Disclaimer: I don't not own Harry Potter...Okay, I guess I could still be sewed if I said that. I don't not never want to own Harry Potter. Too many people would hate me for the crappy pairings in the books.
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"So…we're taking it slow, right?"
"Umm…yeah…I want to wait until I'm married for…that. Is that okay?"
"Good, me too."
"Well, I thought Ginny would have gotten you by now, to be honest, Harry. When Ron opened the door on you two, it looked as if…she was about to give you a pretty good birthday gift. I'm sure she hexed Ron afterwards."
They were on top of the roof of the airport, disillusioned, looking around the city for a good hotel. They decided not to use Harry's broom and Harry climbed on Hermione's, sitting behind her, looking through his omnioculars.
"I think I know why, though. She probably wanted to tell the world she was bearing the child of Harry Potter if anything happened to me."
"Ginny wouldn't go that far…would she?"
"I really don't know. That hotel looks pretty nice." Harry said, pointing from behind her to a very good looking hotel that was called NZ-Inn.
"Well, let's go then." Hermione confirmed. "That place does look really nice, and I'm freezing out here."
"What happened to the coat I gave you?"
"It's in the bag. I don't need right now, though."
"Don't worry, Hermione. I'll figure out a way to get you warm." He said with a grin.
"Thank you, Harry. You're always there for me." She cheekily responded.
"So are you." He finished with a kiss on the outline of her neck, which warmed Hermione fairly quickly.
He lifted the broom off the ground and started heading over towards the hotel. They landed next to the entrance, as no one was walking in at the moment. Harry quickly illusioned themselves and the broom.
"Okay, should I get a suite?"
"You can. I just need a place that's warm." Hermione said, back to shivering from the flight.
Harry transfigured the purse into a large, brown traveling suitcase. At the questioning look from Hermione, he explained. "It looks more…muggle-like than carrying a bag around."
Hermione smiled and nodded appreciatively. Harry placed the brooms in the suitcase, zipped it up, and grabbed Hermione's hand as they walked through the entrance.
About ten minutes later, they were unpacking their things in the very nice suite. The place had red and blue designs and trimmings, as everything was furnished and neatly polished. There were two bedrooms, two marble bathrooms, and a Jacuzzi.
"Look, the room has two beds." Harry groaned.
"Keep groaning and you'll use the other room." She replied in a sweet voice.
"Okay, okay, I got it!" Said Harry quickly as he placed some clothes on his bed.
"I'm not your girlfriend, Potter." She said as she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.
"Why not?" Said Harry in a hurt voice, as if a brick had been thrown at his chest.
"You hadn't asked me to be your girlfriend yet." Hermione said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She hugged him a little tighter.
"Oh." Harry said, relieved that the only reason she isn't his and he isn't hers is because he hadn't asked. "Technically, on the plane, I did ask you, and you gave me a pretty clear answer. But I should ask you properly." He said as he started searching his bag for something.
"What are you looking for?" Hermione asked, pulling back and walking towards her bed to unpack some more, thinking that he wanted to wait a little longer, and that he might need a bit more time to himself. She could wait a little longer (although a few kisses would be nice). She also wondered if he's biding time because of the Weasley's. There was no way she would let that happen.
"This." He simply said as he pulled out a sterling silver necklace with a heart on the end. Hermione turned to see Harry's necklace and gasped like a fish for water. It sparkled in the room light, emitting a glow from it.
"Harry…when…?"
"I got it in Diagon Alley, when we went shopping." Harry said nervously, fumbling the necklace. "I planned on giving this to you on the journey, just in case this miracle happened to me. I know it's too soon to say this, and you'll probably say `Let me think about it', but I want to get this off my chest. I've never said this before to anyone, I never knew what it felt like, but-"
He took a deep breath. He slowly said the words that he wanted to say for a long time. "Hermione…I love you…and much more than a friend or a sister, apparently. I hope you don't slap me and move into the other room, asking me not to speak to you the rest of the journey. I don't think I can handle that. You can say it back when you want, or if you ever do; I was just getting that two year weight off my chest. Now that I said that, will you be my girlfriend? If you still want to be, that is."
Hermione felt tears of joy freely running down her cheeks and made no move to stop them. It took her a moment to process this information. He loves her. He just said it right in front of her, and for a second, she didn't think it were true. Yet she saw in his eyes, that he was telling her the complete truth. She ran up to him and hugged him tight, as if afraid he'd leave if she let go.
"Harry…" she cried, "…of course I will be your girlfriend…and I love you, too."
Harry was shocked for a moment. He didn't expect to be told back those words so soon. She loved him. She actually loved him. It took a moment for him to process it. "Good," was all he could say as he snapped the necklace into its rightful place around her neck and leaned down to kiss her. Hermione put her arms around his neck as Harry put his around her waist. He couldn't believe he was gutsy enough to do that. He finally told her he loved her. And she said it back.
Finally, they parted, looking into each other's eyes. Harry finally spoke. "This…is the greatest day of my life."
Hermione smiled brilliantly. "It certainly is for me."
"I can't believe I'm feeling so bold."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, usually it would take Veritaserum for me to say that so soon." He grinned. "I mean, I'm immensely glad that I just told you that I love you," (Hermione blushed at peak red at that moment) "but you don't think I've said it too soon? I mean I just asked you to be my girlfriend."
Hermione just smiled and said, "Harry, you didn't say it too soon. I never thought that I'd ever hear those words from you, ever." She said truthfully.
"How long did you like me?" Harry asked incredulously.
"I guess I can tell you now." Hermione sighed. "Since first year. But it was just a crush."
