Mine (harry potter fan fic)

Chapter 46 - hasn't even begun

After the incident with Rita Skeeta I instantly returned home, fortunately everything is where I left it when I double checked everything.
I spent the rest of the afternoon inside, reading then I went to a muggle fast food restaurant where I know I won't be stared at or pounded by questions.
It was only small and it was funny to watch muggles as they socialised, little did they know a war had just concluded yet chaos is still raging throughout the wizarding world.
After that I went to sleep on the couch again, for some reason being in this house is unsettling as if I'm staying in a hotel or someplace I've never been before although I have been here before.
After hours of forcing myself to sleep my mind didn't settle, dreams rattled on behind my eyes.
Fortunately it wasn't a nightmare, I dreamt about the Weasleys...
It was my birthday... Not last birthday but the one before it, the boys knew I wasn't a celebrating type nor did I see the point in making a big deal about my birthday. Still all the Weasleys showed up, including Charlie who had decided to come over from Romania. Molly made me a cake and everyone bought/made me presents, Fred and George danced around the kitchen with me as the radio played and Ginny took me out to a muggle bookstore with the intention of buying me some new books which she did eventually after a while of my choosing them.
Fred and George didn't leave me side all evening and we all ended up falling asleep in a small tent made out blankets and held up by magic outside the burrow.
That was my most favourite birthday I had ever have, and it'll probably stay my favourite birthday for the rest of my life.
I woke up this morning with a smile on my face, a heavy grieving heart in my chest but a smile on my face.
I stopped for coffee and now I'm on my way to David and Sharon's book shop in Diagon alley.
"Morning Cleo, good to see you looking so awake because we are opening at ten so we have some finishing touches to do." David greeted me warmly as I entered the shop.
"Just tell me what to do." I wink flashing a toothy grin at the old couple.
Hermione's POV
I stumbled into the kitchen to see everyone up and having breakfast, I walk towards Ron who pecks my cheek causing my cheeks to burn.
"Has anyone heard about the old book shop down in diagon alley that's reopening today, I thought we could take a look." I suggest, Ginny offers to go with me but in reality everyone needs to get out of the house even if it's for a couple hours.
"Great, Harry and Ron can come too." I nudge Ron as he pigs on the bacon Molly's piled onto his plate. The boys groan in response but don't argue.
"I'll come too, I have some errands to run anyway." Molly speaks up from the other end of the table, I clap my hands together rising to my feet.
"Brilliant, I'll go see if George wants to come?" My eyes glance towards Molly, Molly sighs and shakes her head.
"He's coming, I'm not leaving him alone here." Molly's voice is firmer than normal as we all watch her whilst she walks into the living room snatching the newspaper from George's hand.
That's all George does recently, since the loss of Fred he pushed Cleo away so now he just sits around like there's no meaning to doing anything any more.
Cleos POV
"Done." I brush my hands together as we take a step back to admire our hard work,
"Just as perfect as when we first opened her up." David smirks proudly wrapping his arm around his wife and kissing her softly against her temple.
"Well, what'd you say shall we flip the sign?" I grip my wand in my hand, Sharon laughs softly nodding her head. I flick my wand causing the closed sign to switch to open.
"If you don't mind I'm going to clean myself up, I'm sure you two ladies can handle the immense crowd whilst I'm gone." David spreads his arm wide to gesture to the empty shop, Sharon pushes him towards the door that leads up to their flat,
"Go on, you old grump. I'm sure we can handle it."
On that note we suddenly hear the door open, I move behind the counter and prop myself up on the wooden stool.
"A muggle book store run my wizards in the wizarding world? What's the point in that?" I hear a clearly recognisable voice grumble as a group enter the shop.
"Because Ron some people are too lazy to get pounds to go into the muggle world to buy muggle books." Another rather recognisable voice rants on at the first boy.
"Cleo?!" Ginny comes running up to the desk, I smile widely and move around to meet her warm embrace.
Ron, Harry and Hermione follow Ginny in hugging me.
"You left without saying goodbye we've been worried." Ginny takes a step back intertwining her fingers in Harry's, I nod my head digging my hands onto my shorts pockets.
"I didn't really have a choice." I remind them that George kind if kicked me out, Hermione sends me an apologetic smile. "Is he here?"
"Yeah, he with mum, they're just picking up a few things." Ron points over his shoulder with his thumb, I feel myself automatically relax I don't think I can face him after what happened a few days ago.
"What are you guys doing here anyway?" I fold my arms across my chest leaning back on the counter behind me,
"Mione dragged us down here." Ron mumbles honestly, I return to my stool and shake my head at the red headed boy.
"I'm not surprised, isn't this place wonderful? I mean sure Flourish and Blotts have a small selection of muggle books but it's not much. I found this place yesterday and they hired me for reopening." My eyes switch from hermione to Sharon whom's stood by the doorway that leads up to her flat.
"That's great but why do you need a job, your parents left you everything they had?" Ginny furrows her eyebrows in confusion, I run my hand through my hair gnawing on my lower lip for a moment.
"It's hard to explain, it's just something to pass time. With all the accusations against me recently, things aren't going well." I explain, Harry quickly speaks up after I mention the rumours about me.
"Look, Cleo, I've tried telling them about you but you know people try and twist your word and..."
"It's okay, Harry. I know. It's fine, honestly. If I can get through the things that Voldemort did to me I can get through some small gossip and bitchiness." I cut him off assuring him that everything's fine, I mean it isn't, none of it is. I just don't want Harry worrying that he's making things worst.
The boys continue to make small talk as hermione and Ginny browse around the shop, they ask how I am, where am I staying, if I'm planning on coming to the burrow any time soon.
I answer partially truthfully, I say I'm okay, that I'm staying at my old house, and that I don't know. With some of the things George said to me and how he looked, I'm not sure he even wants to see me again.
It didn't take Hermione too long to find something she liked,
"Make sure to come see me again." I hand Hermione her change, she smiles brightly and tells me she'll be here more often than I'd expect. I don't doubt that.
"They seem to care about you a lot." Sharon points out, I glance out the window where I see them head towards the direction of the leaky cauldron.
"They better, the amount of times I've risked my life for them. Yeah, no, they do care about me maybe it's because I've played their guardian figure during these last few years or they just worry about me." I mumble as I fiddle with my shirt, Sharon touches my hand holding it in hers,
"You care about them a lot as well."
"A lot is an understatement, they're my family." I whisper under my breath, Sharon leaves me be when David brings me out a cup of tea.
The rest of the day was quiet with the occasional customer, and just as my lunch break came up a particularly strange man entered the shop.
"May I help you?" I offer as he stands staring at the books,
"Well, I only came to browse, darlin'." The man spins around on his heels to face me, the accent sounds remarkably like Donnie but the face is completely different. "I 'ad to make sure, you were really 'ere." The man smirks cocking his eyebrow at me.
"Donnie?!" I hiss keeping my voice low so I don't alarm Sharon and David.
"Funny what a little poly juice potion can do, isn't it?" Donnie chuckles, he leaves the shop as I chase after him.
"Donnie!" I call after him but as soon as I turn the corner he's gone.