"So what time are you coming over?" Parker asked Erica over the phone.

"Eh, soon. I need to make my hair look presentable." Erica told her.

"Your hair is always presentable. I booked that table at the restaurant by the way."

"Trust me, Parker. It is not presentable." Erica sighed.

"What happened to it?"

"Puppy happened to it."

"Puppy the Peruvian Vipertooth?" Parker hummed.

"Parker, I don't have a dog. Of course it was Puppy the Peruvian Vipertooth."

Parker chuckled,"What did it do? Fry if?"

"And half of my shoulder." Erica added.

"Did you bandage it?" Parker began to look through her wardrobe.

"Charlie helped." Erica sighed.

"Good. You need to take care of yourself... What are you gonna wear?"

"You remember those matching jumpers we got? The ones with the cool sleeves?"

"Aha! Found it." Parker lifted it out,"Don't need to tell me twice."

"Well, I need to go try and fix this, ill be there soon." Erica assured her.

"Okay, bye love you." Parker hummed and hung up.

Nathan walked into the room, a book in hand.

"Hi babe." Parker smiled as she grabbed a skirt.

"Hey dear.' Nathan looked her up and down,"You're going to wear that?"

"Yeah. It's cute, I like it." Parker shrugged,"Erica and I have these matching jumpers and since we're going out it'd be cool to wear."

"I think that skirt is a bit too short for the place you're going, just saying." Nathan shrugged,"A lot of creepy older men."

Parker looked at the skirt,"Oh... Have you been there before?"

"Yeah, I went with Jackson once."

Parker bit her cheek before she grabbed another skirt, slightly longer,"How is Jackson? You haven't spoken to him much."

"He's doing fine, just been busy." Nathan looked at the skirt,"Maybe a skirt just isn't a good idea. I'm sure the jumper would look just fine with some jeans."

Parker sighed, looking out the window,"Yeah... Yeah I mean, it will be a little cold. I guess you're right."

"I'm only looking out for you, babe." He assured her.

"I know, thanks." Parker flashed a smile, turning her back and got changed.

Nathan turned his attention back to his book.

"Can you listen out for the door? Erica should be coming soon."

"Oh- Sure." Nathan nodded slowly.

"Thank you." Parker hummed

After a few minutes, Nathan looked up,"Your friend is here."

"I'm changing. Go get the door." Parker waved him off before quickly adding,"Please?"

"Fine." Nathan sighed and got up.

Nathan walked to the front door, opened the door and stood back.

"Oh- Nathan. Is Parker nearly ready?" Erica asked him.

"I have something to do, sorry." Nathan turning and walked away.

"Rude." Erica muttered, waiting outside.

"Erica." Parker ran out to her and hugged her.

"Parker." Erica hugged back.

"Your hair doesn't look bad."

"You can thank my talented hairdresser, me." Erica then noticed her outfit, now uncomfortable in her skirt.

"Shit- Sorry, I didn't tell you. It was a last minute decision." Parker cursed.

"Oh, no, its fine." Erica shook her head,"I don't mind as long as you're comfortable."

"You look great, I promise." Parker rubbed her arm.

"Yeah- Yeah, let's go." Erica nodded.

"Nathan, we're going!" Parker called to him.

"Alright, don't speak to any strange men."

"No men will talk to us." Parker assured him before she walked out,"Want to apparate?"

"Yes." Erica nodded quickly.

"I don't like no magic." Parker groaned as she held onto Erica, apparating to the restaurant.

"Hey, you chose the muggle." Erica shrugged.

"I'll tell him when the time is right."

"Or... Ask out Blaise."

Parker looked at Erica.

"I'm just saying." She hummed.

"I'll ask out Blaise when you ask out Neville." Parker smirked.

"Theres a difference between asking out a single man and a married man, Parker." Erica pointed.

Parker sighed,"Let's go, I'm so hungry."

"And... We're here." Erica let out a small sigh as she entered.

"Oh! The decor is nice." Parker jumped in excitement.

Erica was looking around at other patrons. Why was she so nervous? It was just an outfit. Erica's thoughts were interrupted when she felt her hand being held, a small squeeze.

"Hm?" She quickly turned to look at Parker.

"You're okay." Parker assured her,"I'm here."

"I'm okay." Erica nodded slowly,"Let's just sit down."

As they sat down, looking at the menu, Parker's phone began vibrating.

"Oh god, is it who I think it is?" Erica asked.

"Just- Ignore him. I don't know how to put it on silent." Parker sighed.

"Here, give me it." Erica held her hand out.

Parker hesitated, handing it over to her.

Erica scanned her phone and pressed a few buttons,"That should be it."

"Thanks." Parker sighed.

