Author's note: So, here's your Friday update. You may get another one Monday if my Hunger Games story continues to have only one review for its last chapter like this story had for chapter 8) and "Always There" gets at least 3. If neither of the stories reach the requirement… I guess I'll just keep writing chapters without posting them until I have at least one extra chapter for each story. Anyways, here's the chapter.

Chapter 12: A Trip to Hogsmeade

Saturday 12 May (week 20)

During Victoire's third appointment with Madam Pomfrey on the twenty-second of April, the matron measured her weight again, did urine and blood tests, and listened to the baby's heartbeat to make sure everything was okay. She also did another ultrasound to make sure the baby didn't have any physical abnormalities. The baby was perfectly healthy, which Victoire was thankful for.

On the twelfth of May was a Hogsmeade day, and of course, Victoire was going with Jenna and Ella. On the way out, Nate met up with them. "Hey, ladies, mind if I hang out with you today."

"No, not at all." Victoire replied, while the other two smiled at him.

Once in the village, the four of them headed to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, which was owned by an aunt and uncle of Victoire's. After exploring the shop for a while, they came across a display of pygmy puffs.

"Aw, aren't they cute!" Ella cooed. "I always wanted one."

"So get one." Victoire replied. "We have time."

Ella smiled and took a purple puff from the stand. She reached into her handbag only to frown. "Oh no, I forgot my money."

"I can pay for you if you want." Nate offered.

"You don't have to –" Ella began, but Nate interrupted.

"No, I want to." He insisted.

After paying for the pygmy puff and chatting with Victoire's Aunt Angelina and Uncle George for a minute, the group headed to Honeydukes, where Victoire bought a stuffed teddy bear and chocolate for Teddy's birthday. When she was five, almost six, and Teddy was just turning eight, Victoire had decided to give Teddy a teddy bear and some chocolate for his birthday, mostly because of his name and his addiction to the sweet, and she had been doing so ever since. Unfortunately, Teddy's birthday had been a month ago, and this was the soonest she could buy his present. Of course, she had no one to blame but herself, since she and Nate were the ones that planned the Hogsmeade weekends in the first place.

Walking out of Honeydukes, Nate playfully tried to throw a chocolate frog into Ella's mouth, because strangely enough, she wasn't too fond of chocolate. Victoire smiled at her friends' playfulness, but it also aroused suspicion. Nate was never that playful and teasing with anyone else. Shrugging it off, Victoire followed her friends into the Three Broomsticks.

However, even inside the pub, the playfulness continued. Nate continued to tease and joke around with Ella, causing her to blush, and when she did, Nate looked at her like there was no one else in the room. Eventually, Jenna also caught on to this, and she gave Victoire a knowing wink before saying, "I'll be back. I need to use the loo."

"Me too." Victoire replied, and followed her friend out of the room. "

"I think they like each other." Jenna said in a sing-song voice once they were in the girl's loo.

"Oh, I know they do." Victoire said with a smile. "Trust me, I know when a bloke likes a girl. Nate looks at Ella like most boys look at me."

"So how are we going to get them together?" Jenna asked.

Victoire smiled again. "Just leave that to me."

Back at the table, Victoire and Jenna found their drinks waiting for them. Nate, Jenna, and Ella had ordered butterbeers, but since the drink contained a slight amount of alcohol, Victoire had to stick with water. The four friends were sitting and talking when all of a sudden Victoire felt something strange in her abdomen. She tried to ignore it, but it happened again. And again. Finally, after the fifth occurrence in a half an hour, Victoire realized what it was and gasped in surprise.

"What's wrong, Vic?" Nate asked, and all three of her friends looked concerned.

"Nothing." Victoire said, grinning widely. "It's just that I think I felt the baby move!"

All at once, excitement filled the table, leaving Victoire to remind her friends that they wouldn't be able to feel the baby for a least a couple more weeks. But it didn't matter, because this was exciting news in itself, and they all knew it.

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Monday, 21 May, 2018 (week 21)

OneMonday afternoon on the twenty-first of May, a flyer was discovered in the Gryffindor Common Room. Jenna was one of the first to see it and she immediately dragged Victoire to read it.

Hogwarts End-of-the-Year Ball

Saturday, 23 June, 2018

In the Great Hall

For all students as a way to celebrate the end of another wonderful year

First Years – Fourth Years: seven p.m. to ten p.m. (unless accompanied by an older date).

Fifth and Sixth years: seven p.m. to eleven p.m. (unless accompanied by an older date).

Seventh years: seven p.m. to midnight

Students may bring a date if they wish to do so.

Victoire was confused at Jenna's excitement. "That's great Jen, but it's not like we're going to have dates. I mean, I don't know about you but I'm not cheating on my boyfriend."

"That's not the point!" Jenna exclaimed. "I'm not talking about us. We can go as friends, of course, but don't you see? This is the perfect time to get Nate and Ella together!"

Victoire grinned. "Why didn't I think of that? I'll talk to Nate about it. I just have to find the right moment."

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Monday, 4 June, 2018 (week 23)

Unfortunately, the right time didn't not come until early June. Because of NEWT testing, Nate was busy studying every night and didn't have time to talk. Victoire was thankful she wasn't taking NEWT; they weren't required, and she wanted to have been a receptionist or something along those lines, so she could be home with her baby more, and jobs like those only required OWLs.

Finally, after NEWTs were over, Nate had a moment to talk, and he and Victoire were playing wizard chess together. "Nate, do you have a date for the ball yet?" Victoire asked suddenly.

"No," Nate sighed. "And I only have a little less than three weeks to get one. I wish I had the courage to ask a girl, but I'm not a Gryffindor for a reason."

"Any girl in particular you want to ask?" Victoire asked curiously.

Nate sighed again. "Can you keep a secret, Victoire? I didn't want to tell anyone at first, but I don't think I can hold this in anymore, and since she's your friend, I thought maybe you could give me some advice."

Now Victoire was getting excited. "Absolutely."

"Okay, here goes nothing." Nate paused, gathering up the courage that he didn't think he had. "I think I fancy Ella. Merlin, I know I fancy her, and I have no clue what to do about it."

Victoire smiled widely. "Ask her to the ball, and do it soon, before someone else asks her. If you don't, you'll lose her. Trust me, it's the best thing to do."

"You think so."

"I know so." Victoire replied, and it was true too. Ella had turned down two boys already, claiming that she was waiting for Nate to ask her, but she also had said that the next boy to ask her that was "kind enough and at least decent looking" she was going with for fear of having to go alone.

"Okay, I'll go ask her now. Thanks, Vic, you just gave me the courage I needed." Nate said cheerfully, jumping up to leave the common room.

"But you can't go now, Nate, it's ten o'clock at night!" Victoire protested.

Nate looked at the clock in surprise. "Oh, right. Well, I'll ask her tomorrow. I guess I'll go to bed then. Goodnight, Vic, and thanks again."

"Goodnight." Victoire smiled as her friend climbed the stairs to his dorm. Mission accomplished.

Author's note: At first I thought this chapter was going to be really short, but then the End-of-the-year-ball idea popped into my head. Review if you want an update Monday. You'll need to get more than my Hunger Games story for that to happen, which as of now, shouldn't be too hard. :)