Cursed With Curious Minds | Hp Next Generation

28 - Happy New Year

"Mum, be cool, please." Astrid begged, as they made their way through Platform 9 ¾.

"I am cool!" she defended.

"Yeah, maybe now, but you won't be in about five seconds when you see Ophelia." Astrid said. She was just pleased that her dad wasn't here. She didn't need him trying to have 'the talk' with her or Ophelia in the middle of the station.

"Why, is she here?" Astrid's mum answered immediately.

"That's what I mean!"

Astrid froze the moment she noticed Ophelia through the crowd. They made eye contact, and Astrid tried to show 'Please don't run up and hug me, my mum is here and god knows how embarrassing that'll be. For both of us.' However a message like that was quite hard to convey with just facial expressions, so Ophelia missed it completely and immediately ran up to Astrid – embracing her.

"Hi!" she said excitedly.

"Hi." Astrid replied, lacking in enthusiasm.

"Hi." Astrid's mum interjected, with the excitement Ophelia had expected off of Astrid.

"And this is...?" Ophelia asked Astrid, worried her suspicions were true.

"Dawn, Astrid's mum." She responded, before Astrid had a chance. She held out her hand for Ophelia to shake.

Ophelia paused for a moment, before exclaiming, "Oh! I know this!" and shook her hand back.

Astrid's mum smiled, but before she could say anything, Astrid interrupted. "Well, we really should be getting on the train,"

"Lovely to meet you!" Ophelia said to Astrid's mum.

"You too! And do you really have to?" she asked. "The train doesn't leave for half an hour!"

Astrid was already walking off, hand in hand with Ophelia. "The seats go quickly, mum! We need to get a compartment!"

"Love you!" Astrid's mum called out, desperately before her daughter vanished into the crowd.

"Love you too!" Astrid called back, stepping onto the Hogwarts Express.

Astrid was right about the train. It was packed. Luckily, there were still some compartments left, and since it looked as though Astrid and Ophelia were the first to arrive from their group – they took an empty one.

"I missed you." Astrid said.

"I missed you, too." Ophelia replied, and the two of them started kissing.

Astrid didn't realise how much she missed Ophelia until their lips began to touch, and suddenly she couldn't imagine life without her.

***

Delilah was looking up and down the train, peering into all of the compartments. She was sure that someone in their group would have already arrived. That was when she noticed them.

Astrid and Ophelia had in fact already arrived, and were sitting alone in a compartment. Intensely kissing. Meanwhile, Toby stood awkwardly outside the door.

"I've been here two minutes." He said. "I'm not sure either one of them has stopped for breath."

Delilah's heart panged, but she bottled it up and knocked quietly on the glass.

The two of them inside froze, and slowly pulled apart to look at the door.

Delilah and Toby both gave an awkward wave.

"Delilah!" Astrid exclaimed, subconsciously brushing her hair back into place with her fingers. "Hi!"

"Happy New Year!" Delilah said. It was the only thing she could think of.