(TW: brief mention of homophobia, maybe some errors because I'm half-asleep right now??)

third person pov

"He...pushed her down the stairs?" Theo slowly asks, standing in a circle with Blaise and Whitman near a corridor wall. "He pushed her down the stairs?"

"For the fourth fucking time, yes." Whitman spat, head turning in different directions amongst the crowd, attempting to find Mattheo. "They got in a fight on our dormitory stairs. She disappeared right after."

"Rose would like me to remind you both it was an accident, they fought and he pushed her away." Blaise cut in while adjusting his coat, "But—I think we should all beat his face in regardless. None of the professors are in this corridor anyways."

"That's not a fucking accident." Theo gritted his teeth together but then he spotted Mattheo with a few Slytherin boys, laughing as if nothing had happened.

And Theo saw red.

Dropping his bag to the floor, instantly pushing through bodies of students until reaching Mattheo. He grabbed onto boy's shoulder, roughly turning Mattheo toward himself. "I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Theo spat in the Riddle's face.

Mattheo tried backing up but Theo kept following him, "It was an accident! Get the fuck away from me, Nott!"

"She was your girlfriend, you worthless piece of shit!" Theo yelled, taking a fistful of Mattheo's shirt, reverently pressing him. "That's how you treat her after everything?!"

Mattheo sneered, letting the boy stay in his face. "Yeah? Like you treated her any better?"

Theo froze for a moment, head tilting as he releases Mattheo forcefully. If there was anything to not be said right then, that would be it.

Mattheo straightened himself out, seeming to think it was over until Theo looks as if he's about to raise his fist. Mattheo goes to step back in avoidance but Whitman is suddenly grabbing his shoulders, yanking his arms behind his back.

"You can be defenseless—just like she was." Whitman whispered in his ear, and at the very same moment Theo's fist goes straight into Riddle's gut. Sending Mattheo lurching forward, fighting in Whitman's grip that would never break.

And then it's a blur of Theo's fist slamming into Mattheo's face. Once, twice, three times—over and over until a crack rings out. Except Theo doesn't stop, he's relentless.

Hitting, and hitting Mattheo as if possessed by something twisted.

By the time Blaise pulls Theo back Mattheo's face is unrecognizable, covered in gushing blood.

"That's enough." Blaise commands calmly, holding onto Theo until the boy stops moving. "Let him lay on the floor like he deserves."

Theo shot Whitman a curt nod, and all at once Whitman let go of Mattheo, who toppled onto the ground. Blaise pushed away an upcoming student as Theo and Whitman knelt by Mattheo's head.

Whitman hovered over his face. Beginning to speak darkly, "You stay the fuck away from her,"

"She's ours—not yours or anyone else's, you got that?!" Theo spat harshly, yanking Mattheo off the ground slightly by his collar. "You ever come near her again and I'll cut your fucking spine out and strangle you with it!"

"And then I'll help him bury you six-feet under, mangle you so badly you'll be unidentifiable." Whitman confirmed lowly, shoving his hand into Mattheo's chest and slamming the boy's head back into the stone floor. Theo shared a look with Whitman before they both stood up, getting quickly swooped away by Blaise.

Blaise took a deep breath after enough distance was created, "We need to go wake Draco up—right now. Better he finds out from us."

Theo glanced at his busted knuckles, swiping the blood across his own shirt. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

"Hogsmeade, and she's perfectly fine. Just a little distraught." Whitman replies in unwavering state of anger, "We'll go wake up Draco and you two can go find her, I'll wait with Blaise to smooth talk Snape."

"I'm going to kill him." Theo assures halfway down the corridor, fighting every urge in his body to turn around. "And you're all helping me."

*

After looking through shop after shop in Hogsmeade, Theo and Draco finally spotted Rose behind a baby shop window. Forcing both to a sudden halt, sharing an equal look of confusion before turning to enter the space. A soft bell dinged as they walked through an arrangement of small onesies and shoes. Reaching the left side of the shop to find Rose crouched by a wooden crib, her long trench coat dusted on the edges from the floor. Boots causing a slight wobble as she angrily reached under the crib, seeming to attempt pulling something out.

"Stupid fucking PI." Rose grumbles under her breath as the boys scrunch their eyebrows in confusion, "Putting fucking information under a crib. I swear to Merlin—"

"Rosie...?" Draco asks slowly, silencing her words.

