Full Summary:
Harry Potter has defeated Voldemort and brought the magical world out from underneath its shadow of fear but now the public declares him mad as he secludes himself within his mansion. Just what is the 'Mad Potter' up to and what requires such secrecy?
Loosely based off "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" and Robert Downey Jr.'s performance in "Sherlock Holmes" for Harry's character persona.
A loud explosion blasted the loose items and knickknacks off shelves and debris floated down like mismatched multi-coloured confetti. A hand shot straight up into the air and blasted away a small mountain of rubbish to reveal the dirty, dusty, disheveled form of Harry Potter. Harry shook his head, stood up and brushed off his lab coat. He straightened his glasses, ran a hand through his messy, unkempt hair and stepped down off the raised platform.
"Luna are you alright my dear?"
A more normal looking blonde-haired woman stepped out from behind a foot-thick glass wall, clipboard in hand and rolled her baby blue eyes. Her blonde hair was swept back into a tight bun and a peculiar looking instrument held it in place.
"Am I alright? I should be asking you that Harry but yes I'm fine."
"A quite unexpected reaction that one. Be sure to note that dragon blood and basilisk venom are not a compatible mix. Bollocks would you look at the state of the lab?"
"Now what would give you that idea? Two of the most dangerous magical creatures in existence and you go and mix some of their properties together."
Harry as usual either chose to be unaffected or remained oblivious to the sarcasm in his friend's voice and hung his lab coat up on a peg near the door. He disappeared behind a partisan and reappeared a couple minutes later well dressed in an expensive robe over his arm. Luna unbuttoned her coat, hung it up next to his and disappeared to get re-dressed behind the partisan. Harry kept his back turned and turned around when Luna rested a hand on his shoulder to let him know she had finished changing.
"Thank you my dear for your excellent observations but I'm afraid I have other matters to attend to. Namely my godson, one mischievous but delightful young boy named Teddy."
Luna kissed Harry's cheek and stepped through the doorway Harry opened. They walked down the long, spiral staircase and Luna left with a reminder to attend the gathering at the Weasley's home later this evening before she vanished in a swirl of green flames via the Floo. Harry pulled on his robes, placed his glasses in an inside pocket and walked out the front door.
"Good afternoon master Harry sir."
Harry stopped his brisk walk down the well-kept cobblestone pathway and knelt down in front of a house elf. He didn't recognize this one but smiled anyway.
"Why hello to you too. I'm afraid I haven't seen you around here before. What is your name my little friend?"
The house elf looked gob smacked that Harry would speak to it and jumped up and down in excitement. Harry placed a hand on its head to stop this and the elf beamed at him.
"Oh, the Master wants to know Wally's name he does he does. My name is Wally master Harry Potter sir. Dobby did say Master Harry Potter was the bestest oh yes he did."
Harry patted Wally's head and continued his walk down to the main gate to his estate. The wrought iron gates and wards dropped at a wave of his hand and Harry turned left to walk down the road to where a small crowd gathered. Most of the people eyed him with curiosity but took a step away from him. Harry didn't mind but stared into the sky and clasped his hands behind his back. A disturbance rippled in the air and a large double decker bus came to a stop in front of Harry. The doors flew open and a small army of children ran off the bus.
"Harry!"
Harry knelt and caught a blue haired boy with brown eyes in his arms. The boy gave him a tight hug and wriggled his free, obviously excited about something.
"Look I caught a Wonkersnap today on the field trip!"
"Ah, and she is a beauty. Excellent job Teddy."
Teddy beamed at the praise and placed the jar back in his bag. Harry smiled as Teddy's hair was now a wild green and so were his eyes. He stood up and held out his hand. Teddy took it and skipped down the road with Harry walking beside him.
"Teddy do you remember where we are going today?"
The young boy's eyebrows furrowed in concentration and then a wide grin threatened to split his face in half.
"It's the Easter party at Grandma Molly's house. Come on let's go!"
Harry laughed when Teddy tugged on his hand and tried to run down the road.
"Whoa there firecracker."
