Cards, Fire & Cinnamon - F.WEASLEY

26

───── ❝ Winter Break ❞ ─────

The weeks running up to Christmas passed in a distorted blur. Before she knew it, everyone was sitting on the train home for the holiday. Cass felt like a shell of a person, the smallest inconveniences would have her getting overly upset. She hated this version of herself but no matter how hard she tried, it just wouldn't go away. She felt like she was drowning, hopelessly looking around for someone or something that would help her break the surface. No matter how hard she tried to wade above the water, something would always drag her down to the dark depths. She stared out of the window, only party listening to the conversation happening in the compartment. When the voices in her head got too much, she pulled out a book. Focusing on something else usually took some of the pain away, for a little while anyhow.

Hermione had become a lifejacket. She figured out what was going on and soon came to Cass's aid, bringing distraction and help wherever she could. Hermione walked her through the lessons when she could and helped with homework that she didn't understand. It created a little less stress and Cass would be forever grateful. She quickly figured out how to tell what was going through her mind. She had the ability to keep her from drowning but never could pull her from the water. To her, it seemed that nothing ever would. She offered her half a liquorice wand she had bought when the trolley came around. Cass took it, a small smile creeping its way across her lips. They then broke off into their own conversation, not paying attention to the argument that had broken out between Harry and Ron (who were both heading to the burrow).

The train pulled into the station and she was pulled underneath the water again. For a split second she had looked forward to hopping off the train to meet her Dad's smiling face. For a split second she had forgotten it all. Instead, she had to spend the time with a family she hadn't seen in years. Cass knew it was going to be difficult but she hoped that maybe one of them would be able to be an acting lifejacket for a while. She said goodbye to Hermione then headed to find Draco, hoping to catch him before he left. She managed to catch him just before he walked off the train. "If you need anything, send me a letter and I'll come as soon as I can, okay?" he spoke clearly as they hugged, wanting to make sure that he got the point.

"Make sure you bleach your hair when you get back," she smirked, hoping the joke would relieve some of the nervousness she felt inside. It did not.

"Make sure you stop smoking like you promised," he replied, raising an eyebrow. She had picked up the awful habit from a random Slytherin. They noticed her sitting outside alone and offered her a cigarette. She took it and for a split second, as the smoke-filled up her lungs, the pain disappeared. It aced as support but she hated that it did. It was a disgusting habit that she was trying to break, her father would have hated it. Cass only hummed in acknowledgement then walked off.

She reluctantly stepped off the train, luggage in hand and looked for her Aunt and Uncle. She found them and their children. Two older boys and a younger girl. She walked over, not bothering to cover up how she felt on the inside, they knew everything anyway. Tara didn't hesitate to wrap the girl in a hug, her nose was soon overwhelmed with lavender and honey. She still felt like she was drowning and now, with Hermione and Draco gone, her life jackets were far out of reach.

They began to walk to the family car, her uncle wrapped an arm over her shoulder like he used to do when she was younger. "How you feelin' chip," he asked, smiling softly at her. She smiled at the nickname, oddly she had missed it. It came from a really stupid story. She used to steaL the chocolate chips out of chocolate chip cookies and leave the actual cookie behind.

"Alright I guess," she lied. Cass's eyes went to the two boys. Daniel was the oldest of the two and had clearly inherited his mother's brown curly hair and green eyes. She had seen him around and the two had short conversations, the ones that you have with cousins that you haven't talked to for so long. She liked him though, he just seemed to understand everything better. The younger boy, Nathan, had his fathers hair and was a first year. She recognized him from the sorting. Cass had stepped into a family of Hufflepuffs. Sophia, the youngest child who had small blonde curls all over her head, took Cass's hand in her own and skipped alongside the two of them. She giggled the entire way, without a car in the world. It was refreshing to see. They reached the grey car and, after piling their things into the trunk, everyone slid into their respective seats.