AN: So I've lost count of the number of times I've apologized to you guys for chapters taking so long. I really am sorry though, even though this time it was way out of my control. Moving was crazy, but now it's over and done with and I have all the time in the world to write, which is what has given me the opportunity to finish chapter 28 and most of 29. Sorry about this one not being as well edited as the chapters have been in the recent past. My second beta is really busy so she hasn't actually given me chapter 27 back, but I just couldn't wait any longer - couldn't make you guys wait any longer, just wouldn't be fair. Well I'll repost the chapter when I have the well edited version, for now I hope you enjoy the version I have. Just one last note, since I will now have to do this on all the stories I post from now on I'm practicing:
**clears throat** This story does not follow book six. Not because I didn't like book six, I really loved it, but because I got the idea before book six was published. I'm not a shipper, so I don't care what ships happen in the books, these stories are written for my entertainment and the entertainment of others and I hope you all can still enjoy my stories even knowing how I feel about the new book.
Now, let's get on with things:
Chapter Twenty-Seven: All I Want for Christmas is You
Hermione awoke Christmas morning to soft kisses on the back of her neck. She looked over her shoulder and saw Harry's emerald eyes sparkling at her from under his wild black hair. His lips traveled quickly across her check to the corner of her mouth. She smiled at him as she turned herself around in his arms. He pressed his body heatedly against hers, kissing her desperately. She moaned happily, rolling onto her back, and bringing him with her.
"Happy Christmas, beautiful," Harry breathed, trying to catch his breath so he could kiss her again.
"Happy Christmas, love," was all she managed to say before he started kissing her again; not that it bothered her.
His hand had just started to run along the soft flesh of her inner thigh when they heard their door bang open. They jumped apart, as if they were apposing magnets, to opposite sides of their large bed, trying to look innocent and calm as they turned towards the doorway.
The twins were standing there, still in their pajamas, their dressing gowns thrown on in haste, their cheeks flush with excitement. "Happy Christmas," they called as the sprinted across the room and bounded onto their parent's bed.
"Happy Christmas," Hermione said with a laugh as Lily hugged her and Harry started to tickle James furiously. "Don't you think it's a bit early?" She asked, stroking Lily's hair softly.
Lily shook her head, "Not for Christmas," she explained.
"Oh how silly of me," Hermione said, looking to Harry, "of course seven in the morning isn't too early for Christmas."
He shook his head in mock shame, "You really should know better." She caught his eye and they shared a silent laugh.
"So can we go down and open our gifts?" James asked still laughing from Harry's tickles.
"All right you two, get downstairs, we'll be down in a minute," Hermione said and the children bounded out of the room as quickly as they had entered it. "In the next life we're not having kids, they always interrupt," she joked kissing Harry softly before pushing the comforters off herself and crawling out of the bed.
"I'll try and work on that for you," he said, propping himself up on his arms and watching her rummage through her wardrobe. "What are you looking for?"
"Your Christmas gift," she answered simply.
"I don't need a gift - I have you."
"Good to know I'm enough for you, but all the same," said turning back to him, a long thin gift in her arms.
"Where in the world have you been keeping that?" Harry asked, he'd been in her wardrobe the night before getting the twin's gifts out from their hiding place, he was sure if his gift had been in there he would have at least noticed it.
"Why, have you been peeking?"
"No," he insisted innocently, "just curious."
"Well, truth be told I only put it together last night and you where so preoccupied last night that you didn't have time to look."
"Gee, I wonder what could have possible got me so distracted," he asked sarcastically, watching her crawl back into the bed. She laughed, handing him the gift and letting her fingers tickle teasingly along his inner thigh.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she insisted, mimicking his innocent tone, and settling herself on her knees over his lap. "Now open it," she commanded. Harry looked at her suspiciously as he pulled off the lid of the large flat box.
"What's this?" He asked pulling out the card, which turned out to be an old piece of parchment.
"The card, so just read it," she said impatiently, "it's fairly self explanatory." He unfolded the parchment and found it was a letter to him from Hermione.
He looked from the parchment to Hermione to the parchment again, "What have you written me a letter for?" He questioned a bit bewildered.
"Just read it," she demanded again. "I wrote that to you years ago, so just read it or I can read it to you if you're going to be difficult."
He smiled cheekily; "Read it to me then."
She shook her head, taking the parchment from him, "Sometimes, I don't know why I put up with you."
