AN: I know. It has been like months since my last update. Thank you to Triniti Shadow for checking up on me. I am okay. Not sick or anything like that. And no, this story will not be abandoned. We will get through it eventually.
I have had a serious case of writer's block, followed by a complete re-write of at least 4 chapters. Then I read the story from the beginning to make sure the new changes fit. And I realized I needed a whole other chapter in between. So I've been writing like crazy. And I think I'm finally happy enough with this chapter to put it out there.
So here you go. Hopefully you all are still with me.
{ 15 }
My conversation with Potter bothered me more than it should have. The wanker had actually told her she should have stayed with her family rather than coming back here. Which means, he either doesn't know that she obliviated her parents, or he doesn't know that the spell is irreversible.
Either way, he can't possibly know just how bad he had hurt her with that comment. I've already overstepped my bounds enough. I'm not about to tell him that particular secret.
It begs the question, though. If she can keep something like that from her best friends, what else is she hiding? And why would she trust me with that information, and not them?
Class would be over soon enough. I made my way back to the Defense classroom and waited by the window for the bell to ring.
The few students that had remained in class filed out. Theo and Blaise did not seem to see me when they emerged. Instead of walking away from the room, they stopped and stood against the wall. From where I was standing, I could see them, but they could not see me.
Two Hufflepuff girls left the classroom. The next person out was Ernie MacMillan.
Theo moved first, stepping in his path. Then Blaise stepped up behind him.
"You have a problem with Granger, MacMillan?" Theo practically growled at the other wizard.
That can't be good. What the hell did he do this time?
Part of me wanted to find out. I also wanted to see what Theo and Blaise would do about it. So I stayed still, save for stepping back into the shadows just a little further.
"I have a problem with Death Eaters, Nott." He tried to step around Theo, but Theo was faster.
"Doesn't answer the question. Unless you are daft enough to think Granger has the Dark Mark hidden under that tattoo of hers?"
"The friend of my enemy is my enemy." His nose curled up in disgust. "Now move. Or do I need to go tell Bones that you were threatening me?"
"Trust me, when I threaten you, you'll fucking know it." Theo stepped closer to MacMillan. "Stay the fuck away from her and keep your fucking mouth shut from now on, MacMillan. You won't get another warning."
"You don't scare me, Nott. You can't do a damn thing to me without being sent to Azkaban. None of you can." He sneered, then he laughed.
The classroom door opened and Hermione stepped into the hallway. She was glancing at her watch and didn't notice the scene unfolding in front of her. She damn near walked right into Blaise, but managed to side step him at the last moment.
I decided it was a good time to make myself known. I stepped out of the shadow and strode across the hallway, pretending I had not just witnessed what happened moments earlier. Hermione saw me first. Her shoulders visibly relaxed and her lip tugged up on one side in a half smile.
"I see you made the most of your free period, lurking about the halls until class was over?" There was a lightness in her tone that was obviously fake. Obvious to me. I don't know that anyone else would have picked up on it.
"Hmm. How was class?" My hand slipped into hers, but my eyes locked on Theo's.
"It was fantastic, as always." That time, the sarcasm in her voice was legitimate. "We should go. Bones kept me over, now I'm going to be late."
She tugged on my hand and pulled me away from the trio of wizard's that were still in a standoff in the middle of the hallway.
"What was that all about?" I asked as we climbed the stairs to the fourth floor.
"What? Bones? She was irritated that I wouldn't cast a patronus. Like I'm doing it on purpose or something." She answered, but she was only half listening. Her mind was a kilometer away. "I don't know if I can do this."
She hadn't given MacMillan a second thought. Her mind was focused on her appointment with Edinfield. I'll have to ask Theo and Blaise later.
"It will be fine. You can do this." I told her as we stopped in front of his door. Her hand tightened around mine. "Do you want me to be in there with you?"
[ Hermione POV ]
"Do you want me to be in there with you?"
Such a loaded question. On one hand, the very thought of being alone in that room with the mind healer makes my head pound and my heart hurt. On the other hand, there are things about me that Draco doesn't know. What he already knows is bad enough.
What will be the final straw, I wonder? What will it take for him to realize that I'm just as broken as I've been telling him all along?
He thinks he can fix me. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me.
