It was near midnight when I finished telling Harry about my past. I could see his pale face through the moonlight, he seemed haunted. We headed back to the house, the windows still glowed faintly with light.
Everyone looked up as we walked in, Hermione smiled slightly and I managed a smile in return.
"We were about to send out the search party to see where you had got to." Ron said motioning for us to sit. Harry sat to Hermione's right and I sat opposite him, next to George. Harry and I stared at each other, saying nothing, while the conversation carried on around us.
"So have you set a date yet?" Ginny asked.
"We thought soon would be best." Hermione replied, squeezing Ron's hand resting on her knee.
"You're not pregnant are you?" George asked quickly.
"No she is not." Ron answered, throwing his brother an annoyed look.
"What were you two talking about out there?" Ginny asked, looking curiously from me to Harry. I leaned back and out of her sight and closed my eyes wearily while Harry made some excuse about getting to know me. I vaguely felt George's arm slip around me as I drifted into darkness.
Flashes of memory plagued my sleeping mind. When I finally took the potion, blinded by power and heat; the night that Voldemort forced himself on me, successfully conceiving an heir; how I screamed as they took away my tiny baby, and the day my mother came and told me he had died; falling from a flaming window to the ground, and running through the darkness for what seemed like weeks.
I woke with a start and stared into the darkness. I heard someone breathing lightly beside me and I thought that he had found me, I sat up and looked around wildly. Then I remembered where I had been, but did not know where I now was. As my eyes adjusted I could see a sleeping form on a bed parallel to mine. I got up slowly, disentangling myself from the bedsheets with difficulty, and walked quietly over to the other bed. George's eyes opened as I approached and he smiled.
"Hi." He said, reaching out and pulling me into his arms.
"Morning." He tightened his grip around me.
"Were you having a bad dream?"
"Very bad. Why?"
"You were crying in your sleep when I carried you up here."
"You carried me up where?"
"This is my old room, everyone else went home but I didn't want to wake you. Specially seeing as I woke you this morning."
"I'm glad that you did." He smiled in the dark and kissed me briefly on the lips.
"So what were you dreaming about?"
"Just things I wish were dead and buried."
"So what? Zombies?" I laughed and he kissed me again, he vaguely tasted of chocolate. I felt him shift against me and I pushed him back.
"Too fast." He laid his head against my shoulder.
"No more bad dreams, okay?" He asked. I nodded, knowing it would never be true. It took less than 10 minutes for George to fall back to sleep, and another 5 for me to join him still wrapped in each other's arms.
I woke the next morning facing the window, sunlight streamed in blinding me. George stirred beside me and slowly opened his eyes.
"Morning." He brushed the hair off my face and thankfully blocked out the sun.
"Yes, it is." I replied.
"Do you want some breakfast?"
"Definitely, I'm starving. I didn't really get dinner last night."
"You missed desert." He said, getting out of bed and reaching down to pull me out.
"No I didn't." I kissed him, he still tasted like chocolate, and he slid his arms around my waist. That's when Mrs Weasley opened the door.
"George Weasley! What are you doing?" We both looked around at her stern but kind face and smiled guiltily.
"Nothing mum."
"I thought you had gone home."
"No, Alli fell asleep on the couch so I just let her sleep."
"Oh that's sweet," George looked at the floor embarrassed, "now go and have some breakfast before Harry eats it all."
We descended the many stairs and entered the kitchen, Harry smiled up at me as we entered.
"I didn't get dinner." He said defensively, indicating the large pile of food on his plate.
As we were finishing breakfast Hermione's head appeared in the fire.
"Anyone home?"
"No." George replied with a grin.
"Is Alli still there?" She asked.
"Yes, I'm here." I answered, putting a hand over George's mouth so he could not be smart again.
"Are you coming round today?" I looked over at Harry and he nodded.
"Yes." I replied.
"Is Harry coming?"
"Yes."
"Great, what time will you be round?" I looked at Harry again and he shrugged.
