third person pov

' And my boys trip me up
with their heads again,
lovin' them '

When they arrived at Hogsmeade village, Rose could feel the happiness radiating off of her herself as she walked down the cobblestone street. Her hand swung in Theo's while she animatedly talked to him, Whitman, and Draco about Luna, who was holding onto Blaise's arm in front of them.

Various types of witches and wizards passed by, but mostly the street was filled with Hogwarts students. Rose turned her head up to Theo after hearing Luna's laughter echo back to them, "Shall we make a bet on them getting together?"

Theo smirked down at her, squeezing Rose's hand tightly. "Oh you're on, Ro."

"Shake on it?"

Theo hummed, holding his free hand and Rose took it before whispering to him.

"Oh no—you're on, Nott."

He looked her up and down before yelling at Blaise, "Oi! We have to go to Honeydukes first, Ro needs acid pops!"

Blaise pulled Luna to a stop ahead, not giving a response to the others as he looked up at the Honeydukes sign hanging above before opening the door for her.

"After you, love," Blaise said.

Rose detached herself from Theo, stepping in front of him and tapping his nose. "You, Theodore Nott, just prove to the world more and more each day why you are too good for it!"

Before he could retort, Rose slipped away and pulled open the Honeydukes door.

The floral and sweet smell of the shop invaded her senses, but the colors plastered on each shelf, and wall, made Rose remember why coming here was tough.

Vibrant shades of neon pink and greens made her head throb each time, and the only bearable hue that didn't make your eyes bleed was the airy pink spiral staircase at the back.

But then again, Rose wasn't one to judge.

Her home had elf heads hanging around it.

She could feel the random gazes piercing into her skin while walking around the store, going to the back shelf to collect heaps of acid pops and a small amount of sugar quills.

As she waited in the short line, Rose simply kept on her face of superiority—the mask Walburga crafted, if you will. It wasn't until her turn came around and she had already dropped the basket full down onto the colorful counter did Rose realize the shop owner, Ambrosius, was looking at her solemnly.

He cleared his throat, straightening out the green tie around his neck. "Ah, Miss Black...I hope you are aware how dangerous it is for you to be out in Hogsmeade right now."

"I'm not afraid of Sirius Black, sir."

Ambrosius nodded before beginning to bag up all the acid pops and sugar quills, waiting until he finished to speak, while pushing the bags forward, "Fifteen galleons dear, and I just want you to be careful! He could very well be after you..."

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard it a million times.

But trust me, he doesn't want to be my father.

Rose kept the thoughts to herself while reaching into the small pouch before realizing, "Fifteen galleons doesn't seem right, sir. I bought enough to last until Yule."

He shook his head. "The rest is on the house, okay?"

"Thank you for your concern and discount, it is very kind." She grabbed a handful of the golden coins and sat them on the counter before taking her bag, turning away quickly.

Rose only made it a few feet before he called after her, holding up the line.

"Miss Black, this is way more than I said!"

She shot him a grin over her shoulder. "No sympathy discounts allowed, Ambrosius!"

Truly Rose didn't need the discount, she was the last person in England that would. And she most definitely didn't want one because her murderous father was on the loose. Nor sympathy over her dead grandfather. Being given pity felt like everyone could see how messed ups he truly was.

The door of the shop swung open, Rose stepping out to the five waiting people outside, a certain blonde appearing extremely annoyed.

Draco grumbled. "If you stayed in there any longer I would've become concerned for you, it's so bright it makes me nauseous."

Theo quirked a brow. "Funny, Ro always says Honeydukes color scheme gives her a pounding headache too."

Rose waved him off with disgust. "Don't try to relate me to Malfoy."

"Trust me, there is nothing relatable about either of us, Black."

She wished to chunk her heavy bag at Draco's head upon hearing that same constant scoff leave his lips.

Luna piped in dreamily. "I like the colors..."

"Me too, Luna," Blaise agreed.

Whitman laughed. "Do you now, Blaise?"

Soon Rose and Theo were looking at Blaise with raised brows at the question, making him shoot them a stern glance before they fell into laughter.

