The months passed by quicker than I expected them to. I'd returned to Hogwarts to graduate with my class in the third week of June. At the beginning of July, Colin moved into the flat above the store. Without meaning to, I had pretty much moved in with him. It had been a gradual thing. I just began spending more and more time there until one day I realized I hardly ever left. My personal hygiene items and makeup were scattered all over his bathroom. I had my own drawers for clothes. Jackie's crib and other things were there as well.

It was currently August 31. My brother and sister would be returning to Hogwarts the next day and my mum had decided that we needed to spend the entire day together as a family before they left, starting with breakfast. I was already dressed and ready. I'd Apparated Jackie to my house and then I'd returned to the flat to wake Colin.

"Colin, wake up," I said, walking over to the bed and shaking him.

He groaned, turning his head away from me. "No."

"Yes, you have to," I replied, shaking him harder.

He lifted his head slightly and looked at the clock. "It's only 8:45. Let me sleep."

"Colin, we're having breakfast with my parents today, remember? I told them that we'd be there by 9."

Colin sighed loudly as he stood up. He stretched, his arms over his head, yawning loudly.

"Could you hurry?" I asked. "I don't want to be late.

Fifteen minutes later, we headed downstairs. We walked into the dark store and Colin looked around, confused. "What time is?"

"9 o'clock," I replied.

"Connor's an idiot. He has the 9 o'clock shift. He was supposed to show up early and open this place up." Sighing, he pulled out his mobile and dialed a number. I watched as he tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for an answer. An answer that never came, apparently, because he angrily shoved his phone back in his pocket and looked around again. "Can we please stop by his flat really quick?" he asked.

We walked down the street to the building that Connor lived in. Colin knocked on his door. And waited. And knocked again. And waited.

"Colin, we're going to be late," I said impatiently.

"Just a minute," he replied. "I know where he keeps the key." He rustled around in a potted plant by the door for a second before emerging triumphant with the key. He unlocked the door and we both took a tentative step inside.

I immediately wrinkled my nose. "What's that smell?"

"That would be pot," replied Colin, looking angry. "Which shouldn't be surprising. Of course he's getting high when he supposed to be at work. Of course."

He stormed into the living room, with me following close behind. Connor was lying on the couch, with some girl I didn't recognize, but who I assumed was the girl that Colin had mentioned a few months ago. The one with the music producer uncle who was supposed to make their band famous.

"Hey, mate," said Connor when he saw Colin. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" asked Colin. "You're supposed to be at work!"

Connor smiled lazily, looking up at Colin with bloodshot eyes. "I can't go to work, mate. I'm drunk… and high. Can you work for me?"

"Connor, you're always doing this to me, mate. I can't always take over your shift when you're fucked up. I have somewhere to be."

"But, I'll get fired," he slurred.

"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before."

Connor ignored him and turned to the girl lying next to him. "Have you met Stacy?"

"Yes, Connor. Several times," replied Colin, sounding exasperated.

In response to this, Stacy began giggling hysterically. I watched as she fell right off the couch, hitting her elbow on the table on her way down, knocking a bunch of tiny pills off. She lay on the ground, half-dressed, and still laughing.

Colin stared at the pills lying on the ground, his mouth pressed together in a thin line. I wondered what kind of pills they were. I supposed they were the illegal kind. After a moment, Colin pulled his gaze away from them and redirected it to Connor. "She's a lovely girl," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Seems very classy," I added, speaking for the first time since we'd gotten there.

Colin snorted loudly.

"Vic!" Connor exclaimed, as if he'd only just noticed I was there. "Hey!"

"Hey, Connor," I replied, giving a nervous wave.

Connor turned back to Colin. "You have to take over my shift, mate. It's time last time I'll ever ask, I swear."

"Connor…"

"I can't go to work like this. You can. You're not drunk."

"That's because it's 9 am, Connor. Of course I'm not drunk."

"And I know you're not high," continued Connor. "Cos perfect little Colin never does drugs."

"Fine!" snapped Colin. "I'll take over your stupid shift. But you owe me."

