Reunited
Zinnia and Hugo presently were in England as Hugo had family there he had not seen for years. She was happy to be able to go along with Hugo on this trip, he didn’t see his family in the past 3 years as much as he used to and was very stressed in this last year because he was having trouble getting a hold of any of his family members on the phone or by letter. He tried to hide this from Zinnia so as to not worry her and she continued to insist that he just fly there immediately to check up on them. Finally he seemed to have the sense to take her up on the idea and she felt this was a great opportunity to join him and see his roots. Hugo was hesitant to invite her on this trip, but knew she was struggling with her two best friends MIA at college and he hoped that she would remember her past when she met with his nephew again.
Their train was slowing as they entered the village Hugo grew up in, the sky cloudy yet light as the sun was rising. Zinnia was waking up from her nap and smiled as she saw Hugo beaming out the window, clearly excited to see his family and old friends.
“Here we are! How was your nap, Z? I know you were having trouble falling asleep on the flight” said Hugo.
“It was fine thank you, what time is it? I am already feeling the jet lag,” replied Zinnia.
“Just past 7 in the morning, I thought we will head to the Inn and unpack. I am going to meet my brother and his kids for lunch later. You do not need to feel any pressure to join, I am sure our old stories would bore you.”
Once they arrived at the Inn and unpacked in their separate rooms, Zinnia ventured downstairs in desperate search for coffee.
“G’morning miss” the little lady at the front desk greeted her with a thick cockney accent. “Did you find your room to your liking?”
“Good morning ma’am! Yes thank you the room is lovely, would you happen to have a coffee machine around? Or know a place I could stop in and get a cup?” Zinnia asked her.
“Oh good I’m so happy you like it, there is a cafe just round the corner, ‘Spellbound Sips’ it's called” the woman replied.
“Well that sounds magical - just what I need! Thank you - urm what is your name?” Zinnia replied.
“Gladis ma’am and you are most certainly welcome Miss. Black,” Gladis answered.
She ducked out of the Inn and walked down the cobblestone street until she came upon the door to the cafe. It was a charming shop, small and cozy. She noticed the menu had been a digital screen that looked like a chalkboard. The little sketches of coffee cups were dancing around and animated steam was coming out of them, adorable she thought and loved the attention to detail. The few patrons in line and seated at the small tables were all dressed somewhat oddly, she grew up in the city where everyone was so individual and unique so she hardly noticed. It was just that she remembered from her last trip to Europe that most people wore dull and simple clothes. But the patrons in the shop wore outlandish hats, jewel toned cloaks and one even had a small live owl perched on his shoulder. She ordered an americano and headed back out. A tall thin red headed man was walking out at the same time and held the door for her.
“After you Miss,” he said as she blushed at him.
She couldn’t stop her cheeks from heating, it was something about his energy and the eye contact jolted something in her stomach. He noticed it and she was flooded with embarrassment.
“Thank you Sir,” she responded back and took a large gulp of her coffee, burning her tongue.
“This is so hot!” she added like she was trying to blame her rosy cheeks on the coffee.
“It usually comes that way, doesn't it?” The man replied with the most attractive english accent and she swooned more because stupid sarcasm was her weakness.
He radiated this most incredible colored aura that she couldn't remember ever seeing before. It was so full of innocence, charisma, what looked like undeniable bravery and so much love.
“Very good point, well - have a wonderful day!” She managed to spit out and shook her head as she marched back to the Inn determined to not look back at him.
Normally she was more smooth with guys. Normally guys weren’t able to charm her in the span of 5 seconds either.
Back at the Inn she found Hugo and she insisted she join him for lunch with his family. They prepared to journey to the Weasley’s home a few miles away. She kept her awkward encounter from the cafe to herself as she and Hugo never talked about each other's love lives. Hugo was clearly madly in love with her late mother and he never openly admitted it when she was alive. Zinnia always knew as the light around him was never the same after her mother’s passing.
