We Really Should Have Seen That Coming
"Harry," he heard a soft voice purr in his ear sometime around midnight. He opened his eyes to find Hermione standing over him, wearing nothing but a smile. "Do you think I could join you?" Harry's eyes widened in shock. A few hours earlier they had agreed they weren't going to do this yet, but here she was, apparently ready for them to be them.
"Of course you can," Harry said, raising the comforter, allowing her to crawl in beside him. Hermione snuggled into his side and started kissing his neck softly. "'Mione I thought we weren't go to do this yet."
"You don't want me?" Hermione asked softly, kissing up his neck to the side of his face.
"Of course I want you - I've wanted you for the past ten years."
"Then take me," Hermione said moving one of her legs over his hips and pressing her lips onto his forcefully. She ran her tongue along his lips sensually and he parted his lips to let her in.
"Only if you're sure," Harry breathed as Hermione pulled down his pajama pants.
"I've never been surer," Hermione said in a voice that had grown deep with passion. Harry didn't need more convincing. He loved her, he wanted her, and she wanted him too.
"Harry - Harry are you awake? You need to be getting up - we need to go get the twins." Hermione's voice rang through Harry's room, waking him suddenly from his most excellent dream. Harry willed his eyes to stay closed, trying to force himself back into his dream. "Come on Harry - get up," Hermione said while crossing his room and playfully jumping on top of him.
"Hey! I was having a really good dream," Harry moaned resolutely holding his eyes shut - willing the dream back to him.
"Come on, Harry, wake up." Hermione said starting to pull the covers off him.
"Wow `Mione, I don't really think you want to do that right now," Harry said, knowing full well that his dream had given him an erection, one that he didn't want Hermione to find out about.
"Why?" Hermione asked playfully, pulling at the covers Harry was trying to keep close to him. She tugged and tugged again as Harry tried, unsuccessfully, to move away from her and keep himself hidden. "Oh," Hermione said with a sudden realization as she pulled the comforter off his lap.
"I told you I was having a really good dream," Harry said, blushing beat red and pulling the covers back over himself.
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Hermione said sweetly, trying not to blush herself. She settled at the foot of the bed her feet tucked up under herself.
"I know that, it's just, well - okay so I'm a little embarrassed," Harry whispered, not meeting her eyes. He wasn't embarrassed that thoughts of her aroused him - just that she had caught him.
"Maybe I should go," Hermione said moving her feet and getting off his bed. "Come down to the kitchen when you're up...um...I mean awake. I'll put on some coffee, and then we can go get the twins."
"That sounds good - I'll be down in a bit." Harry sat up, keeping the cover over himself, and smiled at Hermione weakly - she looked amazing first thing in the morning and that wasn't helping him any. The second Hermione was away from the door Harry hurried to his bathroom to take a very, very cold shower. Twenty minutes later Harry, dressed in jeans and a sweater, headed down into the kitchen where Hermione sat, waiting for him.
"Good morning beautiful," Harry said running a hand through his unruly hair.
"Morning Harry," Hermione said handing a cup of coffee across the table to him as he sat down. "Have I ever told you, you look sexy first thing in the morning?" She said mostly talking to her coffee.
"You think so?"
"Yeah," Hermione said looking up into his eyes. "I love your hair when it's like that and when you don't quite look like your awake."
"I'm not," Harry said yawning lavishly and taking a sip of coffee in an attempt to wake himself up. "Wait, how is my hair any different in the morning then it is any other time of the day?"
"I know it's always a mess, but it looks different in the morning somehow - looks better."
"You look pretty great in the morning too, but I think maybe we're so attracted to each other first thing in the morning because we haven't seen each other in so many hours."
"That's a theory," Hermione said, trying hard not to laugh, "but what about when we dream of each other?"
"Been dreaming about me?"
"Maybe. Though I got the feeling you were dreaming about me as well."
"Only a little, and only when I'm asleep." Harry said, finishing his coffee, "aren't we supposed to be getting Lily and James?"
"Yeah - but I thought I'd let you finish your coffee," Hermione said taking his now empty cup from him and putting it down in the sink. "Shall we go then?"
"Yeah," Harry said standing up and offering her his hand. Hermione smiled and took his hand.
"I've missed them too." Hermione said softly.
