A/N: Quiet! Quiet! This is important! ...Chapter 12 is ready. Hee hee!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or that whole universe...And times this by a few times for previous chapters. I forget to put this in.

Matchmakers, Inc:

Seamus Finnigan poured the small bag of freshly made popcorn into his bowl, grabbed two cans of soda and strode from his small kitchen to his messy living room. He maneuvered his way around several piles of clothing and edged between two chairs to flop down on the sofa. Popcorn flew up from the bowl and landed on the cushions between his legs. A deep chuckle came from beside him and he smiled up at his companion. Brian Anders had a friendly laugh, nice blue eyes and a cute dimple in his left cheek. He was also persistent, which is why he was sitting in the Irishman's living room on a Monday evening preparing to watch Resident Evil, an American film Seamus had bought on a whim and had not yet watched. "Tell me, Finnigan, have you ever considered cleaning in here?"

Seamus shook his head and popped a kernel into his mouth. He chewed, pressed play and took a swig of his soda before answering. "Why should I do that? Harry just cleaned it a few days ago." Brian eyed the room doubtfully. "Besides," Seamus continued as the previews began, "next time he needs a bit of advice, which'll be soon, Harry'll clean it again." Brian dipped a hand into the bowl and withdrew from it a large portion of the popcorn. He chewed a few bits as he looked around the room thoughtfully. "So," he said as he swallowed, "you're not embarrassed to have company over to see this?" Brian waved a hand, indicating the mess. Seamus shrugged. "Nope. A room can show who a person really is, right? Why would I want to hide that?" A pair of socks, rolled into a ball, tumbled off the top of a nearby pile of clothing and rolled to land next to his feet. Brian smiled at it and turned his gaze back to the movie.

Seamus and Brian leaned closer to the television as the man on screen peered cautiously around the edge of the wall he'd pressed himself against. Seamus bit his lip nervously and Brian began to whisper, "Don't do it….don't go in there…" The music coming from the movie was eerie, the type of music that clearly stated something bad was about to happen. Even so, both men jumped as the zombie dogs charged into the man. Popcorn flew into the air as the two jolted back. Seamus' cry of horror and Brian's yelp of disgust drowned out the sounds of urgent knocking on the front door. Silence descended once more as the scene shifted to a different part of the school. As it was, Seamus wasn't sure he'd ever set foot in another cafeteria for a long time. Dead little kids were creeping out from beneath desks and slowly advancing on the heroine. A hand fell heavily on his shoulder and Seamus screamed, attempting to stand and turn at the same time but only managing to trip himself, falling ungracefully atop a pile of worn shirts.

"Parkinson!" the Irishman wailed his voice only just loud enough to be heard above the screams from the movie and Brian's uncontrolled laughter. "What the bloody hell did you think you were doing, sneaking up on a man like that?" Seamus stood carefully and brushed bits of popcorn from his clothes. "From now on, I'm locking my…What happened?" Seamus had seen the woman's face and it indicated that all was not well. Brian stopped laughing, alarmed by the sudden seriousness in Seamus' voice. He picked up the remote and pushed the button to pause the movie.

Pansy Parkinson stood before Seamus, wringing her hands. "Finnigan, I don't know what happened! I was talking to Blaise and then he…well, he…" she waved her hands uncertainly before continuing, "he kissed me and then Draco was there and… and…it wasn't on purpose! He left. Went to the kitchen and just flo—" Pansy's rambling was halted by the hand over her mouth. Seamus didn't bother to remove the hand as he turned to face the confused man still balanced precariously on the edge of his sofa. "Brian, I'm sure you remember Pansy Parkinson." Brian nodded slowly, brown hair falling into his eyes. "Pansy, this is Brian Anders, the doorman from the restaurant." Pansy nodded confusion evident on her face. "Now that we all know each other," Seamus continued, finally removing his hand and reaching to pull Brian up from his seated position, "its time for nice little doormen to say good-bye."

Brian protested. "We haven't finished the movie yet! We didn't even get to the really scary part that would make you jump into my arms!" Seamus lifted a brow but continued pushing the taller man to the door. "At least let's agree to meet again. How about tomorrow? Wednesday? Thursday, maybe?" Brian sent Seamus a pleading smile over his shoulder. He sighed. "Alright already! Tomorrow. Call me, okay?" The sandy-haired man shut the door, but it did nothing to dull the loud whoop that echoed down the hall of the apartments.

