Chapter 16

Cassidy's POV (December 25)

"Oh, this is wonderful! Thanks, Mum!" I said, holding up a set of Gobstones from mum.

"Oh my God! These are the best! Thank you!" Mum exclaimed back, holding up an outfit I had gotten her. It was a white tank top with a warm red sweater over it, a cute black skirt, a pair of dark tights and a pair of black, strappy, high-heeled, sandals. I grinned.

"I thought you could wear it tonight when we go out for dinner." I said slyly, as I pulled the wrapping off my next present.

"Cassidy, stop! Your father is dating! He's in love with another woman. Just leave it." She said, unwrapping a cool-looking diary from Lindsay.

"Please, wear it! For me?" I asked, sticking out my lower lip and widening my eyes.

"Oh, fine." She said, not able to conceal a grin.

I got tons of candy, a sweater from Grandma Molly, some joke stuff from Uncle Fred and George, an outfit from Lindsay (a pair of black pants and a cashmere red sweater, off the shoulder, and a really cool red and white striped scarf/belt to go in the belt loops of the pants.) I decided to wear it tonight. I know what you're thinking, "this isn't a tomboy outfit" but hey, at least it doesn't have a skirt involved, and it's Christmas, I'm supposed to get dressed up. And otherwise, I would have nothing to wear. I also got a cool knife that un-locks any lock and unties any rope from Harry and Katie, a journal from Aunt Ginny, and last but not least, a broomstick servicing kit from Dad.

Finally, it was time to go to dinner.

Ron's POV

"Are you sure you're not coming, Parvati?" I said, as I searched through my closet for my Christmas outfit. Ties were slung over my shoulders, and my hair was a mess.

"Yeah, I'm sure! I need to do some stuff for work. I'll see you when you get back." Parvati replied from the other room.

"I really wanted you to meet Cassidy." I said, finding my clothes and coming out into my bedroom. I set the clothes down one armed, (the death-eater who attacked me did something to my arm that the healers couldn't figure out, so I still have it in a sling.) and looked fondly over at Parvati, who was at the desk, glasses on, and bent low over a pad of paper, scribbling away.

"You work too hard." I said, leaning over her shoulder to read the paper Parvati was working on. She was a journalist.

The Death-Eaters Back for Revenge?

By: Parvati Patil

On December 20th, 2005, my boyfriend, Ronald Weasley was attacked by one of You-Know-Who's old supporters at 1:47am. Ministry Wizards were not able to unmask this monster, but they are now working day and night to find out who is still supporting the wizard who Harry Potter finished off 17 years ago.

"Parvati? Do you really have to write about what happened?" I whined, combing out my hair. (I had already changed.)

"Ron, Honey, you know I do! This is a clue that You-Know-Who is still out there somewhere! This is something the people will want to know about!" She replied, turning around and taking her glasses off.

"Fine." I said, making to start downstairs.

"Did you say Hermione and Cassidy are going to be there?" Parvati asked suddenly.

"No, I said Cassi would be there, but yes."

"Oh, really? So where will you be going?" She asked in an unusually accusing voice.

"Erm…the 3 Broomsticks." I replied, slightly nonplussed.

"Oh, so nowhere romantic?" Parvati asked sounding relieved.

"Why?" I asked, now completely nonplussed.

"Well, you sure do talk about her a lot, and she had your first baby at 16! You guys were madly in love. And don't tell me a little part of you isn't still wishing you were still with her." Parvati said, sounding annoyingly as though she knew everything she just said was right.

"I have to go. I'll see you tonight." I mumbled, and kissed her goodbye without a lot of enthusiasm.

Hermione's POV

Cassidy looked beautiful. My outfit fit, and I loved it. Cassidy, Linds, Katie, Harry and I are at the restaurant waiting for Ron, and the topic of conversation is teasing me about the guy on the side of the street we passed who said I looked hot. I'm having tons of fun. Can you tell?

"Hermione, you're soooooooo hot!" Harry teased, causing me to loose my temper and give him fur under the table with my wand. I cracked up along with everyone else as Harry fixed himself, going red.

"Look, there's Ron!" Lindsay said, before anything got out of control.

"Dad!" Cassidy yelled, running over and hugging Ron.

"Hey, Merry Christmas, Cassi!" Ron replied, coming over to sit at our table.

"I like your outfit, Hermione!" He added, causing Harry to wink at me, grinning, which resulted in him re-growing his fur. He stuck his tongue out at me, and I grinned.

"Whoa, mate might wanna fix that!" Ron laughed, as Katie handed him a menu.

"God, Cassidy, we're sitting at a table filled with children! How sad is that?" Lindsay said, causing the entire table to double up with laughter.

"Ron, mistletoe." I said quietly, pointing above our heads.

"Hey, just like in our 6th year! Katie, will you take a picture of us posed like that?" Asked Harry, remembering the photo album.

I got in the middle, grinning, and Ron and Harry on either side of me. They pressed their lips to my cheeks and Katie snapped the photo. Cassidy and Lindsay were doubled over with giggles, watching from the corner.

