Chapter One: Warning Sign
"A warning sign, I missed the good part then I realized,
I started looking and the bubble burst.
I started looking for excuses.
Come on in,
I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in,
I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones,
That I started looking for a warning sign."
-Warning Sign by Coldplay
Rose Weasley peered out the window as she stood up. She stared out at the snow-covered hillside. It truly was a beautiful sight. She never saw anything more beautiful than the sights she saw when she came to visit her mother. Her father had passed away a few years ago and her mother was living alone now. Rose and her brother, Hugo, worried about her often. She had taken the death of her spouse of 50 years surprisingly well. She showed no signs of depression or anger. The children found this exceptionally odd compared to their mixed feelings.
But Hermione Weasley had a secret; one that she had kept for almost fifteen years. She had not told anyone; not her friends in town, not her children, not even her husband.
So when Hermione invited Rose to come stay with her for a week during January, Rose felt suspicious. Her mother had always been frightfully independent and profusely refused the numerous offers of her children's' help. But Rose accepted her mother's invitation nevertheless, and arrived on her mother's doorstep Sunday afternoon.
Rose knew why her mother had asked her to come and not her brother. Rose was, by far, quite unstable, as her late grandmother had once said. And although that was many years ago, Rose knew it was still true.
Most recently in her life, Rose had gone though a nasty divorce. He had been wrong from the start, she knew now. Her mother had always said that, but Rose defied and married him anyway.
It had lasted just under three years, their relationship, and this was her second divorce. Rose decided she would just give up on love and end up an old maid. Her brother was happily married with a family and a house. Deep down Rose found herself longing for just that. She wanted to settle down and be happy. But at this point, it just didn't seem possible.
Looking out at the snow-covered landscape, Rose began to think that maybe their was something more for her out their. Maybe her mother brought her out here to tell her that love does exist. Maybe her mother would tell her the secret of having a successful, happy marriage. But it had been six days already and that still hadn't happened yet. Rose only got another lesson in laundry and a few home-cooked meals. She would be leaving soon, so if her mother was going to tell her something important, she'd better hurry up.
"How did you sleep last night, dear?" Hermione asked smoothing out the covers of the bed Rose had just made.
"Fine," Rose replied, turning away from the window.
"Well that's great. Now, let's have a cup of tea downstairs," Hermione said brightly.
Downstairs, there were two cups of tea on the table with the sugar and a slice of lemon out. Rose put two cubes of sugar into her steaming cup and stirred it around with her spoon. She watched the sugar dissolve and disperse into the water. There was a knock on the door, and her mother jumped to get it. Rose heard her mother speaking to the knocker and then heard the door close and an extra pair of footsteps.
Upon reentering the kitchen, Hermione was no long alone, but joined by a young boy with a heavy jacket, boots and a cap on. "Rose," Hermione said, "This is Johnny Nolan. He shovels the snow off of my walkway. And Johnny, this is my daughter, Rose."
"Pleasure to meet you," Johnny said politely sticking out his hand.
"Pleasure to met you too," Rose responded shaking the Johnny's hand.
"Johnny, would you care for some tea?" Hermione asked.
"No thank you, ma'am," he said. "I told my grandmother I'd have tea with her."
"Very, well, then," Hermione nodded putting an extra cup back in the cupboard. "Perhaps another time."
"Yes, ma'am," he said nodding. Rose watched as her mother pulled out a box of cookies from the cupboard.
"These are for your father," she said handing the box to Johnny. "I made him chocolate-coconut because I know those are his favorite." Johnny nodded taking the box. "And here is your pay," she said handing him two sickles.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," he said and turned back to the door.
"No, thank you," Hermione said following him out. "And don't forget to tell your grandmother I'll see her at Bingo on Tuesday."
Rose heard the door close and watched her mother sit back down at the table. "He's a very nice boy," she began. "His mother died a few years ago. John, the father, is a wonderful man. He's single. You'd like him."
"Mother, please," Rose said looking away.
"I'm just saying," she said putting her hands up. "I have his number if you want it, though."
The rest of the day passed by slowly for Rose. Her mother refused to go outside because of the temperature. And Rose's lack of knowledge of how to knit left her with little to do. Hermione made tuna sandwiches for lunch. Rose had a cup of hot chocolate while her mother drank tea. She felt like a kid again, sitting her mother's kitchen asking for some more marshmallows for her hot chocolate.
After lunch, Rose took a nap on the couch by the fire. She woke up about two hours later to find her mother in the exact same position as before she fell asleep. She was crouched over a blanket with a needle in hand. Except, this time her eyes were closed. Rose smiled at her mother's figure, then proceeded upstairs. She pulled on a sweater and a heavy coat then crept back down to put on her boots. She quietly opened the front door, trying to keep its squeaking to a minimum and she stepped out into the cold air.
