Status: Formally A Year With Draco. Finished, Just posting :)
A Rose by Any Other Name
The Truth
Draco walked into the Great Hall and over to the Slytherin table. He saw Cammie there talking with Blaise, but no Rose.
“Cammie, where’s Rose?” he asked.
“I dunno.”
“Do you have any idea where she might be?”
“No.”
“Was she with anyone?”
“Yeah umm, a while ago Ben came over. He wanted to talk to her.”
“How long ago?”
“I dunno. 15 maybe, 20 minutes. Why?”
“I’ll be right back.” He ran out of the Great Hall.
“ROSE!” he yelled. “Rose! Where are you?!” Draco knew he had to find Rose before Ben could try anything.
“Rose!”
***
Ben stopped. He thought he heard something.
“Rose!” he was right.
“Hel-!” Rose screamed. Ben put his hand over Rose’s mouth.
“Rose!” The voice was closer now. “Rose, is that you?” Ben spoke in a whisper.
“Scream and you’ll regret it.” She nodded her head. He removed his hand from her mouth and reached for his wand.
“Let her go, Ben.” Ben turned around to see Draco, pointing his wand at him.
“Why should I?” Ben asked.
“Because you wouldn’t want to hurt her more than you already have.”
“I like her. Why would I hurt her?”
“If you really liked her, you’d let her go.”
“If I really liked her, she’d be up in my room already.” Rose shook her head fiercely.
“Ben, just put me down. Please.” Ben turned to Rose and looked into her deep blue eyes.
“You’re hurting her, Ben. Just let her go.” Draco looked back and forth between Ben and Rose.
Rose with tears rolling down her cheeks said: “Ben, please.” Ben was still staring into her eyes, “Please.” She said once again. He pushed her wrist back harder. Rose screamed.
“I’m sorry, Rose.” He said sympathetically and let her down. She got passed Ben and ran over to Draco. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. Her eyes were still filled with tears. He held her head into his chest as he watched Ben leave. “Come on, let’s go to breakfast.” Rose shook her head.
“I think I’m going to the Common Room. I’m not really hungry.”
“I’ll come with you. Let’s go.”
“No you don’t have to come. If you’re hungry go eat. I’ll be fine.”
“Rose, it’s okay. I want to come.”
“Really? Okay.” He held out his hand to her. She stared at it for a moment.
“It’s just a hand.” he said she took his hand and they walked to the Common Room.
***
Once in the Common Room, Rose took a seat on the couch.
“Can I sit here?” Draco asked.
“Draco, you are my friend. You don’t have to ask.” He sat down.
“Well I didn’t know because well, Ben and-”
“Oh, yeah, well I let you come down here with me, didn’t I?”
“I guess. So are you okay? I mean Ben grabbed you pretty hard.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just a few scratches and bruises.”
“Are you sure? That guy is pretty str-”
“Can you just drop it? I’m trying to get it out of my head and you’re really not helping.”
“I’m sorry. Forgive me for caring.” He snapped. There was a long silence.
“I’m the one who should be saying sorry.” Rose said. “I should be saying sorry and thank you.”
“You already said thank you.”
“I know but I really can’t say it enough. If you hadn’t come along, I have no idea what he would have done.” A silent tear rolled down her cheek.
“Hey, don’t cry.” He hugged her. “It’s okay. He didn’t do anything. You’re okay.”
“What if tries to do this again?”
“He won’t.”
“What if you’re wrong?”
“If I’m wrong, which I’m not, I will be here. I will always be here for you, Rose.”
“Thank you, Draco. Thank you so much.”
“Ahem.” Draco let go of Rose. They both turned to the door to see Cammie. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing.” Rose said drying her tears with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “Umm, I’m gonna go take a shower.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later.” Draco said. Draco watched her as she walked up the stairs to her room.
“What are you doing?” Cammie asked as soon as she knew Rose was out of hearing distance.
“What do you mean?”
