I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Hello everyone! Hope all are doing well.
100 chapters/courses. We have reached that really high number once more. I know my chapters are typically smaller than other fics, about 4000-6000 words or so per chapter with a few under 4000, so if I combined them, I would have fewer chapters of more length. I honestly like slightly smaller chapters though, personally. It makes theme easier to write and I think people like more frequent updates. I do try and work on my pacing though and like to think the chapters always have something important or meaningful in them.
To be honest, I didn't know if I would ever write anything as long as Family after I finished Family. That fic took a life of it's own and it went way longer than I thought it would. When I finished, I knew it would be a while if I wrote anything with nearly that length and breadth. Extended Family is different because I don't have to worry about a single cohesive narrative that sequentially makes sense. If you add the three major fics I did since Family: Curse, Devotion, and Defiance, plus the one shots like Unwanted and Grace, they don't nearly come close to Family.
Then I started Taste. This time, I knew I was going for another long series write from first year to the end plus a bit after, so I was more prepared for it mentally. I also knew this one would have a slightly more meandering pace because I wanted that lighter, more slice of life, feeling to it. I also put off starting it for a long time because I knew once I started, it would consume me for a long time. The first chapter was posted on 04/25/2023 and I started writing it a few weeks before posting, so I've been working on it for more than half a year at this point. That's mind boggling.
Also, I just realized that this Wednesday, 12/06, will mark two years since I started actively writing and posting Harry Potter fanfic. My first ever completed fic, A Dance of Dementors was posted on 12/06/2021. The Family that Chooses you was started on 12/29/2021. That is wild. I had been writing on Reddit for a bit before that, but mostly one shots on the writing prompts subreddit and I can't tell you how many serials I gave up on before I finished. Dance was the first story I started from beginning to end and finished. It was such a huge achievement for me, helping me realize that I can finish a project from beginning to end. And I suppose I never stopped since.
As of today, I just finished chapter 104 and it's in the middle of the next arc of the story. Things are coming to a head, and will soon end something major, so look forward to that. I still intend on completely finishing this story while working on Extended, and I don't have an end chapter count in mind yet. As you know, the way I write is having milestone scenes in mind and then just writing what feels right to reach milestone. So I still have several to go and I hope you all are still looking forward to it.
What about after? I have no idea. I might have an idea or two still but I don't think I'll be finishing this anytime soon, as in within the next few months. Writing is my hobby and my work is picking up so I might not get as much done in the next few weeks, but will do my best. I try to keep you all in the loop though, so look out for the notes.
I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I know a writer should write for themselves, but in all honesty, I write for all of you. I love seeing people say they enjoy the story, that it makes their day, helps them pass the time, helps them forget about the real world for a brief moment. Your kindness and kind words have gotten me through some really tough times these last two years. On my low days, I go back to read the kind words people have left and it really helps. Knowing that I made a different to someone helps me get by. There are even a few people here I consider an acquaintance of sorts. People that I enjoy seeing their comments and look forward to seeing them make them and interact with them here. I am grateful for all of you.
As long as you continue to read, I will continue to write. As long as you're with me on this journey, I will keep traveling it with you. Thank you, sincerely, for being here with me. Thank you for making me a part of your fanfiction family. My best to each and every one of you and I wish you the world and all the warmth it has to offer.
Have a wonderful day!
-0-0-0-
A Taste of Magic
100th Course – Blissfully Awkward
"I think I finally understand why my parents were so strict about sweets," Hermione said.
Parvati smiled, sipping some ginger tea. "Yeah, Padma and I have totally done that before. Snuck out after bedtime, ate stuff we shouldn't have or too much of, and gotten sick."
"What did your parents do?" Hermione asked, sipping peppermint tea. "Or your grandmother?"
"Grandmum would just make us act like we weren't dying," Parvati said. "As in chores and still eat normally. No lying in bed being sick. Mum and Dad would just lecture us and not let us have sweets or whatever for a while which was a blessing instead of a punishment after the super bad incidents."
