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"George has been spending a lot of time with Angelina, have you noticed?" Ginny mused as she cast her wand over the mugs they had previously been sipping from.
"She was close to Fred wasn't she?" Ron shrugged. "Bit of extra comfort for him, I expect,"
"I think it's healthy that he has someone to talk to outside of the family," Hermione stated.
Harry watched as Ginny charmed the sponge and scrubbing brush in the sink to start cleaning the dishes. He couldn't help but remember the first time he had seen this enchantment – his first time in The Burrow just after he had been rescued from the Dursleys by Ron, Fred and George.
"Anything good?" Harry asked Ron who was scanning the Daily Prophet.
"The usual, more former Death Eaters being caught, names being given,"
Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were gathered around the long wooden table in the kitchen of number twelve Grimmauld Place. They had just finished their breakfast, Hermione had her nose buried in a book while Ron passed Harry the Daily Prophet. Ginny was now syphoning the extra water off the dishes with her wand.
"So shall we head to Mums then?" Ginny asked, not stopping her task of drying the dishes.
"Why do you want to head in so early?" Ron asked, "Haven't even had a chance to digest my breakfast, have I?"
"Since when do you need a break in between meals, Ronald?" Hermione sighed absentmindedly as she turned a page in her book.
"I was bloody starved for a year wasn't I?" Ron looked incredulous. "Not like I was handed food every five minutes in that bloody tent,"
Hermione simply sent a glare in Ron's direction before returning back to her book, although Harry noticed how her eyes were drifting over the words too fast to be taking them in.
"What's wrong Gin?" Harry asked, Ginny was standing at the sink watching Ron and Hermione, her bottom lip trapped in between her teeth absentmindedly.
"Nothing I just though Mum would have liked the extra help since Minerva and Kinglsey and the others are joining us today,"
"Oh my goodness I completely forgot!" Hermione exclaimed, laying her book on the table.
"Well no offence but what good would any of us be to her?" Ron asked, looking to Harry for back up. "It's not like any of us here come anywhere near chef status,"
"Honestly Ron, you can't be that lazy," Hermione snapped, rising from the table and disappearing into the laundry room off the kitchen.
"Lazy she calls me," Ron exclaimed, looking from Harry to Ginny. "Not like I ever saved her from bloody Bellatrix Lestrange and the entire Malfoy family or anything,"
"Oh don't act like you would have lasted a second on the run without her," Ginny sighed, Harry decided it best not to mention that Dobby had actually been the one to save them from Malfoy Manor.
"So are we going to Mums or not?" Ron ignored Ginny as he stood from his chair.
After calling Hermione from sorting the socks the four had apparated to The Burrow where they found a very distressed Mrs. Weasley. Pots were bubbling on the stove, pans were frying, the oven was glowing and the smell of food hit them as soon as they entered through the half door into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley stopped flourishing her wand long enough to give them each a hug before waving it once more, sending cutlery flying across the room.
"We figured you might need some help," Ginny told her mother as she watched spuds peeling themselves in the sink.
"Oh well isnt' that sweet of you," Mrs. Weasley smiled, her hair fly away as she flicked her wand towards the garden, shortly after carrots and broccoli flew through the open window and onto a steaming tray. "Boys if you would be dears and set up the tables outside,"
Once Ron, Harry and Mr Weasley had a dining area set up outside including tables fully set an extra large placement and re-enforced chair for Hagrid, the guests started arriving.
Bill and Fleur were the first to arrive, Fleur looking as stunning as usual, swooping down to Molly and placing a kiss on both of her cheeks before doing the same in turn to Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny.
Bills scar was evident as ever on his face but a large smile was gleaming on his face as he grasped Harrys hand and shook it firmly.
Minerva McGonagall was the next to arrive, Harry thought he saw a glint of a smile one the stern features of his former Professor as she surveyed the Golden Trio.
Harry couldn't help but notice how out of place Minerva looked in The Burrow. As always, her hair was back into a tight bun and her posture was as perfect as the day Harry first saw her when she lead them into the Great Hall in his first year at Hogwarts.
Hagrid arrived next, his smile stretching from ear to ear as he grasped Harry, Ron and Hermione in a bone crushing hug before directing his attention to the bucket sized bottle of Firewhisky Mr. Weasley had handed him.
George and Percy apparated a few minutes apart into the grounds of The Burrow. Molly Weasleys hug for her fourth child lingered slightly longer than those of his brothers. Once she released him she patted his cheek, tears glistening in her eyes before she pulled herself together and tended to her children and guests.
"Where's Kingsley?" Harry asked Bill as he sat down beside him at the dinner table.
"Expect he's running late, apparently he was in a very important meeting in the Ministry all day," Bill half whispered.
"The ministry?" Harry asked, frowning slightly. He couldn't help but associate the large magical building with dark magic and even darker memories.
"Not all bad anymore, mate," George interrupted, apparently he had been listening to their conversation.
"Kingsley is tipped to be the next Minister of Magic," Bill told Harry.
"What? That's brilliant!" Harry exclaimed, he couldn't help but feel a lift in his humour as he thought of the wizarding world finally being led by someone decent and deserving.
