Disclaimer: All characters, events and references drawn from HP belong to J.K. Rowling, etc., respectively, everything else is my own invention.
FULFILLMENT
PART FIVE
"Hermione…I found it. I found what I want do to!" Harry finally said, his voice raising in excitement.
The steaming locomotive that was Hermione's beating heart, suddenly hit the brakes and came to a crashing, anticlimactic halt.
"Oh, really...Harry...that's great. I mean...that's GREAT!" Hermione blundered out at him, finally beginning to grasp what he was telling her. She just knew he had seen the sudden change in her expression from on-the-edge anticipation of one thing to the shock of quite another and she felt terrible embarrassment at her own eagerness for something she longed so much to hear from him. 'Hermione, you idiot! Back off a bit and give him some space will you?', the words blasted through her mind. But if Harry had noticed her reaction, he wasn't showing it.
"So...what is it?" she asked him, forcing a smile and moving closer to him, grasping his hand even tighter.
She was trying hard to suppress her own disappointment that seemed determined to overtake her mind no matter how much she wanted to disown it. But thankfully her curiosity barged in as well and began to roar up in anticipation of what apparently was the answer to this whole ordeal between them.
"You've heard of Veilers before, right?" Harry asked, assuming she had at least read of them in a book somewhere.
"Veilers. They look for old spells and other kinds of magic," she responded, now wondering at the dark haired boy before her.
Harry smiled again,his expression revealing the deep pride he had at her vast knowledge of the wizarding world.
"Yes! They travel the world, searching for clues and information that might lead to the discovery of magical forces we haven't yet known or that others had discovered long ago."
Harry reached out, taking her hands into his now and moving a little closer. Hermione suddenly felt a spark of hope in her heart once again, but was ever so cautious.
"I visited Professor Lupin this morning. He told me all about them and that...my parent's were Veilers for a short time before they had me," Harry continued. Hermione was somehow not terribly amazed at this fact, despite it being new to her thoughts. "In fact, Lupin told me that my family has been doing this for ages - that's how they made their fortune, Hermione."
"Really," was all she could utter at the moment, the realization of what this could mean for both of them slowly creeping in on her.
Harry released her hands and turned to look up at the slowly darkening sky around them. He still had a brightness in his expression that despite her hope, that it was for something else, made her feel so glad for him now. He was beginning to look like the old Harry once more - her Harry was back. Or was he?
Hermione for some reason felt a little uneasy seeing the apparent 'completeness' in his demeanor, something that used to bother her long before they had ever confessed their love for each other. It was a look he used to have that he was so caught up in what preoccupied him at the moment, he would unknowingly leave her 'out of the picture'. This was what had caused her, all those years ago, to think that he really wasn't interested in a deeper relationship with her at all. Maybe he had 'found himself' now and no longer needed her like he said he did so many times before. No, please no, Harry. I love you so much...
Everything was so confusing now in her mind. The idea that he might go off without her was forcing it's way back into view and fighting hard against all the other emotions and thoughts that were spinning around in her head. She began to feel a sense of dread at the possibility of where this might lead. Yet she still hoped...
"You know that I have been wanting to travel and see the world, Hermione. And this will allow me to do that, but with a real purpose! I just can't believe how well this answers everything that I have been wanting to do! There's so much out there to learn and experience, and now I can really put myself into it!" 'Everything he's wanted to do?' Hermione thought to herself.
Harry had become so wrapped up in this thoughts on the matter it truly seemed as though he were the only one standing in the Granger's backyard. Hermione just stood there quietly, watching him, a mixture of happiness at seeing him so animated over the whole thing and yet sadness too. He had told her only a few months ago how he had felt he had been left behind by both her and everyone else at Hogwarts because he didn't know what to do, but now Hermione herself was beginning to feel left behind. Her well laid plans for school, and the excitement she felt at going, had suddenly soured in her mind at this revelation of his. Nothing of school or teaching or anything else seemed even close to interesting anymore. And she knew deep in her heart that she really only wanted one thing and wanted it more than anything else this world could offer her - to be with Harry.
He turned once more to look at her.
"The flat that I put money down on, Hermione, the one we looked at last year during our 'holiday', it will work great as a place to operate from. I've been thinking about buying it ever since we first saw it. The Professor told me that I should try to 'become' a muggle, to conceal what I was doing and I think that this new place would enable me to do that much better."
