Another Monday morning - another chapter! Thanks so much for all your lovely reviews.


"Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and heals the sting." - William Arthur Ward.


I awoke to the clean smell of a hospital room, my mouth parched dry. Gradually moving my head, I saw my mum out of the corner of my eye, sitting in a chair sleeping. An insistent beepin informed me of my heart rate. I felt tired, and ached all over, and yet the dizziness no longer made my head swim round. Having assessed my situation, I gradually sank back into sleep, warm and safe at last.

When I awoke next, it was to see a Nurse, or Healer, as her badge declared, and my brothers and aunt peering anxiously down at me. When my aunt saw that my eyes were at last open, she swooped down and threw her arms around me, whilst my brothers clasped hands briefly. Then my parents came in, and my little cousin, and everyone was hugging and crying. I began to feel rather overwhelmed by all the attention, and once again fell asleep again.

Over the next few days, I drifted in and out of consciousness, exhausted by my illness. I managed to glean information during my several bouts of wakefulness. I had been found on the seventh floor, unconscious, and was taken to the Hospital Wing, where I was out cold for three days. As Nurse Roberts had been unable to make me ingest any food, and I was wasting away in front of her, it was necessary to remove me to St. Mungo's where I could be drip fed.

I had first gained consciousness two days ago, after two more days unconscious, and so it was now a Saturday, seven days after the big blow up with Lily. I had had pneumonia, very seriously, which accounted for the unconsciousness and fatigue which I felt. I was discharged the next day, and spent a happy few days at home, recuperating.

I was still exhausted, and not at all my usual self. I felt guilty for the anxious faces of my family, and my aunt, although my five year old cousin was adorable, bringing me drinks, singing me songs, and colouring in pictures and cards wishing me good health.

My mum cooked all my favourite meals, often brought me chocolate cake and snacks as I sat huddled in my duvet in front of the television. My dad brought me a new chick flick every day on the way home from work, and my brothers spent much of their time entertaining me, having come back home from university when I was ill.

My aunt went shopping, buying me clothes, shoes, jewellery and hand-bags. My brothers' friends came round often, at one time doing a topless dance for me, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and yet always was the dread of returning to school once I was well. I convalesced in front of the television from the Sunday I was discharged to the Thursday, but it was obvious that I was regaining my health, if not my spirits.

My stomach churned to think of the next month of school I would have to face, as it was mid-November and school finished for Christmas in mind-December. I had missed a lot of work, and mock NEWTS took place in the last month of November, although that would give me something to focus on. What I dreaded was seeing Lily and my ex-friends again, the uncomfortable silences in the dormitory, the ache of missing the close companionship that I had once had, that even the Donahues or the Marauders could not replace.

On Thursday night, my parents and brothers came and sat with me in the living room, and we had a family conference. It was arranged that I should floo to school from Diagon Alley to Professor McGonagall's office on the Friday evening, in order to get back into the swing of school and to not be overwhelmed by work on the first day back. The weekend would also give me the opportunity to catch up on some of the work that I had missed, two weeks worth.

My stomach sank as I thought of the prospect, and I spent the next day silently fretting, unable to shake Hogwarts and what awaited me there from my thoughts. As with all things one dreads, Friday evening came quickly, and soon my small bag was packed (all of my things at Hogwarts already) and I was being driven to Diagon Alley by my family. Once outside the Leaky Cauldron, I embraced them all, trying hard not to cry.

"You'll be home soon enough, darling. It's only four weeks. They'll be over before you know it." Comforted my mum.

"We'll write twice a week, really long letters." Put in my dad.

"And we'll text you lots. And if those friends of yours give you any problems then you can always see a teacher. Don't let anyone make you feel small, Rose. You are a brilliant person, remember that. And soon you'll be home for Christmas." Added my brothers.

My little cousin gave me a tight hug, my aunt handing me a wrapped present, and my mum handing me a letter, which she said was to read tonight. With a final round of hugs, I grabbed my bag and we made our way into the Leaky Cauldron, Tom the barkeeper directing me towards a fireplace where a pot of floo powder stood ready. With a deep breath, I took a look back at my family, all smiling encouragingly at me. Capturing the scene of all those who loved me standing like a vanguard behind me, I grabbed some powder from the pot, threw it into the flames, saying "Professor McGonagall, Hogwarts" as clearly as I could.

Swirling through the blackness, I had no time to psych myself up for what awaited me, and suddenly Professor McGonagall's face swam into view.