“So a few things I need to mention to you Z, before we head out to visit my brother’s place. His whole family is living there and they live in a home unlike anything you have seen. It is, let's say, um rustic?” Hugo told her as they headed into the cab he called for earlier that day.
“Ok? I don’t get why you have to give me a warning H, I understand by now that not everyone has the wealth that I do. I hope you don't think I am going to insult them or anything.” Zinnia replied back.
“No! Of course not, you are the most well mannered young lady I know! It’s just that this is not just a country house its, well they refer to it as ‘The Burrow.’”
Hugo was visibly nervous. He hated lying to her but he had tried several times to remind her of her past. She refused to believe she was a witch and the next day she already buried the memory of that conversation. She only remembered a few of her Slytherin friends from Hogwarts and even then, Hugo was convinced she was lying about remembering them when he brought it up. It was too painful for her to remember. If she wanted to leave things in the past, he would respect that.
Zinnia had no idea what the hell that meant but shrugged it off and started to read her latest escape from reality, ‘Ivory Key’ it was a story about a magical universe that was threatened to be torn apart until the main character reunites with the family she had cut ties with. The journey was long, about a two hour car ride and they arrived upon ‘The Burrow’ at about noon.
The house was enormous, and Z finally understood what Hugo meant by ‘rustic.’ It looked like several houses had been stacked on top of eachother - held together only by what seemed to be some nails and a lot of faith. She did her best not to look surprised or impressed to not give Hugo the satisfaction that he was correct in giving her a bit of a warning.
“You made it!” Molly was out on the front stoop with Arthur and some of what Zinnia assumed to be their kids. More were heading out as well. The cab sped off and they greeted each member as Zinnia tried to remember each name. A large table was set up in the garden, surrounded by chickens and if she hadn't been so jet lag - she could have sworn she saw a gnome run behind a tomato plant. “Zinnia! How are you my dear?” Molly hugged her tight and Zinnia swore in the corner of her eye, she saw Hugo shake his head ‘no’ to Molly.
“I’m good thank you! Wow your home is amazing. It is so good to meet you all!” Zinnia looked at the group, and couldn’t help but to see their beautiful collective aura shining around them.
It was so fulfilling to see Hugo reunited with his family. They laughed and ate together and told stories of the good ole days. Then the topic of the past year had come up and she could hear them speaking but it was like she had on noise canceling headphones. They were all so tuned out she started to really realize how tired she was. Blinking slowly and playing with her food, Ginny, the only daughter, caught her attention and asked if she wanted to possibly head inside to lie down for a bit. Behind Zinnia’s back, Ginny waved her wand at the dishes that were washing themselves to bring them to a halt. Ginny led her into the couch and gave her a glass of water. Before she could say thank you, Zinnia’s head hit the cushion and she was out like a light. Zinnia could never sleep on airplanes and struggled to fall asleep on the train ride from the airport, her mind is never at peace in public and it's like her instincts prevent her from shutting down.
But at The Burrow she felt like she was back at home. Her brain was able to actually surrender and allow her body to relax.
It could have been hours or minutes when Zinnia was woken up from a bright green light, a loud bumping noise and puff of smoke. Her eyes scrunched open and through the water glass next to her on the coffee table she saw a man step out of the fireplace. She sat up blinking trying to remember where she was.
“Fuck me! I did not know you were in here!” said the fireplace man now using a wooden stick to brush off the ash and dust. Zinnia was now realizing was the same man from earlier that day.
Why the fuck did he just step out of the fireplace like he was Santa Clause.
“Um hi, sorry I'm Hugo’s um goddaughter? I’m Zinnia hi” She stood up and stuck out her hand.
Blood drained out of her head as she shot up too quickly from the couch and her eyes went black, passing out.
The coffee shop fireplace man grabbed her hand in time and pulled her in to catch her before she hit the ground.
“Merlin, this is the strangest day I have had in a while” he said as he laid her back on the couch. Zinnia’s eyes were opening back up quickly although her face was greenish white like she was going to be sick. “Oye, you ok? Here have some water” he sat down next to her and brought the glass to her mouth, urging her to take a sip.