"I... Parker, I don't him."

"He just takes a little getting used to." Parker fidgeted with her sleeves.

"Parker, did he say anything to you? Before you left?" Erica asked.

"Like what?"

"Anything about you, your outfit.."

"He just mentioned he'd been here a few times... Some guys that aren't nice." Parker shrugged.

Erica looked around, looking to see if she could see anyone shady. There wasn't really. It was a quiet restaurant.

"Are you sure Nathan didn't get confused?"

"Maybe." Parker held her head,"Yeah- I think he must've gotten confused."

"Theres no shady guys."

Parker looked around,"... But there is shady girl-"

"Oh my god! Erica and Parker?" Hannah gasped.

"Hannah." Erica nodded.

"What are you doing here?"

"We came to eat... Like normal people." Parker nodded.

"Thats usually what you do at a restaurant, Hannah." Erica agreed.

"Oh well, what have you guys been up to since the war? I got married." Hannah showed the ring,"To Neville!"

"I've been busy, working." Erica nodded slowly.

"How can you work with your 'autism'?" Hannah scoffed.

"Quite easily, Hannah. You'd know how to get a job if you actually tried." Parker crossed her arms.

"Parker's right, I'm doing better than I ever did at school." Erica shrugged,"Just because I struggle with certain things doesn't mean I'm incompetent."

"Well I don't know about that." Hannah scoffed.

"Hannah, don't fucking try it." Parker glared at her.

"Hannah, if you want to fight me then we can do that outside. I'm not starting a scene in here." Erica sighed.

"Oh I'm not fighting, just stating the obvious. I will always be better." Hannah smirked,"Say, me and Neville are just-"

"I don't care about you and Neville being together, just leave us alone." Erica closed her eyes.

"Hm. I'll see you gals later." Hannah waved, "I'll call yous!"

"I'll call your husband later." Erica muttered.

Parker smirked and held her hand up for a high five.

Erica highfived her,"Now my head hurts."

"We don't need to stay out too late." Parker told her.

"Good." Erica sighed.

"What's the time anyway?"

"Hm.." Erica looked around for a clock.

"Oh well." Parker shrugged as they couldn't find a clock.

"It's five o'clock somewhere." Erica shrugged.

"That means drinking."

"I know."

"I'll buy." Parker looked at the menu.

"Ooh, okay."

"My treat." Parker hummed,"OOO, piña colada."

"Ooh." Erica smiled.

"You want?"

"Yes please."

"I'm your sugar mommy now." Parker called the waiter over.

"Oh yes, I love you." Erica smiled at her.

"I love you too, hun." Parker smiled back.

*********************************

"Okay, I think... We should call it a night." Parker ate her last chicken strip.

"Agreed." Erica stood up,"Are you sure you don't want me to pay?"

"I got it. My treat. You can pay next time." Parker pointed.

"Dont worry, I will."

"You better go home and sleep. I don't wanna text you and you're wide awake."

Erica sighed,"I will."

"Ready to go?" Parker held onto her hand as she left money on the table and walked out.

"Ready to go." Erica nodded and followed her.

"Three, two, one!" Parker apparated to Erica's house.

"Ah, home again." Erica let out a small sigh.

"You go in, get into your pjs and sleep." Parker pointed.

"I will." Erica raised her hands as she went to head inside.

"Love you!" Parker waved.

"Love you too!"

Parker smiled, apparating back to her own house and walking in.

"Where have you been, huh? Its dark." Nathan pointed.

"Jesus- Nathan, don't scare me like that." Parker jumped.

"Scare you? You scared me."

"I'm sorry- We were drinking and having fun... We just lost track of time."

"Drinking?"

"Yeah, we had some gins... Piña coladas, some shots." Parker smiled,"I had so much fun."

"You went out and got drunk? How much did you spend?" Nathan crossed his arms.

"I'm not drunk, you know I can handle my drinks." Parker shrugged.

"Still, you were out drinking with her?"

Parker looked at him,"With Erica, yes."

"That girl can't even cook without burning her hair and you went out to drink with her?" Nathan raised a brow.

"It was Puppy- She got a puppy... That's how her hair got fried." Parker shrugged.

"What? Did the puppy turn on her hair straighteners while she was sleeping?"

"It's a troublesome puppy." Parker nodded quickly, turning away.

Nathan rolled his eyes,"You know what? Let's just go to bed. I can't be dealing with this right now."

"I'm not tired right now, I might do some work." Parker sighed.

"Fine, you do that." Nathan shook his head and headed upstairs.

"Night babe-" Parker began but he was already upstairs.

*********************************

Nathan was sat on the couch, reading a newspaper.

