Disclaimer: JKR owns.
A Late Night Visit
Chapter 11: A Christmas Night for the Ages
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[AN]: A quick update because it's my birthday! Your welcome! :P
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For the rest of Christmas day, the Grangers and Harry watched old movies and talked about school stuff. Elisabeth had a blast of showing Harry Hermione's childhood pictures and in turn they all went through the picture album Harry had given Hermione.
Harry and Richard got in their bonding time, too. True to his word, Richard excitedly pulled Harry out to the backyard that afternoon, and got his old football out of the shed. Harry caught on quick to the basics of the game, and before either of them knew it, they were kicking the ball around like old pros. After taking a water break, Harry had confessed to Rich that he'd always wanted to learn how to play rugby as well. His revelation had Richard in hysterics as the older man eagerly told him everything about his second favorite sport.
As the day went on, the looks Harry and Hermione had discretely been sending each other started to become more frequent and desire-ridden. The two hadn't had any privacy to talk yet, so the deprivation was starting to torture them both.
The sun had already set below the horizon when Hermione and Elisabeth came out to the boys in the backyard. Elisabeth had just been telling Hermione (again) how much she enjoyed having her home for the holidays. Feeling the guilt starting to lay into her, Hermione suggested going to see the light show, which happened to be another one of the Granger's Christmas traditions. The idea seemed to break Elisabeth out of her nostalgic phase, and immediately Hermione's mum became giddy at the prospect.
Agreeing to her proposal, the two girls went out to tell Harry and Richard.
…
15 minutes later…
…
"Dad, let's go already!" Hermione called from the foyer. She, Harry, and Elisabeth were all wrapped up in heavy coats and standing at the door, ready to walk to their neighborhood park and see the Christmas lights. For some reason though, Hermione's dad was taking forever up stairs.
"You're awfully excited," Harry commented with a grin.
Elisabeth smiled at her daughter, "Hermione's always loved the light show. It's part of the reason why Christmas Is her favorite time of year."
Hermione gave her mum an irritated glance as her cheeks tinged pink, "It's nothing magnificent, Harry."
"If you love it, I'm sure I will," Harry said with a shrug.
Hermione smiled at him while Elisabeth eyed the two teens carefully. She knew something was going on between the two, she just didn't know if she had enough evidence yet to prove an actual relationship had developed. She was positive about one thing though, and that was that Harry was in love with her daughter. It was all in the way he looked at her…
Richard's heavy footfalls could be heard trotting down the stairs. He came into the foyer wearing a thick jacket, "Alright, alright I'm ready."
Hermione smiled and jumped for the door, "Great, let's go!"
The walk to the park didn't take long at all, and before Harry could find the strength to move his eyes away from Hermione's face, they were met with a spectacular foray of bright lights, lining the park's benches, pond, trees, and bridge. Harry noticed a huge Christmas tree in the center of the park's quad and immediately thought it was the most magnificent Christmas tree he had ever seen.
"So what do you think Harry?" Beth asked with a smile, eyeing him out of the corner of her eye.
"I think it's amazing," Harry replied, still in awe at the muggle display. It even looked better than the Hogwarts Christmas decorations…
Hermione too turned to Harry with a happy smile, "Really?"
"Yeah," Harry nodded, "The tree is even better than the ones at school."
Hermione grinned, "I always thought so too. The great thing about the display is it gets a little more beautiful every year."
Harry finally looked away from the lights, and smiled down at Hermione, "Yeah."
Elisabeth was in the middle of eyeing them again when she heard teeth starting to chatter. With an amused sigh, she looked up to her husband, "Oh for goodness sake, Richard…"
Hermione's dad was visibly shivering, "It's bloody cold…"
Beth laughed, looping her arm through Rich's, "Come along, my little icicle. We'll go grab you some hot coffee, okay? You kids want anything?"
Hermione glanced to Harry before shaking her head, "No thanks Mum, we're fine."
"Alright, we'll be back then."
Harry watched them walk out of sight before he turned back to Hermione, "Thanks for bringing me here, Hermione."
"You're welcome Harry," Hermione answered gently.
"And thanks for coming to find me this morning, too. I'm happy I got to spend Christmas with you."
This time, Hermione's grin was a little more impish, "You're welcome, but remember, I got something out of it too."
Harry laughed and looked behind him to make sure her parents were still out of sight. When he was reassured that the coast was clear, he leaned in and kissed Hermione on the cheek.
"I love you, Hermione," he whispered in her ear.
Hermione bit her lip to hide her silly smile, "I love you too, Harry."
Harry was starting to get lost in her eyes before he sighed and looked away. Damn it, he wanted to kiss her so bad.
Hermione let out a laugh, even though she was as frustrated as he was. She raked a hand through his hair, "Tonight."
"I know, I know… it really does seem long away though."
"I know where you're coming from," Hermione muttered.
A moment passed before Harry suddenly brightened up, "I have another present for you. I think you're going to like it."
