2nd chances (Scorose)

Chapter 15

I woke up early, happy for once to hear the calls of the buzzards and the cries of the herons, and smiled. It was good to be home and I couldn't wait to get to the Burrow and see my grandparents again. I'd spent last Christmas with my Mum's parents and I was looking forward to eating Grandma Molly's cooking again.

As I went downstairs for breakfast, still in my old flannel pajamas, I couldn't help humming.

My mother threw me a shocked glance but I barely saw it as I speared a pancake on my fork and put it onto my plate.

"Rosie, honey, are you okay?" she asked with concern.

"Me? I'm brilliant, Mum," I told her as I poured some syrup onto my pancake.

She smiled and took the seat next to me as Hugo practically fell down the stairs and dropped into his chair.

"You seem happier," she remarked, pouring milk into her cereal bowl.

"I am," I grinned as Hugo shot me a dark look.

He couldn't say anything though, as his mouth was already filled with half of a bacon sandwich my mother had somehow had the time to prepare for him. That wasn't to say he didn't try, it's just any words he'd said were lost in his mouthful and came out as a grumble.

"Don't speak with your mouth full, Hugo," Mum scolded.

"Sorry," he replied.

"Ah, morning Weasleys," Dad called as he came down the stairs, narrowly avoiding hitting his head on the low ceiling.

"Morning Dad," I chirped. Hugo sullenly took another bite of his food, while my mother kissed his cheek as he passed her, picking up the paper off the kitchen counter.

"Ready for Christmas at the Burrow?" he asked, unfolding his paper and taking a bite of the last bacon sandwich.

"Uh huh!" I replied, smiling widely and picking up another pancake, drizzling melted chocolate over it.

Dad glanced up over the top of his paper and made eye contact with my mum, the pair of them shooting frantic glances at me as if I was in danger of dropping dead. I wasn't usually that happy, but seriously it wasn't like I'd been depressed for ten years. They were overreacting. Wasn't I allowed to be happy?

I rolled my eyes and hid another grin for fear of my parents carting me off to St Mungos over Christmas. That really would be a disaster.

As I stood and dropped my plate into the water-filled sink, I was aware of my parents' gaze still following me. Another merry tune popped into my head and I skipped up to my bedroom to get dressed. It would be nice, I thought, to see Victoire again. She was sure to be excited by my news.

I dressed simply in a pair of skinny jeans and my turquoise jumper, remembering the last time I had worn it with Scorpius. I knew now why he'd bought a jumper of his own in exactly the same shade. It was the same reason that it was his favorite color. The reason why he'd followed me from Professor Slughorn's party and kissed me.

Again, I was humming as I dressed and packed a bag with pajamas, clothes and my toothbrush. My other grandparents would be glad to know I was even taking the special toothpaste they always sent me.

Finally though, I was ready and my suitcase (which was conveniently smaller than my Hogwarts trunk) was bulging at the seams with the amount of clothes and presents I'd crammed into it.

"Rosie, are you ready yet?" Dad yelled up the stairs.

For the second time that morning, I rolled my eyes, and went downstairs, my suitcase dragging along the floor behind me.