Disclaimer: Absolutely everything.
Costume Malfunction
"Honestly, what did you say, Ron?"
"A keg of butterbeer!"
"You've chosen a costume for Halloween, and it's made of foam, and it's a keg of beer that you've put a new label on?"
"Well, the Muggles have these brilliant stores that are just full of costumes… just brilliant stuff. The lads at the ministry are going to die laughing."
"And you're going to die sweating in that thing."
"Come on Herms… luv… you can just do some quick cooling charms for us, yeah? It's going to be a brilliant party! Food, dancing, beer, firewhis…"
"Wait, hold on, why would I need to do cooling charms for me as well?"
"Well, you know, I thought we could do sort of a couple theme, you know. More likely to win the prize for costumes of the night that way!"
"A couple theme?"
"You know, since we'll be going together, in our costumes. To the party. You know, that starts soon? Come on luv, let's just go and change… don't want to get there late, the best food will be gone!"
"Ron, what costume did you get me?"
"Just try it on, Herms, when you see us together you'll see how brilliant…"
"What is it."
"… … …"
"Pardon, what did you say?"
"A beer mug, alright? I know you think it's a stupid idea, but honestly they'll look funny together."
"You want me to dress up in a huge foam beer mug suit you've bought so we can go to a party and have people laugh at us?"
"Well… and you can set up the keg costume so that it'll really spray beer out of its top! It has this pump thing that you can do and it just sprays out…"
"Ron…"
"Look, it's just for a laugh, yeah? I know Halloween is a bad time of year for some people, but the lads just want to get away from any of that moping about people do and have some fun…"
"Take them back."
"What?"
"You heard me. Take the costumes back. Honestly, do you even listen to what you're saying? Do you have any idea of…"
"Just have some fun tonight! Relax! Forget about that stupid legislation… forget about work… just… come on, come enjoy yourself, and later when we get back, we can take the costumes off and…"
"Let go… you're all… why do you smell like butterbeer?"
"Well I had to test out the pump, dinn I? Herms… Hermione! Wait…"
"I am going back to the office to do some…"
"You're such an uptight bi… umm… you need to just relax and forget!"
"Goodbye, Ron."
"Well… shit… well… Aaaaahhhh… bloody… Merlin's hairy balls I think I just broke my hand."
…
"fucking wall…"
…
"Come on Ronnie boy… no point wasting the costume, right?"
"Gin, I told you that I was going to be on call tonight at the office."
"No, you told me that you'd CHOSEN to be on call, and I'd told you to CHANGE IT! Look, Harry, what's the point of being Head Auror, and The-Man-Who-Won and all that if you can't get out sometimes with your beautiful girlfriend and have some fun?"
"Look, I can't change now, it's too late to find… and there's bound to be some sort of attack tonight, you know how those…"
"Exactly! You. Don't. Need. To. Save. Everyone. Not every night, Harry. There are other people, other aurors. What you need to do is… is… drop that load on someone else… just for one night?"
"I can't just do that, Gin. You know that. I have my responsibilities."
"Responsibilities? What about to me? Look, I have these lovely costumes… a prince and princess… we'll go together, have some fun together, leave together…"
"You know I can't! Hell, this is real silk, Gin, how much did you spend on those anyway?"
"Oh shut up! We're RICH, Harry. These cost nothing. You're such a stick in the mud sometimes; it almost seems like you don't want to have fun at all, and certainly don't want to spend time with my friends."
"That… that doesn't have anything to do with… look, you know it's Halloween! You know what that means."
"I know it means that you don't want to spend time with my friends. Or do you not want to spend time with me? Is that it?"
"Gin! No! I… look, I don't have time to argue about this. I'm sorry, but I need to leave now for the office."
"Argue? ARGUE? Who was doing that? I was taking the time to discuss the issue and your problems. You're the one who isn't listening to me and not respecting me."
"Gin…"
"And don't give me that shit about being sorry! If you were sorry, you'd be going upstairs to get ready. If you were sorry you wouldn't be turning your back on me, Harry P….!"