Her head doesn't turn toward them as she slides her hand back and forth under the crib more aggressively. "Stupid Burke, told him to hide the information in a shop and what does he pick? A fucking baby shop." Rose spat loud enough for them to hear.

Theo began firmly, "Mattheo's going to die, you have to be okay with that."

Draco joined in, "I was napping but I fully plan on going into that hospital wing and strangling—"

"I don't want to talk about that little cunt, it was an accident." Rose interrupts, "I have bigger things to worry about than some boy. I went to Poppy and she healed me. I'm assuming you beat his face in and I know there's no way he got a hit back on you....so let's not ever speak of such again."

"Hm..." Theo hums, thinking of a way to take her mind off the fact she's digging in a crib. "Wanting a baby, Ro?"

"Don't you?" She quizzes bluntly, pausing as her fingers grasp the object. With much force, she yanks the thick manila folder out and holds it in the air victoriously. Draco goes to offer a helping hand, only to get swatted away as she stands up.

"I don't know..." Theo answers finally, leaning against the wooden clothing case. His eyes trailing around the shop to avoid looking at her, "I mean—I always joked about wanting one in the future but no, I'd be an awful dad." He finished off quietly.

"Yeah," Draco sighs as he leans on the clothing case as well, "Not like we know anything about fathers."

Rose frowns, frowns so deeply it hurts. "Neither of you would be bad. Not at all."

"But what if—" Theo clenches his jaw, looking down at his own fingers. "What if I beat it or worse..."

"You're not going to do that." Rose murmurs, her throat bobbing with understanding while stepping between them.

"Could." Draco replies, finding honesty in the empty shop. "My father used to get hit by his dad, swore to never be like him. Theo's did too."

Theo huffs out a dry laugh, head shaking. "Exactly."

Something in her aches. It twists, turns, and pulls. Hating the idea that either of them could compare themselves to their fathers. Despite her months of trying to ice them out, she places the folder down. Then, Rose wraps an arm around Draco's neck to pull him into her chest, and pushes her fingers through Theo's hair. They both flinch away, fighting to now shut her out after entering a dark headspace.

"No," Theo mutters harshly, "I—don't need,"

But as always, they give in and let her pull them out of that dark place.

Rose pressed her lips atop Theo's hair, speaking more truthfully than ever, "You'll both be great dad's."

Just not with me.

She slightly pulls back after, running her hand down their spines before picking back up the folder. Blinking away her glassy eyes.

"Gods," Theo cleared his throat, still looking at the table as he presses himself up. "We're all awful together..."

"A bloody band of saps" Draco scoffs, straightening his coat.

Theo nods curtly, "Got that right."

Rose cocks an eyebrow at their awkwardness to being emotional about the certain subject, tucking the folder into her arm. "Ready to be informed on the truth?"

This draws both boys full attention, equally thankful to have a distraction.

"Follow" She commands carelessly, stepping around Theo and walking out of the store with the two trailing behind.

"So, what is the truth exactly?" Theo questions as he holds the door open and she steps out onto the cobblestone street. "And why would Burke ever hide your information under a crib? There's a million other shops."

"He's just an incompetent prick." says Rose, tensely buttoning her coat up. She didn't plan on telling them the real reason. Her and Burke, the Black family PI, were in a full on petty war since she cut his paycheck for actually selling her secret to Theodore Nott Sr. Given, Rose did tell Burke to sell it if he wishes but she was also drunk and grieving at that time. So of course, out of pure spite, Burke hid her information under a baby crib as a form of taunting.

Once she started walking down the street with one of them on either side, Rose opened up the folder. "Barty Crouch Jr." She hands a picture of the Azkaban inmate to Draco, "No one knows this because they haven't been checking but he escaped back in June. Five days after Peter Pettigrew escaped Hogwarts." Right after the words, Rose hands Theo piece of parchment scribbled full of Crouch's quirks. "Do either of you notice how much Moody flicks his tongue across his lips? The flask he's always drinking out of?"

"Yeah..." Theo replies distantly, eyes scanning the page. "This guy....he feels familiar." He suddenly found a quirk that stuck out, "Here, it says Crouch also did that thing with his tongue. It's a nervous tick."

