Welcome back everyone! I hope I didn't make you wait too long!
I think you'll like this chapter... Please tell me what you think in a review :)
Also I'm introducing a new subplot in this chapter that I'm very excited about.
Thank you for everything. I love you guys!
Enjoy x

wildest dreams
VOLUME I

CHAPTER NINETEEN

If the last previous days had been some of my worst at Hogwarts, the days that followed my conversation with George in the Astronomy Tower were probably some of the best. We had never been so in sync, so eager to spend time with one another. It was like we were trying to get back the time we had lost. Being so honest with each other had seemed to unlock some sort of understanding between us – I felt like I understood him a little more, that I knew him a little more, and I only liked him more. But my feelings didn't seem to scare me anymore – and when I thought about what Angelina had said, or even what he had said – you're my Addy – I only found myself smiling brightly.

The whole castle buzzed with joy, excitement and laughter. The magic of Christmas seemed to have taken hold of everyone. All we did was play cards, nick food from the kitchens, or pull pranks on Slytherins. Even Peeves, the school poltergeist, was in a surprisingly good mood – he had wished us Merry Christmas when we had met him near the kitchens. He had always been very friendly to Fred and George – but that was surprisingly nice of him.

I woke up on Christmas Day feeling quite excited, but nervous about the day ahead – the ball was that night, after all. I had finally decided to go, even if I was going by myself – it suddenly seemed silly to miss such a big party just because I didn't have a date. I could still enjoy myself.

"Merry Christmas !" said Angelina, who was already awake.

Yawning, I sat down on my bed.

"Merry Christmas, Angie. Ooh, what have you got there ?"

She was putting on a pair of pair of earrings in the shape of small feathers.

"A gift from my parents. They're beautiful, aren't they ?"

"They look great on you" I nodded, smiling.

I looked down beside my bed and saw that I had a few presents too. Clapping my hands excitedly, I grabbed the first one, which was from Molly – a dark blue sweater with the letter 'A' on it. I smiled – she had promised to knit me a new one as the last one had tragically been lost – well, that's what I told her – the truth being that it had accidentally burned during the development of the Ton-Tongue Toffees last year. I immediately put it on, enjoying the soft fabric.

Fred and George had gotten me a new schoolbag – the one I had was in a such a state that I fearing it might rip everytime I carried it – and Angelina, Alicia and Katie a beautiful book about Quidditch. I didn't know from who the next present was from – a big box of fancy chocolate – until I read the name at the bottom of the card – but I couldn't believe it at first.

Dear Adelaide,

Have a wonderful Christmas.

We hope that you are safe and happy.

Lots of love,

Your mother and father

I stared down at the card. It was so weird – 'your mother and father'. It was the first thing I was getting from them in ten years.

"Addy, are you okay ?"

I looked up at Angelina, who was frowning at me.

"I – yeah. It's just – it's from my parents."

"What ?"

She jumped from her bed to sit on mine, taking a look at the card. She looked shocked – I probably looked the same.

"Wow – that's unexpected."

"Why would they send this now ?" I said, confused. "I don't understand."

"Maybe they finally realized their mistake."

I looked at Angelina – could that be the reason ? Did they suddenly wake up, and remembered they had a daughter ?

"How do you feel about that ?" she asked.

"I don't know" I shrugged. "It's nice, I guess."

"What did they send with the card ?"

"Chocolates."

She took the box in her hands, and read the label.

"They're from Belgium" she said. "What does the address on the envelope say ?"

"Brussels, Belgium" I read. "That doesn't make any sense. They're supposed to be in America."

"Maybe they decided to come back to Europe."

"Maybe" I nodded, biting my lip.

A part of me felt very excited about the idea of seeing them again – what would they look like ? Would they look like me ? Would they have American accents ? What would they think of me ? But then, I couldn't shake off the fact that they hadn't spoken or acknowledged me in ten years. They had just left me. Why would they ever come back ?

I shook my head, and put the card and the chocolates away. I wouldn't let that occupy my mind all day – I wanted to enjoy this Christmas as much as I could. I still had one present left – from my uncle. He had sent a few Weird Sisters tee-shirts for me and my friends – I gave one to Angelina and placed the other one on Alicia's bed for when she would wake up. He had also sent a brand new acoustic guitar.

"Brilliant !" I shouted as I unwrapped it. "He remembered I wanted to learn how to play."

"So you can join the band later ?" said Angelina with a smile.

"Of course. I was born to be a rock star, after all" I answered seriously.

I couldn't help it – I started to play, very badly of course, and sing and dance around the Common Room. I woke up all the other girls in the process, and Alicia kicked me out of the dormitory by throwing me one of her shoes. I ended up in the Common Room, laughing hysterically.