The girls were sitting in the common room. Inky had delivered bottles of the tea to them and after some more rest and sipping, they felt a little better. After forcing themselves out of bed, they made it as far as the common room and decided to sit again.
"Are you really going to go after Blaise?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Probably not. Since it wasn't technically his fault. Besides, it was for a good cause."
"Look at you rationalizing rule bending," Parvati grinned.
"Yes yes, go on. Make your trite statement about how it's Tracey corrupting me," Hermione said with a smile.
"Actually, I'm beginning to think this is the real you, one you kept under wraps for so long and now you have the ability to let it free," Parvati said brightly. "That or you're going mad with power."
Hermione snorted richly at that. "I do hope Pansy is feeling better," she said. She frowned a little. "Why do you think she was out of sorts to begin with?"
"Maybe it has to do with the situation," Parvati said, her voice dropping into a whisper.
"Oh my, that would make sense," Hermione said, eyes round. "But if Lavender helped us rally to Pansy, it can't have gone poorly, could it?"
"I mean it had to have gone not so great for one of them, though that can be relative," Parvati said. "Speaking of, where's Lavender?"
As if summoned, the portrait door swung open and Lavender walked in. Her smile was still very much evident and she looked like she was skipping. "Hi girls!"
"Oh wow, someone is cheery," Parvati said when Lavender approached. "Why are you in such a good mood? Also, how are you in such a good mood? You ate more than I did last night."
"Pretty sure I didn't," Lavender protested. "I only had a big piece of tiramisu. You had two."
"You got more fudge than I did," Parvati said.
"No that was me," Hermione said, cheeks pink. "It was really good."
"Oh that's right. What did I do that made me feel like a whale?" Parvati mused.
"You made the cake sandwich with the fudge," Lavender said. "And the extra-large milkshake."
"Oh yeah I did. That was a terrible idea in retrospect," Parvati laughed. "But seriously, you look like your stomach isn't bothering you at all."
"It is a little," Lavender said ruefully. "But I guess I'm so happy that I'm not too bothered by it."
"Oh yeah? Why are you so happy?" Parvati asked.
"I have a date this Hogsmeade trip," Lavender said brightly.
"You have a date," Parvati repeated.
Lavender nodded, still smiling.
"Okay, I have to do something," Parvati said.
"What?" Lavender asked, tilting her head and frowning.
"I can't believe that you're going on a date!" Parvati said crossly.
"What?! Why?!" Lavender said, looking at Parvati with shock.
"Haven't you learned your bloody lesson?!" Heads turned and the few people also in the common room showed interest in the brewing conflict.
"What does that mean?!" Lavender retorted, frowning with displeasure now.
"You're going out on a date again with utterly no regard for the consequences of your actions!"
"I beg your pardon!" Lavender said, voice rising. "I am perfectly aware of the consequences of the date, I'll have you know!"
"I don't think you do! Wait until I tell Harry!" Parvati shouted.
"Tell me what? Is everything okay?" Harry had come in during the argument and had hurried over when he heard Parvati and Lavender raise their voices. "Are you two feeling better two by the way?"
"Yes we are and don't change the subject," Parvati said sternly. "Did you know that Lavender is going on a date this Hogsmeade weekend?!"
"Uh, yeah," Harry said, looking really confused.
"You do?!" Parvati and Hermione asked together.
"I mean, I asked her on one," Harry said, still very confused. He looked at Lavender. "I did, right? I didn't dream that did I?"
"No, you did not," Lavender said, glaring at Parvati.
"You asked Lavender on a date to Hogsmeade?!" Parvati and Hermione repeated with delight.
"Yeah," Harry nodded, still confused.
"Like a date date," Parvati said. "A real one."
"I think so, I mean, that's what I was planning and hoping," Harry stammered.
"Oh well that's good then," Parvati smiled and leaned back in her chair.
"That's it?!" Lavender said indignantly. "'Well that's good then'?!"
"Well yeah, I thought it was someone else but it's Harry so that's good," Parvati said. She shook her head. "You're so dim sometimes." She shrieked when Lavender kicked her chair and she fell backwards onto the floor. "Hey! Prefect, help! I got assaulted!"