He turned away once more looking out onto the horizon beyond the trees that lined the backyard fence.
"I know I will certainly feel much better there, instead of that old, dusty house. Of course, it will take time for the Ministry's Department of Magic Removal to clear out Grimmauld in case a muggle wants to buy it."
"Oh, and another thing," Harry suddenly stated, turning towards her again and reaching into his pocket. "Lupin gave me this."
He handed the blue key to Hermione who took it and began gazing at it's design. Her eyes widened a little with the realization of what she was looking at. She glanced back at Harry with a stifled amazement.
"I know. I recognized it too when he handed it to me. So I need a favor, Hermione. I need you to come with me to Hogwart's and retrieve the box this goes too. Remus said that it contains a journal that my Mum kept when she and Dad were Veilers. It should tell me where they left off and I think that is where I can start. Of course, there's so much to do first..."
His words trailed off as he shook his head at what would have to be done to prepare for what now seemed, even to Hermione, an exciting lifestyle. It would certainly be plenty to satisfy her own love of knowledge and her intense curiosity. She continued to look at him, her arms crossed and still feeling the heavy weight of her longing for him in her soul.
Silence now overtook them both as they gazed up at the first few stars that had appeared in the deep blue of the ever encroaching night sky. Those same stars...the ones that had shone so brightly that night when they were together by the river. That cool, fall night when Hermione had been rescued by the boy she loved so much, the one who had not only saved her from certain death at Voldemort's hands but had rescued her very heart with his outpouring of love for her. The memory of that night was etched in her mind forever but now suddenly seemed to come into even sharper focus. She felt the tears trying to well up in her eyes, but with what strength she had, fought them back with the idea of a new hope she held fast to. She had made her decision now. She knew what to do...
"So...when do we start?" she asked simply, turning to look at Harry once more, the love she had for him coming through those deep brown eyes. Harry turned quickly to look at her with puzzlement.
"What?" he asked, full of surprise at her words.
"When do we begin?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm coming with you."
"But...Hermione, you can't. You're already enrolled in Goodthorns, you start in a few weeks."
"I don't care about that. I'm going with you."
"Hermione...what about your plan to become a teacher? I hate to see you give all that up, not when you would do so well at it."
"Harry, I said I don't care about that," she said, a deep pain striking her heart as she moved towards him, once more taking his hand into hers. She sighed, now wanting to reveal what she had kept hidden so long.
"The only reason I wanted to go to the school was because I thought you would stay in Britain. I just wanted to at least, be near you, Harry. But now...the idea that you will be off, halfway around the world and I would be 'stuck' here...it frightens me more than anything. I just want to be with you."
"But you'd be throwing away such a great opportunity, something you've been dreaming about..."
"I'm not throwing anything away, Harry. You saved me, remember? You brought me back. I wouldn't even be here right now if it wasn't for you. Wherever you are, that's where I belong..."
Her voice began breaking and she couldn't finish. So many memories of their ordeal last year came through vividly, as though she were reliving them and her eyes began watering. Didn't he understand? Couldn't he see how much she loved him? How she couldn't be without him?
Harry's head dropped slightly and he sighed. She became even more concerned as a huge frown broke over his face. What is he thinking?
"I'm not going to change your mind on this, am I?" he asked very solemnly. She shook her head at him, wiping her eyes and trying to be as strong as possible. He needed her as much as she needed him and she would fight for the both of them. She loved him too much...
"You know me - stubborn," she responded now, trying to bring out a smile. Harry gazed at her again and his face saddened. She felt a chill at the sight.
"Hermione...I can't have you running around with me like this," he said slowly and painfully. 'Oh no', she thought as the fear in her heart started to slowly overshadow her like some dark predator ready to take her life.
"Unfortunately, you leave me no choice. I'm afraid there's only one thing I can do now," he uttered.
Whatever strength she had began to crumble at those words. She simply couldn't believe this was happening. How could he do this? Hermione felt a terrible loss in her soul that seemed to destroy any resistance to what he was telling her. His words seemed almost unreal now considering everything they had been through together all these months.
"Harry..." she said brokenly, feeling the tears form in her eyes once more.
