Feet pounding the hard earth, running as fast as possible while sweat pours down the skin and wind whips through knotted hair was the greatest feeling in the world. Or at least it was for me. I smiled as I came to a halt at my favorite spot on the top of the large hill and looked over sleepy village where I lived.
The sun's first rays of light were just starting to breach the horizon, making the sky a beautiful sight if orange, pink, and red. This was my favorite part of the day. I always woke up once it started to become light and raced up to this spot for six months now. There were hiking trails all along the area and I would run for about an hour before the sun was ready to rise and then I would come back to my boulder. But today I had company.
"Hey Hugo." I smiled as my younger brother walked up the hill.
"Morning Rose." He yawned, sitting next to her. They watched the sun rise for a minute together before he spoke again. "Mom says to come back and shower before we leave."
"Alright." I scowled, not liking my run cut short. I would usually run for another hour after my break. Hugo extend his arm to me, anticipating me to apperate with him, but I grinned. "Race you down."
"No, I already had to walk up here!" He complained.
"It's downhill back." I pointed out and started down at a jog so Hugo could keep up with me. I laughed as I heard him muttering behind me. Once we reached level ground, I struggled to stay slow; I preferred to run as fast as my body would allow.
"Race you the rest of the way!" Hugo said suddenly, sprinted ahead. I grinned, realizing he was doing this for my benefit, and took off after him. I overtook him in seconds and sprinted the rest of the way to the house. When I got there and had a wait for Hugo who was a block and a half behind.
"Wow, you're really fast." He panted heavily. "You're going to win that marathon, that's a fact."
"Shhh!" I hushed him and he clamped his mouth shut.
"Sorry." He whispered. We had decided not to tell mum or dad that I was planning on competing in the London Boxing Day Marathon until the race had already started. They would never let me do it otherwise. We walked in and I headed to take a quick shower while Hugo helped dad get the trunks into the car. I got out and dressed right as mum started to have her annual panic.
"Are you going like that?" My mum demanded as she saw me in black sweatpants and a green king sleeve shirt.
"Yeah." I replied as I poured some orange juice.
"But this is your last time going to Hogwarts!" She said. "And the first time in a few years anyone had seen you. Don't you want to look nice?"
"I put eyeliner on." I shrugged and ran a hand through my pixie length hair and downed the glass. "It's fine mom, I just have these pants on because I'm a little chilly. I have jeans on underneath."
"Ok." She hugged me. "I just want this to be a great day for you."
"It already is mum." I hugged her back. I ate the pancakes mum put in front of me as Hugo and dad sat down as well.
After we all finished eating, we filed into the car and headed to Kings Cross Station. I had to admit I was scared. I hadn't attended Hogwarts since my third year when I had gotten sick. Toward the end of that year I started feeling really ill and barely finished my exams. Over the summer I was diagnosed with cancer and was admitted into the long term children's ward at St. Mungo's. Six months ago I was declared cancer free and had convinced my parents to let me attend my seventh year at Hogwarts.
When they got to the station I took off my sweatpants at my mother's request to show lightly faded skinny jeans and threw on a black hoodie. I followed Hugo, who had insisted on taking my trunk with his, while holding my large tonkinese cat.
Lenus, named after a Celtic God of healing, was given to me by my parents and had been with me through all of my treatments. He was white with gray around his face and paws, but had bright blue eyes. He was a smart cat and loyal beyond belief.
He wasn't too happy with me when we went through the barrier of platform 9 & 3/4, but he could sense how nervous I was and stayed close to me. Several people turned to stare and I heard a few people muttering, wondering if it was really me.
"Rose!" Came an excited voice towards me and everyone openly looked now. A tall black haired boy with bright green eyes hugged her tightly and spin her around.
"Albus, down." I laughed. My parents looked worried that he was hurting me and I didn't want them to bring me home at last minute.
"Hey!" My other cousin Lily hugged me as my aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry walked up.
I backed away slightly and put my hood back up, still aware of the stares. Why did I think this was going to be a good idea? Lenus jumped into my arms comforting me and I relaxed. This was something I needed to do and I couldn't back out now.
"You ok honey?" My mom asked, noticing my distance from the crowd.
"Yeah, just a little overwhelmed." I smiled. "I'm trying to get whelmed though."
"You don't have to do this." My mum hugged me. "We can go home right now and you can be homeschooled."
"I need this mum." I told her. "I can't explain it, but I do."
"Ok." She nodded and I hugged her again.
"Rose!" Hugo called to me. "Time to go!"
"Coming!" I called back. I let Lenus down and followed my cousins to a compartment.
"Rose!" Suddenly a large amount of people were hugging me and I couldn't keep track of them all. Connor and Katelyn Wood, Alice Longbottom, Terrence Finnegan, Lavender Thomas, and Garret West all came to great me. Terrence and Katelyn were fifth years with Lily and Hugo while the rest were seventh year friends of mine.
"I'm so happy you are actually here!" Alice hugged me. She was one of my oldest and best friends.
"I know, I thought Aunt Hermione would change her mind at last minute." Albus laughed. Suddenly a knock came at the door and I saw someone who looked vaguely familiar.
"Alice, your dad wants to meet with us before the prefect meeting." The tall blond boy said. Alice had been made head girl and I guessed this was the head boy.
"Coming Scorpius." She smiled. "I'll be back in a minute."
"Rose Weasley?" Scorpius blinked at me. "Dad said you were thinking about coming back but didn't know if you would actually do it."
"Well I am." I shrugged. "I was going to owl him in the morning."
"Why are you owling Scorpius's dad?" Albus asked me in shock.
"Healer Malfoy was the head healer of the ward I was in." I explained.
"You never told me that." Albus stared at me.
"You never asked." I shrugged. Lenus jumped into my lap again and I petted him as Alice left and the others started to talk.
"Earth to Rose!" Connor waved a hand in front of me. I looked up from my thoughts in surprise. "I said it's awesome to have you back! It'll be the best year ever having the whole gang together for more than a few days over holidays."
"Yeah." I smiled, but I shared a look with Hugo and looked out the window again. While I had missed them and loved it when they were able to visit, I missed my friends from St. Mungo's now. The last three years I had a different life and even though I choose to return to my old one, I felt like I was leaving one all over again. As I drifted to sleep I could here them talking in hushed tones.
"What's up with her?" I heard Albus ask. "I thought she would be psyched to be back."
"She is." Hugo assured them. "But she's still adjusting. It's been hard in her."
"I know." Albus sighed. "I know she hasn't told us nearly as much as she has you or Alice, but we'll be here for her."
"I think she knows that." Hugo said. "And if not, we'll show her."
"Deal!" Everyone agreed. I couldn't help but smile sadly as I drifted into an uneasy sleep.
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A/N: so this was a story I did long ago and lost track of but I've decided to rewrite it and finish it. I hope you enjoy it. This is drawn from my own experience with being sick with a genetic disease that mimics cancer as well as my cousin'a cancer.