A/N: Thanks for the follows and favs! JD

Being eighteen means I have no excuse to not to go out to the clubs and pubs with Yvonne, it's something she has wanted to experience with my company for a while. Since she started her part time job at the pub almost a year ago she isn't so cynical towards people as much. Her view of 'too many people are small minded and I hate them' long gone. Which again is a oxymoron, when it comes to working in the service industry it usually increases your hatred to the human race.

Yvonne is full of contradictions but so am I. I want to see my family then I wish for nothing more than to avoid them. This pulling of hatred and love towards my family can be traced back to the day Lily met Severus and found out she's a witch. It's obvious in my family that I am the only one who sees magic as a negative, I hate the negative impact that magic not only has on Lily but on me. A lot of the time I feel like I'm an old hag groaning towards a brick wall. It doesn't help my resentment when no one actually listens to my fears.

The bars Yvonne insists on taking me to are OK but it appeals to me more just to smoke and have a few drinks sitting out on our balcony instead of paying club prices for drinks. Yvonne hopes that these adventures may lead to meeting a potential boyfriend but it turns out my Christmas party she attended last year worked out better. Charles a higher up executive had kept in contact with Yvonne and had decided to officially ask her to be his girlfriend.

At first she was afraid to tell me but when they actually made it official she didn't want to hide it anymore. Yvonne has finished her beauty course and is now working on increasing her client base.

Understandably Marge for a while didn't want to continue our coffee meets but she missed seeing Vernon and I. She doesn't have much else besides her dogs so seeing us is her main social weekly event. After she had given herself a month reprieve the coffee dates resumed again.

James and Lily still continue their dance of 'I love you, I hate you'. Mediating between the two of them is frustrating! I just want to grab the two of them and push them together and yell 'NOW KISS'. Why need they complicate things? They both obviously care about each other.

When Christmas comes around again I don't feel the need to drown myself in a bottle of whisky. The feast my mum and Lily cooked for us distract me, we have many people come and go throughout the day. Yvonne and Charles visit as do people from my mums book club and my old boss Mr Walker and lastly but not least Marge has come over to just pop in quickly before visiting Vernon.

After Marge has a few sips of her orange juice she turns to Lily and grabs her attention with a slight click of her fingers, "So Lily, don't know much about you, Petunia is ever so tight lipped about you. To be honest ... she only mentioned you in passing once. hhhhmmm what was it ... You attend an exclusive boarding school in Scotland Highlands, correct?"

Lily eyes Marge with disdain and glares at the offending hand that dared to get her attention with clicking. Getting someones attention with clicking their fingers is quite distasteful but Marge is a recluse who hardly ever deals with anything a part from her dogs, so I try to forgive her little oddities. It makes Vernon happy that I make an effort with her, making Vernon happy brings a very satisfactory feeling to me. Vernon is the type of person who doesn't see much pleasure in life, rather like myself in that respect and making him smile a true smile is rare but rewarding.

At receiving one of Lily's infamous murderous looks Marge turns to me and gives me a nervous look. Marge looks to Lily and is about to speak when Lily's face changes drastically to form a smile. Merlin. I get shivers seeing this, it's what Severus does to annoy me.

"Indeed that is correct ... forgive me but your name seems to have been eradicated from my mind, what's your name again?"

My eyes widen in shock, ouch Lily, very ouch.

Marge splutters a bit then manages to say 'Marge'. After that Marge decides that trying to talk to Lily is an infrugal venture and decides to leave to meet with Vernon.

It's my nineteenth birthday and spending it in a horrible mood isn't uncommon for my birthday, it's a Sunday and I have the Sunday blues big time. I don't wish to return to work tomorrow.

Pacing back and forth angrily. How dare they.

'gossiping bitches' 'disgusting degenerates' 'debauched Neanderthals'

"Dunderheads!"

Hearing Yvonne snort and laugh I turn to her, when she sees my face she then stops laughing and looks nervous.

"Whoa, please don't kill me. What happened?"

I like Vernon, he is a lovely boss and person and spending time with him and his sister is nice but my word the rumours those ladies at work have spread infuriates me. That we secretly eloped or that we have gotten a little too "frisky" in his office.

"Do I come across as a whore?"

Yvonne looks surprised by my question, "Nah Ah! You're very classy ... why do you ask?"

"Apparently I am a disgusting whore who sleeps with her boss!"

I continue my pacing and grumblings while Yvonne looks on with amusement.

After more grumblings and insults and more pacing, "Can you quit the pacing! ... It reminds me too much of Simon."

I automatically freeze in place, "Bitches, nosy ...

"Petunia you shouldn't let their opinion matter to you! Who cares what they think?!"

It's the lies that annoy me, Lily's hatred of liars has rubbed off to me.

"I hate the LIES ... my word I'm only nineteen and I act more mature than those degenerates! I have better things to worry about, like my sister finally being here for the summer break!"

Secretly eloped? Me? ... married with Vernon of all people? The image of me walking down an aisle to that man seems wrong. It's not Vernon per se it's the idea of walking down an aisle to anyone. I can't do it, can I? No, no, no, God no. So wrong.

Simon freezes and looks to me confused, "Aren't we a bit too young ...

I chuckle, "I am not talking now! Just wondering what you thought of the concept of marriage."

Relief crosses his face and he brings me into a side hug and hums in thought, "It's something I wouldn't mind doing ... later, ask me again in about seven years."

I laugh, "I'll hold you to that."

My hands start shaking so I clench my fists and continue my pacing.

"I need a new job!"