AN- Bear with me, I'm trying to get back in the groove. I feel like I've kinda lost touch with the characters, so I'm sorry if they seem a bit more ooc than usual.

December twentieth was the first day of Christmas break that year, but it was also the date of Slughorn's Christmas party, so, Rosie had gotten Sirius to agree to apparate her back to the school and then pick her up later in the night. She'd confided in him about her plight to extract the professor's memory, and he'd offered to do anything possible to help her achieve this, and of course, he'd help her get ready for the party.

He was always the best at that.

Sirius had picked Rose up from the train station and she'd spent most of the afternoon with him at Grimmauld catching up like they hadn't been talking every night for months. Kingsley had sent word that Remus might be coming back that night and Rosie was considering ditching the party. Her godfather's homecoming was something she wouldn't miss for the world, but at around four, Kingsley had floo'd to say that it wouldn't be tonight.

"Hold still Rosie." Sirius chuckled, pulling at a loose strand of her hair, trying to spell it into order within the neat up-do he'd created.

"Aren't you done yet?" She complained, causing him to shake his head.

"You're the one who asked me to do your hair love. You've got to be patient with the process."

"What if Moony does come home tonight Siri? I don't want to miss it." She fretted, looking back at him.

"He won't hon. Kingsley knows you're going to the Christmas party. He wouldn't lie."

"I just worry. I miss him so much. I don't want to lose any time with him." Rosie couldn't help but be disturbed by how fast this year had been going. The school year was half over already and that meant that she could be half a year closer to… well, she didn't really like to think about it.

"Kay, I think you're done Prongslet." Sirius tapped her shoulder and she nodded, getting up and moving toward the stairs to get changed.

The dress was probably the sexiest outfit she'd ever worn. Severus would hate it. It was strapless, and a deep burgundy color, tight around her frame, and it accentuated her breasts with a modest sweetheart neckline. Sirius had taken she, Hermione, and Ginny dress shopping the last Hogsmeade weekend. Well, in truth he'd been too uncomfortable to go in the shop, so he'd dropped them at the dress maker's and gone to fetch lunch while they tried on outfits.

Kreacher was lurking in the corner of her room while she changed, and when she pulled the dress on and turned around he shot her a slick, wrinkly little smile.

"Kreacher's mistress will surely attain a mate tonight."

"Thanks Kreach, but I highly doubt that."

"Just as well mistress. Kreacher has already made it known what he is wishing."

"Yeah well, start whispering in your master's ear then."

"Whispering what?" Sirius coughed from the door frame.

Rosie turned around, her cheeks hot. "Nothing Siri," she shooed the elf away, but Sirius didn't seem to be paying any attention to Kreacher. His eyes were focused on her and he was frowning.

"What? Is it that bad?"

"Bad? No, no Rosie. It's beautiful. You're beautiful." He assured, coming closer. "Actually, you look a hell of a lot like your mother tonight, except for this unruly Potter hair." He teased, tucking a strand of hair back into the hairdo.

Rosie took a moment and scrunched up her nose and eyes, concentrating on something that she'd learned to do in transfiguration last year, that she'd been practicing for a while. It took a moment, and Sirius was just beginning to inquire after what she was doing when she could feel the change. She knew it had worked when Sirius let out a breathe.

"Holy shit." He sighed, taking a step back to look at her, dark red hair now framing her face. Sirius broke into a wide grin. "That's creepy as hell hon. You've got to do that for Snape. He'll go mental."

"Ew, that's sick! He was attracted to my mother!"

Sirius grimaced. "Yeah, maybe do it when your not wearing this dress, never know what that git will do."

"Oh Fuck off Sirius, he's my guardian." She hissed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm just teasing! That's my point. He wouldn't be attracted to you, he'd just be disturbed, and it'd be a laugh." He raised his arms defensively as she changed her hair back to black. "You look stunning, always, but especially tonight."

"Thank you Siri."

