[A/N:Sorry I've been dragging my ass posting this one. I ended up becoming addicted to Yu-Gi-Oh like I did when I was 13 so I spent the past week watching it along with Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series. Anyway, I'm from the Midwest (o-HI-o) and I call soft drinks "pop" but other people call it "soda" and other people call it "soda pop" and I heard that in some places they call it "coke". Out of curiosity, what do you call soft drinks?]
"I can't believe I'm getting married tomorrow," Emily said. "It's totally surreal isn't it?"
"Totally," Parvati said. "This whole year has been pretty surreal if you ask me. I mean, you getting married is just the tip of the ice berg. Look around you, Ginny and Harry totally came out of left field."
"Not if you paid attention," Hermione said.
"And you know she doesn't," Kaitlin said.
"Thank you," Parvati said with a nod."And you, Miss Granger, are still with Ron and neither of you has killed each other."
"That is shocking," Ginny said.
"And don't get me started on Hannah, here," Parvati said. I sighed. "Don't you go all sighing on me. For real, I wasn't very shocked when you got back together. And I was even less surprised when I deduced that you two were making the beast of two backs."
"How is that less surprising?" I asked.
"I was surprised when you guys got engaged, because I half expected you guys to just go off and elope somewhere," Parvati explained.
"Well that could never happen. They're only 16 still," Hermione said. "They'd need parental consent and that would not happen."
"True. Missus Malfoy does hate you," Emily said.
"Didn't she kick Draco out?" Parvati asked. I nodded. "Bloody hell. Where's he staying at now?"
"With his cousin, Tonks," I said.
"Ah, you mean the one that lives with Professor Lupin? I've only been around them both today but they are so into each other," Parvati said.
"How could you tell if Lupin likes Tonks if this is only the first time you've met her and you've only been around them both together for no more than a few hours?" Danielle asked.
"I just can tell," Parvati said.
"Sure, but you couldn't tell that me and Harry were totally into each other," Ginny said.
"I don't think there's anything there," Kassia said. Hermione nodded. "I mean, Tonks is Sirius' cousin but they're like brother and sister. And Lupin and Sirius are best friends. It would be weird for them."
"Ahem, Harry, Ron, and Ginny," Parvati said.
"Well just because it's plausible doesn't mean it's true," Ginny said dismissively.
"What do you think, Hannah?" Parvati asked me. "You and Lupin are really tight."
"And so are you and Tonks. Is there anything there?" Emily asked.
I shrugged. I wasn't getting in trouble for exposing that.
Just then, our door opened and Sirius leaned in.
"Hello, just checking in. Making sure things aren't getting too crazy. There are a bunch of minors here after all," he said.
"Things are just fine," Parvati said hopping to her feet. "I'm Parvati, one of the bridesmaids."
"Yes, I do recall seeing you at the rehearsal," Sirius said. "And I've heard a lot about you."
"No doubt, anyway, we were just having a little discussion about your BFF Lupin I deduced that he and your cousin are totally into each. I was wondering if you might be able to confirm if this were true or not," Parvati said.
"I don't understand why you're asking me for confirmation. Hannah could've told you that one," Sirius said.
Parvati gasped and turned around to me. "You knew and you didn't say anything?"
"Of course, but I didn't say anything because Tonks would hex my pants off I did," I said. "But now I can blame Sirius."
"You wish," he said backing out of the room.
Parvati came and sat back down with us. "Alright, explain. Now."
"Explain what? They're into each other. Isn't that the end of it?" I asked.
"Um, no. If they're so mad about each other why is it that they're not together?" Parvati asked.
I sighed. "Well, Lupin's a fair bit older than her."
Parvati scoffed. "Age ain't nothing but a number."
"And then there's the fact that he can't get a job being that he's a werewolf and all," I said.
"Hey, mo money, mo problems. Who needs it?" Parvati asked.
"And, uh, yeah he's a werewolf," I said. "Dangerous and all?"
"Isn't she an auror? Isn't danger, like her, job?" Parvati asked.