Sooner or later, he'll figure out that it's an exercise in futility. He can't fix me.
I am willing to let him try, though. It's selfish of me, I know.
He's still waiting for an answer, so I nod my head once. Then, with a deep breath, I turned and knocked on the door.
I planned on a quick smoke break before this meeting, but no. Bones just had to keep me after class today. My heart is pounding inside my chest. I can feel every pulse in my ears. My hand tightened around Draco's.
Normally, that grounds me. Right now, it is not working.
Why in the ever-loving fuck did I agree to do this?
The door opened. Healer Edinfield smiled at me.
"Miss Granger." His eyes drifted behind me to Draco and the smile fell. "Mr. Malfoy? Will you be joining us today?"
"Healer Edinfield." Draco squeezed my hand. "I will be, if that's alright with you?"
His eyes darted from Draco to me and back again.
"This is highly unusual." He released a short sigh. "I will allow it for today and we'll see how it goes. Most people are more comfortable speaking with me one on one. I am concerned that you will not feel safe enough to discuss very personal topics with Mr. Malfoy present."
I blinked quickly.
Is he serious?
"I'm not most people." Obviously. If I were normal, I wouldn't be standing here to begin with. My faith in this man's ability to help me is decreasing by the second.
"Fair enough." He stepped back and motioned for us to enter.
The way he stood, I would have to walk past him. He would be behind me. My eyes darted between him and the doorway. Invisible fingers squeezed my heart inside my chest. My lungs burned with the effort to breath against the pain.
"After you." How in the fuck I managed to speak so clearly could only be chalked up to months and months of practice. It took every bit of control I had to hold his gaze and wait for him to finally step away from the door. When he did, I allowed myself a small gasp of air before I followed.
He sat down at his desk. There was an open folder already in front of him. A quill sat at the ready. There was a chair on the opposite side for me to sit in. The same one I sat in the day before. Draco released my hand and pulled the other chair up to sit next to mine.
I forced myself to relax into a slouched position. My fingernails tapped against the leather armrest. They are getting long. I need to file them down again. The nail polish I applied days ago glittered in the light. Black with silver sparkles. Not that anyone had noticed.
"Alright Miss Granger. Let's just say our last session never happened and start over, shall we?" Edinfield asked wearily.
My lip curved up in a smirk. My first McGonagall-imposed session did not go well.
"If you think that will help." I lifted my shoulder up once in a shrug.
His eyes settled on me for a long moment before he asked me the same question he had opened with the last time.
"What do you hope to get out of these sessions?"
To sit for my NEWTS, graduate, and never have to set foot in this God-forsaken place ever again.
My original answer. The safe answer. Still true, only now I want more. I cleared my throat and focused my attention on my fingernails. Slowly, I picked at the polish on my left thumb.
"I want to be able to cast a patronus again." I took a deep breath before raising my eyes to look at him. I expected him to laugh at me. Who goes to therapy because they can't cast a spell?
He was watching me. Waiting. Was he expecting more?
"What?" I asked defensively when he didn't say anything else.
"I was just thinking how poignant that response truly is." His lip lifted up on one side as he leaned back in his chair. "Tell me a little bit about yourself, Miss Granger."
I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
I don't have to tell you dick.
True story. Except I did promise to be honest with him and open up. I sighed and rolled my head back.
"What do you want to know?"
"We could start with your family. Tell me about them."
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
They don't know I exist.
"They are…" I stopped to clear my throat. "I'd rather not talk about them, actually.'
He tilted his head to the side. He seemed to be contemplating my response. Or waiting for me to change my mind.
My knee started to bounce up and down in agitation. Why would he start with something like that?
Is there something else you would prefer to talk about? Honestly, is there any piece of your life that is less of a disaster.
No. Your entire existence is a disaster.
Right then.
I took a breath and blew it out slowly.
"My parents are dentists." I resumed picking at the polish on my thumb. "They had a successful practice. They took their careers very seriously, but they were always loving and supportive of me."
They were…
Tears stung at my eyes and pain lanced through my chest. I swallowed the lump in my throat and focused on breathing normally despite the pain.
The healer flipped to a different page in the folder in front of him. I could see him out of the corner of my eye.
"I understand you played a significant role in the war. Were they supportive of that as well?"
Fuck.
