December 1st.
"Hermione." Gem said, barging into Hermione's office. Hermione looked at her.
"Yes?" she asked, trying her best to keep patient.
"Its been six weeks since your friend has showed up for work. She's fired." Gem said. Hermione looked at her.
"You can't fire Krys." she said.
"Oh yeah?" Gem said. "Well guess what, Honey? I just did."
"No- you don't understand. She's one of the best healers that you have here. And its because of her that the hospital's been doing so well."
"She's fired." Gem repeated. Then she did the finger wiggling wave. "Tootles."
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As soon as she got off work, Hermione apparated to Krys' mansion, looking for an update. There was nothing. Hermione groaned and looked around, before going upstairs to Krys' room. She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw a girl with short dark red hair in the bed.
"Jesus!" Hermione screamed as she hopped back.
"Cookie, relax." the girl said.
"Krys?" Hermione asked. Krys nodded and shook her head so that her hair went back to black. Bur her hair was still just above her shoulder, even straightened. "You did it already?" Krys sighed and nodded. "Tell me about it."
"I don't wanna." Krys said.
"Was it hard?"
"She looked just like my mother, it wasn't that hard." Krys joked. Hermione laughed and looked at her.
"Ares got the promotion." she said. "You're just in time. He only got it yesterday. And he's supposed to move into the office today."
"Ooh- lets go." Krys said, jumping off the bed. Hermione looked at her.
"Why are you wearing a catsuit?" she asked.
"So I could move easier." Krys said, before she ran to her bathroom. Hermione sat down and took out her cell phone. But as soon as she started to dial, Harry appeared in the middle of the room.
"She's here." he said. Hermione looked at him and nodded. "Did she do it?" Hermione nodded. "Is she okay?" Hermione shrugged.
"I don't know. I just hope that we can get her dress fitted for the wedding." she said. Harry looked at her. "She said she was okay."
"What about Gin?"
"Gin told me that she didn't want to be my maid of honor when she saw the dress." Hermione told him.
"I wouldn't want to either." Harry said. Hermione laughed and the two sat down. After a few minutes of comfortable friendly silence, Harry turned to her. "So- um, who's gonna give you away?" Hermione looked up at him so quick, it looked like she'd get whiplash. Then it occurred to Harry that she hadn't thought about it. "Hermione, I-" Then she started to weep. Harry moved closer to her and tried to comfort her, but she just continued to sob. A few minutes later, Krys walked out and looked at Harry.
"Prongsie." she said.
"Padsy." Harry greeted, pointing at Hermione.
"What did you do?" Krys asked him, as she walked over to Hermione. "Bon-bon?" Hermione sat up and looked at her.
"Who's- who- w- w- who's gonna give me away? I have no one." she said. Krys looked at her pointedly.
"Dude, I'm actually a bit hurt that you haven't figured it out already." she said. "You actually have a selection. Then again, it'd only be really appropriate for Harry to give you away." Hermione looked at her, then at Harry.
"Would you?" she asked. Harry gave her the look, before he nodded.
"Of course." he said. Then he looked at his watch. "I'll tell the others that you're here. Dinner tonight. All of us." Krys nodded and they hugged. "Glad you're back."
"I know." Krys said. Harry laughed and disapparated. Krys looked at Hermione. "What's new?"
"You don't have a job." Hermione said. She seemed completely happy again. Krys inhaled.
"Wow." she said. "Its better this way. I was gonna quit anyway. I'm gonna reopen St. Eris Clinic." Hermione nodded.
"Cool." she said. Krys twirled.
"How do I look?" she asked.
"Like a guy." Krys shrugged and took Hermione's arm before disapparating.
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Krys and Hermione walked through the ministry without any problems whatsoever. The only times that they were questioned about identification was when people asked for their autographs. The girls were only stopped when they got to the auror's department. The same young guy that hit on Krys before was there. He looked at Hermione and grinned.
"Hello." he said. Hermione nodded and gave a small wave.
"Hi." she said.
"Who are you looking for?"
"Ares Delgado."
"And who is coming for him?"
"Ailen and Array." Krys said. The man nodded and let the girls pass. When they got to Section 2, there were boxes all over, and guys congratulating Ares, who was at his old desk. The two girls looked around before Gemini and Josephs walked out of the office. Krys burst out laughing. Hermione looked at her and knew that it was real laughter. She wasn't laughing because she was angry, she was laughing because it was actually funny. Then she stopped laughing and walked past to Ares' desk. Ares looked at Hermione and waved, then stared at Krys. 'Is that her?' he mouthed. Hermione nodded and pulled Krys' hat off of her head. Ares enveloped Krys in a gigantic bear hug, before he lifted her off the ground. Krys laughed and bit his cheek. When he let her down he touched her hair.
"Shorter." he said. Then he looked in her eyes. "Brown." Krys blinked and her eyes went back to the natural colors. "The way I like it." She laughed and Hermione rolled her eyes playfully.
"What's this about you and a promotion?" Krys asked him. Ares grinned and nodded.
"You should go see the new office." he said. "I'll be there in a minute." Krys and Hermione walked off and started to go to the new office, before someone slung their arm around Krys' shoulder. Krys looked up and saw Mike.
"Why are you touching me?" she asked him. He smiled and leaned into her ear.
"Don't worry, baby. I'm not like Eric. I won't pop your cherry, then dump you." he whispered. Krys looked at him, then shook her head. She then looked at Hermione, before huffing. Mike's arm caught on fire instantly. Krys and Hermione started to walk farther away, before they sat down and watched. Everybody tried to do something to help him, until Ares looked at Krys pleadingly. Krys nodded and walked over to him, tapping his arm with her wand. All of the aurors gave her a standing ovation. Krys shook her head, and turned around to walk back to Hermione, before Gem and Josephs walked over to her. Hermione instantly got up and stood by Krys' side. The four of them seemed to be the center of attention, because everyone was watching.
"Hi, Krys." Gem said, with a smirk. "Oh- you look so great. You lost weight. You've been fucking the baby fat off, huh?" There were a bunch of 'ooh's' and 'ahs', while some people laughed. One of those people was Krys.
"I'll give you that one, Gemini. It was funny." she said.
"Oh- no smart remarks?" Gem said mockingly. Krys shook her head. "I told you that I'd embarrass you."
"I'm just uncomfortable." Krys said, before she shoved a box of tissues into Gem's hand. "But, do me a favor, babe."
"And what would that be, Hon?"
"The next time you're gonna go to your fuck buddy's job, make sure you wipe your mouth after you give him head. Otherwise you look like a dirty whore. Something's on your mouth and I'm sure its not ice cream, dick lips." Krys said. Laughter, 'ooh's' and 'ahs' flooded through the room. Gem's eyes went wide and she stared at Krys with hate.
"Fuck you." Gem said. "Better yet, fuck him. Then he can pop the cherry and dump your stupid ass." More 'ooh's' and 'ahs' along with the laughter.
"You are so fucking stupid." Krys said, before she stood on someone's desk. "Number one, I have never had sex with Eric Josephs. I'm smarter than that. The reason that we stopped seeing each other was because I wouldn't have sex with him."
"Its okay to be embarrassed, Kryssie. I'd say the same thing if I got dumped." Gem said in mock sympathy. "I'm the better woman, and he fell for me. You should've known it'd happen from the get-go." Krys hopped down from the table and went back to facing Gem.
"Baby, he didn't fall for you. He fell for the fact that you never close your legs, you give head, and even after he dumps your ass, you'll still fuck him, because you're a pathetic whore." The laughter was high and crazy.
"No. He liked what was between my legs. You didn't want a man, baby." Gem retorted. Krys smiled. "If it dresses like a man, thinks like a man, acts like a man, and talks like a man… what is it? Its Krys." Krys laughed with everyone else.
"Gem, you need to get over it, honey. Every man that you want, wants me. And its okay. I dress like this in front of you, because I don't want to skim your chances with the guys. I mean, except for the fact that you persuade men to take you, by under table face-to-crotch persuasion, you have nothing on me. At first glance, I'm wanted. You have to get under the table and give head to even be considered, whereas I'm first choice. And by the way, sweetens, your fat is hanging out of your clothes." The surrounding crowd was hysterical.
"I gotta go. I'm about to smack the taste out of this bitch's mouth." Gem said to Josephs.