"Sometime after lunch, say 2?"
"Perfect," she turned around and spoke to Ron briefly, "see you then." Her head disappeared.
Ginny descended the stairs half an hour later, and joined us in the kitchen. She smiled brightly as she entered, despite her clear lack of sleep.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm fine." She watched me curiously for a few minutes, then turned her attention to the small amount of breakfast that was left. She began to eat slowly and carefully.
"Did you sleep well?" She looked up at me, and swallowed hard.
"Of course." She glanced at George and Harry, who were both looking at her concerned. I nodded, satisfied for now.
I heard a familiar ringing sound, but could not for the moment remember where I had put my bag down yesterday to answer it. It took three rings for me to find it, underneath where Mrs Weasley had put my cloak to dry.
"Hello?" I answered, slowly walking back to the kitchen.
"Hey, whatcha doin?"
"Sandy!" Harry and George looked around at my exclamation, I smiled widely and they went back to their conversation, "I haven't heard from you in ages. I'm just round at a friend's place, why?"
"A boyfriend, or a friend-friend?" She always was nosey.
"The first one."
"And when do I get to meet him?" And cheeky too.
"You live in Guildford, he lives in London. I'm gonna guess, probably never." George looked up at me quizzically, I winked.
"What if I said I was in London?"
"No you're not." I sat down absently.
"I am, work sent me for a conference."
"What? When did you get here?"
"About an hour ago. When you gonna be home?"
"Not till later. Come out for dinner?"
"Cool, I'll see you later then." She hung up and I looked at my watch, it was just after ten.
"Were you talking about me?" George asked, leaning over towards me.
"Perhaps." He kissed me on the cheek and got up to clear away the dishes.
We sat talking for another half an hour, after the dishes had been cleared away and coffee made. Meanwhile, I had called Hermione and moved our arranged time forward three hours.
"We had better get going if we're going to make it to Hermione's on time." Harry nodded and went to his room to get his things, George grabbed my hand as I stood.
"Do you really have to go?"
"Yes."
"When can I see you?"
"Just call me, you have my number."
Hermione was already pouring tea when we arrived, I sat down heavily not really ready to go through those images again. I slowly told them and they stayed quiet until I had finished, by that time it was three in the afternoon and I would have to leave soon.
"Why did you run?" Ron asked.
"He didn't need me anymore, if the baby had died. I was afraid they were going to just kill me, and I would rather have been killed escaping than cowering."
"So you fought back." Harry said, while handing me my third cup of tea.
"I set fire to whatever I could."
"So you learned how to use fire?" Hermione asked.
"He taught me, something my mother could never do. It increased his power over me, it was like an abyss I was falling into. It was so hard to fight him, when part of me wanted him."
"How is your scar Harry?" Ron asked, Harry looked up surprised.
" Does it still hurt?" I asked.
"Yes." We looked at each other, and did not speak, I shivered.
That was all we said on the subject, it seemed closed. Though I knew it would never be. We talked happily of the upcoming wedding, and the many plans and details that needed to be sorted out. When next I looked at my watch it was 5:30 and I stood up in alarm.
"I have to go, it's late." I said, reaching for my cloak and bag.
"I will call you during the week." Hermione said, and I laughed.
"If you get a spare minute." She smiled.
Sandy was waiting as I pulled up, like I expected, but she smiled when I walked up the path towards her.
"You're late." She raised her arms, anticipating a hug, which distinctly reminded me of Oliver.
"I am not. You didn't specify a time." We hugged affectionately and I begun searching for my keys.
"Just use your wand," she whispered. It was terribly tempting, the easy way, but just as I was about to give up my hand closed around the familiar metal shape of my keys.
"Neighbours might see," I replied simply as I opened the door. We went to the kitchen at the end of the hall and she sat at the table as I retrieved two cans from the fridge.
"So how have you been anyway? Where's this mystery man?" She raised an eyebrow suggestively.
"How has work been?" I asked, ignoring her question. She smiled at me, and I could see that she wasn't through with that topic.