I stood there uncomfortably. I found myself staring at Stacy, who was still lying on the ground, wondering if she's fallen asleep or passed out.

"Come on, Vic," said Colin, grabbing my hand. "Let's get out of here."

Soon we were hurrying down the street, back towards the store. I snuck a glance at Colin. He looked extremely annoyed.

"Colin?" I asked tentatively.

"What?"

"Do you really not do drugs?" I asked.

Colin stopped walking and turned to look at me. "Have you ever seen me do drugs?"

"Well, no," I replied, "but I kinda always assumed you did. You know, when I wasn't around and you were off with your friends."

"Well obviously, the opportunity has presented itself countless times. All my friends do. But I've seen what drugs can do to a person and I can't let that happen to me." He squinted, staring off into the distance, looking lost in thought. "You remember when I told you that my dad was an alcoholic who left me and my mum?"

I nodded.

"Well, he left when I was ten. I've only seen him once since then. When I was fourteen. He showed up at my house, out of the blue, one day. And… well, not only was he still a drunken idiot, he was also a drug dealer. And he tried to get me to buy some. Do you know how fucked up that is? A father trying to sell his fourteen year old son drugs?"

"Merlin," I whispered. "That's horrible."

"And that's not even the worst of it," continued Colin. "When I told him to get the hell away from me, I didn't want his drugs and I didn't have any money anyway, he told me to steal the money. From my mum." He paused, as if letting that sink in. "Not only was he trying to sell me drugs. He was trying to get me to take my mum's hard earned money to help support his drug and alcohol habit."

I shook my head, unable to think of anything to say.

"This is why I freaked out when you told me you were pregnant. Half my genes come from that bastard. I didn't think there was any possible way I could be a dad."

"Colin, you're nothing like him."

He took a deep breath. "You should get to your parents' house. They're probably wondering where you are." At that moment we arrived at the store. Colin pulled out his key and walked inside, flipping the sign on the door to "Open" and turning on the lights.

"Tell your parents that I apologize for not being able to make it. Tell them it's because Connor is a freaking dumbarse."

"He's your best friend, Colin."

"That doesn't mean he's not an idiot. He's gonna screw up his life if he's not careful." He sighed, looking around the store. "When did this happen?"

I looked around, confused. "When did what happen?"

"When did we grow up? It seems like just yesterday Connor and I were seven years old and running around on the beach together and watching Power Rangers on the telly. And now he's shacked up with some girl and doing drugs. And I have a kid and I'm living with you. I just don't remember actually growing up. It just happened."

"Yeah, it did, didn't it?" I said. "When you're a kid you spend a lot of your time wishing you were an adult. Then one day you sort of wake up and realize it happened already and you missed it. You're an adult and you don't even remember how or when it happened."

The door chimed, signaling the first customer of the day. Colin nodded at the man who walked in and headed to his spot behind the counter. "You were right, you know."

"About what?"

"About Stacy. She probably is a crack whore."

"Yeah," I said, leaning up against the counter. "Probably."

"She's not going to be any help with our band."

"No. probably not."

"I hate this town," said Colin. "We're never going to break into the music business here. We need to go to London. Or America. Or anywhere but this damn town."

"Colin," I said, reaching across the counter and grabbing his hand. "It'll be alright."

He shook his head. "I need to get out of here. Soon. I f I don't leave now, I never will. And I'll be stuck here for the rest of my life. Old and miserable and full of regrets."

I opened my mouth to reply, but the man who had walked in earlier approached the counter to pay.

"You should go," said Colin. "It's 9:30. You're late for breakfast."

I leaned over the counter, meaning to give him a quick kiss, but when our lips met, I melted into him. His hands moved to cup my cheeks. I wished the damn counter wasn't in between us.

Ahem.

We broke apart. The man was standing there, clutching his basket of food and looking annoyed. "If you two are quite finished, I'd like to pay."

"Sorry," I said. "I was just leaving." I hurried outside, where I spun on my heel and Apparated home.

Sorry about the lack of Teddy in this chapter.

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