"Wait a minute," Harry said, pulling back slightly, but not letting go of her shoulders. "How long did you like me?" She immediately understood what he meant and answered quickly. Ginny never knew the difference-but to Hermione, they were two completely different people. "Since second year." Harry was a little shocked by that. That long?
"That was when I first liked you, I think." He grinned.
"You did?-wait, you think?" Hermione asked with not anger, but curiosity.
"Well, if you call waiting by your bedside for hours every single day when you were in the hospital wing and me thinking how I should've been in your place called `like', I think I already at least liked you then."
"But Cho…"
"To keep my mind off of you. I thought you only thought of me as a friend then. And Ron liked you then. So how did I catch your eye?" He asked with a small grin.
"Well, I didn't think that you would solve that code to the chamber I left for you. I thought you would give it to a professor to solve it. I was planning on finding a picture of a basilisk, and I even planned on interviewing Myrtle! I don't think I would have even been able to solve it myself. To me…I find that very attractive." She explained, glowing brighter from the last sentence.
"Well, I'm glad I figured it out, then." He said as he pressed his lips to hers once more. This time it was a little more intense. Harry slowly licked the entrance to Hermione's mouth. It wasn't forceful like Ron did, so she wouldn't be guaranteed to be mortified afterwards. She slowly opened her moth, wondering what it would feel like; always the curious one. Harry slipped his tongue slowly into Hermione's mouth. He never really got that far with Ginny. Right when he felt Ginny's tongue licked his lips, Ron came barging in. Now, Harry's thankful for that-he wants both of them to enjoy this new experience together.
Hermione made a muffled groan at the feel of Harry's tongue slowly roaming her mouth, as if trying to memorize the area for further excavations. This made Hermione smile into the kiss and her tongue decided to meet his. This time they both groaned and for the first time, Hermione's mind went blank.
They came up for air...eventually. "What t-time is it?" Harry asked in a daze.
It took a while for Hermione to process this in her head, so while she was still figuring out what he said, Harry took her hand to look at her watch. "It's three. Do you want to wait until tomorrow morning to start looking for your parents?"
Hermione came back to earth after hearing `your parents'. "No. I think we should start this afternoon. As much as I don't want to say it, let's get some sleep." She groaned.
"Keep groaning and I'll have to join you." He grinned as he kissed her forehead and walked towards the bag, unpacking both of their stuff.
Hermione smiled and walked into the loo to change. She then remembered the promise she made to Harry on the plane about her attire when she goes to sleep. She felt a little more confident about herself as she changed into her thick tank top and knickers. She liked how the charm of the necklace landed perfectly on the top of the valley between her breasts, and wondered if Harry planned it that way. She was immensely glad that Harry had never seen female breasts before, and was glad that her breasts were bigger than Ginny's. She wondered what Ginny's reaction was going to be when she tells her that she and Harry are dating. She seemed happy with it. Then she wondered about Ron. He may have looked mad, but it really wasn't his decision, anyway. It was hers and Harry's decision. There will be some tension, though, she had to admit, especially from Mrs. Weasley, who had her heart set on Harry being with Ginny and Hermione being with Ron.
She had plenty of time to get to that, though; she had to find her parents, first. She walked out of the loo, temporarily forgetting that she was wearing only her undergarments. She stopped when she saw that Harry was staring at her from his bed, eyes wide and slightly drooling. She quickly looked down. She hadn't forgotten to put any clothes on. Her breasts were only a medium size. She used to have thin legs before she went on the trip with Harry and Ron, but her legs started getting stronger from all the running the had to do, and now they're getting quite shapely and tan. Her skin was a little paler than her face, which was now getting redder and redder by the second as Harry was still gaping at her.
"Yes, Harry?" She said shyly.
"Do you remember when I called you pretty?" Harry said, still in a daze, while he wiped the drool off of his mouth and pulled his covers up a little, as he was about to show too much appreciation for her shapely figure. Hermione watched as he turned on his stomach in confusion. A second later, she fully understood, and she started blushing furiously, and her appreciation for his appreciation slowly started to show on her breasts.
Harry watched in fascination as Hermione's nipples began to harden. He did read a bit about it in some of Dudley's magazines that were stashed under his computer, and sometimes on the desktop. It said that nipples harden when they're cold or aroused. The bedroom was pretty warm. This made Harry's face light up and his cheeks a little bit warmer, if possible.
"Yes, I remember." Hermione said as she folded her arms across her chest as casually as she could.
"What I meant was…you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He said, on the verge of drooling again.
This made Hermione even redder, and she dropped her arms in shock, showing the fully hardened lumps on her chest, which made Harry shift in his bed again.
"Is this your teenage hormones, or…do you really mean it?" She dared to ask, half-afraid of the answer.
"Both…especially the latter." Harry explained, blinking rapidly and trying to keep his eyes off of Hermione for a minute.
Hermione walked to her bed and pulled the covers back, trying to control her breathing. "Thank you, Harry. You know you can join me if you want, but we're sleeping only." Hermione exclaimed, trying desperately to bring her voice back to normal. Harry was the only boy to call her pretty; it would take her some time to believe that she was `beautiful'.
Hermione's eyes went to back to Harry. He had shifted again when she asked him to join her.
"R-r-really?"
"Yes. We're just sharing a bed, nothing more." Hermione said, returning to her strict voice. Then she added playfully, "No grabbing of any kind."
This only made Harry's face burn even more. "Could you wait a minute?" Harry asked pleadingly, his stomach still on the bed. Apparently, his `problem' was still there.
"I-I don't mind, you know." Hermione said hesitantly. "I mean, I am showing you a certain part of my anatomy covered up," she waved at her chest, "why can't you show me yours?"
