Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, obviously.
Note: I have big, huge plans for this story. In its due time, this will be HHr, and is canon-compliant up to the real end. I'd really appreciate it if you dropped a line saying what you think about the writing, and the direction that the story is going in. It's going to be a long, but not slow, one.
Harry Potter and the Last Enemy
Much like any other morning, Harry Potter had woken up with his pulse racing and instinctively grabbed at his forehead. After some fumbling in search of his glasses, Harry blinked the room around him into focus. Confirming for himself that he was definitely not back at the Battle of Hogwarts that had fueled his nightmares, he allowed himself a moment's embarrassment for reaching for the scar. It had not hurt since the night Harry had defeated Voldemort and yet his desire to reach for it had not faded. Stifling a yawn, he quickly threw on his trainers and unsuccessfully tried to tame his bushy, black hair before quietly walking sneaking through the door to allow Ronald Weasley, his best mate and one-third of the Golden Trio, to continue in his snore-filled slumber.
Upon exiting his room, Harry took in the house around him. He could not help but marvel at the changes that Grimmauld Place had undergone over the summer. After the exhilaration of winning the war had subsided, many of the warriors realized their stark new reality; they were all soldiers who had suffered grief and loss of many of their loved ones. Harry realized the necessity of a home for all of these wayward souls, both in the physical and emotional sense. He soon offered his house as a shelter for those without family or those who needed a place to readjust after the war. It soon had become clear that he had not thought this all of the way through. What he imagined to be a dwelling for himself and the Weasley family, without their Burrow, had soon taken in many of the Hogwarts' students that had fought alongside him in the Battle, as well as the last remnants of the Order of the Phoenix.
Wrapped up in his thoughts, he instinctively headed to the kitchen area. He had stood in the doorway of the kitchen for nearly a minute before his focus was brought back to the reality of the world in the form of a familiar voice.
"Harry? What brings you out of bed at this hour?" questioned Hermione Granger.
Harry pulled a chair out from the table that Hermione, his best friend and the final third of the Golden Trio, was sitting out. She too was in her nightwear, and had made no attempt to control her bushy mane of hair. "Nightmare", he answered honestly. "I didn't feel like trying to sleep anymore after it".
Hermione's inquisitive look had softened into one of concern immediately after his admission. Locking her soft, brown eyes with his bright green, she simply nodded with understanding-after the Battle, nightmares were common with almost all of Grimmauld Place's residents.
"It wasn't one of my worst", Harry said in an attempt to ease the worry in her gaze. "I was now actually marveling at the changes to the house. I can't believe it, but I think I'm going to miss it here when we leave". This brought a tired smile.
Grimmauld Place had indeed gone through quite the change following the move-in of nearly forty people. As always, Hermione had fixed the problems that Harry impulsive offer had caused. With some inspiration from their magically-enlarged tent that had become their home during the Horcrux Hunt, she had Charmed the Place with extra bedrooms, an expanded kitchen, and a large Common Room. With the help of everyone, particularly Molly Weasley, they had cleaned the house of the last bits of the Black Family legacy, and had made it into a cozy dwelling separated from the rest of the world.
"Why are you up, though Hermione?" he asked after a glance at his wristwatch, a gift from the Weasley's for his seventeenth birthday, revealed it was 5:45 in the morning.
She dropped her eye contact for a split-second, before responding, "I'm just going over the list one final time. I want to be sure that everyone has what they need when we leave this afternoon. It seems that we have all of the books, including some that I repossessed from Hogwarts' Library, plenty of potion supplies, more quills that we could possibly need, and all the clothes that you boys have left in piles around the house".
"My, my Granger, taking books from the Library, are we? Did you check them out with Madam Pince?" He shot her a smile that never quite reached his eyes following a snort from his friend, before adding, "-And?"
"And what, Harry?"
"Come on, Hermione, we spent the last year together in a tent. I know you make plans and contingencies for those plans, and contingencies for THOSE plans, but there's something more. Something you're holding in…" He let the statement hang, not accusingly but, knowingly.
She sighed, before placing her head down on her folded hands on the table. "And Ron and I got into a bit of a row last night, if you must know". She continued, "He had seemed to understand us going to school. Now, I don't know. I think the shock of us not being here while he stays didn't register with him until now".
