Bring the Rain
by Jardyn39
Chapter 15: Holiday End
Harry sat quietly on the groundsheet sorting out his Ministry reprimand letters. Next to him Hermione was lying on her back, peacefully asleep, surrounded by an assortment of books.
Hermione's parents were out looking for more paint after Mrs Granger had another rethink on the master bedroom colour scheme. Still, they had finished redecorating the rest of the house without incident. It was now Saturday and they would be travelling back to school tomorrow, ready for the start of term on Monday.
Even now, he wasn't entirely sure that Mrs Granger hadn't just said she had changed her mind about the colours just so that they could enjoy their last day doing nothing.
Harry thought it would have been a little less confusing if the Ministry had continued to time as well as date the letters. He supposed it was getting too confusing for the Ministry to keep track of as well. As it was, Harry was struggling to remember exactly what he had done and in what order.
As he held his sixth letter, he realised this was something of a mute point.
He only knew it was the sixth letter because it began with the phrase, "Further to our five previous letters," and appeared to let him off at least part of his transgressions on account of their finding Victoria, the small girl next door.
Unfortunately, Harry knew that he had performed magic after the sixth letter. Indeed, that letter told him in no uncertain terms not to expect such forgiveness the next time he broke the law.
Crookshanks wandered over and Harry scratched him absentmindedly.
Harry looked up to the sky, as he had done several times that morning, waiting for the next Ministry owl to arrive. He wished for it to hurry up. Anything to distract his worrying.
His latest transgression had only occurred that morning and, Harry kept insisting to himself, had been a complete accident. If only he knew how he had done it. He would risk a dozen more reprimands to know how to reverse it.
Next to him, Hermione gave a quiet snuffle from underneath her sunhat, but didn't wake.
Harry looked down at her and reinstated his worried frown.
He kept going through what happened in his mind. He had been reading through Hermione's Advanced Charms books and had practised pronouncing a charm. Hermione had suggested that he also practise the wand movement without his actual wand.
Hermione slowly began to stir from her nap.
Harry wondered hopefully if she would be any better this time.
Suddenly she flung out her arms to steady herself and said in a fearful voice, "Ooo, make it stop!"
"It's alright, Hermione," Harry said gently, taking hold of her hand. She grabbed him at once.
"Harry, the ground's still moving!"
"No, Hermione, the ground is perfectly still."
"It's too fast! I'm going to fall off!"
"Then we'll fall off together," he assured her.
With a great effort she reached over with her other arm and clung onto his arm.
"Don't you dare let go of me," she said, pulling herself closer.
"No, I won't. Hermione, I'm so sorry. Are you sure you wouldn't like to go inside?"
"What and fly off into the ceiling? No thank you!"
Harry wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her back, totally at a loss what to do for her.
There was a slight rustling and Harry looked up to see Victoria peeping over the top of the fence between a couple of tall prickly bushes. He wasn't sure what she was standing on behind there, but she didn't look too stable.
"Hi," said Harry. "Be careful up there, won't you?"
"I'm looking for Kim. Have you seen her?"
"I don't know her, sorry. What does she look like?"
"She's our tabby cat."
"Oh. No sorry I haven't seen," he began to say but trailed off as there was no one to speak to. A moment later, Victoria was letting herself in through the Granger's side gate. She skipped along the side path and down to the bottom step of the patio.
"What's wrong with your friend?"
"She's not quite feeling herself today, that's all."
"Why, isn't she feeling well?"
"Sort of."
"She should see a doctor. I saw a doctor when I was unwell."
"Hermione isn't exactly sick."
Victoria frowned and the reached into her pocket. She held up the gold sovereign that Harry had given her and whispered, "Can this help? I haven't told anyone!"
Harry smiled and said, "I don't think so. Step onto the grass and see."
Victoria stepped lightly off the last step and suddenly froze as her long hair flew upwards. For a long moment she held her breath before shrieking with laughter.
"Open your eyes," directed Harry.
Victoria squinted at first, and then managed to open her eyes.
"Help!" she managed to say as she laughed. "Everything's upside down!"
"Lift one leg off the ground," Harry said gently.
"No, I'll fall!"
"You'll stay like that forever then. You have to prove to your mind that you know it isn't real. Go on, take a step forward."
Victoria took a step forward and her hair fell around her shoulders.
She collapsed with laughter but a few moments later she recovered herself and crawled over and turned her attention back to Hermione.
Reaching out and gently stroking Hermione's hand, which was still white from gripping onto Harry, she said reassuringly, "It's easy. All you have to do is stand up, open your eyes and walk forward."
Hermione just shook her head.
"Here, borrow the gold coin Harry gave me for luck. It'll make you brave."
Victoria hesitated, wanting to hand the coin to Hermione, but when she realised the Hermione wasn't about to let go of Harry, she dropped the coin into Hermione's cardigan pocket and ran off towards the gate.
"Hey," cried Harry, "where are you going?"
She stopped and looked back at him with a grin and said, "I'm getting all my friends. They've just got to try this!"
