Darling Jo
A/N: This fic -at least so far- is not centered on Harry and Hermione per se. It is centered in their child, JoAnna Potter. This idea came to me when I was remembering the song from 13 going on 30 -which lyrics I'll post in Ch.1-, and I just couldn't NOT do it.
Be cool, the infamous Rosali doesn't have a two-timeline plot for this story. Maybe an occasional flashback, but definitely not as many as in WWB or What is Love? Lol. I don't really know what to expect from this cause the outline is very rough right now, but still. Happy Reading! And please R&R.
PROLOGUE
Peaches, Cream and a Scream
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
(Iris by Goo Goo Dolls)
Little Jo had been put to sleep about an hour ago and Harry and Hermione lay exhausted on the big couch in front of the fire. After five years of marriage, the legendary couple, that shared a love story worthy of a fairytale; had taken the next step, and nine months later, JoAnna Jane Potter had been born. Despite her young age, one could tell that she held her grandmother's fine composure and bright eyes, her mother's simple and captivating beauty, and her father's unruly dark hair.
Their life was now complete, and quite often, there was no amount of Dark Wizards or daily life difficulties that could take their happiness from them… at least that's what they thought.
Hermione rested her back on Harry's muscular but thin body while he stroked her hand softly, placing kisses on her head every once in a while and taking in her scent. There was something about the feeling of her being close to him that could make the whole world vanish and give him a peaceful sensation. It had pretty much always been like that; even when they were at school, she always seemed to have the right words to calm him down or bring him back to earth.
He stared at her brown wavy head and sighed contently; if it hadn't been for her… and Ron also, he definitely wouldn't have been able to get through everything. And by everything, he meant everything: school, daily life, battles… even the last encounter with Lord Voldemort back in seventh year. Even though he hadn't gone for good -just like last time-, Lord Voldemort hadn't shown any true actions in the past seven years.
They were twenty-five now; Harry was quickly climbing positions in the Auror Department, while Hermione worked in an independent research association. She had gone to Auror Academy as well, but never with the intention of staying with them. Every so often, she would help Harry and the aurors in a mission, but that wasn't her priority... Not since Jo had been born, a year before.
Their daily life was very much settled when it came to schedules. Jo usually got up at six in the morning to be fed; Harry and Hermione would take turns in that (ever since Hermione stopped breast feeding) to let the other sleep an hour more. At seven, their day would start: Going out for a twenty minute run while Dobby took care of the baby, come back for a shower and get ready for work.
The two started at 8:30am; that gave them at least forty five minutes to have breakfast and spend with Jo before leaving her in the magical pre school of Hogsmaede, where they had a big enough and comfortable chalet.
Hermione got off work at five o'clock, picked Jo up, and went home, to wait for Harry, who got there usually at little past six. Every now and then, instead of her husband coming home, she would see Harry white owl, Hedwig, bringing her a note saying he'd gone on a mission or would have to work late. She didn't quite like it but there was nothing she could do about it; she understood because she, herself, also stayed late at work sometimes.
Harry and Hermione had lived in Grimmauld Place since they left school until their first two years of marriage, while the whole world calmed down from the Second War. Ron on the other hand, had stayed at the Burrow with his family for three years until he decided to settle down with his current partner… none less than Luna Lovegood. They weren't married yet, but that was only a formality because the two had been together ever since seventh year at Hogwarts; a year after Harry and Hermione had discovered their feelings towards the other and got together.
When they finished Auror Academy, the two decided to move out from Grimmauld Place; leaving it all to Remus and the Order. The honeymoon they had had to postpone finally came, and they took off for a year, to travel around the world and know new places. Eventually, Ron and Luna both took two months off their jobs; it was the season break from the Chudley Cannons, and since Luna was now the editor of her father's magazine, she told her assistant to take control and express-owl her if anything came up.
They visited all of old Europe, some of Asia, Oceania and most of America, and they had the time of their lives… they enjoyed it for the first time without worrying about war, Death Eaters, their loved ones or anything. They couldn't ask for anything more.