"Mother told us about Crouch during Yule two years ago." Draco adds on, handing the photo back to Rose. "He was also an infamous Deatheater, helped my aunt torture the Longbottom's into insanity."

"Theo, look at this." Rose shoved the picture over to him, trying to focus on all the pages of proof that Moody was in fact Barty Crouch Jr. under polyjuice potion. It took a few minutes of her scanning each sheet before getting confirmation. "I knew it. He feels familiar because we've been looking at him everyday for almost an entire year."

Theo's head lifted toward Rose, "Are you saying—"

"Professor Moody is Barty Crouch Jr. and this packet here proves it." She snapped the folder shut, "I've known for months but I needed paper proof."

Theo halts, and then Draco halts. Making Rose have to stop walking. "Why are you both stopping?" She asked bluntly.

Draco began with wide eyes, "How..."

"You've known for months?" Theo finished.

She takes a long inhale of the spring air, trying to be patient considering this had to be shocking news to someone just finding out. "I knew something was up when my name came out of that Goblet. Only a strong witch or dark magic could hoodwink such, that narrowed it down to the professors from our school and headmasters from visiting ones." She pulls on their arms to bring them closer, "But here's the thing, Madam Maxine is way too much a Saint and Karkroff turned in way too many Deatheaters to ever be accepted by Voldemort again, don't ask how I know about his trial, I just do."

Theo carefully opens the folder in her hands enough to slide the documents he read back inside, "But how did you connect the dots to Moody? He's the least red flag of them all, dark-wizard catcher ring any bells?"

"Theo, think." Rose demands in a much gentler voice, "All I had to do was see if anyone had escaped from Azkaban, I wasn't even suspicious of Moody at the time. I paid a guard to check every cell and only one prisoner was missing, Barty Crouch Jr. At first I thought maybe Barty was an animagus running around the school but then I got a personal profile on the man. The tongue thing that Moody did always bothered me so when I saw that as detectable trait of Barty—I knew."

Draco noticed eyes of passerby's turning onto them, "Let's walk." He mutters. Not opening his mouth again until all three of them fell into a slow pace, "So why did you need that folder then?"

"Solid proof." Rose hums, "It took Burke forever to find every detail possible that solidifies Moody is indeed Barty, had to put a recording in his floo which he's apparently been using to communicate with Pettigrew. I couldn't use what I'd found before because it's illegal to pay off an Azkaban guard for your own bidding, incase you've forgotten. Also Crouch Sr. gets killed on Hogwarts grounds? It was simple to figure out, really. Voldemort needs someone smarter in his corner to cover up tracks like these."

"Right....simple." says Draco, even he was dumbfounded. "Wait—" His head shook, "Voldemort's not back yet."

"Forget Voldemort." Theo scoffs, "The question is, what do you want to do about Crouch? We'll help you with anything."

"Nothing, I'll go through this tournament and see what Voldemort wants. Obviously the tournament is safe-guarded so we don't have to worry about me actually seeing him during it." She handed the file to Theo, mindlessly looping her arms through both of the boy's own. "We only have the upper hand as long as no one else knows what we do. After I figure out what Voldemort wants, we have to take Whit and Blaise and get far away. I'm not letting any of us become fucking Deatheaters...no. Never. It's now an undeniable fact that Voldemort is back, and we are not joining him."

"So we just let a murderous wizard run through school?" Draco states plainly, not bothered by the idea but not particularly fond of such either. "And then run away?"

"Yes." says Rose, her chin lifting as her nails tighten around their arms. "Isn't this what you've both always wanted from me? To stop saving everyone else? Voldemort will be back, therefore I'm doing what you want. Leaving with just the people we need around."

Theo blows out a long strand of air before tugging his arm free to wrap it around her shoulders, "Dammit—" His face twists into a look of pride, "You are scarily smart, you know that?"

Draco's lips twitch, "Eat your soul type of smart, Hm?"

"That's what I always say." Theo murmurs confusedly, tugging her head into his chest. "Beautiful little demon..."

It would seem that once again, Theo and Rose had forgotten how they were supposed to be acting to one another.

Rose rolls her eyes, hating herself for the flush that creeps up her throat. "Both of you fuck off and think about the fact it's a Leo moon tonight, we best do some rituals. Theo, you'll need a energy cleansing after touching Mattheo..."