"If you didn't want to read it you shouldn't have offered," he pointed out, that cheeky smile still plastered on his face.
"All right, fine, I'll read it to you: Dear Harry, it begins."
"I could guess as much," he joked, squeezing her legs lightly.
She cast him in a dangerous stare, "May I continue please?"
"Be my guest," he said politely, enjoying this despite her annoyance.
"Dear Harry, it begins, there's something I have to tell you, only I don't know how to say it. It's something I don't know how to convey to you. I've always cared for you, since you and Ron saved me from that troll; I don't know how anyone could know you the way I have and not care for you. But as of late my care for you has grown - has changed. I brushed it aside at first; sure it was just teenage attraction. You were there for me when Viktor broke my heart. I told myself it was just a natural attachment; you had been there for me when the rest of my world fell away, when my parents were murdered.
"But those things have passed, and my feelings for you haven't. I know even as I write this that our relationship can never be what it was. You see I'm carrying your child and I'm running away. You'll be happy, now that you have your entire life in front of you. And I'll, well I'll always be your friend. You see, I love you Harry Potter, more then I know how to express."
Hermione lowered the parchment and found Harry staring at her, his eyes wide with shock and confusion, "When did you write that?" He questioned, taking the parchment back from her and scanning it with his own eyes, as if he wanted to make sure it was real.
"On the plane ride to America," she explained, "Harry, love, are you all right?"
"I thought you said you never thought about us."
"I blocked it out, I guess, I didn't even remember writing this letter," she explained, "until I found it in my old journal a few weeks ago. I wrote it to get you out of my system because I thought nothing could ever happen between us."
"You wanted to get me out of your system?" He asked sounding hurt.
"The biggest mistake I ever made," she said leaning in and kissing him.
"I won't argue with that," he muttered stubbornly.
"So look at your gift already," she instructed. He smiled at her and pushed aside the tissue paper to reveal a framed photo of Harry, Hermione, and the twins, the one Daniel had take of them two weeks ago. The four of them were on the floor of their friend's front room, laughing like mad, and every once in a while when the twins weren't looking, Photo-Harry would sneak a glance at Photo-Hermione and the wild smile on his face would broaden. "It's our family," Harry commented, pulling the photo out of the box to get a closer look.
"It's our family," she echoed as he continued scanning the photo.
"Have I ever told you how happy you've made me," he questioned, looking back up to her, "by giving me our family and simply loving me?"
She smiled, "I've only ever tried to make you as happy as you make me."
"You are such sap, do you know that?" He asked after kissing her softly; they both laughed. "So let me get your gift for you."
"Yes please," she said smiling and moving off of his lap. He returned her smile as he rolled to his side and reached for something in his bedside table. He turned back over with his hands cupped together.
"Turn around," he said gently and she obliged. She was completely taken by surprise when a bright purple stone dropped down in front of her eyes.
"Oh Harry, it's beautiful," she exclaimed as Harry clasped the necklace closed. She couldn't stop smiling. "You didn't have to get me something like this," she insisted, turning back towards him, though she was very glad he had. She'd deeply hoped he'd got her something fun and frivolous and made a mental note to thank him properly that night once the twins were asleep.
"But I wanted to, I love you `Mione and I wanted to get you something as beautiful as you are. I don't think I quite managed, but it is close."
"Speaking of being a sap," she teased, kissing Harry gently. His arm wrapped around her waist and the kissing intensified as he leaned back onto the bed, bringing her back with him. Her hands were just making their way to the waistband of his boxers, tugging lightly, when they were interrupted again.
"Mum! Dad!" James called from downstairs where they were impatiently waiting.
"We're coming!" Hermione called back, pulling her face away from Harry's reluctantly.
He groaned as she climbed off him, "I see what you mean about interruptions."
"Come on," Hermione said, crawling down the bed, giving Harry a nice, if not unintentional, look at her arse. She slipped off the end of the bed and pulled her dressing gown on over her pajamas.
"All right I'm getting up," he grumbled, climbing out of bed and pulled on the dressing gown she was holding out to him. She could tell he was exhausted, he'd never been a morning person and they hadn't exactly slept the night before.
She took his hand and squeezed it lightly, "at least we don't have to get up alone."
"True, not that you look your best first thing in the morning," he joked.
"You are just in a mood today aren't you?" She questioned with a laugh.