Hermione raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "Is it tangible?"
Harry laughed, "Get your mind out of the gutter Granger."
"Just curious…" she shrugged, "How come you didn't give it to me in front of my parents?"
"Because it's for your eyes only."
"So it isn't something you bought and wrapped!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
Harry rolled his eyes good-naturedly, "If you want to keep thinking your impure thoughts, then technically I have two presents for you. Just one is going to be a little tricky to wrap…"
Hermione nodded, "Shockingly, I'm very intrigued."
Scoffing, Harry playfully pushed on her shoulder, "Of course you are!"
Hermione grinned and swatted him over the head, "Where has this ego of your's sprouted from?"
"Figure it out yourself, darling," Harry smirked.
Hermione smiled, and was just about to make another excuse to touch him before she saw her parents walking back up to the path towards them.
"You kids about ready? I think we should get your father home before he gets frost bite," Elisabeth said, still holding onto her shivering husband, who was now clutching on to a small white cup.
"N-N-No, I-I-I c-c-can h-handle it-t-t-t…"
Hermione and Elisabeth couldn't help their laughter while Harry tried to remain respectful. Hermione came forward and put an arm around her dad.
"Oh Daddy, I forgot how much you hated winter."
"Rotten time of year…" Richard mumbled, finally able to talk straight with Hermione's added warmth. He mustered a smile for her, "It's more bearable when you come home for break, though."
Both Harry and Hermione's spirits came down a notch at his last remark. "Well, by next winter I'll be out of school and I'll be able to spend all of winter with you and Mum," Hermione promised. She hated that her parents kept focusing on the past, when she hardly came home to visit.
Richard nodded at his daughter's words, but couldn't fight the feeling that Harry would probably be coming around more, too.
…
The Grangers, plus Harry, took a quick stroll through the lighted park before Richard really couldn't take it anymore. With one last longing look at the Christmas lights, they group headed back home to get ready for bed.
As Richard ran to the living room to light a fire, Elisabeth, Harry, and Hermione made their way to the kitchen to make some hot cocoa.
"I think some old Christmas cartoons are playing on the telly. Do you want to catch a few?" Beth asked, setting the kettle on the stove.
Harry looked up from the kitchen table where he and Hermione were both sitting, about to agree before Hermione cut him off, "Um, actually Mum, I'm pretty knackered. Would you mind if I just went to bed?"
Beth masked her disappointment and shook her head, "Oh, not at all. It has been quite the day, hasn't it?"
Hermione gave her mother a genuine smile, "Best Christmas in years."
Elisabeth returned her smile as she got up from the table, "Goodnight darling."
Hermione came over and kissed her on the cheek, "Night Mum, goodnight Harry," she finished, giving him a look before walking out of the kitchen.
Harry didn't have any trouble figuring out what that look meant. He turned back to Hermione's mum, "Thank you so much for agreeing to let me stay here, Beth. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."
Elisabeth smiled and waved it off, "It was an easy decision Harry. You make my daughter very happy. Richard and I couldn't have said no. it's been our pleasure having you."
Harry smiled timidly, "Will you tell Mr. Granger I said goodnight?"
"Of course," she nodded, coming forward to kiss his cheek, "Sleep well, Harry."
"Goodnight."
Harry left for the back slider door while Elisabeth made her way into the living room. Richard looked up as his wife sat down next to him on the sofa.
"Is Harry off to bed as well?" he asked.
"Yes. They both seemed pretty exhausted."
Richard sighed, "Yeah…"
"We have over another week with her, love," Elisabeth reminded him, reaching for his hand.
"Not to ourselves though," he muttered.
Elisabeth gave him a tender look, understanding where he was coming from, "If we would have said no then she would have spent the rest of the holidays moping over him. You know that."
Rich shrugged, "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"They're best friends," she reminded him.
The older man shook his head, not being able to hold his tongue on the subject any more, "They look at each other like… like…"
"Like what?"
He shook his head again, "Too intimately. That's for sure."
"They've been through a lot together, Rich," Elisabeth tried to convince him, even though she knew
what he was saying was true, "I think it's safe to say they care deeply for each other."
Rich snorted, "Too deeply."
Elisabeth raised an eyebrow at her husband's impertinence, "Would you rather her feel this way about someone else? Someone who wouldn't naturally have her best interest at heart?"
Rich was quiet for a few minutes. Finally he let out a breath, and looked his wife in the eye, "And you think Harry is that bloke, do you?"
Beth smiled, "I'm pretty positive."
"I thought this day would come way later for her…" Richard mumbled as he got up from the couch.
Elisabeth frowned, "Where are you going?"
"Going to wish Harry a goodnight."
"Richard…" Elisabeth warned sternly.
He responded with an innocent look, "What?"
"Don't do anything too brash. Hermione would never forgive you."
Richard muttered something under his breath before giving his wife one last look, and walking out of the living room.
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