Because of the new followers I have been getting I just want to write more and reading the comments and getting help with editing and getting great feedback, I just want to write more. So I pulled up this chapter to start editing it and I couldn't stop cringing. Anyway, I did the best I could and I hope you still enjoy it even though I'm pretty sure I skipped over some tense issues. Also, warning not a lot happens just because I needed to set a few things up for future chapters. Still thanks for hanging in there, I love all you guys! And I will try to upload a chapter in the next day or two because I have no official hard working school in the next two weeks. Oh and Happy Monday!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 16: Home Again

The last two days of term were the most boring days of my life. And it wasn't just that they were boring, but it was also filled with anticipation of finally no school. Once it was Saturday, I woke up late so I had no time to get breakfast and rushed to the train station, barely making it in time. The rest of the trip back wasn't as bad, I took the Hogwarts Express to Kings Cross and then, with Zach, I made my way onto another train that was going to take me to his house. We planned out all the things he wanted to do when it was just the two of us in the Muggle world.

Molly had written back letting me know that as along as we had enough room Arthur would be fine spending Christmas with us. Hermione's parents had the same response. Then the kids would be staying an extra few days and I could still end my break with them when we came back to London. Zach was invited as well, but he refused due to the fact that he wanted to be with his mom a little while. It was going to be the best break ever. I would finally be able to throw a New Years Party and I would have a whole preparation time of two days.

When we arrived at Zach's house, it was a little after midnight, but when I flooed back home, it was only 4 in the afternoon. The house looked exactly the same as I left it, but there was a large store bought sign hanging on the wall that read: Welcome Home! My mom and dad were standing only a foot or two away from the fireplace and as soon as I appeared they shouted what was on the sign, like the oversized poster was a script. They bombarded me with hugs and kisses even before I was fully out of the fireplace, and as soon as I was, the questions came.

"What was it like there?"

"Has it changed much?"

"Any new friends?"

"Favorite subject?

"Favorite teachers?"

"What was the food like?"

"Did you pack enough?"

"Are you hungry?"

"What can I get you?"

"Were there any cute boys?"

"Carol? What did I tell her about boys? None, remember."

I laughed, they haven't heard my voice in a little over 3 months and even though I covered most of it in my letters, I could understand that they wanted to hear it first person. "Okay, okay. I will tell you all about it after I put my stuff away. And yes I am hungry, so what's for dinner?"

"I will take your trunk and backpack for you." My dad said quickly.

"Uh, sure, but don't peak I still need to wrap your presents." I shouted because he was already halfway up the stairs.

"And whatever you would like, honey." My mom said.

I could get used to this. "Waffles. I would love me some waffles."

We made our way to the kitchen, while my mom started on the batter I turned on music to Iron and Wine. That's another thing you don't get at Hogwarts, actual music not about trolls and their adventures or falling in love with a goblin.

"Really the first thing you have to turn on? Don't you want to listen to that pop stuff?" My mom asked pulling out the waffle Iron.

"No thank you, I grew up listening to this and I will always listen to the good old words of Sam Beam." I laughed. "Just you wait, The Civil Wars are next."

"Whatever you would like sweetie." She took a break from preparing the food and cupped my face in her hands, forcing a firm kiss on my head. I scrunched my face until she let go. "I just missed you so much. Do you know exactly what you want to do during the break?"

"A little." I said, hearing my dad climb down the stairs. "Everyone is coming over here for Christmas and New Years, though."

"Great, we'll get the guest rooms set up tomorrow." My mom handed me a plate of waffles. "Now it's your time to tell us everything."

I gave her the rap of most of the important stuff leaving out the part where my roommates hate me, and where Fred hated me too, but once I was done she asked me about cute boys again. I told her no, and I could see my dad let out a breath he had been holding. He was visibly calmer. Before I drifted to sleep, we went over the plans for break, but all of it was forgotten when I fell into my bed with my day clothes still on and dreamed of the perfect winter.

