Note: I'm sorry it took so long to update, I kinda lost the files for a while there, but I really want to get back into this and finish it. thanks to everyone who faves/follows and reviews! xxxx

Chapter 5 –Overwhelming emotions and Christmas

It turned out that Professor Potsdam soon found a replacement teacher for their Green and White magic lessons, Professor Marvel; a small Mousy older lady who seemed more like someone's grandmother rather than a teacher. Still she was knowledgeable about the subjects and far easier to get along with than Professor Quill was. One lunch time Rosanna was finally able to get Virginia to sit with her at lunch alone and she took this chance to talk to her about Ellen.

"So whatcha think about Ellen?" She asked causally munching on a sandwich.

"Eh? She's a really good friend at the end of the day, honest and kind, even if she is too much of a brainbox, why did you ask?" replied Virginia, already diving into her food like she had never eaten before.

"Oh nothing really." She shrugs "It just seems like you two get on pretty well."

"Yeah I suppose so." Virginia blushed and then changed the subject. Rosanna pretended not to notice but took it as a good sign for Ellen.

That Saturday Rosanna had her first of several detentions. Donald was unsurprisingly there as well, the only reason he didn't seem to get expelled was because he did a lot of work with Professor Potsdam and helped her out with many things to keep in her good books. They were both waiting for Grabiner to arrive.

"I think it's so stupid that Grabbs is giving you all these detentions, you did nearly die after all." Commented Donald. Several of Rosanna's friends found out about what happened to her that night after constant pestering. She sighed.

"It could have been much worse. At least this way I'll stay out of trouble." She ginned at him.

"Well at least you don't have to go it alone, I'll try and get detention every week to keep you company." Donald winked.

"Yeah well don't let me influence you into a life of crime."

"Ah only you babe, If I know a cute girl like you is going to be here every Saturday, I have a reason to keep coming back." He joked, She blushed a little at his silly comments but knew that he was just pulling her leg.

"Well if you put it that way, I can see why you would want to." They joked around for another few minutes until Grabiner entered and gave them a variety of boring tasks to do for the day.

It was mid-afternoon and Rosanna was finishing up the essay Grabiner made her write when he came and sat down next to her.

"I take you are feeling better overall?" he asked.

"Yes, thanks. Did you ever find out what happened to Professor Quill?" He pulled a sour face at that question.

"Unfortunately not. We feel he has quite literally 'jumped' of the face of the planet." His voice sounded irritated.

"Do you er know what potion he was trying to make?"

"Alas not, he left no trace of anything, but having to use blood in the potion is an indication of some powerful magic indeed." He scratched his cheek thoughtfully.

"Well I guess we won't know." She sighed feeling a little awkward, they had hardly spoken since she had returned to her dormitory over a week ago.

"Sir, I really am sorry about everything. I really have been an inconvenience to you ever since we met when I first came to the academy, as soon as our marriage is over in February, I will make sure to stay out of your way. I've caused you enough trouble." Her face twitched a little as she spoke and her hands fiddled with her pen as a distraction. She had decided over the past few days that this is how it had to be. She wasn't good for him, and though he cared for her as a friend, they didn't have a real relationship and her foolish crush was getting in the way of his life. If she made sure to keep her distance from now on, then she couldn't cause any more problems for him. She had to sacrifice her feelings and desires for him.

"Oh by now I'm getting used to the trouble you cause." He commented drily, unaware about the wave of feelings she was keeping bottled up inside.

"Besides these detentions I am going to put you through will more and make up for it." He smirked. She smiled at him weakly and finished up her essay before handing it to him and leaving quietly.

That evening she found Ellen and Virginia cheerfully chatting in their room; apparently they had gone on their first date to the mall that afternoon.

"Really?! That's great!" said a delighted Rosanna; "So what did you both go and do?"

"Yeah well I don't want you going around telling everyone." Complained Virginia; "and we are not going out – out, we are just going to see how things go for now."

"Yeah, it was nice though." Said an embarrassed Ellen; "You don't mind if Virginia and I, go out on the odd date do you Rosanna? I mean you're our room-mate and I don't want to do anything that'll make you feel unconformable."

"No it's fine, really guys I am truly happy for you both." Rosanna grinned; "Just don't let if affect your school work ladies!"

