"Happy Birthday," I smiled, pressing my lips to Ares's lips. "You're seventeen today."

"Thanks, baby," Ares returned the smile and kissed me again.

I giggled and hopped out of his lap, grabbing my present from the chair. "I got you something."

"I told you not to-"

"I didn't listen," I smiled. "Now, do you want it now or after NEWTs?"

"Now, because I won't concentrate on my NEWTs without knowing what it is," Ares nodded.

I pouted, "Fine. But you can use it later, then."

His eyes widened in interest, "What is it?"

"You have to open it!" I giggled. I tossed the slender silver package towards him and he caught it easily with his training and Quidittch skills.

He looked at me for a moment, and I nodded in encouragement. He tore into the wrapping. "Careful!" I chided, sitting next to him on the couch, my legs crossed and facing him. The first thing he saw was a beater bat.

"No way!" he exclaimed. Then he saw the signature. "You got Viktor Krum to sign a beaters bat for my birthday?" Then he saw the picture frame. And the bat was immediately forgotten as he picked it up. "When was this?"

"Well, Sophie was sneaking around that day and she took this picture and gave it to me," I told him quietly as he picked it up and smoothed it down as he admired it. "I made a copy for myself, of course, but this one is the one that moves and I made sure you got it."

His fingers traced the forms on the picture. He was holding Sidra in his arms, looking down on her. It was only her first ten minutes of being welcomed to the Earth. And I was standing next to him, watching her as well. It was the perfect picture.

"And these?" He picked up another pile a moment later.

"Pictures Teddy gave Minnie. These were the best ones. The first time she rolled over. Her first giggle."

There were more of course, but he understood that as he flipped through them, a small smile on his lips. "We did good, didn't we?"

"We?" I asked, confused.

"We made this," he whispered. "You and me." He stopped on a picture of her giggling and kicking her legs. "And she's absolutely perfect."

"She is," I nodded.

"Good job."

"To you too," I smirked, resting my head on his shoulder. "I think she'll look like you when she's older."

"Why do you say that?" he asked, his head resting on top of mine. His shoulder dug into my ear, but it was comfortable.

"Because she has your face structure," I nodded, pointing towards her jaw line and cheek bones. "She's a mini you with my parts."

He chuckled, kissing my hair, "She's still absolutely beautiful."

"As handsome as her daddy," I said quietly.

"My father's coming tomorrow," he said. "Minerva's going to Floo him in. And once he's here, he's going to try to marry me to Renee."

"But it won't work."

"Exactly," Ares replied. "He's going to know."

"We'll make it work, somehow."

He nodded against me, "You're okay with that?"

"I wouldn't have married you if I wasn't."

He sighed in relief, "Don't walk down any corridors tomorrow without Parker and Kellen with you. Both of them. And don't go to the library at all, nor any place that's dark and shadowy. Tomorrow's Saturday, so we have no NEWTs. I want you to have the least likely of a chance that my father will find you."

I nodded, "I know. I won't do anything that will get me killed."

"Good," he nodded to himself. "And I won't leave Minnie's office until I know for sure that he had left the grounds. That's when I'll find you. I'll send you a patronus."

I grinned, "Or I could just follow you all day in dog form. Hide out in Minnie's office, where he won't see me."

"You're not going anywhere near him," Ares interrupted immediately, squashing my idea. "You'll stay with your friends."

I bit my lip, nodding, "Fine. But I want to know everything when you return."

"Of course."

"Now enough of this depressing talk," I said suddenly. "It's your birthday and you need to get to breakfast now so you're fed enough for NEWTs. So. . . get. And don't loose those things," I said sternly.

He chuckled, standing. I stood as well, kissing him on the lips passionately, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Happy birthday, babe," I grinned before flouncing out of the Room of Requirement. His chuckle sounded as I left. Oh, he'd get it.

I was extremely excited, yet extremely nervous at the same time. Sidra was a month old. NEWTs were today. And Blaise Zabini was coming to the castle tomorrow to get him married to Renee Hopsinger, which wouldn't be able to happen, because he's already married to me. And on top of all that, I haven't studied a single lesson of my classes for NEWTs. Oh well. Not like I don't have millions of galleons that will support me through life anyway.

But I really did want a job as a healer, preferrably working at Hogwarts once Pomphrey retires.

I met up Sophie, Parker, and Kellen at breakfast and did a last minute cram of everything I needed to know for these tests. Which was a lot and there was no way I would be able to go over it all at breakfast.