"No." I cleared my throat. It didn't help. The pain in my chest was getting harder and harder to ignore. "They didn't understand."
I stood up quickly. Maybe if I move around, I will be able to breathe again. I paced over to the window. My fingers tapped against the stone ledge.
"They thought I had a choice in the matter." I huffed out a short laugh. As if I had ever had a choice.
"And now?"
"Now? Now, it doesn't matter."
I've come this far. My chest can't possibly hurt worse than it does already. I might as well tell him the rest of it.
"I don't know what your file there says about my parents. Whatever it is, it isn't accurate." I wiped the moisture out of my eyes and turned to face the mind healer. He was watching me expectantly.
"After…" Oh, damn. I was wrong. That pain could, and did, get much worse. I squeezed my hand into a fist and forced a breath. "After…sixth year, I knew that the war was imminent. I was Harry Potter's best friend, and a muggleborn. Which meant that I was a target. And my parents were targets."
I ran my hands through my hair and gripped it tightly in both fists. The sting pulled me back, gave me a different pain to focus on.
"I was never meant to survive the war. So I did what I had to do to protect them, physically and emotionally." Another shallow, painful breath. Finally I locked eyes with him. I wanted to see his reaction. "I obliviated them, Healer Edinfield. I took all of their memories of me. I changed their identities and I made them move to another country where they could start a new life. One without magic. One without me."
Surprisingly, I kept the tears at bay. I took a bit of satisfaction from the momentary shock, dare I say horror, that crossed Edinfield's face. He should be horrified. I am a monster.
"An obliviation spell like that would be extremely complex and nearly impossible to reverse."
I blinked several times. Was he serious? My eyes darted to Draco for the first time. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. I turned back to the healer.
"No shit." And my faith in him just tumbled a little bit further.
"Where did you learn such complex magic?"
Oh. My. Gods. He doesn't believe me. Does he think I would make up a story like that?
"I started studying memory charms after second year." I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. "Would you like my entire curricula vitae? We'll need longer than an hour. Perhaps I should simply make you a list for future reference?"
Draco tried to hide his snort of laughter by coughing into his hand. I turned my glare on him. Why is he always laughing at me?
Not at me. Last time he was laughing at Giles. Is he laughing at Edinfield now?
His lip curled up on one side in a smirk.
I released a short breath and relaxed just a tiny bit. Yes, he's laughing at the healer. I'm starting to think he enjoys it when people underestimate me.
"I don't think that will be necessary." Edinfield's brow crinkled and he made more notes in his folder. "I am curious why a twelve year old girl would choose to study memory charms, though."
"Technically, I was thirteen." I returned to my seat. I folded my legs under me and leaned against the arm of the chair towards Draco. When I looked up, the healer was staring at me. "Why did I start studying memory charms? That's an easy one. Gilderoy Lockhart."
Draco groaned and dropped his head back against the leather chair.
"The author?" Edinfield looked confused.
"And our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor second year." Draco moaned. "And I use the term professor loosely."
"He was rather useless, wasn't he?" I had to agree with him there. Yes, I was smitten by the handsome professor at first, but it did not take long at all to realize the man was a complete and utter moron. "Anyway, he tried to obliviate Harry and Ron, but he was using Ron's broken wand to cast the spell. It backfired and removed his own memories instead."
"So you decided to start studying memory spells?" Again, he sounded like he did not believe me.
I sighed and focused on my fingernail polish again. This is a waste of time. This man is not going to be able to help me.
"Where were you, when this happened? Was he trying to obliviate you as well?"
My breath caught in my throat. Another sharp pain through my heart. I forced myself to breathe normally.
Fake it till you make it.
That's what my Uncle Bob would say.
"No. I was in the hospital wing. I had been petrified weeks earlier." A cold chill ran down my spine. I can still see those glowing eyes reflected back at me through the mirror. Then nothing.
"Petrified? How did that happen?" Again with the disbelief. He must think that I have a very wild imagination.
"A basilisk that was released from the Chamber of Secrets." Draco leaned forward, put his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. "She's damn lucky it only petrified her."
Odd, hearing him say that. Especially since, at the time, he hoped I would be killed by the monster that was roaming the halls of the castle.
I was tempted to explain that it wasn't luck, per se. I had found the reference to basilisks during my research. I used a mirror to check around corners.
