Rolling my eyes, I muttered, "She thinks we're friends with benefits." "Being friends with benefits doesn't sound that bad," Bill teased, tucking some of my hair behind my ear. I glared up at him; he was not helping things. Evidently, we hadn't spoken quietly enough as Ron who was sitting on the other side of me, asked loudly, "What does friends with benefits mean?"

"So you don't want my help then?" He grinned, raising an eyebrow, "Are you sure, Smith? Because I can talk some sense into Harry if you want? Get him to ask you to the ball?" "Oh Godric," I groaned, "Don't you start. Everyone's been going on about him."

"I'll be surprised if I can think of a single one that isn't." Rolling my eyes, I pondered carefully, "Although, I think all boys are probably immature to some extent– regardless of how old they are." He was silent for a little while before saying slowly, "Not all."

He raised his eyes to mind suddenly and I flushed, realising that he'd asked me a question. Raising an eyebrow, he shook his head with a grin and showing off that hidden dimple. "I think I figured out what the problem is, Alder." For one sick second, I was mortified that he'd realised I was staring at him. "You're a daydreamer, aren't you?"

"Well what are you going to do now? Your mother's expecting you to bring your girlfriend to your next family meal?" "Godric knows," he sighed once the line of customers came to an end, "I've gotten myself into a right mess." "No way," I said instantly, recognising the look in his eyes. "Don't even think about it."

Seamus huffed, throwing me a hard look. "Don't get so close to boys." "I'm sorry – what?" "You heard me; don't get so close to boys – they're monsters." I chuckled incredulously, "If boys are monsters then what the hell are you?" He glanced at me for a moment before looking away without a word, "Is this your way of telling me that you don't count in that?"

"I need to say this." He let out a deep breath, still not raising his eyes from his plate of food, "It all made me realise that at any moment, anything could happen to us. We could be here one minute and gone the next and I realised that my biggest regret would be that I let you go that day without fighting for us." "Charlie, please –"

He was outright frowning now as he dropped back to where I was stood. "Haven't you heard that saying that boys pick on the girls they like?" "I have," I crossed my arms, levelling him a look. "And if you think for one second that I believe it has any validity then you're completely wrong."

"I don't know," I said suspiciously, picking up the vial and raising it to my eyes. "Come along Potter – you're not always going to be young. You need to settle down and make more bespectacled messy haired kids to wreak havoc in the wizarding world."

I raised my eyes to his, narrowing them when I saw the amusement dancing in his gaze. "I'm not going to be swayed by you." "Oh really?" He raised an eyebrow, his grin becoming more sly, "Prove it."

"It's been a while," I greeted coolly, picking up the menu so I wouldn't have to meet his eyes. "Too long," he agreed smiling a little when I glanced at him from over the top of the menu. "I was so convinced that you'd run away when you realised that your date for the evening was me." "So was I," I muttered.

"It was a pleasure to meet you," he said quietly, eyes flickering around the room so they didn't need to meet mine. "Thank you for keeping me company Miss –" "Lynn." I finished for him. "Miss Lynn." He inclined his head slightly before disappearing into the office.

Rising to my toes, I pressed a kiss to his cheeks before hurrying up the path and into my grandma's home. I glanced out of the window to see Neville tuck his hands into his pockets and head off with a grin. Neville Longbottom – who would've thought?

"Would you stop that," I hissed as Slughorn finished talking, "You're drawing so much attention to us." "I can't help it," she insisted, "You've only gone and got yourself a secret admirer, of all things. Who do you think it is?"

"You asked me at the beginning of year," I said with blatant confusion, "Why bring this up now? Has this really been on your mind for that long?" "I just wanted to know the reason," he explained defensively. "The reason? It's simply really." Hiking my school bag further up my shoulder, I levelled him a flat look, "I don't date quidditch players."

"Besides, you're like another sister to me." Sighing, I glanced away from him, not even able to become angry because of how oblivious he was. I had long since passed the point of anger. "Merlin, you're so incredibly clueless."

"I know you – I've heard everything, remember?" "No," he insisted meeting my eyes head on, "You know of me and you're so incredibly scared of actually getting to know me in case I'm nothing like you though. It terrifies you that you might be wrong about me, that you might actually fall for me if you gave yourself the chance. I didn't realise that you were so cowardly."

"Cho –" "Don't look so sorry – we went on a date, nothing else." She shrugged, "Besides, everyone knew I was the detour on his way to you." I scrunched my nose, grabbing the cushion from behind me to whack her with it. "You've just made me lose my appetite."

"What made you change your mind?" She arched an eyebrow, "All it takes is one Potter wearing green and silver for Slytherin house to not seem evil anymore?" "That's not what I meant," I tried to protest, but she was already bidding goodbye to Albus and walking away with Scorpius by her side.

"You saved my life," he said gently, "During the battle, you saved my life before I was crushed by the falling wall." "Oh." "Is that all you can say? Oh?" He straightened up, looking slightly disappointed. "Since the day of the battle, I've been searching for you and all you can say is 'oh?"