Bittersweet Symphony: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

AN: Rated M for: Sexual Situations, Harsh Language, Underage Drinking, Drug use, etc., Main characters are going to be slightly out of character. Set one year after the final battle.

Chapter One:

Hermione blew tenderly into her steaming cup of tea, her mind going blank with delight as the sent greeted her nose. It seemed that the comforting smell of tea was one of the few things that had never seemed to change after the war. Even with all the chatter around her, the Great Hall felt peaceful.

"Sorry I'm late." Ginny slumped in next to her. Hermione wasn't even upset at her tardiness; Ginny had been having a rough time lately. The girl had lost her brother, who wouldn't? But like everyone else, the wounds where on their way to healing; it was just the point of not picking at the scab.

"It's okay," said Hermione, setting her cup down, "We're still waiting for two third years."

Hermione and Ginny were leaders for Peer Group 1. Peer Group was a new program Hogwarts was trying to help students deal with loss, homework, boys and everything else. It meant that every Monday they would gather in their groups during breakfast and the elder students would share their wisdom.

"Merlin, I've had the worst morning," said Ginny, "You know, I'm seriously rethinking taking my last year. I mean we didn't even have to come! We were granted full pardons!" Ginny was pouring black coffee into her goblet, sighing. "I woke up late, and then would you believe that I hit my head in the shower and stubbed my toe getting dressed."

Hermione gave her a sympathetic frown and moved her untouched plate aside, "It's better to keep busy." Hermione looked like she wanted to say something else on the subject but didn't. She started again, her tone softer. "How are you, Ginny?"

Ginny tried to give her a reassuring smile but it turned sour with a grimace. Hermione wrapped a comforting arm around her waist and let Ginny lay her head on her shoulder.

Just then two perky blondes sat opposite of them. One was blowing huge purple bubbles with her Cherri's Chewing Gum, and the other had powdered her dimples with bright pink blush. "You're the leaders for group G1?" they asked, incredulous.

Ginny straightened and looked down at the list Hermione had laid on the table. "Are you Amber and Laura?" They nodded their heads. The one with the bright cheeks, Amber, had her hair in a high pony tail that bobbed with each nod. Hermione gave a tight smile.

"Right, so we can get started," Ginny cleared her throat, she opened her mouth to speak but another voice sounded.

"So is it true you're shagging Harry Potter?" the one with the gum, Laura, was smiling like a shark across from Ginny. Hermione held her breath waiting for Ginny to slug a fist forward. She never had much patients these days and Hermione had to be on her toes.

Ginny instead opened the bright pink leaflet with jerky hands, ignoring her completely. "Body Image: Excepting and Embracing who you are. Do any of you have any body issues you'd like to discuss?"

Two scarred looking first years shook their heads and a fourth year grinned devilishly. Ginny and Hermione felt blood creep into their cheeks and cringed at the topic. Both the girls had issues with their bodies that they didn't wish to discuss. Ginny felt her hips were to thick; even after all the times Harry had moaned over how he loved them, she still had her doubts. And her chest? Lets just say they practically weighed down her broom.

Hermione on the other had was worried she was too small. In the boob and ass department. She wasn't like Ginny, who had a wonderful boyfriend to coo over how beautiful she was. Her and Ron had gone their separate ways about six months after the final battle ended. Hermione grew tired and impatient with Ron's slacking off and his new...extracurricular.

"Can I have some of that?" Came a sly voice from behind them. Amber and Laura nodded eagerly; Harry Potter acted to reach for some of the strawberries on the table but moved at the last minute and gave Ginny a large sloppy kiss on the cheek. Her face reddened more but she had forgotten what had been troubling her a moment before.

Hermione dug her fork into a plate of eggs, trying not to look at Ron, who like Ginny and Hermione, was a group leader with Harry. "Where are your kids?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I believe their below my belt." Ron chuckled, snatching a creme filled muffin.

