Okay, I know it's been far too long since my last update. Life has just been getting in the way. But, I'm here with another chapter, so hopefully, it's all good. :)
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"Take this sinking boat and point it home,
We've still got time,
Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice,
You'll make it now."
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly
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It has been a week since Harry invited Rose, Hugo, and I to stay with him. It seems like it's been ages since I've been to Harry's home. I had almost forgotten how large it was. I know it's not something that Harry particularly enjoys, but Ginny seems to like it well enough. I suppose after growing up in a cramped house like the Burrow, a house with space would be ideal. We're all enjoying ourselves, though. However, things still seem to be tense with Ginny. Of course, she doesn't show it in front of the children. Not much, anyway. I remember when we first arrived.
Harry, Rose, Hugo, and I apparate into the kitchen of Harry's home. Rose and Hugo run to find their cousins, leaving Harry and I alone. He smiles at me and I return the favor. Suddenly, I hear Ginny's voice.
"Rose? Hugo? What are you doing here?", she says in a surprised tone. Before my children can answer, Harry pulls me out into the den. The look on Ginny's face is of immediate distate, but it soon relaxes into a false smile. She walks over to us and kisses Harry on the cheek.
"Hello, darling. And hello to you, Hermione," Ginny says flawlessly. I force a smile and quickly nod my head.
"Hello, Ginny," I respond. She gives me a quick look over, most likely internally addressing the fact that she out-dresses me almost every time we see each other. After a moment, I glance up at Harry, who's eyes had gone quite dark. Ginny doesn't seem to notice. She turns and walks back over to the large couch and takes a seat, picking up a copy of Witch Weekly in the process.
"So, what's the news?", Ginny asks casually while leafing through the magazine. Harry jumps in without caution.
"Hermione, Hugo, and Rose are going to be staying with us throughout the Christmas break," he says matter-of-factly. Ginny tenses, but does not look up from the magazine. I feel my eyebrows raise. I didn't know he had intended for us to stay that long.
"Oh?", Ginny responds, pretending that she isn't angry.
"Yes," Harry says, "I've already invited them, and they have all the belongings that they will need."
"Alright, alright," Ginny begins, "I'm not protesting. It just would have been nice if you had clued me in on this little surprise."
She flashes us a perfect smile, and continues to turn the pages of her magazine. After a moment, Harry turns to me, his eyes clear once more.
"Why don't we go see what the kids are up to?", he asks genuinely. I nod, taking my chance to get away from Ginny.
They fought pretty viciously that night. I remember hearing it for a few mintues before Harry cast a silencing charm over their room. I also remember hoping that none of the children had heard them. Suddenly, I am brought out of my thoughts by a knock on the door. I realize that it is still morning, and that I am still in bed. I pull myself up to answer the door and find Hugo and Lily on the other side.
"Mummy, it's time for breakfast. We're all waiting," Hugo says. I feel the corners of my mouth tug into a smile.
"Alright, sweetheart, I'll be down in a minute. You two go ahead, okay?", I reply. They both grin, nod their heads, and run down the hall. I turn back into my room and quickly throw on purple shirt along with a simple black skirt. 'It's only for breakfast', I think. Once I'm finished, I head downstairs.
As I walk into the kitchen, a wonderful smell hits me. 'Harry cooked this morning', I think. I sit down at the table next to James and Rose. A smile crawls across my face as Harry begins to serve everyone. He is wearing an apron and is wearing a smile wider than the Thames. After serving everybody, Harry takes a seat. Suddenly, I notice the absence of fiery red.
"Where's Ginny?", I ask curiously.
"She went out," Harry says, "She said she'd be back later."
I furrow my eyebrows. It seems strange that she would willingly leave Harry and myself alone on purpose. I try to shrug the thought off and enjoy breakfast, but for some reason, I can't shake the thought.
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Okay, so mostly filler, but the next chapter should be better. Thank you all for reading!