"Gemini, if you wanted to fight me, you would've done it already. And you're right, you might wanna go. I'm about to smack the taste of Eric's little swimmers out of your mouth." That was when Gem swung at Krys, who dodged it. Krys stood up and jabbed Gem in the face. Gem grabbed a handful of Krys' hair and dropped her to the floor. Gem got on top of Krys and tried to smack her, but Krys grabbed her hands and got her foot up high enough to kick Gem off of her. Krys got up and pulled Gem with her, by her hair. She punched Gem twice. Gem pushed Krys into the table and held her eye. Krys got up and backslapped Gem, before she grabbed and ripped out a handful of Gem's hair. Krys took Gem's face in her hands and let her hair fall off her fingers. "Talk shit. Smack the taste out of my mouth." Krys pushed Gem back lightly. "I told you that I didn't want to fuck you up." Gem rushed Krys and tackled her to the ground. Then she started to choke Krys, who head butted her. Krys got up and got on top of Gem, jabbing her in the face four times. Then Krys copied Gem's previous actions and started to choke her. Ares finally pulled Krys off of Gem, but Krys didn't release that easily. Krys held onto Gem's neck for dear life. Ares finally got Krys' hands off of Gem's neck, but Krys' feet were flailing. Ares laughed as he set Krys down and she glared at him. Josephs and another guy were helping Gem up. Krys gave her the finger wiggling wave and blew kisses to her, then she turned to Hermione and Ares.
"You're terrible." Hermione said. Krys started to fix her hair.
"I wouldn't've touched her. She threw the first punch. That's my rule. Sometimes I need more hype, but I got hyped." Krys said.
"You're doing all of this over my boyfriend, you stupid bitch!! He comes to my house every night!!" Gem shouted. Krys started to walk through the crowd back to Gem, but Ares held her back. Krys looked at him.
"No fighting." she said innocently.
"Promise?" Ares asked her.
"Scouts honor." Krys walked back through the crowd.
"He wants me anyway, you trifling Boricua bitch!" Gem shouted. Krys inhaled, then sat on the desk with her legs crossed.
"I'm not fighting over Josephs. It doesn't matter to me who he fucks. It's the fact that you had the nerve to beg me to set you up with Ares, and now you're fucking with a motherfucker that you met in my house. What's wrong with you?" Krys said. Gem walked closer.
"He's wanted me before he wanted you, and he'll want me after." Gem said. "I saw him when I graduated, and we talked. He wants me now, Krys. How does it feel?"
"How does what feel?"
"I stole your man." Gem said, with a smug smile.
"Gemini, he wasn't my boyfriend. Plus, he's fucking other girls anyway. Go ahead, you were welcome to him. Every other girl in this office is. I didn't fuck you up because Josephs and I were hanging out. I fucked you up because you and Ares were, you slut!" Krys said.
"You're gonna stop calling me a slut!" Gem shouted, before she clocked Krys right in the side of her eye, with a heavy smack. Krys immediately started to hold her eye. When she pulled her hand off, they all looked at Krys and gasped. Hermione walked over to her.
"Krys, your eye is bleeding a lot." she said. Krys' eye looked like the side and lid had been sliced viciously. Krys nodded, then covered her eye with her hand. A minute later, her eyes was back to normal, but Krys got up and walked to Gem, who was smiling. Krys laughed and smacked her hard with the bottom of a stapler. Then Krys put Ares' ring back on her finger, before repeatedly punching Gem in the mouth. Nobody could actually get Krys off of her, whenever they tried to grab her, she held on for dear life. There was one point where someone finally got Krys off, but only before she kicked Gem in the face, and grabbed her neck with her feet. Someone finally decided to be smart and take the magical approach, retracting Krys and Gem from each other, (Actually, more like keeping Krys from Gem. Gem wasn't going back near Krys.) and putting them to different sides of the room. Krys was in the corner and every auror woman was tending to Gem, who was crying and talking about what an animal Krys was. A few of the guys were talking to her also, but a majority of them were trying to talk to Krys. Ares was sitting next to her, massaging her 'Iron Fist' and teasing her about being a trouble maker. Hermione was on her cell phone getting Krys' maid of honor dress delivered to Krys' house, while sitting next to Krys. When Hermione got off the phone, she looked at Krys. "Do all women hate you?"
"No. Actually all women with common sense like me. The rest of them don't." Krys said. "Its probably because they've all had sex with Josephs."
"Then why would they hate you, instead of Gem?" Hermione asked.
"While he was going out with Krys, he didn't need the women to stay later hours. Now he still does." Ares said. Hermione looked at him.
"You mean, he's having sex with all of them here?"
"Not at the same time." Krys and Hermione laughed, but stopped abruptly when Josephs walked over to them and sat down right across from Krys. She looked at him.
"Um… Krys, can I talk to you for a second?" Eric asked. Krys looked at her watch and shook her head.
"See, by the time you actually get the first syllable out, your millisecond will be over. I suggest you just save your breath." she said.
"Krys, come on. I'm trying. Look- put yourself in my position-" Josephs started.
"Missionary or doggy style? Oh- you were probably the upside down horsy." Krys said. They all held down their laughter.
"Krys, come on… it was only one strike. Don't I get three, before I'm completely thrown into the dirt?"
"Not with me."
"Listen, I'm gonna go… my office is calling me." Ares said, before he got up and left.
"Krys, come on. I was just trying to piss you off." Josephs said. "You know how much I like you. I can't even stop thinking about you. I was just trying to get you mad, so I'd know that you really liked me. I don't care if we never have sex… I just- I-… say something."
"I'm not just a challenge? You don't wanna find out if I'm a freak in the sheets, with pent up frustration, or if I'm just a virgin?" Krys asked mocking, reminding him of the conversation he had with Williams weeks before. "And… you didn't just pop my cherry and dump me?"
"Krys, come on. I never said all of that. I just didn't want the guys to think I was weak, because we'd spent so many nights talking. I'm sorry." Krys looked at him, and before she knew it, he took her hand and pulled her to the center of the room. "I didn't dump Krys after being her first! I didn't dump her! She dumped me! I asked her to be my girlfriend and she said no! We've never had sex! Each time that we spent the night together, we hung out and talked! I don't care if I ever have sex with her, because that's how much more she has to offer!" Josephs looked at Krys, who was covering her face with her hand. "This girl has me sprung, and I can't stop thinking about her, let alone move on to someone else! I want to be Krys' boyfriend!" Josephs took off this solid gold chain with vertical Greek letters. "Krys, will you be my girlfriend?" He held the chain out to her.
"Huh?" Krys asked.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" Josephs repeated. He had this insecure look on his face, and he was giving her the puppy dog eyes. Krys listened to the wails and sobs in the background, as she looked around. Her eyes set on Gem and the other women in the office. Krys turned back to him and took the chain from his hands, before nodding. As soon as she nodded, she heard a big slam.
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"What the fuck is she even doing with him?!" Ares yelled. As he paced around his office. He had his hand on his head, and he was livid.
"Ares, calm down." Hermione said, from her seat in front of his desk. Ares picked up his mini basketball and shot it in the mini basket.
"I can't believe that she's going out with- making a commitment to him, when he treated her the way that he did." he said, before he punched a hold through the wall. Hermione cleared her throat.
"Ares, you're the one who decided to leave them alone. Maybe you should've said something for the two weeks that they weren't dating." she said. "Now, you're in your office and you're pacing, pissed at yourself because you didn't say something sooner. Well- its your fault. From what she knows, you don't want to be with her. And that's probably because you told her that a while ago. Ares, you can't expect her to put herself out there again, after the way she got shot down the last time, do you?"
"Hermione, she doesn't even remember it." Ares said, before he looked at Hermione. She was giving him the look that said 'doesn't she?' "She remembers? Why the hell is she even still friends with me?! I was a jackass! I called her manipulative and I-… I yelled at her, and I made her cry… and she remembers all of that. Yet she still got me this job, and she's still talking to me. Hermione, why didn't you tell me to go after her?!" Hermione looked at him.
"I told you only about a thousand times!" she said. "And I said that when you were ready it'd be too late. You didn't listen to me, jackass. I told you." Ares sat at his desk with his head in his hands.
"I was gonna tell her today." he said.
"Well- you have to jump fast, when it comes to the pretty ones." Hermione teased. Ares looked up and glared at her.
"Hermione, do you know what it feels like to be turned on by someone's ankles?" he asked. "I look at most girls and- nothing! I look at Krys' ankles and its time to turn on the cold shower. I can't take it- I'm gonna go crazy. I mean- there was a reason that I wanted to marry Emily. If Emily cheated on- when Emily cheated, I didn't give a fuck. I didn't even like Emily. But with Krys, every time I see her with another guy, I want to hang myself. I mean, back then… when I was with Emily- am I gonna die? She's gonna kill me. I swear- this is worse than when we were younger, because- I had her. I was with her- and I screwed it up. I'm gonna die. Oh my God- is it getting smoky in here?" Ares was looking around with a delirious look in his eyes. Hermione was sitting in the corner, holding down her laughter behind her bridal magazine. Ares heard her snickers and looked up, before going back to his desk. A moment later, someone knocked on the door. "Come in!!" Ares yelled, his voice muffled. Krys walked in with her hands behind her back. She looked around the office.
"Pretty pulchritudinous." she said. Ares and Hermione looked at her.
"Pulchra from Latin, meaning beautiful." they both said.
