Brave [2]

Chapter 20

"You don't need to bounce in your seat, you know," Madison tells me as we sit on the train, not even bothering to look up from her book as a light smile plays on her lips. "It won't make the train go any faster."

"Shh, let her be happy," Kal says softly, and I roll my eyes. I'm not the baby of the group – that's Taylor, although she's the least babyish person you'd bump into. In fact, she's in a rush to grow up. "In just five minutes she'll be able to see Weasley again. Imagine it, though – she's been waiting for what feels like forever, and it'll feel almost too good to be true when she steps on the platform and the reunion is going to be adorable–"

"Are you sure you're not the one dating him, Nibbles?" Taylor smirks, looking up from her drawing, and he gives a sarcastic laugh before going back to his exploding snap game with Aiden. I just sit there petting Oreo, staring out of the window, waiting anxiously for when the train will slow and stop at the station and I'd catch a glimpse of Fred waiting for me.

But I'm so deep in thought imagining it that I jump when Aiden taps my shoulder, and he's trying to hide his grin. "Come on. We're here." I turn back to the window, searching for Fred and George, but the moment I realise something Aiden says it at the same time. "Wrong side, Cinnamon."

"You've got to be kidding me," I groan, having waited to see him in the window, but we're on the wrong side of the train. He chuckles before helping me up, Oreo obediently getting into her carrier as Aiden reaches to get my suitcase down, but I manage to get it myself, a lot stronger than I was a few months ago after all my training. It's worth seeing the shock on Aiden's face.

I pull my bags out of the train, jumping over the gap before dragging them away so the next people can go, Aiden meeting his brother beside me, but then I catch a glimpse of the people I've been waiting for. Grinning, I leave my things before running over and throwing my arms around Fred like we haven't seen each other for a year, and he laughs before swooping his lips down to meet mine.

"Not to cut this reaction short," I hear a sarcastic voice, "but I'm expecting a hug, too." I roll my eyes before pulling away and going to hug George, then Mr and Mrs Weasley. When the others get off the train and hug the twins, too, I hear George whine, "Ginny and Ron are our siblings and even Cassandra hugged us better than them."

I go back and grab my things, saying bye to all my friends and hugging Hermione before watching her leave with her own family, but not before I sneakily give her mother a small box meant to have Mione's Christmas present. She smiles at me knowingly before slipping it in her handbag.

I got Hermione a small purple beaded bag that I placed an Undetectable Extension Charm on, knowing it'll be handy. After all, I've seen Harry, Hermione and Ron on the run, and with Voldemort rising to power it's bound to be of use.

But, what she won't see, is that I stitched in a small tracker in the hem. Not for the Death Eaters to use, but just for me. When they're on the run they might need help, and it'd be best if I occasionally checked on them to make sure everything's fine. I already know there'll be problems with Ron at one point, but there's probably going to be more. This won't be smooth sailing.

"Shall we go, then?" Mrs Weasley smiles once Hermione's gone, and we clamour happily before starting to head to the wall, walking through it. But just before I do, I catch sight of Draco with his mother on the platform, and he meets my eye.

The next few days seem to pass quickly at the Burrow, preparing everything for Christmas once again. It hurts to remember how last Christmas was, with all of us at Grimmauld, Dad there, too. I remember the cutlery fight we got into, the laughter at the table, the snowball fights. It all seems like a very long time ago.