Zinnia managed to grab onto the glass of water before he could take it to her lips. She drank and gathered herself.
“Well, what an introduction this has been, Hi my name is George Weasley, it is a pleasure to meet you Miss Black.” George stuck out his hand and she shook it awkwardly as they were sitting next to each other on the couch. His face was kind but he looked so sad.
“Hi George, I um, don’t normally do that. You know it’s just meeting devilishly handsome men seems to cause me to faint” Zinnia tried her best to not look too proud of her witty way of brushing off the most embarrassing moment of her life.
The only other most embarrassing moment was just hours ago when she burned her tongue on hot coffee in front of George.
“That is completely my fault, I do have that effect on beautiful women like yourself” George hated that he couldn't come up with a better response than that.
She called him devilishly handsome and the best he could come up with was ‘beautiful.” He hated that he had to reintroduce himself to her. He hated that he let her go 3 years ago. He blamed himself for everything. And she would never know. She would never remember the first time he introduced himself to her on the train to Hogwarts. She was a shell, the person he knew was gone. He lost her and then lost his own brother. Seeing her again, face to face, was like seeing a ghost and he wouldn’t allow himself to get his hopes up that she would stay this time.
“Well this is painfully awkward, haha I put it you are one of Arthur’s seven?” Z asked George.
“One of his six actually,” George replied with the most miserable look on his face. “My brother, my twin actually, Fred, he um, he passed away last year.”
“Oh I had no idea, I don’t even know if Hugo was aware, he was telling me some great stories about the twins on our way over here. I am so so sorry to hear this.” Zinnia replied back, seeing the pain in his eyes as all too familiar. But she would never admit to understanding the suffering of a loss as a twin sibling with whom you have grown up with.
“Thank you really, it was a horrible accident, and I miss him more than anything. I um, anyway it is fine and I am you know dealing with it the best I can. Keeping busy with work and all that.” George pushed the loss out of the front of his mind and filled it instead with the image of Zinnia.
She was stunning beyond stunning. She looked the same but sad, her blonde hair was no longer perfectly curled but rather wavy and more natural. She had almost no makeup on, her past self wouldn’t dare to be seen in public without a full face on. Her body looked stronger than before, her arms toned and face had become more chiseled. The rosiness in her high cut cheekbones was coming back slightly but not as red as it was this morning. Her beautiful big blue eyes he remembered from outside the cafe in the natural light but in the lamplit living room they appeared dark gray almost black, or was it because of how big her pupils seemed? Her lips were mesmerizing; he had to stop himself from staring at them, plump and pink and her teeth, perfectly straight and blindingly white. He pushed back the memory of her lips on his.
“Well I’m sorry again, I don’t have any siblings so I really cannot begin to imagine what you are going through. I do however have to get back out there, I don’t know how long I’ve been out,” she was eager to change the subject.
Loss was too close to home and she barely knew this guy although she felt so comfortable in his presence her body was yearning to embrace him and never let go.
“Are you going to be ok to walk? You did just quite literally faint into my arms, not that I minded of course.” George made another attempt to flirt.
“Yes, yes I am fine just gonna take it slow and would probably be helpful if I ingested something other than that very hot coffee today.” She winked at him at the same time remembering she skipped breakfast and slept through lunch.
“Alright then let’s get you up and out, grab onto me and don’t worry about being gentle.”
Zinnia held onto George’s arm and he led her out to the garden to join the rest of his family. The sky was dark, how long had she been out? And everyone was surely on their third or fourth drink that they hardly noticed George and Zinnia arm and arm.
Hugo and his brother were sitting together laughing loudly and the kids were all playing croquet. There were broomsticks scattered around by the door, like 5 or 6 of them which Zinnia thought was odd. She sat at the table and George took the seat next to her. Ron, his younger brother came over and said hello.
“And where have you been G?” Ron asked his brother as Zinnia filled her plate with the three layered cakes and colorful candies she found in front of her.
