A/N: So, more OCs (I count Hermione's parents as OCs, since we never actually meet them in the series) and more of Ron. Which is unusual in my writing, if you haven't noticed. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Fourteen
"Yes, Mum," Hermione's exasperated voice rang through the yard. Harry glanced down at her, still holding his wand aloft. She was shading her eyes with a hand, watching him intently from the ground, and speaking with her parents on the phone. He smiled reassuringly, swooping around to talk to Charlie, who was helping to repair the old house's roof. "Yes, I'm quite certain-Healer Pruitt… oh, all right then, Doctor Pruitt has agreed to do as much of my training at home-what? Of course. No, not like that! Honestly, Daddy-"
"I'd love to hear what they're saying on the other end," sniggered Ron as he hovered next to Harry, "Look, she's gone into her lecture mode again."
Harry grinned, shaking his head. Hermione was pacing the yard with the phone, her expressions changing so quickly it was a wonder even she could keep up with them. Meanwhile, Ben and Adrian played catch with an old training Quaffle George had obligingly lent them.
"… and really, Mum, I can't understand why you're so anxious for me to-Mum! What is that supposed to mean? Oops-Adrian, do be careful- what? Oh, no-now, Daddy… Adrian's one of the boys that… Mother, give it a rest!"
Adrian chucked the Quaffle at his brother and threw back his head as Charlie soared over him. "Let me ride!"
Charlie grinned. "Sorry, mate, I'm working. Ask Harry or Ron, though, since they're being useless-"
Harry grinned and touched down in the yard next to Adrian. Adrian looked at him hopefully.
Harry glanced at Hermione, who he knew had been adamantly against letting either boys ride a broom. Then again, she had never expressly said they weren't allowed. Besides, she was now engaged in what seemed to be a passionate argument with her parents.
He winked and jerked his chin, pressing a finger to his lips. Adrian grinned back, climbing on the broom in front of Harry.
"Hold on tightly," Harry muttered to Adrian, who was trembling with excitement. He kicked off and sped up into the air, circling the roof at a high speed. Adrian laughed in delight.
"… really can't believe after all these years that you-Harry Potter, you bring him back down this instant!" Hermione shrieked suddenly, dropping the phone and dashing around under them, as if she expected to have to catch a falling Adrian any minute.
Harry and Ron roared with laughter.
"Hermione, he's fine!" Harry called, stopping and hovering over her head. "Look, I've got him-I'm holding onto him and he's got a hold on the broom."
Hermione glared up at him, squinting in the sunlight.
"Small comfort-how many times have you fallen off your broom?" she snapped, "Come down here immediately!"
Harry and Ron exchanged amused glances, and Harry guided the broom in a gentle descent to hover several feet off the ground beside Hermione.
"Come on, Hermione, it's fun!" Adrian complained, gripping the broom handle tightly. "I won't fall."
Hermione sent Harry a stern glare.
"Just because you were the youngest Seeker in a century-"
"… I can keep my balance, too, see?"
Adrian threw out his arms and promptly tumbled off the broom. Hermione sighed and pulled Adrian up, marching him away from the broom, ignoring his protests.
"Can I try?" Ben asked, making his way toward Harry as Adrian kicked at the Quaffle in disgust. "I'm older than Adrian-I'm nearly eleven!"
"Same age as I was." Harry pointed out to a now uncertain Hermione, "Come on, Hermione, let them have a bit of flying. If Healer Pruitt was right, and they are wizards, they might as well have a start at it."
His coaxing was interrupted by a much less tactful comment from Ron, "Merlin, Hermione, lighten up!"
"Hermione Jane Granger!" shrieked the phone, "Pick up this phone! Are you all right? Are you alive?"
"If that Potter boy has done something to her-" growled a second voice, and Harry felt a twinge of worry. Hermione's father didn't seem like a person to be messed with.
Hermione sighed, snapped, "Yes, then, all right, but if he dies-", and hurried over to the phone. "Mum, really-"
She cringed and held the phone at arm's length as a voice very like Hermione's exploded, "…terrify the living daylights out of us! If you ever do that again, I will personally drive all the way down to… wherever you are right now, and I will drag you back to give you a proper lecture! But meanwhile! What on earth do you mean, you and Harry have decided? Are you getting married? Are you engaged?" A horrible thought seemed to occur to her mother, "You aren't-those children aren't-"
"No!" Hermione snapped back, quite scarlet about the face and glaring ferociously at the phone, "No, Harry and I are not dating, we are not engaged, we are not married, and because I know you're thinking it, no, I am not pregnant with Harry's child-"
Whump!