The newly cleared drive that Johnny had just shoveled looked like it needed a new shoveling because of the new snow that had fell onto it. Rose inhaled the clean, cold air. It smelt of snow and pine needles. A drastic difference from the stuffy city air she was used to. She made her way down the street and looked at all the houses. She passed Johnny Nolan's house and saw smoke billowing from the chimney. She walked to Main Street and looked into the windows of all the little shops. Most were closed due to the weather.
Rose stopped at the Library and decided to enter. She had inherited her mother's love of books but after her father died she stopped reading. She wasn't sure why she stopped, but she guessed that it was because she missed his telling her it was a waste of time. She was greeted with a gust of warm air as she entered the building. Looking around, she started smiling at the familiar sight of shelves and shelves of broken spines and turned pages. She lost herself in the stacks for an hour.
She emerged from the building with an old muggle classic, Jane Eyre. She exited the Library clutching the book to her chest and she made her way back home. Turning down her mother's street, she noticed a man out on that Nolans' porch. She figured this must be John Nolan. As she neared his house, she saw him stand up and walk toward the sidewalk.
"Hello," he said stopping in front of her when she was outside his house.
"Hello," she replied. "You must be John. I met your son earlier today." She held out her hand for him to shake. He took it.
"Yeas, I heard. Then you must be Rose. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said giving her a charming smile.
"Likewise," she said as they let go.
"You are the first of Hermione's family that I've met. We only moved here two years ago, but it seems like she never has anyone over," he said.
"Oh," Rose said nodding, "Yes, I decided to stay with her for a week. I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" he asked. "Wow, it's a shame I didn't meet you sooner," her smiled at her.
"Yes, I guess it is," Rose agreed.
"Well Johnny said you were pretty, but wow. I mean, pretty just doesn't do you justice," he said.
She blushed. "Thanks," she said.
They stood in sort of an awkward silence, looking at each other. "Well, I just wanted to meet you and let you know that we're looking out for your mum so you don't have to worry," he said finally.
"Oh, thank you," she said graciously. "We get worried about her sometimes."
"I figured," he said. "I think I would too. If my mum lived alone, I mean. Luckily I convinced her to move in with us after," he hesitated, "Johnny's mom passed away."
"Oh, right," Rose said looking away. "Johnny is a nice boy," she said changing the subject. "Very polite."
"Thanks," John said. "I'm very proud of him. Your mum's been great to him, too. And to my mum as well."
"I'm sure you guys are the same to her," Rose said smiling. Another awkward silence filled the air.
"Hey, would you like to go out some time?" John asked suddenly.
Rose was surprised by the spontaneity of his question. She looked away from him not bearing to look into his hopeful eyes. She looked down at the book in her arms. Its binding was deteriorating and the pager were worn out. She looked up at the man in front of her. He was taller than she was, and very handsome. He had kind, yet tired eyes but a friendly face. He looked almost broken, too, like he had spent many sleepless nights staring into the darkness wishing to be anywhere but where he was.
Maybe this was what she needed. Someone new. Someone different. Just say ok, she told herself. Just do it.
Bust she couldn't.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just went through a divorce, and I don't think I'm ready just yet."
"Oh, right. I understand," he said. "Well I should get going."
"Yeah, me too," Rose agreed. "It was nice meeting you, John."
"Nice meeting you too," he replied politely before turning back up the steps to his house. Rose followed the sidewalk a few more paces then turned up to her mother's house. Hermione was still sleeping when Rose entered and she decided just to let her sleep. She climbed up the stairs back up to her room and took off her sweater and scarf. She set the book on her dressed and stared back out at the hillside.
When Hermione came up to Rose's room a few hours later, Rose had not moved. "Dinner's ready," she said softly to her daughter. Rose stood up silently and followed her mother downstairs. That table was set with wine and two candles already burning. Rose gave a quizzical look to he mother but Hermione just smiled and brought the foot out to the table.
Hermione sat down at the table and began to spoon out the string beans. "Rose," she began. "I've been meaning to tell you something."
Rose's hear skipped a beat and she gave a worried look to her mother. "Don't worry," Hermione said now serving the lasagna. "It's nothing like that. I'm perfectly fine." Rose let out a breath. "This has more to do with you.
"Now I haven't told anyone what I am going to tell you. Not your grandmother, not your Aunt Ginny, not even your father. It is a secret that I have kept for twenty five years…"
A/n: Yes, I know I shouldn't be starting another story, but since I finished The Tawny Owl, I don't have another HG/RL and I can't live without them! This story will be alittle AU because I'm gonna have some people still be alive (like Dumbledore and Lupin for that matter because I'm still in denial about his death.) The title may change. I couldn't think of one so I just used this one. Its kind of cliché but I like it. Please review!!