It was the start of the new term, and Gaston was glad to be back at Hogwarts with his Rose and his students. The start-of-term feast was still a few hours away, but the dark-haired Frenchman was already bustling frantically about his office. It was exactly one year ago today that he fell in love with Rose, and he was going all out to mark the occasion. A carafe of coffee and two mugs bearing the Beaubatons seal sat on a tray on his desk. He hoped Rose wouldn't mind that the mugs bore the crest of another school - they were the only matched pair of mugs he had! There were also several flavored creamers and a small plate of cookies he'd "borrowed" from the bistro. In the middle of the desk was a vase that held a dozen red roses, but that wasn't the only surprise he had planned!

Out of the corner of his eye, Gaston saw his cat jump onto the desk and bat at the flowers. "Phantom..." he said warningly, giving the cat a reprimanding look. The little black and white puffball meowed plaintively, and he felt a bit guilty for scolding her. He picked up the cat, and she began to purr as he petted her head. "It's okay, silly girl," he assured her, though he knew she didn't understand a word he was saying.

His eyes strayed to the door. Now where was Rose?

It was a few hours until the feast, and Rosalyn was excited because she was going to be meeting up with Gaston for some coffee.

Beaming, she made her way to the third floor and towards his office. Hopefully her outfit was in good order, but then she always tried her best to look nice so surely she looked as good as always. Just to be safe, she straightened out her dress and hair before knocking on the door and entering.

Hopefully she wasn't late, though the thought of it was driven out of her head as she saw how nicely he had set everything up for them. "This is wonderful! Roses." Her favourite flowers, obviously. And the cups! Of course they would be from Beauxbatons since that was where he had attended, and Rose found it interesting. From everything she had heard, it was a wonderful school. "Hello," she said as she gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

Her eyes drifted to Phantom. "Hello there, kitty." With a smile, she reached out to pet her. Hopefully the cat was in a good mood because somehow she had a feeling that she wasn't well liked by Gaston's pet. Oh well, there was nothing to be done for it. Also she had a sudden thought... "I was wondering something... You know Oliver Finch? He has told me that he wants to be a Charms Professor. He wants to talk to you about it, but I think he's too shy to go to you. Could you talk to him about it?" That would make things easier for the boy since he WAS going into his final year at Hogwarts.

Gaston was still petting his cat when there was a knock at the door. That must be Rose! Phantom gave a disgruntled meow and shot out of his arms; she perched atop her cat condo, staring at Rose as she walked in. And she wasn't the only one... For a few moments, all Gaston could do was gaze lovingly into Rose's eyes, at a loss for words. Oh Merlin, she was so beautiful, inside and out! He hugged her back, and his heart melted as she kissed his cheek. "One rose for every month I've loved my Rose," he explained as she mentioned the roses... because one rose for every day of the year seemed like a little much, even for a romantic like him. And what a year it had been! To think this time last year, he never would've believed Rose could fall for a man like him... but he didn't allow himself to dwell on those memories for long. today was a happy occasion!

As Gaston poured the coffee, his blue eyes darted apprehensively to Rose and Phantom. Somehow he had a bad feeling about this! The black and white Persian cat hissed at Rose, backing away as she tried to pet her, but to Gaston's relief, she didn't scratch or bite. Good... he would never forgive himself if Rose was injured by his pet! "Don't mind her," he said, throwing a reprimanding look back at his cat. "She's just jealous; she's used to being the only girl in my life." He chuckled a bit at the nasty look Phantom was giving Rose and gave her a little scratch under the chin. "Don't worry, I still love you, crazy kitty," he assured the cat, who promptly began to purr in reply.

He was still petting Phantom when Rose's voice jerked him out of his thoughts. "Yes, of course," he replied to her question. Mr. Finch was a brilliant student, though he hadn't had much interaction with him outside fo class. Gaston blinked in surprise. Learning that Mr. Finch wanted to be a charms professor was a bit unexpected, but it touched his heart to think that one day he might be passing the baton to one of his students. Oh, so the boy was shy? That was something he understood all too well. "I'd be honored to; my door is always open to anyone in need."

Rosalyn smiled as she leaned against Gaston. He could be so romantic and she loved it. This was something that she was not used to from the other men that she had been with. She loved it. "You are so perfect. Everything is perfect." Well, everything besides his cat.

Yeah, she was sure that if Phantom could talk, she would be attacking with acerbic comments. Especially if that hiss was any indication. "I had the feeling that she disliked me back when we needed to capture her in the treehouse." And that had been near the start of last term. "Exactly, he's not ignoring you so there is no need to take everything out on me." Wait, why was she talking to a cat? Rosalyn had no idea and she wasn't super concerned with it at the moment. There were other more important things to deal with right now, like the fact that he had agreed to talk to Oliver. Not surprising in the least given the Gaston was the kindest person in the world, but still. It made her happy.

"That's wonderful! I know that he will be happy about this." Even though she didn't believe in choosing favourites, Oliver was one of the students that she had a soft spot for. Who was she kidding? Rosalyn had a soft spot for ALL her students even if some of them didn't seem to like her all that much.

That out of the way, they could enjoy their coffee!

