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chapter twenty nine | here we go...

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THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS had been spent cleaning Grimmauld Place, with Kaya and her friends trying their best to get out of most of it, attempting to hide in empty rooms and pretend they were cleaning them.

Kaya's hair had gone back to normal - but not before she'd had to explain to pretty much every member of the Order what had happened, and Tonks had smiled and said 'twins!' before shifting her hair to look exactly like Kaya's. George had walked in on the two of them and had to do a double take, which made the girls laugh.

Kaya's parents had gone back to their house a couple times to get some more stuff they'd forgotten to pack, including Kaya's phonograph and the collection of muggle songs on vinyl. She'd left it playing throughout the day as a bit of background noise as they cleaned the rooms, and, although at first, the twins were extremely confused by the new style of music, they'd grown to quite like the muggle bands. However, some of the lyrics did confuse them, at times.

They'd finally understood what songs Kaya and Jaeden had been singing on their first night at Grimmauld Place, because it wasn't long before they'd recognised them playing. If there was one thing they knew, it was that if Kaya ever did show them Grease, they'd already know most of the songs off by heart, anyway, thanks to the amount of times she'd repeated them.

Kaya and Maisie had spent hours in their designated bedroom during their free time, Kaya playing her guitar and even singing a few of the songs she'd managed to develop - for someone so blunt and riddled with sarcasm, she was surprisingly quite poetic - even though she didn't believe it, herself. Of course, she'd always resulted to singing and playing covers of her favourite songs, in the end. She was much more confident with them.

Unknowingly to her, Fred had stopped outside their door and listened in to Kaya a few times. He couldn't help it, okay? He knows it seems a bit stalker-ish, but he can't get her to sing to him, and he loves the sound of her dulcet, sweet voice. It made him melt - of course, he'd never tell anyone that, it was a bit embarrassing.

Kaya and Jaeden had managed to have a proper catch up with Maisie and Milo. They'd learned that Maisie and Stefan had mutually agreed that it was best to break up, as the distance thing wasn't really going to work, considering he'd never want to move out of Bulgaria, and Maisie would never want to move out of Britain, anyway. But she was quite cheery, she wasn't down about it, at all. They'd ended things on a good note, and that was probably the best way, in Maisie's eyes.

It was the day of Harry's hearing, and the atmosphere in the house had been tense from the moment everyone had woken up, desperate for the Ministry to let him back at Hogwarts. He'd left an hour or so ago with Arthur, and the rest of the children were supposed to be cleaning the upstairs bedrooms, although they were beginning to get bored.

Fred and George were happily trying to diffuse the tension by teasing their younger brother about... pretty much everything. It was when they brought up the name of a girl Kaya didn't know did she become interested in their conversation, being the nosy person that she was.

"Besides, Ronnie, you're the one who's been longing to see little old Maddie all summer," Fred teased, and Kaya turned to raise an eyebrow. Ron's cheeks turned scarlet and Hermione and Ginny exchanged a smirk.

"No, I haven't," Ron snapped, aggressively throwing an old, empty pot of ink into the rubbish bag.

"Don't lie to us, ickle Ronnie-kins!" George sang. "We've been waiting for ages for you two to finally admit you fancy each other, even Lee's asking, now - although, Maddie's probably nicer to him than you are us, so he's got the easier road,"

"Who's Maddie?" Kaya asked, turning to Milo.

"She's a Gryffindor in Ron's year," the blonde explained, as the youngest Weasley boy turned away from the group and tried to distract himself with the cleaning. "Lee Jordan's little sister. I've spoken to her a couple times, she's nice,"

"Maddie's the best!" Fred added brightly. "She's so funny - and she takes no shit from anyone either, she's always caught up in arguments with that Parkinson girl and other Slytherins,"

"You like her, then," nodded Kaya.

"Obviously, she's like our little sister - she has the luxury of having Lee, George and I as her older brothers!"

"Poor Maddie," Maisie pulled a face.

"And Ron's basically in love with her," George said casually. Kaya glanced towards the boy, who roughly threw something else into the rubbish bag, saying nothing.

"He is," Hermione spoke up, still wearing a smirk. "She got moved next to him in Potions, third year. He hated her, at first, but he's been head-over-heels since!"

"Shut up, 'Mione!" said Ron, and everyone's heads turned towards him. "You're one to talk, sneaking glances at Jake, every now and again,"

It was Hermione's turn to flush with embarrassment.

"Who's Jake?" asked Jaeden.

"Maddie's mate," said Fred. "He's the one who stops her going too far and getting expelled - bit of a troublemaker, she is, our Mads. Then again, she is Lee's little sister, so it's no surprise,"

"Right," said Kaya slowly. "So, we've got Ron and Hermione sussed," she teased. "What about Harry?"

Hermione and Ron began to grin, and exchanged glances.

"Sadie Vixen," was all Hermione said. But nobody was as familiar with her as they were the other two. "She's a Ravenclaw in our year. She actually got Harry up and dancing at the Yule Ball, last year - I know," she added, noticing how everyone's faces turned to astonishment.

"I still don't understand how she did it," said Ron. "So we've just come to the conclusion that he fancies her, because why else would he have done it? Although, he does seem a bit caught up on that Cho Chang, still,"

"Wasn't that Cedric's girlfriend?" Jaeden asked, turning to Kaya, who nodded.

Her face fell a little at the mention of her friends' name. She had to get a grip - she can't be upset every time someone mentions Cedric. And surely this stabbing pain wasn't going to linger forever? It had to go away. Right?

"And Ginny?" Kaya questioned turning to the red headed girl, who shook her head rapidly.

