After the Fighting by Viper714
Disclaimer: See part 1
Author's note: Upon writing this part, I've decided that it might be good to add a Ron/Luna section on to this fic. It would fill in a number of spots that, while important, wouldn't contribute much to this tale of how Harry & Hermione's relationship developed over the years following the fall of Voldemort.
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Part 2
Harry & Hermione
That evening, Harry held his wife close as they sat in their living room. It was odd not to hear the sounds of their
children echoing through the house. It was just them again.
Seeing that a lock of her brown hair had fallen across her face, he reached up to brush it aside. It was hard for him to believe now how long it had taken for him to really see her, to realize what an idiot he'd been. The thing was, he didn't think he was being stupid at the time.
Everywhere he went, witches and wizards admired him for saving the world from Voldemort. Yet he admired Hermione for saving him from himself.
**********
The months immediately following the Second Voldemort War were a time of great difficulty. Once the euphoria of Tom Riddle's defeat wore off, people up and down Britain began to realize just how much destruction he and his followers had caused.
Never at any point in the first war had Voldemort come close to taking control of the Ministry of Magic, and he'd used it to great advantage. Not only had he used it to persecute so-called "undesirables", but he'd also dismantled so much of the magical infrastructure that Kingsley Shacklebolt found himself restarting the government almost from scratch. Which was where Harry, Hermione, and Ron came in.
Initially, they worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement helping stabilize the magical community. Lots of people tried to take advantage of the power vacuum that occurred immediately following the war -- folks ranging from petty crooks like Mundungus Fletcher to a handful of Death Eaters who escaped capture after the last battle. Rounding up these people, and helping weed out those who willingly aided Voldemort within the Ministry, was one of Minister Shacklebolt's top priorities.
"I know you're tired of fighting, Harry," Kingsley said to them their first day. "We all are. But if we don't get things back under control, we won't have a society to work with."
So the trio found themselves Apparating around the country, from Dover to the Shetland Islands, dealing with the various troublemakers. However, it was his first ever trip outside Great Britain that anything happened that actually gave Harry something to stop and think about.
It was about three weeks after they'd taken their jobs at the Ministry. He had just come back from a meeting to discover that Hermione had finally been given a Portkey so she could go and get her parents. He knew that she's missed them terribly, and was anxious to bring them back. Yet she was also very nervous about it.
"So what's the problem? I though you just had to undo the memory charms on them. That shouldn't be too hard for a witch who's as good as you," Harry said without thinking.
"Honestly, Harry, you can be so thick sometimes!" Hermione rounded on him. "Think about it from their perspective for a moment. They're my parents, but they won't even know who I am until I can reverse the spell! How would you like it if some stranger just came up to you and started waving a wand in your face?"
"Not very much, I suppose," he said quietly.
"Exactly!" she said. Calming down, she then asked, "Will you come with me? I might need a friend along for emotional support...at least until they remember me again."
Harry looked at her, surprised by the request. "What about -"
"The Weasleys are taking a family holiday in France. I think that they're hoping it will break George out of the depression he's been in since Fred died." Hermione sighed, "Ron says that he can't even look at what's left of their shop anymore."
Harry had heard that the Death Eaters had burned Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes to the ground because of all the fun Fred and George had poked at them. All that remained was the boarded-up storefront.
That was how Harry had landed up in the Wilkins'...no, Grangers' Melbourne home. Because of the time difference, having worked a full day before coming here, and how long it took to convince the Grangers to let them do the counter-charm, Hermione and him were so tired that they fell asleep on the sofa.
When he woke up a few hours later, Harry was surprised to find himself under a blanket with Hermione snuggled up next to him and his arms around her. He tried to shift his position, but that only made her wiggle even closer. Since that obviously wasn't working, he decided to try lying as still as possible. Unfortunately, that did nothing to stop a series of unexpected thoughts from flowing through Harry's head.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to be holding her in his arms as she slept -- and he definitely wasn't supposed to enjoy it! This was Hermione, his friend, the girl who had been through everything with him. She wasn't supposed to cuddle against him, or gently rub his chest in her sleep, or moan his name as she did so. After all, he was -
A new thought crossed his mind: Who was he? Yes, he knew his name and that he was known as the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One, the vanquisher of Lord Voldemort and the hero of the magical world. Yet he suddenly felt as if he had become a complete stranger to himself. He had been fighting for so long, seen so much, but had no idea what any of it meant to him. "Who was he?" the question rattled around in his head and refused to leave.
