Disclaimer: As usual – I claim no ownership of the Harry Potter world and its characters. I'm only here to play with it for my fun and yours. The rights are still belonging to J.K. Rowling and her business associates. I only own the few original characters added by me and the plot.
2. Dinner
Harry stirred awake, feeling well rested and refreshed, as he had not felt for more than a year. He had slept well and only had wonderful dreams, starring a bushy-haired brunette, who was currently pressed into his side. He could feel two soft mounds on his chest and a delicate hand resting on his shoulder, which was also covered by the same bushy brown hair. Harry inhaled the scent of the strawberry-vanilla mixed with old parchment that he knew so well. 'She loves me!' was all he could think at that moment.
Said brunette was also stirring awake, finding herself relaxed and happy as she had not been for many months. The sound of the heart beating under her ear was surely a cause for that happiness. "Harry," she mewed contentedly, "I think we missed lunch."
Harry couldn't say he was sorry, and he also knew for certain that she wasn't sorry either. They both needed their rest more than their meal, yet both stomachs were grumbling now.
"I believe it's already about dinner time. What would you say if I take you dine out?" Harry suggested.
"Is it a date?"
"Only if you want it to be," he answered truly.
Hermione smiled some more. "Well, I'd like a dinner date. We can then seal it with a kiss, and maybe more..."
They were still partially dressed, as none bothered to change for bed before, being too tired. Hermione blushed a bit at seeing Harry in his boxers only, while she was actually wearing only a long t-shirt and her knickers, which made her blush even more.
"You may use the bathroom. Meanwhile, I can dress in here," Harry told her.
They did as suggested. Harry noticed it was almost five in the evening, so he checked the wardrobe for something somewhat elegant. He didn't really have anything truly elegant, and he doubted Sirius's clothes would fit him. He remembered Sirius being much taller, although the few things he tried didn't seem to be too large. Yet Sirius didn't have any muggle clothes, and Harry didn't want a wizard's restaurant for their outing, fearing the attention they might get.
Hermione joined him soon. She was wearing a nice t-shirt and a pair of tight jeans, looking delightfully beautiful and innocent, like a girl her age should look.
"I could just fall in love with you again, the way you look now," Harry told her.
"Oh, we've done it more than once. Falling in love, I mean." her face reddened at the implied other possibility.
Harry looked at her bewildered.
"I'll tell you over dinner," she promised.
Kreacher was not happy to hear they were intending to eat out, yet he understood their wish to be a bit festive. The house was not yet able to provide the appropriate environment for the moment.
They walked out, enjoying their new-found love and the warm weather. Unlike the previous day, this one was cloudless, allowing them to dress lightly. Hermione used a nearby phone booth to check for a few restaurants and then let Harry make a reservation at an Italian restaurant near Soho. It was only a short tube ride away and neither minded the overcrowded end-of-day traffic.
A table for two, with two unlighted candles in the center, was waiting for them, separated by heavy drapes from the rest of the restaurant – the ideal setting for a first official date, as Harry described it when ordering. The waiter lighted the candles as soon as he led them to the table and gave them the menues for them to choose. Hermione chose salad for the first course and pasta Bolognaise for the main. Harry also took salad as entry, but he preferred a meaty lasagna for the main course. He also ordered some light red wine, as suggested by the waiter.
Hermione resumed her tale as soon as they were left alone.
"I sat with Molly, waiting for the others to wake up. I asked her about the future..."
"What do you think will happen with us during the coming years?" Hermione asked.
"I expect you and Ron to get married and have kids. Ginny will marry Harry as soon as she graduates, as she can hardly wait for that moment. I believe they would like as many children as they could have. It will take George some time to return to normal," Molly said, wiping an errant tear, "but I believe he will eventually settle with Angelina. She is visiting him daily, as you may have noticed, and they were quite close before the war."
"And the others?" Hermione prompted.
"I don't know about Charlie. He attracts the ladies like the candle attracts moths, but he doesn't seem to fancy anyone in particular. He seems more interested in Dragons than in women. It's a pity... But Percy is dating Penelope again and I believe Fleur is expecting, although they said nothing to me." Molly beamed at the thought of a grandchild.
"Then, you expect me to just be a housewife?" Hermione tried to hide her disgust at the idea.
"Of course, dear. Being a mother and wife is occupation enough. You don't need to have a job as well. Now, with the money you've got along with the Order of Merlin decoration, you can both start your life comfortably."
"What do you expect Ron to do? You know he wasn't doing very well in his studies." Hermione was giving Ron more credit than he deserved. He was barely passing his exams, really, before they left school.
"Oh, he can manage. As a pureblood he should encounter no problem in joining the ministry, and being a war hero would help as well."