"And yet, neither of you can get Spanish." Krys said, pulling something from behind her back. It was a dartboard. She held it out to Ares. "I don't want you to be mad at me for causing a ruckus on your first day of work."
"Oh, that was nothing. You're always causing a ruckus." Ares said. Krys pouted and looked at Hermione, who nodded.
"Thank you for backing me up, buddy." she said to Hermione. Hermione nodded.
"No problem, pal." she replied. The three of them looked at each other and broke out laughing.
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Later that night, they all got together in Potter Manor and ate takeout. Moody, McGonagall and the whole crew was there. Harry looked at Krys and groaned.
"Aren't you gonna tell us?" he asked. Krys looked at him and shook her head.
"No." she said.
"Why not?"
"Because, it was difficult enough. It took precision. It took me six weeks to learn their every move and… it was weird. Plotting to kill someone."
"Why was it weird?" James asked.
"Yeah, Krys. Why was it weird?" Ron asked.
"Because, I liked it." Krys said, as she looked down. They all stood silent for a while, before E.J cleared her throat.
"Its okay. No, its perfectly natural. And healthy, considering where and who you come from. Nobody here is going to judge you for how you feel. Its how you act and what you do that matters, in this situation at least." she said. E.J looked thoughtful.
E.J Flashback
E.J was sitting at her desk, completing the map of her new house, when she saw three skull and crossbones dots pop up on the map. One dot was completely black, meaning high danger. The other two dots were a light gray, meaning a fair fight to a minimal threat. Without thinking twice, E.J picked up her wand, and ran across the house at her top speed, to her mothers room. Her mother was sitting on her bed, looking at a picture. It was the wedding photo. The picture was of the couples' first married kiss. E.J tapped her mother.
"Mummy, we have to go." she said. Mrs. Potter looked up at her.
"Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, as she wiped the tears from her eyes. E.J shook her head, before she heard the door bust down.
"Mummy, lets go." E.J said in a low whisper. Her mother nodded her head, and pointed in the direction of the closet attic.
"Go first, Jazzy." she said. E.J nodded, pulled down at the ladder stairs, and hopped up. Without another word, Mrs. Potter pointed her wand at E.J, then pushed up the attic steps, as the door bust down. Three men in black robes walked into the room in synch.
"Aye, the legendary April Potter." the hooded person in front of the other two said. E.J's mom nodded.
"Yeah." she said, with a light Hispanic accent. "And you're Voldemort."
"How dare you speak his name?" one of the other hooded men hissed.
"My followers and I will spare your life." Voldemort started. "Just give up the girl." Mrs. Potter shook her head. "Then die."
"No, no!" E.J screamed, as the attic ladder dropped down, and she hopped out. "No, I'm here. Just please, just- just leave her alone."
"Jazzy, go back up! Now!" Mrs. Potter shouted.
"Come with me, Eris." Voldemort hissed. "And I'll let your mother live." One of the hooded men advanced on April Potter, and put his wand to her head. E.J nodded.
"No! Do whatever you want to me, just- don't hurt her. Please, just don't hurt my baby!" Mrs. Potter shouted. E.J shook her head.
"Come with me, Eris." Voldemort repeated. E.J nodded.
"Okay." she said. "I heard you before. Just let her go." Voldemort nodded, and the man took his wand from her mother's head. E.J walked to him. As soon as she reached Voldemort, the man pointed at her mother and hissed,
"Avada Kedavra." E.J saw the green rush of light expel from the tip of his wand. No tears fell from her eyes. She watched the body hit the floor with a thump. E.J walked to her mother's body and knelt to the floor. She looked at her mother's dead body, and suddenly choked down a sob.
"Where's the spell's shield?" Voldemort hissed. E.J didn't say anything, she just took each breath at a time. She could feel her heart thumping in her ears, and she was aware that she probably wouldn't live past that day. Suddenly, she stood up.
"Are you going to kill me?" she asked.
"Not if you join me. Not until I have what I need. Not if you're a good little girl." Voldemort said, touching her chin with his long bony finger.
"And what is it that you need from me?" E.J asked. Voldemort laughed, and looked at one of his cronies.
"Don't play coy." he said. "Where is the shield for the spell?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Where is the shield?!"
"YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST KILL ME NOW, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!" E.J shouted with as much attitude, and courage that she could muster.
"Check her." Voldemort hissed. His crony pointed a wand at E.J's forehead. She stood her ground, and held her wand.
"Legilimens!" the man hissed. Nothing happened. "Legilimens!!" Still, nothing happened. "LEGILIMENS!!" E.J stepped back once.
"Tom." she started. Voldemort looked at her in shock, then laughed. "There's something that you don't know about me."
"Oh yeah? And what is that?" Voldemort asked, as he gave an evil smile.
"Born Occlumens." E.J said, before her wand slipped from her hand, and onto the floor. She bent down to her wand, which was still standing on its point.
"If you touch that wand, you'll be joining your dear, sweet, attractive mother." E.J looked at him.
"Tommy, you're forgetting something this time." Voldemort looked at her with a sadistic smile.
"It'll be worth killing you." he said. "Dear Eris- what is it that I'm forgetting?" E.J's wand stood on its point, and she smiled up to Voldemort.
"Child prodigy.' she said. Just as he was yelling his second Unforgivable Curse for the night, E.J and her wand slipped right through the floor. E.J went all the way down to the basement where her broom was. She ran out of the basement and got tripped by a hooded figure. It wasn't Voldemort. She saw through the window, that he was tearing through her mother's room. E.J groaned, as the man grabbed her up, and started to drag her through the mud by her hair. Then he dragged her back towards the direction of the basement door, where E.J summonsed a shovel and stabbed the blade into his midsection. The man instantly let her go, and held his stomach, as E.J got up and stomped hard on the floor. The soil gobbled him up and buried him alive. E.J stood there and looked around trying to devise a plan, before she was knocked down by her ankles. In a quick second, the man stood and stomped hard on E.J's stomach, making her scream in pain. He once again started to drag her through the dirt in attempt to get to her front door. She stared up at him, as tears slid down out of the corners of her eyes. As she concentrated on breathing, she saw the man's wand move in a wrist holster. As her breathing became more concentrated, his wand moved more violently, until it finally flew into her hand. E.J chopped through the back of his knee with the side of her hand, and he buckled at his knees, before E.J pointed the wand to his temple. Her hand was shaky, until she heard screaming in her mind. Her first thoughts went to dropping her wand. Ending everything for both of them. "Sirius." his name stood on her lips, as her hand continued to shake and her vision got blurry from the tears. "Avada Kedavra." she said in a strained scream. As soon as the green light rushed from the wand, E.J began to crawl to the basement. When she got there, she touched her wand to her broom and disapparated to Potter Manor.
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Later that week, her mother's funeral was held at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore asked E.J if she needed to say a few words, and E.J wasted no time standing at the podium with her wand in front of her mouth. She took a deep breath and almost laughed, as she saw her father and his new wife 'crying'. His new wife, who was also her mother's childhood friend, was pregnant. E.J's eyes went straight to her sister Erica's. Erica was sitting next to Eric, with a look of pure delight on her face. She smirked up at E.J, then mouthed 'one down, three to go', while she pointed at Aphrodite and her pregnant stomach. E.J looked around and saw Lily sitting next to James. They were staring straight ahead at her. James was nodding, knowing what she was about to do and obviously approving. Sirius and Remus were copying his actions, while Peter looked around. E.J then looked at Moody. He was way in the back, but staring straight ahead at her. E.J chuckled slightly, then looked back at her father and his new wife, before she spoke.
"First of all, I'd like to thank all of the people that showed up. Um… I know that everyone is so happy that I got away safely. But…I'm not. Not really. I…I'm actually most disappointed that I'm witnessing the desecration- sorry, adulteration of my mum's memory. I'm looking around… and I see some phony people that didn't give a fuck about her." The crowd gasped, but some people nodded, encouraging her. "And I see some people who do. I mean- some of you just care about my mum's funeral, because of who she was. Yeah- she was Healer of the Year for twelve out of seventeen years. Some of you just care about her status. But- I really just want to talk about how she died." E.J cleared her throat. No one could get her to speak about what happened, but she was finally going to. The only bet that they had was the Dark Mark over the house. They all stared at her. "Well- its simple. Death Eaters invaded my house. How they found it, I don't know, but they found us. And Lord Voldemort-" Gasps from the crowd. "started to monologue, and talked, and talked, and would not stop talking. Finally, he got one of his little followers to lift the wand and kill her. She did nothing. She had her wand in her hand, but she did nothing. She didn't even try- she didn't- she didn't even lift her wand. Everyone knows that one of Lord Voldemort's cronies raised the wand, but- and I'm gambling when I call him this- but my father killed her a long time ago. Him and his new wife, who also happened to be her best friend, killed her a long time ago. My father and his cheating ways, his neglectful behavior towards me and her, it all killed her a long time ago. He was a predator when he met her, and my nineteen year old, fresh out of school mother was his prey- but back to the story at hand. Him and his new pregnant wife are what hurt her, so much in fact, so much that she didn't even look scared- regretful- she didn't blink twice at the thought and reality that she'd never see me again. She actually looked happy, when she knew what was coming. I mean- they hurt her so much, that she didn't even want to live for me. They hurt her so bad, that she didn't even fight back. She just stood there… and I got to see my mother die, because of my father. I got to watch my mother die, because…-" E.J chuckled a bit.