He shrugged, "I'm not the nicest person when I'm awakened at seven in the morning," he said putting on a grumpy voice and face.
"If I remember correctly," she began slowly, stopping in the middle of the hall and turning to him, "you were awake before I was; in fact you're the one who woke me up," she accused poking him in the chest a bit harder then she meant to.
"Let me put it another way, I'm not the nicest of people when I'm awake at seven in the morning and I don't get to -" But he didn't get to finish his sentence because she suddenly hit him sharply in the abdomen. "Ow, what was that for?"
"We're not alone," she whispered discreetly, nodding down the hallway to where James and Lily were waiting for them.
"Oh," he said, catching sight of the twins, trying not to look embarrassed.
"When you don't get to what Dad?" James asked.
"When I um, when I don't get to um -" Harry stammered, having no idea what he could say to cover this up.
"When he doesn't get coffee first thing - your father is a bit of a caffeine junky I'm afraid." Hermione said smoothly walking down the hall to where Lily and James were standing, showing no sign of embarrassment through he could see a faint tint to her cheeks.
"Oh," James said though Lily was still surveying them skeptically.
"Well, come on into the drawing room." Hermione said placing a hand on either of their backs and steering them through the door into the drawing room.
"I'm going to go make some coffee," Harry said to Hermione as she walked through the doorway and the both smiled. "Go ahead and start without me."
"No, we'll wait for you coffee only takes ten minutes," Hermione called back to him and he heard both the kids moan in displeasure. "It won't take him long, besides the whole point of having the gifts down in the drawing room was so that we could open them as a family."
"But he said we could start without him." James protested looking longingly to the gifts resting under the tree.
"We are going to be nice and wait for your father," Hermione said settling down onto the sofa. She tucked her feet up under herself and leaned her head back, pretending she was still asleep.
"Mum?" Lily asked softly stepping up next to the couch where Hermione's head was.
"Yes Lily." Hermione said her eyes still closed.
"Why do you and Daddy sleep in the same bed?" Hermione opened her eyes slightly and considered this question. She wouldn't expect this question from her daughter at nine years of age, but Lily had always been observant and inquisitive. Lily also had the nasty habit of springing questions on you when you least expect them.
"Well, Lily," Hermione began to answer, sitting up and looking to Lily, "your father and I sleep in the same bed because we love each other and like too be close to one another."
"So you just sleep?" Lily asked, sounding somehow relieved.
"Yes," Hermione answered, not feeling the need to explain sex to her nine-year-old.
"Oh, well that seems rather boring then," Lily declared taking up her seat on the floor next to James, who was eyeing his gifts with wonder.
"Someday sweetheart you'll be in love and you'll understand," Hermione said resting her head back again, praying that her Lily didn't understand anytime soon.
"What will she understand?" Harry asked coming into the room with a cup in either hand.
"Why you and Mum like to sleep together," Lily explained simply. Harry nearly dropped the coffee onto the floor, luckily Hermione reached out a hand to steady him just in time.
"She means in the same bed."
"Oh okay," Harry said, shakily handing Hermione her coffee and stepping around the couch so he could sit next to her.
"What else would I mean?" Lily asked looking back to her mother and father suspiciously. They both looked at each other nervously - neither one of them had an answer for that.
"Why don't you two start opening your gifts?" Hermione suggested, anxious to steer the conversation away from the topic of sex. The change was well taken by James, who enthusiastically pulled his first gift into his lap and handing one to his sister. Lily looked from her mother to her father one last time before copying her brother.
"That was close," Harry whispered as the twins tore into their gift, his mouth cleverly hidden behind his mug.
"Yes, much too close, we have to be careful around her," Hermione whispered back as she repositioned herself on the sofa so she was leaning into Harry's side. He raised one arm up and wrapped it around her shoulder.
"Evidently," Harry said smiling as James showed them the gift he had just unwrapped. It was the model of the galaxy.
"This is amazing," James said spinning the globe slightly so he could look at it from different angles.
"Your father thought you would like that," Hermione explained giving Harry the credit he deserved for finding such a perfect gift for James.
"Though listen here, you'll still have to take Astronomy."
"Of course," James said as if insulted by the idea that anyone would want to skive off astronomy.
"I'm just making sure you are clear on the rules," Harry said; he was sure that wouldn't stop James from eventually skiving off a class or two, but he was at least going to make the rules clear.
"I like my gift as well Dad," Lily said flipping through the first few pages of the new Hogwarts, A History.
"Well I thought that if you were anything like your mother, which I've come to learn you are, you would love that book and I noticed, by some miracle that you didn't already have it."
"I've wanted to read it for ages," Lily said turning back to the first page and beginning to read.
"So wait a bit more and finishing opening your gifts," James said closing the book gently on his sister's fingers and handing her another package. Lily pulled her fingers out of the book's pages and started in on the next gift.
In the next ten minutes James and Lily had opened up the ten or so gifts they had been given by their parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents and had completely lost interest in the remaining gifts which, after all, weren't for them. James had his globe carefully balanced in his lap and was again scanning its depths. Lily had flipped open her Hogwarts: a History again and was already five pages in as Harry and Hermione opened the few packages that were for them. Harry's favorite gift by far was the collection of things the twins had made for him - drawings, stories, cards, and even a few photos they had taken since they had arrived in England. Hermione had organized it all in a hand-bound leather album and Harry absolutely loved it.
By half passed eight it was over and the drawing room was in complete disarray; wrapping paper, boxes, and gifts in every place imaginable. Hermione shuffled the twins off to their bedrooms, insisting they get ready, while she and Harry cleaned up. She loved the twins, but if they stayed in the drawing room they'd only play with their gifts and then they'd be in the way.
"Well, I would definitely say that this was a successful, first Christmas together," Harry appraised standing in the middle of the mess and looking around.
"Yes," Hermione agreed, bending down to pick up some of the gift-wrap that was strewn across the floor.
"Hey, I'll do this you go down and get breakfast going," he insisted, sweeping the paper out of her reach with a wave of his hand.
"All right," she said with a shrug, straightening up and turning to the door.
"'Mione," he called after her, bringing her back into the room.
"Yes Harry?" She asked, leaning on the doorframe, her arms folded across her chest just like that fist night she and the twins had been at number twelve.
"May I make a request?"
"For breakfast?"
"Yes."
"Sure, what do you want?"
"Other then you - waffles."
"I'll work on the waffles, we'll see about the other," Hermione said with a wink as she started out of the room again. She heard him grunt his approval as she headed down the kitchen stairs and she smiled again. He certainly had an avarice appetite, especially where she was concerned.
Twenty minutes later the twins and Harry joined Hermione in the kitchen; all three of them dressed and ready for the day. They had excellent timing; Hermione had just finished the waffles and sausage. She had had cut up some fruit to go with breakfast and once she had laid that down the three of them dove in.
"What's the rush?" Hermione asked slowly sipping her coffee; she was very much against giving herself a stomachache, something that didn't seem to concern Harry or the twins.
"Lily and James want to have a snowball fight after breakfast," Harry explained, realizing that he was eating to fast and slowing down tremendously.
"Oh they do, do they?" Hermione asked, wondering how they would manage that with the small amount of snow outside.
"Yeah, you want to come with us Mum?" James asked.
"No, I think I'll stay inside where it's warm and dry, then when you get wet and cold you can come inside and I'll make some cocoa for you."
"All right," James said with a shrug; he had never understood why his mother didn't like to be outside all the time.
"Before we go outside Mum will you braid my hair?" Lily asked
"Of course Lily."
"Is it true that they've never had a snowball fight before?" Harry asked Hermione; the twins had immediately jumped at the chance when he suggested a snowball fight, insisting they'd never had one before.
"Sadly it is. Where we lived, it didn't snow very much or very often."
"No it didn't," James confirmed bitterly, "it just rained; it rained all the time there."
"I loved the rain," Lily said with a smile, baiting her brother. Hermione, however, realized what Lily was doing and cut James off before he could even begin. She had been hearing the rain argument almost since they could talk and she didn't feel like hearing it again just then.
"So what else are you three going to do in the snow?" She asked and at once all thought of rain was forgotten.
"Well I wan to build a snowman and make a snow angel and...what else is there to do in snow?" Lily asked finishing her breakfast in record time.
"There is sledding, but there are no hills around here so that's out," Hermione said, finishing what little of breakfast she wanted to eat and gathering up her plate and Lily's. "While you two finish eating I'll take Lily upstairs and do her hair." Lily bounded out of her seat and was out the door before Hermione had even rounded the table. "But that doesn't mean you have to hurry," Hermione clarified as Harry and James started racing to finish their meal, "slow down, digest, don't make yourself sick - the snows not going anywhere."