"They haven't even been gone for a day and we already miss them - we'll be absolute wrecks when they go to school," Harry said just before they apparated. When they appeared just outside The Burrow, Harry heard Hermione sigh loudly.
"What's wrong?"
"I was just thinking about them going to school - I've had them with me basically since we left school and I don't know what I'll do when they leave. It'll be so strange not having them around me all the time." Hermione said wistfully, thinking about how empty she was sure to feel when her children ventured out into the world.
"At least you've had the last ten years..."
"Oh God, Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up - it's just that you and the kids have bonded so quickly..."
"Mione, love, it's all right, I wasn't even thinking about that - I was going to say that you have had last ten years and you've had great times with them. You shouldn't focus on them leaving."
"Yeah, I guess you're right Harry - I'll just be lonely with out them."
"But you won't be alone." Harry said squeezing her hand.
"Not anymore I won't be," Hermione said smiling and kissing him softly. Just as they pulled their lips apart at the front door of The Burrow, it opened next to them and their daughter was standing there.
"Mummy. Daddy," Lily yelled rushing out the front door and hugging both her parents at once.
"Hi sweet love," Harry said unwrapping himself from Lily's arm so he could hug James, who had just appeared in the doorway. "Morning Son."
"Morning Dad," James said burying his face in Harry's neck. It was extraordinarily clear that Harry and Hermione weren't the only ones who had been lonely.
"We thought you'd be here earlier." Lily said as Hermione took her hand and they followed Harry and James back into The Burrow.
"Well, your father had a bit of a lie-in. Why didn't you have fun with Grandma and Grandpa?"
"We had fun - we just missed you." Lily said sounding as if there was something more she wanted to say.
"Your mother and I missed you two, also," Harry said as the four of them walked into the kitchen.
"Well, you wanted to have dinner alone," Lily said cunningly.
"That's true," Hermione said, understanding that Lily was up to something.
"You know you could make it up to us."
"Oh and how can we do that?" Hermione said waving hello to Arthur and Molly who were sitting at their kitchen table, sipping their coffee.
"You could take us to Diagon Alley," Lily said hopefully, Hermione was just about to ask Lily what she wanted in Diagon Alley when Harry pulled her aside. Hermione looked at him inquisitively, but he nodded towards the living room.
"We'll be right back," Hermione said, letting go of Lily's hand and following Harry. "What love?" Hermione whispered when they were a safe distance from the kitchen.
"You had that look in your eyes," Harry said softly, taking her hand and squeezing it gently.
"What look?"
"That `what are you up to?' look that you used to give me and Ron."
"Well she's up to something."
"'Mione they might be up to something, but they might just want all four of us to spend time together. Can't we just trust that it's that second one?"
"I guess, but do you really think it's a good idea for the four of us to go out in public together?
"I took them to Diagon Alley - nothing happened, we survived."
"That's true."
"Plus, you took them to the world cup."
"And Rita Skeeter figured out there was something happening between us."
"There was nothing happening between us at the time and unless she's in Diagon Alley with a cameraman waiting to take pictures, I think we'll be fine."
"I guess you're right," Hermione said smiling at him before turning around and heading back to the kitchen, Harry right behind him.
"Alright you two, we'll take you to Diagon Alley," Harry said when they re-entered the kitchen. Lily and James both smiled in response and because they had gotten their way.
"How about you two go get your bags while your father and I talk to Molly and Arthur?" The twins nodded and sprinted from the room.
"So how were they?" Hermione asked, sitting down across the table from Molly. Harry sat down in the seat next to her one of his hands resting on her knee.
"They were perfectly well behaved - I'm afraid we didn't entertain them well and they did miss both of you. But they were never out of line," Molly replied smiling at Hermione. "How did you raise those two to behave so well?"
"I don't know. I think I just got really lucky," Hermione said, smiling brightly.
"Did Ron write you about the party yet?" Harry asked Molly and Arthur, remembering the letter Ron had sent the night before - forgetting that he hadn't yet told Hermione.
"What party?" Hermione asked as Molly and Arthur nodded their heads yes.
"Oh, sorry `Mione I forgot - Ron and Luna are planning a party for the boys. He sent me a letter about it last night while I was getting the twins ready."
"Oh," Hermione said nodding her head in understanding.
"Yeah, Ron wrote us about it as well - he wants to have it here instead of their little cottage."
