Love Conquers All
Chapter 3:
A Change in Scenery
Hermione's stay with Harry seemed to slip away faster than either of them would have hoped. They primarily stayed in Harry's room, only venturing out for the occasional trip to the park to watch the little kids and to take a ride on the slide. They did homework and played Muggle chess (because Hermione thought Wizard's chess was inhumane). They watched Muggle TV and fell asleep watching movies together. Two more times the love birds had a night just like the first night Hermione arrived.
Harry loved to lie close to Hermione when they had finished making love; their naked bodies hugging each other. Harry could smell her shampoo and would twist her curls in between his fingers. Hermione would fight sleep, trying to remember and absorb as much of the feeling of having Harry close to her as possible, but in the end, his heart beat and they way he played with her hair would lull her into a slumber. Even on nights they didn't make love, Harry and Hermione would cuddle close to each other and fall asleep in each others arms. Harry never had nightmares when his arms were wrapped around Hermione. She was his savior, and it made him love her even more.
However, the time came for them to move to Grimmald Place with the Weasley's, and as much as they wanted to keep their new found privacy, both of them were truly happy to be leaving. They couldn't wait to get away from the Dursleys and finally see Ron and Ginny, along with the rest of the Weasley gang again. The morning that Ron was to arrive to pick them up, Hermione and Harry rushed around trying to pack everything in their trunks, and putting the room back to normal. Hermione had swished the bed to its original size and worn out look, and Harry swooshed the new bathroom away. When the two were finished Harry sighed and fell on to his old bed.
"Well I'm glad that's over." Harry stated.
"Well, me too I guess. I can't say I'm going to miss this place Harry, but it was nice to spend the last two weeks alone with you." Hermione sighed and snuggled into Harry's side.
He wrapped an arm around her, hugged her close, and replied, "I'm totally with you, love." They lay in the old sunken bed for another several minutes, until the clock read 9 45. "We should probably go down and wait for Ron. He said they were coming in a car." Harry sighed more heavily at the prospect of seeing his "family" before he left for good. Hermione nodded and bounced off the bed to help Harry shrink the trunks. They put them in their pockets and left the room. Harry took one more look, and closed the door quietly as they walked out.
Downstairs, Vernon and Dudley were watching the television, something on the latest football game that they had seen, and as the instant replay showed the ball being kicked into the net, the two cheered exuberantly. However, when they saw who had just entered the living room the shot them evil glares.
"I thought I told you to stay out of my hair boy?!" Vernon snapped at Harry.
"You did. Hermione and I are leaving today. I wanted to tell you not to bother going to Kings Cross at the end of the school year, because I will not be coming back next summer. This is our last year of school." Harry ended proudly. Dudley was a year older than Harry, and he still had to attend two more years of school.
Vernon's eyes sparkled. He was about to say something when Dudley cut him off, "So you mean I won't be able to sexy here," gesturing to Hermione, who gagged, "anymore?"
Harry stepped in front of Hermione and responded, "If you every talk about my girlfriend in such a manner again, you will find yourself in a far worse condition then with a tail on your ass."
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Vernon was purple now. He was going to scream some more about Harry's "indecency" when a loud knock came from the font door.
"That's our ride." Harry said pointedly. He took Hermione's hand and started to drag her away from the living room, but she stopped him.
She looked right at Vernon and said, "You are a lousy person. But I do thank you for allowing me to come to live with you these two weeks. I hope I wasn't an inconvenience." Then she turned to Petunia and said, "I really enjoyed the tea we had our first day. I really wish that we had more time to talk. Thank you very much." With that she turned to Harry grabbed his hand and left the room.
"What was that all about `Mione?" Harry asked flabbergasted.
"Well I just thought I needed to say thank you, because I was living in their house for two weeks." Harry shrugged at her comment and opened the door to see Ron smiling at them.
"Hey, Mate!" Ron said pulling Harry into masculine hug. Then he backed away and grabbed Hermione in his arms and swung her around. She giggled in a friendly way, and hugged him back when he finally put her down. "I hope that your two weeks weren't horrible Hermione. I'm sorry you couldn't stay with us, but Egypt was great!"