Shaking his head as he turned around, Seamus came face to face with his recently arrived guest. Pansy was looking at him calculatingly, nodding and humming quietly to herself. "I see," she said softly. Seamus pretended not to know what the woman meant and walked past her into the living room. "You see what, Parkinson?" he asked nonchalantly as he picked up the bowl and empty cans. "You like him," she called from the hall. Seamus dropped the bowl in the sink and threw the cans away. "I do not!" he returned and began making his way back to where Pansy was waiting. "We've only just met. There's no way I can like him already." The former Slytherin merely smiled knowingly. "Why was he here at your house, then? After all," she said, raising a brow, "you've only just met." Seamus blushed and avoided her gaze. "Well, he…is really…" he sighed and his eyes finally met Pansy's. "He just won't give up! Believe me; if I hadn't agreed to him now, he'd be calling every hour on the hour trying to hook up again." Seamus returned to his sofa, beckoning Pansy to follow. He sat and sighed. "He does make good company though."

It was quiet for a moment and Pansy sat daintily next to Seamus. "He's a muggle, isn't he?" Pansy asked. Seamus nodded, watching as the pause ran out on the movie and a blue screen popped up. He left it alone. It was less distracting than the image of a screaming woman running through the dilapidated halls of an abandoned building anyway. "There are some things he doesn't know about," Seamus said slowly, and then shrugged. "It helps me forget." Pansy watched silently as the man brushed a hand through his hair. "So," he started with false brightness, "what are you doing here?" Pansy appeared confused for a minute then groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "Blaise came over to visit," she stated simply, voice muffled beneath her palms. Seamus grinned broadly but turned his expression to one of concern when Pansy looked up. "We were just talking about Hogwarts and before the war. He said something I found funny." She blushed before continuing. "He said my laugh was beautiful. Then he kissed me." Seamus stood and walked to the kitchen to prevent Pansy from seeing the triumphant smile he could no longer hide.

"Then what happened?" he asked, grabbing a glass and filling it with ice. "Then Draco walked in," Pansy said quietly as Seamus started toward the living room again. He gasped. "No way!" Pansy gave a slight smile at the words but quickly sobered. "Yes way." Seamus handed her the glass and clapped his hands together. "That's absolutely perfect! It couldn't have been better if I'd planned it myself!" he exclaimed. Pansy stared at him in shock. "Perfect? You think it's a good thing?" The Irishman nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! He'll turn to Harry again, won't he?" It wasn't a question and Pansy stared at him in doubt. "I thought we wanted Draco to think Blaise was after him again." Seamus waved a hand. "That was before. Now we want him to think Zabini is moving on."

Pansy's brows furrowed together thoughtfully. It made sense. Neither Draco nor Blaise had moved past their break-up and three years was a long time to hold onto the heartache. Maybe it was because Blaise had never gotten someone else that Draco never found anyone. After all, Blaise's cancelled engagement did make the society page of The Daily Prophet. She frowned. "I thought Draco just didn't want to be hurt again." Seamus nodded. "There is that," he agreed. "But it may be an unconscious thing. After all, Malfoy was so close to Zabini for so long." Pansy didn't answer. That was true as well. Draco's crush on the man had started long before Zabini had confessed his feelings. She sighed. Something still worried her though.

"But…" she started slowly. "What about me? We've been friends for years and—." Seamus grinned, interrupting the question. "Well, yeah. If Malfoy is the kind of wizard we know he is, that won't change it much." Pansy looked at him. "You don't think it's… strange? I'm his best friend," she murmured. "It's not weird that his ex-boyfriend was kissing me?" Seamus opened his mouth, then closed it. That was something he hadn't considered. "If…if he's truly your friend," Seamus said gently, "he'll put your happiness above his misery." Pansy nodded, her face not exactly a mask of confidence.

The phone rang and the two turned to look at it. Pansy checked the clock above the television. She'd only been there for thirty minutes. She glanced at Seamus to find the man staring at her in disbelief. "You don't think it's…I mean it's only been…He wouldn't…" Unable to put voice to a coherent thought beyond that point, Seamus sighed and pick up the phone. "He…hello?" he asked timidly. Pansy laughed at the pained expression that came over Seamus' face. "Hi, Brian," he answered with a sigh.

