Chapter 7
It never fails that on the days you can sleep late nature conspires against you. Daniel had been lying awake in his bed for thirty minutes, trying to fall back under the spell of the dream he had been having. He couldn't remember what it was about, but he did remember there had been a beautiful woman in it.
The house was quiet as he opened the door to his room. He looked up and down the darkened hall, hoping to hear sounds from the others. He expected to hear his mother; she had always been an early riser. He'd never known his mother to sleep past seven o'clock. He padded down the hall toward her room and opened the door without a sound, although he anticipated finding it empty with the bed made. His jaw dropped to the floor at the sight that greeted him.
Harry and his mum were in bed together, sleeping. Harry was on his side, his arm thrown protectively across Hermione's waist. She was twisted in a position that Daniel knew was one she often slept in (and he thought looked terribly uncomfortable); her hips and legs were stacked on top of each other, her back flat against the mattress. Her head had fallen to the side just enough that her nose threw a small shadow onto her cheek. Her right arm was thrown over her head, her left hand rested, intertwined with Harry's, on her waist.
He knew he should leave, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from them. He wasn't shocked, repulsed or angry about finding them in bed together. He was mesmerized by the expressions on their faces. Years down the road he would fully understand what he was seeing, but now, as an 11 year old boy, he merely thought they looked happy and at peace.
"Daniel?"
He jumped and turned at the sound of Olivia's voice. His face flamed as she looked at the scene over his shoulder. "Come on," she whispered, leaning across him to close the door. "Let's let them sleep."
Daniel followed her into the kitchen. "Want something to eat?" he asked, moving to the refrigerator.
"I'm impressed," she said. "I thought you'd be angry."
He shrugged his shoulders but didn't look at her, too embarrassed about the scene he'd been responsible for at Javier's.
"Are you?" she pressed.
"No," he said. He paused, surprised that he wasn't angry at all. "I'm not," he finished, shaking his head.
"It's got to be a shock seeing your mum in bed with a man other than your father."
Daniel pulled the kettle for tea out and placed it on the cooktop. "Direct, aren't you?"
She gave a half-shrug. "Why beat around the bush. You're a big boy."
"Thanks," he replied. "I think."
She gave a throaty laugh and he blushed again. "You're cute, Daniel. I'm a little disappointed we're going to be related. I'm very disappointed that you aren't older. You are going to be quite the catch."
His eyes widened and he turned away from her, an unpleasant mixture of pleasure and mortification in his stomach. Just then, he was saved by a bleary eyed Harry walking into the kitchen. He stopped dead at the sight of Olivia sitting at the island and Daniel holding the tea strainer with identical looks of curiosity on their faces.
"Erm," Harry said, looking out the door of the kitchen as if he'd like to escape. "Morning."
"Morning," Olivia said, a hint of amusement in her voice.
If Daniel had been angry, it would have dissipated when he took in the sight of Harry. His hair was sticking out in all directions, more unruly than normal, which Daniel thought was an impossibility. And the look on his face! His eyes were as round as his glasses and Daniel could swear that he heard the gears turning in his head.
"Did you…?" he asked, directing the question to Olivia.
She nodded.
"Right," Harry replied. He chanced a peek at Daniel who just nodded in response.
"Right," Harry said again. "Well, you see," he began.
As much as Daniel wanted to see Harry struggle through an explanation, he didn't want to think about what he'd seen more than necessary. "Harry, it's okay. Don't explain, really."
"You're not mad?" Harry asked.
"No. A little squicked maybe."
"Squicked?" Harry asked, looking to Olivia for translation.
"Grossed out."
Harry nodded his head. "Right."
"Want some tea?" Daniel asked.
"Sure."
Twenty minutes later, Hermione walked into the kitchen, fully dressed. "Good morning," she sing-songed. Daniel watched Olivia hide a smile with a sip of tea. "Morning, Harry," she said. "I'm surprised to find you two up," she said, shaking the tea kettle. "How long have you been up?"
"Longer than we have," Harry said.
It took a moment for what he said to sink in. When it did, she stopped, placed the kettle on the cooktop and turned around. She looked from Daniel to Olivia to Harry who shrugged his shoulders and nodded. Her eyes returned to Daniel and rested there for a moment. He held her gaze, wanting to prove to her and to himself that he could be mature about this. After what seemed like a long time, she straightened up, flipped her hair behind her shoulder and said, "Who wants breakfast? We have a long day ahead of us," and the four of them continued on as if they were a completely normal wizarding family.
**
"Dad! I'm home!"
Katie walked into the parlour, face flushed and beaming, arms laden with brightly coloured packages and bags. Hermione put her book aside on the sofa and rose to greet Katie with a smile. "Hello, Katie."
The transformation in her face happened so quickly that Hermione wondered if she hadn't imagined the beaming happy girl. "What are you doing here?" she spat.
"I was invited," Hermione stated. "Need some help?" she asked, motioning to the bags.
"Not from you," Katie replied, putting the bags beside the door. "Where's my dad?"
"He took Jo and Daniel flying."
"Where's Olivia?"
"With Anne Weasley helping them get ready for their party."
Katie crossed her arms over her chest, cocking one leg to the side. "I guess you and Daniel are going to the party with us?"
"Yes, we are. Ron and Tonks invited us."
"And you're going home when it's over?"
Hermione clasped her hands in front of her. "No. We are staying here tonight. It seems pointless to travel to Spain and back when Daniel returns to Hogwarts tomorrow."
"I'm sure there is somewhere else in England you can stay for a few hours."
"We want to stay here," Hermione said.
"There's no where for you to sleep."
"Jo's going to sleep with Olivia and Daniel is taking her room for the night."
"Where are you going to sleep?"
Hermione sighed and looked at her hands and back up at Katie, her patience for the insolent girl stretching thin. Katie shrugged. "Oh well, it isn't as if we aren't used to a different witch in Dad's bed every other night."
Hermione had an overpowering urge to throttle the girl. Instead she gripped her hands together even tighter and said, in a falsely bright voice, "So, did you have a good time in Paris?"
Katie flipped her hair behind her shoulder. "We had a great time." She started to leave the room. "I wonder where Dobby is, I need help with my packages."
"Here, I can help you," Hermione said, moving to pick up a bag.
"No! Dobby can help me," she said.
"Dobby isn't here. I told him to take a couple of hours to himself."
"You told him? Like he would listen to you. He isn't your house-elf."
"Dobby and I have a special relationship."
"Oh, that's right. You are the house-elf liberator, aren't you?"
Hermione nodded and grinned. "You like to read, do you?"
"What?" Katie said, nonplussed. "What are you talking about?"
"You like to read, it's obvious. Harry doesn't talk about our time at Hogwarts or any of the things we did. Olivia told me as much."
"That doesn't mean someone else hasn't," she retorted.
"True," Hermione said, picking up the bag. "But 'The House Elf Liberator' is the subtitle of an aside about my role in aiding the house-elves in The Defeat of the Dark Lord. Want these in your room?" Hermione asked, walking toward the stairs.