Hermione looked at Harry and smirked, then turned back to Ron and said, "It was perfect here. I'm glad we're leaving though. I can't wait to get to Grimmald Place again."
Harry nodded, "That's the only place I truly feel at home now."
Ron smiled and clapped Harry's back with his hand, "Well don't worry, because it will be great!" Then he led them to the car. It was a ministry car, obviously set up by Minister Weasley. Ron opened the door for the two, and they got in. Harry noticed that he was looking better this summer. His fling with Lavender didn't go so well last year, and when summer started he was in shambles. But know he looked at him and he was dressed nice, with his hair styled in gel. His eyes were brighter and his skin was a bit pink from his trip to Egypt. But still Harry knew there was something going on. You didn't get over a girl you were supposed to be in love with, who cheated on you, in two weeks because of a trip to Egypt.
"So, Ron, who is she?" Harry chuckled. Hermione must have noticed too, because she was looking expectantly after the question was asked.
"What do you mean mate?" Ron tried to look innocent, but his smile gave himself away. "Oh bloody hell; do I really look that happy?" Ron laughed when Harry and Hermione nodded their heads smiling. "Well you see when I got to Egypt, they gave me to the key to the wrong room, and when I walked into the bathroom, Luna Lovegood was taking a shower. Well, immediately I left, but we hit it off when we were there. So she's at Grimmald Place right now, and we are together. It's going great. Really different than any other girl I've ever been with."
Hermione laughed, "That's because this girl has morals, Ron." Harry chuckled and Ron shrugged wearing a toothy grin.
The rest of the ride to Grimmald place was driven in silence, with an occasional story about Egypt. More or less all of the stories Ron told contained Luna, and Harry couldn't help but smile for the caring Ron felt for her. When the car finally stopped the trio hopped out. But Harry could see that they weren't even on Grimmald Place. "Where are we Ron?" Harry asked confused.
"Oh, we are at the floo spot. We had to come here instead of Grimmald Place, because Dad doesn't want a driver to know where the house is, just in case you know." Harry and Hermione nodded and the three walked into the floo spot and promptly arrived in the living room of Grimmald Place.
It was still dark and gothic, but it was clean. All of it was possible because of Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Luna's abilities to clean the house in record time. "MOM! WE'RE HERE!" Ron bellowed. The two Weasley women and Luna rushed into the living room to great them.
"Oh dear! Look at you. I always thought floo was a barbaric way to travel." She brushed the soot off of Harry and Hermione and then pulled them into a hug. When she finally let go she stated, "Well put your things away. Lunch will be ready in about an hour." Then she left and Ginny, Luna, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were left to go upstairs and unpack their things.
It was apparent by the disheveled mess in which Ron's things were left in, that they too had only arrived that morning. So the two boys put away their clothes and Harry put up a couple frames on the night stand. When they were finished they walked to the girl's room and knocked on the door. However, when no one answered Harry sent Ron a quizzical look. "Come on girls!" Ron called, "Open up." They heard a click of the lock unlatching, and the boys walked in.
The room was in shambles; clothes everywhere, make up on the bed, bathroom supplies spread out on the floor. The three girls stood in the bathroom in different clothes then they had been in a half hour ago, and they were doing each other's hair. Ron sighed sarcastically, "Looks like we lost them Harry!" Harry laughed but stopped abruptly at the sight of Hermione's face.
"Honestly, Ron, we are girls you know." Hermione sighed looking back at Luna's hair.
"Yea, Ron, and Hermione got knew clothes so we tried it on." Luna replied doing Ginny's make up.
"Yea well, just don't over do it Luna. I like you the way you are." Ron saved himself.
Harry just shrugged his shoulders and said, "We'll see you at lunch."
