Sorry for the pause, this week has been so busy! So I know the past few chapters were a little short, but this one is long and moves the story along :) There is also something I need opinions on at the end of the chapter so please review!!

Chapter 20: There's Nothing Best Friends Can't Fix

Though they wished the celebrations could go on forever, the weekend ended and the Gryffindors found themselves back in school mode. The fifth years had less than a month until their O.W.L.S. and the stress level was running high. One couple, however, had not only stress but tension added and the mixture was not pleasant.

"Why is yours a different color than mine?" Ryan irritably asked Emma during a grueling Potions session when they were practicing the Invigoration Draught.

"Because you stirred it too much, it's too dark." Emma hissed as she concentrated on her own buttermilk potions, glancing at Ryan's gold one.

"Fine." He hissed back. "Sorry I was asking for help from my girlfriend."

"You didn't ask for help, you asked about the color. I don't know how to fix it, sorry." Emma said curtly. Ryan shot her a look of annoyance and Emma glared at him. They had been on shaky terms since the match, which Ryan was very sour about. After Emma had spent time celebrating on the field she had sought him out but he was in such a state that she just went back to the common room and even had a shot of Firewhiskey with the boys.

"Alright everyone," Professor Boot started. "I want you to all stand by your cauldrons and I will come around and rate your potion as if it were b y an O.W.L. examiner!" The class stood nervously next to their potions and Emma glanced over and Ben and James' table and had to suppress a grin. Like always, they looked carefree and confident and were whispering, no doubt still about the match. The boys had a calming effect on her and she was more comfortable when Professor Boot got to her and Ryan's table. "Okay, Mr. Davies first." The professor pointed his wand at the solution and it made a swirling motion and a "A" appeared over it.

"Acceptable." Ryan said, his face slightly relieved. More like Arse. Emma thought bitterly. Professor Boot moved over her potion and an "E" floated over it. Emma's face broke into a grin and she heard two boys whistle from the back.

"Okay Miss Healer!" Ben called and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Settle down Mr. Amherst, let's see how you and Mr. Potter did." Both boys had a "D" come out of their potion but, to no surprise, looked unfazed.

"Are you two planning to pass anything?" Emma asked laughing as they put away the supplies.

"Muggle Studies." Ben answered with a grin.

"Puddlemere United doesn't care about O.W.L.S." James said with a knowing look, earning looks of interest from Ben and Emma.

"Something you'd like to share with the class Jamesie?" Ben asked sweetly as he saw James' hand reach in his pocket.

"I was going to save it for later tonight…" he said grinning and he unfolded a piece of parchment he had gotten after breakfast.

Dear Mr. James Potter,

I would first like to wish you congratulations on securing the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor! I myself was a Ravenclaw, but I was still cheering the lions on when I saw the match. I was impressed not only with your talent as a Keeper but also the way you kept the team focused and together, and as only a fifth year!

I know you still have two years left in your schooling, but I would like to encourage you to consider Puddlemere United as a team you could belong to upon finishing your Hogwarts career. I will be keeping my eye on you when you return to Hogwarts and look forward to more contact.

Fondly,

Kent Saddleton

Puddlemere United Scout

"HELL BLOODY YES!" Ben said loudly, thumping James on the back. "Brilliant mate, this guy is in love with you!"

"James, this is fantastic!" Emma said and she gave him a hug. James pulled her tight, grinning from ear to ear, but she pulled back at the sound of a throat clearing behind her. She turned to see Ryan, but to her surprise he didn't look mad or jealous, but resigned. Emma said goodbye to Ben and James and followed Ryan into the hall.

--

"Just tell me the truth Emma." Ryan said sadly as they talked in a deserted hallway. Emma bit her lips, bracing herself for the question that she couldn't put off any longer and the answer she couldn't deny any longer. "Do you have feelings for Potter?"

"Yeah," Emma said quietly. "Yeah, I do. I'm so sorry Ryan," but Ryan shook his head and gave her a small smile.