"I'm well aware of it being a Leo moon" Draco grumbles, "You've been writing moon cycles in my journal for weeks now....Snape made fun of me for thirty minutes yesterday."

*

Halfway through Transfiguration the next day, Rose realized something was wrong. Blaise never cared too much for school, and frankly she didn't either—she only believed in scoring higher than everyone else. But the one class Blaise loved, the one class he never missed, was Mcgonagall's.

Between class change Fred had came up to steal Blaise, pulling him to the side of a bustling corridor for a long talk.

"Why are you ignoring me?" Fred asked anxiously.

Blaise simply raised a brow, leaning his shoulder against the wall. "Ignoring you?"

Fred's face had flashed with anger, ready to punch Blaise but only got a demeaning look in return. Something Blaise did a lot, always mocking the two inches of height he held over Fred. 

"You want to know what my problem is?" Blaise pressed, sounding as if he didn't care in the slightest bit. "You've kissed me twice, once in the library last year and once two months ago. You come to my dorm, lay in bed with me, come around my friends—"

Fred looked around to make sure no one was listening, "Blaise—"

"I'm talking and when I talk, you listen." Blaise interjected, "You get jealous if I simply have a conversation with someone but I had to watch you take Johnson to that ball? I don't know what you want from me and frankly, I'm over it. Bored, even."

"It's not that simple, Blaise." Fred snapped back, "If my mother found out....I'd be fucking disowned!"

"Your mother?" Blaise laughed cruelly, "Listen, I don't know what's going on between us. Are we friends? Are we more? Mind games are usually more fun than this bullshit."

Fred tilted his head, jaw clenched together. "Are you seriously asking me that question?"

Blaise said nothing, simply scoffing off to the side.

"And you know what?" Fred grew angrier, "I had to watch you with fucking Luna all night and—"

All of Blaise's patience snapped, uncaring about being in the corridor as he grabbed Fred's shoulder and slammed him against the wall harshly. "I loved Luna! I could've been happy with her if you hadn't—"

"But you weren't in love with her." Fred interrupted breathless, "You were in love with me."

Blaise took a deep breath, and Fred thought this was it. This would be the moment Blaise actually punched the ever living shit out of him.

Instead though, Blaise released his shoulder and pushed himself away. "You know, this whole closeted thing was hot and secretive at first but now..." His finger points between them, "It's going to make me lose my mind!"

"Oi! Weasley!" A Gryffindor boy called, walking with a whole group that looked like himself. "You letting Zabini turn you into a fag?! Heard it's contagious!"

"Blaise," Fred shook his head adamantly, "Don't."

Blaise slowly rolled his tongue against his cheek before turning around, facing the group of laughing boys in red. "What did you just say?"

"You didn't hear me?" The Gryffindor, that Blaise now registered as Sara Davies older brother, called. Stepping closer, "I asked Weasley if he's letting you turn him into a—"

"Oh no, I heard you." Blaise nodded along, yanking Davies in by the Gryffindor tie and slamming his fist into the boy's nose so harshly it cracked on impact.

Blaise shoved the boy to the ground after, and each of his friends took an angry step forward. "I'd think twice before you come any closer." Blaise had warned.

All of them stopped moving, holding their breath when Blaise looked down at his bloodied knuckles and knelt by Davies who was groaning in pain.

"Take your dirty blood back," Blaise spat, wiping his hand off on the boy's button down. Then, he yanked Davies head a few inches off the ground. "And go back to muggle world where you belong or I'll send you there in a body bag." As soon as he finished speaking, Blaise forcefully dropped Davies skull back to the floor with a bang.

"Fucking mudbloods," Blaise grumbled while standing up.

Fred latched on his shoulder as the others began crouching by their friend, "Blaise—"

"Don't fucking touch me." Blaise roughly shoved Fred off, lifting his chin and disappearing in the crowd of students.

That was the real reason Blaise was missing from Transfiguration. After thirty minutes Rose had given in, going up to Mcgonagall's desk and begging to get any information. The professor pulled out a piece of parchment, beginning to write as she explained Blaise got into a fight and wouldn't be coming to class today. Rose prepared to plead her case of needing to go find him but then Mcgongall slipped the parchment across the desk.

