Author's Note
I hope you don't mind too much, dear readers, that this chapter is basically a fluffy introduction of a few tiny tidbits of information whilst also allowing Luna to saunter into the picture and bring Neville on board…and hopefully leave you feeling warm and fuzzy at the end! (I don't like to rush things!)
REUNION
By JanieB
CHAPTER FOUR
Hermione's Up Next
As she woke, rubbing her eyes, Hermione wondered for a fleeting second where she was; then she remembered: the Burrow. Fred and George's old room, to be precise. With Harry across the landing. She rolled over, burying her face in her pillow. Harry. Two syllables. One name. A name she'd been familiar with for more than half her life. A name she'd spoken more times than could be counted. Had thought about times out of mind. Harry. Harry James Potter. I don't often think of his full name, she mused. He's Harry. Just Harry. That's all he'd ever wanted, but of course that wasn't to be…
Memories she'd held at bay for years rushed in on her as though being sucked irresistibly into the void created by a vacuum. She felt herself spinning around in a whirlpool made up of numerous images, snatches of conversation and myriad feelings as she lay there, helplessly enthralled by them all...
There were lightning flashes of memory…their first year, the troll…Wingardium Leviosa! Their friendship sealed… Their second year, the Polyjuice Potion…the Basilisk…Gilderoy Lockhart (she groaned inwardly with embarrassment)… Their third year was the most amazing and complicated - and the most rewarding. The time turner. And Harry had found Sirius. He found his godfather as well as his godfather's innocence. And Wormtail, along with his guilt. The spectre of the Dark Lord looming. And then the Goblet of Fire. Never to be forgotten. Cedric. Never to be forgotten. Voldemort reborn. Their fifth year. This year held Harry's worst tragedy: the loss of Sirius. Then there was Umbridge. Hermione still felt a lurking hatred snaking through the depths of her heart for that particular woman. Hagrid. Grawp. …who, to this day, knows me as Hermy! Their sixth year…their upside down, turmoil-ridden sixth year… you're more fanciable than ever… as indeed he was… the Horcruxes… the loss of Dumbledore… the horror that had been their seventh year… all the memories seemed to move faster and faster…they blurred…and in the end all that mattered was that they were once more together… And now, if only - but she stopped her thoughts there; they now had all the time in the world…she could be patient for just a little longer…
As the memories slowly dispersed, like wisps of fog in the warm sunshine, Hermione sighed happily as she lay snuggled under the duvet, peering out the window at the crisp, blue sky. She knew it was going to be a beautiful day; maybe they'd all go skating on the pond…she and Harry. Harry and me. She smiled, wriggling with delicious anticipation. How glad she was about that little tweak she'd given the potion to dispel awkwardness - it made them all feel as though the past five years had evaporated, as though they'd never been and didn't matter. She giggled, feeling ridiculously happy. And they don't matter anymore. Not now. We've won. Those years are behind us now and we're going to concentrate on the future - with all of us together again.
Ron's Up Last…of course…
Ron didn't stir until after everyone else was up and already in the kitchen, sipping tea and enjoying a delicious, hot breakfast. As he squinted at the bright sunlight pouring through his window, he realised firstly that he was ravenous (this is Ron we're talking about, after all) and secondly, that he hadn't felt this - this - good! - for a long time. He grinned at nothing in particular before throwing off his duvet and pulling on the jeans and jumper he'd worn the previous day (this is Ron, remember?), pushing his feet into his trainers and going down the stairs two at a time, landing at the bottom with his grin still in place as he looked around the room.
`Morning!' he greeted everyone. Arthur peered out from behind the Daily Prophet to return the greeting. Molly, sitting with her elbow on the table, a cup of tea in one hand, an old, rather tatty quill in her other as she wrote what Ron supposed was a shopping list, said absentmindedly, `Morning, dear,' while Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Dean chorused `Good morning!' They all watched, smiling, as Ron spied the empty seat between Harry and Ginny and almost sprinted, barely sitting down properly before he immediately began to pile bacon and eggs onto his plate.
`No sausages?' he asked, aggrieved, buttering some toast.
You're too slow, Ron,' said Ginny, `we've eaten them all. They were delicious.' She grinned mischievously.
`Oh that's just great, no bangers,' he grumbled as he took a bite of his toast. `I really felt like some this morning.'