"I need some firewhiskey to deal with Blaise's new appreciation of neon colors," Rose laughed out.

Just as Theo went to grasp her hand, Whitman side stepped him and swooped her up by hips—taking off down the street with her yelping before bursting into the pub.

"Whit!" Rose laughed as he pushed through the small group of witches in purple robes congregating by the door.

Whitman dropped her down just past the group, grabbing onto her waist to keep her steady amongst the crowded space.

"Sorry, love, had to sweep you away..." Whitman grinned, Rose rolling her eyes with a smile as she grasped his hands.

"I'll go snag us a table, get the boys to help you with the drinks."

Before Whitman could protest, Rose slipped away, walking in between the tables scattered around the center and the windows lined with booths.

Luckily, a booth in the back corner was open, pressed right against the last window with a flicking orange light above.

Rose slipped in, tossing the Honeydukes bag onto the table before glancing up to see their group looking around dazed, unable to find her amongst the crowd—except Theo, who spotted her right away.

He made his way over, Whitman pushing him to the side to slide over Rose, both of them squishing her in between them with taunting smiles.

Luna dropped down on the other side, Blaise sliding in beside her with shot glasses as Draco sat the bottle of dark liquor onto the table.

Rose went to eagerly swipe the bottle but Draco yanked it away as he sat down, "Hand it over, Blondie!"

The Malfoy tutted, lining up six shot glasses and filling them up before sliding everyone one.

"I don't want to drink," Theo muttered.

Draco stared at him long and hard, before laughing. "You're going to make us be fools all by ourselves?"

Theo rubbed the back of his neck.

"You don't have to, Teddy," Rose piped in.

"Ah," Theo picked up the shot glass and threw it back, taking it like it was nothing. He slammed the glass on the table after, sliding it across the wood to Draco. "When have I ever let you all suffer alone?

An hour later each of them were extremely intoxicated, not incoherent just yet, but definitely drunk.

Regulus Black stood to the side with Evan Rosier, the Black's hourly check in of Rose providing more amusement than planned as he watched her drunkenly laugh, while pushing away the water Whitman kept attempting to give her.

"They're a mess," Evan said with a shake of his head, his lips pulling up to see his son smiling happily while Rose kept fighting the glass of water. "Poor Whit...Your niece is a mess."

Whitman gave up, sliding the glass of water down on the table before squishing Rose's cheeks together with one hand as the others talked with laughter around them. "You are untamable."

"Mhm..." Rose slurred, eyes half lidded. "Truly, huh?"

Theo's head fell on top of Rose's, making her and Whitman jump. "Baby..." he dragged out, inciting a giggle from her. "We need more alcohol."

Rose wrapped her hand up to hold his head in place, smiling at Whitman. "I'm going to go get him some food."

"But can you walk?" Whitman quizzed, becoming even more amused as Theo's eyes closed while attempting to kiss her head. "Theo, her head is down. Not up in the air, you idiot."

"I knew that..." Theo kept his eyes closed, rolling his head down to peck her own.

Whitman chuckled. "Go on, Ro. I'll keep the drunken fool up."

Rose began to lift Theo, Whitman sliding over and helping her as she stood—crossing over Theo's lanky legs to get out of the booth sloppily.

"Where do you think you're going?" Draco asked as Rose stepped out with a rush of air.

"I—" Rose paused, forgetting her purpose. "I'm going to get Teddy food!"

Theo leaned his head back against the back of the seat now, waving his hand at her with his eyes remaining shut. "Just some bread."

"What are you? A bird?" Rose taunted with a laugh.

"Maybe so, we can throw the bread at him and see if he gets it off the ground," Draco added on. Rose looked over at him with a smile at the comment as Theo mumbled. Draco returned her look before they both dropped it in sync—suddenly realizing they were smiling at one another.

"Still hate you," Rose taunted, tapping his forehead. Draco swatted her away instantly, crossing his arms after with an eye roll.

"The feelings mutual, Black."

