Sugar & Spice

*Rosie's Point of View

I was rudely awoken when I felt a sudden heavy weight at the end of the couch near my head. I mumbled incoherently and then scowled when I received a short, bark-like laugh in response.

"Ah, Blaaack," I moaned, covering my head with the afghan I'd been using as a blanket.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've sent the Potters an owl. I told them they didn't have to come back just because we're here and that they should enjoy the rest of their holiday," He informed me softly. When I peaked the top of my head out from under the covers I was surprised to see that he was cradling my cat in his arms, her tiny black paws flailing playfully in the air. I was struck by the fact that she never let anybody touch her but me before I forced the scowl back onto my face.

"So, what? That means I have to spend the rest of my Christmas holidays alone with you?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound disappointed, but I wasn't sure I succeeded because he winked at me, his eyes glittering in the flickering firelight.

"You know you love me," He said, supremely confident that he was right. I just rolled my eyes (because I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't sound childish) and threw my head back into the comfortable cushions that covered the couch I was lying on.

Black began fiddling with a stray thread sticking out of the upholstery near my head, seeming bored already.

"So what do you want to?" He asked, confirming my theory.

"Sleep," I grunted in a very unladylike manner, hoping to put him off, but he flashed me a sudden dazzling grin.

"Hey! We can play Wizard's Chess!" He said excitedly, and I rolled over so my back was to him.

"Not a chance, Black," I said, smirking at the gold and red patterns on the cushions. "I reckon you'd never forgive me if I ruined your unbeatable reputation," I deliberately prodded, almost laughing now; I knew Black could never resist a challenge. I glanced back to see his face to see he'd narrowed his eyes at me.

"You're on, darling."

"No Black – my name is Rosie," I said, drawing the word out like I would to somebody who was a bit slow. He laughed and easily wrapped his fingers around my upper arm, grinning wickedly at me.

"No! No – I don't want to –" I started, but he pulled me up with irresistible strength. He misjudged my weight and I went flying into him, my momentum causing us to crash to the floor and bump heads.

I blinked my eyes a few times, trying to get rid of the stars that had appeared in front of them.

"Uh, you - uh, um – you, you know that you're –" I came to my senses as Black began stuttering uncontrollably underneath me, trying very hard not to look down my low-cut top which was right underneath his jaw.

I was momentarily surprised; this was the first time I'd embarrassed Black in any way, shape or form. I decided that it was something I'd have to do more often.

I flashed him my most innocent smile and watched with satisfaction as he swallowed hard. I stood up and brushed myself off, trying to retain some of my dignity.

"Well, you've got what you wanted, Black. I'm awake," I said calmly, inwardly sniggering as I flicked a speck of dust off my sleeve. I sent a quick glance in Black's direction. He was running a hand through his dark hair, looking thoroughly unnerved about whatever he was thinking; he didn't seem to have heard me. "Black? Black!" I said loudly, prodding him in the side of the head. He started and then looked up at me, grinning sheepishly.

"You rang?"

"Yes, Chess. Now. Play…right?"

He nodded and stood, straightening out his sleeves before he strode to the boys' staircase, his height making the fact that he took the steps three at a time look effortless. He came down within minutes, bringing a black onyx and white marble chess set with him and setting it down on the rug next to the hearth.

As I settled down opposite him, lying on my belly and stretching out my legs behind me, I was struck once more by just how good-looking he was.

I mean, I'd definitely noticed before - on many more than one occasion - but I supposed there was something about the way the golden light created dancing shadows on the planes of his cheekbones and made his eyes sparkle, because the effect was almost mesmerising.

He looked like an angel…or a devil. Yes, I thought as he flashed me a quick, crooked grin. That's much more accurate.

Black set up the chessboard and then nudged me. I started and looked away from the fireplace, raising my eyebrows at him and trying to disregard the stirring feeling I got in my stomach.

"White or black?"

"Well you're Black, so I'll be white," I quipped fearlessly, not caring that it was such a bad joke; Black snorted at my unimpressive pun and the game began.

"Oh, you didn't," I hissed an hour later as though he'd committed blasphemy. He grinned at me crookedly.

"What? Destroy your queen?...I think I did," He said cheekily, tapping his mouth with his finger as though thinking.

I suddenly cackled, unable to hold it in anymore as I inched my pawn forward with painful slowness.

