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A/N: WELCOME TO THE LAST CHAPTER! 317 pages long is the story.
Thank you to my 5 reviewers. I got over 100 hits and still, I only got 5 reviews.
Lady Emerald Black: I'm a sophomore in high school.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
Alright, so I'm going to do a sequel, yes this is the last chapter, and, thanks to goldengirl14, I'm going to call the sequel The Dangers of Sugar and Spice.
I am going to post the sequel in the HARRY POTTER SECTION. Just so you know that. Now that you know the title you can search it.
So, every single person that reads this chapter should review it so I know that I have people that like this story. I mean, come on now people, it's the last chapter. Let me know you like the story. Please?
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Chapter Fifty-Three
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Dear Harry,
I hope Cashlinn finds you well, even if you are at the Dursley's.. Are you going to the Burrow soon? Ron hasn't invited Pepper and me yet.
I've been having nightmares about the last battle, have you? Pepper said she's been having them too. They're making me miss my parents an awful lot. I wish that I could go home. I miss my normal routine…I miss my house and my parents and my old bed and my bathroom and my books and…just everything about home.
Don't get me wrong, though, I'm adapting well to San Francisco, even if people asking me if I'm from England over and over is getting annoying. But Pepper and her aunts are great to me. Phoebe, Piper, and Paige have even told me that I can call them Aunt as well. Wyatt is so adorable! I've been helping out with him a lot. The Halliwells won't let me help them fight demons, which makes me kind of angry, but it's probably for the best. I've already seen loads of demons already. The powers Pepper and her aunts have are amazing to me.
I hope to see you soon!
All my love,
Hermione
Harry sighed and leaned back in his desk chair. He felt badly for Hermione and wished that he could be there for her. He knew what it was like to miss your parents. He wondered whether loosing them was harder when you had known them for sixteen years or if you only had fleeting memories of their faces.
He hoped that Pepper was there for Hermione while she was going through this. He knew that sometimes Pepper could be a little blind to other people's feelings. Plus, he figured that Hermione would probably try to hide the fact that she was missing her old home so she wouldn't offend Pepper or her aunts. Harry knew that they wouldn't be offended, but Hermione never wanted to take that chance. Sometimes she hid too far into herself. He hoped that that wouldn't happen and she'd at least talk to Ron about it.
Ron,
How're things, mate? Have you talked to Hermione yet this summer? I can't believe you two didn't kick and scream when you had to be separated from each other when we got off the train. She was wondering when we were all going to see one another again. And, let me tell you, it's been a ruddy long few weeks since Hogwarts. I can't wait till I come of age. I want to get out of here.
Have you gotten a letter from Hagrid this summer? He sent me an invitation to his wedding. Even though the wedding is this Christmas, he seemed keen on sending invitations early. I'm so glad he found Madame Maxime, they're perfect for each other.
Can you believe it's our 7th year coming up? I'm amazed we've made it this far without Dumbledore expelling us. Ah, speaking of Dumbledore, don't you think it's time he settled down with someone like Hagrid's doing? What about McGonagall? D'you think they'd fancy each other?
Enough of this, I've got to go.
Harry
Ron chuckled to himself as he finished reading Harry's letter. He had, in fact, gotten an invitation from Hagrid just yesterday. He knew exactly how Harry felt about the summer dragging out. He couldn't wait to see Hermione again. He'd never known that he could miss a single person so much. He wanted to see Harry again as well, of course, but he needed to see Hermione. It was at this point that he wished he had one of those Muggle contraptions his dad was always talking about—a telephone, that was it—so that he could talk to Hermione directly. He couldn't wait for the school year to begin again. Then he could see all of his friends every day. And he wouldn't have to deal with his brothers or his mother or the wedding that was coming up, courtesy of Bill.
Draco,
Hello my lovely second cousin. How are you doing this fine summer? I just wanted to check up on you and make sure you're doing a wonderful job as a good person. Also, I was wondering where you're living, since your parents are in Azkaban and everything.
So I suppose I'll talk to you later. Say hello to Blaise for me if you see him. And ask him again why he hates me.
Pepper
Pepper finished up her letter to her second cousin. She really was concerned with how he was doing now that his parents were in jail and the Ministry of Magic had seized his house for search. She couldn't really tell him that she was concerned, though, because that would probably result in her being mocked. Therefore, she had to make the letter very sarcastic. Another plus to that was that it would probably piss Draco off, and that was always a good thing. She figured that he was probably staying with Blaise, since his parents hadn't been Death Eaters and therefore weren't captured by the Ministry.
