A/N: Just a plot bunny that bugged me for Halloween…I submitted this as a challenge and thought I'd share it with all of you! Happy Halloween to one and all! Read, Review and Enjoy
Disclaimer: Don't own them and never will…
It Happened on Halloween
"It happen on Halloween…" he choked out to no one in particular.
A lithe figure silhouetted against the light from the next room softly replied, "I know…"
"That night changed my life…and not in a good way," his emerald eyes glistening as the flames from the hearth reflected off his glasses.
Moving gracefully, the slender figure slowly entered his dark sanctum and stopped behind him, "I know."
"My parents murdered…" he sobbed pausing for a bit to get a handle on his emotions, then he scoffed, "this scar. So long ago and here I still am harboring the weight of the magical world because of it."
She knelt down behind him and reach out to place a hand on his shoulder, "I know."
He tilted his head toward her hand as she caressed his cheek, "Not only do ghouls and ghosts roam tonight to terrorize muggle children, but sad memories come back to haunt me…"
She felt warm tears fall on her hand, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around her soulmate in comfort, "I know, love."
He whispered, "Every year I go through this and every year you keep coming to ruin my self imposed rut."
Chuckling she squeezed him, "I know."
"Is that all you could say?"
"No," she whispered into his ear as the both sat before the fireplace, gazing into the burning embers. "The reason I look for you every night on Halloween is because I know that I have to remind you of your other memories…the one's that warms your heart and banishes the bad ones away."
He smiled, lifting her hand from his chest to his lips, he brushed it with a tender kiss and felt her goosebumps rise at his actions, "What'll I every do without you?"
She nipped at his earlobe and he heard a soft chuckle escape her soft lips, "Die of loneliness?"
"Definitely," Harry confirmed, "remind me again why I should be celebrating Halloween?"
"Remember our first Halloween at Hogwarts?" she asked as she scooted to settle herself into his lap, he automatically wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her hair breathing in her scent.
"Yes I do," he replied his eyes now full of mirth at recalling that night in particular, "one of the best places my wand had ever been in-up a troll's nostril!"
The couple laughed together, "If it wasn't for that night, we would never have been friends, and you would have probably just remembered me by my teeth and hair!"
His eyes danced as he recalled where her teeth had grazed him last night and the feel of her hair on his bare chest before they slept. "I'm sure I would have remembered you for that brilliant mind of yours."
Turning a bit as she swatted his arm, "So that's all you'd remember about me-`my brilliant mind' Mr. Potter?"
He replied rather cheekily, "Well, you do have some redeeming qualities…"
"Oh honestly!" she huffed, after a pause she added, "There was also the five hundredth deathday of Nearly Headless Nick."
Harry made a face remembering the dank smell of the place and what happened after, "And we discovered that the voices inside my head really was a basilisk that attacked Mrs. Norris!" he countered.
"Okay not the best memory to bring up…" furrowing her eyebrows as she thought a bit, then a smile appeared.
"The night you were selected as a champion by the Goblet of Fire," she whispered.
"How does that count as a good memory?" Harry spat out.
"It was during the first challenged that I realized I wouldn't know what I'd do if I lost you…" she whispered back.
Harry felt his breath hitch, as he looked into her warm brown eyes, "Hermione…"
Their lips met tenderly and as they parted he smiled and said, "You win…bad feeling gone."
Hermione caressed his cheek reveling in the slight stubble on his jaw, "You know I hate to lose, but Harry so many other fond Halloween memories we have together like-"
"Our first kiss, in seventh year," Harry finished.
Hermione nodded, "And the defeat of Voldemort the year after."
"Luna and Ron's wedding the year after that," Harry added.
Hermione laughed and the sound filled him with peace, "Whatever possessed them to get married on Hallows Eve is beyond my comprehension!"
"And when were Luna and Ron ever `within' comprehension?" Harry snickered as they burst in laughter again.
"Harry, there are so many things that transpired-to you especially that just happened to coincide with October thirty first. Some good, others bad and ugly-but you should always remember that the good memories are what warms your heart, while the bad memories are the ones that makes you stronger." Hermione stated as she placed her hand over his chest.
Harry nodded taking in all that she said, each year Hermione always managed to find wherever he would wander off to, to sulk and every year she would come up with small speeches like this one to save him from drowning in self pity, and it seems to be getting better and better as each Halloween passed.
"Tell me," Harry placed a finger under his wife's chin, tilting her face up to his, "were you always this smart or am I rubbing off on you, Mrs. Potter?"
Hermione laughed, "Definitely your doing Mr. Potter, you seem to keep me on my toes in the thinking
department-having to do it for the both of us!"
Shocked by the snarky reply from his wife, Harry poked her on the sides causing her to laugh which ensued to a tickling battle with Hermione the likely loser as Harry rolled on top of her, pinning her effectively with his weight while his fingers kept ribbing her as Hermione twisted, convulsing with laughter.
"Say it!" Harry demanded, "Hermione! Say it!"
"Har-Harry, please!" Hermione panted out, trying to wrench herself free from under him.
"You know the rules, Hermione…" Harry replied playfully, "Just say it."
"Bu…but rules-rules are mere guidelines!" Hermione countered as another fresh attack on her sides left her dizzy from all her laughter.
"Say it…" Harry ordered.
"Harry!"
"Say it, Hermione."
"Okay, fine!" Hermione exclaimed.