Another cold chill ran down my spine. Yet one more time I should have died in this damn castle.
How easy it would have been. How much pain and suffering could have been saved. All you had to do was walk around that corner with your head held high.
"Hermione?" Draco's hand brushed over mine. I jumped, startled by the sudden touch. "Breathe."
Breathe.
Right.
I should do that.
My hand flipped over and gripped his as I took a deep, painful gasp of air.
I used to think he would be cold to the touch. Outwardly, he seems cold. Even now. His hands are warm, though. Warmth spreads from my hand and crawls up my arm.
It reminds me that I'm real. That I'm not alone.
"Sorry," I managed to say quietly. "I haven't thought of that day in a very long time."
It seems so minor after everything else I've been through. Seen. Done.
Survived.
Draco's hand tightened around mine. A gentle pulse.
My eyes met Edinfield's. He was watching me curiously. His head tilted to the side as he studied me. I lifted my chin a little higher.
"Have you seen your parents since the end of the war?"
I sighed. Back to my parents, then.
"Yes." I tapped my fingernails on the arm of the chair. Tapping out the beat of Le Regimonte. "I checked up on them. They are good. Happy, even. Happier than I ever remember them being…before."
I cleared my throat and focused on the rhythm of my fingernails.
"Not that they were ever unhappy, per se." I felt the need to clarify. It's not like they were miserable people. "They just worked a lot, and well, I wasn't exactly a normal child."
The room was silent for a long moment. The only sound was his quill scratching against parchment.
"You believe you are not normal, somehow?" He asked when he was finished writing.
I blinked. Did he expect me to answer such an obvious question?
He waited.
I could hear the clock ticking, the room was that silent. I could feel Draco's eyes on me.
They both expected an answer. Did either one of them imagine that I am somehow normal? In what universe would that ever be true?
"Everyone knows that I am not normal." I rolled my eyes. "I never have been. Not in the muggle world. Not in the Wizarding world."
Edinfield tilted his head to the side. He wrote something in his folder, then turned his attention back to me.
"In what ways are you not normal, do you think?"
I groaned to myself. I looked at Draco, expecting him to smirk at me in response to that ridiculous question. But no, he was not amused. He was waiting to hear my answer.
Like he doesn't know already?
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
"What does this have to do with the war?" I asked instead of answering. My knee started bouncing up and down in agitation. This is not going to help me cast a patronus.
"We are not here to talk about the war, Miss Granger. We are here to talk about you."
That is quite possibly one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I could cast a patronus before the war. Obviously I was happy up till then. Right?
"The war is something you went through. It is a part of you. But it does not define who you are." Edinfield finally put down his quill and folded his hands together on his desk. "What I want to know is, who is Hermione Granger? Once we are able to answer that question, we will be able to fight these demons of yours."
I released a deep sigh of frustration.
Not because he has a point.
"Whatever." I pushed my hair back with both hands. Then I stood and walked back over to the window. I stared through the panes of glass as I collected my thoughts. I've never put into words the ways I'm different from my peers. It is more difficult than I thought it would be.
"Alright. We'll get the most obvious out of the way first. When I was a child, I had abilities that no one else had. I didn't know why. My parents didn't know why. It wasn't normal."
I can still remember the look of panic on my mum's face when she saw me putting my book away without moving from my bed. It floated over to the bookcase and slid into its spot on the shelf. She made me sleep in her bed that night. The next day, she moved my bedroom. I suppose she thought the room was haunted. I was five years old. I put my books away by hand from then on.
"Other than that, let's see. I have an exceptional memory. I have always preferred reading to playing with toys. I would rather visit a museum than an amusement park. I never got along well with other children." The pain in my chest is coming back. "When I discovered that I am a witch, I thought that was the reason I had never quite fit in. It wasn't."
"She's a nightmare. Honestly. It's no wonder she doesn't have any friends."
The sudden memory hit me hard. The pain that lanced through my heart was palpable. I gasped out loud.
"Hermione?" Draco was on his feet in an instant. Concern laced his voice.
My hand clutched at my heart. The pain wasn't letting up. If anything, it only got worse. Memory after memory flashed through my mind.