Blaise realized she was up and moving, pulling Luna closer by the arm he had around her shoulders while pausing his conversation. "Oi! Grab me another bottle!"

Rose saluted him before turning on her heel, pulling herself together in the best way possible as she weaved between tables.

When she reached the crowded bar with the reflecting mirror behind it, Rose pushed through a group of wizards huddled with drinks before grasping on the bar-top and yelling for Madam Rosmerta, who rushed over. After placing the order, Rose dropped down onto an empty stool, not bothering to glance at a group of boy's surrounding the stools beside her.

She tapped her nails on the wood boredly until Graham Montague spun around towards her, speaking as if more intoxicated than Theo, "Well, we meet again, Black."

Rose glanced over, her alcohol consumption making him more bearable as she gave him a sarcastic smile. "You're like an annoying fly I can't get rid of."

Graham laughed, slumping his face in his palm with an elbow on the bar-top. "You know, I still haven't forgotten about you accidentally tripping me at the midsummers ball."

Rose looked for Madam Rosmerta, who had disappeared, before turning on the stool towards Graham, her knees settling between his spread thighs.

She'd entertain him out of boredom. "It wasn't an accident, you wouldn't stop feeding Malfoy drinks."

"Hey!" Graham shrugged. "He kept asking."

"He couldn't stand up straight."

"Since when do you care about Draco Malfoy's drinking habits?"

Rose smirked. "Believe me, I could care less."

"Good," Graham began, his words jumbling together. "Can I consider this our Hogsmeade date?"

"You wish." Rose rolled her eyes, patting his cheek, to which he smiled at. "Gods, you're a mess Montague."

"A beautiful one, right?"

She looked him up and down. "I'm sure your mother at least thinks so."

"Oof," Graham groaned, grasping onto Rose's knee. "You know just how to hurt me, Black."

Rose stiffened before forcefully shoving his hand off.  "Don't touch me."

"Oops, I forgot about your phobia."

"Cunt," Rose muttered before a hand grasped onto the back of her stool, pushing her to face the bar before a large, tall body separated her and Graham.

She glanced up to find Adrian Pucey staring down at Graham completely and utterly unimpressed.

"Leave her alone, Graham, and go find Cassius."

Graham grumbled before listening, stumbling up to his feet and walking away to the group of boys a few seats down.

Adrian looked blankly down at her, still holding the back of the stool.

"Playing savior for me again, Pucey?" Rose asked, smiling at the expression he wore.

"Not usually my specialty but here we are," Adrian shot back before nodding towards Madam Rosmerta walking back behind the bar. "You waiting for something?"

Rose just stared up at him, trapped by his large presence keeping her sat in place. It wasn't until his brows raised that she nodded, and said, "Bread."

"Bread?"

"Yeah." Rose shrugged. "Do you like bread?"

"No, I hate it," Adrian deadpanned.

"Really?" Rose gasped with shock, leaning toward him. "What do you eat then?! I mean, almost everything requires bread if you think about it..."

Adrian smirked at her in amusement. "I'm messing with you." He nodded at the Madam, "Looks like your bread is here."

Rose glanced over to see Rosmerta walking away, the basket of bread and a bottle of firewhiskey sitting in front of her. She smiled before grasping both and turning on the stool to fully face him. "You should talk more, I like your voice."

Adrian half smiled at the two odd objects in her hands, "Yeah, yeah. Go back to your dogs, Black."

Rose jumped off the stool, making him stand up to his full height. "I'll be sure to tell them you say hi," she finished with an infuriating wink.

Adrian's face fell back blank. "I wouldn't so much spare them a word from my mouth."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "They're not so bad, I'll have you know."

He kept his face the same as he turned away, leaning his elbows onto the bar. "Whatever you say."

Rose nudged his side with a sing-song voice, "Bye, Pucey!"

She pushed her way back through the annoying old wizards before spotting her friends, giggling as she went to cross over Theo and he pulled her into his lap.

His eyes groggily opened. "There she is."

Rose pushed his face away, shifting on his lap as she slid the bottle to Blaise across the table. "Guess who I saw, Blaise?"

