Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters, insignia and stuff are owned by J.K. Rowling and not by me.
"Are you sure this is the right place, I mean, this is too big for one person…"
"Sure, I'm sure. Besides, I'm not living here alone." Hermione Granger informed her schoolmate, Gwen White as they both got off their brooms beside a white townhouse. "I don't know who they are but with this enormous house, I doubt it would matter for we may not see each other anyway." Hermione loved privacy, which was one of the reasons why she never availed of a dorm at the university.
"So, well, are you going to tour me in your new home or just stare at it until our eyeballs dry up?" Gwen tossed her blonde hair as she said so with a hint of sarcasm.
Hermione adjusted her backpack. "Nope." With that, she pulled Gwen to the mahogany door and muttered a spell that unlocked the brass knob. "I'm home."
Gwen stared at the magnificent interior of the dwelling. "Oh my gosh, Hermione! You never told me you were going to live in a mansion like this!"
Hermione laughed. "Technically, this is not a mansion, it's a townhouse. And I'm not living here fully on my own accord, right? Help me pick out a room, will you?"
Gwen grinned. "Don't worry your Highness, I did not forget that you happen to be the youngest student in all your classes since you were accelerated, the youngest top one student in all of them and that, as a special reward, the university gave you a free townhouse to move in along with smelly old Ministry officials."
"Oh just shut up and help." Hermione responded while her eyes twinkled, remembering why she was at the university at the first place.
After she graduated Hogwarts, she decided to go to a wizarding university to continue her studies and thus have a better chance of having a good job later on. Oh how Harry and Ron had laughed at her when she told them that. They had been in the Gryffindor common room at that time.
"You're graduating first honors this year! You can actually handpick where you want to work after Hogwarts!" Harry had cried.
Ron agreed. "Yeah, unlike us, who, without you, cannot even construct an essay on what we learned from Potions!"
"Oh just shut it, you guys! I'm doing what I want and what I want is to study!" Hermione practically screamed at them.
This, unfortunately, just caused the other two to laugh more.
Hermione sighed at the memory. "Guess that's what it'll just be – a memory…" She thought to herself.
"Hey, Herms, check this room out, it overlooks a vast and enchanting scenery…"
Hermione sighed once more as she climbed the stairs to follow where Gwen's voice came from.
***
"Geez, who would've thought I'll be living with you two?" Draco Malfoy, muttered as his two companions, who happened to be raven-haired and the other red-haired, joined him in the black Ministry car.
"Hey, Malfoy, we did not bargain for this either. Get it?" Ronald Weasley snapped at the twenty-year-old blonde man beside him. "I don't know what possessed you to leave your affluent mother alone in your gigantic mansion. I thought you like to live in comfort."
"Well, then if that shocked you, Weasel, then I guess it would make you wet your pants to know that I like privacy and independence as well."
Ron mumbled under his breath. "Blonde ape."
"What was that, eh orange-haired orangutan?"
"Nothing, ferret face."
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue, Carrot-top?"
"Why you -."
"Just shut up, you two act like grown men!" Harry Potter finally interceded what was going on as a childish squabble between two Ministry officials. "No more bickering from now on, ok?"
Draco pouted immaturely. "Well, he started it."
Ron flushed crimson. "Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did-."
"I thought I said no more bickering!" The Boy Who Lived is now clearly The Boy Who Is Annoyed.
The others stared at him dumbly – for a second.
Before Harry knew what was happening, Ron and Draco were laughing raucously in the car. Laughing to the point that Draco was slapping his thighs and Ron had tears on his red face.
"We succeeded, Weasley, we did, we did." Malfoy gasped out in between laughs.
"Yeah, who would've thought?" Ron managed to say before snorting while trying to suppress his laugh.
((A/N: People laugh a lot, don't they?))
Harry's face expressed confusion. "Succeeded in what? And, you're in giggling terms with each other? I thought you couldn't even stand each other?"
"We," Ron paused, looking at Draco.
Draco continued. "Managed."
"To piss you off!" They both shouted before lapsing into another fit.
"Oh boy…" Harry rolled his eyes at the realization that Ron and Draco were toying with him for the past two weeks. He looked out at the window to observe the passing scenery and distract him from the laughing hyenas.
As he gazed blankly outside, he fell in a reverie on what happened on the past weeks.
***
"Harry! Get up! We're finally leaving this chaos behind! Wake up!"
Harry groggily sat up from his sleeping bag and opened his eyes to see his red-haired best friend flicking a wand to pack their things. He ducked his head in time for a thick book to fly inches above his head. The occupant of the neighboring sleeping bag, however, was not that lucky as Ron lost control over the book just as it was above his pillow, where he was still sleeping.
"Damn it Weasley! Can't you be less clumsy than that?" A blonde man sat upright after he took the offending volume from his face and tossed it at Ron.