"Because, the man that she gave everything to, he didn't give her anything in return. He killed her. My father killed my mother. I mean- yeah, pointing blame, isn't a noble thing to do… but this is the man who has the nerve to show up, and let his crocodile tears fall. Actually no- because, I don't see any moisture… on either one of them, for that matter. I loved my mother. She was amazing. She was smart, and beautiful, and she was funny. But I hadn't seen that woman since my father became someone important, and I blame him. I hadn't seen that woman since she let her best friend- her disowned, poor, unemployed best friend move in and leech off of us. That's probably because she was sleeping with my father. And I must say, she had to have been doing a lovely job, because why my father would choose that cow over my mother, I'll never know. See… they had the nerve to ask how I could bring my… boy-b-boyfriend, Sirius Black, to her funeral. They had to nerve to request a private ceremony for my mother's funeral. Probably so that we could handle the financial shit fast, and go on about his business. I ruled against it, because like it or not, Eric, she was my mother, and at the time, she was no longer anything to you. Like it or not Aphrodite, she was no longer anything to you. I mean- a million questions run through my head about how you can actually feel good and happy about what you're doing. But- my real question is, how dare he come to her funeral, and act like he ever gave a damn about me or her? He's sitting over there with his new wife… who I believe he fell in love with, while shagging in he and my mum's bed, and shedding fake ass tears." E.J looked up to the sky and shook her head.
"I mean- I didn't see any signs of guilt when he told her that her best friend was pregnant with his bastard child and that he were leaving her. I didn't see him shed a tear when I personally told him that she was killed. I guess the audience is what he was really looking for. Anyway… I think that he gave up on us a long time ago. So…I'm gonna say something that I know my mum would've wanted to say. I'm gonna tell more truths and uncover some more of Daddy Dearest's lies for my mother's memory. And- she is going to love that I can speak some of her last thoughts for her Aphrodite, for you…I hope you- which one is worse, rotting or burning? Well- I hope you rot in the poorhouse, then burn in hell, you sinful, adulterous bitch. I mean- I would scratch out your eyes, and beat you senseless with my nunchackus, if you weren't pregnant and my Headmaster and Head of House weren't watching." Almost the whole crowd gasped. "And Eric… I hope your money dries up and you die alone, knowing what a sick bitch you really are. You have some serious issues. I mean, you left Erica's mother for mine, good choice, though. Then you left my mother for that. You have some damn nerve showing up with your new knocked up wife, and your bitchy cow of a daughter, both who hated my mother. I just want to know how you sleep at night… and I hope your infidelities eat your flesh away, until your left with nothing but your ice clump of a heart. I really want to know how you're getting your rocks off now, I mean your main source of sex is knocked up and a cow! I don't need you, your money… the only thing that I really need is my last name." That seemed to be it for Eric Potter. He had a vein popping out of his red forehead.
"Eris, get down here now!" he shouted from his seat. E.J looked at him and rolled her eyes.
"Ooh- father has spoken. What the hell am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to cry and obey you? I'm not your bitch, Eric. That's your new wife's position… don't try and pin the lost puppy persona on me. That's not who I am… but you wouldn't know that… because you don't know me. You know Eris Aphrodite Jasmathes Potter. Well- that's not me. I'm- I am no longer Eris Aphrodite Potter, daughter of Eric Potter. See daddy, you might've gained your new wife, and whatever the hell she can give you, which is nothing. She can only suck you dry, which she's already done in both senses of the world, and leave you to die. Again, you might've gained your new wife and whatever the fuck she can give you, but… you've lost me. And I know that it doesn't mean anything to you… but- I have no idea how you could leave my mother for that foul piece of excrement in a whorish robe. I am now just E.J Potter. I am E. Jasmathes Potter. And the only reason I want your last name, is because of how it originally came from Grampy Potter. And- it seems like almost everyone but you has worn the name well. I just hope that your example dies with you and Erica. I, unlike you, loved my mother. And- I hope that she's resting in peace. My last words…If there is any justice in this world, you and your new wife will burn in hell… after being exposed for what you truly are. And something else that I want you to know, dad…I…I-… I-I-I………… I'm- I love Sirius Black. And it doesn't matter that you don't like him… or that you don't think he'll fit into your new campaign… because I love him. And- this is probably horrible… but the fact that you don't like him- it just makes him even more appealing, and it makes me love him more. My real last words- Mom, I love you. Sirius… I love you, too. But, mummy, rest in peace. Rest in Peace." she repeated in Spanish. She wasn't expecting it, but a lot of people clapped. E.J hopped off stage, and ran back to the castle.
End E.J's Flashback
They were all looking at her, as she stared in space.
"The first time that I had to kill someone, it was on a whim. And it was self defense. I hadn't planned a thing. I was dueling one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. He was the man that killed my mother, and tried to kill me. It was my first visit from Voldemort, the first time I tried to escape him. I escaped Voldemort, and went through the floor to escape. I got to my basement and the man grabbed me by my hair, and dragged me through dirt, and what he was doing to me was on the verge of abuse. I got up and I whacked him with a shovel, before he tried to stun me. Well, I stomped on the ground and the dirt ate him alive. I took a breather, and he grabbed hold of my leg, tripping me, before he stomped on my stomach, breaking my ribs. I just gave him the Avada with his own wand, on command… then I crawled to my broom and got away. Don't be ashamed… what you're feeling is just a sense of accomplishment, because you protected yourself. Its not that you enjoyed killing, its that you were happy taking care of yourself. So… what happened?" E.J asked. Krys looked thoughtful.
Flashback
Krys walked to the mansion and knocked on the door. The door was answered by a tan woman who was 5'7 with light brown eyes, and curly brown ringlets. She looked at Krys.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Let me guess… you're Imogene." Krys said. Krys shook her head, her black curly ringlets sprouted out and her eyes went to their normal colors. The woman's eyes widened, and she pulled her wand out of her waistband. Krys snatched it from her hand, and twirled it around. "You're not gonna invite me inside my house?"
"Its my house."
"So… who are you? Auntie Imogene, Auntie Rachel, Auntie Erin or Auntie Erica?" Krys asked. The woman scowled, then smirked.
"Say hello to Auntie Erin. Now come along and meet Auntie Erica." she said, before Krys pushed past her. In the foyer, a blonde woman with light brown eyes pointed her wand at Krys. A rush of green light expelled from her wand, before Krys did a back flip and dodged it. As she flipped, she dropped her wand, and when she landed, she stood on it. As she stood on her wand, a flood of green light rushed out onto the floor, before both Erica and Erin dropped dead to the ground. As soon as she discontinued the spell, a small little house elf ran out.
"Missis Eris?" she asked, as she ran to Krys. Krys looked at the little girl house elf with big green eyes, as the elf hugged her leg. Krys looked at her.
"No. I'm her daughter." she said. "Are you okay?" The little elf shook her head and held up her rags.
"Missis Erica took away the dress Missis Eris gave me." she said. Krys smiled and snapped. The house elf was fitted with a new cute dress.
"Here." Krys said. "Look, I have to go, but I'll be back soon."
"Okay." the little elf said, before she ran out of the room. Krys looked around the house, and almost caught fire. All over the house were pictures of her mother in gorgeous gowns and dresses, all of the portraits had slashes through them. She looked down at Erica and Erin's dead bodies and smiled slightly, then cringed, before shaking her head of the thoughts.
End Flashback
Krys told them all the story, and they all looked at her.
"Honey, believe me when I tell you… it's a normal feeling for someone as angry as you." Sirius said. "These women caused you some pain-"
"The fact that I wanted to bring them back to life so that I could kill them again, is a sick, sad thing." Krys said. E.J looked at her.
"I can top it." she said. Krys looked at her. "This'll sound horrible, but my greatest regret was that I couldn't see my father and his wife die."
"Hmm… as nice as it is that we can all talk about this, I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable." Remus said. Krys laughed slightly.
"Don't worry, Moony. I've only ever felt like that about three people, so we know that I'm not into killing innocent people." she said in a matter-of-fact tone. They all looked at her. "What?" They all just shook their heads, before they all laughed. "Lets talk about the wedding." They all nodded and started to discuss the wedding.
"Krys, I've got the maid-of-honor dress here, and you can try it on." Hermione said, before she gave Krys a dress bag. Krys nodded and took it. "Go change into it, so we can all see it." Krys nodded and left with the dress bag. A few minutes later, they all heard a shrill scream.