My first night at Hogwarts, first year. I was nervous and excited. I missed my parents but I was looking forward to making friends that could relate to me. I was so naive. So unaware of how everyone else saw me. My roommates made sure I knew. I didn't belong at Hogwarts. I didn't belong in Gryffindor.
My knees buckled. I would have crashed to the floor, but Draco was there. His arms wrapped around me.
"Alright. I've got you." He whispered in my ear.
I never imagined being in the arms of Draco Malfoy would provide me with my only sense of security. Here we are, though. There is no denying it. I feel safe with him.
"Breathe." His hands were moving in small circles across my back in a soothing manner.
I focused on the rhythm of his hands. The fresh, woodsy scent that surrounded me. The steady beat of his heart beneath my ear.
Slowly, the memories faded. Lavender laughing at me. Pavarti making fun of me. Pranks that members of my house played on me.
It's over. They don't bully me anymore.
"Fine. I'm fine." I muttered quietly against his chest. I took a deep breath and pushed away from his grasp. I looked up into his gray eyes, just for a moment. Then I turned to Edinfield.
"I think I've talked enough for one day," I told him. "I'm done."
And I am.
He studied me for a long moment before nodding his head.
"Very well. Please, have a seat." He motioned for me to return to my chair.
I would much rather leave. I need a cigarette.
I eyed the door longingly.
"Only for a few minutes. I promise." He smiled at me.
I sighed deeply. I have to do this. I have to get better. I moved to the chair and sat down.
"Miss Granger, if I am correct that we barely touched the surface today, then I have to recommend we meet more than once a week."
Fuck.
Like once a week isn't bad enough? How often does he want me to do this?
I'm sure the horror I was feeling was reflected in my eyes.
"I am not permitted to disclose any details that we discuss in these meetings. However, I am required to report to Headmistress McGonagall on your state of mind and my treatment plan."
My breath caught in my throat. He isn't giving me a choice. Fucking fuck.
"I am going to put you on the schedule next week for Tuesday and Friday."
I squeezed my hands into fists. My fingernails bit into my palms. I merely nodded once. I don't have a choice. If I want to get better, if I want to be happy again, I have to do this.
Twice a week, apparently.
"Can I go now?" I waited about two heartbeats before I stood, collected my bag and walked out the door.
Draco was right behind me. His hand pressed against the small of my back. He seemed to know exactly where I wanted to go. He guided me through the corridor, down the stairs, and out the front door of the castle.
My mind was spinning, analyzing everything I had said, everything I didn't say, and everything in between. Once we were clear of the castle, we moved towards the Black Lake. We ended up on the same bench we had sat on weeks earlier.
I lit a cigarette and took a long drag. It took me several long minutes to get my thoughts in order. When I did, I realized that Draco was being particularly quiet. I glanced over at him.
His eyes were crinkled like he was concentrating on something. He sat with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together.
"Draco?" I asked tentatively. He was deep in thought about something.
"It's my fault." He cleared his throat. "I'm the reason you never felt welcome here."
Well. He did bully me relentlessly in our younger years. Mocked me for being smart, for the way I looked, for being muggleborn, for my very existence. So honestly, he isn't wrong.
Except, he isn't right, either.
I laid my hand against his forearm and squeezed. Just a little bit.
"Do you imagine that you were the only one?" I asked quietly. My hand slid down his arm to his wrist. He released his other hand and let me slide my hand into his. "If it makes you feel any better, you are the only one that has made me feel welcome this year."
He squeezed my hand but kept his gaze focused on the ground.
"How many others treated you as bad as I did?" His tone belayed his disbelief. He was determined to take on that responsibility himself.
Doesn't he know?
"Draco," I sighed. My hand tightened around his. The pain in my chest bloomed yet again. I suppose I'm not done talking for the day after all. "Girls can be incredibly cruel, especially to each other. My roommates were all friends before coming to school. They all knew each other, and I was the new girl. A muggleborn girl that knew nothing of the magical world. I had wild hair and weird clothes and I wanted to attend classes and learn everything I could. They teased me mercilessly. They excluded me. They would pull pranks on me just to get a laugh. They tried to get McGonagall to move me out of Gryffindor entirely."
Tears that I had been fighting finally broke loose and rolled down my cheeks.
