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A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update!! I feel so guilty! Lol! Check out my website if you get a chance and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
"So, ready for your bachelorette party tonight?" Harry asked Hermione that evening after they had gotten off of work.
"Yeah, I guess… It's not really a party… Ginny, Lexi, and a couple of people are just taking me out and attempting to get me drunk," Hermione said quietly.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked her with concern.
"Nothing, it's just—I feel like such an idiot—Victor's going out with all his crazy guy friends and… I'm just worried about—you know," Hermione said sadly, refusing to meet Harry's gaze.
"I see," Harry said quietly. "You don't trust him?"
"I do… I'm just worried," Hermione said sadly.
"I see. You don't trust me? I'll be there, remember," Harry said and upon seeing that she still looked depressed, added, "And I promise you, if he does anything you wouldn't approve of, Fred, George, and I will kick his—"
"I see, what about Neville?" Hermione asked, laughing.
"Well, see, Neville is a bit too… Fragile," Harry said, glad to have cheered her up.
"I see," Hermione said, giggling. "So, you're sure that Elizabeth can't come to the wedding tomorrow?"
"Yeah, someone died… I'm not really sure who… Her cousin's husband's grandmum or something like that," Harry said vaguely.
"Well if she doesn't know who it is, why is she going?" Hermione tested with a hand on her hip.
"Don't look at me like that," Harry teased. "She knows who it is, I don't."
"Ok, I guess I'll let it slide," Hermione agreed.
"I thought you hated Liz?" Harry asked in a confused tone.
"I never said I hated Liz, I just said that you two weren't meant to be together," Hermione argued.
"I believe your exact words were 'Lexi is smarter, prettier, and funnier.'" Harry argued.
"Where in that did I say that I hated Liz?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It was implied," Harry said, nodding his head.
"Was not," Hermione argued.
"Was to," Harry argued.
"Was not," Hermione argued.
"You know, they say that you're one of the most brilliant witches alive and yet you can't even come up with a good comeback," Harry said with a smirk.
"Can to," Hermione argued.
"Cannot," Harry confirmed.
"Can to," Hermione disagreed.
"I'm not having this conversation with you!" Harry said in exasperation.
"Are to," Hermione teased.
"No, are not!" Harry said, trying not to laugh. "We should both get ready."
"You know, my party would be much better if you were there," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, of course it would, but I think—by tradition—the bride's gal-pals take her out. So, short of dressing me like a girl—" Harry began.
"That could be arranged," Hermione said with a smile.
"Yeah, I'll pass on that one," Harry said with a smile. "By the way, thanks for making Victor invite Fred, George, and Neville. I hate his quidditch idiot ego-driven friends."
"Yeah, me too," Hermione said in agreement. "And besides, you wouldn't have been able to kick his… Rear alone."
"Do me a favor and shut-up," Harry said in mock-annoyance.
"I'm going to miss this," Hermione said sadly.
"Miss what?" Harry asked in confusion.
"Miss hanging out with you all the time," Hermione said quietly.
"We can still hang out," Harry said, trying to cheer her up.
"Not like this," Hermione said. Harry turned around to face her and found tears running down her cheeks.
"Well don't cry," Harry said dejectedly. "We'll still be friends. I mean, what do you want? For us to get married or something?"
"Well, we would be able to hang out whenever we wanted," Hermione said with a sad smile.
"Yeah, if we didn't kill each other first. Trust me, if we were married, we would be way to sick of each other to hang out," Harry said as he hugged her.
"Yeah, I know it wouldn't work, but don't you think it's weird that my friendship with you is better than my relationship with my fiancée?" Hermione asked.
"You and Victor have a good relationship," Harry argued half-heartedly. "And besides, remember when we dated in sixth year? I do seem to remember hating you for months."
"Yeah, that was fun," Hermione said with a smile.
"Yeah, maybe for you. The only person I had to get advice from was Ron," Harry said with a laugh. "I mean, he was great to hang out with, but a bit…"
"Non-sensitive?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Harry agreed.
"I miss him," Hermione said sadly.
"Me too," Harry said. The two of them stood in silence for a few moments.
