When Flame touches Paper

Chapter Three

1st September

Rose woke before the sun, laying still with the peace that hung in the air, soaking in the tranquillity, before her lips curled into an ear-splitting grin.

She was going home.

Well, not exactly home, but pretty close to it. Hogwarts had always been an escape for her. Though she loved her family, she could not help but feel smothered when the summer holidays came around. There was hardly any privacy in the Weasley household, and with her cousins and Malfoy around, getting a moment to herself was almost impossible.

Nothing could come quite close to reading in front of her favourite arched window in the Ravenclaw common room; fit with a view of the surrounding mountains, the black lake, and the forbidden forest. In her humble opinion, their common room was the best of them all. A circular room, draped in bronze and blue silks, stars painted onto the ceiling that twinkled at night, and furnished with blue tables and armchairs. 

It was also equipped with its own library, home to almost as many books as the official Hogwarts library. Her mind began to wander to the feeling of sitting under the great tree near the black lake or walking through the grounds surrounding the castle, and of course, the feeling of streaking through the air, with the wind whistling in her ears as she dived for the snitch. She shivered in delight at the thought of it all.

Springing out of bed, she grabbed the trunk that had been neatly packed weeks before and catapulted down the stairs into the living room. 

She was not surprised to find her mother up, dressed, and making breakfast with Grandma Molly. She was surprised, however, to see Malfoy and Albus setting the table already dressed and with neatly combed hair before her.

"Since when have you gotten up before it was absolutely necessary?" She quipped to her cousin, eyeing him suspiciously.

He gave her an easy grin and pointed a finger at the boy setting cutlery down next to him.

"Since he practically dragged me out of bed to help with breakfast."

Her eyes shifted to Malfoy, mostly with contempt, but with a hint of curiosity. It hadn't occurred to her that the stormy-eyed boy could ever do something that wasn't for his own benefit. 

"What, did you assume I'd be the type of person to laze around doing nothing until the last minute? You shouldn't be so quick to judge, Rosebud. Sorry, Al." He added as an afterthought, as it was widely known that Albus was exactly the type of person he had just described.

Albus seemed unaffected, and gave the boy a shrug and a look that seemed to say, 'I can't argue when you're right'. 

"Well, when all I've ever known you to be is a self-serving, pompous prat, I can easily say that I am more than shocked at your behaviour." She retorted with a roll of her eyes, moving away to kiss her mother and grandmother's cheeks, leaving the boys to snigger to themselves.

"You're sure you've packed everything, Rosie? Your books? Wand? Robes? Prefect badge?"

Rose gave her mother a look that quickly answered Hermione's questions.

"Yes I know, you are my daughter after all." She gave Rose a sheepish look before her face grew more serious.

"I'd like to give you something before you go. Follow me." And with that, her mother left the kitchen and started climbing the stairs. 

Rose, ever so confused, followed her mother silently until they reached her mother and father's room. Her father was snoring ever so slightly, obviously in a deep sleep. Rose's heart soared at the sight, for she was a daddy's girl through and through, and couldn't ever imagine a better man to walk the earth.