"Ron, as soon as we come back from our honeymoon, I think we should go house-hunting." Hermione said. Ron looked at her.

"You want a house?" he asked. "Shouldn't we wait-"

"Why, though? What's the point in waiting, when we can find a house and have things set? Why wait and procrastinate, when we can be prepared?" Hermione said. Ron looked at her, then his face washed over in a thoughtful look.

"Yeah, alright." he said. "We should look for a house." Hermione smiled, then got up. "Where're you going?"

"I'm going to hang out with Krys. Because as much as I love you, if I spend every waking moment with you, I'll end up choking you." Hermione said, before she kissed him.

"That bruised my ego." Ron said.

"Plus- we're going to dinner tonight." Hermione said. "I have to go talk to Krys about the hires." Hermione skipped out of the room, and found Krys on the couch with Robyn, Ares' younger sister. "Hey."

"Hey, Bon-bon." Krys said.

"Cookie." Hermione replied, making Robyn look at both of them.

"Okay- there's Bon-bon, Cookie, Pumpkin, Brownie, Mahogany, and Nic?" Robyn said. Krys and Hermione nodded. "So… that's Nikki, A.J, Ginny, Hermione, and Krys?"

"Yup. And Thai is Mahogany. " Krys said.

"Okay." Robyn said.

"Hey, Hermie, we were just looking through furniture for the orphanage. I got a letter. Orphanage is built. Its gigantic and lovely, and the money from the ministry came in. Not quite what I was expecting, but you know." Hermione looked at her. "And the best part is that, because its built from complete magic, it has add-ons, luxurious room sizes, its wonderful. "Plus- me and Prongs excused all of the house elves, and they wanna work for us. Of course they get paid, and room and board are free."

"Um…" Robyn said, making Krys and Hermione look at her. "When is it opening?"

"Well… as soon as I have the employees. The ministry has already got two hundred orphans in custody." Krys said.

"Do you think you'd have room for me?" Robyn asked. Krys looked at her.

"Now why would you want to live in the orphanage, when you can just live with me?" she asked. Robyn furrowed her eyebrows.

"You would let me live with you?" she asked.

"Yeah. Consent from your mom, or her kicking you out. You need one of the two." Krys said. "Which do you have?"

"That's why I called you." Robyn said. "She kicked me out." Krys nodded.

"Okay." she said. "I don't really see a problem with that."

"Are you serious?" Robyn asked. Krys looked at her.

"Do I look serious?" she asked. Robyn nodded. "Okay then."

"There's a problem, though." Robyn said. Krys groaned and looked at her. "I kinda used magic to get the portrait."

"What portrait?" Hermione asked.

"She lifted the portrait of Ares' dad." Krys said.

"It got taken down once she started to date again." Robyn said. "And… I wanted it."

"Is it still a living portrait?"

"No."

"Okay." Krys said. "Go do what teenagers do." Robbie looked at her. "You're not old enough to drive. Okay… mall." Krys looked around. "Thai!" A minute later, Thai walked into the living room with fitted, yet not excessively tight stonewashed jeans, a green long sleeved t-shirt, and jade Uggs. Her hair was in a cute messy bun, and she was wearing emerald studs.

"Yeah, Krystathaili?" she said, as she skipped in cutely.

"Think you're cute 'cause you got a man now, huh?" Krys teased, making Thai and the others laugh. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"Doing his homework." Thai said.

"You wanna leave him? We're going to the mall." Thai looked at Krys pointedly.

"He doesn't need me right now." she said, making them laugh. "I'm gonna go get my coat." Thai left the room and Hermione laughed.

"I can't believe they finally got together." she said.

"I know." Krys said, as she looked at the couch. "To think; her life has meaning, and I don't have shit."

"Your fault." Hermione said. "Look- um… go warm the car up. I have to go talk to Harry for a minute." Krys nodded, then took Robyn's hand.

"Thai! Meet us in the car! Which one?!" Krys shouted.

"Minivan! More space!" Thai yelled back. Krys smiled, then dragged Robyn outside. As soon as she left, Hermione ran to Harry's room and started to bang on his door. A minute later, Harry opened the door and looked at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Ares' little sister is trustworthy?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded.

"She's good, yeah." he said.

"How trustworthy?"

"You, trustworthy."

"Can I talk to you?" Hermione asked. Harry rolled his eyes and nodded.

"What happened?" he asked, as he opened his door wider. Ginny was lying on the bed.

"Krys… she's killing him, isn't she?" Hermione said.

"Who? Ares?" Harry said. "He's just a little depressed."

"A little? He hasn't touched a drink in two years, Harry. Someone needs to tell her the truth." Hermione said.

"Well- maybe you should do it, then." Harry said.

"We're going to the mall. Do you need anything?"

"Just some stilettos for dinner. I broke my heel on Harry." Ginny teased, making Hermione and Harry look at her. "What?"

"Nothing." Hermione said. "What color?"

"Gold- something gold-like." Ginny said. Hermione nodded, then left the room, before knocking on Jason's door. Jason answered the door without a shirt on. Hermione looked at him.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure." Jason said, as he opened the door wider. A.J was lying on the bed with a book in her hands.

"Okay. So… do you guys think that we should just tell Krys the truth?" Hermione asked. "I know that its not my business, but… Ares seems genuinely depressed." Hermione looked at A.J.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." A.J said. "He… I don't know what to say, Hermione."

"I just- he's giving himself to her- throwing himself, and she just plays baseball, when in reality its supposed to be catch." Hermione said.

"Hermione, you have to understand it from all points." Jason said, making A.J and Hermione look at him. "Krys and Ares have always been like this. They were like this when he was with Emily, too. So, because he rejected her, and she remembers, she just thinks that they're being them when he acts like he does. Its how they are."