"No thanks," she said. "I don't want any of that, not yet,"

Kaya laughed. "I don't blame you, Gin, it's too much work,"

"So, you're telling me, everyone in this room, excluding Ginny, has a love interest apart from me, Maisie and George?" said Milo, crossing his arms. "Typical,"

"Well, Jae's barely got one, has he? Alicia wants to be 'just friends',"

"That doesn't mean he's still not going to try," said Milo turning to Jae, who shrugged.

"I dunno about you, Miley, you seem pretty cosy with that Aria Wilson in the common room," Fred spoke up, wiggling his eyebrows. Kaya turned to the blonde with a questioning look, as did her friends. It was all coming out, today.

"Oh, really?" she said. Milo shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah, well, to even it all out, me and Maisie should just get with each other, shouldn't we Mais?" George joked, putting his arm around her. She playfully rolled her eyes.

"Never in a million years, Weasley,"

He laughed, removing his arm.

They were interrupted by the sound of the front door closing downstairs, and they all exchanged glances, before leaping up and rushing to the door, the sound of Harry's muffled voice filling the kitchen.

And, of course, he'd gotten cleared.

"I knew it!" yelled Ron, punching the air. "You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you," said Hermione, the anxiety in her face fading at the good news. "There was no case against you, none at all,"

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering you all knew I'd get off," Harry said, with a grin. Milo let out a laugh.

Molly was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George and Ginny began doing some kind of war dance to a chant that went,

"He got off, he got off, he got off..."

Kaya and her friends laughed at them, before joining in. It was quite funny really - the oldest of the teenagers were acting like the youngest.

"That's enough! Settle down!" shouted Arthur, although he, too, was smiling. Milo and Maisie stopped, but Kaya and Jaeden continued dancing, although without singing, now.

"Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry..." Arthur began.

"What?!" Sirius said sharply.

"He got off, he got off, he got off..."

"Be quiet you three! Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know,"

Kaya and Fred were grinning at each other as they danced.

"Absolutely," said Sirius. "We'll tell him, don't worry,"

"Well, I'd better get going, there's a vomiting toilet waiting for me in Bethnal Green. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner,"

"He got off, he got off, he got off,"

"That's enough - Fred - George - Ginny!" said Molly, as Arthur left the kitchen. Kaya and Jaeden weren't chanting as they danced, so they were let off - although, they stopped once realising how irritated Molly was getting.

"Harry, dear, come and sit down, have some lunch - you hardly ate breakfast,"

Everyone sat down around him - Fred, George and Ginny still singing. Kaya beamed at Harry who was visibly giddy with relief. She couldn't be more happy for the boy - she even ignored Kreacher instead of usually flipping him off when he poked his nose into the kitchen to investigate the noise.

"Course, once Dumbledore turned up on your side, there was no way they were going to convict you," said Ron, dishing out great mounds of mashed potatoes onto everyone's plates.

"Yeah, he swung it for me," said Harry.

"I bet Dumbledore turns up this evening to celebrate with us, you know," The ginger said happily, after a few minutes of everyone tucking into their food.

"I don't think he will be able to, Ron," said Molly, setting a plate of roast chicken down. "He's really very busy at the moment..."

"HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF!"

"SHUT UP!" Molly roared.

Kaya couldn't help herself and let out a giggle.

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They spent the rest of the day tidying up the bedrooms, moving to the second floor. Inside one, the six seventeen year olds were crammed. Harry, Ron and Hermione in the one next door, and Ginny floated between the two.

"I can't believe this year's our last," said Maisie, concentrating on removing the cobwebs in the corner.

"I know," Milo nodded. "It doesn't seem five minutes ago we were first years,"

"Eurgh, don't remind me," Kaya cringed.

"Yeah, it wasn't our best year," said Jae. "I think we pissed off all the older kids. I feel guilty now,"

"Same," said Kaya. "Ew, I hate my eleven year old self,"

"Don't we all?" said Milo.

"To be fair, I think first year is everyone's worst year," said George.

"Yeah, everyone automatically hates you because you're a first year," said Fred. "It's just life, it happens to everyone,"

"Ah, balls," said Kaya, looking around her as she scanned the floor and surfaces.

"What?"

"I think I left my wand in the bedroom upstairs," she said, heading to the door.

"Knob," Jae called her, without even glancing her way.

But, although Kaya missed the mischievous glance Fred had given his twin, she did hear the slight crack of him apparating as she left the room. A small, cocky smile crept up on her face.

"Here we go..." George said excitedly, grinning at the other three, who raised their eyebrows.

Kaya opened the door to the upstairs bedroom slowly, expecting Fred to be behind it and jumping out at her - but he wasn't. She frowned, slightly, before noticing the slight swing of the cupboard door, before scoffing, and quickly opening it.

"Hello, Frederic,"

The sight of Fred huddled inside ready to jump out at her made her laugh.

"How'd you know I was here?" He frowned in confusion.

"Like I said," Kaya grinned. "You're very predictable,"

"Am I?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah," she nodded. "I don't think you could do anything anymore to surprise me,"

"Nothing?" Fred asked, eyeing the girl as he slowly stepped out of the cabinet and closed the door behind him. She didn't notice his cheeks slowly turning pink.

"Absolutely nothing," said Kaya, closing her eyes as she shook her head confidently. "Nothing at all,"

But she was wrong.

Because, as quick as a flash, without thinking, Fred leaned forward...

...and kissed her.

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A/N: FINALLY

Also, not too sure if you all caught on, but there was a little reference in there to two OCs from an upcoming Ron fic! I can't wait to publish Maddie's story, it's not long to go now!

Hope you all enjoyed!

<3