Tidal Wave [george weasley post war]

2. Stranger In My Bed

After the fright of sudden apparition with Ginny, Molly made tea for everyone before sitting down at the head of the kitchen table. Her soft eyes ran over Aurora as she watched her gently sip at the tea cup, almost inspecting it for some type of magic.

"Are these normal tea cups?" Aurora giggled, her sudden anger towards Ginny was fading by the minute. "I remember you told me about the twins and those bloody nose biting tea cups, Gin." She looked over to her friend with a smile.

Ginny laughed too, shaking her head. "No, these will not bite your nose. Mum locked those up somewhere... didn't want to get rid of them completely, though." Ginny said with a sad smile. Aurora nodded. She understood why. She wouldn't bring up Fred. Or George, for that matter. From what Ginny has told her, George is a bit of a recluse and they weren't even sure if he was going to attend Christmas dinner.

Christmas Eve at the Burrow was nice and quiet. Harry would be joining them in the morning, as well as Hermione too. Ron was quiet the whole night, other than greeting Aurora with a gentle hug and a kiss to the cheek. "You look great, Ror." Ron had whispered as his hand rested on her upper arms. "Dad will be down shortly, and you know he's going to bug you about the latest muggle inventions. He's been extra giddy lately, you've been warned." Ron laughed before walking up the stairs to head to his room.

Ginny laughed from her spot on the couch, her eyes never leaving the fire blazing in the fireplace before her, though. "Ron's right. Dad has been bonkers the past few days when I told him you were going to come and spend the holidays with us. He can't wait to ask you about, well, anything and everything."

Aurora smiled. She liked Arthur, always had. He was a gentle soul and a caring father and husband. Michael Sinclair Sr. was also a caring man, but after the war he would sometimes get too engrossed in other things to remember he had one living child left. The warmth from all the Weasleys – well at least the ones already here – was welcome. Aurora found herself settled down beside on the couch just as Ginny was returning with a bottle of firewhiskey and two glass tumblers. "Try to keep your voice down... This is Ron's stash and he doesn't know I've been snagging a few drinks from it lately." Ginny smirked, glancing over to Aurora and pouring both of them a hefty amount before glancing around the empty living room.

Everyone had gone to bed as the clock struck midnight. Ginny was getting tired but she wanted to have at least one drink with her friend to catch up before the craziness that is Christmas at the Burrow tomorrow. "So tell me what living like a muggle has been like for you." Ginny began, eyebrow raised high as she took a small sip of the amber, burning liquor.

Aurora smiled, took a large sip of the firewhiskey before setting the glass down. "Well," she cleared her throat and leaned back against the arm of the couch, one leg tucked beneath her bottom while the other dangled off the side. She didn't want to admit she missed magic. She didn't want to admit that every night she pulls out the lock box with her wand, holding it in her lap as she thinks back on all of the good, and sometimes bad, memories of being a witch.

"It's nothing crazy, you know... I'm used to the muggle life since Mum was a muggle. In the beginning it took me a while to get used to, you know the whole no magic thing. But I really do enjoy working at the bakery, Gin. You know anytime I came over throughout school I would help your Mum in the kitchen." Aurora smiled softly, tucking a rouge strand of hair behind her ear. "It always brought me peace. Creating something from nothing... the muggle way, anyhow." She laughed, glancing up at Ginny who was sitting there looking back at her friend with a smile on her face.

Ginny finished off the glass of whiskey before licking her lips.  "What about dating? Do you have anyone special in your life?"

Aurora's fingers twitched around the glass of amber liquor at Ginny's interest in her personal life. Actually, Ginny was probably more interested in her sex life. Growing up with all boys, neither Aurora nor Ginny having had any sisters to talk to about these sorts of things, often times found themselves awake and giggly, siting by the fire in the Gryffindor common room discussing who the cutest boy in their year was and what it would be like to snog them. She missed this. It was nice. It felt as though no time at all had passed.