"The rest of the house followed suit. No one stood up for me. No one cared. Throughout first year, the only person that showed me any kindness at all was Harry. And that was only because he felt sorry for me." I wiped angrily at my eyes. I could feel him watching me now. "It actually made sense that you would be mean to me. It was natural, that we were supposed to be enemies. As nasty as you were to me, I never took it to heart. I fought back. I was just as nasty to you as you were to me. It was cathartic, somehow. Between you and I, I rather enjoyed fighting you."
A light laugh escaped my lips. He huffed out a short laugh as well.
"You were rather nasty to me, weren't you?" He released my hand, only to slide his arm around my shoulders. "Were they really that bad?"
"Worse." I shuddered. "It got better as time wore on. Like I said, Harry felt sorry for me, so he tried to include me in his crazy adventures. Then I realized someone had to keep him alive so he could defeat Riddle. I made it my mission to do so. I have a handful of people now that I call friends. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna."
He pulled me a little closer and placed his lips against my temple. I closed my eyes and relished in the feeling, if only for a moment.
"And yet, you keep secrets from them." He spoke quietly against my ear.
I had to swallow hard around the lump in my throat.
"Yes." I whispered into the night. There are so many things that they don't know. My parents. The assault. The extent of the torture I endured at Malfoy Manor. The depression. None of them know. I don't want them to know.
We were both completely still, barely even breathing. The only sound was the gentle lapping of the waves and the rustling of the leaves as the wind blew through the trees.
Draco's hand slid up and down my arm in time with the waves.
"Are you keeping secrets from me?" His voice was low, almost too quiet for me to hear.
My heart was beating so loud I could hear it in my ears. How in the hell am I supposed to answer that? He knows more of my secrets than anyone else. But does he know everything?
No. No, he does not.
Do I want to keep any of it from him?
No. He needs to know all of it. I will lose him forever once he does, but better it happens before I do something stupid.
Like fall in love with him.
Right. Like that.
I pulled away from him and turned in my seat so I could look into his eyes. Just enough moonlight filtered through the trees, giving his gray eyes a stormy look. I love his eyes. I could stare into them forever.
My tongue darted out quickly to lick my suddenly parched lips. He asked me an honest question. He deserves an honest answer.
"Is there anything that I am purposefully hiding from you? The answer is no. Are there things about me, things I've done or that have happened to me, that you don't know about? Yes, I'm sure. Just as I'm sure there are things about you that I don't know. Yet."
He searched my eyes, staring into my very soul. His hand lifted slowly, pushed my hair back, then trailed along my chin. A warm shiver worked its way down my spine.
"I want to know." He slid his hand around to the back of my neck and pulled me forward, leaning his forehead against mine. "The good and the bad. I want to know everything."
My breath caught in my throat. My hand settled against his chest, right over his heart. I could feel it beating, pounding as hard as my own.
"The same goes for me. You know that, right?" My hand slid up to his shoulder. "I want to know everything. Your past, your present and your future."
He tilted my chin and covered my lips with his. I was so scared to kiss him that first time, to give in to the impulse. Now, I can't get enough. I inhaled deeply, pulling the air right from his lungs.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, warning bells started to go off. Just like they do every time.
And I ignored them. Just like I do every time.
Because I know that I'm pushing my luck. Pushing my boundaries, and his. Sooner or later, we'll find that line. The one that one or the other of us cannot or will not cross.
Until then…
His tongue slid against mine. His hand curled around my waist and slid across my back, pulling me closer.
Not nearly close enough.
Until then…when he holds me I feel safe. When he kisses me, I feel…I feel good. No pain. No fear.
My hand slid easily through his soft hair. My fingernails scraped gently along his scalp. He moaned into my mouth.
The warning bells got louder. I sighed to myself and released my hold on him. Gently pulling back. He pressed his forehead against mine and took a deep breath. I followed suit and willed my heart rate to return to normal.
Until then…I'm going to hold on to the hope that maybe, just maybe, he will be able to fix me after all. Maybe he's the only one that can. The only one willing to try.
Then again, he could easily be the one that destroys me completely.
AN: Finally, Hermione started talking to me. Next chapter will be back to Draco. Alright. Hit that button and drop me a line. Let me know you are still there.
Next update will be much sooner. I promise. :) Hope everyone has a great holiday season.
Until next time.
-mezy