"Fuck."
"If he thinks I'm going to mope around here… I'll fucking show him… no way I'm giving up on wearing this princess costume, even if the prince is a... shit... if he's a dumb fucking fucker."
The crash, and tinkling of broken glass had made her heart leap into her throat for a second.
Alone on Halloween night in the Ministry building… it wasn't out of the question that someone was staging an attack, but the direction the noise came from and the audible swearing afterwards let her guess what had happened.
Wiping away some tears and taking out her wand (due to Constant Vigilance, of course) she quietly walked over towards the auror offices.
As she suspected, Harry was repairing the windows of his office again. He had a habit of apparating when he was angry and blowing them all out somehow. Not that he was supposed to be able to cross the wards and appear directly into his office anyway, but he just did it.
Once she'd seen him, she walked a bit louder. No point in getting hexed if she surprised him, especially tonight after all.
He looked up, saw her, and the line of his shoulders relaxed as he gave her a sheepish smile.
"Rowing with Ginny again?"
"Was blowing out my windows again a give-away?"
"That, and I heard her talking to Molly about her costume, and the party you were going to go to with her. Which you manifestly aren't at."
"She shouldn't have assumed that I was going to pull rank and get someone to replace me on call on Halloween night, just because she pouted at me. And you've been rowing with Ron again."
"My red eyes and blotchy cheeks?"
"You're always gorgeous, but you do tend to show it when you cry."
"Gosh, thanks. Couldn't you have pretended it was just because I was here at the office?"
"I don't like you crying about things, so I do tend to notice it when you have."
"Anyway, yes, so we were. Among other things, he wanted me to dress up as a beer mug, Harry. A Beer mug."
"Honestly?"
"Well, unless he was just pulling my leg, but I doubt it. He was pretty proud of his couples theme for our costumes."
"Oh Merlin, don't tell me, the beer keg with the working beer pump?"
"Yup."
"He told me about it weeks ago. Asked me for help charming the pump to spray harder."
"You told him to chuck it, didn't you? That's why he didn't bring it up earlier."
"Well, I was able to use my incredible talent for divination and my 'inner eye' told me just how extraordinarily happy it was going to make you to be sprayed with butter beer all night at the annual magical game and leisure department Halloween party."
"You're obviously a genius in the art of divination. Hours of belching, screaming, being deafened by crap wizard music and watching dumb blonds in Beer 'Server' outfits shove their cleavage under my boyfriend's nose – how could you tell I wasn't that keen on it?"
"Pshaw, it was just a wild guess really; you're usually such a raver-party-girl sort."
"That's me. Hermione "Party Hearty" Granger."
"And I've heard that washing your hair with beer can be good for it?"
"It's amazing what aurors learn in the course of their duties."
"Here you… pull up some sofa… sit and relax for a while. I'll get you some tea, yeah? You know he's just trying to help, right? I mean, get you to relax, take you mind off the past…"
"Thanks awfully. Well I don't know why he chooses this way to try and accomplish it, year after year. Couldn't he think for one minute, and do something that I'd like to do instead?"
"I think he does it on purpose, you know? I mean, he knows you too well. Take you to something that you'll enjoy like a play or a concert, or a nice dinner, and you'd still end up thinking overtime about other things. It's brilliant really, when you think of it. You get so consumed with rage at the idiotic party that you don't have any time to think about anything else."
"Or, he's an insensitive clod who decides what he wants to do before thinking of me, and then tries to justify it to me, assuming that I think about things the same way he does, and not caring if I don't."
"Oi… that's pretty harsh there. You're really upset, aren't you Hermione? I mean, he's done it before."
"And that, you'll notice, proves my point in its entirety. You'd certainly never try to do it."
"And? Come on. The last two years you've shrugged, transfigured a costume of your own and just gone with him. So what's different?"
"…"
"Come on… Jeanie, spill the beans."
"Oh ho, Mr. Potter, are you sure you're ready for that? A Nickname Therapy Session then? Ready for me to ask why you're here, instead of with Ginny?"