When Katie didn't respond, only stared at her unflatteringly, Hermione shrugged and walked up the stairs to Katie's room. When she'd deposited the bags on the bed, she turned to find Katie in the doorway, sans packages, staring at her.
"I really like your room," Hermione said, looking around. "And what you did to Jo's and Olivia's. You have real talent, Katie."
"It isn't going to work, you know."
"What isn't?"
"You trying to make me like you."
"What makes you think I care one way or the other if you like me?"
She huffed. "Oh, I'm sure you and Dad picture us as one big happy blended family. All sitting in the parlour playing games and sharing," she said, miming quotation marks on the last word.
"That sounds dreadfully boring," Hermione replied.
"Please. That probably sounds like a wet dream to you."
Hermione laughed out loud. "What in the world do you know about 'wet dreams'?" she said, mimicking Katie's quotation marks.
"More than you think."
"I can assure you that I've never had a wet dream about parlour games," Hermione said.
"Then you are even more boring than I thought."
Hermione wondered if the girl realised that in her effort to be so belligerent and cruel she was making no sense whatsoever. "I think spending time with the people I love sounds like the perfect day."
"Oh, please. You love Daniel and Dad. You don't love us."
"I don't really know you well enough to say, now do I? But I'd like to get to know you."
"I know all about you," Katie spat.
"And what did the books tell you about me, Katie?"
"I don't need a book."
"Okay, then. Your own personal assessment." Hermione sat down on the edge of Katie's bed, crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap. "Lay it on me. Psychoanalyse me." She waved her hand encouraging Katie to begin. "Go on. I won't get angry. Unless you call me a bitch. Then, I might get angry."
Katie's eyes widened at the profanity. She opened her mouth to start when Hermione interrupted. "Of course, there is one catch."
"What's that?" Katie asked.
"I get to psychoanalyse you when you are done."
Hermione could tell that Katie was debating whether or not to proceed. The opportunity to lambaste Hermione won out.
"You may be the smartest witch of your age but you use that as a shield. Deep down, you are always trying to prove yourself, to make up for your muggle parentage, the one thing that you think keeps you apart from everyone else. You're a people pleaser and you always want to be liked, whether you admit it to yourself or not."
Hermione nodded and raised her eyebrows. No matter what Katie said, Hermione knew that she'd been doing homework on her. There was no way she would know all of that with the amount of time they had spent around each other. "Impressive analysis."
"I may be eleven but I'm not an idiot."
"Obviously," Hermione said. "My turn?" she asked.
Katie furrowed her brows and stared at Hermione, trying to hide her apprehension behind a mask of unconcern.
"Being the third child, you've always had to compete for attention. Early on you realised you would get that attention if you were naughty so that's what you do. You also want to be liked by everyone, but you put up a façade of disinterest in everyone and everything. That way you don't open yourself up for disappointment if people don't like the real you."
"You are way off base," Katie retorted.
Hermione shrugged, standing up. "Maybe. But I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, just in case. What makes you think I don't admit that I want to be liked?"
Katie shrugged. "I imagine you were the type in school to raise their nose and walk by when you were teased."
"And who are you? The one doing the teasing?"
Katie remained silent.
"Hmm, interesting theory: the teaser and teasee really just want to be friends. I might buy that about anyone but one person."
"Who?"
"No one you know," Hermione said. "So, why don't we just cut the song and dance of not liking each other and not getting along and see what happens? We are obviously meant to be friends, since our deepest desire is to be liked by others."
"My deepest desire has nothing to do with you liking me, trust me," Katie replied.
Hermione sighed and started to leave the room. She stopped as she passed by Katie in the doorway. "By the way, you can't run me off by being rude to me. I've faced much more frightening wizards than you and lived to tell the tale." She walked out of the room and down the hall. "We are leaving for the Weasleys' at seven, by the way," she said, over her shoulder, concealing a smile of accomplishment from the stunned girl standing in the doorway of her room.
**
Hermione was surprised to realise that she was nervous. She knew why, but she was too embarrassed to admit it, even to herself. The physical symptoms were too difficult to ignore: clammy palms beneath her winter gloves, cheeks burning hot against the bitter cold, and her stomach was twisted in such a knot that the smell of food wafting from Ron and Tonks's house almost made her physically sick.
Of course, Harry had no idea. One thing Hermione was sure of was her ability to sell her confident demeanor. After all, she'd spent most of her school years mastering the skill of appearing calm and collected on the outside, all the while paddling like mad on the inside to stay one step ahead of her insecurities.
Ron opened the door, a bright green, sparkling bowler sitting perched on top of his flaming red hair. The message "Happy New Year" was running in circles around the base of his hat, pausing at the front to flash three times in colours of blue, purple and gold, returning to white and running around the base of the hat again.
"Nice hat," Harry said with a wry grin as the kids pushed under Ron's arm and through the door.
"Thanks," Ron said. "It's from the shop." He stepped forward and gave Hermione a huge hug, lifting her off the ground in the process. "I'm so glad you are here!"
Hermione laughed and grasped onto Ron's shoulders for dear life as he spun her around. "Thanks for inviting us," she replied as Ron put her feet back on the ground.
"Standing invitation to visit anytime you want now that you are…" he paused, looking at Harry for direction. Harry shrugged his shoulders with a grin. "…back."
"Back from where?" Hermione said with a sly grin.
"Your sabbatical. Although a fifteen year sabbatical is a new one for me," Ron said, leading them into the house.
"Yes, well, you know me. I like to do everything 110%," Hermione replied, taking Harry's hand.
Ron threw his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. "We aren't going to let you leave this time," he whispered.
Hermione looked up at her friend, snaking her arm around his waist and giving him a squeeze. "You're stuck with me. Trust me."
"Good." He gave her a wink. "Before you leave tonight, you both have to eat at least three pounds of food. Otherwise, we will be eating leftovers for months," he said, gesturing toward the table groaning under the weight of all the food.
"Goodness," Hermione said.
"Yes!" Harry said, picking up a roasted chicken leg and taking a bite.
"Harry, get a plate," Hermione scolded, rolling her eyes.
"Good lord, she hasn't changed a bit," Ron said, following Harry's lead and grabbing a piece of chicken.
"Nope, not a bit," Harry said, taking another bite of chicken as he grinned mischievously at Hermione.
Hermione rolled her eyes again. "Boys. I'm going to find Tonks."
Harry grasped her hand and pulled her back to him. "Give me a kiss first," he said.
"Not with food all in your mouth," she replied, trying to wiggle away from his descending lips. He swallowed dramatically and she relented, letting him give her a peck on the lips. She wrinkled her nose. "I still tasted chicken."
He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "I'll make it up to you later."
"Would you two stop it?" Ron asked.
"No," Harry said, giving Hermione a private smile, one that was easy for her to translate. His arm was firmly around her waist and she had no desire to leave his embrace. She didn't care that they were in the middle of a crowd of people, she didn't care if everyone was staring at them. All she cared about, at that point in time, was that they were together - finally.
"Do you two mind not doing that?" Daniel said, walking by on his way to the table of food.
"Yeah, nobody else's parents are acting gooey," Jo said, taking a plate that Daniel offered her.