"What the fu-?!" Krys yelled. A minute later, she walked into the room. They all looked at her and held their laughter. Krys was wearing a big gold, puffy, chiffon and taffeta dress that was puffed up by crinoline. The dress had frilly short sleeves, with lace and all types of material. Hermione squealed as she ran to Krys and started to primp and puff her up. Then she smiled and pulled a hat from off of the table. She put the hat on Krys' head.
"My maid of honor." Hermione said in an excited voice. "How do you like the dress?" Krys looked down and gave a chuckle.
"I've never seen anything like it." she said. Hermione smiled.
"You like it?" she asked. Krys looked at Hermione and nodded.
"I love it." she lied. "Especially since you picked it out. But… remember that Ginny deserves this more than I do. She's been there for you for so long."
"No. I love Ginny." Hermione said. She turned back to Ginny. "I love you, Ginny." She then turned back to Krys. "But, you're my Cookie." Krys whimpered.
"Okay." she said. "I'll definitely be your maid-of-honor."
"You really like the dress?" Hermione asked. Krys looked at her.
"Would I lie to you? I love this dress." she lied. "So much, in fact, that I think we should save it for you to wear in my wedding. We can find something else less… wonderful, for me to wear." Hermione laughed. Actually they all laughed at Krys' attempt.
"Its okay. I'll show you where I got it. They had it in pink."
"Oh. What a sight to see." Krys said. "I'm gonna go change out of this… because its sure to make me an egocentric ass wipe, its so damn beautiful. I gotta go." Krys bunched up the material and ran out of the room, but not before shedding the hat.
"I love you." Ares whimpered, as she left the room. He had his hand in a desperate extended grabbing position, as if Krys were tiny and he was trying to hold onto her. They all looked at him. Including the portraits. "Wow." Then Ares put his head down.
"So… what's wrong now?" Harry asked Hermione.
"Oh- lets give the rest of them the update." Hermione said, before she looked at the portraits. "Ares ran out on his wedding to be with your daughter, and he's still in love with her after about eight years, but he can't tell her." Hermione then looked at Harry. "She's back with Josephs. This time, she's his actual girlfriend." Hermione said. "She actually had a fight today, with Gem-"
"Its about time." Ginny said. "That girl always took advantage of Krys."
"Honestly." A.J said.
"Well- she mangled Gem, then they retracted them, using a spell that she could've walked through. But she sat down and Josephs asked her out, after shouting out to the whole office that she had him whipped. Now, because Ares is a punk, Krys is Eric Josephs' girlfriend. Officially." Hermione said, looking down. Ron was sleeping in her lap, exhausted from all the work he'd been doing. Hermione traced his ear with her finger, then kissed it lightly. Ron shifted and stirred slightly.
"I love you, Hermione." he whispered, before he went back to snuggling against her.
"I'm not a punk." Ares said, from the table.
"You're probably a punk." E.J said. "I mean… from what I can see, the way you two act… you're a punk." They all looked at E.J.
"You ran out ten minutes before your wedding." Remus said.
"Quiet." E.J said, looking at him. Ares looked at her, then lied his head back on the table.
"She's intimidating." he said, from the table. "Does anyone here know what it feels like to be afraid of the girl you wanna be with?" All the guys in the room raised their hands, including the half asleep Ron. "Well… this is Krys we're talking about. I've seen her set people on fire."
"That's nothing." Sirius said. "When E.J turned nineteen, she set me on fire, because she thought I forgot her birthday."
"Yeah, I almost got hit with a bolt of lightning, when I pissed her off." Ares said. Sirius raised his eyebrows.
"E.J beat me up with her nunchakus." he said.
"Krys and I were practice dueling, and she had me surrounded by a bunch of big poisonous snakes." Ares said. "Plus, the girl's tongue is like acid. She can be mean. I've never heard anyone say the kinds of things that she says." They all looked at him and nodded slightly.
"Yeah." Harry said. "You're an idiot. That must be horrible."
"What?" Ares asked.
"Being in love with someone so mean and vicious."
"She's not mean. She's tough. And, she's sweet most of the time." Ares said indignantly.
"Then stop complaining." Sirius said. "Do you have any idea what its like to have a wife with a license to kill? Or Moody and Dumbledore's protégé? Not only did the Order use her whenever they had to kill, but she- she was good at it."
"Sir, would you say that you're somewhat as vicious?" Ares asked Sirius.
"If I need to be." Sirius answered.
"Okay. Well, imagine your wife's anger, your anger, going through three deceased parents, twenty years of pent-up anger, twenty years of injustice, and the most powerful magic in the world. Now calculate the rage towards the stupid, regretful ex-boyfriend." Ares said, respectably.
"You're right." Sirius said. "Poor you. Cheer up, mate."
"She's not mean. My daughter is-" E.J started.
"Just like you." Sirius, James, Remus, Lily, Moody and McGonagall said together.
"And what does that mean?" E.J asked.
"That you're mean as all hell." James said. Krys skipped in and looked at all of them.
"I have to go." she said. "I have a meeting type thing."
"Josephs?" Ares asked in a pathetic little voice, with puppy eyes. Krys nodded.
"Yeah." she said. They were all looking at her. "Um… what's going on?" They all shook their head and said a simultaneous,
"Nothing." Krys looked at Ares.
"Are you okay?" she asked him. Ares nodded.
"Of course." he said.
"No, you're not." Krys said, looking at him. "What happened?" Ares shook his head, but Krys caught his chin and scrunched his lips together. "Tell me."
"Krys, I'm okay. Really." Ares said. Krys rolled her eyes and picked up her phone. After she dialed, she held it to her ears.
"Yeah, Joseph-… right, Eric. I can't make it tonight." Krys said. "Because I have something to do… you want me to meet who?" Krys laughed sardonically. "Well, because when I was eleven, I punched her in the face and she hasn't liked me since. Plus, its cause of me that her father lost his job… yeah, she really doesn't like me… No, I wouldn't be uncomfortable, I just can't say that I'd be able to control myself around her and knives… Does it sound like I'm joking?… That's because I'm not… Call me when you're done… okay…" Krys looked at Ares, and covered her phone. "Do you work tomorrow?" Ares shook his head.
"Night shift." he said. Krys nodded and put the phone back to her ear.
"I can't. Well… I apologize- and note, I'm being both sardonic and sarcastic when I say this, I apologize if I'm not gonna drop all of my plans to do what you wanna do, when you wanna do it. Okay- I'm not Gemmy… Oh- is that a low blow?…" Krys laughed. "Okay… I like me very much, too. See you-okay, I'll see. Yeah… of course you can bring her. Uh- huh. Bye." Then she hung up and looked around. They were all looking at her still. "What?"
"So… what's he like?" E.J asked.
"Who?" Krys asked. They all looked at her.
"Your little boyfriend." Sirius said.
"Tell us about him." Lily said.
"What's there to tell?" Krys asked.
"Well- why'd you break your date?" Lily asked.
"Because, Ares and I had plans that I forgot about. And he looks pathetically depressed, and best friends, cheer best friends up. I mean, the boy got the promotion. He should be happy." Krys said. They all looked at Ares.
"You got the promotion?" they all asked in some way of the other. Ares nodded.
"Yeah." he said.
"So, you cancelled your date, because Ares got the promotion." McGonagall said. Krys nodded.
"And Josephs wanted me to celebrate with him and his old crew." she said. "Why hang out with him and a bunch of people I don't like, when I can hang out with people that I love? Look- I'll see you guys soon."
"Yeah." E.J said, looking at Krys. "What are you to me?"
"The air that I breathe, mommy." Krys said, before she waved. Krys and the others said their goodbyes, then disapparated to her house. Harry and Ginny, A.J and Jason immediately disapparated. Ron, who was half asleep, and Hermione looked at Ares, who was watching Krys and giving manly whimpers.
"We're gonna go." Hermione said. She gave Ares a thumbs up, then disapparated with Ron. Krys looked at Ares, and laughed.
"They left us?" she asked. Ares nodded. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because, I can't believe that you're in a relationship with someone other than me." Ares said truthfully. Krys looked at him, and took his hand before leading him up the stairs to her room. She lied down and patted the space next to her, so that Ares would lie down also. When he did, she put her hand on his belly, and lied her head on his chest.
"Can I tell you something? Without you being uncomfortable." Krys said.
"Is it about sex?"
"Kinda sorta." Ares inhaled deeply and nodded. "The thing with Josephs… the reason that I stopped hanging out with him in the first place went beyond him not wanting to use a condom. That was just the best excuse that I had. I could've made a condom appear in his drawer, if I wanted. I couldn't do it… and I didn't want to seem immature."
"Well… why- um… why- why couldn't you um- why couldn't you do it?"
"You're gonna think that this is so stupid." Krys said.
"I won't. I promise."
