Things to Know:
-this is set right after the last chapter. So no big time leap.
-oh, by the way, ron and Hermione, while still not married, are now living together
-housing goes like this: harry and Dudley share a flat. Neville and seamus are across the hall, Padma and dean have a flat two floors up, ron and Hermione live in a building nearby with ginny, and Parvati has her own flat, down the hall from Padma and dean

Parvati stuffed another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. She hadn't seen Harry since the night of the concert a week ago. Rylie had sent her a letter, but she'd yet to respond because she was wracked with guilt.

It wasn't that she felt guilty for kissing Harry, but she felt guilty for wanting to do it again. She'd be the first to admit that besides the first time they'd slept together, after they broke up when they started sleeping together again was the best sex they'd ever had. And kissing Harry had only brought the feelings of immense pleasure back to her.

It wasn't like she could go to Rylie to have him scratch her itch. Besides the fact that Harry would never talk to her again for sleeping with Rylie after only a month and making him wait a year, the only person who could actually help her would be Harry. And that made her guiltiest of all.

She watched the couple on television kiss and the need for Harry grew.

"Forget it," she muttered. She dumped her ice cream in the icebox before jumping into the shower.

Fifteen minutes later, she apparated into Harry's bedroom knowing that he was either still in bed or in the shower.

He was in the shower.

Parvati shrugged off her silky robe and settled herself in Harry's bed and waited for him to come out.

Padma Patil Thomas was practically opposite of her sister. They looked exactly alike except for a few differences that showed exactly how different they were. Both had beauty marks above their lips. Parvati's on the left and Padma's on the right. Parvati's hair was a bit past her shoulder and straight as a pin. Padma's was mid-back and wild and curly.

So one would think that Padma would be the wild sister, but she wasn't. Padma lived for the quiet nights at home in front of the fire with a cup of tea.

At the moment, Padma was in her kitchen cooking breakfast. She was all for "girl power", but nothing gave her more pleasure than taking care of others. And she loved to take care of her husband.

While she scrambled eggs, Padma had a feeling in her gut. She'd had that feeling for as long as she could remember. Parvati was doing something she'd regret later on.

Parvati cursed herself over and over again. How could she be so weak and just fall into Harry's bed? Not that it wasn't completely amazing like it always was, but she was dating someone else for Merlin's sakes.

"This hasn't changed anything," Parvati said abruptly.

Harry didn't move from next to her. "I didn't think it would," he answered. "It never does."

"Don't you dare try to make me feel guilty," Parvati snapped. She got out of bed and began to dress. "If you hadn't gone out with that cow Lisa Torres, this wouldn't have happened."

"So because I went out with someone, you decided to jump me?" Harry asked, smirking as he sat up and watched her.

"Stop looking at me," Parvati shot. "We cannot keep jumping into bed all the time. I'm dating Rylie!"

"Could've fooled me," Harry said smugly.

"Sod off," Parvati said plainly. "I blame you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Look, Parvati. This isn't my fault and you know it. You can't keep doing this. It's always hot and cold with you! Did you think about me when you decided to lay in my bed naked?"

"I sincerely doubt it was a hardship for you," Parvati deadpanned.

She threw her hair back after she'd dressed completely. "This will never happen again."

"I didn't think so," Harry said cordially. "Will I see you at The Cottage next week?"

The Cottage was a house that the Potters, Blacks, Patils, and Longbottoms bought in Italy when she and Harry were in fifth year as a yearly vacation. Usually they went during the summer, but this year they chose to go during Christmas holidays.

Parvati nodded and walked to the door. Her hand froze on the knob. "What happened to us, Harry?"

Harry didn't look at her. "We couldn't make each other happy," he said quietly.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Yeah."

Harry went to his parent's house later that afternoon. He needed someone to talk to and he'd be damned if he went to Dudley or Ron. That left his father and Sirius. They were, along with Remus, sitting out back of the Potter's home.

"Harry!" Sirius greeted, lifting his brew in greeting.

Harry sat down and grabbed a bottle from the table. "I really need this," he said after he took a long sip.

"What's going on?" James asked.

Harry groaned. "Parvati."

James and Sirius snickered while Remus looked sympathetic.

"It can't be easy having her date someone else, can it?" Remus asked.