"I know, I saw," Hermione said. "I'm sitting right here."
"Then do something about it!" Parvati sighed when Hermione waved her wand and she saw her chair right itself. "I meant something else," she grumbled when Hermione offered a helping hand, climbing to her feet.
"So you two are going on a date?" Hermione asked with a warm smile.
"Yeah," Harry said blushing but looking pleased.
"Sorry to interrupt," Katie said with a wide smile, "you asked her out Harry?"
"Uh, yeah?" Harry said, returning back to confusion.
"That's so sweet," Katie smiled, "Congrats!". She turned to Angelina. "Pay up."
"Dammit," Angelina grumbled. She dropped some coins into Katie's waiting hands. "I really thought Lavender would be the one to ask."
"Same," Alicia sighed, also dropping some coins into Katie's hands.
"What's going on?" Lavender stared as people in the room exchanged coins and things. "You all were betting on us?!"
"We figured it was only time," Katie smiled. "You two are so cute together."
"Danced around for a while," Angelina smiled. "I really thought you wouldn't be the one to ask though, no offense Harry."
Ron and Neville walked into the common room. Neville blinked at seeing Harry looking pleasantly embarrassed, Lavender looking equally embarrassed and glaring at Parvati, Parvati looking smug, Hermione deeply amused, and the others chatting and smiling too. "What did we miss?" he asked.
"Harry finally asked Lavender out on a date," Parvati said.
"Aww finally," Neville smiled. "Nice mate." He dug around in his pocket. "Here you go, Ron."
Ron took the coins with a smile. "Thanks!" He handed one of them to Harry. "Here you go. Knew you had it in you."
"Thanks, Ron," Harry said, bemused and touched.
"I can't believe you lot were betting on us," Lavender grumbled.
"The will-they won't-they thing you two were doing was very adorable," Alicia said. "And we're deeply invested in Harry's happiness and it was a bit of fun as well as genuine care. Even if you did cost me a wager," she said, wagging a finger at Harry.
"Thanks? And I'm sorry?" he said.
"Apology accepted, preferably with a baked good of some sort," Alicia smiled. "At your convenience."
"Did you really have to throw my business out in front of everyone just now?" Lavender asked, poking Parvati. Coincidently, Harry had brought sugar biscuits and was sharing them with others and a general air of lightness filled the common room and Lavender took advantage of the distraction to lambaste her friend.
"Don't poke my side or I'll hurl on you," Parvati threatened. "Also yes. My stomach made me more irritable and it just came out. That said, I'm happy for both of you."
"It's just a date," Lavender said, flushing but looking pleased.
"As if it'll just be one," Parvati snorted.
"You two are awfully cute together," Hermione smiled.
"Thanks," Lavender said, putting an arm around their shoulders.
"How's Pansy taking it?" Parvati asked in a whisper.
"She's good, and I believe her when she says it," Lavender said. "We talked for a while and she admitted she had a crush but she cares about Harry differently now. And that she doesn't fancy him. I trust her."
"So do I, and I'm still a little surprised by that given how much we didn't like her when we first met her," Parvati snorted.
"She has changed a lot since though," Hermione said. "We all have honestly."
"Yeah, she's alright," Parvati agreed.
Lavender rolled her eyes slightly. "She said she and Harry are best friends now because you apparently can't be best friends with your partner."
"That's true," Parvati agreed.
"No it isn't," Hermione protested. "You absolutely can."
"Thank you, Hermione!"
"He can't talk about you to you, that's just rude," Parvati sniffed. "Don't worry, I'll balance him out too, as a sister. Oh and speaking of, I feel compelled to warn you that you better not hurt Harry."
"What? Hey! What makes you think I will?!" Lavender cried.
"Not thinking you will, just warning you! Harry's my brother and I and Padma will do terrible things if you hurt him!"
"We were friends first!"
"I know! You should respect how hard it is for me to be telling you this right now!" A mini-scuffle broke out between her and Lavender and it resulted with them tumbling to the ground, wrestling with each other. "Hey! Hermione!"