"It's the same reason that I wouldn't say yes to having a relationship with him……… I thought that it'd be like replacing you. I mean, you were the only man that I really kissed. You were the only man that I had a relationship with. You are the only man I've ever had sex with. I don't want to erase you. I want you to have your own little category in my experiences, and even though you were the first… I always thought that you'd be the first, last and only."
"Oh." Ares said. Krys looked at him. "I just- because we couldn't be together, I couldn't wait to do the exact opposite of that. Because you dumped me, I couldn't wait to try and forget about you." Krys looked at him.
"You know just what to say to a girl, huh." she said sarcastically. "The fact of the matter is, I couldn't've forgotten about you even if I tried. Today, when they were talking about Josephs being my first, I had to refrain from telling everyone that it was you. Well- technically, you were the first, last and only."
"Krys, don't get me wrong. I didn't want to forget about you, and as hard as I tried, I wouldn't allow myself to." He looked at her. "I have absolutely no will power, when it comes to you. I hid pictures of you everywhere. When I got home, Jason told me to forget about you, and he took me to the park… where I saw Ashley. I'm not blaming him… I just- they tried to flush you from my mind… so I had to hide pictures of you." Krys laughed.
"Like where?" she asked.
"Wow. That's a horrible question. I hid some in the bottom of my drawer. I hid some-" Ares started laughing. "I hid most of them behind other pictures. Like… all the pictures on my mom's wall… just open the back and a bunch of pictures of you will fall out." Krys looked at him, and rolled off of her bed. When she got back up she had a shoebox. Krys lied back down next to him, and opened the box. Inside was a bunch of photos.
"When we broke up… I spent about… three weeks crying, four months trying to write you a letter, two years sleeping with your clothes, and two and a half years regretting." Krys said. "Every weekend, I would come in here and lock myself in, crank up the stereo, and cry. It wasn't until a few months in, that I let people know that I wasn't happy. I just wanted them to think I was, so that they wouldn't find my reasons stupid."
"You know… I had sex with a lot of girls after you dumped me."
"How many?"
"Lets just say I spent a lot of money on condoms."
"Spermicidal?" Ares nodded. "Well… I didn't date anyone, I didn't talk to anyone, and… I cried when you proposed to Emily. And not only was my couch potato disposition wonderful for my asthma… it was horrible for my body. I looked like Rikishi."
"I bet you were still beautiful." Ares said. Krys looked at him.
"Who is this girl that you're into?" she asked. "Like your sex dream girl, or the woman Hermione keeps saying you want." she said. "C'mon, I can help." Ares shook his head.
"You can only hurt." he said.
"Why? You need someone special."
"I have someone special. I got you."
"And I got you." Krys said.
"Krys, she's just not interested. She's into another guy." Ares said. "She's not interested in me."
"How can she not be interested?" Krys asked. Ares chucked her chin, making her look at him.
"You tell me." he demanded. Krys furrowed her eyebrows.
"Tell you what?"
"How she cannot be interested?" Ares said. "No. Fuck that. Why would she be interested?"
"You're sweet." Krys said.
"So was my ninety year old grandmother." Ares said. Krys laughed.
"You're amazingly sexy. You're smart, successful, self-sufficient, and so selfless. Why don't you dress up, the next time you're gonna see her? Maybe she's just not into your baggy ass jeans and big G-Unit t-shirts. That's what I have to do each time I see Josephs. Like- when he asked me to go with him, he actually gave me a suggestion as to what I should wear."
"Josephs is an idiot, if he doesn't think that you're past perfect."
"Yeah? Well, Miss What's-Her-Booty is an idiot, too. I mean… not too long ago, I would've given anything for you to want me as much as you seem to want this chick." Krys looked at him, then got up. "We need a plan."
"No." Ares said. "As nice as this is… I'm not comfortable with you helping me with this." Krys furrowed her eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Krys… we're best friends any all, but… I can't talk to you about this." Ares said. Krys looked at him.
"Then how can you talk to Hermione about this?" she asked. The two looked at each other, without talking for a minute. "See, Ares, I tell you almost everything, because I value your o-"
"Krys… I value your opinion. I really do. I just- its because of our history. Can we stop talking about this?" Ares asked. Krys nodded.
"Of course." she said. Ares looked at her.
"Please, don't be mad at me, Krys. I hate it when you're mad at me." he said. Krys shook her head.
"I'm not mat at you." she said.
"Yes, you are."
"No. I'm just- are we growing apart?"
"No. We're close. If you want to be closer, come sit on my lap." Krys laughed. "I'm just kidding. Krys, come here." Ares said, beckoning her. Krys walked over to him and sat on the bed. Ares cradled her head and lifted her up, pulling her closer to him. "Are you listening to me?"
"Yes." Krys said softly. Her face was buried in his chest. "You smell good. Like baked apples, cinnamon, soap, vanilla, and Downy. And… something spicy. Mmm… this smell used to turn me on. No- no… this still turns me on." Ares laughed.
"You're not listening to me." he said softly. Krys nodded.
"Sorry." she whispered.
"I love you. That will never change." Ares said. "Nothing in this world will ever make me not want to hang out with you. Nothing will ever make me stop loving you. Nothing will ever break us apart. Love will keep us together." Krys laughed and smiled, when Ares buried his head in the crook of her neck.
"That tickles." Krys said. Ares moved his head, so that he was in her ear. He lightly kissed it.
"Does this bother you?" he whispered.
"Not at all." Krys said. "Okay… if you tell me about Ms. What's-Her-Booty, I'll give you a kiss."
"Kiss first." Ares said. Krys looked at him.
"Info first." Ares shook his head, and pointed to his lips. Krys rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Info first."
"She went to Levebons." Ares said. Krys looked at him.
"What the hell does that do for me?" she asked. Ares shrugged.
"I'm sorry if I can't give you more than that." he said. "Kiss." Krys looked at him and pecked his lips.
"If you wanted the kiss, Ares, all you had to do was ask."
"Ooh- now I know. Can I have a kiss?" Krys laughed.
"No." she said cutely. Ares pouted. "I just want to tell you how proud I am that you got that promotion."
"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that." Ares said. Krys nodded. "Michael Stevens went to my office and told me that I got the promotion, after the obstacle course. Then he said that he was glad that he listened to you. What was that about? Did you tell him to hire me or something, Krys? Because, if so… thank you, but I don't want a job that I can't get by myself." Krys looked at him and held his face.
"Stephens knew that I'd seen the aurors at work. I gave him my honest opinion and recommendation, and said that I knew you worked hard. When everyone is at lunch, you're working. As soon as you go in, you're working. I only made him notice you. I didn't make him choose you. And that's what he did. He chose you. So, yes, you got the job yourself. You move up, and you get to interview and choose someone from Section 3. So shut up. I didn't do anything that Moody hadn't already done when I told him you were considering trying. Once more, shut up… because you would've done the same thing for me." Ares smiled slightly.
"You're amazing." he said.
"You're telling me?" Krys teased.
"Yes, I'm telling you. You're amazing." Ares insisted. Krys smiled.
"Thank you. And you're more than spectacular. Which is why I know that if Miss What's-Her-Booty knew, you'd have the shot that you wanted." she said. "Can I ask you a favor?" Ares nodded. "Tomorrow, can you come with me, Josephs and his friend? We're going to a diner, and I- I'm asking Ron and Hermione, also. I just- I really hate to ask, but… can you? Please?" Ares groaned, as she stuck her bottom lip out and gave him the puppy eyes. "Please, Ares?"
"Okay." Ares said, as he nodded. "It has to be before nine o'clock, though. That's when I have to be at work."
"Thank you. And I hear his friend is sexy… she could be just what you need to forget about M-"
"Please, stop calling her Miss What's-Her-Booty. She means more to me than that."
"Oh, okay. I'm sorry." Krys said. "It'd be easier if I knew her name."
"Krys…"
"Fine. Don't tell me."
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When Ron and Hermione got to their house, Ron looked at her.
"Are you mad at me?" he asked. Hermione laughed.
"Of course not." she said. "Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I have no idea what's going on in the wedding, and I don't know what you're wearing- and we've only made love once in a month." Ron said. Hermione looked at him.
"You're working. Why would I do anything to interfere with your work? Aside from work, you sleep. You need to sleep. You come home tired. Of course I'm not mad at you. If I didn't hate my boss, I would work a lot, too." she said. Ron laughed and lied his head in her lap.
"So you're not mad at me?" he asked. Hermione shook her head. "Will you find a way to keep me awake? Since its only nine o'clock, and I don't have to be at work until… ten am tomorrow morning." Hermione stood up.
"Find a way to keep you up?" she asked.
"Well- I know you'd be able to keep me up, with what I think you have in mind." Ron said. Hermione laughed as she rifled through her drawers. She turned to him and smiled, before she slowly took off her jacket. Ron looked at her questioningly.