He tried to forget the incident over the next several months. Harry threw himself into work, and into being a godfather for little Teddy. He also tried to rekindle his relationship with Ginny, hoping that it would wash the images of that night in Australia out of his mind. It came as no surprise that she was more than eager to pick up where they'd left off.
Being with her was easy. Ginny never made any demands on him, or asked any questions. So long as she had the hero of the magical world, she didn't care. But she never gave him any answers either.
So when she left for her final year at Hogwarts, Harry was right back where he started. During the week, he buried himself in work. On weekends he'd go to see his godson and smile whenever his hair changed color. All in an attempt to keep that annoying question at bay -- Who am I?
It was over Teddy Lupin's first Christmas that it all came to a head.
Everything had been going well at work. After months of scrambling, the Ministry was back on its feet (though somewhat understaffed) and the country was rebuilding. In Diagon Alley, Ollivander's and Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor had reopened. They had even started rebuilding Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes -- under the supervision of Percy Weasley of all people. Admittedly, he knew next to nothing about practical jokes (except for being the butt of them), but he was a very capable administrator and was looking for a way to make up for his behavior during the war. Harry was pleased to hear it, along with the news that George had started producing their stock of merchandise once more.
Despite this, Harry didn't accept Molly's invitation to the Burrow for Christmas dinner. Instead, he spent the afternoon opening presents with Teddy (who seemed more interested in playing with the wrapping paper than his new toys) and Andromeda. Fortunately for him, Teddy still hadn't shown any signs of inheriting his father's lycanthropy. At nine months, he seemed to be a typical baby...except for the unnatural colors of his hair.
After they left, Harry sagged into his favorite chair with a glass of firewhiskey. The question was back again, and he no longer had anything to keep it at bay.
He heard a pop come from the entry hall. There were only a handful of people who were allowed to Apparate within the confines of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. The Weasleys and -
"Harry, are you here?" Hermione's voice called out. Her soft footsteps came closer. "Harry?" Just when he thought she'd go away, she entered the room and said, "There you are. Is there something wrong?"
"No, I'm just fine," he answered.
"Then why are you sitting here when everybody was invited to the Burrow?" she asked. Hermione saw the half-empty Ogden's bottle on the table. "Please tell me that isn't the one you picked up yesterday. If Ginny saw you like this -"
"She wouldn't say a thing. In her eyes, getting drunk would be something the Boy-Who-Lived had to do. Just like hunting Tom Riddle and saving every stupid prat in the magical world." Harry chose that moment to finally look at his friend. Hermione stood there, wearing a Muggle coat over jeans and a jumper (which was strange, he hadn't seen her in anything but witches' robes since that trip to Melbourne), and giving him a puzzled stare.
"Harry, what are y-"
"Who am I?" he asked quietly, unable to stop himself.
Hermione brows furrowed even more. "I don't understand."
"WHO AM I?" Harry shouted. Desperation leaked into his voice. "All the time we were in Hogwarts, you always had all the answers. So tell me who I am!"
"You're drunk," Hermione said abruptly. "Come on and -"
"No, I'm not." Harry shook his head and handed her his glass. "The new bottle is in the liquor cabinet. You can check if you want. I haven't touched a drop all night."
Hermione spared a glance at the cabinet before sitting on the table. Staring intently at him, she asked Harry, "Okay, then what's going on? I know that something is wrong because you've been acting oddly for months -"
"Since Melbourne."
"Mel-" Realization dawned on her. "Harry, did my parents say something to you when we moved them back here?"
"No, you did. While you were sleeping." He blushed at the memory. "After we removed the memory charms."
Hermione was speechless for a time. "What did I say?" she eventually squeaked.
"Not much," Harry admitted. "You sort of moaned my name and snuggled close while rubbing your hands over my-"
"Thank you, I get the picture." Hermione's face had become even redder than Harry's by this point. Although she didn't mean for him to, he heard her whisper, "I thought that was just a dream." Louder, she then said, "But why would it make you doubt who you are?"