Harry's jaw dropped. Did she just say what I think she said? Not wanting to argue, he quickly sat up from his bed and started crouching low to Hermione's. Hermione giggled a little as Harry desperately tried to hide his appreciation for her. Even crouching down, she could still see a lump in his pajama pants. Hermione face sizzled when she saw the lump. She licked her lips a little (fortunately for her, Harry didn't see) as she thought of things that she shouldn't be thinking right now, causing her legs to rub together as something uncomfortable, yet pleasant, happened to her. She shook her head wildly, causing her breasts to bounce.
Harry jumped in her bed with the back facing up. He turned to face her. "Please don't do that." He begged.
"Do what?" Hermione asked, perplexed.
"Please don't shake your head, your…" he waved in the direction of her chest and made a small humming sound, "…bounced. And well…the bed is going to hurt me more and more from the, er, `applied pressure'. Please don't think I'm a pervert or something, I heard it was a natural reaction."
Hermione looked down again, and saw that she wasn't wearing a bra. Even though it was a thick tank top, she could clearly see that her nipples were very hard. "So, do you get aroused when I shake my breasts?" She asked shyly.
"Well, yeah!" He said instantly. "I don't know why you have such low self-esteem, seeing as you're a very, very attractive woman!"
"Well, I don't hear that a lot." Said Hermione, stammering. He sounded like he was telling the truth; why couldn't she believe him?
Harry's expression softened and forgot about his growing problem and moved towards Hermione. "Well, seeing as I'm your boyfriend, I'm supposed to make sure to say that every single day." He snaked his arm under her waist to pull her closer and claimed her lips with his. Hermione felt something hard and silky poke her bare leg, which caused her to tingle again.
"Besides," Harry continued after they parted, not knowing Hermione was in a blissful state, "I don't really fancy guys walking past you and calling you beautiful and attractive."
Hermione didn't reply as she was looking down under the covers. "Harry… could you please move your…well… that? It's doing stuff to me that's too pleasant for me to sleep at the moment." She said, making small gasps at random moments as Harry kept shifting in the bed trying to get more comfortable.
Harry looked down and saw the most erotic scene he ever saw. Hermione's light blue silk knickers had a damp patch and his member (still covered) was fairly close to them, touching her lap. He quickly pulled back, but kept looking at Hermione's underwear, mesmerized.
"Harry!" Hermione snapped, bringing Harry back to the present. "Stop staring at me! It's making me feel…uncomfortable."
Harry was confused and a little hurt. "But in Dudley's magazines, it said that when a woman…er…well, when that happens to her, I thought she was supposed to be turned on?"
Hermione smiled a sincere smile, a little sad that the only thing Harry knows about sex or a woman's body is from Dudley's magazines. She knows that if Dudley has it, it isn't very informative about the more important things. "Harry, I am very turned on, but don't you think we should get some sleep? It is a quarter after three in the morning."
Harry sighed in defeat. He stood back up out of the bed and went to the light switch. He found his way back to Hermione's bed and scooted close to her, now that the problem was `brought down' a little. He took off his glasses and put them on the nightstand. He kissed Hermione once again and whispered in her ear, "Good night, Hermione."
Shivers went down her entire body when Harry's breath hit her neck, making her sex tingle again. "I'm sorry you had to stop, Harry, but I didn't want to get tempted, and I was very tempted at the moment. In fact, I still am." She explained, her blush not leaving her anytime soon.
Through the moonlight in the window, she saw Harry smile. "I was tempted from when you stepped out of the loo. I'm sure you noticed, though."
She kissed him again and said the words she thought she would never say again where he could hear. "Good night, Harry. I love you."
"Good night, Hermione. I love you, too." The last thing he could think of before he entered a blissful dream with Hermione in it were the words, `déjà vu?'
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To say that Ronald Bilius Weasley was a happy man was a complete understatement. He just received confirmation from his mother. His plan was ready. He knew that she had to be doing something in her room all day since Ron and Ginny broke up (temporarily of course) with their lifetime partners. Now she told him what it was she was doing. And he was greatly pleased. Pretty soon, every thing will be like it was in sixth and seventh year. Harry and Hermione would fall in love with the ones that they were destined to fall in love with. Of course, Ginny didn't know about the plan; she never knew the plan; but if she has Harry, then why would she complain? Ron looked forward to when the Boy-Who-Lived/ soon-to-be-brother and the sexy-looking Mudblood Bookworm/definite-soon-to-be-wife to return so they could all live, more or less, happily ever after.
He was so caught up in his happy musings when he closed the door to his mother's room that he didn't notice George and Percy looking around the corner at him, staring suspiciously.
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Hermione woke up in an extremely pleasant state the next morning. She was still embraced with Harry, his member between her legs, inches away from her incredibly wet knickers, His hand currently residing on her buttocks, held firmly in place. She did remember having a very pleasant dream with Harry, dreaming what would happen if they were fully tempted the night before. She allowed herself to stay in that position for a few more minutes, running her hands along Harry's shirtless back and abs.
While lying in the bed with Harry, she decided that she never wanted to sleep without Harry again. She enjoyed the feel and touch of him and loved the way that he felt her, too.
She still couldn't believe that all of this happened in one day and night. Here she was, Hermione Granger, a girl who was never considered pretty or attractive, a girl who never had a proper kiss until she was almost nineteen, in bed with a man who loved her…not to mention a man who could've chosen any woman in the wizarding world to be his girlfriend-they would most likely offer to marry him, instead.
Hermione slowly got up and went to change her knickers first. She looked back at Harry and saw that he was still sleeping and smiling. Hermione took off her top and knickers and placed them on the ground, ready to go take a shower. When her bare feet touched the cold tiles, she gave an involuntary shudder.