Gaston held Rose a little tighter as she leaned into him. He still wasn't used to hearing all these compliments, but every kind word just made him fall in love with her even more. "You deserve nothing less," he whispered. Did she have any idea how much she meant to him? "Oh, Rose, I wouldn't be standing here right now if it weren't for you. Last term I was so alone and scared that I almost resigned mid-year, but you gave me a reason to stay and..." His voice trailed off as his roiling emotions outran his words, so he kissed her instead.

Gaston's mind wandered back to those sad days last term when he thought he could never win Rose's heart, but he was quickly distracted by his cat. He chickled a little at Rose's words. "Honestly, I think she knew I had feelings for you, and that little jaunt was just her way of trying to keep us apart!" he said, though he was only half joking. Phantom had an uncanny ability to pick up on his emotions! "It's nothing personal," he added, "She dislikes everybody she thinks is taking up too much of my attention." He was still petting Phantom when Rose scolded her, and he laughed out loud. "Well, she does have a point," he said, and the cat just glared at him in reply as if she understood what he was saying.

Gaston smiled as he turned his attention back to Rose. He was glad to have made Mr. Finch happy, but there were other things on his mind right now. "Cream or sugar?" he offered as he handed her a mug of coffee. "Sorry about the mugs; they were the only matched set I could find." He shrugged sheepishly. He'd been alone for so long that he never had much use for more than one mug with the same design! His hand went to the other surprise he had for Rose tucked into his jacket pocket, a copy of his band's new album, but now he wasn't sure whether or not he should give it to her. Most of the songs on it were written when he thought he'd scared her away, and he didn't want to make her sad by reminding her of that! "I had another surprise for you, but..." He started to take the cd out of his pocket but replaced it instead. "Never mind."

It made Rosalyn sad to hear a Gaston talk like that though she knew how hard he had found his time at Hogwarts last time. She tried her hardest not to let it show because she didn't want him to get upset, she just hated that he had been so sad. A lot of his sadness had been because of her though now she knew that it hadn't been because of anything she had done. "I'm so glad you stayed. It would have broken my heart if you left." She really truly loved him more than he could ever know and she couldn't imagine being at Hogwarts without him with her. The kiss was a nice surprise and she happily returned it, but part of her was scared that Phantom would attack because of it. Okay, more than part of her.

She watched said animal warily. Claws and teeth were a real danger and she didn't want to get hurt because the cat was jealous. Still, Rosalyn couldn't help smiling at Gaston's remark. "They say animals can sense things. I guess it's true." Even though he had probably been only half serious, she thought it was interesting to note. "Well, I was hoping we could be friends but it looks like that won't happen now." Especially since she wasn't going to stop spending time with him because of Phantom. It was no real matter to her.

With a smile she accepted the mug of coffee. "Thank you. I'll have both please." Coffee really was a nice drink though Rosalyn wasn't much of a fan of the overly strong stuff. A little cream and sugar never hurt anyone. "The mugs are perfectly fine. I like them. Beauxbatons seems like a wonderful school. I almost did my assistant teaching there though I ended up going to Durmstrang instead." If she had, she would have met him sooner! At least they had each other now though. Before she could dwell on it further, he had started to give her something before changing his mind and putting it back in his pocket. "What is it?" she asked curiously. He needing worry!

Gaston couldn't help but notice Rose looked a little sad, and he hated himself for causing it. It broke his heart to see her upset, but he didn't want her to think she had to hide her feelings from him. He inclined his head so his eyes were level with hers, hoping the look in his eyes would get the point across because his throat was becoming too tight to speak. "I know..." he finally choked out, and he pulled her into his embrace, resting his cheek against her hair as a sudden wave of sadness crashed over him. Rose had no idea how nearly that had almost happened! After the Piffy reception, he was so sure she'd reject him that he made plans to go back to France and never return.

But that didn't happen, he reminded himself. Now he was here with his Rose, and he would never again think about leaving her. He sighed as he pulled away. "I'm glad I stayed too," he said with a smile, hoping Rose would smile with him. Suddenly Phantom yowled, and Gaston wheeled around just in time to see the little black and white cat flop onto her back and stretch out a paw as if reaching out to him. He laughed, though he wasn't sure whether this sudden display of adorableness was meant to cheer him up or distract him from Rose. Yes, Rose, it certainly is, he thought in reply to her comment about animals.

Gaston poured a little cream and sugar into Rose's mug and handed it to her. He was glad she wasn't offended by the Beaubatons mugs, school rivalry and all... "They gave me one mug when I started teaching there and one when I left," he said. Blue eyes blinked in shock at what she said next. Oh if only she had come to Beaubatons, he might've been spared a lot of heartache... but all good things come to those who wait, and Rose was definitely worth waiting for. "I've heard Durmstrang is a fine school too," he said.

Gaston's expression changed when Rose asked about her other surprise, and he reluctantly pulled out a cd. On its cover were pictures of all his bandmates - he was too shy to let them use his own photo in the cover art! "It's our album," he said as he handed it to her. Then he took her free hand in both his own. "Every line, every word was written for you, but..." His voice trailed off, but he forced himself to try again. "All these songs were written when I didn't believe you would ever love me in return, and..." He sighed and squeezed her hand a little tighter. "I just worried it might make you sad."

