Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay again. The mom life has me quite busy, especially with my daughter just turning one the other day and her being increasingly mobile. My writing time is limited, so I am trying my best to balance it between my three stories (and it's going terribly, by the way). I've had horrible writer's block, but I'm hoping to fix it. I have a vacation coming up here in about three weeks, and I want to try to write as much as I can while I have the downtime. As always, thank you for being patient with me. Hopefully the next chapter doesn't take me so long.

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    Vanessa brushed the creases out of her skirt as she made her way through the hallways, trying to get to Slughorn's office. She was running super late for the Slug Club meeting thanks to her latest rendezvous with Draco in the Room of Requirement. For all she knew, the meeting could even have been over. For the moment, all was good between her and Draco, and all the verbal slander had been pushed aside. Vanessa still had no answers about the bandaged arm, but she was going to keep at it. He was going to have to tell her sooner or later. He was going to break, she was sure of it.

    She was only hoping her absence wasn't noticed at the meeting, but she knew with Slughorn that was going to be difficult. He was too observant. Especially when it came to his little club. Not to mention Artemis was likely on time, and Slughorn knew how close the two of them were. She was sure Artemis was growing irritated with the old man.

    She rounded a corner too fast, and bumped clear into someone. She almost fell over, but managed to get a hand onto the side of the wall to keep herself upright. Vanessa blinked a few times in her confusion until she saw Amber and Kendall standing in front of her. They looked just as confused as she did, so that made Vanessa feel momentarily better.

    "Oh, hey guys," she greeted sheepishly. "I uh... didn't think I'd run into you of all people."

    Kendall was the one who responded first, adjusting the strap of her bag and where it sat on her shoulder. "Don't you have a Slug Club meeting to be attending?"

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Vanessa mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm just... running late."

    Amber smirked, her blue eyes shining mischievously in the dim lighting of the hallway. "Been sneaking off with Draco again, huh?"

    Vanessa blushed, adjusting her shirt some more. "I mean, is it that obvious?"

    Amber shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, maybe to us, only because we know that's what you two have been up to. But then again, a lot of the school knows you and Draco have been uh... doing the horizontal tango," she replied with a wink. "By the way, your tie is still super loose."

    Vanessa frowned as she straightened up, looking down to pull her tie tightly back into position. "Better?"

    "Much," Kendall assured with a nod.

    "I promise I'll catch up with you guys here soon. I know it's been like an eternity since we've gotten to hang out or anything," Vanessa swore. "Class has been nuts, and prefect duties, and-"

    "-running off with your man," Amber interrupted, shrugging lightly. "We get it. No worries. We'll chat later. Get to your little nerd meeting before you're missed. Say hi to Arty for us."

    Vanessa shook her head, but couldn't resist smiling. "It's not a nerd meeting, but alright. See you girls later."

    Her friends gave her a wave, and without another word, Vanessa continued on towards Slughorn's office. She was walking as quickly as she could manage without running, and she was sure no matter how hard she tried, she was going to look like a hot mess once she arrived. After a walk that never seemed to end, Vanessa finally made it to the eccentric professor's office. She opened the door, and of course immediately everyone's eyes went to her. Exactly what she didn't want.

    "Ah, Miss Avery," Slughorn greeted. "I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten about tonight's meeting."

    Vanessa resisted rolling her eyes, and instead responded, "Wouldn't dream of it, professor." She paused for a moment, and how easily the next lie fell from her mouth almost concerned her. "I got caught up with prefect duty. Some first year students got lost. Had to help them find their way."

    Slughorn nodded. "No worries, miss. Have your seat and help yourself to supper."

    Vanessa quickly and quietly took her seat at the end of the table next to Artemis. He gave her a glance, but said nothing until Slughorn began rambling on to one of the other students about their family.

    "Don't you ever leave me here alone again," he muttered quietly.

    Vanessa put some food on her plate, and shrugged. "Sorry," she whispered. "I uh... lost track of time."

    "So I see," Artemis answered, hardly hiding his displeasure. "Perhaps I ought to buy you a watch."

    Vanessa opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off when Slughorn turned his attention to the two of them.

    "Artemis, how're your parents?" Slughorn questioned.

    Last Vanessa knew, Artemis hadn't had a chance to reply to his mother's last letter. He had been too busy with his oversized class load to get a moment to write back. He liked to make it seem to his friends he had everything under control- and at least on the surface, he did- but Vanessa knew he was drowning in his work, so his response surprised her a bit.

    "They're doing well. Right now, they are on vacation in Nice with my younger brothers," he answered. "They seem to be enjoying their time away from home and getting some well-deserved relaxation before the holidays."

    Vanessa side glanced him. They were in France? Artemis' annoying ex-girlfriend lived in France. She remembered at one point his parents were rather fond of this girl- even after she broke up with him essentially for being smarter than she was. She really hoped that they weren't visiting her. For Artemis' sake. And honestly hers, because she was sure she would kill the girl if given the opportunity and the last thing she needed was to end up in Azkaban.

    "Ah. It's been some time since I've been to France," Slughorn said with a nod, breaking her thoughts. "What is it you said they do nowadays?"

    "Mostly environmental work," Artemis replied, seemingly for the millionth time. Slughorn never seemed to remember what people's families did- or at least if he did he surely didn't act like it. "They work alongside the Muggle authorities on the matter. Magical or not, the climate is something we all have to deal with and protect. My parents have decided to take that into their own hands now."

    Slughorn nodded and then looked to Vanessa. "And what is it your father does?"

    Vanessa was just glad he remembered her mother was dead. "He does construction," she replied, shrugging. "So like building roads, tall buildings... things like that." She knew what was coming, so she added, "Can be pretty dangerous. He got pinned against a wall by a steel beam once, and broke a bunch of his ribs right around Christmas time one year."

    That statement seemingly made Slughorn remember something. "Ah yes. Christmas time. That's in about a month now. Right before you all head home for the holidays, I usually throw a little Christmas party for all of us and our close friends. Just another reason to celebrate friendships and the holiday and the like."

    Oh joy. Another annoying get-together. Vanessa rolled her eyes. As if the holiday season didn't already cause enough distress.

    "You'll be allowed to invite a guest outside the club if you'd like," Slughorn continued. "This is a wonderful time to-"

    A guest? Vanessa stopped paying attention to what the man was saying after that. So that meant she could bring Draco if she wanted. Hopefully he'd want to come. Sometimes he acted as if he was jealous she was in the Slug Club and he wasn't; other times, he teased her for being a part of it. The back and forth was honestly confusing and highly annoying, but she shook it off. He'd definitely want to come with her to a party, right?

    "The party will be on December 20th!" Slughorn announced, breaking her thoughts once again. "So you have a bit of time for preparation and to think about who you may want to bring. Of course you can always come alone if you desire to."

    Oh no. She wasn't attending this party by herself. The last thing she wanted to deal with was some of the other club members and whoever they decided was worthy enough to come with them alone. Vanessa was going to convince Draco to come to this party, one way or another. And if he didn't want to come, then she just wouldn't go.

    Surely a month's time would be enough time to get him to agree, right?