"Come on, Rose!" Hermione called from outside the bathroom, urgency in her tone, "You are taking too long!"
Rosalie Hearst stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, an uneasy feeling clouding her mind. She was dressed in a simple white floral dress, with her hair left open in a side partition and small pearl earrings in her lobes. She had very minimal make up on her face, and still felt she had over done it.
It had been a week, since the match between Gryffindor and Slytherins was called off with a tie after Theodore Nott was injured by her while the game. Before leaving the pitch, she was reminded by him that she had lost the little challenge they had and had to now go on a date with him.
Ironic, isn't it? She was going on a date with the boy she had aggressively smashed a quaffle on and injured him, resulting him to get a sling attached for a week.
His friends were told by him to inform Rosalie to be ready for their date on the next sunday, that was today.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Rosalie closed her eyes, mentally telling herself that it'll be fine today, nothing wrong will happen. Clutching to the doorknob, Rosalie twitched the door open, stepping out and saw Hermione standing right in front of her.
"Oh my god!" Hermione clamped her hands on her mouth, causing Rosalie to frown, is something wrong? She sighed exasperated, "I knew I have over done it—"
"You look amazing for your first date!" Hermione said wide eyed with a bright smile. Rosalie resisted the urge to cringe on the term 'first date'. She hoped nobody knew she was having her first date at the age of seventeen when the whole world was busy finding their soulmates at the mere age of thirteen.
"Just tell me if I look normal," Rosalie said fixing her hair, "Do I look too excited to be on a date with him? I dont want to give him the wrong idea that I am dying to be with him or whatsoever, this is the most I could do to look casual. But you— it was you who insisted me to wear a dress! It is too much Mione! I am not doing it!"
"Ofcourse you are doing it," Hermione said, "You look perfectly fine, Rose believe me. Neither too much nor too less. I didnt want you to go in trousers and shirt, because you are going for a date not an interview. Now just put on a smile, and you are all set to go."
Rosalie blinked rapidly trying to smile at Hermione but failed due to the anxiety. She groaned going and sitting on her bed, "I cant do this Mione, just please go and tell him, I have fever or something. Make it sound serious, okay? Tell him I am puking— no dont say that—"
"Rose, Rose, Rose," Hermione tried to calm her down crouching in front of her and held her hands, with a smile, "Calm down, its alright, why are you being so nervous? He is just Theodore, not Professor Snape, I am sure you can handle today very well. Just go and behave like who you are, thats the best advise I can give you."
Rosalie got up slightly distressed, she didnt know how to tell Hermione that it was a big deal for her to go on a date with him. She could possibly go out with Professor Snape without worrying a bit, but not him. He was Theo, the boy she had a crush on since three years. And why he suddenly asked her out was a matter to worry about.
Hermione brought her in a warm hug murmuring reassuring words in her ear, Rosalie nodded as she had no other choice then to go out with him, afterall she should stick by her word.
Leaving her dorm and successfully restraining coming in sight of her other two friends, Rosalie made her way out of the common room and went forward looking around for the familiar sight of Theodore Nott, who said he'd be waiting for her in the hallway.
From a distance, snapping his eyes up boredly from two kids playing wizard chess nearby, Theo saw someone step out in the crowdy hallway and his breath hitched. It was her, suddenly all of the world around him seemed a blur.
She is beautif—
"Nott!" His trance was broken when she called his name on spotting him standing there. She rushed towards him with a little nervous smile while he was awestruck.
Her eyes first landed on his former injured arm, "How are you now?"
"Good," He said with a small genuine smile which soon turned into a sly one, "Thanks to you for not hitting me more harshly."
She was drowned in guilt again, as much as she was adamant to win that stupid challenge, she still didnt want to hurt him, "I am sorry, I didnt mean to—"
He interrupted her by holding her hand causing bolts of electricity to shoot up her spine, and smiled as he said, "I dont want to waste even a second of today, so shall we?"