Gaston was obviously getting sad because of her sadness and Rosalyn hated it. She tried not to let that show, however, because it would only make him feel worse and that was the last thing she wanted right now. He would never leave her, she knew as she held him. Last term he wanted to, but in the end he had stayed. "I know you won't break my heart." With a small smile she looked right into his eyes. There was something that she felt the need to tell him though she knew that it wouldn't go over well with him. As much as she didn't want to upset him, this was the time to get it out of the way. "I was engaged, but he cheated on me." That was why she knew how hard it was to feel unworthy of someone. Even though it was in the past now, she had still been affected by it. Anyone would have been.

Phantom's outburst interrupted her thoughts, and Rosalyn couldn't help but laugh at that cat's attempt to get attention from her owner. "I want to pet her, but I think she would scratch me." Clearly the only person she would accept it from at the moment was Gaston. She was just going to stay back and drink her coffee instead. "Thank you," she said before taking a small sip of it. Heavenly.

"What's it like there? Is it much different than Hogwarts?" Rosalyn couldn't help but ask questions. "Why did you decide to come to Hogwarts?" She was very happy that he had, because otherwise she wouldn't have met him since Beauxbatons hadn't happened for her. The thought was terrible, but she was content knowing that this was fate. "Durmstrang IS a good school, but it's colder there and I don't like how they don't accept muggleborns." It also wasn't Hogwarts.

Her eyes landed on the CD in his hands, immediately knowing that it was one that his band had made. The reluctance to give it to her made no sense until he explained it to her. "I promise that I will be okay listening to it." Sad probably, but everything had worked out in the end and she wanted to hear what he had written. No surprise that his picture wasn't on the cover; she knew how he didn't like the spotlight.

Rosalyn's words made Gaston smile. It warmed his heart to know she trusted him with her heart, and he would rather suffer the Crutiatus Curse than let her down. "I will guard you heart with my life," he said solemnly, his eyes shining with adoration as they met hers. But what she said next made his smile vanish. For several moments, all he could do was stare at her in disbelief. "W-what?" he finally stammered.

The reality of what was said sank in; his hands balled into fists, and his eyes flashed like bluebell flames, the way they always did when he was angry. "I hope I never meet that- that... him!" He couldn't call Rose's ex a man because a real man would never hurt her like that, but the thing he wanted to call him was a term a gentleman should never use in a lady's presence. "I don't know what I would do if I did!" And that scared him. Normally Gaston was the kindest, most non-violent person you could ever hope to meet, but when someone he loved was hurt, he turned dangerous.

He turned away, clutching the sides of his desk so tight that his knuckles turned white as he trembled with rage. He couldn't understand how anyone could hurt someone as sweet and kind as Rosalyn! it reminded him a lot of his past romantic relationships. Only a few of his exes had been kind enough to break up with him before moving on to someone better; most of the time he had no idea they were unhappy with him until he saw them with other men. His heavy breathing soon gave away to sniffling, and tears welled in his bright blue eyes as he forced himself to look back at Rosalyn. "Oh, Rose, I am so sorry you went through that," he whispered, taking her hand i both of his own. "I've had my heart broken so many times, been used and cheated on... I wouldn't wish it on anyone, least of all someone as wonderful as you." He sighed. "i wish I could go back in time and stop him from breaking your heart..." Most men would see the ex's loss as his gain, but Gaston would rather Rose never been hurt, even if it meant they never crossed paths.

Phantom's loud meowing distracted Gaston suddenly; he gave the cat a reprimanding look but laughed along with Rose. "Maybe she just needs some time to get used to you," he said, rubbing the cat's tummy. The little Persian wrapped her front paws around Gaston's arm, purring so loudly she sounded like a motorboat. An idea occurred to him, and he aimed his wand at the top drawer of his desk. "Here, give her this," he said, levitating a small gold fish plush toward Rose. "She'll be too distracted by her new toy to scratch or bite you."

He couldn't help but smile at Rose's curiosity. "Beaubatons is much warmer and brighter than Hogwarts," he said. "The school itself used to be a palace. Meals there are quite a formal affair, and they hold the most amazing Christmas parties. There's also a ball every year for the graduating class - of course you can imagine what a disaster mine was!" He chuckled halfheartedly, running a hand through his hair. "I accidentally ripped my date's dress, so she slapped me in the face and left with someone else. It was only after that that I learned she only dated me so I'd help her pass her Charms NEWT..." Why was he telling Rose all this?

"I almost didn't," Gaston replied when Rose asked why he decided to come to Hogwarts. "I knew I'd miss my home and my family, and I've never been very good at making new friends... but Professor Evremonde - he was my old Charms professor - encouraged me to take the job. He had so much faith in me, I couldn't let him down..." He nodded politely at her comments about Durmstrang; it didn't sound like the kind of place he'd want to be but he didn't want to hurt Rose's feelings by offering his opinion. The subject changed to his album, and he was glad when Rose said she'd be okay listening to it. He was worried about that, though he didn't know why; he already knew she was much stronger than him! "I promise no more sad songs on the next album," he said with a smile.

"I know," she said with a smile. It made her happy hearing that even if she had already known it was true. The mood didn't last long, however, with what she said next. This was the first time that Rosalyn had seen Gaston angry, and even though she had expected it, she did not enjoy it. It made her sad seeing him so worked up, especially when it was because of something that she had told him. She had felt that it needed to be said though; it WAS part of her past. "He's not worth it. I don't even know why I was with him." Looking back on it, it made no sense. Of course she had loved him, but not anymore. "It's okay. I'm better off now." This was all in the past and even though it was something she was still dealing with, it wasn't as if she wanted that life back. "I don't because then I wouldn't have you." The thought of that broke her heart! "I hate that you have been hurt too. I wish I could make it all better for you." She would do anything. It was so much worse than what had happened to her.

