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Chapter 16: Love is in the Air
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"So, Harry, what made you change your mind about going for Hermione?"
"It was what Blake told me." Julia sat up in surprise.
"Wait, wait, wait. Blake gives romantic advice?" she said, shocked.
"And good romantic advice?" Lily asked. She looked at her best friend with a worried look on her face.
"Jules, I'm scared."
"I know, I'm scared too." They clutched each other's hands in mock fear. Blake rolled his eyes, a very Hermione thing to do. He cleared his throat and gave them an annoyed look.
"When you're finished." Everyone but Blake laughed and Lily and Julia let go of each other's hands.
"What did he say to you?"
"He told me that if you love someone, you should tell them, because if you hold it in, you'll never know when it's too late." Julia sighed like she in love.
"Aww, Blake, when did you get so romantically smart?" Blake shrugged.
"Yeah, where did you hear that from?" Lily asked. Blake smiled.
"My Dad told me." Everyone looked at Harry.
"Well, that's ironic," Ron said.
"What time is it?" Hermione said through a yawn. Lily looked at her watch.
"Midnight."
"Oh my gosh, no wonder I'm so tired. I'm going to go to bed, see you all in the morning." Everyone bid her good night, and she gave Harry a kiss and stood up and went up the girls' staircase to bed.
"I think that's a good idea," Ron said. "I'm turning in too."
"K, see you in the morning." Ron got up and stretched.
"I have no idea why I'm so tired."
"Stress." Ron yawned and pointed at Harry.
"That's it. Well, good night everyone."
"Good night," They all replied. The remaining bunch stayed up and talked for a while, then finally turned in for the night.
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The next morning, the six were walking down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Halfway down the stairs, Ron stopped and put his arms out, stopping the other five. His arm was a little high on Hermione, and she slapped his arm away and glared at him. Ron wasn't paying attention; he was staring at the foot of the stairs.
"What is it?" Harry asked. Ron didn't answer, but everyone followed his gaze to the foot of the stairs and they saw Ginny and Malfoy standing there talking. Malfoy leaned in and gave Ginny a kiss, and Ron's jaw dropped. You could see the rage forming on his face, and he ran down the stairs, the other five running after him to stop him from murdering Malfoy on the spot.
"MALFOY!! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY SISTER!!!" Ginny and Malfoy jumped apart, and Malfoy stood his ground as Ron came sprinting down the stairs. Before Ron could reach him or for his wand, Harry and Blake had caught up with him and held him back.
"So, I see you two have gone public," Julia said, a little out of breath after chasing her father down the stairs.
"Yes, is there something wrong with it?" Ginny asked.
"Apparently to Ron there is." The original trio's jaws dropped in shock. It was the first time Malfoy referred to Ron by his first name, instead of Weasel King or Weasley.
"What the hell are you doing with my sister?"
"Ron, we told you about this," Blake said, still trying to restrain Ron. "We told you this would happen, and not to overreact."
"Yeah? Well, how would you feel if your worst enemy was going out with Lily?"
"Give him a chance, Ron, he is really a great guy once you get to know him," Ginny said. Finally, Ron got to the point where he didn't have to be restrained. Harry and Blake let go of him, but the cold glare on Ron's face wouldn't disappear so easily. Malfoy looked at Blake, then at Lily, then at Julia.
"So it's true. You three are from the future." He looked at Julia.
"And you were lying to me that day."
"About what?"
"About the pureblood ramblings. Because there's never been a Weasley known to man that hated muggle borns. And you're Ron's daughter, there's no way you could hate them."
"I had to say something to gain your trust or to get you to talk to me. And what happened to being concerned with dignity?"
"I've already lost my dignity, I have a Death Eater for a father, and I don't call him family." Again, the original trio's jaws dropped.
"Oh my God, they were right about you," Hermione said in awe.
"Yes, Hermione, you are looking at the new and improved Draco Malfoy." Hermione was taken aback.
"Oh my God, I can't believe you actually know what my first name is, Malfoy." The three still looked skeptical.
"Can you three learn to trust him?" Ginny pleaded. "I know it'll take time to do so, but could you at least try? Cuz' I plan on keeping him around for a while." Ron's eyes darted to his sister and narrowed.
"We'll try," Harry said slowly.
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"Where are you going?"
"Borrowed Harry's broom, gonna go for a little ride, wanna join me?"
"Sure." Julia put her book aside and got up and followed Blake out the portrait hole. They went outside to the Quidditch Pitch, where the sun was on its way down, and the moon was getting ready to take its place. The grass was wet with evening dew, and glittered in the light. By time Julia and Blake reached the pitch, their shoes were soaked, and little blades of grass clung to their feet and jeans. Blake climbed onto his dad's broom, and Julia climbed on in front of him. Blake slid his hands on either side of Julia and clutched the broom; Julia's hands were farther up the broom.