Hermione, sitting the other side of Harry, clicked her tongue and spearing the lone sausage on her plate with her fork, leaned across in front of Harry and deposited it on Ron's plate.
`There, you can have mine,' she told Ron, exasperation in her voice, while Harry laughed.
`Now that's a sign of true friendship!' cried Ron, smiling at Hermione as he lifted his goblet of pumpkin juice in a silent toast to her.
Ginny tried to laugh, but since she'd just taken a bit of her toast, she began to choke on it, causing Dean to begin patting her vigorously on the back. `Only my brother Ron would equate food with friendship,' she managed between coughs.
`Speaking of friendship,' said Dean quietly once Ginny's choking fit had passed, `are we ever going to find out what happened with the three of you? And why you've suddenly agreed to get together again?'
For just a second a stunned silence descended, everyone sitting frozen in the middle of whatever it was they'd been doing - Ron with his laden fork halfway to his mouth; Hermione in the process of cutting up her remaining bacon; Harry chewing his toast; both Ginny and Molly with teacups halfway to their mouths while the Daily Prophet Arthur was reading ceased its soft, constant rustling.
Dean moved first, looking around the table at everyone.
`What?' he asked, genuinely puzzled; he'd thought that now everything seemed fine between them once more, the trio would be open to talking about what had happened.
`Fair question,' said Harry after swallowing his toast and giving Dean a lopsided grin.
Hermione put her knife and fork down and brought her serviette to her lips, dabbing at them before agreeing with Harry.
Ron, of course, continued eating and couldn't do anything more than nod in agreement with Harry and Hermione since his mouth was full to capacity.
The Daily Prophet seemed to vanish beneath the table as Arthur joined the conversation. `So, finally, is it? I can't wait to hear this story.'
Molly and Ginny, still sipping their tea, remained silent, simply waiting to see what would be said.
When Harry seemed to gather himself to speak, Hermione placed her hand on his arm. `May I?' she asked softly.
Harry nodded. `Of course,' he told her, while wondering what she was going to say and glad to hand the reins to her as he'd no idea what to say himself.
Hermione cleared her throat gently before speaking.
`We know it's been hard all this time for everyone, not knowing, especially our families…' her voice trailed off as she thought of how hard it had also been for her, Harry and Ron. Then gathering herself once more, she continued.
`It's not actually over yet,' she told them, `and if Harry and Ron agree, I'd like to wait until it is before we tell you everything.' She glanced at Harry and Ron, both of whom nodded in agreement; they were content to follow her lead. Looking back at the others, she smiled. `You see, Wednesday is the night of the full moon - and that's the night that we have to - well, that's the night we'll be working on the solution to our problem. And if it's successful -' Hermione heard Harry's whispered, `It will be!' and gave him a fleeting smile, `- then on Thursday we can all sit down and we'll tell you our story.'
Ginny groaned, dropping her head into her hands, making Dean chuckle while Arthur and Molly exchanged a look that said they were both thinking the same thing: Hermione had said "if it's successful". If.
Arthur took Molly's hand, patting it reassuringly as he spoke. `Well, I think that's fair enough, although Ginny appears to be suffering a severe bout of impatience!' Arthur laughed as his daughter looked up and rolled her eyes. `Thursday!' she exclaimed. `It's only Monday! I've been dying of curiosity for five years and I still have to wait!
`I'll bet it's a story worth waiting for,' Dean told her consolingly.
`That it is,' said Harry so that only Ron and Hermione could hear him clearly, `that it is.'
Ron Falls On His Arse and Luna Appears
After breakfast, the five younger ones left Arthur to the rest of his paper and Molly to her knitting as they set off for the pond, skates in hand. Sitting on the warmed bench conjured by Hermione, they put on their skates, jostling and elbowing each other - laughing and acting as though they were still school students and revelling in it. Ron was finished first and shortly after he'd made his way to the frozen pond, Harry was hit on the top of his bowed head with a snowball whilst bent over tying off his laces.
`Good shot!' called Dean to Ron, giving him the "thumbs up" as he too stood up and began to clump through the snow down to the ice, Ginny on his heels.
Harry looked over at Ron, a mock scowl on his face. `You wait, Weasley! You'll be sorry!' he yelled.
