A Rose by Any Other Name

*ONE WEEK LATER*

“Draco, stop.” Rosie giggled. “Draco, get off.”

“No.” he said into her neck.

“Draco, I gotta get to class.”

“History of Magic is not important.” He went back to kissing her neck.

“To you Transfiguration isn’t either. D, you know how I am with that class.”

“Yeah, but that would mean that I’d have to leave you.”

“We’ve been up here in your room all morning. You’re so lucky Snape cancelled classes.”

“I don’t want to leave your sight.”

“I’ll come back at lunch. Until then we’ll talk, okay? I’ve got the notebook. I won’t stop talking to you if that’s what you want. I just—I really need to go to class.” Draco unwillingly got off of Rosie. They’d been up in his room doing nothing but talking. Draco was more than flirting with her as well.

Rosie got off of his bed and walked across the room to get her bag. Draco met her at the door.

“Draco, we have to go. We’re going to be late.”

“You promise you’ll be here at lunch?”

“I promise.”

“Cross your heart?”

“What do you want it in writing?”

“I prefer it.”

“Look,” she took his face between her hands, “I will be back here, at lunch. If you have any doubts or if I’m not here, I won’t kiss you for 24 hours.”

“Alright. Come on, I’ll walk you down through the Common Room.” He took her hand and laced her fingers with his.

“You don’t have to. I’m pretty sure I can find my way.”

“I’m not worried about you finding your way. The people down there can be pretty mean.”

“Oh, please. My boyfriend is the most powerful sixteen-year-old Slytherin guy ever. There’s no WAY they would even THINK of saying ANYTHING to me.”

“And then there’s the self-satisfaction of staying with you for another five minutes.”

“You’re so cute.”

“I know.” He opened the door for her, let her out and closed it behind him. He led her down stairs to the common room. As they walked passed the people, Rosie could feel eyes on the back of her head. She turned her head to look behind her. Everybody staring at her must have gone back to whatever it was they were doing, because no one looked like they paid them any attention.

“Ignore them, love. They’re just jealous.”

“I know, but it’s freaking me out. If feels like everywhere I go, there’s somebody behind me planning to stab me with a pencil.”

“You just said yourself, no one would even try. Stop worrying.” They were in the hallway, where they spilt to go to each of their classes.

“Okay, got your notebook?”

“Can’t we just go back?”

“No, I’ve got to go to class.”

“Class is boring.”

“I’m sorry your girlfriend actually cares about her grades.”

“Me, too.”

“I’ll see you at lunch.”

“My room.”

“Bye.” She hopped up on her toes to kiss him quickly. She hurried off to History of Magic when she got to the door she bumped into someone.

“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry…” she looked up. “…Ben.”

“You sound like you’re surprised to see me.”

“I am…I mean I’m not. I just…and you’re usually—your eye is clearing up pretty well.”

“Yeah, I guess it is. I’ve been trying not to look in a mirror whenever I can avoid it.”

“I’m really sorry, Ben. I had no idea Cody would ever do that.”

“It’s fine, Rosie.”

“No, it’s not. I feel really guilty.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“I would really like to talk. We were great friends before all of this crap happened. I mean—you and I happened.”

“You’re not going to pull me into some dark hallway, are you?” Rosie smiled. It was amazing how she could consider what happened humorous.

“No, I’m not. I just want to talk.”

“What’s your free period?”

“Fifth.”

“Common Room, fifth period. We’ll talk. In public…”

“Thanks, Ben.”

“We should probably go in.” he held out his hand gesturing to the classroom. Rosie went in first and Ben followed suit, taking his original seat behind Rosie. She turned around and smiled at him. He smiled back.

*FIFTH PERIOD*

Rosie had no idea what made her say what she had to him. She was friends with Ben. They could have a normal humane conversation about their relationship. Though it wasn’t exactly a relationship, but a friendship. She was sitting on the couch, with her feet to her chest reading a book. Thankfully, the Common Room was empty.

“Hey, Rosie.”

“Ben. Hi.” She closed her book and set it on the floor. He wrapped her arms around her knees and Ben sat on the other end of the couch.

“What did you want to talk about?”

“You know what I wanted to talk about.”

“Yeah. My question should be why did you want to talk to me?”

“I feel like I have to. I don’t know why, but I do.”

“I know the feeling.”

“I don’t think you do.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve never felt rejection.”

“Now would be a good time to say that you don’t know me.”

“I think I know you better than you do.”

“Then why did my father leave me when I was three?” she opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, changing her mind. “Exactly.”

“But when I was at your house…who was that?”

“Step father. Mom got married when I was four and a half.”

“I’m sorry, Ben. That was stupid I shouldn’t have said it.”

“Could you just get on with the reason you wanted to talk to me?” Rosie took a deep breath.

“We were friends, Ben, and I think we can be again. Once we forget everything that’s happened between the day we started going out to right now.”

“Rosie, I can’t forget that.”

“I know, neither can I. But I can try. I really want to be your friend.” She sat up and moved closer to Ben.

“I don’t understand you.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do I—? Rose, after what I did in that hallway. I missed your party, and then gave you a lame excuse why. You had your brother punch me, you—”

“I did not tell Cody to punch you. I actually told him not to hurt you.”

“Whatever. I did all of those horrible things to you, and you still want to be my friend. Are you on drugs?” Rosie smiled.

“No, I’m a very forgiving person.”

“I’ve never known you to be a forgiving person.”

“You really don’t know me. Just like I don’t know you. But Ben, I wanna know you; I wanna be your friend.”

“Is this pity because of your brother?”

“This is pity because of Cammie.”

“Oh. Yeah, right.”

“Why did you listen to her anyway?”

“Because I’m stupid. Because I wasn’t thinking. Because I missed you.”