"No! Wait!" shouted Harry. "You'll just get me into even more trouble!"
The gate slammed shut behind her.
"Just great!" muttered Harry and looked down to Hermione.
She was looking up at him from under the brim of her hat with a wide grin on her face.
"Hermione, how long have you been winding me up about this?"
"Only a couple of hours. Why, Harry?"
Harry couldn't get angry with her.
"How can I get rid of the charm? I've no idea how I did it in the first place, actually. I was just reading the passage again and thinking how similar it was to the one I went through in the maze. I didn't even have my wand, did I? Er, Hermione, I don't mind if you want to cut off my circulation to my arm, but since you are only faking maybe this one could have a rest?"
Hermione snorted and released his arm. A moment later he was flattened by another hug to his chest.
"Er, the grass, Hermione?"
"It won't hurt. We're almost on the groundsheet anyway."
"Actually, I was referring to the charm on the grass. How do we remove it? I think I can hear them coming!"
"Oh, don't be a spoil sport, Harry. The charm has almost worn off now. It'll be gone in a few minutes. Let them have their fun."
Harry could hear what sounded like a small army of over excited girls grouping on the other side of the square, making ready for their advance.
"I'm going to get in so much trouble for this," mused Harry as an owl swooped down and landed next to them. The owl dropped the letter and flew off at once.
Harry sighed deeply.
Hermione pushed herself up and smiled down at him.
"Cheer up, Harry," she said leaning down to kiss him before getting up.
"Where are you going?" he said with a hint of desperation in his voice. "You can't leave me!"
The girls were definitely getting closer now.
"I'm going to make some fruit juice," she said, removing her sun hat and placing it gently on his head before slowly making her way towards the steps. "They are bound to be thirsty after. Open the letter, Harry," she added picking up her books and carrying them inside.
Harry groaned and reached out for the letter just as the side gate opened.
"Go on! Step onto the grass!" yelled Victoria, pushing one of her friends forward. This was followed by the first of many high pitched screams and much laughter as they all stepped off. The only complaint would be that once they had stepped forward, the girls could no longer experience the illusion.
Harry glanced down at the letter. It had the now very familiar Ministry wax seal.
Another high scream caused him to look up again. He smiled seeing Victoria and her friends enjoying themselves so much. Many of them were practising hand stands to duplicate the effect again.
He slipped his thumb under the envelope flap and began to tear it open. He looked down and turned the envelope over before pulling his reprimand out.
Hermione stepped out through the patio window carrying a large tray with a pitcher of orange juice and stacks of tall plastic beakers.
Leaving the girls to help themselves she rejoined Harry who was staring at the reprimand.
He reached out and took hold of her hand.
"What is it, Harry?"
He was unable to speak immediately. Instead he just waved the letter.
"Ah."
"I get the impression that you're feeling ready to get back to your books."
"Really?" said Hermione innocently. "What gives you that idea?"
"Oh, the little signs, like, say, using my wand to charm the grass and tricking me into thinking I did it."
Hermione struggled to maintain a straight face.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but you must be mistaken. After all, you got the reprimand for that."
"Actually, no I didn't. I got my reprimand for trying to remove the charm."
At that moment Victoria came over to say goodbye as she and her friends were going over to one of the other's houses.
Hermione slipped the sovereign into her hand and said, "Thanks. It really helped."
"I don't think it did," Victoria replied shrewdly. "Is Harry always that gullible?"
"Most of the time, yes," Hermione managed to say, laughing as Harry playfully tried to swipe her with her sun hat.
Hermione walked the girls to the side gate and watched them safely across the square before bolting the gate closed and returning to Harry.
"You didn't get another one already?" she asked, seeing him reading another Ministry letter, the earlier one at his side.
"No, this one was in the same envelope. I think I'll frame this one."
"Why?"
Harry offered Hermione's reprimand to her.
"How did they know?" she asked, reading quickly. "Oh, well, never mind," she added and began screwing up the parchment.
"Hey!" cried Harry, grabbing it back. "I want this!"
"Why?" asked Hermione, laughing and wrestling Harry for the reprimand.
"Well, I did wonder if Ron might like it as a present."
"No! You wouldn't tell Ron about my reprimands would you? He'd be simply impossible, especially after I told him off so many times!"
Harry laughed and rolled them back onto the groundsheet. They lay together quietly for a few moments, Harry feeling quite lost in her eyes.
"It's been a nice break, hasn't it?"
"Yes, Harry. I didn't realise how much I needed one."
"Me too. Shame I didn't manage to stay out of the papers, though."
"Well, you can't have everything. What did Kingsley want this morning? He went before I came downstairs."
"Well, he was kind enough to remove our sock mountain."
Hermione snorted. She had noticed the pile that Harry had discretely placed out of sight behind the side of the far shed had mysteriously vanished.
They had jokingly referred to the great pile of socks as a mountain even though the pile barely reached the ground floor window sills. Harry spent an entire morning moving them and searching for Hermione's sock, although he hadn't found it.
