~ Ron Weasley's POV ~
"Get up, you git! Mum is having a fit because Bill and Fleur are going to be here any minute." I hear in my ear. I just roll over, plopping my pillow over my head.
"justfivemoreminu..." I trail off, already starting to doze.
But, of course I'm not that lucky... Suddenly, I feel ice cold water splash on me, drenching me from head to toe. I sit up with a gasp, not being able to breathe.
"GET OUT!" I roar, pushing my sopping wet hair out of my face.
Fred and George burst out in laughter, exiting my messy room. I let out a loud groan, getting to my feet. How is it physically possible for two people to be so irritating? You'd think there were some sort of maximum capacity for being annoying. I mean, a person can only push one so far, right?
Using my wand, I dry off within seconds, my teeth chattering. I slip into a pair of worn-in jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and a more-than-likely dirty flannel.
I step out of my room, hearing commotion downstairs. I take a deep breath, before heading down the steps. I know Mum is probably running around as if her head were cut off, making sure that everything is perfect for Bill and Fleur. Why she's making such a fuss for merely Bill, I'll never understand.
"RON!" Mum stops me before I can make my way to the kitchen. "Is that what you're wearing?" She sighs, trying to button my shirt, but I swat away her hands. She lets out a sigh and settles with fixing the collar. "Well, can you at least be a doll and stay out of the way? Harry, Hermione and Ginny are outside cleaning up the yard, why don't you join them?" She suggests, pushing me towards the back door.
"But, I'm hungry," I object, trying to make a beeline for the refrigerator, but she quickly intercepts me and ushers me outside.
"Clean now, eat later!" She shrieks, after she hears something shatter in the other room. "GEORGE AND FRED WEASLEY!" She shouts, making my eardrums throb, before slamming the door shut behind me.
I can't even get breakfast in my own house... Bill is going to get an earfull when I get to him.
"You're exiled as well?" I hear behind me.
I turn around to see Harry, Hermione, and Ginny all dressed in nice clothes, beating out old rugs with some sort of whisk. I don't know why Mum insists on making us do all these chores by hand. I just snort and take the extra whisk that Hermione offers me.
"I heard that Fleur is bringing Beauxbaton students that are transferring to Hogwarts here. I guess they are staying with us until school starts." Ginny tells us, hitting the rug that goes in Mum and Dad's room with all of her might.
I can't help but to laugh as she stumbles, nearly knocking herself off of her feet. I hear Hermione, beside me, make a sound of distaste. She made it well known that she did not care for Fleur, or the Beauxbatons for that matter, at all.
"Where'd you hear that?" I ask, wiping a bit of sweat from my forehead.
"Mum told me that I'd have to give up my room." She explains, speaking bitterly. "If these students are anything like Fleur, these are going to be the longest three days of my life." She remarks.
If these students happen to be girls, then these next three days could be the best of my life. I can't help but to grin to myself, remembering how many beautiful girls Beauxbaton had brought during the Triwizard Tournament.
I meet eyes with Harry, who was on the other side of my large egyptian rug, with an amused smile on my face. I raise my eyebrows, not even having to say a word. He breaks out into laughter.
Then, I feel hands smacking me from all over.
"Ron, you're a pig!" Ginny shouts, smacking me in the stomach with her whisk. Hermione gives me a hard shove as well.
"Don't even start with this," She warns me, giving me a firm glare.
This only make Harry laugh harder, as he continues to beat the rug.
*
"BILL!" I hear Mum shout inside the house, as the four of us relax on the lawn, drinking an ice cold lemonade. Sweat coats each and every one of our foreheads. Not only did we have to beat every single one of the rugs in our home, but Mum also made us lug around our fancy lawn furniture. She only made us bring this out once before, and that was when Dad was hosting dinner for a few of his work friends.
Ginny gets up from her spot on the grass beside Harry, and takes off jogging to the front of the house.
"Glad she has the energy now," I remark, recalling her complaining about her feet when we were carrying out the large table.
Hermione hops to her feet to help Harry and I up. Although she tries to be discreet about it, I watch her as she tries to fix her hair in her reflection in the window. Why girls get so worked up about appearances, I'll never know. I look down at my own outfit, coated with dirt. I shrug and head towards the front of the house, trailing behind Hermione.
"Blimey," I hear Harry mumble under his breath as we round the corner. I look up from the ground, to lay eyes on the small group of people formed in the front lawn. My eyes instantly land on a bright head of blue hair.
Bloody hell... I try not to stare at the girl, around our age, with bright blue hair that falls to her lower back. She has it pulled out of her face, with a few flowers decorated in it. I study her carefully. She wears a floor-length floral dress, without any shoes. Her features are very dainty, and petite; almost fairy-like.
She stands beside Fleur, not listening to the conversation in front of her. Instead, she looks around, studying our house with fascination. Her pale skin contrasts with her bright hair and large brown eyes. I don't want to be rude, but I can't take my eyes off of her. She's so... strange. And that's saying something, coming from me. I'm friends with Loony Luna, and I have to say that this girl tops the cake for craziness.
But, beside her are a boy and a girl, who seem much more confident. They listen to Mum speak to Bill and Fleur with intensity. They seem much more serious than the other girl.
"I can't stop staring..." I whisper to Harry. Out of the corner of my eye, I see his eyes are fixed on the girl as well. He just nods and stares wide-eyed at her.
"Oh, goody! Here are the rest. That's my youngest son, Ron; and his two friends, Harry and Hermione." Mum introduces us, as we get closer to the group of people.
I stand beside Fred and George, who are whispering to each other behind Mum's back.