While Ron had not expressed his feelings to Hermione until now, Harry was acutely aware of his best friend's thoughts on the subject. He, Hermione, some of their year, and the rest of Hogwarts' students were going to Beauxbatons Academy for the upcoming school year. They had all hoped that Hogwarts would be in good enough shape for them to return, but the building and the powerful wards around it were simply too broken to be fixed over the summer. With a fierce ally in the form of Fleur Delacour, the British Ministry of Magic had brokered a deal for one year to be spent by British young witches and wizards abroad. Unlike them, Ron was staying in London, to take Fred's place in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and to be there for his family after the loss of their son.
Harry had actually hoped to have stayed as well. Some weeks before, he had approached Kingsley Shacklebolt about the possibility of joining the Auror Department and forgoing his final year at school. Harry could remember the pained look in Shacklebolt's eyes when he carefully replied, "Harry, I know you're one hell of a soldier, and the Chosen One to boot. I have no doubt that you could outduel the last of the Death Eaters that we are rounding up. But tell me-can you do a Disillusion Charm so well concealed that you are as invisible as using your Cloak? Can you brew a Polyjuice Potion? Could you track down these Death Eaters with only a modicum of their whereabouts? If we were more properly staffed, we could afford to train you in the field. As it is, we have no one to train and we have to finish this war out properly. I'm sorry, Harry, get your N.E.W.T's, and then we would love to have you". The Head Auror, now Minister of Magic, although understanding, had an unmistakable sense of finality in his strong and smooth voice.
When Harry had told Ron the news, his friend quickly offered a job in the Joke Shop and Harry knew just how much Ron had wanted him to stay. Harry had been sorely tempted by this, but knew he was resolute in going to school and becoming an Auror. While Ron was crestfallen about this, Harry too thought that he understood, if not appreciated, where his mate was coming from.
Harry pondered his next few words carefully, hoping to be diplomatic. "I think Ron will make it through fine. Just a bit of a shock that the Golden Trio won't be intact, you know." Harry eyed Hermione before continuing, "and that's not to say anything about the woman he's still crazy about leaving for France for a year".
Hermione paused at this. "But-but…we never, we never even dated! This summer's been too chaotic, too filled with healing to establish anything beyond our friendship. Just because we kissed in an adrenaline-fueled Battle doesn't mean I'm betrothed to him! He doesn't have to be a prat about it, it's only a year". With this, Hermione sat up, crossed her arms and looked at Harry with a stare that he knew. The stare that said it; if he were to continue, he would be hexed black and blue.
Rolling his eyes at her seriousness, he decided it would be best to change the subject. "So, what exactly are we studying this year? I know you bought the books for me, but I can't remember exactly what we're taking".
"Harry Potter, for someone who needs to focus on his education and get 'Exceeds Expectations' on his five N.E.W.T's, you can be so incredibly thick-skulled". He knew that he had succeeded only partially in getting rid of her dour attitude from seconds before, as it was now equal parts exasperation and amusement.
'"I knew that you'd pick them better than I ever could. What's the benefit of being best friends with the best witch in the school otherwise?" This earned him an eye-roll, which was less convincing with the slightest tinge of red seeping into her cheeks.
"Your compliments will only get you so far, Potter. Don't think I have forgotten the last time we took classes together; there will be no cheating from books of juvenile Death Eater's this time! But you and I are taking Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology and special lessons from Professor McGonagall to replace Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'll also be taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, obviously…Beauxbatons also offers classes on Healing and Occlumency for upper-level students, do you want to take those? I signed us both up for those to replace History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures, but of course you don't need them for your N.E.W.T's. I thought that I would explore my options in those and I do think that they could be quite interesting". Harry shook his head as it was obvious how excited Hermione must be to be back in her element of education.
"Actually, Healing and Occlumency sound great. Maybe I won't be as rubbish I was at Occlumency without a piece of Voldemort inside of me…and without Professor Snape tearing my mind apart for hours at time. They'll probably be useful in the field". He then beamed at his friend and enclosed his hand around hers, "Thanks Hermione, really. I wouldn't want to go to school without you by my side".
With just a scratch of a heavy throat to show her hidden emotions, she replied, "I'll always be by your side Harry".