"All right love, we'll slow down," Harry reassured her, resting his fork for a minute and encouraging his son to do the same. Hermione smiled at them, but the second she was out the door she sighed and muttered - "boys" under her breath.
"Mum, are you coming!" Lily called from her room.
"Of course I am sweetheart!" Hermione called back and she quickened her pace - Lily was obviously not in the mood to be kept waiting; not that she ever was.
"So how are we doing this?" She asked.
"Can you do two," Lily requested, taking a seat at her small vanity, "one on either side?"
"Of course, if that's what you want," Hermione said running the brush through her daughter's wavy hair. "Are you enjoying Christmas this year?"
"Yes, I love the gift Daddy gave me, I've wanted to read that for so long," Hermione smiled down at Lily.
"Why are you smiling Mum?" Lily asked catching sight of her mother's reflection in the mirror.
"You've just spent so much time with your father lately; all those things you get from him are coming out, like your love of being outdoors and flying. It's just nice to see that you still hold those traits you got from me, like your love of reading."
"I could spend more time with you if you wanted me to," Lily offered turning her head back slightly.
"Oh no, I'm not complaining," Hermione assured her, turning Lily's head forward again and continuing to braid. "I think it's wonderful that you two are getting to spend time with your father, maybe I'm just a little lonely for the both of you sometimes."
"But you still have Daddy."
"I do still have him, that is true," Hermione agreed with a smile, tying off the left braid and starting on the right one.
"Mum," Lily started softly, "do you think you'd ever want to marry Daddy?"
"Yes," Hermione admitted thoughtfully, "I think I would like that very much." It was a wonderful thought, marrying Harry and making there family official. She hadn't really given it much thought, truth be told, assuming it would happen when the time was right.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a throat being cleared in the doorway. Hermione looked over to see Harry standing there, smiling and blushing slightly. He was fidgeting with the gloves in his hands, trying not to make eye contact with her - apparently he had heard her.
"I've just came up to tell you us boys are ready to go outside if Lily's ready."
"I'm ready Daddy," Lily declared grabbing her hat and gloves off her vanity table and walking excitedly over to her father.
"Okay Lily, go get your coat on, I'll be down in a minute," Harry said nodding towards the door. Lily smiled and left the room. When Harry was sure Lily was downstairs he looked up and smiled at Hermione.
"How long were you standing there?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Long enough to hear the question, and your answer."
"So you did hear that."
"Yes, I did."
"And?" She asked, sounding a bit more hopeful then she wanted to.
"And lets talk about this when I'm not about to take the kids outside." Harry said crossing the room in a couple quick steps and kissing her lightly on the lips. "When we get back from dinner tonight, we'll talk about it. But I should get going - you sure you don't want to come with us?"
"Harry I'm not even dressed."
"We could wait for you."
"Dad!" James and Lily yelled impatiently from downstairs.
"Maybe we couldn't."
"Go Harry - I'm going to get dressed, sit down in the drawing room and read. I haven't been able to do that for ages."
"All right `Mione if you're sure," he said, starting out the door and looking back at her.
"I'm sure," she said waving him away in an effort to get him going. "Really Harry - enjoy your time with them. I never was much of one for snowball fights or even snow for that matter."
"Okay, we'll probably be back in an hour," Harry assured her stepping down the hallway and out of sight. Hermione smiled after him, thinking of the talk they were going to have later that night. If Harry felt the same way she did this could be the best Christmas of her entire life. Unable to stop smiling, she headed down to her bedroom and started to get ready for the day. She picked out her clothes, a long sleeve white shirt, a pair of tight jeans, and a very thick pair of socks to keep her feet warm, and took a quick shower.
Refreshed and dressed she threw one of Harry's old Weasley sweaters on; it was too cold without it, and headed down to the drawing room. She walked over to the front window and looked out. Harry and the twins could just be made out in the snow; they certainly appeared to be enjoying themselves. Turning from the window Hermione made her way over to the couch were Lily's new copy of Hogwarts a History sat with the rest of her gifts.