She nodded holding her breath looking in those ocean blue eyes. The next thing she knew she stood at an entrance of a muggle amusement park which had an art festival going on and everything was just so lively, vibrant and cheerful. She smiled brightly looking around, "Woah."
"Did you like it?" He asked glancing at her unable to contain his smile. She let out a merry laugh, "Like it? I love it! Wow! I didnt know you'd bring me to such an amazing place!"
She stared at him as a question roamed in her mind, "But why here?"
He turned to her, a slight frown on his face which soon disappeared as he spoke softly, "Because I dont want today to be anything less than best. I have to have a nice first impression only then you'd come to the next date with me "
She raised her eyebrows in amusement, "Next date? Who said we were going on more dates?"
"You will, after today." He grinned.
She shook her head with a smile on his confidence, both stepped in greeted by loud cheerful music and dance. The place looked amazing, just perfect. He asked her if she'd like to have something first, but all she wanted first was to try the roller coaster and so they did.
She was a fan of swings, all of them, she didnt want to leave any when she had gotten such an opportunity. She believed if god had given her a chance to have the best day of her life with her crush then why not?
Two hours went by and they finally had been to more than half of the swings twice, she insisted him to accompany her on the unicorn rides for teenagers but he didnt comply and she didnt force after that, letting herself enjoy while he was delighted with the sight of her enjoying.
By 6 o'clock in the evening, she had had enough of rides and he wasnt fazed with all the time spent with her which went by like a few minutes. It was turning hard to believe that he actually could tolerate the presence kof a gryffindor and that too the one who broke his arm. But it seemed like after today, he would try to get more dates with her and it flustered him at his own thoughts.
"I know a nice park over nearby, shall we go there?" She asked licking off at her ice cream while be smirked flirtatiously in reply, "Take me wherever you want Rose, I am all yours."
"Gosh, you are so irritating." She groaned purposely and he chuckled as she led him to wherever she mentioned, having his hands stuffed in his pockets because he felt a weird urge to hold hers. He shook his head, sternly, no.
"There!" She pointed to a distance where they could see a seemingly nice yet a bit forbidden park. Maybe it was not properly maintained otherwise chatters of kids could be heard well coming from it which assured Theo that she wasnt taking him to any suspicious place in hope of murdering him not letting her win in the last gryffindor vs slytherin match of their year.
"Earlier it used be such a nice park but as the amusement park we just went to built, nobody really came here." She spoke and he didnt know if she was actually talking to him or herself but he liked listening to it nevertheless.
"Oh, look there!" She pointed to a group of kids probably their age playing something sitting in a small circle, until they neared them they couldnt comprehend what the game was as it seemed fun from a distance.
"Would you two play spin the bottle with us as well?" A cheerful girl popped up brightly glancing at the two guests and Rosalie's expression fell a little while Theo was completely unknown to the game as he said enthusiastically, "Sure why not."
Holding Rosalie's hand he already led her to sit amongst the group of kids before she could even try to stop him as she was still overcoming the horror of participating in that game with him. He looked around at the kid's faces as he asked, "But I dont know the rules."
"Oh, its simple," A boy with slight brown hair spoke in a scottish accent, "One person will spin this bottle and whoever it lands on, they'll have to kiss. If they dont, they'll have to buy all of us double snacks."
Immediately Theo's slyly charming eyes found Rosalie's horror struck ones and she shook her head instantly, "Nope, we're getting late, Theo lets go already."
"We are late to nowhere, Rose," He said showing her his wristwatch indicating to the time as it was still two hours for the curfew to end and smirked at her, "Unless you are afraid your first kiss wont go well here."
Whoever told you it'd be my first kiss?" She squinted her eyes at him, he shrugged playfully, "Just an assumption, which might be correct though but still if you've built high standardized dreams for your first kiss, we can quit."
"I have better things to do than dream about my first kiss, Nott." She hissed at him partially irritated while he resisted the urge to smile, "So we're nor quitting then, are we?"
"No, we're in." As much as she wanted to ask why he was using the word 'we' she also wanted to talk less to him right now.