"Hey hun." Parker walked down the stairs.

"Hm?" He raised a brow.

"The rest of the Herd are coming over, okay?" Parker stood at the doorway.

"To my house?" Nathan raised a brow.

"We both pay the bills, Nate." Parker spoke nervously.

"They're not coming in here."

"What?" Parker looked at him.

"If you must, sit outside but they're not coming in here." Nathan shook his head.

"They're my friends, Nathan. You can't do that."

"I can't?" Nathan stood up.

"No, because its not fair how I can go in there's but they can't come here." Parker scoffed.

"Parker, I'm in charge here and you'll listen to me." Nathan glared at her.

"What if they want to come in?"

"They can't."

"You're gonna tell my friends how to act? They're their own people."

"Not in my house." Nathan shrugged.

"Fuck you." Parker cursed and walked to the kitchen.

"Dont speak to me like that." Nathan scoffed.

Parker shook her head and picked up her phone, calling Erica.

"Hello?"

"Hey- Um... It's a nice day so I think we could all just hang out outside." Parker nodded.

"Outside? Eh, I don't have an issue with a picnic." Erica shrugged.

"Yeah, plus- I finally started up with the barn... You can all come see it." Parker hummed.

"Ooh, that'll be nice."

"Can you let the others know? Please?"

"Of course."

"Thanks Er." Parker rubbed her arms.

"No problem, Parker."

"See you soon, yeah?" Parker glanced back at Nathan.

"Yeah."

"Love you." She sighed and hung up.

"Love you?" Nathans eyes narrowed.

"Yes?" Parker tilted her head.

"Are you cheating on me?"

"Cheating- Ha!" Parker let out a laugh,"Sorry- That's just... What?"

"Who could you possibly love more than me?" Nathan questioned.

"There's different kinds of love, Nathan. There's us, then there's platonic love like me and Erica. Then just normal love like, family... Friends like the Herd and Blaise." She shrugged.

"Blaise, huh?"

"Yeah, he's not in the Herd but he's always been there."

"You really like him, huh?"

"He's one of my best friends." Parker opened the fridge.

"Best friends." Nathan nodded slowly.

"Oh, come on, Nathan, I don't think you're cheating on me when you go to Candice's- I mean, we know what she's like with boys." Parker sighed.

"Candice isn't my type." Nathan rolled his eyes,"Even someone like that ginger friend of yours could tell."

Parker shook her head,"Whatever, I'm gonna get dressed."

"Yeah, you do that. You know the drill."

Parker crossed her arms, hugging herself as she walked upstairs.

"I'll be keeping an eye on those boys." Nathan called up to her.

"The same boys who are engaged and married?" Parker stood at the top of the stairs.

"You can't trust anyone these days, darling." Nathan hummed.

"Tell me about it." Parker muttered under her breath, walking to the bedroom.

She had gotten used to 'the drill'. Whenever she was going somewhere with boys? Cover up. No short skirts, only turtleneck tops and jumpers, no makeup.

"Stupid- Stupid." Parker muttered as she changed.

It was stupid. Who was he to control what she wore? Parker was never like this, she doesn't know why she changed. Why did she change for him? She was better than this.

Nathan... Nathan was just some stupid, muggle man, a horrible man! She just wished-

"Hey, your 'friends' are here."

"Thanks." Parker turned to him.

"They're waiting outside." Nathan nodded before walking off.

"Prick." Parker whispered and fixed her hair, running downstairs.

Just as he said, the rest of the Herd was waiting outside.

"Hi." Parker smiled.

"Parker." Erica smiled,"Look, we invited someone else too."

"You invited him-" Ron began.

"Shh."

"Who did you bring?" Parker looked at them.

Erica grinned and stepped aside to reveal... Blaise!

Parker smiled,"Hi Blaise."

"Parker, its been far too long." Blaise smiled back at her.

"Tell me about it." Parker looked back at the house,"Let's go to the barn."

"What exactly have you got in there?" Ron asked.

"I'm hoping that I can start a little mini farm." Parker smiled as she walked,"Right now? I have some goats. And I'm hoping to get a cat soon but Nathan's allergic."

"Get five. And keep them in the house. Kill him." Erica told her.

Parker chuckled,"Anyone hungry? Thirsty?" She walked into the barn while a goat came running at the Herd.

"Goat!" Erica smiled.

"This is... Avery." Parker nodded slowly.

"That's a lovely name." Hermione told her.

"I just picked one I liked. So, tell me. What have I missed?" Parker sat at the bench.

"Hm, well, I've been starting to talk to Neville." Erica told her.

"Really?" Ron turned to her.

"Really." She nodded

"How's that going?"

"Very well."