"Oy." Hermione said. "A.J, we're going to the mall. Do you need anything?" A.J looked up and shook her head, before saying

"Ooh- I need… nothing." A.J said. "Thanks though. You should check with Nic, though."

"Shit. We forgot that she was here." Hermione said. "I'm gonna go invite her." Hermione left the room, then ran to Nic's room, only to find it empty. Hermione shrugged, then walked to Ares' room. Ares and Nic were laughing and talking about something happily. "Hey."

"Hey, Hermione." Ares said, looking up at her. "Nic made me a hangover potion."

"Really? You should've lived with the goddamn headache." Hermione said. "Anyway, Nic, we're going shopping. Are you coming?"

"Um- no." Nic said. "I'm gonna stay here and hang with Ares."

"Okay." Hermione said. "Have fun. Nic, do you need anything for dinner tonight? Anything to wear?"

"Um… no- I have full access to Krys' closet." Nic said. "So, I'm fine." Hermione nodded, then walked out of the room. When she got to the front door, Krys was waiting on the porch with a trench coat in her hands.

"Its cold as hell." she said. Krys had her cute black trench coat on. "But, we'll be in the car, and shopping with a coat on… its hell." Hermione smiled, then skipped with Krys to the Dodge Caravan. When the two got inside, Thai was talking to Robyn about what stores they should hit first. "Aw, you guys are getting along. I thought I was gonna have to knock a few heads."

"Don't worry about it, babe. Thai and I have a mutual understanding." Robyn said.

"And that is…?" Hermione asked.

"There isn't actually a mutual understanding. We're just getting along now." Robyn said, making them all laugh.

"Aw, she's learning." Krys said. "Okay- here's what I'm thinking. Robbie, Thai… you guys don't run this ship. I do."

"That's what she says, when all she really means is that they're her suggestions. Sorry- that sounded fucked up. What it really means is that she thinks that we'll like the stuff in other stores better." Thai said.

"And what happens?" Robbie asked.

"Well… she's always right. You'll find the best things in her stores. One rule that you should know… Krys knows all. This girl is rarely wrong." Thai said. "Especially about clothes."

"So, why isn't Nic coming?" Krys asked. Hermione looked at Krys, then laughed.

"Nic is hanging out with Ares. She made him a hangover potion, and she wants to hang out with him." she said. Krys looked at her.

"Him and Nic?" she said. "Cute."

"No, I'm serious."

"He must not remember her. That's understandable. She has changed."

"What?"

"Its Ares." Krys said. "Quidditch Captain."

"So- she was in his fan club?" Hermione asked.

"Was she ever? You remember how she looked when he asked Gem out instead of her." Krys said. "But Nic is cool. She's the one that you can really have a conversation with. Granted she isn't as smart as Gem. But she does work harder."

"Is that all that you can talk about?" Hermione asked.

"You know what I wanna do? I want to keep the walls white… and on the first day of tutoring… all of the kids can design their own rooms. Fuck that- that sounds stupid." Krys said.

"No, it really doesn't. But… maybe you should just do what you did for Angie all over again. And Krys, you have to remember what these little kids want. Mommies and daddies. Give them the home feeling. Don't make it like a jail." Thai said.

"That's what Benton's was like." Krys said.

"What's Benton's?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah, what is that?" Hermione asked.

"Um… St. Benton's Home for the Children." Krys said, holding one hand on the steering wheel and scratching her head. They all looked at her. She drove like a guy, with one hand on the steering wheel and that one free hand doing nothing in particular. When she backed up to give a passing snowplow space, she turned her whole body and looked behind herself, while placing her arm on the headrest of Hermione's seat. She said it so offhandedly. She turned around and looked at the road, before laughing. "Dude, they used to give a lights out at 8:52. That was my unit. Anyone two to twelve were in the same section. Babies had their own section, and as soon as you could walk and talk, they would put you in the two to twelve unit. Then thirteen to eighteen were in the same unit. They had a lights out at 10:59. Wow. Benton's was a fucking cesspool. They were the most negligent fuckers, ever. I mean, I'm allergic to roaches, and because of my asthma, I can't be around them. Well- it was a slum, St. Benton's. It was a clean slum. Fucking weird." Krys looked at the man in front of her, and honked the horn. "Learn how to drive the goddamn Toyota, okay!" She rolled her eyes, and drove around the man, before she looked back and gave the man a smirk. "Okay- so Robbie, here's what I'm thinking. You need shoes and a handbag. Parents don't tell their teenage daughters this, but every girl needs one good pair of shoes with a matching handbag. Okay. That's one thing that you need. You also need… an abundance of underwear. That includes thermals. Undershirts, slippers. Dress earrings, regular earrings, hair care products, lotions, stonewashed skinny jeans, faded skinny jeans, light blue skinny jeans, black skinny jeans, white skinny jeans, same for boot cut, flare, and stretch. Shirts… halter, tees, beaters. For sneakers- these are the essential, you need these … four Uptowns, two K-Swiss, two Reeboks, four Adidas. Tims… constructs, regular tan, regular black. Airmax… I don't know if you're into that. School shoes… my special white Hush Puppies, and a pair of black, too. You see something that you want- fine and good. As long as we get the essential. We need them. Also… cute slipper shoes. Then there's the new book bags… and I can always go to your house to get your school books. So- is there anything that you want to get in particular?"

"No. Your plan sounds better than wonderful." Robbie said. "Than-"

"Don't. Its nothing. It embarrasses me." Krys said.

"Thank you." Robbie said speedily, causing Krys to playfully glare at her.

"And… skirts. Do you do skirts?"

