The Rose and Dragon.

san

It's been five year since the Daniels moved in with the Suns. Draco and Elizabeth have grown to become friends. Being 11 years old Elizabeth still annoys Draco from time to time but he doesn't ignore her like he did the first few months when the Daniels first arrived. After school they will usually go get something to eat together or with Dracos friends. Elizabeth doesn't have much friends since all the girls except one, Song, avoid her like she is an alien from another planet. It didn't help either that she couldn't fully speak Chinese. She was working on it and sometimes Draco would help her. Today was one of those days.

"Draco could you help me with an assignment when we get home please? Mrs. Chen is kind of crabby." Elizabeth asked and batted her eyelashes at Draco. She was hoping it would work.

Draco giving a blank stare at her thought to himself, Why does she do that with her eyelashes? Is there something in her eye?

Groaning he agreed and opened the car door for her to get in, getting in after her he came up with a compromise.

"Okay I'll help you with Mrs. Chen's work if you clean my room while I am at Kung Fu." Draco smiled lightly at her. She wouldn't do it.

"Okay I'll do it." She stared right at him. "But you have to actually help me. I need to understand it." Holding out her hand towards him, "Deal?"

"Deal." His hand covered hers.

"Nǐ jīntiān xiǎng chī shénme, sūn xiānshēng," the  driver asked both of them.

About to speak Elizabeth stopped Draco and spoke, "I need to practice my speaking. Umm, Chǎofàn qǐng." Looking at Draco for approval, he nodded and continued with, "Hé zhūròu zhūròu."

"How was that?" Elizabeth asked while looking out the window at all the tall buildings of downtown Suzhou. She loved the city. It was very traditional in some parts and the lights downtown were amazing.

"It was good," Draco said while watching her watch the city pass by. Her eyes lit up every time an attraction passed by. "We have to come down here and explore one of these days."

"When I get my license we will." Draco whispered mainly to himself.

The car came to a stop and the two looked out to a restaurant they haven't been to yet.

"Oh we haven't been here before!" Elizabeth said while getting out of the car and slamming the door in excitement. Draco followed her in with his hands in his coat pockets and his scarf swung as he walked in. He saw some of his classmates and friends, they all stared at Elizabeth as she walked to the line. He knew that his classmates didn't think much of her, especially the girls. All his friends thought she was cute though. Whenever they brought it up he would stay silent. Truth was he did think she was kinda cute. He was starting to notice her features more, her eyes more than anything.

Elizabeth saw her friend Song sitting by herself and went over to her table engaging in a conversation immediately. Draco sat with some of his friends while looking outside. He was getting bored and wanted to go to practice already. Kung Fu was his escape that let off steam from a long day of school.

Chan, the driver, brought Draco and Elizabeth their food and sat by the front eating his rice. Draco liked Chan a lot, he was the one who introduced Draco into Kung Fu. Chan and his wife, who was the head maid and cook, lived in the house with them. They had no kids of their own but had a very friendly, fat, white cat.

Looking over at Elizabeth and Song Draco noticed Mae, the most popular and one of the richest girls at school, making a disgusted look at Elizabeth. Mae was in Dracos grade and she had a huge crush on him, he knew that but never acted on it or said anything about it. She didn't like that Elizabeth was always with him, but it's not like Elizabeth could do anything about that.

Mae stood up and walked over to Elizabeth and Song. She was saying something cruel enough for Elizabeth to get run out of the restaurant in tears. Song was saying something to Mae but Draco didn't hear because he was following after Elizabeth.

Walking over to the car he saw Elizabeth sitting on the ground crying. She hadn't noticed him until he keeled next to her. Looking up at Draco with tears flowing down her freckled face she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Somewhat in shock Draco jut stood there letting her cry.

"Rose."

She shook her head not wanting to look at him just yet.

Draco only called her Rose one other time, and it was when she was eight years old. She was crying in the kitchen because she missed her mother.

"Look at me Rose, please." Looking up at him she wiped her eyes. "You need to stop letting Mae bully you around."

"But-"

"Listen," The 11 year old looked at him with frustration. "Master Iroh tells me to not give people the satisfaction of seeing your emotion when they come at you with negativity."

Chan walked out of the restaurant with three to-go boxes and got in the SUV. Opening the door for Elizabeth he got in after her but not before seeing Mae and her friends laughing at Elizabeth. He was hoping Elizabeth didn't see but she did. Chan put on her favorite music, the Erhu. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her wiping the tears away.

"Lets go home Chan,"Daco said while grabbing Elizabeth's hand.