"Check. Mate," I said, sticking my tongue out at him and waggling it as his eyebrows nearly disappeared under his hairline; I snickered.

"Damn. That was good! I never saw that coming!" He exclaimed in quiet awe after double and triple-checking that he wasn't hallucinating.

"Better believe it," I said cockily, leaning against the bottom of the couch.

I heard the portrait hole suddenly open and quick, precise footsteps entered, making their way towards the girls' staircase. I whipped my head around to see who it was.

It was Red, a.k.a. Lily Evans; she hadn't seen that she wasn't alone yet, oblivious to both our gazes.

I waited until she had disappeared up to the dorms before groaning loudly.

"Why me?" I asked the heavens seriously. Black chuckled, prodding me in the ribs with the tip of his finger.

"Probably because you deserve it, my dear," He said smoothly as he lay on his back, still on the hearth. "Why don't you like her?" He asked curiously. I scoffed, and then considered the question seriously.

"I don't actually know. I mean, my first night here, we just really didn't click," I clicked my fingers to emphasize my point, growing aggravated just thinking about it. I had every reason to be; Red always gave me these deathly glares when I walked into the room or sat somewhere near her in the Great Hall, and she acted like every single thing I did was stupid or unimportant, snorting in an unimpressed manner when I said or did certain things. It really rankled with me.

Black nodded understandingly and it was a few moments before he spoke.

"Yeah, but does she give you detentions?" I looked at him in confusion and shook my head. "I swear, that girl really has it in for me – I can't even sneeze in her presence without her docking points from Gryffindor or getting detention for it," He added nonchalantly, staring at the painted ceiling above. He didn't look particularly bothered. My jaw dropped.

"You're kidding! What do you think her problem is?"

"I don't really get it, but I do know that she fancies James with a passion…she just doesn't know it yet," I scoffed. "I mean, I'd understand if she just gave him that particular honour, but…why am I getting punished too?" He asked, smirking as he turned his head to look at me. I burst out laughing; the thought of Red being able to fancy anybody with any kind of passion was utterly unreal to me.

When our laughter had subsided we sat in silence for close to an hour, each immersed in our own thoughts. I had just begun to nod off when Black suddenly broke the silence.

"Bloody hell, I'm starving. Should we go down to dinner?" As if those were the magic words, my stomach rumbled loudly and he smirked.

"I guess that's a yes," I stated wryly, standing up. Just as Black had made it to his feet, one of my least-favourite people made their way down from the girls' dorms.

She stopped in her tracks, as did I. We eyed each other with open dislike.

"What are you doing here?" We both asked as if the other were doing wrong.

"Nothing," We said defensively at the same time. I cracked a sincere smile at this and I could've sworn I caught the shadow of a smile in response.

It was gone so fast that I could've imagined it though.

"I thought I was the only one left in Gryffindor Tower," She said, shifting a huge (and heavy-looking) pile of books in her arms.

"So did we," Black offered.

"Nobody asked you, Black," She said, her bitchy air returning with a vengeance, and before I even knew what I was doing I was defending him, though I knew he was perfectly capable of handling himself without anybody's help.

"Don't talk to him like that," I said quietly, staring her down.

"Who do you think you are, Tamsworth?" She asked me, her eyes narrowing dangerously. I flicked my hair the way I'd watched her do countless times, mocking her.

"I am Rosie Tamsworth, and I am now leaving, Oh 'Queen of Very Bad Manners'. I don't care to be in your extraordinarily rude presence any longer," I said tartly, before turning and walking straight out of the portrait-hole, hoping Black would join me soon, which he did, struggling to conceal his laughter.

I peaked in at Red Evans and saw that she had a slightly shell-shocked expression on her face. I had the impression that it was a rare occasion when somebody spoke back to her with anything half-intelligent; she seemed to me to be the kind of person who expected everybody to fall at her feet. Good, I thought, satisfied, She can't go through life thinking she can speak to everybody that way…

"That was amazing," Black stated simply as we started off down the corridor. "If I said that she'd probably give me a week of detentions."

"Yeah well, sounds like she had it coming, doesn't it?" I said quietly, not liking the way my voice and our footsteps seemed to echo down the hallway. It was getting dark, and I was sure that if Black weren't with me I'd feel thoroughly spooked.

Black turned into a hidden doorway behind a tapestry, taking us away from the direct route to the Great Hall.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously, taking in the secret passage and trying to remember where we were going.

