JUST PEACHY

A/N: I was pretty happy that I got feedback so fast :) Thanks to sawiuk (that's a thought OO), TheNightimeSky (she's an awesome writer and I got stuck for names P), YinYangWhiteTiger (I'll try harder! Power!), Lupin4Tonks (another Meg Cabot fan hehe, and yeah, Scorpius is a GOOD kid ), fortune kookie 91 (glad you like the change!), Sakura evil twin of Sango, irene0222 and loverofteddy! You guys are awesome :)

To have this good season of Quidditch, James requested for twice-weekly trainings. Due to these twice weekly trainings, Albus and Rose were spotted doing their homework in the Common Room quite often and on this particular night after dinner, Rose decided to traipse down to the library with Ella for an optional extra credit assignment that Professor Neuro had set for them for Charms. They needed silence to concentrate, and that was difficult in the bustling and busy Common Room, in which James and his friends were setting off Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' newest fireworks. The sparks, bangs, explosions, lights and various firework animals were enough to wake the dead. So they set off, after Rose had gathered all the books she had borrowed from the library before to return to Madam Pince.

"Don't come back too late now girls," the Fat Lady said as they closed the portrait on the Common Room, and they nodded at her.

"So Rose," Ella said as they started off down the corridor, leaving the Fat Lady behind them, "How long have you known Albus?" Rose was concentrating on the pile of books in her arms that she had to return to the library and didn't her what Ella had said until she coughed politely.

"Wha-? Oh sorry Ella. Just, wait, here could you hold this?" Rose passed a few books to Ella who obediently held her arms open and relieved Rose of half the pile of books.

"Thanks a lot. Now, what were you saying?" Rose said, a little flustered from the weight of the books, and shaking the few long red strands that had escaped from her ponytail back from her face. Ella tucked a strand of her own long blonde hair behind her ear and tried again.

"Albus. I was asking how long you've known Albus," she repeated and Rose unwrinkled her forehead.

"Oh right! We've known each other for ages actually," Rose said casually. "We're actually cousins."

"You guys are cousins?!" Ella exclaimed, fascinated. Rose nodded again, long red ponytail bouncing up and down.

"Yeah, we are… Why so interested hmm?" she asked knowingly. She had a kind smile on her face. Ella blushed a little and her dark blonde hair fell forward to hide her pink cheeks. Rose leaned forward and saw her glowing cheeks.

"You like him!" she exclaimed, and Ella looked up quickly.

"You won't tell right?" Ella asked worriedly. Rose nodded, still smiling. Ella looked reassured. They both remained silent as they entered the library and Ella looked for a place to sit while Rose returned her stack of books. She opened her Charms book to the page she needed, then took out her half finished essay and more parchment, her quill and ink. She started working while waiting for Rose to come back.

After fifteen minutes, Ella began to wonder why Rose was taking so long; maybe Madam Pince was upset about her returning the books late and was giving her a lecture? Impossible, Ella thought almost immediately, knowing Rose was too organized and responsible to have let something of that sort happen. She got back to her essay.

It's been twenty minutes now, and Ella is starting to become a little anxious. Where could she be? Maybe borrowing more books? Talking to Madam Pince? Ella resumes working.

After ten more minutes, bringing Rose's total absence up to half an hour, Ella gets up, leaves her bag, parchment, quill and books and wanders around the library. It is quite empty, due to the lateness of the hour and the fact that not many students frequented the library in their free time, due to having better things to do, and also the fact that Madam Pince ran the library, and was known for her fanatic love of her books, which meant that they had to be treated well, and she swooped around, breathing down the necks of those that touched her precious tomes.

Ella, keen to avoid Madam Pince, moves quietly and surely. She sees a little group of fifth years, studying quietly and she avoids going closer, worried that she'd disturb them and incur their wrath. Ella also avoids the Restricted Section, which is gated off and closed to all below sixth year. Rose wouldn't be there anyway. Ella proceeds along, drawing some glances from various students. Then she hears voices. Low, but surely there. Some quiet and suppressed laughter. Ella creeps along quietly, ears pricked to hear their conversation.

