Was this what Harry really wanted…?
This was on Harry Potters mind a lot more often than one would think. He had beaten the Dark Lord three years ago, and at that moment, he thought things would get easier. He knew he would still get there stares, he would still get the worshipped hero status, but he didn't think it would even be worse than before.
Looking back on it, he should have known it would have become like this. Everyone who already revered him was working overtime to make sure that he knew that he was the greatest person on the face of the planet, and almost everyone who hadn't worshipped him, was making up for lost time. He would get hundreds of pieces of fan mail daily, all saying much the same, which moved Harry to have Winky, his new house elf, to get rid of them whenever they came.
It wasn't like things were going badly for Harry. He had quickly made it through Auror academy, quite quickly and efficiently, graduating with a new found confidence that he didn't know he had.
He had quickly put into a squad with Hermione Granger, his last true best friend. Now that wasn't to mean he still wasn't mates with Ron Weasley, but things weren't the same. Harry had been dating Ginny on and off for now three years, and they were on one of there ever increasing break ups, and that was sour spot with Ron. Harry and Ginny would have spectacular fights, screaming and yelling, throwing things, mostly done by Ginny, was a common occurrence. Hermione was always willing to let Harry fall back on her and was always willing to listen to his ranting and raving.
The other squad member was none other than Padma Patil. It was quite the surprise when it was found out that Padma was joining the Auror corps, but she never gave a straight answer as to why she was doing it, only that it was her secret, and that the answer would come out when she was ready, and no one was going to force it out of her.
Harry was pleasantly surprised when he found out who his squad mates would be. Both young women were intelligent, able to think quickly, and had that air about them that always made him calm. It was one of those things he couldn't place his finger on, but was quite glad about the situation in general.
It was a Friday afternoon about a week after the three of them graduated when they were brought into head Aurors office, being notified that they would be grouped together as an experimental squad, seeing as they had no senior leader and that they would figure out for themselves if and who would lead the group. It was thought that by the leaders of the Aurors that it would be unwise to break up Hermione and Harry in any sense, since there deep friendship was no secret to anyone, and that Padma was most like the two of them coming out of the Auror class, and would be able to contribute in ways that no one else in the class would be able to, as well as be able to handle the dynamics of Harrys and Hermione's friendship.
Immediately after they were dismissed from the office, Harry had spur of the moment idea, and pulled the two women aside.
"Would you two like to come over to my flat and have a night to celebrate our graduation and squad?" After every word was spoken, Harry got more and more nervous saying it. He never made these suggestions, Hermione was usually the one to drag him out and about, and her surprise had shown on her face. Padma on the other hand had a curious smile on her face, and readily agreed. She knew the dynamic between the two, and while didn't know everything about Harry and Hermione, she most definitely knew that it would be a good way to start a friendship with two amazing individuals that most couldn't even begin to understand.
"Of course Harry, I would be delighted to." She said happily. "It would be tonight I am guessing?"
Harry nodded. "No time like the present." He said happily. He knew that Hermione would say yes, and was glad that Padma had so readily agreed. He turned to Hermione. "Are you in?"
Hermione, who was still slightly stunned, quickly broke out of her stunned expression and nodded vigorously. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" Laughs broke out all around, and last a couple of seconds before details were to be hashed out.
"How about you two come by at about seven or so? Well have some dinner and drinks maybe?" Harry didn't know if Padma drank at all, though knew that Hermione would indulge herself in a few drinks every now and then.
Both girls nodded happily. Neither were big on going out a lot, though every now and then both girls could be found out and about, though never with each other, at least not yet. Padma and Hermione had not been the closest friends, but were known at school to study at school together on occasion, seeing as both were top of their class.
"Do you need us to bring anything Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head though.
"Unless you have anything you want to bring in particular, I have everything that we need back at my flat. I have both food and wine if that's alright with you."
"Surprise us then." Padma said with a smile and bid her goodbyes before heading off out of the building and back to her flat that she had by herself.
Hermione looked back at her best friend questioningly. She knew that this was out of character for him, but trusted his judgment explicitly, even more so than Ron, who she was currently dating. Harry saw the look on her face and shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm glad that I'm able to work with the two of you, and I want to show my appreciation. I know that I usually don't do this often, but I'm feeling good, and I want to congratulate the two of you on the promotion that we are getting."
Hermione seemed to accept the response without anymore questioning, and headed off back to her own flat, that she lived on her own as well at, refusing to stay with Ron at the burrow, even though it was heavily hinted that all the Weasleys wanted her there.
