Defend

Chapter Eight I Know You'd Rather Have Me Away

 "Wake up!"

 "No." I smash my pillow against the back of my head.

 "I'll throw your broom out the window."

 "SHUT IT CEDRIC!" I toss my pillow at him and he laughs and runs from the room.

 Now that I'm up, I get ready. It's only been a month, two weeks, and five days since I left Hogwarts. I can't wait to get back and I miss Ginny so much. I climb downstairs and plop at the table as my mum prepares breakfast.

 "What did you want, Cedric?" I growl at my evil brother.

 "You got a letter from your Weasley friend."

 I'm immediately awake and run to the post pile. I throw all the letters from mum's friends and letters from the Ministry of Magic on the floor until I find a letter addressed to me.

 I rip it open and sit on the kitchen floor to read it.

 Dear Eliza,

 I miss you so much! I don't think I can wait until school starts to see you. If you want, my mum asked yours if you can come to the Burrow for the rest of the summer!!! Sorry this letter is short but Ron is being annoying (brothers yuck) and if you arrive soon you'll be here before Harry and Hermione come so we can have some time to ourselves.

Love,

Your honorary sister ♡

 I glance up from the letter and Cedric's inches from my nose.

 "Agh!" I scream and hit my head on a pot.

 "Cedric, stop teasing your sister." dad says, which I am grateful for.

 He rolls his eyes and I stick my tongue out at him.

 "Mum, can I go to the Burrow for the rest of the summer? Please?"

 "I'm not sure. I'll say yes, but we still need to ask your father."

 "Dad? Please!!"

 "I don't know..."

 "Ginny Weasley is her best friend. Besides, I'm friends with Molly and she's a very nice woman. You work with Arthur at the Ministry and you say he's a good man." My mum says in my favour.

 "True, but..."

 "Dad, please! Ced, you're on my side aren't you? You would rather have me away wouldn't you?"

 "Yes, I love you very much," Cedric says, putting me in a choke hold hug so I'm not breathing. I stomp on his foot until he lets go and I can breathe again.

 "Alright, you can go." My dad decides, and picks up today's issue of the Daily Prophet.

 "YES! Thank you!" I jump up and hug my parents, and Cedric, and run upstairs to pack.

 I'm packed in fifteen minutes.

~~~~

 Two days later...

 "Ginny!"

 "Eliza!"

 "How did you get here so fast? I sent the letter saying our mums figured everything out only a few days ago."

 I point to my mum talking to Mrs. Weasley. "Side-along Apparition. Dad got special permission from the Ministry."

 "Brilliant!"

 I take it all in. The towering Burrow, the rusty cauldrons resting in the yard, the Wellington boots tumbled in various places.

 I love it.

 "You should give me a tour!"

 "Alright!" Ginny takes my hand and leads me inside.

 "And this, as you know, is Fred and George."

 They pull me away from Ginny.

 "Do you like pranks?" one of them whispers.

 "Yes!"

 "We'll be great friends," the other says.

 I smile as Ginny pulls me away.

 "I can't tell them apart."

 "Believe me, by the time we get on the Hogwarts Express, you'll be able to." She bends closer towards me. "Fred's the more annoying one."

 "Heard that!!" The twins echo from their room, and Ginny and I laugh as she pulls me back to the first floor and her room.

 "And this is my room."

 There were Weird Sisters posters, and wicked little knick knacks on all the surfaces. It reminded me of my room with the piles of clothes on the floor and her Hogwarts trunk open and spilling various textbooks, robes, and other items onto the floor.

 "I love it!"

 We talk and laugh about all the things we haven't been able to talk about since being separated.

 "You know what I'm most excited about this year?!" Ginny squeals.

 "What?!"

 "We finally get to do Hogsmeade visits!"

 My face drops in horror.

 "What's wrong?" Ginny asks upon seeing my reaction.

 "I forgot to get my permission form signed!" I bury my face in her pillow.

 "Dear, it's alright! My dad can bring it to the Ministry and have your dad sign it!"

 I sit up, beyond relieved. "He would do that?"

 She nods.

 "Thank you!" I hug her tightly.