Phantom's cries for attention had come at a good time because they distracted them from other things. At least for the moment. The thought that maybe the cat would come to accept her was comforting to Rosalyn because she really didn't want to be hated by the animal. What if it bit or scratched her? Grabbing hold of the gold fish plush, she went about trying to entice the cat with it. "Look what I have, Phantom." Would this work in making them friends?

Hearing about Beauxbatons was interesting, and Rosalyn found herself picturing it in her head as she sipped her coffee. "That sounds absolutely lovely. Better than Durmstrang." No offense to the school but yeah. "Too bad that I'll never get to see it." That was okay though. Not like she had seen Ilvermorny either. The thought was driven out of her head at what Gaston said next. "Someone like that didn't deserve you. You are worth so much more than that." Good thing they hadn't met; Rosalyn had no idea what she would have done to her but it would have been bad.

"I know what it's like to be uncertain, but look what happened!" All because his Professor had been supportive and encouraging. "I can't say how happy I am that you didn't resign." Last term had been really hard for all of them. At least things were better now. "I know," she said with a smile. Rosalyn had no doubt in her mind about that. "Does that mean there will be more songs about me?" That would be amazing!

Gaston bit his lip and blinked repeatedly, struggling not to cry for his love's past heartbreak. As far as he was concerned, a broken heart was a fate worse than death, and he hated that his Rose had to endure something so terrible. Knowing that hurt him worse than every broken heart he'd had combined! She was telling him that the ex wasn't worth it. but he shook his head sadly. "He isn't, but you are," he said, "and... I can't stand the thought of him getting away with hurting you!" He held her as a sudden wave of emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Knowing that she was okay now made him feel a bit better, but her next words made his tears fall. "Y-you mean..." he sniffled. "You'd rather endure a broken heart and be with me than be happy with him?" That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to him!

He had to take several deep breaths before he was able to regain composure. "Oh, Rose, you already have," he said. He never wanted her to think she needed to make things better for him! "Your love makes everything right. I'd go through all of it a thousand times over again just to be here with you." He smiled and gave her hand a little kiss, but his expression changed after a minute. There were things Rose didn't know about his past too, and now seemed as good a time as any to tell her some of it. It seemed only fair after she'd opened up to him. "I was almost engaged myself once," he said, but he decided to give her some time to process the information before elaborating.

Little Phantom was being such a ham right now, flopping and meowing until Gaston gave her the attention she wanted. After a few minutes of rubbing her tummy, he tried to move his hand, but she just dug her claws into his sleeve. He looked back at Rosalyn and the goldfish toy, poised to react if Phantom tried to scratch or bite her. The cat's yellow eyes darted from Gaston to Rose, but this time she wasn't glaring angrily at her... more staring at the toy she was holding. The black and white Persian finally let go of Gaston's arm and started batting at the fish's tail until she finally swatted it out of Rose's hand. She wrapped her front paws around her new toy and began to purr as she chewed on its nose. Gaston smiled. "Well, it's a start," he said.

Gaston hoped his description of Beaubatons wouldn't make Rose think he preferred the school to Hogwarts; he was relieved when she said it sounded lovely. "It is," he said with a nod, and he laughed out loud when she said it sounded better than Durmstrang. He agreed but he hadn't wanted to say anything on the subject, just in case she held some emotional attachment to the school. Her next words gave him an idea. Maybe he could convince Professor Evremonde to give Rose the grand tour of Beaubatons over the next summer holiday. "Never say never," he said. He didn't know what to say when Rose offered her opinion of his ex-girlfriend, so he settled for a smile and a squeeze of her hand.

Then the subject changed. He knew Rose would understand how he felt - her empathy was the thing he loved most about her - but he hated that she'd had to experience that kind of uncertainty herself. "I'm glad I didn't resign too,"he said with a smile. "I would've left behind my heart if I did." There had been another reason he left Beaubatons, but it made him sad to think about - and he knew it would make Rose sad to hear. He silently fidgeted with the black bracelets on his arm for a moment, but he was soon jerked back out of his thoughts when Rose asked him about his songs. "Of course," he said then added with a laugh, "I think the record company is going to get so tired of my songs about you that they'll threaten to drop the band!"

It was obvious that Gaston was trying not to cry, and that made Rosalyn sadder than ever though she knew that it was important for her to keep it together. She just hated seeing him this way and knowing that it was because of something that she had said. "I'm not heartbroken though." Why on earth would he think that she would still be when she had him now? It made her shake her head. "You silly man. Don't you get it?" His obliviousness was rather adorable actually, though she felt that everything about him was. "I don't want anyone else. You are the love of my life and the best thing that has ever happened to me."

It was so good to know that he felt the exact same way as her, and Rosalyn beamed as he kissed her hand. Everything was so perfect, though what he said next was rather shocking. Gaston had almost been engaged? That fact in itself wasn't shocking, it was more in the fact that she didn't understand how anyone could be THAT serious with him and then end it. Made no sense in her opinion. "What happened?" She hadn't trampled on his heart, had she? Anger flared suddenly, only suppressed when she reminded herself that she had made everything better for him now; he wasn't hurting anymore.