"Don't be thick." Ginny said crossly, clearly not amused by his attempt at a sexual joke.

"Aren't I always?" he winked a blue eye at Hermione and for the first time she noticed his face; Ron's eyes were bloodshot and slightly squinted, like the wind was blowing in his face. A dopey grin pulled up his freckled cheeks. She rolled her eyes.

"They're having a spot of breakfast before we begin. Are you almost through?" He looked from Ginny to Hermione to show he was asking both of them.

"Um..." Ginny look over at the girls for a moment before answering, "Yeah." Harry smiled warmly down at her and she pulled him close by his hand. Hermione and Ron looked away, while Laura and Amber shot daggers at Ginny.

"Quidditch tryouts tonight, Captain?" she lowed her voice for only Harry to hear. But to her dismay Harry frowned and pulled away from her.

"I've been needing to talk to you, Gin," He pulled back in to whisper to her, "Meet me on the field half hour before practice." he kissed the hollow behind her ear and pulled away. Ginny's brow furrowed, and worry bloomed in her stomach.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. Harry gave her a half-halfhearted smile and nodded.

"We better get back, mate." said Ron, nudging Harry with his shoulder as he passed. Harry looked at him and then nodded a hurried goodbye to Hermione and Ginny, getting lose instantly in a crowd of Gryffindor's.

"See you lot next week." Harry said to the group of boys as they departed. Ron was grimacing slightly, halfheartedly arguing with himself about signing up for this crock pot of a peer group.

"Why did you make me sign up for this again?" he asked as they both rose from the table. Ron unfortunately didn't have a free period that morning, so he was more concerned about finding his brother before he left for the day.

George had decided to come back a do his final year at Hogwarts for Fred. He didn't stay in the castle and only had one class, business, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

"It looks good on a resume, we need to start thinking about that kind of stuff now." Harry and Ron weaved their way through the lines of students off to their first classes, Harry going to get his bag before Muggle Studies and Ron heading for the end of the table where he knew George would be seated.

The third oldest Weasley brother was stirring soup with a spoon, starring over at Dean with a far out look in his eyes as he attempted to converse with him. Dean should have known better by now.

"Hey Dean, can I talk to George before class starts?" he nodded understandingly, but Ron barely noticed it as he whisked George off.

"What is it? You out already?" Ron followed George as he rounded the corner and slid down a corridor that was lit by a single torch.

"Well, what do you want from me? I've been stressed out lately." That much was true, with school starting up again and everything, but Ron seemed to not be able to go a day without taking at least one hit off something. Even cigarettes when he was really desperate.

George clapped a pale hand on Ron's shoulder and squeezed. "I hope you aren't going soft. Quidditch tryouts are soon."

"Don't worry," Ron paused and looked up at George. He looked so different from his old always laughing self. His eyes were bloodshot and dreary, his cheek bones where showing more than they had been before and he always seemed to be somewhere else mentally; Ron liked to believe that he was somehow in communication with his lost brother. They where twins after all.

But it was probably all the dope he'd been smoking.

"Alright, down to business, I have a class to attend." Ron nodded and George pulled a medium sized leather pouch out of his robes and handed it to him. "All that, about five and a half grams, 6 galleons."

The first warning bell sounded through the corridors as Ron dug his hands deep down into his pants, pulling out the correct amount of coins.

"Nice doing business with you." George started walking up the stairs, but turned back around after the fifth step, "I'm going to check out some product in the Hogshead next trip, you want to come?"

Ron looked at him mutely for a moment. Fred and George never, never let him come with when they look at their 'product' before. Then again this had been the first year he had even known what the product was. It was flattering none the less. Ron nodded quickly.

"Maybe I can even give you a summer internship at the shop." George's voice came from the top of the stairs, but Ron could no longer see him; he looked down at the pouch he was holding and undid the knot, holding the opening under his nose.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head. The sticky sweet scent that wafted from the bag made him moan aloud in satisfaction. Maybe this was the reason George was being so generous. He did sell the best weed Ron had ever seen and his product always seemed to have extra ingredients.