Teddy stopped and stood in front of Harry with his arms crossed. Harry knelt in front of Teddy again and pulled out a multi-coloured bag from inside his robes. Teddy laughed and clapped his hands in excitement to which Harry smiled.
"Now, how are we getting to Grandma Molly's house today?"
"Grindlegizzer! Grindlegizzer!"
A small replica of a regal looking bird floated out of the bag and hovered in front of Teddy's wide, excited eyes. Harry put the bag away and folded his hands over the bird.
"Do you remember the words?"
Teddy nodded and squeezed his eyes shut in concentration.
"When the sky is a baby blue and there's not a single cloud in the sky I call upon the Grinddlegizzer to fly!"
The little replica hummed and flashed beneath Harry's hands before an explosion of alternating red and orange rings appeared in the sky. A large bird flew out of the centre of the rings and broke its descent with a snap of its wings. Teddy laughed and clapped his hands before dashing up to the bird to stroke its beak. The bird trilled and lowered its body to the ground. Harry helped Teddy onto its back and climbed up to sit behind him. Grinddlegizzer screeched and with a powerful flap of its wings flew off into the air.
Hermione helped Molly in the kitchen and spared a quick glance out the window to the party outside. Around a hundred people milled about outside with twenty or so more inside the New Burrow. As a thank you gift to the Weasley family for their help and support during the War, Harry paid for a million galleons in renovations to their home. Arthur and Percy ran for the head of their respective departments (Magical Mishaps and Legalistic) and won with Harry's support. Now, they held an annual Easter party where much political to do's happened and alliances were made.
"They'll be here. When have those two ever been anything but exactly on time?"
Hermione blushed at Molly's teasing question and set some casserole on the entrée tray.
"I know, I know. Wait is that them now?"
Both women headed outside and Hermione gasped as a large bird swooped down from the sky to land on the ground. Harry climbed down and helped Teddy down. Teddy patted the bird's beak and the bird dissolved into gold dust at a phrase from Harry. Harry and Teddy walked hand in hand up an aisle through the crowd and Teddy dashed forward to hug Hermione.
"Hermione!"
Hermione smiled and hugged Teddy. She noticed how well dressed he was and ran a hand through his hair. Her eyes traveled up from an expensive pair of black leather shoes to an elegant but roguish tuxedo and stopped at Harry's mesmerizing emerald eyes. The usual twinkle of mischievousness mixed with an untold number of emotions she called 'madness' swirled in the depths of his eyes and she swooned.
"Always was an excitable child. Hello Hermione and the many Weasley's behind her. We aren't late, are we?"
"Neither late nor early Harry my dear. You arrived on time which I assume is when you wanted to."
"It's all good Molly. Thank you for inviting Teddy and myself."
Harry placed his hands-on Teddy's shoulders as the young boy stood in front of him again after detaching his arms from around Hermione's legs. Although Teddy was still young, he had remarkable talent when sensing the moods of an individual or a crowd and his hair colour kept changing at a cyclic rate as he could sense all the underlying tensions in the atmosphere. With a squeeze on Teddy's shoulders from Harry the young boy's hair stopped on purple and his eyes were yellow. Harry couldn't see the boy's eye colour but from a couple reactions from the crowd he could surmise they were a rather interesting colour and he patted Teddy on the shoulder.
"It goes without saying. What type of party would it be with the-"
"Mad Harry Potter? Do my eyes deceive me or does before me stand The Boy Who Vanquished?"
An awkward silence fell upon the already tense crowd and Ronald Weasley stumbled through the crowd. The youngest Weasley son had acquired a taste for alcohol during the War and one drop turned him into a belligerent, uncontrollable drunk. Charlie and Bill pushed through the crowd to restrain Ron before more damage could be done but Harry was quicker and dissolved into thin air. Everyone gasped and looked confused but not Teddy. The little boy looked excited and his hair and eye colour were a vivid green again.
"Mad says he? Quite an interesting word choice. Quite peculiar now that I come to think about it. Mad as insane? Or mad as in gone around the bend? There are quite so many different vivid variations that overwhelm, overwork, overload-"
"Harry."
Teddy waved his arms and Harry's rather passionate monologue stopped like someone cut his vocal cords.