"Ready?" Blake said. Julia nodded, and Blake kicked off of the ground and they soared high into the air, around the stands, and over the forest. Julia closed her eyes and let the wind blow on her face, and her hair fluttering behind her. She took her hands off the broom and held them straight out at her sides like she was flying. She grinned and screamed,
"Woo hoo!" Blake laughed.
"Wanna hear a cheesy cliché line from a muggle movie?" Julia said, grinning. She took a deep breath and yelled, "I'm the queen of the world!!"
"Queen? It's king, babe."
"Yeah, I know, but I'm not a guy." Blake laughed and stopped the broom. Julia turned slightly around and put her arm around Blake so she could keep herself turned and see him better. She pointed out towards the west, where the red, orange and gold sun was setting into the horizon. It reflected off the clouds, turning them a purple-orangish color. There was just a slight breeze now that they had stopped, and it blew the chilly autumn air in their faces.
"Wow, that is just beautiful," Julia said breathlessly. "In all my years being here at Hogwarts, this is one of the things I love most." Blake took his hands off the broom and wrapped them around Julia's waist. He looked at her, her eyes shining at the sunset, and the color of the sun reflecting in her bright blue eyes, and shining in her hair. He smiled.
"You're beautiful." Julia took her eyes off the sunset and looked at her friend.
"What?"
"I said you're beautiful."
"You really think so?"
"Yes, I do. It's almost better that Mum let our secret out, I think you're prettier with your red hair than blonde."
"That's sweet, Blake. I like you better with your natural look than before." Blake laughed.
"I look like my Dad."
"No, you don't, you look like Blake Potter," Julia then went into matter-of-fact mode, which proved that she spent too much time with Lily. "This is just like I told your sister, only she was talking about your mother. But you, are not your father. You only have half of his DNA, the other half belongs to your mother. And you don't look exactly like Harry. There's a little Hermione in you too." Blake smiled.
"Since when did you become the philosophical one? I thought that was Lily's department?"
"She's starting to rub off on me." They both laughed and stared into each other's eyes, and slowly leaned in to kiss. It was a light feathery kiss, and was over as soon as it started. It was that kiss that should've happened that one night before Hermione caught them. Then they kissed again, this time the feathery feeling and innocence left it, leaving desire and want. They floated in the air, snogging for what felt like hours. Finally, they stopped and Julia took her arm from around Blake and turned so her back was to him again and leaned against him, not being able to wipe the smile off her face. Blake still had his arms wrapped around her, and they stayed like that, watching the sun go down. Once it had gone down and the colors that remain had diminished, it started to get chilly so they headed back for the ground.
"You know Lils is going to ask me about this, cuz' this smile I can't get off my face is going to give me away," Julia said on the way back. Blake laughed.
"I know the feeling."
"Yeah, but you've got your dad and my dad to deal with, I only have your sister."
"And my mother."
"Oh yeah, and her too." They landed and Julia got off the broom first, then Blake. They kissed again, and went back to the castle, preparing for the questions and jokes that would come from the sunset flight.
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Lily had changed for bed and came back downstairs in her bathrobe and pjs. Earlier, someone had gone down to the kitchens earlier and grabbed mugs, kettles, hot chocolate mix and marshmallows and brought them up to the common room. The kettles had been bewitched to stay hot until the last drop of water was poured from them, and the spoons were self-stirring. Lily poured herself a mug of water, and obeying the rule of three and a half scoops her dad had taught here when she was a little girl, put the mix in the mug, and the spoon started stirring. Once it stopped to signal everything was stirred in, she dropped a marshmallow in. She walked to the window to look out at the sunset, and saw someone flying in the air. She saw black hair and red hair, and since she hadn't seen her brother and best friend all evening, knew it was them. She saw Julia stick her arms out like she was flying and they both laughed. She smiled as she watched them, and soon was joined by Harry, who had also changed for bed a while ago, and had a mug of hot chocolate in hand.
"Always a rule for the best hot chocolate, three and a half scoops," he said, motioning at the mug. Lily smiled.
"I know. I've been taught well." Harry smiled and took a sip from his mug.
"So what's goin' on out there?"
"There's a couple out there flying a broom over the Forbidden Forest. It looks like a Firebolt too, and one of them has black hair and the other has red." Harry nodded knowingly.
"Ah, I see, and what are they doing?" Lily glanced up as she took a sip of hot chocolate. She swallowed and smiled.
"Kissing." Harry glanced up at them too, and smiled.
"Have those two always gone out?"
"Nope, never have. This is just something that's happened since we've been here."
"Blake said he wanted to borrow my Firebolt for a ride, I didn't know that's what he wanted it for. To go take Julia up in the air to go snog."
"You never know with Blake, he's full of surprises sometimes," She heaved a sigh. "But, I've known him my whole life, we've been inseparable for pretty much all of our seventeen years, and I know he probably didn't plan it."
"They actually seem to belong together." Lily laughed.
"What?"
