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september 2002
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Rosemary Gwendolyn Joy Venice learned that she was musically talented when she managed to play Claire de Lune without knowing the notes or having them written in front of her. Her mothers bought Rose her very own piano the next day and not a day has passed when she hasn't played. Things were different now of course ― she doesn't live there anymore.
Unfortunately a piano doesn't fit into Rose and Theo's apartment, so to fill that emptiness the lack of playing has given her ― Rose played in a local cafe every Saturday. She would take suggestions from her 'audience' and just play them out.
Playing made her forget about the stress and worries she experiences every now and then because of school. Rose was a perfectionist, meaning that no matter how well she does things, she always aspires to be better.
It was hard when she was a child ― especially when her magical abilities came to light.
Oh how she hated her magic.
According to her mothers, her first signs of magic happened when she was just months old but she herself didn't realize it until she was four. Even then, she didn't quite understand what she was doing and what it meant but at the age of seven, she chose to hate her abilities.
It was hard to control at first and especially with her obsession with perfection ― she was a mess.
Then on her eleventh birthday, an older woman with a long cloak appeared to her home's front steps in Fjällbacka. She introduced herself as a professor ― a professor from a magic school in the Scottish highlands. Rose's mothers were grateful for the explanation of their daughter's abilities and while they were strongly against letting their daughter go ― going to a magic school was up to Rose.
Rose had thanked the professor but chose not to go with her.
She didn't need her life to change nor did she want it to.
The professor was however kind and left some books for Rose from which she learned to control her magic. It was hard at first and the perfectionist she was ― was rather upset when she couldn't control her magical outbursts.
In time Rose learned and her life became so much easier. She could go to her friends without worrying if she levitates them or breaks windows with her mind.
"Oh come on," muttered Rose.
She was holding a glass in her hands ― or what was left of her glass. She was normally very careful with her magic and knew how to control it but for some reason, she had manage to break a glass that just a few seconds ago held her morning water.
"Not today..." she whispered.
"Rose!" Called Theo, startling her.
She dropped what was left of her glass on the floor, breaking everything in the process.
Theo must had heard it since he hurried to the kitchen with a worried look. He stopped a few steps away from Rose before kneeling on the floor, next to her. He watched as Rose cleaned the broken glass, not noticing his presence.
"Rosie..." started Theo, scaring Rose in the process.
She groaned, throwing pieces of shattered glass back on the floor out of frustration. She felt panic rising within her chest, the fear of Theo questioning what has happened taking over her. She couldn't possibly explain Theo that she was holding her glass and staring it ― making it explode.
"I'm just so tired," she sighed, sinking on the floor.
Theo smiled at her softly, letting her be as he chose to take over the cleaning. Once he had picked every piece of the broken glass, he got up and threw them into the trash.
"I didn't sleep last night," explained Rose when Theo pulled her into a hug. "I've been up all night thinking about my exams and now I can even hold a glass without breaking it."
"You're going to do great. You are literally the smartest person I know," said Theo.
Rose frowned. "That doesn't make me feel any better. You didn't know how to clean a goddamn table when I met you," she reminded her boyfriend. "So when say I'm the smartest person you've met, it doesn't hold as much value."
Theo shook his head a little, a small smile gracing his face. "Don't tease me when I try to help you."
"Mmm I can't help it."
"I know you can't," chuckled Theo, placing a soft kiss on the tip of Rose's nose.
Theo made Rose go and sleep off her restless nights while he started to clean out the house and make some breakfast for him and Rose. He took out a bowl and the ingredients for Swedish pancake. Over the years, Theo has learned to cook but he enjoyed baking more. He could just hear his friends from his past laughing at him. They wouldn't laugh at him out of ill will but because the thought of Heir Nott baking was hilarious, even Theo agreed.
He has baked before but only during Christmas time at the Malfoys.
The matriarch of the house had a love for baking Christmas cookies and it was the only acceptable muggle activity the Malfoys had. Theo remembers the mess they he and his best friend Draco used to make ― a mess Dobby the House-eld would clean. Theo was happy during those afternoons and always dreaded to go home to his father where they would have a quiet and formal Yule while he knew that Draco was going to have a bubbly one with his parents and grandparents.
After an hour, Rose walked to the kitchen with a sleepy smile covering her face. She kissed Theo and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Thank you," she muttered against his lips.
"Well, I can't stand you when you're hungry and tired so this is really just for my own sake," smirked Theo playfully.
Rose rolled her eyes. "It's a good thing you're handsome because otherwise I would leave you."
They spend the rest of their day doing absolutely nothing. Hours were spend on the sofa, cuddled next to each other while watching old Bond movies and eating ice cream more than a human should. Over the years Theo had figured out that the best way to make Rose stop stressing was to make her as relaxed as possible ― even if her exams were just around the corner.
She didn't really need to study that much ― her brain was a machine ― but she was a perfectionist.
"I am not saying that I will exchange you for Pierce Brosnan but if I have the opportunity..." said Rose, shoving more ice cream into her mouth.
"Mmm I wouldn't blame you," mumbled Theo against Rose's blonde hair which was the complete opposite of his.
Rose grinned brightly before pushing herself to sit more properly. She turned to look out from the window and while the sky was grey, it wasn't dark. It has rained for several days in a row ― shocker ― but Rose didn't really mind it. While she hated getting wet by the open sky of rain, she liked the little showers of rain which just made everything around her so much more beautiful.
"I booked our tickets yesterday," said Theo suddenly, his fingers running through Rose's hair. "To London."
"You did?" Asked Rose and turned to look at Theo with adoration. "Thank you. I know it isn't easy for you to go there but I'm sure everything will be all right."