"Thank you. Now, as green is to grass, copper to brass and yellow to the sun, I the Mad Potter do conjure up some fun."
A giggle of laughter could be heard from behind an archway that sprang up from the ground and a beautiful young girl stepped out from behind it. She twirled towards the crowd and blew a kiss. Teddy clapped his hands and dashed forwards.
"Miss Miranda-Evangeline!"
The young girl waved at Teddy and opened the door behind her. A great whoosh of wind blew out and out spun a well-dressed man. He unfolded his tall frame, straightened his suit and placed a top hat on his head. Teddy waved up at the man and the man stooped over so he could look at Teddy.
"Why hello there my young lad. How are you today?"
"I'm good Mr. Tall-fellow. How are you?"
"I'm feeling quite well. Ah, hello Miranda-Evangeline. You are looking radiant as always. Shall we begin?"
Miranda-Evangeline nodded her dainty head and dashed into the doorway. A moment later she reappeared with a trunk in her arms and set it on the ground. With a loud click she opened the trunk and a larger trunk appeared. The young girl struggled to open this one and a much larger trunk stood over her. Mr. Tall-fellow opened this one and pulled out a multitude of two-dimensional objects, which he set about. Once done he nodded and stood back up to his full height.
"Teddy would you do the honour and say the words?"
Harry's disembodied voice carried out over the grounds and Ron in his stupor shook his head. No one could blame him as this performance was rather peculiar and no one in the crowd knew what to make of it.
"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Magic and laughter a plenty!"
The two-dimensional objects shook and like well working dance partners sprang to life. Right before everyone's very eyes a forest sprang up and Miranda-Evangeline skipped over to the entrance. Mr. Tall-fellow ducked his head and disappeared inside the box. Teddy jumped up and down in excitement, ran over to Hermione and dragged her by her hand to the forest entrance.
"Come on Hermione. You're going to love Pandora. It's one of my favourites of Harry's creations."
"Wait, Harry created…this?"
Hermione's question faltered on the tip of her tongue as she took in 'Pandora.' How in all things magical did Harry create her wild, passionate fantasies that she kept locked up tight within the innermost recesses of her mind?
"Pandora is your escape my dear. Wherever, whenever, whatever. No one person sees and experiences the same exact thing."
Hermione felt warm, pulsing tingles shoot out all over her body as she became hyper aware of how close Harry stood behind her.
"Like the Mirror of the Erised only bigger."
Harry hummed his agreement and Hermione watched as more people from the party trickled inside Pandora. She saw Harry's eyes grow bright and a smile cross his face. Teddy ran past in hot pursuit of something and other guests gasped as they saw their deepest desires.
Hermione sat on the porch railing and swung her legs (careful to not flash anyone a glimpse of her pink knickers underneath her ruby red gown of course) as she watched Harry yell out orders to the kids running around him. Harry, Fred and George were busy setting up the night's culminating event, a firework show and all the children wanted to help the 'Mad Potter'. Parents were distrustful (Hermione had no idea why as Harry adored children) but the children could not be dissuaded and Hermione laughed as Harry pointed and mock yelled at a little boy.
"Magnificent, isn't he?"
Hermione cast a sidelong glance at Luna hen the other woman walked over to lean against the railing and nodded with a smile. She chided herself for her moment of jealousy as Luna was engaged to be married to Neville Longbottom and Hermione blushed at Luna's knowing glance.
"Pandora is Harry's brainchild and he worked without sleeping around the clock for it to be finished for tonight's festivities, but all his efforts tonight are based in your honour. Do enjoy the show."
"Wait, what are you saying? What do you mean?"
Luna giggled with a little wave and disappeared in a swirl of fireflies. Hermione grit her teeth in frustration, but Teddy ran up to her and hugged her around her waist. Hermione's annoyance washed away with the boy's kind gesture and Harry walked up the centre of the aisle towards them. Fred and George ran over to Angelina and Alicia. Harry stopped next to Teddy and placed him up on his shoulders.
"Are we ready to begin Teddy?"
"Yes."
