okay when I was just looking back on the previous chapter, I seen all your comments and honestly I am so thankful to have so many amazing people reading this book so really, thank you :)

I hope you all enjoy this and thanks to irwinthegod for the graphic on the side, it's beautiful 

-

I arrive back to my own apartment late. I'm not usually able to stay up so long but sometimes alcohol helps with the staying up part. I guess it was fair to say that I was pretty drunk. Drunk enough that I stumbled into the apartment, spent ten minutes trying to lock the door before realising it locks automatically and then another ten minutes trying to decide which room was mine again. 

My head was beginning to pound and the sun rising through the open window wasn't helping. The apartment was empty, thankfully. Even my drunken self could comprehend that George Weasley was the last person I wanted to see right now. 

I couldn't believe Blaise. Bloody hell he was such an arse. I thought he could do one nice thing for me. I mean, it's not like he was doing me a favour, George and I aren't dating so it's not like he's cheating on me or anything. 

Then why does it feel like he is?

I'm not sure what time I wake up at but when I do it's because of the sun again. I had somehow forgotten to close my curtains and for the first day all summer the weather decided to be beautiful. Shame our feelings couldn't remain mutual. 

My head was pounding, my hair was stiff from all the hairspray put into it yesterday, my pillow now had all my makeup on it and I think I'm about to throw up. 

I run to the bathroom and try to hold back my hair as I throw up whatever I had for dinner at the wedding last night and all of the alcohol I drank into the toilet. I wouldn't mind but I don't think I even drank that much. I could never really handle alcohol very well though. 

Groaning, I wipe my mouth and grab a bauble to tie up my hair with. I would take a shower after I grabbed one of the potions from the kitchen to help the pounding in my head. Groaning once again, I make my way into the kitchen and wince as the light from the balcony shines on me. 

Just as I reach below the sink to open the potions drawer, the door to the apartment opens and George Weasley walks in, his mood reflecting the weather's. He's practically glowing. 

"Just getting in?" I ask, my voice coming out very hoarse. I clear my throat and point my wand at the tap and pour myself a cup of water. George looks quite startled, jumping around to look at me. 

"Uh... yeah, well-" he started off, his face turning red as he scratched the back of his head. I shook my head, holding up a hand as I drank my potion before cringing at the taste and washing it down with water. 

"I don't need to know the details George, I'm just messing with you," I force a small chuckle but it ends after a few seconds and I awkwardly look to the ground. Oh gosh, I probably look like such a bloody idiot right now. "I'm just going to go shower and hide out in my room for the day. I may have had a little too much to drink at the party and I'm not feeling great today."

"I didn't see you drinking at the party," George said, looking slightly confused. That's because you left too early with Angelina to see me drink anything. I bitterly chuckle at the thought but quickly clear my throat as he gives me a weird look. 

"Well yeah, you were probably gone when Blaise started drinking with me. You know Blaise, he's fond of his depression drinking. I just so happened to have been the one to join him last night," I say, a sad smile on my face. The worst thing was that I wasn't even lying. Blaise had joined me at the Hog's Head a few minutes after I arrived and drank himself to death beside me. I have no clue how he is today but I hope he's as bad as me. 

"Blaise? I thought you two didn't get long very well? What made you want to drink with him?" George asked curiously. I just shrugged my shoulders and bit on my lip as I eyed the door to my room, my great escape. 

"I guess it's a lot easier to get along with someone when you have something to bond over. Anyway, I better go, my sheets and face and hair need washing and I have work tomorrow so I really need to move it," I say, moving past him before he can give me another reply. I never thought living with George could actually be this bad. 

-

"What happened last night?" 

The familiar voice rang through my room and I looked up quickly to see Blaise standing at my room. He was still wearing his suit from last night and his hair was a mess but he seemed to have gotten over whatever kind of hangover he had gotten. Mines had thankfully gone away too. 

"Nothing happened. We just drank for a while from what I remember, then we went our separate ways to our own houses. Why do you look so concerned?" I asked, rolling my eyes. Blaise walked towards me, taking a seat on my bed and holding his head in his hands. 

"Iris something happened last night and I can't figure out what it was. But it wasn't good. When I woke up this morning, your bracelet was on the bed. Why were you in my apartment last night, Iris? Nothing happened, did it? Bloody hell, I'm in the middle of seeing Katie Bell, I can't mess things up," Blaise started panicking. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him. 