"I think they've successfully outgrown that place," Hermione commented. Ron and Luna's cottage was a small one-story, two-bedroom home that they loved.
"They'll have to move out of there before too long."
"They should have moved when they found out she was having three, but no, Luna loves that cottage - just couldn't imagine having her children anywhere else but there," Molly said, her bottom lip stiffing as if she greatly wanted to make a comment about Luna, but was restraining herself.
"And in the end she had them here," Harry said, remembering those interesting eighteen hours.
"Yes well, I told her once it came down to it that it really wouldn't matter, and I was right. She doesn't even care that she had them here instead of there."
"Yeah - have they even looked at other places?" Hermione asked with a great deal of concern. She knew brothers could share a room, but five people were just too many for such a small amount of space. Even if three of those people were merely babies.
"Not that I know of, the boys are so new still - I don't think they want to be away from them long enough to find somewhere else."
"Maybe we could help them," Hermione suggested, "Harry and I could look at houses and once we've found one we think they'd like, we could watch the kids while they looked at it."
"What do you know about buying houses?" Harry asked skeptically.
"Well I bought one of my own, didn't I? And when I was 20 no less."
"I bought one when I was 18, what does that matter? It doesn't mean I know anything about it."
"Yes, well I researched it."
"Of course you did," Harry joked at her.
"I don't research everything," Hermione said a bit defensively. "I didn't research you before we went out."
"What's to research - you know everything about me."
"Not everything - just a whole lot." Hermione said leaning over and kissing him softly.
"So, dinner went well." Arthur said, squeezing his wife's hands affectionately - remembering when they were that young and in love.
"It went very well."
"What went well?" James asked bounding down the stairs, his bag slung across his chest and his sister on his heals.
"Our dinner." Hermione said pulling James up next to her so she could tidy his hair a bit.
"How could dinner go bad?" Lily asked walking across the kitchen and crawling up into Harry's lap.
"You would be surprised how many things can go wrong," Hermione said, letting go off James and watching, with a frown on her face, as he ruffled his hair up again.
"Like what?" Lily asked.
"You'll learn someday," Harry said taking the pressure to find a valid answer off Hermione. "Well, come on `Mione, lets take these two to Diagon Alley."
"Yeah - we did promise we would." James and Lily exchanged a proud look, as if they had pulled off some grand scheme getting their parents to agree to this. Lily got down out of Harry's lap and walked over, hugging Molly and Arthur goodbye. James quickly followed her example and then they were standing over by the fireplace, looking at their parents expectantly.
"Alright, alright," Hermione said walking over to them, pulling a flowerpot off the mantle and holding it out to them. "Now I want you two to wait right next to the fireplace - don't wander into the Pub, your father and I will be there right after you and then the four of us will go into the alley."
"Yes Mum," the twins said obediently, both taking a handful of glittering powder and then in turn, throwing it into the fire and saying "Diagon Alley". When they were gone, Hermione turned back to Molly and Arthur and thanked them again for watching the kids.
"Oh, it really was no problem dear," Molly said, hugging Hermione and then Harry.
"Anytime you want to spend sometime alone you can bring them over here, we'll be happy to take care of them," Arthur said from his seat at the table.
"We'll keep that in mind," Harry said. The four of them said their good byes and Harry and Hermione disappeared to The Leaky Cauldron.
"Took you long enough." James said, as Harry and Hermione appeared a few feet in front of The Leaky Cauldron fireplace where Lily and James were waiting impatiently.
"Well, we had to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa didn't we?" Hermione said. "We couldn't just pop out of their kitchen without saying anything."
"That's true," James said reasonably, leading his sister and his parents through the Pub's dark bar and out to the back, where the entrance of Diagon Alley was hidden.
"He's quite the take charge type isn't he?" Harry whispered as they followed James and Lily, holding out his hand for hers.
"Yes he is - I've no idea where he gets that from," Hermione said innocently, knowing full well that he got his somewhat bossy side from her.
"I've got a pretty good idea," Harry joked squeezing her hand lightly. "But you know you can boss me around any day."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Hermione said pulling out her wand as they reached the brick wall entrance to Diagon Alley. She tapped the appropriate bricks and the archway appeared in front of them.