"Nothing it's just if this goes back to the future with us," She pointed up at the couple on their way back to the ground, "You sure as hell wouldn't say that."
"Why?"
"It's a dad thing, I think. Ron definitely wouldn't say it; he's very protective of his only daughter." Harry laughed and nodded in understanding.
"What are you laughing about, you're not much better."
"Really? How bad?"
"I don't get to date much because a lot of the guys I fancy are scared of you." Harry laughed again.
"Why?"
"Because you're Harry Potter, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. If they hurt his little girl, God help `em. And of course, she's a Daddy's girl too."
"So I'm a good dad then?" Lily smiled and nodded.
"The best." Harry looked around for Blake and Julia on the grounds and didn't see them, but heard them come in the portrait hole. Lily giggled.
"Oh, must go. Sisterly duty here, to give my brother hell." Lily walked over to her brother and best friend.
"You know, it's the weirdest thing," she said, pointing a thumb over her shoulder. "I just saw two people up on a broom a little while ago."
"So?" Julia said, not being able to hold back her grin.
"And you'll never guess what they were doing."
"What's that?" Blake asked.
"Snogging." Blake pretended to be shocked.
"No way!"
"I know! And then it's weird, cuz' one of them had black hair and the other had red, and here you two come back the same time they left, and you both look like you've been flying, judging by your hair, and also that you both have silly grins on your face that totally give you away." Julia sighed dramatically.
"We've been caught," she said to Blake. Blake groaned.
"And now we must endure all the crap that comes from her too." Lily giggled and bounced on her heels.
"Actually, I wasn't going to give you that much crap, I could see it coming ever since Jules told me about that night in the common room, and I can say that it fits," Lily said seriously.
"Really?"
"Yeah. My best friend and my brother. Can't get much better than that, right?" With that Lily left them, and sat next to Harry and Hermione. Ron sat across from them in front of the fire. Blake and Julia sat on the remaining couch in front of the fire. A cart with hot chocolate ingredients rolled over to them and they each took a cup and poured hot water in them. Julia scooped three scoops into hers and then into Blake's. Before the spoon started stirring, Blake scooped another half scoop into the mug. Julia smiled as she remembered.
"Ah, yes, Harry's three and a half scoop rule. I forgot." Harry grinned.
"That's the best way to drink it." Everyone smiled and Harry pulled Hermione closer to him.
Lily looked around at the couples and said to Ron, "Don't you feel like the odd ones out?"
"I'm beginning to, now that these two are going out," he said, nodding at Blake and Julia.
"Maybe you should go ask Luna to join ya."
"No thanks, not yet. My reputation can't handle that."
Julia said before taking a sip of her cocoa, "What's the matter, Lils, miss Will?"
Lily bit her bottom lip in anxiety. Her fears were confirmed when Harry asked, "Who's Will?" Ron grinned.
"Oh, I've been told this already, Will Finnigan, Seamus's son, your daughter's boyfriend in the future." Lily's jaw dropped and her eyes went wide.
"You promised you wouldn't tell them!"
"In the future, not now."
"Why did you swear him to secrecy? Why don't you want us to know?" Hermione said.
"Because Lils doesn't want anyone to know about her little thing with William Finnigan," Julia said.
"Why not?" Ron laughed.
"Because nineteen years into the future, Harry Potter the dad is very protective of his only daughter."
"Yeah, well, you shouldn't talk, cuz' Ron Weasley the dad isn't much better either. Especially since she's the only girl out of five kids."
"Yep. But I can take care of myself. My dad apparently doesn't think so." Julia said, looking pointedly at Ron.
"Well, at least my dad knows I can take care of myself," Lily said.
"Yeah right. You, take care of yourself? Uh-huh." Blake said.
"Seriously, I can, I'm a Potter, of course I can take care of myself."
"Also part Granger too," Julia said.
"Ah yes, that too."
"You know, Harry, your kids have to at the top of the class in school, with who their parents are, I'd be very surprised if they weren't."
"Well, Lily is, she's a know-it-all bookworm. Julia and I are towards the top, within the top five or so, but if it weren't for Lily to come bail us out, we'd S.O.L."
Hermione looked at Harry and Ron and said sarcastically, "Hmm, sounds familiar, doesn't it?"
"Of course, we are the new trio," Lily said. "And according to Remus, the Marauder havoc wrecking gene skips a generation, so we're the new Marauders too."
"Though we don't call ourselves that," Blake said. Hermione groaned.
"Oh, I can see the owls from McGonagall piling through the window already." The second-generation trio grinned. Lily looked around. Things were finally looking up; this was the most fun she'd had since they came into the past. Sitting here with her future parents, who were together, and her future godfather, and her brother and best friend, well, she thought, it can't get much better than this.
A/n: Kind of a crappy way to end the chapter, but I didn't know what else to add to it. There's only two more chapters left!!! Please review!!! TTYL
Husker-fan-2006
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