She, Sirius, and Remus had been working hard in their downtime.

In many ways, Harry was making leaps and bounds now that he was residing inside of Grimmauld Place. Xolia (who came by daily whether there were meetings or not), Guin, Molly, and Jamie when she was at HQ had slowly started turning it into a home.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, the twins, Ginny, and Lee were constant residents. However, with the meetings, it wasn't uncommon for Soleil or Luna to be dashing about as well. It was a summer where they could all be kids…well, not so much for Jamie.

She did what she could to spend time with the twins and Lee, but things were different, and they respected she was working hard, and they would be together the entire school year. She sat in on their broadcasts for the radio show and helped them play harmless pranks on their mothers and younger siblings.

But Fred said it best: "Jamie had to grow up so Harry could slow down."

Harry looked healthy. His hair was a mop that had gotten almost curly from going so long untrimmed. His skin was gaining color, he and the others were still sent off to spend some days at The Burrow to do chores outside or play Quidditch in the sun. His clothes fit, he was clean, he was eating well. Jamie thought it was safe to say they had put at least a stone on him with constant meals and snacks.

He was happy, he was healthy, and he had more love pouring toward him than ever before. Molly and Guin were both fixated on coddling him and showering him with affection, which he seemed to bask in. Jamie suspected her brother had a slight puppy-dog crush on Xolia, who snuck him bits of candy she got while out and about. Remus and Sirius and Arthur and Kingsley were spending quality time with him, teaching him new things or just being a constant male figure in his life. He and Jamie would go on small trips to Diagon Alley early in the morning for things or sneak off for an ice cream. She slipped him new face wash, comic books, and a photo she had found tucked away in her trunk of Remus, Sirius, and James on graduation day. She had torn off the half containing Pettigrew.

It was obvious, it seemed, to give Harry a wonderful surprise birthday party. It would be held at The Burrow, in the garden. Molly had innocuously sent the young people over to de-gnome and tackle the overgrowth in the days beforehand.

String lights were hung up, crisscrossing overhead from tree to tree. Lanterns, red and gold, hung from the branches. Long tables were set up, with wooden backed benches covered in old quilts and pillows, and the finest china at Grimmauld Place had been cleaned and polished and put out.

Molly had been cooking all day, all of Harry's favorite picnic fixings. A cake had been made, a giant tiered monstrosity with little goal posts, tiny Quidditch player figurines on brooms were zooming around, scoring and scuffling around the tiers.

A mound of presents were piled up on another rickety table. Sirius and Jamie had quite a fortune and very little restraint when it came to Harry. Jamie had also insisted Remus keep somewhat of a 'company card' which accessed the Potter vaults, for instances in which he would need to assist Harry with an expense. He was respectful, but she noticed several book shaped packages and a few new school supply-shaped objects with Remus' name on it.

It was a sight to behold, at sunset on Harry's fifteenth birthday. The table was piled high with perfect summer foods, not too heavy in the heat of late of July. Roasted rosemary chicken, salads with zesty cold dressings, citrus-y and fresh from the garden, chive potato salad, watermelon, tomato, and feta salad drizzled with honey, lime juice, mint and olive oil. Grilled seasoned corn on the cob, ham and cheese sliders baked on warm honey-sweet rolls, platters of cheese and deli meats, chilled pasta salads, platters of veggies with dipping sauces and hummus, and homemade rolls.

There was Raspberry and Lemon rosé punch for the adults, a virgin-version of the punch also made up for the younger crowd. Aunt Molly had opened her mouth to discourage Jamie from taking a cup of the spiked punch, but Uncle Arthur had put his hand on her arm, shaking his head and winking at Jamie. Molly seemed to realize and gave Jamie an apologetic shrug, remembering she was in fact of age, just as the twins and Lee were.

Of The Order, it was Jamie's parents, her aunt and uncle, Sirius, Remus, Xolia, Andre, Annaliese, Tonks, Bill, and Hagrid. Luna and Soleil had come along, and Fleur and Viktor had returned to visit as well.

The table was jam-packed, everyone talks and laughing, no one commenting on how Harry seemed to be in sensory overload, a look pure joy on his face as he talked animatedly to his friends and adoptive family.

Drinks were flowing, music was playing over the wireless. Annaliese led them all in a melodic Happy Birthday song for Harry, and Jamie chuckled as Fred's tongue nearly dropped out of his mouth as he watched the newest Order member sing.

As the night wore on, no one was keen to leave and get back to reality. The adults were well into their cups, every single one of them, reminiscing and enjoying watching their young people have fun together safely.

Viktor and Hermione had slunk off for a walk, Jamie couldn't stop beaming at that. The twins, Lee, Harry, Ginny, Soleil, Luna, and Ron were setting off joke fireworks just outside the garden and whooping with laughter.

Annaliese was strumming a ukulele she had brought along, sitting off to the side, as Arthur, Remus, and Hagrid sang drunkenly along. Fleur was right between Jamie and Bill, but she noticed they seemed more intent on sneaking peeks at each other, Bill's hand resting on her knee, than to pay too much attention to the conversations around them.

Xolia clambered over and sat herself down in Sirius' lap, his arms wrapping around her waist as he nuzzled her neck. Tonks casting wistful looks toward Remus, who was actually laughing and smiling as he sang along to an old song.