Curious, she flipped to the very back of the book and looked her name up in the index. There it was and next to it a fairly long list of pages in which her name appeared. Under her name it said: See Also: Philosophers Stone, Chamber of Secrets, The Triwizard Tournament, Muggle-borns, Head Girl, Prefects, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley. Wondering what the muggle-borns mention was about Hermione flipped to that page in the index and then to the corresponding page in the text. Her name jumped off the page to her almost immediately:
Hogwarts has always prided itself in its wide variety of students. Unlike some schools Hogwarts openly admits students from all muggle families, also known as muggle-borns, believing that any of magic skill should be allowed to learn the arts. In recent history one of Hogwarts most successful students was a muggle-born Witch named Hermione Granger. Hermione was a top level student in all her classes and -
But what other accomplishments the book listed Hermione didn't get to read because she was distracted by someone popping into the drawing room.
"Harry, leaves you alone for two minutes and you've got you're nose buried in a book," an impatient female voice was saying. Hermione looked over to see Ginny standing there, one hand on her back and one on her prominent belly.
"Hi Ginny," Hermione said happily, closing the book and turning to Ginny.
"What book are you reading anyway?" Ginny asked walking over to Hermione, waddling slightly. Hermione held up the book so Ginny could read the title and the second she saw what it was she rolled her eyes. "You're reading that again?"
"Well not exactly," Hermione defended, "Harry got Lily the updated edition for Christmas and I got curious and looked myself up."
"Are you mentioned?" Ginny asked, only lightly interested.
"Yes, several times."
"Well, what do you expect?" Ginny asked, easing herself down onto the couch that wasn't covered in gifts, "You were part of the Golden Trio."
"Oh Merlin don't call us that - I detest it when people call us that. We weren't a golden trio or any other kind of trio, we were just three friends. It's not like we intentionally got into everything that was happening at Hogwarts."
"Yeah right Hermione, I was there too, you three couldn't keep your noses out of anything if you tried."
"Anyway," Hermione said putting the book back with the rest of Lily's gifts and walking over to Ginny.
"Merlin Hermione, how do you always look good without trying?" Ginny asked bitterly.
"What makes you think I didn't put hours of effort into the way I look?"
"Because I know you, you don't put work into the way you look and you don't have any time to either between Harry and the kids. Yet you still look amazing no matter what you do. Unlike me - I look like a whale. Even in black I'm the size of a house."
"Ginny you look beautiful, you really do" Hermione assured her, looking over to Ginny and it was true. Her red hair was straight, not a hair out of place, and she was wearing black pants and a black long sleeve shirt.
"I feel miserable." Ginny said, rubbing her stomach softly.
"Ginny you're nearly there and just think of the wonderful little baby you'll have when it's all over."
"Oh I can't wait to be a mother - I'm beyond thrilled about that. It's just been really hard. Dan's not around all that much because of work and it's like he doesn't even support the pregnancy. Maybe if I felt I had his support I wouldn't feel so lousy all the time."
"I thought you two were happy about this?" Hermione questioned turning towards Ginny and putting her hand supportively on Ginny's shoulder.
"We are - we are, but he works all the time and I don't get to see him a lot and I just feel like I'm going through this by myself. I know he's always worked a lot and I knew that when I married him, but I guess I though since we decided together we wanted to have a baby, maybe he would actually take more time off or even scale down his work to support me - us. Does that sound selfish?"
"No Ginny it doesn't, but have you talked to him about it at all - told him how you feel?"
"I've tried, but he always says he's tired or that he'll try and then he just doesn't. Last night when we were going to bed he told me that since the Healer said I'm at risk to go into early labor he had asked for vacation time. That way if I did go into early labor I wouldn't be alone. But this morning when I woke up I found this," Ginny said holding out her wrist to reveal a diamond tennis bracelet, "which I know wasn't my original gift and a note that said and I quote `Gin, I'm really sorry, but I had to go in to work today. I hope you like your gift'."
"He might have been called into to work," Hermione offered, trying to sooth Ginny.
"Maybe, but the whole thing just feels so weird," she explained, "he gives me this new expensive gift instead of the original one, which I loved by the way, and leaves me a note that is two lines long - it feels like he's trying to buy my forgiveness or acceptance for something he knows he's done wrong."
"What was the original gift that you loved so much?"
Ginny smiled, remembering, "It was this hand bound journal that we found at an ancient store. He bought it for me so that I could write all my thoughts about the baby during it's early life."
"That is so sweet," Hermione cooed, before she could stop herself.
Ginny nodded, "And this is just so cold and impersonal."