Harry had been terribly relieved that all the socks looked old and tattered. He had dreaded the thought of the girl in the supermarket losing her socks after having so many problems buying them. Thankfully, his summoning range could not have been that great after all.
"Then he took those things back to Julie Powell," he added.
"The photograph and the other things?"
"Yes. It was your Mum's idea that she should have them back. She said she must have got some comfort from them to carry them around like that, so they may help her now as well."
"That was nice. Maybe they will."
"I suppose you'll be wanting to draw up revision timetables now?"
"Actually, I did them this morning. I did one for Ron too," she added, sitting up. "I need to go and get ready. Mum and Dad are taking us to that posh restaurant in the City this evening."
"We have hours yet, Hermione. Stay a while longer?"
"It's alright for you," she replied with a grin, "you don't have to find an outfit to match your single favourite sock!"
Harry laughed and pulled her down to him again.
"Thirty minutes," she warned, "not a minute more."
Harry wrapped his arms around her.
"Tell me about the others?," Harry said, gently kissing her neck.
"What others, Harry?"
"You didn't want me to tell Ron about your reprimands."
"That was just a slip of the tongue."
"I know. How many have you got?"
"None for ages, actually."
"Oh."
"But I got five before we took the train in our First Year. I didn't even know I'd got them, but Professor McGonagall argued that I couldn't have been expected to know about the wizarding laws then."
"Five!"
"And then I got a couple more that Christmas. One of them was for trying to vanish the Ministry letters I'd got before!"
Harry laughed and listened as Hermione recounted her transgressions which she clearly felt guilty about but had hardly been very serious. In any event, they had ceased before the end of their First Year, when, he recalled, they had received their letters warning them not to perform magic outside school.
They were quiet for a moment as Hermione toyed with Harry's hand. Harry lifted his head slightly and propped himself up slightly with his free hand.
"Your parents are back," he observed, seeing movement in the kitchen window.
Hermione immediately stiffened and said, "I didn't hear them pull up."
She kept her back towards the house but moved Harry's hand down out of view.
"What?" asked Hermione in response to Harry's grin.
He laughed silently before replying, "I think you're a little ashamed of me."
"Nonsense. It's just that I'm a little uncomfortable sometimes. You don't like it when your Aunt and Uncle eavesdrop on our telephone conversations, do you?"
"No, but that's hardly a fair comparison. Your parents love you. They just want you to be happy and safe."
"I know," she said quietly, blushing slightly. "I just wish Mum wouldn't keep spying on us, though. I bet she's looking at us now, isn't she?" she added in a whisper.
"I can't see."
"I know when you're lying!"
"No, I really can't-" he began before Hermione began twisting his little finger.
"Ow!" Harry cried, laughing and finally admitting, "Well, maybe she is there."
"See, I told you," Hermione said, tenderly soothing his finger.
"I was going to suggest a way to stop her, if it bothers you so much."
"How?"
"No, my finger isn't well enough yet," he replied playfully.
Hermione grabbed his ring finger and smirked at him.
"How about this one?"
"Okay! Okay!" he replied, sitting up and laughing.
"Erm, so do you want to give my idea a try?"
"I suppose. What is it?"
*
"Come away from the window," pleaded Mr Granger.
"Shh," she whispered, "they'll hear you!"
"Give them some privacy."
Mrs Granger remained crouched down, mostly hidden by the end of the kitchen base units but still with an excellent view of the garden.
"Any moment now," she breathed, clutching something Mr Granger couldn't see in her hands.
"Come on, be reasonable," asked Mr Granger. "That boy only has to sneeze and its headline news. Harry's more than earned our trust, not that you really deserve it right now."
"Be quiet," she hissed.
"In that case, I think I'll take a walk around the garden," said Mr Granger, getting up from the table and making for the open patio window.
Mrs Granger shot him a dangerous look.
"When they find out what you're up to," warned Mr Granger.
"Harry already knows, I think," replied Mrs Granger, advancing herself to the window and silently slipping off her sandals for a stealth approach out onto the cool paving flags.
*
"Tell me, Harry," demanded Hermione in a quiet undertone.
"I'd rather whisper it."
Hermione leaned closer to listen but Harry held up his hand to stop her.
"Don't look around, but your Mum is looking again. It might be best if she didn't know we are on to her. Sit up and face the fence so she can't see your reaction when I tell you."
"Um, okay."
Harry lifted himself onto his hands and swung his legs under himself before moving on his knees right next to Hermione. He looked up to see Hermione eyeing him quizzically.
He smiled and lent towards her, tilting his head and gently lifting her hair away from the side of her head. As he moved his head towards hers, Harry noticed Hermione's expression relax as she closed her eyes.
Harry almost changed his mind, seeing Mrs Granger move catlike out onto the patio. However, as soon as Hermione parted her lips slightly, everything except her went from his mind.
Harry closed his eyes and kissed her.
Click!
Neither Harry nor Hermione noticed the silent victory dance performed by Mrs Granger on the bottom step of the patio before Mr Granger dragged her and her camera back into the house.
END