He reached into his right pocket where she earlier had watched him place the Pop-Off she had given him. He apparently had grasped hold of it and began drawing it out. Her heart now sunk even lower. She again couldn't believe what Harry was doing. He was actually going to give back the birthday gift she had given him, something she had put so much though into. She slowly shook her head and just allowed the full brunt of the pain she felt to overwhelm her. Without him, there could be nothing else.
"Harry...no..." was all she could say, watching him bring the Pop-Off out in his fist.
He reached out and took her hand, turning it over until her palm faced upwards. He then set his closed fist on top of it and paused briefly. Finally he let go and she felt the cold metal of the Pop-Off drop into her trembling hand. The tears started to fall now.
Harry drew his hand back and just stared at the pitiful sight in front of him.
She looked at him with such an expression of pain, her arm still outstretched. She then glanced down at her hand and thought that the tears in her eyes had messed up her vision - there was no Pop-Off! In it's place was the cold metal of a shiny, gold ring with a small, sparkling diamond recessed in the band itself. Her heart stopped at what she was seeing or thought perhaps was imagining. She couldn't believe it! Was this real?
Hermione shot an astonished look at the teenager in front of her, who now had a small and uncertain smile on his face.
"Will you?" he asked simply, almost boyishly.
The words were now a shock to her. She was actually hearing him say that - something she had heard a thousand times in her heart but never from him. She looked down once more at the absolutely beautiful ring she held in her hand.
"Of course...of course," she spoke in a trance, now fully realizing what had transpired between them. Looking up at him once more, a burst of half laughter and half cry came out of her mouth.
"YES!" she said desperately, still dazed and feeling odd at actually speaking the word. But nothing could hold her back now.
Hermione leaped forward and wrapped both arms around Harry so tightly. He in turn did the same, pressing his face against hers and holding her as though he had not done so in ages. Every emotion, every thought and every thing they had been through for so long now seemed to fall heavy on them both and they grasped each other even tighter at the overwhelming feelings that were clearly being shared.
Leaning back, Hermione saw that enormous smile on Harry's face once more, his breathing rapid and tense. He apparently had been terribly nervous at what she would say to him. But none of that mattered now as he leaned forward and pressed his lips so strongly against hers, practically picking her up in his embrace. She groaned at the amazing tenderness and strength of the kiss, feeling a shiver down her spine as her whole body seemed to react to his connection with her.
After eternal moments, they came up for air and Harry continued to hold her fast to him like he was trying to catch up on months of being deprived of fully 'being' with her. He leaned his forehead against hers now.
"I knew that wherever this path was going to take me, I would be going to so many places I've not even heard of and I couldn't stand the idea of going without you. I wanted you to experience it with me, Hermione. To know you were beside me, to feel you lying next to me at night, so that we could share whatever may happen out there, together. Besides, I need a good research assistant - someone who's book-smart and cleverer than I am."
They both laughed a little and Hermione silently studied Harry's face, words failing her at how happy she felt at the moment and how much she felt for the man she stood in front of.
"Here..." Harry spoke, reaching over to take her arm from off of his shoulder. He then grasped her fist that was closed tight around the ring, something she had practically forgotten about because of the intensity of the moment between them. He gently opened her fist and removed the ring that was now wet with the perspiration of her hand and with a smile, he wiped it on his shirt. She smiled back and then felt butterflies in her stomach once again as Harry took her left hand and slowly placed the ring in his proper place on her finger. She stared at it in wonder.
"So you don't drop it," he told her with a smirk on his face. He started to let go of her, but she grabbed his hand again with both of hers.
Everything seemed different in her eyes now. So much hope and brightness seem to lay before both of them. They had finally made it. But now her curiosity kicked in once more.
"How long have you been planning this?" she asked him. He smiled again, seemingly caught up in looking over every detail of her expression.
"Several months now, actually. Before we finished at Hogwarts," he replied. She shook her head at him and then suddenly the remembrance of everything that had happened this night came back. Her expression became stern and she reached up and punched him hard in the shoulder.
"Ow! What was that for?" he reacted with surprise, but still smirking at her.
"For making me think you were going to leave me! And for teasing me!" she returned, trying to act serious, but she knew Harry could see her delight in the whole episode. He laughed again and drew her close to him, kissing her on the forehead. She then moved in, tightening her grip on him, her nose brushing against his.
