Hand Me Downs.

The horizontal border that decorated the walls pressed into my lower back, the wood hard, hurting a little. I was far more distracted by the body pressed against mine, the hands, one resisting on my lower stomach, fingertips leaving a trail of goose-bumps.

The other was above my head, resting against the wall with a couple of curls caught in up in the fingers.
His mouth moved against mine, the fierceness of the kiss lowering after a few minutes until he pulled away, I let out a slight breath, my breathing was uneven, a pant.

“Okay...” I said slowly, “I erm...I...”

“Don’t.” He warned, hands moving so they met behind my back, “Don’t freak and over think okay?”

“I wasn’t!” I retorted, although my mind was already swirling with possibilities, he shot me a look and I giggled, wanting to kiss him again but unsure.

Was that just a comfort thing, just a way too...
Eurgh, over thinking.

He settled my thoughts by pressing his mouth gently against mine before moving backwards properly, the door banging loudly a second later, making me gasp and jump.

“Are you guys done yet?” Fred complained, sticking his head around the wooden frame, “I apparated in a minute ago and you were all,” he pulled a grotesque face, which involved his tongue flapping around like a dog with rabies.

I felt myself flush, George, in true Weasley fashion going a light pink, murmuring a shut up to his brother.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you two are finally doing whatever the fuck you’re doing... all the staring was getting on my tits.” I snorted at his use of words, sucking on my lips as I glanced between the twins, George rubbing the back of his neck.

“Anyway, dinner is nearly ready, Harry’s locked himself in their room, you guys might want to come.”

We glanced at each other and nodded.

“Fred, am I ever going to have a nice moment in life that you don’t ruin?” I teased, George’s hand resting on my lower back we knocked lightly on the door,

“Not till I’m dead and buried my dear.” George rolled his eyes at him, leaning into the door.

“Harry, you alright?” He gave no indication of even hearing us so after a few minutes we gave up.

“So what exactly did you hear at the hospital?” I asked them both once we were in their bedroom ( we were already back to apparating everywhere and my stomach was still churning)

“They were talking to Dad, Moody suggested Harry had been possessed, and no-one denied it...we had the extendable ears so we heard it all, and he hasn’t left the room since then.” I clicked my tongue against my front teeth.

“Everyone knows Harry has a connection with...you know who... but...he’s had dreams before, and they’ve been true haven’t they?” They nodded in sync. “So... this is a good thing for him to have seen?”

“The problem is what might ol’ Voldy see,” Fred chipped in, dropping silent as we reached the ground floor, Molly waving us in as she continued to bumble around, Kingsley stopping their conversation and instead turning to us, asking about school, homework.

Anything but Mr Weasley.
He was the elephant not in the room.
He was the elephant still bleeding profusely in a ward at St Mungos.

“Kingsley, if I write a letter can you send it for me?” He nodded and after eating a very uncomfortable dinner, Harry not appearing, everyone too silent, too casual. “Who you writing too?” Ginny asked, shooting me almost a suspicious look.

“My secret lover.” I replied curtly, smiling at her to let her know it was a joke, “To Neville, we normally meet up for a day near Christmas don’t we? So I wanted to let him know we may have to move it.”

“You do.” Ron said suddenly, “I never thought about it, what do you and Neville do anyway?”

I shrugged, not willing to tell any of them that the reason me and Neville met was exceedingly close to where their father was now.

“His grandmother insists I go over for dinner, I think she’s trying to set us up.” I lied blatantly, although no-one seemed to pick it up.

If Hermione was here she could have maybe worked it out.
About Neville’s parents.

I changed the subject quickly, the meal ending quickly, us all thanking Mrs Weasley and heading upstairs, Ginny followed me and George to our shared room, not catching any of George’s hints for her to leave us alone. After a while George gave up, giving me a lingering kiss on the cheek before apparating back to his room.

I scrawled my note quickly to Neville, telling him I would do my best to meet him in St.Mungos around christmas, but not to expect me. And to give them my best wishes.

I scribbled his address and handed it to Kingsley on his way home, thanking him again and heading back to the bedroom, bumping into George in the hall way, and being met with hard, secretive kisses.

Once again Ginny interrupted, on her way back from the bathroom. Bashfully I followed her into the bedroom, wishing George a long goodnight.

“I’m glad you two have made up.” Was all she said on the matter, although she scoffed as I pulled out my transfiguration book, one that specialised in Animagus' and it's practises.

“We’ve only just got back from Hogwarts, why the hell are you doing work already?” I pulled a face at her,

“I’m just interested in this.” I said, this time only half a lie.

“You’re turning into Hermione, that’s what’s happening.”
_______________________________

The next day was slow, although spent doing something far different from the way we had spent the summer weeks in this drab of a house.

We were putting up Christmas decorations. There was still some cleaning to do, but bossing everyone around in her way seemed to bring life to Molly again.

And more than that to Sirius who ran up and down the many floors singing wizarding Christmas song, seeming bemused as I taught him some common muggle ones.

“A Christmas song with so many insults it in is just truly odd,” He had commented, listening to the Pogues, still bemused by my walkman, the headphones merging with his well groomed hair. He struggled with the wires, almost dropping it, luckily caught by a gleaming George.

“My hero,” I said sarcastically, we had been flirting on and off all day, everyone had been aware of what had happened beforehand, so no-one but Mrs Weasley shot us odd looks, although she looked quite smug as the day went on.