Draco opened his eyes slowly and lifted his head. Then put his head back down. He reached into his pocket and drew out his wand, cursing the sun and its cheerful rays. A swift flick later and the blinds over his windows were drawn, blocking out the bright sunlight of mid-morning. The room was blessedly dark and Draco raised his head again. He sighed and leaned against the back of his desk chair, feeling the puffiness of his eyes with gentle fingers. It would take all day for it to go away naturally. He could put a glamour over it and the problem would disappear immediately. Truthfully though, he was looking for an excuse not to go to work today. The meeting with Pansy could wait until tonight. He sighed, stood and stretched.

His grate had held up during the night, preventing visitors by floo. When the doorbell started ringing the previous evening, Draco had spelled it silent. His phone had been ringing off its hook, prompting him to unplug it during the night. It seemed as though Pansy had given up and for that at least he was relieved. Now he could be alone with his thoughts, heavy as they were. How does one act toward a friend when he catches her snogging the man who broke his heart? This was a question worth careful consideration. Draco grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen and settled down on his couch, matters between Pansy and Blaise foremost in his mind.

The man standing before him was giving some sort of long-winded explanation about some screw up or other that had happened in training. Harry Potter couldn't tell exactly what it was but then he wasn't exactly listening either. He was staring intently at the clock, barely visible above the man's shoulder. How was it possible for the thing to move so slowly? After all, the wizard before him had been talking for what seemed like forever but the hands on the clock had barely moved. Harry frowned as the minute hand seemed to move backwards, not noticing as the explanation ended in a squeak and the man bolted from the room. Was it normal for the hands to move back? Harry didn't think so.

He sighed and stood, gathering his papers and sliding the unorganized stack into his top drawer. He couldn't concentrate on work. Besides, he had better things to do. He just needed to figure out what they were. He wasn't supposed to show up at the show until 7 and it was only, he checked the clock again, 1 pm. Six hours was a long time to kill. Harry leaned back in his chair, chewing thoughtfully on the edge of his thumb. He'd tried calling Seamus four times, but every time, the phone was busy. Harry shrugged. He didn't much feel like discussing Malfoy with the former Gryffindor anyway. Hermione and Ron were busy packing and Harry didn't want to disturb them. Besides, neither knew about Malfoy and he didn't want to add to their problems. So that left…Harry nodded. Then stood, grabbed his cloak and left the office.

Moments later, thanks to the nauseating wonder that was apparition, Harry was standing before Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the Black mansion that housed his old friend and one-time teacher, Remus Lupin. He sighed as he looked up at its whitewashed facade. It seemed Remus had found something on which to spend his spare time. Even the yard looked nicer than it had during the war, when the building was being used as the headquarters for the Order. He walked slowly to the door, taking in the house's new clean appearance. Harry shuddered as he passed a muggle lawn gnome, the ugly thing grinning beneath its little blue cap. It was a good thing school was starting soon. Remus obviously needed something meaningful to do.

Harry stood silently on the stoop of the house, staring in surprise at the door. It was still closed. Every time he came for a visit, the door was open even before he was past the gate. He reached out and pushed the doorbell. The deep chimes echoed through the door and Harry rolled his eyes at the sound. When had the doorbell begun to play "God Save the Queen"? The door opened quietly and Remus Lupin stuck a head out cautiously. "Harry!" he cried, recognizing his friend. He threw open the door and dragged him in. "Come to see my work then, have you?" Harry laughed as the thin man launched into description of all the work he'd completed on the house, from clearing out the attic and it's chestfuls of Dark Items to dusting off the gruesome collection of House-elf heads.

"And the best part of it all," Remus exclaimed, "is that I…Well, just look!" He pointed at one of the paintings in the front hall. Harry realized with a start that the portrait of Sirius' mother was gone, her cursing and screaming with it. In its place rested a large picture, the five figures in it beaming happily. Harry walked forward. Sirius sat in an armchair, relaxing with a foot slung over the edge. Harry laughed as the young man waved to him with a grin. A young Remus was leaning against the side of the chair, arms resting across its back and head placed comfortably atop them. He was smiling gently down at the dark-haired Sirius, occasionally looking around at his other friends. Peter Pettigrew was behind the chair, standing on tip-toe to peek over the edge. He still had the boyish features of a young teen and Harry knew this was before Peter became the rat-faced man that would betray his parents. James stood with Lilly in front of him, arms wrapped around her waist possessively and chin placed on her shoulder. He grinned cockily at Harry as Lilly gave him a small wave.