“I had some business in town to attend to Ronald, I will take that thank you,” George reached onto Zinnia’s plate and grabbed her candies. Normally she is up to share, but found it a little forward that they met that day and was eating off her plate without asking.
“Excuse you! I need some sugar. I don't want to faint again!” She argued trying to snatch the candy back. George rather than eating it stuffed it in his pocket.
“Trust me, darling you do not want that candy, it’s um sugar free. Here take some of these.”
He traded her instead a red and white striped box labeled ‘Bernie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans’
She had already stuffed some in her mouth as Ron and George continued their conversation, something about ‘rebuilding the shop’ and thoughts about selling.
“You can’t mate, look I know it’s hard but I can help out around the shop. Whatever you need! Seriously!” Ron told George.
“You need to focus on finishing school, the shop is not anyone’s concern but mine now and I am going to sort it out. Seriously Ron, do you think Hermione would want you abandoning your N.E.W.T.S for a second year in a row?”
“Hermione is still looking for her parents in Australia! I wanted to join her but she said she needs this time to rebond with them and try to reverse-” Ron glanced at Zinnia who was in earshot and pretending to be too interested in her cake to overhear, “you know what I mean. Point is she might not make it back for term anyways! And like hell I’ll go back to school without her. Look, I know I’ll never be Fred, but at least consider keeping the shop open and in the family.” Ron finished his plea.
“We will see how the rest of summer goes. Like I said I’m still working on rebuilding and helping the rest of the Alley owners too. I’m not sure if I’ll be done in time before school shopping starts and at that point I might just sell. Regardless, it's my decision.” George shut Ron down from prying anymore.
Ron headed back to the door picking up a broomstick and walking behind the house. Maybe cleaning was a way of blowing off steam, Zinnia thought to herself.
George turned to Zinnia.
“Feel better now that you’ve got some substance?” he asked her.
“Much better thank you,” She wiped her face hoping it wasn’t covered in chocolate.
The lunch clearly had continued into dinner and the drinks were flowing. Zinnia spent most of the time sipping on water and listening in as the family told their stories and inside jokes, picking up more details about Hugo’s childhood and how his brother and most of his family went to school more locally in Scotland while he wanted to venture out and travel to a school in the Americas. Hugo stepped over to her seat and they talked out heading back to the Inn.
“It’s so late Hugo and to drive in a cab two hours back seems like a hassle, you and Zinnia are more than welcome to stay, we have two rooms open as the oldest boys are moved out.” Molly offered and Hugo shrugged.
“I am at ZZ’s mercy whatever she wants to do!” Hugo replied, hiccuping as he was drunker than she had ever seen him.
“That’s ok with me, thank you Molly, you and your family have been so welcoming to me.” Zinnia responded and Hugo thanked her with a pat on her shoulder.
Ginny, Ron, Harry - the only one who wasn’t a Weasley, were all missing from the garden. Zinnia assumed they had gone up to bed. It was only 8PM. The night was young and she had a new burst of energy after a long nap. Hugo, Molly and Arthur had basically been day drinking since noon and were starting to clean up to head in for the night.
“I’ll get that stuff Molly, really it is no problem” Zinnia offered to clean up the remaining dishes that Molly was picking up.
“Oh it’s no worry dear! No trouble at all” Molly insistented.
She seemed to be struggling though picking up one plate at a time and walking it back inside. Zinnia got up and grabbed an armful of empty cups and couldn’t help but think it was a little rude of her kids to just leave their mess for their mom to pick up after. When Zinnia came out to the garden to get her second armful of dishes, the entire party was cleaned up like it never happened. Before she could ask questions George was at her side with a bottle of whiskey.
“Fancy a nightcap?” He asked her. She was trying to avoid the partying lifestyle but it wasn't like she was trying to be sober. Just attempting to avoid clubbing till 4 am and putting substances up her nose that she shouldn’t.
“The night is young,” She agreed.
