Troubled Love║Sirius Black

Chapter 17

"Knock, knock," came a soft, angelic voice from outside the door.

Halllie shuffled to sit up in her bed as Euphemia entered, two mugs of steaming hot chocolate in her grasp. She glided over, placing the two mugs beside the bed, before sitting down beside Hallie.

"You're the best Mia," Hallie sighed contentedly, instantly picking up the mug and taking a sip of the drink.

Euphemia laughed, placing a delicate hand on Hallie's knee. "Oh darling, you will never change will you?" Hallie took another large mouthful of hot chocolate. "Ever since you were born you've been obsessed with anything chocolate flavoured."

She laughed, placing the mug back on the side. "Yeah, that will never change."

Hallie shuffled over, so the woman could sit beside her. Mia draped her arm softly around Hallie's shoulders, pulling the younger girl into the safety of her arms.

Euphemia would always be a part of home that Hallie could never ever let go of, from her kindness, her warmth, her tenderness. You'd never feel alone, knowing a Euphemia Potter.

"So how's school?" she asked excitedly, rubbing the side of Hallie's shoulder comfortingly. "James tells me nothing any more! But then again, apart from his prankster nature he's not got a lot going on..."

Hallie rested her head against the woman's shoulder. "Mmm, James has a pretty boring life, I must say."

From her teasing manner, Euphemia replied exacerbated: "Oh I didn't mean it like that! I just meant your our little girl of the family. Our little girl Hallie, not hers," she said quietly, drawing small circles on the girl's shoulder. "You know that."

Hallie sighed, drawing her knees to her chest. "I know. Can I ask you something?" Mia nodded her head encouragingly, as Hallie took a deep breath. "When Dad remarried, did you honestly think..." she spoke slowly, choosing her words correctly, "that he was replacing her? Mum I mean?"

"I think," Mia spoke slowly, drawing Hallie closer to her chest. Hallie loved the warmth she radiated and the light behind her tired eyes. She loved Mia's heart that was so pure and her kindness that told you you were always eternally loved. Euphemia could do that to a person; make them feel like they belonged. Hallie always had wondered whether that was one of the countless reasons Monty fell in love with her or the reason her Mum and Dad loved her the way they did.

"Your Dad was just heartbroken. Heartbroken people can do some silly things darling. Things they don't realise they're doing, until they do them. Then...they get so deep into it, it's like they can't escape."

Hallie nodded, keeping herself quiet. She knew her Dad loved Marie, but maybe Mia was right. Maybe it was his way of coping. Find a woman he believed was alike to mend his broken heart, so to him, her Mother Genevieve, would never really be gone.

"Thanks Mia," Hallie smiled softly. "Now I really don't want to end up balling today, so let's talk about something else!"

The woman chuckled, throwing a soft, knitted quilt over their knees. "I want to know all the gossip from Hogwarts," she spoke excitedly, causing Hallie to shake her head with a small laugh. "Oh c'mon Hallie! There must be some good drama from school, something to excite an old lady like me?"

From the creases at each corner of her eyes and the small strands of grey littered through her head of blonde, Hallie realised she was right. All those times Mia had made jokes about getting old were finally becoming more of a reality. Time was passing. Their parents wouldn't be around forever after all.

"C'mon! A beautiful girl like you must have a new boy," she teased, with a small wink of her eye. Hallie hid her face in her hands. "C'mon Hallie! If I looked like you at 16, I'd have had the whole school on their knees!"