Love Conquers All
Chapter 1:
A Simple Background
The Christmas tree in the Burrow's living room was lit and wrapping paper littered the floor. Harry and Hermione were sitting on the couch in front of the fire staring into each other's eyes. Harry's bright green ones were twinkling with anticipation and love, and Hermione's brown ones were dancing with delight and compassion. They were about to give each other their Christmas gifts for one another, and they were so excited.
"Harry, I know we've only been together for two months, but I've loved you for 5 years now. This Christmas has been the best ever." Hermione sighed and handed over the thin box she was holding. Harry's eyes softened and a large smile spread across his face.
"For me?" Harry teased, and Hermione laughed. She was nervous about his gift. She didn't know how he would react. Harry ripped away the wrapping paper, and it joined the rest of the trash on the red carpet. He looked up at Hermione, paused to kiss her temple, and opened the small box. Harry's face lit up. In the box lay a masculine thin golden chain with a tiny snitch dangling down the center. Harry looked up and smiled broadly at his girlfriend. "This is awesome, love."
Hermione smiled and said, "It's enchanted. Whenever you genuinely smile the little wings will flap." And sure enough when Harry smiled at the fact, the little snitch, now resting on his chest sprouted wings and they began to slowly flap.
"It's great, love, just perfect." Harry leaned over to her and kissed her lightly on her mouth before titling his chin down to inspect his new necklace. Then he grabbed his even smaller box, and handed it over to Hermione. He chuckled at the excitement in her eyes and watched as she slowly and neatly took the wrapping paper off the box.
She lifted the lid to the square box and gasped. It was a tiny ring, just big enough to fit on her pinkie. It was just a simple band with hearts engraved around it. On the inside "HG+HP" was carved in. Harry took the small ring from Hermione's palm, where she had been examining it, and slid it on her left pinkie. "It's a promise ring, `Mione. It's so you and everyone else, but mainly you, know that you will be mine always. I will love you forever, and I will never stop." Harry looked into Hermione's eyes and saw that tears were brimming on the edges. He wiped them away with his thumb and kissed her with so much love, her heart skipped a beat. When they broke apart, they looked into one another's eyes.
"I love you so much, Harry." Hermione whispered. "Happy Christmas."
"And I you, `Mione." Harry replied with a lopsided grin.
It was a good thing that the sentiment was winding down between the two love-birds, because the last third of the trio had jumped right in between the two of them. Hermione squealed and Harry grunted as Ron landed half on top of him. Ron had a large grin on his face, and he swung his arms around the necks of his best friends.
"Enough mush for one day, mates! It's Christmas! Here are your gifts, and I thank you Harry, for the wonderful magazines!" Hermione grunted when Ron winked at him. "When ever you have a problem with Hermione, here just come to Ol' Ron, he'll hook you up." Hermione shot Harry a look and he just laughed. "And thank you so much Hermione for the hand knitted something or other."
"Scarf, Ron, scarf!" Hermione sighed. She had tried to do something knew, seeing she was no longer allowed to use the time turner for classes any more. But it turned out that knitting wasn't her strong suit.
"Oh, so that's what that's supposed to be." Ron shrugged and handed his to best friends their gifts. They smiled at him and opened them up. Hermione gasped at the newly revised copy of Hogwarts: A History, and Harry sat mesmerized at the enchanted snitch he got from Ron. He was reading the box to see how it worked. It hovered over a flat surface, and when you went to grab it, it would dart out of the way, only 6 inches in any direction though.
"Wow, Ron, this is great!!" Harry exclaimed patting Ron on the back. Ron puffed out his chest and Hermione rolled her eyes. Ever since Mr. Weasley was elected Minister of Magic, Ron had a new pride in him; not only of his father, but of himself. He didn't have dodgy clothes anymore, and he was able to buy his friends gifts he thought they deserved. Of course Harry and Hermione would still be happy with the chocolate frogs and assorted candy they usually got, but Ron had always been embarrassed.
Ginny had come down the stairs about that time, and the four of them talked about the up coming year, and Quidditch. Ginny and Hermione had become really close friends, after her and Harry had gotten together. Hermione never had any close girlfriends, and even though Ginny was one year younger, they had gotten along brilliantly. Harry watched as Hermione laughed and tossed her long auburn hair behind her shoulder. Over the years since she was 11, Hermione's hair had become less frizzy and turned into soft tamed curls. She had grown curves and larger breasts, and though she didn't work out at all, she could eat anything she desired and wouldn't gain any weight. She was short, only about 5 feet 4 inches, which contrasted greatly to Harry's 6 feet 4 inches. Harry had grown too. He worked out every day, for Quidditch of course, and had grown into broad shoulders, tight abs, and strong arms. They talked late into the night and finally retreated to their bedrooms around 1 that morning.
The next morning, the four of them woke up to a large crack coming from downstairs. The girls ran into the boy's room and the four of the walked downstairs in their pajamas still. Mrs. Weasley was bustling around the kitchen like always; except it was about two hours earlier then the teenagers usually woke up. She noticed them in the kitchen and sighed, "I told you, you woke the kids Arthur. Next time you should floo when you come home for breakfast." For the first time the four of them realized the Minister sitting in his usual chair at the kitchen table. Even in the Weasley's had money now, Mrs. Weasley refused to replace the kitchen table and the mismatched chairs.
