THE REUNION
When we apparated to the Three Broomsticks I was met with the warming smell of butterbeer, fire whiskey, and the place's normal cinnamon aroma. The first people to walk up to me and Adrien were Blaise, Draco, and my older twin brothers.
"Well there's the people we were waiting for!" Blaise exclaimed as he walked up to us with open arms.
"Hello to you, Zabini." I jokingly said as we embraced each other in a hug.
Hades, Zeus and Draco snickered as Blaise played a hurtful look on his face. "Zabini? When did we go back to last names, Winters?"
We all burst out into giggles and laughs except for Adrien who stood next to me, arm wrapped around my waist.
"Correction Blaise, remember she's a Pucey now." He leaned in to kiss my cheek as I faked a smile. Although it wouldn't have done much convincing to the boys. Hades and Zeus had found a bruise on my arm once, and told Blaise and Draco about it.
From there they confronted me and I told them what had been going on. It took a lot of pleading but I managed to have them not beat the living shit out of him. They'd asked me why I hadn't just ended things with him.
I simply just mentioned my son's name and they completely understood my reasons. "Right! Sorry, it's our force of habit to call her Winters." Draco replied swiftly, trying not to engage suspicion in any way. They despised the newly adapted surname when they found out what really happens behind closed doors in the Pucey household.
Adrien shrugged it off and started a conversation with Blaise about quidditch. Draco took this as a chance to shoot me a 'can I beat him up now?' look. I smiled sadly and shook my head no while mouthing 'Please don't.'
--
Hades and Zeus interrupted me and Draco's conversation about scheduling a meet up by dragging me off into the pub full of old Hogwarts students. I turned around and saw Draco, Blaise, and Adrien following shortly behind us.
My brothers dragged me to a booth full of people and stopped at the end of the table. I looked at them with a sarcastic smile. "How thankful I am that you dragged me to a table dear brothers." I smacked them both on the back of their heads, making them whine in pain.
The boys laughed as one of the people sitting down stood up and spoke. "I'm hurt Aph, you don't remember your old non Slytherin friends?"
I looked up to see Lee with an over exaggerated pouty face and a hand clutching where his heart is over his shirt. I smiled widely and looked around the table to see Harry, Ron, Luna, Neville, George, and... Fred. My eyes lingered on his for a while until George spoke up and caught my attention.
"Wow Aphrodite, still the same height I see. would've thought you'd grown at least an inch by now." George retorted while smirking mischievously as usual.
Hades and Zeus turned red while trying to hold their laughter along with Draco. Everyone else burst into guffaws and giggles, not attempting to hold their smiles one bit. My cheeks turned pink from embarrassment. Not only because of my height but because of what Fred had decided to wear for tonight's events.
He was a naturally handsome male. A way I found myself telling the difference between George and Fred was that Fred's facial features were more sharp and defined, while George's played a more soft and round look. He had a defined jaw that made his profile hotter than it already was. Not to mention his hands... They were quite large, and veiny. His fingers were long and thick and I found myself glancing at them from time to time. Tonight he decided to wear a plain red button-up long sleeve which was tucked into a pair of black dress pants. His shirt hugged his toned torso perfectly, slightly outlining his biceps and abs. Thank you quidditch for doing him good.
I cleared my throat for a second, allowing my flushed cheeks to lose their pink hue. "Great to see you, George. Still think you're the hotter twin?" I replied back with a smug face. This made everyone burst into more laughs as George was now the pink one.
After everyone caught their breaths Hermione and Ginny joined us from the bar with drinks. The girls and I took this time as an opportunity to catch up on life. I had learned that Hermione now had a baby girl named rose. We talked about our careers and how me and Hermione were stay at home wives thanks to our children. Luna and Ginny were perplexed at how we managed to make that sacrifice with what we loved doing.
Before Adrian had told me to quit my job so I could take care of Pelio, I taught potions at Hogwarts. I knew that because of my parents wealth and power I wouldn't have to work a day in my life, but I could never just see myself sitting at home. Well, that was until I had pelio. Although teaching students about potion making wasn't my ideal job, I detest staying home.
"So Aph," Ginny started talking quite loudly, catching the whole table's attention. "When were you gonna tell us you sing?" This surprised most people at the table.
Hermione, Lee, and the Weasleys started bombarding me with questions. "It's just a little hobby right now. Like I said I'm a stay at home mom." I caught Adrian smiling at me for playing along with his little lies. "Plus, I highly doubt that it'll even get me anywhere." I spoke quietly, trying to calm everyone down.
"Yea right Aph. You have a beautiful voice. My father is still wondering when you'll let him write about you in The Quibbler." Luna added and she smiled sweetly.
I had sung for Luna's birthday a couple months ago, as requested by her. It turned out to be a big hit, and her father kept insisting he helped me get my singing career going by allowing him to mention me in The Quibbler.
"Nonsense Luna, your father has much more important things to write about. It's not that big of a deal anyways I'm happy with my life and my family." I smiled fakely at the group. The four former Slytherin boys all share the same knowing look with each other.
This started a new riot now of people telling me I should accept Mr. Lovegood's offer. Neville then spoke up above everyone's retaliations.
"You should sing tonight. I booked this one band but they had to cancel unfortunately, so the stage is open."
I instantly shook my head and said no. "Nope you're doing this." Draco said as he stood up. I challengingly stood up as well with my arms folded across my chest, although I was half his size. He had easily grown to be almost 6'0" and I barely had grown past 5'4". Draco smirked and glanced behind me. When I turned around confused, I was met with my brothers linking both my arms with theirs and dragging me to the stage.
Neville followed behind us as everyone from the table was now cheering my name. I tried my best to fight against their restraints but horribly failed to do so. When we got to the stage in the front of the room Neville took to mic and my brothers apparated off the stage.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen! Now I think it's time for some entertainment so I give you my good friend, who can sing amazingly, Aphrodite!" After he introduced me and apparated off, everyone turned towards the stage and clapped.
Simple song. Just breathe and you can do this. I walked up to the mic and pointed my wand towards the instruments that were playing themselves. I decided on a slow song that I wrote in my fourth year myself and used my wand to have the instruments now play the new beat.
"This one is gonna be a slow song so grab a partner and get close." I spoke into the mic as the instruments started playing the soothing melody.
(THE NIGHT WE MET- LORD HURON)
I met the melody with a soft vocal and started singing. "I am not the only traveler who has not repaid their debt."
On the dance floor everyone found their other and started to dance. From the tables people stood up, hand in hand, and made their way towards the floor.
In the crowd I saw Neville dancing with Luna, Harry with Ginny, Ron with Hermione, George with Lee, and Hades and Zeus with two random girls along with Blaise and Draco.
"I've been searching for a trail to follow... again," I looked at the table to see two boys still sitting down. Adrian and Fred. I made eye contact with Adrian but looked away to find another pair of eyes to find mine.
This pair belonged to a certain redhead. One who I made a promise to a long time ago. My breath hitched in my throat as his eyes stared into mine. "Take me back to the night we met..."