"I love when you tease me," she now told him, almost breaking into tears again. They kissed once more, trying to lose themselves in it if possible, but then Hermione remembered something and she leaned back.
"I think we should tell Mum and Dad about this. Mum has been absolutely dying, all these months, over whether you were going to ask me or not. I think she will finally be able to breathe again."
"I think they already know, Hermione," Harry replied looking up at one of the windows on the back of her house. She followed his gaze to the bedroom window upstairs.
Her parent's were staring down at them, her mother's hand on her mouth, as her father waved at them. They both smiled back and turning, walked back towards the house in each others arms.
~~~~~~~~~~
Harry slid the blue tinted key into the lock mechanism on the front of the plain metallic box. He turned it twice until he heard it click. He let go and the key dissolved into a wisp of smoke and the lid slowly opened. Inside was a black notebook that still looked new despite it's age. He reached in and took it out, holding it before him silently to take in the immense meaning of what it was. It was a piece of his parent's lives, something they had left for him and he was now ready to claim their way of life for his own...
It had been several days since Harry's birthday and already news of the engagement had reached practically every wizard or witch in the world, bringing Harry and Hermione into the limelight once more. Everywhere they went, people wanted to see the 'thing' on Hermione's hand, as though that would finally convince them that the boy AND girl who lived were finally going to marry.
Harry had especially been amused at the sight of Ron scanning the gold band on Hermione's finger and with a contorted look simply commented - "Don't you think it's a bit small for her, mate?" Harry thoroughly expected Hermione to blast him with some retort but was instead amazed at the sight of her grabbing an astonished Ron around the neck and giving him a tight hug. Apparently she had taken that as a compliment.
After deliberating over plans for a date, time and place, they decided that the ceremony would be held by the lake on Hogwart's school grounds, on precisely the day the two had first met seven years ago on the Express, headed for their first year of school. After that, they would move into the flat in London, something they had jokingly talked about on their 'holiday' together the previous year but now were actually going to live out.
They then made their way to Hogwarts to retrieve his parent's journal, but Professor McGonagall was unable take them to the vault, so Hermione had to lead the way. But before they started their descent, the Headmistress shocked both of them with a wedding gift on behalf of her and the entire school - 50,000 gold galleons, deposited into Harry's vault at Gringots. Harry objected at first, since he still had a large portion of his inheritance available, but McGongall insisted that it was nothing compared with what the the two of them had done for the school over the years and that this money wasn't simply a gift, but an investment. Hogwarts would be the first to benefit from anything the two of them might discover out there and hopefully, in turn, the school would be better prepared for another 'Voldemort', should that ever occur.
After showing Harry all the fascinating items she had seen on her first visit to the vault, they finally made their way to the alcove containing the box. Inside the dimly lit room, there were many boxes, all of which apparently required these keys that Dumbledore held in his possession for so many years. The two of them wondered what other items these boxes held and to whom the keys belonged that opened their secrets. Then, going on a description given by the Professor, they finally found it...
As Harry began to open the journal and turn it's pages, Hermione, who had been quietly watching him, moved closer, placing one arm around his waist and gently leaning her head against his shoulder, staring into the journal along with him. Harry's heart beat a little faster at seeing his mother's handwriting on each page, neatly set with dates and the occasional drawing of some figure, object or map that were indications of important finds she and James had made. As the two of them glanced over the pages, the journal seemed to take on the quality of some immense travel brochure with many familiar placenames popping up throughout - Tibet, New Zealand, Ecuador, Bolivia...
He began to turn quickly to the last entry, hoping to see where his parent's had gone before they went into hiding. Finding a blank page and then several after, he realized he was at that point in the journal. More than half of it was still empty and waiting for someone to finish. Going back to the final entry, it turned out to be very short:
November 17, 1979
I'm pregnant!
Harry felt the rush of emotion come over him at seeing those words and Hermione squeezed him gently, knowing what he was feeling. Turning back another page revealed a longer entry from the previous day and another placename that stuck out of the text like a sore thumb - the Giza Plateau, Egypt. He then brought the notebook closer and suddenly something fell out of the back onto the stone floor of the vault.
Hermione knelt down to pick it up. As she brought it up towards Harry, they saw it was a sheet of paper folded in half. She then opened it and began reading but suddenly stopped and handed it to Harry, giving him a look of compassion.