`No way!' called Ron in reply, laughing as he skated off.
Harry straightened up, turning to look at Hermione who had also finished and was sitting, watching Dean and Ginny as they sailed gracefully around the edge of the pond.
`Want to team up?' he asked her, a mischievous gleam in his eye.
Hermione turned and grinned at him. `Is that fair? Two against one?'
`Well, it won't quite be like two against one, really…' said Harry, trying hard to look disarmingly innocent and failing miserably.
Hermione swiped Harry on the arm.
`You don't have to say it! I know what you're thinking Harry! "Hermione couldn't hit the side of the Knight Bus if it was standing still", so it's not really two against one at all!'
Harry waggled his eyebrows at her, grinning. `You remember that, do you?'
Hermione laughed. `How could I forget that particular insult? Delivered just about every Christmas at school as I recall. And I remember an even worse insult: Ron saying I could side with you because I'd be a liability not an asset!' Hermione pretended to frown, her eyes dancing merrily. `In fact, I think Ron's insult was definitely worse than yours so yes, I'll team up with you! And be ready, Harry - I've learnt a few things over the last few years,' she finished mysteriously.
As it turned out, Hermione had learnt a new spell, one of hundreds that she'd mastered in the last five years. It gave her snowballs unerring aim, much to Ron's disgust and Harry's delight, who demanded to know why she hadn't known about that spell while they were at Hogwarts. Ginny and Dean had remained at the far side of the pond, well out of the way of the snow fight, which they nevertheless watched with great enjoyment, Ginny shrieking with delight each time a snowball found its' mark. It took only ten short minutes before Ron surrendered, leaving his position by a small embankment at the edge of the pond, his hands in the air, his breath frosting as he laughed.
Harry and Hermione, stationed on the opposite bank to Ron, shook hands (as well as they could given they were both wearing thick gloves) and congratulated each other as Ron glided towards them, Ginny and Dean not far behind him. Harry, however, didn't release Hermione's hand when they'd finished shaking, but stood there, looking down at her, his eyes alight with amusement and happiness.
`Still a formidable team,' he said softly, his eyes fixed on her face, taking in her sparkling golden brown eyes, the lovely curve of her lips as she smiled and the soft glow of her skin, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink from exertion.
Suddenly, Hermione's eyes glistened with tears, although she was still smiling.
`Oh, Harry - it just feels so wonderful to be with you - and Ron - and everyone - again!'
Letting go of her hand, Harry held out his arms and Hermione leaned forward into his embrace, one step bringing her up against him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She turned her head and laid it against his chest. She was very aware of his heart beat, thumping steadily beneath his warm jacket, just as she was aware of her own quickening pulse at the feel of his arms around her, at the wonderful smell of him. Harry dropped his chin to rest on the softness of the woollen beanie she wore, his eyes closed, aware for the moment only of the feel of Hermione in his arms and the sensation of having her arms wound tightly around him.
`Oy, get a load of that, they're at it again,' whispered Ron as Ginny and Dean caught up with him. He needn't have said anything because they'd been watching, too.
`Remind you of something, love?' asked Dean, smiling down at Ginny.
Ginny smiled back. `Us,' she replied, her voice soft and tender.
They both turned and looked at Ron. He felt their eyes on him and returned the look, asking, `What?'
`Well,' said Ginny succinctly, `we assume this is all right with you?' She indicated Harry and Hermione with a sweep of her hand.
Ron's face became suddenly uncharacteristically serious and Ginny and Dean looked at each other in alarm.
`Ron? Are you all right?' asked Ginny, reaching up to put her hand on his shoulder.
Ron's eyes were unfocused and his mind was clearly somewhere else. Ginny, her hand still resting on his shoulder, shook him slightly.
`Ron!'
Ron seemed to hear her this time, shaking his head as he turned to look down at her.
Ginny watched as his eyes slowly focused on her.
`Everything'll be all right after Wednesday,' he said, his voice hoarse. `I have every confidence in Hermione.'
Having said this, Ron skated off towards Harry and Hermione, who had pulled apart and were heading for the edge of the pond, waving at Ron, Ginny and Dean, obviously intending to join their friends on the ice.