The best part was that marijuana, weed, dope or whatever you wanted to call it, was used daily in potions and had been for century's right under Ron's nose; his Herbology marks rose steadily after this small piece of information was gained. Only in the Wizarding World it was called Mallowsweet.

Mallowsweet, Ron recited In his head as he climbed the stairs, The Mallow is a family of plants with large flowers that bloom on males with herbs that grow on the females, the herbs are burned by Centaurs in order to gain divine wisdom; May be vary dangerous to wizards, witches and muggles alike.

Who knew you could actually smoke it?

Hermione sat in third hour Arithmancy, her hand reaching to the ceiling as she waited for Professor Vector to call on her. She knew she had the correct answer, she always did. Maybe that's why she didn't get called on often. Something about letting the other students learn. She rolled her eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione dropped her hand and looked at Draco, who sat three seats down from herself.

"17?" his voice sounded unsure but his face said otherwise. Hermione guessed it was that he was always putting on a tough guy act, so even if he was sincere, you couldn't tell by his expression.

"Yes, very good, Now who can tell me-" Vector raised her voice for the whole class, but Hermione could barely hear her. She was looking through a section of her poofy hair. Draco was writing down what Professor Vector was saying with intent concentration. Hermione had no clue he was into Arithmancy; she knew he was in this class with her in fourth year but didn't know he enjoyed it enough to continue.

And was it just her or did Draco look different?

He had definitely lost weight, and he had the same pale complexion, but it was no longer the sickly blue he had been throughout their sixth year. His hair was longer and untamed, spiking up randomly and smoothed out in other places, like he a major case of bed head. Or sex hair.

Hermione blushed silently and tried to hide her smirk with the back of her hand. Had she just thought that about Malfoy? She was completely mental. Well...Draco had changed since the war, and he did donate a lot of Galleons to help rebuild Hogwarts.

But she was sure he was the same twisted little ferret she had laughed at when Moody had transfigured him, and the same person she cried over in Hagrid's cabin for being called a mudblood. Yes, she was almost positive.

Almost.

Ginny stood at the middle of the Quidditch pitch kicking at a patch of dirt. Harry was making his way down from the castle, a little black bob of hair against a pale green backdrop. The knot that had formed in her stomach at breakfast had not lessened.

He was going to break it off with her. She just knew it. After all, he was the chosen one, the hero, all sorts of girls were throwing themselves at him. And with that much ass right at his finger tips, why in Merlin would he stay faithful to Ginny?

Harry was closer now, his bottom lip between his white teeth. Ginny looked at her feet again, her Quidditch boots were laced up high and the tongue was pulled taught. She could hear him now, his hot breath fogging up the air she was breathing.

"Ginny, listen," Ginny wasn't waiting for a preamble and new Harry to get right down to it, "I don't think I can be Quidditch captain anymore." Harry stopped up short and looked over her shoulder. "I wanted to tell you before I told the team." he coughed awkwardly, " What do you think?"

Ginny just starred blankly at him, relief washing over her in waves. The shock was so great that she couldn't speak for a moment. Harry looked on at her with tense eyes.

"Harry, I don't care if you want to quit Quidditch!" Ginny moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, "Do whatever makes you happy." Harry's body was stiff before he melted into her touch. Ginny tilted her head toward the graying sky, and felt Harry's nimble fingers pull her jaw forward. His lips were suddenly on hers.

One of Ginny's favorite things about Harry was the way he kissed; soft one moment then rough and passionate the next. Harry was always soft to start, slowly moving his lips with hers. The sun peaked through the clouds and made her closed eyelids blaze red.

As if the sun was his cue, Harry pushed his lips harder against Ginny's, gripping her hips tightly in his hands. Ginny pushed her self against him in response, running her fingers through his dark hair and scratching his scalp lightly.