"I do skirts."

"I figured. You're one of those girlies."

"No. But… there has never been anything wrong with looking like a drop of sunshine." Robbie said. Krys and the others laughed.

"Okay." Krys said. "I like that." She stopped in the traffic and groaned. "Okay. Name bracelet, name chain, name earrings, name ring. Your eyes are hazel, right? Green hazel… so emerald is your stone. Okay. Make a mental note of that, Krys." Krys honked her horn at the gray BMW ahead of her. "Learn how to drive the fucking car, goddamnit!" She swerved around him. "Um- slacky cargos. Black, white, gray, blue, green."

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When they were done shopping, they all stood in Robyn's room and coordinated outfits. They got everything that they needed and almost everything that they wanted.

"Okay…" Krys started. "Black thermal hoodie, white tee, regular bootleg jeans, and white on black Adidas." She put the whole outfit on one of her special hangers, then put it away. She, Hermione, Thai and Robyn continued to do this until Robyn's door knocked. "What?"

"Um… can I come in?" asked the voice of Ares. Krys looked at Robyn and shrugged.

"Ask Robbie. Its not my room." she said, before she looked through the closet and pounded her fist on its door. "Okay, Robbie D. Your closet is universal. It connects to the closet in my house, and your trunk in Acklemeyers. So… its like a lovely little portal. Its also an easy way to send me letters." Robbie nodded, then looked at Krys awkwardly.

"You know… I just wa-" Robbie started.

"No." Krys said, before she waved then started to walk out of the room. On her way out, Ares caught her by her arm, earning himself a look.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you mad at me?" Ares asked, before Harry popped up right in front of them.

"Padfoot, come on. Moony sent a 911." Harry said. Krys looked at him questioningly. "He's not in danger, but he said that we should get to Potter Manor."

"Alright. Whatever." Krys said, as she disapparated. When she did, she disapparated and landed in the dining room, where Tonks was waiting with Moony, Moody, and McGonagall. "Wow. What happened?" A second later, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ares, Ginny, A.J, and Jason landed in the dining room.

"Alright." Moony said. "So, according to the legends and studies, you guys should be getting more powerful according to each year that's a right to passage. Even though it's the magical world, it somehow still follows through with the years that you think are right to passage ages. I don't know why, but your energy levels say that this is a right to passage age. So… you two need to duel again." Krys looked around, then shrugged. "Alright, lets go." Moony started to walk through numerous rooms, until he walked down into a basement. In the basement was a gigantic dueling cage, along with numerous weapons. It looked like a lair. It was the perfect example of how a training place should look. Krys looked around and nodded.

"Pretty nice." she said, as she tied her hair up. She looked down and her cute and fashionable outfit turned into big black sweatpants and a matching hoodie.

"What happened to the catsuit?" Hermione teased, making Krys glare playfully at her.

"You ready, Prongsie?" Krys asked, as she hopped into the dueling cage first. Harry nodded and walked in after her. Krys stretched her arms over her head, and then stretched her legs.

"Are you good?" Harry asked.

"Wonderful." Krys said.

"Are we ready?"

"Hit me." Harry looked at her, and his wand became visible in his wrist holster. Krys looked at him, as her wand popped up in her hand.

"By any means necessary until the other gives up!" Moony yelled in. Krys and Harry looked at him and nodded. Then the two looked at each other.

"Are you gonna hit me or not?" Krys asked. Harry smiled.

"Not." he said.

"Fine." Krys said, as she stomped her foot and made Harry fly ten feet in the air, before landing with a gigantic and painful thud. Krys walked towards him, before red light shot out of Harry's wand. Krys flipped backwards, and avoided the spell.

"Expelliarant!" Harry yelled, taking Krys' wand, and making her shoot across the cage and crash into the barrier. She got up immediately and walked towards Harry. "Do you give up, Padfoot? I have your wand."

"Like that means anything." Krys said, before she stomped on the floor. Harry jumped out of the way, but the floor didn't shake. Instead, by surprise, Krys smashed him across the head with a wooden floorboard, making him fall. She heard shrieks behind her and could only imagine them on Hermione and Ginny. "Do you give up?" Harry groaned, but shook his head, making Krys pick him up by his hair and toss him across the cage. She thrust her hands in front of her and fire shot out of them, colliding with the water that was coming from Harry's hands. As the whole cage filled with smoke, all that could be heard were crashes. When the smoke finally cleared, the others saw Krys colliding with the cage in a fashion that would kill any other girl. But when she was done rolling down the cage walls, she landed on her feet and her shoulder looked horribly dislocated. She walked over to the cage and set it manually, disgusting all of them with the cracking noises as she put her whole arm through one of the bars and pulled it out speedily to pop her shoulder back in place. She looked at Harry, and grabbed hold of the cage walls, before a lead pipe formed in her hand. Then she disappeared. When Krys reappeared, she was on Harry's back, and choking him with the lead pipe. After a minute of being choked, Harry grabbed Krys by her hair and threw her on the floor. It took less than two seconds for her to hop up like a ninja and kick him in the face. While Harry endured the impact of the kick, a rope appeared in Krys' hands, before she snapped her fingers. Harry was tied in glowing orange rope, and Krys set her hands on them. The ropes flamed up and Harry looked at her. "Do you give up?"

"You're crazy." Harry said, with laughter in his voice. Krys nodded and smiled back at him.

"No. I'm a fucking nutcase." she said, before she put her wand on the ropes, and started to beat and swing Harry from side to side, making him hit each and every corner of the cage. After he hit each corner about seven times, Krys stopped. "Do you give up?"

"Do you?" Harry asked, as he popped out of the rope and tried to trip her. Krys hopped over his leg, and stepped on his stomach. Brutally.