"yes mum. Besides Rosanna's going to be too busy with her 'grumpy Grabbs' to notice what we are up to." Virginia laughed.

"Well erm, probably not. I've decided not to keep chasing after Grabiner. I mean a student and a teacher shouldn't really date, and as soon as this marriage is up we can go our separate ways and that will be that."

"I think you're making the right choice." Replied Ellen; "He wasn't really right for you after all, He is often angry and ungrateful."

"hhmm, I'm personally not so sure, it's obvious you have feelings for him." Interrupted Virginia.

"I suppose I do, but it's not right for me to keep chasing someone that won't have feelings for me...it's unhealthy for both of us, I need to find a way to move on..." She sighed and felt her eyes water up a little and decided to go for a walk before curfew.

Before she knew it the end of November was upon them and the next exam. This exam consisted off going through a maze in the dungeon and avoiding various traps and creatures; Rosanna found it surprisingly easy and was able to pass without harming herself. She was trying her best to avoid talking with Grabiner other than when attending her detentions or answering questions during his lessons. If he noticed the change in her behaviour then he didn't say anything.

At the start of December they were given names so they could take part of the 'Secret Santa' game. Rosanna had gotten Donald's name. Luckily they had been given the fifth of December off, being that Rosanna had no free Saturdays; thanks to her detentions she took that opportunity to go to the mall to buy Donald a gift. She wondered around the mall with no idea what Donald would like, she was thinking that something childish would be appropriate, or perhaps something Christmasy. She wondered over to the food court to grab a bite to eat when she spotted Grabiner strolling towards her. He rarely comes to the mall what's he doing here?

"Miss Gale." He gave her a small polite smile; "What brings you to the mall? Though I suppose it's not like you get Saturdays to come here..." he smirked a little.

"Well I, eh am looking for a gift for the 'Secret Santa' game. I've got plenty to do so I better get going." She dashed off not wanting to really speak to him. She felt a twang of pain in her chest as she did but she had to stick to her plan and keep her distance. She eventually found a fitting gift for Donald, it was a book called '100 Original Pranks and Tricks' she decided that this was a very fitting gift for him, and after picking up some wrapping paper she returned to the academy pleased with her results.

Throughout the next week or so she spent a lot of her time studying and working on improving her magic, she was progressing nicely and it helped her keep her mind of Grabiner. Every time he tried to talk with her she was polite but abrupt and talked to him for as little as possible. The more she saw him the more it hurt though, so she even ended up taking less and less of his lessons in order to avoid him. Shortly after a Black magic lesson she was making her way back to her room when she felt herself being pulled into an empty classroom, it was Grabiner.

"Right what's going on?" He snapped.

"Sir, what do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, why have you been avoiding me? Has something happened?"

"Eh nothing really, I did say before that I was going to stay out of your hair from now on and so I have." She shrugged trying to look disinterested. He frowns.

"Is that what you really want? Rosanna you said you would tell me if anything is wrong."

She squirmed a little feeling uncomfortable.

"Well like I said, I've been such a burden to you I figured it was best if I stayed away, then…"

"That's a shame really; I was enjoying your company." He looked rather awkward at that confession, and she couldn't help but smile a tiny bit.

"Really? But I've not exactly been a good wife…."

"I don't think I would have it any other way." As he spoke he suddenly burst out into a small fit of laughter, she just looked at him confused. He composed himself and then spoke; "I just twigged the reason why, it's because you think that your bad for me isn't it? That you and your crush on me is ruining my life." Her face went bright red and she angrily interrupted him.

"Hey! There's no need to be a complete dick about my feelings!" the words where out before she knew it; "I'm sorry if my feelings are hilarious to you! This is why I was trying to avoid you, I know you don't feel the same way about me as I do to you, so I thought it would be easier on us both if we went back to a normal student-teacher relationship." At that very moment she wanted to hit him in his smiling face but instead she turned around planning to storm out of the room. Only she was stopped by Grabiner grabbing her hand.