"Nothing happened between us last night. I would know if something had, Blaise. I wasn't even that far gone. We were probably just drinking some more at your place. You do have a stack of firewhiskey and Godric knows I needed some last night," I told him, dismissing the idea. Blaise began to look more relieved. "Besides, even drunk out of my mind, I still have better standards than you."

"And here I thought we were developing a friendship, Parkinson. Well wouldn't want to stay too long around here, the air smells of... ginger. Speaking of gingers, how's the friendship with George going? Did he arrive back late?" Blaise began to smirk as he seen my smug look drop. 

"That is none of your business now get out of my apartment. Who even let you in here, I'd like to think George has better sense than to think I'd actually want to see you in general, never mind allow you into my bedroom," I glare at him, crossing my arms over my chest. At this Blaise just smirks more, looking like he's in his element now. 

"Oh don't worry, George knows you well enough. It was actually Angelina who let me into the apartment, she is absolutely amazing, isn't she? I heard she's a great lover too. But she has a thing for... gingers. I guess you two could have a friendship over that, right Iris? But I guess when it's the same ginger, it's a little awkward."

If looks could kill, Blaise would be deeply buried right now. It wasn't even what he had said though, it was the fact that George had dared invite Angelina into our apartment without even asking me if I would mind him bring over his girlfriend. 

Girlfriend. Gosh, didn't that word hurt. 

"Blaise I honestly don't know why you're still here. You know, I thought you were only really being annoying towards me because you still had that stupid little Hogwarts crush on me still but I know that that's over now, since you're with Katie. So please stop being such an arsehole. I may have had sympathy because I thought you liked someone who will never, ever like you back but right now, I feel absolutely no feeling that could be acknowledged as human towards you," I tell him honestly and he scoffs, rolling his eyes at me. I know he thinks I'm pathetic but I honestly don't care what he thinks about me. 

"Please, you'd only feel sympathy like that for me because you're able to relate to it. George likes Angelina, Iris, always has, always will. So stop acting like all of this isn't actually happening and that you're fine with it because it's not going to be over by tomorrow. Can't you see? It's like Astoria and Draco all over again. And it's just going to keep going in the same cycle but I was the only person stupid enough to ever like you. And you threw it straight back in my face. 

"Can't you see, Iris? The people you push away are the only ones you deserve and the ones you hold close are the ones that want to get out of your grasp. Don't think you can just quit your job and all your problems will be solved. Because you and I know that I am the least of your problems, Iris Parkinson. And you know your worst enemies are the ones that are so much better than you are, not me."

I bit down on my lip as I try to hold back a sudden fountain of tears begging to be released. Blaise didn't just hit a nerve, he punched it repeatedly until it couldn't get up. He pushed it into the corner and refused to stop until the blood was oozing out and he could see it was completely broken. 

"I am not going to give you the honours of seeing me cry. But hear me now Blaise Zambini. You have won. Do you hear me? I'm sick of competitions, I'm sick of you always trying to be a better friend to Draco than I am. You want me to stop being so close to Draco? Fine. You want me to be forever alone because I rejected you in Hogwarts? Fine. You want me to turn to you and tell you you are ten times better than I will ever be? Fine. But I will not let you see exactly how much you have just affected me. Just know that if I ever see you again Blaise, it will be too soon. You may not be my worst enemy but you are most definitely my worst friend. 

"You have always managed to prove yourself, that you can push the limits, that you are invincible. And I get it, I honestly do. I get that you're better, smarter, wiser than me even. I get that being a pessimist your entire life sets you up for failure. And so I'm sorry for ever trying to be the hopeful one. I'm sorry that I tried to act like there was some hope for my future. Because I know now that there is nothing else out there for me, I know all of this is all I have. Now that I've finally said it, are you really as happy as you always thought you would be? You better damn well hope so Blaise because at least someone would get something out of this."

The room is silent and I can see a look of guilt on Blaise's face as he looks back at me. I hold onto the tears as the lump in the back of my throat grows larger and larger, to the point I feel like I can't hold it back. Blaise just nods slightly to me, before grabbing the door handle to my room. 

I leave my room with him, watching as he leaves my apartment. I turn around to see Angelina and George on the couch. 

Shaking my head, I return to my bedroom and close the door before letting the tears flow out.