The rays of the early morning sun hit Alex's eyes as she stirred awake. Glancing around the room for a second, she looked at the set-up around her room with soft smile on her face.
Alex and Hermione had briefly explained to Hermione's parents how Alex's parents simply weren't in the picture at the moment and how her old living arrangements had fallen through. The Grangers didn't ask more questions thankfully and welcomed Alex like she was another daughter into their home. And she made sure to repay the favor by offering money, which she had taken from her vault to help cover the costs of her living there, even if they told her it was unnecessary.
Ever since the summer had started, Alex had been staying in the Granger family guest room and began to make it her own room. Pictures and memorabilia began to cover the walls of the many adventures she'd been having with Hermione that summer, as well as twinkly lights. She couldn't help but let eyes linger on the drawing of the Hebridean Black Dragon that Fred had given to her for Christmas the previous year.
There were pictures that they had taken in a photo booth in a mall nearby. Alex had been amazed walking around with Hermione as they showed her all the Muggle shops. It made Hermione laugh to see Alex's reaction to it all.
Al was perched comfortably on the desk where there were multiple film ticket stubs in the corner, showing the many films they had gone to watch that summer. They had been going to see one every week and again, it amazed Alex to see how innovative Muggles were as they watched the films.
But so far, Alex's favorite thing they had done so far with Hermione and her parents was when they went to see a musical on Shaftesbury Avenue. They had watched 'Les Miserables,' which Alex enjoyed very much. So much so that she kept quoting the songs to Hermione, who would laugh every time.
Slowly sitting up, Alex stretched before the sound of tapping caught her attention and she looked at the window to see a screech owl sitting on the windowsill, holding a letter in its beak. She instantly recognized the owl and climbed out of bed to grab the letter.
"Thank you," she told the owl as she gave him a treat before ripping the seal open:
Dear Alex,
I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the school year to start. I miss you way more than I thought I would since you've actually become one of my best friends. Your smile helps brighten up my day and I'm beginning to see you like a little sister. It almost makes me wish I had siblings, but if I can't, I'm glad to have you.
Hopefully, you're willing to help me with potions again this year because while I did pass and am taking it as a N.E.W.T. subject, I do know I was struggling during the exam. And since you're the most brilliant student when it comes to that subject, I hope you'll help a poor, brainless-when-it-comes-to-potions sycophant like me. (Alex laughed out loud at his word choice.)
Also, I was wondering, are you going to the Quidditch World Cup? Because if so, Dad and I are going and we should meet up! Let me know if you are and we'll make plans!
Hope summer's treating you well!
Cedric.
Alex smiled down at the letter before placing it on the desk, making a mental note to respond to him later. However, the smell of breakfast food hit her nose and she slipped on her robe and slippers. Making her way down the stairs, she found Hermione's mum, Charlotte, starting to cook breakfast. William, Hermione's dad, was sitting at the table, drinking a cup of tea.
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Alex greeted quietly since it sounded like Hermione was still sleeping.
"Good morning, Alex," they both responded, smiling at her.
"Did you sleep okay?" Mrs. Granger asked.
"I did," Alex told her with a smile. "Do you need help cooking?"
"I would love some help," Charlotte said. "Also, we've told you this dozens of times, you don't need to use formalities; it's Charlotte."
"And don't forget, I'm William," Mr. Granger teased, causing Alex to smile.
"I'm sorry, Mrs - Charlotte," the young girl quickly corrected with a smile. "I'm just so used to using more formal names, especially during school."
Charlotte smiled. "It's okay. Now come help me with these eggs."
They spent the morning cooking breakfast together and eventually, Hermione came down the stairs as they were finishing up. They all settled at the table and began to dig into the breakfast that was prepared as they made small talk.
Just as they were finishing did an owl land at the window. Then a second later, a small and rather eccentric owl flew behind the owl on the windowsill, flying around excitedly in circles.
"I will never get used to the idea of owls being used to deliver the post," William mumbled as Alex and Hermione walked to grab the letters from the owls.
"Our Hogwarts letters," Hermione told Alex.
She took hers and ripped it open to read what new books they would be needing for the coming school year. But something else caught Alex's eye as she looked over the list.
"We need dress robes this year?" Alex questioned before looking to Hermione, who was eying her own list, though she nodded in confirmation.
"Mine says the same," Hermione told her.
"For what?" Alex wondered as Charlotte walked over and looked at their lists.
"Well, we can make a fun day out of it!" Charlotte told them. "We'll go into town, just us girls and we can find you both dress robes for whatever is going to happen for the school year."
Alex smiled as she looked to Hermione, who nodded as well, both of them excited at the prospect of going into town. Then Hermione turned and took the letter from the small owl, who continued to zoom around the room happily.
