regret, harry potter (rewriting)

twenty six

"Harry mate, it's three o'clock in the morning, go to sleep," said Ron in a hoarse voice as Harry just woke him from his peaceful sleep.

"I have to finish this, Christmas break is in 3 days," Harry sighed.

"You have been pulling an all-nighter for weeks now, how are you still awake and well?" asked Ron.

"That's why I have that thing right there," Harry pointed at his pack of cigarettes.

"We made a pact that it was a summer thing only," Ron reminded him.

"Well, I lied," Harry simply replied. "Just go back to sleep Ron."

"I am completely awake now thanks to you," said Ron, annoyed. "I'll help you."

"Do you think she'll like it?" asked Harry silently as he was still concentrating.

"Yeah, mate. I mean it looks nice and you have been knitting this thing for weeks now, I think she's bound to love it," said Ron.

"Well, you don't know that after what happened," Harry's voice dropped.

Truthfully he was close to giving up knitting the cardigan for her after the confession, but he doesn't want to waste all the hours he has spent to make the cardigan.

"How did you learn how to knit anyway?" asked Ron who's now busy knitting with Harry.

"Your mum. She offered me to knit with her, to take my mind off things," said Harry. "How did you know how to knit?"

"She's my mum, what do you think?" Ron scoffed.

"Fair enough."

After minutes of silence, Harry finally asked, "How was it?"

"How was what?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"You know," Harry wiggled his eyebrows, smirking at his best friend.

Ron stopped knitting and turned scarlet.

"It — it was okay."

Harry also stopped knitting and said, "Just okay?" as he raised his eyebrows.

"Fine, it was amazing," said Ron breathlessly as his face turned even redder.

"Congratulations," Harry chuckled and patted Ron's shoulder.

Then Harry remembered that day at the common room when Hermione and Ron kicked the three boys out of the common room.

"I didn't know Aurelia and Ernie have you know, done it," said Harry silently.

"They did?" Ron widened his eyes and Harry just nodded.

"I mean it's expected, isn't it. They have been dating since the fifth year."

"I suppose," Harry mumbled.

"You're not jealous are you?" Ron raised his eyebrows at his best friend.

"No, no, I'm not," Harry shook his head. "It's more like I don't know, a weird feeling I guess."

"That's called jealous mate," Ron chuckled.

"No, no. I can't be jealous, can I? I mean we weren't even friends at the time and Ernie was her boyfriend. It made sense for them to, you know, do it," Harry explained.

Ron just raised his eyebrows.

"Fine, maybe I was a little jealous but I'm fine with it," Harry sighed. "I'm glad she got to do it honestly. I wish I could. I didn't have time. My years at Hogwarts before this year were filled with me trying to defeat that noseless prat."

Ron laughed at this and said, "Yeah you did."

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Aurelia has started packing in advance for the Christmas break; she kept having tummy butterflies due to the excitement.

"Are you serious you won't come to The Burrow together with us?" Hermione asked once more to Aurelia as she sat next to Aurelia on her bed.

Aurelia has just informed the bushy-haired girl that she will not go to The Burrow together with them because she had to go somewhere first.

"Yes, Hermione," Aurelia answered.

"But what's so important that you had to go to The Burrow alone?"

"Er — nothing," Aurelia mumbled, looking down uncomfortably.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Alright," Aurelia sighed, "I have to get someone's present. I've ordered it but I need to get it in person."

"Who's so important that you needed to do that?" Hermione wiggled her eyebrows. "Is it Blaise?"

"No. . ."

"Who?" Hermione furrowed her eyebrows as curiosity took over her body.

"It's for Harry," answered Aurelia softly as she looked flustered.

"Oh. . ." Hermione widened her eyes. "What did you get him?"

"It's a surprise."

"Oh tell me! I promise I won't tell a soul!" Hermione begged as she grabbed Aurelia's hands desperately.

"Fine. . . I got him an owl," Aurelia grinned widely.

"Oh?" said Hermione, surprised.

"I don't want him to feel like this owl is replacing Hedwig so it's the complete opposite of her. The owl is a jet black owl and it's a boy," Aurelia answered.

"That's really sweet Rellie," Hermione smiled at her best friend.

"Thanks," Aurelia gave Hermione a toothy grin.

"It's my first Christmas without my parents you know. . ." said Hermione. "I — I wanted to retrieve their memory but how when you can't even find them. What if something happened to them? Oh, I thought I was protecting them." Hermione then started crying.

"Oh Hermione," Aurelia went to her best friend and hugged her. "We'll find a way to get them back. I'll help you."

"Oh, but how, Rellie?" Hermione sobbed.

"You solved the Horcrux, Harry survived the killing curse twice, I'm sure there's a way out of this," Aurelia tucked a strand of Hermione's hair behind her ear

"I suppose," Hermione chuckled sadly.

"That's my Jean Bean," Aurelia ruffled her best friend's hair, making her laugh. "Oh I want to ask, how was Ronald?" Aurelia wiggled her eyebrows.

"Oh stop it," Hermione became ultimately flustered.

"I'm serious, is he any good?" Aurelia pestered her best friend.

"He was," Hermione answered silently but Aurelia could still hear her. "But I'm not going to go into details!"

"Oh my God, Hermione Granger is all grown up now!" Aurelia exclaimed excitedly as she hugged Hermione tightly.

"Oh shut it," Hermione mumbled sheepishly.