* * *
The next two weeks were relaxed. The five students finished up there homework. Or rather Harry and Hermione finished up their homework, the rest only just started. They played wizarding games, chatted about the up coming year, and talked about what to do after graduation. Luna and Ginny were still only going in their 6th year, so they whined about being left behind. Hermione noticed, and brought it to Harry's attention, that Ginny was sneaking off whenever the mail came, and wouldn't turn up for some time later. She was wondering who she was getting mail from, and who she was writing too.
Harry and Hermione were perplexed about where to get their alone time in. Everyday more people from the order walked in and out of Headquarters then were enrolled in Hogwarts! They tramped up and down the stairs, went into all the rooms, so there wasn't any room the love birds could enjoy time alone together with out getting caught. Harry was becoming restless and very touchy with Hermione, who wasn't exactly complaining.
At one point, a couple days before Harry's 17th birthday, the couple was lounging out in the back yard taking in the sun rays next to each other. They were pretending they were at a beach, so they had a cooler with lunch, a Muggle radio playing some unknown music to them, and a beach blanket. Harry was lying on his back and Hermione on her stomach. They were lying peacefully with their eyes closed, both thinking about how much they wanted to be naked with each other, when Hermione interrupted the silence.
"Harry?"
"Mmhmm?"
"What do you want for your birthday?" Harry opened his eyes which were shaded by his sunglasses. In the 6 birthdays Harry had experienced when he knew Hermione, she had never once asked him that question. He sat up and laid half on top, half next to her, moved her hair way from her neck and kissed it.
"You mean you don't already know what you're getting me?" Harry whispered.
"I didn't say that. I was just realizing I've never asked you that, so I was wondering." Harry sighed and snuggled his face into her warm neck.
"Well," He mumbled into her skin, "I don't think you need to buy me anything, but I'd really like just a night alone with you." Hermione smiled and shifted to her back, now face to face with him. "I just want to be with you, holding you again `Mione." He bent his head down and kissed her gently on her lips. She moaned as the kiss became more passionate. Harry's hand traced her flat stomach, revealed by her bikini. Then someone cleared their throat behind them and they separated abruptly, leaving room for Ginny, Ron, and Luna to sit down on the blanket.
"Sorry, Mate. But we wanted to ask you what you wanted for your birthday." Ron smiled at him.
"Why is it everyone is asking me that question?" Harry sighed, lying back down on the blanket, but this time on his stomach.
Luna giggled. "Well we just want to make this a good one for you Harry."
"Well, in that case," Harry replied, "I would like for you to save the world, instead of me, and possibly a wonderful night with my beautiful girlfriend."
"Um..." Ron thought for a moment, "I think I can take care of the last, but not the first. Sorry, Harry, you're on your own for that one."
"Oh bullocks." Harry replied, "Well at least I tried." He shrugged nonchalantly, still lying on his stomach. He felt the three of them get up and leave Hermione and him alone again. Then he felt her climb on his back, with one leg on either side of his waist. Then she took her delicate, soft fingers and started to massage his back.
She leaned down close to his ear and whispered, "I'm gonna try my hardest to get you what you dream for your birthday Harry." With that he whipped around and pulled her by the next to him. He kissed her so passionately; he could feel her moisten in her bikini bottoms. She shimmied down so she was lying directly on top of him, and they stayed that way, kissing and touching each other until they had to go in and change for dinner.
* * *
Two days later it was Harry's birthday! He was woken up bright and early by the gang jumping onto his bed, and Ron delivering him his 17 birthday punches ("And just one more for good luck, mate!"). Even though his arm was still sore from Ron's fist, he smiled at the memory. It was the best birthday wake up call he had ever had, actually it was the only birthday wake up call he had ever had. Hermione had given him a good morning/birthday kiss and the other two girls "awww"-ed.
Before the festivities were to start around 3 however, Dumbledore and Remus were going to take Harry to Gringotts. Remus said that know that he was of age, Greg the Goblin had some business to discuss with him. So around 12 30, only about two hours after he had been woken up, the three of them flooed to Gringotts in Diagon Alley.