"That was fun. We should go out like that again sometime!" Katie said, holding her shawl around her tightly.

"Yeah, we should." Said Ron as everyone piled into the car. Ron had Apparated, so we offered to drive him home.

The last stop was Ron's house, and then Cassi and I would drive home.

"C'mon, Mione! Stop at your house, I want to see it! I can Apparate back home." Ron said, grinning.

"Yeah, mum, please?" Cassidy asked pleadingly. I didn't want to say no, because now that I had spent more time with Ron, I knew what I wanted. I wanted Ron. I miss how I felt…well, safe, with Ron as a boyfriend. He was nice to me, and after we started dating he and I both stopped trying to pick fights with each other. My excuse would be though, that I felt bad about Cassidy never meeting Ron before now, so I wanted her to spend as much time as possible with him.

"Oh, fine. But not for long. I have to start my training tomorrow." Oh, yeah, did I forget to mention that I'm now training to be an Auror? Yup.

"Oh my gosh! I totally forgot! Who am I gonna spend the day with?" Cassidy asked, her head appearing in between the two front seats.

"You're spending the day with Harry, Fred, George, Ginny, Katie, Linds and I tomorrow!" Ron said, with the air of giving a million dollars to an un-expecting child.

"Oh My Gosh! No Way! The entire day?" Cassi exclaimed.

"Yup, we're going to Diagon Alley, and I'll buy you something. Whatever you want. And we can go other places too, if you want to we could bring you over to Aunt Ginny's or Fred or George's houses so you can play with their kids." He said, sounding pretty wrong-footed and worried about saying the wrong thing.

"That sounds so cool!" I exclaimed, to give him a bit of reassurance.

"Great!" He said, grinning in a relieved sort of way.

"This is it! Okay, everyone in the house, and I'll make hot chocolate." I said, grinning as Ron and Cassi hurried inside.

I turned off the car, and then slipped my cell phone out of my pocket. I flipped it open, and searched the display. It said:

Missed Calls: 2

Voice Mails: 2

I pressed 2, and then put my phone up to my ear.

"If you want to listen to new voice mail, press 3. If you want to…" I pressed 3, and listened.

"Hi, Cassidy, it's Shane. I just wanted to leave a message…God, this is hard…I'm sorry. I…I was a huge jerk. It's fine by me if you don't want a boyfriend yet, and you just want to be friends with me…well, I'll see ya later…tell me all about your dad! Yes, Austin told me…and he told me about the kiss…after he said the only way he would forgive me for being a jerk or let me apologize to you was letting him whack me over the head with a lamp…I still have stars in my eyes…(laughing), well, bye. (Hang up)."

I shook my head, shocked. Shane asked Cassidy to be her boyfriend and she refused! And then she kissed Austin…wow…I pressed 2 again, and then3 to listen to the other message.

"Hey, Cassi! It's Austin! (And Haley!)" I laughed at Haley's voice in the background. "Anyways, I just called to wish you a Merry Christmas, and to see if Shane apologized yet. If he didn't, tell me, cause I can whack him with that lamp again…well, I wanted to tell you also…I was kind of wondering if you'd be up to trying to date…I know it's creepy, but I'm kinda getting used to the idea…Shane got a girlfriend…that girl, um…Sapphire Thomas…yeah…well, see ya! (Bye, Cassi!) (Hang up)."

This hit me even harder. Why the heck wasn't Cassi telling me these things? I put my phone away, and walked inside.

"Hey, I'll be right out with the hot chocolate. Okay?" I asked, as I poked my head out into the living room where Ron and Cassidy were playing with Cassi's new Gobstones set.

"Kay, Mione." Ron said, grinning as Cassi got squirted with a foul green slush because she had just lost a point.

"You should try playing her in chess, Ron. She'd give you a run for your money. I haven't beaten her yet after 12 years of playing with her. Since she was old enough to move a piece." I said, grinning as I heard Ron yell "No fair! I was listening to your mother!" (He must have gotten the slush).

10 minutes later, I came out into the living room with 3 mugs of steaming hot chocolate that were stirring themselves.

"Thanks, Mione."

"Thanks, Mum!"

We sat and talked for about 2 hours, before Cassi almost dropped her mug of hot chocolate (I bewitched them to keep re-filling themselves,) because of how tired she was. I helped Cassi to her room, and told her to put on her pajamas and then watch TV. Then, I walked Ron out to the porch. We stood there for a second, just staring up at the stars. Then-

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I…I miss what we had before…I liked that feeling…"

Ron went silent, but looked at me.

"I mean…I think I still love you." I said, looking up into his face that was staring at me.

"I…I…I've got to go." He said shortly, and then he disapparated.

Ron's POV

Oh no, oh no, oh no! As soon as she said that, I knew it was true for me too. But I have Parvati! I wanted to kiss her. I did! Ugh!

Instead of apparating home, I stopped in front of The Source, and bought the most beautiful engagement ring I could find, and Apparated to Parvati's house.

Yup, it's definately what you think it is. But don't worry, everything will work itself out eventually. REVIEW! REVIEW!