Disclaimer: I own nothing except my characters.

Note: Yes, story 7 has started and yes I built up that excitement to only burn it on purpose. I know, I'm terrible, but c'mon you read it. =-P Seriously though, we know how Melinda is. No, Tammie is not a vamp, it's just hard for anyone to come to terms with what is happening with that whole fate thing and not think about the possibility of Matt turning her. Here's another chapter though, enjoy! And thank you times a thousand for my first review SiobanPhelps!

Starting Off Personal

"Oh look at that, you are" I said with a strained smile.

"Happier…" she said giving me a look.

"Yay!" I forcefully shouted.

"One more time…" she replied.

"Holy Merlin on a broom, you're gonna get married! I'm so happy for you! That's so perfect, so—"

"Go back" she said giving me a disappointed look.

"Congratulations" I said in a normal tone with thumbs up. "You just don't think it's…you know…" I started as she glared at me. "We're only seventeen" I tried as she slightly let up.

"Fred will probably ask you to marry him soon, you'll be seventeen" she sort of snapped back as I tried nodding, tried seeing it from her standpoint.

"Well, as long as you're happy—"

"I am" she quickly interrupted as I nodded and we moved toward the house.

"You're invited, and Fred and even Amber" she said as I nodded again, though my mind was quickly trying to work itself into holding back comments.

"Right" I replied not bothering to say I didn't think it would last.

"I already told Mrs. Weasley but she wanted me to tell you while we were outside, so Fred could break the news to George" she explained.

"George doesn't know?" I asked as Melinda shook her head.

"Fred was the first, we were talking about engagements, you know, how if everything pans out well he might pop the question…" she trialed off upon seeing my expression. "Anyway, he seemed happy. Well, at least happier than you" she said as I shrugged.

"One of us needs to be happy" I said half-jokingly as we headed inside but only made it so far before George cornered Melinda.

"I heard your news" he said as I looked cautiously from him to Melinda.

"Yeah, I wanted Fred to be the one to tell you" she said as George slowly nodded. "I thought it would be best if I didn't tell you" she added.

"All I want is for you to be happy, and to get out of this. So, my only recommendation is, if you decide to stick with all this, to stay with him, to marry him, you need to leave, go back to America—"

"George" I interrupted. I knew he'd take the engagement badly, but part of me hoped he'd be civil.

"I mean it in the kindest of ways" he added catching my expression as we heard more footsteps, Fred appearing next to his brother.

"I know" Melinda said as there was a knock on the living room doorway, Houston and Mrs. Weasley appearing there.

"Is everything alright?" she asked as I looked from Melinda to the twins.

"We're happy for you Melinda" Fred said in a tone I couldn't quite recognize as he glanced over at Houston. I looked over at him too. He was still scrawny, average height, maybe a little shorter, laid back air about it. He seemed thrilled to be in the Weasley house of course.

"Hi" he said cheerfully as he went over to stand next to Melinda.

"How are you?" I asked him as I went over to pat his shoulder.

"Good, and it's good to see you again, but, you know, it would've been better under different circumstances" he explained as I nodded.

"Tell me about it" I mumbled as Fred nodded.

"So, what about Matt, is he around?" Houston quickly asked. I looked over at Melinda, had she told Houston the wrong story about Matt?

"Probably with his family" I started as Fred cleared his throat.

"Speaking of, I sent the rest of the family off to Diagon Ally, you should probably catch up with them" Mrs. Weasley said.

"Even him?" George and I both asked thumbing at Houston.

"Yes!" Mrs. Weasley huffed out. "Melinda is part of this family and being engaged doesn't change that, so Houston is just as well family" she explained.

"Wow, how about we include Matt in that mix too?" Fred said though I doubt Houston really knew Fred meant it as an insult.

"Actually, I still have respect for him, he helped this family out, he saved your life. Be thankful" she said in annoyance before going back in the kitchen.

"Houston" George said as we started out. Houston, who had whispering happily to Melinda turned to face him. "Not that I don't have respect for you or whatever, but, like I tell all Melinda's pursuers: if you break her heart I will shove so many Vomit Crème Cakes down your throat you'll be puking out of your—"

"George!" Melinda hissed at him though I was only smiling. It was nice to see someone else had a problem with this, thought it was too easy and simple.

"I was gonna say ears" he said defensively but the rest of us were looking at him doubtfully. "But I'm confident you'll treat her just fine" he added giving Houston another good pat on the shoulder as we finally made our way out.

"So, you're really doing this, aren't you?" I asked as we trailed slower behind the boys. Melinda nodded but didn't say anything; it was a topic we didn't talk about much; rather, at all. About our looming futures, the ones where she had to walk away in either case and I died in both cases. It made thing worst that neither of us—or anyone—had heard anything on Margret. Not that I expected to. She'd planned everything, she played everyone. I wouldn't have doubted if she convinced Matt to turn soon merely to put him out of his misery.

"Have you talked to him?" Melinda asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Which one?" I said half joking. "Because Matt gave me this birthday present" I said pulling out the bead which was now a mellow yellow color. I laughed as I thought about it.