Molly had finished cleaning up the kitchen when they got back inside and wow that woman was fast. The dishes were washed, dried and put away and the stovetop was gleaming. She took the kitchen towel off her shoulder and folded it neatly next to the sink.
“Firewhiskey, really George?” She looked sad that he was holding it like she had seen him drunk on it on too many occasions.
“It's just some scotch, and yes Mum I am going to enjoy a drink with our guest just as you and dad have with uncle Hugo is that alright?” George reassured her that it was just a formality, not a binge drinking session.
“Oh alright Georgie, Zinnia, I have you in Bill’s room on the second floor on your right. Fresh sheets and towels.” Molly patted her son on the arm tenderly as she headed upstairs to bed.
“Honestly that woman worries too much.” George said as he pulled a chair out for Zinnia to sit at the kitchen table.
She sat and a cup downright appeared out of thin air in front of her. George quickly grabbed it and poured the liquor.
“Ice?” he asked her.
“No thanks,” she replied, “cheers!”
They clinked glasses and drank without breaking eye contact. His eyes were blue, not sky blue like her own, they were darker and had flecks of jade green that surrounded his pupils. She had the feeling she had met him before, or maybe saw an old photograph of him. Probably from Hugo’s things a long time ago.
“So New York City,” George started, “tell me everything. I have never been to America and I have been thinking lately as my business partner is now dead and my shops destroyed, about starting over in the big apple.”
“Wow! That’s a lot to unpack,” Zinnia put together that his twin brother Fred was his business partner, not sure what kind of shop they ran or why it was destroyed. “But I can’t believe you have never been to America!”
She wanted to avoid diving too deep, and steered the conversation into a lighter direction. She told him all about her love of city life, the fast pace, the unique people, and the energy that the city had unlike any other. He pressed her for more questions about her friends, her upbringing from Hugo and what he was like as a father figure. She couldn't help but feel guilty as everytime she answered it was so vague, she really didn’t like to talk about herself, especially her past. So much of it was blurred. She debated telling him about her coma and decided against it. She hadn’t shared that accident or memory loss with anyone except for Hugo and her two best friends in the city.
He told her about the joke shop he and Fred dropped out of school to open and its great success. He kept the past year and the details about the shop being destroyed so vague saying there was ‘civil unrest’ in the town that the shop was in and rioters had broken in and nearly burned it down, including the rest of the street.
Zinnia found it all so heartbreaking that he lost his best friend and his life’s work all within the year. She could understand why he wanted to run away and start over, so many people who move to New York have the same idea.
They had almost killed the bottle of scotch and Zinnia hadn’t felt the alcohol in her head until she stood up to use the bathroom. As she washed her hands she looked at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her eyes were glassy and cheeks red. She found some toothpaste in the drawer and brushed her teeth with her finger to freshen up. A little dizzy but not trashed, she walked back out to the kitchen and the bottle was replaced with a full one.
“Round two already? G, you are trying to get me drunk?” Zinnia asked in a flirty tone.
She was grateful for the buzz and the good company, and she was more than willing to keep their little party going. It was a much better form of entertainment than any book movie she could use to distract herself. It also beat mediocre drunk sex in the greenroom with a drummer at a sketchy bar.
“No! I’m not trying to get you drunk, I hope it’s ok, I just feel like we were having a good time. If you want to go to bed I understand it is past midnight already and-”
“I’m joking,” she cut him off, “I am enjoying this and it's going to take more than a few drinks of this lightweight shit to get me drunk.” She teased him and he took on the challenge.
“Is that so?” George asked as he got up to pull a different bottle out of the cabinet. It was red but still a dark liquor. “This is fire whiskey, it’s a lot stronger than what we just finished but I wasn't sure if you would be able to handle it. And seeing as you already passed out in my arms today I thought I should go easy on you.”
She took the bottle, popped out the cork and poured their glasses fuller than they had been before.
“Cheers” She proclaimed and they again held stubborn eye contact as they tipped back their drinks and drank them in one.
