QUIDDITCH; next gen

Chapter Nine- Lots of Catching Up

[ ROSE ]

"It's been ages since I've seen you!" Rose exclaimed, giving Victoire a hug. "How've things been?"

"Things have been going great." Victoire assured her, with a not-so-subtle glance towards Teddy Lupin.

The two were sitting in the great hall eating dinner. Everyone that was part of their group took up an entire house table, while the other students who'd stayed sat gathered around a cards table.

"Anything new developing in the Teddy area?" Rose asked, eyes twinkling.

"We've moved house, but that's really it. Nothing exciting."

"Shame."

"Honestly, Rose, I think you're more invested in my love life than I am." Victoire laughed. "Any boys who've caught your eye?"

Rose blushed. "Well..."

As if cued, Scorpius walked up and sat down next to Rose, completely oblivious to what they'd been discussing. Rose's blushed deepened so much that she could've been mistaken for a tomato.

"I love your family, Rose, but if one more person asks me about my father I think I might explode." He said.

Victoire raised an eyebrow at Rose, as if to say "this one?". Rose glared at her, then turned to Scorpius.

"Is it bad?"

"They're not saying anything rude, I just wish they'd talk to me about something other than my lineage."

"Aha. Wait here a second, I've got to get someone."

Rose got up, then came back a few moments later with Teddy Lupin.

"You two are second cousins. Talk to each other." She flashed them a snarky grin, then sat back down next to Victoire.

"Honestly, those two. Teddy hasn't talked to anyone but James and Fred, and Scorpius feels awkward around everyone. It's about time they were social." Rose blew her hair out of her face.

"Don't think you can distract me from the topic at hand, Rosie dear." Victoire said, and Rose groaned. "So, tell me all about Malfoy."

"Well, he's captain of the Quidditch team, he's incredibly smart, he's got these dreamy blue eyes that light up when he's talking about muggle science-fiction novels. He's always warm and always smells like a winter forest. His hands are huge but soft, and he can make anyone feel safe with one word, one touch, one tiny gesture. His smile makes any room twice as bright, and his laugh is contagious. He's strong, both physically and emotionally, and gives everyone a chance, no matter how terribly they treat him. He's one of the kindest people I know, and one of the bravest."

"Seems to me you really like him, huh?"

"Yeah..."

Victoire smiled and gave Rose's hand a squeeze. "I think it's great."

"You do?"

"I really do."

-

Rose sat on her bed in the Gryffindor dormitory, laughing with her friends. She was sharing it with Amelia, Alice, Dominique, and Victoire. Molly, Lucy, Lily, Roxanne, and Molly's girlfriend Skye were in the dormitory above, and the mothers, Amelia's sister Leah and Alice's sister Callie were split up in the dormitories below. The boys had a similar arrangement going on their side (no Gryffindors had stayed). Rose thought they'd gotten lucky- she wouldn't have been able to have the conversations she was having if any of the girls she normally shared a room with were there.

"So." Victoire said, coming in with pastries and tea. "The evening commences."

They all sat in a circle in the middle of the room, backs resting on footboards and bottoms resting on pillows.

"What do we do?" Amelia looked around at them for suggestions.

"We could just talk, we could play a muggle sleepover game, we could prank the guys." Rose suggested.

"So long as it's not truth or dare." Dominique said. "You remember what happened last time."

They all laughed, remembering the Christmas before, when things had got a bit... messy.

"I say we just talk." Victoire interjected, glancing at Rose. "I'm sure we've got lots of catching up to do."

And talk they did. They talked about school, they talked about their parents, they talked about that really amazing movie they saw over the summer. And, like every cliché slumber party ever, they talked about boys.

"Alright, alright, alright." Rose laughed. "But you guys have to talk too. I say we draw numbers to see who goes first."

The girls had been pestering her, trying to figure out who she was interested in, but she hadn't let anything slip.

"That's a good idea." Alice agreed.

Victoire scribbled numbers 1-5 on a scrap of parchment, tore it apart, then tossed them in a bowl.

"Youngest draws first." She grinned.

Luckily, Rose drew 5.

"Oh, come on." Dominique groaned. "I got first!"

They all laughed; Dominique was already pretty open about her dating life as it was, so she wouldn't even have much to say. Alice had drawn 2 and Victoire drew 3, which left Amelia with 4.

"Go on then, Dom. How're things with Colin? Anything changed since yesterday?" Rose teased.

"Nothing's changed, but his dads did walk in on us kissing this morning. That was awkward. And embarrassing."

Amelia laughed. "Papa was telling me about that, and I think they were more embarrassed than you."

"Oh my god, really?" Dominique looked horrified.

"I haven't had to deal with people walking in on me, cause I've never dated anyone." Alice grinned.

Victoire gave her an annoyed look. "Lucky you."

"Oh, but surely there's someone you like." Rose said, eyes glinting maliciously. "Isn't there?"

Alice blushed. "Well..."

"It's Albus, isn't it?" Amelia asked.

Alice nodded, and the room was filled with the sound of girls squealing.

"I knew it!" "That's so sweet!" "Awe!'

Once the squealing died down, Victoire talked about how things had been going with Teddy, Amelia gushed about James, then all eyes were on Rose.

"Erm..." Rose gulped.

"Oh, go on. Out with it." Dominique teased. "Who do you like?"

"I don't really see why it-"

"Come on."

"Fine. IlikeScorpiusbuthesactuallyreallysweetsodontjudgehimbyhislastname." Rose spoke incredibly quickly, then leaped up. "Anyone up for a game of midnight Quidditch?"

The rest of the girls agreed (albeit after some hesitation), and went to go get everyone else.

A/N- I've always wanted to play Quidditch at night...