"No! Of course not," someone, a girl!, Ella realises, says. It's too soft to make out if it belonged to Rose. "I'd like if we had a lot in common," the voice continued. Ella hears another voice reply.

"Such as?" The Second Voice said, teasing, and the First Voice laughed softly. Ella realised it was Rose, then relieved, she stepped around the corner.

"Rose! Where ha-" Ella caught sight of the owner of the Second Voice.

"I'm sorry, Ella," Rose said, as they sat down in their chairs at their original table. "I should've told you I was somewhere else," Rose apologised humbly. Ella shook her head.

"It's nothing! You just saw him as you were returning you books, and he said hi right?" she replied, leaning forward. Rose nodded. When Ella had stepped around the corner, she had the shock of her life. Rose was sitting there indeed, but with Scorpius Malfoy. They both jumped up when they saw Ella, and said hurried goodbyes and barely looked each other in the eyes. Ella saw Rose, flustered, gathering her stuff quickly as Scorpius greeted Ella. She sussed the situation in a matter of seconds.

"I should be the one apologising in any case," Ella continued. "I interrupted your conversation."

"No, it was nothing, I had to finish up my essay anyway," Rose answered, head down, scratching away with her quill. Ella leant forward.

"Rose, do you like Scorpius?" she asked quietly, and Rose looked up quickly. Ella's eyes were sparkling, but she was also being sincere and kind, and Rose knew she meant well. They had grown to be quite close during the first week, and Rose knew she could trust her. She put down her quill.

"I'm… I'm not too sure yet," Rose said. Ella nodded.

"Why not? Scorpius is a nice guy," Ella replied and Rose nodded absently.

"I know he is. I guess, it's just that I don't know him too well. And what I know of him… Well, more strictly speaking, his family… Isn't too good," she answered, a little sadly. Ella nodded.

"I don't really… Get much of that stuff," she confessed to Rose, and Rose looked up surprised. Then she remembered.

"I'm sorry, I forget you're Muggle-born sometimes," Rose said, quickly adding, "Not that it matters. But you're not familiar with what happened nearly 20 years ago right?" Ella shook her head.

"I mean, I've read about it. Sort of. Like, in the History of Magic textbook. 'In the early 20th Century, Lord Voldemort was vanquished by the Boy Who Lived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' The Boy Who Lived. That's Albus' dad isn't it?" she asked hesitantly. Rose nodded solemnly.

"Yeah, Uncle Harry is Albus' dad. And he killed Voldemort, right in the Entrance Hall. They told us about it," she told Ella, who was wide-eyed with wonder. "Mom and Dad and all of them. He was here. And his Death Eaters."

"Death Eaters… Was that what they called Voldemort's supporters?" asked Ella curiously.

"Yes, that's what they were called. And, well. Scorpius' father was one of them." Rose looked back down at her nearly completed essay and continued writing with her quill. Ella continued to stare off into space, now that Rose seemed to have no desire to continue the conversation. Death Eaters, she thought. And Rose's father was Scorpius' father's rival, along with Albus' dad…

It soon reached 8 o'clock, and the two of them, rolling up their dried and finished essays, packed the rest of their stuff in and left the library to head back to the Common Room. Rose and Ella walked along companionably, past the suits of armour and the animated portraits. As they reached the Seventh Floor, Ella stopped Rose before going in.

"Rose, you won't- You won't tell Albus about this right?" Ella asked, biting her lip anxiously. Rose smiled and shook her head.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me," she reassured her friend, and Ella smiled.

"Domi adsum," they said to the Fat Lady, who nodded and replied, "Indeedy," before swinging aside to let them through the portrait hole. She swung closed behind them.

The next morning, Albus hung around the Common Room, waiting. Ian and Sebastian were waiting with him, checking the Notice Board.

"God, I wonder what's taking her so long," Albus said frustrated, and the two of them looked up at him.

