Title: The Search is Over
Disclaimer: All familiar characters and events are from JK Rowling and the only thing I own is the plot… Don't sue me or anything I don't get anything from this except maybe reviews. I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter fic.
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Chapter 2: What Everybody Says
"Can you believe that woman? After all these years she still wouldn't let me be?" Harry said as he and Hermione walked back inside the ministry building.
"Some things never change Harry," Hermione commented. "What time will you come by my office?"
"Around eight o'clock I need to talk to Shacklebolt and Arthur later. Wait for me. We'll have Chinese take out for a change," Harry said as he went on the elevator and Hermione went to her office to start on her work again.
She thought that Quidditch will be a nice refreshing start for Harry but it would also mean more girls swarming over him. She couldn't focus her attention to her work. It's one of those days that she would like to call the attack of her Harry syndrome. She didn't like the idea of harboring romantic feelings towards her best friend but she had always had it in her. No matter how she tried to look for another man to give all her love she would be stuck thinking of all her fun memories with Harry. All that they went through together gave her enough reason to believe that Harry is truly the person for her not because he's the Boy-who-lived but because he was Harry. The boy she had grown to love for many years. He was the boy whom she had accepted whole-heartedly without pretenses and he did the same for her. Harry was her true friend. He showed her the love and affection any girl could wish for in a friend only she wished there could be more. Deep in her heart she knew that he was also her true love.
She focused her mind again to the mount full of paper work she had to finish. Darcy her assistant went on a leave because she was due to give birth that month. Arthur offered to hire an assistant for her but she insisted that she would like Darcy to still have her position when she gets back.
She was half way to her paper work magically scanning them one by one when someone knocked on her open office door.
"Who is it?" she said not minding to take a look to whoever entered her room.
"Hermione can I talk to you," a familiar voice said.
Hermione looked up at Natalie Swangs' familiar face. She was smiling but Hermione could see that she just recovered from some major crying fit.
"Hello… Natalie. What are you doing here? Harry's Office is three more floors down, but come in, have a seat" Hermione asked politely and she motioned her to take a seat.
"I just came here to give you this," Natalie said as she handed Hermione a shoebox.
"What are these?" Hermione asked as she took the box and opened its contents with confusion all over her face.
"Those are the things Harry gave me when we were together. As you can see all of them are items that reminded him of you," Natalie said.
Hermione wanted to reason but to no avail.
"The only person he talks about is you. We're together almost everyday but you seem to be the only person he thinks about. We go out on dates and he'll take me to your favorite restaurant. Once, he bought me reading glasses because he said I'd look cute wearing it and when we got to your house you were wearing the same kind," Natalie said.
"Maybe it's just a coincidence. I mean maybe he thought we liked the same thing," Hermione tried to argue.
"No," Natalie burst into tears. "He loves you and he's too oblivious to his own emotions. I like you Hermione, you're a very nice person but I can't look pass the fact that he loves you and I hate you because of it. I know you love him too. Call it girl's instinct. Don't let him go around chasing girls who look like you when you're the one he really wants," she added.
"I don't know what to say Nat," was the only thing Hermione could think of saying.
"You don't have to say anything to me. You have to tell him what you feel or maybe make him realize that you're the one he wants and not some damn look a like. I'm going to France this week. Tell him I gave them back to you because I didn't have the guts to face him," Natalie muttered.
"I'm so sorry Natalie. I didn't know I caused you that much trouble," Hermione apologized and clapped Natalie's shoulder as a sign of sympathy.
"Don't feel sorry for me Hermione. I already accepted the truth. I feel sorry for you and Harry. You two are still in denial of your true feelings for each other," and with that Natalie left the room.
'Too much, for not thinking about Harry,' Hermione thought. 'As if it's that easy to come up to Harry and tell him that I have been madly in love with him even before we left Hogwarts.'
Hermione spotted her parents' old wedding photo on her desk. "Mum, dad, I wish falling in love with Harry is as easy as falling in love with muggles. The thing is he's too darn popular and that everyone adores him and to think he's an Auror and not a superstar what more would happen if he plays professional Quidditch. Why did I fall in love with my best friend anyway? And why are those girls insisting that Harry likes me when he won't even give me a second look?" she had too many questions asked but she only got her parents' picture to answer.
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Arthur Weasley was such a busy man but Harry was like a son to him and the boy seemed very eager to talk to him that afternoon.
"Arthur, your secretary said I can come in now," Harry said as he entered the Minister of Magic's Office. It was modestly furnished room for someone with the ranks of minister.
"Harry, come in. I was a bit surprised you wanted to talk to me. Go on sit down," Arthur said warmly. He had aged a bit he surely retained his homely attitude and cheerful nature. "So what can I do for you?"