"Yes yes, I see," Hermione said, looking down at them and drinking placidly from her bottle of tea. "I'm right here."
"Is everything okay?" Harry asked, looking at the squabbling Parvati and Lavender.
"Perfectly fine," Hermione smiled. "I wouldn't get involved if I were you though."
"If you say so," Harry smiled.
-0-
"It's not too soon, is it?" Pansy fretted. "Would I be making things awkward?"
"No more than how you usually make things awkward," Millicent said with a smile.
"Millie," Pansy huffed through a similar smile. "I'm being serious."
"So am I." She peeked into the Uncommon Room. "There're others inside too. You said the conversations went well, right?" She smiled encouragingly at Pansy's nod. "If it was anyone else, I'd say maybe wait. But it's Harry and Lavender. It'll be fine."
With a deep breath and a nod, Pansy followed Millicent into the Uncommon Room. She felt a flutter of apprehension when they were greeted, but the feeling went away when Lavender waved with genuine warmth and her usual good cheer at seeing them, and Harry's warm smile was all the encouragement she needed. "Hello everyone," she said as she approached.
"Hey there," Harry said. He shyly offered a hug and was grateful that it was warmly received and given. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, thank you. Still a little queasy," Pansy said. She hugged Lavender who returned the gesture enthusiastically. "The tea was so nice though. I appreciate you having Inky bring it to us."
"I'm making congee again and some chicken soup that's mostly broth," Harry said. "I figured you lot would like that."
"That sounds great," Millicent said. "It seemed like a good idea at the time but man, today's been rough."
"No kidding," Sue laughed. "We'll take some to Luna later. Luna was the epitome of 'bouncing off the walls' but crashed hard. She hasn't moved all day."
"Daphne's still down too," Pansy snorted. "She did drink a bit of the firewhiskey though so it could be that too." She giggled a little. "Also yes, Blaise had no idea she borrowed his badge."
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "You'd think there would be some sort of protections on them against that sort of thing."
"Probably most people wouldn't think to try," Padma said. "Or wouldn't want to deal with the consequences."
Parvati reached out and took Padma's badge. "Hmm, nothing happened to me but maybe the badge gets us mixed up."
"Most people do," Padma said wryly.
"Really? You two are very different," Harry said.
"Well, people who only know us by sight I suppose," Padma laughed.
Parvati rubbed her hand ruefully. She had reached out to try and take Hermione's badge and got smacked in the process. "I think that was more of a Hermione protection instead of a badge protection."
"I wonder if your badge is protected," Pansy commented.
"I honestly don't know," Harry said. "I don't think it lets me do anything special normally. Also I'm pretty sure it's not. When I don't have it, Hedwig has it." He smiled when she landed on his head, wearing the badge proudly. "She deserves it though. She raises my morale all the time."
"It's so funny that you basically got a position made for you," Sue smiled.
"I was honestly kidding when I mentioned it to the Headmaster," Harry laughed.
-0-
"You look a bit nervous."
Harry smiled nervously into the mirror. "I'm a bit nervous," he confessed.
"What for?" the mirror asked. "You look very nice."
"I'm going on a date and I really want it to work out," Harry said. He tugged on the collar of his shirt, finding it suddenly constricting and tight.
"Well good for you! Remember the last time you went on a date?"
"Chin up, be a gentleman, smile, pretend to have fun, and actually have fun," Harry said, smiling fondly at the memory.
"There you go! You've grown a bit since last and you're just as handsome if not a bit more."
"Thank you. I just…really want it to be a good date," Harry said. "I really like her."
"I'm sure she's a lovely lass and you will do splendidly," the mirror said encouragingly. "Go get her!"
With a grateful nod, Harry turned back to his bed. "Well? Care to give a second opinion?"
Hedwig looked him up and down critically before nodding. She hooted softly.
"Thanks. Oh crap, I didn't get her something. I should be doing that right? I've ruined it before it even started!"
Hedwig rolled her eyes at him and sighed loudly. She fluttered to the dorm room window and kicked it open and launched herself into open space.