Go get him some ice.
He should be in one of the corridors.
Don't tell any professor's where you're going.

Rose had smiled gratefully before rushing to grab her bag, stopping by the table she had awkwardly been forced to share with Theo—all part of Mcgongall's plan to get the two into a place of admittance—telling him where she was off to.

When Rose found Blaise, he sat on a bench that faced one of the stained glass windows. Leaned forward with arms draped over his legs, appearing more tired than ever.

He didn't look up after she sat beside him. Only began to ramble, "You know what's so crazy about all the mudbloods believing purebloods are the worst for wanting to oppress them during the first war?"

Rose didn't correct him this time, "What?" She asked softly.

"They're the ones who bring oppressive ideals into our world. Sexism, racism, homophobia—the list goes on." He huffs, "Bet Molly Weasley wouldn't be so stiff if she didn't spend all her time with mudbloods alike. Our world was never tainted with such filth until muggleborns started popping in, infiltrating their ideals into our society. Now those people hold places in the ministry and who knows wherever else. I think I have a right to hate the whole lot of them."

"Blaise—"

"I know, I know. You don't agree with me." Blaise finally lifts his head up, looking over at the bag of ice in her hands. "But you wouldn't ever understand either."

Her lips twist up, "I was just going to say I love you. I wouldn't pretend to understand."

"Oh..." He mumbles, all of his light drained. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Rose winks, taking his bruised hand into her own and placing the bag atop his knuckles. "You want me to send the boys after whoever it was for a round two?"

"No," says Blaise. Sighing as he leans back, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Though, they'll probably do it anyways when they found out what was said. They're good like that."

"That's because you're their favorite boy" She confirms teasingly, "I'm the favorite girl, of course."

Blaise laughs breathily, "I know...real hard for us to pick with all the girls we're friends with. You should feel special, yeah?"

She giggles, and for moment it draws another laugh from him. Then Rose is looking back down at his hand, a soft sigh escaping her lungs.

"You want to smoke?" Rose asks, "You can tell me all about what happened once there's some plant in those lungs..."

"Yeah."

"Okay!" She piped excitedly, turning the bag on his knuckles as the ice begins melting. "We'll leave this on for a few minutes and then I'll numb you up with a good little spell"

Blaise manages a nod.

It isn't until she tosses the bag down and starts running his fingers over skin, muttering a incoherent spell that he speaks up.

"Hey," Blaise calls quietly, waiting until her eyes move onto him. "I love you too, by the way."

She shakes her head, smiling from ear to ear. "I know."

*

When Rose and Blaise entered the Potions classroom their eyes were as red as the blood inside veins. Both speaking in hushed voices as they dropped down at a round table with the boys, Rose sliding into a seat next to Whitman and yanking Blaise beside herself.

"What's wrong with them?" Draco whispers to Theo. Horrified in worry as Blaise and Rose leaned toward each other on the table, whispering with quiet laughs. Appearing to be intoxicated.

"Miss Black!" Snape appeared from thin air behind her seat, making everyone sat around the table together flinch. "Do you have those papers for me?"

Rose slowly looked over at him with a lazy smile. Taking him and the group by surprise as she fished around inside her bag until finally pulling out a stack of parchment five inches thick.

"Don't doubt me Professor" says Rose, handing off the parchment across the table.

Draco gawked at the amount of papers she graded, "Professor....you can't seriously be giving her that much to do when she's volunteering."

"That's...." Theo trails off in disbelief, "That's simply unjust."

Dramatic as ever, Snape rolls his eyes while grabbing the pile. "I am giving Miss Black materials and a space for her own—what do you call them?"

Rose winks at the professor, "Experiments, sir. Plus I've had a good bit of time to finish grading those papers, hasn't been a struggle at all."

Snape nods proudly, his eyes moving back to the boys. "For her 'experiments' and I'm also writing a letter of recommendation for the ministry to keep the alchemy center in Wiltshire open in exchange for her help...unlike you fools she is capable of such a task."

Rose gasps, placing a hand over her heart. "Did you just compliment me? Am I growing on you?"

Theo huffed out a laugh, getting smacked on the head with the parchment by Snape.

"Is there a reason you and Mister Zabini's eyes are redder than Gryffindor tower?" Snape quizzes in his usual monotone voice.

