Chapter 31

"Bertie is going on his date today," Bea smirked as she sat on the Gryffindor couch with Violet at the other side of her. The two were sharing a blanket, with books resting on their laps which they finally had time to read. With school work and their friendships and being terribly busy, they barely had time to do anything, but they managed to find time for each other always.

"Oh, that's exciting!" Violet grinned, lifting her eyes from her book and to the girl in front of her, "is he excited?"

"I believe so." Bea nodded, "I asked him last night what he was going to wear and I think I struck a chord. He made me stay with him for two hours to pick out a shirt that would go better with the trousers he was wearing. In the end, we picked a shirt that was entirely different from what he was originally going to choose from."

"Sounds like him," Violet laughed softly, eyes lingering on the girl who was looking around the Gryffindor common room, "you look very deep in thought, Bea."

"Oh - it's nothing, I just," she took a deep breath, "I feel rather distracted. Slughorn keeps bothering me about Potions, and Flitwick is going on and on about charms, oh and please don't get me started on McGonagall! I know they're all looking out for me - I get that! but all I want to do is herbology, I don't need anything else and I'm not good at anything else anyway!"

"Bea you're amazing at Herbology and it's your main priority when it comes to school but maybe they're just hoping you don't fail because I know that if you worked for it you could pass easily, bloody hell Bea you became an animagus just by reading - very complex - instructions!" Violet exclaimed, though her voice hushed when the word animagus slipped out, "I know you don't like charms, or potions, or any class for that matter that doesn't involve plants but it's still school.

And I know that this coming from me isn't the bloody best thing, considering I'm probably the worst student to walk the halls of this school but that doesn't mean I don't know how amazing you are!"

"Thanks, Vi," Bea whispered, twiddling with her fingers, "it's like...Anytime I'm not stressed anymore, another issue pops up for me to deal with! If it's not overprotective Remus, and sneaking around with James, then it's arguing...so...many...arguments and I hate it. I mean, you know what I'm like, I'd just rather keep the peace and sort things out but for a while, I thought I'd never be able to sort things out.

With you, and with Remus. Do you know how much that scared me? And now finally it seems that I'm happy and I'm relaxed. I could focus on school whilst also have time with you and with everyone else and it was great but suddenly professors are popping up here there and everywhere and it feels like the stress is this mountain and I can't climb it!"

"Bea," Violet sighed, "you are the author of your own life. You control what you do and how you feel, of course to an extent but it's still your life and no matter what, you will always have me there. I'm your crazy sidekick! We will stick together through everything and I love you, but stressing about things like this just makes it worse, and worse, and worse until there's only stress on your mind and you're overworked and you can't catch a break.

You need to stop, you have taken far too much time to stress about so many things that right now all you have to do is relax. Just take some time and just...relax."

"Hey, guys!" Bea turned at the sound of Bertie's voice, her eyes wide and rather shocked.

"Bert- what are you doing here?! Where is Killian?!" Bea asked, pushing herself up from her lying position.

"Oh, he's coming down soon. I told him to meet me in the common room so he'll be here in a bit," Bertie grinned, falling onto the armchair.

"I thought you were already gone!" Bea laughed softly, "are you excited? I see you chose our outfit then?"

"It was the best outfit we came up with," Bertie grinned, "alright, Vi?"

"Yeah, you? must be nervous going on your very first date!" Violet smirked, watching him roll his eyes.

"I think you want to make me nervous if I'm being honest," Bertie tutted, both him and Bea watching Violet clutch her hand over her heart.

"Do you have everything? Wallet? Keys?" Bea trailed off, knowing he wouldn't exactly need keys but running out of things to list.

"Wait, wallet!" Bertie's eyes widened, "I knew I had forgotten something!"

He pushed himself up, pressing a rather sloppy kiss to Bea's cheeks whilst shouting, "thanks, Phoebe!" and running up the stairs to the boy's dormitory.

"Phoebe?" Violet repeated, a laugh tumbling from her lips, "I thought that was when people were mad at you?"

"Oh, it was, but you usually call me Bebe, and James calls me Bumble so Bertie wanted something else to call me." She giggled, "he liked the idea of a special name and no one calls me Phoebe so I said he could call me that."

"You two are something else," Violet whispered, shaking her head with another laugh, "now don't you clean up nicely!"

Bea turned at Violet's words, seeing Killian bounding the stares with his hands twiddling and a laugh falling from his lips. His cheeks had flushed red and it was very clearly obvious that he was nervous, "oh, you do!" Bea giggled, gesturing him over to the two girls.

"Bertie will be down soon, he forgot his wallet," Bea shook her head, watching Killian nod.

"Hey Killian!" the sound of Sirius was heard through the common room, and soon did he push Bea over on the couch so that he could lie next to her.

"Bloody hell, Sirius, there's an entire chair over there!" she exclaimed, glaring at the boy grinning sheepishly at her.