They separated with an unspoken promise for later. Hermione went off in search of Tonks, throwing "Eat some vegetables" over her shoulder to Daniel. She heard Jo giggle and Daniel say, in three syllables, "Mum!" as she exited the room.
Once alone, her nervousness returned in full force. She had expected to know quite a few people at the party, but as she walked through the house she was met with more curious stares of strangers than with familiar greetings from old acquaintances. She smoothed her hair out and dipped her head with a small smile when an unfamiliar woman caught her eye. She had almost decided to hunt Harry down and stay glued to his side when she found Tonks, leaning against the kitchen sink, gesturing wildly with a tall drink glass in her hand.
"Hi, Tonks!" she said, walking into the group with a confident smile.
"Hermione!" Tonks exclaimed, giving her a one-armed hug around the waist, spilling half of her drink down Hermione's back in the process. "Oops. Sorry," she said, as liquid trickled down Hermione's spine. "Here," Tonks said, turning Hermione around and waving her wand. The wet sensation vanished immediately. She turned Hermione back around and gave her a smile. "Being a klutz, I've mastered all types of cleaning and repairing charms."
"No problem," Hermione laughed. The two witches Tonks had been talking to were eyeing Hermione with apparent curiosity, one even going so far as to let her gaze travel up and down Hermione's body in assessment. Hermione disliked her immediately.
"Hermione, this is Phoebe," she said, motioning to the tall brunette that was staring at Hermione in an unflattering way. "She works at the Ministry with Ron. And this is Sarah. She's," Tonks craned her neck looking around the crowd, "Robert's wife," she said, pointing to a short, balding wizard talking to Ernie Macmillan. "He plays Quidditch on Sundays with Ron and Harry."
Hermione offered her hand to Sarah and Phoebe in turn, receiving a warm smile of understanding from the short witch. "Hello," she said to Phoebe. "Nice to meet you," she replied to Sarah.
Phoebe's eyes narrowed at the vague slight. "Who are you here with?" she asked.
Hermione straightened up and leveled her with a stare. "Harry," she replied, sure that no last name was necessary. From the look on Phoebe's face, she was correct.
"Oh!" Sarah exclaimed. "You're Hermione Granger! I thought I recognised you!" she said, clearly excited. "I was at Hogwarts with you. Well, I was a first year when you were Head Girl, and I was in Hufflepuff. I tried to stay out of trouble so you didn't really know me."
"No, Sarah, of course I remember you," Hermione lied. "I don't remember your last name, though."
"It's Crocker now," she said with a smile. "Robert was a year above me. Hufflepuff, too," she said with a high pitched annoying laugh. Hermione nodded and smiled in response, her hands clasped in front of her. A short, awkward silence followed before Tonks said, intertwining her arm through Hermione's, "Let's get you a drink,"
"Sure," Hermione replied. "Nice to meet you both," she said before Tonks led her away.
Tonks leaned close to Hermione and said, "Phoebe's been trying to get Ron to fix her up with Harry for months now. Poor girl looked crushed," she finished with no amount of remorse. She handed Hermione a drink like hers and took a new one for herself. Hermione took a drink of the bright green concoction while scanning the crowd for someone, anyone she knew. The tang hit her tongue with a jolt and she struggled to swallow the liquid she wanted desperately to spit out. It was, possibly, the worst drink she'd ever had.
"Know anyone here?" Tonks asked, scanning the crowd with her and appearing to not notice Hermione's plight.
Hermione shook her head, unable to talk. Her eyes grew wide as she realised that her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. "Hermione? Are you okay?"
She shook her head and grunted, pointing to her mouth. Tonks's eyes widened. "Bloody hell! THEO!!!" she screamed, looking around for her wayward son. She started to walk off and Hermione grabbed her arm, frantic. Tonks, focused on meting out punishment on her prankster son, gave her a confused look. Her face cleared and she said, "Oh, don't worry. It'll wear off in a few minutes. It's from the joke shop. Theo obviously spiked a drink or two. Little bugger. Wait until I get my hands on him," she said, walking off leaving Hermione alone, mouth cemented together with the mortar of a foul tasting drink.
She cast around, looking for Harry and saw only people she didn't know and had no desire to talk to, even if she could. Phoebe was walking toward her, a glint in her eye, and Hermione placed the drink back on the tray whence it came, hoping Phoebe would pick it up, and walked in the other direction. She found her way to the loo, latched the door and sat on the toilet, waiting for the effects of whatever harebrained concoction the twins had cooked up to wear off.
She propped her head in her hand and stared at the tile on the wall, wondering when she became anti-social.
I'm not anti-social. I don't like chit chat. There is a difference.
So, you only want to have deep intelligent conversations fraught with meaning?
No, I want to talk to people I care about. Not people that I'll see once a year at a party.
Face it. You expected to be able to come back to England and pick up where you left off 15 years ago. It's not that easy.
She heard a knock on the door followed by Harry's voice. "Hermione?"
She unlatched the door and he entered, concern on his face. "What's wrong? You've been in here for a few minutes."
She tried to separate her mouth but couldn't, a flare of anger at the twins and their bloody pranks rushing through her. She stamped it down, pointed at her mouth and shook her head.
"You can't talk? Why not?"
She mimed raising a glass and drinking before clapping her hands together.
"You drank something that…," he looked confused as she kept her hands pressed together, "locked your mouth shut?"
She shrugged and nodded yes, thinking that was a rather accurate description of what happened. Hermione narrowed her eyes as Harry struggled to keep from laughing. "I'm sorry, love," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "But it's pretty funny."
Hermione crossed her arms and gave him a glare. Her tongue was loosening a bit as saliva formed in her mouth. She was thankful that her lips were cemented as well so as to keep from drooling. The thought went through her head that she should suggest an alteration to the formula to the twins to promote drooling. After all, if it was going to be a prank, it should be the best…as long as it was never done on her again.
"I'm stopping now, I promise," Harry said, his laughter petering out as he wiped his eyes. His smile remained and he pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. His eyes darted to the door, then back to her, the adoring smile replaced with a mischievous grin that worried Hermione more than a little. He moved forward, arching his left brow. "You can't talk, can you?" He moved her around so that she was leaning against the sink and pressed his body into hers. "Can't make any noises whatsoever."
Hermione tried to say "yes I can" but it came out as a three note hum. "So you can still moan in pleasure," he murmured in her ear before his lips began trailing kisses down her neck. "That's good," he said, pressing his erection (that was quick, Hermione thought) into her pelvis. One hand was on her breast, the other at the button of her trousers.
She forced her mouth apart. "Harry," she croaked, her tongue dry and chalky.
"Damn, you can talk," Harry said.
"You want to do this here? In the loo?"
"The thought crossed my mind."
"We can't. Everyone will see us leave together."
He was still kissing her neck, opening the 'v' of her shirt wider and kissing down to the hollow between her breasts. "I'll apparate outside somewhere. No one will ever know," he whispered, moving his way back up to her jaw.
"You seem to know what you are doing. Have you done this before?" she asked, a pang of lust flaring within her.
"No, but I've always wanted to," he said, staring at her with darkened, hooded eyes.