"Yes. It's not really her fault they're not together," I said. "Lupin is being kind of an idiot."
"Oh, is he?" Parvati asked. I nodded. "Well, I can fix that. I'm good at fixing that kind of thing."
"No, Parvati. Leave it alone. Please," Ginny said. "They're adults. They can sort it out themselves."
"Or I could sort it out for them," Parvati said.
"No," Hermione said.
Parvati rolled her eyes. "Fine. Um. . . Kassia, we don't hear much about you. How are the dungeons?"
"Pretty dank," Kassia replied with a shrug.
"You know, I'm curious to know what Draco is like when he's not with Hannah," Danielle said.
Kassia shrugged. "He's on about her all of the time. I mean before he just to be pining over her, then he got back together with her and he was so happy, and now if he's not doing homework or studying he's got his face buried in a baby book. At least we see him more often, I mean now that he's not off shagging you all the time, Hannah."
"Oh, haha," I said rolling my eyes.
"So you can't do that anymore now that you're all pregnant?" Parvati asked.
"Uh, I totally could if I wanted," I said.
"If you wanted? So you don't?" Parvati asked.
"How about we not talk about what Hannah does or does not do with Draco," Kaitlin suggested.
"I agree," Ginny asked.
"Okay, Ginny, let's talk about you," Parvati said.
"No!" Emily said tossing her arms around Ginny. "She's going to be my little sister tomorrow. She's not supposed to talk about that kind of thing."
"Oh, if she's going to hang out with us, she has to talk with us," Parvati said.
"No. I veto this subject too. I've known since before she lost her first tooth. And she's dating my brother," I said.
Ginny nodded.
"You should all know by now that Parvati doesn't care," Hermione said sloshing around the cup of pop she had.
"Nope. So, Ginny, what's new with Harry Potter?" Parvati asked.
"Nothing I would like to share," Ginny replied.
"Really? Because I've made out with Harry Potter and I wanted to tell everyone about it," Parvati said.
"You did. All the time," Danielle said.
"Who was the first person you ever snogged, Gin?" Emily asked, changing the subject.
Ginny laughed. "This is gonna sound so funny, but, do you remember when we played truth or dare for the very first time?"
I gasped. "No! No way! Me?"
"Yep," Ginny said with a laugh.
"Did not see that coming," Kaitlin said shaking her head.
"I feel so honored," I said. "I hope I met your expectations."
"You did actually. I'm honored to have snogged you so many times," Ginny said.
"If she snogs anything like her brother it's no wonder Draco loves her," Parvati said.
"Actually," Ginny began.
"Do not finish that thought," I said.
"Who'd you snog first, Hannah?" Hermione asked.
"Draco of course," I said.
"Oh, Quidditch World Cup, right?" Parvati asked.
I smiled. "Well. . . No. I'd actually snogged him once before then."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked.
"Because it was third year. None of you liked me except Draco," I said.
"What happened? Tell us," Emily said.
"I was just going over my new plan to get Hermione back as my friend and I'm not sure how, but he mentioned that I was pretty and I'd never really thought about it before so I was kind of stunned to be honest and he was surprised because no one had ever told me before and I was even more surprised because up until a few months before then he'd always hated me. . . And I wasn't thinking about it when it happened, I just. . . I just kissed him," I said.
"Bet you didn't think then that you'd be here did you?" Danielle asked.
I shook my head. "Nope not at all."
"Is your godfather single, Hannah?" Parvati asked.
"Parvati!" I hissed.
"What? He's hot," Parvati said.
"You have no shame," I said. "And he's very taken."
"Very taken," Danielle chuckled. "You can't leave him and my aunt alone in the same room for too long."
"And they're so loud," Kassia said. "It's disgusting."
888
I stepped out of Emily's room into the hall. I couldn't party all night like I used too and I was dead tired. So, I dipped out of the bachelorette party around 10:30.
As I walked down the hall to my room, I saw Tonks standing outside of her room, unlocking her door while Lupin talked to her.
