The shouts could still be heard downstairs and she tried to ignore the back and forth of Fred and Amelia. She couldn’t believe they were fighting in front of everyone downstairs. Although she wished they wouldn’t come in here, she was already starting to form a headache that would soon turn into a migraine.
Hermione lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, and was not prepared in the slightest when the door banged open. Her husband and daughter strode into the room, both of them mimicking the other’s anger. Hermione slowly pulled herself into a sitting position, bracing herself of the upcoming argument. Amelia stopped at the foot of the bed and crossed her arms.
‘I’m 18 years old!’ Amelia yelled, glaring at Hermione for an odd reason.
It wasn’t like Hermione had been the one to drag her away from Scorpius. In fact, she had been the one who suggested going to Draco and sorting everything out. She had been on Amelia’s side all along. Why was she glaring at her then? Obviously, Amelia was too used to blaming her mother for everything. Hermione sighed and looked at Fred who also had his arms crossed over his chest. Now she understood where Amelia got her anger from.
‘Yes, I know I had you 18 years ago. I remember giving birth to you,’ Hermione stated, a little haughtily.
‘Then why do you treat me like I’m 8?’ Amelia glared, ‘I should never have come here for Christmas! All you’ve done is try to ruin what I have with Scorpius!’
‘Yes, Amelia, I persuaded your father to go to Draco’s house to see if he was accepting his son’s choice to marry our daughter. And I only did that because I’m trying to ruin your relationship with him,’ Hermione said sarcastically, moving her bushy hair out of her face.
Amelia paused, not used to her mother being so sarcastic with her. She frowned, her face falling into a slightly shocked expression, and turned her eyes towards Fred instead. Fred glanced briefly at Hermione too and then shook his head, looking at Amelia.
‘Why are you acting like that?’ Amelia asked, in a whisper, ‘why can’t you just stand by me?’
‘I have been standing by you!’ Hermione fought to keep her voice level but it was a hard job. She hated being the one that her daughter blamed. She never blamed Fred and this time, Fred was actually to blame.
‘I’ll have nothing to do with this wedding,’ Fred stated and held up a finger when Amelia was about to object, ‘marry him and ruin your life. You know where I’ll be when you come to your senses.’
‘I love him, Dad,’ Amelia frowned, ‘didn’t you love Mum? Wasn’t everyone against that because Uncle Ron loved Mum too?’
‘That’s entirely different, Amelia,’ Fred said angrily, ‘Malfoy’s kind of people killed my brother! How could you even think of forgiving them for that?!’
‘I didn’t know Uncle George!’ Amelia yelled again, hitting her hands on the bed in front of her, ‘and Scorpius didn’t personally kill him! Neither did his father! Scorpius isn’t a scapegoat!’
‘You didn’t know him but I did! No one can ever be forgiven for his murder and I won’t be associated with you, Amelia, if you marry him,’ Fred stated, heading to the door.
Amelia opened her mouth to talk back but her voice caught in her throat. Her father hardly ever argued with her and now he had basically shunned her from his life. A sob escaped her throat and she sat down onto the bed with a flop, burying her face in her hands as she cried. Hermione bit her lip, her heart fluctuating at the sound of her crying. She moved closer and rubbed her back.
‘It’ll be fine, sweetheart,’ Hermione told her in a soothing voice, ‘he’s just angry.’
James, who had been lurking about in the hall and overhearing their argument, came into the room and went over to Amelia, wrapping his arms around her. Amelia did the same and cried into his shoulder, feeling her heart squeeze as she pictured her father leaving her life forever just because she wanted to marry the man she loved.