“You can’t answer a question with a question.”
“Too late.”
“Whatever. Draco, Rose is my best friend. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
“Rose is my friend.”
“You wish you guys were more.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t I? Draco if you don’t like her why were you hugging her just now?”
“Because she was crying.”
“And why was she crying?”
“Something happened with her and Ben.”
“What?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking her about this? This is her business to tell.”
“Fine, but one more thing.”
“What?”
“Don’t hurt her. She has three older brothers, remember?” She walked up a stair.
“Yeah.” Draco told her, “I’ll see you in the tomorrow, then.”
“Yeah.” She walked up the rest of the stairs and into her room. She got there but Rose was still in the shower. Cammie sat on her bed and waited for her to get out. Fifteen minutes later, Rose came out of the bathroom in torn up jeans and an AFI t-shirt.
“How long have you been waiting there?”
“Not long. What happened with Ben?”
“Who told you about Ben?”
“Draco.”
“What did he tell you?”
“He just told me something happened. That’s all.” Rose told Cammie her story, leaving out Draco completely.
“I guess I begged and pleaded enough to convince him to let me go.” Rose lied.
“I’m sorry. But how did Draco get into this?”
“Because I saw him in the hallway on my way to the Common Room.” Another lie.
“And you told him about this before you told me? Rose, I’m your best friend!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I’ve been your best friend since we were five!” her voice was louder.
“I know.”
“Well why did he know before me?”
“You know what? I’m really tired of having to lie to you!”
“Then why lie? Tell me the truth!
“You really want to know the truth?”
“Yes, Rose, I would love to know the truth!”
“Fine. I’ll tell you. He knew because he was there. He came to look for me. He knew that if I had been gone for fifteen minutes alone with BEN my EX that something was wrong! He found me there pinned up against the wall with Ben all over me! He convinced Ben to let me go! He was there for me! And where were you?” She paused. “Oh wait. Let me guess. You were probably chatting it up with Blaise or some other guy you don’t know. And you’re calling yourself my best friend?” There was a long awkward silence.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Cammie asked.
“Because I knew you had something against Draco.” Rose said sadly.
“I do, Rose. I look at him and I see a player. He likes you, but he ‘liked’ me too. Look how that turned out.”
“Me and him are just fr- wait did you just say Draco likes me?” Cammie nodded her head. “No he doesn’t, we’re friends.” There was a tap on the window.
“I’ll get it.” Cammie walked over to the window gave the owl a treat and took the note. She began to read silently.
“Draco doesn’t like me why would he?”
“Rose.”
“I mean, I’m not saying I’m not pretty or anything.”
“Rose.”
“I have a great personality.”
“Rose.”
“Draco and I are friends and we’re gonna stay friends.”
“ROSE!”
“Huh?”
“I think you’re wrong.” Cammie held the note out to Rose.
“What do you mean?” Rose said walking over to Cammie and took the note.
Rose
Meet me at the Black Lake tomorrow at 12:45. I really need to talk to you.
Draco
“Are you gonna go?” Cammie asked.
“I dunno. I think about it. I’ve got until tomorrow.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
“I really just want to hang out here. I’m tired and I think I want to read a book or something.”
“Okay. Well I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” Cammie left the room leaving Rose behind with her book and a pillow. She put her head down on her pillow and closed her eyes.
***
Rose was walking down the hall when all of a sudden she heard a voice.
“Who’s there?” she asked. She turned around and saw the face of someone she knew very well.
“Hello beautiful.” He said.
“W-What do you want?”
“You.”
“What?” she asked. But before she knew it she was in his room. On his bed. With her pants off. He was standing next to the bed pulling his pants down.
“What are you doing?” he got on the bed and on top of her.
“Ben get off of me! Get off! Help! Help me! Get off me!” she screamed for her life. Fast, strong tears were rolling down her cheeks.
“Say you want it.”
“No!! Help!!”
