Moon and Stars

twenty

"So you mean to tell me that my stupid son made something and my other stupid son used it against poor Hermione here?" She asks after Hermione explained what happened, her eyes darting between Fred and Ron.

"Mum, I wasn't apart of this, he stole them from my room!" Defends Fred, and Molly just glares at him.

"You're the one who made them and didn't put them in the shop, so it's you and George's fault," She says, looking around the room, "Where is George, anyways?" She asks, and everyone falls quiet. Arthur looks around the room expectantly, but nobody speaks up.

"Where is George?" Arthur asks sternly, and Molly grabs onto his arm, worry written in her face. Aurora couldn't stand Molly looking so sad, and Arthur looking so angry even scared her slightly, so she decided to speak up.

"With Angelina." She said, the name tasting like acid as it rolled off her tongue.

"Oh, alright," She said, visibly relaxing, "You made me think he was off dead in a ditch. How long has he been with her?" She asks, chuckling. Arthur, having calmed down after finding out his son was still alive, went to the kitchen to get some food presumably.

"A few days now." Fred responded, but Molly didn't seem too bothered. She also didn't know the full story, but Aurora didn't feel like telling her.

"You two are due off to Hogwarts tomorrow, did he say he would be returning before then?" She asks, looking at Ginny and Hermione, who just shake their heads.

"Well, at least I have most of my children here with me!" She exclaims, ruffling Ron and Harry's hair on the couch, before going to join her husband in the kitchen.

Hermione follows her and Arthur, probably to ask how the trip went. Ron, feeling rather hopeless, sulked in behind her, in a weak attempt to make her not angry at him.

Aurora catches Fred's eyes, but he looks away, getting off of the loveseat and entering the kitchen with Hermione and Ron. She furrows her brows in Fred's direction, but eventually shrugs it off, getting up from her spot, as well, to go take her morning shower.

Her morning goes by peacefully after her shower, when she gets some coffee and breakfast in her system, and is seated on the end of Ginny's bed, watching her and Hermione pack their trunks for their final school year. The boys were off doing something with Arthur, and Molly was just trying to tidy up behind them.

"Ginny, do you really need to bring cups with you?" Hermione asks, watching Ginny put a stack of five cups into her trunk.

"Of course I do, did you forget yours?" She shot back, making the two girls laugh.

Aurora loved Hogwarts dearly, but she was glad she graduated. The intensity of the curriculum was beginning to be too much for her, even though she was nearly at the top of her class. Now, she only had to worry about going back as a professor.

She watched as Hermione folded her uniforms to put in, and occasionally helped roll a pair of socks. The three hadn't talked about it yet, but this was the first year in many years where Aurora won't be by their side, and it scared them to think about. She was always around even after she graduated, since Voldemort was such a threat at the time, but now he's gone, and she's no longer needed at Hogwarts, at least not yet.

"I'm going to miss you two." She mutters, and Hermione pours her lip at Aurora's sentiments. Ginny was never one to become emotional, but even a smile came to her face. The three got up and hugged, Aurora breathing in a large breath, and only letting it out when they pull away.

"You'll see us often, babe, don't worry too much." Says Ginny, rubbing her shoulder.

"You always have Fred to keep you company." Responds Hermione, winking. Aurora's cheeks heat up, and the three of them laugh, getting back to packing the final things they need.

Her mind drifted to Fred as she dangled her feet over the edge of the bed. The only people in the house who didn't know about their relationship were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and they were the most important people in her opinion. 

"How are you two feeling about not being around Harry and Ron?" She asks, since they were moving to the topic of relationships, and they frown slightly.

"I'm going to miss Harry quite a bit," Says Ginny, fiddling with the latch of her trunk, "I'm hoping that he'll be okay with seeing me on breaks and such. I don't want him to move on without me, you know." She says, and Hermione nods in understanding. She probably feels the same way about Ron, but won't admit to it.

"I'm going to miss Ronald," Hermione whispered, making Ginny smile, "If you two ever tell him I'm admitting to this, I'll hex you." She chuckles, and Aurora and Ginny raised their arms in surrender.

"We've been sort of a couple for quite some time now, but I'm just worried he doesn't take it as seriously as I do." She admits, and Ginny scoffs, making Hermione frown at her.

"That's codswallop. Ron's spoken to me about you many times now, and you can't tell him that I told you this, but the bloke is in love with you." She says, and a blush runs to Hermione's cheeks.

"Ginny Weasley, you best not be lying to me." She taunts, pointing a finger at her, and Ginny just laughs, shaking her head.

"I'm truthful, Granger, I'm truthful!" She exclaims, and Hermione can't help the smile that comes to her face.

"Well, between you two and I, I think I'm in love with him, as well." She says, and Ginny immediately pulls her into a hug.

"Mione, I can't express how happy I am for you." Says Aurora, and Hermione smiles at her, a blush evident in her cheeks.

"I know I'm not big on emotions, but I wish Harry would talk about me like that." Mutters Ginny, sighing to herself.

"Gin, he does." Said Aurora from the bed, causing Ginny to look at her with wide eyes.

"What does he say?" She asked excitedly, leaving Hermione on the floor and joining Aurora on the bed. Hermione, just as intrigued, got into the bed with the two.

"He told me about how he'll miss you terribly while you're away, and he was worried that you'd find someone else since he's no longer around," She says, and Ginny pokes out her bottom lip, "He's going to miss you a lot, Ginny." She finished, and Ginny let out a quiet awh.

"Seeing as I've finished my packing, I'd like some time with Harry, just the two of us, before I'm off." Says Ginny, and Hermione nods in agreement.

"As much as I hate him sometimes, that bloody idiot, I'd like some time with Ron, also." She says, blushing slightly. Aurora was just about to boast about how she didn't need to worry, since she wasn't being separated from Fred, just as a knock came to the door.

She turned her head just as Fred was opening the door, peaking his head through the small crack he created. He made eye contact with the two girls on the bed, before looking back at Aurora, nodding his head for her to join him in the hallway.

Hermione and Ginny busied themselves by straightening up the bed and floor, and Aurora quietly excused herself. She walked into the hallway with Fred, a smile on her face, but he didn't have one himself. Fred closed the door behind them and grabbed her hand, leading her slightly down the hallway to the staircase, where he paused, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey, Freddie, what's up?" Aurora asks, not enjoying his closed off, quiet demeanor. Fred was a loud, joking, booming kind of guy, so seeing him serious was rare for her, and it made her nervous.

"Do you actually want to be with me, Aurora?"