"Work's been great, I got promoted. Secondary Manager, whatever that means."
"More money, is what I hope it means," I replied. She nodded while taking a sip of her drink and succeeded in spilling it down herself.
"Whoops, sorry. Guess you'll have to whip out your wand then?" Sandy was a muggle, she loved to see Heather and I do magic.
"You don't want me near you with a wand." She laughed.
"You're no fun."
We talked constantly for three hours, just sitting and catching up. My father arrived just before 9, smiling when he saw the scene in the kitchen. The cookie jar sat open and empty on the table and spend cans were stacked neatly on the counter-top.
"Hello Sandra, still a good influence I see," he said lightheartedly.
"It's soda," I replied.
"Oh good, good. You're looking well." He addressed Sandy, while cleaning away some of the mess we had left.
"Thanks, so have you meet Alli's mystery man?" Oh no, I thought.
"Oh yes, I've had the pleasure of his company for six of the longest years of my life," he replied. Sandy looked at me triumphantly, and I shook my head.
"Don't tell her anything," I told him. He smiled warmly and patted my head as he left the room.
"If you tell me, I wont have to ring Heather when I get home and make her tell me," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Ring Heather all you want, she hasn't met him either." She rolled her eyes.
"Tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"How old is he; where did he go to school; and, most importantly, is he cute?"
"26, Hogwarts, and yes," I replied in quick succession.
"Has he got any brothers, and are they single?" I laughed.
"Yes, he has," I paused to count, "five brothers. Two are single, two are married, and the last is engaged."
"And is this guy going to last longer than the last one?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"He was a Pratt."
"That's not the point."
"Then what is your point?" I stood up and began cleaning what my father had missed.
"Just that, you tend to run away when people get too close." I stopped and looked at her, I could see mild concern in her face. Sandy was never very serious, always joking and never serious.
"I only did that once," I replied defensively.
"What about Simon?"
"We were 14!"
"Details, details." I threw the tea towel I was holding at her.
Another hour went by, as we talked constantly. Soon it was late and she had to leave if she was going to make her conference in the morning. She stood up reluctantly and we said our good-byes, till next time.
I lay awake, afraid to close my eyes, and watched the darkness seep into the light. I wondered again at Oliver's words and tried to imagine that I felt safe.
Thankfully I had a dreamless sleep, but again woke to a ringing phone. It turned out to be Heather, begging my babysitting services again. I readily agreed, hung up the phone, and returned to my room to get ready for work.
When I arrived at work things were busy as usual. I walked into my classroom and among the mess on my desk was a bunch of blue roses, they smelled of cinnamon and patchouli. I pulled the card and read 'You're a life saver. See you at 10. H.' I smiled and again smelled the fragrant flowers.
"They from one of your other boyfriends?" I turned, startled, and met George's amused gaze.
"Of course," I replied. He stepped next to me and brushed his lips against mine quickly.
"You like blue roses?"
"Not really, but Heather sends me blue roses occasionally and I never object."
"So when does school start?" I looked at my watch.
"In about ten minutes. What are you doing here anyway?" He looked at the floor guiltily.
"I lost your number." I laughed and he glanced up at me. "What are you doing later?"
"Entertaining a three-year-old." I waved my hand expressively at the roses and he nodded.
"My mother invited us for dinner. You can bring him if you want," he said quickly.
"Sure." I smiled at the small faces looking around the doorframe at me expectantly. "You had better go, I'll meet you in Diagon Alley."
"At 5?" My students entered looking at George shyly, who grinned back.
"Sure," I repeated. He patted my arm and left, I turned to my murmuring class.
"But why can't you just use magic?" David asked. Stephen nodded vigorously at his friend's favourable suggestion.
"Because sometimes cleaning is good for you," I replied, handing them each a broom.
"But?"
"It wont take you five minutes boys, get on with it." I put on my stern face and the two boys giggled as they swept up the mess they had made. I turned back to the rest of the class, who were reading quietly, and returned to my desk. It was only ten minutes before the end-of-day bell rung through the halls, the children looked up at me expectantly.