Ron caught the book as he faced Draco Malfoy. "Oh, you're still sleeping? I'm so sorry…"
"Correction, Weasley, I WAS sleeping." Malfoy sighed. "Now that you woke me up in the most unorthodox manner, I better pack my stuff as well." And he stood up, in the process hitting his head on the overhead lamp. "Damn it! Why does everything seem to like my head so much?"
"Hey, Malfoy, it wasn't their fault that your head is overgrown."
"Keep your big mouth shut, Weasley, if you don't want to turn in the weasel I've been wanting you to be."
"Guys," Harry decided to take peace into his own hands. "Have you forgotten that truce that we've had started two years ago before we left London? We agreed to be in good terms since we are in this training and mission together."
"Yes Harry, we do remember." Ron lazily replied as he continued to keep things in their right places.
"Of course Potter, but you seem to have forgotten the terms as a result of your scarred forehead, I suppose," Draco drawled. "One, we'll treat each other kindly as along as we're in these dangerous terrains. Two, we have to keep our cool and brain at all times. Three, we will not insult each other when we are at a mission. Four, we-."
"I know the terms, Malfoy." Harry waved his hand to stop him from continuing. "But what exactly is your demented point?"
Draco smirked at him. "Well…we can insult one another – we are not in a mission anymore. But the only rule Weasley and I violated is the treat each other kindly term, but that would be over soon for we're heading back to where we came from." Draco looked at Harry smugly.
"Whatever."
"Damn it Potter! Can't you rise to my battle of wits?"
"Shut up Malfoy and keep packing," Ron muttered from the bathroom of the tent. "I don't think the Ministry would appreciate if you leave your slimy underwear in their precious tent."
"What-!" Draco was stopped as his underwear came zooming from the bathroom and hit him on the face. "Weasley!"
Harry just groaned as his magicked his sleeping bag to fold. This promised to be the start of two long weeks of bickering from his partners.
***
"Finally, Ron, we managed to infuriate Harry and break his Unbreakable Truce – 'keep cool at all times'." Malfoy's voice brought Harry back to reality.
"Yeah, can't believe it myself, but we did pull it off after two weeks. Hey, Harry, you ok? You've been quiet since your outburst." Ron glanced at Harry worriedly.
"Yes," Harry turned to see two worried silent faces staring back at him. "I'm fine, just reminiscing the past years we've been together."
"Oh."
The Ministry of Magic had summoned Harry, Ron and Draco right after their graduation, which was approximately one month after they have defeated the Dark Lord. Hermione, being muggle-born, was left, for it would be too dangerous for her type to go Deatheater hunting. Draco, having switched to the Light Side in the middle of their seventh year when his father agreed to Voldemort to sacrifice Narcissa, Draco's mother, to bring his master to life, became an asset for their team though with occasional drawbacks when he would spend half an hour arguing with Ron. They had undergone training for three months after being summoned and were sent off on a mission to round the Deatheaters to Azkaban and end the Dark Reign once and for all. The only downside was that it lasted for years without communication to the outside world, only to their families, which leaves Hermione out of the picture.
"What about the years, Harry? Seen the light of it yet?" Draco asked.
Harry looked at him quizzically. "Frankly, I don't think so. But I've been wondering how Hermione is now and where she is."
Had Ron been drinking, he would have spit it out. "Hermione? Oh, yes, Hermione. Yeah, I've been wondering too…"
Draco looked at them with mock disgust. "So while I spent two years fighting off Deatheaters' butts, you two lover boys were busy dreaming."
Ron turned crimson for the second time during the ride. "I don't think of her in that sense, Malfoy."
"Chill, I was just joking."
Harry spoke. "All joking aside, Draco, where do you think can she be?"
Just then, as the car was stuck in the muggle traffic, as owl swooped by and knocked at the window. Ron opened the window and took the letter from the owl's leg, giving it a tip of two Knuts. The letter had a seal of the Minister of Magic, Percy Weasley.
"Oh, crud, just a letter from my Humongous Bighead brother, Percy." Ron groaned as he slit it open and passed it to Malfoy for he was in the middle, so the two can read from his sides.
To: Misters Malfoy, Potter and Weasley
Subject: Townhouse Reward
From: Minister Weasley
I believe you are now on your way to the Portkey that would transport you to your new house. I would like to congratulate you personally for accomplishing the mission to end all Deatheater activity but as I am the Minister of Magic, I am busy to attend to that. I hope I didn't sound too pompous (Ron snorted.) but I would like to say congratulations and good luck on your jobs at the Ministry as Aurors and Officers of different departments. I say, you may be too young for such a responsibility, but as you have proven yourselves worthy of tasks that are great, you can handle it. I hope you like the house and good day.
Percy Weasley
Minister of Magic
P.S. Since the house that was given to you is fit for four people and as it is just a reward for your accomplished mission and you don't have a right to complain Ronald (Ron turned red.), a fourth year university student would be sharing it with you. Treat her well, yes Mister Malfoy, she's a girl. Besides, judging by her year, she is no doubt older than you by one year. The house is also a reward for her, being a scholar and top one graduating student and had passed all the criteria for this prize in the university.