They moved down to the kitchen and then out the front door making sure to stay within the bounds of the Fidelius, only stepping out at the last moment.

"Ready miss Potter?" He held out his arm and she nodded, taking it and squeezing her eyes shut in preparation for the apparition.

Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were already waiting for her when they landed outside the gates and her mind flashed back briefly to the summer party at Neville's house, which had changed her life. She remembered Cedric and how handsome he'd been, and she also remembered her betrayal of him that night, the one that he'd never found out about.

"Earth to Rosie." Sirius called, waving a hand in front of her face. "Do you think you'll need until midnight, to speak to Ol' Sluggy?"

"Yeah,sorry. I'll try to meet him after the party, or when it's winding down. Hopefully he'll've had a few drinks…"

"What are you talking about?" Mione piped up from their right.

Rose shook her head. "Just some stupid mission for Dumbledore."

Sirius made to leave, and then turned around. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He smirked, and then added, "Also, try not to drink too much. You get really weepy."

"Whatever Siri, you'll just have to deal with it." She stuck her tongue out and then turned to her friends. Neville was staring at her oddly, and Ginny just rolled her eyes, linking her arm in Rosie's.

"Girl, you spend way to much time alone with him. Your guardian needs to get his arse home."

They continued to chat on and off, and by the time the four friends entered the party it was in full swing.

Ginny and Neville broke off from she and Hermione, and Rosie frowned, noticing that Hermione seemed a bit out of it. Rose slipped a hand down and clasped it in her friend's.

"It'll be alright Mione."

"I know. We've just been together so long. I'm not quite sure how to do things without him."

"You've got a lot to relearn. I get it. Let's start with a drink." She offered, leading them over to the table that Slughorn had told them would not contain any alcoholic beverages, but that Blaise Zabini had definitely spiked by now.

The girls stuck together and made their way over to one of the tables, which was nicely decorated, and sat down. They talked, greeted people, and laughed, and by the time Severus pulled away from his conversation with the other potion's master to come hover around her, they'd both downed two glasses of punch and were working on a third.

"I believe that you misplaced your cloak, Miss Potter." Severus drawled, coming up from behind. In his hand, he had a shimmering burgundy half-cloak, sort of like a shawl, which he held out to her."

"Hmm, I don't think that's mine sir." She grinned, eying the pretty piece of fabric.

"It is most definitely yours Rose." He replied, using her first name quietly under his breath.

Deciding not to argue, she took the shawl and draped it around herself.

Severus' lips pursed in approval, and he nodded, looking around the room once before heading off in the other direction.

"He's so weird." Hermione snorted, watching the professor leave.

"Yeah well, weird's all I've got." She shrugged, though she did agree with her friend. At least he still cared. She wrapped the shawl around herself tighter, wishing that her guardian would've stayed awhile.

Rosie was so excited for christmas, especially considering the fact that this could very well be her last holiday with all her family present, ever. For all she knew, next christmas she might be celebrating with her parents.

Professor Slughorn spotted she and Hermione just after Severus left them, and he began a rousing conversation about the properties of Valeriana. He was always very curious about her intolerance, as apparently it was rare.

The conversation had started to die, Hermione had gone to the loo, and Rosie was just about to finish her fourth drink when the commotion began.

Argus Filch, the awful caretaker came shuffling into the party manhandling none other than a disgruntled Draco Malfoy.

"Get off me! I'll have you fired!" Draco was growling and struggling to get out of the man's grasp. "I wasn't gatecrashing!"

Rosie made eye contact with Severus across the room and she saw his face harden as he shook his head, motioning for her not to do anything. The potion's professor began to move closer to Draco but Rose, who was no longer frightened of Severus' wrath, moved forward faster and grabbed onto Draco's arm.

"He's here with me." She informed the caretaker with a smile.

Malfoy appeared to be trying to keep from pulling his hand away, but she knew he hated relinquishing control.

Severus appeared angry, but, not as angry as Mr. Filch who didn't like her in the first place.