She arched her eyebrows, one corner of her mouth curling into a smirk. "So have I."
**
Harry walked up the steps to Ron's house for the second time that night, this time on wobbly knees. He paused at the door, trying to collect himself, the image of fucking Hermione in the loo too raw and recent for coherent thought. He was amazed by the woman. Every time he thought he'd figured her out, she did something else that shocked him. He never in a million years thought she'd go for a quickie in the bathroom of his best friend's house. The most he'd hoped for was a hand job, for both of them. When her lip curled, just one side (damn, that look killed him every time; he'd jump off the cliff if she asked him with that lopsided smile) he knew she was about to fuck him within an inch of his life.
Had she ever.
He turned around and sat on the steps, his legs finally giving out. The freezing cold of January was no match for the warmth coursing through his body as a result of what he'd just experienced. He could still feel the heels of her feet pressing into his arse, pushing him into her as she sat on the edge of the sink, touching herself, staring at him with those intense, brown eyes - don't forget the flecks of gold - biting her lip to keep from making a sound. He remembered the weight of her head as she laid her cheek on his shoulder, how in that moment he'd almost asked her, when she kissed his neck lightly and whispered, "You are a bad influence," before gently pushing him away and hopping off the counter.
He stared at the snow-covered ground, it's blank slate enabling his mind to fill with a jumble of thoughts and feelings that no man would admit to unless under the influence of a stout helping of Veritaserum…or love. Disappointment that he hadn't asked her to marry him, embarrassment that he'd actually considered it after a quickie in the loo. She would have laughed or been offended if he had. He snorted in laughter to no one. Talk about catching her off guard. He didn't even want to imagine telling that story to Daniel, not to mention the girls.
He rubbed his hands over his face, realising that this was all going to be much harder than he or Hermione had anticipated. Harry thought that Daniel was accepting, but holding back judgment until he was sure Harry wasn't going to break his mum's heart. Olivia had told Harry flat out that he'd better ask Hermione to marry him before she realised what a a bunch of nutters his family was and chickened out. He'd seen Jo observing Hermione and being polite to her, answering questions when asked and at least attempting to hold up her end of the conversation. He knew that Jo would love Hermione. After all, she was just like Harry and Harry loved Hermione. He knew it was only a matter of time.
Then, there was Katie.
"She hates me," Hermione told him when they were getting ready for the party.
"I'm sure she doesn't," Harry assured her, but silently thought that Katie probably did.
He didn't know if Katie's obvious disdain for Hermione was good or bad. Considering that Katie usually kept everything bottled up inside her - unless she could use her emotions to get what she wanted, that is - he thought her apparent hatred of Hermione may be interpreted as Katie being a step closer to accepting Hermione.
He sighed, knowing that he was fooling himself. Of the three girls, Katie was the only one that was close to their mother. And she was the only one of the three that held on to the hope that Bridgette and Harry may reconcile. Harry doubted that she would ever give that dream up. Taking a deep breath, he stood up, the idea that he wouldn't ask Hermione to marry him because of Katie's feelings never entering his mind.
"Where have you been?" Ron asked, looking at the door closing behind Harry. "I thought you went to check on Hermione."
"I did. She's fine."
Ron pointed at the lavatory, then turned to point at the front door with a confused look on his face. "Did you apparate outside?"
"Yeah. I needed some air. Hey, popkin," he said to Jo, who was walking by.
"Hi, Dad," she replied without stopping.
Harry continued to Ron, "Hermione was rinsing her mouth out. Not sure if it was the drink or the potion, but she had an awful taste in her mouth." Harry tried, and thought he was successful in concealing his smirk.
"Did you get a first hand taste?" Ron asked in a conspiratorial whisper.
"No! What kind of couple do you think we are?"
"The kind that kisses?" Ron asked, scanning the crowd with a snort.
"Right," Harry said, blushing and looking away. He saw Hermione greet Susan Bones with a quick hug. He was about to leave Ron to talk to them when Ron punched his arm.
"Wait just a bloody minute! Did you…" he started looking at the loo and then the front door. "Why were you outside, Harry?"
"I needed some air."
"But why did you need some air?" Ron narrowed his eyes. "You did, didn't you? I can't believe you," he lowered his voice in a harsh whisper, "just shagged in my lavatory."
"Ron, I don't know what you are talking about. It's stuffy in here and I needed some air. End of story. Just because you and Tonks shag in the bathroom doesn't mean everyone does."
"I wish," Ron said sullenly, taking a pull on his ale. "Maybe we'll try that tonight," he said almost to himself.
"You do that, mate," he said, slapping him on the shoulder before walking over to Hermione. Harry kissed her on the cheek and greeted Susan. "Feeling better?" he asked Hermione.
"Much. I gargled. Nothing feels quite so good as a quick gargle," she said, squeezing his hand. "Guess what Susan and I have been discussing?"
Harry listened as Hermione and Susan discussed the pros, cons, challenges and benefits of opening a Healer practise together, all the time suppressing the urge to ask her to marry him.
**
"He went outside to get some air," Jo said, plopping down on the end of Theo's bed. Daniel was sitting on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed, one leg outstretched, the other bent, his arm resting on the knee. Theo was propped up against the headboard, his hair finally his normal shade of red and his normal texture, soft and flopping over his eyes. Katie was leaning against the wall next to a poster of the Chudley Cannons.
The four of them had been watching to see who would pick the spiked drink up fifteen minutes ago from the relative safety of the hallway. Theo had gasped, then groaned when his mother picked the drink up and gave it to Hermione. Daniel had lurched up to stop her before it was too late, but was yanked back by Katie.
"Let me go!" he said through gritted teeth, wrenching his arm from her.
"Too late," she said with a smirk, looking over Daniel's arm. He'd turned to see his mother's face contorting in disgust.
"Let's go!" Theo said, pulling him down the hall, his mother's voice calling his name over the crowd noise.
Katie was laughing hysterically, Theo was as green as the drink they just spiked, Jo had a worried look on her face and Daniel was furious.
"My mum is going to kill me," Theo said when they made it to his room.
"You should've spiked the kids' drinks, not the adults," Jo said.
"That was hilarious!" Katie said, holding her stomach.
"No, it wasn't!" Daniel said, rounding on Katie.
"Oh, shut up, Catalan. You're just angry it was your mum. If it was some stranger, you'd be laughing, too."
"No, I wouldn't."
"Okay, whatever you say," she said, leaning against the wall.
At that time, the door to Theo's room burst open and his diminutive mother stalked in, buoyed by anger and taking up much more room than usual.
"Theo! What in bloody hell were you thinking?"
"Sorry, Mum," Theo said, not trying to get out of trouble.
Tonks looked around the room. "Were you all involved in it?" Their silence and averted eyes answered her question. "You will all four march right back in there and apologise to Hermione. Then, you will drink the rest of the drink you spiked, Theodore Weasley. See how you like having your mouth cemented shut."
"But, Mum! It's got alcohol in it!"
"Not enough to get you drunk, unfortunately for you. Let's go."