Harry's fingers stopped their attack then he abruptly found himself with his back on the floor as his wife flipped and straddled him. Kneeling on the palms of his hands, she placed both her arms on the sides of his head, her face hovering over his as her curly chestnut hair enveloped them, the air suddenly felt thick as both heaved from the physical excursion.
"Why do I always let my guard down when you falsely cry `uncle'?" Harry wondered staring up at Hermione's shiny brown eyes.
"Because you love me…" Hermione replied as she kissed the tip of his nose, "Mr. Potter, you should be ashamed of yourself-top Auror of the Ministry of Magic, pinned down helpless by a girl?! What would Moody say?"
"He'd say `Constant vigilance boy!'" Harry chuckled, as he mimicked the elderly Auror. "Well, that girl pinning me down happens to also be a top Auror-and a beautiful one at that. Plus if I don't let her have her way with me, I would be sleeping either on the couch or at the Burrow!"
Hermione giggled, at his reply. He looked up at her tenderly as he sent a small prayer of gratitude at having her in his life, "I love you Hermione Potter."
"Right back at you, Harry Potter," Hermione whispered.
Harry lifted his head as she bent down and they started to playfully kiss each smiling as they nipped and brushed each others lips. Hermione moved her knees releasing Harry's arms which instinctively wrapped around her.
A loud bang was heard as the door to the room they were in burst open, "We found them!"
The sound of footsteps were heard as others came rushing into the room.
"Bloody hell! Can't you two stop snoggin' for just a minute?!" Ron exclaimed.
A three year old girl with silvery blond hair, honey brown eyes and with a spattering of freckles on her nose looked up at the tall red hair man, "Uncle Won, what's a `snoggin'?"
"Language, Weasley…" Draco softly drawled from behind, picking up his daughter he asked in a much louder voice "Yes, Uncle Won-what is a `snoggin'?"
Ron face grew red as he stuttered an explanation, "Well Sammy…a snoggin is uh…it's um…you see when two people really love each other-"
Ginny waddled into the room, rotund from carrying an eight month bundle in her tummy, she smirked at the couple who started to sit up and compose themselves in front of the fireplace. Turning to her brother she muttered, "It's a rhetorical question Ron."
"So who found them first?" a dreamy voice sounded from the door.
"I did Auntie Luna!" a five year old boy with glasses, who looked like a smaller version of his father but had his mother's brown eyes, answered as he raised his hand.
"Well done James!" Hermione clapped from her sitting position near the fireplace.
James puffed his chest out, "Well I better start looking for things because I'm going to be a seeker like my dad and Granddaddy James!"
"Yes you are son," Harry agreed softly as he watched Luna give his first born a big chocolate bar.
"Hey! I found them with James too mum!" whined a red haired girl in pigtails and bright blue eyes.
"Yeah, so did Artie!" James immediately seconded, but then he added quite softly, "Am I going to have to give up my chocolate bar?"
Luna bent down to be eyelevel with James, "No Love, you need not give Artemisia your candy." Then with a wave her wand a duplicate chocolate bar flew into her hand, "She'll be getting one just like yours."
Turning to her daughter, Luna noticed the doleful expression as she handed her the candy, "What's wrong baby?"
Pouting she replied, "I have a funny name…."
Ginny stepped over to her niece and took her hand, "I have a funny name too you know?"
"Auntie Ginny, your name is not funny-it's nice," Artemisia answered back.
"No she does have a funny name!" Draco exclaimed, then leaning over to his niece he loudly whispered, "Auntie Ginny's real name is Ginevra."
Artemisia looked at her aunt who nodded her confirmation, and then looking over to James they burst out laughing.
"Told you it was funny!" Draco said as he smirked toward his wife, kissing her temple for in penance.
"Oh and `Draco' is a normal name?" Ginny retorted as she rolled her eyes at him.
"It may not be normal but it's a beautiful name, isn't it Sammy?" Draco quipped as he nuzzled his daughter, who in turn giggled and hugged him.
A wail was heard from downstairs, Hermione and Harry shared a knowing look with each other.
"Mummy, Sirius is awake-" James stated, to which a another cry joined the first, "-and so is Lily Jane!"
James grabbed Artie's hand and the two kids bounded out the door to get to the nursery, "Wait fo me! Wait fo me!" Samantha Molly wailed as she struggled against her father's arms, and the moment Draco put her down, she ran after the two.
"It's time for their feeding," Hermione said as Harry stood up and extended his hand to help her from the floor.
"I reckon you two should stop playing hide and seek with the kids or else you'd have a whole new batch of babies every nine months after the game!" Ron commented and received a whack on the head from his female best friend.
"It's Halloween, Ron…"
Looking over at Harry, he smirks, "Right, sorry mate."
"No problem," Harry replied back as he placed an arm around his wife's shoulders.
The group went down the stairs as Hermione, Luna and Draco went to the nursery where all the children were at the moment. Ron escorted his sister to the sofa in the sitting room and Harry fetched them all warm apple cider.
After a while, Draco came down carrying his daughter and niece as Luna carried Lily Jane and Hermione had Sirius with Little James following closely. As they all sat down sipping their drinks talking about life and listening to the pitter patter of their children, Harry looked at the group and smiled down at his wife, "These are memories worth remembering…"
Hermione smiled as she looked up at him and whispered, "Happy Halloween Harry."
Kissing her on the forehead, Harry simply replied, "It certainly is."
Another A/N:
VacantSkies will actually kill me for this-but this story was NOT beta-ed! So any and all errors are my fault…*sob*
Hope you liked it and to those of you awaiting the next chapter of Four Kingdoms-will be updating in a couple of days!
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