It was the fourth anniversary of the final defeat of Voldemort. All over the world, members of the magical community were celebrating. Although the Ministry of Magic had made it clear that celebrations were not to attract the attention of muggles, there were always witches and wizards who went over the top. Mundungus Fletcher was one, who always sent shooting stars flying over Surrey. However, the Minister for Magic, Arthur Weasley, didn't like to punish anyone for celebrating the fall of Voldemort, and so, Mundungus had let loose with his stars again. Among all those who knew of Voldemort's downfall, the ones who had the most reason to celebrate, being the ones who had personally contributed to his defeat, none really felt like celebrating. Instead they held candle light vigils to remember those that had fallen during Voldemort's reign of power. Harry Potter was one of these people. He personally had been the one to defeat Voldemort. The first had been as an infant. Voldemort had killed Harry's parents and then tried to curse the infant. However, the curse rebounded on Voldemort and he had been left powerless, and had fled to the forests of Albania. He had tried to regain power eleven years later, when Harry was in his first year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, but Harry had again thwarted his plans. Voldemort finally rose to full power during Harry's fourth year, leaving the magical community terrified of a repeat of his previous reign. However, Harry had finally defeated him in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. In defeating Voldemort, Harry finally felt that he had avenged the deaths of his parents and countless others at the hands of Voldemort.
As the day of the anniversary of Voldemort's downfall dawned, Harry didn't feel like celebrating. He knew if he left his small house in Hogsmeade, a cheering crowd would surround him, and he didn't want that. Harry decided that the only thing he wanted to do was go to his parents' grave. He dressed quickly, ignoring the messy hair that just didn't want to lie flat. Harry peeked out the window; a large crowd was already outside his house. He decided to disapparate. Moments later he apparated outside the cemetery in Godric's Hollow. He walked in and made his way over to the grave of James and Lily Potter. It was eerily quiet in the cemetary. Harry sat down beside his parents' graves and gently stroked a petal on one of the many white lilies that grew there. He had not been there long when a hand gently touched his shoulder. He turned around to see a slim, attractive young woman with long brown hair.
'Hermione!' he exclaimed.
She embraced him lovingly.
'When did you get back from Bulgaria?'
'We only got back last night.' Harry looked over her shoulder to see a tall dark haired man standing a few metres away.
'Viktor, how are you?' On hearing Harry, Viktor quickly strode over and embraced Harry.
'Harry my friend, how are you?' Although Viktor had lived in Britain for six years, he still had a thick Bulgarian accent.
'I'm okay, but I'll be better when we go back to my house for a warming butterbeer.' Harry took a quick look over his shoulder at his parents' grave and then the trio walked out of the cemetery. The he turned his gaze to Hermione. He sensed something different about her, but he wasn't quite sure. Whatever it was, it made her absolutely radiant.
'Hermione, you're looking lovlier every time I see you.' Hermione blushed, but grinned all the same. Hermione Granger had been one of Harry's best friends at Hogwarts and they had been Head Boy and Girl together in their final year. She'd been living with Viktor Krum for almost four years. He'd left his Quidditch career in Bulgaria and moved to Britain to play with the Chudley Cannons.
When they reached the entrance of the cemetery, they disapparated and then apparated at Harry's home in Hogsmeade. While Harry went into the kitchen to get the butterbeers, Hermione looked at the photos on the wall. She saw ones of herself, Harry and their other friend, Ron Weasley from as far back as first year. As with all wizard photos, the figures waved energetically from their frames. Hermione saw pictures of almost everyone Harry knew, but the photos of one person were very obviously missing. She didn't say anything as she accepted the butterbeer that Harry held out and sat down on the couch with Viktor.
'So Harry, when are you going to start playing Quidditch in the national league?' asked Viktor.
Harry grinned.
'Well, even if I were good enough –' Hermione snorted at this; Harry had been one of the best Quidditch players ever to get on a broomstick. '- my career is too important.'
'Yes, about this career. Is there enough work for an Auror these days?' asked Hermione, taking a swig of butterbeer.
'You'd be surprised, Hermione. Neville and I are always working-'
Hermione almost spit out her butterbeer.
'Neville? As in Neville Longbottom? You can't be serious!'
Harry laughed.