She heard a moan and looked back towards Harry. He was wide-eyed (without glasses), staring up and down Hermione, who was completely naked. Harry seemed to think if his bad eyes were giving him an illusion. She turned bright red at the lustful look Harry was giving her, mainly looking at the small brown patch of hair between her legs, causing her nipples to harden again in full sight. Finally, Harry found his voice.
"Do… D'you need any help showering?"
This question made Hermione's heart rate quicken. She could only stammer when she spoke. "Harry, d-don't you think we're rushing this a bit?"
Harry snapped out of his trance and ran a hand through his mussed up hair, trying to look at her face. "Yeah, we probably are. Sorry about that. I'm not usually graced with this sight every day. Kinda lose it a little. But…we can still sleep together, right?"
Hermione looked at the pleading on Harry's face and saw the truth. All of her doubt had disappeared with that one look. He really did want to sleep with her, because he did love her more than anyone else, and not because of lust, but love…but she wouldn't mind if it was a little lust, also. This warmed her heart greatly.
"Of course," Hermione said with a sincere smile as she closed the door to the loo.
Harry stared at the door for a while, then thought to himself. After everything that's happened to him in the last seventeen years, his life was getting much better in the course of one day. Hermione is the best thing that ever happened to him. He knew now what love meant thanks to her, and now he knew that he was completely in love with her. He definitely enjoyed sleeping with her, (even if they were really sleeping) and wanted to sleep with her for the rest of his life. Since she made him the happiest man alive, he wanted to make her the happiest woman alive, and the only way to make Hermione completely happy was to find her parents. He's definitely gonna find them as quickly as possible.
Getting up from bed he walked over to the Jacuzzi, hoping it worked as a bath.
Ten minutes later, he heard the shower stop and he heard the door to the loo open. He looked back at her, and somehow, it almost got him to drool again. She was clad in only a towel, giving him a nice view of her wet slim legs and wet hair. He was a little shocked to see that she still had on the necklace. `What did I ever do to deserve her…'
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"What are you doing, we have to leave soon! We have to start at least today!" Even though she was supposed to be upset, Harry knew that she was being tempted to join him.
"I'm bathing," He replied as he lifted up the washcloth and soap.
"You're…bathing…in a Jacuzzi?" She asked incredulously.
"What?" Harry asked innocently. "When I'm done, all I have to do is empty the water, scourgify the tub, and refill it with fresh water. I had no choice but to use this, anyway. We had to leave as soon as possible, right. You had the loo, right? What was I supposed to use, the sink?" He finished with a smile.
"Well…" Hermione slowly thought, "It does make sense…"
"And the best part is," Harry continued, "A Jacuzzi isn't for just one person."
Hermione shook her head and laughed. "In your dreams, Potter."
"You don't know the half of it," Harry muttered, but loud enough for Hermione to hear.
She blushed again, and Harry wondered if the color would reach her legs, too. "Harry, you really have to stop that! A woman can only blush so many times in a small period of time!"
"Well, there's so many times a guy can get a…well, you saw."
Hermione went brighter and reluctantly said, "Well, that's good to know. Could you turn around so I can change, please?"
"Is that optional?"
"No, now turn around, please."
"You know you don't really want me to-"
"I don't, but I want dry knickers when I look for my parents, Harry."
"Aww…"
Twenty minutes later, they were fully dressed and were out the door with all of their necessary materials. They had sunscreen, sunglasses, hidden wand holsters (with wands in them, of course) on their arm, a broom, and light clothes. Harry quickly disillusioned themselves (Hermione claimed that he could do it faster than her) and mounted their broom.
"How're we going to know where this hotel is?" Harry asked as they were lifting up from the ground.
Hermione gave Harry a parchment and he looked at it. He saw a drawn-in arrow over the letters NZN. He flew away from the hotel and saw that the arrow was going the same direction he was away from the hotel.
"I also have one for the airport." Hermione added.
Harry grinned. "Did I ever tell you how amazingly brilliant you are?"
Hermione blushed at the compliment. "Once…twice…every day."
"That might not be enough." Harry said in a serious voice.
After a few minutes of flying around the city, Hermione scanning the city with her Omnioculars and location charms, Harry was struck with a sudden realization. "Hermione," he said urgently, "do you think that the death eaters have done this already?"
"Well, I don't see why they would check Australia."
"Well, we were on the run for a year."
"I know, but what other choice do we have?"
"Well…" Harry thought for a long moment. "Do you think a muggle phonebook would help? They would think that everything muggle were beneath them."
"I can't believe that I didn't think of that!" Hermione yelled, on the border of admiration for Harry and frustration for not thinking of something so simple. She had relied on magic for too long, that she forgot the simple muggle way. "Let's go to that phone booth."
They flew to the phone booth on the corner of the street; thankfully, no one was in the booth or near it. Harry quickly flipped under the section `G'. He started looking for the last name `Granger' But Hermione stopped him.
"Wait! I changed their names to Wilkins, remember?"
Harry, a little confused, started looking under `W'. When he reached `Wilkins', he finally remembered what she told him on the day before his birthday. Their names were Wendell and Monica. He then realized that he knew everything about her, but not her family. He just became a little more nervous about meeting Hermione's parents, especially her father, for some reason.
Harry looked over the list of Wilkins'. "I don't see two names, but there are some Wendell's and Monica's on this list. I reckon we should visit all of them, right?"
Hermione pondered this for a moment. "It's more likely that they are under Wendell Wilkins. I think the other ones are single women. We should check all of them, but Wendell first. This might cut our time here by a lot."