"So why exactly are we here?" Hermione asked, and Harry gave her a look. Realizing what she had said, she clarified herself, "I mean, what shops did you want to visit?"
"Can we go for ice cream first?" James asked, looking over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.
"Of course we can," Harry said dismissing Hermione's look.
"Harry - it's not even lunch yet," Hermione said as the kids led them over to the ice cream parlor.
"'Mione having ice cream for breakfast one time isn't going to hurt them."
"You want ice cream too don't you?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"Only a little."
"Hey, come here," Hermione said puling Harry aside as the twins walked into the parlor.
"What?" Harry asked. Hermione smiled at him and pulled him out of the crowd of people and kissed him softly. Harry smiled into her lips as he wrapped one of his arms around her back and pulled her body into his. Hermione's hands went to the back of Harry's neck and she raised herself onto her toes in an effort to bring their faces closer together.
"What was that for?" Harry asked as their lips parted.
"For being you," Hermione said taking his hands and leading him back towards the parlor.
"If that's my reward, I'll have to remember to be myself more often."
"Well I was watching you - with - the - what's going on?" Hermione said as they walked up to the parlor and saw a crowd forming inside. They pushed their way through the crowd only to find that is was forming around the twins.
"I have no idea," Harry whispered pushing people aside in an attempt to reach his children. As he worked through the crowd he heard people whispering and he knew for a fact that that was never a good thing.
"It's true then."
"Yes there they are."
"They look just like him."
"That poor girl - she thinks he loves her."
"Well what do you expect, he's been playing with that girls emotions since they were teenagers. Hopefully she'll see him for what he truly is and take those kids to someone who will want them." That was the comment that really caught Harry's attention - what the hell were these people talking about? And why did it seem like they were talking about him?
"There you are." Lily said as Harry and Hermione reached them. "What happened?"
"My shoe slipped off," Hermione said, coming up with a quick excuse.
"Well people have been looking at us and pointing." James said stepping towards Harry; subconsciously asking his father to protect him.
"And whispering - there's been a lot of whispering."
"I think we need to get out of here," Harry said grabbing James' hand and pulling him to the door. Hermione grabbed Lily and they hurried after the boys. Out in the Alley, Harry was nearly running to get to the nearest safe haven - Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Harry didn't notice it before because he was so used to attention by now, but people all over the Alley were looking their way or staring at them.
"Fred - George!" Harry roared as he pulled open the door to the joke shop - ignoring the closed sign that still hung in the window. He pushed James inside and held the door open for Hermione and Lily, who hurried in quickly.
"Harry - what are you doing here?" George asked, coming out of the stock room.
"Mate, do you think it was a good idea to come out today?" Fred asked following George out into the main store. "I mean the four of you out together - isn't that just going to add fuel to the fire?"
"What are you talking about? What's going on out there?" Harry said, gesturing to the storefront where several people were trying to "innocently" look in through the window.
"You don't know?" Fred asked, sounding shocked.
"Of course they don't know," George said with a sudden realization, "they don't get the paper." George pulled a newspaper off the front counter.
"The paper?" Harry and Hermione questioned together as George held it out to them.
"Just read it - it'll all become painfully clear." The second they had scanned the headline on the front-page, everything made sense. Under a black and white photo of Harry and the twins on the ground of his forest flying arena, laughing and smiling, was the headline:
Golden Boy Harry Potter Not So Golden
We are all familiar with the story of Harry Potter, 28, and his contributions to the Wizarding World through his heroic actions and Quidditch prowess. But it seems that even the Heroic Potter has his secrets, writes Rita Skeeter. In an exclusive report The Daily Prophet can reveal what Mr. Potter has been keeping from us all these years - he's a father. This reporter recently discovered that Mr. Potter is the father of nine-year-old twins, both a boy and a girl (see above photo). It has also been discovered that the mother of these twins is Mr. Potter's school "friend", Hermione Granger.
According to a source the twins were conceived the very night that Voldemort was defeated. When Miss Granger, 28, discovered she was pregnant, Mr. Potter, not wanting to risk his budding Quidditch career, shipped her off to America, where she has been for the past ten years. Miss Granger had to go through pregnancy, delivery, and the early years of parenting alone with very little support from Mr. Potter, who spent the past ten years going from woman to woman - even being engaged to a muggle at one point.