"I love you, Prongsie." she said, as she aimed to knee his groin. Harry rolled out of the way and pushed his hands out, tossing fire at Krys. Okay… problem with Krys. She's a pyro. She's worse than Pyro from X-Men. And even worse for Harry, she was born to be a pyro witch, where he was made into a pyro wizard, because she's a pyro witch. Krys smiled, and manipulated Harry's fire, building it up until it looked like she could beat Johnny from the Fantastic Four on his trip to supernova. Finally, she looked at Harry, who looked slightly frightened. "Do you give up?" Harry stood up and shook his head. "Have it your way." Krys smiled and the fire disappeared into her hand, before she decked Harry right across the jaw. His jaw had a burnt imprint of where her fist hit and it looked like it damaged some of the bones. Harry was still in shock, before Krys gave him a scissors kick to the face. Harry's nose was bleeding, his eye was black, and his jaw was probably broken. Krys looked like she'd been through hell and back, with her disheveled hair, her torn clothes, and the smudges of blood on her face. She tackled him, then started to strangle him, before Harry kicked her off. Krys held her stomach, then spit out blood and coughed up blood clots, before she looked at him. "Are you gonna stop holding back?"

"Are you?" Harry asked. Krys looked at her hands and nodded.

"Yeah." she said.

"Then come on." Harry said. Krys nodded, before she raised her hands, lifting Harry off the ground. Then she punched her hand, making Harry crash into the ground. Not fall. Crash. He was pounded into the ground. And left an imprint. Krys walked over, and dragged Harry out of the ground. She held him by his face, before she snapped and took a chain to his neck. Then she ran across to the other end of the cage, before running and climbing up it like Spiderman. She hooked it through one of the parts of the cage, before hanging him. Krys hopped down from nine feet up, landing on her feet, before she started to pull on Harry's legs, stretching and torturing him. Harry started to swing her off, and Krys crashed into the cage wall, before Harry let himself loose. When he got to her, he smiled, before stomping on the floor. Everyone prepared for the worst, and what Harry did was worse than anything you can imagine. When he stomped on the floor, dust, roach and rat droppings, pollen, and bees swarmed the cage, and surrounded Krys. Now, everyone knows that Krys was a sickly child- is a sickly person, allergic to shitload of things. Aside from being deathly allergic to bees, she has asthma. Her asthma is horrible. And its not exertion asthma. Its asthma to dust, rat droppings, and roach turds. Harry knows how bad it is. He had to save her life, when she collapsed in a hallway of Hogwarts. Krys tried looked at him, as Harry manipulated the bee to get closer and closer to her. Her eyes were watery, she was puffy, her skin turned blotchy, her nose was running, and her chest was tightening up. Krys looked at the bee, then at Harry. Now, it wasn't that she was afraid of bees. She just knew that one could kill her. Krys looked at him, then the bee, before she started to wheeze. It got so bad, that she started to cough up blood. Finally, Krys snapped and started to pump her inhaler, before she disapparated. She landed right behind Harry and kicked him right between the legs. Harry fell to his knees.

"Do you-" She started to talk through her coughs and wheezing. "Do you give up now?" she asked, as she started to scratch the blotches on her skin. She kicked Harry, and turned him over. "Do you give up now?" She put her foot over his groin threateningly. "Do you?" Harry didn't say anything, so Krys pressed down. "Do you?" Harry nodded and groaned, making Krys picked her foot up, and Harry curl up into the fetal position. Krys looked at him, before she started to pop pills. All of the others ran into the cage and looked at the two. "What?" Krys asked through her newly swollen lips.

"How did your lips get swollen?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know." Krys said, before she started to sneeze. They both looked at Harry, who was still in the fetal position on the floor. Ginny was by his side. Krys walked over to him, and picked him up roughly by his hair. She steadied him, before she decked him again.

"Krys! What did you do that for?" Ginny asked. Krys looked at Harry, who was standing on his own, and looked happier than ever. "Um- what happened?"

"Um- the punch, it takes away all the damage." Krys said, through her gigantic swollen lips. Harry looked at her and punched her shoulder, taking away all the damage that he did. Krys walked out of the cage and walked over to the evaluation controls. Moody was looking at her.

"Potter-Black, that was some fight you gave." he said.

"What can I say? I'm a pro."

"You could've been." Moody said.

"I know this isn't the best time, but I was wondering if you could check out Dora." Moony said.

"That's what you're calling her now? Cute." Krys teased, making him blush. "Just tell her to call me, and I'll make a house call."

"Well… could you do it tomorrow?" Moony asked.

"Um… sure." Krys said. "Just write me down for some time in the afternoon." Moony nodded.

"Th-"

"Don't. See you, mister." Krys said, before she skipped away.

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"So, what's the deal with you, anyway?" Thai asked Robyn. "You're Ares' little sister. But your mom is a bit… cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."

"That's putting it lightly." Robyn said. "I mean… she tricked my dad into marriage anyway." Thai looked at her and nodded.

"You're serious?" she said. Robyn nodded.

"Yeah, I heard her talking about it one day. Just a few years ago. She was talking to one of her girlfriends." Robyn said. "She was a secretary for the auror ministry. She was my dad's secretary, and she spiked his drink with Amortentia. Resulting in him cheating on his wife, and she destroyed his life. She broke the oath."

"That's heavy." Thai said, making Robyn laugh. "So, little one, do you have a boyfriend?"

"No. See- boys haven't started to notice me yet."

"Okay. But that's more dependent on you."

"I know, but I'm shy."

"Do you speak Spanish?"

"No. My mom is… you've met Jennifer, imagine where she came from." Robyn said.