Seeing Phantom act like a kitten with her master was rather cute, and it was hard for Rosalyn to keep a straight face. Somehow she managed it, knowing that the plan was working so far. The cat's eyes were riveted on the toy in her hand, and in within moments it had been batted to the floor. "I count that as a small victory." Figuring that it might be safe now, she reached out to pet the cat. Hopefully it would go over okay with the animal's attention being fixed elsewhere.

Eyebrow raise. Was he telling her that she might see Beauxbatons for herself? That was something that Rosalyn hadn't considered possible though maybe it very well was! Sipping at her coffee, she tried not to show just how happy she was at the prospect, probably failing miserably. "I would absolutely LOVE to see it. Would make me so happy. I love historical places and I have never been to France before." Odd considering that it wasn't very far from England, but somehow it had never happened. Of course she had been to other countries. Traveled with friends, family, boyfriends, her ex-fiancé... Pushing him out of her mind again, she happily squeezed Gaston's hand.

"Oh, Gaston..." There was no way that she could even compute what to say after all that. With happy tears in her eyes, Rosalyn kissed him. That should get things across perfectly.

Gaston was fighting a losing battle with his tears. It was absolutely unfathomable to him how that man could have Rose's heart, then turn around and hurt her like that! Knowing that she wasn't still heartbroken about it made him feel a little better, and he was able to manage a shaky smile for her. But what Rose said next shattered the already tenuous hold he had on his emotions. Not one of his past girlfriends had ever said those words to him; it made his heart burst with joy and love for her! He knew she loved him, but he never would've dared to dream she loved him that much! He was smiling even wider as he looked back at Rose, despite the tears streaming from his bright blue eyes, and he hugged her a little tighter. It was all he could do not to burst out sobbing!

"I'm so sorry about this," he finally said, wiping his eyes. "Loving words just have that effect on me..." His smile faded a little when Rose asked what happened with his engagement. and he couldn't help but notice she seemed a little angry. His heart dropped. Was she angry at him for not telling her before? "It was years ago, when I worked for the French Ministry of Magic," he explained. "Her name was Edeline; she was a division head in my department. She made me feel welcome there when no one else did..." Just like Rose had when he came to Hogwarts. "We dated for over a year, and I was going to propose to her but..." He sighed wistfully; this part was making him sad to remember. "Three days before I planned to propose, she got a job offer from the Russian Ministry. I knew she'd be happier there than she ever could be with me, so I told her to take the job." Ending the relationship had been hard, but knowing she would be happy made it a little less sad for him.

Gaston's eyes darted apprehensively toward Phantom as Rose reached out to pet her. The black and white Persian stopped chewing on her fish for a second and looked up at Rose, but this time, the look wasn't exactly angry, more curious than anything else. The cat showed little reaction to Rose's petting; she didn't try to scratch or bite but she wasn't purring either, just nonchalantly went back to nibbling her toy. Gaston laughed; he was glad to see both of his girls getting along!

He took a sip of his coffee, and his eyes lit up as he looked back at Rose and saw how happy she looked. "Maybe I can pull some strings and convince Professor Evremonde to give you the grand tour someday," he said. Now that he knew how much Rose wanted to see his old school, he was determined to make it happen for her! He squeezed Rose's hand back, and then she kissed him. He eagerly returned the kiss, but he saw the tears in her eyes when he looked at her. He knew (or at least he hoped)they were tears of joy, but it still ripped apart his heart to see Rose cry because of anything he'd done. Still, he never wanted her to feel like she had to hide her emotions around him! Unsure what to do, he gave her a hug.

Holding Gaston close, Rosalyn kissed his cheek. "I know..." she said softly. He was an emotional person. Always had been and always would be. Unlike a lot of people, she didn't find it weird or cloying. No, instead she found it endearing. The compassion he felt in his heart was one of the things that she loved most about him and she never wanted it to go away. Seeing him in tears was more than she could bear, however!

The fading smile didn't go unnoticed, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had asked the wrong thing. Rosalyn just couldn't keep her mouth shut at times; as a total Ravenclaw, she always had a million questions running through her brain, and sometimes they were uttered out loud before she could practice impulse control. "I'm sorry that happened. It sounds like she was good for you. I'm sure she would have married you if she had known what you planned." No wonder he had stopped smiling. Remember something like that would be enough to make anyone sad! At least he had healed. Hanging on to heartbreak was terrible, and she didn't want Gaston to feel it ever again; she wouldn't leave him like all the other women had.

At least Phantom was helping to lighten the mood somewhat. While the attention hadn't exactly gotten the cat excited at least she wasn't being bitten? Had to count as progress. "I guess I'm the main threat in her eyes, being the other woman." Rosalyn was okay with joking about this now that she knew there was no real danger of being bitten or scratched.

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Her eyes lit up in excitement and she forgot all about her coffee. "That would be absolutely amazing. I can't wait to see it." Then there would be other places in France to see as well because there was no way that she would ever go there and NOT see everything she could of the beautiful country. They were going to have the time of their lives. "These are happy tears," Rosalyn added as he hugged her. "You have made me so happy."

Gaston was a little surprised when Rose kissed his cheek but made no effort to pull away. He took a few deep breaths, fighting to regain his composure as Rose held him; the gesture had a calming effect on him. For a split second, he was worried that Rose would be disgusted by this emotional display, just like his father warned him she might be, but that fear went away as he forced himself to look back at her. Sweet Rose...her kindness never failed to touch his heart! "Thank you for understanding," he whispered, taking her hand in his own and giving it a little kiss.