"You're waiting for Rose, right?" Ian asked, and Albus nodded.

"Why don't you try going up to look for her?" Sebastian volunteered. Albus nodded then stopped.

"Funny. I have a feeling I shouldn't…" he said. Ian rolled his eyes.

"Come on, we haven't got all morning. Breakfast will be over soon," Ian said and nudged Albus over.

"All right, all right. I'm going, I'm going," and with that, he took the first few steps up towards the Girl's Dormitory. However, a loud, deafening klaxon wail echoed up through the stairs, and then they turned into a stone slide. Albus haphazardly waved his arms around like a windmill for a split second, trying to run up the slide, then slid helplessly down back to the Common Room with a thud on the wooden floor.

"Damn! I knew I forgot something," Albus groaned, then stopped immediately as two giggling girls slid down. Ian rolled his eyes and approached them, asking them about Rose while Sebastian helped Albus up.

"Rose? I think she went down to breakfast earlier," one of them said, and Ian thanked her.

"That's not possible," Albus said as they proceeded to hurry downstairs to catch what was left of breakfast. "James said he didn't see her."

"James? Your brother? When did you see him?" Sebastian asked, jogging to catch up to their brisk pace. His brown hair flopped into his eyes and he pushed it back. "What do you need to talk to Rose about anyway?"

"Err, I'll tell you guys later," he said as they reached the Entrance Hall. However, as they neared, they saw Peeves swooping around, cackling with delight. He spied the three young Gryffindor boys, and singled out Albus.

"Ah! Why look who it is! Romeo!" Peeves cried. Ian and Sebastian looked at each other, then at Albus who had a look of horror on his face.

"Oh my God. James wasn't lying," he muttered under his breath, panicky.

"What is he talking about?" Sebastian asked Ian, and Ian shrugged and poked Albus in the back.

"Yeah, what's going on?"

Albus shook his head furtively, and scurried to hide behind them.

"Okay guys, now, walk into the Great Hall. Don't move away!" he cried, grabbing the back of their robes as Peeves flew above and laughed evilly. Albus groaned audibly.

"What is up, Potter?" Ian asked, irritated, but consented to walking in while hiding his friend.

"Faster!" Albus growled, and the three of them made their way conspicuously across the Hall to the Gryffindor table. Rose was there, talking to a droopy looking Ella in a low voice, glancing around for eavesdroppers. Then she caught sight of Albus and the other two and made hurried motions for them to sit somewhere else along the table. The three of them sat down quickly and sighed loudly, relieved. Then helped themselves to toast, bacon, sausages, eggs and pumpkin juice.

"So, what was that all about?" Sebastian asked, shoving in scrambled eggs. Albus took a huge swallow of his bacon, gulped down some pumpkin juice and sighed again.

"James came up from breakfast early to tell me when the next Quidditch practice was. He also told me that Peeves was shouting something about the young Potter being the next Romeo and asked me if I knew anything about it," Albus explained. Ian's mouth dropped open.

"Wait, are you being the next Romeo?" he asked and Albus stared daggers at him. Then he drooped visibly.

"James said that Peeves was making fun of Ella this morning," Albus replied, and continued increasing his cholesterol level with more bacon. He jumped as Hedwig the Second landed in front of him, with a note in her beak.

"Albus!" Rose appeared out of nowhere, hissing his name, and the three boys jumped. "Pretend nothing has happened okay," she implored, and gave him A Look. A Look that said do-what-I-say-or-die and Albus knew very well that Rose meant it so he nodded.

"Come on Romeo," Ian chided as they finished off breakfast. "Let's get to Charms." They set off, Albus slitting open the note Hedwig had brought him.

Dear Albus,

Hope you're free to come visit this evening; I've baked a cake. You can bring your friends with you and tell me how everything's going.

Hagrid.

How everything's going, Albus thought. It's going peachy. Juuuust peachy.

A/N: I hope that wasn't too abrupt O.O Hope you guys liked it!