hagrid, it was amazing! That's one more animal off my list!"

Hagrid patted her on the back with a smile, "You did wonderful, Rose!"

She joined him smiling before letting go and beginning to walk back towards a smug Theo and a worrisome Whitman.

Two opposite people.

Her plan was foiled as Draco burst through the crowd of students, Rose side-stepping with raised brows.

"Yes. You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute?!

Rose's stomach dropped.

Some instinct beyond her control kicked into high gear, forcing her to run to grab him with a shame of worry of all the people watching.

Only, she was too late.

"Malfoy!" Hagrid shouted worriedly, as Buckbeak reared back and swiped a set of his claws across Draco.

He hit the ground and landed on his back.

Buckbeak reared back to do more damage for the insults.

At this moment, Rose didn't have an excuse for her actions, nor any logical reason as to why she did what she did besides the word love.

It'll be the death of you, Walburga had snapped, her hand angrily clutching at a wine glass, This stupid fascination with love will be your death.

So without a moment of hesitation, Rose stepped in front of Draco's body. The claws come down onto her quickly, swiping across her shoulder, but she can't seem to feel the pain—immune to any sort in her body.

She could feel the pain in her chest when it was him hitting the ground.

But nowhere else.

She kept standing, holding an arm out to the creature to hopefully keep him from going again, because if there was one thing she knew for sure; she'd be damned if anyone thought she was moving away.

"Calm down, Buckbeak!"

Hagrid joined her in saying the same thing, frantically grabbing a ferret to toss far off. After a proud huff of air from the bird, Buckbeak began to back away and rush to the dead ferret.

Rose clutched her chest in relief, turning around to look at Draco at the same time as Hagrid.

Draco rolled on his back slightly, being dramatic as ever. "It's killed me! It's killed me!"

Rose rolled her eyes, assuming him to be perfectly fine.

But it is then she noticed the blood blossoming out of Draco. It was coming from his arm, his chest, his stomach. It was something small turning into something big. The thin lines of red on his white shirt were spreading to turn it all into a shade of red brighter than the gryffindor flag.

She could hear Hermione shouting about Hagrid needing to take Draco away, that he could be in trouble for this, and she knew Hermione's worry stemmed from Hagrid losing his job, but she could not think about Hagrid right then.

She bent down to scan him over, to reach for his chest, but Hagrid scooped him up into his own arms, yelling out, "Class dismissed! Class dismissed!"

"I'll—" Rose stumbled over her own words as she pushed up on shaky legs. She looked around, and the people all seemed like a blur.

But she was better than this, and she could hear Walburga screaming in her mind.

She dusted her hands down her robe, "I'll grab Draco's stuff and meet you up there, Hagrid."

"Good deal," Hagrid responded, and Rose can faintly hear Draco saying something about a 'bloody chicken'.

A small, quiet laugh left her lungs.

She shook her head and quickly walked over towards the students gathered when she heard Draco calling her name over and over again.

"Rosie! Rosie!"

Rose huffed and looked back at him in Hagrid's arms, shouting, "I said I'm meeting you there!"

After, she rushed to grab his bag and her own, the entity of the class looking at her as if this was proof she has really lost it.

Unbeknownst to her though, the real reason would be blood seeping through her whole shirt from the shoulder gash.

When she grabbed Draco's bag and her own, Whitman and Theo both were rapidly rushing towards her and saying words she could not hear.

She was only aware of the fact she had to get to the hospital wing—quickly.

With that in mind, both bags were slung on her shoulder before taking off in a run.

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A/N: hello loves !!!! i missed you guys so BAD :( I kind of have some chapters loaded up, but I'm just going over them right now....anywayyyy, THANK U FOR UR COMMENTS !!!! most encouraging thing in the world i swear <3 please keep commenting, it literally helps me so much when it comes to writing this :)

—im so happy to be back but so bleh over these first few chapters im so ready to be back in the middle of the greatness

—i want to update divine madness and im motivated to write it but I just don't really recall what i had planned for the next chapter so im lacking the idea for the update LOL

—anywho, in the mood to cook up a Draco fic.....

—I LOVE U GUYS

xx bri