Hermione smiled as Teddy whispered, his eyes fixated on the black, nighttime sky and his hands fisted into Harry's messy ebony hair. Harry closed his eyes and muttered something underneath his breath. Hermione's eyes narrowed as her academic mind kicked in and the answer came to her with the force of a freight train. Harry's mutterings were a litany of voice activation runes! Her suspicions were proven to be correct when bright, multi-coloured fireworks shot up into the sky with an explosion of colours. Hermione gasped at the clarity and colour of the fireworks. Teddy clapped and squirmed on Harry's shoulders.
"More blue Harry! More…ow…"
Hermione glanced up at Teddy who rubbed his leg and Hermione saw Harry incline his head to her. Teddy grumbled under his breath and looked at Hermione.
"Would you like to pick a pattern or colour Hermione? Please be quick as I would like my turn."
Hermione's eyes narrowed but the conclusion came to her and she smiled.
"Some red and gold perhaps?"
A sea of red and gold fireworks exploded a moment later and Hermione giggled as a monstrous Gryffindor lion burped the words "Hermione Granger's choice!" Everyone murmured and turned around to look at Hermione where she stood in front of the porch. A couple of other brilliant colours flashed into the sky and Hermione recognized the important events that had happened in her and Harry's life up until a year ago. When the Boy Who Lived, now the Man Who Vanquished, had fallen into "madness." When she looked at Harry a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips and the fireworks continued to paint their life together.
The party wound down considerably after the final huzzah of fireworks and the political who's who sipped from their nightcaps as they finalized deals or alliances and made promises to keep up later. Hermione smiled at the men, both young and old as she walked around with a tray of nightcaps. Ginny did the same along with Molly as all three women knew the alcohol would loosen the tongues of the men and make the talks go smoother. Hermione kept an eye on Harry as she was afraid he might vanish into thin air, but he still talked with Bill about Gringotts and besides, Harry wouldn't leave Teddy, who slept upstairs in Ginny's room.
"Just a few more minutes dear and then you can go to him."
Hermione smiled gratefully at Molly and emptied her tray of drinks as fast as she could. She set it down on a trash table and made her way over to Harry. His eyes swept over her, making Hermione blush but she stood by his side a few seconds later. Bill nodded to her and excused himself to go find his wife, Fleur.
"You appeared to be having a serious conversation. What was it about?"
Harry smiled at Hermione and she swooned. The effect he had on her was ridiculous, but Hermione would bear every second of it if he stayed near her.
"Bill just finished telling me about the final touches of a deal I made with the Goblin Nation and it has come to pass rather nicely."
"You didn't tell me you had made a deal with the Goblin Nation. Harry that's dangerous."
"That is why people call me mad my dear. Have I gone mad?"
Hermione smiled and cupped his cheeks in her hands. The tingles raced through her body at the proximity between them and if Harry wanted to, he could look down to see Hermione had gone braless that night. True to his noble character however, Harry's eyes stayed locked with Hermione's.
"You're already half-way there but I'll let you in on a little secret. All good people are mad in some way or another."
Harry kissed Hermione on her forehead, a gesture that had started right after he killed Voldemort and they finished their seventh year. The gesture never failed to warm Hermione's heart and she reveled in the contact. No one else kissed her head, not that she would allow anyone to and she lived for the familiar contact.
"The evening does draw to a close and I need to pick up my charge before I head back to my estate. Molly making you a room for tonight?"
Hermione shook her head and held onto Harry's forearms. Tonight was one of the few and far in between occasions Harry made a public appearance and all his friends and family did their best to make him stay as long as possible.
"No, the New Burrow is booked for tonight and I'll just apparate back to my flat. Why?"
"I still don't like that you live by yourself. Why don't you spend the night in your room at my estate?"
Butterflies erupted in Hermione's stomach at Harry's offer and she nodded as she couldn't speak. Guests did not just walk in or invite themselves over to the Potter Estate, one had to be invited and only Luna frequented it daily as she was Harry's assistant. Such secrecy and seclusion did not sit well with Hermione, but she respected Harry's wishes. Besides, Hermione and the others had themselves to partly blame for not being as close to Harry as they used to be. After the War, everyone wanted and needed different things. Many wanted to party and drink away their demons and ghosts while a few wanted some desperate alone time.