They saw Harry go into the bathroom as they left the room before Tonks. Jo gave Daniel a puzzled look and he shrugged his shoulders in return. "Wait here until she gets out," Tonks said. "How many drinks did you spike?"
"A couple," Theo said.
"I'll show you which ones," Jo said, leading Tonks to the bar.
Daniel, Katie and Theo were still standing, waiting for Hermione to exit the loo, when Jo returned. "She still in there?"
"Yep," Theo said. "It shouldn't take this long for the effects to wear off. Uncle Fred said five minutes, tops."
"Where's Dad?" Jo said, looking around the room.
"Still in there," Katie said, staring holes through the door.
Daniel's stomach twisted, the vague knowledge of what might be going on behind the door making him a little sick.
Hermione exited and the four of them went to apologise. Hermione was shocked to see Jo, Katie and Daniel owning up to the prank, too, but Daniel was surprised how well she took it. "I guess I need to get used to this if I'm going to be in Fred and George's circle from now on," she said, ruffling Theo's hair. "Next time, spike someone else's drink though." She walked off, four shocked faces following her. Before she left the hall, she turned to Theo and said, "Oh, by the way, you should suggest to Fred and George that they alter the potion to make sure the person drools. That'd make it much more embarrassing." She winked at Theo, who turned bright red, and walked off with a smile. Daniel turned to Katie, whose mouth was hanging open in shock, and gave her a large grin that said, "Take that! My mum can take a joke!"
Jo walked off to find her dad and Tonks returned with a spiked drink for Theo. He drank it down, grimacing the entire time. "To your room," Tonks said, taking the glass from him.
Which is where they were when Jo returned with the news that Harry had been outside.
"And you're an idiot if you believe that," Katie said. "Which means that Daniel will."
"Katie!" Jo cried.
"You don't have to work so hard for me to hate you, Katie. I already do," Daniel retorted.
"Daniel!" Jo cried.
"I'm crushed," Katie replied.
Jo looked at Theo. "Yeah, we're going to be one big happy family. I can't wait for the summer hols."
"We all know what they were doing in the bathroom," Katie said, glaring at Daniel.
"If Dad says he was outside, I believe him," Jo replied.
"Oh, I'm sure he was outside for a minute. He had to apparate somewhere, didn't he?"
"Why not just walk out of the bathroom?" Daniel said.
"After fifteen minutes? With Hermione? Do I have to spell it out for you, Catalan? They were having sex."
"Katie!" Jo said, sounding scandalised.
"Well, they were. Want me to explain it to you?"
Theo, his mouth cemented shut banged on the wall to get everyone's attention. He gestured wildly at Katie, his face contorting in faces of disbelief and grunting sounds coming from his throat.
"Write it down, Theo," Jo said, nodding to a piece of parchment on the desk. He did and handed it to Jo, who read, "What makes you the expert?" Jo looked up and added, "Yeah, what makes you think you know so much about it?"
Katie rolled her eyes. "Let's just say I read it in a book and leave it at that."
"Where did you get the book?" Jo persisted.
"Jo, drop it," Katie said.
"She's lying," Daniel put in. "She doesn't know a thing about it."
Katie raised her eyebrows. "And you do?"
"More than you."
"Really? Did your mummy sit down and have the talk with you?" she said in a mocking voice. When Daniel didn't respond, she laughed. "She did, didn't she? I bet she used terms like vagina, penis and love, didn't she?"
Daniel felt the heat from his face rush down his neck, but he was determined to stand up to Katie. "Yes, she did. So what?" he replied, leaping to his feet. "You're just jealous because your mum couldn't have an intelligent conversation if her life depended on it. I'd love to have heard the scintillating conversations the two of you had on your shopping trip. What do you think of this colour, Mum? Oh no honey, that washes you out. But, let's talk about me," he said in a high-pitched voice, placing his hand in a feminine gesture on his chest on the last word. Katie's face fell for a split second before she resumed the disdainful look from before. "What's wrong, Katie? Hit too close to home? Not so fun when you are on the receiving end, is it?"
He walked over toward her and stuck his finger in her face. "I'm warning you, Katie. If you terrorise my mum, you'll regret it." He gave her a final glare and stalked out of the room, feeling better than he'd felt in months.
**
"Are you having fun?" Harry whispered in her ear.
"Eh," Hermione replied. "It's okay. Honestly, I'd rather be home alone with you."
"Don't forget about the kids," Harry added.
"Of course, and the kids."
"It's almost midnight. Let me get us some champagne."
"Sounds good," Hermione replied.
She watched him weave through the crowd to the bar and felt a tug on her shirt. "Hey, Daniel," she said, draping an arm over his shoulder. "You are getting so tall," she said. "When did that happen?"
He shrugged. "Sorry about the prank," he said, averting his eyes.
She gave his shoulder a hug. "That's okay. No harm done. Are you having fun?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
"Hey, mate!" Harry said, handing Hermione her flute of champagne.
"Hi, Harry."
"It's almost midnight. We're going to leave not too long after," Hermione said. "Better go find your friends."
"We are?" Harry asked.
"Okay," Daniel said, walking away.
"Aren't we?" Hermione replied.
"I usually stay to help clean up," Harry replied.
"Oh, okay," Hermione said. "I didn't know. That's fine. I'll help."
"We can go. I'm sure Ron and Tonks will understand."
"No, let's help. It's the least we could do for having us over."
Harry kissed her on the cheek. "I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," she replied, kissing him lightly on the lips.
"You're supposed to save that for midnight."
"Right. I forgot."
Harry opened his mouth as if to say something, and closed it again. Grasping her hand, he pulled her out of the crowd to the corner of the room. She looked around in the semi-dark corner and said with a grin, "Romantic, Harry."
"It's too crowded over there," he said gesturing to the centre of the room which was, in his defense, filled with drunk witches and wizards.
"You aren't trying to bring me over here and feel me up?" she said, wiggling her eyebrows.
"No, I'll save that for later."
She leaned her back against the wall and watched him. Harry was looking around the room, scanning the crowd, but not really seeing anything. One hand was holding his champagne glass, the other was in his trouser pocket, jingling his keys and change.
She traced his profile with her eyes: the messy hair that still fell across his forehead, his straight, thin nose, the dip in the center of his top lip, his pink lips that his tongue was running across at that moment, his chin that was just strong enough to add an exclamation point on his features.
She heard, as if in a well, the distant sound of Ron and Tonks telling everyone that it was thirty seconds to the New Year…
Harry adjusted his stance, removing his hand from his pocket and running it over the features she'd just been studying, and around to rub the base of his neck. He gave her a quick glance, a half smile and returned his attention to the crowd.
She tried to pinpoint, but couldn't, why she loved Harry. If asked to name specifics, she wasn't sure she could. It was the entire package she loved, warts and all. She wouldn't want to take his faults out of his character; they were part of who he was. His legendary guilt complex was tied to his capacity to love. His impulsiveness was tied to his fun-loving nature. His jealousy was tied to his insecurities about his worth. She didn't want the good without the bad…
Fifteen seconds, Ron called out…
…he wouldn't be Harry, then…
Ten seconds…
…the man that she loved,
nine seconds…
the complete man,
eight seconds…
that she'd always loved…
seven seconds…
He turned to look at her. She watched his lips mouth, 'six,' when she heard herself say…
"Will you marry me?"