“Then why didn’t you just say something? Why did you have to go along with her stupid plan you knew was only going to lead to trouble?”

“I don’t know. I just—I don’t know.”

“Ben, if you would have said something to me, like actually say something, about our friendship, or even our relationship, I would have listened.”

“Now you tell me.”

“You should know these things. You should know me. We were together for three frikin’ months. We were best friends before that, long before that.”

“I know. I’m the biggest, stupidest guy on the planet. So why is it that you want to be friends again?”

“Because I miss you, too. I miss having my big teddy bear around.” They both smiled at this. “You know I haven’t called you Benny Bear since we were ten.”

“And I wish you wouldn’t now.”

“Why are you embarrassed, Benny Bear?” she poked his stomach.

“Yes, I am, Red Rosie.” Rosie gasped.

“You didn’t.”

“I did.” He was laughing. He opened his arms to her, and she hugged him.

“You are the third greatest guy in my life, you know?”

“Who’s got first and second?”

“Draco took over Cody’s spot when he punched you. Draco’s first, Cody’s second.”

“Speaking of, where is boyfriend?”

“Class. There’s still school today; it doesn’t just end with fourth period.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

“No, and I don’t think he’ll care.”

“Seriously, are you on drugs? Draco’s last threat seemed to be really serious. I don’t wanna get hurt because you failed to tell him that we were going to talk.”

“Don’t worry about him.”

“How can I not? He is prefect. He could give me detention or something.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

*AFTER DINNER*

Rosie and Draco were heading up to Draco’s room, something they always did after dinner and every other time they don’t have classes. They never did much but make out and talk, and even the talking was put to a minimal.

Until now.

“Draco, hold on. Can I talk to you?” He was lying on top of Rosie, as always, and kissing her neck.

“You talk.”

“Okay,” she sighed. “I was talking to Ben during fifth period…” Draco’s lips froze. He sat up, while Rosie leaned against the headboard.

“What?”

“Nothing happened. It was just a normal conversation between two people.”

“Was this brought on by you or him?” his face was tensed. He was definitely mad.

“Which would make you less angry?”

“Answer the question. I’m going to be upset either way.”

“I asked him.” He closed his eyes, probably listening to his thoughts.

“How did this come up?”

“I bumped into him on my way to History of Magic. We were talking; I told him I was sorry—”

“What do you have to be sorry for?”

“Cody punched him.”

“Right.” He was shaking his head. “Go on.”

“I told him I was sorry and I wanted to talk. So he asked me when I free period was, I said fifth, and we talked in the Common Room.” He looked away. He was still trying to process everything. “If it makes you feel any better we were on opposite sides of the couch.”

“Why did you—”

“I don’t know.”

“You just—did you even think of what could happen?”

“No.” she said confidently. “I don’t think Ben would do anything like that again.”

“Then why?”

“Because we were friends. We were best friends.”

“Exactly. You WERE friends. But then he assaulted you.”

“Nothing’s changed, Draco.”

“Look at your wrists, right now, and then tell me nothing’s changed.” He got up form the bed and paced across the room. Rosie hung her legs off of his bed. She grabbed her wrists. It reminded her of the pain Ben caused her. Holding her up against the brick wall by her wrists.

“They’re clearing up.” She said quietly.

“Rosie, that doesn’t make any difference. He still hurt you. And, what? You’re going to go back to hugging him and being his “best friend”?”

“Anyone else would be happy I moved past all of this.”

“I’m not anyone else, Rose! I’m you boyfriend!”

“Are you? You seem to care more for my rivalry with Ben than you do me.”

“Is that what you think? You think I don’t care for you?” Rosie bit her tongue. “Rosie I care for you more than anyone else ever has.”

“Are you jealous?”

“Jealous!” he laughed. “I’m not jealous of someone who never cared for anything but himself.”

“That’s not true. Ben cares a lot.”

“If it’s not true, why are you going out with me? Why didn’t he care enough to say sorry to you? That’s what I would have done.”

“This has nothing to do with you.”

“Then why do I feel betrayed?”

“I didn’t do it to betray you.”

“Really? You went behind my back and had this little “meeting” with him. You said you weren’t going to do anything with him.”

“I promised I’d never do anything with him when you weren’t around.”

“Same thing!”

“So I’m supposed to have all this trust in you, but you decide whether you trust me? You can have any friends you want, but when it comes to my happiness I have to discuss it with you first?”

“When it comes to your happiness, you can do whatever you want.”

“But when Ben steps in the picture suddenly I’m on lockdown.” She stared at him. He didn’t speak. He looked away. “Okay, whatever.” She reached around her neck to the clasp on the necklace he gave her. She undid it.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you back your necklace.” She got up and set the necklace on the bedside table. “I can’t—for me to be happy, and enjoy this relationship, I want to have the friends I want. And since you don’t want me to, I can’t do this anymore.”

“So, that’s it. One little fight and you quit?”

“This wasn’t a little fight, Draco.” She headed for the door, grabbing the handle.

“Rosie…don’t do this.” He was pleading.

“I’m sorry, I can’t…” she took a deep breath, swallowing the lump in her throat. She turned the handle and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. She walked downstairs to the Common Room. She wasn’t noticing she was crying and she didn’t care who else did.

“Rosie?” some one called. She didn’t bother to look and see who it was. They couldn’t make her feel better. She kept walking for the stairs up to her room. Someone grabbed her shoulder. “Rosebud, what’s wrong?” she turned around. It was Cody. He noticed how hard she was crying, possibly enough that he knew she couldn’t answer. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Her arms automatically went around his waist.

“Draco, he—”

“Shhh, don’t worry about it. It’s okay.”

He let her cry. Right there, in the middle of the Common Room.