Perhaps because his thoughts were elsewhere, perhaps because he wasn't really looking where he was going, but whatever the cause, Ron's feet suddenly went out from under him and his arms started wheeling frantically in the air as he tried to remain upright. Hermione and Harry, Ginny and Dean all stopped and held their breath. Then, in those few short seconds whilst they watched Ron's desperate attempt to regain his balance, another figure appeared behind the bench Hermione had conjured, just in time to see Ron lose his battle with gravity and land squarely on his arse with a very loud exclamation of pain followed by a rather nasty swear word.
Instantly, a scream of mirth split the air and all heads turned to the source.
`Who's that?' asked Harry, automatically expecting Hermione to have the answer.
`I wouldn't have a clue - no, wait! Well, for crying out loud, I believe it's Luna Lovegood!' exclaimed Hermione, still looking back over her shoulder.
It was indeed Luna Lovegood and as she walked towards them, still laughing mightily, Harry also recognised the blue-eyed, blonde-haired girl he'd not seen for five years.
Ginny and Dean had reached Ron, who was sitting with his gloved hands splayed on the ice behind him, his long legs stretched out in front of him. His face went as red as a beetroot when they heard Luna laugh and they all looked up, surprised by the sound.
`Well, for Pete's sake, it's Loony Lovegood!' exclaimed Dean, unaware of the censorious glance given him by his wife.
`Luna Lovegood!' Ginny corrected him firmly as they leaned down and grasped Ron's arms to help him to his feet.
`Luna Lovegood?' repeated Ron, gazing towards the strangely attired figure that was now standing with Harry and Hermione and chatting animatedly by all appearances.
Hermione and Harry had smiled at Luna as she walked awkwardly up to them, wearing what looked like a couple of tennis racquets tied to her trainers and some sort of miniature snowdrift for a hat.
`Luna, hi!' said Hermione, `Long time, no see! What on earth are you doing in this neck of the woods?'
Luna waved at Ginny, Dean and Ron as they struggled towards the shore, then smiled at Harry and Hermione in turn.
`Just sort of walking and Apparating around, checking out the countryside. I've moved back home, you know - it's not too far away, you know.'
Harry and Hermione didn't know, really, but they refrained from saying so.
`It's good to see you again,' said Harry, `How've you been?'
Luna turned and looked at him, the snowdrift on top of her head revealing itself to be a polar bear which growled at him, causing Harry to take a step backwards.
`Not too bad, thank you, Harry. Better than you, I think, since you and your friends have been avoiding each other for all these years.'
Hermione put her hand over her mouth in a vain attempt to smother a fit of giggles; Luna was as strangely blunt as ever!
Luna turned to Hermione. `Is it funny, then?' she asked. `That would be better than if it was something, you know, serious.'
Hermione immediately stopped laughing and gave Luna an appraising look. `Actually, it was serious, Luna. But I think we've found a way to get around it, thank Merlin.'
Luna nodded. `Good,' she murmured, before turning her gaze to watch as Dean and Ginny assisted Ron to the edge of the pond.
`Ronald!' cried Luna happily, waving. `How are you?'
`Oh, just bloody great,' said Ron sarcastically. `My arse is drenched and bloody sore, I think I've cracked my tailbone and I've just lost my dignity in front of - well, in front of people…' he finished lamely, eyeing Luna's glaring polar bear hat with trepidation, sure that it had just snarled at him; it brought back vivid memories of the lion's head hat she'd worn at Hogwarts.
Ginny was also eyeing Luna's hat and laughed as she said, `Come on, Ron, you'll be fine. Come and sit on Hermione's heated bench - dry your bum off.'
So while Ron sat, steam rising around him in a great cloud as he removed his skates, Luna told them she'd only recently come home to be with her dad who lived nearby. She said she'd been told by Fred and George, during a visit to Hogsmeade, that some of her old school-mates would be at the Burrow should she wish to drop in and see them.
`So, Ronald, are you dry yet? And why on earth did you sit down on the ice like that?' she asked, her large blue eyes fixed on him, unblinking.
Ron glared at first then his face slowly broke into a smile. `I just fell arse over head,' he stated baldly, realising he must have made quite a sight. 'There was no sitting involved whatsoever!'
Luna threw back her head and laughed. `Never mind, that can happen to anyone!' she managed to gasp.