It was hot in her throat like Fireball, a cinnamon whiskey she had in the states, not her favorite. George laughed as she made a face and shuddered.
“Alright that is like swallowing a spoonful of cinnamon,” Zinnia said as she stifled a cough.
“Here have some of this to chase it,” George offered her a glass of apple juice that came out of thin air. Her eyes were a little watery so she wasn’t sure.
He saw her take notice, “grabbed for you earlier I had a feeling you would try to show off.” He was already pouring a second glass.
“Know me less than 24 hours, am I really that predictable?” She asked, somewhat embarrassed she sipped on the next glass and the liquor went down much more easily.
“Honestly, you are the most mysterious person I think I have ever met. We’ve been talking for hours now and the idea of letting you go upstairs and being left alone is crushing me.” He said with so much sincerity.
Zinnia had heard the pick up lines and the ‘genuine’ compliments from so many guys and she was always able to see right through to their true colors. She saw nothing in his lighting change; it was still that true, pure glow that mixed in with her own energy as they were now sitting closer than ever.
“Who said I was going upstairs?” She asked as she leaned into him closer, hoping he would do the same.
He didn’t.
“Ok, you may say you’re not drunk but I don’t feel right to kiss you right now as much as my body is begging me to.” George said as he backed away slightly from her face.
“Oh because you’re so noble, such a great guy? Come on I know you feel something here too or am I crazy? It's just a kiss, it doesn't have to be that deep.”
She knew exactly it was because he was that noble and he was a great guy. But that’s perhaps why she wanted him in that moment even more.
“Yeah it is because of that. I am not going to take advantage of you. And I do feel something here and it is deep. Not just like a one night thing in my parents kitchen.” George replied back to her taunt. “Tell me about that locket, where’d you get it?”
She couldn’t take it. She was so horny they had been flirting and teasing each other for hours. That, mixed with the drinks and his soul that was beaming through his skin, she didn't know why or what exactly came over her but she smacked him right in the face.
SMACK!
He grabbed her face in his hands and met her lips in a hungry, passionate kiss. It wasn’t perfect, it was sloppy. Her hands went to his hair, his arms moved to her waist gripping her tight. His tongue took liberties and she let him explore her mouth, biting on his lower lip before breaking it apart to gasp for air. They looked into eachothers eyes and she fought back tears. His lips were familiar. He tasted like liquor and peppermint, and something else so familiar. She was tired, she was jet lagged and their deep conversations had bubbled up too many bad emotions.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have slapped you! What the fuck is wrong with me!” She yelled out and covered her face, starting to sob.
She cried a lot in the last few years. She would sometimes start crying and she wouldn't even know why. Her doctor had put her on two different pills to help her cope with her emotions. She conveniently forgot to take them today.
“No! Stop that love, you are just drunk and worked up it’s my fault! But please try to keep it down, you'll wake up the whole house,” George pleaded as he held her in a tight embrace, her face against his warm chest.
“I think I’m going to be sick!” She said and he pulled her quickly to the toilet. She puked quickly and apologized over and over again.
“It’s ok Z, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to get you this drunk let me get you some water” George said.
A glass of water was in his hands in a second, she felt like she was going to vomit again.
Pulling herself together she asked even though she felt crazy, “What just happened? I felt like we went on a roller coaster and then appeared in the bathroom. And where did you get that water?”
“I think you are just a little out of it, traveling and barely eating then drinking heavily on a stomach full of-” he looked into the toilet and flushed, “treacle pudding.”
“No. George. Why are you gaslighting me what the fuck is going on.” She demanded. Something in his aura was off, he was hiding something.
“Nothing Zinnia let me help you to your room.” George replied. He put her to bed and she passed out before hitting the pillow.
He watched her sleep for a long time. He looked at the locket that he sent her as a Christmas present years ago when she left for New York. He spent all of the money he had left that he hadn’t put towards the shop on that necklace. She looked so familiar, like her old self when she slept. He had to remind himself over and over again that she wasn’t his anymore. She was gone.