Theo grimaced but pressed a kiss on the crown of Rose's head. "Well you are never wrong so I suppose I just have to trust you."
"Good but now, let's go," said Rose and jumped up from the comfort of Theo's arms. She chuckled at Theo's bewildered expression. "I don't have any classes tomorrow so I want to go and have a little dance."
"Oh no," Theo shook his head. "Noup."
Rose narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Theodore my dear, you do know that I am an attractive young woman?" Asked Rose and Theo sighed but nodded. "Good, so you know that I won't have problem when it comes to finding someone to dance with."
"Can't you go with Inez?" Asked Theo.
He knew Rose wasn't joking. She was going to find someone to dance with and Theo would like to go with Rose but he just hates dancing. His entire childhood was filled with different fancy events and balls where he had to dance with 'acceptable' girls.
He hated every second of those dances. He hated the Yule Ball he had to go to during his fourth year of school and while being with Rose was wonderful and dancing with her so much different ― he still disliked dancing very much.
"No I can't go with Inez," pouted Rose. "She's out on a date."
"That is so her. Leaving me in trouble," muttered Theo, earning a sharp look from Rose. He sighed heavily and got up. Taking Rose's hand, he smiled a little. "An hour, that's all you're getting."
Rose squealed and jumped into Theo's arms.
Miles' Bar was famous among the students of Cambridge ― especially around exams. The second you enter the bar, you can smell the cheap alcohol mixed with caffeine, some desperation and crippling anxiety.
That was the smell of university students.
Theo and Rose walked over to the counter and ordered a few drinks. They talked and laughed, joked and planned their upcoming trip to London. Theo wasn't as nervous about it at the moment ― alcohol easing his mind a little. Once they had poured their drinks down their throats with that burning sensation, they hated to the dance floor.
Rose was living her best life.
Abba's Voulez-Vous playing from the stereos as she danced around with no worries whatsoever. Her eyes were closed. She felt the music moving her around while Theo stood by the corner and watched her. Rose was really everything Theo could had hoped for. She challenged him but they understood each other which was perhaps because of their tragical beginnings of life.
Sometimes Theo wondered what would it be like if he had met her at Hogwarts. If she was a pureblood like him instead of a muggle.
He also wondered what would his father say if he's even to find out about Rose. She's a muggle after all and he's suppose to hate people like her. He was the only heir for the Nott name so his father can't possibly disown him unless he wants to loose the family name and fortunates for good.
Theo knew he was never going to introduce Rose to his father but sometimes ― just sometimes ― he wished Rose could meet his best friend and his family.
They would most likely hate her as well because of her blood but besides that point ― they would be happy for him. He hopes so at least. They would hate Rose but they wouldn't hate him like his father would. Or does already.
He has thought about visiting his father and the others but every time he has thought of it ― his breathing gets so heavy and uneven that he makes the thought go away immediately.
"Lay all your love on me..." mumbled Rose when she and Theo walked back home from Miles' bar several hours later. Rose's two drinks had turned into several more and she was about to pass out ― although she insisted that she was doing just fine.
"Theo..." said Rose, nearly staying up. "What was his name?"
Theo frowned at Rose, unsure what she was asking. It was quite usual that whenever Rose's been drinking, her mind works differently and she remembers and asks the most bizarre questions.
"Who?" Asked Theo and wrapped his arm around Rose's waist to steady her.
"Your best friend," she said.
"Oh..." sighed Theo and stopped walking. He turned to look at Rose, still keeping his arm around her waist.
Rose pouted a little when she wasn't getting an answer right away. She exhaled loudly and wiggled away from Theo's hold. She sat down on the pavement and tapped the ground next to her. Theo took the sign and sat down as well.
"His name was Draco and he was my best friend. He was more like a brother to me really. His whole family was like a family to me," explained Theo, brushing his finger against Rose's sharp cheekbones.
"What about the others?"
"My other friends?" Theo asked and Rose nodded. "Well there was these two blocks, Vincent and Gregory, but they were more like Draco's little minions than friends. Draco and I spend a lot time with Blaise, a good friend of ours, then there were Pansy and Daphne."
Draco, Theo, Blaise, Pansy and Daphne made quite the group.
They didn't hang out with each other all the time ― the girls joined their little gang later on ― but they were well-known by the students of Hogwarts. Draco was always seeking for trouble which Theo didn't want. He was the quiet one, the one who hid behind his friends.
"And you haven't spoken to them ever since I found you?" Asked Rose, referring to their first meeting in Fjällbacka.
Rose knew he hasn't but she was drunk and all over the place.
"No I haven't," sighed Theo.
"But you could?"
He shook his head. "No. Too much has happened."
Normally Theo wouldn't agree to talk so much about his past and his friends but since he knew that Rose wasn't going to remember anything ― he figured telling her things was the easiest thing to do.
Theo managed to carry Rose back home once she had dozed off during their little talk on the pavement. Rose was tall but she was very thin ― not sickly so but naturally ― so caring her to their apartment wasn't too hard.
He placed Rose down on their bed, took off her shoes and pulled the covers over her frame. He then went to the bathroom and picked up a bucket and placed it just next to their bed ― just in case. Theo grabbed a glass of cold water and put it on the side table for Rose to drink when she wakes up.
He then laid next to her but unlike the blonde girl ― he didn't feel like sleeping but thought about Draco and his friends. He thought of them every now and then but never out loud.
He thought of the times they caused Professor Snape some big headaches or the times they planned something to mess with the Gryffindors.
He missed them but not enough to leave Rose.
An he would have to leave her or she would leave him because there' no way Rose wants to live a life with magic.
unedited, sry for typos