"It's from Ron," Hermione told Alex as she read the letter. "His dad got tickets to the Quidditch World Cup Finals and he's inviting the both of us to come with them and stay for the remainder of the summer!"
Immediately, Alex squealed as they both began to jump up and down in the kitchen. She had been looking forward to this the whole summer. She'd been following the Quidditch World Cup through the Daily Prophet to see what the scores were like and had been anticipating the finals.
"Would that be alright, Mum?" Hermione asked after she and Alex calmed down.
Charlotte looked over to William, who simply shrugged with a smile on his face. "Well, I don't see why you girls can't go," she confirmed with a smile. "When do they plan to come and pick you up?"
Hermione looked back down at the letter. "Saturday afternoon, so tomorrow," she confirmed, still excited.
"Oh, that will give us plenty of time to get your dress robes and make sure you are both packed," she confirmed. "Now, if we want to get a move on, we need to get ready for the day. Go on!" She ushered both Hermione and Alex out of the kitchen, both girls giggling as they ran up the stairs to get ready for the day.
"I can't wait for the Quidditch World Cup!" Alex told Hermione excitedly.
"Me either!" Hermione exclaimed before she seemed to think of something and looked to Alex. "Are you going to be okay staying at the Weasleys for the rest of the summer with - ya know?"
Alex stopped, realizing that staying with the Weasleys meant having to be around Fred. They hadn't talked since the end of the previous school year, which wasn't weird, but from Alex's end, she'd been trying to spend the summer forgetting her clearly unrequited crush for him.
"Yeah," Alex responded, though she didn't sound too convinced of herself. "I'll be okay."
Hermione looked at her with uncertainty before nodding slowly and walking back into her room to get changed for the day. Alex entered her own room and pulled out some clothes for the day before walking over to the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth.
When she and Hermione were ready, they walked down the stairs to find Charlotte already getting her purse and keys to head into town. She looked up to see both girls ready and smiled.
"Shall we, then?"
Hermione and Alex nodded.
⊰ ⁜ ⊱
They had spent the entire afternoon out at one of the dress shops close by. Eventually, both girls had found dresses and shoes for whatever was going to happen for that school year. Alex smiled as she paid for her own dress after exchanging some of her money from her vault into Muggle currency so she could cover her cost of things while living with the Grangers. She had done it earlier in the summer.
Making it back to the house that afternoon, Charlotte told the girls to go begin packing so they would be ready for when the Weasleys came for them the next day.
Taking a second to sit down and write a quick reply to Cedric telling him that she would be at the Weasleys for the rest of the summer and would be attending the World Cup, Alex quickly sent it off with Al before hurrying to finishing packing up the last of her things into her trunk.
"Dinner's ready," Hermione spoke as she walked in to find Alex packing up the last of her belongings.
"Be right down," Alex responded with a smile before turning back to her trunk, though Hermione didn't leave yet.
"So is it going to be weird being around him?" Hermione questioned, sitting on the bed right by where Alex was crouched down on the floor.
Alex dropped some clean clothes down into her trunk before looking up at Hermione, who had a small teasing smile forming on her face. This had been a constant the whole summer, but that was to be expected since they were getting older and to the age when boys became a more prominent subject between them.
"I don't want it to be weird," Alex shrugged. "I mean, I won't intentionally try to see it weird but he said it himself, 'Mione: That kiss was a heat of the moment situation."
Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "And what was it to you?"
Alex's gaze fell down, unable to meet her friends eye because she knew she couldn't lie. "It doesn't matter what I think it was," she replied, looking up at Hermione. "I don't want to lose him as a friend since he doesn't return the feelings."
"Did he actually say that he doesn't return the feelings?" Hermione asked.
"Well, technically no-"
"Then talk to him!" Hermione exclaimed. "I expect you to talk to him before we head back to Hogwarts and if you don't, I will talk to him for you. And you know I will."
Alex then shook her head. "I don't want to risk anything, Hermione," Alex told her. "It's bad enough that I know I'm not over this crush yet, but what good is actually talking to him gonna do?"
"Maybe he does feel the same way," Hermione told her. "Now come on, let's go have dinner."
Hermione walked out, leaving Alex to be stuck in her thoughts for a minute. She didn't want to talk to Fred before going back to Hogwarts because she didn't want to make the atmosphere in the Burrow awkward. She just decided to avoid him while they were there for the next few weeks.
"No drama this year," she whispered to herself. "We're just going to have a normal school year."
⊰ ⁜ ⊱
Not the entire plot of Goblet of Fire eying Alex, whose hoping for a normal year lol
Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates! And as my three year old said this morning, "God bless us, everyone!" My little Tiny Tim omg!
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-Squid♡