Harry started reading it out loud:
Dear Harry,
The fact that you are reading this note means that you are in the possession of our journal. I hope that you now know your family history and that Dumbledore has told you everything that your Father and I have been up to since before you so happily came into our lives. If you are reading this, however, it also means that we may no longer be with you in this life. If that is the case, I am so sorry my precious little one, that we could not see you grow into the wonderful man we know you will become. The terrible things that are happening around us right now threatens the very extinction of our world, although Professor Dumbledore assures us it will turn out well. I don't know how he knows that, but your Father and I asked him to look after you in the event we could no longer be able to do so. Also, if you ever run into any trouble, go to your godfather, Sirius Black. He and your Dad's other friends, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew will be glad to help you. Remember, my darling boy, no matter how dark things may seem, you are never alone. We love you and you will find there are many others out there who feel the same.
Love,
Mum
Harry felt his eyes begin to sting and water upon finishing the note. He slowly folded it and placed it back into the journal and stood silently for a moment, a wave of deep sadness falling over his thoughts and heart at what he had read. He had not felt such a longing for his parent's before, not even in his childhood. His head sunk once more, and Hermione reached over and kissed him softly on the cheek. She then moved in front of him and placed her arms around him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He held her in return, feeling her soothing warmth ease his mind in the coldness of the vault. They stood silently for several minutes in that darkened alcove, both of them feeling comfort in the others embrace.
They finally walked out of the alcove, moving slowly towards the aisle that led back to the entrance door. Both were in deep thought over the tremendous meaning of the path they were about to take together, Harry firmly grasping in his hand the unfinished journal - something which told both of the end of his parent's journey and the beginning of theirs. They had moved only a short ways before Hermione suddenly stopped. Harry turned and looked at her.
"Harry..." she simply said, looking across the aisle. He followed her gaze until he saw it too. There it was, just as he remembered it all those years ago. He could still recall every detail of his parent's faces in the tall mirror, he had discovered back in his first year, and also Dumbledore's stern warning to him. But now this strange mirror held so much more meaning for both of them and they gazed at it's worn surface a moment.
He felt Hermione squeeze his hand and he looked at her again. Her expression revealed the intense curiosity that always got her into trouble and she was now querying him unspokenly on whether they should look or not. A smile broke across his face.
"Why not?" he said to her.
She intertwined her fingers in his and both of them stepped forward before the Mirror of Erised. For many moments, they stared at the reflection of the two of them holding hands in front of it and once again thought that something was wrong with the mirror. But then Harry remembered Dumbledore's statement about a person who only saw himself in the mirror and therefore wanted nothing more - he had his heart's desire. Harry turned to Hermione and she looked back at him too. Perhaps the reason nothing was happening was because they both had their heart's desire next to them. They held in their hands the very thing they wanted most.
Turning to look at the mirror one last time, they smiled at the thought. But just as they were about to turn and leave, suddenly an image began to form. They jumped back into place before the mirror, waiting breathlessly for the image to come into focus. After eternal moments it finally did and Harry and Hermione both stood frozen, their eyes large and their mouths wide open at what they saw. Harry turned to look at her with astonishment and she gave back the same look to him.
But no sooner had she done so, then her face brought forth a warm smile at the boy with the lightning shaped scar.
THE END...FOR NOW...
A/N: Sorry to end it there, but unfortunately, like many of you, I have a lot of school work to focus on. So I thought I would finish this and take a break from the world of Harry Potter for a little while. It has been so much fun writing these stories but they have become a distraction lately. I had no idea how taxing it is to 'pour your soul' into something like this! ;)
This story was always intended to be a transition piece rather than a whole new adventure. That's something I might do later, if I can come up with a great story on the 'further adventures of Mr. And Mrs. Harry Potter, Magic Veilers...' :) However, if anyone has read this, liked the idea, and are so inclined, feel free to pick up the mantle and write something yourself on this new career path for Harry. I would be interested to see what new kinds of magic you come up with and other ideas, perhaps involving encounters with Snape and Malfoy somewhere out in the world.
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who reviewed the story. I am happy that you guys liked it and I hope it was a satisfying return to the world of 'Foresight' that answered the question of 'what-happens-to-them-now?' This one was for you...