Chapter 6

Justin seemed keen. "Hey, a free holiday in Cannes! Why not?"

"But everyone else will be making wedding plans," Susan objected.

"Yeah, that will be a bore, but still, we can just hang around on the beach."

In the end, however, the Aurors scheduled some orientation meetings for the final fortnight in August, so Susan couldn't go.

"Well, that's a pain. Think they'd care if I went stag?" Justin asked.

Susan's jaw dropped. "Of course they would! It's three couples!"

Justin scowled but said no more.

Naturally he was disappointed, Susan told herself. Who wouldn't be, having to miss a holiday in Cannes?

It was not until Susan was leaving the first meeting that she bumped into Hermione Granger.

"I'm picking up our portkey; we leave for France tomorrow," she explained.

Susan noticed that Hermione was now sporting a ruby engagement ring; it wasn't as large as the one Neville had given Hannah, but still, it was a pretty ring, and Hermione beamed whenever she caught sight of it.

"I'm sorry to miss the trip," Susan confessed. "Justin was so disappointed."

Hermione started to say something, then hesitated.

"What?"

Hermione bit her lip. "Justin asked Harry if he could tag along."

Susan was flabbergasted. "He did?"

"Don't worry," Hermione said quickly. "I told him you'd already declined and now all the rooms were taken."

Justin was in a bad mood all week.

"Right, rooms all taken! That bossy Granger didn't give Potter a chance to open his mouth before she jumped in! You'd think it was her place, not his."

"She probably couldn't believe you wanted to go without me!"

"We're not joined at the hip," Justin grumbled.

Hannah and Neville returned from their honeymoon in Greece, and the others came back from France.

They immediately plunged into their careers…except for Justin.

"What's the rush? I'll probably join my father's firm soon, but right now I want to relax. Why don't we go up to the Lake District this weekend?"

"I can't," Susan explained. "Special meeting of the Wizengamot."

"You always have something better to do than spend time with me!"

He sulked so much that Susan eventually gave in, and missed the meeting.

Later she learned that her vote was vital in repealing some anti-werewolf restrictions, but it was too late to do anything about it.

Greengrass Manor wasn't a very large house, but it was beautifully decorated for the intimate wedding of Daphne Greengrass to Harry Potter, which took place on Christmas Eve.

Susan was a bit surprised she wasn't invited to be a bridesmaid, but then the wedding party was small compared to Hannah's, so it was natural the only bridesmaids were Hermione Granger and Astoria Greengrass. Both looked elegant in velvet dresses of midnight blue to offset their bouquets of fire and ice roses.

Fire and ice roses…Harry the fire, Daphne the ice? Susan smiled at the allegory, and wondered if it was deliberate or if the bride simply liked those particular roses?

She was seated near Millicent Bulstrode, who mentioned she was planning her own ceremony with Terence Higgs.

"It was arranged by our grandfathers; they were very close friends. But it's quite an advantageous match. Not as dazzling as Daphne's, of course, but then what is?"

"You mean, because of Harry's fame?" Susan was puzzled.

"No," Millie frowned. "It's not that. Not the money either, though he inherits both the Potter and Black fortunes. But he's nice, and she doesn't need to worry about him mistreating her, like so many of the pureblood husbands would. I know she feels lucky! Besides, she's always wanted him!"

"She has?"

Just then the ceremony started, and afterwards she lost sight of Millicent in the crowd pressing forward to offer congratulations.

Justin's irritation with Hermione Granger did not abate, no matter what Susan said.

After one too many insults directed against the muggleborn witch, Susan noticed their invitations were drying up: Harry and Ron would not tolerate any criticism of Hermione. They were not even asked to Hermione's wedding at the Burrow.

"You might warn Justin," Hannah informed her best friend. "He's not only alienating everyone, he's turning them against you as well."

"I don't care what anyone thinks! If they can't accept my boyfriend as he is, I don't need their friendship," said Susan indignantly. "Besides, I like bad boys!"

Hannah was unimpressed. "The problem with bad boys…is that they don't make for good relationships!"

That hit home, but Susan was not convinced. She told herself that she was a true Hufflepuff, and would stay loyal to Justin.

The first year of Auror training came to an end, and she decided to go to Majorca with Justin, and his family.

Susan liked the Finch-Fletchleys, although, like their son, they didn't particularly approve of her Auror career. Too dangerous and too demanding, seemed the general opinion.

When she told them she was following in her Auntie Amelia's footsteps, Mrs. Finch-Fletchley was condescending. "It's not a suitable career for a woman with a family, my dear. I believe your aunt remained unmarried throughout her life?"

Three weeks after their return, Justin broke up with Susan. The only reason he gave was that he felt they were going in different directions.

She couldn't believe it. For days she walked around in a fog, convinced it was all some horrible mistake.

She didn't go to work; she didn't set foot outside Bones Manor.

Then, after another week had passed, Hannah flooed in to tell her that Justin was engaged to the daughter of his father's business partner.

Hannah was a rock; she held Susan while her friend sobbed and ranted, forced her to shower and get dressed, prepared food and coaxed Susan to eat it.

Susan's misery nearly resulted in the loss of her place in the Auror program; only Head Auror Robards' profound respect for the deceased Amelia Bones caused him to give her niece a second chance.

She resolved not to waste it, and threw herself into her work with renewed determination.

Hannah insisted that Susan visit the Leaky Cauldron at the end of the day, and filled her in on all the latest news.

Still, Susan considered that she would never be happy again.

Then one afternoon, in Diagon Alley, she encountered Daphne and Hermione. She was startled to see that both women were heavily pregnant.

"Yes," Hermione admitted. "We are due in September…me around the tenth, Daphne two weeks later. Our children will grow up together. But I have to go meet Ron at the joke shop. Maybe we'll see you later, Susan?"

"Harry and I will bring you all some dinner, Hermione!" Daphne called.

"Thanks, you're the best!"

She dashed off, leaving Susan with Daphne.

"Ron's been working overtime," explained Daphne. "Angelina has a newborn son, and George is run ragged. So Hermione is planning to babysit tonight."

"Huh," Susan considered. "First everyone was getting married, and now everyone is having babies!"

Daphne looked uncomfortable for a minute.

"Are you having a girl or a boy?" Susan persisted.

"This one is a boy." Daphne rested one hand gently on her stomach. "I can't wait to meet him!"

"You look happy."

"I never dreamed I could be this happy. I never imagined I could have…well, this kind of match, a love match."

"Then," Susan joked, "You're lucky I didn't keep Harry for myself!"

Daphne gave her a long look. "Luck had nothing to do with it."