Okay here's another quick update. It's a short one and a lot of them will be because I'm taking my time with this fic. This is going to probably be a long story with lots of placing to explore. I'm even going to go out to Hogwarts and write some scenes with the kids. The first year I think should be of nothing but healing, so if anyone is impatient and wants H/Hr to get together right away, I'm warning you it won't happen for awhile, but I'll get there. Don't worry. This is my last fic…so I'm going to make it last and try my hardest to make this one a good one. Enjoy the ride!!
~HM
Chapter 2
It was the night before the kids went back to Hogwarts and the house was in complete chaos. Harry was in the kitchen preparing a dinner, while Nora was sitting comfortably in her highchair nibbling on chicken nuggets and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich neatly cut in triangles.
Above his head he could hear the kids running around getting ready for school, while Hermione's voice carried down the stairs while she helped them a long…
"James, do you have your Head Boy badge packed?"
"Rose, don't forget to pack your new robes…your old ones are too small."
"For the last time, Hu, I am not buying you a snake. I don't care if Uncle Harry said he would make sure and tell it not to slither in my bed, my answer is still no."
Harry gave a roll of his eyes. "Well, I would," he told Nora with a shake of his head.
"Harry?" Hermione called out as she walked down the stairs.
"Yeah?" he said loudly as he started to pull out the ingredients he needed to make the salad.
She came into the kitchen with a sulky looking Hugo trailing behind her. "Gee, Mione…sorry, I won't say anything more about the snake.."
She shook her head. "No, not that…but that would be appreciative…Hugo's sweater…the one Molly made him? Have you seen it?"
"You mean the green one with the orange H on the front?" Harry asked as he gave Hugo a wink. "Yeah, I think it's in the load of laundry I just put in."
Hermione raised a brow. "You did laundry?"
"Yes, does that surprise you?" Harry asked as he got out some tomatoes.
"IIII'm just going to go check and see if it's okay," Hermione said with almost a teasing smile "Hugo, go back upstairs and finish packing, you still have a long way to go."
"Hang in there, buddy," Harry said nuzzling his hair before he went back up to the chaos. He was about to start chopping the tomatoes when Hermione's shriek made him jump.
"Merlin's pants!" her voice shrilled from the laundry room.
Harry's lips curved and looked at Nora. "Uh-oh, she said 'Merlin's pants'. This can't be good." He put the knife back in the drawer. "I'll be right back…no levitating out of your highchair."
Harry dashed out of the kitchen then almost slipped on water that was slithering out of the laundry room. He got his balance and pushed the door open to see the Hermione in a swarm of soap bubbles spilling out of the washing machine. "Uh oh."
"Don't just stand there, Harry, help me!" she shrieked as she was slipping and trying to find a way to
turn it off.
"Okay, I'm coming," he said as he carefully walked through the bubbles slipping now and then. "Try and turn it off."
"I'm trying! " she exclaimed. "I can't find the appropriate button because there are too many damn bubbles! Oh, my stupid wand is upstairs."
"Well mine is…woah shit…" He stumbled and flew his hands out onto the washing machine to get his balance. "Mine's in the kitchen."
"You are banned!" Hermione sputtered when soap got in her mouth. "Banned from ever doing laundry!"
"Fine with me….I know the off button somewhere around here…"
"Bubbas!!!!"
Harry and Hermione whipped their heads around to see Nora standing just outside the door with a look of pure pleasure on her face. Harry and Hermione both shook their heads and waved their hands at her. "No, no, no, no," they both yelled, but Nora didn't listen and jumped right into the mass of bubbles.
"Nora," Hermione exclaimed. "Get out of the room right this…ahhh!" She slipped and grabbed Harry which didn't help much, because it only made it worse and they both fell onto the floor.
Hermione came back up sputtering. "This is a nightmare!" she exclaimed pushing the bubbles out of her face. "Harry, get Nora!"
"Hey, what's going on?" Hugo asked from the door with Rose behind him. "Woah, cool! Come on, Rose!"
"Rose, Hugo, no!" Hermione cried out, but then groaned in frustration when they dove right in. "Harry, things are getting out of control!"
"What in the world…" Albus and Lily appeared now taking on the scene with pure awe.
"Al..Lily," Harry warned sternly. "Don't even…ah crap…there they go."
"We got to get out of her here…Harry help me up…"
"Bubbas, bubbas, babbas!" Nora chanted as she all of the sudden came out of nowhere and threw herself onto Harry.
"Oaf," Harry grunted then couldn't help but laugh when he saw that Nora's face was covered in
bubbles. "You in there munchkin?" he asked wiping her grinning face. "Mad I tell you. Hermione,
they've gone…" He turned to look at Hermione, but his jaw dropped when he realized Hermione was laughing. She
was laughing so hard that no sound came out and her wet face was now red. It was the first time in months he had heard
her laugh and although everyone around him was going mad…it was still nice to hear.
"What in the blazes is going on here?" James asked loudly from just outside the laundry room.
"James, thank Merlin!" Harry said and held up Nora. "Get in here and take Nora…the kids…and not to mention your Aunt Mione…have all gone mental."
"Gee, you think?" he asked as he tried to make his way over to Nora who was now chanting, "Jay-Jay" over and over again while she held out her wet soapy arms. "Al…that's my leg…watch it Hugo, you almost made me…." James let out a yelp as he abruptly slipped and fell backwards disappearing into the bubbles.
The kids laughter stopped, Hermione gasped and Harry winced while Nora was still chanting "Jay-Jay." James head came up from the surface of white foam, sputtering and spitting as he pushed back his wet hair. The other kids didn't say anything, waiting to see what James would do.
Then someone snorted out a chuckle and James whipped his head around to Albus. "Think that's funny do you, Al?"
Harry sighed. "James, he didn't mean…"
"I don't care, dad…it wasn't funny…but I'll show you what's funny."
He then pounced his littler brother, playfully tackling him while they disappeared into the bubbles. Rose trounced on James' back while Hugo and Lily were busy smacking bubbles in each other's faces.
Harry's jaw dropped in shock while all the kids…including James were in the middle of a tackle war in a sea of white bubbles. Nora even left Harry to stumble her way over to them. He turned to see Hermione who was looking at him with a little smirk, then Harry jumped when she smacked a handful of bubbles in his face.
Hermione giggled in delight while Harry calmly wiped his glasses clean before putting them back on. Then Hermione's giggle turned into a shriek when Harry jumped her, tackling her to the floor while white clouds of soap swallowed them up.