Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 30)
Challenge: Harry inherits Sirius' flying motorbike. Will Hermione ride with him?
Title: Come With Me and Escape
Word Count: 1,000
The seemingly endless days stuck in a private room in St. Mungo's were finally at an end and it as a shell-shocked Hermione Granger that stepped foot into the torrent of camera flashes and questions of a sea of reporters.
"Miss Granger, is it true that you were with Harry Potter when he finally defeated You-Know-Who?"
"Miss Granger, how long have you and Harry been an item?"
"Hermione, what was the final battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named like?"
"Were you scared?"
"Where is Harry Potter?"
Before she could postulate an answer, four Aurors appeared next to her and whisked her back into the hospital.
"Just when I was out of here." She mumbled under her breath. "Is there a different way I can leave?"
"We're working on a private portkey for you now, Hermione." Kinsley Shacklebolt said in his deep, baritone voice. "We had to do the same for Harry."
"When did he leave?" Hermione asked quickly as they seemingly wandered down random halls. "I stopped by his room and they told me he'd been discharged."
"He left earlier this morning when you were asleep. I'm surprised he didn't wake you when he visited." Remus said with a smile. "He had legal business to attend to that was time critical. I'm sure he'd have waited for you if he could."
Flashes of a groggy conversation came to mind and Hermione suddenly remembered Harry whispering that he loved her and a quick kiss on her temple. She blushed as the memories returned but was suddenly pulled from her reminiscing when they entered a vacant room.
"We're here." One of the others said.
"Harry left your portkey." Remus said with a smile. "It's ready when you are."
Excitement welled within her heart as she nodded. "I'm ready to go." She said breathlessly.
Remus smiled and held out an envelope. "The envelope is the portkey, I believe there's something inside for you but you shouldn't look until you arrive."
Hermione nodded and gave the old werewolf a hug. "Thank you, Remus." She whispered before pulling away.
Lupin smiled gently and handed her the envelope. She took it with shaking hands and looked at it expectantly.
"When is it supposed to activa ..." She asked when she suddenly felt like a fish on a line and was tugged forward through a rush of wind and a roar of color. She stumbled to a stop on a cliff overlooking the Irish Sea. "... te?"
She stood, bewildered by the scenery and watched as the sun began its slow descent to the rolling ocean. A flock of gulls floated by just as she remembered the contents of the envelope. With a shaking hand, she opened it and retrieved the parchment inside. She took a deep breath and unfolded the paper, willing herself to be calm.
My dearest Love,
I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke this morning, but after everything that's gone on, I needed to tie
up some loose ends before I left. As of today I am officially twenty-one and had to settle my parents' and
Sirius' inheritance. That's where I had to go this morning, I'm sure you don't remember much of our
conversation with the sleeping draught still in your system, but know that I love you. I hope Remus got this to you in
time, with any luck, when you finish this, I'll be by your side once again.
Love forever and always,
Harry
Hermione glanced around the area quickly to see if his uncanny ability to time things was still in effect. She sighed when the shrubs and trees were the only things around her and she turned back to the envelope. There was a small lump inside that she hadn't noticed before, and emptied it into the palm of her hand. She smiled and set the tiny box on the ground before it grew several times larger. A note was attached, and she read it quickly.
Well, not after the letter, it was after you emptied the envelope that I'd arrive.
She hid a smile expecting him to suddenly appear behind her, but was instead greeted by the unmistakable rumble of a motorcycle engine. She turned this way and that but found neither Harry nor the mysterious motorcycle that kept growing closer. She turned back towards the cliff and gasped.
Harry Potter was astride an old Harley Davidson, dressed in jeans and black leather jacket. The part that amazed her was the hovering machine rumbling beneath him.
"I didn't think you'd get to the box!" He said with a wide smile as he set down in front of her. "Open it!"
Hermione smiled widely and did as she was told. Inside, she found a matching helmet and leather jacket, along with a passport. "What's the passport for?" She asked as Harry switched off the engine.
He laughed as he gathered her in his arms, greeting her properly with a kiss. "It's about time I make good on that promise." He said with a wide smile.
"Wait, you mean ..." Hermione's eyes widened with excitement.
Harry nodded. "It's about time I take my wife on her honeymoon." He said with a laugh as her arms wrapped around him.
"No more pretending?" She asked quietly with tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.
"Mrs. Potter, put on your jacket and climb aboard." Harry said with a tenderness she had only recently been privy to witness. "This is one of the things Sirius left me and it's our trip to Hawaii."
Her fear of flying forgotten, Hermione quickly donned the helmet and jacket before climbing behind her once-secret husband. With a roar of the engine, Harry brought the motorcycle he'd once dreamed of into the air. He revved the engine a few times before they slowly floated west into the sinking sun, the woman of his dreams holding him tightly as their silhouette shrank to the size of a pinhole, then vanished in the orange and red disk that was waiting silently for them at the horizon.