Author's Note:I am sorry I have not replied to your reviews. I just do not have time to do so. Trust me, though – I have read and appreciated each and every one of them. I hope you like this chapter! Not Rowling.

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It had been three weeks since George's breakup and Lee had decided that they all desperately needed a drink. So here they were, both George and Lee nursing glasses of Firewhiskey.

"Mate, it's been a long time since we were able to go out. I mean, I don't get it. I have a girlfriend and I don't become a recluse, but it seems like once everyone else has someone, they disappear. What the deuce is that all about?" said Lee teasingly.

"I think it's because your girlfriend is supportive, independent, and, most importantly, sane," said George with an ironic smile.

"Well, that is true," said Lee with a grin.

"So how are you, mate? I mean, I see you at work but it's been so crazy."

"I know – we can hardly ever get a word in edgewise," agreed George. He hesitated for a moment and took a sip of his drink. "I'm fine, you know. It's just been quieter around the house. I did go visit the family this weekend and guess who I saw? Hagrid! Yeah, for some reason he was there for dinner. Dunno why, but it was nice to talk to him. Mate, he looks pretty awesome with his hair and beard streaked with grey. He looks even more ridiculously huge."

They laughed. George took a sip of his drink before continuing.

"Oh, that reminds me; Hermione told me this great story about work the other day. So she's at work, you know, at the Daily Prophet, and there's been this huge lawsuit happening at the Ministry about the Magical Creatures Department and hippogriffs. Something about them being raised or lowered on the scale of how dangerous all the magical creatures are. So it's been going on forever, and you know how important Buckbeak was to Hermione, Harry, and Ron, so of course Hermione wants to cover the case. Well, apparently, the owner of the hippogriff on trial was angry about the outcome of the case and went down to Hermione's office to plead his case and get the paper on his side."

"So?" asked Lee with a confused smile.

"So he brought the hippogriff with him." He paused and let that sink in. Lee's eyes slowly widened and his smile broadened.

"No."

"Yes," said George with a laugh. "It went completely bonkers and ran about the whole building rampaging and kicking up a fuss. Apparently there's been massive cleanup ever since."

Lee smiled and took a sip of his drink. It was interesting to watch George these past couple months. It seemed that every time Lee asked his friend about how his life/day/whatever was going, he could hardly stay on the topic of himself for long before he switched onto Hermione. He tried to remember the first time it had happened; he was pretty sure it had been when George had confessed to having sex dreams about her. Lee grinned into his crystal tumbler. It was funny, really.

Then it all sunk in – the conversations, the dreams, the closeness.

And then it hit him.

His best friend was in love with his roommate. His roommate who happened to be dating their other best friend. And he, Lee, was stuck in the middle of it.

Oh bollocks.

He grimaced slightly and made a noise that was somewhere between a whine of discomfort and a squeak.

"Er…George…um…when you said you wanted us all to get together, I took it to mean all of us…so I invited Oliver as well. He should be along soon. That's not awkward or anything, is it?" he asked hesitantly.

George frowned in confusion.

"Why would that be awkward for Oliver to be here?"

Lee swallowed down his urge to say Because you're in love with his girlfriend and replied, "Well, because you just had your breakup and all, and he's in a new relationship, and you know how that goes…"

"No, it's completely fine," said George with a laugh. "Oliver is one of our best mates. And I live with Hermione; I know how things are going for them. Oliver being here won't change that. What's gotten into you, Lee?"

"Oh, well, my mistake," said Lee with an easy laugh, although he wanted to shake George for being so bloody oblivious.

They continued to talk about random things, how the store was doing, the new laws the Ministry was trying to pass through the Wizengamot, until Oliver arrived and walked over to them. They all cheerily said their hellos as Oliver sat down.

"How have you been, mate?" asked George. "It's been forever."

"Only because you've been disappearing on us," said Oliver with a laugh.

"You both have," cut in Lee with a grin. "I'm clearly the only dependable one here."

Oliver and George snorted at that.

"So what have you been up to?" asked George.

"Well, I've just been training with the team, you know," said Oliver. "We had try-outs for the second string. It was not pretty. We're having the second round of them on Tuesday. Everything's been pretty normal." He took off his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair before sitting down again. "Oh! I have to tell you this story Hermione told me about her day at work. It's brilliant. Okay, so there was this guy who wanted Hermione's support on this case that the Ministry didn't like. And so he goes and you—," he laughed, "—you won't believe what happened!"

Lee raised his hand exaggeratedly as if they were back at school.

"If I guess this crazy ending correctly, you're buying the next round," he said, a mischievous grin playing around his lips. He looked over at George and winked.

"Alright, you're on," said Oliver, his eyebrow raised, intrigued by the challenge. "I'll take that bet because there's no way you can guess—"

"Hippogriff wreaks havoc in…er…let's say…important Ministry building," Lee cut in.

Oliver looked at him in surprise, his jaw hanging open slightly, while George watched him, his eyes narrowed slightly, a small frown creasing his forehead.

"How the ruddy hell did you get that?" cried Oliver.