"Not really, but I think there's probably things we need to get off our chests. It's been a while."
"You're right, you're right, Harry. I mean, Jamie. I do have a mess of things I just don't really have anyone else to talk to about. And so, the rules of the Nickname Therapy Session are?"
"The same as they always are, Jeanie, we'll try to take over the world… no, wait… sorry… we'll tell each other the whole truth, not get upset about it, and keep it to ourselves."
"Goofball! Anyway, I promise it Jamie. And you?"
"I promise, Jeanie."
"Huh… now why did you go with 'Jeanie' again? Just what was it that made you choose that one, of all the possibilities?"
"Well, there's just no good way to turn 'Hermione' into a nickname, is there?"
"And I needed a nickname because?"
"Is that a serious question?"
"Well, now I think it'll have to be, won't it?"
"Well… we were there in the tent falling apart after Ron left, and it was just the two of us - me and my best mate's girl. I had to keep my distance, you know? Keep things professional so we could keep working together."
"Yes, I can see that. Hermione Granger. Snotty, swotty, red-eyed, unwashed, hungry, depressed, angry, short on sleep, and with Medusa hair that was a cross between deadlocks and an afro… that Hermione Granger? Must have been hard to stay away."
"You have no idea."
"You didn't have to agree that easily, you know. My revenge will be swift… and terrible."
"Hey! Stoppit! I didn't… Not the side-poke! Not the side-poke! Uncle! Uncle!"
"Right, well as long as you admit defeat?"
"I swear to start calling you "The Woman Who Won" in day-to-day conversation as a result of my total and utter defeat. With capitals, and everything. Oi! Now, why are you sighing like that?"
"It's part of the trouble, you know? I mean, we can talk together, right?"
"Course we can. Wouldn't always go as far as calling it witty banter, but we do alright."
"I… I just don't have that with Ron. I can't find that place with him where we take digs… but it's… affectionate, you know? We just feel like we're getting at each other when we try to do it."
"Do you think that's the problem? That you've both sort of defensive with each other?"
"I think it's more of a symptom, you know? I mean… well… you may not be aware of this, but I have a 'people needing me' thing."
"I had no idea. You keep it so well hidden!"
"Prat!"
"Ahem, I meant that you're so important to so many people, who need you for so many things… how could you not develop a mad complex about it? Sorry, I mean psychosis, I mean, ouch! Ok, I know you like to feel useful, and wanted, and who doesn't? And you are."
"Seems like there's really only one thing Ron wants me for, and he could go to other women for that."
"Jeanie… you think he's cheating?"
"No, not really, I think he's too good a man for that. I hope he is. There's plenty of temptation for him. But it's more that I didn't ever expect a significant relationship of mine to be built on that, and not on other things."
"You don't feel like there's anything else?"
"Well, back at Hogwarts, part of why I got interested was because I felt like, for homework and that sort of thing, he really needed me… he really depended on me day to day to get him organized even if he didn't like it. Especially if he didn't like it, almost… it was like I was the one thing that was going to get him out of school and into a decent job."
"Jeanie, I know you're the only reason I got out of school alive, let alone with good grades, and Ron is pretty much in the same boat."
"Yes, but life isn't about school and grades anymore, is it? I can't force him to be ambitious and to try and get a better position in the ministry, instead of just hanging about with his chums and ignoring his boss. I can't convince him to be interested in social issues the magical world is having, and especially, God forbid, in anything to do with Muggles. I don't want to try and force him to pick up his clothes or help out in the kitchen. I mean, I can nag him about all of those things, but I don't want to! I don't want to be his mum, Harry, I want to be his partner… for him to need me for things that are important, and for me to need him for things as well."
"And?"
"I'm just not seeing it, Ha… Jamie. You know? I can't see it now, I can't see it later. You know, in thirty years from now, Ron is going to be Ludo Bagman, and I'd be married to him. It makes me vomit a little in my mouth Harry, honestly! I don't want to think of him that way, but I've started, and now I can't stop… and the things that used to be minor, and I'd smile and let it go, or try to let them go? Now they drive me crazy every time. He drives me crazy, all the time! I don't want him to… I want to be fine with it but I'm just not. I just can't be alright with that as my life."