"Well, I guess we should both go home and get ready, huh?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I guess so," Harry said and with two pops, they were both gone.
After going home and changing, Harry had apparated to the bar where Victor's bachelor party was being held at. It was a crowded, noisy, smoky place that made Harry feel very claustrophobic. After greeting Victory, Harry made his way over to the twins and Neville.
"Hiya Harry," Fred said with a smile as he clapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, pull up a seat," George said, kicking out the chair across the table from him. Harry sighed, smiled, and sat down.
"Hey," Harry greeted them.
"Hey Harry," Neville said quietly.
"What's going on with you?" George asked Harry.
"Nothing… Same old… Same old. You guys?" Harry asked, wishing his life were boring.
"Oh, nothing much… Angelina and I moved in together," Fred said casually.
"Wow," Harry said in a surprised voice.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Fred asked.
"Don't think we can carry any successful relationships?" George asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm not even falling for this trap today," Harry said with a smile. "So, what have you been up to, Neville?"
"Just classes," Neville said shyly.
"Healer, right?" Harry asked after a moment of thought.
"Yeah," Neville replied.
"No girlfriend?" George asked with a grin.
"Yes," Neville said as though he didn't really want to talk about it.
"What about you, George?" Harry asked.
"Yep," George with a sly grin.
"Care to elaborate?" Harry asked.
"Nope," George said with a sly grin.
"What about you, Harry, still alone?" Fred asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, I've actually got a girlfriend named---" Harry began.
"Oh, yeah, Alexia or whatever her name is, right?" George asked. Harry slowly inhaled.
"Ok, who told you that, I'd like to go kill them," Harry said calmly.
"Why?" Neville asked.
"Hermione told us," Fred said with a shrug.
"Mmk, first off, her name is Lexi and we're not dating. I'm dating Liz," Harry said, pronunciating every letter in Liz's name. Fred, George, and Neville all looked at him as though he were crazy.
"Listen, mate, I realize that no one in your position would be mentally stable, but—" George began. Harry took a deep breath.
"I'm in a perfect mental state, thank you very much," Harry said through clenched teeth.
"Of course you are," Fred agreed in a babying tone. Harry slowly clenched and unclenched his fist.
"I am," Harry grunted.
"You know, admitting you have a problem is the first step to solving it," George said in a sympathetic tone.
"Really, I can find you a nice, padded cell at—" Neville began. Harry slowly counted to ten in his mind.
"For the last time—I'm fine," Harry grunted.
"Of course you are," Fred said with a please-don't-murder-me smile.
"I'm not having this discussion with you," Harry said through clenched teeth.
"Of course you aren't," George said with a smile.
"So, how long do you think they're going to last?" Fred asked a couple of hours later, referring to Hermione and Victor.
"A year, maybe two," Neville said as he took a sip of his butterbeer.
"Harry?" Fred asked.
"You don't want to know my opinion," Harry said in annoyance.
"Ok, what about you, George?" Fred asked.
"I don't know… Half a year, tops," George said knowingly.
"Would you be willing to bet on—" Fred began.
"Call me crazy, but I don't think you should be placing a bet on how long our friend's marriage will last," Harry said.
"We all ready called you crazy though," George and Fred said in unison.
~~Well, there it is! The next chapter? The wedding! Yay!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know I didn't characterize Fred, George, and Neville all that great, but… Oh well… Sorry! If you liked it, go review! I'm hoping for… 72 reviews! (I know, aren't I ambitious?) Now, go review!~~
WaterLili~ I know, I'm sorry! Plenty of Lexi in the next chapter! I promise!
Queen of Zan~ Well, here's more! I'm sorry, but I have to ask… Ketchup and duct tape!?!? (I still haven't gotten any cheesecake… Grr)
Faith456~ Yeah, I like "Billy Madison" better though… I dunno, I think it's the penguin… *Evil laugh*… Lol! Yeah, they're slowly getting through to him, we all know how stubborn he is! ::Cough:: Men ::Cough::
Byttmeo7~ I'm updating as we speak!
PotterChick1~ Yeah, I agree w/you on that aspect! It adds to the tortured heroine effect though… Sorry… I'm glad you enjoyed the last one, hoping you enjoyed this one!