"I'm going to show you where the Kitchens are," Black said, unconsciously rubbing his stomach.

I smirked.

"I like the way you think," I said, taking a moment to grimace at a rather grim tapestry of a shrunken head being shaken over a bubbling cauldron.

It took us quite a few minutes, and much checking of the Marauders' Map to make sure the way was clear, but we finally made it there. Black tickled a large pear that was painted among an assortment of tasty-looking fruits and a door suddenly swung open, revealing a sparkling clean kitchen with gleaming pale blue countertops.

"After you," Black swept his arm in a motion that meant I should step inside; I did.

"Won't we get in trouble for this?" I asked, sticking near as I always did with my friends when meeting new people or going to new places. He chuckled.

"Nah – the Hogwarts house elves are very helpful – James and I come down here all the time."

As if those words were some magic password, no less than half a dozen house elves rounded the corner and approached us quickly, surprising me.

"Would the sir and miss like something to eat?" One of them squeaked cheerfully up at us. Black asked for a large flask of butterbeer and a steak sandwich and I asked for some bread with a flask of hot soup and another of butterbeer.

"Excellent!" I exclaimed as soon as we received our goods and (after being waved off good-naturedly by the eager house elves) stole our way back to he common room. "I'm starving," I moaned, more to myself than Black, causing him to snigger.

I smacked him lightly on the arm.

"What? You think you're the only one with the stomach?" Black looked horrified at the very thought.

"I should bloody hope not! I wouldn't want to deprive anybody of the incomparable joy of eating good food."

I rolled my eyes, and we continued; it was, by now, fully dark outside and the torches had come to life along the cold stone walls. I was very pleased to see that the common room was completely Evans-free, because a) I didn't like her, and b) we were drinking butterbeer and she'd probably try to confiscate it if she saw us with it. The key word being 'try'.

We settled down and I opened my flask, sniffing before I took a deep gulp from it: cauliflower and cheddar. I drank more deeply, thinking I might just continue going down to the kitchens from now on.

"Mmm," Black moaned as he took a bite form his sandwich and I snorted, nearly choking on a chunk of cauliflower, but chose not to comment.

"So what are we going to do tonight?" Black asked after he'd finished his dinner (in less than two minutes flat, I might add). I shrugged as I took a sip from my butterbeer, savouring the taste.

"I don't know – what do you want to do?"

He shrugged and leaned farther back in his armchair, placing his feet on the coffee table and his hands behind his neck. He sat up again straight away.

"Hey – want to see something cool?"

"Sure," I said, taking another swig of the butterbeer as he stood up and grabbed my hand, almost making me drop the flask.

"Oiy!" I yelped indignantly as he grabbed his pewter flask too and tugged me out of the common room into the cold corridor.

"Let's go," He said impatiently, ignoring my earlier protest.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he pulled my unresisting form along; he was so much stronger than me that I didn't think I could've resisted to much effect even if I'd tried.

"Not far," He said mysteriously, and in a few short minutes we stopped. He walked back and forth three times in front of a particularly gory tapestry and just as I was about to ask him what he was doing, a door suddenly appeared right next to where he'd been pacing. He flashed me a grin as I moved forward to look inside.

I caught a glimpse of a dark room lit with candles, a room that had a huge, high bed positioned in the very centre complete with white satin bedclothes before he hastily pulled the door closed, high spots of colour on his cheeks.

"Sorry – wasn't thinking," He said obscurely before pacing once more before the stretch of tapestry. The next time he opened the door there was a room that looked almost exactly the same as the Gryffindor common room, apart from the fact that the couches were longer and the room wasn't round. He pulled me inside and closed the door, grinning brightly at me. "What do you think?"

"It's amazing!" I said, awed. "What is this room – one minute ago it was a -"

"It's called the Room of Requirement. When I was pacing? It's because you have to think what you want and then the room appears stocked with whatever it is you want," He said, and I could've sworn his cheeks coloured slightly once more.

"So before…?"

"Like I said, I wasn't thinking," He said quickly and I hid a smirk at his words; I thought I could understand well enough. I walked over to one of the long couches in front of the fire and put my feet up, warming my hands on my flask of warm butterbeer again.

He came over and sat down next to me, mimicking my position.

"So…what do we do now?" I asked, tapping my foot.

He rolled his eyes.