…at the same time he did.
Four…
"What?" they asked in unison, looking at each other in shock.
Three…
"Will you marry me," they repeated, together again.
Two…
They grinned and fell into each other's arms…
One…
Their question already answered.
**
"Some party, eh?" Tonks said, waving her wand to send a stack of paper plates and serviettes into the rubbish bag that Ron was holding open.
"Yes, very nice," Hermione replied, supervising the self-washing dishes in the sink, her wand ready to catch any rogue champagne flutes.
"It always is," Harry said, bringing food in from the other room and placing it on the kitchen table.
"We are never going to eat all this food," Tonks lamented.
"You forget we have Theo, the human garbage disposal," Ron said, tying the bag and opening a new one.
"You forget he returns to Hogwarts in," she looked at her watch, "ten hours."
"Oh, right," Ron replied, looking sad. His face lit up and he continued, "That just means more for me!"
Harry and Hermione laughed as much at the expression on Tonks's face as they did at Ron's statement.
"Of course, you two," Tonks said, looking at Harry and Hermione, "could come over for dinner every night for the next month if you like. Give Dobby a little holiday."
"As nice as that sounds," Hermione said, wishing they could, "we're going back to Spain tomorrow afternoon."
Tonks and Ron stopped, mid-task, and stared at Harry and Hermione, who continued their chores. "We?" Ron asked, looking at Harry.
"What?" he asked with the air of someone who had only been half listening to the exchange.
"Is there something you need to tell us?" Tonks asked.
Hermione cast a look at Harry, who said, "What do you mean?"
"I thought you went to Spain on Hermione's days off. Just surprised you have time so soon after Christmas," Ron said looking between the two.
"I don't have time off," Hermione said.
"I'm going to be spending more time there," Harry interjected.
"Oh," Ron said, trying to hide the disappointment from his voice. "I thought you'd both be…," he trailed off. "Never mind," he said busying himself with again with the rubbish.
Hermione went over to Ron and put her hand around his waist. "Ron, it's just temporary. I'm moving back to England."
A huge grin broke across Ron's face. "Are you really?" Hermione grinned at him and nodded. "You're really coming back? To stay?"
"As long as Harry'll have me," Hermione said.
"Oh, he's not thick enough to lose you twice."
"Oi!" Harry said. "I'm standing right here!"
"I don't care. You were bloody stupid and you know it."
"Yes, well you don't have to remind me so often."
"Are you two going to get married or just live in sin?" Tonks asked.
"Live in sin. At least until the kids get out for the summer. We'll get married then, I guess," Hermione said. "We haven't gotten that far. I just asked him to marry me an hour ago."
"No, I asked you to marry me," Harry interjected.
"Wait, hang on!" Ron said, holding up his hand. "Tonight? You asked tonight?"
"In your parlour, yep," Harry said.
"You asked Harry?" Tonks said to Hermione.
"Yes," she said.
"No," Harry interjected.
"Technically, we asked at the same time."
"Who gives a rumpled horned snorkack? What counts is your going to be here, in England with us where you belong," Ron said, lifting Hermione off the ground in a hug.
Tonks was walking past Harry and said in a stage whisper, "If I didn't know better, I'd be jealous of that," nodding toward her husband twirling Hermione around in a circle.
"Think we should be worried?" Harry asked her in mock sincerity.
"Nah," she said with a dismissive wave.
Ron placed a laughing Hermione back on her feet. "I had no idea you missed me so much, Ronald."
"Me either, truth be told. Now that you're back, I don't know. It just seems like everything is right. Does that make sense?"
"Okay, now I am worried. That almost made sense," Tonks said on another pass by Harry.
"I know exactly what you mean, Ron. And I agree." She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I didn't realise how much I missed you, either."
"Time to break this little love fest up," Harry said, laughing and pushing in between the two. He gave Hermione a kiss and walked her backwards away from Ron.
"Jealous, Harry?" Tonks said, with raised eyebrows. "I have seen you this jealous in, oh let's see…15 years or so."
"Shut it, Tonks," Harry said around Hermione's lips.
"Save it for later, tiger," Hermione said, stepping out of Harry's embrace.
"Oh, good lord. They are going to be gooey and mushy, aren't they?" Ron said in a pleading voice to Tonks.
"Bloody newlyweds," Tonks said in an undertone.
"Here, Tonks. I have a tip for you," Hermione said, walking over and whispering in her ear.
Tonks's eyes lit up and she said, "Really? Never tried that."
"Guaranteed," Hermione said with a smug look.
"Be afraid. Be very afraid," Harry said to Ron.
"Not bloody likely after what you've told me," Ron said.
Hermione turned to Harry, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. "And what have you told him?" she asked.
"Not nearly as much as he wanted to know, I assure you," Harry said, walking towards Hermione, who had crossed her arms over her chest. He wrapped his arms around her and said, "I just said it's the best sex I've ever had."
She stared at him for a minute, and he thought that she wasn't going to forgive him, that she was going to make him pay when they were alone. He was going to kill Ron.
She cut her eyes toward Ron, who was looking rather frightened. "You do know what this means, don't you, Ron?"
He gulped. "No, what?"
"That Tonks and I are going to talk about you, too."
"Yep, she's right," Tonks put in, before reaching up and slapping Ron on the back of the head. "Git."
"Oww! That hurt!"
"It wasn't supposed to tickle."
"Are you angry with me?" Harry asked while Ron glared at Tonks and rubbed the back of his head.
"Furious. I'll show you how much later," she said.
Harry narrowed his eyes, not sure if she was furious or flirting. She hadn't uncrossed her arms, but she hadn't moved away either. He took a flyer and gave her a long deep kiss.
Definitely flirting, he thought as her tongue ran along his teeth before she nipped his bottom lip.
"If you two keep going at it like that, we'll be hearing another announcement soon," Tonks said, directing dishes into the cupboard with her wand.
Harry and Hermione pulled apart and resumed their tasks. "What announcement would that be?" Hermione asked.
"Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top," Tonks sang.
"Oh, no," Hermione said at the same time Harry replied, "Maybe."
The shocked silence these two responses brought to the kitchen were interrupted immediately by Olivia, Jo, Katie, Daniel and Theo. "Parlour is clean," Olivia announced.
Tonks took the platter of food from Harry, who was still staring at Hermione in stunned silence. "We can get it from here," she said, nudging Harry into action with a soft push from her shoulder. "You lot take off. We'll see you at King's Cross tomorrow."
"Right," Harry said, his mind reeling. Hermione wasn't looking at him, instead handing the dishes she was holding to Ron and giving him a peck on the cheek.
"Okay, kids. Let's get our cloaks," she said, herding them out of the kitchen. Harry followed and took his cloak from Olivia, trying the entire time to catch Hermione's eye, with no success. "Thanks, Tonks. It was so much fun," Hermione said, giving the small witch a hug. "See you tomorrow."