Now that he has retired from Quidditch, Mr. Potter has found the time to bring these children into his life. Apparently using his legendary charm to convince their mother to bring them to England, perhaps under the guise that they would be together once again. This reporter hopes that Miss Granger will discover the game Mr. Potter is playing and protect her children from the foul man the Boy-Who-Lived has become.
"What is this rubbish?" Harry asked when he had finished the article.
"What is it Daddy?" Lily asked, trying to see the paper Harry was holding just out of reach.
"Where did she get that picture?" Hermione asked, sure that if Harry had let them take this picture, he would have told her.
"Damn it all I forgot to tell you -" Harry said and then looking over the paper he saw the twins standing there. He didn't want to involve them in this anymore then they already were. "Um guys could one of you -?" Harry asked motioning from James to Lily.
"Right - I'm on it." George said, "listen James, Lily how about I take you two to my house - my wife Lauren makes great pancakes, I'm sure she'd love to fix you some."
"What's going on?" Lily insisted as George steered them towards the unlit fireplace in the corner of the store.
"I want to know why those people were staring at us." James demanded turning back towards his parents.
"Sweethearts, go with George," Hermione said urgently, "your father and I promise we'll explain what's going on as soon as we understand this thing ourselves."
"Yes, and we don't understand quite yet - there are still some questions that need answering." James and Lily reluctantly let George continue to stir them to the fireplace. With a quick wave of his wand, George had lit a fire. He handed glittering Floo Powder to both Lily and James, gave them his address, and, once they were successfully through the grate, he disappeared after them.
"What did you forget to tell me?" Hermione demanded - her voice full of panic.
"Yesterday after we had flown, when we were heading back towards the house, I heard this odd clicking noise and I was sure it was a camera, I've had enough pictures taken of me that I know the noise, but when I looked I couldn't find anyone there. How did they even know I was there and with the twins no less?"
"How does she know any of the things she knows for that matter? I mean, she knows when they were conceived, where I went when I disappeared - even the fact that she knows I'm the mother has me baffled."
"Well she did see you two together at the World Cup - you told me that yourself, mate." Fred said and Harry nodded.
"I knew something like this would happen - I just knew it. God, we really should have seen this coming - I should have seen this coming, I should have been more careful."
"There's nothing we can do about it now. Oh God Harry! She's made you out to be a cold hearted, womanizing, monster."
"She's also made you out to be an utter fool. You'd never fall for anyone's - what was the phrase again," Harry scanned the last paragraph of the article, "ah yes - legendary charm."
"What are we going to do about this?"
"What can you do about it?"
"Well, the first thing we are going to do about it is straighten that filthy excuse for a woman out. Come on, `Mione, we're going to pay the beetle a little visit."
Knowing that their children were safely away form prying eyes, Harry and Hermione disappeared to the main office of Wizarding Britain's biggest newspaper. Completely ignoring the receptionist Harry led Hermione to the back office where the paper's editor-in-chief worked. Again, they encountered a receptionist, this one insisting that the editor was in a meeting, and again Harry pushed passed her. Harry slammed the door open and interrupted a conversation between the editor and the only person he had ever actually wanted to kill.
"You," Harry bellowed pulling out his wand and pointing it at Rita Skeeter. "I'll kill you for what you've done!"
"What I've done," Rita said sweetly, trying to sound calm, though it was clear to everyone that she was frightened. "All I've done, Harry, is what I've always done - report the truth."
"It's not bad enough that you throw my love life around like it's public business and treat me like I'm just some object that will sell your paper. No! You have to turn my children into a public skeptical!"
Rita's eyes lit up when he mentioned the children; perhaps she thought she was going to get an interview because she pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill and was just reaching for a piece of parchment when Harry blasted the quill off the desk, leaving quite a large blast mark.
"You've made enough trouble for me with that," Harry commented, returning his wand to its position - pointing at Rita's neck.
"Now, now Mr. Potter," the editor said calmly from his desk, "there is no need for violence and threats - tell me what the problem is."
"You want to know the problem?" Harry asked, turning to the editor, his wand still gripped tightly in his fist. "This woman has written lies about me and my family! Lies that have hurt us and made my nine year old children unsafe in public places! We were just in Diagon Alley, and you want to know what happened? Their mother and I stepped away for less then a minute, and by the time we came back, a crowd had formed around them."