"Getting... Closer?" Parker smirked.

"Parker, how many times do I have to say... Married?" Erica pointed.

"Mhm. Never said anything." Parker held her hands up.

"Oh, you meant it-"

"Right, calm down." Harry looked between them.

"We haven't seen each other in ages." Parker hugged her.

"You didn't answer my calls last week." Erica pointed.

"I'm always losing that thing." Parker shook her head slowly.

"Maybe you could get a little keychain for it, make is harder to lose." Blaise suggested.

"Yeah... Yeah, maybe." Parker looked at Blaise.

"Or get a very loud ringtone so you can always hear it." Ron added.

"Yeah, that too." Parker smiled,"I'm gonna go get some snacks and drinks. Feel free to see the Goats." She ran inside.

"Will do." Harry nodded.

Parker walked inside, going to the lemonade and jumped a little in excitement. She missed her friends, Blaise and Erica especially.

"Having fun?" Nathan asked.

"Mhm." Parker nodded.

"Who's that one? The boy beside the ginger." Nathan raised a brow.

"What ginger? There's two."

"The boy."

"... A friend." Parker turned away from him.

"A friend named..?"

Parker muttered something.

"Parker. Speak up." Nathan ordered.

"I have to get back outside." Parker shook her head, grabbing a few glasses.

"Parker, what is his name?" Nathan grabbed her shoulder.

Parker slowly looked at him, "It's Blaise."

"That... Is Blaise?" Nathan raised a brow.

"Yes." Parker looked away.

Nathan let her go and walked off. Parker looked at Nathan, confused by his reaction, waiting a second before she grabbed the snacks and quickly ran to the barn.

"I brought a picnic blanket." Hermione told them.

"We found it last minute... Think it's my mum's." Ron admitted.

"It probably is." Harry nodded.

"Erica, recognise it?" Ron asked.

"Hm- Oh- Uh.." Erica looked at the blanket.

"Probably." Hermione waved them off as she sat down.

"Well, what are we having?" Harry asked.

"Snacks. Sandwiches... Sweets... Crisps." Parker dumped it on the blanket.

"Delicious." Ron smiled.

"Oh! And cake." Parker put it down.

"Cake!" Erica smiled,"Blaise, don't you like- Blaise?"

"Where did he go?" Harry blinked.

"He was just here!" Ron pointed.

Parker looked at the goats,"He's not by the kids."

"You don't think... He went inside, do you?" Hermione raised a brow.

Parker looked at her friends,"I'll just go check." She rushed inside.

Meanwhile, Blaise had wandered inside, looking for the bathroom but had stumbled upon the living room.

"Well, well, well... Look who we have here." Nathan walked in.

"Oh- Hi. You must be Nathan, right?" Blaise smiled, holding out his hand.

Nathan glanced at his hand,"Blaise."

"Yes?... What? Has Parker said bad things about me?"

"Oh no, no, nothing like that." Nathan shook his head,"I just don't appreciate other men trying to sleep with my girlfriend."

"Trying to sleep- Slow your roll man." He chuckled,"She's my friend. I mean- We had a thing at school once but nothing more."

"Oh, I wasn't aware of that." Nathan glared at him.

"We were 14... 15. First timers... Sorry mate." He sighed,"But I don't feel anything for her, don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. She's just my best friend." Blaise nodded,"Mind if I use your loo?"

"Sure."

"Thanks." Blaise patted his back,"Where... Where is it?"

"Upstairs, on the left." Nathan pointed.

Blaise gave a small smile and walked upstairs. Nathan glared after him. He didn't want someone like Blaise in his house.

"Blaise- Oh... Hi hun." Parker waved.

"He's in the bathroom."

"Shit, I'm sorry, I forgot to tell him about not coming inside."

"I bet you did." Nathan spat.

"Well I didn't know he was coming so it was a shock." Parker chuckled,"I'm sorry."

"You should be." Nathan lowered his voice,"We'll discuss this later."

Parker dropped her smile,"Okay." She spoke in a quiet voice.

"Now run along, go play with your little friends." Nathan waved her off.

"Yeah... Yeah." Parker looked upstairs, turning away and walked back out.

"Good girl."

Parker walked back out to the barn and sat next to Erica, hugging into her side.

"You okay, hun?" Erica rubbed her back.

Parker nodded,"Can I stay with you tonight?"

"Aw, of course! You know how I love company." Erica nodded.

"Besides, when was the last time we had a sleepover?" Parker smiled.

"Ages ago." Erica sighed.

"So... I'm gonna stay tonight." Parker nodded.

Erica smiled and hugged her tighter.

"Love you, Er." Parker whispered.

"I love you too." Erica smiled.