Halloween, eight years after Voldemort's death
1:00 P.M.
"Ron! Are you quite sure your parents can't watch the children?" Hermione called to her husband.
"Yeah, and Mum would hex the hell outta me if I ask again." Ron replied gloomily. "She and Dad really DO want to go on this vacation, Hermione, and they're quite serious about starting it now. You know how Mum is when she controls the planning on something. Everything's set down to the second. There's no way around it."
She groaned. They'd been planning on going apple picking with Harry and Ginny as a late fall couples' date, followed by dinner In their respective domestic lives, both Harry and Hermione had succeeded in engaging their spouses in some Muggle activities-so long as they retained a hint of magic about them. On this particular day, for instance, they'd be apparating to an orchard that employed Weather Charms to ensure that crops had optimal growing conditions year round. However, it looked like they'd have to bring the toddlers along for the adventure. Hermione quickly rang up Harry's home phone.
"Hel-James Sirius, don't hog all the tasty Bertie Bott beans, share them with Albus, please!-Hello?"
She laughed softly at the mischief that always swirled around the Potter home. "Hi, Harry," she smiled. "Sorry to be a bother, but would you mind if Ron and I brought Hugo and Rose along for the apple picking? It's been an absolute nightmare finding anyone to babysit, you know how big Halloween is for witches and wizards. And Molly and Arthur are going out of town…"
"Sure, don't worry about it," he answered. "I think James and Albus would like the company-and so would I, to be honest. They do get so excited for today. It can be a bit overwhelming at times." He held the phone up to his two sons. "Hey, what d'you two say to seeing Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, Hugo, and Rose a bit sooner than we planned?"
"YEAH!" They cheered. Harry put the phone back up to his mouth.
"Well, there's your answer," he grinned.
Laughing, she replied, "Thanks. Be over in a few."
By 1:20, three Weasleys and a Granger were placing a pinch of Floo Powder into their fireplace.
"Hermione, I'm sure we could use Side-Along Apparition with the children by now. Look who they've got for a mother, they're brilliant, they could handle it," Ron wheedled.
"No, Ronald." she replied sternly. "I do not want them getting splinched on Halloween, or ever, thank you very much." Her eyes twinkled a bit. "But I appreciate the compliment." She kissed his cheek.
He sighed, but sided with his wife. Some battles just weren't that important.
They exited the Potters' extra large fireplace. It could comfortably fit at least four people. Each family had specially designed one so their friends could come over and not worry about the kids getting out at the wrong grate. Harry and Hermione had never entirely forgotten his first ever go with Floo Powder, when he'd gotten himself lost down Knockturn Alley.
"Happy Halloween!" James and Albus chorused, sprinting towards the family friends.
"Hey! How much candy are you two gonna get tonight, huh?" Ron asked, grinning.
"Sooo much," James answered, his eyes growing wide in anticipation of his massive haul.
"I'm gonna get more!" Albus exclaimed.
"Not on my watch, you're not," Ginny chimed in. "Both of you already eat more than enough sweets as it is."
"Aww, mom!"
"Is dad going to work today?" James asked.
Ginny's face suddenly blanched for a second. "Err…yes, he is," she muttered. "I forgot about that. He's probably going quite soon, actually."
"Why does he always go today?" Albus frowned.
"He just has to," his mother replied vaguely.
Ron diffused the odd situation with humor, one of the better talents he'd developed in parenthood. "Say, boys, d'you want to show Hugo and Rose your costumes? And I can tell you about the time-" He stretched his hands out wide- "Harry got ALL the sweets on the Hogwarts Express! The whole trolley!"
"The WHOLE trolley?" they asked in awe.
"Yeah, the WHOLE thing," he repeated, grinning.
"Okay!" they agreed and ran upstairs, Ron in tow.
Hermione snorted. "Sometimes I think I'm married to a child. He's great with the kids, though, I'll give him that."
"Yeah," Ginny answered. She fussed with the candy apples in the fridge.
"By the way, if Harry's got to go down to the office, you didn't have to invite us over. I'm sure we could've found someone to watch the kids." Hermione found Ginny's sudden distance a bit odd.
"No, no. It's…well, he's going to Godric's Hollow," she answered quietly. "Always does on Halloween, since…" The silence was a perfect explanation.
"Oh. Right. Sorry." She hesitated, then asked, "D'you think he'd mind if I went up and talked to him? You know where he is?"
"He should be…"
"Oi, what's this, my wife and my best friend gossiping about me?" he feigned indignation from the staircase. He joked, "Lucky my ears aren't on fire."
"Do all your jokes have to be so terribly dull, love?" Ginny called, but her voice held no hostility.
"You're the Weasley, you've got more than enough humor for the both of us." He smiled, walked through to the kitchen, and kissed her, then hugged Hermione. "'Lo. Say, where's the rest of ya?"
She rolled her eyes. "Ron's upstairs, regaling the children with tales of how you bought the whole sweets trolley out your first time on the train."
Ginny gave him a slap on the arm. "Right beast you were, Harry Potter. Never thought some other children might want something, huh?"
He laughed and playfully shoved the redhead away. "Hey, it was the first time I was allowed to buy anything and had more than a couple quid on me. I couldn't resist."
Ginny's laugh drops to the floor, curls up, and dies when she sees he's got a scarf on. "So you're going now, then?"
"Yep."
"Know when you'll be back?"
"Not too sure."
"Right, then. I'll see you later. Please don't be too long, the boys will miss you. And I'm sure Hugo and Rose will want to see you at some point, too." She swoops over and gives him a peck.
"Sure thing."
Hermione very nearly clutches his arm after Ginny lets go, but figures it's better not to look like she cares too much. Instead, her brown eyes meet his green ones. She cocks an eyebrow.
"She doesn't go with you?"
The bright green color fades slightly, like a shirt that's been through the washer a few too many times.
"Nope. Long story."
He can see her brain whirring, trying to create a scenario, an explanation, that makes Ginny's absence acceptable to her. But there isn't one. She turns to the irrational, figuring that will shed some light on the situation. A guessing glance, with a generous amount of worry heaped on at the end.
"It's cause you want to be alone, right?"
He wishes this girl didn't know him quite so well. It would make lying a lot easier.
"No."
She barely even registers that he looked away before she says, "I'll go with you."
"Oh, you don't have to, Hermione…" Ginny protests.
"No, it's fine." There's false cheer in her voice. It's lifeless, like Christmas decorations that are still up in the middle of January. "Godric's Hollow was absolutely beautiful the last time I saw it, and I figure I can take some time to appreciate it more now, since I won't be worrying about Voldemort popping up any second." She fakes a laugh, then asks Harry, "Is that alright with you?"
"Yeah, it's fine, thanks." He, too, keeps his voice light, as Ginny's still in the room, and he doesn't want her to hear just how much it means to him.
Another kiss and hug from him and a wave from Hermione precede the "pop."