Then the subject turned to his past engagement. Rose was assuring him that Edeline would've stayed with him, and he managed a small sad smile. "I know she would've," he said. That was why he had to let her go. She wouldn't have been happy with him, not really. She was meant for bigger and better things... but it had worked out in the end. He had his Rose now.

Gaston's bright blue eyes darted to the black and white cat and he laughed a little. "Well, she's just going to have to learn to share!" he said, giving the cat a mock reprimanding look. Satisfied that Phantom was sufficiently distracted, he turned his attention back to Rose. Seeing the way her eyes lit up when he mentioned a tour of Beaubatons made him smile. He gave her a little hug from behind and whispered, "I'd summon the moon and stars if it meant your happiness." The smile faded and he held her a little tighter as he saw the tears in her eyes. Knowing she wasn't sad made it better, but he still didn't like to see her cry. "Not half as happy as you've made me," he said. And he kissed her.

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Scene two April 2092: It's rose's birthday, and Gaston has a romantic surprise planned for her in the treehouse at Hogwarts.

Gaston took a look around the treehouse. This was the place he realized he was in love with Rose, so it was only fitting that they celebrate her birthday here. He'd arranged things for after the curfew so the students couldn't barge in on them, and everything had to be perfect! The room was decorated in purple... purple streamers hanging from the ceiling, a purple covering on the table, purple roses made of frosting on the cake... he'd even made a few purple paper lanterns that bathed the room in purple light. The only thing that wasn't purple was the bouquet of roses in the center of the table; those were blazing red, the color that symbolized his love for her.

A large birthday cake and a tea service - decorated with a rose pattern, of course - sat on the table, and a large stack of brightly wrapped boxes was piled against the wall. But those weren't the only presents he had! Gaston's hand trembled slightly as he pulled a small silver ring from his jacket pocket. The light glinted off the large purple stone surrounded by diamonds as he turned it over in his hand. What if she said no? What if she said yes? He had to block the what ifs from his mind as he replaced the ring. Rose would be here any moment, and she'd know something was up if she saw him acting this nervous!

It was unusual to be outside after curfew, but Rosalyn knew that Gaston wanted to give her the perfect surprise for her birthday. It would make HIM happy, and that in itself made HER happy - though of course she would be pleased with whatever he did for her. The man tended to go all out, so this was sure to be incredible.

It had taken some time for her to get ready as she wanted to look really nice, but Rosalyn was now wearing one of her favourite blue dresses and black heels. Would Gaston notice that she was using his favourite colours? She would see for herself shortly, because the treehouse was coming closer. The last time she had been here was when Marshmallow had bitten her through her boot, and she had to resist an amused eye roll. THAT had been a lot of fun...

"I'm here!" she announced triumphantly as she had mastered the ladder in her heels. Straightening out her dress, she stepped inside... and suddenly she was speechless. Everything had been transformed; not only that, but PURPLE was everywhere besides on the roses that he had set up for her. Overcome with emotion, she tried her best not to cry.

This was absolutely PERFECT.

Gaston had only just replaced the ring in his pocket when Rose's voice caused his head to whip around, spilling his dark hair into his eyes. His heart skipped a beat as he saw her. She was always beautiful, both inside and out, but there was something tonight that made her look extra special. And no, it wasn't lost on him that she was wearing his favorite colors. The heels were unexpected, though. Merlin, she could've broken her neck climbing up here in those! He silently berated himself for not thinking to hold her birthday celebration somewhere else.

For a moment, all he could do was gape at her, at a complete loss for words. "Happy birthday, ma chérie!" he exclaimed once he'd found his voice. He gave her a little kiss on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "Oh, Rose, you look even more beautiful than ever!" He saw the emotion written on her face, and his smile faded slightly. Had he not done enough? Was she disappointed? "Is everything alright, ma belle?" he asked, his bright blue eyes growing wide with concern. Seeing her like this was making him emotional, and he silently held her for a few moments.

"Shall we?" he said, taking Rose's hand as he led her toward the table. He pulled a chair out for her before taking a seat beside her. His hand trembled slightly as he drew his wand and aimed it at the rose-shaped candle atop the cake; a small flame shot out from his wand and lit the candle. "Make a wish, my Rose!" he said with a smile, though he couldn't quite hide the panicked look in his eyes. Get a hold of yourself, Gaston! He told himself sternly. Soon the flame would be out and they could carry on as normal... he hoped.

Rosalyn stood there in shock until Gaston came over to her and kissed her cheek, whispering sweet words in her ear. He was making her blush!!! "Thank you so much. I really don't deserve this," she said quietly, still wrapping her head around everything that he had done for her.

... WHAT?!

Her eyes widened at what he said next.

"Of course everything is alright... It's more than alright. But really I don't deserve all this." Even though Rosalyn was used to the romantic gestures, this still felt like a lot to her. It must have taken him a while to set everything up for her. Even with magic, he would have had to move everything out from the castle. With a sigh, she hugged him. Gaston was way too good for her. She didn't deserve all this.

