Take Me By The Hand And Tell Me You'd Take Me Anywhere *An Al Potter Love Story*

Groan.

"I don't get it- why should the angle of how I tilt my wand affect the way I say the incantation? I mean-"

Because that's what Transfiguration is, dear Rose.

"Transfiguration-that's the game, Rosie Posie." Her cousin Albus Potter stood over Rose's shoulder, surveying the work on her parchment. "Guess you got one too many of Uncle Ron's genes, huh? How does it feel to be second best to yours truly, once again?" He teased.

Rose scowled, but it looked out of place on her face. Like she was programmed to smile. "When am I ever second best to you?"

"Quidditch, my dear. How many times have I beat you? I lost count, but I'm sure you remember.." He gave her a wily grin and mussed up her hair. "Anyways, don't feel bad. Not many can upstage this, after all." He pointed his finger at his chest. "Hey, who's your friend?" His eyes flashed over me, then settled his eyes on mine. The thing about people looking at you, if you look right back at them long enough, they'll look away. They always do. His eyes were green, like staring into a leaf. Well, a rather handsome leaf. He looked away, back to Rose and then focused on the book in front of me.

Yes. Score 1 for me.

"Rae." Ward's the name. Rae Ward. "I'm in Ravenclaw." I explained.

He nodded. "I see. Thank you for helping my not too bright cousin here." He cupped a hand over his mouth and whispered. "She really needs it."

"Well, I'll try my best. If all else fails...there's always summer school." I even smiled a little. The look up through the bangs, crinkly eye smile. The one that shall forever work.

"Al! Stop. I'm perfectly capable at all of this." Rose argued, pointedly stabbing the book with her quill.

"Whoa Rose!" He spoke up a bit, turning towards Madam Pince. "Why are you vandalizing that book!" He shot a quick grin our way and dashed out of the place as Madam Pince turned her infamous Laser Eyes onto the pair of us.

"C'mon." I whispered, dragging Rose by her sleeve.

We continued at a normal walking pace. "I'm sorry about Al, he's such a prat." She groaned. "Ugg, cousins, you know?"

"It's okay, I get it." Yeah, I totally getcha! Relatives are such a drag.

"At least he didn't bring his stupid friend." Rose considered, twirling her quill.

Ah, yes. Scorpius Malfoy the C to Albus's D, his very own and true homeskillet. As told from the bathroom stall on the second floor, their shenanegians are pretty solid. There are even rumors circulating in The Stall that they are not just BFF's but will grow to become a gay couple in their Wonder Years and will become either (a). desperately seeking spawn or (b). baby starved wingnuts.

My guess is (c). both of the above.

"That Malfoy kid?"

Rose nodded. "Yes, the jerk makes him follow me around incessantly." She rolled her eyes. I wondered if Al or Scorpius was the jerk. Personally, I think Rose was being way too obvious with her feelings. Didn't she know that having a Crazy Freak Out was total evidence of screaming "You can 'slytherin' my 'chamber of secrets' and that's not just the butterbeer talking" right in his face?

I smiled down at my feet. "I always thought you liked him too."

Experiment Numbero Uno: Does Rose love Scorpius? Hypothesis: She totally vegs out.

"What?" The quill drew a fine line of ink down her wrist when it fell- rather violently, may I add- to the floor. "No, I do not like that idiotic horrid ghastly revolting vile creature!"

Conclusion: Total Vegging Out Episode. She loves him like jello loves whipped cream.

"I think you like him." Oh please Rose, I see through the thin gauze of your lies into your deep coffee cup full of love for that poisonous bug of a boy.

She scoffed. "That's ludacris. I do not have feelings for that kid!"

She looked sideways at me. "Okay." I said nonchalantly.

She shoved me with her elbow. "I don't."

"Alright."

"I don't!"

"Alright!"

She giggled and smiled at me.

"Rae?"

I looked up.

"I don't want to like, pull you away from your friends or anything, but d'you want to sit with my and friends at dinner?" She gestured to the Great Hall doors we were coming up to.

I reflected on the situation.

Option A: Sit in mostly awkward silence whilst the most popular girls in school titter around me, possibly with the Fames joining in.

Option B: Sit alone and sulk because I'm lonely and friendless and not even Nearly Headless Nick will talk to me.

Oh please, was there ever any real choice? I'll hear gossip directly from the Source, instead of a bathroom wall smeared with...substances. Dinner will be friggin' sweet!

-------

Hey y'all.

Umm, I hope you dig Rae as much as I currently am. Sorry if you don't see the "romantical" element yet...I'm kinda toying with the idea of falling in love with someone as you get to actually personally know them, in loo of 'love' by the image or ideas people have created of them when in reality, you have no idea of their actual personality.

Oh, and I promise not to flake out on this one. This story, I believe is actually like pretyy solid so far so you know...it's gonna be boss. Hopefully, it shall graduate into chromomagnifinence.

XOXOXOXOXO

Casey Rae