"That's great Clara…." Hermione enthused, but Clara knew her friend well enough to see the sadness behind that voice. Hermione had been in love with Harry since they met, so hearing the news he liked Clara was a shock.

"Hermione…Harry will forget about me…. move on…. he'll begin to think about other people, and that's where you come in"

"Yeah, I guess so" Hermione said dubiously, glancing around the stairs leading to the entrance of the hall.

"Think positive! I mean, its bound to happen sometime, as Anna saw me and Drew kissing, so the news is going to spread around Phoenix in record time"

"Not that that's a good thing," grinned Hermione, despite herself.

Drew stood by the door, trying to explain to Anna.

"I like Clara,"

"But I thought we were going out! Now what am I going to tell every…. oops." she trailed off at the angry look Drew gave her.

"You told the whole school we were going out, didn't you, just so it would boost your popularity so you could get your hands on Gaz,"

"Yes" Anna said, her mind drifting to Gaz, captain of the football team, Mr Popular of Phoenix and serial snogger. But Drew had one more thing to say….

"Oh get lost, you tart"

Harry wandered back home to his foster parents, warm and comforting, and suddenly wondered what his dad would have said now.

"Be strong, and do what you feel is right"

Harry whipped around, searching for the owner of the voice, so like his own, but they had gone. He trudged up the path to 101 Glade Gardens, and let himself in with the key Karen and Mark had given him 2 years previously.

4 streets away, Hermione and Clara were waving goodbye to the last of the guests, and were cheered up immensely by Serena covering them all with purple and silver streamers and balloons. There was a brief wrestling match with several loud bangs from the balloons causing waves of laughter, but finally both girls walked back to Clara's, and the night became still.

Anna had gotten home, only to be rang by Zoë on her mobile,

"Come down to mine, my parents are out and the lads and Kati are here."

"Ok, ill be there in 5"

"Hey Anna," Gaz called the girl over to him, while smoking what looked like hash. Anna walked over, managing not to fall over in her 5 inch heels, which were as thin as toothpicks and as tarty as…. well…. 5 inch heels! "Hey Gaz"

"So whats this I hear about Drew then? You guys going out?" he offered her the cigarette, and she took a nervous drag, shaking her head as she did so.

"I don't think you've quite got the hang of this" Gaz said, slipping his arms around her and looking at her approvingly, in her short black skirt, low cut boob tube, fishnet tights, and those shoes.

"Hmm," mumbled Anna as Gaz leaned in and kissed her. He tasted of the fag, hash and beer, but only a bit. As the music became louder, she felt the night had only just begun….