Nodding, she let him lead her over to the table, taking a seat when he pulled out a chair for her. "Merci." She was at least getting better at French. The trembling hand didn't go unnoticed. "Is everything okay," she asked slightly concerned. Was he tired? Dealing with too much stress over what was happening with the school? Rosalyn felt the exact same way, but this was their time to forget about all that for a little while. To celebrate her birthday. Quickly she blew out the candle, knowing that he was terrified of the fire; before the flame was gone, she managed to make her wish.

I wish that things would stay like this forever...

Gaston could only gaze lovingly into Rose's eyes for several moments. Seeing her blush was so adorable! It even made him giggle a bit. But the wide smile he'd been wearing since she arrived faded at the sound of her words. Blue eyes blinked in shock. She didn't deserve this?! How could she even think such a thing? Did she not know how much she'd done for him? "How could I not go all out to mark the day the world became a kinder place?" he said.

He managed a small smile when Rose said everything was more than alright. He was relieved to know she wasn't disappointed! "I'm glad you like it!" Only the best for his Rose! He still didn't like her thinking she didn't deserve this, though he had to agree that she was right... just not for the reasons she thought. "I know," he whispered, holding her tighter as his whirlwind emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He wanted to pour his heart out to her, but there would be time for that soon. "Oh, ma belle Rose, you deserve so much more than I could ever give." He didn't know what else he could say to get the point across, so he kissed her instead.

Gaston's bright blue eyes lit up and he chuckled a little as Rose thanked him in his native language. Her French had improved considerably in the past months! "De rien," he replied as he sat beside her. His smile faded at the sight of the burning candle. His hand tightened around his wand, poised to react if it started burning out of control; thankfully Rose blew it out before that happened. One look in her eyes, and he knew he'd failed miserably at hiding his panic. "I'm fine." he said, silently berating himself for worrying her. "i just... don't like fire." Well, that and he was out of his mind with nervousness, but she'd learn why soon enough.

He tried to serve Rose a piece of the cake (chocolate with vanilla frosting), but his hand shook so violently that the knife slipped. He winced slightly as it cut his finger. Then when he tried to pour the tea, he was so lost in thought that he got distracted and accidentally spilled tea all over Rose's dress! "Oh my - I-I'm so sorry, Rose!" he stammered. A quick wave of his wand cleaned the mess, but he still inwardly berated himself, You're off to a great start! She'll never marry you if you keep this up!

Just when Rosalyn didn't think that Gaston could make her blush even more than she already was, Gaston had to say THAT. Really she should be used to it by now, but she didn't WANT to get used to it. "Oh, Gaston," she said wiping her eyes as tears started to form. They were good tears though!! The best kind of tears. "The world was already a kinder place because you were in it." He was the most wonderful person.

"I love it so much," she said as she held him in a tight embrace. It was beyond perfect and more than anyone had ever done for her birthday. Rosalyn knew that this was going to be a very special night; it already was and they hadn't even started! "You deserve so much more than me though..." Gaston wouldn't agree with that statement, but she felt that it was true. Before she could say anything else, however, he kissed her. Rosalyn happily returned it, knowing that it said a lot more than words ever could.

The smile that she had upon her face at the sight of the cake faded along with his. Rosalyn hated that he had felt he needed to do that despite his great fear of fire. "It really didn't need to be lit," she told him, feeling bad. He really hadn't needed to do that for her sake! They could have just pretended and the wish could have still been made. That was Gaston though, putting her above himself the same way that she did with him. It just upset her to see him like this, now cutting his finger as he tried to cut her a piece. "Are you alright, my love?" she asked full of concern. Was it a deep cut?? With all of her concern, it didn't matter that he had spilled tea on her dress despite the fact that it BURNED and that hurt. Within seconds it was gone; no lasting damage had been done.

"Gaston, do you need a break? I hate seeing the fire upset you so much." It was making her really sad seeing him like this.

Gaston was at a complete loss for words as he watched Rose wipe away tears. He didn't like seeing her cry, but he knew they were happy tears and that made it better. He smiled adoringly as he held her close, feeling as if his heart would burst with love for her. What she said next made him tear up a little bit himself. It looked like he'd be used to hearing Rose's kind words by now, but it still touched his heart just as much as it always had.

He took a deep breath, fighting to regain his composure. Merlin's beard! It was way too early in the night for him to be this emotional! He held Rose even tighter than she was holding him, but his adoring expression turned worried at her next words. Hearing her put herself down like that made him sad! He wished she knew how kind and smart and wonderful she was! "Oh, Rose..." he whispered once he'd found his voice. "I could never ask for anything more. Don't you see? I want you, just the way you are..."

Gaston's grip on his wand slackened as Rose blew out the candle, and some of his panic went away knowing that the flame was out and couldn't burn anything anymore. But his face fell at the sight of Rose's fading smile. He shook his head when she said he didn't need to light the candle. "Of course it did," he said. "My silly fear of fire is no reason to break a longstanding birthday tradition! Only the best for my Rose.." He managed a small smile for her. As terrified as he was of fire, he loved her even more!

All Gaston could do was look around helplessly at the mess he'd made. Oh good Godric Gryffindor! What a disaster this was turning into! Rose's voice jerked him out of his nervousness, and he forced a smile as he looked at her. "Y-yes, of course," he stammered, wiping his bleeding hand on his trousers. The cut stung a bit, but it wan't deep. He was more worried for her! He couldn't believe he'd just spilled tea on her! What if he hadn't reacted fast enough? What if she'd been burned? "Oh, Rose... I'm so sorry!" he whispered, looking at her with concern and remorse. He knew she wouldn't be angry about it, but he could never forgive himself if he'd hurt her! "Are you hurt? Maybe we should see River..."

