Disclaimer: Okay. Seriously, this is the last one of these, because by this point I'm hoping you all know I don't own Harry Potter. That would be pretty cool though

Author's Note: So I'd like to prep you all now, we're getting closer to the end. Not like, close close, but within say five chapters. Without dwelling too much on that though, thanks a million to everybody who was nice enough to review my last chapter even though it took me 4327849371894321 years to get it up and, as promised, here's the next one, a little more timely

Review Responses:

Sugarhighloon- awesome, glad you liked it! Here's chapter 13, a bit sooner than the last, hehe.

MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus – Yay! I was sort of worried about how this one would go over just since it was really like a filler/move time along chapter, so awesome that you liked it! Here's chapter 13!

Lily Dwarf – Awesome, thanks for reviewing!

Hp-girl4eva – Haha yay! Yeah, I know it took me forever and a year to update, but I'll be better from now on swear. The Hogsmeade trip is going to be pretty exciting, but it's all buildling up to something JÉ that's all I'm going to say for now. Thanks for reviewing!

The-insufferable-know-it-all – Thanks!

Carmel March – Thank you for reviewing! And yay, so glad you liked it! And wow, don't even worry about not reviewing. I figure a month and a half at least waiting for the story is a fair enough trade off. So here's chapter 13!

Even having to wait from late Thursday night (or early Friday morning, depending on how you want to see it) until Saturday felt like it took about forever. After the holidays the sheer volume of work we'd been getting had increased tenfold, so the advent of any weekend was like finally finding a beach after you've been stranded in the ocean for a month. Okay, so granted that may be a bit melodramatic but it was definitely true about this particular weekend. The prospect of an entire Saturday spent wandering around Hogsmeade with Harry was enough to propel me through all my Friday classes and actually motivate me to do all (okay, half) of my homework that night so that I wouldn't have to do anything over the weekend. Even Hermione noticed my newfound work ethic, which scared me a bit. Once Hermione is taking note of your study habits favorably, it's time to cut back.

There was something about being with Harry that was easier than being with Michael, Dean, and Malfoy had been. We'd already been through the getting really close and being friends part, so it was as if we were starting out at step ten. And I liked that.

Ordinarily, I would've liked that I could've slept through breakfast and had nobody care. But when Hermione shook me awake at eleven thirty, reminding me that the train for Hogsmeade left in forty-five minutes, I was not pleased.

"I don't see what you're so worried about," she said as she perched herself on my bed while I dug frantically through my trunk trying to find something presentable to wear. I shot her a glare and continued digging. Unsatisfied with my findings, I rushed into the bathroom to brush my teeth and put my hair up.

"Leave it down," called Hermione after me. "It's beyond frigid today. Anyways, it's only Harry. I know he's your boyfriend now, but it's still just Harry. What are you so tweaked about?" Putting down my hairbrush I stared at my reflection and considered this. What did I have to worry about anyway?

"I don't know, ÔMione, I'm justÉ nervous I guess. Hey, aren't you stressed at all? Aren't you going with Ron today?" There. Okay, it wasn't exactly honest, but turning the tables on Hermione and asking the same question back to her almost always got her off my case. She flushed crimson but replied that, yes, she was in fact perfectly calm. Bugger.

"Gin, all I'm saying is that it's not like you have to make an impression on him. Clearly you've already done that or he wouldn't've liked you for the two months before he told you.

"Two months? I thought it was only a while. That's what he said." Hermione smirked when I said this.

"You had other things on your mind," she replied in a manner that wasn't quite snarky, but implied something I didn't like.

"Alright! It was a bad decision! It's not as if I would do it again!" We chatted for a little while longer until I finally pulled out a pair of jeans and a cute striped sweater to wear underneath my robes, gloves, coat, and boots. You know, come to think of it, I rather hate winter. Trying to bear in mind what Hermione had told me, I applied just enough makeup to give some color to my normal January skin hue of super pale.

At twelve fifteen I met up with Harry in the Great Hall, and instantly all the stupid apprehensions I'd had before melted away.

"Going for a snow bunny type look, are we?" Teased Harry.

"Only if it makes you happy, Potter, only if it makes you happy," I shot back. The day continued this way. Being with Harry was simple, it was easy, it was wonderful and it felt right. There was nothing else to it, it just felt right. By one in the afternoon, I was more relaxed than I had been since the Christmas holidays ended. Entering the Three Broomsticks for lunch, however, the seeds of change were planed with the first two faces I saw.

Slytherin's newest power couple was deigning to be seen in such a "common" establishment as the Three Broomsticks, and, as luck would have it, both of them instantly noticed when Harry and I walked through the door. I couldn't help it – cool and collected was normally my style in these encounters, but as two well-groomed blondes turned to look directly at me I tensed. Harry's arm slipped protectively around my waist and I relaxed a little, but I could tell this was going to be difficult. We walked directly passed them and it seemed as if lunch would go off without an encounter until I overheard,

"Aww, how cute. Little Weaselette went and got herself a second tier boyfriend. Isn't that sweet Draco?" I couldn't help it. I snapped my head around to see Katie smirking at me. You've got nothing on him, or for that matter me, I thought privately to myself. I still say the smirking thing is a pretty big perk – it's actually a really handy skill. Miraculously, the perfect response popped into my head before I walked away, avoiding one of those situations where one waits a few seconds longer than the unofficial designated response time.

"Aww, how cute. The snake and the slut. I suppose treacherous and trampy go well together. Do have fun now!" I looked back at Katie for just long enough to watch her classically pretty face contort unattractively before walking away with Harry.

"Are you okay?" Questioned Harry once we'd sat down.

"Fine," I replied robotically. He started at me quizzically, grabbing my hand and stopping me from picking apart my paper napkin.

"Or maybe not entirely fine," I started. Instantly something changed behind Harry's eyes and I blushed as deeply as my hair.

"I'm fine with seeing them together," I clarified. "And I'm definitely fine with them being together. They deserve one another. But I do not want people thinking that you're my sloppy seconds or some shit like that! And I especially don't want people hearing it from Malfoy!" Thankfully, Harry smiled at my little outburst.

"Look. If you think that's what I think, we have bigger issues. You're perfect just the way you are to me, alright Gin? Don't ever forget that." I'm perfect? Did he just hear himself? I blushed again.

"I never doubted you for a second, we've been over that." He leaned across the table and kissed my forehead while I used all my willpower to not squeal. Sitting back down, however, he smiled a little more deviously.

"But, if you'd like to show your true feelings to everybody else, I doubt I'd mind." He teased seductively. Gee, did I have to?

"You know, I doubt I'd mind either," I replied, making my way from my chair to Harry's lap and kissing him. It was definitely a good moment.

Pity I didn't hear the conversation Malfoy and Katie were having across the room