"Yeah," said Harry in a sarcastic voice, "we can't wait to get back to the Burrow, where we will be in welcoming arms from the Weasley's."
Hermione shuddered a little. "Do you think that we should return?"
"Where should we go when we find your parents? Grimmauld Place?"
"Well…I guess we can figure that out later. Come on, Harry, it looks like someone is coming."
Harry nodded and tore out the page. He grabbed the still disillusioned broom and they both soared away to one of the Wendell's houses.
They spent the next few days this way; Harry and Hermione would wake up in the morning in a very comfortable position. They would go out, disillusioned to look at all of the Wilkins's residencies. They illusioned themselves and knocked on each door, waiting for someone to open the door. When they see that he is indeed a Wilkins, and not a houseguest, they apologize for their disturbance and bid him goodbye. They walked until each Wendell closed the door, then quickly, Harry disillusioned him and Hermione and fly off to the next home.
Sometimes, Harry would try an Australian accent sometimes, which amazed Hermione at how well he could do it. When she asked how Harry could do that, he said that he could copy this bloke on the telly that he watches when the Dursleys go out that's from Australia. Harry explained that even though he is called a hunter, he is actually very friendly towards animals. He wrestles alligators and Crocodiles and goes around the world, meeting cool animals.
Hermione was a little dismayed at the fact that he wrestles alligators for fun, but Harry assured her that he never hurt them if he wasn't attacked first, and he feeds and takes good care of them. Hermione thought she would have to watch that show sometime to see for herself. Harry pointed him out to Hermione on a couple of billboards. He looked friendly. Maybe he was friendly.
They remembered to buy gifts for the Weasley family, seeing that as they return, they will think that the new couple betrayed them. They bought Mrs. Weasley some oven mittens and some pots and pans with Kangaroos on them. They bought Ron a pair of very nice sunglasses and a safari hat. They're sure Ron would like them. Harry suggested that since he's gonna burn their gifts when they tell him the supposedly good news, that they should buy some firewood. Hermione didn't know if he was joking or not.
They remembered to take some time off while they were there. Harry and Hermione went on a tourist ride through the wildlife tour. Harry was amazed at the animals. He was always a bit envious at the guy who traveled around the world and played with animals while he could only travel around his cupboard, being treated like an animal. Therefore, he enjoyed even more than Hermione, who was taking notes of the fascinating creatures and pictures with her muggle camera that she would charm to move when they got back to the suite. Secretly, they were contemplating in their own mind about becoming an animagus, and were silently wondering if the other wanted to become one.
After a week, they decided to take a break at the beach. Hermione was a little reluctant to go in her fairly conservative bikini, but since Harry was wearing nothing but Knee-length trunks and she didn't want anyone to think that he was available, she finally decided to go with him. She was disappointed when she reached the beach and saw that at least twenty women were topless. Most of them having `Fleur' figures. Some of them, Hermione honestly thought that they couldn't find the big enough size. She turned to Harry, who was holding his towel, cooler, and umbrella. He didn't seem to notice, as his chin wasn't covered in drool yet.
"Where should we sit?" He asked.
"Harry…" she started slowly. "Did you even notice the people on the beach?"
Harry looked at the shore curiously. "What d'you-oh." Harry was quiet for a moment. Hermione was almost afraid to look at him. She was surprised when she heard him turn to her and ask her a question.
"How can they walk with those?" he asked curiously, no sense of awe in his voice, which made Hermione smile. "I mean, they look like midgets slipped in their…um…for a lack of a better word…cans."
Hermione giggled. "Cans, Harry?"
"Yeah," Harry said with a small blush of embarrassment (and not from looking at them, Hermione noted), "because for some reason, `breasts' don't really sound right. Cans do, though. You know, trash cans?"
Hermione laughed fully and pulled him towards the beach.
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"Hey, `Mione?" Harry asked as he cooked dinner in the kitchen. He was fixing lasagna from scratch.
"Yes, dear," She replied as she pulled out a two bottles of water from the magically enlarged fridge. She walked over to him and handed him a bottle. She loved watching him cook, but she knew she shouldn't try to learn the art.
Harry colored a bit at the nickname, but continued. "I've been doing a bit of a read on New Zealand. I thought it was in Australia? The book says it's not. I'm confused." He said as he placed the second layer sheet on his masterpiece.
"Well…" Hermione hesitated. She really didn't want to tell him this. "I…lied, actually. I knew that you and Ron had no idea where New Zealand was. I told you that I placed them in Australia, so if Voldemort read your mind, he would immediately take Death Eaters there, but instead, they were miles and miles away. I hope you're not mad at me." She said all this, looking down at the ground, not noticing the shocked expression on Harry's face. Harry cupped her chin up and gave her a chaste kiss.
"Hermione, I could never be mad at you, for one. And I think your plan was brilliant! But there was just one problem… what if someone read your mind?"
Hermione, now glad that Harry wasn't mad at her, grinned. "Well, it would take them a while to search in here, wouldn't it?" She used her thumb and middle finger and put them on her head. She spread the fingers apart to make it look like she was measuring the size of her cranium. "It would take years, it would."
Harry laughed and let go of her, covering the creation with toppings and placing it in the oven. They went into the den and watched the TV. Thankfully, the fridge is too far from the TV to interfere. Since the fridge would malfunction because of its magic surrounding it, Harry placed a very powerful cooling charm on the inside. Hermione smirked whenever she pulled out a bottle of water and saw that there was a thin layer of ice at the top, blocking the water from her mouth.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?" She asked as they sat down together. Hermione let Harry sit down first, then laid down next to him, her head resting on his lap. She purred a little when she felt finger strumming through her hair delicately.