"Right. Eleven comes bright and early tomorrow. Don't be late," she said, embracing Harry.
"We've never missed a train," Harry said.
"You've come close," Ron said.
"He hasn't had me around," Hermione said with a smirk. Harry saw Katie roll her eyes behind Hermione's back. He shook his head and gave her a glare.
Ron picked up an old, deflated quaffle out of a basket by the door. "The last one, it must be yours."
"Yes, the ratty old quaffle is always mine," Harry said, grasping the portkey.
Ron pulled out his wand, tapped the quaffle and said, "Portus. You might want to bring it tomorrow. Just in case you miss the train."
"Think I have enough pull with the Magical Transportation Department to get a last minute portkey?"
"I'm sure you can bribe me some way," Ron said, slapping Harry on the back.
The family all placed a hand on the quaffle and were transported to the entrance hall of their home in Godric's Hollow. The energy from the party apparently didn't travel by portkey; all six of them trudged up the stairs, each thinking a variation of the same thought. I don't want to get up early tomorrow.
Half-hearted, murmured goodnights were exchanged; even Katie was too tired to glare or complain about the sleeping arrangements. Harry and Hermione changed and readied for bed in silence, the scene from the kitchen in both of their minds, but neither knowing how to broach the subject, or if they even wanted.
They crawled into bed and lay side by side, not touching, both staring at the ceiling. Hermione broke the oppressing silence. "I guess we haven't talked about everything, have we?"
"No."
Silence. Harry didn't know what else to say. He wanted to know if she'd thought about having children with him and dismissed the idea outright. If so, why? Or had she not even thought about having children with him at all? He didn't know what would be worse, considering and rejecting the idea or not loving him enough to even consider it. How do you ask a question when you know that any answer given will break your heart?
So, he stayed silent.
She turned onto her side to face him, placing her hand in the center of his bare chest. "Have you thought about us having children?" she asked in a soft voice.
He placed his hand over hers, reflexively. "I haven't been sitting around picking out names, if that's what you're asking. I guess I just assumed that we would try. Or that we would at least consider the possibility." He turned his head to hers. "You haven't?"
"The thought hasn't even crossed my mind, Harry."
He returned his gaze to the ceiling and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "Why?" he croaked before he could stop himself. "Why don't you want to have my baby?"
"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, turning his face back towards hers with the light touch of her hand on his cheek. "That's not it at all. Don't even think that. Just because I've not thought of it doesn't mean I don't want to have a baby with you. In fact, I rather like the idea."
"You do?" Harry said, his heart buoyed by her words.
"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"
"Why haven't you considered it before now?"
"Really, Harry, we've had enough to be going on with, don't you think? We've only been seeing each other since September, sleeping with each other since October, we just told our kids mere days ago that we are dating, and tonight we proposed. Not to mention that we've had our jobs and lives going on in the background of our drama. There is only so much I can think about at a time."
"Wait a minute. There's a limit to what your brain can do?"
"Don't change the subject," Hermione said.
"Right. What is the subject?"
"You. Me. Children. Child."
"You only want one?"
"We already have four Harry. I think one more is plenty."
"You're probably right. Although I wouldn't mind having three or four with you."
"Stop right there. I'm 38 years old, Harry. One more. That's it."
"Why didn't you and Miguel have more children?"
She flipped over onto her stomach, burying her hands beneath the pillow and closing her eyes. "He didn't want anymore."
"You aren't going to sleep, are you?"
"Yes, I am."
"What about your promises from earlier?"
"Harry, we shagged not three hours ago in a bathroom." Her eyes popped open. "Since when are you Mr. Stamina?"
"Since we started talking about making babies," he said, running his hand under her shirt and over the warm skin of her back.
She moved to her side and propped her head on her arm. Harry ran his hand along her side and around to cup her breast. "Harry, I need to tell you something."
"Hmm," he said, running his thumb across her hardening nipple.
"It may take a while to get pregnant. I had a difficult time getting pregnant with Daniel."
"That's fine. We'll have fun trying," he said, grinning and leaning down to kiss her.
She pulled back and put her hand over his mouth. "You say that now, but it is stressful trying and failing to get pregnant. Stressful on the relationship."
"How long did you two try?"
"A year."
Harry shrugged. "We can handle that."
"What if it takes longer?"
"We can handle it," he replied. "Let's not worry about it just yet. We'll just go on how we were, but without contraception. If we get pregnant, we get pregnant. We'll do all the plotting and planning when we get married, okay?"
"Okay," Hermione replied. "You didn't have to stop, you know."
"Stop what?"
"What you were doing before," she replied, putting his hand back on her breast.
"You mean, this?"
"Yes. That. Right. There."
**
Hermione and Daniel were sitting on his trunk in the middle of the entry hall of Harry's house watching the scene before them with a mixture of horror and awe. Panza was in his cage next to Daniel, his amber eyes wide in amazement, his neck swiveling on his body trying to take in the entire scene. And what a scene it was.
Harry, Olivia, Katie and Jo were flying through the house, trying to get everything together for their impending departure on the Hogwart's Express. Dobby was popping into the scene here and there with various lost articles: quills, spellbooks, cloaks, shoes, toiletries. He seemed to be the only person that knew where everything was. Why he hadn't used this knowledge to get everything packed and ready the night before was beyond Hermione.
So distracted by what was going on, Hermione and Daniel didn't realise the door had chimed until Dobby appeared out of thin air to open the door.
"Really, Dobby. Changing the wards so I can't apparate straight in is a little petty, don't you think?" Bridgette said, breezing past the house-elf and into the hallway.
"Dobby didn't do it, ma'am. Master Harry did," Dobby said, bowing a little and looking under his arm in Hermione's direction. Bridgette followed Dobby's gaze and froze. Her mask of aloofness cracked, revealing a hard, cold stare, reminding Hermione of the Veela's transformation twenty-four years earlier at the Quidditch World Cup.
"You," Bridgette spat out.
Hermione felt Daniel tense next to her. She patted his knee as she stood to face Bridgette. "Hello, Bridgette."
"Godric's Hollow is a rather large detour from Spain to King's Cross," she said, yanking at each finger of her glove before ripping it off and starting on the other.
"It wasn't a detour."
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and stared Bridgette down, which is how Harry found them when he rushed through the hall a minute later.
"Bridgette!" he said in shock. "What are you doing here?"
"Taking the children to King's Cross of course." She tore her gaze from Hermione's. "Why are you so shocked? Have I ever not gone? I am their mother," she said, returning her glare to Hermione on the last word. "The surprise shouldn't be that I'm here, but that she is. I thought you would have tired of her by now, Harry."
"Bridgette," Harry said, warningly.
"It'll happen soon, I'm sure. Just like all the others," she sighed, giving Hermione a pitying look.
"Bridgette," Harry said again, stepping forward.
Hermione laughed and walked toward Harry, placing her arm around his waist. "Oh, Harry, don't bother. As if I'd believe a word this lying, manipulative…witch said," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Hermione saw Daniel's eyes widen behind Bridgette and Hermione stifled a laugh at the shocked expression on his face.