"Who?" Blaise copied her excitement jokingly, not taking his arm off Luna as he twisted the top of the whiskey, which made the blonde girl laugh as her head was pushed into his chest.

"Adrian Pucey," Rose said, wrapping her arm around Theo's neck to prop him up as she reached into the basket of bread.

Draco and Whitman scoffed, Theo too happily staring at Rose as she shoved food into his mouth to realize any of her words. "I'm telling you guys," Blaise began, smiling devilishly down at Luna as she helped him take off the bottle cap, "He's a work of art."

"You know," Luna said, slumping against Blaise as he brought the bottle up to his lips. "He's one of the few people I've noticed doesn't have a Wrackspurts problem."

Draco sneered, "Must make him a gem."

Luna paid no mind to his sarcasm, "I believe so. It means much, you see. Must be much more to that lovely man..."

"Teddy, stop!" Rose laughed as he pursed his lips to prevent her from feeding him more.

Thirty minutes passed before Theo had somewhat sobered up, Rose on the other hand had only gone further down the rabbit hole with Blaise. She was talking animatedly to Whitman and Luna about Nyx biting her yesterday, with her hands holding the ones Theo had around her waist, until he suddenly pulled them away, making her look down with a scowl.

"Teddy," Rose began to warn, but got cut off as he shifted her sideways on his lap, making her eyes grow as he grasped her face.

"When's the last time you ate?"

She laughed, everyone's ears peeking up at the sensitive topic for them all. "You're drunk and worried about what I've eaten today?"

Theo gave her a stern look, soothing his thumb down her face. It made Rose grunt before shrugging his hands off, his gaze snapping onto Whitman's.

"Has she eaten today?"

Whitman had regret written all over his face, "Well no, I planned on getting her to before leaving this morning but you stormed out—"

Theo cut him off, "Stupid. You know she won't eat breakfast unless you make that weird croissant thing for her."

"I messed up. And you're the one who—"

"Okay? That doesn't make it any better."

"I'm not saying it does!"

Draco slammed his hand down on the table, making everyone jump slightly and look at him. He nodded at Rose while standing up, "I'm getting you soup and everyone's going to shut up."

Theo looked Whitman up and down as he pulled Rose closer. "It's a cursed day that Draco is doing better than you."

Whitman sighed heavily, glaring slightly at Theo. "You don't—"

"I can take care of myself!" Rose cut him off. "I am not a child!"

"We know," Whitman and Theo chorused together before shooting each other glares at their synchronicity, Luna sliding a hand over her mouth to muffle laughter.

Minutes later Rose's attention turned with the feeling of Draco's presence, seeing him sit down before sliding the soup to her with an annoyed and bored expression.

"Did you poison it, Malfoy?"

Draco scoffed at Rose's question, and she went to reach for the bottle of firewhiskey in the center of the table only to have him yank it away.

"Eat. Now." Draco demanded.

His stern voice made her want to argue with him, but she decided against it. Leaning down, Rose grabbed the spoon inside the bowl, taking a small amount into her mouth before smiling at the heavenly taste as everyone resumed talking.

Rose looked up, finding Draco already looking at her.

'Thank you ' she mouthed to him.

Draco nodded, crossing his arms as he leaned back into the seat, relaxing to know she was now eating.

*

When they arrived back at Hogwarts, Rose quickly departed from everyone, going in search to tell Hermione goodnight as usual. She found the girl heading onto the first moving staircase, Harry and Ron with her.

The staircase began to move, Rose jumping on it quickly.

"That was close," she laughed.

The three whipped their heads back, Harry speaking, "Where did you come from?"

Before Rose could respond, Ron spoke up, "What? Tired of your snakes already?"

Hermione whacked his arm. "Ronald!"

"It's fine, Mione. I understand Ron's intelligence level runs so low, he cannot help himself."

"She just missed us," Harry said, nudging his shoulder against her own.

"Exactly," Rose said, ruffling the Potter's boy hair.

