A Tale as Old as Time (Harry James Potter x OC)

Chapter 5...Mrs. Potter

Oblivious to Ron's near-death experience, Harry's eyes shined in delight. "Step 1 of marrying Rosemary Potter" — Hermione began to protest at the use of his last name — " "I need to woo her."

"Woo her how, exactly?" queried Hermione.

"With candy, of course," he answered simply with a grin, his dimples showing.

Still forcing chocolates inside his mouth, Ron guarded his stash of candies protectively, to which Hermione sighed exasperatedly.

Harry arose from their compartment and promptly purchased the entire cart of candy. While Ron was practically salivating at the endless opportunities this quest was already presenting him, Hermione's jaw nearly hit the ground in awe of her friend's stupidity.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Rosemary was sprawled out across Candace's lap with her feet atop Amanda when she caught sight of a flash of bleach hair from the corner of her eye. Dropping the strand of Candace's black hair she had been playing with, Rose jumped to her feet, causing Candace to groan as the blonde used her body for leverage.

Grinning from ear to ear, Rose dashed from her seat and hurried to Draco, her arms embracing his muscular frame tightly. The girl emitted a small shriek of raw zeal and elation in the presence of the boy. Flinching at the ear-splitting noise, Candace and Amanda cradled their heads in vexation.

Stumbling back a bit at the sudden weight of her, Draco almost lost his footing but soon regained his composure. Tenderly caressing her arm, he rested his other hand on the small of her back, her touch electrifying his skin.

"We're finally back!" Rose beamed. She wrenched herself out of his grip to steady herself, and Draco flexed his fingers at the loss of physical contact. "I know. I'm glad I get to see your face again everyday," he pinched her cheeks and she crinkled her nose.

Candace and Amanda glanced at each other knowingly and rolled their eyes at the bleached ferret's antics. Bloody hell, could he be any more transparent?

Apparently so, because before either of the girls could uncomfortably greet the blonde boy, in walked Harry Potter, whose intentions couldn't be any more obvious as he split his lips into a lazy grin and ran his fingers through his hair confidently.

"'Ello, gorgeous. I've missed you."

Rose grunted in irritation. "I literally just saw you like five minutes ago." Why wouldn't this damn boy just go away?

"I know, love. Let's never be apart for so long again," he said dramatically and put his hand to his heart as if it had truly physically ached. Though to be perfectly honest, it had. Every moment without the girl felt like a knife was being driven through his throbbing body. It was rather frightening to Harry how attached he had become to a girl he hardly knew. But to him, their souls were inexplicably intertwined. Even if Rose didn't know it yet, he believed in their destiny enough for the both of them. So for now, he would just have to keep trying to convince her.

Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

Rose crossed her arms and gaped at the Potter boy incredulously. "Like I said, you are unbelievable."

Draco, who had been listening to their banter intently in hopes of finding the opportunity to cut in and ask who the fuck Potter thought he was, sprung to his feet, ready to play savior. Eyes dancing with concern and unbridled anger, his eyes darted back and forth between the two teenagers. "Wait, Rose, you know this asshole?"

"Oh, I'd say we more than know each other," Harry winked teasingly at Rose. "Wouldn't you say, darling?"

Choosing to ignore the arrogant Potter boy, Rose turned to Draco guiltily and shuffled her feet. "I've been meaning to tell you. It just slipped my mind."

Draco huffed and shifted his eyes to Harry with a cruel glare. "You," he accused.

"Me," Harry laughed derisively, to which Candace and Amanda bursted out in a fit of giggles.

"You better stay away from her," Draco reached in his back pocket and put one hand on his wand threateningly.

"Why? Because you said so."

"That's exactly right." Draco crossed his arms. "She's my best friend."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. Since when did Draco have friends? Especially with someone as amazing as his Rosemary. He cocked his head uncertainly at Candace and Amanda for confirmation, as if to ask, "Is he being for real?"

The two girls nodded their heads in unison. "Unfortunately."

Curling his lip, Harry snook one quick look at Rose and quickly forgot his bubbling fury towards the Slytherin boy.

Reluctantly tearing his eyes away from the beauty, he met Draco's eyes once again. "Yeah well, she's my future wife."

Draco flared his nostrils angrily and glared at the boy. "WHAT?! Is this true Rosemary?"

"As if!" she said, slightly offended at the accusation. Did he really think so lowly of her? "I have much higher standards than that." Candace and Amanda began to counter that assertion but Harry interrupted them.

"You'll come around eventually love. You'll see."

"Yeah right," Rose and Draco harmonized.

"Besides, I have a little gift for you, love."

Tilting her head skeptically, Rose cocked an eyebrow. "What is it?"

And as if on cue, in walked four boys — who Rose recalled were named Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville — on ridiculously tall stilts each holding out a poster decorated with candy and reading from left to right: "Go," "out," "with," "me?" Behind the boys stood Hermione Granger, shaking her head disapprovingly.

A pink hue dusted Rosemary's cheeks.

Smirking arrogantly at his success, Harry pouted flirtatiously. "Please, love?"

Rose pressed her lips together furiously. "No."

"No?"

"No."

"What do you mean no?" he asked.

"I mean get the fuck out of my sight before I turn you into an actual toe-rag, you bloody wanker!" she shouted, her vision turning red.

Eyes widening in fear, Harry and his gang of friends quickly hurried along as Hermione whispered a quiet apology to Rosemary for her involvement, to which Rose just nodded her head in silent forgiveness. But right before the door slammed shut, Harry got in one last sentence.

"You're cute when you're mad, darling."

Despite herself, Rose blushed bashfully, which Draco Malfoy most definitely noticed. This time it was his turn to yell: "OUT!"

Harry batted his eyelids in faux innocence at the boy, but his lazy smirk gave away his mocking undertone. Draco glared at his figure and clenched his fists furiously.

After Harry squeezed in one last flirtatious remark to Rose, the compartment door slammed shut.