Once there they were met by Greg the Goblin himself. "Hello Mr. Potter. I understand today is your 17th birthday! Congratulations!" He said in a drawling voice.
"Thank you very much...umm?" Harry looked at the goblin for an answer of what to call him.
"Oh, sir, call me Greg. Come right this way, Mr. Potter." He said walking away from the lobby of Gringotts to a door labeled, "Important Goblins Only."
"Isn't Greg a human name?" Harry asked Dumbledore, because Greg himself was too far ahead of them to answer.
"Well, you see Harry, its short for Gregorion." Dumbledore answered.
"Oh" Harry nodded, understanding now."
Finally the three guests had caught up to Greg as he was entering his office. They took the seats Greg conjured up for them, and Greg pulled out some paperwork.
"Now that you are a legal wizard, Mr. Potter, your assets have changed a little. That's why I asked to see you today. You see, your parents had started a vault for you when you were born. The money was giving to them from your grandparents so they could start a vault for you. They started with 2,000 galleons. At first the money was just sitting there gaining interest as the months went by. However, when they knew the war was turning ugly, two months after you were born, they decided to put all the money they received into your personal vault. So before they died, even though it was 6 months, 200,000 thousand galleons were put into your vault." Harry's mouth fell open.
"Harry, listen to the rest of what he has to say, Greg is far from done." Remus patted Harry's back. He closed his mouth and nodded.
Greg shifted in his chair and continued, "Well after they passed away, the insurance was put into your vault as well, Mr. Potter. This includes life insurance on both of your parents, equaling 1 million galleons each, and the house insurance for Godrics Hollow, equaling 750,000 galleons. So, as of two days after your parents were murdered, the account had 2, 950,000 galleons stored in it. Of course, that was 17 years ago, and well the interest has nearly doubled that. So you have roughly 6 million galleons in that vault, Mr. Potter." Greg took a breath and looked at Harry's pale face.
"Merlin." Harry gasped.
"Mr. Potter, I'm not quite finished yet." Greg shifted again in his seat. Harry looked at him wide eyed.
"What else is there Greg?" Remus asked.
"Well, quite a lot actually." Greg took a breath and continued. "From this sheet I have in front of me, I see that you have nearly 200,000 galleons left in your parents account. You only spent 10,000 galleons in your years at school. Well we added that to your new vault. But you also have the vault that Sirius Black left you." Harry's head snapped up from its droop. "He didn't have as much as your parents; however he did have quite a lot. It equaled out to be about 1 million galleons. This does not include the two houses he left you in his will."
"Two houses?" Harry questioned.
"Yes. He left you number 12 Grimmald Place and a large summer cottage in Scotland. Mr. Black has left you all his money, and the two houses, to do at your own will. That vault has been kept separate from yours unless you say other wise. Also, your parents had a vault that was opened when they went into hiding, keeping most of their belongings. Then when the house was destroyed the belongings Dumbledore and the others found were brought there. You may want to look through that, sir." Harry nodded. He didn't think he'd ever be able to experience things that belonged to his parents. "Well, that is all of it, Mr. Potter. But to sum it all up for you, you have three knew vaults. One with 6.1 million galleons, another with 1 million galleons, and the last filled with your parent's belongings. You also own two houses, both, by the way, on the floo network. Did you understand all that Mr. Potter?" Greg finished.
Harry nodded, "Do I need to go through the vault with my parent's things now?"
Greg shook his head and pulled out three keys from the top drawer in his desk. "You can go whenever you like. I do want to know, sir, if you would like to put the galleons in the vault Sirius left you, in your personal vault?"
Harry looked at Remus for guidance, "Well, Harry. It's all your money. It would be easier to track one key, rather than two."
Harry nodded and looked at Greg. "Yes please." With the wave of his hand, Greg merged the two keys into one form. He picked up the new key and the second key and handed them to Harry. Harry placed the two keys in his pants pocket. Then the three guests stood up and shook hands with Greg. He escorted them back to the floo point, and they went back to Grimmald Place, Harry's true home.
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