Rose didn't know why she'd put off gathering the ingredients until the last minute.

What she did know was that it had been a bad idea. While everyone else was in bed (everyone in their group having missed dinner to watch her work), they all gathered in the secret chamber.

"Hello, love," Sirius greeted Lupin as he entered, Rose sticking her tongue out at him, and trying to hide her smile when he returned the gesture.

"Everything go well with the lake?" Lupin asked James, ignoring Sirius who walked over to his girlfriend, kissing the top of her head and wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Not really. But we got what we came for, and lived to tell the tale. How about you?"

"Is that all you're going to say on the matter?" Ellie asked, walking through the passage behind the rest, having stopped in her dorm to grab a clean towel. "I very nearly died. More than once. We were attacked by water demons and the giant squid, we ran out of gillyweed, and I'm covered in cuts, and half frozen. To top it off, I still haven't done Clarkson's essay that's due on Monday," Ellie finished.

"Well, it's a shame that he couldn't see the way you fended off the grindylows. He would have been proud of you," James complimented, putting the wet scales on the desk in front of the cauldrons. "How did your adventure into the woods go?"

"Swimmingly," Rose replied, no pun intended. "We may even have our own pet thestrals now."

"What?" Sirius asked, distractedly.

"They loved us. Half of the herd was following Remus around," she explained, breaking away from Sirius and cleaning the scales off with a polishing cloth. There were more than five, so she picked the best for the potions, and tucked the rest into her pockets. One by one, she put them into their respective cauldrons, and the mixtures inside began to simmer quietly.

Once that was done, she adjusted the heat that they were on with a tap of her wand. She stepped back.

"That's it. By Christmas, we'll be done."

"Brilliant!" Peter replied, speaking for all of them.

"I know I am," Sirius replied. "Thank you for finally acknowledging it."

They all rolled his eyes at him.

"Let's head out for the night. I still haven't dried off from the lake," James requested. He was worried that he was beginning to catch cold.

"Me neither." Ellie agreed. "I am never doing that again!" They began heading back down the tunnel to the common room.

Rose loitered behind, tidying up her workspace. Sirius noticed and helped with what he could. The others were long gone.

"What are you going to do with all of these extra ingredients?" He asked, gesturing to the scales which she was now putting into a vial.

"Save them for a rainy day, I suppose," she shrugged, having no specific plans for the excess.

"Did you ever tell the others about the patronuses?" Sirius inquired, curiously, paging through a book she had left open on the counter.

"No," she replied, closing the ancient hard-cover and taking it out of his hands.

"Why not?" He asked, keeping the distance between them small.

"You know why," she whispered, leaning towards him a bit.

"I think that I can guess," he responded, giving what might have been a smirk.

"Then why do you ask?" She was teasing now, moving back a step.

"Because," he began, leaning in to kiss her. It only lasted a few seconds, before Peter came wandering back in to retrieve a book that he had left behind, exiting quickly, a bit red faced at the intrusion.

They watched him go, and after they were sure that he was gone, both began laughing.

"We're going to have to try to find somewhere more private in the future," Sirius joked.

"More private than the secret chamber of Godric Gryffindor? I doubt a place exists."

The lights dimmed as they exited hand in hand, carrying the textbook that Peter had left behind.

Their futures simmered on a low heat as they exited.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxx

Just a little average potion making and happy relationship chapter for ya. Awkward!Peter may be my new favorite Peter. Anyway, hope you're having a lovely day! THanks for reading and reviewing, and don't let the muggles get you down :)

post edit: wow im such a nerd. This chapter was small but pr cute i think :) smileys look weird in italics. Okay thanks for reading and reviewing! Byeee!