"Well… I have nothing to say." Thai said. "So, your mom got married again, right?"

"Yeah." Robyn said. "Some hothead named Delkat. Two years ago, he got hit with a flyaway curse, in the middle of an inter-ministry battle. He sued the N.A ministry by going to the National Ministries. The N.A is supposed to give him 100,000 galleons next year." Robyn sighed. "Enough about my crazy ass mama. What the hell is the deal with Krys and Ares?" Thai looked at her and laughed.

"You can tell about that already?" she asked.

"I don't know who can't tell."

"Try Krys." Robyn looked at Thai.

"She doesn't know?" she asked.

"If she does, then she pretends that she doesn't." Thai said.

"So, why'd they break up anyway?"

"Not my business."

"Okay."

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Krys sat in her room with Hermione. The door barged open and Ares stood there looking at Krys.

"Why aren't you talking to me?" he asked.

"Oh- you're not slurring your words." Krys said. "How nice."

"Krys,-"

"Don't." Krys said, before she looked at Hermione. "Okay- here's what I'm thinking. You get to choose the furnit-"

"Krys." Ares said, making her look at him.

"Krys, you can at least hear him out." Hermione said, making Krys look at her.

"Okay, Ares. What happened?" Krys asked.

"Why are you so mad? I screwed up my two years of sobriety." Ares said.

"Okay- think back to the day that you told me about your drinking." Krys said. Ares nodded. "What did you say to me that night?"

"I don't know. I don't remember." Ares admitted.

"Okay. I said that if you were gonna start drinking again, that you may as well just take a knife and stab it through my heart. An you told me that you had no intentions of going back to the bottle. Then you promised me. Not even swore. You promised me." Krys said, before she got up and walked out.

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"Krys, why are you so mad at him anyway? You're the one who drove him to the bottle, on both occasions." Thai said, making Krys look at her.

"How can you put that on me?" Krys asked in outrage.

"Okay- lets look at this." Hermione said. "You dumped him, the day he was gonna propose."

"That's number one." A.J said.

"And number two?" Krys asked. No one said anything. "How can you blame me for his drinking?"

"The same way that you can blame him for your learning to knit and crochet like a pro." Thai said.

"By the way, I made your mom a whole bootie set. All different colors and styles. Plus, I made a few little hats and mittens." Krys said, making them all look at her.

"You know that she's having a girl, right?" Thai asked.

"Seriously? Another girl?" Ginny said.

"Yeah. I wonder what it'll do to Angel though." Hermione said.

"Nothing. See- Thai's the oldest. Angel's the genius. Jamie's the only boy. The next one will be the baby. Angel's already used to someone getting more attention, she has Jamie." Krys said.

"Hold on- get off that subject." Hermione said. "You're the reason that he had the drink, maybe you should cut him some slack."

"Hold on. How did I get pinned with his drinking?" Krys asked, as she held an asymmetrical black skirt to her waist.

"So, where are you and Josephs going tonight?" Thai asked.

"Some damn restaurant near Boston." Krys said.

"Krys, maybe you should look at this from Ares' point of view." Hermione said.

"Where are you and Ron going to dinner?" Krys asked.

"The same place that we went yesterday." Hermione said.

"What about you and Jason?" Krys asked A.J.

"Bed and breakfast." A.J said.

"Ooh." Thai said.

"What about you and Angel?" Hermione asked.

"We're not going anywhere." Thai said. "He wants to cook for me, but I'm a takeout kinda girl. Plus- we're not exactly seeing eye to eye." They all looked at her.

"Okay." Krys said offhandedly, making them all switch to looking at her.

"Krys, aren't you going to ask why?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. Frankly, I don't care." Krys said, shocking all of them.

"Are you serious?" A.J asked.

"No. But- he's right." Krys said.

"Who?" they all asked in some way or another.

"Angel is right." Krys said.

"Hold on." Hermione said. "What's it about?" Thai didn't say anything. "Thai." Thai still didn't say anything. "Krys."

"Not my business." Krys said.

"Again. Thai." Hermione said.

"Angel doesn't want to… until I tell him that I love him." Thai said, making them all look at her.

"Okay, lets talk to people with actual problems." A.J said.

"What do you mean?" Thai asked in outrage.

"Okay… he doesn't want to have sex with you until you're completely ready. What the hell kind of problem is that?" A.J asked.

"He-"

"Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"So say it."

"Its not easy." Thai said. "I get stuck on the 'lo' part." Krys laughed.

"Anytime he doesn't get what he wants, Ares confronts. Like when I couldn't tell him, we had this big argument. He gets results. The patiently waiting gets long run results, but who wants those?" she said. They all looked at her.

"Okay- while you're basking in the glory days, I have a crisis." Thai said.

"What kind of crisis is that? He won't have sex with you. Big fucking deal. Try having your ex-boyfriend go on a date with your cousin, an hour after you two break up, and a day after your dad's funeral." Krys said.

"Yes, if I tried that, I'd also try being the one that made all of that shit happen." Thai said.

"Why can't you tell him that you love him?" Krys asked. "Its not like your parents have any issues with expressing their feelings."

"Maybe I just can't do it." Thai said. "Its just me, I think." Krys looked at Thai, and walked up to her.

"Okay. Say it, using my name." she said.

"Krys, I love you." Thai said.

"Now, with Angel's name." Krys said. Thai took a deep breath.

"Angel, I love you." she said. Krys waved her hand over her face, and turned into Angel.

"Now." she said.

"Angel, I love you." Krys snapped, and turned back into Krys.

"Well… I don't know what your problem is, but… one day, he will grow tired." she said.

"Ginny, where're you and Harry going?" Thai asked.