"What the bloody hell is that ?"

Fred was pointing the guitar I was holding. He was sitting in one of the couches with George, already eating some Cauldron Cakes that he had probably gotten as a gift – they were both wearing new knitted sweaters.

"Pretty cool, huh ?" I said, strumming the strings.

"Since when do you play guitar ?" laughed George.

"I don't" I shrugged, sitting down beside them. "But I will learn."

"And annoy us to death with it ?" sighed Fred.

He and George chuckled. I shook my head, glaring at them.

"You may be laughing now, but when I'm the best guitar player the world has ever known, and I'm rich and famous – who's gonna laugh then ?"

"Can't wait to see that" said George with a smirk.

I debated them hitting them both in the chest with the head of the instrument, but I didn't want to break it after only owning it for ten minutes.

"Oh – thanks for the bag. I really needed a new one."

"We know" they answered, smiling.

"And thanks for the cauldron" added George.

"Yeah, it's brilliant."

"Glad you like it" I said.

"Oi, you three ! Want to get breakfast ?"

I turned to see Angelina, her head poking from the stairs leading to the dormitory.

"YES !" I shouted, standing up. "I'm famished."

"You're always famished" said George.

"I could do with some porridge" nodded Fred.

"And eggs" added George.

"And beans."

"And toasts."

"Yep, coming !"

I laughed as I got back upstairs to get changed. The Great Hall was very busy that morning – everyone was showing the others the presents they had gotten, and of course, everyone was talking about the ball. As I was eating my cereals, I got an owl from Dumbledore telling me my uncle would get here around 7 pm, an hour before the ball started. I was thrilled at the idea of seeing him again – I felt like there were so many things I wanted to tell him.

After spending the whole morning trying to figure out how to play my new guitar, I agreed the follow the others outside after lunch. We all dressed warmly, and started walking around the park – but it didn't take long before our nice stroll turned into a huge snowball fight – even Ron and Harry joined us at some point.

After about an hour of running around, throwing snowballs and laughing until I cried, I took advantage of the fact that Fred and Angelina were busy trying to bury each other in the snow and that George was ferociously attacking Ron while he talked to Harry to lay down in the snow, trying to catch my breath. I was blinded by the bright sky – so I closed my eyes, unable to stop smiling.

"Well, I think Addy's dead" said a voice.

I opened one eye to see George standing next to me, grinning from ear to ear. His cheeks were red from the cold, and his hat was crooked on his head – I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Oh, no, never mind" he said, looking over his shoulder.

But Harry and Ron were deep in conversation, and I couldn't even see Fred and Angelina anymore. I let out a laugh as George jumped in the snow and laid down next to me.

"This is comfortable."

"I know. I never, ever want to move again" I said.

"That might get complicated. What are you going to eat ? How are you going to go to the loo ?"

I snickered, throwing some snow at his face. He let out a scream, and I bursted out laughing as he stood up, spitting the snow out of his mouth.

"That wasn't very nice" he said.

"That's because I'm not nice" I replied, shrugging, trying not to laugh.

"I think you deserve a punishment."

I frowned, and before I could register what he was going to do, I felt him pick me up from the ground. I let out a scream, but he was too fast and stronger than me – he threw me over his shoulder and started to walk towards the lake.

"GEORGE, PUT ME DOWN !" I shouted.

"No."

I had no choice but to grab his neck if I didn't want to fall head first on the ground – and I tried really hard to ignore the fact that my face was so close to his.

"George, please. Where are you taking me ?"

"You'll see."

I took me a few seconds, but I managed to strech out my neck far enough to see that he was carrying me towards the lake – the frozen lake.

"George, put me down."

But he kept laughing, and didn't even answer me. I tried to struggle, but he was holding me tightly.

"GEORGE. PLEASE."

"On only one condition" I heard him say.

"What ?"

There was a short silence.

"Come with me to the ball."

I stopped breathing, staring at the back of his head. I instantly knew what I wanted to say, but for a few seconds, it was like I couldn't speak. I smiled.

"Okay."

"I'm not sure I heard you" he said, and I knew he was smiling too.

"I said okay ! I will !" I chuckled.

"You will what ?"

"George Weasley, I will go to the Yule Ball with you."

Half a second later, I was laying face down in the snow. I groaned.

"Thanks for the soft landing."

"You didn't ask for a soft landing."

He offered me his hand and pulled me back up. I shook the snow off my coat and my hair, and looked at him. He seemed very happy with himself, which half made me want to smile even harder and half made me want to roll my eyes.

FINALLY, right ? :)