Hermione,
How's your summer going? I miss you so much. I'm still trying to convince Mum to have you lot over. She's a bit preoccupied at the moment: it would seem that Bill has met a woman. Fleur Delacour to be exact. Apparently, they've been dating for quite a while now. Fleur's been hanging out around the house all the time. She's got Mum all busy with wedding plans. Yes, it would seem that they are getting married. And mum doesn't really want extra people around the house until she gets things straightened out. That's what she says, at least. I think the real reason is that she's afraid of leaving the two of us alone, and of leaving Harry and Ginny alone. Even though I told her that if he does anything to her I'll rip him apart.
I'll keep working on Mum; I know she'll give in eventually.
Love,
Ron
Hermione grinned as she re-read Ron's letter. She was sitting on her bed in the room she shared with Pepper, Cashlinn sat on the edge of the vanity. She was very happy for Bill, even if she had a less than positive opinion about Fleur Delacour. She doubted very much that Mrs. Weasley didn't want her and Pepper coming over because it was busy around the house. She agreed with Ron: Mrs. Weasley wanted them to keep their hands to themselves. Hermione wondered what she had done to lose Mrs. Weasley's trust in her. Maybe it was just that she didn't trust her son. Hermione smiled to herself. So far, she and Ron had only kissed, even if they were in love. Hermione had planned to let Ron go father with her this summer, though. She figured that she was ready.
Dear Ginny,
How's life at the Burrow? I miss you and I hope that I can see you soon. Three weeks is too long to be apart from you. Ron told me that Bill's getting married to Fleur Delacour. I'm wondering how you feel about that...
I haven't heard anything from Pepper this summer, have you? I don't know whether to worry about it or not. She may just not like writing letters. Hermione hasn't said much about her either.
What have you been doing over the holidays? Well, besides helping with the wedding plans?
I'm determined to see you soon. I'd like some time alone with you, though I think that's exactly what your mum's afraid of.
See you. Love,
Harry
Ginny pressed her lips together, trying not to cry. Her summer hadn't exactly gone as smoothly as she had wanted and she really needed to talk to Harry right now. Not to mention the fact that she would really like to kiss him. She was getting rather angry at her mum for not letting him come to the Burrow. She was tired of hearing about the wedding. She didn't like Fleur in the first place.
She re-read Harry's letter. This time, she caught the part about Pepper and she wondered why he was mentioning her.
Pepper,
I don't know if Blaise told you anything about our breakup (I doubt he did). If he did tell you something, it was probably that I'm a bitch and a whore. I'm not, though. I may have cheated on him, but I never slept with Antonio. I was just getting kind of tired of Blaise. I needed something new and different for a while. I was planning on dumping Antonio soon, but then Blaise caught us snogging in a broom closet and it turned into a rather sticky situation. Blaise, I found, isn't much of the violent jealous type, but when he's pissed you do not want to cross him. It's not pretty.
I just wanted to tell you what happened, since I didn't give you an explanation at school.
I'll see you September,
Alana
Pepper figured she felt bad for Blaise about this whole unfaithful-girlfriend thing. Still, seeing as Alana liked her and Blaise didn't, she was going to stay friends with Alana. She'd just have to watch where she hung out with her. She didn't know how angry Blaise still was about the whole ordeal.
Harry,
Mum's finally given in! Well, to you coming anyway. I'm still working on Hermione and Pepper. I told her to think about how the Dursley's treat you and how you hate it there…the guilt trip worked. But I can't use that excuse for Pepper and Hermione. She knows Pepper's aunts are nice. Anyhow, Mum says we can pick you up next Monday. I really don't see why she won't let the girls come over as well. She told me it had something to do with me and Hermione being alone. I don't see how that makes any sense, though. She knows as well as we do that Hermione has her lousy morals and she won't really do anything but kiss, even if we are in love. You and Ginny on the other hand…I can break your neck, Harry, remember that. And I have spies everywhere.
See you Monday,
Ron
Harry fought the urge to jump for joy. He missed Ginny a lot and he couldn't wait to see her. He wanted to see Ron, of course, but he didn't have the overwhelming urge to snog Ron.