"People were pointing at them and whispering," Hermione added when Harry paused.
"Pointing and whispering and scaring them. They're nine for Gods sakes! Did you even consider them when you published this trash?"
"All I've reported Harry is the truth."
"You've done nothing of the sort."
"You don't deny they're your children?"
"Of course I don't - what would be the point of that."
"So what have I misrepresented - I know the story doesn't show you in a positive light, but I can't help it if that's how the truth is."
"Stop calling this absolute rubbish the truth! You got two fact rights - that I am their father and the date they were conceived. Everything else in here is wrong."
"Why don't you set the record straight for us then?"
"Because I don't have to explain my life to you. What happened between Hermione and I - is just that - between Hermione and I. It's has nothing to do with you or the rest of the Wizarding World."
"No, Harry, the only way we are going to fix this is if we set the record straight." Hermione said from behind him.
"But `Mione it's not their business."
"I know that Harry, but her report is out there now for anyone to read and unless we correct it, that's what people who don't know us are going to think and I don't want this filtering to James and Lily - I don't want them to think we've been lying to them."
"Only if you're sure - you know this will probably turn everyone against you."
"I'm sure Harry, besides, what I did to you and the twins was wrong so they can turn against me if they want to. I'd rather everyone hate me for the truth than hate you for a lie."
"Wonderful," Rita said smiling wickedly. "If you'll follow me - I'll lead you back to my desk and you two can tell me your whole story."
"Like hell I'm telling you anything." Harry said before turning to the editor. "We'll tell your paper the real story, but we won't tell it to her."
"That's fine with me - I'll take you to one of our more reliable writers," the editor said stepping around his desk and leading them towards the door. Rita's face darkened in anger as Harry pocketed his wand and followed the editor out of the room. Before stepping through the doorway, Hermione turned to Rita.
"So you know - I will be telling the Ministry about your little secret once Harry and I are finished here."
"No one will believe you - they'll think its just retribution for the story I wrote." Rita said confidently, but Hermione could see fear in her eyes.
"I have a few influential friends in the Ministry - I'll send them the tip that Rita Skeeter is an unregistered animagus. They'll see that is delivered to the right people and there will be an investigation," Hermione said, stepping through the doorway, proud of herself for finding out that little secret all those years ago. And she could tell, by the look in Rita's eyes, that she still wasn't registered. Hurrying down the hall to catch up to Harry and the editor, Hermione reached them just as the editor was apologizing for the millionth time.
"I know Rita can be- creative at times, but she assured me her facts were right. And I was so thrilled that we were the first with the story I guess I didn't bother to check anything. I really am sorry about this and what it's done to your family. I hope this won't dampen your view of The Prophet."
"Oh it's not possible - I lost all respect for this paper when I was 15 and you dedicated almost a year to telling people I was a lying, attention seeking prat."
"Yes we have made our mistakes haven't we? I wasn't editor back then though."
"Well then I won't blame you - now who is this reliable writer you are taking us to."
"Oh bright kid, was your year at Hogwarts, you might know him."
"Harry, Hermione - what are you two doing here?" A voice said from behind them - a voice that still held the faint echoes of an Irish accent that had been ebbed away with time away from his native land. Harry and Hermione turned to see a somewhat tall man with sandy hair and freckles looking at them in utter shock.
"Ah Finnigan - I was just coming to look for you. The story Rita wrote wasn't entirely accurate so they've come to set things straight."
"Oh right, yeah no problem. You guys can just follow me to my desk and we can straighten everything out," Seamus said, pushing past them and heading to the desk in the corner.
"If I knew you worked here, I would have guessed this was your desk Seamus," Harry said pointing to the Irish memorabilia all around his desk, including a small Irish flag and a picture of Seamus with this year's Ireland cup team.
"Yeah - I haven't been properly home since we left Hogwarts, so I keep as much around me to remind myself of home as I possibly can. You two can just sit there," Seamus pointed at two chairs in front of his desk.
"Right, thanks," Harry said, pulling out a chair for Hermione and then sitting down next to her.
"So, Rita's been spreading more lies about you, has she?" Seamus asked, rummaging through his desk for parchment and quill.
"Yeah she has - did you read the article this morning?"