Since Harry had not allowed anyone to go with him on the Horcruxes hunt, he himself required the most time alone to recover from everything that he had seen. People had approached him and asked about his travels, but Harry would give a tight smile and change the topic. Hermione and everyone that knew Harry finally relented when he allowed someone in on the Potter Estate and the wizarding public had been shocked when Luna Lovegood, fiancé to Neville Longbottom was Harry's choice. Neville, Luna and Harry had discussed the relationship, both working and personal and Luna and Neville had told everyone else that everything was to be taken care of.
"Hermione?"
Hermione had been shocked of course at his decision, praying fervently that his choice would have been her and felt…betrayed when Luna took on the role of Mad Potter's assistant. Luna, in her typical fashion had sensed this and had an enlightening chat with Hermione as she explained in her dreamy fashion that Harry needed someone that had endured a fraction of the emotional maelstrom inside of him. Hermione had grudgingly agreed with this logic as she knew her life, both muggle and magical had been princess like. Harry supported her every decision financially and her parents did as well. Now, for Harry to offer what he was…was a privilege and Hermione dared to hope that his isolationist lifestyle was coming to an end.
"I have my own room? I don't have a change of clothing though."
"Yes you have your own room. I converted one of the guest rooms over with you in mind and sleepwear won't be a problem as you can wear one of my old jersey's if you want."
Hermione blushed at all the mental images and fantasies that provided and it was all she could do to nod. How did Harry make her, Hermione Granger, the cleverest witch of her age and respected magical researcher turn into a monosyllabic pile of goo with just his words? Honestly, she should have more of a defence against his charms since she had been his best friend all these years!
"Thank you Hermione. You have no idea how worried I get when I think of you alone in your flat. Even with Voldemort gone, all his Inner Circle Death Eaters dead and most of his support base gone, I don't think all the troubles are over yet. Let me grab Teddy and we can apparate back to my estate."
Hermione's cheeks tinged a dark pink again at his words and she stared lovingly at his back as he left to grab his godson. Ginny stopped at her side and smirked at Hermione's expression.
"Is it safe to say-"
"Shut up Ginny."
Ginny laughed and patted Hermione on the back. Harry reappeared, a sleeping Teddy in his arms and he nodded farewell to Ginny. Ginny thankfully, hadn't pursued Harry after the War and instead opted to be a good friend as she dated Dean Thomas. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and they apparated to his estate.
Even though it was dark, Hermione fell in love with Harry's estate as soon as she saw it and she regretted that she had to sleep as she wanted to explore. A house elf appeared with a lantern and guided them up to the walkway to the front door. The house elf waved its hand and the front door opened for the four of them to step inside.
"Master Harry's Miss Mione Grangy's room is ready and her bath is drawn, so says Dobby, Master Harry sir. Wally has placed clothes for Little Master Teddy, Master Harry and Master Harry's Miss Mione Grangy he has Master Harry sir. Dobby is telling Wally that Master Harry's mail from yesterday and today has been sorted and that the dragon's eggs is ready to be hatching tomorrow. Miss Lady Luna the Dreamer told Dobby who told Wally that Master Harry is not to touch the dragon eggs until she comes back later today she has. That is all Wally has to report Master Harry sir."
"Thank you Wally. Please check the status of the wards and a perimeter check before you retire."
Hermione stood there impressed and curious, but Harry moved to the grand spiral staircase and Hermione followed. She smiled as Harry changed a very sleepy Teddy into pajamas, tucked him in and agreed to his godson's groggy request to teach him how to fly tomorrow. They exited the room, shut the door except for a small crack and walked down the hallway. Harry stopped outside another room, pushed open the door and extended his arm for Hermione to step inside.
She gasped at the beautiful décor of the room with its light brown walls and slightly darker trimming. A very comfortable looking queen size bed dominated one side of the room with floor to ceiling solid wood bookcases and a matching desk dominating the far wall. A walk-in closet next to the door that led to an adjoining bathroom occupied the final wall and Hermione embraced Harry in a tight hug as soon as she took in everything. She blushed at his deep chuckle and sighed when Harry hugged her back.