After Kingsley had arrived, apologizing profusely to everyone for delaying them they were all tucking into Mrs. Weasleys wonderful cooking. Small group conversations had broken out across the table. Hermione and Ginny were actively talking to Fleur, Harry could have sworn he heard Hermione asking about Beauxbatons Academy. Bill and Hagrid were having a rather tipsy conversation about werewolves and half breeds. Kingsley, Ron and Arthur were chattering at the other side of the table while Molly and Minerva were discussing something quietly under their breaths.
Once dinner had turned into dessert and the sun was starting to set across The Burrow conversation had fizzled to a comforting hum. Ginny was now leaning against Harry, her head resting on his shoulder. He thought back to last year. All of those months on the run when he would lie in his bunk watching Ginny's footsteps wandering around Hogwarts on the Muraurders Map. He wondered for a moment if he'd ever recall these moments to her.
"So what are you three planning on doing with yourselves after the summer?" Molly asked, her eyes scanned Harry, Ron and Hermione carefully. Harry could only guess what Mrs. Weasley and Minerva were discussing moments before.
"Er, I dunno," Ron shrugged, looking towards Harry for help.
"Yeah it seems odd now that we have to do something other than destroying Voldemort," Harry grinned. Mrs. Weasley, however was not smiling.
"Are you trying to tell me Ronald Weasley that you are planning on abandoning your education?" Mrs. Weasley asked sternly. Harry could see Ron practically cowering under his mothers glare.
"There's no need to be so tough on them, Molly," Kingsleys voice boomed across the table, although there was nothing unkind about the statement. "Harry, Ron and Hermione will always have a place at the ministry if they wish,"
"You can't possibly be suggesting that Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger will be taken on in the ministry with an incomplete education, Kingsley," Minerva asked, her eyes widening as she surveyed Kingsley's large build.
"What other tests can these three possibly complete that would deem them fit to be Aurors, they are possibly the greatest wizards of their time," Kingsley remained smiling as he continued his argument, Harry doubted Kingsley realized the dangerous waters he was treading upon.
"You would give us jobs as Aurors, all of us?" Ron asked, sitting up straighter in is chair.
"You would have to go through the mandatory testing but I doubt that would be a challenge for you three," Kingsley chuckled.
"I'd definitely be interested," Harry piped up, Ron nodded his head vigorously in agreement.
"And you, Ms. Granger?" Minerva asked, surveying Hermione carefully. The slight tug of a smile one Professor McGonagall's lips told Harry that she knew her favourite student all too well.
"I would definitely be interested in a job with the ministry but I don't think Auror would be for me," Hermione shrugged. "I definitely want to make a difference but I'm not sure it's the route I'd want to go down," Harry couldn't help but be amused at the expression on Rons face as he turned to look at Hermione as if making sure it was really her sitting beside him.
"Bloody hell Hermione you're the brightest witch of your age, you were the one that kept Voldemort himself at bay with the protective enchantments last year,"
"I dunno I just think chasing the bad guys is something I want to leave in that life," Hermione shrugged, her cheeks tinged a slight pink at Rons words.
"Hogwarts will always welcome you back if you wish to repeat your seventh year, Ms. Granger," Minerva smiled. Molly looked somewhat triumphant beside the Hogwarts professor.
"Well that settles it then, doesn't it," Molly grinned, clapping her hands together. "You'll all return to Hogwarts in September to finish your seventh year,"
"What, where did you get that?" Ron asked almost looking amused. "Just because Hermione doesn't want to become an auror doesn't mean we're all going back to Hogwarts,"
"Bloody hell Mum they're not joined at the hip," George laughed.
Shortly after this conversation ended Harry, Ron and Hermione decided it was time to head back to Grimmauld Place, after all there was only so much of Molly's disapproving glances they could take.
Once Harry bade goodnight to his two friends they all trudged upstairs to their respective bedrooms.
Hermione lay in bed reading a book, she was propped up slightly at the shoulders by her pillows, a single orb was floating beside her in the room, shinning a light on the ancient pages she was scanning. The orb, of course had come from the Deluminator.
Ron got into bed, sighing heavily before turning over, trying his best to fall asleep. He was just drifting off to dreamland, thinking of himself and Harry working together as Aurors for the ministry. A large bang jolted him out of his sleeplike state as he jumped to a sitting position.
"What the bloody hell was that?" He asked, glaring around the room.
"Sorry," Hermione muttered, he noticed that her book was now lying open on the table beside the bed, clearly the source of the noise.
"What's up?" He frowned, seeing her distraught expression. He sat up fully in bed, pulling her into his chest.
"I want to find Mum and Dad," He heard her sniffle.
"Why didn't you say anything before?" He asked, rubbing her back while he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, he felt her shrug. "You know Harry and I would help you in a heartbeat,"
"But you've only just got your family back and Harry's only just got back with Ginny," Her voice was getting smaller as she went on.
"We're not going out to fight off Death Eaters again, Hermione," He reassured her. "We'll be flying to Australia to track them down, won't we?"
"You do know there's lots of venomous spiders in Australia," Hermione chuckled slightly looking up at his slightly paling face.
"Fought off Lord Voldemort didn't I?" Ron shrugged, trying to look nonchalant.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at his façade as she cuddled closer to him once more. She wanted her Mum and Dad to so badly come back to her and become part of her second family. The family that she had formed with Ron, Harry and the Weasleys.
With that thought in her head, she drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.
