"It's hard to be sad when you're eating a cookie." - Hannah to Neville, followed by an entire pack of chocolate pecan shortbread cookies.

Hannah shook the rosewater and witch hazel tonic she bought on a whim and misted it over her face feeling ridiculous. It was supposed to shrink her pores and keep her skin hydrated. She had little faith in the beauty tonic. Nothing could cover up the weeks of manic energy that kept her awake, wondering where the hell it all went wrong?

First, her bunny died. Her Bixxy. She had him since her mum gifted the tiny baby bun to her in 6th year. Three days before Maggie Abbott was murdered by damn Death Eaters. Bixxy was the last thing she had of her mother.

Second, her serious boyfriend broke up with her while she'd been fixing him his favorite dinner, her mum's boeuf bourguignon recipe, and a treacle tart that she made from scratch! It had burnt to a crisp in her oven while Neville told her he didn't love her anymore. Maybe never. He wanted to end their relationship and hoped they could still be friends.

Friends!

Week one post break up went by in a haze. She didn't cry, but only because she was too confused. Sure things hadn't progressed as quickly as she thought they would between them. Every time it seemed like maybe they would take the next step in their relationship, something would come up like when his gran got remarried. Like when the house went into his name. Neville went traveling instead of dealing with it.

But he always came back and that had given her hope.

Week two post break up bought anger. She kept spotting his crap all over her house. Sweaters and his stupid slippers that looked like a bleeding fern. Who wanted shrubbery as shoes?! The final straw had been finding his Divina's Chocolate Shop t-shirt. It was so comfortable, she stole it and wore it as a nightgown for years. How many times had they gone to that shop and stuffed their faces with gourmet chocolates and expensive coffee drinks. Stupid coffee. Why did he love that awful drink so much?!

Why then had they flirted and kissed like two teenagers in the alley between buildings?

Going home afterwards and shagging on every surface of her place.

But no. Apparently that just meant he wanted to be friends.

Week three brought a grim acceptance. She was single. No man, no sex. No gourmet chocolates and cappuccinos and getting lost in the city. No more dreams of getting married and sharing a life together with the only man she ever loved.

Third, just when her best friend forever, sis from another wiz, partner in crime Susan Bones managed to convince her it might be better this way she found out Neville went and snogged Pansy Parkinson!

Of all the people!

That bully gave her hell from year one at school… and Neville too! Did he just forget what a terror that witch was in school?

"Oh god," she shouted at her vanity. "I'm such an idiot!"

A shuffling outside her bedroom. The door swinging open. "Hannah Banana?"

She spun around quickly, rose-hazel witch-water whatever tonic flying across the room. "Oh, Susan! It's just you."

Susie danced into Hannah's bedroom, kicking off her shoes. "Forget lunch."

Her heart sank. She'd been looking forward to a girl's date all week. "You have class?"

"No," Susan grinned, pulling her bag around to the front and unzipping the top pocket with zeal. From the bag she pulled out not one, but two wine bottles. Big ones. Red and Pink. "Liquid diet sound good to you?"

"God, yes," Hannah ran forward and grabbed the bottle of red from Susan's right hand.

"I have something else for you too," Susan dropped her bag to the floor and jumped on Hannah's bed. "A little pick me up."

Her cheerful mood became infectious and Hannah jumped up on the bed too. "I need a big one."

"Ha, that's what she said," Susie grinned, and pulled from her pocket….

"Ohh… a little pick meeee up…" Hannah giggled excitedly and jumped across the room, grabbing her wand.

Susan flopped down on her bed and leaned back on the pillows while Hannah held her wand out and conjured fire in her opposite palm. "Just to take the edge off, my perfect, lovely friend."

It didn't take long before the two of them devolved into giggles, smoking and drinking their wine, going full tilt on girl talk. Her spirits rose in no time as they talked about everything and anything.

Until the conversation turned to dating.

"No, that subject is the one subject that's off limits, Sus."

"Ba-na-naa, c'mon girl. I know you. It's the one thing you want to talk about. And you know me, I'll tell it to you straight… whatever is on your mind."

Groaning, Hannah slid off the bed, feeling boneless, and spread out on the floor. "Maybe that's the problem. I don't want the truth. I wish I didn't know about Pansy stupid Parkinson kissing my boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend."

Susan followed her to the floor, laying down right next to her. Their hair mixed together. Vibrant red with sunshine yellow. "Maybe I know a bit about that."

She realized what Susan was trying to do, but all she could focus on was the fact that her bff and Neville were still friends, despite the fact the man completely broke her heart. "You know, you were my friend first. Why are you still talking to him? You should be helping me curse his underwear to be too tight and turn his hair funny colors."

"Look if he did something horrible, like cheated on you or something equally scummy, I'd be first in line to curse those tightie whities so tight they cut off his blood circulation and all his appendages fall off. Every last one of them," Susan threatened with an evil grin, one that Hannah had no problem interpreting. "But… Everything we went through," Susan rolled up onto her side, smile fading for the first time. "We made it out alive, we can't walk away from each other after that."

"He can."

"He's not walking away from you, Banana. He's just a man who hasn't a clue what he wants."

All that she knew already, but she had to live with it and that was the hard part. Reminding herself it was important to remember not to want someone who didn't want you back. Move on to find someone worth her time. But right then, right at that very moment… she wanted to scream and curse Neville's name. Bash his head in with the backside of broomstick. And make things go back to the way they were before.

"He wants Pansy Parkinson. Seriously, I thought she died in the battle. She dropped off the face of the earth after the war."

"Hmm. Maybe she's nicer now."

"Yeah right, how high are you?"

"As high as you are."

Another round of giggles.

"Forget about Pansy. I'm sure there's an… explanation… maybe. And if it makes you feel any better," Susie whispered with delight. "That bracelet you gave him? Right before he broke things off? Yeah, he can't get it off."

A slow, slow grin to match Susan's formed on her face. She found the thing at the thrift shop in Diagon Alley thinking it looked a little bit like him. The silver and gold links kind of manly, but still jewelry. And the gold kind of matched the color of his eyes. But the idea that he was stuck with a permanent reminder of her…

Maybe it was a little too vindictive, but at that moment she felt downright gleeful for it. "Good. Yes. Oh yes, that does make me feel better. Or it might be the wine, but probably that. Yes."

They giggled some more.

"Listen, do what you want. It's your life, but maybe, I don't know, go over there and have a good conversation with him. As friends."

"Friends?" Hannah leaned back and hit her head on the floor. "Owww…"