Winter's Rose ▫️T. Lupin

▫️ Eighteen

Her pace was quick as she got down the corridor, moving near the wall so she wouldn't bump to any students. Her countless braids followed her every move as she sharply turned down the corridor, holding her bag tightly against her back as she walked. She didn't look at anyone around her and she didn't slow down until she reached the doors of the library. She pushed the door open gently and got inside, her steps almost lost as she headed in between a few shelves in front of her and stopped by the first table on her way there.

"Finally," Beatrice smiled over at her as she walked past her. "You're late, Rose."

"Trelawney kept us a bit more than usual," she admitted as she took the spare seat between Teddy and Angela and leaned over the table, her eyebrows furrowing as she turned to Bill. "Where were you at class?"

"I know skipping Divination isn't something I should do but it was for good reason," Bill instantly mumbled as he raised his book in the air, allowing her to see that he was studying Divination. "Besides, I'm studying Divination now."

"Yeah, I doubt you'll understand the lesson just from that, I'll come over to explain it to you later," she smiled slightly as she exchanged a look with Teddy before turning to face him once more. "What was that good reason you were talking about?"

"I was taking a bath."

Angela snorted as Rose's smile widened. "I don't see a difference."

"Funny," he rolled his eyes at her. "There's a Hogsmeade trip tomorrow and I need to look my best."

Beatrice smirked as she looked over at him. "Anyone you're trying to impress, Bill?"

"Maybe," he shrugged, rolling his eyes as he noticed Rose's grin. "Don't look at me like that, Jones."

"I see you're taking pointers from Teddy," she chuckled at the use of her surname as she sent a smile at the Head Boy who was looking away, slightly flustered. Her eyes trailed over to Thomas who remained quiet, studying. "Is everything alright, Thomas?"

He nodded but didn't say a word. Rose's smile dimmed and she looked at Teddy for answers. He shrugged slightly and so, she turned to Bill.

"Don't look at me like that," he raised his hands up in surrender. "I might help you if you come here and help me with Divination."

"I need to study," Brenda spoke up for the first time, her eyes never leaving the parchment as she kept writing furiously. "All of us need to study. Stay quiet."

Rose only rolled her eyes at her as she left her things on the seat in between Angela and Teddy and moved around the table to sit down in the spare seat between Beatrice and Bill. He smiled slightly at her as he pushed the book her way. Rose though pushed it away and grabbed his palm instead. She sent him a look.

"Make sure to pay attention because I'm only going to say this once."

He grinned, "Yes, madam."

Rose only rolled her eyes at him and with that, she launched into a detailed but quiet explanation of the lesson. She vaguely noticed that Thomas and Teddy were listening in what she was saying and as she spoke about advanced palmistry and all the things Trelawney had let them know today, she couldn't help but realise that she sounded like a professional. She almost smiled at the thought. She was quite good at palmistry, if she said so herself.

"You got it?" Rose asked in the end of her lecture and Bill nodded. "Do you want me to say it again?"

"Whatever happened to saying things once?" he grinned, but she only shrugged in return.

"See it as me being a good person."

"Thank you, I think I understand everything," he nodded as he took his hand away and turned back to his book.