Blaise snorted, and grabbed Rose's chin to inspect her eyes. "Seems we both have a bad reaction to the fumes in the room, sir."

Rose pretended to be losing air while looking at Blaise, "Professor! It's—it's suffocating us!"

Snape shot her a quick sneer before walking away, immune to the girl's dramatics at this point. Draco waited until the professor was out of earshot to speak, "Rosie, you have to take a break from helping him. He's working you to death."

She shrugs, pulling Blaise's hand atop the table and beginning to pop his fingers. "He let's me do highly illegal experiments in his classroom that involve dark magic and he's going to help me with the alchemy center that I cherish, you heard all of that. It's worth the extra work."

"No it's not," Whitman cut in, "You have no free time anymore and you don't sit still unless your going to bed. You could be taking Theo off my hands, I've had to set all my women free again because he doesn't leave my bloody side."

Theo scoffs, "Fuck off, I'm trying to prevent you from getting an STD. Don't act like I'm some handful, I sleep and go to class, when I'm not doing that—I'm hiding away in the dorm."

"I actually don't hate the man either, he's the best potioneer I've ever met. It's nice to have a opinion on my work." Rose speaks as if she doesn't hear them, "No offense guys but you aren't exactly professional enough to give me actual criticism on my experiments..."

Blaise choked on a laugh, "Definitely not offensive."

Theo tossed a quill at Rose to get her attention. Regardless of everything going on, "I brought you and Blaise some food from lunch, I'll give it to you when we leave."

"Thank you." Rose tenses up, avoiding his eyes. "Where's Mattheo at?"

"In the hospital wing" Theo replies instantly, "And he better stay there if he knows what's good for him."

Snape yelled over all the noise of the room, "Silence! Today you will be making a invisibility potion...the first one to be done and I mean done perfectly, will get fifty house points and extra credit. You may begin."

Rose jumped up, almost knocking her chair over as she ran to the cupboard. Resuming the usual tactic of elbowing her way through the crowd of people until reaching the shelves and pressing up on the tips of her toes.

Theo stood behind her with amused face as others stayed back, waiting for Rose to be done. After years of being in classes with her, everyone knew she would gladly send a hex their way if she didn't get to the ingredients easily.

Her breathe hitched when Theo stepped closer, breathing down her neck as he grabs the goblin tongue she was reaching for. He held it in front of Rose while whispering in her ear, "As entertaining as it was watching you jump up and down, I figured I should help."

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breathe at the chills that shoot down her spine. Only opening them when he steps back. Rose turns around with arms cradling everything she needed, he smirks at her red face and walks around to grab his materials. Rose mentally scolded herself, knowing this isn't what she should be doing. Thankfully though, the weed in her system made her not have to truly deal with reality.

She quickly walked back to seat, and started the potion. Zoning out from the world around her as always. Draco found it impossible to focus on his own potion, as he would usually be closely behind her in the making process, but right now all he could focus on was her dazed smile while she hummed to herself—not looking up once.

Snape came up next to Draco, leaning down to speak quietly, "If you are incapable of keeping your eyes off Miss Black then maybe you should move seats."

Draco almost fell over from flinching so hard, eyes blowing wide as Snape walked away with a smirk. The professor knew how Draco felt about her, having had listened to way too many rants from Malfoy since first year.

Hours later, after a full day of classes, Rose went to the dorm to take Jade on a walk around the Black lake. Internally pleased when Theo, Whitman, and Blaise all came with. She didn't have long though, running off to go meet with Snape as the others took to napping.

Rose swung open the potions door, finding Draco standing with his sleeves pushed up. Hands gripping onto the table tightly, tie partly undone, and a focused look on his face as he studied the parchment before him. She didn't speak for what felt like forever, just letting herself take in the image of him.

Snape clears his throat from behind Rose, making her jump, "Frozen, Miss Black?"

She turns around to be met with a smirk on the professor's face, "Well, I—"

Snape lips curled up as she entered a state of being at a loss for words, "Rare sight to see you mute..."

Draco glances over to the two, "Took you long enough Rosie" He huffed out.

Rose shot Snape a glare, "Don't you dare!" She whispered harshly, knowing he would taunt her about Draco.

After, she turns on her heel, making her way over to Draco. "I had to take Jade on a walk and then got stopped by Dumbledore about Mattheo."