"MUM!" Katie shrieked, rushing through the entry hall and running to embrace her mother. Bridgette opened her arms and smiled. "Princess, how are you?" she purred.
"Better now," Katie said.
"I'm sure," her mum replied, smoothing down her hair and glaring at Hermione.
"Are you ready, Katie?" Harry said. "We have to get going."
"I'm ready."
"Hi, Mum," Olivia said, following her levitated trunk down the stairs.
"Hi, Mum," Jo repeated, descending behind Olivia.
"Hi girls!" Bridgete said with enthusiasm. She went over and hugged Olivia, who looked shocked and then Jo, who look disgusted and wiggled from her embrace to stand beside Daniel. Bridgette noticed Daniel for the first time. "And you must be Daniel," she said, oozing with charm. Hermione wanted to strangle her.
"I'm Bridgette," she said, holding her hand out to Daniel.
He took it, reluctantly and murmured, "Nice to meet you," while blushing a dark shade of red.
"Aren't you cute?" Bridgette cooed. "You resemble your father, I'm sure," she said, throwing a look Hermione's way.
Hermione felt Harry's hand tighten around her waist before he said, "Let's go."
The trip to King's Cross was tense, and crowded. Harry, Hermione and Daniel were in the front of the car, while Bridgette was in the back, trying to keep a lively conversation going between her and the girls. The only one remotely interested in participating was Katie.
"When is your next game, Jo?" Bridgette asked.
"I sent you the schedule. Don't you know?" she asked, looking out the window.
"Of course, I know."
"Then when is it?" she asked, glaring at her mum.
Harry was staring straight at the road and Daniel was looking down at his hands, trying not to overhear what was going on in the back.
"You can be sure that I'll be there," Bridgette said, avoiding a direct answer.
"Why? You hate Quidditch."
"Because you are playing, darling. You know I wouldn't miss it."
Hermione heard Jo give a derisive snort but remain silent.
"Mum, did you have a good New Year's?" Olivia said, trying to break the tension.
"Yes, I did, darling. I went to a fabulous ball last night. All of the most important people in the wizarding world were there. Where were you, Harry?"
"With people I give a toss about," Harry replied, staring at the road and clenching his teeth.
"What did you wear, Mum?"
Bridgette's voice took on an animation that Hermione hadn't heard before. "I wore the strapless red ball gown. You know the one."
"Did you wear the necklace we bought in Paris? And the earrings?" Katie said.
"Of course I did. And I thought of you while wearing them all night," she said, tweaking Katie's nose. Hermione saw Katie beam at her mum.
"I bet you were the most beautiful woman there."
"Yes, well…" Bridgette said, trailing off with a smug smile on her face.
"We're here," Harry announced.
Thank God, Hermione thought. Any more of this and I might be physically ill.
Tonks and Ron were waiting for them on the other side of the barrier, tapping their watches and grinning. Theo and Anne were no where to be seen having already boarded the train.
"You aren't as late as last time," Ron said, stepping forward to help with the trunks. "I guess Hermione being with you is a good influence." The smile dropped from his face when he saw Bridgette step through the barrier with Katie.
"Hello, Ron," she said, breezing past him with barely a glance.
"Bitchet," he sneered.
A flurry of goodbyes later and the Hogwart's Express was on its way. Ron and Harry, who'd been helping the children with their trunks were a little farther down the platform and Tonks was talking to a witch the Hermione didn't know. She looked to her right and saw that Bridgette was standing beside her, watching the train pull out of the station.
"Don't even think about trying to turn my children against me," she said with a fake smile on her face.
Hermione scoffed. "It looks to me like you're doing a good job of that on your own."
Bridgette looked at Hermione. "Maybe you are perfect for Harry. Now he has another woman to dominate him, just like I did."
"That's the difference between me and you. I wouldn't want to dominate him."
"You should. It's pathetically easy."
Hermione turned to Bridgette and, keeping a pleasant look on her face, said in a dangerous voice. "Let me tell you something. Your days of manipulating Harry, and this family, are over."
Bridgette arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
"Yes, really."
"Isn't this an interesting pair," a drawling voice said. "Beauty and the beast," Draco Malfoy finished with a sneer.
Bridgette batted her eyelashes and smiled up at the tall wizard. "Draco," she purred.
"Bridgette," he said, looking her up and down. "You look lovely as usual. Not quite as beautiful as last night, but close."
She bowed her head slightly and said, "Thank you."
"Why does it not surprise me that you two know each other?" Hermione said.
"Well, it's because you are so clever, Granger," Malfoy said sarcastically.
"Malfoy, shove off," Harry said, walking up.
"And here comes the boy who lived to protect his women from the big bad Slytherin!" Draco said with a sneer.
"I don't need to protect Hermione. And Bridgette's on her own," Harry said.
Malfoy feigned shock. "My, my, haven't we dropped in the pecking order?" he said to Bridgette, who was glaring at Harry. "And to a Mudblood, no less," he finished.
Ron, who Hermione had forgotten was on the edge of the group, leapt between Harry and Hermione to get to Malfoy. Draco stepped back out of harm's way and Harry caught Ron.
"And, here is the trusty sidekick to fly off the handle." Malfoy shook his head and made tutting noises. "The more things change, the more they stay the same," he said, before walking off.
With an angry flourish of her cloak, Bridgette disapparated and the tension evaporated with her.
"I still hate Malfoy," Ron said, glaring at the back of their life-long enemy.
"Don't waste your energy on him," Harry said.
"I wish I had faced him in the battle and just accidentally performed…"
"Ron," Hermione warned. "Don't even say it."
"You know, Harry," Tonks piped in, "Freud would have a field day with the fact that you married someone almost identical in temperament and looks to your arch enemy."
Ron looked from Malfoy's back to the place where Bridgette had been standing. "I knew there was a reason I always fucking hated her," he said, snapping his fingers.
Harry glared at them. "Thanks for making the last fifteen years of my life seem even worse."
"Don't be ridiculous. The only reason it's hard to see Bridgette's good side is she doesn't have the benefit of Harry's good influence on a daily basis," Hermione said, putting her arms around his waist. "If Harry married her, then there is good in there. I'm sure of it," she finished, looking up at him with an adoring smile and hoping she was a convincing liar.
Ron looked confused, then abashed. "Sorry, mate. She's right, you know."
"Yeah, I agree," Tonks said, cottoning on. "I think her personality change is due to all of those potions she puts on her hair to keep it blonde."
Hermione nodded. "I'm sure you are right. There have been studies that have shown…"
"All right, all right," Harry interrupted, covering her mouth with his hand. "I get the point. I see the lengths my friends and the woman I love will go to to make me feel better."
"When do you leave for Spain?"
Hermione shrugged. "Whenever we want, I guess."
"You two have a good trip," Tonks said, hugging Hermione. "Thanks for the tip," she whispered in Hermione's ear. She wiggled her eyebrows and winked and Hermione grinned.
"You're welcome," she replied.
They disapparated and left Harry and Hermione alone on the platform. Harry pulled Hermione into his arms and said, "Thank you."
"For what?" she asked innocently.
"You know. I appreciate it."
She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and replied, "Let's go home."