Seven oclock quickly arrived, and Hermione and Padma found themselves outside the door of Harrys flat a few minutes before the clock struck seven. Hermione and Padma both thought highly of the other young women, and while at school there was a bit of a rivalry between the two of them, there was now a slowly growing friendship that they had struck up when they found out that they both would be training to be aurors.
They looked at each others, shrugged lightly and Hermione knocked on the door a few times. They heard Harrys voice from behind the door saying that the door was open, and Padma turned the handle and opened the door..
Harrys place was only lightly furnished, since he was usually at the ministry training, with only a couple of couches and a dinner table with four chairs as the real furnishings. There was a bed room off to the side, which was always slightly messy, which always was a reason for Hermione to playing berate Harry about having a messy room.
It wasn't until the two women turned to the kitchen, was when they saw something that would be etched into there minds for years to come. Harry was in an apron, muggle cooking what looked to be like a chicken, spaghetti, and what looked like to be broccoli in a pot. Hermione always knew that Harry had cooking skills, but never had seen him in action.
Padma, on the other hand, was extremely attracted to the fact that Harry could cook, as well as for the fact that he had probably spent the entire rest of his afternoon to go through all this trouble for the two of them. She had always thought Harry was pretty attractive, in more ways than one, and what she was seeing only proved her point.
Harry saw them standing there, and put the finishing touches on the food, beckoning them to sit down.
"Dinner is just about ready, thanks again for coming. Take a seat."
Dinner was quickly served and the first bottle of wine was broken out and served with the dinner. Both Hermione and Padma were thoroughly impressed with Harrys cooking skills. Comments like, "This is delicious Harry!" and "I cant believe you went through all of this for us." Were repeated several times to Harry by both girls and all Harry could do was blush slightly at the praise.
The three moved to the couches after dinner, and a conversation about what was to be expected of them as a squad in the Auror corps.
Padma came up with the first theory. "From what it looks like, they definitely wanted the two of you together, given the history the two of you have, and your friendship. They were probably disappointed that Ron never made it through." Ron never had made it through Auror academy. A year into it, he was offered a Quidditch contract by the Cannons, in desperate need of a keeper, and some news attention, and Ron quickly took up on it, much to the annoyance of Hermione.
"I couldn't have imagined them taking an older Auror and putting him and her in charge of the two of you. You two never did well listening to authority." Padma stated playfully, which resulted in a pillow lightly tossed at her from Harry. Though all three of them knew it was true. "The only question is why was I chosen to work with the two of you?"
Hermione had a look of genuine confusion as she couldn't place it, but Harry quickly gave an answer. "It's probably because they are going to look to you to keep us grounded. Hermione usually does a good job of that for me, but when the two of us get going, there isn't anyone to watch the both of us. You are extremely smart, and your personality is actually quite similar to ours, so its probably thought that you would be able to fit in with us quickly, and be able to not go as far as to keep an eye on us, but able to provide fruitful feedback and help us make decisions." This was quite the praise that Harry was giving out, and both girls knew that he hadn't been big on giving it out as of late.
Hermione had a knowing smile on her face, while Padma was quick to give a shy smile and to blush. It was easy for Padma to realize that she was liking Harry Potter more and more by the minute, and this night had proven that fact. She had been single for a while, and while she wasn't against dating at all, she hadn't found the right person, partly her own fault, seeing as how she didn't go out and do much. Her joining the Auror corps was to show that she was able to hold her own with the best, and that she could help the wizarding world in a way that she would be able to work behind the scenes, though that was quickly changing.
Topics changed many a time as the second bottle of wine was opened up. Harry was much the wine drinker, and had built up quite the tolerance to it, even sharing a drink with Winky once in a while, who hadn't given up on drinking.
All three would admit in the years to come that it was one of the most calming and fun nights that any of them had had in a long long time. The conversations were free flowing, and nothing stressful had been brought up the entire night. Soon it was late and time to leave, and Harry go up to show the two women out, and Hermione said by to Harry first, giving him one of her patented hugs, which Harry always loved. Padma was next, and after giving Harry a warm hug of her own, whispering into Harrys ear, "That was quite the night Harry, thank you." Before pulling away and surprising everyone including herself by giving Harry a quick kiss on the lips before leaving.
Hermione turned to a grinning and blushing Harry with her jaw open, not hiding her shocked expression. Harry blushed, grinned a bit and shrugged. "I guess it went well?"