The game started and it went on nicely. Rosalie could not digest the fact that some of them were actually having their first kiss there with the people they never wanted it to happen. How can anyone comprise with their firsts? And that too your first kiss. She felt like she'd rather wait an eternity than kiss anyone she had no intentions with.
But then here it was again, the person with whom she might actually share her first kiss was sitting right in front of her, her date, her crush, Theodore Nott. He smirked at her everytime he caught her having her eyes on him, he knew she was kind of nervous and also when he had already spinned twice and rejected to kiss a girl who was seemingly admiring his looks, he had agreed to buy everyone double snacks for two times now. Rosalie wondered what was the matter with him. It was not like he hadnt already kissed hundreds of girls a hundred times.
"Your turn." The girl sitting beside Rosalie handed her the bottle and now Rosalie was not breathing. She'd actually have to have her first kiss, now. She hoped for the bottle to rather land on a girl than any other boy who was not Theo.
Just as she spinned after sneaking a short nervous glance from her date, her heart hammered beneath her chest mercilessly. As the spinning bottle slowed down and was about to stop she felt like her heart would stop as well. Just as it halted, Rosalie's eyes darted up to the boy it landed on, who was not Theo. But a nice raven haired guy sitting right beside him. Oh, no.
The boy she was suppossed to kiss now was offering her a sweet kind smile while she didnt know how to describe how tormented she was. Meanwhile her gaze shortly fell to Theo who's face was almost blank now until all the people in the group had to glance back at the bottle which very slowly shifted a bit and pointed towards Theodore Nott.
What?! Rosalie's heart screamed. She was suppossed to kiss her crush now, who was smirking which a mysterious glint in his eyes, her mind was so blank to even think of anything at all. Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! She wanted to kiss him, so bad.
"What say, Hearst?" He raised an eyebrow at her and she felt her face heat up. Clearing her throat softly, she decided with a yes, she'll kiss him. Meeting his gaze, she nodded and saw how he was no longer arrogant now, he was holding a small smile which was sweet. Both got up on their knees leaning towards each other, while Rosalie could feel like instead of that lub-dub sound, the heart had now started ringing bells. Good, lord...
Nearing him, she saw how for a split second his eyes landed on her lips before meeting them again, she felt shivers run down her soine as she matched the action. Those lips, she was going to kiss them. Looking in his eyes, she felt like he was trying to convey some sort of encouragement, ofcourse he knew she hadnt been kissed earlier and wanted to say like its alright, it'll be fine and she could read it all well.
Their faces were only inches apart when he raised his hand softly cupping her left cheek and her eyes closed automatically at the warmth, she felt their breaths mingle. She was going to do it and just couldnt believe it. Right before she felt him dip his head towards her, she was greeted by the tiny raindrops now starting to fall above them slowly. What—
Her eyes widened instantly and both looked above them slightly shocked, they didnt realise it had been a rainy weather today, maybe both of them had been just too lost in each other's company. A small crack made its place to Rosalie's heart as her gaze darted to meet his and she saw he was disappointed as well and she felt a weird kind of stirring within her.
Only if the rain could have waited five seco— For some reasons she felt like he could read her thoughts as she hadnt even tore the gaze from him, she realised what position she in and suddenly jerked away standing up immediately. Oh, shit.
"Well, that was—" He stood up along with her slightly dejected, greeting the raindrops while staring into her eyes, but she interrupted him, "Its raining, let's go!"
Grasping his hand she ran along with him to the nearest shed while he couldnt but cuss at the rain that ruined everything, the date, the almost kiss...
By the time they found a shed, they were completely drenched and burst out into laughter still trying to catch their breaths. Why was she suddenly starting to feel so amazing and uplifting and butterflies. Those god damned butterflies!
"Oh look!" He made a quick run to a truck which had a wooden casket kept in it behind and picked up two bottles which surely looked like they had alcohol in it and ran back to her while she had a confused look, "What's this?"
