Author's note: Don't know what everyone can expect for an update schedule. I have my off days and my on days, just like everybody else. My goal, at least for this story, is to have a chapter a week, but we'll just have to see. Hate it, love it or bored with it please drop a note and let me know why...
Thanks to Mmbug98841 for pointing out a glaring error in continuity. I stated "Charlie and Fleur's wedding" initially. That's been fixed to read Bill now. That's what I get for editing at 0300...
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It was the summer after sixth year. Bill and Fleur's wedding was fast approaching and the whole of the Burrow was a bustle with planning this, preparing for that, and in general getting everything ready. Nobody had free time anymore. Even when you were relaxing you were working on something. After a couple weeks we felt extremely fortunate to be assigned to invitation duty.
"Ron, you're writing's horrible! You fold the invitations and stuff them in the envelopes!" Molly hollered at her youngest son.
"Yeah mum" he stated, sounding dejected but wearing a sly grin. "At least I won't have writer's cramp in an hour" he whispered at everybody else.
Harry and Ginny were sitting across the table from Ron and Hermione. Harry's hand was still bandaged from playing Quidditch with Ginny, Ron, Fred, George and Charlie so he was already assigned to stuff envelopes.
"She's right you know, mum is. You writing is atrocious" Ginny replied coolly. "Can't imagine how the examiner ever passed your O.W.L.s if he couldn't even read them" she stated matter-of-fact-ly. Harry and Hermione stifled laughs, though just barely, and Ron had turned very scarlet.
"Shut up you! Good as you are at hexes I'm still bigger than you!" Ron retorted.
"Ooh, that was a little on the weak side, mate" Harry giggled, which elicited a sharp kick in the shin.
"Molly just wants the girls to write the invitations. We're naturally better at it" said Hermione. She'd been quiet most of the night, diligently writing clearly and, for Hermione anyway, a little more flowery than usual. "Boys just aren't equipped for this sort of work."
We kept on like that for the rest of the night. Ginny was still persisting with Harry, even though he'd called it quits on them being together. It wasn't that he didn't like her, just that he couldn't. Look at what he had to look forward to! No, he wouldn't put that on her. He couldn't, it would not be fair at all and he couldn't handle it if she got hurt.
~
"Damn it all Ron, what are you on about?!" Harry screamed.
"You, mate, you! You've been doing it behind my back! Oh, you think I'm blind to it. 'Dumb Ron, he'll never notice' you say to yourself. But I'm not as stupid as you and everybody else thinks." Ron had turned a deep shade of red, almost burgundy. They were fighting a lot lately. Ron had it in his head that he was trying to sneak it with his girl.
"I've never wished you anything but happiness and you bloody well know it! What the hell do you keep attacking me for?"
Harry and Ginny had been together for just a few months after the end of the war when they called it quits. Ron had been furious with Harry afterwards. He chewed Harry out for a full hour before letting him get a word in edgewise. When he did he heard the other side of the story. Ginny had been growing distant rapidly. Obviously she was over her schoolgirl crush and what she thought was love wasn't really. When Harry found out why she wanted him he'd all but thrown her out on her ass.
"You tossed Ginny. I couldn't figure out why then but I know now. You wanted Hermione for yourself!"
"Damn it, Ron, you know that's not true! Ginny wanted 'The Boy who Lived', not Harry Fucking Potter!"
"You son of a bitch!" Ron shouted as he lunged at Harry.
~
"Harry, I just got the owl from Magonnagal a moment ago!" Hermione's head screamed from his fireplace. "Can I come in?"
"Sure" Harry said, beaming at his friend. Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and flew in to his arms. "Oh!" he exclaimed, quickly throwing aside a copy of Hogwarts, a History.
Hermione looked down at the book. "So all I had to do was get you to be a teacher to read that book? Wish I'd have known that sooner" she admonished.
"Well I figured I'd better read up on my new employer" he grinned. He looked down at his lap, which Hermione had just placed herself on.
She was the first of many he'd hear from over the next couple of days. Hermione had taken a post herself recently, replacing the recently removed Severus Snape as Professor of Potions. Harry had been similarly happy for her, though his loathing of the subject kept him from being from being as ecstatic as she was.
"I thought I'd follow your advice about teaching. I've been fighting evil for so long that I don't want to be on the front lines anymore. Better to shape young minds and all, let someone else take over as savior of the world."
"Oh Harry, I just know you'll do well! None of us would be very well off if it weren't for your skills during DA meetings." She was referring to the club they started in fifth year, the year Dolores Umbridge came to Hogwarts she took over the DADA classes. Nobody was happy about this, including the teachers (though they kept that to blind reference out of respect for the post). The students rallied together under Hermione's organizational skills to form one of the most successful secret clubs Hogwarts had ever seen.
"I hope so. Next term starts soon and I've got to get ready. I'll miss this place though" he pondered, looking about Godric's Hollow. He'd made it his home after granting Grimmauld Place to Lupin. He'd hardly left there since the final battle ended some three years previous…
~ There was broken glass all over his living room floor. Harry's second term had ended just a few days ago and Hermione wanted to stay with Harry until the Quidditch finals were over. The cannons had made it as far as the semi-finals. Harry was finishing the year when the finals had started so he didn't make it to the games. Hermione still hated the sport and hadn't wanted to go, even though Ron was playing.
"Why did you do that?!" Ron screamed at Harry.
Harry was sitting on the couch in his living room at the Hollow, his head in his hands. He'd sent Hermione away in tears. "God Ron, I just don't know" he said through a strained throat. I've buggered it this time he thought to himself. I kissed her, "what the fuck was I thinking?" he whispered.
Ron stopped momentarily. "What did you say?" he spat through gritted teeth. "You kissed my girl," his voice got louder, "and you can't figure WHY YOU DID IT!" He was red in the face with anger and clenching his fists. "From other guys, I'd expect this. But you mate? From my best friend? God, you really are pathetic!" he screamed. There was a loud pop. Ron had tried to disapparate from the Hollow. Harry thought he knew better.
"Well that's just bloody fantastic!" Ron screamed as he rolled on the floor after bouncing off the anti-apparition wards. He was walking to the front door but Harry had just blocked his way. "Get out of the bloody way Harry!"
"No. Not this time. We're going to talk." Ron drew his fist back. "Hit me if you want to but we need to talk damn it. You're not getting away that easy. I told you before that an argument wouldn't get in the way of our friendship and I'm not going to let you walk this time. Now hit me or sit down!" So Ron hit him, hard.
~ Harry was thinking back on that now. It'd been a mistake. His fifth term after taking the DADA post had just ended and Hermione wanted to stay with him again. They hadn't had much time to get together throughout the year and she and Ron had a row just before end of year. They hadn't spent Holidays together for the first time in years and she said she'd missed him. Then, just when he thought he had things under control, she came walking up the road towards the Hollow. < font color = blue>I shouldn't have invited her, and now she shows up like this. Fuck.<.font>
She wasn't in her robes anymore. No, she'd definitely changed. She was wearing a pale, yellow flowing skirt, low cut blouse with only three buttons done around her bust and, to him at least, a high cut skirt. He could see a generous length of leg and more of her tight stomach than he'd seen since the night they got pissed after defeating Voldemort.
~