"It'd be a lot easier if we didn't end up sleeping with each other every time we argue," Harry muttered then froze. "That's an oxymoron if I ever heard one."

"Was waiting for you to pick that up," Sirius smirked.

"So, you don't want to have sex with Parvati?" James asked in confusion.

"Of course I want to have sex with Parvati," Harry snapped. "But that's not the point. I don't only want sex from her. It just makes me angry knowing she's dating that bounder."

"Any idea how to get rid of him?" Sirius asked.

Harry shook his head. "She wanted to get married," he said quietly.

They said nothing. Even though Lily, Shila, and Alice were able to guess why Harry and Parvati broke up, no one knew for sure besides Dudley, Ron, Neville, Dean, and Padma. Even Seamus, who lived with Neville since Ron moved in with Hermione didn't know the full story.

"She wanted to get married," Harry scoffed. "As if our life needed any more complications, she wanted to add marriage to the mix."

"Do you not want to marry her?" Remus asked.

Harry sighed. "I don't know. I mean, Parvati was it for me, I know that, I just never pictured myself getting married or having kids."

"So…," James trailed off.

"I don't want to get married," Harry said firmly.

"Why not?" Sirius asked. "Marriage isn't bad."

Harry took another sip of his drink. "I don't know. Marriage just isn't for me."

"Let me get this straight," Remus said. "You'd date Parvati forever but not marry her?"

"It's like this," Harry explained. "I figured Parvati and I were going to be together forever. But I figured that it'd be much simpler if we just left out the technicalities."

"You're barking mad," James murmured. "Parvati is like every other woman. They're life-long ambition is to have a fairy-tale wedding and live happily ever after. You're taking away her happily ever after, you wanker!"

Sirius just laughed. "I got to go. The missus wants an impromptu trip to France before we head to The Cottage."

James nodded and Remus stood too.

"I should get going too."

When the two men left, James considered his son. Harry had always been set apart from all the other Potter kids. Unlike Michael, Dudley and Melanie, Harry had been more reserved. He was a Gryffindor to his toes, like Michael and Melanie, but he wasn't as outgoing as they were. But this was just weird.

"Michael wants to marry Brooke," James said idly.

"Good for him," Harry said tonelessly.

"Yeah. They want seven kids," James continued.

"Sounds like hell," Harry said.

"Not really," James disagreed. "Brooke is the motherly-type. And Michael wants to do anything to make Brooke happy."

"Are you implying something, Dad?" Harry ground out.

"Nothing at all," James smiled. "It's just funny, I think."

"What's funny?"

"I always pictured Michael as the one to never settle down. He was dating someone new every week. Hell, he was worse than Sirius. He got tamed a lot sooner than I would have imagined."

Harry looked away. "I'm scared," Harry whispered.

"I figured you were," James said.

"What if I screw up? What if Parvati and I had ended up hating each other?" Harry babbled.

"I think you two are heading toward that hatred a lot quicker than you would have should you had gotten married," James said.

"But we're only 23," Harry argued.

"Your mother and I got married right after Hogwarts," James said. "We'd dated for about six months before we took the plunge. Michael is 21 and Brooke is only 19. What's your pint?"

"But you and Mum," Harry shook his head. "You're perfect for each other; Brooke and Mikey were flirting around the dating thing since they were kids. Everyone could tell. "

"I can say the same for you and Parvati," James said. "Think about it."

James took his drink and went into the kitchen where Lily was watching Harry from the window.

"Spying is so beneath you, darling," James said, putting his drink on the counter to wrap his arms around Lily's waist.

"What's going on with our son?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," James responded.

"He's a wanker," Michael said easily, walking into the kitchen.

"Why do you still live here?" James groaned. "Harry moved out after he graduated."

"And look how well he turned out," Michael joked.

"That's a good point," Lily said. She looked at Michael. "Don't ever leave."

"Um," Michael said before opening the icebox. "Sure. Rent-free?"

Lily took the sponge from the sink and threw it at him. "Bounder."

"You love me," he sang as he walked out with an apple.

"I can't believe that he is the one who wants seven children," Lily said.

"Me neither," James walked to the icebox. "Those kids are going to be completely mad."

"Not with Brooke as a mother," Lily said as she hopped on the counter.

"One can only wish."

Hmm. I have nothing to say. I lied, I do. Okay, um, hmm...yeah, I got nothing. Please review!