"Wait! Wait! I wasn't laughing at you, I was laughing because the idea was so novel to me. I am not accustomed to anyone having feelings towards me." Rosanna froze. She realized that what she had been feeling was more than just a mere crush. She had known this for a while now but never wanted to admit it to herself; she loved him. She absolutely loved him. She didn't want to but there it was, bursting though her like a wave, trying to break out and express itself. Rosanna was at a loss for words, he pulled her around to face him.

"I'm sorry ok." He said; "I don't want you to keep your distance from me ok. I remember you saying before were friends right?"

"But…I want more than that." She admitted honestly. He looked at her with a somewhat nervously.

"I know." He said quietly, a pained look came across his face and He shook his head. "No, I am your teacher. We can only be friends." She felt like she had been stabbed by those words, she had been telling herself this, but to hear him reaffirm it made it more real. She mumbled something and then left swiftly not able to face him.

He called after her but she ignored it and headed outside she wondered around the grounds ignoring anyone who tried to speak to her until she found a deserted area and she collapsed under a tree and sobbed to herself.

"Hey Rosanna, what's gotcha blue?" she looked up to see Donald standing above her.

"Grabiner just re-affirmed that he doesn't feel the way I do." She admitted, he sat down and wrapped an arm around her.

"Well Grabbs is a jerk, honestly don't know what you like about him. Sorry I know that doesn't help... it's getting pretty chilly out here do you want to come back to the common room and we can talk?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I'm fine here, and besides I don't want other people to see me like this. You better not tell your sister by the way." She gave him a weak smile. He rummaged through his robes and pulled out a tissue, and gave it to her so she could dry her eyes.

"Don't worry about it, I not gonna tell anyone. Just think we only have about a week and a half and then its home for Christmas. It's gonna be sweet."

"Yeah...Yeah I think it'll be good to get away and see my parents again for a bit. You've got to write to me though ok, I think I'll go mad if I don't hear from the Magical world in those two weeks." She gave him a smile; "Let's take a slow walk back then." Donald helped her up and they took a slow walk back. Donald was great at cheering her up and by the end of the day she was laughing at his jokes and felt she was able to cope with the rest of the school term.

On the last day before they parted for the Christmas Holidays, Rosanna made sure to give her gift to Donald and found that her 'secret Santa' was Minnie who had given her a wonderful stationary set with kittens decorating it.

Before they left they were called into assembly, Professor Potsdam cast a spell told them to close their eyes and think about a person or persons they cared about and if in turn that person was thinking of them they would be able to feel that person reach out to them mentally. Of course Rosanna couldn't help herself like she did when they did this last Christmas she thought of Grabiner. Last year she had felt him thinking of her but it was only for a fleeting moment. This time she felt him like a strong wave washing over her. He was thinking of her despite everything. She opened her eyes breaking the connection. She wasn't sure why he was thinking of her but at the same time she was grateful for it. Once the assembly finished Rosanna made sure she had packed what she needed to for her visit home and put on her winter coat before preparing to head to the shuttle, which would take her to the train station in the nearby town.

Once again she felt herself being pulled into an empty classroom by Grabiner. Without saying anything he shut the door and then pulled her in close to himself, tilted her head up and kissed her swiftly on the lips. The kiss was quick but delightful and Rosanna trembled.

"What are you…?" He cut her off by kissing her again this time with more passion, wrapping his arms around her as she kissed him back. They broke apart and Grabiner composed himself.

"I am sorry I don't know what came over me, I really shouldn't have done that." He said blushing furiously.

"Don't be sorry, I liked it." She smiled her chest full of butterflies; "but I thought you didn't…?" He cut her off.

"I don't know." He moaned his face stricken with a mixture of emotions; "I don't know what I want anymore, I just couldn't stand the fact that I was pushing you away. Please you need to give me time to work out what I want, but can we stop trying to ignore each other? I can't stand it." Rosanna didn't know whether she should laugh or cry so instead she pulled him into an embrace and hugged him tightly.

"I don't know what's caused this sudden change of heart but I'm glad, I hated it too." She smiled and let him go realizing that he looked rather uncomfortable, but he smiled at her back.

"You have to go otherwise you'll miss the shuttle." He said simply.

"Oh right yeah I better go, I'll ehm write to you… Hieronymous and I'll see you in a few weeks." Flustered she left the room as he bid her goodbye and hurried out to the shuttle.