"Wow, is it, you know, a real one?" Melinda asked as she took it, gently, turning over in her hands as it turned a bright yellow. "It feels funny" she said with a giggle as she switched it to her other hand. "Kinda like it tickles, which I guess is kinda how I feel. You know, just really happy and bright and all smiles and, oh look!" she said pointing down at the bead. I had to look close to see the little bubbles forming in the small stone. "I can't believe he got this for you and I can't believe you accepted it" she said shaking her head as she handed it back. I shrugged and let it fall back into my pocket.

"It's a birthday present," I said as we finally made it the brick wall where Fred and George were showing Houston which order to correctly unlock the walls and part the way. As it opened I watched his eyes grow bigger; I myself could feel a little smile as I looked on in excitement.

"It's so weird this is our last time shopping for ourselves for school" Melinda said as she looked along with me and Houston in awe.

"Yeah" I said finally pulling myself from my daydream and taking a step forward, Melinda and Houston behind me.

"There you guys are!" I looked over in time to see Ginny coming toward us, breaking into a run at the sight of Melinda.

"I can't believe you're engaged! Congratulations!" she said in a high pitched but excited voice as the girls hugged. Again, this seemed off to no one?

"Thanks" Melinda replied, her face as red as Ginny's hair. "By the way, this is a little more what I was looking for" Melinda joked as she glanced over at me but I merely shrugged, but grinned just a bit.

"Houston, you are so lucky, she's fantastic!" Ginny said now running over and hugging Houston. "Congratulations" she said to him as he turned a shade darker too. "What took you guys so long?" she asked looking at her brothers who only raised an eyebrow in unison at her. "Oh forget it, c'mon, Harry has it" she added holding her eyes on Fred who, again, looked a little pale.

"Has what?" I asked stupidly, already knowing they weren't going to tell me. "Nevermind" I added as I shook my head.

"Er, how about you kids go off and play" George said nodding to Houston and I as he and Fred moved closer to Ginny and Melinda.

"And where are you lot going?" I shouted as they started walking away.

"To see a man about a wand and not Ollivander" George shouted back. I sighed as I looked at Houston who looked just as confused as I felt.

"What was that about?" Houston asked as we both stopped.

"Don't know, don't wanna know, don't care, don't wanna care" I said simply as I shook my head and pulled out my supply list.

"So, you really proposed, huh?" I asked, realizing we had a moment.

"Yeah, it's weird, she got back and told me everything, like, everything. And then she started crying. I held her for hours, I didn't know what else to do. Then we hung out the next day, she had my parents there too. Wanted permission to bring me here, explained almost everything" he said as I arched my eyebrow at him. "She kept out the details about you and didn't mention Margret was alive" he explained as I half nodded.

"What about vampires and halves?" I asked.

"They know a little about that, but, they still believe Matt is the good guy" he said as I looked at him with great surprise.

"After everything she still believes Matt is good" I whispered, a little happy. If she trusted and believed in Matt it meant one more person on our side, one more person helping us, Matt having one more ally, one more friend.

"She still hates him, don't get me wrong, but, I don't think she would've been allowed to come back had her parents know about Matt" he said.

"Then why did she? I mean, if she believes what Fate said and decided to be with you, what did she come back for?" I asked.

"I think for you" he said which me stop cold.

"For me, what do you mean? Why do you think—Oh for the love of Quidditch…" I hissed as I looked up, seeing a tall woman with long black hair—with a single strand of blonde walking in perfectly measured steps alongside a similar looking boy. It was funny how Draco looked more and more like his mum every day.

Quick, lemme see your wand!" Houston hissed snapping his fingers as I pulled out my wand and started to hand it over.

"Why—hey wait a second…" I said pulling it closer to myself. "You almost got me there" I joked as Houston gave a loud laugh.

"You know you wanted me to" he said knowingly as we looked on through the crowd as Draco and his mum started to enter the bookstore but then Mrs. Malfoy stopped, I wondered if after being at the Manor I acquired a certain smell only she was familiar with because there was no other reason for her to have stopped or be slowly turning her head in my direction.

"Duck" I said pushing Houston deeper into the crowd just before Mrs. Malfoy's eyes caught us.

"Tammie" a cold but familiar voice said. I stopped just before I walked into Mr. Malfoy. Houston wasn't so lucky; then again, had I not pushed him, he wouldn't have hit him so hard. I only wished Houston had gotten knocked out in the process. Unfortunately he looked more alert than before. "Hello Tammie" Mr. Malfoy said as he looked at Houston and then the spot Houston's nose hit his cloak.

"Sorry, I sorta pushed him" I explained as I pushed Houston far enough away from Mr. Malfoy so he could make a run for it if he needed to.

"Oh and who is this…a fellow friend of yours I'm assuming?" Mr. Malfoy asked as he snickered in Houston's direction. I started to shout run but as I opened my mouth I saw Mrs. Malfoy and Draco coming up behind Mr. Malfoy.