"Didn't study?" Sophie guessed, sighing.

"SHhh!" I snapped, turning pages furiously in my seventh year books. "I'm trying to study."

Sophie just sighed and shook her head at me. "Pathetic."

"Shh," I insisted, turning to Transfiguration. I totally forgot about that class. . . oops.

"You haven't gone to Transfiguration classes in months," Kellen insisted.

"Yeah, every Thursday," I nodded.

"We had them every Tuesday, stupid," Sophie cried. "I can't believe you didn't go to Transfiguration!"

"That's why there were no Gryffindors," I mused. "Only Claws and Huffs."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Sahara! You could never get a job!" Sophie exclaimed.

I shrugged and kept flipping through my notes. It was the same class. Just with different people. Not like I missed anything. I was absently chewing my bacon and reading over Ancient Runes, when Headmistress Minnie cleared her throat.

I set down my bacon, but not my book.

"All seventh years are asked to stay in the Great Hall. The rest of you, please, head to your classes for the day. Seventh years, your head of house will assign you to your seats for NEWTs testing."

I finished my ancient runes book and cried out in triumph, "Haha! Take that Sophie! I just studied everything for NEWTs in a breakfast!"

"You are so going to get Trolls," Sophie shook her head, frowning.

"Oi, Weasley!" I heard someone shout. I turned, meeting Ariana Phillips eyes.

"Yeah, Phillips?"

Her Head of House badge for Hufflepuff shone in the candle light.

"If you get all Excellents and Outstandings on your tests, I'll give you five hundred galleons."

I laughed, nodding, "You're on. And if I don't, I'll give you five hundred galleons."

"Wicked," she approved.

"There is no way she'll pass her tests just by studying for a half hour," her friend, Penelope, insisted. "If she fails, you owe me your Krum set."

"You're on," Ariana nodded, shaking her friends hand. "And Sahara, if you don't pass, you owe me a Viktor Krum bedroom set."

I snorted, unable to hold back my laughter, "Hey, I'll make it two."

"Pretty confident, Weasley, aren't you?" Zeus Hopsinger sneered.

"More confident that you," I retorted.

"Yeah, well, your little lost love is marrying my sister tomorrow," he sneered. The Hall was deathly quiet at that. All the seventh years gasped.

"Hmm, funny," I replied, smirking. "Tell me how that works out." I wagged my finger menacingly, "Oh, and Hopsinger?" He jerked his head in acknowledgement. "Renee's a little slut. I'd get her tested. Wouldn't want Zabini dying on her would you?"

The Gryffindor's bust out laughing at that, as did a few Claws and Huffs. "Sahara! The teachers can hear you!" Sophie whispered.

"Like she cares!" Kellen laughed. "This is epic. They can't do anything! We aren't students anymore. Our classes ended yesterday and this is just a test."

"Oi, Weasley, don't you dare talk about my fiancee that way," Ares sneered.

I pretended to be wounded, a smirk on my lips, "Oh, did I hurt poor Renee's feelings? Oh, I'm soooo sorry, slut." Parker was dying laughing. "I didn't mean it, honestly."

"If you're going to say something to her, you can say it to my face."

"Fine," I said breezily. "Ares Perseus Zabini. . . you are the biggest mistake I have ever made."

His jaw set and he glared at me, "Yeah? Your little Ingleton friend's mine."

Sophie made a little squeak and I spun around, looking at her. "What?"

"I-It was nothing, I swear!" Sophie insisted. "Nothing! W-We bumped into each other! Honest! That was all!"

I took a deep breath through my nose before facing Ares, "Good luck on your tests, Zabini. You'll need it more than I."

Oh, I wasn't acting this out anymore. The Sophie thing was pushing it and he knew that. Was he trying to push my boundaries?

"Alright, enough, enough, before I begin deducting points," Minnie said sharply. "Now all of you, one person per table." I scooted down the benches until I was four tables in. Sophie was at the front, her body the opposite angle of mine. I could see her clearly. Next, was Kellen, the same direction I was facing. Parker was a table next to me, facing me, and on my other side were a few more classmates I rarely spoke to. My back was to Ares. Which would make this entire testing easier.

It may have been his birthday, but he just crossed the line with messing with my best friend.

"You have until dinner. Please begin," Minnie sounded. Tests appeared in front of us and I began on Transfiguration. Oh, Ares was so in for it.

AH! Ares messed around with Sophie! What? That's right, readers. And for the full story, stay tuned for the next chapter, and review!

-Nastya