Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 49

-

Hermione sighed loudly, it had now been six weeks and the queues had gotten smaller by a significant number, to be honest maybe ten percent was still here compared to the first week.

All that was left now were the people trying to register for a job, those Purebloods who were caught in-between, they were not `innocent', but still had not done anything that made them "guilty".

Hermione had seen her at the back of the queue, Christina was back again. She felt no surprise at all as she sat down in front of her.

"Hello," she said kindly as Christina sat down.

"Hemmy, will you help me?" she asked.

"How can I help you?" Hermione sighed tired.

"I am not asking for anything special, just put me on the unemployment list, I can't be homeless - don't make me live on the street," she whispered and bit her lip not to cry.

Hermione eyed her for a moment and then reached out and took her hand.

"Christina, please listen to me!" Christina met her eyes and her lip trembled. "No one here is out to punish anyone-"

"But I've seen-"

"You've seen really bad people taken away, those who truly hurt people - they have been taken away. But you never hurt someone in that way, we don't register name-calling,"

Hermione tried to joke but Christina just looked down at her hands.

"What ever happened to…"

"Who?"

"I don't remember her name," she hesitated, "we always called her fugly-ugly, or this-aint-no-swan…" she looked like it hurt to admit it. Hermione knew who she meant, she had heard it.

"Eloise died in the fight."

Christina's hand's clenched hard. "Oh," she said in barely a whisper.

Hermione let her think about that for a moment, she wasn't about to let her forget about what she had said to Eloise, she should feel remorse but when she saw her tears she moved on.

"Hemmy…."

"Christina, but for the last time, it is Hermione. And I really mean it - don't call me that again. Look, I am putting you on the unemployment list like everyone else; there is no special list for you, those who used to mock everyone else. Mind you - anyone might own a business now, and they might recognize you."

Christina nodded sadly.

"Hem- Hermione, thank you."

"Christina you are welcome, and when I feel lost I try to think `If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them'."

"Wow Hermione, that was deep, I hardly understood it."

"Oh, don't give me the credit!" A muggle named Henry David Thoreau said it. Hermione didn't know where the sudden urge to quote someone else came from, "I must have been listening to Dumbledore too much," she mused to herself.

It was obvious that Christina was not impressed by a Muggle saying such wise word, but she left and Hermione couldn't help staring after her as she left. She truly wished - hoped and begged of Merlin that she would change her ways and be a good person. "She is still young," she told herself "Who has found their way at that age?" and then she realized that Christina was two years older than herself, and that she, Hermione, had been on this path for ten years….

-

"I'm really nervous!" Hermione whispered and held on very hard to Harry's hand.

"Why? There is absolutely no reason!" he assured her.

"This is like meeting your real family for the first time, what if they don't like me? What if I like… pick up the wrong fork and throw a snail at them…"

Harry stared perplexed at her.

"I have no idea what the hell you are talking about, but this is the Weasleys', you know most of them - and they already love you so stop with the nerves. Oh yeah, and Sirius is in there and he loves you... a bit much I should say.." he grinned and winked.

Hermione stared up at the huge, or rather tall, house and dreaded going inside. This was his family, they would really have to approve - "but I know them already don't I?" she told herself. "Not as his wife," she added.

Harry opened the front door for her and she walked inside, her hands shaking a bit.

"Hermione, Harry!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed excited and rushed forwards pulling them both into a hug. Hermione exhaled - this might not be that bad after all.

-

Mrs. Weasley handed them both a hot cider as they stood in the kitchen with her.

"You are the first ones here," she announced, "They all ran late in London. Ginny is upstairs and will down shortly. Go on now, try the cider!" she nodded and grinned.

They both hurried to abide the wish of the matriarch. Hermione felt her eyes tear up as she swallowed her sip; it was both very hot and very strong.

"Yes, good isn't it?" Mrs. Weasley grinned and sipped her own drink. "Oh my stew," she mumbled and hurried over to the stove. Harry hurried to point his wand at Hermione's cup and then his own, he lowered the drinks degrees by quite a lot.

They both heard someone at the stairs and looked up and saw Ginny descent the stairs.

"Oh," she said as she saw them. "I didn't hear you come in."

She walked over to them and took Hermione's hand. "So nice to finally meet you Hermione," she smiled and there was something a bit fake about it - it was too perfect. Hermione smiled back and returned the polite words. "And Harry," Ginny smiled and kissed his cheeks.

Hermione took another sip from her drink and tried to think about anything but the fact that Harry had been in love with the pretty redhead.

"Come, let's have a proper drink before dinner, you'll be fine in here right mum?" Ginny asked.