"The one about you two having kids and you shipping Hermione off to America?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah, I read it last night when she brought it in. I told Morris, that's our editor, the guy who walked you down here, that it didn't sound like you two at all. I mean, Hermione would never leave for America because you wanted to hide her away, which you would never do in the first place. But I have to tell you that picture she took is pretty damaging - you two will have a hard time proving that's not real." Seamus straightened up in his seat and pulled a long piece of parchment up with him.
"See, the thing is, Seamus, those are our children - Rita got that part right." Hermione said not wanting to meet her old school mate's eyes.
"What?!"
"Yeah," Harry said taking Hermione's hand and squeezing it. "Those kids in the photo are our twins. Their names are James and Lily and they're nine. She got that right and who their mother is, obviously, or Hermione wouldn't be here. And the date of their conception - though how she found that out worries me."
"Me too," Seamus said, looking at them blankly. "So then what is your problem with the article?"
"Well what happened between Hermione and I for one -" Harry started to say, but Hermione held up her hand to cut him off.
"No, Harry, it was my doing, I'll tell Seamus what happened." Hermione then told their story again. The sort of skipped over the conception part of it since that was too private to share with the whole world and went into Hermione's choice to leave and give Harry his life. She told Seamus of how the two of them talked everyday and how guilty she felt about no telling him, but that she had stood firm in her resolve that it was the best thing for Harry. She included the details of their first meeting after the World Cup, and everything that had led to them living with Harry. She mentioned that she and Harry were dating now, though she made it clear that they had not been dating when they were seventeen, so the idea of her coming back to England with the hope that she and Harry would be together again was ridiculous. After about an hour of talking, Hermione reached the end of the story and sat quietly while Seamus finished up what he was writing.
"Well, I think that about covers everything - I'm sorry you two have to go through this. But at least now people will know the truth."
"Yeah," Hermione said quietly. She remembered the hate mail she had gotten last time an article about her hurting Harry had been published. Luckily now no one knew where she lived.
"I'll clean this up and give it to Morris, and we'll try to squeeze it into tomorrow's paper - I'm just sorry we can't do anything about it sooner than that."
"Yeah well - thanks for helping us this much, but I think we need to get back to the twins now - they're probably still worried about all this," Harry said standing up. Hermione got up as well and the two started walking down the hall.
"Wow - you two with kids, that is such a trip." Seamus said politely walking with them, back out of the offices to the receptionist's area where they could Disapparate.
"Why?" Harry asked a bit defensively.
"Well I don't know you were nearly inseparable at school it's weird to see you as anything other then good friends - that's all. Dean will be shocked to hear it too."
"You two stayed friends then?"
"Yeah we did - we've been flat mates since we left Hogwarts. Though that changes on Wednesday."
"Really - why?"
"Dean's getting married on Wednesday."
"Wow - to who?"
"This girl Emily. She's an American Witch he met on vacation five years ago."
"So is she moving here?"
"Yeah she is - she used to visit here a lot, she has a cousin our age that lives in London. She says it's like her second home and she always wanted to live here so that worked out for them."
"Well what about you then? You seeing anyone?"
"Emily's cousin Mary, actually - we've been dating for a couple years now - I'm thinking of asking her to marry me after the wedding on Wednesday."
"You and Dean will be cousins then?"
"If she says yes."
"I'm sure she will," Hermione said kindly as they reached the receptionist's desk.
"Well, I hope she does anyway. I really love her and it'd be nice to settle down. I've been a bachelor long enough. Oh and I heard about Luna and Ron - give them my best, will you?"
"We will Seamus - it was good seeing you again."
"Yeah, too bad it had to be under these circumstances."
"Yeah, bye Seamus."
"Bye Harry, Hermione," Seamus said as Harry and Hermione Disapparated. They appeared a few seconds later in the front hall of George and Lauren's house.
"Wow - everyone we know is settling down," Harry said.
"Yeah they are," Hermione said, taking Harry's hand and squeezing it lightly. Harry smiled at her and knew she was thinking the same thing he was. It would be their time soon.
AN: So maybe it wasn't first thing in the morning, but still. Anywho - so you know I'm working on chapter 22, but I'm going to visit my dad in Cleveland on Thursday. I wont be back till the 6th and I have no idea if I'll have access to the internet so I don't know when the next chapter will be up, hopefully next week if I have internet (and finish the chapter), but I can't promise anything for sure.