"If you love me, then how do you feel `bout Ron?"
Hermione tensed about that subject. Harry felt this and hastily added, "But, you don't have to tell me, I was just asking."
"No, that's okay, Harry. You deserve the right to know, after all." She took a deep breath. "To be honest, I don't know what happened. Some of it is hazy. I don't think I'll ever love him in that way, and frankly, I don't know why I ever thought of him that way."
Harry looked at her for a long moment in confusion before nodding slowly. "Strange… I think that's the same way I felt about Ginny. I mean, she's attractive, and could probably get any guy she wants to date her. But…I don't know. She used to be like a sister to me. And you'll be happy to know that you pack more of a kick in your kisses than she does."
Hermione blushed and smiled. "And you should be happy to know that I felt quite a shock in your kisses too."
"What about your kiss with Ron?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, I already told you about that," She said, waving it off, but continuing. "There was no spark. It was almost like kissing my brother. And you can't pull away from a kiss when you're being picked up and spun around. And I had to keep my mouth closed anyway. He tried to stick his tongue in my mouth like an axe through lumber. Sometimes, I wonder if Lavender actually liked that." She shuddered, causing Harry to laugh.
-------
After a week and five days of searching, they ran out of Wilkins's on the page and started flying back to their hotel room.
"Hermione, did you drop them off in New Zealand?" When Hermione nodded, Harry advised that they should check some more cities that are close to New Zealand. He then asked her what kind of house they lived in when they lived in London.
"It was a condo, but that would've shown up, or we would've at least seen it," Hermione replied. "Harry…you don't think they…live on the street, right?" Harry heard her voice quivering with fear. "What if they're already-?"
"They're alive, Hermione," Harry interrupted. "Have faith. They're dentists; they should at least have a good, simple house. It's been almost a year."
"There's a problem about that," Hermione said, wiping tears from her eyes, "I didn't actually give them a job. I was too busy worrying about helping you."
"They still have their degrees for dentistry, right?" After a nod from Hermione, he continued. "Then, don't worry, they'll most likely be dentists, then. I'm sure we'll find-"
But he was immediately stopped by the wonderful sight before him. Harry had just found Hermione's parents.
-------
"Ron? Let me talk to you for a minute."
Ron was just passing the door when George Weasley's face popped in front of him.
Ron raised his eyebrows for a moment, then shrugged, before walking into the room.
"Yeah, George?" He looked around the room. He just realized that this was Percy's old room. George and Percy had grown close since the war. It's almost like Perce had taken the place of Fred, although he knew that it was never possible to replace him. Ron idly wondered if Percy will be the one working with George in the shop. He chuckled a bit as he thought of the names Gerce and Porge.
"What's so funny?" Percy asked innocently as he closed the door behind him and discreetly used a nonverbal charm to lock the door with his wand. Ron wasn't even aware that Percy came in the room.
"Nothin'," Ron said. "Hey Perce. What d'you wanna talk about?" He turned his head to George. George eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then spoke.
"Well, dear brother, I just happened to notice that you have been rather happy a day after Harry and Hermione left. It was just all of a sudden. You were sulking for a full day after they left, then mum pulled you to the side, and then you've been quite chipper after that. In fact, I noticed that mum had finally left her room to cook dinner since they left. What happened to you two?"
Ron looked unphased, but he felt a sweat break. Had he been that obvious? He was mentally cursing himself for the slip-up. He was just too happy when he heard the news from his mum that he didn't care about anything else. All he knew was that he was happy. And that was his downfall.
But he still had a chance to weasel his way out of this. After all, he was a Weasley. "She's cooking dinner," he lied. Knowing George's sense of humor and his own appetite, he would laugh and dismiss him, and talk behind his back about him and his fetishes.
Apparently, he didn't know this George, as he was still gazing at him with a critical eye. He felt eyes boring into the back of his neck and guessed that Percy was doing the same as he. George looked him in the eyes for a few seconds and said, "I don't believe you."
Ron feigned an embarrassed expression. "What, I like her food."
Percy came around to face his youngest brother. Ron noticed that he had a slight twinkle in his blue eyes, one that reminded him of Dumbledore. He felt a small, barely noticeable tingle in his mind and quickly turned away.
"You're hiding something," Percy said with narrowed eyes, "and I almost had it, too."
"You were doing that Legliecy thing, weren't you?" Ron asked angrily, closing his eyes so his mind wouldn't be invaded again.
"It's called `Legilimency' Ronniekins," George said with annoyance. "Only Merlin knows why Hermione even kissed you."
Percy did something Ron hadn't heard him do in a while; he snickered. "Probably because the guy she wanted was with our sister."
"Shut up!" Ron yelled, pulling out his wand, but before he could pull it out, two wands were on his throat. He did his best to not look like what he was feeling at the moment, and that was extremely scared. "I know what you're thinking about, but it's not gonna happen."
"How do you know what we're thinking, dear brother?" George asked with glee. It seemed that scaring the piss out of his ickle Ronniekins brought him back to the good-old times.
"Unless he's thinking about the bet we made after they left?" Percy asked George, eerily sounding like Fred.
"I hope he doesn't know about it," George said with feigned fear.
"Know about what?" Ron asked, getting really pissed off.
"Oh I guess we can tell you, after asking so nicely," George said sarcastically as they both lowered their wands. "Percy and I made a bet. Percy bet that they will get together while looking for Hermione's parents."
Ron just waved his hand dismissively. "You'll lose that bet. George'll win for sure."
"Really? I guess I can get my fifty galleons then, Perce."
"FIFTY GALLEONS?!" Ron almost screamed.