Minister Weasley looked about ready to fall asleep in his eggs and bacon. He had been too tired to hold up his copy of the Daily Prophet, so it was laying on the table next to him. He looked up to the kids with an apologetic face and smiled a small bit. "I'm sorry kids. I didn't mean to wake you. We had a long night at the Ministry; I wasn't thinking when I came home."
"What happened, Dad?" Ginny asked sitting down and helping herself to bacon. The rest of the group sat down as well and started to fill their plates with delicious breakfast foods.
"Well, someone was delivering papers to Lucius Malfoy late last night, and they found him in the basement of his mansion beating Draco and his wife, Narcissa." Arthur took a long breath. Hermione and Ginny had put a hand to their mouth, and Ron and Harry looked wide-eyed at him.
"Oh stop Arthur; they do not need to know of such things." Mrs. Weasley commented.
"That's nonsense Molly. They need to know of what's going on. They are old enough now. So anyway, he was using the imperious curse on the two of them to make them do and say what he felt was right. The person delivering the papers stunned him and apparated out to get help. All night we were dealing with the Malfoy's, and sending Lucius to Azkaban. That's where he is now, and where he will be for the rest of his life." The four of them silently looked at the Minister and the rest of breakfast was eaten in silence.
* * *
"Well this is another end of the year." Harry turned off Dumbledore's speech and looked around the Great Hall; just another end of year feast, and just another sad goodbye. Gryffindor banners hung from the ceiling, as they won the house cup this year, again. Hermione was sitting next to him, holding his hand. They had been together since the end of September, and he was still completely in love with her. He was dreading leaving her tomorrow morning. Ron sat across from him, sending little kisses to someone, unknown to Harry, probably just the latest flavor of the week. Ginny was sitting next to Ron staring off into space. This was the last night he would be in Hogwarts for a couple months, and he hated it. Hogwarts was his home, and he missed it more than anything when he was gone.
Hermione squeezed his hand and he was snapped back into reality. "I know that this coming summer and year will be a tough one for many." Dumbledore looked down at Harry and a twinkle lit his eye. "So with permission of the new minister," Ron and Ginny smiled, "All students who are ending their 6th year will be allowed to do magic outside of school, regardless of their age. I hope that all of you who this pertains to will take this as a serious matter. Where I know you will use it wisely. With that, I hope you have a wonderful summer. And dig in." Dumbledore clapped his hands, and the food appeared in front of them. Ron sighed happily and dug away at his food.
The next morning the four friends boarded the train. They sat in a compartment and chit-chatted about their summer plans. Harry was happier about this being his last summer with the Dursleys then anything else. They sat quietly for a while, before Ron and Ginny excused themselves with varying excuses. They both knew that Harry and Hermione wanted to be alone, but didn't want to seem as though they wanted to leave their friends.
When they were alone in the compartment, Hermione got up and sat on Harry's lap. He pulled her close to him, and she nuzzled her face into his neck, smelling his natural scent. He always smelt of nothing Hermione could describe, except good. Harry combed her hair with his hand and whispered in her ear, "I'm going to miss you, love. But I'll be here." He said placing his unoccupied hand on her heart. She looked up at him and smiled.
"I know, Harry. You better write me everyday, and not fall in love with some tramp from Little Whingings."
Harry chuckled and pulled her closer so he wouldn't forget the feeling of having her near, "I wouldn't dream of it, love." He kissed her neck, and for a long while they just sat like that, kissing on occasion. After a while Ron and Ginny returned, but they only had about 10 minutes left before the train reached Kings Cross. The four of them put together their things, and cleaned up the mess they made with candy wrappers.
When the train stopped Harry and Hermione exited first. Ron helped Ginny with her trunk and then picked up his and left the compartment. Then Ginny started to exit the compartment, she ran straight into Draco Malfoy. "Oh Merlin, I'm so sorry." Ginny stated looking up to his silver eyes. She seemed to be locked in his gaze. His blonde hair was just long enough to reach his eyes, and his broad shoulders were where her head was.
Draco looked down at the cute red-haired witch and smiled. He hadn't smiled in so long, but it felt natural to smile at her. "Don't worry about it, Ginny, my fault." Ginny, he thought, where have you been? I've been looking for someone like you all year, and know as we leave you show up. He reached up and moved the hair out of his eyes.
She smiled up at him. Wow, she thought, could someone have more of a beautiful smile? Why didn't I talk to you all year? Ginny smoothed a hair behind her ear and cast her eyes downward.
"Here, let me help you with your trunk." Ginny stood shocked when Draco stooped down to lift her trunk effortlessly. He shifted it on his hip and cocked his head toward the exit of the train, telling her to follow him. She did so, as in a trance. When they exited the train, Draco saw her family standing waiting for her. Potter and the Muggle-born were there too. He walked over to them, nodded, and dropped the trunk down next to Ron.
"Oh, Ron, close your mouth. Really!" Ginny snapped at him. Draco smirked and looked at her. He noticed a strand of hair had fallen out of place again and he fixed it a placed it behind her tiny, freckly, and beautiful ear. He heard Hermione and her mother gasp behind him. They know, he thought, that I want you to be in my life, Ginny. "Um, well thank you Draco."
"My pleasure, Ginny. See you around." With a nod to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the clan, he left.
Giving the last hugs to his family, and his love, Harry himself had to part. He saw his Uncle shifting on his feet and he noticed his eyes fuming. Harry sighed and walked over to him. With one last wave to his loved ones, he turned and walked two paces behind Vernon as he followed him to the car.
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