Harry stared at his now empty hands. "Because it made me feel something I'm not supposed to feel -- not towards you, anyway."
"What would that be?" inquired Hermione. "Harry...did you like it?"
All he could do was nod.
"Holding me, our bodies touching...?"
Same response.
Hermione slumped forward, burying her face in her hands. "Now he wakes up!"
"Excuse me?"
When she looked at him, Harry saw tears in her eyes. "If I'd known that all it would take to make you see me was falling asleep in your arms, I would have done it ages ago -- and on purpose! But you have the most horrible timing, Harry!"
Harry stared at her, not comprehending. "What do you mean?"
"I have to go," she said hastily, standing up. "I...I have to think about some things."
Speechless, Harry watched her scramble to leave his presence. Then, just before she Disapparated, Hermione turned and said, "I believe the answer you're looking for is that you are Harry James Potter -- the son of James and Lily Potter. You're a man who has suffered too much and been used by far too many people in his young life. Maybe you're confused about who you are because you've been doing everything for other people: me, Ron, your parents, Cedric, Sirius.... Perhaps it's time for you to think about yourself for a change. To finally be yourself, whoever that may be."
With that, she was gone.
***********
Hermione stirred next to him.
"What are you thinking?" she asked.
Harry gave her a little squeeze. "I was just remembering the months after Voldemort fell, and the advice you gave me that Christmas."
"Our beginning, you mean," said Hermione. "We've come a long way since then."
Harry leaned over and kissed her temple. "Indeed, we have. I guess we should clean this mess up." He pointed at the dirty dishes on the table.
"Yes, we should," Hermione said wearily. Kreacher had died of old age many years ago, and they never got another house-elf after him. Despite over twenty years of Hermione's efforts, there were still very few free house-elves. The vast majority of them loved taking care of wizard dwellings too much to care about anything else. The most they would except was a change in the law that would allow a house-elf to leave a master or family if they wished to. It wasn't much, mind you -- the office had only been used once or twice in the eleven years it had been around, but it was a start.
Doing the dishes didn't take long, even without using magic. They usually didn't when it came to minor chores, unless they were very busy. That wasn't an issue tonight. Their kids were off at Hogwarts and neither of them had to work tomorrow. They had all the time they wanted.
The magical world was still a far from a perfect place. Hatred and bigotry never completely went away. However, it was better now than what they'd experienced the first time they'd stepped onto the Hogwarts Express so many years ago. Not that it had been easy....
**********
After the new year, the worst of the troubles subsided and the trio was transferred to the newly strengthened Department of Magical Relations. There, they were to oversee the official Ministry policies regarding the relations between wizards and other beings -- ranging from Muggles, to goblins, to house-elves. More than a few eyebrows were raised at this because of their age, but they were silenced when Kingsley reminded his critics of just how many senior Ministry officials had either been killed, left the country, or been imprisoned for willingly aiding the Death Eaters -- like Dolores Umbridge.
Hermione took to her new assignment like a fish to water. She always did have a thing about helping others, which is partly why she created S.P.E.W. back in school. Harry didn't mind it either because it fit well into his renewed desire to live a peaceful life after all he'd been through. Only Ron was upset with the transfer. He'd enjoyed the excitement and adventure they experienced with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and wasn't happy with all the desk work that came with this new appointment. Then again, hitting a rocky stretch in his relationship with his two best friends didn't help either.
Harry had spent the remainder of his holidays in serious thought, deciding where his life was and where he wanted it to go. That last part was still a work in progress, though he had reached a couple of decisions. One of which had made a number of the Weasleys very unhappy with him: He had permanently broken up with Ginny.
They didn't understand why he did it. Everything had been going so well to them until he'd just up and called it off one day. Hermione was the only one who knew the truth, and she wasn't telling. This drove a wedge between her and Ron too. Although Harry couldn't miss the fact that his friends' relationship had cooled off considerably, it wasn't until the following May that he learned the whole story.
Harry wasn't having a good day, as evidenced by him walking into the office that afternoon, quickly closing the door behind him, and screaming at the top of his lungs.