"Hey… Hermione… love… calm down… calm down…"
"Hmmmm… well… a backrub is good too… Merlin… I'd let that build up a bit, hadn't I?"
"That… was a little… disturbing. It's been a while since I've seen you that upset about something, and I had no idea you were starting to feel like that."
"Well, that was a little out of control. I'm sure he finds me a trial as well sometimes, but…"
"What…?"
"Well, he barely stopped himself from calling me an uptight bitch when I was leaving him there in the lurch tonight, and it really hurt. Oi, hey, you… no masculine posturing, Jamie. I don't want him punched to defend my honour, ok?"
"But… he doesn't get carte blanche to say what he wants. It's just not acceptable from him. From anyone, really, but especially from him."
"You don't think I'm capable of making him pay for it?"
"Riiiight… ok. He did always say you were brilliant but scary. Never totally saw that, personally. I mean scary, yes, but… oops, I mean, brilliant yes, scary no."
"Cheeky monkey. Anyway, enough soul searching from me for a bit, that was getting a bit heavy for a discussion occurring before midnight. I want to have some fun and be nosy and ask questions. What's the situation between you and Ginny?"
"Well, outside the prince costume? I'm not saying that I can compete with beer mug trauma, but even with a crown, doublet and jewel-encrusted sword-thing, tights are still tights."
"You feel threatened by tights? You know you have nice legs, so that isn't the problem, is it?"
"Well, not that I want people ogling them at a party... But no, of course, it's only part of it. First off, there's just the idea of the prince and princess thing. I mean… it's hard to explain. It just seems serious, you know? I'd go dressed as… I don't know… a giant foam Staypuf Marshmallow man if she wanted me to… not that I want the attention, but at least it's a bit of fun. Dressing up as a prince… it's like I really think that's what I am. I'm surprised she didn't suggest I just use the Sword of Gryffindor instead of getting one for the costume."
"And you think she's a bit serious with the princess bit?"
"I don't doubt it. Even the costume was too much. It wasn't cheap and cheerful, it was… I'm sure she got it tailored by Madame Malkin, especially hers. She figures that we'd be on the front page of all the newspapers, arm in arm as we arrive at the ball – headline – Marriage in the air? Prince Potter and his Princess!"
"And?"
"What?"
"Is there marriage in the air?"
"Well, I suppose it depends on what air you're talking about. I'm sure that Molly thinks we should be already. The mags are always seeing her or Gin looking at wedding dresses, or floral centerpieces, or whatever. But it's sort of a test case, yeah?"
"Ok, I'm game, lay it on me."
"Picture Molly and Gin organizing our wedding. Picture the result. I mean, think of Bill and Fleur's, and then figure that Gin and I have Money-with-a-capital-M that she doesn't mind spending."
"Ok. I'm going there now. It's a little bit scary, Jamie. It looks like someone has dropped some sort of weapon of mass en-floration, and… oh look, there's a cake that would crush 3 or 4 adults if it topples over."
"Yeah, cue radiant princess, young witches scattering flower petals, festive bunting, fireworks, plates of snorkak noses as appetizers, commemorative mugs, etcetera. It's a perfect fairy-tale wedding, right?
"It's fantastic, Jamie, I see you looking adoringly at your bride to be, handsome, tidy hair, dressed to the nines, or even tens… and are your teeth glinting as you smile?"
"Yeah. That's me."
"Well, save the neat hair. Just can't see that, sorry. I've never been that imaginative."
"You wound me! I'm sure that will be the one day in my life that my hair will behave. Either that or Molly will give up, shave my head, and fit me with a wig."
"Anyway, that was fun! I think I understand your point…"
"Jeanie, does any of that sound anything like me? I'm not a prince. Never have been, and I never will be. I've never wanted attention. I've never wanted groupies, or hangers on, or a clique, or a posse, or packs of giggling foulmouthed quiddich players. I don't really care about money, but if I've got it I'll be damned if I flash it around, especially on something as degrading as a huge wedding for everyone in the wizarding world to gawk at."