Hermione didn't like what she heard. It was still pureblood prejudice, even if it came from a highly light witch.
They didn't have to talk anymore. Ginny and Arthur soon joined them and George brought Ron as well, wanting him to help prepare the WWW shop for reopening. Hermione was glad to see all the current residents of the Burrow in the kitchen.
"Oh, I need to wash my face," Hermione said, running out of the kitchen. She did wash her face, just to get a bit fresher, and then, returning to the kitchen, she switched all the Weasley wands with fake ones, which she had created the previous day, putting their true wands in the broom closet under the stairs.
By the time she returned to the kitchen, everybody was eating and drinking. Hermione sat at Ron's side, facing Ginny and George. She turned to Ron. "What are your plans now?"
She noticed that her glass was already filled with pumpkin juice and she was quite sure it was spiked with love potion. Having had enough of the antidote she wasn't really concerned. She didn't plan on drinking it anyhow, knowing she had put the very potent truth potion in it.
"I intend to go out to the garden with you, find a secluded place and snog you," he said, not noticing the shocked faces around.
"What if I don't agree?" she asked.
"Oh, you'll agree, I'm sure. I've put a double dose of love potion in your juice to assure it." Even Ron started noticing that he was not speaking as expected, although he didn't understand it yet. Arthur, though, looked livid. He didn't approve of such methods and was going to react, yet Hermione beat him to that.
"Have you been using that potion for long?" she asked sweetly.
"Since the summer after fourth year. I had to triple the dose, as you didn't react as expected. It was really annoying."
"And why did you do it?"
"You were clearly falling for Harry, but you belong to me, just as Harry belongs to Ginny. I couldn't allow it. Even the Headmaster agreed."
Hermione could hardly hold her temper. "The Headmaster? You mean Dumbledore was in it?"
"Sure! He even tried to arrange a marriage contract for Ginny and Harry, but the Goblins wouldn't accept it. He said I should try my best to keep you two away from each other for The Greater Good. He also helped oblivate you a few times when your relations became too steamy."
Molly was recovering from the shock of Ron spilling all the beans. "Please, dear, don't listen to him. He's only telling part of the truth. It's more complicated than that."
She now noticed she was also saying things which she didn't want to say and she shut up, very confused.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I've never known anything about this and I should probably apologize to Harry even more," Arthur said. "I just don't know how you made them spill that truth out."
"I think I know," George suddenly said with a wide grin. "You've made it work even better, haven't you? It's hilarious how they spill all their secrets away. Now, what about this little angel? I'm sure she isn't as angelic as she tries to look," he turned to his sister.
"Oh, shut up!. You all know Harry is mine! If it wasn't for this know-it-all he would have already been wrapped around my little finger. I had no choice but to ask Mom for a potion, just as she did with Dad."
Molly grabbed her wand and shouted "Stupefy!" pointing it at Hermione. She seemed surprised that nothing happened. George high-fived Hermione. "A prank worthy of the legendary Marauders!" he congratulated her.
"Now, if you wanted Harry so much, have you saved yourself for him?" he asked his sister.
"Do you think I'm a nun? He still hasn't touched me anywhere under my robes, let alone shagged me. I couldn't wait for him indefinitely! I let Dean take my virginity, or was it Seamus? I'm not sure, really. It was long ago, anyhow. I've since shagged almost every boy fourth year and up. Yes, even Draco Malfoy and his two goons. They were all very disappointing. Even the three of them together couldn't give me a single orgasm. Neville surprised me in the other direction. I had three orgasms before he even entered, and two more after. It's a pity he only likes Hanna now."
Ginny didn't seem to mind spilling it all out, yet her parents and Ron looked shocked. Only George chuckled. "I knew it was always the quiet ones..."
Hermione was not interested in Ginny's sex life. She only wanted to find the truth about her and Harry. "When did you start feeding the potion to Harry?"
Ginny thought for a moment before answering. "I think it was when we stayed at Sirius's house. I saw Mom spiking Dad's tea and asked her about it. She said I should do the same with Harry, if he didn't show interest in me. I then tried to help her brew it, but I was of no use. Snape was right about me not being any good at potions. Mom was sending me monthly supplies of the potion ever since, yet Harry still didn't show much interest in me. Whenever you were near him he seemed to totally forget me, although I tripled the dose."
"Do you really love him?"
"Of course I do! I've grown hearing stories of The Boy Who Lived. He then saved me from the Basilisk. How could I not love him?"
"Do you even know Harry, the person? He is a boy, now a man, not just a figure head."
"Is there any difference?" Ginny seemed truly confused.