Chapter 18 reviews: diggingupophelia - thank you, the Tom Felton thing is one of my favorite little things - I just couldn't help it I need Jenna to have moved on and well that does prove she's moved on Coolone007 - covering up the truth is a very tricky thing, that's why I avoid it at all costs ; ) Chancellor - I like this one better too kw702955 - : ) harrynmione - : ) spaz141 - I like sweetness, it does a body good ginnymalfoy21 - I'm a bit of a Tom fan; I love him as Draco, he was great in Anna and the King, and I can't stop laughing when I see him in The Barrowers, but I actually wrote him as the fiancé because my friend Jen (my beta Jen who the character is named after) loves Tom and so I gave her what she wanted if only in the fictional sense PJ - well if you think he would enjoy it and you want to tell him about it you certainly can, lol, yeah Harry and his kids are kindred souls - they just instantly clicked princess hanna2003 - well no because there aren't Harry Potter books in this story (remember Harry told her there was an idea for books but he hadn't agreed to it) so there aren't going to be movies, but I thought it would be funny since he was in the story to mention that he looks like Malfoy chocolatefroggie - : )
Chapter 20 reviews: (since so many of you got the quote right I'll just put a star next to your name) hrhermione - : ) LupisNoctis1286 - * he was just lost in the moment, he was only thinking about him and Hermione fairyp80 - I'm sorry, did you figure it out yet - you know you could have just cheated off the other reviewers papers and figured out what it was : ) and yes I love the fluffy ness too Alorkin - I think that might have been more information then I needed *raisesaneyebrow* - oh well yes Harry has a great deal of self control, but I like him this way - he wants everything to be perfect between them coriander -* I'm evil that's how : ) Lily Grace -* : ) tabitoo - well now that's an interesting idea, but no no shagging just yet, though that wouldn't have really changed anything sam - thank you and thank you again : ) Coolone007 - oh well it's not going to be good, but such is life I suppose MrsDanielRadcliffe - indeed, I'll give you two stars (**) `cause you did your homework (or are just obsessed with that movie) oh and I definitely agree Heath Ledger (YUM) Tomlove01 - it really isn't good, but at least we get to see Seamus diggingupophelia - oh no I would never have something that bad happen Chancellor - : ) Austenlover - yeah I thought that was pretty great too Gemma - * yes they are mae513 - yes indeed you can * <- see there it is, though it's not so golden `cause yeah, but it's gold in spirit Woodrow M - oh God no, that's not going to happen - no day trips to those woods for Aragog kw702955 - : ) HHRLVR - because it's better for the plot I think ; ) MissLexiRe - * : ) sertad - indeed chica - no more fights…for a while anyway, but fights are part of any normal relationship and it is progressing I promise spaz141 - indeed it is unplotable, but it's also a muggle property so they just had to look for a muggle property under the name Harry Potter and hope he showed up with his kids - the camera man had actually been camped out there for about a week and a half trying to catch something. As for wards it doesn't have muggle repelling wards because it's in a muggle neighborhood and well it's very secluded so Harry was just assuming no Wizards would think of looking up a muggle property in his name. Very good questions - no ones ever asked them before ginnymalfoy21 - * : ) div - * : ) yes it was a bit sappy, but it was a romantic dinner and it was either going to be sappy or a snogging fest and that's not going to happen just yet izzieq - hey I respect that and that's cool - I'm glad you enjoy my writing though Misadies1 - oh don't worry it wont PJ - I think James is getting enough attention, he's kinda quiet, but Harry plays Wizard Chess with him and spends a lot of time with him that you guys aren't seeing because it hasn't fit into the story just yet. Lily is Daddy's little girl, she really is, but like I said James just isn't very talkative so it seems like he's not getting a lot of attention, but don't worry he is : ) - I'm glad your so concerned for them Hdwane - : ) princess hana2003 - : ) down2earthangl85 - : ) scorpio-1983 - : ) harrynmione - : ) JayaMioneDurron - : ) Mani12191 - : ) Slayer5758 - : ) Jillian84 - * : ) lannereddy - : ) scorpio-1983 - : ) DreamAngel - * : ) Lajo1013 - no not Colin, he would never work for Rita ***Patti*** - : ) jenmor - : )
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