Last First Kiss {HP Next Generation}

Chapter Twenty Nine

The last day of Hope's third year had left her in shock for more reasons than one. She had experienced her first kiss besides the one she and Henry shared back when they were little and Henry seemed set on avoiding her afterwards. They were all supposed to travel home together, but instead, last minute, Henry decided he wanted to take the train home with Fergus and have his parents meet him at the station later. She wasn't sure how to react and all the new events was enough to make her brain melt and leak out of her ear. She hadn't been so confused in all of her young life until that very moment.

However, as she tried to ask everyone for advice, everyone seemed to be wrapped up in the fact over the kiss. But she didn't care about that in that moment. Her best friend was obviously upset with her and she hated every second of it. When she arrived home, her father went raving mad in the shop below, mumbling to her uncle about boys not being able to keep their hands and lips to themselves. While Uncle George and her dad formulated a plot to destroy McGregor, Hope remained upstairs in the flat, sitting in the small dining area, her chin resting on the table.

Her mother walked over and sat down across from her.

"You want to talk about it?" Eleanor asked.

"What is there to talk about?" Hope grumbled. "Everyone is making a big deal out of nothing. He kissed me...I didn't even like it!"

Eleanor raised a brow. "No?"

"No!" Hope protested. "It was weird..I mean, I like Benji. I think he's really cool and yeah, he's cute...but it's not like that. At least, not on my part."

"Well, sweetheart, I think a lot of people were under the impression that you liked each other. Benji being one of them."

Hope scrunched up her face in confusion. 'But I do like him."

"I know, but I meant as more than a friend..."

"Oh.." Hope suddenly groaned loudly. "Not this again! I already told Stella and Eliza that it's not like that. "

"You should have told Benji that." Eleanor said.

"I tried to in a way, but I didn't want to mean..."

"It's meaner to lead someone on, Hope. But I know you didn't mean to, I know you're not that kind of person."

"Everyone's mad at me right now." Hope frowned. "Henry's mad...Grandpa Rem Rem is mad, Dad, Uncle George, Sirius-"

"No one is mad at you, Hope and if they are, you leave it to me to straighten things out, especially with your father, uncle and your grandfather." Eleanor told her. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Well, I feel like I did. I just want to keep everyone happy, but it seems I can't even do that."

Eleanor arose from her chair and walked over to her daughter pulling up from the chair and holding her in a hug.

"Don't let anyone get you down, Hope. It's summer, you should be having a good time. You know, I think I might have an idea on how you can put some fun back into your spirit."

Hope glanced up at her mother. "I'm listening."

"Your Aunt Anora and Uncle Charlie thought you might have some fun spending some of the summer in Romania, would you like to do that? You could hang out with Stella and Eliza and-"

"Can I?!" Hope asked excitedly.

"Well, your father and I were going to leave it up to you. If you would like to go-"

"I would! I really would!"

"Alright, alright. They should still be at the Burrow, I know they were staying for dinner, so why don't we head on over there and talk to them. I also know that Grandma and Grandpa want to see you too."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Henry, look I know you're upset, but you can't be angry with Hope. It's not her fault." Fergus tried to reason with the boy as they sat on the train. "I mean, I know you're not a big fan of McGregor and I get that...but you were really mean back to Hope at the station."

Henry had his arms folded as he sat looking out the window. After the kiss took place, Henry could feel anger and jealousy swell in his entire body, all towards McGregor, but he took it out on Hope when she approached. She had walked up to him afterwards, asking him if he was ready to go and find the others and the adults, but before she could finish, Henry told her that he wasn't going to go back and hang out with her. He informed her that he was going to take the train home.

When she suggested tagging along, he quickly shot her down with a firm no. Like the pain and hurt he had felt earlier, he could see it clear across Hope's face as she nodded her head and left to her grandfather and family that had gathered.

"I didn't want to mean to her..." Henry admit it. "I'll apologize to her when we get home."

"You should." Fergus said. "Hope isn't a mind reader, if you like her, you need to tell her. You know what kind of person Hope is. She's the one that is told that the paint is wet but she still has to touch it to confirm it.

"I know, I wasn't angry with her, I was angry with the whole thing. I've never felt like that before."

"Well, just make sure that when you get home that you make things right." Fergus sighed leaning back.  "She's my best beater and as much as I hate to confess this, you two are my best friends, and if you guys are angry with another that leaves me in a weird place. I just want things to go back to how they were before this year. Make sure that things can go back to normal this summer."

"I don't think things can ever go back to the way they were, Fergus." Henry admitted. "Things are changing and I have no idea how to stop it all."

"If they can't go back to the way they were, then at least make things better, okay?"

Henry wouldn't get the chance to apologize to Hope in person that summer, because by the time he had arrived home, Hope was gone spending her summer among her cousins and dragons.