Amortentia (OC / Draco / Fred Weasley Love Triangle) (A HP Francise Fan Fic)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Summer

{ Before this chapter I want to say thank you to Nat. She has graciously offered her editing talents to this story, and now we can all look forward to better grammar moving forward. :) }

The rest of Gwen's birthday remained uneventful. It was spent mostly laying on the couch, watching movies, eating sweets (avoiding the ones from Fred and George), and playing with Phoenix. Any extra energy Gwen had was spent trying to keep her spirits up. It took all her effort to plaster a smile on her face, but all she wanted for her birthday was for everyone else to be happy, even if she wasn't.

In the days that followed, Gwen put all the happiness she could muster up to use. Cedric's mother had been right, if he had been there he wouldn't want everyone sad. He would have done everything in his power to keep everyone laughing. Gwen could see that the rest of her family was starting to feel the same way too, although every night she heard soft sobs fill her house.

Soon enough life was beginning to feel normal, as normal as their lives could get. Duncan had to return to work at the end of their second week back home.

"Do you have to go? I've missed having you at home." Pearl hugged Duncan tight around his shoulders.

"Unfortunately breeding stops for no one," he said as he smiled.

"Gross," Freya shouted from across the hall.

"Freya, come to say goodbye," Pearl instructed her daughter.

"I can't, I'm still not ready for Hazel."

"One minute won't make a difference!" Henry assured Freya. "Bye, Dunc." He embraced his son.

"Bye, Dad," Duncan turned to Gwen. "Bye, Gwen." He took her in his arms.

"Bye, Duncan. Don't forget to write, please."

Gwen took a deep breath in. If she thought it was hard before with her brother writing so inconsistently, she knew it would only be worse without Cedric.

"I promise to be better." Duncan looked into Gwen's eyes and held her shoulders. He gave her a comforting smile before saying his goodbyes to Freya, and his second and third goodbye's to the rest of the family. They watched him swish his wand and Apparate out of the house.

That night, Hazel arrived at the Thatcher house accompanied by her dad, who drove her from Cornwall. Freya came sprinting down the hall to greet Hazel, sweeping her into a strong embrace. He quickly said goodbye to his daughter, explaining that he had to be back home in time for a meeting early in the morning, apologizing profusely that he couldn't stay and chat.

Hazel looked different from the last time Gwen had seen her. She cut her hair into a bob, had pierced her ears so there were at least four on each side, and she dressed differently. While she was dressed fashionably, Gwen could tell she was trying to impress her parents with the outfit she had chosen. She was wearing a white dress that cut off mid-thigh paired with black boots. Gwen had only spoken to Hazel a few times, and in those few times, she had never seemed flustered or nervous. However, as Hazel walked into her house she caught the slight pink in her cheeks.

"So this is the famous Hazel we've heard so much about." Henry smiled, reaching out his hand to shake Hazel's.

"Dad." Freya scolded him.

"Well, it is true, sweetheart," Pearl interjected entering the room. "It's great to finally meet you."

The pair of girls stood their cheeks now both holding a strong blush. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs.Thatcher," Hazel said shyly.

"Oh please," tutted Henry. "We'd prefer it if you call us Henry and Pearl." He grabbed his wife around the waist, beaming.

"Gwen, will you take Hazel's trunk to Duncan's room, while we give her the house tour?" Pearl asked.