"I got it right?" asked Lee in fake-surprise.

"Yeah! This bloke brought his hippogriff to the Daily Prophet, you know, where Hermione works. He wanted her help with something – I don't know why he thought bringing the damn thing would help – and it got loose and made an absolute mess of everything. Trashed offices, tore up the walls; it was mad," said Oliver. "That was dashed clever of you, mate! How'd you guess it right?"

"Oh come now!" exclaimed Lee with a grin. "Of course I was going to get it right! I'm just enormously impressive. You should have realized that before you took the bet! It's not my fault I'm just terribly smart. Well, actually, it is." He gave his friends a cheeky grin and a wink. "Now off with you, man! My drink's empty and you're buying!"

Oliver laughed and looked over at George, whose lips were pressed tight together.

"What about you, George?"

"Firewhiskey," George said quickly, an odd smile suddenly twisting his lips. "Thanks, mate."

Oliver grinned and headed off towards the bar.

"You alright there, George?" Lee asked cautiously, already knowing and not wanting to hear the response.

"That was absolutely ridiculous," muttered George angrily, his eyebrows furrowed as he glared at his nearly-empty glass.

"What was?"

"Did you hear him? We haven't seen him in weeks and the first thing he tells us is a story about Hermione. I live with Hermione, I hear her stories, I know all about them. We don't need to hear about her when we're asking about him," scoffed George as he finished off his Firewhiskey.

Lee opened his mouth, as if to say something, and decided against it. He rested his chin on his fist, his index finger pressed tightly against his lips, as if physically holding the words he desperately longed to say to his poor, blind, and unintentionally hypocritical friend. A smile tugged on the corners of his lips. He couldn't help it – this was just such an odd situation.

"I mean, really, they've been dating for all of three weeks and all he can talk about is her. He's so clearly whipped." George snorted derisively. "And, honestly, if you're going to tell someone else's story, at least tell it correctly."

"Yeah," said Lee carefully, laughter curling the edges of his words. "Whipped. Hermione definitely has someone whipped. I completely agree. Well and truly whipped."

He coughed to cover his laugher, but George was busy tearing up his cocktail napkin into subconsciously-sexually-and-romantically-frustrated little pieces, or at least Lee assumed that was why. He smiled at Oliver, who had just rejoined them and was resting three glasses of whiskey on the table.

This was certainly an interesting situation.

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"—And that's why I think you need to be careful of cribblysnooks when weeding hydrangeas."

Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron all looked across Grimmauld Place's sitting room at each other with equally amused yet mystified expressions.

"That is definitely a good point," said Harry to Luna, who smiled in response and moved to take another sip of her tea.

"So, Hermione, how are you and Oliver doing?" asked Ginny.

"And that's our cue to leave," said Ron quickly.

Harry nodded and they both stood up, saying quick goodbyes before heading out of the room and no doubt into the kitchen for leftovers from dinner. Ginny grinned before turning her attention back to Hermione.

"Everything's fine. We've been dating three weeks now, you know. It's been lovely. He's so sweet and attentive. I never would have figured that, what with his attitude on the pitch. He's just wonderful," Hermione said, smiling and blushing happily.

"That is so nice. I'm so glad you're in a happy relationship now. You needed one after that horrid Malcom," said Ginny. She passed Hermione a plate of biscuits Mrs. Weasley had made, who took one before passing it to Luna and continuing to speak.

"You know, the sweetest thing happened the other day. I came home from work a bit later than usual and I walked in and the apartment was all quiet. I thought I was alone, so I went to my room and changed. I left the door open, so thankfully no one walked in, but regardless…err, where was I? Oh yes. I went into George's room – I can't remember why though – and I – oh I remember now, I went in looking to steal one of George's sweaters because they're larger and warmer than mine – and I saw George fast asleep on his bed. Balthazar has calmed down now that he's one year old, and he doesn't bother George as much anymore. Well, Zar was curled up on George's chest, and George's hand was resting near his back, like he had been petting him when he had fallen asleep. Isn't that the sweetest?"

Ginny made a girly awwww noise and scrunched her nose up in pleasure.

"That is precious!" squealed Ginny.

"Are you in love with George?" asked Luna

Hermione's and Ginny's heads spun towards Luna, who was sitting on the end of the couch and watching the fire crackling in the grate.

"What?" Hermione laughed.

"You seem like you're in love with George," Luna replied.

"You mean Oliver," said Ginny.

"No, I mean George," said Luna, turning to look directly at them.

"Where in the name of Merlin do you get an idea like that?" asked Hermione, terribly confused.

"Well, you're always talking about him, you constantly bring him up in conversation, and you smile whenever you talk about him," said Luna, who looked surprised that she had to explain at all.

"Well of course she talks about him. They're roommates and he's my brother, we want to hear about him, just to check up on him. You're just making this stuff up, Luna," scoffed Ginny.

"I never make things up," said Luna matter-of-factly.

Hermione and Ginny exchanged glances.

"Well, I can assure you, Luna, I am not in love with George Weasley," said Hermione with a smile.