"Hedwig! You're abandoning me now?!" Harry cried after her. He looked blankly at the open window and was about to panic further before Hedwig returned. The owl flapped through the window with a flower in her beak and she landed on his head and dropped the flower daintily. He caught it and looked at the simple but pretty light purple flower. It was vaguely belle shaped with six petals that flared out some.
"A harebell?" Harry asked. "Just give her this?"
Hedwig nodded and yanked his hair around some before she landed beside him. She hooted at him, bobbing her head.
"Okay, thanks Hedwig," he said. With a deep breath he left the dorm room and walked down the stairs.
"Hi Harry!" Lavender greeted. She was smiling brightly, beaming at him.
He smiled back. "Hi Lavender!" He dumbly held the flower out to her. "I got this for you, well had some help actually but it's for you."
"It's so pretty! Thank you!" She tucked the flower behind her ear. "Shall we?"
Harry silently promised to make Hedwig a very large piece of slab bacon as he felt Lavender take his arm and they left the common room together. They made their way out of the castle and down the path to Hogsmeade. Spring was there and the weather was warming, so they decided to walk to enjoy the sunshine.
Somehow, they both felt terribly awkward without the other knowing fully. Walking arm in arm was not a new thing for them, but doing so on a date like this very much was. At first Lavender felt it might have been too familiar to do that, she had done it on reflex after all. Yet when she loosened her arm a little, she was gratified to feel Harry tightening the grip just enough for her to feel more at ease.
They walked through the village together and Harry stopped at a place and gulped. "D-Did you want to go in?" he asked, feeling even more awkward and blushing.
Lavender thought for a moment. "It's kinda cute inside Madame Puddifoot's, but if I can be honest," her voice lowered into a whisper, "your food is way better." She flushed. "It's all I could think about the time when I came here. On my…other…date."
They looked at each other for a long moment before Harry coughed. The cough became a chuckle and the chuckle became infectious. Soon Lavender was fighting a giggle and in no time at all, the both of them were laughing loudly and freely.
"Do you feel awkward too?" Harry asked.
"Oh thank goodness it's not just me," Lavender said, wheezing a little. "I feel so awkward!"
"I don't feel like that because I'm with you, I mean I am a little, but it's not your fault," Harry said hurriedly. "I just really want this to go well and I'm making a mess, aren't I?"
"I really want this to go well too," Lavender said with a smile from ear to ear. Her heart fluttered at his words. "How about let's try not to feel awkward and just be us? Only we can hold hands and stuff."
"I'd like that a lot," Harry said, sounding very relieved. "So no go for Puddifoots?"
"No, I'd hate for wrackspurts to infest us," Lavender smiled. They both stuck their tongues out and waggled them at the same time and they laughed all the harder as they walked on, hand in hand. After that, they felt much more at ease and treated it like a regular Hogsmeade visit. Honeydukes was their first visit, then picking up some more quills and ink from Scrivenshafts. They went into Gladrags to look about and eventually found their way into the main square.
"I made us a picnic lunch," Harry said, pulling out a basket from his bag.
"You're getting really good at the Growing Charm," she praised when he expanded the basket.
"Practiced a lot with it with the mobile kitchen Grandmother and Grandfather made," Harry said proudly. They laid out a blanket in a corner of the square and sat down and Harry set out the food: ham and cheese sandwiches, potato salad, and an apple turnover each.
They sat and ate and chatted and laughed together, simply enjoying the time together. Lavender sighed happily, her head on his shoulder, leaning against him. "This was really nice," she said softly.
"I'm glad," Harry said. "I think so too."
"Do you need to get to the Hog's Head?"
"Oh uh, I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't really know when the date was going to end."
"You always go there on Hogsmeade days." She looked up at him. "I really don't want to be one of those girlfriends that controls everything their boyfriends do."
"Is that what we are now?" Harry asked, eyes round.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" She went deeply red. "I didn't mean to presume!"
"N-No it's okay! I don't mind, I mean, I think I like the idea of it," he stammered.
She smiled; her cheeks still pink. "Well, I guess we can have a couple more dates before we make it really official. But I like the idea of it too."
