Of Peace Settlements

Rose's POV

"The marriage is set to be in June!" Ted announced the next morning over breakfast. Everyone looked up at him, still sleepy eyed, and no one reacted for quite a while. Then I saw James jump up and jump onto his Godbrother.

"Yes! Finally part of the family!" he shouted out.

"James, will you be my best man?"

James stood silent for a second and dramatically placed his hand over his heart. "Why, I'd be honored," he said, pretending to wipe away a tear. It earned him a scowl from Vicky and a shove from Teddy.

"Seriously," Teddy insisted.

"Seriously, bro. I'd love to," he said. I stood up and hugged both of them, feeling so happy my heart might've burst. But then I glanced toward Riley and felt like punching something. Luckily, none of my family members had approached me about him yet.

Well, until Fred pulled me aside after breakfast, while everyone was excitedly pouring over wedding plans. "What the hell happened with Riley, Rose?"

"Um, Fred, no offense but—"

"No. Lily mentioned it. We're talking about this. Right now."

"Damn Lily," I muttered, scowling at her direction. But she didn't see me. She was too busy arguing in favor of azaleas.

"Nothing. We just broke up. We weren't good for each other," I said, truthfully.

"Did he hurt you?"

I looked at Fred and didn't feel like lying to him. He always looked out for me, Fred did. But I couldn't tell him about Riley. That would be disastrous. "We hurt each other," I said, after thinking about it.

He pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry, Rosey. You can always talk to me okay? I know you might've thought this was different because Riles is like my best friend, but it's not. You can still talk to me and James."

"Thanks Fred," I murmured into his chest, trying not to cry. It just all really sucked.

"No problem. Are you packed?"

"Yeah. I wish we could stay at the Burrow the whole time though. It's much more fun."

"We'll see each other all the time anyway. Only at home, I have a bed to sleep in by myself. And privacy is something I like. If you know what I mean," he said, winking. I shoved him away from me, completely disgusted.

Eve's POV

I was all packed once again and ready to head over to Rose's house. I felt like I wanted to say something to James. Anything. But nothing came to mind. And I had no idea why I wanted to say something at all. Ugh, I was so frustrated. I was not this stupid, drippy, person always worried about a boy. He was standing next to Riley, a sandwich in one hand, and his bags in another. His hair was slightly ruffled, because he kept running a hand through it.

Oh Merlin, why was I noticing these things?

"Eve, you ready?" Rose asked, hauling a suitcase behind her. I nodded, tearing my gaze away from James to meet Rose's amused eyes. "He's coming over later. They live next door to us."

"Oh, well I mean… that's interesting information but I don't know why you thought I'd care," I said, picking up my own bag and putting it into the car next to hers.

"Oh please, Eve. I know the way you're looking at him."

"As someone who annoys the hell out of me?"

"Nope," she said, with a slight laugh. "As someone you want to tie up and take advantage of, if you know what I mean."

"Of course I know what you mean. There wasn't a hit of subtlety there. And you're being preposterous."

"You know it's true."

"What's true?" Hermione asked, climbing into the front seat. Hugo climbed in next to me and quickly looked away when I gave him a smile.

"Nothing, Mrs.—um Hermione—" I said, quickly.

"She likes James," Rose said.

"Oh Merlin, are you sure Eve? Because I'd watch out." Ron said. I was blushing furiously and if looks could kill, I was killing Rose.

"No, I do not like him," I stated.

"That's what Ron and I said constantly to Harry. Turns out—" Hermione said, smiling at Ron. I felt a pang of jealousy for Rose. She had both a mom and a dad. And they loved each other. It seemed so perfect.

"I don't know why you like such a scumbag," Hugo muttered. I turned to him, surprised. But before I could say anything, the rest of his family beat me to it.

"Oi, watch it Hugo. You don't talk about family like that," Ron said.

"Yes, Hugo. That was unkind. I'd rather not hear my nephew being called names by my son. Understand?" Hermione asked.

"Yes mum. Sorry," Hugo said, a bit insincerely.

"Okay, seriously, I don't like James. We're always at each other's throats—" Hermione and Ron exchanged a look, "and right now we're at odds."

"Only because you're too stubborn to even try and be friends with him," Rose accused.

"No, this time, it's him who's at quits with me. I accused him of telling Renee about the whole drug thing," I said. The car fell eerily quiet and I realized that perhaps Ron and Hermione might have been trying to avoid this topic. "It wasn't me Ron, Hermione. James's ex-girlfriend Renee framed me by saying that someone was selling drugs and it was probably me because my mom used to sell drugs," I explained.

"Oh. Well how'd she know?" Ron asked.

"That's what I accused James of. Telling her."

"Why would he do that? She broke his heart," Rose said, frowning at me.

"But—but everyone said it was the other way around," I said, feeling weird.

"No. James let everyone think that he was the bad guy because he felt sorry for Renee, but he didn't do anything. That's just how he is."