"This is the exact replica of my room back home. How did you…?"
"I might have visited your parents after I got mostly everything settled in my mind after the War. Your mum was only too happy to share stories, show me picture albums and give me a tour of your house."
Hermione released Harry, stepped back and glared at him with her hands on her hips. Harry smiled that sexy, mischievous smile he was famous for when he was a student at Hogwarts and leaned against the doorframe. He shook his head at the thoughts in his head and gave a dramatic sigh. Hermione's glare didn't lessen in intensity and she wanted to smack him like she used to when the two of them were students at Hogwarts. That opportunity had passed however as the 'Golden Trio' as Ron, Harry and Hermione were still called had completed their seventh and final year at Hogwarts and graduated with due honours.
Hermione had of course graduated at the head of their class in academics and had been snatched up by many of the departments in the Ministry despite her muggle born status. Ron had graduated, with much assistance from his group of friends but had been overshadowed by Harry in Quidditch, academics, women, popularity and…well everything. It wasn't really Harry's fault for training extensively in both the physical and magical aspects, but Harry had succeeded at everything he set his mind to. He graduated as Head Boy, Quidditch Captain and third in their class for academics (behind Hermione and Daphne Greengrass). Many departments in the Ministry, namely the Aurors, Unspeakables and Department of Mysteries had heavily recruited for him, but Harry had smiled and in the last press conference before he retreated to his family estate had graciously declined all the offers before naming friends of his that would be "perfectly suited for all these wonderful opportunities".
"Don't give me that look Hermione. It has always been my dream for you to stay here at my family's estate and…well, live with Teddy and I."
Hermione's expression turned to one of shock and her glare dissolved into a smirk. Harry's eyes widened and he gulped as Hermione's brown eyes danced with mirth.
"Oh pray do tell how secluding yourself in your family's estate for a year is helping me in my decision as to live here or not. I am all ears Harry."
"I…I…do you trust me?"
Hermione's expression changed again to one of concern as Harry seemed to fold in on himself. His broad shoulders slumped and his magical aura faltered greatly. Hermione cried out softly and took his much larger hands in hers as tightly as she could.
"Of course I trust you Harry. What's wrong?"
Harry didn't answer and walked out of Hermione's room with her hands still linked with his. He led her back down the grand spiral staircase, through the beautiful, expansive foyer and through a pair of white double doors. Hermione had little time to marvel at the beautiful décor and she wanted to ask so many questions, but Harry refused to slow his gait. They passed through two more rooms before Harry stopped in front of a rather plain, maple wood door. His eyes flashed a bright green for a second and the door clicked before it swung inwards. Harry walked through and Hermione followed him as they walked down a metal grate spiral staircase. Hermione rolled her eyes as she imagined that all the staircases in the Potter Estate must be spiral and she giggled.
"Welcome to my private lab where all my madness is born."
Giant metal spheres hummed with magical power and bright zips of magic crackled between each sphere. The very floor that the two of them stood on vibrated and hummed with the power resonating in the room and Hermione's eyes drank in the quirky magnificence of the giant room. There were rows of metal tables on which a multitude of peculiar instruments rested and nothing in the room lay still. Everything was in motion and Hermione spun around trying to take it all in.
"You…you created all…this?"
Harry laughed and nodded his head.
"What do you think I've been doing all this time? I've poured over all the books in the library on the second floor and borrowed some from Dumbledore's private library. I've read all of Nicholas Flamel's works and every tome on all the magical schools in the world. Both here in England and on the Continent. I've compiled all that research into one of the biggest books ever written and spent most of the initial Potter and Black fortune to build all of this. It goes without saying that all my inventions and ideas have rebuilt both fortunes and then some but that's beside the point."
Hermione smiled as she drank in the room and heard the pride ringing through Harry's tones. If magical Britain could see what she was seeing, then no one would ever call Harry Potter mad again and Hermione's face brightened at the prospect.
"Why don't you show the magical world all of this and tell them all about your research?"