"As you can see, the boy clearly has a motive for attending." The potion's master drawled, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Miss. Potter arrived with Miss. Granger." The caretaker wheezed, eying them with suspicion.

It was then that Professor Slughorn decided to get involved, addressing the old squib from across the room. Everyone in attendance was now paying close attention to the exchange.

"My dear Argus. If Miss. Potter says she's invited Mr. Malfoy, then he is welcome to stay. Please, do enjoy some refreshments on your way out good sir." He presided.

Hermione rolled her eyes from where they'd been sitting and got up to join Ginny and Neville, while Rosie turned away from Severus and pulled Draco out of the spotlight and into a more secluded area.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded, pushing him back against the wall in the corridor.

"I'm leaving Potter. Just fuck off." He growled, shoving her away.

Rosie grunted in pain, and then continued to follow him into the corridor as he left.

"Draco, you're obviously upset. Why don't you talk to me, or to Professor Snape, or anybody?"

"What the hell does Snape have to do with this?" He shot back and Rosie sighed. She couldn't tell him that Severus was planning to do whatever task that he'd been assigned.

"Nothing. Never mind Malfoy."

"No. What the fuck do you know?" His tone slipped into a threatening whisper as he advanced on her.

"I don't know anything, really. I've been asking around, but nobody's giving me anything."

"You're curious. You want to know what I've been ordered to do?" He moved closer and Rose could now feel is breath hot on her face. He was trying to scare her, but Malfoy wasn't even on the list of frightening people.

"Yeah, I do." She nodded. "You seem stressed. Why don't you help me out, and I'll do the same for you?" She raised an eyebrow, relaxing her posture and slipping a hand down to fiddle with his belt.

Draco groaned and leaned his head back against the stone wall behind him when her hand found it's way into his pants, but his enjoyment only last a second before he let out a humorless laugh, opened his eyes and grasped onto her arm.

"You'll have to try a lot harder than that Potter." He shook his head, and Rosie used the opportunity to do what she'd been practicing and planning to do to Slughorn, to Draco.

"Fuck you." She spat, feigning agitation as she pushed her magic outward like she'd read, thinking of her one, brief lesson on legilimancy with Severus all those years ago.

Malfoy was so distracted by what she had been doing that it was less effort than she'd anticipated, moving into his mind. Rosie moved her hand back to the right spot and leaned forward to lock his lips with hers, maintaining eye contact, and he fell for it, allowing her to invade his mouth with her tongue. She tried to think about Voldemort, which was a big task in her current position, and pretty soon she had dug the issue up in his memories.

Although, it wasn't Voldemort that appeared at the forefront, it was Severus.

"Mister Malfoy, I don't think your level of concentration is adequate in this situation. If you are going to murder the headmaster, you are going to need to pay attention to me."

"I don't need your help." He spat, turning away.

Memory Severus advanced on Draco, and then he was gone, and Rosie was thrust back into the real world. She'd only been able to keep it up for long enough to get a snippet of the Slytherin's thoughts, but as it turned out, a snippet was all she needed.

It was all that Rosie could do not to gasp, the shock clouding her thoughts and freezing her blood. She swallowed the urge as Draco's tongue jammed itself down her throat, his hands roving across her body. In the distance, she could hear the party goers' laughter, and the soft clinking of glasses. Malfoy, who must've seen the same image in his head that she had just dug up, was kneading her flesh harder, paying no mind to her distracted responses.

Suddenly, shagging Draco Malfoy seemed like the most brilliant idea that she'd ever had.

Fuck Severus for hiding this from her. Fuck the damn headmaster for causing this, and fuck the war for making it necessary in the first place.

Rosie moaned, allowing the boy to direct her hurriedly down the corridor, towards one of the lavatories. A few feet from the door, he slammed her body back against the wall, pinning her wrists above her head and letting out a growl.

