A Love Like This

Chapter Seven

"Ooh!!" I entered a large shop called 'Honeydukes'. "Whoah..."

"Yeah, best candy shop around," Ginny smiled at the sheer volume and variety of candy in the store. "It's seriously the best. It has everything."

"Oh! Rain! You should get these!" Hermione handed me a small box of jelly beans. I took it from her and examined the flavors. My face contorted into disgust.

"Barf flavored jelly bean? Grass? Spoiled milk?" I laughed. "Hermione, why in bloody hell would I purchase these?"

"Because of the rush, obviously!" She retorted. "You could get a good flavor or a bad one, but you don't know which is which until you eat it!"

"Ew, yeah no thank you," I set the box down. "I'm thinking more along the lines of... these! Chocoballs. Strawberry and clotted cream. Oh, yes please."

Hermione got a few Cauldron Cakes, and Ginny picked up a couple Pumpkin Pasties. I was content with my Chocoballs and Chocolate Frog. The candy shop made me smile, and I definitely felt a lot more relaxed, comfortable with this new world, and confident in not only myself, but doing things independently.

My anxiety didn't bother me one bit while inside the shop. Once we made it back to Hogwarts and had brought our candies to the dormitory, It was high time for lunch and I really wanted to get to Fred. I had so much to tell him about my experience with the girls in Diagon Alley.

We rushed down to the Great Hall, but as we approached the boys at the table, George grabbed an opened letter from the middle of the table, one they were all leaning over and discussing, and hid it immediately. Fred's poker face was horrible. All of the boys' fake faces were bad. It was obvious that they were hiding something.

"Guys?" I sat next to Fred. "You all look ill. What was in that letter?"

"Letter? Darling, it was hardly a letter. George asked us for help on a potions' essay."

"Rubbish. George you pass that class with ease. I don't understand why you'd be asking for help," Ginny retorted.

I looked at Fred. right in his eyes. "Love, you wouldn't hide anything from me... right?"

He went to speak, but stuttered. Everyone seemed shocked. The usually cool one who can play off a bad situation was actually flustered and having an issue keeping information to himself.

"It's something we'll have to discuss on our own."

"You were all just talking about it," Hermione said. "Why can't us girls know? Unless it's something seriously gross between you guys. That's- that's your business."

"Yes, that's exactly what that is," Ron spoke a little too quickly. "George did some- research on... a mens thing... and-"

"Stop," Fred sighed. "I can't lie to you, love," Fred turned to me. I've seen that look before. In the mirror. That's a look of loss. Disappointment. I've had that look as my default for years. "Rain, my- our-" He motioned to his siblings. "Parents. Sent you a letter saying that they have legal papers... to adopt you into our family..."

"Wait, wait," I laughed. "You- you're joking right? Don't- don't play jokes like that on me. Because that- that would mean I don't get to be with you anymore and I don't think I could handle that."

George set the letter in front of me. I grabbed it and skimmed through it. He wasn't lying. It's signed by both of the Weasley parents. I set the letter down and bit my lip. Tears building up in my eyes.

"On the bright side- you'd still get to see him every day! You'd be related!"

"Ron!" Hermione whisper-yelled. "Not right now!"