He had a feeling that Ron wasn't going to need any of his spies; he would make sure himself that his little sister and his best friend didn't do anything.
Harry,
Hey, Harry! I'm sorry that I haven't written yet this summer, but I've been pretty busy. I got a job at a local ice cream shop and I've been working every day…not to mention eating twice my weight in ice cream. How are things with Ginny? Are you still at the Dursley's or are you at the Burrow for the rest of the summer?
Oh! I've been meaning to tell you, I've got a boyfriend! A family moved in across the street when we got back from school and now I'm dating my neighbor. His name is Raphael and he's absolutely amazing. I want you, Ron and Ginny to meet him, I just don't know how that's going to happen. I want you to meet him especially. I think the two of you would really have a lot in common and would get along well. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, Harry, and I'm just so happy. He is so gorgeous and so amazing and nice and…can I tell you something, Harry? I think I'm falling in love. I know you may disagree since I've only known him for a month, but he is so wonderful. Well, I have to go; Raphael and I have a date tonight. I miss you, Harry, and I really hope I get to see you soon.
Love,
Pepper
Ginny was reading the letter over Harry's shoulder. The two were sitting at the dining room table of the Burrow. When they'd both finished reading, they looked at each other. "She's fallen in love," said Ginny, sounding skeptical.
"Don't doubt her feelings, Gin," Harry said. "We've only got this letter to base things off of."
"Well, he must be something really bloody special if she's fallen in love after only a month of knowing him," shrugged Ginny.
"Maybe he is something special then," said Harry. He wondered why he felt a pang of jealously over Pepper's letter.
"Well I think she's just exaggerating," Ginny said. "And why does she just want you to know this? She hasn't told Ron or me about this, and we don't know that she told Hermione."
"I dunno, Gin," said Harry. "Maybe your letter is on its way." He wanted to change the subject and he wasn't sure why. And he turned his head and kissed Ginny to remind himself that his relationship with Pepper was part of the past.
Dear Ron,
I miss you so much! Is there any chance that Pepper and I could come to the Burrow soon? I want to see you! I've become rather cranky, I think, and the Halliwells seem to be getting rather annoyed with me. I've been feeling especially lonely lately because Pepper found herself Raphael, I told you about him before, remember? Well, it would seem he is taking up most of her time. She is completely infatuated with him. So I need the boy who I'm completely infatuated with. I miss him.
I love you,
Hermione
Ron was aching with missing Hermione. He was annoying his mother to no end, but nothing seemed to be working. He wished that she trusted him, but she obviously didn't. Ron figured that she knew Hermione wouldn't do anything wrong with him, but he supposed that didn't matter, as long as her son was involved she was distrustful. He wondered if Hermione was willing to go any further with him now, since they had been separated for so long.
Harry had told him that Pepper had gotten herself a boyfriend, though Pepper hadn't told him directly. She hadn't told Ginny anything either, and Ginny reckoned it was because she had dated Harry and wanted to show him that she was completely over him. Ron had told her that Pepper was probably just better mates with Harry than she was with Ginny and himself. Ginny had told him that he didn't know anything.
Hermione,
How are you? Hopefully you're not as bad off as Ron. He's storming around the house complaining to Mum about the fact that she won't let you come over. Harry arrived yesterday, so you can imagine how happy I am. Ron won't leave us alone, though. If he doesn't stop tailing us soon I'm going to go insane. He needs to stop being so overprotective of me. Therefore, you need to get over here so Ron can be happy and so he'll leave me alone! Well, I'll leave you alone now, a concept Ron hasn't quite grasped yet…
Love,
Ginny
Just as Ginny sent her letter off, Ron came huffing into her room. She had managed to evade him for fifteen minutes while he was helping their mum with dinner, but he was back. "Where's Harry?" he demanded.
Resisting the urge to strangle her brother, Ginny replied, "He's in the loo, Ron. Will you leave me alone for two bloody seconds, for Merlin's sake?"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Ginny, there's no telling what you'll do," said Ron. "Besides, you're the only two around here who I can spend time with, since Hermione and Pepper aren't here."
Ginny's eyes bulged. "Fine," she said. "I'm going downstairs to work on Mum. Hermione had better be allowed to come soon, or I won't be responsible for what I do to you, Ronald Weasley."
