[A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in so long. First I got writers block, and then this whole week I've been bed ridden and ill so it's been challenging. Also college keeps me pretty busy. I'm going to try to crank out a lot more updates though because November means National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo which I participate in every year which means I'll be writing a 50k word novel (hopefully) in 30 days!]

[A/N II: Since I can now throw cannon out the window *tosses Harry Potter books out of window in a metaphorical sense because I would never literally throw a Harry Potter book anywhere* I would love, love LOVE some suggestions from you on what to write about. I have a little sheet of paper titled "reader suggestions" in my writing binder waiting to fill up with your ideas so I can write them. So bring 'em on.]

"Are you happy to be teaching potions again?" I asked Snape while I sat with him in his classroom waiting for his seventh year class to arrive. Today was my first day back student teaching with Snape. I was going to be here every Tuesday, along with Neville and Marius who would be working with Professor Sprout and Hagrid respectively.

"Ecstatic," Snape replied looking through some papers.

"Don't be such a grouch, Snape-A-Doodle," I said.

"Do not call me that," he said.

"All right—don't be such a crank, Snape-A-Doodle," I said. He looked up at me and glared. "Don't act like you didn't miss me being all annoying and whatnot."

"I didn't," he said.

"Liar. Everyone misses me," I said.

The classroom door opened and Hermione, Ginny, and Draco entered.

"Greetings and salutations," I said.

"Must you always be a dork?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Just making sure," she replied.

"Way to totally bail on me, Draco."

I looked at the door to the classroom and an unfamiliar Slytherin girl walked into the classroom. She was tall, had dark eyes over which she wore dark green glasses, sandy brown hair, and she had almost glaringly white teeth which were being restrained by braces like Hermione's were once upon a time.

"I told you before that I was coming here early. It's not my fault I couldn't find you," Draco replied.

The girl laughed. I glanced over to Hermione and Ginny who were unpacking their things and paying no mind to her.

I looked back to the girl. I knew it was because I was still getting used to Draco and I being separated all of the time after finally getting back together, but I was immediately paranoid of every girl Draco talked to now. I knew in my heart that Draco would never actually cheat on me, but part of me was terrified that since I was no longer being chased by a dark wizard and he didn't have to pretend to be evil or date my best friend to keep out of trouble, and because we were no longer star crossed lovers, he might get bored.

"Well, sorry I forgot," she said. "What did you want to get down here early for anyway?"

"Because the student teacher is so lovely," Draco said.

I felt myself blush. I was just making myself crazy. I didn't have anything to worry about.

"Hannah this is Andrea, or Andy as she goes by. She's new, from America. Andy, this is my fiancée, Hannah," Draco said.

"Nice to meet you, finally. I met Draco on Thursday and he would not shut up about you. I mean, like, obviously everyone knows who you are but this guy has, like, 50,000 other reasons why you're awesome aside from killing Voldemort," Andy said. "He's a total fangirl."

"Well, that is one of the many things my brother hates him for, my ego used to be a lot smaller before we started dating," I said.

"Oh! And he showed me pictures of your daughter, she's so pretty," Andy went on. "You guys make a cute kid. She had a birthday party on Saturday, right?"

"Yeah. Today's her actual birthday. She's a year old," I said.

"How totally cute," Andy said.

"Yeah. . . Well, thanks," I said.

Andy walked off and sat down in her seat. I looked over to Ginny and Hermione who were giggling now.

"Ick, Potter."

Now, Pansy had walked into the room.

"Pansy, didn't you graduate?" I asked.

"Nah, and I skipped out on my NEWTs in lieu of helping a bunch of annoying kids I don't even like escape into hiding," she said.

"But so did Neville and he still graduated," I said.

"Right, but he also told Voldemort to go to hell, got set on fire, pulled a sword out of a hat, and then killed Voldemort's snake with it," Pansy said. "He clearly does not need school anymore," she said.

"Still a ray of sunshine, I see," I said.

It wasn't long before the rest of the NEWT students showed up—Luna, Natalia, and Jill who was in Ginny's year. Snape then closed the door to the classroom.

It was time to get back down to business.

888

"So what are you getting into now?" Draco asked.

"I'm going to meet up with Neville in Hogsmeade for lunch to catch up since we haven't seen each other since May," I said. "And Marius is coming as well, obviously."

Draco groaned. "I hate that guy."

"I know, and I'm not fond of him either obviously, but I'm going to be spending the next two years doing bitch work with him at the ministry and I'm going to at least try for some civility," I said.

"All right then. I'll see you for dinner though, right?" he asked.

"Yes, I will be here," I said.

"Excellent. I love you," he said. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss before dashing off after Pansy and Andy.

I was no longer bothered by Pansy hanging around Draco since she'd lost all interest in him, but this Andy character was definitely making my jealous fiancée senses tingle. I shrugged it off though. I had more important things to deal with.

888

I found Neville in Rosemertta's pub sitting at a table.

"Neville!" I cheered running up to him.