Finally, Harry and Hermione had decided that it was time to settle down by themselves and chose the place they'd always dreamed of, having grown amongst muggles… a place full of magic: Hogsmaede.
Harry got a parcel in the outskirts of town and they built their dream home with the help of the two most renowned post-modern magical architects of the moment: Their former enemy, Draco Malfoy and their old classmate, Seamus Finnegan.
A year went by and life was good, they couldn't ask for anything more. They had jobs they loved, they had each other, they had wonderful friends, and a loving extended family. There was only one thing missing; and it was their very own family. There couldn't be a better time to raise a child than this, and more calm would just be impossible, given their past and jobs. So they took the chance and never once regretted it.
Harry spaced out for a moment, and Hermione noticed. She leaned her head back to be able to look at her husband. "Harry? What's the matter?" she asked.
He was pulled back to reality and blinked a couple of times. "Huh? I-nothing, I was just thinking."
"About?"
"Us… our life," he stated, still in a slightly faraway voice.
"What about us? Don't you like our life?"
"No! Exactly the opposite, it is almost too good to be true. You think this could last forever?"
Hermione gaped at him for a moment and sighed, returning to her original position. "Why wouldn't it?"
"Well, for a start, I think this is too perfect to be true. And we-at least I have never had such a long and happy time…" he vented out his thoughts.
"I hardly think we are perfect. We fight, we have difficulties at work, at home… nothing is perfect," she reasoned matter-of-factly, ignoring the last part of Harry's statement.
"Oh, you know what I mean, Mrs. Know-it-all. Once a know-it-all, always a know-it-all, right honey?" Harry responded with a chuckle.
She laughed as well. "You wouldn't love me otherwise," she retorted with a superior tone.
"I wouldn't want you any other way!" he said and kissed her, a moment later, he pulled away. "See? That's what I mean."
She flinched a little in surprise. "What are you talking about? You're going mental, my dearest," she teased.
"I mean, it's hard to believe that after the series of unfortunate events that our lives have been, that we-"
"Precisely what I'm trying to tell you. Balance, Harry. Do you, by any chance, happen to remember the classes of Universe Forces in Seventh year?"
"Uhm-a little. I was a bit more concerned on other things, weren't you?" he said and rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Harry. But some of us also paid attention to class. For every bad thing that happens, a good thing follows. There is no light without dark, there is no happy times without angsty ones."
Harry listened to her and pondered about it… maybe she was right, maybe they did deserve every bit of this after all they'd been through. It comforted him, though somehow, a part of him was still uneasy. He let it go and kissed his wife deeply, pulling her into a warm embrace. "I love you so much, Mione. I doon't know what I'd do without you," he said honestly.
She returned the kiss with equal intensity and then responded. "Oh, Harry. You would find a way, I am not that necessary as much as I like to take that credit."
"You're completely mistaken! I would probably-" he started a little anxiously.
Hermione put a finger on his lips to stop him from talking any further. "No matter what, I will never leave you, all right? I will always be with you in one way or the other, so stop it."
Harry's mouth curved against her soft finger and he took her hand and started kissing it. "I'm glad," he whispered and kissed her again.
"Merlin! It's midnight already!" she exclaimed when she heard the chiming bells of the clock in the small entry hall of the house. "And tomorrow is my turn to get up at six," she whined and pouted.
Harry chuckled at this. "I am not that much of a gentleman…" he grinned wickedly. "We should head upstairs."
"Let's go," she agreed and started getting up. A moment later, she slumped on top of Harry once again, knocking the breath out of him, with a playful smile. "Me no wants to part," she said in a baby-ish voice.
Catching his breath, Harry laughed. "You not have to…" he said with a smile and in one swift movement, he was up on his feet with a giggling Hermione in his arms. "Me is taking you up." He kissed once more and a couple minutes later, he was depositing her on the big four-poster bed they shared and while panting, kissing her all over.
She wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him back just as passionately as he worked his was down her chest, slowly pulling her shirt up. "Harry!" she cried happily and started taking his black t-shirt off. "I thought you were tired," she exclaimed and laughed as the t-shirt flew across the room.