Halliwell,
Why exactly are you sharing your personal life with Draco and me when we clearly don't care? After Draco sent you that last letter I thought that you'd go the bloody hell away. Obviously, neither one us wants to talk about anything that happened this year. Draco risked his bloody life for you so you should fuck off like he asked.
Blaise
Pepper wasn't too surprised at Blaise's letter. She'd found out a few letters ago that Draco was indeed staying at Blaise's house. And now she'd annoyed the two to the point that they'd finally told her to go away. She had to admit, she knew it was coming. But since Voldemort was destroyed it didn't seem to Pepper that inter-house rivalries meant much. Especially after all that had happened between her and Draco this year. But, apparently, neither Blaise nor Draco wanted to have anything to do with her. She was a little disappointed at this, she was surprised to find. Well, all she could do was keep sending letters and see if they kept responding. If they did then she would figure that they wanted to have something to do with her. If they didn't, well, then her first conclusion would still be correct.
Hermione and Pepper,
Mum has cracked! Things have settled down a bit here so she finally agreed to let the two of you come for the rest of the summer! It took a fair bit of nagging and sulking on my part, but it finally worked. It's a good thing; I was getting rather frustrated. I've had nothing better to do than stalk Harry and Ginny around. Harry got here a few days ago and all I've been doing is tailing them around the house. I think Ginny is close to hexing me into oblivion. I still won't want them to be alone when you two are here, but at least I'll have other people here to keep my mind off of the fact that my little sister and my best friend are off somewhere doing Merlin knows what…I think I have to go remind Harry again that I can break his neck and tear him limb from limb.
We'll come get you in two days.
Ron
Hermione squealed and jumped around the bedroom in joy. Cashlinn looked at her a little oddly. Hermione had been waiting for this for almost two months. She missed Ron to pieces and she was glad that Mrs. Weasley had finally decided to let her and Pepper come and stay for the rest of the summer. The only problem was Hermione wasn't sure if Pepper would actually want to go. She had become very Raphael-focused lately. She left their bedroom and bounded down the stairs into the conservatory, where Pepper was curled up in a chair reading a book.
"Hey Pepper, look at this!" Hermione cried, waving the letter in front of Pepper's face. Pepper looked up from her book and took the letter. Before she'd even gotten a chance to finish it, Hermione exclaimed, "We get to go to the Burrow! Aren't you excited?"
Pepper said, "Hermione, I don't think I can go."
Dear Harry and Ron,
I'm getting really worried about Pepper. I'm so happy that we can come to the Burrow. When I got your letter I read it and then went straight to Pepper with it. I was so excited and jumping up and down and when she read it, all she said was, "Hermione, I don't think I can go. I mean, I can't very well ditch Raphael in the middle of the summer. I won't see him again until Christmas, then, and he may have found someone else by then."
A few weeks ago she was telling me how much she missed you both and how she couldn't wait to see you, and now her life is wrapped around Raphael. I think he's brainwashed her or charmed her. She claims that she's in love with him but I think it's just total infatuation. She's obsessed. She can't do anything without asking his permission first. She spends all of her time with him. I'm not exactly sure why she fell so hard for him, but I think it may have something to do with Harry. Not to put any guilt or blame on you because it's not your fault, it's just that at the start of the holidays she told me that she needed to get over you, Harry. So she went seeking for a love interest and when she found one that lived right across the street…well…
She was hurt at Hogwarts, I know. She felt used and people hurt her. She's been trying to cover it up lately and emerge herself in her new boyfriend but…I'll let her tell you the rest, I suppose, it's really not my business to tell. Anyway, I don't like Raphael. Personally, I think he's using Pepper, but I'm not going to be the one to tell her that. It just seems that he's always distracted and he's not wholeheartedly into their relationship. Did I mention he's three years older than she is? I think she may just be a fling for him…I really don't know. Or, perhaps, I'm completely off kilter and he just seems like he isn't wholeheartedly into their relationship because he's not in love with her and she really is in love. I'm telling you, though, it really doesn't seem like she is. She doesn't act and talk with Raphael the way I act and talk with you, Ron. Well, I suppose you'll both have to judge for yourselves. When you come to pick us up I'm sure you'll get to meet the infamous Raphael. And, just as a warning, Pepper will probably not want to go with you. You might have to literally drag her away. I know the separation from him will be good, though. And if she really is in love with him and we find that out while we're at the Burrow then I guess we'll just have to send her back home. We'll jump that hurdle when we reach it.
