Chapter 12

A/N: Not sure how I feel about this chapter or the last one, but I did what I could. Sorry it's so short and so late!

JPOV

I wake up the next morning and Serena is already gone. I check the alarm clock on the nightstand next to my bed and see it's almost eleven. I groan and roll out of bed. After a quick shower I get dressed and run a hand through my slightly damp hair and head downstairs. There's a multitude of Weasley's running around, trying to finish decorating for the party we're throwing tonight. I push open the door to the kitchen and find Grandma Molly, Rose and Katherine baking.

As I start looking for something to eat Rose shoves a couple pieces of toast into my hands and with a small shove and a "Shoo!" I'm back out in the hallway. I walk to the ballroom where we have the majority of the party as I munch on my toast. Dad and Uncle George and decorating the large Christmas tree we have in the corner. Dora and Remus had pulled down a large amount of the ornaments last night when no one was looking. I thought it was pretty funny, but Grandma Molly did not.

As I finish scanning the room I see Serena and Lily trying to hang mistletoe around the room while Albus and Fred "help." They're really just shouting directions and I can tell if this keeps up the girl's wands won't be pointed at the mistletoe anymore. I make my way over to intervene, but Louis beats me to it. He directs Fred and Albus to help with the lights while he walks back over to Mandi who's struggling to untangle some of the garland.

Lily catches my eye and waves me over. "James can you take the rest of this mistletoe and hang some of it in the hallway?"

I put the last bit of toast in my mouth and walk over. I hold out my arms as she drops the box into them. "Yeah of course." I look over at Rena, but she pretends to be busy with the last bit of mistletoe she has in her box. "Did you have any place in mind or should I just put a bit in some of the doorways?"

Lily shrugs. "Wherever is fine."

I nod and walk back out into the hallway. I put a couple in the door ways and one or two in the rooms in the back knowing some of my cousins will be heading down that way with someone to snog. It's usually Dominique or Roxanne since most of the others are dating someone now. I hang up the last bit in the center of the hallway, thinking about how that used to be Rena and I in the back room. I shake my head before taking care of the box and walking back into the ballroom to see what else needs to be done.

As I walk back into the room everyone is cleaning up. Mostly everything was set up the day before. All that's left is for someone to charm the mistletoe, but that won't be done until it's time for the party. I walk over to where Fred and Louis are arguing over the color of the lights while Serena, Lily, Mandi and Albus look on. It seems they've been done decorating for awhile.

I come in just as Louis has won the argument, but I know Fred's just going to charm them later when he's not looking.

"Is there anything else that we're supposed to do?" asks Rena, looking around the room. "I think it's pretty much all done now yeah?"

Lily nods. "Yeah we're supposed to be eating lunch, but Rose wouldn't let me into the kitchen."

"She wouldn't let me in either. She just gave me two pieces of toast and shoved me out." I slide my hands into my front pockets and look over at Rena.

"Maybe if you had actually gotten out of bed on time and eaten with the rest of us you could've had a proper breakfast." She looks over at me for the first time this morning and I can't tell if she's joking with me or not.

I shrug. "I like my sleep."

She rolls her eyes and walks off. Mandi gives me a confused look and follows her out of the room.

"What did you do this time James?" asks Lily, putting her hands on her hips.

"Why do you assume I did something?" I ask. In truth I'm pretty sure I hurt her feelings, but I was tired of getting my feelings hurt too

"James, it's always your fault," answers Louis, grinning slightly.

"This time I was not at fault I swear."

"I highly doubt that," replies Albus. "C'mon Lily lets try to get into the kitchens again. If we bring Scorpius, Rose will have to let us in."

The two of them head off to find Scorpius.

"So what really happened?" asks Fred, sitting down on one of the piles of boxes.

I shrug. "I got a bit frustrated with her that's all. I was tired of her being indecisive so I stood up to her and she got upset."

Louis frowns. "Indecisive about what? I thought you two were just friends?"

"I thought so, but last night she said she wanted to be with me and that in itself was bit confusing because she's been acting fairly distant and I tried to talk to her about it, but she basically just said we can't be together. I just told her I was confused and that I was kind of done with this whole back and forth thing and well long story short it didn't go over well." I scuff my shoe against the ground. "I'm just not really sure how to act around her."

"That much is obvious," mumbles Fred.

I kick his shin lightly. "Shut up, just cause you've already got the girl Freddie doesn't mean you have to be mean."

He sticks his tongue out at me and I roll my eyes.

"If it's worth anything she seems to be struggling with how to act as well. You've got to give her credit though James. You ditched her and she's really trying to make it work with you. She's at least trying to be friends," says Louis. "I think it'll work out, but I don't blame her for being all over the place with how she feels about you. You really hurt her." He shrugs. "Just give her time."

"I've been trying to give her time Louis, it's been weeks since I've been back."

"Yeah, but think of how long you've been gone." He looks over at me. "James if you really love her you'll just have to be patient. Try to make it up to her. I think the biggest problem is she's afraid you're going to leave her again once she makes up her mind."

I frown. Is that really the problem? This whole time she hasn't been with me because she thinks I'm going to up and leave again? I've already made that mistake once and it was one of the worst ones I've ever made. "I don't plan on leaving her ever again Louis."

"Then tell her that."

SPOV

I walk into the kitchen with Mandi right behind me. "Rena are you alright?"

I shrug. "I'm fine honestly, James and I had a bit of a row last night and I just don't want to talk to him at the moment."

Rose comes over and hands me a cupcake. "What was it about this time?"

I take the cupcake with a quick thank you and bite into it. "This is really good!" I say through the mouthful of cupcake.

Rose gives me a wry grin. "So?" She nudges me. "What happened?"

Katherine walks over with her mixing bowl and I give them the shortened version. "Honestly, I think I'm just afraid he'll leave again." I lick the icing off of my fingers and drop the wrapping into the trash.

"I really don't blame you," says Kat, handing the bowl to Molly. "I would be worried too, but I don't think he plans on leaving."

"Kat's right, I think he regrets it." Rose waves her wand to clean off the counter. "Have you mentioned that to him at all."

"No, not really," I answer looking over at her. "He's kind of hard to talk to."

Rose nods before taking off her apron and coming to sit with Mandi and I. "I would give it a shot though. Just use a silencing charm on him. If it's one thing I've learned from trying to talk to James seriously it's that he's always interrupting."

"Why did I never think of that?" asks Grandma Molly. "Would've saved me so much time when he was young."

We all laugh and she walks over and hands me a cookie. "Don't give up on him dear, I'm sure it'll all work out." She gives me a hug and I smile.

"Thanks Grandma Molly."