CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
❛you were talking a lot.❜
Hope Lupin opened her eyes to a bright white room, which she realized to be the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey walked towards her with a smile.
"Someone's here to see you, Miss Lupin." Madam Pomfrey smiled. "Remus, you can come in now."
Remus suddenly came bursting into the room and knelt beside Hope's bed. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Papa--"
"What on earth were you thinking? You almost died, do you think I want to lose you?" his voice started to break. "Hope, I can't lose you too. Especially when our last moment was a fight."
"Papa, I'm okay." she finally wore a smile. "I'm sorry for everything that happened over Christmas, and summer, and throughout the school year."
Remus sighed. "It's okay, Sweetheart. As long as you're okay. That's all that matters."
Suddenly the door burst open to reveal George, who was panting heavily. His brown eyes were on the floor as he began to talk.
"Hope, I--" George looked up to see Remus. "Oh, um, hello? I'm George, Mister Lupin, sir."
"George, hey." said Hope, a bigger smile coming to her face. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged before grinning. "One of my favorite people is in the Hospital Wing, did you think I wouldn't visit? Besides, I needed to know you were okay."
Remus Lupin laid in the Hospital Wing bed after his first full moon in his third-year. He laid with a book in one hand a chocolate frog in the other.
Suddenly, the Hospital Wing door slammed open to reveal Sirius and James. "Remus!"
"Sirius? James? What are you doing here?" Remus asked.
Sirius laughed. "One of my favorite people is in the Hospital Wing, did you think I wouldn't visit? Besides, I needed to know you were okay."
"Sirius, I'm fine."
"Well, I got you some chocolate anyways. Take it or leave it."
Remus chuckled. "I'm obviously going to take it."
"George--"
He cut her off with a couple of sugar quills in his hand. "Here, I got some sugar quills for you."
"My favorite!"
The door opened once again to reveal Molly Weasley who stood with Ginny, who was still crying. Molly was still scolding Ginny as they walked through the door.
"Hey, J." said Ginny, whose face turned into a smile. "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me."
"Gin, I'd do it a thousand times again." laughed Hope. "Just don't write back to diaries, you don't know where it keeps its brain."
Mrs. Weasley let out a gasp. "I told her the same thing, dear. I'm just happy you're okay."
"Hello, Molly. I don't believe we've met." Remus held out his hand. "Remus Lupin, Hope's father."
Her brown eyes looked over the man before shaking his hand. "Pleasure, Remus. Your daughter is lovely."
Madam Pomfrey walked in the room once again, this time being followed by Alfie. His green eyes were blotchy red as he looked from George, to Remus, to Hope.
"Hey, Sis."
"Hi, Alfie."
Molly gave Hope a small hug as she turned to Ginny and George. "Let's give these three some privacy."
As the three Weasleys walked out of the room, Alfie just stood at the end of Hope's bed. Not a word escaped his mouth. He just stood there, guilt clear on his face.
"Look, I know I've been wrong lately--"
"Wrong? Is that how you want to put it?" Hope stared at her brother dead in the eyes. "You've been the worst brother--"
Hope was cut off by her father. "Hope James, let him speak."
"You're my little sister. And as much as I care about you, I'm terrified for you. You've almost been killed so many times, you get into trouble, you are too confident for your own good--"
"Alphard--"
Alfie put his finger up to stop his father's talking. "Hope, our family has lost too much already. I don't want my arse behavior to get in the way of our family. I shouldn't have called you names, or hated on you for wanting to know about Dad."
"Language--"
"Papa, let me finish." he held a finger to his father's face. "Your friends care about you, and all in all. They keep you safe, and I shouldn't hate on that."
Hope jumped out of her bed and wrapped her arms around her brother. "Good, cause I've missed my big brother."
In the Great Hall, the Final Feast was happening and everyone was more than happy. Hope wandered over to the Slytherin table and sat next to Draco Malfoy, who sat by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Draco, hey." she smiled while sitting down. "How's the steak and kidney pies?"
"They're alright." said Draco. "How are you feeling?"
Goyle looked up. "I heard you went on another dangerous mission."
Crabbe let out a laugh as he looked at his friend. "You need to stop risking your life, Hope."
"Crabbe's right, you gave us a real scare." Draco agreed. "But, we're happy you're okay."
"Who would've guessed Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Greg Goyle would have a soft side." laughed Hope. "Don't worry guys, I won't tell."
Once Hope had walked back over to the Gryffindor table, she sat next to Lee, Ron, Alfie, and Harry.
"Hope, I just wanted to say I'm sorry." Ron said in between bites of chicken. "I've been a real arse lately."
The Lupin girl eyed the food falling out of his mouth. "Uh, you're forgiven. Just close your mouth."
"Hope doesn't keep her mouth closed for--"
Hope's hand suddenly clasped over Lee's mouth. "Shut up, Jordan."
"What do you mean, Lee?" asked Cormac from the other side of Alfie.
"Uh, well, fuck." Lee looked to Hope. "Hope got kissed."
As the words escaped from Lee's mouth, most heads turned towards Hope. George just looked down at his food as Alfie grew upset.
"What?" he exclaimed. "My baby sister got kissed before I did?"
"Mad, Lupin?" joked Cormac, but in response got a roll thrown at him. "Ow, Alf."
The ride home on the Hogwarts Express gave Hope a sense of closure. She sat by herself in a compartment reading a book on Goblins. But within a few minutes, George opened the door but closed it as soon as he was inside.
"George?"
"Listen, I can't stop thinking about you. I can't stop thinking of your blonde hair and grey eyes, and how beautiful they make you. It's you--"
The boy was cut off by Hope just standing up and pulling him into a sweet gentle kiss. Once their lips parted they only stared into each other's eyes. Almost at a loss for words.
"You were talking a lot."
George laughed loudly. "Was I?"
"You were, so I had to kiss you." she smiled. "Though, Ginny is outside the window."
"Pay up, J! I want my money!"