“Is Harry planning on coming down?” She asked breezily, still unaware the others had heard them discussing him. I shrugged.

It was dark outside, nearly six pm when the door finally burst open and Mrs Black began to scream again. I grumbled, this was the third time she had been set off today.
But it was for a decent cause, Hermione appearing, her hair wet with snow, face red.

I grinned, hugging her quickly, “How did your mum and dad take it?” I whispered and she shrugged, looking bashful. She shot Ginny a look and I moved back, grabbing a twin in either hand and pulling them away from the two.

“Oi,” Fred groaned, slapping at my hand, making me squeal and pull my hand away, the skin turning red quickly.

“Fred, that hurt.” I whined, aiming another hit at him, satisfied by his grunt.

“George,” I continued, Fred doing the same right after, both of us pulling pathetic puppydog faces.

“Twin?” Fred added, his voice ridiculously high and making me giggle.

“Comfort your brother.” I said, rolling my eyes at the two. Letting them have their overdramatic sobbing fit and hug.

“Idiots,” I murmured, leaving the room, and half skipping down the stairs, once again grinning at Tonks who was sat in the kitchen.

“Wotcher ‘Melia.” She said, sipping on a cup of what smelt like hot chocolate,

“Would you like one dear?” Molly offered and I responded with a very overenthusiastic yes, not regretting it for minutes later the chocolaty heaven was in my stomach.

“I think Hermione has gone up to speak to Harry,” I commented lightly, no indulging them with any further information. They both nodded, although Tonks looked confused.

“You sticking around to decorate?” I asked her and she groaned but nodded.

“Yeah, you guys are stuck with me I’m afraid.”

“Well, we need all the help we can get to make this house hospitable.” Molly chipped in, sighing suddenly, “Honestly, Amelia be a dear and gather everyone for dinner. You can shout all you like at my children and they seem to turn deaf when it suit them.” I nodded, slurping the last of my drink and leaving the kitchen.

“Food!” I screeched, instantly a pair of heads appeared, one of them Sirius, still singing ‘Oh rest ye merry hippogriffs’ The other Kreacher, I hadn’t seen him in a few days but he sent me a glare, muttering about the ‘halfblood traitor, her mother no better, my mistress a...”

I fought the urge to run up there and strangle him, a crack behind me making me stop, grinning at another familiar face, “Professor Lupin!” I exclaimed, smiling deeply at him, not letting it drop, even with the still healing cuts across his face.

“Amelia, I don’t call you Miss Pelanci, so I expect Remus.” I chuckled.

“You know what it’s like, seems weird that teachers have actual names.” He snorted, and I turned around again, “Dinners ready, and everyone’s ignoring me.”

“Have you tried the stairs?” He mocked, “handy invention.”

“I’m too lazy, I need to either learn to apparate or wizards need to start using lifts.” He rolled his eyes slightly, before bellowing, “Food!” In such a loud and commanding voice it made me jump, and made dear old Mrs Black start screaming again.

“That ought to bring them down.” He said, lifting his hat off of his head and placing it on the rack, “Terrible weather outside.”

____________________________

“You’re thinking too much again.”

“Prove it,” I said, pulling a face at him, although tearing my gaze out of it’s blank stare at the wall. “And I was not.” He clicked his tongue, leaning forward and poking my side, causing me to squeal.

“Of course not...and don’t...I know exactly what’s going on in that head of yours.” I shook my head.
There was a bit about him, a nagging in the corner of my mind.

But the rest was Neville, I hoped he was okay with my letter.
But I still hoped I could make it, make some excuse.

The older members of the Order knew, about his parents, my mother.
I went every Christmas eve, met Neville and his grandmother.
When I was at home it was simple, and my dad barely paid it any attention.

I had always just told Katie it was private, and I knew she assumed it was something to do with my mother...although, the details of her death were still a mystery to her.

And with the Weasley’s I had much the same excuse, Molly and Arthur backing me up, keeping the others happy, not too suspicious.

“So, if you’re not worrying about this.” He grabbed my hands, “What are you worrying about?”

“Christmas eve.” I answered half honestly. “You know I usually go and...” He nodded quickly, his thumbs rubbing circles on my palms. “If I can’t go it doesn’t matter, I get it’s not safe for us to be going and coming from here so...”

“Should be able to sort something I’m sure... anyway, we’ll be going to visit Dad around that kind of time, so...”

“It doesn’t matter,” I cut him off.

Neville’s parents were a link to mine, as absurd as it was.
Seeing them, seeing Neville react with them, his grandmother strong as always.
It made me as jealous as it did comforted.

I didn’t want my mum to spend her life like that, a shell, a haunted confused shell.
But I still wanted her.

I shook my head as if to shake out the thoughts, wincing as my neck stung. “My neck hurts...fix it,” I pouted at him, causing the sincere look on his face to drop also. He gestured for me to turn, his large hands making me wince slightly as they kneaded my flesh.

“In other news, what is this?” I turned, sticking my tongue out to let him know I was joking.
Again it was only half.

He didn’t answer, just continuing the massage, until my neck finally stopped aching, although I was sure he had done added damage to my shoulders with his tight grip.

I didn’t bring the matter of ‘us’ up again for nearly a week. Not until Boxing day, the evening of it...but by then it was the least important thing on our minds.

“Why didn’t you tell us about her? Why didn’t you tell me Amelia?!”