What Ever Will Be
Chapter 1: Under the Influence
Flipping through the pages of her wedding album, Hermione smiled as she came across what would have to be her favourite memory of the day. It was a photograph of Harry and Ron, covered in wedding cake, hugging their respective partners, Hermione and Luna, both of who were squirming away from the chocolate-covered embraces of their men. Seeing her, the figures in the picture looked up and waved, their eyes shining with laughter.
That was 3 years ago, and now, at 24, Hermione had all she had ever wanted from life; a husband she loved, a beautiful home and a steady, well-paid job running her own bookshop and tutoring business in Diagon Alley. Life was good, and she had everything under control.
Hearing the front door unlock, she slid the photo album back into its case and placed it back underneath the coffee table. She stood up, straightened her pink silk shirt and went to greet her husband. As Harry turned to hang up his coat he was ambushed from behind, a pair of small hands gripping his waist. With a laugh he grabbed Hermione's slender wrists and pulled her around to face him. They shared a chaste kiss before heading into the kitchen where the soup Hermione had prepared earlier was stirring itself.
"How was your day, Honey?" Hermione asked as she collected two bowls from the cupboard above her head.
"Not bad," Harry replied, "Moody came in to speak to some of the younger Aurors. He's planning on retiring in a few years, you know."
Hermione arched her eyebrows in surprise. "Really? The Ministry will need someone good to replace him." She turned and winked at Harry, "Other than you of course!"
Harry grinned back. "Tonks is really great too, she headed off to Serbia last week to speak to the Wizard's Confederation there. Got me out of a tight spot, I was the one meant to go!"
"But you'd've missed out anniversary!" Hermione exclaimed, knowing full well why Tonks had volunteered. "It was great of Tonks to do that."
"Tell me about it." he sighed "I wouldn't miss our anniversary for the world, you know that"
"So, any tips on what you're getting me?" Hermione hinted.
"None at all" he replied slyly.
None of Hermione's protesting came to fruition, and the next few minutes were spent with the two of them bartering over anniversary hints, however neither of the two gave anything away.
"Please?" Hermione asked, fed up with her forceful jokes not working, put on a puppy dog face, and stared into Harry's startling green eyes.
"No! And all that is going to do is get us into the bedroom"
"I swear, sometimes you have a one track mind Harry Potter!" Hermione said with mock agitation.
"I do not thank you very much!" Harry protested, still in jest.
"How do think we got our nickname "Rabbit" then?"
"Hey! It's not just my fault! If you weren't so tempting, we wouldn't end up in bed all the time!"
"Oh, so now it's my fault?" Hermione joked, "Well, looks like you're sleeping on the sofa tonight then!"
"I mean, it's not ALL your fault, I mean I could keep my hands to myself and be a good boy" Harry apologised, and at the same time taunted Hermione.
"I was joking, you git" Hermione laughed.
Harry blushed beet red, "I knew that, I was... just playing along with it"
"Sure, sure Mr. Denial!"
"I am not in denial!" Harry exclaimed, an expression of false shock on his face.
"Sure, sure!" Hermione submitted. "Just eat your soup, Ginny and that..." Hermione paused as if to think of her next words, "...Muggle boyfriend of hers are coming round tonight, and I want to clean this place before he gets here. I'm not sure if Ginny's told him about being a witch yet."
"When was this arranged?" Harry asked. He had been looking forward to a night alone with his wife. Work had been so hectic they hardly saw each other for long periods of time.
"Ginny phoned around 10 for a chat and I invited them over for drinks tonight." Hermione explained to him. But the truth was Ginny had confided in Hermione was that she was now dating Draco Malfoy, and was going to bring him around to tell Harry that he was not on the bad side anymore. Secretly Hermione thought this was going to be more difficult for Ginny than Draco.
"That was nice of you," Harry said flatly. "I have a feeling that I won't like Gin's new boyfriend though"
"You can, and will, learn to like him," Hermione ordered, "because it will make Ginny happy, and we all know that Ginny needs some happiness in her life right now, especially after her last break up."
"Of course, I mean, it can't be that hard to learn to like this guy, can it?" Harry said, waving his wand to clear his plate and begin cleaning the kitchen. "See, I even started the cleaning for you!"
"Thank you sweetheart, and now, can you please run down to the store and grab a carton of butterbeer, a case of beer, some crackers and a bottle of red wine" Hermione asked, grabbing some Muggle money from her purse and handing it to Harry.
"Sure," Harry replied, and gave Hermione a swift kiss on the cheek before striding out the door.
Hermione set about preparing boards with cheeses, and dips. While the cheese unwrapped itself and the dips peeled back their wrappings, she sent glasses and a tablecloth flying over to where they would be sitting, and arranged them with a flick of her wand. She heard Harry's updated Ford Anglia pull out of the driveway and cruise down the street. Knowing her husband was gone; she walked over to the fireplace, picked up a handful of glittering green powder and threw it into the flames, clearly enunciating the words, "Number 12, Grimmauld Place". She then promptly thrust her head into the whirling flames.
At the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, Albus Dumbledore was interrogating the newest member of the resistance against Voldemort. The man slumped in a chair, obviously under the influence of Veritaserum, looked up to Dumbledore from underneath is fringe of straight, blonde hair and said, "I promise you, my father is dead. Killed by his own kinsmen, the other death eaters turned on him. I witnessed it all, huddled in a cupboard in my own family's home, at the end of my 7th year at Hogwarts. I wasn't supposed to be there, it was a secret meeting, and I wanted to eavesdrop, my father thought I wasn't smart enough to work first hand with death eaters. I wanted to prove him wrong. But first I had to learn how he worked, so I could copy him. As I watched, the death eaters pounced on him, all four of them. One disarming him, another silencing his cries, one summoning the papers he had in his possession out from under his fingertips, and the fourth... I remember closing my eyes and turning away, but even from underneath my eyelids I saw the flash of green. I never climbed out of the cupboard for hours. I only emerged when I heard my mother enter the room and scream. The death eaters told me, later, that my father had gone into hiding. But I knew the truth. That's why I want to join you."
Dumbledore appeared satisfied. At that moment the fireplace behind him sparked green and a head of bushy hair appeared. "Hello Professor!" Hermione smiled in greeting. "Can't stay long, just wondering if you'd..." she broke off, "...finished with Malfoy." Seeing Ginny's boyfriend slumped in a chair, she blushed. "Obviously not, sorry." Hermione apologised. "I didn't know you were using Veritaserum though."
"It was necessary," Dumbledore explained. "We can never be sure about the loyalties of those who change sides." Hermione's thoughts flashed to a certain Professor of whom she had thought the exact same thing.
At that moment, a tall, slim woman walked into the room, her Quidditch robes still on and her red hair windswept. "Hey Professor, Hermione, Draco!" She leant down and planted a kiss on Draco's blonde head.
"I love you Ginny, marry me?" Draco said.
Ginny stoped flustered. "Umm..." she looked at Hermione and at Dumbledore for an explanation of Draco's excessively free behaviour.
"He is simply under the influence of Veritaserum," Dumbledore explained cheerfully. "Nothing to worry about!" Ginny, however, was not worried, just happy. If Draco was speaking the truth, and he had to be, then he really did love her!
Reading the smile on Ginny's face, Hermione decided to withdraw from the scene. "See you at seven!" she called to Ginny, and pulled her head back into her own home.
A/N. Sorry its so short, but I have been swamped with school work! Hope you enjoyed, please leave a short review, but no flames please!
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