Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

A/N: A very very very short and Muggle chapter to get to know Julie a tiny bit better.

Friends

"I can't believe he kissed you!" Mel exclaimed, her eyes round in surprise. "He used to stick bubble-gum in your hair when we were kids, remember? I thought it was just a phase after you-know-who, but I would've never imagined – she sighed in desperation – Dudley, Jules? Why Dudley Dursley?"

"Why Mark Higgs, then?" Julie huffed offended. "He used to call you Monkey Face, remember?"

"It was years ago and, anyway, Mark's hot," was the quick reply.

"So Dudley isn't, uh?" asked Julie slightly irritated.

"I don't like blonds."

"Thanks," the blond girl replied.

"Oh, come on!" Mel laughed out loud. "I don't like blond men, you idiot."

"That's reassuring," Julie snickered.

Melanie looked at her friend, a frown on her face.

"You really, really like him, uh?" It was more a statement than a question.

"He's changed," said Julie not meeting her friend's eyes.

"That's not what I asked."

Julie sighed exasperated, there was never a way out of Mel's questionnaires.

"Yes, Mel, I really, really like him," she confessed.

"Be careful then."

"I will, don't worry."

"If he breaks your heart I'll break his legs."

"He won't."

"But if he does, I will."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"No, listen to me!" Mel exclaimed. "Don't you dare fall for him like –"

"I know –"

"I remember every single tear you've shed for that other piece of –"

"I know –"

"No, you don't. You don't have a clue how worried I've been for months. I thought you were going to do something stupid, your parents were terrified, your sister kept calling me four times a week 'cause she didn't know how to even talk to you –"

"Believe me, I know," said Julie grimacing. "I know I've been to hell and back since February but Dudley is different. He's changed, he's got a good job and wants to do something with his life –"

"Those are the same words you used to describe him," Mel reminded her.

"He manipulated me and lied to me from the moment we met," Julie said angrily.

"Dudley might be doing the same!"

"He's different."

"How?"

"Dudley's never been a drug addict."

"Don't blame drugs for what that evil shit did to you! He was rotten to the core with or without drugs!"

"Drugs made him that way!" Julie said loudly, her hands shaking.

"Stop finding excuses for his behaviour! Stop thinking you're the one to blame! Stop thinking there was something wrong with you for him to treat you that way!" the brunette said outraged. "Please, just please, tell me you don't have any feelings left for that monster..." Mel added wearily.

"I'll never forget what I felt for the person I thought Tom was," Julie sighed.

Melanie looked at her surprised, her mouth agape.

"What?" Julie asked her unnerved by her friend's reaction.

"You said the name."

"It was about time, don't you think?" Julie said with a shaky laugh.

"Yeah, it was," Mel smiled. "I'm just glad you're finally coming back."

Julie hugged Mel tightly, feeling blessed to have someone like her in her life. Even in the darkest of times she'd been a constant, Julie's only fiery beacon of hope in a well of pain.

"Thank you for everything, Mel," Julie whispered, her voice thick with tears. "I wouldn't have made it without you."

"You're welcome, Jules," Mel said. "That's what best friends are for."

"I really like Dudley, you know," she said after a while. "For the first time in months I kind of feel whole again."

...

A/N: I'm not entirely sure why I'm posting this chapter... I came up with it because I thought there was too much of a gap between chapter 7 and 8. It's very personal, very real and means a lot to me. If there ever comes a time anyone of you falls for a person who was/is on drugs... run as fast as you can. Never give your heart to a person who can't keep it safe...

Thanks to all my reviewers and followers... sorry for the long delay, I'll try to be quicker with the next update!