"Muggle alcohol," He said with a joyous glint in his eyes and she was surprised at the fact that atleast there was something muggle he liked, "I have had a lot earlier, its amazing, let's go."
He led her to a nice hill spit claiming it was famous for sunsets but too bad they already missed it due to the rain but she still liked the post sunset view over there and how could she not when she was on a date with her crush and so for ut had gone too amazing now.
"Here," He half smiled raising the bottle towards her after opening it, she shook her head, "I dont drink."
For a while he stared at her contemplating if she was serious but then shrugged taking it back, "Too bad, you are missing out a lot in life then, Rose."
The same color from the sunset sky dawned upon her cheeks as he took her name. She watched as he took a sip and let out a delighted moan as if it was the kost heavenly thing he was ever drinking and turned to her, "Seriously Rose, its too good. Dont complain to me later that I had it all by myself."
"I wont." She smiled shaking her head and glanced ahead watching birds return to their nests now, "I'll rather be drunk on this beautiful scene."
"Indeed beautiful," He smiled coyly stealing a glance at her turning back to the drink before she could catch him staring.
Both sat in the comfortable silence, hearing the birdsong and feeling the bliss of petrichor in every cell of their body. Truly, it was the best day of her life, she believed.
He was on to finishing his second bottle while she could sense he was a but tipsy and was loving every moment of it as he started talking anything without making any sense.
"... And Crabbe, that asshole doesnt let the whole common room sleep—" He slurred and she smiled amused, "A silencing charm could be of use then?"
He halted to stare at her blinking agressively, "Hearst! You are so smart!"
She laughed at his dramatics while could only smile watching her laugh and continued, "No wonder you turned Zabini down he would be just too low for you."
Her laugh slowly faded away as her eyebrows knit up, "H-How do you know I turned him down?"
He chuckled dryly taking another chug at the bottle before continuing, "He couldnt digest it, poor fellow — but nevermind, I'll have my hundred galleons tomorrow and would love to see the look on his face."
He broke into laughter while she was sitting their highly perplexed, "Hundred galleons? I dont understand."
Sighing he kept the bottle away and turned to her fully, she could see the drunkenness in his eyes clearly, "I'll get hundred galleons tomorrow Hearts, I won the bet— did something which no one could!"
"Did what? What bet?" She asked feeling utterly confused, he let out a groan as he spoke, "Zabini challenged me if I could take you out and if I accomplished he would give me hundred galleons, and look! — I did."
Her mouth parted as she stared at him, it was all starting to make sense now. Otherwise there could have been absolutely no way Theodore Nott would actually ask her out to a date. It had all been a lie all along. And suddenly she felt her heart sink realising every moment passed between the two of them which made her flutter was a lie as well.
On the quidditch field he said he liked her, that was a lie as well? It was getting awful now, she couldnt stop herself from asking, "You lied to me?"
Tipsily he have her an oblivious look, "Depends on what I said."
"That day on the quidditch field you said you want to go on a date with me because you like me! You were lying back there right?" She asked and could feel her throat go dry at every word coming out.
He rolled his eyes clicking his tongue as he chuckled, "Again Hearst, you are so smart!"
She felt the tears rise up to her eyelids but no way she was going to cry in front of him now. She stood up instantly glaring at him through tears as she hissed through gritted teeth, "I hate you Theodore Nott."
Turning around she left abruptly, running down all the way to the hill while he was left there drunk and confused, "No girl ever said that— but okay nevermind."
Reaching her dorm after running all the way back to school, Rosalie heaved badly as she closed the door behind her with a thud startling Hermione who stood up in alarm watching her friend in that condition, "Rose, what happened?"
Rosalie gasped for breath as she moved towards her bed feeling the tears were now almost spilling out, burying her head in her pillow as she fell to the bed, she sobbed heart wrenching, "I hate him, Mione."
The day she considered to be the best day of her life turned drastically to the worst one.
kick in the nuts is what I could have done if I were in Rosalie's place...
Two more chapter left....
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