". . . that perhaps you're being paranoid?" Lupin asked.
"I'm an auror. I have to have a healthy amount of paranoia. Keeps me on my toes. Constant vigilance and all," she said.
"Hello, guys," I said, announcing myself. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Tonks said opening her door. "Goodnight, Remus."
She walked into her room and slammed the door shut.
"I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but you have got to stop pissing her off," I said.
"Thank you, Hannah. I couldn't have deduced that all on my own," Lupin said. "Why aren't you at the party anymore?"
"My kid wants me to sleep apparently. I thought it'd be pretty irresponsible for me to fall asleep in a room full of drunk girls," I said.
"Yes, very responsible of you," Lupin said. "I'm quite happy to see you actually learning from your mistakes."
"Me too," I said. "So, I want to give you some words of wisdom."
"Alright," he chuckled.
"Love is scary, especially when you're in love with someone whose life is crazy and unpredictable. Whether it is because a dark wizard likes to attack people you love or because your parents are death eaters or because you're a werewolf," I said
"What are you getting at?" he asked.
"If I weren't with Draco, which I was crazy for not being with him in the first place, the thing that would bother me the most would be that if something happened to him I wouldn't have gotten the chance to show him how I really felt. You can say you love someone a thousand times but if you don't show them it doesn't mean anything," I said. "If you take too long you could lose your chance. And you might think right now that that's what you want. For her to move on and be with someone else. . . But it's not really. And she will eventually move on. . . But only if you let her."
"Hannah-."
"No, listen to me, Lupin. People search and search their whole lives to find some special person who loves them despite everything that they think is wrong with themselves and they never find it. But you have and you're just throwing it away," I said.
"Where is all of this coming from?" Lupin asked.
"It doesn't matter, but it'd make you a whole lot less of an idiot if you listened to what I said and actually took it to heart," I said. Opened the door to my room and walked inside. "See you tomorrow."
"Okay. . ." he said.
I closed my door and laid back onto my bed.
I heard laughing coming from the boys room which I found odd, so instead of going to sleep, I sat up and knocked on their door.
A moment later it was opened by Draco.
"What are you doing back so early?" he asked.
"Tired," I said walking into their room. "I thought you were with Fred?"
"It turned into more a of a Weasley family reunion so we excused ourselves," Harry said.
"And what have you been up to since?" I asked.
"Introducing Draco to television," Harry replied.
"Have you ever watched CSI?" Draco asked. "It must be difficult being a muggle copper."
"What was Emily's party like?" Harry asked.
"Well. . . Parvati is now in love with Sirius instead of Lupin," I said.
"Not surprised," Harry said.
"Why is everything in this show covered in semen? Are muggles chronic masturbators or something?" Draco asked shaking his head at the TV.
"And since you're definitely going to hear it from Parvati's big mouth tomorrow, Tonks and Lupin are kind of, madly in love with each other," I said.
"What?" Harry asked. I nodded. "How do you know that?"
"I accidentally deduced it and there was no sense in them lying about it after I confronted them," I said. "It's been going on a long while actually. Since the start of the summer I believe."
"That would explain all of Sirius' teasing," Draco said, still staring at the TV. "Why are they not together?"
"Because Lupin thinks he's too old, too poor, and too dangerous," I said.
"Don't they know that age ain't nothin' but a number," Harry said.
"Tonks does," I said.
"And as far as being too poor and too dangerous he hasn't seen anything until he's met a 16-year-old death eater with no future," Draco said flipping the channels.
"Don't remind me," I said.
"So that's the reason she's been so not herself this whole time?" Harry asked. I nodded. "And I was sure it had something to do with Sirius. . . I have to tell you, I just don't know if I can kick Lupin in the shins. I'm afraid he might break."
"I'm sure he'll be fine," I said.
"You gotta know that you're bringing out the animal in me! Let's get physical-."
"Who sings that song?" Harry asked Draco as he broke out into song with the TV.
"Olivia Newton-John," he replied.
Harry nodded. "Let's keep it that way."