“Too bad. You’re getting it.” He lowered his body. He was still on top of her. And she was still screaming.
“NO! Draco! Help!”
“Cammie, where’s Rose?” he asked.
“I dunno.”
“Do you have any idea where she might be?”
“No.”
“Was she with anyone?”
“Yeah umm, a while ago Ben came over. He wanted to talk to her.”
“How long ago?”
“I dunno. 15 maybe, 20 minutes. Why?”
“I’ll be right back.” He ran out of the Great Hall.
“ROSE!” he yelled. “Rose! Where are you?!” Draco knew he had to find Rose before Ben could try anything.
“Rose!”
***
Ben stopped. He thought he heard something.
“Rose!” he was right.
“Hel-!” Rose screamed. Ben put his hand over Rose’s mouth.
“Rose!” The voice was closer now. “Rose, is that you?” Ben spoke in a whisper.
“Scream and you’ll regret it.” She nodded her head. He removed his hand from her mouth and reached for his wand.
“Let her go, Ben.” Ben turned around to see Draco, pointing his wand at him.
“Why should I?” Ben asked.
“Because you wouldn’t want to hurt her more than you already have.”
“I like her. Why would I hurt her?”
“If you really liked her, you’d let her go.”
“If I really liked her, she’d be up in my room already.” Rose shook her head fiercely.
“Ben, just put me down. Please.” Ben turned to Rose and looked into her deep blue eyes.
“You’re hurting her, Ben. Just let her go.” Draco looked back and forth between Ben and Rose.
Rose with tears rolling down her cheeks said: “Ben, please.” Ben was still staring into her eyes, “Please.” She said once again. He pushed her wrist back harder. Rose screamed.
“I’m sorry, Rose.” He said sympathetically and let her down. She got passed Ben and ran over to Draco. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. Her eyes were still filled with tears. He held her head into his chest as he watched Ben leave. “Come on, let’s go to breakfast.” Rose shook her head.
“I think I’m going to the Common Room. I’m not really hungry.”
“I’ll come with you. Let’s go.”
“No you don’t have to come. If you’re hungry go eat. I’ll be fine.”
“Rose, it’s okay. I want to come.”
“Really? Okay.” He held out his hand to her. She stared at it for a moment.
“It’s just a hand.” he said she took his hand and they walked to the Common Room.
***
Once in the Common Room, Rose took a seat on the couch.
“Can I sit here?” Draco asked.
“Draco, you are my friend. You don’t have to ask.” He sat down.
“Well I didn’t know because well, Ben and-”
“Oh, yeah, well I let you come down here with me, didn’t I?”
“I guess. So are you okay? I mean Ben grabbed you pretty hard.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just a few scratches and bruises.”
“Are you sure? That guy is pretty str-”
“Can you just drop it? I’m trying to get it out of my head and you’re really not helping.”
“I’m sorry. Forgive me for caring.” He snapped. There was a long silence.
“I’m the one who should be saying sorry.” Rose said. “I should be saying sorry and thank you.”
“You already said thank you.”
“I know but I really can’t say it enough. If you hadn’t come along, I have no idea what he would have done.” A silent tear rolled down her cheek.
“Hey, don’t cry.” He hugged her. “It’s okay. He didn’t do anything. You’re okay.”
“What if tries to do this again?”
“He won’t.”
“What if you’re wrong?”
“If I’m wrong, which I’m not, I will be here. I will always be here for you, Rose.”
“Thank you, Draco. Thank you so much.”
“Ahem.” Draco let go of Rose. They both turned to the door to see Cammie. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing.” Rose said drying her tears with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “Umm, I’m gonna go take a shower.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later.” Draco said. Draco watched her as she walked up the stairs to her room.
“What are you doing?” Cammie asked as soon as she knew Rose was out of hearing distance.
“What do you mean?”
“You can’t answer a question with a question.”
“Too late.”
“Whatever. Draco, Rose is my best friend. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
“Rose is my friend.”