"Jamie… but… what are you thinking then? Are you going to elope or something like that?"
"You know that Molly would kill me, and Gin would die first."
"Well then, just do it! Then quietly get rid of Molly, and Ginny will take care of herself. Problem solved."
"Wow, snarky!"
"Believe me, if Molly tries to teach me how to cook for Ron one more time, I'll take care of her for you."
"Riiight… well I'll just sidestep that particular simmering cauldron of rage and resentment and move on… Anyway, if Gin explodes in a messy burst of thwarted matrimonial over-zealous-ness-tude, then it would sort of remove the reason for the elopement, huh?"
"But if that's the wedding that she wants, and you don't want it…"
"Yeah, I know. It's bigger than just the wedding, and worse, and more serious… and I've been avoiding thinking about it, because honestly I don't know what I can do which won't end up with everything going to Hell for everyone."
"That's very much a question for both of us, isn't it, Jamie? How much could we lose?"
"Mrrrrrrr… Yeeessss… Important question. I'll consider it a couple years from now when you finish this back rub. I'd forgotten how wonderful you are at this."
"Ron always complains that I'm pinching or something so I don't bother to try, but you're like some sort of giant cat, aren't you? Besides, it's just to lull you into a false sense of security, and then BAM! I'll get you with a tricky question."
"Ummm… draught of living death? Stomach of a goat? Is the swallow European or African?"
"Silly rabbit. I mean, what DO you want then?"
"Oh crud, question ambush! Ok... sure... tricky. Well, to do my job and help people, I think. Do something important, even if nobody knows I'm doing it. Hell, especially if nobody knows about it; I'd prefer it that way. I mean, I don't want to skive off from my responsibility, and I don't want to use my name to swing special status, or favours, or better shifts. I never really wanted to be famous, and I still don't."
"And?"
"Well… you know, all those years ago, I looked in that stupid angst-mirror, and I saw me with my parents… which obviously isn't going to happen, but it was just me, and my parents. So I guess it's pretty selfish… but I want love, just for me, you know? I mean, the Weasley's are a fantastic family and I'd never want to lose them… but I don't know if I really want to become an accessory Weasley, or get swallowed up into it. I want my own family, that's mine. I don't care if it's small, or even one other person. But… mine."
"Harry…"
"And I know, thinking those things… it's like the wedding. When I look at what will probably happen if Ginny is with me, and what has value to me, it's not a good match between the two. I used to think that I could be flexible for her, and it was good because I was getting pulled out of my comfort zone - I was learning how to make polite chit-chat, finding out who was who and who knows who, and who owes who, and having drinks at posh parties. In the end though, it's still outside my comfort zone. I probably need to do a bit, but it's a waste of my time and I don't want to hit 80 years old or something and look back and think, "holy shit, I've wasted 60 years of my life being rogered up the ass by wizarding society, and I hate my wife for expecting me to bend over and smile."
"Language, Harry!"
"Right, sorry. But you get the idea?"
"How could I avoid it? Honestly."
"Hmmmm…"
"What?"
"So are you really willing to keep on with this backrub for a couple years? Because soon I'm going to be totally incapable of movement."
"Harry…"
"Oh… Bolloks."
"The alarm, it's an attack somewhere?"
"Dammit… yes, in… Ahhh. Spell use in the graveyard at Little Hangleton."
"Oh bugger. Are you going, Harry?"
"I'll apparate in outside and use a disillusionment charm. If it's a large attack, I'll call for support. If it's a few teens pulling some Halloween pranks, then I'll take names and such."
"Do you want me to come?"
"I didn't want to ask. It's not at all appropriate, but it would be good to have someone watching my back, just in case."
"Then why don't you have a partner here? Don't try to tell me you usually work alone."
"No, but it's Susan Bones on my duty roster and Gin would have gone even more mental if the two of us were here alone at night, instead of me being with her at the Halloween party. So I suggested she just stay available on call instead."