"You'll see." Hermione whispered, as she slowly unbuttoned her shirt. Ron's eyebrows went up and he lied back in bed and watched her. Her bra was black, with white stripes. Hermione unbuttoned her jeans and lowered each side, revealing her matching bikini underwear. Ron stared at her, as Hermione slowly walked to the bed. As soon as she was in grabbing distance, Ron wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down to him. Hermione laughed, before he kissed her. The kiss was fiery hot, slow, deep and passionate. Hermione, weirdly was able to pull his shirt off, without breaking the kiss at all. When Ron realized that his top half was bare, he stared at Hermione. "I'm skilled." she whispered, before she reached behind her back and started to unhook her bra. She seemed to have trouble with it, and Ron enjoyed watching her grow angry with it. Ron pulled her back into another kiss, before he expertly unhooked her bra. When he pulled back, he grinned.
"I'm skilled." he whispered, before he leaned in again. Hermione laughed into the kiss, as she trailed her fingertips down his chest, and started to unzip his pants. Ron rubbed his hands up and down her back, before he started to kiss her neck.
"Oh, yeah." Hermione moaned. "You are skilled."
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The next day, Hermione went to Krys' house first thing in the morning. When she got there, she smiled at the sight of Krys and Ares sleeping together.
"Aw." she said aloud. Krys began to stir, and Ares subconsciously held onto her tighter. Hermione couldn't hold her laughter, and that woke the two up. "Okay, good morning, everyone! Rise and shine!!" Krys opened her eyes and threw a stuffed animal at Hermione's head. "Hey!" Krys groaned and stood up, walking to the bathroom. Ares opened his eyes.
"I've been up for the past two hours, because I didn't want her to move and I didn't want to stop holding her. Did you have to do that to me?" he asked. Hermione laughed.
"Oh. You've got it bad, you psycho stalker." she said. "Why don't you just tell her?"
"I tried dropping hints. She's clueless. I even told her that the girl's name was Krys."
"Girls drop hints, Ares. You're supposed to be a man, so stop acting like a woman."
"Are you talking to Hermione about Ms. Clueless?!" Krys shouted from the bathroom. Hermione looked at him.
"That's your in. Just tell her the truth." she said.
"I can't. She knows- she remembers all the shit I said to her back then. She probably hates me." Ares said.
"You're such a punk. If she could throw away all her inhibitions and tell you that she loved you the night before her wedding, you should at least grow a sack and tell her that you're still in love with her. She's about seventeen hours into this relationship… man up." Ares pouted.
"Krys! Hermione's being mean to me!" he yelled. Krys walked out of the bathroom and looked at the two of them.
"Hermione, stop being mean to Ares." she said, before she walked over to Ares and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry. Hermione's vicious… you have me, though." Ares nodded and pointed to his cheek. Krys kissed it again, then looked at Hermione, shaking her head in mock shame, before leaving the room. Hermione laughed and looked at Ares.
"You're something else, you know that." she said. "Just tell her."
"Do you know something?" Ares asked. "Tell me, if you know something, Hermione. Tell me." Hermione laughed.
"You need help." she said. "So… what are we doing today? She said something about Josephs." Ares rolled his eyes and nodded. "Ron has to work… so, its just us, them and his friend."
"I hate seeing her with Josephs. He's a jackass. And when I see her with him, I want to take a knif-"
"Ares, breathe, please." Hermione said. A minute later, Krys walked out of the bathroom and looked at Hermione.
"Something's different about you." she said. Hermione and Ares looked at her. "Something is different about you, Hermione."
"What?" Hermione asked.
"You had sex." Krys said. "You had a lot of sex. Three times! You slut!" Hermione grinned, and ran her hand through her hair in a toot-my-own-horn manner. They looked around at each other and laughed.
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The three hung out until it was time to meet Eric and his friend. When they met up, his friend was a 5'9 model type, with medium length dark hair, and light eyes. She was named Natasha, and she dressed like she was hoping to meet the man of her dreams. They were in a diner, sitting in a booth together.
"Hi." Natasha said as she met them. Krys smiled and waved, before sitting down in between Ares and Josephs, leaving Hermione with Natasha. Through most of the conversation, Krys zoned out and only heard certain parts, until someone said her name.
"Huh?" she asked.
"Krys, Eric told me that you're a healer. How did you make the decision? I couldn't choose between being an auror, a healer, or a model. I chose model." Natasha said.
"That's cool." Krys said. "Honestly, I couldn't choose either. I had so many choices. I either wanted to be an auror or a healer. Then I had to think about muggle career choices. I wanted to be a soccer player, or a boxer. In the end, I wanted to do more healing than damage, so I chose healer."
"How many schools did you get accepted to?" Eric asked. "I just wanna know, because nobody can beat Tasha's record. I still don't know why she didn't go to auror training with the rest of us. So- how many did you get accepted to?" Krys shook her head. All of her friends knew, and it also made them question why she hadn't gone to auror training.
"Yeah, Krys. How many schools did you get into?" Hermione asked. She looked innocent, but knew that Krys always avoided the question, because she was embarrassed by the answer.
"Krys, its nothing. Don't be embarrassed." Ares said, holding down his laughter. He was the one that told her all the schools she'd gotten into.
"Why? Why would you be embarrassed?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, I only got into ten auror. Eight healer." Natasha said.
"Krys, how many did you get into?" Eric asked. "We're all friends here. Nobody's gonna laugh."
"Yes, you will." Krys said.
"I promise." Josephs said. Krys looked at Hermione, then Ares.
"Well- at first I only got into twelve auror, and some healer. Then, I got into some more." she said.
"How much more?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, how much more?" Hermione coaxed.
"Tell us, Krys." Ares said.
"Yeah, what's wrong?" Natasha asked.
"Nothing. It's a bit embarrassing." Krys said.
"And I only made it worse by gloating, right? I'm so sorry."
"No. Don't be sorry. Its just- I hate talking about it."
"Just- okay." Natasha said.
"Krys, stop being so modest." Hermione said. Krys glared at her, and they all looked at Hermione.
"How many schools did you get into?" Eric asked.
"Krys got into over eighty different auror programs. Scholarships for half of them, internships from three ministries, including the NA ministry." Hermione said. They all looked at Krys.
"Thank you, Hermione." Krys said.
"Then with Healer training… she got into about forty five, if I'm not mistaken, and a bunch of hospitals were willing to pay for her to go to school, if she'd work for them." Hermione said. Krys looked at her.
"Same with Hermione." she said. "Except, Hermione was also offered jobs in the ministry. And she was offered Head Healer in Hogwarts."
"You got into over hundred and twenty schools." Eric said, looking at her.
"They're exaggerating." Krys said.
"No. We're actually minimizing." Hermione said. "She's just being modest."
"So- why didn't you want to tell us, Krystathaili?" Eric asked. Ever since he was reminded of what Krys stood for, he'd been using her full name as often as possible.
"Every time the subject comes up and I tell people, they look at me like I'm trying to throw it in their faces, when in reality… I don't see it as a big deal." Krys said.
"Hold on. Hold on. Eric, what did you s- I know who you are." Natasha said, pointing at Krys. "You were on the best dressed lis- and number 25 on 101 most beautiful bodies."
"Really?" Krys asked. "I didn't even know that."
"Not to mention… you were in top ten richest teens a few months ago. Oh my God… you- you, Krystathaili Rodriguez are- that's where I knew you from. I knew that I'd seen you somewhere before… I knew that I heard your name before… I knew it. You were mentioned a few months ago- why didn't you accept the tickets to the fashion show? You- oh I have hit the jackpot. I'm so sorry about what I read a few months ago. Are you okay? Oh- you seem so down to earth- you're not a snobby bitch, like I thought you would be. Oh- sorry, I'm so sorry. That sounded so-"
"Natasha, its good. Its all good. Lets just have this food and… I am just Krys. And Natasha… my friends treat me like shit, they don't apologize. You can do it, too." Krys teased. They all laughed, and Krys looked at Hermione. "Dude… I- I haven't seen your wedding dress."
"Oh- its so beautiful." Hermione gushed. "It has spaghetti straps and its-"
"White? You liar." Krys teased. Hermione's eyes widened, and she laughed, as they all did.
"Hey, hey. I'll have you know that… I held out for long enough." Hermione said.
"Ooh- are we about to talk about first times?" Natasha asked. "I can beat it."
"No!" Josephs said. They all looked at him. "Don't try to beat it." Krys laughed.
"Dude, I'm not the jealous type." she said. "If you guys did it, then you did it. So- what about your first time?"
"Oh- well, I got drunk at a midnight beach party. I was sixteen, I just got dumped, and my best friend comforted me. Actually we were both pretty drunk. I had my first time with Josephs." Natasha said. Krys looked at Josephs.
"You slut." she teased, before she mock slapped him. She looked at Natasha. "So- on a scale of one to ten, ten being the absolute best and one being the absolute worst… where does Josephs rank?" They all looked at Josephs.