"Well, I have given this much of a thought and I even informed Kingsley about my decision. I… I'm quitting my job in the ministry. I know it's a bit unexpected but I have thought it over and I want to retire from the death eater chasing. I also got an offer to play for England. You know I have always loved Quidditch but I had too much going with Voldemort and the death eaters before, so I had to put it aside," Harry explained. He didn't think that Arthur would approve of his decision.
"If you think it's for the best then you may leave the force, and honestly, Harry, I would love to see England win this year," Arthur said warmly. "I believe I will be seeing you and Hermione this weekend at the Burrow. Ginny is organizing a little get together. She even invited Ron and Luna to join us."
"Of course we'll be there. Ron is flying back to England. That's absolutely brilliant. I can talk to him about my plans on getting back to Quidditch," Harry said excitedly.
"I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear all your plans. I will finally see my grand daughter. The last time I saw her was last Christmas," Arthur said as he took the portrait of Ron and his family.
"You miss them, don't you?" Harry said.
"Well, they grew up so fast, well, all of you did. Now I only have my little Ginny left. And soon some guy will take her from us," Arthur sighed.
"I think Ginny will do just fine and she's no longer a little girl," Harry commented.
"Yes, she's already a young woman. I was really saddened when she told us she wanted to move out. That was a year ago and she visits us every weekend but I miss my little girl even more," Arthur said almost teary eyed.
"Arthur, don't worry. She will always be your little girl. And besides you still have two kids other than Ginny who aren't married yet. Me and Hermione," Harry said.
"Well, I was expecting I would preside your wedding before my Ginny's," Arthur said.
"I can't believe you still pull that joke on me," Harry said.
"Honestly boy, a beautiful girl with the qualities like Hermione's is too hard to pass. I expected you will act faster but five years is too long. When will I have grand children from the two of you," Arthur said. He had spoken like a true father to his son.
Harry laughed a little. The idea was funny but he couldn't deny the fact that he did thought about them like that. He had thought about it too many times but he would still go around dating someone else. He was a stubborn idiot. He would usually admit to himself.
"I don't want to keep you Arthur. I'll be heading off now," Harry said as he stood up and extended his hand to Arthur.
The old mad pulled him into a fatherly hug. "Like I told you son, don't let her get away," Arthur said before letting him go.
Harry just gave him a weak smile and left.
The thought of Hermione lingered in his mind. There was no doubt that she liked her. But she was his best friend and she would never like him that way. It just wasn't worth the risk. Her friendship was the best thing that happened to him. Ron's friendship was also important to him but he has his own life now. Only Hermione is sharing his and he didn't want to drive her away by telling her that he loved her.
'Why did I have to fall in love with my best friend,' he thought. 'Hang one, where did that thought come from?' he asked himself. Was he really in love with her he repeatedly asked himself.
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Harry found himself going to Hermione's office. He peaked inside and as usual she was busy doing her paper work. Harry was soon grinning like an idiot watching his best friend slave herself with all the paper work.
Harry watched her as she bit her lower lip while sorting out which parchment goes to the files and which ones go for additional reading and analysis.
Her reading glasses slightly over her nose like he would do with his. She fascinated him and he somehow knew why but never had the courage to admit to himself.
'Stop it,' he scolded himself.
"Hey, is it time to leave. I still have thirty minutes," Hermione lifted her head to look at him, her brown eyes gazing up to his green ones. A slight curl showed on her lips. He was mesmerized.
'This can't be happening. She's my bestfriend,' he thought to himself. "Go on Hermione, take your time I'll just stay here and marvel at how attractive you look like while working over those mounds of paper work," Harry joked but he knew that in his heart she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in a pile of mess like her office.
"Make fun of me all you like Potter," Hermione said as she went into tidying her table. With a swift wand movement her table had been tidied up. The processed rolls of parchment were segregated from those who would still need to be read. Hermione tied her hair in a nice ponytail. "Okay, I think I'm just about done. Oh Harry, Nat dropped by and left this," Hermione said as she handed Harry the box.
"She did, didn't she?" Harry muttered. "Well, let's go out. I already told Kingsley and Arthur. I'll be writing to Oliver and everything is going just fine," Harry said, ignoring the news about Natalie.
"Well, you're one lucky lad and come to think of it you deserved it," Hermione said. She knew all the hell Harry had been through while they were at Hogwarts and still Harry saw their school as his own home. Hermione on the other hand was in different kind of hell. Being around someone you really love and not being able to tell him how you feel.