"Rose – Miss Logan – Thank goodness you are alright!" Professor McGonagall flung her arms around me, then quickly stepped back, so quickly that I was disconcerted for a moment as to what had happened.

"We'd better get you back to the Gryffindor Tower. I have spoken to all your teachers, and have found, even being in Seventh Year, that you are so organised as to be up to date with all your homework. There will be a few things which you haven't covered, but I'm sure catching up will be very easy."

Professor McGonagall continued this steady stream of conversation all the way to the Tower, as I dragged my footsteps behind me. All too soon, we were at the Fat Lady, where Professor McGonagall muttered the password – wolfs bane – and the portrait swung open.

I stepped through and stopped up short. Sitting by the fire, in one group, were the Marauders and my ex-friends. They appeared to be studying, but at McGonagall's quiet cough, they looked up. I shrank as far back into the wall as I could, hoping that I would not be noticed, still clutching the letter from my mother like a life-line.

Lily jumped up as soon as she caught sight of me, and I recoiled as she ran towards me, expecting her to shout, or pull out her wand and hex me. She did nothing of the sort. In the same manner as Professor McGonagall, she flung her arms around me, burying her face in my hair – she always had been a good four inches taller than me – and hugging me tightly. Hesitantly, I reached my arms around her back, a movement which a scant few weeks ago had been as natural and as obvious as breathing to me, and which I was now uncertain about.

Lily began crying, and began a stream of monologue into my hair, which I couldn't hear for all the sobbing. I managed to catch a few words though, such as sorry (that one came up a lot), idiot, thought you were dead, my fault, and so on, and so I came to the conclusion that this was an apology. My heart lifted as I realised that she had forgiven my slip of the tongue.

She pulled back, face shining with tears, and all the hot residual anger, the aching hurt and the jagged grief that I had felt towards her melted away, as if dissolved by her tears.

"I know it's a lot to ask considering how I've been behaving towards you this past month, but is there any chance... that is to say – will you forgive me? I'm so sorry Rose, I've been such a cow – a bitch – a slug – I can't even express how awful – but I'm so sorry that I completely over-reacted. You were completely right with what you said about my being a hypocrite. I just – I..." Lily's eyes began to mist over again.

"It's okay, Lils. I understand about... well that. And yeah – I do forgive you – of course I forgive you. I'm just so sorry that I said thing in the first place – it just slipped out. I never intended to start a rumour, and I wasn't trying to be malicious..."

"Of course you weren't! No one as lovely, as kind and sweet as you could ever do something malicious or anything. I ought to have realised that. And then I was so awful to you – I don't see how you can forgive me when I'll never forgive myself for that."

"Lily – it honestly is fine. I promise. I – "

"As much as I hate to break up this tearful reunion, could everyone else have a chance to see Rose?" came Katie's voice from behind Lily.

Lily grinned, and stepped aside, leaving Katie to step forwards and pull me into a hug.

"As touching as that scene was, I was worried that it would descend into a Cheltenham tragedy, with "Oh, Rose!" and "Oh, Lily!" and tears everywhere." Katie grinned down at me.

After apologies and hugs from Alice and Megs as well, James stepped forward to grab me into a tight hug.

"So glad you're back." He asked. "You doing alright?"

I nodded. "Not too back, although taking about fifty potions a day – I have a feeling that Nurse Roberts will be very astute in chasing me up about them."

He grinned back at me. "Have you heard my news?"

"Your news? No." I was confused.

"We... um – wanted you to be the first, aside from the guy here, to know." Put in Lily, stepping round to stand next to James.

I looked from one shining face to the other, then leapt forward to embrace them both in a tight hug.

"I don't believe this!"

"Neither can I." Replied James. We all grinned at each other.

"No hug for me? I feel unloved." I turned around to see a pouting Sirius.

I met his sparkling eyes, then stepped forward into his outstretched arms, as he held me tightly against him.

"Good to have you back, Loganberry. You had us all mortally afraid there." He murmured into my ear.

My stomach fluttered as his breath caressed my ear.

Then it was on to hugs from Remus, Peter and Frank, before we all sat down in front of the fire. Professor McGonagall had disappeared unnoticed, and the common room was for the most part empty.

Soon, we were laughing and joking as if we had never been apart, teasing Lily and James who blushed but smiled at each other with their hearts in their eyes. I was more content to watch and listen rather than join in, still feeling shy having been away so long, but I was content to sit in the comfy chair, warmed by the laughter of my friends and from the smiling glances that Sirius kept throwing in my direction.


Hope you enjoyed it! Lol EllieBaby xxx