'Yes I am serious. Neville is one of the most brilliant Aurors ever. Everyone always expected him to fail, and that's why he didn't work as hard as he could of.'
'Bit like yourself, Harry.' Grinned Viktor.
Harry returned the grin. It was well known amongst friends of Harry's that he'd have rather mucked around with Ron than work hard, but he'd still received very good marks. At the mention of this, Harry spoke on being made Head Boy.
'I still don't know why Dumbledore made me Head Boy, you know.'
'Oh come on Harry. You saved heaps of people practically every year, plus you won the Quidditch Cup all those times and you're marks were pretty good.' Hermione finished her butterbeer and took the empty bottle into the kitchen. When she returned she placed her hand in Viktor's and smiled warmly at him. Harry noticed and felt a pang inside.
Viktor checked his watch and jumped up.
'Oh no! We have to be in London in ten minutes!' he grabbed his and Hermione's cloaks.
Hermione hugged Harry.
'You know you can always talk to me.' She whispered in his ear.
He nodded.
As Viktor helped Hermione fasten her cloak, Harry smiled at them.
'When are you two going to stop beating around the bush and get married?'
Hermione and Viktor laughed.
'We don't need a piece of paper to say we'll be together forever.' Answered Viktor, kissing Hermione on the cheek.
After another goodbye, they disapparated, leaving Harry alone.
Harry sat for a moment, thinking about everything that had happened since he'd left Hogwarts. He'd trained to become an Auror and was now in the Ministry's elite department; the Unspeakables. Hermione had worked at the Ministry for awhile as well, in the Experimental Charms Department, but was now working on developing new defenses against the dark arts. As well as this, she was living with the most famous Quidditch player in the world. Viktor Krum had fallen in love with Hermione when he first visited Hogwarts seven years before, and after moving to Britain he continued to see her. Hermione hadn't fallen properly for Viktor until her sixth year at Hogwarts, but Harry was certain they'd be together forever. The one person who wasn't happy about this was Ron Weasley. He'd been secretly in love with Hermione since their first year at Hogwarts, but had never done anything about it. After Hermione moved in with Krum, Ron was heartbroken and had taken a job with Gringotts as a curse breaker, which meant he had to move to Australia. Harry still missed his friend, but Ron would not visit. He used the excuse that he was too busy, but Harry knew he didn't want to take the chance of seeing Hermione and Krum together. Even though Ron was in Australia, Harry still frequently visited Ron's family. The Weasleys had all been extremely kind to him, and treated him as one of the family. Mr Weasley had taken over as Minister for Magic after Cornelius Fudge retired, and the Weasleys now lived comfortably, as opposed to when Harry first met them. The Weasleys had had very little money, which always made Harry uncomfortable, considering the vast fortune his parents had left him. Percy Weasley, Ron's elder brother, had been promoted to head of the Department of International Cooperation, and was threatening to take over from his father as Minister for Magic in the not too distant future. Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George, had started a joke shop in Diagon Alley in London, that was immensley successful, and their sister Ginny, was working as a teacher for small muggle children. Consequently, Ginny didn't live in the wizarding world, but lived in a small apartment in muggle London.
Thinking about the Weasleys made Harry want to see them, but he knew they were all visiting Ron in Australia. He contented himself with looking through an old album full of photos. As he flicked through the album, he laughed about old adventures with Ron, at jokes Fred and George had pulled on everyone and at the fun he'd had staying at the Weasleys' house during his youth. Harry turned the page in his album, and abruptly stopped laughing. He stared at a picture of himself and a very pretty girl, arm in arm, laughing at the camera. Harry pulled the picture from the page. He was certain he'd got rid of all the photos of her. From the picture, Cho Chang waved up at him. She'd been Harry's girlfriend at Hogwarts, almost his fiance…but she had been a victim of Voldemort. He had ruthlessly killed the girl Harry loved. Harry looked at the photo again and almost ripped it up, but he couldn't. He gently touched the picture and felt tears fall from his eyes onto Cho's face. Thinking of her was painful. He'd had other girlfriends in the time since her death, but he hadn't felt about any of them the way he'd felt about Cho. He shoved the photo back into the album and put the album back into the drawer. Harry wiped his eyes. He wouldn't think of Cho again…if he could help it.