"Some restaurant." Ginny said.

"And… where's Ares going tonight?" Hermione asked.

"He's staying here." Krys said.

"And Nic?"

"I don't know. She's staying here too." Krys looked at the off the shoulder black sweater, and held it up to herself. "Do you like this?"

"Lovely." A.J said. "When're you going to admit to being in love with my brother?" Krys and Thai looked at her, while the other stared, lost.

"What are you talking about?" Krys asked.

"Just leave it alone, Krys. You love Ares. He loves you. Its simple." Krys looked at her skirt, then her sweater, before she walked into her closet. "Denial."

"She's right, you know, Krys." Thai said. Krys walked out with her shoes, and put them down in front of her outfit, before she sat down.

"What were you saying?" she asked.

"You should just… Krys, what's the problem?" A.J asked.

"What are you even talking about?" Krys asked.

"Krys, why are you avoiding it? You love him. He loves you. You two should just get married, have babies, and live your happy yet annoying lives." A.J said.

"A.J, of course I love him. The honest to God truth, I breathe him. But he's already made it clear that he. Doesn't. Love. Me. And I don't know why everyone has to remind me of it everyday. I've had enough trouble trying to forget it. So, why don't you guys just leave me the hell alone. Yeah, and I mean all of you. This means you too, Thai. Okay- you got older, you're no longer exempt." Krys said. Krys got up and walked out of the room. They all looked at each other.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked. "I mean, I caught a few things. I caught difficulty." Thai laughed.

"You know what it was about." she said.

"You guys need to stop bothering her about this, before she goes postal on your asses." Ginny said. "I'm smart enough to leave her alone, when she gets like this."

"Yet you piss her off the most." A.J said. They all laughed, before Thai stood up.

"I'm gonna go talk to Angel." she said.

"Good luck." Hermione said.

"Now I'm nervous." Thai said. "Thank you, Hermione." Hermione blew her a kiss, then laughed.

"You'll be fine." she said. "Especially because you look gorgeous."

"This old thing?" Thai asked, as she looked down at her black long sleeved t-shirt, fitted beige pants, and black Uggs. "Thank you, darling." Then she skipped out of the room.

"That girl is cool. Especially for a seventeen year old." Ginny said. They all looked at her and laughed.

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"So she's not talking to you." Jason said.

"Exactly." Ares said.

"And you don't know what to do." Harry said.

"Exactly." Ares said.

"And you have no idea if she'll ever speak to you again." Ron said.

"Exactly." Ares said.

"Man, what's the deal with you and Krys, anyway?" Angel asked. "You were getting married. You were the one that she wanted, and now she's in a relationship, and you're the one who'll jump through hoops just for a kiss on the cheek?" Ares looked at him.

"Why are you here?" he asked him. Ares turned to Harry. "Why is he here?" They all looked at each other and laughed. "Five months ago, I was happy enough. Five months ago, I was getting some. Now- I'm being whipped by a girl who has a boyfriend, I'm about to crawl over broken glass to make her forgive me, and I have a headache. And… its getting foggy in here- she's gonna kill me."

"Ares, I hate to say it, but I told you so." Harry said. "We all told you over and over again." Ares looked at him.

"I should let you read my wedding vows." Ares said. "Then you'd know." Jason started to laugh, making them all look at him.

"What?" Harry asked.

"He started off his vows with the line 'I've loved you from the first minute I saw you. I love the way you blow your bangs out of your face. I love the fact that you have the darkest natural hair color that I've ever seen.'" Jason recited. He looked at Ares, then at the others. "Okay- lets look at this. Number one; when you first met Emily, what was she doing?"

"She was… I don't know." Ares said.

"And, when have you ever seen her blow her bangs out of her face?" Harry asked.

"I don't know."

"And… Emily's hair was blonde, right?" Ron said.

"Okay- so I was writing about Krys. So what? I'm giving up on her. I am giving up on her." Ares said.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked.

"As sure as she is fly." Ares said.

"Okay. Hate to admit t, but you're pretty sure."

"Yeah. Whatever, mate." Harry said.

"I couldn't care less." Ron said. Ares looked at them.

"You're not gonna talk me out of it?" he asked.

"Its Krys." Jason said. "She cannot drive you this crazy." Ares looked at him.

"I'm gonna say this one last time." he said. "Angel, wrong or right, Krys is…"

"I have my girlfriend." Angel said. "But Krys is…"

"See- you all know that she's not only the sexiest girl you've ever seen, but she's the coolest." Ares said.

"And you're gonna leave her alone. You already said it." Ron said. "So- I have to go and get Hermione a wedding gift. I'm thinking about a bracelet or something."

"Talk to Padfoot about that." Harry said. "She can help you."

"You guys are shitty friends." Ares said. They all looked at him and nodded, before going on with what they were talking about.

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Thai strutted into Angel's room and sat next to him on his bed.

"Miss me?" she asked, before he kissed her cheek.

"Of course I missed you." Angel said. "I love you."

"Okay- that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Thai said. Angel looked at her.

"Alright. What happened?" he asked.

"Okay- so you know how I feel about you-"

"No, not really. See- because you haven't told me how you feel about me." Angel said.

"Okay- well how do you feel about me?"

"I love you."

"Okay- see, that's how I feel about you." Thai said. Angel nodded.

"Okay." he said.

"I just have a problem saying it. And since I can't say it, I don't feel right with you saying it to me."

"So you don't want me to say it."

"Not if I can't say it back. And I'm not about to say 'thank you'. I'd feel fucked up." Thai said. "Angel, I feel the same way about you, I really do. But… its so hard to say it to you. So- we have to find another way for me to say it." Thai looked at him. She touched her heart, then kissed her hand, before touching Angel's heart.