See you both soon. All my love,
Hermione
"You're kidding me," Harry said, staring at the piece of paper in front of him.
"Yea, Ginny was right," said Ron.
"No not about that," said Harry, giving Ron a small shove in the ribs with his elbow. "I can't believe that she's so obsessed with this guy that she won't come here for the rest of the summer. I think she needs to get away from him for a little while, like Hermione said."
"But Pepper told us how happy she is in her letters," argued Ron. "Maybe Hermione's just seeing one side of this guy. Maybe he and Pepper are both really happy together and they're both in love."
"Or maybe Hermione's right," said Harry.
"What if Hermione's wrong," Ron said. "Harry, I know what it's like to be separated from the person you're in love with. It's not a good feeling. Pepper claims that she's in love and I think that we should believe her. She's going to have to leave Raphael for the school year, at least let her have the rest of the summer together. And if I'm wrong and she's not in love," he shrugged, "then no harms' been done, right?"
Harry sighed. "I suppose not," he said. "We'll let Pepper decide for herself what she wants to do when we go pick her and Hermione up."
Pepper,
I'm very excited about seeing you soon. I've missed you and Hermione a lot this summer and I can't wait until you come to the Burrow. I want to hear about everything you've been doing this summer and especially about this boyfriend of yours, he sounds very interesting. I'm happy that you're happy and you've found someone you want to be with. I'm sure you'll both miss each other until Christmas, but you can write to each other! I can't wait to see you. We've all missed you a lot and Ginny'd like your help with the wedding plans for Bill and Fleur. Mrs. Weasley seems to be overworking her.
See you very soon.
Harry
Harry knew that he was the one to suggest that Pepper choose what she wanted to do for the rest for the summer, but that was just a ploy to get Ron to be quiet and stop making such a good point. In reality, he agreed with Hermione about Raphael. After all, she was the one who had met him. Therefore, Harry thought that Pepper needed a little nudge.
On one hand, he figured that it might be better if just Hermione were to come; Ron would be occupied with her, and Harry with Ginny. They could spend time apart as a couple or the four of them together as couples. Pepper would be the fifth wheel or the third wheel almost the entire time. Plus, Harry though, if Pepper didn't come it would be just like old times…No. Harry shook that thought from his head. There were no more old times; too much had changed this year for there to be old times. He wanted Pepper here, as did everyone else.
Halliwell,
Would you like my advice? Seeing as you keep mailing Draco and me, it would seem that you do. My first piece of advice is to stop sending us letters. My second piece of advice is to break up with your boyfriend. He seems like a bloody git. You shouldn't spend that much time with anyone. It sounds to me like he's just using you to get what he wants. And it would seem from the way you keep banging on about him that he will get what he wants from you. So break up with him, he's not even worth your time. He's just messing around with you. As soon as you go back to school he'll break up with you. In fact, he might be cheating on you as we speak.
Blaise
Pepper balled the letter up furiously and hurled it against the wall. The tissue box on her nightstand soon followed the paper. "Arrrrgh!" she seethed, huffing through her teeth. "He has no right, no right at all!" she continued to the empty bedroom. "How dare he say that?"
Raphael cares about me, she thought. I care about him. "He is not using me. He cannot be cheating on me!" She squeezed her eyes shut to get the letter out of her mind, but the words were branded on the back of her eyelids. She popped her eyes open again.
What really made her angry was the fact that Blaise had said, in not so many words, that she was a gullible slut. Sure, she had gone farther with Raphael than she had with Harry, but that was for good reasons. She was in love with Raphael, for starters. And she and Harry really hadn't done all that much. Plus, Raphael was a much better kisser. They hadn't gone all the way, but Pepper hadn't even told Hermione how far they'd gone. She wasn't sure what Hermione would say.
Behind her back, the phone on her nightstand rang. She breathed deeply to calm down before she answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hey, babe."
Pepper smiled, cupping the phone in her hand and sitting down on her bed. "What're you doing?" she asked.
"Wondering if you want to go out tonight," Raphael replied in that gravely, sexy voice of his.
This made Pepper's smile become wider. "Of course I do," she said.
No, he couldn't be cheating on her. He loved her and she loved him. They had a good relationship. He didn't use her.
Blaise didn't know anything about her or Raphael. No one knew anything.
The End
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