Harry narrowed his gaze and adjusted his glasses. "You're slurring..." He grabbed her head. "Are you drunk?"

"Is the sun bright?"

He opened his mouth to retort, but the yelling above stopped him from doing so.

"Elizabeth is probably singing again." Rose shrugged, spotting the crowd of people on the staircase that led directly to Gryffindor tower.

"Why do you keep calling her Elizabeth? The Fat Lady is way more fitting," Ron chuckled.

"Seriously, Ron?" Rose looked at him disapprovingly as they stepped in the line of people attempting to go through the portrait. "She's quite nice."

Ron grumbled about it only being a portrait, but quickly stopped at the sound of everyone whispering 'Sirius Black' over and over.

Rose tensed, Harry taking note and looping their arms when suddenly Dumbledore began to push through all the students to get to the portrait. The two shared a glance before following after him. Harry had to do the heavy lifting, considering her drunken state.

Hermione let out a gasp at the slashes across the painting where Elizabeth once was.

Dumbledore looked back down the stairs where Filch now stood at the end line of students. "Round up the ghosts, Filch! Have them search for the Fat lady!"

"Elizabeth," she mumbled drunkenly, and Harry nodded with his lips pursed, running a hand down her arm comfortingly.

Filch yelled back with a finger pointing up , "No need, headmaster! She's right there!"

Dumbledore did a one-eighty, looking at the portrait above Gryffindor tower to find Elizabeth cowering behind a hippo in a sandy desert. "Who did this to you?!"

Elizabeth slowly lifted her head up from behind the hippo, her voice shaking, "Eyes like the devil he's got! A soul as dark as his name! Sirius Black, that is!"

Rose's heart sunk to her stomach, wishing to crawl out of her skin and be with her own people once again. Although she would never admit to such, hearing Sirius's name brought an awful ache to her.

"Oh gods," Regulus grumbled beside her. "I'm here, Rosie."

Sirius Black broke her heart before the world ever could—before his mother, or father, ever could.

"Secure the castle, Filch. The rest of you go to the Great Hall immediately!"

Everyone started to move quickly down the stairs, and Rose could feel Harry tugging on her arm, but she was stiff as a board.

Dumbledore came up behind them as the crowd disappeared, slipping his hand onto Rose's shoulder. "May I borrow Miss Black?"

Harry slowly unhooked his arm from Rose's with a hesitant nod, knowing he would be no use right now. Rose was like an unbreakable safe about things she didn't wish to share, no one ever being able to tell what was happening—the girl would be damned to tell anyone either.

Students from other houses began to rush past the Headmaster and the Black, Dumbledore switching his hand onto her back and forcing her down the stairs.

"Are you alright, Rose?"

She nodded, focusing on the steps and almost falling when they shifted.

Dumbledore wrapped his arm around her for balance, and pulled her in close.

"Too much firewhiskey?"

"Always."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Little trouble."

"So it seems," she muttered, no laugh in sight.

"You mustn't worry, I would let no harm come to you."

Now that, Rose could believe. "Thanks, Dumbles."

He cracked a grin at her using the familiar nickname. "Let me walk you to the Great Hall, I'm sure Mister Potter is impatiently waiting on us."

Rose nodded while looking forward as they stepped off the stairs and into the corridor, "He acts rather like a mother hen, doesn't he? Funny thing is I am the one having to mother over him, but I'll let him believe what he needs for sanity."

True, very true.

Dumbledore chuckled. "It does seem that way. I once had a friend like that too, you know? Always thought he was the stern fatherly one, but truthfully it was me always taking care of him and everyone around us."

As the two stepped into the Great Hall Rose finally asked what she wished to know, "What happened to your friend?"

He placed a hand back on her shoulder. "Not everyone can fight the darkness in them, Rose."

She put her hand over his with a nod of understanding. She knew better than to push someone.

"Thank you for walking with me."

Dumbledore smiled sadly, turning to leave the hall once again as Rose turned in the opposite direction—finding Harry standing mere inches from her face.

The Gryffindor grasped onto her arms. "Are you alright?"