" 'Ello Ronald," Fleur comes up to me and kisses me on both cheeks, making me blush like mad. Damn Fleur for being part veela! " 'Arry, I'm so 'appy zat you will be with us for ze rest of your summer." Fleur kisses Harry, her old competitor in the Triwizard Tournament. It brings back old memories of our fourth year. I can't believe it's only been two years.
Fleur does not give a welcome to Hermione. She merely nods at her and takes her spot beside Bill once more. Hermione crosses her arms over her chest and settles her lips in a firm line. Ginny has nearly the exact same expression, standing beside Bill.
"Ron," Bill brings my attention back to him, "Fleur and I agreed to take with us a few students, that wish to continue their studies in Hogwarts. So, let me introduce you to them." He explains to me what Ginny had said earlier.
He turns around and the three kids, blue-haired included, stand beside him.
"This is Henri," He points to a fairly tall, athletic blond boy. Henri nods and gives us a polite smile. "This is Elodie," He points to the girl beside Henri. She has dirty-blonde hair that is pulled back into a ponytail, tied up with a ribbon. She seems very neat and organized as she gives us a slight curtsy. "And, this is Gemma," He says, pointing to the final student.
Gemma catches my eye and she gives me a very whimsical smile, as if she were returning from a dream-like state. I hear Fred and George trying to hold back a snicker, beside me. Bill shoots them a warning glare, making them snicker even more.
"They are all starting their sixth year as well, so I figured you could get to know them these next few days." He suggests, letting Fleur settle in his arms, giving her a loving smile. I roll my eyes and try to keep down my non-existing breakfast.
"Of course, I'm sure the six of them will be the best of friends by the time they leave for school." Mum claps her hands and smiles, excitedly. "We are happy to have you three here for the remaining of the summer," She turns to our visitors.
"Merci," The boy says, speaking french. But, then he shakes his head, "Excuse me, I mean thank-you," Fleur gives him a pat on the shoulder, smiling at him.
"No problem, no problem at all," Mum says with a wave of her hand, "Now why don't we all go in for some brunch?" She offers, almost at the same moment that my stomach growls loudly.
"YES!" Fred, George and I speak up at the same time. This causes the others to laugh and Bill reaches over and messes with my hair. But, I hurry away before he can pull me into a head-lock, like he used to.
*
"So, Gemma, tell us a bit about yourself," Mum asks, after we heard a little from the other two. We learned that Henri was planning on playing Quidditch professionally, after he finishes school. And Elodie told us a rather boring story about her entire life. I tried my hardest not to fall asleep into my eggs.
Now, we all turn towards the virtually silent blue-haired wonder, at the other end of the table, sitting between Bill and Ginny. She finishes chewing her piece of fruit, and wipes her lips with her napkin.
"Well, I have an older brother that lives in London. My parents live in Paris, though. Mum is an animal trainer, and Dad is an inventor." She speaks, for the first time.
I take notice that she doesn't speak with a thick french accent, like the others did. If I had not known that she was french, I would have guessed she was English, just like us. Also, I had imagined her voice to be airy and light, much like Luna's, but it wasn't. It was still dainty, but it had a soft raspiness to it.
"I notice that you don't speak with a french accent," Mum mentions, creating conversation. But, all of of us keep our forks suspended in the air as we wait for her to keep talking. Everyone is curious for more information on this girl.
"Yes, that is because I only live in France during the school year. I've spent my summers in England for longer than I can remember. I stay in St. Mungo's and..." She says, but that causes Hermione beside me to let out a small gasp and Fred and George to choke back laughter.
She's a mad woman! Fantastic, just great... Bill brings a crazy person into our home for the next three days. I'm going to have to lock my doors at night, just to be sure she doesn't come in there in the middle of the night. I look over at Harry, who keeps a very polite expression on his face.
"Makes sense," I hear George whisper to Fred, but I think Gemma hears it as well. Her eyes flicker over to the twins, but she continues,
"I help out patients whenever I am off school." She explains. Guilt rushes over me for assuming she was some psychotic murderer. I feel a sharp kick under the table, sending me nearly a foot in the air. I look over to see Fred and George getting the same treatment, only seconds later.
I rub my shin as Bill glares at us, shaking his head.
"That's where we met her. Fleur and I were at St. Mungo's, visiting the Longbottoms, when she was going around cheering up patients. Fleur recognized her as a Beauxbaton, so they got to talking," Bill speaks up, smiling over to Gemma.
"How are the Longbottoms?" Mum gives Gemma a warm smile before changing the topic.
Bill, Fleur and Mum start a conversation about the Order, being sure not to give away any secret information in front of our guests. Elodie and Henri listen, a rather confused look on their faces. But, Gemma keeps her eyes down, focusing on her food.
I watch as she moves her hair out of her face, and pushes it behind her ear. She shows a rather large scar on her left ear. I try not to stare, but it's incredibly difficult. I try to look away when she looks up at me, feeling my gaze on her, but I don't. I meet eyes with her and, involuntarily, my lips turn up, in a slight smile. She gives me a polite smile back before she continues to eat her food.
"I imagine she'll get along very well with Luna," Harry leans over and speaks quietly to me. I nod, enthusiastically. Those two could be sisters; with their long hair and peculiar clothes.
"She reminds me of Trelawny," Hermione mutters, frowning. I can't help but to raise my eyebrows. Hermione isn't usually such a hostile person, especially to those that are unique and different. She's usually very tolerant of strange people.
Behind Hermione's back, Harry looks at me with confusion. I just shrug and shake my head. I'll never understand the woman's mind...