-!- Author's notes -!- Yay! I've gotten a lot accomplished today! I know the title of the next couple of chapters and what the next volume is going to be for 1978!!!!!!!!!

Unfortunately, I need some of you guys' help with opinions. Do you want Simon to win over Suzie's heart or Sirius?

Honestly, I can plow either way or no way, but I want to know your opinions! Just just send a quick review. Thanks!!

Hungry Like the Wolf

Back to the Story...

It was Simon's birthday and all the old memories flowed back into Suzie's mind. How had they spent his last birthday?

Oh, yes. Suzie's mom had gone skiing in the Alps with her then boyfriend and now husband, Tim she'd broken both of her legs and her wrist, she had also broken a rib. She laughed a lot though, so Suzie couldn't be bothered with the thoughts of terror, of life without her mother. Tim was supportive and Lucy had done most of the worrying for her anyhow.

She'd almost forgotten about Simon until he'd stopped by the hospital and reminded her about the day they had planned. Simon had been eager to stay with her and pig out on Tim's gourmet deserts including: the best sugar cookies in the world, layered creamy chocolate cake, and homemade chocolate fudge ice cream that'd be sure to freeze your face.

Would Sirius ever do that for her? Suzie dismissed her negative thoughts as she dressed in longish black shirt that was thicker then it looked over a cream white shirt, a black leather jacket, tight blue jeans, and scuffed and buffed kick-ass black almost-combat-boots-but-not-so-much boots.

It'd taken a little while to get used to apprating, but Suzie'd gotten the hang of it. Instead of the dirty, grungy floo way of things, she'd crackled off to her mother's and Tim's.

The house was candy pink, but it was a historical house so it didn't bother Suzie too much. There was an empty tire swing where she and Lucy used to spend their dog days lounging beneath the gauzy shadows of the trees. Now the swing belonged to their half-sister, Natalie. Natalie looked like Tim: tall and gangly with an unruly mop of golden blonde hair. Natalie was the only tanner of the family, though; she could step out on a brisk spring evening and turn a lovely ginger brown shade. Their mother, Felicity used to be able to do such things, but once she hit the big 4-0, she'd stopped taking so many risks… but that didn't mean that Suzie didn't get at least four emergency hospital calls from Tim every year.

Felicity Liam and Jacob Donnelly had met in a weird sort of way. After all, Felicity was a muggle. She'd been searching for a way out of her boring, mundane lifestyle all of her life and when she caught Jacob doing a fair amount of magic at the local pub; she'd sought him out and threatened to expose him if he didn't introduce her the ways of a wizard.

They soon found themselves in a very nasty predicament. Jacob was engaged at the time, professional dancer, Penelope Dupree when Felicity announced she was pregnant. Jacob dropped Penelope like a hot potato, showing the first signs of his eagerness to not only please but also drop women like they didn't mean a thing. Which they didn't, not to Jacob anyway.

Jacob's parents, Luis and Kendra Donnelly demanded that Felicity and their son get married as soon as possible. The next month, they had a lavish ceremony in Ireland. They brought a roomy home in Wales and prepared to settle down. A large sum of money was always flowing in from Jacob's affairs. They had two daughters, Lucinda and Susanna Donnelly within the next six years.

Two months after Susanna's birth, Jacob was caught cheating by the Donnelly maid and she reported to her employer promptly. The divorce was finalized the next May.

In 1970, Felicity met the baker extraordinaire, Timothy Welsh, they married the next year. In 1972, they gave birth to a daughter, Natalie Welsh.

Simon was there, watching football (soccer) on the television, his feet on the coffee table. Natalie was thumbing through a toy magazine on the recliner besides him.

Suzie took a moment to soak everything in before stepping into the Welsh home. Simon's dark corkscrew hair hiding dazzling green eyes that made girls' knees everywhere tremble and collapse underneath them in a heap. He was wearing a leather jacket over a white button-up shirt, he'd dressed up just a tad for her. Suzie smirked at that fact.

"Suzie!" Squeaked Natalie, sitting up straight in her chair.

Simon's eyes rushed to hers, then his cheeks glowed bright red. She laughed and jumped away as Natalie fell to the ground, the side of the recliner cushioning the fall.

"My darling, daughter!" Felicity Liam-Welsh stood there in the flesh. Her gleaming pure blue eyes they were almost white, her mousy brown hair still not showing any signs of graying let loose.

Mother and daughter hugged briefly. "Where's Tim?" Suzie had to admit, she missed her stepfather a little as well.

"Oh, he's at the bakery. Mrs. Creedy had an emergency." Felicity waved it off.

"That means mommy's going to order pizza!" Natalie piped up.

"We'd better be going." Said Simon quickly.

"You're right." Suzie added.

Felicity beckoned Natalie into the kitchen and winked at Simon, not intending for her daughter to catch that.

Suzie clattered down the front steps. "She winked at you! What the fuck does she mean by that?" she pouted. Simon chuckled softly, so far he hadn't said anything to her. His fingers zipped across her palm. She tried to ignore him.

"What do you want to do?" he asked, his fingers sliding into hers. She winced a little.

"It's your birthday."

"I know."

Neither of the spoke for about five minutes. They walked, hand in hand around the dwindling neighborhood that was soaking up the left over daylight like a greedy sponge.

"It's like we can't talk unless we've made out five minutes before." Simon suddenly burst out.

"Want to try?" asked Suzie half-kidding, half-serious.

"But…"

"I've got a boyfriend." She made it seem like Sirius was something or rather, someone dragging her down.

"Yah."

Fifteen minutes of walking around the block. "Suzie."

"Yes?"

"Do you want to go the flat?"

"Is that some kind of new club?"

"No. It's just so it won't sound like I want you to sleep with me." He said honestly.

"Hey Simon." Suzie stopped walking.

"Yes, Suzie?"

"Can you tell be only the truth and nothing but the truth when I ask you this question?" he nodded. "Do you want me to sleep with you?"

A blush crawled to his cheeks and he looked at his shoes. His voice was groggy. "Yes."

Suzie looked at him, trying to get past those eyes. She couldn't. She wanted to kiss him. It was an overwhelming feeling, a feeling that needed fulfilling.

"Simon. I'm sorry. It's the wrong time."

"Yah, I know." He sucked in his breath and he was suddenly enraged. "Why can't you make it the right time, Susanna!" he'd never called her by her real name.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"Everything!" he growled. "I've tried like hell to win you back! I don't give a fucking damn about this Sirius bastard! I'm in fucking love with you, Suzie! I hate to sound like a…"

It began to pour like hell down upon them the minute Suzie said to hell with it and kissed him anyway.