"It's okay, really. I mean I really like you but, I get it. I guess I kind of knew it all along." Emma felt tears pricking at her eyes, she didn't deserve someone to be so nice to her. "I'll see you around," he said, and he gave her a kiss on the cheek before walking off. Emma stood in the hall for a few more minutes, tears coming down her face. She didn't cry because of the end of her relationship with Ryan. The tears fell because she had just ended a perfectly fine relationship for the off chance that someone will notice her.

--

"Twelve uses of Dragon's blood," Ben quizzed James as they lounged in the common room later that evening.

"Um…oven cleaner…" James trailed off, distracted and playing with Lily's pigmy puff.

"That'll earn you a nice big T."

"It's right though!"

"It's the least important one!" Ben laughed. "Alright, how about the physical differences between werewolves and wolves."

"A werewolf has pupils and the snout is different." James answered confidently and Ben nodded. "Okay Amherst, how about you show off a Color-changing charm." Ben pointed his wand at the Pygmy puff and changed it from pink to green to blue and then back to pink.

"Easy. How bout you engorge it?" He said, a twinkle in his eye at the memory of the last time they used that charm. James pointed his wand at "Ron" and enlarged it.

"Accio Ron!" Ben said laughing as the enlarged pygmy puff zoomed out of James' hands into his own.

"Wingarduim Leviosa!" James said and the pygmy puff hovered in the air.

"Oo, flashback to first year." Ben noted as it floated around the room and made squealing noises. "Silencio." He said lazily pointing his wand and the pet was silenced, just as Lily was coming through the portrait hole.

"BEN! JAMES!" She said loudly, marching over to them, where they sat with guilty expressions. "Fix Ron!"

"Sorry," Ben waved his wand and restored Ron back to the original form. Lily snatched it and shook her head at the boys.

"Why aren't you guys with Emma anyway?"

"She's probably with Davies." James said shortly, recalling how he hadn't seen her since Potions, not even at dinner.

"They broke up," Lily told him and James and Ben looked at each other, neither knowing.

"Why?" Ben asked but she shrugged.

"She didn't tell me, but she came back earlier looking upset and Rose and I asked what was wrong and she just said they broke up and she didn't want to talk about it. I think she's still in her room." With that, Lily went off.

"Sounds like a bit of cheering up is in order," Ben mused and James nodded. He didn't want to say the news of the breakup delighted him, but it did. The only thing keeping a goofy grin off of his face was the thought that Emma was upset.

"Or perhaps a special adventure?" James asked and Ben grinned. They went to grab the cloak, the map and most importantly, their friend.

--

After some dragging and threatening, the boys got Emma out of her room and out of the castle. She kept muttering about being a prefect, but complied and soon found herself in Honeydukes. She grinned, marveling at how the boys had perfected their route and wanted to share it with her. Neither had mentioned Ryan, but she knew they knew.

"So Miss Warrington," James said, taking her hand and dragging her into the cellar. "What sweets would you like to have on this fine evening?"

"Well Mr. Potter," Emma giggled, playing along with James as she looked at the boxes. Ben had gone to find an Acidpop. "You do know I am a fan of the sugarquills."

"Sugarquills, sugarquills," James mused, looking at the labeled boxes. "Well you are in luck, I believe we have an abundance!" Emma clapped her hands as James pulled out a sugarquill and handed it to her. She smiled up at him and he winked at her, and at that moment they both felt the chemistry.

"Best adventure ever!" Ben's voice sounded as he approached them, his arms full of sweets.

"We're paying for all of this, right?" Emma asked and James nodded, reaching into his pocket and putting a few sickles on the bench.

"Alright, Em, grab your sugarquills and let's go back to the castle." She nicked two more and the three headed out the trapdoor.

"Hey boys?" Emma said as they walked through the dark passage. "Mission Accomplished."

Okay so I realized this story has got about five more chapters of life left in it BUT I am so not ready to give up these characters and their relationships yet. After some thinking I got hit with inspiration and began typing. So how's this for a story, set with the same crew and five years in the future:::

"Something to Talk About"

Lily Luna Potter always thought Ginny's story of falling in love with her older brother's best friend was romantic. And then it happened to her. Lily realized that keeping a secret from a nosy family and an overprotective brother is not quiete the fairytale...but Ben Amherst might just be worth it.

Let me know!!!