I'm sorry to say that there was a mistake in the construction. They built the house as though it was meant for four and not a house meant for three and another house meant for one. This resulted into your sharing with the young lady. Nevertheless, I hope you get along together.
"A woman sharing the house with us?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "I wonder how would that turn out."
"Look, we can always go back to our usual ways and homes if we don't get along together." Draco reasoned out.
Ron argued. "Have you lost your bloody mind? Harry definitely wouldn't want to go back to the Dursleys and I myself would want to claim independence."
"Yeah, I don't think I could stand my mother fawning over me when I get home either." Draco admitted.
Harry wrinkled his nose. "Neither would I want to visit you in that environment."
Lucius Malfoy is now deceased and his mother a free woman who can't get over the fact that Draco is now twenty years old and that Harry, Ron and Hermione saved her from death. On their first visit to Malfoy Manor after they defeated Voldemort, the Golden Trio were smothered from being hugged by Draco's mother, and Draco's cheeks were pink for two weeks due to constant pinching from Narcissa.
"Sooner or later, we'll have a mother hen clucking at us." Ron sighed. "So much for our independence."
Draco laid back in the car seat. "At least we still have each other as company." Though he didn't want to admit it, they have gone very close and are now best friends.
They sat in silence for a few minutes when suddenly the car jerked, tossing its passengers to hit the panel in front of them.
"Crap! What was that?" Draco exclaimed as he rubbed his forehead.
"Bloody hell!" Ron replied as a bump started to form on his own forehead.
Harry just kept quiet; his eyeglasses had been broken again.
The driver of the Ministry car opened a small panel and talked to them. "Oi, misters, I'm terribly sorry for the impact. There is a collision up ahead, crazy muggles; apparently the driver is either asleep or drunk. I calculate it would be hours before this mumbo jumbo is fixed."
Harry responded. "Then, do you think we could just apparate to the Portkey?"
The driver thought for a while. "Yes, misters. There is an empty alley across the street; the luggage would just be flooed or sent over later on."
"Thank you."
And with that the three men got out of the car and dashed to the said alley where the apparated into another alley. In that alley was a deflated dirty orange basketball with the words "Don't touch me" in smudgy writing. They held it together and felt a tug at their navels.
***
It has been an hour since Gwen left her and Hermione was left on her own and glanced at her watch.
Two hours before the Ministry men would come.
Hermione decided to make something like a welcoming gesture to the men.
"But how," She thought. "The house is already fully furnished except for the bedrooms so I can't alter and add a more homey touch to it… I'll prepare tea instead."
Hermione went to work and began to assemble an impressive tea set from the kitchen. She charmed the pot to pour whatever beverage the men would want at their command. She magically baked her own recipe of homemade cookies and cake. Satisfied, she left a talking greeting card in case the men came earlier than expected and she proceeded to take a shower.
***
"Four Ministry Lane." Harry read the mailbox of a particularly charming townhouse. "Guys, looks like this house will be our new home in a couple of minutes."
"Better get in now, Harry, the pain is killing me." Draco grumbled as his vision was blurred from the pain on his forehead.
Harry drew out his wand and muttered a spell at the doorknob and went inside, followed by a slightly disoriented Malfoy and a Weasley with a bump on his forehead.
Ron's eyes grew wide. "Wow, Harry, we'll be living in this luxury? I didn't think it would be this furnished." He sighed as he plopped on one of the plush sofas. "This is the life."
Draco started climbing the stairs. "Ok, you guys explore while I try to nurse my forehead with cold water. And I believe a bathroom is situated on the second floor."
"Suit yourself." Harry replied as he entered the kitchen. "Oi, Ron! Come over here!"
Ron followed Harry and feasted his eyes on a table with plates of cookies, cake and a tea set properly placed on the table. "Who do you think fixed this up?" He asked after taking a bite of a chocolate cookie. "Delicious."
Harry's eye caught a card the side of the cake and opened it.
It began to talk.
Greetings Ministry Officials!
I welcome you into our new home. I'm the student from the university who would share this abode with you. I would like to say my regrets on not being able to greet you personally, as you are now reading this card, you probably came earlier than I expected.
Sirs, please settle yourselves down with the food that I prepared for you. Just tell the pot what you want and it would pour the beverage of your choice. As you sit and relax, I'm currently in the upstairs bathroom having my shower. I'm sorry for not being here right now to get acquainted at once.
Good day and happy eating.
"Upstairs bathroom? Isn't that where Malfoy is –?" Poor Harry never got to end his question for there was a bloodcurdling feminine scream from the second floor.
((A/N))
So, people, what do you think of it? Hmmm… I wonder what just transpired upstairs…
Review please – criticisms, comments, suggestions are welcome.
Thank you.
-=just_leaves=-