"Too complicated." Angel said.

"Then-" Thai kissed her hand, before touching her heart, and repeated those actions three times, before she acted like it was an arrow, and shot it at Angel. He laughed.

"Okay. This is weird, but okay." he said, before he kissed he touched his heart and kissed it, and acted like he was tossing it to her. Thai laughed.

"Okay- I like that." she said. Angel looked at her.

"Oh yeah?" he said. "Well- I like that." He pointed to her lips. Thai looked at his finger and smiled.

"Really?" she said. Angel nodded, then kissed her, before they both lied down.

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The guys all waited downstairs in the living room, waiting for their dates.

"So… Eric, what training program did you go to?" Harry asked. Josephs looked at him.

"I went to N.A Excellence." he said.

"Yeah, I heard of them." Ron said.

"They're the best training program in North America." Josephs said. Ron nodded awkwardly, then looked down. He was wearing a dark blue suit. The man looked good. They all looked up when Thai walked in and sat down.

"So… what're you kids doing tonight?" she asked.

"Dinner." they all said in one way or another.

"Same place?"

"No." Thai nodded.

"Okay." she said, before she looked around. Finally, Krys walked out of the back, and looked around. She walked over to Harry, as if she hadn't just made a grand entrance, and as if they weren't all staring at her. Krys was wearing a silk black asymmetrical skirt with a silver vine and lily pattern. Up top she was wearing an off the shoulder sweater, that showed off her perfect smooth shoulders. On her feet were black and silver open toed stiletto heels. Krys' hair was perfect as her bangs went over her left eye, and the right side was tucked behind her ear and falling over her shoulders perfectly. Around her neck was only the constellation necklace, and the Marauder chain. On her wrist was her 'Daddy's little girl' bracelet, and on her finger was the ring that Ares gave her. Her lips were transparent pink and glossy. She looked at them, then sat down.

"Are you ready?" she asked Josephs. He nodded stupidly.

"Yo- you look amazing." he said.

"Thanks." Krys said regularly, before she picked up her phone. "You ready?"

"Um- yeah." Josephs said, standing up and holding his hand out to her. Krys took it and stood up, before she looked at the others.

"Don't wait up." she said, before she walked out with Josephs.

"I don't like him." Ron said, making Thai laugh.

"Yeah? Neither do I." Thai said.

"Look- I don't like him any more than the rest of you guys, but the truth is that we all know Padfoot. And the more we don't like him, the more she'll try to see the good, and the longer they'll be together." Harry said. "If we don't meddle, maybe she'll see what a jackass he is, and…" Harry stopped talking when Ginny walked down the stairs in a long black dress. She smiled at him, then laughed, as he hopped up, grabbed her arm, then dashed out of the house, before yelling a simple "Don't wait up!"

"Ill." Ron said, as he kicked his feet up. He almost repeated Harry's actions, when Hermione walked down the stairs in a nice long halter dress. Ron hopped up and rushed over to her, before taking her hand and dragging her out of the house. Thai looked around and noticed that Jason was gone too. She laughed and kicked her feet up, when Ares walked out into the living room.

"They left?" he asked. Thai nodded. She looked at his face. "All of them?" Thai nodded sympathetically.

"I'm sorry." she said.

"Its okay. I don't-"

"Maybe you and Nic should go to dinner." Thai suggested. Ares looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"And leave you and your boyfriend alone?" he asked. "Yeah, I think takeout will work." Thai laughed.

"I don't want to be alone with him, Ares." she said. "I'm just saying, instead of moping about Krys, go out and have fun. I'll go too."

"You're a young'un." Ares said.

"Hey- so what?" Thai asked. "But like I said, you have to go pick the food up, or you have to order from the resort."

"How is that 'like you said'?" Ares asked.

"Its still about going out." Thai said.

"I'm not going anywhere." Ares said, sitting down on the couch.

"You're a lazy one." Thai said.

"So what?"

"Well- how exactly do you intend to 'get over her' if you don't live your life?" Ares looked at her.

"Do you and your boyfriend tell each other everything?" he asked in outrage.

"Of course. We love each other."

"Wow." Ares looked at her. "You guys aren't…right?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"Because Krys isn't around to tell me anymore."

"So, you guys tell each other everything too." She looked at him and laughed. "As if I didn't know that." she added as an afterthought.

"She's gonna marry Eric, isn't she?" Ares asked.

"Most likely, eventually." Thai said, making Ares look at her. "What? You asked for the truth. And the truth is that Krys is going to marry a tall, dark, handsome auror, who went to Levebons. He's gonna be smart, and he'll love her more than anyone imagined that they can love another. Plus, he's really sexy."

"Are you trying to hurt me?" Ares asked. Thai looked at him and laughed at his hopeless attitude.

"If you love her so much, why don't you just tell her?" she asked.

"Because she might not feel the same way."

"And if she does?" Ares didn't say anything. "Yeah, then you might miss out on the greatest thing ever. I mean, would you be happy with Krys?"

"I am happy with Krys."

"So you're okay with just being her friend." Thai said, making Ares nod.

"Of course I am. Its Krys. I'd be okay with being her doormat."

"But you're not."

"Not that lucky."

"She's nicer to you than she is to anyone. What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Maybe I should stop spray painting sneakers. The fumes aren't good for me." Thai looked at him.

"Ares, come on." she said.

"Thai… I can't tell her."

"Why not?"

"Because if I tell her and she… if she rejects me, then I have no idea what I'll do. It'll destroy my whole friendship with her, and it'll be worse than the breakup, because, what reason would she have? I can't face her is she doesn't love me." Ares said softly.