Hermione and Ron both looked up from their work -- or rather, where Hermione was working. Seeing the expression on Harry's face, Hermione said dryly, "I take it that your meeting didn't go well."
Collapsing at his desk, Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his hands over his face. "Bloody goblins are going to be the death of me. Can you believe that Griphook is now claiming that I stole Gryffindor's sword back from him?"
"Bill did warn us that goblins have...particular concepts of ownership," said Hermione, going over to him. She gently messaged his shoulders, and dryly added, "He should have mentioned that they'll use any excuse to create a grudge too."
Slipping the metal frames back over his eyes, Harry relaxed under Hermione's touch. "You're not kidding." Reaching back to pat her hand, he added, "Thanks, I feel a lot better now."
"My pleasure," Hermione replied.
Across the room, they heard a quill snap. Looking up, Harry saw a dark expression cross Ron's face just before he stomped out of the office.
"What's the matter with him lately?" Harry's tone held equal parts of confusion and anger. "It's obvious that he's mad at me, I'd just like to know why!"
Hermione sighed, "Now you know how I felt back in sixth year."
"But this can't just be because I broke up with his sister," Harry went on. "I get most of that grief from Ginny and Molly, not him."
"You're right, it's not just because of you and Ginny." Hermione pulled a chair over so she wouldn't have to stand as she explained. "Ron was planning to propose to me. I overheard him talking to his dad last Christmas, shortly before you and I had our little talk."
It took a minute for Harry to digest this news. Everyone knew that Ron and Hermione had been dating, but he never realized things had gotten that serious between them.
"So, what happened? Did you turn him down or something?"
"Actually, I never gave him the chance to ask," said Hermione sadly. "Your words to me, about not knowing yourself, struck a little too close to home. So, I went back to my flat to think about it. Once I had, I decided to put the brakes on my relationship with Ron until I was sure he's really what I want. Needless to say, he didn't take it well."
"Define: 'Didn't take it well'," Harry had to ask.
Hermione stared at the floor. "He stormed out of the room in a huff."
Harry nodded, understanding. "Do you have any ideas about how to fix all of this? Besides simply giving them what they want and possibly being miserable for the rest of our lives."
"Not a one," Hermione answered.
Harry wearily shook his head. "Me either."
Everything continued like this for another two months. During that time, Ginny and Luna finished Hogwarts. Exactly what Ginny was doing, Harry wasn't sure. He didn't have much contact with Ron's family during that time. Luna, however, immediately went to work investigating reports of the strange creatures written about in her father's magazine. Magical cryptozoology was what Hermione called it -- referring to Muggles who spent their time chasing various "legendary" animals (most of which were magical creatures prone to wandering out of their enchanted preserves). No one who knew Luna Lovegood was the least surprised by her choice of career.
Ron's relationship with his best friends deteriorated even more in those months, getting to where he all but refused to talk with them. Harry and Hermione both tried repeatedly to break through the impasse, but to no avail.
"No, I don't want to talk about," Ron would say. "Now leave me alone!"
If past experience was any example, something major would have to happen to break this stalemate. Usually that involved some sort of life and death situation that made Ron realize he was being stupid. Since those were in short supply in the wake of Voldemort's defeat, Hermione and Harry had no idea of how to fix this.
This went on right up until the evening of Harry's nineteenth birthday, when Ron suddenly announced that he was going away for a while.
"Luna's going to Germany to follow up on reports of scuffalumps coming out of the Black Forest," he explained. "Don't ask me what they're supposed to be, I have no idea. Anyway, she invited me to go with her and I figured why not?"
"What do you mean 'Why not'?" Hermione screeched at him. "You have a job to consider!"
Ron answered defiantly, "Not anymore. I quit this morning. Sitting around reading books and writing reports may be your idea of fun, Hermione, but it's boring me to death."
Both Harry and Hermione were taken aback by this announcement.
"Look, Ron," Harry started saying, "I know that we've had our problems this year...it's pretty hard to miss. But you walking out on me and Hermione isn't going to solve them!"
Ginny chose this moment to throw in her two knuts. "Well boo hoo, Harry Potter is losing his sidekick. I'm sure that all your fans will be there to comfort you."
