Bloom Again /James Potter/ ❁book 2❁

❁Chapter 23❁

Chapter 23

Her plan was that she wasn't going to come out to her friends until after Christmas. She wasn't going to be with any of them during the holidays except Sirius considering when James offered to stay, it meant that Sirius would stay too.

But what she didn't expect when she left to go to the courtyard in order to say her goodbyes on the morning they would be leaving, was all of her friends in the Hufflepuff common room. Her breath caught in her throat and none of them had thought to change from their pyjamas - though they all wore big smiles and Violet rushed to her, linking her arm with hers and pulling her to their friends.

Even Beau was there, and he slung his arm around her when she greeted him with a, "what's going on?"

"Well, my dear," Beau smirked, soon handing her off to Sirius who guided her to the extra comfortable couch.

"We have decided that we want to spend Christmas with our best friend!" James slid his arm around her when she took the seat beside him and Bertie pulled her legs up to drape over his own and she could feel her heart pounding and swelling at the same time.

"Really?" she choked out, nuzzling into James who pressed his lips to her temple, "do you...do you all really want to stay?"

Remus moved to crouch in front of her, moving his hand to wipe the tears spilling with a soft smile that reminded her of the many times he would comfort her, and he nodded, "we love you so much, Bea...with all of our heart. There was no way I was leaving my sister on Christmas, I wouldn't have it."

She smiled - no, she grinned, and she grabbed his hands in her own before launching at him...practically throwing herself into his arms and he almost fell back but he still held her so tightly and he was laughing too. He was laughing because he saw her. That grin, that...that smile on her lips was so familiar - it was filled with, so much happiness and he hadn't seen it in a while, but he would never forget it for as long as he lived.

Because it was the smile she had before...before pain and anger and sadness. Before she had to deal with such agonising sadness when her world twisted, and she wasn't the same. And she never will be the same, she realised - but that wasn't a bad thing.

She grew, she was growing...she would always have days...and nightmares - and pain, and she would always have that night coursing through her like a demon, but she was human, and all humans had demons.

It was how they dealt with them that showed who the person really was.

Her eyes shifted to Beau. He was standing in the corner just watching as her friends talked and chatted and he knew he wasn't a part of that, he wasn't their friend but just Bea's. But Bea had them, and they all loved her that...his - well his work, to him, it was done.

Because he wanted to make Bea happy, he wanted to be a friend to her and not just to make her happy but because her company was more than enjoyable, but now it just seemed like...like she was better off without him.

He frowned at the very thought, shifting in his spot. He knew what that felt like more times than one...to not feel wanted - to not be wanted, and Bea knew she didn't know as much about him as she would like to. He was a closed book pretending to be open, but she wanted to know, she wanted to help him like he helped her.

And at the sight of the frown on his face and the fact that he was completely alone, she stood up. Her friends chatted amongst themselves - about her, and other things and laughing at the antics she used to get up to, though, those antics didn't seem at all interesting.

"You know I've never seen you look so awkward before," she said with a soft laugh and nudged him.

He was silent for a long time, but he took a deep breath and whispered, "I've...I've never seen you so happy before."