Draco sharply looks up at her, "About getting him kicked out of school, I hope."

Rose rolls her eyes, completely forgetting about Snape's presence as she spoke loudly, "It's not my business."

Draco raises his eyebrows, leaning towards her and gripping the desk tighter. "Not your business? Should I make it mine then, get him expelled?"

Snape carries another stack of papers over, dropping the pile onto the table. Not giving Rose time to reply to Draco, "I'd sit if I were you, it's going to take a long time to do this."

Rose came to realization Draco's doing her job, "Why are you here, Draco?"

The blonde focuses back on the stack he was reading through with a scoff, "I'm done letting you handle this mess alone."

Snape glances between the two with his arms crossed, "I've made it very clear to Draco that he will receive nothing for his help but he was annoyingly persistent."

Rose shook her head, trying to grab the papers away from Draco. "Absolutely not, I can't cut into your free time!"

Draco put his hand down on the stack and spoke sternly, "You will not win this one, Rosie. Accept my help or I'll do it completely on my own."

She refused to let him take on the responsibility, "You will not do this! Go to your dorm!"

Draco leaned towards her, keeping his stern tone while trying to not laugh at her words, "I'd like to see you make me."

She titled her head up at him, "It would be too easy!"

He cocks an eyebrow, "Really? Have a go then."

Rose steps impossibly closer, "Sure you want to do that, Draco? We know I always win when it comes to you."

Draco scoffs once more, "Please—I've never heard a bigger lie in my life"

Snape slammed a hand on the table, "Enough! Stop arguing like an old married couple. You are both doing it now." He raises a stern glare as the two begin to have a stare off. One that doesn't end until Rose takes a steps back. "Thank you." Snape huffs, "I'll be back in a few hours. I have to prep Dumbledore for a meeting with the minister."

Rose stared at a standing Draco, unable to take her eyes off his hand that held the desk tightly. "Yes sir."

She didn't realize Snape left or that Draco had begun to call her name as her eyes traveled up to the platinum fringe hair hanging in his face.

Draco turned his head towards her, a smirk forming on his lips as he realized what she was doing. "Are you...checking me out, Rosie?"

She blinked a few times before grabbing onto the desk, and sitting on the top. "Absolutely not" Rose scoffed.

His smirk changes into a smile as he looks back down, "Do you know who Adriana Lancaster is?"

Rose leans towards the paper to get a good look, "Yeah, I've been tutoring her some. Snape gives me extra hours when I do."

Draco looks up, completely dumbfounded. "When do you have time for all of this? Not to mention she's a year above us?"

Rose titled her head to the side and patted his cheek, "Oh Draco, you forget my talents. I'll do anything to get what I want."

With a shake of his head, he found himself fighting a smile. "Ridiculous, you're going to fall over if you put much more on your shoulders"

She shrugged and started popping her fingers, "What's wrong with her paper?"

He lifted a hand off the desk to point at the center of the page, "She spelled Amortentia wrong"

An unexpected laugh escaped Rose, leaning back over to look again.  "Oh no...she really did"

Draco laughed lightly with her, "I think she's a lost cause, Rosie"

Rose pushes his shoulder back, "Hey! She's a work in progress! My work in progress!"

Draco grimaced at the paper before writing a big 'X' on it. Rose didn't notice or scold him as her mind wandered again. His ring clad hand would slowly trace down each page before gripping back onto the edge of the desk. He would get frustrated and push his hair back. Every few pages he loosened his tie more.

And when Draco looked up at her again, she was already staring back. He smirks, going to place a hand on her knee. "Is there something appealing about my frustrated state?"

Chills ghosted her skin as she gulped to try getting rid of her dry throat, "No." She replied hoarsely.

Draco pushed off the desk, leaving his palm on her knee as he moved to stand in front of her. "Are you sure?"

Rose lifted her chin as his other hand went on her knee, hating the way he was taunting her. "Completely."

Draco tutted and let his finger graze up her thighs, "Your body says different...such a shame how it's always betraying you, Hm?"

Rose cursed herself for the goosebumps that were giving her away. She carefully grabs his chin, "Let's make one thing clear, if I wanted you in this classroom, you'd know."