"Yes, brother, because unlike you, we were smart enough to get jobs instead of feeling bad about ourselves."
Ron had no retort, but his face was turning red. "Well…I…wait, what did you bet, anyway? Me getting with Hermione?" He added proudly.
Percy tried to suppress a smirk, but ultimately failed. "George here, bet that they'll be married by the time that they get back."
It took all of Ron's strength not to laugh at the mere thought of this. Why would the savior of the Wizarding World want to marry Hermione `I'd-rather-a-book-(or-Lockheart)-take-my-virginity-than-a-boy' Granger? Although he'll make sure he's responsible for that and not some bloody book, but that's another thing…
"Harry and…Hermione!? Married?!" He suddenly couldn't hide his laughter any longer, and almost fell to the ground laughing.
George and Percy gave a look at each other that obviously said that Ron was up to something. They looked at Ron, who was still laughing. Apparently, it was something either really funny or really horrible.
-------
"Why was I so stupid?" Harry slapped himself on the forehead. At the questioning look from Hermione's teary eyes, he continued. "I mean, if they didn't have a daughter, and they were both dentists, and they lived by themselves, what would they do?"
Hermione thought and hard about Harry's question for a short moment. She couldn't figure out the answer. "I don't know, Harry, what do you think?"
"Use your imagination, Hermione. If they were both dentists and had no one to live with, do you think they would have a house?"
"No…" Hermione mused slowly. "No, they wouldn't. They would've opened up a business…" Hermione snapped her fingers together as it all clicked into place. "And they would live at their business place, wouldn't they?"
Harry smiled and nodded. He waved his hand down and let the broom go still. Hermione looked down to where he was pointing. She could see a small, house-sized office. It was looking a little shabby, but had quite a few customers. And then she saw it-a sign that said in big, black, and bold letters:
Wilkins' Dentistry Clinic
Wendell and Monica, PhD's
7 Birchbriar Court
Harry lowered the broom until they reached the roof. Hermione was speechless for a moment; she never expected to find them so quickly. After a moment of seeing Harry smile with a small tear in his eye, she spoke.
"Harry…you found my parents…and so quickly!" She screamed the last part, causing patients who were walking in and out to look around for the source. Harry didn't stop her, though. She was about to meet her parents after a year. If she was happy, he was happy. She was able to scream all she wanted now, since they were disillusioned.
"I can't believe it! What am I going to say? How am I going to explain?"
"Breathe, Hermione." Harry said, still smiling. "You can't say anything to them yet. They don't know who you are. You can worry about that while you do the spell that you're going to use to bring their memories back."
This brought Hermione back to the present. She couldn't freak out, now. She'll wait until her parents remember her.
"I'm not going to use a spell, Harry." Hermione said in a somewhat calm voice. She fumbled in her pockets and pulled out two phials labeled `mum' and `dad'. "I left this at the Burrow before we left a year ago." Hermione explained. Harry looked closely at the phials. They were swirling and silvery. He instantly knew what they were, as they were the memories of Hermione.
"It hurts me to say this, Hermione," Harry said with a tear rolling down his cheek, "but I think that we have to wait until everyone leaves." He wiped the tear away.
"I know," Hermione sniffled. "I just want them back. I'm tired of waiting. I don't want to go back. I'll wait right here and watch them."
Harry only smiled and flicked out his wand. "You don't have to wait long." He said quietly as he pointed his wand up into the air. "I have an idea." He closed his eyes tightly, as if trying to remember something. He then started waving the wand around in complex motions and murmured a long string of incantations. The tip of the wand started to glow brightly, and people who were entering and leaving the building began to look up at it. It went brighter, and brighter, until, as soon as it started, it stopped. Harry lowered his wand and looked down at all the people who were staring at the top of the building, at a disillusioned Harry and Hermione.
Hermione stared at him in amazement and confusion and saw the supposedly levitating wand waving around in a pattern that for the first time, she didn't recognize. She was amazed that he could do a spell that looked incredibly complicated. Harry looked at Hermione as the people started walking away, even the people who were about to enter the building. He had to walk around the building to do a warding spell, so why were people walking away? Didn't they just see a bright golden light on top of this building?
"Harry…" Hermione began hesitantly, "…what did you just do?"
Harry grinned. "A confundus shield. Anyone who walks through it will either go home or to another dentist. The ones coming in will go immediately to another dentist. The ones coming out will go home without looking back at the office. It's kind of like a ward, but a bit more effective. The only people we have to wait for are those who are still in there. If you want, and I'm pretty sure you do, we can confund the waiting room, too."
Hermione formed a slow smile and ran up to Harry and kissed him. When she pulled back, she asked ecstatically, "How did you know how to do that?"
"I thought I was going to kill Voldemort by really dueling," He explained, "so I started practicing a bunch of complicated spells over the year. I was trying to see if I could learn as many spells as you did…you know, to make up all those years I was goofing off instead of listening to you."
Hermione smiled at him. "Harry, you're sweet, but why didn't you get me to help you?"
Harry was about to tell her the truth; Ron would be jealous if she spent more time helping him. He decided not to tell her; not now at least. "I wanted to surprise you." He said with a slight blush. At least he told her half the truth.
Hermione smiled and kissed him again. "You are the sweetest, and I am very surprised, by the way."
"Good." Harry said as he pulled back and grabbed the broom. Then it wasn't all for nothing." He sat on the broom behind Hermione and kicked up a little. He flew over the ledge and through the doors of the office, still disillusioned. He immediately began casting Confundus spells at people, while Hermione followed his lead, looking at the office door, waiting with baited breath to see if they would come out.