"Oh my sweet Merlin! You are in love with Krys! I knew it!" Nic shouted, as she made herself visible. Ares looked at her, then at Thai.

"Yeah, me too." Robbie said, as she walked out from behind Nic.

"Why am I here?" Ares asked.

"This is your intervention, Ares." Thai said, earning herself a look from him. "Ares… she's in love with you." 'Thai, she's gonna kill you.' said the voice inside her head.

'Yup, Harry. She probably will.' Thai thought.

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As the soon to be married couple got their food, Hermione's soon to be husband started to dig in.

"Shouldn't we say grace or something?" Hermione asked. Ron looked up at her.

"Grace?" he asked.

"Yeah, like a small prayer before we eat. Thanking God and Merlin for what we have." Hermione said. Ron shook his head.

"Maybe we should say grace after." he said. Hermione nodded.

"Okay." she said. "Don't think I'm being neurotic, I just think that it'll be easier saying it now, than getting into the habit later."

"Why would we even get into the habit later?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I just think that its something that married people should consider. Whether or not they'll go to church, say grace, go out for dinner once a week, have a date night- things like that." Ron looked at her. "I'm not being neurotic. I'm being laidback." Ron nodded mockingly.

"Sure." he said teasingly. Hermione smiled.

"Ronald, you have to think about these things too. We have to plan. We have to think and build." she said.

"Okay, well… on Sunday's we can… I don't know, Hermione. What? Take off a Sunday each month so that we can always have just that day together? And if we get to have full days off together, then that's great, but we can always have that Sunday? I don't know-"

"That's a very good idea, Ron." Hermione said, making him look at her. "Its kind of weird having a civilized meal together, isn't it?" Ron laughed and nodded.

"No pizza pockets. I'm actually afraid." he teased. Hermione rolled her eyes and started to cut her food into small squared. "That'll work wonders when we have children. Can't choke." Hermione looked at him and puckered her lips slightly. Ron laughed.

"So, how does it compare?" Hermione asked. Ron looked at her.

"What're you talking about? Actually- no, don't tell me. You're not talking about Krys and Ares… I'm going to bask in this moment." he said.

"Hold on, I talk about Krys and Ares, because Krys talked about me and you. And I was talking about the fact that you're not at work. You're sitting here having dinner with me." Hermione said.

"It doesn't compare. That's a crazy question- being with you always wins." Ron said.

"Aw." Hermione said, before she laughed. Ron looked at her and laughed too.

"So… what're you getting me for a wedding present?" he asked.

"Who said I was getting you anything at all?" Hermione asked.

"You did."

"I didn't tell you that I was getting you something."

"Yes you did."

"When?"

"Two weeks ago."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No."

"Yes you did."

"Yes I did."

"See I told you." Ron said, making Hermione laugh.

"I don't like you." Hermione said, with a glint in her eye.

"Yeah, you love me." Ron said.

"Not enough to buy you a gift." Ron laughed.

"And already, verbal abuse." Hermione wagged her finger and laughed.

"Don't bother me, woman." she said.

"You know, I don't think you should be talking to me like this. Especially since I'm thinking about what to buy you for a gift."

"You haven't gotten my Christmas gift yet, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I have. I'm talking about my wedding gift to you." Ron said.

"Oh… okay. Well- just get me something pretty." Hermione said with a smile. "Oh- you've already given me something pretty." Hermione wagged her ring finger, then took Ron's hand.

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Krys looked up from her plate and Josephs smiled at her.

"So, are you ready to talk about it?" she asked. His smile quickly dissolved.

"About what?" he asked.

"You know what. There's a reason that your face was made up. Are you ready to talk about it?"

"No."

"Okay- I'm done being nice. Talk."

"You think you're so damn tough, don't you?"

"No, no, no. I think I'm weak as hell. I only have a certain degree of control over myself. I know I'm not tough. You know how weak you have to be to have no control of yourself?" Josephs shook his head. "So talk."

"The little boy needs to stay out my business." Josephs said.

"No. Stop talking shit. Ares' only problem is that he doesn't know how to be selfish, and he's too good of a person." Krys said.

"Why isn't it your first instinct to defend me?"

"Because you already know that you never choose a bitch before your-… I'm not gonna continue that statement, because it includes a word that I'm avidly against, but its true. And no matter how I feel about you, unless you and me are wifey and hubby, I'm not choosing. I'm not defending him, I'm going on what I know to be true. And what I know to be true is that Ares doesn't bother anybody. And he won't even talk to most people because he's so damn shy that you have to know him before you can even get him to say three words to you. And I know that the only way that I even started to know that he doesn't like you is because of that fight, since he never said two bad words about you from the start. So tell me whose fault it is and tell me why."

"Its his fault." Eric said. "He got in my face, so I pushed him."

"And what was said?" Eric rolled his eyes.

"I don't know. He said some bullshit."

"You know what? I don't even want to know." Krys said, before she looked at her cake.

"So now you're not talking to me?" Josephs asked, making Krys look at him.

"Do I seem angry?"

"Yes."

"Well- I'm not." Krys said, before she looked at her watch.

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When Eric and Krys got to Eric's room, Eric whipped her around and kissed her. Krys pulled back and looked at him.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"Krys, I think you're amazing, and beautiful, and cultured… and perfect." Eric said, opening the door. "And I'm in love with you." Krys looked at him with wide eyes, before she bit her lip.

"I don't know what to say." she said. "I mean, I feel strongly about you. You- we- its only been five months, I- Eric, I-"

"Krys, I didn't say it for you to say it back. I'm saying it because I want you to know that I eventually want you to be my wifey." Eric said. "And I don't want to scare you. I just want you to know that… you're it."