Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Sixty-Three | The Hogwarts Express, January 2021

Dedicated to Rhi, for her academic accomplishment yesterday. You're such a smarty I love it.

Chapter Sixty-Three

The Hogwarts Express, January 2021

         Andrew Bowen stood on the platform, holding Maeve's hand. He had just heaved two trunks onto the train, and his youngest daughter had tears in her eyes.

"I want to go." She pouted.

"Only a little longer, love." Soothed Andrew, petting down her vivacious curls, though he knew it was hopeless. Both Maeve and Ella had inherited Hazel's untameable curls.

Momentarily forgetting her misery, Maeve went on her tiptoes. "Where'd Hessie go?"

As she asked, Hester appeared through the crowd. She was frowning slightly, tugging on the end of her long cinnamon plait; there was a nervousness to her. "Papa, I've got to go." It was almost eleven.

"Come, give me a hug." Andrew opened his arms, dropping Maeve's hand. Hester sighed but squeezed him; she had always been a reclusive child, not necessarily unaffectionate, but reserved. "Have you heard from your sister?" He asked after a moment's thought.

Hester's stomach dropped. "No, not since the party."

"Well, tell her to owl me. Or call, I have no idea why I thought that cellphone would encourage her to keep in contact more." He chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Have a lovely time sweetie, and see you soon."

Amara and Robin had pushed their way through the crowd now, and the goodbye's stretched on. Soon though, Hester was on the train, waving with Robin at her side.

"Is Ella okay?" Robin asked suddenly as they lost sight of their parents.

"Of course." Said Hester briskly. "Why do you ask?"

"She just seemed...distracted, at the party. Not like her usual self."

Hester cursed her younger brother for being so observant. "She was a little unwell, that's all Robbie. Go find your friends, I'll see you at supper."

Robin ran off, and Hester found an empty compartment. She wasn't alone for long however.

"Hessie." James ducked into the compartment, his cherry hair flopping into his eyes. He pulled the curtains shut over the window, looking nervous as he sat across from her. "What's the news then?"

Sitting primly in her seat, Hester set the book she had been pretending to read aside. "Jonathan did not take it well."

"Oh, man." James looked as if he wanted to punch something. "I can't believe that – he seemed great. And to Ella of all people." Ella had always been one of James' favourite cousins. Of course, she wasn't really his cousin; they were only related through their grandparents being god-siblings, which James was pretty sure wasn't even a thing.

"Yeah. She's pretty upset." Hester was trying to subtle. She couldn't look at James, not after the kiss on her windowsill.

"Does she – uh – know what she's going to do?"

"She's getting an abortion." Said Hester bluntly. "In a week or so."

"That's...good for her."

They fell into a comfortable silence, thinking over the events of the New Year so far. James could not stop staring at Hester. Really though, he had always been that way; she had captivated him from an early age. It made his knees weak when she laughed, his breath stopped when her cinnamon hair caught the sunlight, or a curl tickled his arm. When he had kissed her the whole world had stopped moving for a little while.

"Hes?"

"Hm." She was looking out the window, stocking feet tucked under her.

He moved so he knelt beside her. "I can't stop thinking about – you know."

She glanced down at him bashfully, cheeks tinting pink. "Really."

"Really," he moved a little closer. "Care to try again?"

"I –" she leaned over. "Well, why not." Hester thought that the idea of electricity during a kiss was a lie, but with James – those were sparks.

They jumped apart as the compartment door slid open, and a few of their friends entered, oblivious.

Paula, a dreamy Ravenclaw and Hester's dorm mate, plopped herself on the seat. "That trolly lady can really chat your ear off."

"No kidding." Dylan and Cane said in unison, both Slytherins.

The only Hufflepuff in their group, Alya, cozied up to the window. "She gave me an extra gum drop!"

"Grab me anything?" asked James, acting as if he hadn't been kissing their mutual friend seconds before. He sat almost as far as possible from Hester.

"Nah," Cane laughed. "I don't buy Gryffindor's sweets." The old rivalry between their houses was an on-going joke.

The compartment was soon in a playful argument, but Hester and James barely contributed. In the dying light, they only had eyes for each other. Hester had a feeling it was going to be a long six months.

A/N: Cool news everyone! Living in Shadows, the first book in this series, has been added to Wattpad's Fanfiction account's official Harry Potter reading list! And it's not an extraordinarily long list, either! I feel pretty proud.

Question: Uh, James and Hester are being pretty sneaky...thoughts? Also, isn't Maeve cute? I love her. More on Maeve soon.

Rose