"Harry not tired, Harry feeling naugh-" he stopped when a small cry echoed from across the hall, and he groaned.
Hermione stopped her giggling as well and sighed. Jo very seldom woke in the middle of the night, so whenever she did, one of them went to check on her. "I'll go," she said. "You just hold that thought," she smiled and kissed him softly. "I'll be right back."
Apparently, Jo had been having a terrible nightmare involving Hermione; she figured as much because of the way the little girl clung to her mother. Fifteen minutes later, she managed to soothe Jo and she was coming back to their bedroom.
With a naughty grin, she started towards the bed, ready to jump on top of him, when she heard a soft snore. She slowed down and peered at her husband. Indeed, he was fast asleep. She sighed and watched him sleep for a moment… he looked so peaceful like that.
She leaned forward and placed a kiss full of love on his scar and smiled. "I love you forever, my dearest Harry," she whispered in his ear and was greeted by a content sound from him. Even in his sleep he knew Hermione and he knew she was as close to him as possible; not physically but in spirit as well, she observed.
After putting one her nightgown, she laid next to him, cradling her face on his shoulder and putting a protective arm on his chest. Soon enough, she dozed off as well next to the man she loved… for the last time.
That night's sleep was particularly troubled, she kept waking up thinking she'd heard JoAnna cry or some sort of noise downstairs. She jumped a little every time and when realizing there was nothing wrong, she would fall asleep again, looking at Harry with a strange longing sensation that was disturbing.
She jumped awake once again and luckily, Harry hadn't waked. Harry was usually a light sleeper, but when he'd had a long day at work, he could very well be confused with a log; the whole blasted building could fall down and he would still remain asleep, undisturbed. Hermione thought it was rather cute… most of the times but just now she wished he'd wake and make her fall asleep in his arms. But she wasn't about to do that, it wasn't as often that Harry was so tired, so she was just going to swallow it and go back to bed.
Hermione was about to close her eyes for the trizillionth time, when she heard a rumble downstairs. Frowning, she listened closely, and indeed there was someone downstairs. She gasped and started shaking her husband. "Harry… Harry! There's someone in the house!" she whispered alarmed.
Harry made an unintelligible noise that sounded something like 'get rid of the flying cow', but didn't open his eyes.
Hermione groaned, she couldn't very well cast an alarm spell on him because that would alert whoever was down there. She shook him again, this time with more force. "Harry! Wake up!"
He shook his head slightly and slowly opened his eyes. "What's the matter Mione? Isn't today your day to tend to her?"
"Yes, but it's not six yet," she cleared.
"Then why do I have to get up?" Harry whined, focusing on her at last.
"Because there is someone inside our house!"
He did a double take and his eyes widened. "What? How did they-Let's go!" He took his hand to his bedside table for his wand, but it wasn't there. "Bloody hell! My wand!"
Hermione winced at this and sighed. "You took it to the third room for service. Go get it and I'll go first."
"No, you-"
"Don't start that again, I got rid of the last burglars very easily," she said with a frown.
"Seal Jo's door and get your wand, I'll go downstairs."
Harry sighed resignedly. He could very easily do wandless magic, but only with the simplest spells. "Be careful," he told her and kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry, hurry." And they parted ways
He hurried down the hall to JoAnna's room and touched the Mahogany door. "Colloportus!" he said and continued his way to the third room. It was the wand and broom tending room and it was designed so no magic could come from the outside, so he definitely had to walk all the way, open the door and then get his wand.
He was about to take it an apparate downstairs when he heard a muffled voice and Harry could make out the word 'Mudblood'. He gasped and his eyes widened. "Fuck! A Death Eater!" he cursed and took the wand.
A scream.
A pop.
Another scream, the scream of a destroyed soul.
A jet of red light.
And darkness.
A/N: How was that for an ending, huh? This was the Prologue, I'll work on next chapter soon. Sorry to What is Love? And Was and Will Be readers, I'm having a rather hard time getting back to the two. Hope this is good while you wait.
Please R&R and you're welcome to join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrainstormQuill