Christmas Day

It was the Christmas following the war. He who must not be named was finally dead and the couple standing with the Minister for Magic had wasted no time in saying their vows. There were only two other people standing there beside the bride and groom and it was the girl-no, woman standing next to his sister that caught his attention.

She was wearing a dress that was festive yet elegant at the same time. The dress was the shade of rubies and was a beautiful drop against the elegant curls of her normally bushy hair. It stopped just below her knees and her legs were bare save for the gold heeled sandals on her feet. The simple outfit was completed with delicate gold dangly earrings in each of her ears. She had curves in all the right places and her legs looked lush in the heeled sandals.

As if sensing his eyes on her, she slowly turned her head until her eyes met his. He gave her a slight smirk that no one else caught and she darted her eyes to the couple beside her almost as quickly. Well, well, well he thought.

Soon, the minister pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Harry kissed his lovely bride. There was a tent set up outside the Burrow much like the one that had been set up for Fleur and Bill's wedding-only this time there would be no threat of unwanted Death Eaters trespassing on the happy occasion. After a lengthy speech from Sirius welcoming Ginny to his family as a daughter and a speech from Arthur welcoming Harry finally becoming his son in every sense of the word, dancing commenced and various couples took to the floor.

It was at one of the tables that he found her sitting on her own watching the others. He came up quietly and had a seat at the same table in one of the chairs slightly behind her. "Want to join them?" he leaned forward and asked quietly in her ear. She jumped at the slight tremor that ran through her as he leaned in close and spoke where only she could hear. "You want to dance….with me?" she asked. "What's wrong Granger? I don't bite." he replied evenly.

She took a deep breath and placed her hand in his and let him lead her to the dance floor. Almost as soon as they got there, a slow song started and he pulled her close to him and put his arms around her waist after deftly pulling her arms around the back of his neck. He led her ever so gently around the dance floor. Their bodies fit perfectly and they moved together in perfect rhythm. Soon, without them realizing it, they had danced the rest of the night and the wedding was over.

"Where are you staying tonight Granger?" he asked. "Honestly Fred, you sound like Ronald" was her reply. As he just continued to look at her she finally answered "In my flat on Diagon Alley. I'm going to floo there from here." He gently led her into the house and to the fireplace. They both stepped inside and shouted "Diagon Alley" as he threw the floo powder down and in a flash they were gone. They arrived very shortly just outside the Leaky Cauldron and carefully stepped out of the public floo and dusted the soot off themselves. "It's just up in the building there" she told him as she pointed in front of them.

While they walked she asked him about the store and about his and George's plans for the future and listened excitedly as he talked about expanding and telling her their plan to by Zonko's in Hogsmeade close to Hogwarts. She knew the kind of advanced magic they used to charm their products and she was very proud of them. They may not have finished all seven years at Hogwarts, but, they certainly knew their calling in life and they excelled at it-not that she thought they wouldn't.

He asked about her future and she told him about her job in the Ministry as executive assistant to the head of the magical law enforcement. In the muggle world, she might be called an assistant district attorney, but, in the Wizarding World, she was just Hermione Granger and she preferred it that way. She told him of the trials she was preparing for and the work that she oversaw as those Death Eaters who hadn't been captured created while the magical law enforcement department looked for them. The various ministry officials reported to her and she in turn reported to the head of the department-Arthur Weasley.

When they got to her flat, she opened her door and invited him in. He followed and expressed himself shocked. It was a large flat but cozy all the same. He knew that Harry, Ron, and she had all received a trust from the Ministry for their work in defeating Voldemort. Looks like she used hers for this piece of heaven right in the center of Diagon Alley. As if reading his mind, she confirmed his thoughts that yes she used part of her trust to buy the flat, put some towards her savings, and the rest towards SPEW.

At the mention of SPEW he gave a small smirk. Upon seeing his smirk, Hermione's ire was raised immediately. "Don't you understand that they've been used and treated as servants their entire lives! They deserve better!" She was so worked up over the cause that was near and dear to her heart that she missed when he casually walked over to her, tipped her chin and pressed his lips to hers ever so gently. The kiss was chaste and very sweet-two characteristics he would associate with her from that moment forward. "Goodnight Princess" he whispered lowly as he slipped out of her door to head to his own flat above the store he owned with his brother right down the Alley.