"Mmmmm," Harry pulled back slightly and grinned lazily at her. "I love you, Ginevra."

"I love you, too."

Neville starred at the white gold coils of her hair, holding a fork full of his cobbler in front of his waiting mouth. She really was an angle, he thought, trying to piece together the ungodly puzzle that was the human female.

"Neville." Ginny snapped her clear coated fingernails sharply in his face. "You're doing it again." she sighed and blew at her bangs.

"Why don't you just talk to her mate?" Harry said thickly through a mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Ha," Neville shook his head, "That would be a good idea Harry, if she new I existed."

"That's why you have to go over there-" Harry moved is fingers in a walking motion, "-and show her that you do." Neville starred above Harry's head, thinking it over. He imaged himself stumbling over with an idiotic grin on his face and …... a mansion sized tent being pitched in his pants.

"Definitely not." he took a quick bite of his food as they rolled their eyes.

"Why are you so nervous? Its just like talking to me, but well, with her." Ginny looked over to Harry for help. He just shrugged.

"It's not that simple."

"Tell me one part of that plan that's not as clear as Ron's plate after dinner."

"Yeah where is Ron?" Neville was grasping at straws, trying to change the subject, and failing miserably.

"Why are you scared Neville?" Ginny's voice had a taunting edge to it. Neville fell for it.

"I'm not scared." he swallowed hard, "I'm, uh, insecure." Harry and Ginny looked blankly at one another.

"Are you joking? Neville, you are one of the bravest people I know, what's there to be insecure about?"

Neville grimaced down at his uneaten cobbler. What was there to be in secure about? How about everything! He was so clumsy and forgetful, and she was just so effortless. Everything he ever did in his life required effort. And even if he was on her level, what would he say? If only there were a book...

"Hey Hermione, you wouldn't happen to know of a book about girls would you?" Hermione turned away from Dean and smiled at Neville.

"Not the kind you're looking for; what about you Gin?" Ginny shook her head which was resting on her palm. She jerked up suddenly.

"I'm a girl!" her eyes shown bright with excitement and inspiration.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." said Harry with a large smirk. Ginny ignored him and starred at Neville.

"What are you getting at?" Neville had no clue what Ginny could be so excited about, but Hermione seemed to get the gist.

"She's saying she can help you, Neville!" Hermione's brain started to churn, thinking up countless ideas they could try. "Oh! I could put together an agenda! With objectives and everything!" she swigged the remaining juice in her cup and tore out of the great hall, offering a hurried wave in her wake.

"Well that solves that!" Ginny chuckled. Harry was still watching Hermione's back weave through the group of chatting students.

"I'm just happy she found something to get excited about." Harry sighed and rubbed at his eyes under his glasses. Harry saw Hermione like no one else did. He loved her like a sister and cared for her more deeply than words could express; and he saw that her once bright brown eyes had wilted, and only rarely shined with her light bulb intuition.

Ginny stretched her hand across the table and placed it on top of Harry's, "She'll be okay." Ginny's comforting was halfhearted, for she had always felt that there was something else between Harry and Hermione. But she trusted him.

"I hope so, hey Gin, I think I'm going to tuck in. Its been a long one for me." He leaned over for a quick kiss and made his way out of the great hall.

Ginny watched him retreat like he had watched Hermione. She was worried yes, and scarred, but there was really nothing she could do. When Harry started to pull away like this, she knew it was best to give him his space. After all he had quit Quidditch, so he must be going through something. Maybe a post war loss of purpose.

"Yeah, I better shove off too," Neville gave her an awkward smile, and for once she really noticed how...cute he really was. His hair was a light brown with a couple of sun made highlights – all the time in the greenhouses, she guessed – and his button nose complimented his shy smiles.

Maybe getting him with Lovegood wouldn't be so hard after all.