"Hey, Hannah," he said getting up to hug me. "How've you been?"

"Fantastic actually. Vast improvement over being chased through the forest by death eaters," I said.

"Your optimism is refreshing," he said. "How's Mira? I'm sorry I missed her party."

"It's fine. She's lovely. I can't believe she's actually a year old," I said. "Seems like just yesterday I was arguing with Sirius about being pregnant."

"Indeed," Neville said. "How'd your first class go?"

"Fine, obviously, but you know there is something that put me off," I said.

"What?" Neville asked.

"A girl," I said.

"You're talking about Andy aren't you?" he asked.

"How'd you guess?" I asked.

"She was in herbology this morning. Paid more attention to Malfoy than she did her work. I figured she'd rub you the wrong way," he said.

"It's fine though. I totally trust Draco. If he could handle Pansy for all those years I'm sure he can handle one random foreign girl who probably only thinks he's cure because of his accent of whatever," I said.

"You are rude and stereotyping," Neville said.

I shrugged. "I regret nothing I just said."

"Shameless, as per usual," Neville said.

"Damn straight," I said.

"There you two are." Marius came and sat down with us. "I thought maybe you were pulling my leg when you asked me to me you here."

"No, no, sit down. Join us. We don't bite," Neville said. "Well I don't at least. Can't make any promises about Hannah though."

"As I recall you once mentioned you were a fan of biting," Marius said.

"Too much information," Neville said.

"How've you been, Marius?" I asked.

"Bien. Spent the summer in Spain with my parents and Natalia, but I have moved back here permanently since I was offered the internship here at the Ministry and Hogwarts," he said. "And you, planning a wedding I've been told?"

"Yep," I said.

"Oh, right, set a date for that yet?" Neville asked.

"Yes we have, finally, actually. It's been our first step toward actually having one. It's going to be on June 24th," I said. "We still have no venue though. I'm this close to doing a backyard wedding at Burrow which would be lovely except I'm pretty sure the rest of the Weasley children are getting married there and Draco's family is inviting hundred thousand people."

"Oh, right, you're marrying into an old family. There's got to be people you don't even know," Neville said.

"All from Lucius' side of the family. There are people coming from the Netherlands—who the hell is he related to in the Netherlands?" I asked. "As for Narcissa's side, the only remaining members of the Black family are Sirius, Lydia, Tonks, Andromeda and the Weasleys and they have all literally been disowned from the family anyway."

"What about your aunt and uncle, the, uh, Dursleys?" Marius asked.

"I actually don't know. I've never spoken to them but twice—once when I was helping kidnap Harry from their house when I was 12 and again when I accidentally stumbled out of a broom closet with Draco into them on parent visit day in fifth year," I said.

"Why were you in a broom closet?" Marius asked.

"Well that's obvious isn't it?" Neville said with a smirk.

"No, no, Hannah doesn't like to make out in places that filthy, mostly broom closets," Marius said.

"Then what were you always in the Astronomy Tower for? I shutter to think about what you would find if you went over that place with a black light. I bet there's semen everywhere," Neville said.

"Your brain is permanently stuck in the gutter today, isn't it Longbottom? This Slytherin girl is having a bad influence on you," I said.

"I beg to differ," Neville said with a wink.

"You're disgusting," I said. "Anyway, I was in the closet because Draco was warning me that his father was trying to send me to Azkaban for murdering Cedric Diggory."

"Which you didn't do?" Marius asked.

"No, I did not," I said.

"Oh, Marius, I never asked you, what department are you going to be doing your internship for?" Neville asked.

"Magizoology," Marius said. "You?"

"Herbology," Neville said.

"And everyone knows I'm going to be working in the potions research and development department," I said.

"Which just sounds terrifying," Neville said.

"You have to admire her for having that kind of ambition though," Marius said.

"Thanks," I said with a smile.

"Do you know who's supposed to be in charge of all ministry interns?" Neville asked. I shook my head. Neville gasped. "I thought you of all people would know. It's Mister High and Mighty himself."

". . . Who now?" I asked.

"Percy Weasley," Neville said.

I gasped. "No. Anyone but Percy."

Neville shook his head. "Went down to the ministry a few days ago and he couldn't stop telling me how excited he was."

"Percy is related to your friends?" Marius asked.

"Yes, and he is absolutely the most annoying, most over-achieving, pretentious, power crazy, human being in existence. And did I mention annoying?" I asked.

"Percy was head boy at Hogwarts," Neville said.

"Big-Head Boy is what we used to call him," I said. "The ego on that boy puts mine to shame."

"This is the only time I'm ever going to agree with you when you say that," Neville said. "Percy is a certifiable prat."

"I guess we'll have to deal with that," Marius said. "Just as we'll have to learn to deal with each other."

"You're right," I said. "I just realized that whether we work at Hogwarts or the Ministry the three of us are going to be seeing a lot of each other forever."

"Guess we'd better learn to be buds," Neville said.

[Chapter title credit to Eminem for the song "Without Me"]