He cast a spell on the door, so that it would lock. At a curious look from Hermione, he whispered, "Some of these people might have kids in there."
Hermione silently nodded and kept casting spells. When they were done with the fifteen or so people that were there, they all had a blank expression on their face. It was safe to talk, now.
"Hermione," he started, "I know you are extremely happy to see your parents after a year, but please-"
"Don't scream when I meet them or try to hug them?" Hermione asked, figuring out his question. Harry grimly nodded. Hermione only smiled. "Harry, don't worry. I have a plan." She then turned to everyone in the room, who stared blankly at them. "Who has a child or is with someone who is in that room?" She pointed towards the polished, mahogany door. Harry smirked and quickly disillusioned Hermione, as no one could see where she was pointing. Hermione blushed a little at this awkwardness, but didn't look away from the patients. A moment later, after everyone saw where she was pointing to, all of them shook their heads. Harry asked them if any of them had a problem with their teeth. They all nodded. He told them all to go to the closest dentist's office. He told them that they are not to remember that they walked into the clinic today.
They all stood up and, in a single-file line, headed straight out the door.
Hermione slowly walked to the door, wand in a tight grip. She pointed the wand at the door. She nonverbally unlocked it and opened it. She slowly pushed it open, Harry right behind her.
And she saw them. First, she saw a mature looking version of her. She looked to be in her late thirties. Her brown and bushy hair was tied in a ponytail, so she could clearly see the patient that she was treating at the moment.
She didn't recognize the couple at the door, as she was watching her patient take a swig of water.
"Swish and spit, and yer done!" She said in a slight Australian accent. "You done, Wen?"
A man with brown hair came into the room from the door on the side. He looked young, but strands of his hair were grey.
"I'm done, Monie. Just let `im go. Got a lot more people to go, I imagine. I-"
He stopped abruptly, and all of a sudden had a blank look in his eyes.
"Wen, are you alright?" Monica asked, turning around to see him. A very small, red jet of light zoomed past her and hit the man she was treating. All of the water fell from his mouth onto the paper towel around his neck and shirt. He closed his eyes and his head fell back. He was sleeping. Before she could even turn her head to look back at her patient in a panic, she, too, felt…nothing.
Harry and Hermione walked up to them and Harry pointed his wand at the patient. "What should I do with him?" he asked.
"We'll worry about that later." She said as she instantly pulled out her mother's phial and placed the wand tip inside. She swirled around her wand and pulled it out. All of the silvery wisps were wrapped around the wand. She pulled out the other phial and held it out for Harry.
Harry grabbed the phial and did the same thing that Hermione did. When the wisps came out of the phial and onto Harry's wand he absently thought, `It looks like spaghetti's ghosts.'
Hermione placed the wand tip at her mother's head and watched in fascination and worry as the strings of memories slid back into her temple. Harry did the same and stepped back a little.
"Are you ready?" he asked, pointing his wand at her dad's head.
Hermione took a deep breath and took a step back, pointing the wand tip at her mother's temple. "Yes… I-… I think I'm ready. 1…2…"
"Ennervate."
________________________________________
Author's Note: Hey. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Damn school…
In case you wanted to know, I planned on Ron doing…what he's doing since the beginning of the story.
The New Zealand thing… the explanation made complete sense to me, at least. I had to get out of that predicament, somehow. Honestly, whenever I kept typing up New Zealand, I saw Australia with it. I really did think New Zealand was part of Australia, like Alaska and Hawaii are a part of America.
{To answer alix33's review questions: (I believe everyone should know the answers):
Why did Charlie not have a reaction about the Dragon? - Charlie didn't know about Harry & company escaping on a dragon yet. It's just something you wouldn't bring up compared to killing Voldemort and grieving over a fallen family member and multiple other people. It just wouldn't sound right in conversation. And I imagine that it wouldn't be on the cover of The Daily Prophet, either. After that uproar in the first book with Quirrel, and the fact that a goblin `betrayed' them, I think that the goblins would keep this very discreet. As for Hogwarts knowing about it, I'd say that someone knew a wizard who worked there, and we all know how fast gossip travels. Either that or a teacher told them secretly.
Mermaid or Mer-man during Second Task? - Krum was a shark-head. He was already dim, but then was dim and had next-to-horrible eyesight (assuming that he had the side-effects of a shark also). Hermione was in a deep sleep and she knew nothing. Krum informed her of everything, I would think. And Harry didn't really know much about the sea creatures that he fought, so she wouldn't get much information out of him. And honestly, I don't know if it was. I don't really feel like reading the Goblet of Fire again for a while.
Lycanthropy hereditary? - I know nothing of lycanthropy except you can turn into a werewolf. I'm not sure if it's genetic, but wasn't that what Remus was worried about in seventh year? That his son would turn into a werewolf? It wasn't in those words, but I could be wrong. JK isn't clear enough sometimes…
Crookshanks- Boy or Girl? - I don't know if Crookshanks is a girl or not. But since all of the other fanfics say that it is a boy, I guess I should change it, then.
Prepaying for tickets? - I've heard that you can go to the Airplane early to reserve a certain seat for the flight, (Next to each other, window seats, yadda yadda…) although I'm not sure if it's right.
The `Voldemort on display in the Ministry' thing is a complete rumor. I would like to think that he was dragon-feed…
I think that the Shell Cottage that Bill and Fleur traveled to was a honeymoon spot, but they decided to hide out there until the war was over.
Alix33, you brought up some very interesting points in your reviews and I hope this clears up the air for everyone. Thanks for the reviews and pointing out the errors. I think I got all of them…}
It may take the next chapter quite a bit `til I update.
Don't forget to review!
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