Daoimear de Dán: Portraits of A Life

Hermione Granger raised an eyebrow and stifled a laugh as she looked at the large display of Potter merchandise. Clearly, the girl didn’t recognise her or she wouldn’t have asked. Everyone knew that Hermione was the only person who didn’t actually need a Harry Potter action figure: she had the real thing waiting for her at home.

Hermione was a celebrity in her own right too, after all, she was a heroine of the war. Unlike Mr Potter, she was rarely recognised unless she was with Harry or Ron. She looked at the stacks of Harrys, all winking at her with lascivious grins. She grinned wickedly and nodded to the girl.

“Yes, I think I would,” she said. The girl took one from the display and moved over to the till.

“They reckon that every magical household in Britain owns one of these,” the girl said as Hermione handed over the required galleons. “Would you like to see how it works?”

Hermione tried very hard to stifle a noisy, raucous laugh that would’ve been most unbecoming.

“No, I think I’ll manage,” she said with another grin. She took the bag and headed out of the shop. She meandered down Diagon Alley looking in windows and nodding to acquaintances as they passed. She was due to meet Harry and Ron at Florean Fortescue’s in two minutes. She headed in there to find him already sitting there. A rather attractive blonde was sitting in the seat beside him. Or rather, an attractive blonde was almost sitting in his lap.

“As I was telling Ivana the other day...” the girl droned on and on. Harry looked like he would gladly face Voldemort again instead of listening to this girl carry on.

Hermione watched with amusement as the girl preened and posed to no effect whatsoever. Grinning wickedly again, for she was in a funny sort of mood, Hermione transformed into her phoenix form and picked up her bag in her beak. She flew over to Harry’s table and dropped the bag onto the table. Harry looked incredibly relieved to see the scarlet and purple bird arrive.

“Is this your bird?” the girl asked. Harry smirked.

“You might say that,” he said as the phoenix settled onto his lap.

“What kind of bird is it?” the girl inquired.

“Oh, she’s a phoenix.”

“How do you know it’s a she?”

“I have my ways,” he told her, stroking the bird’s back. It let out a contented note and snuggled its head into his chest.

“What’s its name?”

“Flame.”

“Flame? Why Flame?”

“Because phoenixes burst into flame. Not original, I’ll grant you.”

“It’s a great name,” she gushed. “How did you get it to be your pet? Aren’t they hard to domesticate?”

“Yes. You need to know how to treat them.”

“How’s that?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.

“Let them know who’s boss,” he said with a cocky grin. His ‘pet’ phoenix reached up and nipped his finger. He just laughed.

“Of course, she’s the boss.”

The phoenix nodded. The girl laughed gaily and leaned over and stroked Harry’s arm in one of the least subtle moves Flame had seen in a good long while. Flame felt Harry tense up awkwardly. He was no good at telling girls to leave him alone in a subtle manner and far too noble to be blunt.

“They’re very loyal, you know,” Harry told the girl. “Once you earn their love and their trust, you have it always.”

Flame pecked at his chest to say ‘don’t bet on it’.

“So,” said the girl, deciding to get down to business. “Does the famous hero and phoenix trainer have a girlfriend?”

Harry was unable to answer straight away because just then Flame flew out of his lap and perched in the chair opposite. Harry and the bird seemed to stare each other down for a moment before he smiled and turned to the girl.

“No,” he said. She grinned broadly before he continued, “I’m engaged to Hermione Granger. Perhaps you read the announcement in the Prophet?”

“No, I didn’t. Uh... Hermione Granger, you say? Well, that’s lovely.” The girl edged out of her chair and shot out of the ice cream shop. In a second, Hermione was sitting where Flame the Phoenix had previously been.

“Is my reputation really that scary?” she asked.

“I’m glad,” said Harry. “That girl was like a limpet. I’d barely sat down when she appeared. Thank you for rescuing me.”

“You’re welcome. I bought you a present, too,” she said pointing to the bag. He grabbed it eagerly although his grin faded when he pulled out the Harry Potter action figure. It looked up at him and waved.

“Hermione!” he whined. Both the figure and Hermione laughed at him.

“The girl in the shop didn’t recognise me. She asked me if I wanted Harry Potter. What was I meant to say?” she smirked at him and he couldn’t resist smiling back. “She even asked me if I needed a demonstration.”

Harry laughed.

“Well, I can’t wait until they release the Hermione doll.”

“Action figure,” she corrected.

“Whatever. I’ve already called the toy people to send me the first one.”

“You didn’t!”

“I did,” he said with a self-satisfied smirk. “They said they’d be happy to oblige. And Ron’s getting number two.”

“Have you heard anything more about this new girlfriend of his?”

“Not much. Apparently she was one of the Beauxbatons girls who came to Hogwarts during the war. That’s all I know.”

“When is he meant to get here?” she asked, checking her watch.

“When he turns up. This is Ron we’re talking about, after all.”

“Now Harry, don’t be like that. You know how many times we’ve kept him waiting.”

“Fine. Do you think he’ll bring his chick along?”

“Well, firstly, we’re not chicks. This isn’t 1972. And secondly, I hope so. The suspense is driving me crazy.”

“You want an ice cream to tide you over?” he asked.

“I’d love a pumpkin ice cream cone,” she replied. He stood up and moved around the table. He planted a brief kiss on her forehead before heading over to the counter. He returned with two pumpkin cones, one with chocolate sprinkles. He handed it to her and she began devouring it eagerly.

“Thought you might like sprinkles,” he said, sitting down again, this time next to her.

“You read my mind,” she said between licks. He smiled sweetly at her and kissed her, tasting the pumpkin ice cream on her lips.

“You taste of pumpkins,” he said.

“So do you.”

“Harry! Hermione!” Ron entered the ice cream parlour and bounced over to them.

“Hey Ron,” said Harry warmly. “Want an ice cream?”

“Not just yet. I want you to meet someone!” Ron seemed in danger of extreme over-excitement. He waved at someone outside. A willowy girl with hair almost as black as Harry’s came in. She looked supremely nervous.

“This is Deanna. My girlfriend.” Ron’s ears turned slightly pink.

“You’ve kept this pretty quiet,” Harry commented with a grin. He then turned to the dark-haired beauty holding Ron’s hand. “We’ve met, haven’t we?”

“I was the Beauxbatons girl who shouted at you both when we arrived at Hogwarts,” she said with a grin. Harry smiled in remembrance.

“Well, it’s lovely to meet you,” said Hermione, shaking Deanna’s hand warmly. “Sit down, both of you, we want to know everything.”

*