And She Knew
By Addison J
JKRowling owns Harry Potter
For my beta, DeeMichelle
Ficlet: #2: The Photos
Hermione was taking Muggle photographs of everyone. Her parents were still in Australia, but they missed their grandchildren. So Hermione bought a Muggle camera and had the photos processed at a Muggle supermarket so that her parents would have the type of photographs they could show their friends and neighbors in Sydney.
Hermione preferred to take candid photos of everyone. She believed it showed their true selves instead of the posed photographs Ron and Molly preferred.
It was a busy day, so she had rushed through the supermarket to pick up the photos and some tea, then ran to pick up the kids from Molly's (where they went after Muggle school) before rushing home to prepare dinner, help with any remaining homework, kiss the kids goodnight, and spend a few minutes with any outstanding work issues or catch up on some reading. She finally remembered the photos as she was lying in bed, about to fall asleep. She spoke the Lumos command for the light by the bedside (careful not to wake Ron) and found the packet of photos still in her bag.
She opened them. Most of the photos had taken place at Sunday dinner at the Burrow, then also during one of their Wednesday afternoon play dates. She glanced through the photos, smiling. There were a few really good ones of the kids she knew her parents would enjoy. They also wanted to see Ginny and Harry's children, and the rest of the Weasleys, so Hermione made sure to get some shots of the extended family as well.
After Hermione had gone through all the photos once, she noticed a pattern. It wasn't a complicated pattern that only a very smart witch would fathom, but a rather obvious one. She looked again, almost not believing her eyes. But it was true. In most of the pictures, Harry wasn't looking away from the camera, but right at her. He was always aware of her and the camera. Whether it be at the Sunday dinner or the play park on Wednesday or just hanging out, he would be looking her way, and the photo would capture his lovely, smiling face. She stared a bit longer. How would she describe that look? It was happy, content, comfortable, relaxed, genial, love.
Hermione took a breath and looked again. His look was a look of love. Not the crazy-in-love love, but the love of someone who's known someone forever, knows their ins and outs, knows the good days and bad, and loves them regardless. Forever. Love.
And she knew.