"You idiot! Honestly! Your life is more important than avoiding an argument."
"Should I give her a call then?"
"And now you're in serious danger of becoming a double idiot. Do you think I'd let you go traipsing off somewhere into what may well be an ambush, without me?"
"So you'll have my back?"
"Always, Harry, you know that."
"Ok, I'll side-along us then since I know the location pretty well. Wand out, and use disillusion as soon as you get there. Even if I start to cast when we get there, stay back and watch my back. If we can get through it without you being seen at all, that would be best. We'll go on your count of five."
"Ok, Harry, stay safe."
"You too."
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5."
"What was that noise?"
"Shut the hell up and cast, Todd."
"That's 'Manticore' you idiot. Use the secret name when we have the masks on."
"Looks way better already without that stupid statue of that fuck, Potter, eh?"
"Wish he was here, I bet we could take that old shite out, right Be… I mean Dragon?"
"Dragon?"
"Ben? What the hell?"
…
…
"Shite, Todd, what was that?"
"Todd, you - if you're taking the piss…"
…
"Todd?"
…
"Oh Merlin… oh shite shite Merlin's shite, oh fuck hell, oh bloody shite. Avedra Kadav…."
"Lord, well, that's the state of Wizarding Britain today, I suppose. Thanks, Hermione."
"What will happen to them?"
"Well, they're already back in holding cells at the ministry. I'll have to head back and process them soon."
"I mean after that."
"Well, I expect they'll get off with a slap on the wrist, probably? I mean, a bit of vandalism, nothing serious."
"Serious? Harry, he was going to try and kill you!"
"Well, he didn't actually cast. Wouldn't hold any water in court. Not like he'll get sent to Azkaban or anything for failing to be competent. And much though I'd like to, I can't do anything just because he called me old."
"So what if he had cast at you, Harry? It could happen to you any day, couldn't it? I mean, you trip on a rock and some pureblood git kills you and takes you away from me forever?"
"Oh hells. When you say it like that to me, Hermione… life is just too short."
"What? What do you…"
"It didn't work, you know? Not at all."
"What didn't… Harry, you're confusing me."
"The nickname. It didn't keep things professional. It was just one more thing… one more secret that was ours, and that didn't belong to anybody else."
"Harry…"
"You know when we have those nickname sessions, how much different is it from when we normally talk? We tell the truth, we tease, we have fun. We enjoy spending time with each other."
"Yes, we do, don't we?"
"And I spend the time having to be more careful and tricky in an attempt to tell the truth, but avoid telling my best friend that despite the fact she's dating my other friend, I've fallen totally head over heels in love with her, and that I've probably loved her for years."
"Oh… "
"Now look, I mean, I'm stupid, and I just wanted you to know, but you don't…"
"Shut it. Just… sorry, be quiet for a little bit, ok?"
"Sure…"
"You know, the whole nickname thing just didn't work for me either."
"Hermione…"
"It was already far too late by then. Probably?"
"Oh. Oh! Really?"
"Really."
"Well… Hell. So for years then, the two of us… we've been mad about each other?"
"Crickets. Well, I suppose that was reasonably sensible and drama free, wasn't it? I mean, as far as a totally awkward mutual declaration of love between two people who are otherwise attached, goes?"
"Hermione, let's make a formal pledge here and now to not ever tell anyone that we figured it out in a rather surrealistic graveyard setting on a Halloween night, yeah?"
"Sounds fantastic. We can post-date the whole thing by, say, seven months, and be at Kew gardens together or something?"
"Or maybe catch each other on the rebound early in the New Year after a horrible Christmas alone?"
"Gosh… right… well yes, that certainly has possibilities."
"And next year?"
"Next Halloween?"
"We could have dinner out somewhere quiet… something ethnic that a 'real' wizard wouldn't be caught dead eating."
"Excellent."
"Then… well, we can go back home, and read, or watch something?"
"I do declare that you're blushing, Mr. Potter."
"Well, excuse the fact that I retain some human emotions, then. It's not every day that I suggest moving in together to someone."