Hermione whipped around. Ron had toppled into the grass, bawling with laughter, tears streaming down his face. He clutched his stomach, wheezing hysterically and pointing wordlessly at the phone.
Harry felt his face burn.
"And I'll have you know that unlike some-" Hermione cast Ron a dirty look, "Harry happens to have some moral fiber, which you are currently insulting with your extremely loud tirade. If you would listen to me, you'd know that. I'll call back later, Mum, if you'll excuse me."
She snapped her cell phone shut and turned on Ron, glowering at him.
"Ronald Billius Weasley," she began furiously, "If you ever laugh like that when my mother's on the phone again, I will personally ensure that you never laugh again."
Ron sobered obediently, though he had several loud coughing fits that sounded suspiciously like sniggering.
"She sounds like she could give our mum a run for her money." Charlie had landed next to Ron, and was now using his wand to refill his water bottle. He shook his head, taking a swig of water. "Reminded me of when Ginny first dated that one bloke-Michael Corner, was it?"
"Never liked him." Ron said immediately, with a dark look at the grass. Adrian and Ben sat on the grass, obviously abandoning hopes a flying spree.
There was a crack just before Ron spoke, and Ginny was sitting next to Adrian on the grass.
"No, let me guess who we're talking about," she said brightly, "Dean Thomas, Michael Corner, or… well, or You-Know-Who, I suppose. Though I never really liked bald men," she added thoughtfully. Everyone present made a face.
"Can we go flying?" Adrian cast a wistful look at Harry's Firebolt. All eyes turned towards Hermione.
She bit her lip, looking uncertain. After a long pause, she snapped, "Yes, all right. Fine. But no Wronski Feints or Sloth Grip Rolls or-what?"
The older set of the group was staring at Hermione in silent wonder.
Ron turned a reverent face toward Harry.
"You've managed to make her say Quidditch maneuvers correctly," he said in awe and gratitude, "I hope you marry her-"
"Ron!" Hermione turned quite pink. "I've already had enough of that from my mum, thank you."
"So can we go flying?" Adrian persisted impatiently, as the whole of the group turned knowing smirks on a very flustered Hermione.
"I'll take Ben up." Charlie volunteered, mercifully drawing the attention away from Hermione, "Harry can take Adrian, like before."
"Do be careful." Hermione said anxiously to Harry, as Adrian clambered on the broom in front of Harry. Harry smiled reassuringly.
"He'll be fine. I promise."
Hermione smiled reluctantly as he squeezed her shoulder, then kicked off with Adrian balancing in front of him.
Adrian waved happily to Ben, who was grinning fully for the first time since they'd met him. "I can't wait til I can do this myself!"
Harry glanced at Hermione, using one hand to wave back at her. For a moment, her face relaxed, and she waved back, smiling slightly.
"Harry, can I steer?"
Harry looked away from Hermione, relaxing his hold on the broom handle. "Here-just hold it here… that's right-guide it like that…"
Adrian's look of delight made Harry grin. The boy's blue eyes were wide, drinking in the sunshine and the wind, and his small tongue was sticking out of the corner of his mouth in concentration. He could feel the thin blond hair, clean and healthy rather than grimy and matted, whipping against his arms.
Adrian laughed again, leaning back against Harry and twisting his neck around to look directly at him.
The simple gratitude shining in his smile made Harry's heart lift, and he grinned back.
"Like it?" Harry asked unnecessarily. Adrian nodded vigorously. "So do I."
Adrian grinned.
"I think… I think my mum would have liked it up here," he said as Harry slowed the broom to a leisurely glide. Harry was silent, unsure of what to say next. "She didn't have much freedom. That's what Ben said, anyway. But I like to think that she can see me up here, don't you?"
Harry felt his stomach twist sharply. He had not even looked at the other bodies at the house.
Adrian looked back at Harry and smiled again. It was the simple, resilient smile of someone who saw something in the world that other people spent their entire lives looking for.
Harry took a hand and ruffled his hair, his heart so full it ached.
"Yeah. I do."
Adrian rested his head back against Harry's chest, looking content.
"You know, I miss my mum and my grandfather, and my dad, too. But I'm glad I have Ben. And I'm really glad I have Hermione." He looked back at Harry. "Aren't you?"
Harry looked down at Hermione, who was shading her eyes with a hand and watching them with a faintly worried smile. Her messy ponytail whipped playfully across her shoulder. She saw him looking, and she smiled, waving.
"Yeah," he said, as Adrian waved back, "I guess we do have her, don't we?"
"And each other."
Harry smiled and used one arm to give him an awkward hug.
"And each other, mate. That's right."
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