Tapping at my window woke me up. It was late, I already knew that and it was nice not having to worry about if I was bald because of my evil roommates. Still, I instinctively I ran my fingers through my hair. The source of the tapping came from an owl that was holding a letter in its beak outside my window. Funny how little things in life follow you back home. I walked to my window and let him in. The cold air hit me like a wave that made goose bumps rise on my arms and legs. It may not snow here, during the winter, but it gets really cold. Once the owl was in, I closed the window to keep what was left of the heat in. I grabbed the letter and that was enough for the owl to start tapping even more rapidly on the window to get out.

"Shut up." I said, but it didn't listen.

My dear Auden,

Such a long time has passed since we last saw each other (not really, it's been like 12 hours, but sarcasm doesn't exactly show itself through writing) and I long to see you again. I was just sending this letter to let you know I will be arriving at 4 (or whatever time it will be for you).

From your lovely Zach

I looked to my clock. 8:07. Crap. I ran out of my bedroom, the owl following closely behind me as I ran down the stars to get to the fireplace. Even when the fireplace came into view, there wasn't anyone there. Maybe he did mean 4 my time. I sat down on the couch, feeling relieved that I still had time to get ready, but I spoke too soon. Everything turned dark. I reached to where my eyes were and felt another pair of hands.

"Guess who?" I heard the familiar voice say. I peeled the hands off my eyes and turned to see Zach. I wrapped my arms around him with force and he did the same. "I thought you would be sick of me by now."

"I've had a twelve hour break." I smiled. "I can stand you for another year. I thought you were spending today with your mom."

"I lived with her most of my life, besides I'll see her tomorrow. She agreed to come." He hoped over the back of the couch and sat beside me. "And you are still wearing my jacket. "

"I fell asleep before I could change." I explained quickly then got up. "Come on we can't get comfy, we have so much to do in so little time."

I pulled him off the couch and we ran up the stairs just as my parents were walking down, clearly just waking up.

"Mom, Dad this is Zach. Zach this is Mom and Dad." I said in a hurry.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Pendergast." Zach said just as fast, only stopping for a little to bow his head then run after me.

It took them a little while to process, Zach had already passed me by the time my mom grabbed my arm. "I thought you said there were no cute boys."

"He's cute? I didn't even notice." I lied. Of course I noticed Zach was cute, but he was that goofy best friend, not anything more than that, ever. "I'm planning on showing him around the property, then go to town, and then have a Dr. Who marathon."

I could hear my mom call after me. "Dr. Who? What's Dr. Who?" But I was long gone catching up to Zach and leading him to my room, the owl continued to follow us.

"Francis! There you are." Zach exclaimed seeing the bird.

"Francis?" I asked.

"I was 12 okay?" He scratched something on a piece of paper then sent his owl off, closing the window behind him. "So what first?"

I had already opened my closet and walked into it, picking out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I changed quickly not even bothering with my hair. I changed jackets too, so I didn't have to hear more about Zach making fun of me. Besides, I think it was starting to smell.

"To the town!" We ran to the old truck. "Have you ever thrown a party before?"

"Nope."

"Then you aren't going to be of much help. But we also need to get food and things for us to do. There are so many things I need to introduce you to." I said, backing out of our driveway. "Did I mention we are having a Dr. Who marathon after I show you around the ground of Casa de Pendergast."

"What?"

"Don't worry about it." I smiled. "Also we are going to bake and we need to get present for Christmas."

"So much to do so little time." He mocked me.

I sped to get into town quicker, although Zach loved the ride. He didn't look away from the window for a second except an occasional one or two times when he pointed out little things that I had already memorized. Nothing changed quickly around here so all the sites remained the same from my many times staring out the window. We also came up with a list of what we had to get. And when we made it into town and got all of that, I took him through my favorite tradition of getting tea and chocolate covered honeycomb at the sweet shop. I stared at him carefully, watching him take the first bite. He stuck his tongue.

"I guess it's an acquired taste." I laughed. "I'll get you something else."