"I should hope not. Not every day that I agree to move in with someone either, especially before I start dating them."
"Anyway, you're blushing as well."
"Certainly not, I'm cool as a cucumber."
"You are blushing, and it's rather fetching. Did I say fetching? I forgot that I can say stunningly beautiful and distinctly fanciable now."
"You, Mr. Potter, are a silver tongued rogue. And I'm turning my head now and moving away before I do what I'm thinking I would really like to do."
"Right! Yes, that would be for the best if I'm not going to feel any more like total scum than I already do. Although, you know, just to clarify I feel like bubbling, giddy, happy total scum."
"That makes sense, which shows that I'm all awhirl, you know. I think I need some time to process this. I mean good processing, not bad processing, and certainly not any idiotic 'we should forget this happened or keep calm and carry on' type processing. Just to be clear."
"Super! Right. Gryffindors forward, and all that. Merlin, look, you're incredible, you know that? And you have some dirt on your cheek and some leaves in your hair, which I'm steadfastly not going to wipe away. You know, I'm feeling a bit as if I were like Snape, but raising my arms and twirling in a mountain meadow singing 'The Hills Are Alive."
"Must you make this difficult? I mean, to keep away? Silly boy."
"You're being difficult just by existing. And by being smiling and radiant at me like that."
"You know that as soon as I see Luna at work next week she'll know exactly what's happened?"
"Yes, she will, won't she? If she meets me I'm sure she'll make some sort of comment about my eyes glowing like a Hippleflump's horn or something like that, but I'll absolutely cringe, because I'll know exactly what she's saying. Hopefully she doesn't tell Ron until much, much later?"
"Or Ginny. I suppose I should be ruing lost time, or something like that, but for some reason I'm not."
"No, well. It seems like maybe before we might not have been sure, but now we are."
"Harry… you are? I suppose so. I suppose I am too."
"Look, I should get back and process these idiots at the ministry before anyone starts to panic, or go crazy or anything like that."
"Chatting with me at midnight in a graveyard not interesting enough for you then? No, just teasing, I should get home as well and apologize to Ron or something, and then demand he sleeps on the couch... Lord, this is going to be difficult, isn't it."
"To be clear, chatting with you anywhere is a highpoint of any day. But yeah, difficult doesn't start to cover it. Look... I might not be out of there in a day, but… I'm not going to cheat on you, not thought or deed."
"I won't either, of course, which is somewhat ironic since I suppose in effect both of us have been for... bugger. Right. Less said about that right now the better?"
"Right. Wait... when will I see you next?"
"I don't know, Harry. I hope soon."
"I'll miss you. Even when we meet, I suppose. We'll need to put on an act."
"Just until, Christmas, right?"
"Right."
"Happy Halloween, Harry."
"Happy Halloween, Hermione."
"Oh, wait, I hadn't said it, had I? I love you, Harry."
"Cripes. That's a rush. I'm going to be totally unable to stop grinning the whole time I'm processing those goons. They're going to think I'm utterly mad. And I love you too."
"Harry... right... sorry. Goodnight then, Mr. Potter."
"Goodnight, Miss Granger."
So, this has taken me something like 2 years to actually get finished off. Sad, huh?
It's a bit different... tried to do the entire thing through dialogue, but unfortunately ended up with that chunk of third person in it.
Also... not happy with some of it. I feel like some of it is a bit preachy, or 'fannon' or something – like the Weasleys... I feel like I'm not doing them justice. But if I don't post this now, it isn't going to be seen, ever. One thing... not clear but both Weasleys have probably been drinking a bit already. Their language... well, a product of their environment.
Also not certain if everyone will buy the in-joke-y, slightly neurotic Harry / Hermione interaction... but my thinking was with those two, both basically socially inept, as they move beyond being teens and interact but try to keep their feelings at bay... how would they talk to each other?
Anyway, I may continue this for a few more 'holidays' to show how things develop, and add a bit to the depth of the other characters. So expect an update in... well, I'll try for something before 2020?