Rose instantly peeled him off with a blank face. "Not right now."

"But—"

"No. I'm going to see the others. I'll find you tomorrow."

"Please," he begged.

"I—I can't."

Her mind was silenced as she headed towards the row of Slytherins throwing down their sleeping bags, spotting two brunette boys.

Ignoring the glares and whispers from the other houses, Rose stopped behind Theo and Whitman, tapping both on their shoulders as she stood tense.

Theo turned with an extremely bored face until he looked down to see Rose, immediately bringing her into a bone crushing hug. "Salazar Ro, we were about to come find you. We heard about your father getting in."

She pushed him away with a scowl. "He's not my fucking father, Nott."

Theo held up his hands. "Why are you mad at me?"

Whitman turned, not feeling when she had tapped him. "And why are you calling him by his last name?"

Rose scoffed. "I happen to like being a bitch, it's that simple."

Actually I want to scream because my father has intruded into the one place that was supposed to be safe from him, my head hurts from the alcohol now that I'm becoming sober, and I'm sick to my stomach thinking about him trying to break into the school, and all I want is for you two to take me far away from here.

Whitman grabbed her arm gently. "I don't like when you're a 'bitch', quite frankly. I don't believe I like that word either. It's a bit gauche. Offensive too."

Draco stood up straight after placing his sleeping bag down, appearing from nowhere. "I happen to like Rosie a lot more when she's a bitch to you all."

She raised her brows at him, getting a smirk in return that she had to shake her head at—breaking their eye contact.

"Want to share a sleeping bag with me?" Rose asked, looking up at Theo.

"I mean, I was going to ask but," Theo paused his hurt demeanor, switching it with a playful smile forming before he grabbed her chin. "It would be the highest of honors."

Rose rolled her eyes, shoving him away before leaning down to take off her boots when all the lights suddenly cut off in the great hall.

Whitman grunted as he dropped down beside Theo. "This floor is awful..."

"You're telling me," Draco spat with disgust as he laid down in a sleeping bag on the other side of Theo. "Feels like I'm laying on needles."

When she finished, Theo had already laid down on his elbows, watching her with a curious gaze as he ignored the boy's complaints—holding up the edge of the sleeping bag as Rose let him see how mentally tired she really was.

But the anxiety and days events seemed to wash away as she snuggled into him, warmth radiating off his body.

She wished for the ability to explain how true safety felt when you had found home in a person.

"This is a tight squeeze," Rose muttered with a tired laugh.

"I don't mind being squished into you," Theo said, making her smile genuinely and softly while flipping on her side to face him.

Draco spoke up with a scoff as if she offended him, "You should be in your own sleeping bag."

"Ignore him, he's jealous he has to be on his lonesome," Theo taunted, knowing damn well the truth. Draco and Rose might have fooled others, or even themselves, but not a single soul in their friend group believed in the hatred they held for one another. It was almost amusing at times, watching the two bicker while being so full of love for one another. Sometimes Theo would place bets with Whitman and Blaise about which of the two would crack and get drunk, going to the other and letting it be the 'one time' they could be how they wished to exist together.

If there was one thing Theo knew, as well as Blaise and Whitman, Draco was utterly in love with her.

"I would never want to be that close to Rosie. Horrific, if you ask me."

Rose turned around and faced him quickly, raising a challenging brow as she pushed into his mind with force. "You didn't seem to feel that way when you had a death grip on me in the hospital."

Draco gulped, his disgusted expression slipping right off his face, startled by the fact she brought up the one thing both had avoided. He quickly shut her out of his mind as she flashed him a fake smile before flipping back over to Theo.

"What was that about?"

She draped her arm over his waist, pulling him even closer if possible. "Nothing, you know how me and him are."

Theo nodded, the two beginning to spend the next thirty minutes whispering about random things.

Much later on, Rose leaned up, looking over him to see Whitman snoring loudly.

She laid back down with a quiet laugh. "I'll never get over how loud he snores."

Theo swallowed at the way her mouth twitched and eyes crinkled every time she genuinely laughed, her gaze darting between his own—making him unable to remember what she had just said.

