A Turn For The Better (Completed)

Forty-Two

The rest of that day was only a little awkward. We had a few drinks and tried to hold normal conversations.

The Hogwarts Express was going to be leaving for school on the 9th of January at 11am. That was the following Monday. I wouldn't really have an opportunity to see Draco before then as my parents had arranged for family to come visit us. They would be arriving tonight, and wouldn't be leaving until Saturday morning. Saturday evening I was to go back the Burrow before the start of term.

We all walked back through the Leaky Cauldron and out onto Muggle London. Back at our safe apparition place, we all said our goodbyes. Then Harry, Ron and Ginny were gone.

"So, your parents asked for me to come and visit before school starts back." he stated. They had, but I was trying to figure out where we could fit that time in. "I'll talk with them. See when we are free." I teased him. He smiled and bent down to kiss me. "I'll write tomorrow morning. I have to go to dinner with mother and Andromeda." he said. I smiled, I was truly happy that things were working out for his mother and sister. "Plus, I want to talk to mother, I think its almost time you two met." he added. My stomach done a little somersault. The last time I had set foot in that house, I was tortured by his deranged aunt.

He saw it in my face. "We can arrange to meet somewhere else if you like?" he added quickly. I shook my head. I needed to face this fear. If we were serious about each other, then I needed to get over it. It was likely that he would inherit the house whenever his mother passed on anyway.

"No, I will come to you. I think its time I did anyway." I replied. He hugged me. "Well, I will let you know what happens tomorrow, I really should be going, they'll be awaiting my arrival." he said. "Okay, I'll miss you." He squeezed me tighter, "I'll miss you too. Always do." He kissed me and walked away, waving before disappearing.

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Later that night, my relatives arrived. My grandmother, grandfather, Aunt Ria, Uncle Richard and cousin Jas. Jas and I were about the same age, give or take a few months. We had always gotten along very well, though they didn't know about my magical abilities, my parents just told them that I spent the academic year at a private school.

Jas and I had always been close when we were younger. Jas and her parents used to live in London, but moved away shortly after I started at Hogwarts, so though my parents told them I was away all year, they would never have noticed anyway. They lived in Ireland now, as her dad was from a small town there called Carlow. Her mother, Ria, was my mothers sister.

My grandparents lived in Brighton, Ria, Richard and Jas had gone to meet them before travelling to my house.

Although we didn't see each other as often, Jas and I were still able to pick up right where we left off. We still kept in contact through letters. I would send a letter for Jas to mum via owl, and then she would send it through the post office to Ireland. I had told Jas that she would need to send any letters for me to my house, as it might not reach me at school.

Jas was like me, in looks and intelligence. She had the same bushy kind of hair, a little darker than mine.

"So, how has Ireland been Jas?" I asked her as we sat on my bed. "It's alright, I like it there, but I really do miss home sometimes. What about you? How is that boarding school your parents sent you to?" She was always convinced that my parents just decided out of the blue that it would be better to get me out of their hair, so that they could travel. Not that she didn't like my parents, she adored them, but she couldn't understand why I wasn't in a normal school. "Jas, how many times do I have to tell you? I decided I wanted to go there, I love it. Its not the typical boarding school. Anyway, its my last year there. Soon I'll be out in the big bad world!" I laughed. "I still don't know why you'd give up your freedom for school! I mean I love to learn new things and fill my head with knowledge, but I do like my time to myself too!" she said. I rolled my eyes at her.