Remus came up behind Harry. "I couldn't remove the sticking charm but I was able to change the picture. This was the only one large enough to fit the frame," Remus explained. "I thought it was better than Mrs. Black. By the way, I'd stay away from the attic if I were you. She's still pretty sore about the whole you defeating Voldemort thing." Harry laughed and turned with Remus to walk to the kitchen, taking one last look at the picture. "Where's Kreature anyway?" he asked curiously. Remus sighed and held open the door for Harry to walk through. "He passed on, but not before he got what he wanted." Remus pointed across the hall at the newest addition to the heads. "I'm not sure how he did it but it wasn't with my help." Remus shrugged.

Remus motioned Harry to sit and disappeared for a moment into the kitchen. He returned carrying a tray piled with small snacks. He settled in a chair across from Harry with the food placed between them. "So Harry," he said, picking up a grape, "why have you come to visit with out so much as a warning? Not that I don't appreciate the company, mind you." Harry nodded, chewing on a cube of cheese. "Remus, what do you… I mean…" Harry paused. When he decided to come here, he hadn't known exactly what he was going to say. He figured it would come to him. Now that he was here, he still didn't know what to say.

Remus looked at his former student closely. "There is something you wish to discuss?" he asked gently. Harry nodded. "When did you know you liked Sirius?" Remus looked confused. "Since I met him, Harry, you know that." Harry shook his head, feeling the flush creeping up his neck. "Not like, like," he said, his voice low. "Oh," Remus said. "I see. Well, about fifth year I suppose. Why?" Remus noted the blush that had risen to the cheeks of the boy in front of him and sighed. "After a quidditch game against Ravenclaw, I went to find James because he hadn't come out of the locker room yet." Harry looked up, listening as Remus recalled the day. "Sirius was the only one in there, so we decided to go look for him together. When we got to the door, though, it was raining. Storming, actually," he said with a small laugh.

"Neither of us had our wands, so we decided to simply wait it out. We talked for a while, about school, James and how much Lilly hated him, and other things. Somehow Severus came up and Sirius got mad. He said it annoyed him how I always told him and James to leave the boy alone. Then, he blushed. At the time I thought it was strange. Sirius was never embarrassed." Harry nodded. Even for the few years he had known Sirius, Harry could tell he was not a man that blushed easily. "Sirius told me he was jealous of all the time I spent defending Severus. He told me he would stop picking on the man only if I stopped thinking about him. He said he wanted me to only think about him and no one else. Then he smiled, as if all that he'd revealed was nothing out of the ordinary." Remus paused in his story, meeting Harry's gaze. "He left then, running right through the rain. I knew then that I liked him. It took a while longer for me to tell him, of course. I waited until seventh year." Remus shrugged and sighed. "Had I known that our time together would be so short, I would have told him much sooner."

Both men were quiet for a moment. "Did that help any, Harry?" the werewolf asked. Harry nodded a little. "I was just curious, is all." Remus watched the younger man closely before reaching out and tapping his hand. "Harry, who is that you think you like?" he asked gently. Harry straightened with a blush. "No one! I just wanted to know!" he protested loudly. Remus leaned back in his chair, watching the flustered hero. "You left work five hours early, and by apparition, because you had a sudden question about something that happened more than 20 years ago." Harry's blush deepened. "And this thing just happened to do with my feeling for Sirius. Have I about got it?" Harry nodded, eyes averted. Remus sighed. "Harry, please. I'm a teacher and a veteran of two wars. Do you honestly believe you can lie to me?"

When Harry looked appropriately chastised, Remus tried again. "Who is it, Harry?" The brunet buried his head in his arms. Remus wondered that the man could fight a war, defeat a madman, and still act so immature at times. Harry mumbled something and the thin man leaned forward across the table. "I'm sorry, Harry, could you repeat that?" Harry lifted his head, face now completely crimson. "I said Malfoy, okay? Draco Malfoy!" Then he dropped his head again. Remus stared down at the other man, surprise and disbelief warring on his face. He didn't know what to say and so said the only thing he could think of. "Oh, my."

A/N: Okay! A lot of stuff happened in this chapter, huh? I'll leave you all to figure it all out, mostly because I don't feel like explaining. Nyah! Anyway, it's time for the shoutouts again! Thanks to The Wykkyd, LadyDragonWolfKnight, azamystic, MorteDolce, Angelik Rebel, Ann, fifespice, fourth-face-of-the-goddess, potato-head4, and silverpen 18. Thanks to all and thanks to for the job advice! Heh. See ya next chapter!