"That's rich, coming from you," Hermione snapped at her.
"Did you say something?" Ginny shot back waspishly.
Brown eyes flashing and her jaw set, Hermione took a step toward the girl. "Yes, I did. I'm saying that it's long past time for you to get over this silly little fangirl crush you have on Harry," she stopped to correct herself, "make that on the Boy-Who-Lived and grow up!" She then turned to Ron. "And you! I honestly thought that you had changed, Ron. But no, here you are doing exactly what you did all through Hogwarts -- throwing a fit and then walking away!"
"What do you expect a bloke to do when he finds out his girl is cheat-"
The sound of Hermione slapping Ron across the face echoed through the Burrow.
Harry placed his hands on Hermione's shoulders to calm her down. He then said to Ron, "You should know better than to accuse Hermione of something like that. Either of you," he added, looking at Ginny. Ron opened his mouth, but Harry silenced his best mate's retort with a look. "Perhaps you're right. Maybe you should get away from us for a while, Ron, straighten out your head. When you do, you know where to find us."
Supporting each other, Harry and Hermione walked out of the Weasleys' home. They bumped into Arthur going out the front door. He gave them a concerned look.
"Where are you going, Harry? The party is just about to start."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley," Harry said in an unusually formal tone, "but we're not in the mood for parties right now." Hermione and him walked away from the Weasleys' home without looking back. Passing beyond the Burrow's wards, they Apparated to Grimmauld where Hermione broke down and cried in Harry's arms.
**********
That was, by far, the worst memory any of them had of the post-Voldemort era. True to his word, Ron left with Luna the following week and didn't come back until November. This was the beginning of a pattern that lasted for years. Ron and Luna would go away for months at a time, return to England for a few weeks, and then be off again. Exactly what kind of relationship they had wasn't clear to their friends or families for a long time -- but then again, no one really asked.
In the meantime, Harry and Hermione got on with their lives. Between their long hours at the Ministry, and all the time they spent together away from work, it shouldn't have been surprising that some folks started thinking of them as a couple. An opinion that only grew when, after receiving numerous unwelcome visits by Molly, Hermione moved into number twelve, Grimmauld Place with Harry -- where Kreacher was more than willing to protect their privacy. Yet their romance remained but a rumor until October.
They had gone to Hogwarts for talks with the centaurs and merpeople who lived there. Out of all the magical beings in Britain, they had perhaps the longest-standing grievances with the wizard community. (The goblins were a whole different matter, for they had created at least half the problems between them!) Harry and Hermione had been working toward this for months: arranging the meetings, studying the shared history of these races and learning enough of the merpeople's language so they wouldn't need a translator.
It was interesting to note that many of these complaints were essentially the same ones voiced by the Muggle Prime Minister when they'd met with him earlier that year. Many witches and wizards, even some basically good ones like the Weasleys, had a certain arrogance about them when it came to dealing with non-wizards. Not all, to be sure, but enough to make the other races very leery of wizard society as a whole.
Harry and Hermione went to Hogsmeade afterwards, discussing the matter between them. Passing by Gladrags Wizardwear, they spotted Ginny working inside, but they didn't stop to talk to her. Although they preferred the ambiance of The Three Broomsticks they instead went to the Hog's Head, where they would be less likely to be disturbed.
A quick word with Aberforth Dumbledore gave them access to a private room for their meal. They ate slowly, enjoying each other's company as they so often did.
Finally, Hermione spoke. "Is it just me, or does this almost feel like we're on a date?"
Harry thought about it for a moment. "I suppose it does, in a way. What do you think about that?"
"I'd say that if this was a date, it's one of the better ones I've been on." Hermione waited for a moment before asking, "But what does this mean for us?"
"I wish I knew," Harry said honestly.
There was another pregnant pause. Then Hermione asked, "Do you trust me, Harry?"
"With my life," he answered without hesitation.
"But what about your heart?" she asked in return.
Harry whispered, "Completely."
"Then you'll let me try something?" she asked with a hint of nervousness.
Harry nodded, unable to speak.
