Secrets Only Trouble Knows - George Weasley

37 - Mystery Boy

Nova's POV

A few days had passed since the boys and I had returned home for winter break and it was now Christmas Eve.

I'd had an absolutely incredible time with them so far— more fun than I could have ever imagined. From playing board games, listening to tons of muggle music (including The Beatles like I'd promised George), and exploring the town, to staying up late every night talking and spending a lot of time just laughing, we'd done almost everything under the sun together.

However, currently I was on my own, save for Mum who pattered around the house from room to room doing chores. A blizzard had blown in yesterday, covering the ground in a thick layer of powdery snow, and despite us having played in it together then for hours, Jasper and the twins had left sometime ago to make the most of it today in the snowy field down the street. In their absence, I'd bundled up in my coziest jumper, pulled on my fluffiest socks, made a cup of hot cocoa, and had been enjoying the momentary peace and quiet by sitting on my favorite window nook we had in the kitchen, watching the steady snowflakes fall from the sky.

I'd just been caught up in staring at a very intricate little snowflake stuck to the window when I felt a gentle hand comb through my hair, pulling me out of my daydream. It was Mum.

"Come bake with me?" she asked softly. "I was thinking we could make some sugar cookies from scratch, no magic. Then decorate them with the boys when they come in."

"That sounds lovely," I smiled warmly, standing to my feet.

Mum moved to the greater part of the kitchen. I followed after her, jumping onto one of the countertops. I watched her as she collected all of the needed materials and set them down beside me.

"You want some music?" she asked, already heading to the little radio she kept nearby. "There's a station that's got holiday tunes playing these days, I think."

"Of course!" I beamed.

So she turned the knob on the radio, adjusting it to the right channel, and soon the sound of Frank Sinatra's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" filled the air. She smiled wide. She loved his voice, as did I.

Mum returned to where I sat.

"Alright, you're going to mix the dry ingredients," she said, handing them to me along with a large bowl, "and I'll do the wet."

We began working on our respective tasks without talking, opting to just appreciate the music going. I measured the proper amount of flour, baking soda, and baking powder and whisked them together in my bowl while Mum cracked an egg and mixed it with sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in hers. When we were both finished, we combined everything into dough. I couldn't help but pinch off a tiny bit of it and pop it in my mouth before we began scooping it out of the bowl and shaping it. It tasted delicious already.

After she and I had been rolling the dough into small balls for some time, Mum eventually broke the quiet.

"So... I think there's something you haven't told me yet," she said.

I placed the current ball I'd just made onto our cookie sheet, eyeing her with confusion.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked slowly.

Was she mad at me? I didn't think I'd done anything to upset her recently...

"I think you know very well what I mean, Nov," she replied simply, the corners of her lips etching into the tiniest of smiles. "It involves you and a certain red-headed twin."