"You may go," I said. I followed not far behind and headed for the pre-school department.
Jack happily squirmed out of my arms when I walked into the joke shop. He ran strait into Fred as he was coming to lock the doors.
"Hi," he said as he dodged the excited toddler.
"Hi yourself. I think Jack loves your store," I replied.
"So that means you'll come here more often?"
"Perhaps."
I followed Fred out to the back of the store, where George was ordering some papers. He looked up as we entered and smiled at the three of us. Fred soon left with a pop and a wink, and George asked me how my first day was.
"I want another holiday," I said simply.
We walked back out of the store, opening the already locked door, and were soon heading towards his parents house for the second time in three days.
"So what's the occasion for dinner anyway?" I asked.
"I think my mum misses us all, what with only Ginny living at home now. Every now and then she invites everyone for dinner." I wondered vaguely about whether my mother had ever missed me as George talked to Jack about Quidditch and Hogwarts.
Jack clung to me as we walked through into the living room, but was only shy for a few minutes. Mrs Weasley smiled widely as she saw us, her smile faltering only a little when she saw Jack in my arms.
"Who's this?" she asked. Jack stared at her with wide interested eyes.
"This is my nephew, Jack. I thought you knew he was coming." I threw George an irritated glance and he grinned.
"Whoops," he said, leaving us to join Fred on the couch.
"It's alright. Sylvia's here too, upstairs sleeping at the moment," she replied happily.
"That's Percy's daughter, isn't it?" I asked. She nodded and ruffled Jack's hair as she left through the doorway I was still standing in. I watched her retreat into the kitchen and turned back to the living room.
Ginny looked up at me and smiled from the corner so I walked over and sat next to her. Again I noticed the dark circles under her eyes.
"Hi, I'm Ginny," she said as she extended her hand for Jack to shake. Jack, happy to be addressed like a 'big boy', grasped her offered hand.
"I'm Jack," he replied.
Half an hour later Jack was playing happily on the floor with two-year-old Sylvia Weasley, and I was still talking happily with Ginny about everything but what I felt like asking. She became quiet as she noticed me silently staring at her.
"What?" she asked.
"What's the nightmare about?" I recognised those dark circles, I used to see them in my own mirror.
"Nothing." She looked down.
"Just between us." At that, she looked up into my eyes and smiled gratefully.
"Something happened a long time ago. I just dream about it sometimes," she replied, "you have that too, don't you? You cry out in your sleep."
"Yes, a memory of something long ago."
"It's about Him isn't it? I heard you say His name. Nobody else heard, but I did." I watched a single tear fall from her eye and I realised that her dreams were of Him too.
"Yes it is," I replied, "and so is yours. Perhaps one day we'll tell each other."
"Yes."
Fred and George approached us and Ginny hastily wiped away her stray tear.
"Come on you two, join the rest of us over here," George said as he took our hands in each of his. When I looked up I noticed that Hermione and Ron had arrived as I talked to Ginny, I smiled and stood. Ginny followed suit and we joined the rest of her family.
Three hours, one meal, and several smiles later I was carefully lifting a sleeping boy off Ron's old bed. Jack hardly stirred as I strapped him into his car seat and started the car.
It was ten after ten when we finally arrived home and Heather was just pulling up. She waved as we got out of my jeep and she soon had Jack's car seat transferred to her own car.
"Thank you so much. Was he any trouble?" she asked.
"Perfect angel." George laughed and elbowed me in the ribs.
"I think you forgot to mention the scorched rug," he said.
"Scorched rug?" Heather asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's nothing, I got the burn out."
"How did you get the burn out anyway?" George asked me.
"Heather, this is George." I avoided the question.
"Hi. Good, now maybe Sandy will stop bothering me about meeting him." I rolled my eyes.
"I tried to tell her you hadn't met."
