Chapter 1

Harry sat at the table thinking, thinking of his life and how things had turned out. He was in his late seventies now and things would soon be drawing to an end on his story. So he was thinking about his story. From anyone else's point of view it was a pretty damn good story. That is, to anyone outside of his little world and outside the range of his family. But anyone who had been there that summer the summer that changed everything would know better. No, not the summer Harry defeated Voldemort. It was the summer after that. The "Summer of Celebration." But to understand this story you have to go back a few years….. okay go back quite a few years. Harry thought about that time and as he began to think about that summer. It was like he was going back in time himself. He could feel all the wrinkles coming of his face, his muscles coming back into form, and all his youthful energy. All of it was coming back...he was back to being that eighteen year old who had done the impossible.

Harry had been sleeping on the couch relaxing. He was glad summer was finally here. This year had been such a mess from all the ceremonies. From the First Class Order of Merlin award to the many other awards he had been given. From the nominations for Minister of Magic to the request to be godfather to peoples children he had never met before. He was just glad that the entire buzz from Voldemort being gone was starting to wear down. This summer, all he wanted to do was relax and chill. No worries, no problems, just hanging out with his best mates Hermione and Ron. The battle had been bad, but fortunately everyone had made it out alive in some way. The three had made a deal to make this the best summer ever. They were all staying at Grimmauld Place. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Lupin, and Sirius, that is, and the twins and other Weasley family members dropped by daily.

Harry been laying on the couch thinking about all of these things when...

Oomph.

Someone had sat on his legs. It was Hermione. Harry smiled.

"Get up you lazy trollop you're the one who had the idea to make this 'the best summer ever.' I hope you don't intend to sleep it away." Hermione said as she opened her book to read, still sitting on his legs.

"Tell you what Mione," Harry said pulling his legs out from under her, "I won't sleep the summer away if you don't read the summer away."

Harry took her book to see what she was reading. And looked at it.

"The History of Goblins? Hermione, you do realize that we're not in school anymore?"

"Yes, thank you," she snatched the book back to start reading it.

"Fine, I'm going back to sleep again." Harry said throwing his feet over her lap.

"No, don't!!"

"Then put the book back" Harry grinned.

"Ok, just for today you can sleep all day." with that she turned the page of her book.

All of the sudden her book floated out of her arms and onto the table.

"Harry!"

"I changed my mind. I don't want to sleep anymore. Someone annoying came and woke me up. So if I'm not sleeping you're not reading." Harry grinned again.

"Fine," Hermione said.

They both heard laughing from the other room. It was Ginny. She and Ron were in the next room and the doors were open between them so each group could see the other. After Harry had ending things with Ginny after sixth year, Ginny, being only 16 and very vulnerable, had gone running into the arms of Derek Wallsworth, a rich 6th year at the time. He and Ginny were dating but not dating.

Harry looked out and smiled. He was glad she was happy. He was glad with his choice to end things. At that point in his life he just couldn't deal with a relationship. He had needed to focus on defeating Voldemort.

"Why don't you ask her out again? You guys were great together." Hermione looked at Harry.

Harry was looking at the floor now.

"Nah, she's happy with Derek, besides I like someone else." Harry said.

"Ooo tell me who?" Hermione smiled.

"No."

"Aw how come?" Hermione teased.

"Because I don't know how she feels about me. I need time to think things through."

"Oh but it is a she right?" Hermione giggled teasing Harry.

An article had come out during the year claiming Harry to be gay.

"Yes" Harry said poking her.

"Hey!" Hermione laughed messing with Harry's hair.

"Mione, I had just gotten that to the perfect mess design. Messy enough to be cool but not to messy." Harry joked "adjusting" his hair.

"Oh in that case..." Hermione said messing it up again laughing.

"Hey!!" Harry said grabbing her hands then he looked at her grinning from ear to ear at her.

She looked up at him shocked.

"Harry no!"

"No what?" Harry chuckled.

"Harry I mean it." with that Hermione burst into a fit of giggles while Harry was holding her hands. He had silently put a tickling spell on her.

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Meanwhile in the other room Ron was sighing wistfully at the sight of the two.

"You know, I was thinking about cutting my hair a little. " Ron said. "Kind of like Harry's...well not exactly like Harry's...but you know kind of like it."

He was trying to mess up his own hair as he said it.

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Brother, you are so into her."

"What? I am not no, no...Hermione is just like my sister. No, no I don't, no you're crazy baby sister." Ron said standing up.

"Yeah right she's got you good." Ginny said

"Do you have a fever or something?" Ron said putting his hand to her forehead "Cause you're acting like you have delirium."

"Hey, look just cause you're a healer in training doesn't mean you can try and diagnose everyone." Ginny said pulling his hand off of her "Besides everyone can see it-"

Ron jumped.

"Everyone can see it?"

Ginny grinned.

"I mean… damn it well I don't know what they see cause there's nothing to see. Nothing. I'm gonna be late for work If I don't leave right now. So bye." Ron said

"Bye." Ron called to his friends in the other room. But they didn't notice. Harry was now tickling Hermione with out magic.

"Right well then bye, Ginny." Ron said as he Apparated.

Ginny rolled her eyes thinking about what a dork he was.

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Later that night Harry was sitting in Sirius's room with him talking about his problem.

"I just I don't know how to tell her" Harry said.

"Well that's easy Harry just tell her. What's the worst she can say no?"

"That is the worst she could say" Harry thought of how horrible that would be.

"Listen Harry I don't have that much expertise in this area but I do know one thing and I speak from experience in this matter. You don't want to be the 40 some odd years old man who wished he would have told the one girl he loved that he loved her. It will leave a lot of unanswered questions for you in the end. So my advice is just tell her how you feel. Who is it by the way? Ginny?" Sirius asked sitting down in his chair.

"No, it's Hermione." Harry said realizing that this was the first time he had said that aloud.

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"Come on,Hermione tell me who it is" Ginny pleaded for the umpteenth time.

"No. You know him that's all I'm going to say."

"Well are you gonna tell him you like him?" Ginny asked. She was hoping that Hermione was talking about Ron.

"No, no way" Hermione said "he's a close friend of mine and I-I just don't know what I would do of things changed because of it. And Change in a bad way. I really think I might love him."

"Oo" Ginny teased.

"I mean I don't know I mean it's like you know when you start out friends… every little joke is hilarious, then everything he does annoys the heck out of you, then he's all you can think about, until then finally one day you look at yourself and think. "Wow" I fell in Love."

Ginny nodded.

"Sounds like when I realized I loved Derek."

"Oh I don't know...it's probably just me being silly. But I need to go to bed. Goodnight Ginny!" Hermione said walking towards the door.

"Hey Hermione?" Ginny looked up at her friend.

Hermione turned.

"My advice is to tell him, because more than likely you'll get the response your looking for."

"Thanks Ginny" Hermione smiled.

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That night two people in the house couldn't sleep because they were thinking about the next few days and if they would say what they'd wanted to say to the other. While another person slept peacefully thinking the dreams of a brother would come true. And while they were all at home one was at work pulling another double shift.