He glanced down at Rose's lips before looking into her eyes, knowing not to hold them for too long or he'd get lost. "Would it be, Rosie? You're very good at hiding things" He moved his face closer, "Not to mention you apparently hid you were in love with me excellently"

A smile graced her lips as she slid her hand into his hair, content when his eyes closed at the feeling. "Let us not forget you admitted the same Draco" She pauses until his eyes open, "Ah..if I remember correctly you said 'I always wanted it to be you too' "

Draco started breathing heavy as he moved his hands higher up her legs. Still keeping his taunting tone of voice, "Who said that's something to be ashamed of?"

She paused, "I'm not used to hearing it yet."

He leaned his forehead against her own, "I'll have to change that."

Rose matched his heavy breathing from the way he touched her, and their proximity mixed with the idea he loved her somehow. "Draco—"

He brought a shaky hand off her thigh and interlocked their fingers. Moving his forehead slightly but not picking it up, "I know you're scared about the future and you don't want to admit it, but whatever happens with Voldemort...we'll just leave everything behind. You're all I need."

"I am scared." She murmurs, holding onto his hand tighter. "But I feel like I'm not allowed to be. I was trained not to fear anything, you know?"

Draco's lips formed a bittersweet smile, knowing everything would be okay if they had each other. "Where do you want to go?" He asked, refusing to admit there was a high chance they'd never be able to escape.

"A cottage. Small and near the water." She felt silly for thinking such, but if they really did have to escape a war—Rose didn't need much.

"Okay." Draco answered quietly, "Wherever you want, we'll go."

She bit her lip in concentration, trying to rack her mind. He lifted his forehead slightly but didn't move away.

Draco's hand that still remained on her thigh shot up, using his thumb to gently pull her bottom lip out. "Don't do that" He spoke as if someone was hurting him.

Rose brushed her lips over his, "You don't get to tell me what to do."

Draco groaned as she backed away, his hand gliding down onto her throat and tugging their lips back together.

Just as he went to kiss her the door began to creek open, forcing them both apart at once.

Snape peeked his head in, "Dobby is going to bring you both dinner in about an a hour since you have a lot of work to do, okay?"

Rose pinched her brows together, "Will you eat with us?"

"No." Snape deadpanned. Refusing the idea until Rose gave him a pleading look. "Fine, you incessant child!" He spat, slamming the door as he hurried away.

Draco smirked in amusement toward the door, "What do you even talk about with Snape?"

"Well he knows all about you..." Rose teases, using her free hand to tilt his chin toward herself. "All about your dangerous task of loving me..."

Her heart kicked a beat as Draco smiled gently, the sharp edges of his face relaxing. Then, he presses his lips to her forehead with a mumble, "Ruin me if you must, Rosie."

Rose's eyes fluttered as he pulled away but didn't let of her hand. Draco glanced over before sliding the stack of parchment closer to them. Keeping his waist against her knees while focusing on the words written. Every so often she would squeeze his hand, sighing along as he mumbled under his breath while reading.

Rose knew why Draco stayed in his position, he wanted to be close to her. Words wouldn't be enough to explain how much she needed the same.

After a while their bantered returned, both recovering from the tense moment as they arrogantly talked about the stupidity of some of the students.

Right before dinner Blaise stood at the door to the classroom, looking in through the glass. He planned on coming over, forcing them to help wake up Theo and Whitman but halted in his tracks at the sight. Draco was in the same spot from earlier, standing against Rose's knees with one hand tightly interlocked into her own, the other flipping a page. Blaise watched as the Draco looked up at Rose with a wide smile he hadn't seen for a long time, resulting in Rose throwing her head back at whatever he was talking about. Blaise felt like he was intruding on something that shouldn't be bothered.

So instead of breaking their bubble of peace, his lips twisted up and he walked away.

_________________________________

A/N: GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS ITS ALMOST SUMMMERRRR IN THR BOOKK IM SCREAMING

—imagine being rizzed up by your own writing (real)

—i can't be the only one who thinks some of the muggleborns would be so homophobic...like realistically it was the nineties and they were experiencing the muggle world??

—anyways the Blaise & Fred scene was important and you'll see why soon
^i just realized two fights happened this chapter lol

—the angst of knowing they aren't ever making it to that cottage 😍😍😍😍😍😍

—I have nothing to say except Theodore Nott I LOVE U

xx bri