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Three days had passed. The female Weasleys namely, Tonks, Fleur, Angelina, Alicia, Penelope along with Molly, Ginny and Hermione were preparing for that special announcement dinner.
"Mum, do you think dad will approve?" Ginny asked her mother for the nth time.
The girls were all busy in the kitchen. "Now, dear of course your father will approve. Draco, well… he has changed through the years," Molly said gingerly to her little girl.
"What about my brothers they all hate him," Ginny said all panicky.
"Ginny relax. I've talked to Harry he's picking up Ron and Luna in the airport. He'll tell him. Everything will be all right, and besides your brothers' wives are here. They'll back you up," Hermione said.
The girls all giggled. "Don't worry Ginny, I already spoke to Charlie and he was baffled a little but he got over it," Tonks said.
"Bill, iz fine with it," Fleur said sweetly.
"Percy already knows. Apparently Draco spoke to him already," Penelope said.
"Well, the twins are in for a surprise we didn't tell them," Angelina and Alicia said.
"So Charlie and Bill are okay with it. I only have to worry about dad, Fred, George and Ron," Ginny said.
"Oh relax. Nothing can compare to Harry's reaction when he found out. Honestly Ginny, luckily you weren't there when I told him. He was laughing hysterically and when he found out I wasn't joking he had to ask me if it's true over and over," Hermione admitted. "It was like he had a drug overdose and he just wouldn't stop. We didn't sleep last night. He made me tell everything about you and Draco and finally when I told him that I think you'll do just fine with Draco he finally let me sleep in peace," Hermione told them.
"You do have an effect on him," Ginny exclaimed. "Thanks Hermione for helping me with that. You did tell him that he'd be the best man?"
"No I didn't get to that part yet. You can tell him later," Hermione replied.
"Don't worry, he'll agree. You're like a little sister that he never had," Molly commented.
"Then what am I?" Hermione asked with a playful pout on her lips.
"You're the girl Harry wants for a girlfriend but he's too thick to admit to himself," Tonks said after being quiet in long while.
Hermione blushed furiously.
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"Ron, it's Ginny, she's getting married to Malfoy," Harry practiced in front of his car mirror. "No, that wouldn't work. Ron, the most unlikely thing just happened Ginny is going to marry Draco," Harry practiced again. "That sounded just the same," he said to himself.
Harry looked at his muggle watch. Ron and Luna took muggle transport to get to London from Canada. Harry got out of his car and went inside the airport. He waited at the arrival area and after a few minutes he saw Ron carrying a little blond girl on his back while pushing their luggage trolley and Luna who looked like another baby was on the way. Harry waved at them.
"Ron!" Harry called out.
Ron easily spotted him and went to his direction.
The two best friends hugged each other. "It's so nice to see you mate," Ron exclaimed.
"I'm happy to see you too," Harry said. "Luna, another baby on the way, I see," Harry said as he gave Luna a hug.
Ron got the little girl off his back and gave her to Harry.
"Is this our little Christine?" Harry said as he hugged the little tike.
"Uncle Harry, you still have your scar?" Christine said with her protuberant eyes gazing on him.
"I still do," Harry replied. "Will you give uncle Harry a kiss?"
The little girl planted a kiss on Harry's cheek.
"That's my little girl," Ron said. "You'll see Nathan, Andrew, Sean, Dustin and Milo when we get to the Burrow."
"I'll help you with those. We should get to my car and get a move on," Harry said as he pushed the trolley and Ron carried little Christine while holding Luna's hand.
"Don't you ever want to have a family of your own Harry?" Luna suddenly asked.
"Of course I do. I just haven't found the right person yet," Harry replied.
"Well, maybe she's already there and you just don't realize it yet," Luna said.
"I have to second my wife with that. You are living with the most attractive woman I have ever met next to my wife of course," Ron commented as he placed an arm around Luna.
"I can't believe I would live to see the day that Ronald Weasley will become a family man," Harry said trying to change the topic.
"I was a bit confused at the beginning but when I felt it in my heart that she's the one I just told her. You know how that happened, you, Hermione, Ginny and Neville planned that whole thing. I was too darn thick that time. Then When I saw Luna that night I just knew," Ron said.
"Well, not everyone is lucky to have a fairytale romance like yours," Harry said dryly as he opened the trunk of his car and placed the entire luggage inside.
"I didn't have a fairy tale romance. I found true love and I opened my heart and acknowledged it unlike some people I know," Ron commented.
"I know it's been a long while since we've last done this but Ron prepare to fly," Harry said in a weak attempt to change the topic. He made sure that the parking lot was clear and he used the cars invisibility mode and drove off to the Burrow.
A/N: new update. Checked the chapters for errors. I hope I didn't miss any follies.