"Oh no, how in the world will I manage without the help of you and your brothers?" Molly mumbled as she poured herself another cider.

They followed Ginny to the living room and she walked over to the bookshelf.

"What do you want?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Well, what do you have?" Harry asked as he sat on the sofa and Hermione walked around the room looking at all the things in there.

Ginny pointed her wand at a very small wooden box who looked like it exploded. Shelves fell out of it and they were lined with drinks.

"Pretty much anything," she answered. "But these bottles" she pointed at the top shelf, "are older than Bill - I warn you."

"I'll have some red currant rum then," Harry said and smiled at Hermione's back. She was so preoccupied by the room - and he could understand. The Burrow had so many things to be preoccupied by.

"What's this?" Hermione asked and pointed at a small box.

"Oh, that's box of candy," Ginny grinned. "Have one if you'd like."

Harry peered around Hermione's shoulder and shot out of the sofa.

"That's a Skiving Snackbox," he hurried before Hermione could blink. "Fred and George make them, they'll make you sick."

Hermione retracted her hand and cast a glance at Ginny.

"Just a joke," she giggled. "Just couldn't imagine someone not knowing what it was."

"Imagine that," Hermione smiled back and then sat down next to Harry.

Ginny walked back to the cupboard and poured Harry's drink.

"What are you having then Hermione?"

"Whatever you're having will be fine," Hermione answered and was handed a glass of nettle wine. "Do I need to smell it to look for any surprises?" Hermione joked and Ginny sat down in the armchair.

"So Ginny, "Harry deliberately changed the subject. Ginny was usually a sweet girl but maybe she was still cross with him for what happened that night when she tried to make a pass at him. "What are your plans now after the war?"

"I am not really sure to be honest; I am still keeping my options open. But I thinking about maybe opening a shop in Diagon Alley, or just work for Fred and George - but I am not sure." Her eyes darted towards Harry and Hermione's hands, their fingers had just intertwined. "Are you headed for the Ministry? I almost thought you'd want to become Minister!"

Hermione was surprised, Ginny had known Harry forever, how could she believe Harry would ever become Minister? Hermione had known him a year and had known at once that nothing like that was for him. He wanted to help others, not be famous and help himself.

"Oh never," Harry laughed and drank a bit. "We're not sure what we are doing, are we?" he turned to Hermione.

"Keeping our options open," she agreed and smiled at him.

"How sweet," Ginny said into her drink.

The front door swung open and now the remaining Weasleys walked in, plus Luna Lovegood. At once they all jumped out of their seats and Hermione felt immensely relieved to see familiar faces. Ginny made her a bit uncomfortable, and the alcohol already made her cheeks hot.

-

Soon they were all sitting around the very crowded table enjoying a remarkable feast prepared by Mrs. Weasley. Hermione made a mental note that; everyone took one hot cider from Molly, but then drank something else. Obviously she always made them strong and hot, she would remember that from now on! Molly kept drinking them though and by the entrée she had a happy glow about her.

The whole conversation was about the future and it made Harry very happy. People had stopped talking about the past's grief and the war most of the times, sure it always came up in between subjects, but generally people looked ahead - it was a nice change.

"And now we will open a store in Hogsmeade as well," Fred announced.

"What about Zonko's?" Luna asked and leaned forward. "I really like Zonkos."

"Well you better get used to our store, because Zonko's is no more," Fred continued and reached for another roll.

"Why?" Harry asked, he hadn't heard anything about.

"Death Eaters blew it up, they knew they were hiding Muggleborns in there. So they blew it up, not a bit left."

They all went quiet and Hermione's heart jumped a bit.

"But," George grinned, "little did they know that Remus Lupin had evacuated them three days before that. Not a single soul got hurt," he grinned happily and it felt like everyone around the table let out a breath.

"Well we have an announcement to make," Ron said and cleared his throat.

"You're getting married!" Molly shrieked and clapped her hands.

"Mum!" he scolded.

"Sorry, the cider…" she looked a bit shameful and they all laughed.

"Well no, we're not," Ron's cheeks got a bit pink. "But we're moving in together," he smiled widely and leaned over and kissed Luna who was beaming. Harry had no recollection of Ron telling him that Luna was moving in with them, or that Ron was moving out.

"And what about you and Angelina?" Molly turned to George. He rolled his eyes and Fred answered for him.

"They are enjoying their youth, stop pressuring him woman." He tossed his napkin at his mother and added, "Besides, why would she want to shack up with him? After her date with me at the Yule ball, she knew she's had the better of the two."

George punched his shoulder and the subject was dropped.

-

Soon it was Hermione's turn to declare what she wanted of her future.

"I honestly have no idea," she said and everyone nodded.