"So you woke up this morning and he just wasn't there?"
"Yes, after what he had said the night before. I just don't get it Hermione, we were so happy or maybe we weren't and I just let myself believe we were."
"Ginny I don't know what to tell you - I think you need to talk to Daniel about this." Ginny was about to reply when there was a laud crack and Ginny and Hermione looked up to see Daniel standing there.
"Gin, there you are. I was so worried when you didn't show up to my office this morning."
"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked as Daniel helped her up off the couch.
"Well I thought if I left you that note you would get so mad at me you would come to work to yell at me and I'd surprise you with - well come to my office and you'll see."
"So, you don't have to work today?"
"No, that was just bait for my surprise."
"Oh," Ginny said turning from Daniel to Hermione a look of total shock on her face. "Well Hermione, I guess we'll see you tonight at dinner."
"Of course," Hermione said smiling as the two of them disappeared. Hopefully what Ginny was saying was just her hormones overanalyzing the situation.
"'Mione," Harry's voice called from the front door bringing Hermione out of her thoughts.
"Yes Harry?" She called back.
"They slaughtered me," he laughed, his voice getting louder - obviously he was walking up the stairs.
"Oh really?" She asked getting off the couch and walking out into the hallway hopping to meet him halfway.
"Yeah, but it was two against one so really it was never going to be a fair fight," he said coming to the top of the stairs and looking at her. He was absolutely soaked.
"I guess that's true," she agreed with a laugh.
He smiled at her, "I just came in to check that you still didn't want to come out."
"And to get away from the kids I'm sure," she joked.
"Of course, they're -" Harry's words were cut short by Lily's panic filled voice calling up the stairs.
"Daddy! Daddy, come quick!" She was calling; Harry and Hermione shared a fearful look before Harry ran back down the stairs, Hermione right behind him.
Harry could see Lily standing at the front door as he came down into the front hall, she was pointing out across the yard to something. He got to the doorway, pulling Lily into the safety of the house, and looked out. Across the square, where Lily had been pointing, Harry saw a man. He was doubled over in pain, but still managing to walk somehow. His clothes were in tatters and he was covered in blood. It was all over what was left of his clothes, it covered his face, and it matted his white blond hair. Just as he realized who the man was Hermione came to the doorway and, comprehending things much quicker then he had, said in a terrified gasp:
"Malfoy."
AN: Bu-bu-bum! But you know he wouldn't be Malfoy if he didn't make an entrance. Well anyway, chapter 28 is done and with my beta (hopefully she'll get both 27 and 28 to me soon) and chapter 29 is almost finished, then we only have 7 more after that
Lady Starlight - : ) eLa - thank you, and yes survive I did, not to happy in my new surroundings, but I guess that'll get better with time, and if it doesn't I can always move back Crimson Templar - : ), thanks hernndzzz - : ) pottergranny - yes wonderful and terrible is a good way of describing moving across country OrangeCrush - No I will never stop writing this story, some days it's the only thing that keeps me sane next to talking to my friend Trin diggingupophelia - yes she would, and he'd deserve it Tomlove01 - : ) Luna_Tyler - : ) Rebound - I read HBP, personally I loved it, but that's just me, and I promise I'll try to update more often now that the move is over paochi_cute - : ) muup - : ) Mani12191 - as you read the picture wasn't Hermione's present and I think I actually forgot to say what it was, and now I don't remember what it was supposed to be…stupid memory Shellbell18 - : ) PJ - : ) Misadies1 - I actually designed that ring on an engagement ring website and priced the ring that way, yeah it's a lot, but she is worth it sailor_girl - : ) GPGA - well he was going to propose, but stupid Malfoy just had to interrupt sertad - the commotion? I don't remember a commotion - god it's been so long I don't even remember parts of my own story, that's so sad harrypotterfan_308 - : ) Nari - well it's not entirely free of angst, what with Malfoy coming into the picture and all, but it's non-angsty for the main characters so that's something thanks though, I'm glad to hear you like it so much sannihun - unfortunately it took much longer then July, we didn't actually start across country till the middle of September and then that took a week, but now everything is settled and I'm free to write again Xavier687 - : ) jhh - : ) SANDY - : ) spacegal - yes of course I'm not done, when the story is done it will say the end and I promise I wont stop still I get there, it just might take a while dan_radcliffe's_girl_4_eva - : )
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