This was the start of something really good. Jamie felt her smile tighten slightly, her eyes misty, as she moved to snuggle in between her parents on their bench. Guin clutched her hand as she chattered away with Molly and Tonks, and Jamie leaned her head against Kingsley's shoulder, closing her eyes in contentment as he reached up to stroke her hair on the top of her head.

"I love you," Kingsley intoned to her and she smiled, squeezing her eyes shut to fight off the emotion threatening to creep in. "I'm proud of you."

"I love you, dad," she told him.


Jamie couldn't sleep. She was in her little guest bed at Grimmauld Place, it was very late, and she felt…emotional and restless. Clambering to her feet, she left a note on the outside of her door letting who ever know she had returned to Severus' place for the day.

In moments she was outside and apparating to their quiet little cottage in Hogsmeade. She smelled fire, could hear it crackling and see light coming from the back yard. She made her way around and spotted Severus sitting beside a bonfire.

Draco was fast asleep, wrapped in a throw blanket beside it, snoring slightly.

"You're home early…or late I should say," her godfather greeted her. She came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and hugged him. He reached up and squeezed her wrist.

"In a night where I've nearly seen all of my favorite people, I felt I had to come see you and Draco before it was through," she told him. He chuckled, sipping his glass of whiskey he was nursing.

"We're on the last leg of summer," he told her quietly and she nodded, making a small sound of disappointment. "What will I ever do without two lazy teenagers hanging about my home?"

"So, you are going to miss us," she teased, laughing quietly so as not to wake Draco.

"It's been an experience, to say the least," he retorted.

They were silent, her eyes drifted to Draco, who looked absolutely un-elegant as he sprawled out on the ground. They hadn't said much in the days after their discussion on friendship. He was still the same to her, friendly, caring, yet somehow aloof all at the same time.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked Severus, motioning with her head toward Draco. "I know I haven't asked either of you much about what you've been up to for Dumbledore…I guess what I'm actually asking is are you both okay?"

"I'm fine," he told her gruffly. "I'll always be fine, Jamie. This isn't my first time doing this sort of work for Professor Dumbledore and The Order. As for Draco…I think he's very much aware of the risk and what is at stake, but I think he's doing fine."

"I worry about him," she admitted. "I worry about you, too, Severus. All of the time. But with him…everyone in The Order knows you are a double agent. No one knows about Draco. No one at school will know he's grown up and he's picked our side. I worry about how it will be at school for him."

"Draco doesn't care much if people like him," he told her.

"I know, but…"

"Jamie, I think it's safe to assume Draco only cares that you know what he's doing," Severus said somewhat stiffly. "As unbelievable as it may seem, I don't think he's after any attention or special recognition…and I'm not certain he's changed his opinions about your brother, so to speak."

"It's got to be lonely, what you both do," she pressed.

"I have you. I'll have Draco. I even have Professor Dumbledore in some ways," her godfather said.

"He doesn't think I'll have anything to do with him once school starts up again."

"You'll be very busy."

"I'm never going to be too busy for Draco, Severus you don't know the half of it when it comes to everything Draco has done for me. Draco is there for me, even when I don't want him to be. He stuck his neck out for me even when he didn't even know me, not really, and he didn't even have to."

"He's a decent young man," Severus said.

"He is, and he doesn't even realize it!" She felt riled up, a fierce need to get her point across to her godfather. Draco was one of the good ones in her life, and she needed him to understand she felt it was ridiculous Draco didn't believe they could still be friends after the summer was over. "I don't think I would be doing what I've been doing now, if it weren't for him."

"Jamie…" Severus said, not sure what he even could say to the girl.

"I just…it hurts my feelings that he doesn't think I would even want to be his friend after everything we've been through, like he doesn't understand why I would want to," she felt tears creeping into her eyes. "I don't know how to make him see what I see!"

"You can't make him, darling," Severus turned and pulled his goddaughter into a proper hug, seeing how emotional she was becoming. "Just be his friend. You are an excellent friend, Jamie. Just be his friend, and Draco will see. He'll see, don't worry."

Draco kept his eyes squeezed shut as he listened to Jamie and her godfather. Was he touched, listening to the older popular Gryffindor girl, the girl on every frontpage paper, the girl everyone wanted to be, speaking so highly of him? Of course, he was.

Maybe he hadn't explained himself properly to her. Draco didn't think they could be friends, because he didn't know how he could be friends with someone like her. Jamie was everything, she was full of life and fire and love and she was good. She scared the hell out of him, he didn't really understand how or why.

Severus had said the other day, maybe he had sensed Draco brooding over his little debate with Jamie in her bed… he said Jamie was just like her mother. They were the type of women who chose you, and you couldn't do anything about it. They decided they would love you, they would fight for you, and that was it.

Jamie said he was hurting her feelings. That part bothered him the most after listening to her conversation. He hadn't realized she cared so deeply, had assumed it was her trying to be kind and stubborn about looking out for an outcast.

It had never occurred to him that she truly, deeply wanted to be his friend, that he was so important to her. She was important to him, whether he could admit it out loud or not.

They only had four weeks left of summer. Maybe it was time her let himself be her friend, fully and completely, to see what it was like? She said they could be friends back at school. He could use a friend like her, especially when everyone else would end up hating him.


AN: Guess what! It's time to go back to Hogwarts, baby.