"Oh Merlin, I'm such an idiot."

"I'm lost," Ron said, from the front seat.

"You two should talk it out later. When he comes by," Rose said. I nodded, deciding that yes, that needed to be done.

Rose's house was beautiful. It was big but still maintained coziness. They gave me one of their numerous guest rooms, and I immediately collapsed onto the huge bed in the middle of the room and felt at ease. Or I did, until Rose came barging into the room.

"So have you figured out a legitimate game plan yet?" She asked, sitting on the end of the bed.

"For what Rose?" I asked, a bit exasperated with her misplaced enthusiasm.

"Well James, Al, and Lily are coming by in like an hour, after they've showered." I stopped her here to remark on how astonished I was that James showers. "And you've got to make your move."

"I'm not making a move, Rose, I just have to apologize."

"Right, apologize, make your move whatever. So James likes mushy talk. Even though he's a guy, he's super sensitive."

"Rose, snap out of it! We're not hooking up!" I said, getting more and more frustrated.

"Why not? You two are so perfect-o for each other," she whined.

"No we are not. I'm emotionally damaged beyond repair, and everything James sees is through rose-colored lenses. So what happens when he realizes how incredibly fucked up I am?" Rose was quiet and looked at me.

"Eve, you've got to realize that we don't see you like that. No one does. And we all know that you're trying. You've improved so much since the beginning of the year! And I promise, maybe we as a generation haven't seen anything horrid in our lifetimes, but our parents definitely have, and they would never let us forget it."

I tried to think of something to say in response, but nothing seemed to be enough. I did it again. I judged them as the kind of people who have never faced issues. But of course they at least know. Their parents were the freaking Golden Trio. What in Merlin's baggiest pants was my problem?

James and the rest of his family came by around an hour later, as promised, and I took extra care showering and cleaning. Rose made sure to point this out when I arrived from her Jacuzzi bath after forty-five minutes, smelling like strawberries. "Oh shut up," I snapped. But I let her straighten out my hair anyway. "Just so I can make a good impression when I apologize," I assured her. But she just hummed and pretended like she didn't hear me.

James, Al, and Lily all came up to Rose's room just as she was finished straightening the last strand with her straightener. We both weren't seventeen yet, so we couldn't really perform magic. She quickly stowed it in her drawer.

"Hey guys!" she said, enthusiastically, "long time no see!"

"Shut up Rose," Al said, rolling his eyes.

"Where's Hugo?" Lily asked. Rose pointed across the hall, and Lily immediately left, leaving a bit of an awkward silence.

"Um, Al I need to show you something outside in the backyard," Rose said, looking pointedly at her cousin. I could feel myself burning red. Al followed Rose out and my heart dropped when James followed behind him. But Rose pushed him back in. "No, it's for Al only, sorry Jay."

So it was him and me, staring awkwardly at each other.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, watching him. He looked at me and his eyebrows furrowed. "For assuming that you were the jerk in your relationship with Renee, even though I didn't hear your side of the story."

"That's okay," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry too. I should've stopped pestering you like you wanted me to from the beginning. And I should've believed you when you said you didn't do the whole…drug business."

"Right. Um. Thanks for everything though. For playing a part in getting me off the hook," I said.

"No problem."

"So are we good?" I asked, hesitantly. He smiled at me.

"You know there was a time in which you wanted nothing more than for me to leave you alone?"

"Well I admire persistence. So are we okay?"

"Better than okay maybe? Eve Martin, will you be my—" Oh shit, he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend oh no oh no…"best friend?" he asked, with a very Weasley grin on. I've come to notice this particular grin in all the Weasleys. It got everyone to do what they wanted. And it was working on me. I smiled and nodded and was greeted with a hug. Once again, I didn't know what to do. "You need to learn how to do this right," he said, pulling back. He grabbed my hands from my sides and pulled them around his waist. He felt good against me, and I hugged him close.

And then I did the most embarrassing thing and started crying. Just all over his shirt. I expected him to pull away and think I was crazy, but instead, he just hugged me closer and rubbed my hair, which just made me cry harder.

We just stood there, hugging, with me crying all over him for a good ten minutes, before I pulled away and rubbed my eyes.

"I've never—I'm so sorry," I gasped out. He shook his head, with a small smile on his face.

"We're best friends now, remember? You can cry into my shirt all you want. You can also tell me what's wrong."

"Your family, everything about how you live is perfect," I said quietly. "And I feel so out of place."

"Eve, you're not out of place. We're not perfect either. Christmas is just one of those times in which everything somehow works out for all of us. But if you ever come during the summer, you realize that big families definitely have their share of problems. Seriously, everyone here likes you. Have fun, relax, and let us show you an awesome Christmas?"

I agreed with him, and proceeded to probably have one of the best Christmases I'd ever have in my life.

AN: TWO CHAPTERS, ONE NIGHT. Proud of me? :D