---- Apologies for how long it has taken me to update this story once again - I'll try to get the next chapter up much more quickly. Thank to everyone who has read and left such lovely reviews -----
Ron almost choked on his bacon sandwich the next morning as he glanced over the front page of the Daily Prophet at breakfast time. Three photographs covered the front page, and each one was a close up of Harry and Hermione enjoying what appeared to be a romantic dinner for two in a muggle restaurant. His heart calmed down a little however when he read the large headline across the top of the page: "Harry Potter on date with mystery girl", thank goodness they hadn't recognised Hermione yet, the media attention would just be too much pressure and attention. He took a closer look at the photographs and realised that Hermione's face was partially obscured by her hair in two, and by Harry's hand cupping her cheek in the third. Ron grinned to himself, Harry wasn't wasting any time, then again, Harry and Hermione had always been inseparable and he was thrilled to see them looking so happy. He skimmed the rest of the article which was full of speculation over who Harry was with, and leading comments over his lack of a love life since the end of the war. Ron breathed yet another sigh of relief that Harry and Hermione had always kept their relationship a secret other than from their closest friends and family, meaning that the press hadn't known quite how hard Hermione's disappearance had hit Harry. However, lack of proof didn't stop many reporters, including this one, from commenting that Harry had not been linked with anyone since the unconfirmed rumours of a relationship with Hermione during the war.
Shoving the last bit of bacon sandwich into his mouth Ron picked up his robes and the newspaper and quickly apparated over to Grimmauld Place. Letting himself into the old house and following the sound of voices to the kitchen he stopped still when he spotted Hermione eating breakfast with Harry, Tonks and Remus. Harry turned and smiled to see Ron.
"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit this early in the morning? Run out of bacon at home?" Harry asked with a grin. Ron shot him a mock glare.
"Actually I thought you might like to see today's newspaper." Ron said a little awkwardly glancing at Hermione before looking back at Harry. Harry stood quickly and took the newspaper Ron offered, worried by Ron's glance at Hermione.
"Dammit. They're stalking me in Muggle places as well now then. `Mione this is a particularly attractive picture of me wiping ice cream of your face. You've really got to work on that particular habit." He smirked at her over the top of the newspaper.
"You've got to be kidding me!" She said, walking around the table to snatch the newspaper, laughingly smacking Harry on the arm with it before glancing over the front page. Harry laughed at her and casually rested an arm on her shoulder.
"Thanks for bringing this over Ron, and lets be honest this is a pretty nice article considering some of the ones in the past - I particularly like the comment that "Harry's eyes sparkle with the pain of his past and the hope of his romantic future" she giggled. Harry grabbed the newspaper back and whacked her gently on the backside.
"Some thanks I get for taking you out for dinner." He teased as she ran to the other side of the kitchen.
Remus and Tonks observed the exchange with happy smiles as Ron laughed at the antics of his best friends.
As Harry laughingly took a seat at the table once more he noticed Hermione making a second bacon sandwich. He opened his mouth to comment that she never ate that much for breakfast when he stopped himself - maybe she did eat more for breakfast now. He shrugged and smiled to himself thinking that needing to learn more about her wasn't a bad thing at all. He glanced back over at her and taking in the details of her actions froze in his chair, Tonks noticed his sudden movement and silently followed his gaze curiously. Hermione was trimming off the fatty bits of the bacon (her favourite bits) and leaving them on her plate, then carefully smoothing a thick layer of ketchup on the bread. As the two of them watched her she stood and wrapped the sandwich in foil from the counter and passed it to Ron.
"Something to eat once you get to work." She said with a wink. Ron gave her a wide smile, and stood to give her a hug.
"Thanks Hermione, just the way I love bacon sandwiches, no one makes them quite like you." As he pulled away from hugging her, Tonks saw that he had frozen in exactly the same way Harry had frozen and suddenly she understood the expression on their faces.
Hermione's jaw had dropped a little and Harry leapt to his feet, at her side in a second.
"I remembered something." She whispered, barely audible.
"You did." Harry confirmed softly, a gentle hand on her arm, waiting to see her reaction. Slowly a beatific smile spread across her face and she pulled him and Ron into a trademark Hermione bear hug.
"I knew I'd remember things eventually." She said excitedly. "Ron, you love all breakfast food except for porridge, and Harry, you love almost burnt sausages, you hate runny eggs, and you could easily drink a gallon of pumpkin juice without feeling ill." She said thrilled. Harry picked her up around the waist and twirled her around as he laughed.
"I could just see us sitting for breakfast at Hogwarts and I knew exactly what you would both have." She smiled happily. Ron kissed the top of head affectionately before saying his goodbyes and heading out to work.
Hermione was still riding high on successfully remembering something, however trivial when she and Harry headed out to the garden to begin her lessons, the entire reason for her arrival on the doorstop at a ridiculously early hour that morning. As much as it frustrated her, she was simultaneously proud of Harry for refusing to let her start with advanced spells, instead making sure she was ok with basic and useful spells. She'd already read up on most of them and was pleased that she had been correctly interpreting the instructions in her old textbooks. Harry had to demand a lunch break and even during that Hermione continued to practice summoning things, having refused to stop for lunch until she'd mastered the spell. As they sat in companionable silence eating their sandwiches Harry stole glances at his best friend, grinning to himself behind his sandwich, so happy to see her enjoying magic and learning quicker than would be humanly possible for anyone except Hermione. He supposed she had the advantage that she was technically only relearning the skills she had previously mastered, and then of course she had read every word she could find on magic so far as she always had done in the past.
"Come on Harry, lets get back to work."
Harry chuckled.
"You do realise that in one morning you've learnt and successfully performed charms and spells that it takes three years to learn at school?" He asked her with a grin.
"Three years? You must be a good teacher then Harry" she grinned, "it will take you less than a week to teach me all the magic I knew before!"
"I think it would take a little longer than that, especially as I don't know how to do quite a few spells you mastered at school, not to mention Arithmancy - it all looks like squiggles to me, but it was one of your best subjects. You could always come up to the school with me and talk to some of the teachers, or just explore the library - I can give you access to all the books there."
He smiled as Hermione's face lit up at the thought of being let loose in the Hogwarts library.
"Really? When can we go?" She grabbed his arm in excitement.
"How about tomorrow? We could spend the day at the school, I need to sort out a few things anyway, and I know Professor McGonagall can't wait to see you. She told me that out of all the pupils she's ever taught at Hogwarts, you're her favourite."
"Really?" Hermione gasped. "That's such a lovely thing to say - I can't believe she'd say that - she's taught some amazing witches and wizards.." She trailed off and Harry smiled at her again before taking her hand and leading her back to the sunny garden to continue their work.
"Well, we'd better get you apparating if we're going to Scotland for the day tomorrow," he said with a smile as Hermione instantly gripped her wand and leaned forward eager to learn as always.
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