"Well, now we have. Anyway, I had better get the boy home. We'll talk about scorch marks tomorrow." She winked and returned to her car.
Everyone looked up as we walked in, Hermione smiled slightly and I managed a smile in return.
"We were about to send out the search party to see where you had got to." Ron said motioning for us to sit. Harry sat to Hermione's right and I sat opposite him, next to George. Harry and I stared at each other, saying nothing, while the conversation carried on around us.
"So have you set a date yet?" Ginny asked.
"We thought soon would be best." Hermione replied, squeezing Ron's hand resting on her knee.
"You're not pregnant are you?" George asked quickly.
"No she is not." Ron answered, throwing his brother an annoyed look.
"What were you two talking about out there?" Ginny asked, looking curiously from me to Harry. I leaned back and out of her sight and closed my eyes wearily while Harry made some excuse about getting to know me. I vaguely felt George's arm slip around me as I drifted into darkness.
Flashes of memory plagued my sleeping mind. When I finally took the potion, blinded by power and heat; the night that Voldemort forced himself on me, successfully conceiving an heir; how I screamed as they took away my tiny baby, and the day my mother came and told me he had died; falling from a flaming window to the ground, and running through the darkness for what seemed like weeks.
I woke with a start and stared into the darkness. I heard someone breathing lightly beside me and I thought that he had found me, I sat up and looked around wildly. Then I remembered where I had been, but did not know where I now was. As my eyes adjusted I could see a sleeping form on a bed parallel to mine. I got up slowly, disentangling myself from the bedsheets with difficulty, and walked quietly over to the other bed. George's eyes opened as I approached and he smiled.
"Hi." He said, reaching out and pulling me into his arms.
"Morning." He tightened his grip around me.
"Were you having a bad dream?"
"Very bad. Why?"
"You were crying in your sleep when I carried you up here."
"You carried me up where?"
"This is my old room, everyone else went home but I didn't want to wake you. Specially seeing as I woke you this morning."
"I'm glad that you did." He smiled in the dark and kissed me briefly on the lips.
"So what were you dreaming about?"
"Just things I wish were dead and buried."
"So what? Zombies?" I laughed and he kissed me again, he vaguely tasted of chocolate. I felt him shift against me and I pushed him back.
"Too fast." He laid his head against my shoulder.
"No more bad dreams, okay?" He asked. I nodded, knowing it would never be true. It took less than 10 minutes for George to fall back to sleep, and another 5 for me to join him still wrapped in each other's arms.
I woke the next morning facing the window, sunlight streamed in blinding me. George stirred beside me and slowly opened his eyes.
"Morning." He brushed the hair off my face and thankfully blocked out the sun.
"Yes, it is." I replied.
"Do you want some breakfast?"
"Definitely, I'm starving. I didn't really get dinner last night."
"You missed desert." He said, getting out of bed and reaching down to pull me out.
"No I didn't." I kissed him, he still tasted like chocolate, and he slid his arms around my waist. That's when Mrs Weasley opened the door.
"George Weasley! What are you doing?" We both looked around at her stern but kind face and smiled guiltily.
"Nothing mum."
"I thought you had gone home."
"No, Alli fell asleep on the couch so I just let her sleep."
"Oh that's sweet," George looked at the floor embarrassed, "now go and have some breakfast before Harry eats it all."
We descended the many stairs and entered the kitchen, Harry smiled up at me as we entered.
"I didn't get dinner." He said defensively, indicating the large pile of food on his plate.
As we were finishing breakfast Hermione's head appeared in the fire.
"Anyone home?"
"No." George replied with a grin.
"Is Alli still there?" She asked.
"Yes, I'm here." I answered, putting a hand over George's mouth so he could not be smart again.
"Are you coming round today?" I looked over at Harry and he nodded.
"Yes." I replied.
"Is Harry coming?"
"Yes."
"Great, what time will you be round?" I looked at Harry again and he shrugged.
"Sometime after lunch, say 2?"
"Perfect," she turned around and spoke to Ron briefly, "see you then." Her head disappeared.
Ginny descended the stairs half an hour later, and joined us in the kitchen. She smiled brightly as she entered, despite her clear lack of sleep.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm fine." She watched me curiously for a few minutes, then turned her attention to the small amount of breakfast that was left. She began to eat slowly and carefully.
"Did you sleep well?" She looked up at me, and swallowed hard.
"Of course." She glanced at George and Harry, who were both looking at her concerned. I nodded, satisfied for now.
I heard a familiar ringing sound, but could not for the moment remember where I had put my bag down yesterday to answer it. It took three rings for me to find it, underneath where Mrs Weasley had put my cloak to dry.
"Hello?" I answered, slowly walking back to the kitchen.
"Hey, whatcha doin?"
"Sandy!" Harry and George looked around at my exclamation, I smiled widely and they went back to their conversation, "I haven't heard from you in ages. I'm just round at a friend's place, why?"
"A boyfriend, or a friend-friend?" She always was nosey.
"The first one."
"And when do I get to meet him?" And cheeky too.
"You live in Guildford, he lives in London. I'm gonna guess, probably never." George looked up at me quizzically, I winked.
"What if I said I was in London?"
"No you're not." I sat down absently.
"I am, work sent me for a conference."
"What? When did you get here?"
"About an hour ago. When you gonna be home?"
"Not till later. Come out for dinner?"
"Cool, I'll see you later then." She hung up and I looked at my watch, it was just after ten.
"Were you talking about me?" George asked, leaning over towards me.
"Perhaps." He kissed me on the cheek and got up to clear away the dishes.
We sat talking for another half an hour, after the dishes had been cleared away and coffee made. Meanwhile, I had called Hermione and moved our arranged time forward three hours.
"We had better get going if we're going to make it to Hermione's on time." Harry nodded and went to his room to get his things, George grabbed my hand as I stood.
"Do you really have to go?"
"Yes."
"When can I see you?"
"Just call me, you have my number."
Hermione was already pouring tea when we arrived, I sat down heavily not really ready to go through those images again. I slowly told them and they stayed quiet until I had finished, by that time it was three in the afternoon and I would have to leave soon.
"Why did you run?" Ron asked.
"He didn't need me anymore, if the baby had died. I was afraid they were going to just kill me, and I would rather have been killed escaping than cowering."
"So you fought back." Harry said, while handing me my third cup of tea.
"I set fire to whatever I could."
"So you learned how to use fire?" Hermione asked.
"He taught me, something my mother could never do. It increased his power over me, it was like an abyss I was falling into. It was so hard to fight him, when part of me wanted him."
"How is your scar Harry?" Ron asked, Harry looked up surprised.
" Does it still hurt?" I asked.
"Yes." We looked at each other, and did not speak, I shivered.
That was all we said on the subject, it seemed closed. Though I knew it would never be. We talked happily of the upcoming wedding, and the many plans and details that needed to be sorted out. When next I looked at my watch it was 5:30 and I stood up in alarm.
"I have to go, it's late." I said, reaching for my cloak and bag.
"I will call you during the week." Hermione said, and I laughed.
"If you get a spare minute." She smiled.
Sandy was waiting as I pulled up, like I expected, but she smiled when I walked up the path towards her.
"You're late." She raised her arms, anticipating a hug, which distinctly reminded me of Oliver.
"I am not. You didn't specify a time." We hugged affectionately and I begun searching for my keys.
"Just use your wand," she whispered. It was terribly tempting, the easy way, but just as I was about to give up my hand closed around the familiar metal shape of my keys.
"Neighbours might see," I replied simply as I opened the door. We went to the kitchen at the end of the hall and she sat at the table as I retrieved two cans from the fridge.
"So how have you been anyway? Where's this mystery man?" She raised an eyebrow suggestively.
"How has work been?" I asked, ignoring her question. She smiled at me, and I could see that she wasn't through with that topic.
"Work's been great, I got promoted. Secondary Manager, whatever that means."
"More money, is what I hope it means," I replied. She nodded while taking a sip of her drink and succeeded in spilling it down herself.
"Whoops, sorry. Guess you'll have to whip out your wand then?" Sandy was a muggle, she loved to see Heather and I do magic.
"You don't want me near you with a wand." She laughed.
"You're no fun."
We talked constantly for three hours, just sitting and catching up. My father arrived just before 9, smiling when he saw the scene in the kitchen. The cookie jar sat open and empty on the table and spend cans were stacked neatly on the counter-top.
"Hello Sandra, still a good influence I see," he said lightheartedly.
"It's soda," I replied.
"Oh good, good. You're looking well." He addressed Sandy, while cleaning away some of the mess we had left.
"Thanks, so have you meet Alli's mystery man?" Oh no, I thought.
"Oh yes, I've had the pleasure of his company for six of the longest years of my life," he replied. Sandy looked at me triumphantly, and I shook my head.
"Don't tell her anything," I told him. He smiled warmly and patted my head as he left the room.
"If you tell me, I wont have to ring Heather when I get home and make her tell me," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Ring Heather all you want, she hasn't met him either." She rolled her eyes.
"Tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"How old is he; where did he go to school; and, most importantly, is he cute?"
"26, Hogwarts, and yes," I replied in quick succession.
"Has he got any brothers, and are they single?" I laughed.
"Yes, he has," I paused to count, "five brothers. Two are single, two are married, and the last is engaged."
"And is this guy going to last longer than the last one?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"He was a Pratt."
"That's not the point."
"Then what is your point?" I stood up and began cleaning what my father had missed.
"Just that, you tend to run away when people get too close." I stopped and looked at her, I could see mild concern in her face. Sandy was never very serious, always joking and never serious.
"I only did that once," I replied defensively.
"What about Simon?"
"We were 14!"
"Details, details." I threw the tea towel I was holding at her.
Another hour went by, as we talked constantly. Soon it was late and she had to leave if she was going to make her conference in the morning. She stood up reluctantly and we said our good-byes, till next time.
I lay awake, afraid to close my eyes, and watched the darkness seep into the light. I wondered again at Oliver's words and tried to imagine that I felt safe.
Thankfully I had a dreamless sleep, but again woke to a ringing phone. It turned out to be Heather, begging my babysitting services again. I readily agreed, hung up the phone, and returned to my room to get ready for work.
When I arrived at work things were busy as usual. I walked into my classroom and among the mess on my desk was a bunch of blue roses, they smelled of cinnamon and patchouli. I pulled the card and read 'You're a life saver. See you at 10. H.' I smiled and again smelled the fragrant flowers.
"They from one of your other boyfriends?" I turned, startled, and met George's amused gaze.
"Of course," I replied. He stepped next to me and brushed his lips against mine quickly.
"You like blue roses?"
"Not really, but Heather sends me blue roses occasionally and I never object."
"So when does school start?" I looked at my watch.
"In about ten minutes. What are you doing here anyway?" He looked at the floor guiltily.
"I lost your number." I laughed and he glanced up at me. "What are you doing later?"
"Entertaining a three-year-old." I waved my hand expressively at the roses and he nodded.
"My mother invited us for dinner. You can bring him if you want," he said quickly.
"Sure." I smiled at the small faces looking around the doorframe at me expectantly. "You had better go, I'll meet you in Diagon Alley."
"At 5?" My students entered looking at George shyly, who grinned back.
"Sure," I repeated. He patted my arm and left, I turned to my murmuring class.
"But why can't you just use magic?" David asked. Stephen nodded vigorously at his friend's favourable suggestion.
"Because sometimes cleaning is good for you," I replied, handing them each a broom.
"But?"
"It wont take you five minutes boys, get on with it." I put on my stern face and the two boys giggled as they swept up the mess they had made. I turned back to the rest of the class, who were reading quietly, and returned to my desk. It was only ten minutes before the end-of-day bell rung through the halls, the children looked up at me expectantly.
"You may go," I said. I followed not far behind and headed for the pre-school department.
Jack happily squirmed out of my arms when I walked into the joke shop. He ran strait into Fred as he was coming to lock the doors.
"Hi," he said as he dodged the excited toddler.
"Hi yourself. I think Jack loves your store," I replied.
"So that means you'll come here more often?"
"Perhaps."
I followed Fred out to the back of the store, where George was ordering some papers. He looked up as we entered and smiled at the three of us. Fred soon left with a pop and a wink, and George asked me how my first day was.
"I want another holiday," I said simply.
We walked back out of the store, opening the already locked door, and were soon heading towards his parents house for the second time in three days.
"So what's the occasion for dinner anyway?" I asked.
"I think my mum misses us all, what with only Ginny living at home now. Every now and then she invites everyone for dinner." I wondered vaguely about whether my mother had ever missed me as George talked to Jack about Quidditch and Hogwarts.
Jack clung to me as we walked through into the living room, but was only shy for a few minutes. Mrs Weasley smiled widely as she saw us, her smile faltering only a little when she saw Jack in my arms.
"Who's this?" she asked. Jack stared at her with wide interested eyes.
"This is my nephew, Jack. I thought you knew he was coming." I threw George an irritated glance and he grinned.
"Whoops," he said, leaving us to join Fred on the couch.
"It's alright. Sylvia's here too, upstairs sleeping at the moment," she replied happily.
"That's Percy's daughter, isn't it?" I asked. She nodded and ruffled Jack's hair as she left through the doorway I was still standing in. I watched her retreat into the kitchen and turned back to the living room.
Ginny looked up at me and smiled from the corner so I walked over and sat next to her. Again I noticed the dark circles under her eyes.
"Hi, I'm Ginny," she said as she extended her hand for Jack to shake. Jack, happy to be addressed like a 'big boy', grasped her offered hand.
"I'm Jack," he replied.
Half an hour later Jack was playing happily on the floor with two-year-old Sylvia Weasley, and I was still talking happily with Ginny about everything but what I felt like asking. She became quiet as she noticed me silently staring at her.
"What?" she asked.
"What's the nightmare about?" I recognised those dark circles, I used to see them in my own mirror.
"Nothing." She looked down.
"Just between us." At that, she looked up into my eyes and smiled gratefully.
"Something happened a long time ago. I just dream about it sometimes," she replied, "you have that too, don't you? You cry out in your sleep."
"Yes, a memory of something long ago."
"It's about Him isn't it? I heard you say His name. Nobody else heard, but I did." I watched a single tear fall from her eye and I realised that her dreams were of Him too.
"Yes it is," I replied, "and so is yours. Perhaps one day we'll tell each other."
"Yes."
Fred and George approached us and Ginny hastily wiped away her stray tear.
"Come on you two, join the rest of us over here," George said as he took our hands in each of his. When I looked up I noticed that Hermione and Ron had arrived as I talked to Ginny, I smiled and stood. Ginny followed suit and we joined the rest of her family.
Three hours, one meal, and several smiles later I was carefully lifting a sleeping boy off Ron's old bed. Jack hardly stirred as I strapped him into his car seat and started the car.
It was ten after ten when we finally arrived home and Heather was just pulling up. She waved as we got out of my jeep and she soon had Jack's car seat transferred to her own car.
"Thank you so much. Was he any trouble?" she asked.
"Perfect angel." George laughed and elbowed me in the ribs.
"I think you forgot to mention the scorched rug," he said.
"Scorched rug?" Heather asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's nothing, I got the burn out."
"How did you get the burn out anyway?" George asked me.
"Heather, this is George." I avoided the question.
"Hi. Good, now maybe Sandy will stop bothering me about meeting him." I rolled my eyes.
"I tried to tell her you hadn't met."
"Well, now we have. Anyway, I had better get the boy home. We'll talk about scorch marks tomorrow." She winked and returned to her car.