“You wish you guys were more.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t I? Draco if you don’t like her why were you hugging her just now?”
“Because she was crying.”
“And why was she crying?”
“Something happened with her and Ben.”
“What?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking her about this? This is her business to tell.”
“Fine, but one more thing.”
“What?”
“Don’t hurt her. She has three older brothers, remember?” She walked up a stair.
“Yeah.” Draco told her, “I’ll see you in the tomorrow, then.”
“Yeah.” She walked up the rest of the stairs and into her room. She got there but Rose was still in the shower. Cammie sat on her bed and waited for her to get out. Fifteen minutes later, Rose came out of the bathroom in torn up jeans and an AFI t-shirt.
“How long have you been waiting there?”
“Not long. What happened with Ben?”
“Who told you about Ben?”
“Draco.”
“What did he tell you?”
“He just told me something happened. That’s all.” Rose told Cammie her story, leaving out Draco completely.
“I guess I begged and pleaded enough to convince him to let me go.” Rose lied.
“I’m sorry. But how did Draco get into this?”
“Because I saw him in the hallway on my way to the Common Room.” Another lie.
“And you told him about this before you told me? Rose, I’m your best friend!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I’ve been your best friend since we were five!” her voice was louder.
“I know.”
“Well why did he know before me?”
“You know what? I’m really tired of having to lie to you!”
“Then why lie? Tell me the truth!
“You really want to know the truth?”
“Yes, Rose, I would love to know the truth!”
“Fine. I’ll tell you. He knew because he was there. He came to look for me. He knew that if I had been gone for fifteen minutes alone with BEN my EX that something was wrong! He found me there pinned up against the wall with Ben all over me! He convinced Ben to let me go! He was there for me! And where were you?” She paused. “Oh wait. Let me guess. You were probably chatting it up with Blaise or some other guy you don’t know. And you’re calling yourself my best friend?” There was a long awkward silence.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Cammie asked.
“Because I knew you had something against Draco.” Rose said sadly.
“I do, Rose. I look at him and I see a player. He likes you, but he ‘liked’ me too. Look how that turned out.”
“Me and him are just fr- wait did you just say Draco likes me?” Cammie nodded her head. “No he doesn’t, we’re friends.” There was a tap on the window.
“I’ll get it.” Cammie walked over to the window gave the owl a treat and took the note. She began to read silently.
“Draco doesn’t like me why would he?”
“Rose.”
“I mean, I’m not saying I’m not pretty or anything.”
“Rose.”
“I have a great personality.”
“Rose.”
“Draco and I are friends and we’re gonna stay friends.”
“ROSE!”
“Huh?”
“I think you’re wrong.” Cammie held the note out to Rose.
“What do you mean?” Rose said walking over to Cammie and took the note.
Rose
Meet me at the Black Lake tomorrow at 12:45. I really need to talk to you.
Draco
“Are you gonna go?” Cammie asked.
“I dunno. I think about it. I’ve got until tomorrow.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
“I really just want to hang out here. I’m tired and I think I want to read a book or something.”
“Okay. Well I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” Cammie left the room leaving Rose behind with her book and a pillow. She put her head down on her pillow and closed her eyes.
***
Rose was walking down the hall when all of a sudden she heard a voice.
“Who’s there?” she asked. She turned around and saw the face of someone she knew very well.
“Hello beautiful.” He said.
“W-What do you want?”
“You.”
“What?” she asked. But before she knew it she was in his room. On his bed. With her pants off. He was standing next to the bed pulling his pants down.
“What are you doing?” he got on the bed and on top of her.
“Ben get off of me! Get off! Help! Help me! Get off me!” she screamed for her life. Fast, strong tears were rolling down her cheeks.
“Say you want it.”
“No!! Help!!”
“Too bad. You’re getting it.” He lowered his body. He was still on top of her. And she was still screaming.
“NO! Draco! Help!”