"Everything about you is so beautiful," he blurted out.

She was taken back by the abrupt comment, but then again it wasn't too unusual from him.

"Thank you, but you know I'd be a lot happier if they let us change before they forced us down here."

He moved his relaxed arm that was draped over her waist, bringing his hand slowly down her thigh where the dress sat, the material rising up to where it barely covered her back side.

She sucked in a sharp breath of air, making eye contact with him full of intent.

"I would think this would be comfortable, baby," Theo whispered, a chill running down her body as he stared right back into her eyes and began to move his hand under the fabric—resting his palm on her hip.

You don't know what you're doing to me, Rose thought.

As he started to rub deep circles into her hip, Rose slid her hand onto his cheek with her own warming in color.

She attempted to think of anything else to keep her from grabbing his face and kissing him, but it was impossible. There was only Theo, and he was looking at her as if she had crafted the universe with her bare hands.

His hand slid up further, fingers rubbing lightly over the skin on her waist as it came to rest there. And then Rose slid her palm from his cheek to his hair, pushing through the thick curls ever so slightly.

He spoke quieter than before, "Are you actually thinking about just having sex with some random Slytherin boy?"

You, she wants to say. You're not random.

But she settled for not speaking her mind, blurting out a sentence like a robot, "Virginity is a social construct made to control women, it shouldn't be made to be such an important matter if done with someone you trust."

She really needs to stop sputtering out words.

She sounded like a fool.

Her face grew hot in embarrassment.

Theo's gaze turned from soft to intense, making her stop moving her fingers through his hair. "Someone putting their hands on you is an important matter. I cannot think of a single human who deserves to touch you."

Her eyebrow raised, whispering back, "Then who does?"

He kept his stare intense as he put his face even closer to her own. "No one, not a damn soul. Not even me."

She felt her throat tightening, Theo slowly moving his hand from tracing her waist to the waistband of her underwear, beginning to run his fingers across the top of it.

"This is sacred." He barely let his finger trace over the lace. "It should be worshiped."

Rose breathed heavily with the knowledge it was impossible for her face to get more red, pulling his head closer to her own until they jerked apart to the sound of throat clearing.

She swallowed thickly, lifting her head to glance at Draco. "Yes, Malfoy?"

"Do you have your cigarettes with you?"

Her eyes rolled. "Obviously."

"Don't be a bitch, Black. Come on. Let's go smoke."

She was ready to retort until realizing she hadn't smoked since the ride back from Hogsmeade, and after the intensity of everything with Theo, a cigarette would be nice.

It wasn't as if she could act on what was happening with Theo anyway.

Such acts were banned between them.

"Fine, but if my sperm-donor murders us both, don't blame me."

Rose huffed as she slipped out of the bag, starting to put her shoes on when Theo spoke, "No way are you both going to leave when her father is in the building."

Draco stood up with a scoff. "Didn't you hear, Theo? It's not her father, it's her sperm-donor."

She had to hide the smile yearning to spread on her face from his cheeky reply as she leant down and grabbed the velvet pouch. "We'll be fine, Teddy. I'm a way better witch than Sirius Black."

Draco shoved her shoulder. "And what about me?"

Rose swatted Draco's hand, taking hold of his arm and pulling him towards the doors of the Great Hall with a comforting smile over her shoulder to Theo—wanting the Nott boy to know she regretted nothing.

Draco grumbled to himself about being dragged through the space, but then Rose quickly turned to him as they reached the doors and placed a finger on his lips that made him go wide-eyed before she faced the door again and opened it as quietly as possible.

He was still frozen when she opened the door and slipped out, making her have to grab his arm and yank him along once more.

Only a few people saw them sneaking out together, and they were most definitely confused, except one who only had a knowing smile on his face.

Hermione.

Harry.

And Dumbledore.

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A/N: hello loves <3 short authors note because i am in a rush, but i love u guys <3 im so happy we r back but UGH i feel like im just ready to get to the good stuff again <3

xx bri