"Brilliant," Harry grinned back in a very goofy way. "So how about you and the others come by for dinner and we can go back together?"
"Sounds like a date," Lavender said impishly.
-0-
"Hmm, something's different about you," Aberforth grunted.
"Be nice Master Abe," Willie and Nillie said sternly.
"Hmm?" Harry looked up. "What was that?"
"You better mind what you're doing before you cut yourself," Aberforth said. He peered closely at Harry, inspecting him critically with sharp blue eyes.
"Do I have something on my face?" Harry asked warily.
Aberforth grunted. "Something like that." He looked at Harry with fond amusement. "So it's happened, has it?"
"Has what happened?" Harry asked, looking away.
"Mmmhmm," Aberforth grunted again. "I catch you snogging in here and I'm hosing you down with a maximized Hosing Charm."
"We haven't gotten that far yet," Harry mumbled, cheeks redder than red. He bent over the chopping board and started chopping furiously and loudly, hoping to drown the embarrassment out.
"Yeah, no, no need to give me any details," Aberforth said loudly with loud discomfort. "Mind you, Ari's going to be a right pain in the arse over this. And Al is the biggest gossip I know."
"The Headmaster is a gossip?" Harry gasped.
"Worse than any three busybodies I've ever met," Aberforth snorted. "But he's more of a listening gossip and less of one that spreads it about. Still, nosy old bird he is."
Harry blinked slowly at that.
"So who is it?" Aberforth asked.
"Thought you didn't want the details."
"So I'm a bit of a hypocrite sometimes."
Harry snorted. "Lavender," he said with a small shy smile.
"The girl that Ari trained for the duel last year?" Aberforth laughed. "Told you that you were in trouble."
"Oh yeah, you did."
"What's that look for? You went from goofy to glum in a few seconds."
"I don't know, I guess I'm just overthinking things and I don't want to mess it up."
Aberforth snorted. "Kid, I've known you for a bit now. You're not one to take liberties, except when it comes to working more than most would. You got a good heart. Listen to it and you'll do fine."
Harry felt better and smiled at Aberforth. "Thanks Mr. Abe!"
"Speaking of, what're you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be out with her?"
"We had our date earlier. She and the others are going to come for dinner and we'll go back together. She knows how much I like working here and she likes seeing me here too."
"Yup," Aberforth grunted as he walked around the kitchen. "She's got you down."
"She's pretty great," Harry smiled.
-0-
"So how was your date?" Padma asked eagerly.
Lavender's smile lit the insides of the Hog's Head. "Wonderful! At first we were being really awkward but we got over it and it was really really nice."
"That was a bit quick," Daphne said, raising an eyebrow.
Pansy smiled and patted Lavender's hand. "I don't mind, truly. I'm still touched that you and I had those conversations beforehand."
"Thank goodness," Lavender sighed with relief. She hugged Pansy enthusiastically and was gratified to feel Pansy reply with equal energy and emotion. "I really didn't want to hurt you."
"I will let you know if you do," Pansy said.
"She will, insistently," Millicent said.
"Incessantly even," Daphne added.
"It's true, I will," Pansy confirmed. She smiled slyly. "But, if you have a guilty conscience that needs assuaged, I suppose I can think of something."
"Oh?" Lavender said, looking concerned.
"Admit that Harry and I are best friends because you cannot be best friends with your partner."
"I still think you can!" Lavender said.
"No you can't," Millicent said.
"Who would he talk to about his partner, to his partner?" Daphne shook her head. "That would be terribly gauche."
"I've seen it either way honestly," Sue said.
"I'm still fighting that one," Lavender said stubbornly.
Pansy hummed. "Fine. I request to be godmother then."
"Wait what?!" Lavender said blankly.
"Hold on!" Parvati cut in angrily. "Back up, princess."
"I thought Daphne was princess," Pansy said and Daphne growled.
"Oh right. Hold on, back up, duchess?"
"How about baroness? I always wanted to be a baroness."
"Sounds good. Back up, baroness," Parvati said. "You can't be godmother, that's my job."