"Don't worry," Mr. Weasley said wisely. "It will come to you."

"We'll I am not really too worried about it," Hermione confessed. "I kind of want to be unemployed for a while. I want to walk around Diagon Alley and look at every single thing in the shops. I want to eat at the restaurants, I want to go on the Hogwarts express - and more than anything - I want to have fun with my new wand." She pulled it out of her pocket and proudly held it up.

Everyone went quiet and she wondered what she had done wrong. Was one not supposed to show their wand? Did they find her lazy for not wanting a job at once? What?

Mrs. Weasley leaned over Ron and Luna and placed her hand on Hermione's.

"That's right dear, you just take your time…" Hermione understood, they were all pitying her for what she had been through, slightly panicked she turned to Harry.

Harry met her eyes and her desperate plea to be taken out of everyone's focus.

"I have been offered a job at the Ministry," he blurted. Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew Harry didn't want anyone to know about it, but still he had said it just to take the focus of her. She grabbed his hand over the table.

"I love you I love you I love you," she thought.

Harry told them all about the offer and everyone had their own idea what he could do at the Ministry, no one had the same idea besides Fred and George who thought he could become "minister of commerce."

"There is certainly no such thing," Mr. Weasley said.

"Could be though!" Fred said.

"You could help our business So much!" George said and they all laughed.

"I wasn't kidding," George muttered from the side of his mouth to Fred.

-

"And what did you think?" Harry said as he took of his shoes. They hadn't been alone since they left the Burrow as Ron and Luna had been with them all the way home.

"Of what?" she called from inside their bathroom, she was removing her makeup.

"What do you think?" he grinned.

"Luna and Ron?"

"Of the evening," he called back and tossed his shoes into the corner. The bathroom door opened and Hermione was wiping her makeup of with a small piece of cotton.

"I love them Harry, I truly do. What a warm family!"

"Aren't they?" he asked happily, truly glad that his wife loved the family he loved so dearly.

"They are all so wonderful, and I find it so funny how Mrs. Weasley keeps babying Ron and he hates it," she giggled.

"I know, that it so much fun," Harry agreed.

Hermione stepped out of the skirt she had been wearing and Harry got a bit distracted. Hermione walked back into the bathroom.

"Ginny though…" she said and he stopped mid-action as he was about to pull his right sock off.

"What about her?" he asked and tugged it off.

"Please, it's obvious."

"What is?"

Hermione stuck her head out of the bathroom.

"Oh lord, Harry, just the fact that you are acting like you have no idea what I am talking about confirms that you know what I mean." She leaned against the doorpost and looked at him, even though he was pretending like he had no idea what she meant she found him so cute when he look all surprised and shocked by her words. She let out a small laugh and then resumed removing her makeup.

"Please, the girl wants you for herself of course," she said from the bathroom not sure he could hear her. When he appeared at the door, leaning against the frame like she just had she knew he had.

"Are you jealous?" he grinned.

"Should I be?" she turned to him and started combing her hair.

"In no way."

"Okay then."

"Is that it?"

"What, did you want me to throw a fit?" she smiled.

"Not at all. I just thought there'd be… well more."

Hermione jumped up on the counter and looked seriously at him.

"Maybe I am a bit tipsy after all the bleeding drinks tonight, but I honestly feel - well at least I think I believe" she grinned, "that we need to trust each other. I have no idea what's happened between you and Ginny. But I know you married me, and what else do I need to know?" she shrugged her shoulders and then added, "Give you; I would want to know if something happened now!"

"I love you," Harry smiled and walked over to her. He placed one hand behind her neck and pulled her to him, she didn't resist - she had been longing for his kisses all night.

When Ginny had been blinking and leaning forward so her plunging neckline was extra visible - she wanted to kiss him right in the Burrow, luckily she could control herself somewhat.

"I need to get ready," she pulled away and reached for her tooth brush. With such a fast movement she hardly noticed it he yanked the toothbrush from her hand and put it to the side.

"Wh-"she managed to get out before his lips were back on her. Harry grabbed the side of her head and pulled her hard and deep into the kiss, his lips felt overwhelming and she felt her limbs get numb for just a few moments. Funny, how he makes me feel more drunk than alcohol, she managed to think before she felt him grab her under her arms and lift her from the bathroom counter. She gasped as she felt her back hit the opposite wall where he now was pinning her, her feet dangled next to his body as he was holding her up.

She was already out of her skirt and she heard the tear as her underwear was suddenly at the floor. She leaned her head back against the cold bathroom wall, just waiting for him. She cried out when she felt him and when she came she had to bite his shoulder not to scream, she remembered that they hadn't Silencio'd the door.

-

Yes guys, we are near the end…

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