`I just wish it didn't happen to me,' muttered Ron, stealing amused glances at Luna. Especially not in front of you, he thought to himself.
Luna, standing in front of Ron as a light mist continued to swirl around his nether regions, held out her hand to him, saying, `Come with me, Ronald. I'll walk you home and tell you about Neville.'
Ron took Luna's proffered hand and hoisted himself to his feet. With his skates dangling from his hand, he looked thoroughly confused as he repeated blankly, `Neville?'
Luna put her hands on her hips and stared at him in amazement. `Neville Longbottom, of course. Your friend.'
Ron, once again red in the face, nodded. `Yeah, I knew that, Neville. Of course. I have seen him a few times since school, although not for a while now.'
Luna nodded, unmindful of his discomfiture. "He misses you all,' she said as they stepped out together on the path that led back to the Burrow.
Ginny, Dean, Hermione and Harry exchanged amused looks as they sat to remove their skates, Ron and Luna's voices becoming fainter as they got further away.
`Perhaps we should ask Neville and Luna for Thursday,' said Hermione unexpectedly.
`What?' chorused the other three, sounding very surprised at this announcement.
Hermione gave a self-deprecating shrug. `Well, it just sort of feels right - Neville and Luna were always ready to help. It would be nice to see them again,' said Hermione thoughtfully, her gaze fixed on the retreating figures of Ron and Luna.
As they all stood up, Hermione drew her wand and Vanished the bench before they all set off, Dean and Ginny going ahead, Harry and Hermione following closely behind; Harry had obligingly "sent" their skates home so they didn't have to worry about carrying them.
`Hermione, what made you think of inviting Neville and Luna to be there?' Harry asked quietly.
Hermione threw him an odd look as she shrugged. `It really is just a feeling - I'm not sure what's at the bottom of it, but - well, I guess I'm trusting my instincts. It just seems the right thing to do. I hope Mrs Weasley doesn't mind,' she finished, a slight frown creasing her brow.
`I'm sure she won't,' said Harry, intrigued by a Hermione who had those sort of "feelings" and "trusted her instincts". `What about your parents?' he asked, `shouldn't they come on Thursday too?'
Hermione shook her head. `I was thinking I'd rather go and visit them, perhaps on Friday, and tell them about everything. What do you think?'
`You know your parents best, Hermione. Do you think they'd mind if I came with you?'
Hermione stopped and looked at him, a small smile in place. `And why would you want to do that?'
`Isn't that what friends are for?' countered Harry, grinning.
Hermione laughed as she set off once more. `I suppose it is! Of course you can come, I'm positive Mum and Dad wouldn't mind. I'll owl them tonight.' And I certainly won't mind! thought Hermione happily.
She didn't speak again after that and as they walked, she appeared to be deep in thought; Harry, not for the first time in his life, was left wondering what on earth Hermione could be thinking about…
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note
I've actually had trouble breaking this story up into reasonably equal-sized chapters which is really why you've had this little "fill-in" chapter…Chapter Five is half as long again as this chapter (which is why I didn't post them as one chapter) and I'm planning on actually uploading it tomorrow (Saturday) in a sneaky attempt to keep your interest…*grins* So till tomorrow, dear and faithful readers! Oh, and here's an excerpt, to whet your appetites:
At five minutes to ten, with Hermione, Ron, Dean and Ginny behind him, Harry pushed open the door of The Three Broomsticks. They were immediately struck by the warm air, redolent with delicious aromas and the happy hum of inconsequential chatter. As those closest to the door looked up and saw Harry Potter with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley entering closely behind him, silence spread rapidly across the room and in no time at all, you could hear a pin drop...
As the door slowly swung shut behind Ginny and Dean, Harry turned and looked at Ron and Hermione, a rueful grin on his face. `I'm a bit of an idiot, then, aren't I?' he said under his breath, `I didn't even give a thought to what would happen if the three of us turned up like this.'
A quiet, purposeful murmuring, very different from the cheery sound that had first greeted them, gradually took the place of the stunned silence; every eye in the room inexorably fixed on the five figures standing inside the door.
`Oy! Harry - you lot! Over here!'
Harry looked across the room to see Neville Longbottom standing and waving, Luna beside him, also waving.
"See" you sometime tomorrow! Janie xoxo
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