"Says who?!" Pansy countered.
"Lav's my best friend and Harry's my brother," Parvati said, thrusting her chest out. "That's two up on you."
"You two are going a lot farther than even we have right now!" Lavender protested.
"I can cite considerable emotional duress being a factor," Pansy sniffed.
"I'll cause considerable emotional duress," Parvati sniffed.
"It's true, she will," Padma said.
Lavender looked between her two friends. "Okay, uh, let's bring that up another time."
"Please, as if you haven't already considered names," Parvati snorted. "I know you."
"And? Lots of people do that already," Lavender grumbled.
"Harry, you want me to be godmother, don't you?" Pansy asked when Harry appeared with food.
He looked at her blankly. "Godmother? For who?"
"For your future children of course."
He nearly dropped the tray of food. "What?!"
"Hey! No fair just asking like that!" Parvati squawked. "Harry, you want your sister and Lav's best friend to be godmother, right?"
"What?!" he repeated, furiously red. "We haven't even kissed yet!"
"Ooh I was about to ask that," Parvati said while the others howled with laughter and Lavender looked like she wanted to die from embarrassment after killing Parvati first.
"Poor Harry," Millicent said sympathetically. "Ow! I meant the whole being badgered about godmothers and getting his business aired out, not the kissing thing!" Millicent yelped, shying away from Lavender.
"Sorry Harry," Padma giggled mightily. "We're having too much fun at your and Lavender's expense."
"Happy to help I guess," he said wryly, sending them into hysterics once more.
"Sorry about that," Lavender sighed as they went back to the castle together after they finished eating. "They just sprung it on me and I didn't have a chance to warn you because I was still seething over it."
Harry chuckled and shyly offered his hand. "At least they mean well. Right?"
She took his hand and leaned against him slightly. "I'm pretty sure they are, just being annoying about it."
"Could be worse," he smiled.
"Not sure how," she muttered.
"Okay, we came up to an agreement," Parvati said.
"Have you now," Lavender said flatly.
"Yes, Parvati brought up an excellent point," Pansy said.
"No she doesn't," Lavender sniffed.
"I do frequently," Parvati sniffed back.
"She said, and I concur, that it's highly unlikely that you two would only have one child so there's no reason to fight over the position of godmother," Pansy said in what she thought was a reasonable tone.
"However the thing we are fighting over is who would be first," Parvati said conversationally.
"So you two will still need to determine that," Pansy said reasonably.
Harry sighed when Lavender let go of his hand but smiled as he watched Lavender chase after a squealing Pansy and Parvati. They ran up the path to the castle, shrieking and yelling at each other.
"So that's what it looks like," Padma said. "I'm normally the one chasing Parvati while shrieking like a banshee." She looked at Harry while the others laughed. "Is this a bad time to mention I want to be a godmother too?"
Harry groaned. "You lot are thinking way too far ahead."
"Just means we got faith in you and Lavender," Millicent said sincerely.
Despite feeling terribly embarrassed still, Harry could not help but feel sincere warmth in his heart as he and the others continued to walk to the castle, following the three girls running ahead of them.
-0-0-0-
odonnellzoo99 - I hope you enjoy today's chapter with that Parvati thought in mind. I was pretty happy with it.
DarkRavie - Thank you so much.
Kaya - Thank you, glad you liked it.
alix33 - I like shallots. They are basically milder onions.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - I laughed when I saw your comment about the booze because I knew there was a funny line in this chapter. The stash will be refilled soon. And yeah, a good group of friends. Thanks for reading.
- Thank you.
lazyonarainyday - I thought Pansy's maturity shone here and felt right with how she has grown as a character through the years. Glad you liked it.
poka - Heh, I still like it when Pansy's opinions and thought processes are still based on her upbringing and her reasoning isn't completely wrong, it's amusingly logical. I like to think that Lavender and Pansy are genuinely friends and there are no true hard feelings in this case and setting. It's all how the feelings shook out and their friendships are all the better for it. Same with Harry and Pansy and Harry and Lavender.