Harry Potter Day
It had been five years to the day, or rather night, that Harry had defeated Lord Voldemort. It was a day that Harry dreaded each year, but also a day he felt extremely grateful to be alive and living the life he always dreamed. June 24th was now an official wizard holiday that most everyone looked forward to. There were parties hosted, lots of drinking involved, barbeques and fireworks. The kick of it was that June 24th called Harry Potter Day.
Harry Potter winced as he took another sip of his beer while he casually pushed back and forth the porch swing with his feet. It seemed so surreal to him. People celebrating and getting drunk on the anniversary of the worst day of his life. He didn't blame anybody, he would probably enjoy doing the same thing if he was just any ordinary wizard that didn't go through all the pain and suffering he had to go through.
Harry never celebrated like most wizards. He would always come out here on his porch though, nursing a beer as he waited for the day to officially be over. He would always wait till midnight to go to sleep, it was just something he did. He spent the evening thinking about everyone who fell during battle and then pray for his loved ones that were still alive.
But mostly, he thought about Ron Weasley, his best mate. His death was a tragedy. It nearly broke him. It was unfair that his first real friend was so abruptly taken from him. Hermione had suffered along side him….literally. After the war, they were hardly ever apart, for Harry only felt comfortable being with Hermione.
The night Harry was released from the hospital wing, he and Hermione had returned to the Gryffindor common room. They sat together in silence for some time when Hermione finally broke down. Her shoulders started to shake as she buried her face in her hands while the sobs grew louder. Harry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as his own tears finally emerged and fell freely down his cheeks.
After that night he hardly left her side. At the funeral they were never apart, always holding hands as if they were afraid that if they broke apart they would lose each other. Harry had always been close with Hermione, but after Ron's death the two had bonded in a way that no one could describe. She was all he had left. She was now his family and he promised Ron that day at his funeral that he would look out for her.
Five years later, he hoped to think he upheld that promise, making sure he looked out for her in every way. She was healthy and safe, but was she happy? He hoped so, he hated the idea of Hermione being sad, his heart crumbled in a million pieces at the thought. He would give her the world if he could.
"Mind if I join you?"
Harry was abruptly pulled from his thoughts at the sound of the voice he was thinking about. He saw Hermione standing by the opened screen porch door holding a glass of red wine sporting a genuine smile on her face. "Do you have to ask?" he said shifting over and patting the bench next to him. "We do this every year."
She walked completely out, carefully closing the door so it wouldn't slam, before making her way over to Harry. "I ask every year, just in case you weren't finished with any of your deep thoughts."
Harry stretched out his feet and put his arm behind Hermione. "Your thoughts, are my thoughts, Hermione."
She smiled and held out her glass. "To Ron."
Harry grinned and tipped the bottle against her wine glass. "To Won Won."
Hermione giggled as she drank. "Poor Ron, that nickname still haunts him."
"Yeah," he said with a sigh. "He was….well…" Harry let out a little laugh. "Ron was special."
"Special in so many ways," she agreed as she leaned back in the swing, stretching her feet out as well. "Remember how he made us laugh? Even during our search for the Horcruxes, he always was quite the comic relief."
"Yeah, but most of the time he made us laugh by accident," he chuckled. "Like that time he ran into a tree when we were searching for Nagini in the woods. I mean here we were on a dangerous mission and the dork runs smack into a tree and falls on his ass."
Hermione laughed. "You and I all of the sudden just busted out laughing, I mean it was so stupid, someone could have heard us, but the more Ron tried to shush us the louder we laughed."
"Aw man," he sighed as he let out one last chuckle. "It was like someone was giving us a tickling charm or something. It took us awhile to settle down."
Hermione giggled as she sat up. "I think I'm going to have another glass on behalf of Ron," she said as she summoned the glass of wine from the kitchen.
"Careful Hermione," he said with a grin as he watched her fill her glass to the rim. "You don't want to stumbled into your husband's bed later tonight hammered."
"Oh pish posh," she said saluting her drink to him. "My husband is probably going to get just as drunk. He does after all loooove, Harry Potter Day."
"Is that a fact," he said with a grin before taking another swig of his beer. "I don't think he's ever told me that."
"Oh he's quite modest," she giggled as she took another sip. "Pretty shy in bed too, sometimes I even have to take charge."
Harry barked out a laugh. "Oh, you are so full of it, Granger," he said giving her a slight push. "I am not shy in bed, in fact shy would be the last thing to describe me."
Hermione smiled at him. "Calm down, love, I'm only teasing." She then leaned over to give him a quick kiss. "You're an absolute animal in bed, okay?"
"That's better," he said moving in for another kiss, but a much longer and deeper one. Kissing her was like an addictive drug, you couldn't just do it once, one time was never enough. It wasn't too long after the war when he first kissed her. It didn't seem to change anything, really, it just sort of happened and that was it. They didn't have a talk about it or a discussion, they just accepted it and their relationship grew from there.