Harry smiled, shook his head and grabbed her hands. Jolts of electricity shot up Hermione's arm and a blush alighted on her cheeks at the sensation.
"Luna, Neville and I have been working on that, but we don't have all the pieces put in place yet and besides, we need more manpower."
Hermione nodded her head, hundreds of scenarios running through her mind as to how Harry could accomplish this goal and her brain screeched to a halt as the last part of Harry's statement sunk in. She looked up into his eyes and her breath faltered when she noticed how much closer he stood in front of her.
"More manpower? Harry, any magical researcher would kill to stand and see what I'm seeing right now! You could literally have the top researchers from all over the magical world queuing up for miles outside your front door and desperate to prove to you why they deserve to have a chance to be here."
"I'm not suited for that Hermione and you know it. I'm a doer, not a planner and would botch up the application procedure so bad that Ron or Malfoy would be down here. Luna and Neville both expressed that they wouldn't want to do all that either and they already are performing their duties perfectly."
Hermione arched and eyebrow at him, crossed her arms underneath her chest (which pushed her breasts up and gave Harry an eyeful, but he nobly looked into her eyes instead) and tapped her foot.
"Their duties huh? What are they doing working for you Harry?"
Harry smiled and his white teeth contrasted beautifully against his tanned skin. Hermione smiled as well as it had been so long since she had seen him smile like this and she had almost forgotten how damn sexy he looked.
"Luna is my assistant and my head explorer. She finds all sorts of rare magical creatures and travels the world to find out what the tendencies of all the societies are. Neville of course accompanies her whenever he can but uses his position of Longbottom of Longbottom to keep the Ministry off my back. I too, try my best to keep those pesky buggers off my back but the more allies and friends the better."
"But Harry you haven't stepped foot in the Ministry or the Wizengamot since the fall of Voldemort."
Harry clucked his tongue and wagged his finger at her like one would a small child. Hermione sputtered indignantly and went to launch into a tirade, but Harry spoke first.
"I've made my intentions known through post and Floo fireplace meetings. Minister Shacklebolt and Director Bones of Magical Law Enforcement have been most kind and there are a few other Department Heads that are sympathetic to my cause. Your own department, the Department of Magical Research has been tasked with a few of my experiments from time to time I believe."
Hermione sputtered again but the indignation seeped out of her when she realised Harry was right. Director Hudgens, the beautiful and exotic Latina had called many meetings about some rather peculiar research assignments and stated that the benefactor paid top notch so who were they to complain?
"Where do I fit into all of this?"
"Why, I thought that would have been rather obvious. I would like to hire you as a full-time member to my staff and since the lab is running smoothly now, I have more time to myself. Would you do me the honour of being my lover and girlfriend Hermione Jane Granger?"
The colour drained from Hermione's face her expression fell and she almost felt boneless as the magnitude of what Harry was asking her for hit her with the force of a dragon's breath. Hermione's brain re-fired and she latched herself to him with her arms around his neck and lips pressed feverishly against his. Harry smiled into the bruising kiss and wrapped his strong arms around her waist.
Hermione had always wondered what it would be like to kiss Harry and from what Ginny had told her, Harry had turned out to be quite the snog. Ginny's breathless, dreamy recounting of all the times she had kissed Harry didn't do the man in question any justice as Hermione felt like she had died and gone to heaven. Harry lips were soft, gentle and firm against hers and when his tongue swept into her open mouth Hermione could not help the righteous moan that gurgled out from the back of her throat. The newly formed couple broke apart and Hermione beamed up at Harry.
"I would love to be your girlfriend."
Hermione giggled and hugged Harry again with a giggle.
"Can you imagine what everyone's going to say? Our friends will say 'I told you so' and the press will probably give me a title like 'Mad Potter's girlfriend.' That's ridiculous of course as I know you're not mad but brilliant."
"I don't care what everyone else thinks and the Daily Prophet is about to go bankrupt if I don't renew my lease in the company, so they'll be singing a different tune very soon. As long as you're by my side I could care less about the musings and mechanics of the outside world."
Hermione's answer to Harry's short speech was another loving kiss and she sighed as she sank into oblivion.