He managed a halfhearted chuckle when Rose asked if he needed a break. "Probably a good idea," he said. "We'll both probably wind up in St. Mungo's if I don't." The sad part was that he was only half joking about that. He sighed, scooting his chair out from the table. He stood with his back to her for a moment, staring out at the setting sun. This wasn't going according to plan at all! He was going to propose after they'd had cake and Rose had opened all her other presents, but now he was starting to think it would be better to get it over with. He would just keep getting clumsier if he didn't, and he wasn't about to take a chance hurting her again! He finally forced himself to look back, his eyes begging her to come stand beside him. "Rose, there's something I need to tell you..."

Things were getting emotional, and Rosalyn wasn't sure that she could take all of this on top of everything else that was going on in the school. Her thoughts never drifted far from the portal and the welfare of the children. It was really taking its toll out on her though she was trying her best to keep everything together. "Well, that's the exact same way that I feel," she told Gaston with a small smile. Everything would turn out okay in the end and he would always be by her side.

"Well, I think your health is more important than a birthday tradition," she added, filled with more concern for him than for herself. "Are you sure that you are okay? I don't really know healing charms, but I can try." Oh goodness! He wanted to take her to the healer. The tea had hurt, but she would be okay. Besides Rosalyn didn't want to make Gaston feel even worse about what had happened. "I'll be okay. There is no need to see River. I've had worse." Okay, maybe she'd never had boiling water poured on her until now, but there had been other injuries in the past. Besides he had taken care of it very quickly. No serious damage had been done and it wouldn't be fair to bother River when he was probably asleep.

His next comment made her chuckle, but him getting up and turning his back to her made Rosalyn feel confused. What had happened? Was something wrong? Confused, she joined him as he beckoned to her. "What is it?" Nothing bad had happened, had it???

Gaston could sense that Rose was getting emotional, and it was making him emotional... or in this case, more emotional than he already was. Not that he could blame her, of course with everything going on in the school. His bright blue eyes momentarily strayed to the castle. He half-expected to hear news of another student being taken by the portal at any moment, but he tried to push those thoughts out of his mind. This was supposed to be their night to forget all that for a while!

He didn't know what he could say to make her feel better, so he just hugged her and gave her an encouraging smile. His eyes widened slightly at what she said next, but his smile only grew. Sure she was only echoing his own sentiments, but he was still deeply moved by it. Not one of his past girlfriends had ever said they wanted him the way he was! His throat was quickly becoming too tight to speak, and he had to pinch at the inner corners of his eyes. This is ridiculous, he silently berated himself. He was already on the verge of tears, and he hadn't even asked her yet!

Gaston chuckled a little when Rose said his health was more important than a tradition. Classic Rose, always putting others before herself... it was one of the things he loved most about her. "My health maybe, but not more important than my silly fear of fire," he joked, but his face fell at the sight of her concerned expression. He hated worrying her like this! And now she was talking about healing charms. Merlin, this night wasn't going according to plan! "Of course I'm sure," he said. "It wasn't a deep cut, and I think it finally stopped bleeding." His eyes momentarily dropped to his injured finger to double check. "Now no more worrying about me!" he added, giving her a little kiss on the cheek. "This is your night." Or at least it was if he could manage not to mess anything else up...

He was a little relieved when Rose said she didn't need the healer, but he still hated himself for spilling tea on her. She could've been badly burned because of his clumsiness, and if she had... He didn't even want to think about that!
He felt Rose's presence as she joined him and took a deep breath. It was now or never! "I'd planned to tell you this later, but now I think would be better to get it out of the way, for your safety if nothing else" he said with a self-deprecating chuckle. There was no telling what more damage he might cause if he put it off any longer! "As you know. the international tour is starting soon, and the manager needs to know whether or not to add me to the lineup and..." His voice trailed off; this was a lot herder than he thought! "A-and... I t-told him..." He tried to go on, but he was stammering and getting tongue-tied. He sighed, nervously running a hand through his dark hair. "Maybe it would be easier if you open this first?"

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a brightly wrapped package tied with purple ribbon. Inside it Rose would find a copy of the citizenship application he'd sent into the ministry months ago. That would tell her what his decision was better than his words ever could!

Why was he pinching at the corners of his eyes?

Rosalyn was momentarily confused, and then she realized that he was probably just trying to keep a grip on his emotions; Gaston always seemed to struggle where those were concerned. That thought was driven out of her head, however, by what he said to her next. "But your fear IS important though. I don't want you to do something that terrifies you just for me." Maybe it had been just lighting candles, but that was not a small thing when one was deathly afraid of fire in the way that he was. "At least you're not badly hurt..." With a small smile, she tried her best to stop worrying.

Curious, she wondered what Gaston was driving at with all this. This must be a pretty big present. Head shake at the comment about her safety; Rosalyn wasn't in the least bit worried about him doing something to hurt her. He might be slightly accident prone, but it wasn't as if she got injured whenever in his company. At any rate they were now talking about his band touring. Eagerly she took the package from him and opened it.

"You decided to stay?" Honestly she was shocked.