"To tell you the truth, I don't really remember. All I remember is flashes. I woke up naked in his bed. And he was next to me, just as naked. But- the flashbacks are enough to make me sick to my stomach. He was- ugh… we were childhood friends." Krys laughed. "So- what about your first time?" Natasha asked Krys.
"Who said I had a first time?" Krys asked. They all looked at her.
"You're a virgin?" Natasha asked.
"No, but you can't just assume." Krys whined. They all laughed.
"I told you mine." Natasha said. "Know what? Its okay. You can wait to tell me. I want to know about you." Natasha was looking at Ares, who was staring at his plate. He'd drawn something in his food. He looked up as they all stared at him. He was still slouching in his seat.
"Hi, I'm Ares D. I was seventeen. My girlfriend dumped me. I spent the next night doing it with someone that I though she'd hate the most. That was the girl that used to flirt with me while she was there." he said.
"Okay. Therapeutic." Natasha said. She then looked at Hermione. "What about you?"
"My fiancé. A few months ago." Hermione said.
"Oh- you're a good girl. That's admirable." Natasha looked at Krys. "Finally… you." Krys pointed at Josephs. "Eric? First time."
"I was fifteen. I had sex with Elise Matthews during detention." Eric said.
"Kick ass first time." Krys said, giving him a high five. They all looked at her. "What?"
"You're his girlfriend." Natasha said. "Not his guy friend-"
"Elise Matthews was a seventeen year old TA." Krys said. They all looked at Eric.
"So, Krys… your first time." Natasha said.
"One day I realized how pathetic and lonely my life was, and I went to a restaurant alone. I saw a man breaking up with his wife, and I seduced him. We did it in the bathroom of the restaurant. Not exactly textbook, is it?" Krys said. They were all looking at her. "I'm joking." Natasha and Eric let out sighs of relied, while Ares and Hermione chuckled slightly. "My father died before graduation. My first time was after graduation ended. I had the house alone, so my boyfriend was living with me. And so- we did it." They were all looking at her. "This is true."
"Why'd you guys break up?" Natasha asked.
"Too attached." Krys said.
"Oh- he was one of those?" Natasha said.
"No. I was." They all looked at her. "See- we wanted the same things, but we weren't going in the same directions. See- I was going this way" Krys pointed straight ahead "And he was going this way." Krys pointed to the upward diagonal. "He was willing to go-" Krys pointed straight ahead. "For me. But I wasn't wiling to let him. I broke up with him in hopes that we'd get back together, once I got my shit together, but he came back with a wife. And two kids."
"Wow." Natasha said.
"Yeah, I know." Hermione said.
"She was willing to let him drop out of school for her… but, more power to him- and her." Krys said.
"Oh- girls, bathroom. Come on." Natasha said.
"Dude, not all girls go to the bathroom in pairs." Krys said. Natasha and Hermione looked at her. "Fine." Krys got up and followed them to the bathroom.
"Oh my God, Krys. Your friend Ares is fine." Natasha gushed. "Do you know if-"
"Gay." Krys said. Hermione looked at her.
"Really? He just said he had a girlfriend." Natasha said, looking at Krys with wide eyes.
"Yeah. Gay." Krys said.
"Too bad. I guess we lost another one. Ooh- and if he gave me a chance, I could set him straight." Natasha said, biting her lip. Krys sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. She fluffed her hair slightly.
"You guys ready?" Hermione asked. Krys looked at Natasha, who was fixing her hair.
"Yeah, sure." Natasha said, as they started to walk out. When they got out of the bathroom and back to the table, both Ares and Eric were looking down. Krys walked over, and Ares got up, letting her in the middle. Krys sat in between them and looked around.
"So… Hermione, how's your wedding doing?" she asked.
"Oh- I can't wait." Hermione said. "And your maid-of-honor dress is- I can't wait until the big day."
"What does your fiancé do?" Natasha asked.
"Auror."
"And you?"
"Healer."
"That's one of the prestige couples, right? In our world, is auror and healer. In the rest of the world its doctor and lawyer. Or business man- all of it ranks auror, anyway, right?"
"I guess so. Well- that, or head chair in the Wizengamot." Hermione said. Krys looked at Ares. He was still drawing things in his food. Then she looked at Eric. He was just looking down at his plate.
"So… Quantum materiae materietur marmota mina si marmota monax materiam possit materiari? (How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?)" Krys said. They all looked at her.
"Non intellego. Quantumne? (I don't know. How much?)" Natasha said. Krys looked at her.
"Infinitus. (An infinite amount)" she said.
"Vah! Denuone Latine loquebar? Me ineptum. Interdum modo elabitur. (Oh! Was I speaking Latin again? Silly me. Sometimes it sort of just slips out.)" Natasha teased.
"Nescio quid dicasHeus, modo itera omnia quae mihi nunc nuper narravisti, sed nunc Anglice? Te denuone Latine loquebar. Non intellego. (I don't know what you're talking about. Could you repeat what you just said, in English? You were speaking Latin again. I didn't understand.)" Krys teased. "Nonne de Novo Eboraco venis? (You're from New York, aren't you?)"
"Ita vero. (Yes)" Natasha said. The two girls looked beside them, and all of the others were staring at them.
"What the hell was that whole conversation about?" Hermione asked.
"Abeo, abeo, abeo, actum est, comites! (Ah-bee, ah-bee, ah-bee, that's all, folks!)" Krys joked. Natasha laughed. They all looked at the two.
"Eric, I like her." Natasha said. "She's cute."
"She is." Josephs said. "Now, what the hell were you guys talking about?"
"If I remember correctly, I was trying to break the ice by asking how much wood a woodchuck would chuck if it could chuck woodNatasha said that she didn't know, and asked how much. Then I said an infinite amount. She looked at me and asked if she was speaking Latin again. I said that I didn't know what she was talking about, then I asked her to repeat it in English. Then I asked her if she was from New York. Then we laughed, and after that I did the Porky Pig's 'that's all folks'." Krys said.
"You recapped the whole thing." Natasha said. "Cool."
"Diabolus fecit, ut id facerem! (The Devil made me do it)." Krys said. She looked at Ares. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing." Ares said.
"Hey- why are we still here?" Krys asked. They all looked around and shrugged.
"No idea." Hermione said. "But- for some reason its nice being able to sit on your ass all day." They all looked around.
"Yes. You're right." Krys said. "Except, I have no job." They all looked at her.
"Well- you kinda fucked her up. Did you expect her to keep you?" Ares asked.
"She fired Krys before that." Hermione said.
"Yeah, but I don't wanna work anyway." Krys said. They all looked at her. "I know. I miss it. Like- a few weeks ago, this little old man had Dragon Pox… and I saved his life. He was on the verge of death- he was slipping through and I spiked him. His wife- his whole family almost threw themselves at my feet. Now I sit around my house on my lazy ass, and I have no sense of accomplishment, no self fulfillment and what the fuck am I supposed to do all day, now?"
"If you have all these hospitals that were willing to pay for your education, why don't you go work for one of them?" Natasha asked.
"Because then I'd be working with people who have egos and attitudes. They look at me like I'm an ass, because I'm so young. I mean- when I was working in Gem's hospital- I was there for one day, when some older woman was like 'I don't want a Doctor who my youngest can baby-sit. Maybe someone who knew what it was like to be in war.' Is it my fault she was an old bag?" Krys asked.
"Who says that you have to work as a healer? Why don't you take over your father's company?" Hermione asked. Krys looked at her.
"Because they're people who've been working their asses off for my dad and his people. So if I go in there and start taking charge, when in reality they're the one's who do the real work, how good am I? I made sure that the best man for the job got the job. That's all I really needed to do." she said. She looked around at all of them. "Can we go, people? Please." They all looked at their empty plates and shrugged.
When they were all done, and Ares went to work, Krys and Hermione decided to hang out. As soon as they got to Krys' kitchen, Krys shook her head.
"Hermione, don't start." she said.
"What?" Hermione said.
"Don't start on my relationship with Josephs." Hermione looked at her.
"That's not what I want to know about. I want to know why you told Natasha, a woman that wants him, that he's gay." she said.
"She's not right for him-"
"Why?" Hermione asked. "Is it because she's an African ameri-"
"Not even." Krys said. "I'm the last person that can be called racist- especially towards bl-"
"That's not what I meant. You didn't finish listening. Is it because she's an African American model, who's actually similar to you? She's smart. She's funny. And she's sexy. How is she wrong for him?" Hermione asked. "Is it because she's not you?" Krys looked at her.
"Of course not." she said.
"Krys, you're gonna see how perfect you two are for each other." Hermione said.
"I already know how perfect we are for each other, Hermione. I'm just- I'm over that perfect life. Ares is Mr. Perfect and Mr. Incredible, but Josephs is Mr. Pretty-Damn-Close."
"One last question." Hermione said. Krys looked at her.
"What?" she asked.
"Are you ready to let someone fall in love with you, knowing that you'll never fully be in love with them?"