"God. If I took you to him right now, I'd be a hero Potter." He whispered in her ear, his grip tightening.

Rose laughed. "Do it then." She dared him, slipping a hand back into the waist of his trousers.

"Do you have any idea how tempted I am?"

"Merlin, Draco you really know how to turn a girl on." Rosie joked. "If it were that easy to get me out of the castle do you think I'd be here attending NEWT potions for fun? You can thank your daddy for that. I couldn't even leave if I tried."

Malfoy hissed as she played with him. He was about to shove her again, through the door of the loo, his hands gripping her hard at the shoulders when they realized that they were no longer alone.

Severus cleared his throat from their right, and Rosie jolted with surprise, yanking her hand out of Draco's pants and pulling it into her chest like a wounded animal. She could feel the heat gathering in her face.

The look on the potion's master's face was one of disgust and disdain as he turned his attentions to them and her heart dropped into her stomach.

For reasons that Rose did not quite understand, Draco took one look at Severus, sneered, and elbowed Rosie away from him, stalking down the corridor without turning back. This left Rose alone with her guardian.

Standing there in silence, the memory that she'd stolen from Malfoy's head played and replayed over in her mind. Draco was supposed to kill the headmaster, which meant that Severus was going to kill the headmaster.

Severus was going to kill Dumbledore, and he didn't want to. Dumbledore asked Severus to kill him, even though doing so would hurt her guardian, even though following through would put a rift between she and Severus, and Dumbledore hadn't thought to warn her. Neither of them had.

Severus was going to sacrifice their relationship to do this, and he didn't even care.

"Rose." Severus sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Take me home Severus. I'm done here." She crossed her arms, turning away from him.

"You cannot continue to do this with Mr. Malfoy. It's not safe."

"Fuck you, Severus." All her anger bubbled to the surface as she spat the words in his face.

He stilled and then reached forward and grabbed her wrist in his hand, pulling her closer to him with a force that she hadn't felt in a long time. "Rose Lily Potter, do not ever speak to me that way again."

"Or what? What will you do? Most days you don't even care if I speak to you or not so I don't think you have any business telling me who to continue with."

"Have you stopped to think for one moment about what would happen if the dark lord looked into Draco's mind? I have no idea how it came to be, but I do know that some part of you cares for Draco and wouldn't want to see anything happen to him, and that boy is not an occlumens." He hissed.

"I know that." She said back, though in truth she hadn't thought of that before and he was a terrible occlumens as Rosie had just proven a few moments before.

"Then act like it. What has gotten into you Rose?"

"Nothing Severus. I'm the same as I always am, but you're never around anymore so maybe you've forgotten who that is.

He shut his eyes. "Child—you know that I need to keep my distance and you know why. It's for your own protection."

"Sometimes I don't need protection Severus; sometimes I just need a dad and I feel like I don't have one anymore." She looked away, the words catching in her throat.

He'd relaxed his grip on her wrist now, sliding his thumb across the delicate skin there as he studied her face. "Rose, I know that it must be difficult to lose both time with myself and with Lupin in the same year, but you have to see that what we are doing is for you. That is a father's role, a parents' role."

"Yeah well, I've already lost two parents to this war. I just wasn't prepared for the other two to walk out of my life right when I needed them the most."

Severus didn't seem to know what to say. He continued to stare at her as if he were memorizing every detail of her face.

"Just take me home. At least Sirius still likes having me around."

"Rose—"

"I don't care, Severus." She cut him off, lying through her teeth.

They walked in silence to the apparition point and she gripped his arm before he had the chance to hold it out to her. When they landed on the steps of Grimmauld beyond the Fidelius, Severus paused and then reached forward, taking her chin in between his fingers.

"You are everything to me Rose. You are the only reason that I am still in this fight."

Draco's memory appeared in her mind as she spoke, the remnants of her anger floating at the forefront of her thoughts. She didn't react to his words, the hurt still too fresh. Instead, she went inside, leaving him alone on the step.