It took no more then a few seconds to exchange the honeycomb for a chocolate covered Smore and return, but already someone had taken my seat. It was a girl. She was laughing and playing with her hair. I knew her; her name was Misty, daughter of the owner of a popular restaurant here. She had honey blonde hair and perfect blue eyes, along with tan glowing skin. As soon as she saw me, the freak that never went out, she got even closer to him. Her slender fingers wrapped around his arm and he barely seemed to notice.

"I like your accent. " She said, while giving me the death stare out of the corner of her eye. "What's it like in London?"

"It's grey, but I love it. Although I haven't been in the city for a while, I was just at boarding school, spent and night with my mom then came here to visit a friend." He spun around and I forced myself to move my frozen feet forward. "There she is now."

"Oh." Misty said with a fake smile. "How did you two meet?"

"We were…" He started and looked over to me, I tried to convey in my face that she was not nice. I think he knew what it meant and he came up with a smooth lie. "Well, I should say she was a little lost because our school is huge, it's like a castle, and I helped her around for a price of a date."

"So are you two…"

"No, unfortunately not. She's too good for me." He smiled, pulling me down onto his lap.

"Yeah, I know, Auden is like the best friend I've ever had." Misty lied.

"But we aren't friends, you hate me." I responded hoping to catch her off guard.

"Aww look at you, you couldn't take a little joke seriously." She smiled, but her eyes told a different story.

"No you just don't like me." I said with more force.

"That is so not true, we go shopping together all the time."

"Actually you said I was a loser and never invited me to parties, so everyone ignored me and I never had any friends" I said, my anger rising.

"Remember that one time we went to the mall in Santa Rosa."

"No." I said. "Because it never happened."

"You just don't remember."

"Not-"

"Auden, it's okay, just calm down." Zach said. He practically shoved my face into his shirt and rested his hand on the back of my head. "Misty what were you saying?"

"Never mind. I was wondering if you wanted to come to my New Years Eve party." She said.

"Sorry, but Auden is having a party of her own and a bunch of the English boarding school kids are going to be there, so it's super exclusive." He said. "Maybe next year."

"Or if you come here sometime during summer with some of your friends, then well have a barbeque."

"Sure, Auden. Have you made sure that Harry is coming? I know Fred and George and Ron and Bill and Charlie wouldn't miss it for the world…or just you, but you know how Harry can be like really jealous." He said, giving a discrete wink. "I think we might need one more girl though, just to make it even for midnight."

"I can come, I can cancel and stuff."

"Nah, remember very exclusive."

"Here. Here is my phone number and call me okay. I have to go." Misty said writing in sharpie on his arm. Then stormed off in her heels, looking back at us.

Zach whispered in my ear. "Play along." Then kissed me. Soon enough, we heard her little heels making her way back to us.

"You two losers deserve each other." But all Zach did was put a thumbs up, keeping his lips locked in mine.

We stopped after a while, after we were sure she was gone. And I started scraping my tongue as a joke. "It wasn't that bad." Zach said. "If anything it was you who was funky."

"Okay I'm sorry I have never kissed anyone before." I admitted, feeling my face get red.

"I was your first kiss?" He started to laugh

"Shut up." I said.

"I'm sorry it's just like you aren't-blah like you're –wow and no one has ever. Merlin's beard." He said, not making any sense. "No wonder why she hates you. Because you are just so-wow."

"I'm not even going to ask, lets just get home and continue with your welcome to America." I said.

"I didn't even get to start my, whatever that is." He said pointing to the chocolate covered Smore.

"Then take it on the go." I took his and dragged him out of his seat.

"I just kissed her!" He shouted across the square.

Only one person cheered and that was a guy. The rest of them just stared. An old lady walked up to him as well and told him he was very lucky, he answered with a simple "I know." But my goal was to just get out of here, however with Zach being my anchor, it was hard to move forward more then a few feet. Still, I let a small smile slip out. I just had my first kiss.