A Different Path Part 2

It was suffocating.

Either she left for her summer jobs or they left for their work.

They all came back later than they had promised, had dinner separately and went to sleep.

There were no hugs, no laughing, no talking beyond good mornings or goodnight.

There was love, yes, but it was too distant to be felt.

Like, if she was in danger, they would gladly stand between her and the threat but if she was upset and crying, they wouldn't hold and comfort her.

They would leave her to her own devices.

After five years of living like this, she was tired.

So when an owl came fluttering into her room with a letter from Ron, inviting her to spend the summer at the burrow, she, without any hesitance, replied with a yes