Summoning up all her courage, Hermione rose from her seat and came towards him. Sitting in Harry's lap, she cupped his right cheek in her hand, and gave him an almost painfully chaste kiss.
Fireworks to rival Fred and George's exploded in Harry's head and his heart leapt at the contact. Wrapping his arms around Hermione, he began to kiss her back. His tongue slid along her lips, begging entry. Not only was it granted, but he found her tongue eagerly waiting to greet his.
Finally coming up for air, Harry whispered breathlessly, "So much for you being like a sister to me." Hermione gave him a quizzical look just before he captured her lips again.
When Aberforth came in to check on them, he found the room empty save for their half-eaten meals, a small pile of galleons, and a short note on the table. He read the bit of parchment and snorted.
"Good thing you didn't permanently screw that boy up, Albus, or I'd have to break your nose again when I get to the afterlife."
**********
Eighteen years later, Harry still loved having his wife sit on his lap while they kissed and caressed each other. Somehow the close proximity always seemed to make the feelings flow more strongly between them.
Rising to her feet, Hermione took Harry by the hand and led him to their bedroom. Walking through the halls and up the stairs, they passed wizard and Muggle pictures of their friends and family.
Naturally, their children figured prominently in the collection. Their eldest, Samuel -- who had his father's looks but took after his mother in almost every other way, right down to becoming a prefect this year; Amanda -- born twelve and a half months after Sam, and possessing many of Harry's flying skills (though she had landed up in Ravenclaw); and finally Christopher -- who, despite everything his parents and siblings did and said, always struggled with his own insecurities. Although he loved all of his children equally, Harry did admit to having a special bond with his younger son, having been a lot like him when he was that age.
Although they had chosen the names together, Hermione did insist on certain ground rules. For one thing, she didn't want any of their kids named after them or any of the important people in their lives.
"They'll have enough to deal with just being our children. The last thing they'll need is another famous name attached to the one they'll be born with," she said by way of explanation. "Also, if you even think about naming one of them after Snape -- in any way, shape, or form -- you'll be sleeping on the couch until the fit passes."
Teddy Lupin also appeared in the images of the Potter kids at play. Harry's godson had grown into a remarkable young man, and was now following in his mother's footsteps by training to become an Auror. He also had the distinction of being among only a handful of witches and wizards to have personally witnessed the wedding of Harry and Hermione Potter.
**********
It was a small ceremony, purposely kept out of the eye of the wizarding public. Throughout their two-year courtship, Harry and Hermione made a point of keeping their relationship as private as possible. Their knowledge of the Muggle world helped a great deal, since most witches and wizards would never think to look for them there. Of course, some people couldn't help seeing what was happening -- Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley, for example.
Arthur had been the first of the Weasleys to make amends with the couple. Although he was understandably disappointed that their relationships with his two youngest children had fallen through, he didn't hold it against them.
"That's life," he said to them. "Some things just don't work out, no matter how hard you want them to. Just be thankful that you ran into your problems before any vows were exchanged."
In the end, it was Molly who held the longest grudge -- almost to the very eve of the wedding. She had really been looking forward to having Harry and Hermione as part of her family. Even Ginny had moved on by that time, dating a Muggle she had met while visiting London one weekend. Needless to say, this pleased her father no end.
Harry's memories of his wedding were little more than a blur of happiness, with few clear details. He did distinctly remember standing at the alter with Ron, seeing Hermione walking toward him on her father's arm in her wedding dress, taking her hands in his, and sealing their vows with a kiss. But beyond that...nope, not a thing.
Unlike his wedding day, Harry could remember the birth of each and every one of his children vividly. The pain in his hand from Hermione squeezing it during labor guaranteed that, along with the feeling of awe he felt upon holding each of them for the first time. Nor did he need pictures to remind of their childhoods -- him showing them to ride broomsticks and play Quidditch, Hermione teaching them to read, holidays and play-times, changing nappies and staying up with them when they got sick.... Okay, those last two definitely weren't fun, but it was all a part of being a parent. A part of the happy life they had created for themselves.