"Yes, but you're always warm, Bea," he waved her off, fidgeting beside her whilst she grumbled curse words under her breath.

"So, Killian!" Bea finally grinned, turning her full attention to the boy, "can I give you the best friend talk?"

"The best friend talk?" Killian repeated, "I suppose so."

"Alright. Well, Bertie is my best friend- one of my best friends!" she corrected when Violet nudged her and Sirius elbowed her, "he's a great guy, amazing actually and he deserves happiness and he really, really likes you. So I guess this best friend talk is me just saying that if this is just a date for you, then just...please don't lead him on!"

"No, no, no, no, no!" Killian spoke frantically as he shook his head, "I was trying to act casual, actually. I've uh - well I've liked him for a while but I just didn't think I had a chance with him."

"Oh!" Bea grinned, turning her head to see Bertie finally descending the stairs, his eyes brightening and his smile widening when he saw Killian sitting with his friends.

"Ready to go?" he asked, taking Killian's hand when the boy reached for it, "you...you look great by the way."

"So, do you," Killian beamed, pulling him closer, "it was good talking to you guys."

"You too!" Bea said, "don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Alright Bea," the two boys laughed, waving as they walked towards the portrait hole.

"He's a good kisser by the way! I know from experience!" Bea shouted, still waving whilst both Violet and Sirius shared an amused look.

"I think they're good for each other," Bea smiled, leaning her head on Sirius' shoulder whilst Violet kicked the boy's legs away, complaining about him fidgeting too much.

"I think so too," Violet nodded, "Bertie deserves some happiness, he's one of the best people in this school!"

"Oh yes," Bea agreed, nodding furiously.

"Am I one of the best people in this school?" Sirius asked the two girls.

"Course you are," another voice piped in, once again interrupting the two girls alone time together. Bea scoffed when Remus leaned over the couch to kiss Sirius who couldn't seem to wipe the smile off of his lips, cupping Remus' cheek so he couldn't let go.

Bea, right beside him, was making it her mission to groan as loudly as possible, "y'know I love you two together but this is Violet and my time!"

"We're leaving anyway," Remus scoffed, reaching for Sirius' hand and pulling him with him.

She waved them a quick goodbye, squeaking when she was completely caught off guard by a pair of lips placed on her own, almost struggling until she smelled the very familiar aftershave James used, and the familiar taste of his lips on hers.

"I couldn't let Remus one-up me on romance," James scoffed, earning a laugh from Bea who pulled him back down for one last kiss.

"Where are you guys going?" she asked, kissing his hand when he squeezed her own.

"We're planning something of course," he winked, leaning over one last time to kiss her again, "maybe something to do with a certain Bumble's birthday."

"Oh really?" Bea asked, her eyebrow raised as she turned to kiss his nose, "then maybe a certain Bumble will follow you to see what's going on."

"See, I knew you'd want to," James nodded, trailing over to the other side of the couch, "but the lovely Vi has decided to help me plan it, and her job is to keep you away!"

"Well that's not very fair," Bea huffed, glaring at a sheepish looking Violet.

"She loves me more, that's why," James planted a kiss on Violet's cheek who couldn't help but laugh with Bea, both girls bidding him a goodbye quickly so that he could catch up with the others.

"You know he's great for you," Violet whispered, seeing the smile still on Bea's face as she watched the space that James once occupied.

"Hmm-" Bea cut herself off, "yeah he's really amazing, more than amazing actually. He helped me forget about my sadness when everything wasn't going my way like I could turn it off, y'know? Pretend it wasn't there for a while as I was with him, but he's not the only one who is great for me, Vi.

I mean the saddest I've ever felt in my life was when we weren't talking, and I realised then more than ever that you're the main contributor to my happiness. You've been there through everything, or know about everything and imagining my life without you is probably the worst thought to ever think of.

And Remus, and Sirius and Peter too, I love them all, they're all so amazing. I think this year has been one of my favourites, cause I've realised that Remus picks out great friends and somehow I think we have grown closer if that's even possible."

"I get it," Violet whispered, "it's always nice to have more people to trust, and sometimes trusting people can be a risky business because sometimes people aren't what they seem. There are people who lie for themselves, who lie because it'll benefit themselves instead of the ones around them, who are too proud to admit their mistakes and worship that above all else.

And those people aren't the ones we have grown closer to, and you certainly aren't one of those people, and I think that's why this year has been good. Because no matter what has happened to make it stressful and challenging, we have friends who have shown that the outcome is great."

"We are so wise, you know that?" Bea giggled, pushing herself up and over to Violet to hug her, "out of all the things that have happened in my life, all the coincidences and all the things that could've gone differently, you have no idea how glad I am that we ended up best friends."

"Bloody hell Bea, I love you so much," Violet whispered, laughing softly.

"I love you too, Vi."