A/N: Don't own, don't sue. Thanks for all the reviews and please keep it up. Enjoy.

Chapter 2

"Um… pardon me?" Verity said, bemused, a single red eyebrow raised. James and Annemarie hastily broke apart. "Hullo."

James mumbled something that sounded like a greeting. Albus stifled his laughter, asking his brother, "What's going on here?"

"Well…" Annemarie said, sounding awkward for almost the first time in all the time that Verity had known her.

"You and James were snogging, simply put, correct?" Ver asked, a single giggled escaping her self-control.

"Yes," Annemarie mumbled, her face reddening.

"What's going on between you two?" Albus asked, a teasing grin playing on his lips.

"James came over to keep me company while Verity was gone and…" Annemarie said, searching for the words to describe what had happened between her and James, "he told me how he feels, asked me out, and I agreed."

"Wholeheartedly, might I add," Verity sniggered.

"Shut up," James retorted, smiling widely at them. He wrapped an arm around Annemarie's waist, smiling. "I finally got a girl, eh?"

"Good for you, bro," Albus said. He surveyed the two in front of him and pulled Verity to him, grinning broadly. "Let's give these two some privacy, eh? We'll be in Ver's room."

"Ooh," Annemarie wolf-whistled. "Be good little children, eh?"

Verity turned back and stuck her tongue out at her cousin, winking one blue eye at her. "We'll be little angels." She and Albus rounded the corner, entering her room. "I'm happy for him." She smiled as he sat on her bed, pulling her onto his lap gently.

"Mhmmm," he agreed, nibbling on her ear. She shivered in pleasure. "He's been single long enough, don't you think?"

"Yeah," she agreed, her fingers closing around his hands.

"And I think I've gone long enough without you kissing you. Don't you?" he asked, raising a black brow at her.

"It's only been about half an hour," she giggled, straddling him as she did so. His nose brushed against hers; his breath washing over her face.

"Half an hour… half a century… both feel the same," he shrugged, grinning at her.

"All right," she assented. She had barely gotten these words out when his lips crashed down to hers in a rush of passion. Her legs tightened around his torso as his hands massaged her back. His hot tongue swept against her mouth and she granted him entrance without hesitation, moaning into his mouth. Her fingers gently traced his muscles underneath his black shirt. His muscles shivered at her touch. Gently, he maneuvered her onto her back so that he was on top of her on the bed. His lips continued to move against hers as his hand reached just under her shirt, his finger splaying out against her stomach. He reached a bit higher when- "No," she said firmly, breaking away and sitting up, leaning against him heavily. "No sex until after we're married."

His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. "I know," he panted simply in reply. "I wasn't planning on it."

She sighed. "It's tempting enough for both of us as it is; we don't need to add to our problems," she told her, her lips brushing against his cheek softly, feeling the slight stubble on his face. He sighed, biting his lip, knowing that she was right. Her hand gently cupped the other side of his face as she turned his head, forcing him to look her in the eyes. His green eyes met her blue ones with a shock of static; he was amazed that, after all these years, he still found it breathtaking just to look her dead in the eye. "Only two more weeks, Albus," she whispered softly, her fingers now trailing down his cheek, "in two weeks, we'll be married. And then we can do it."

"I know," he said, his voice deep and throaty. His arms tightened around her. "It seems like such a long time."

She chuckled, her body shaking against his. "We've been through much worse together, Albus," she said. "You can make it two more weeks."

"Yeah," he agreed huskily, his lips brushing against her ear. "It's still tempting, though."

"I never said it wouldn't be," she said. "Two more weeks, Albus. It's not that long. Besides, soon we'll start practicing and preparing more for the wedding and we'll be too busy to even notice how tempting it is to rip each other's clothes off."

He chuckled throatily. "Well, when you put it like that…" he said. A frown crossed his handsome face, which did not go unnoticed by Verity.

"What's wrong, Albus?" she asked, her bright blue eyes sparkling with concern as she gazed at him.

"It's just…" he said, his voice trailing off in uncertainty as he gazed back at her. "I guess I'm just worried that I'm going to screw up this wedding."

"How so?" she laughed. "You could show up in your underwear and I'd still marry you."

"What if I forget that?" he grimaced.

She thought for a moment before saying, "I don't think they'd let you in. I might not be able to control myself." He chuckled.

"Are you sure I won't do something like forget my vows?" he asked again, his green eyes probing hers worriedly.

"If you do, just wing it," she advised. "As long as you mean it, that's all that matters to me, Albus."

"I love you, Verity," he moaned. His hot breath tickled her ear as his glasses fogged up.

"I love you too, Albus," she replied.

"You're such an amazing woman," he said, taking her hands in his. "I'm so unbelievably lucky."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," she told him firmly, trying to reclaim her fingers and failing. "Neither did the prophecy. It merely predicted what was meant to happen. I fell in love with you because I was made for you. End of story."

He grinned at her. "You see?" he asked, grinning. Suddenly, a thought struck him and wiped the grin clean off of his face. His face fell as he said slowly, "I don't deserve you."

"Yes," she contradicted firmly, her hands resting on his broad shoulders, "you do." She looked thoughtful for a few silent moments, before adding, "And even if you don't, that wouldn't change anything. I am yours, and only yours."

"Well that's a relief," he smiled, kissing the pad of her finger.

A knock sounded at the door. "Can I come in?" called Annemarie.

"Come on in, Eerie," Verity said, leaning back against Albus' warm form.

Annemarie came in cautiously, her red hair still messed up. She smiled, asking, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No, go on, Annemarie," Albus said, his fingers subconsciously playing with Verity's red hair, which rivaled Annemarie's.

Annemarie turned to her cousin, her expression now morose. "St. Mungo's called. Dennis wants to see you."