"You know," he murmured in between kisses. "Tonight, if you'd like to take charge." He moved his lips to her neck as he explored the soft skin. "I wouldn't mind."
She smiled dreamily. "I bet not," she said as she gripped a handful of his hair with her free hand. "Is it midnight yet?"
"Almost," he said coming back to her lips and giving her a soft kiss. "Why don't I just hold onto you until midnight?"
"Sounds perfect," she said and then leaned into him as he wrapped an arm tightly around her. "Hmmm, I'm glad it's Sunday tomorrow. I just love lazy Sundays."
"We'll try to sleep in tomorrow if we can," he said kissing her forehead.
Hermione snorted. "Yeah right, like we can do that with…"
The sound of the screen door squeaking open caught her off and they both knew who had opened the door. "Ronald, you should be in bed," Hermione said leaning away from Harry.
The little boy shut the door behind him and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I can't sweep," he said with a sniff. "Mummy, can I sweep wit you and Daddy tonight?"
Harry let out a sigh as he shook his head. "Come on up here, sport," Harry said moving away from Hermione so his three year old son could crawl up between them. "How bout you stretch out between us and we'll rock you to sleep."
He nodded his head. "Otay," he said as he laid his head on Hermione's lap who started to stroke his messy black hair he inherited from Harry. He stretched out his legs out on Harry's lap and hugged his stuffed hippogriff that Hagrid had given him the day he was born. "How's that, sport?" Harry asked stroking his little back with his large hand. "Think you can go to sleep?"
"Uh-huh," he said as he closed his eyes and snuggled closer on his parents laps.
"Sweet dreams, sweetie," Hermione said leaning down and kissing his cheek. "We're right here."
"I think he's already out," Harry whispered as he stared down at his son. He still couldn't believe he was a dad…that this innocent little boy was his son. His and Hermione's. "He's something isn't he?"
"Yeah," Hermione said as she looked down at him. "He looks just like you."
"But he has your smarts," he said tapping his finger to her temple. "The boy sometimes scares me."
She grinned at her husband. "What would you think about having a girl with my looks and your athletic Quidditch abilities?"
"I think that would be bloody fantastic," he said with a laugh thinking of actually having a daughter. "I'd completely dote on her…and of course not let her date until she was forty."
"If she had your stubbornness, do you really think you could stop her?"
Harry sighed as his shoulders slumped. "No, I suppose not. I guess it will be good fun to scare all the boys in her life. One of the few enjoyments of being Harry Potter. I mean, I killed Voldemort for crying out loud, do you know how scared they're going to be of me?"
"Harry," she said with a laugh. "She's not even born yet, we've got nine months to go."
"Well yeah, I know but…." He stopped and his face turned white. "What…did you…are you saying? I mean, did you just say…"
Hermione cut him off by giving him a long hard kiss on the mouth. "We're going to have another baby."
"Are you serious?" he asked as the smile on his face grew wide. "Another baby? In nine months?"
She nodded excitingly. "I wanted to wait until after today to tell you, but you just seemed so excited at the thought and…I wanted to tell you."
"I'm glad you did," he said leaning over to give her another kiss. "We're going to have another baby….wow. Woah, wait a second…you're drinking wine. Hermione, you shouldn't drink wine when you are pregnant."
Hermione grinned. "Actually I'm drinking just juice, I didn't want you to know I was pregnant yet."
Harry's jaw dropped. "Sneaky little thing, aren't you." He leaned over and kissed her. "Man, I wish Ron was awake so we can tell him he's going to be a big brother.
"We will first thing in the morning," she assured him. "Why don't we go put him back in bed and go to sleep as well."
Harry nodded as he put down his empty bottle and then scooped his son up into his arms. Hermione followed closely behind him, locking the doors behind her then turning off the lights downstairs before making their way up the stairs.
Harry set his son carefully down on his bed and then pulled his snitch covered comforter over his little body. He gave him a kiss on the forehead and Hermione did the same before they walked out hand in hand.
When they arrived to their bedroom no more words were spoken, there was no need for them. Harry had pulled her close kissing her while their clothes melted away one by one on their way to the bed. He laid her down and ran his lips down her neck and then kissed her stomach where his second child grew inside her. "I love you," he whispered as he kissed it again, then moved his head back up to hers. "I love you, too."
"I know," she whispered framing his face with her hands. "I love you, both."
"You're everything to me," he murmured as he joined his soul with hers. "The life you have given me was worth fighting for, Hermione."
Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Harry."
"I'd fight all over again if I had to," Harry whispered in her ear and then nuzzled her neck. "I'll always be there for you…for Ron, for this new baby. I love you and I love you for giving me the family I've always wanted."
Hermione sobbed softly as she wrapped her arms around him holding him close. "It's only the beginning, Harry. We're going to have the life your parents always wanted. We're going to live happily ever after."
"Promise?" he asked placing his head against her chest as he listened to the race of her heart.
Hermione brushed back his bangs and placed her lips on his scar. "Promise."