After nearly ten years of working at he Ministry, Hermione left for the private sector. Wizard laws could be fixed easily enough, but changing people's attitudes was an entirely different matter. Therefore, and with Harry's help, she founded The Organization for the Advancement of Magical Understanding. Ron often called it S.P.E.W. on "steeroids", which always made Hermione grit her teeth -- both at the mangling of a Muggle term (which was near the top of her list of things to put an end to) and the slightly backhanded way with which he said it.
But that paled in comparison to how Harry felt as he watched his wife clean out her desk at the Ministry.
"I still can't believe you're leaving," he said with more than a little sadness in his voice.
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're acting like I'm walking out of your life, Harry, when all I'm doing is changing jobs. The only thing that will be different tomorrow is that I won't be working in this office anymore."
"But we've always worked together," he replied sharply, "ever since our first year at Hogwarts!"
"Don't you think I know that, Harry?! " said Hermione, raising her voice. "Believe it or not, I didn't come to this decision lightly!"
Both of them looked away from each other for a moment. Harry hated himself for getting upset about this now, especially since he'd known it was coming for months. It was just plain stupid. But now that it came down to her actually packing, the enormity of it suddenly hit him.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I suppose that I'm just going to miss having you with me all the time."
Putting her box aside for a moment, Hermione took Harry's left hand in hers -- touching their wedding bands together.
"But you will. That's what these rings symbolize: The promise we made to share our lives with each other no matter what. This is just work. At the end of the day, we still go home to each other and our family." Hermione finished her statement by giving Harry a soft, lingering kiss.
Summoning her box, she then added impishly, "Besides, if you simply can't bare being separated from me for eight hours a day, five days a week, I could always find a place for you at...."
"Tempting, my love, very tempting," Harry said with a tiny smile creeping across his face. Then, in all seriousness, he said, "But before I could do that, I'd have to find a successor who wouldn't turn this department back into the joke it was under Fudge and Scrimgeour."
"Until then, the offer still stands." Hermione kissed Harry goodbye. "I'll see you at home."
"Always," Harry replied, still a little sad to see her walk out the office door without him.
Her departure wasn't the only change to happen at the Ministry that year. Three months later, Kingsley Shacklebolt announced that he would be stepping down as Minister of Magic.
"People who seek, or stay in, this office for too long lose sight of what's truly important," he told everyone. "They become enamored with the position and the power it provides, and hold on to it at all costs. Rather than fall into that trap myself, I have decided to conclude my term as Minister of Magic and move on to other things."
Years later, Kingsley Shacklebolt would be remembered not only for his role in rebuilding the Ministry after Voldemort, but for putting some much needed reins on the Minister's Office. Gone were the days when someone like Cornelius Fudge could simply re-write the law on a whim or try to railroad an underage wizard for saying something he didn't like. The Wizengamout would see to that -- at least in theory, whether or not it would actually work long-term would have to be seen.
Harry remained at the Ministry for another four years before resigning himself, staying on only as a consultant. He felt that he'd done all he could in the magical government and, like Kingsley, was ready to move on. To what, he didn't know at the time...though he received numerous offers ranging from working the International Confederation of Wizards, to being a spokesman for various wizard companies, to teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. This last one he seriously considered, but decided not to take at that time because he didn't want to become his own children's professor (that just didn't feel right to him, or the kids). Maybe he would reconsider if the position opened up again after the kids finished school, but not until then.
In the end, he landed up helping Hermione with her group. Doing so garnered a great deal of recognition for the organization, and it felt good to be working with her again. Naturally there were a few people who poked fun at "the Great Harry Potter" being "under" his wife. Harry and Hermione laughed at a slightly suggestive cartoon in the Daily Prophet they saw over breakfast
"But Daddy," seven year-old Christopher said when he looked over his father's shoulder, "don't you and Mummy take off your clothes when you do that?"
Harry and Hermione both turned beet red, each remembering the time a few months before when their younger son had walked in on them after waking up from a nightmare. Across the table, Sam and Amy screwed up their faces and let out nearly identical "eewwwws".
Ah, the joys of parenthood.
**********
Late at night, Harry held Hermione in his arms basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Whether she would be conceive another child as a result of this night didn't really matter, just so long as their lives went on. They had their ups and downs, good days and bad, like any family...yet they were happy.
All was well. Not perfect, perhaps, but well.
**********
end part 2