Hermione didn't bother answering. Her attention was now back on Ron. "You said you've found us in 'steamy' conditions. Care to elaborate?"
"Well, after the second task in our fourth year, everybody was sure that Fleur would practically rape Harry, seeing how she kissed him for saving her sister. When Harry didn't return to the dorms, I was sure he was snogging her somewhere. Then Ginny told me you weren't in your bed either. I alerted the Headmaster and we finally found you two in a broom closet. You were snogging senselessly. Your blouse was open and his hands were on your bra while your hand was sneaking into his trousers. I stunned you and the Headmaster oblivated you before you were taken to your beds."
Hermione nodded as the memory was awakened.
"Then after the third task, Harry was in the hospital wing once again. We both visited him the next day. I lost interest soon enough, but you wanted to stay until curfew. When you didn't show back until bedtime, I had to alert the Headmaster again. As expected, you were still with Harry, wrapped in his arms, wearing nothing but your knickers. He oblivated you once again before taking you back to your dorm."
He seemed to be glad to tell all this. He may have thought this would humiliate her, but it actually worked the other way. Hermione was getting more confident about her feelings towards her green eyed friend.
"You also stayed behind during many DA meetings. By then I've learned the memory charm well and I used it a few times, when I caught you kissing. I even found you once totally undressed, both of you. It wasn't very nice, really."
Had she considered his opinion worthwhile she would have been offended, but now she didn't even think of it.
"It was easier once you both came to the Burrow. We made sure you both drank several doses of the potion during your first day here, and still you were more attentive to each other than to either me or Ginny. Once back at school I asked the Headmaster about it. 'No potion can overcome true love,' he told me with a sigh."
That was enough for Hermione. She turned her attention back to Molly now. The older witch seemed to be fighting herself, wanting to move away, yet her feet would not budge. "I've added a leg paralyzing potion in there as well," Hermione informed her. "It would keep you in your place for another hour or so, well after I'm finished with you."
"I'm not finished with you!" Molly growled. "I'll have the aurors hunt you for treating a respectable pureblood family like this."
"Who would they rather believe? A celebrated war hero or a witch who would tell them all the details about her love potion brewing? You should know that this truth potion I gave you will keep you speaking truly for a few more days, maybe longer than a week. That should be enough for the aurors, I believe."
Molly was steaming, but there was nothing she could do. The look on her husband's face was also discouraging. She just hoped she could control the damage. "What do you want now?" she asked venomously.
"How long have you been brewing this potion?"
Molly was fighting her urge to answer and failed. "I started brewing it at the end of my sixth year, after I've been with Arthur."
"After?" Hermione sounded confused.
"Well, I was quite attractive at that time. I was slim and curvy with big boobs and no inhibitions. Most boys at school already knew me very intimately. Only Arthur seemed to be immune to my charms, although other girls were telling he was an excellent lover. I finally managed to check him myself and found him not lacking in anything. It was then that I decided to make him mine, yet he wasn't interested. I knew he enjoyed being with me just as much as I enjoyed it, yet he refused any advances I made. Then I decided to try some unorthodox methods. That potion made him want me again and we soon became a couple. He used to sneak into school every weekend during my seventh year, when he had already graduated. I used these meetings to give him some more potion, to assure his love to me. I only tried to stop dosing him after Bill was born, but he soon lost any interest in me, so I had to keep brewing."
Arthur looked livid. Hermione just took a phial out of her robe and gave to Arthur. "This is the antidote. It works in less than ten minutes," she told him.
She now turned to George. "Did you know any of this?"
George seemed bemused. He was certainly in better mood than he had been since the battle. "I had my suspicions, but I knew nothing for sure, or I would have told you, or even better – acted on it. Hell, I didn't know we had a potions lab at home. It could have been very useful when we were younger! I'm really sorry you and Harry suffered due to these so called friends of yours and I promise to help you better in the future."
"Does anybody else know of the potion?" she asked Molly.
"No. Bill would have disowned me as his mother had he known anything, not to mention Fleur's reaction. She is more loyal to Harry than to any person alive. Charlie wouldn't have approved of it either, and Percy would have called the aurors immediately."
Hermione was content with the answer. She stood up and faced the others. "I'm going to pack now and leave. You three," she pointed at Molly, Ron and Ginny, "should better keep your distance from me and Harry if you value your lives. As for the rest, I trust Arthur to deal with you justly and fairly. George – do help him out. He will need any help you can give him."
She used her wand to Accio Arthur's and George's wands and then rushed up, packed everything into her trunk, shrunk it and put it into her pocket. She then stopped at the kitchen once more, giving Arthur and George the antidote for the paralyzing potion. She rushed out and apparated to Grimmauld place.
"You know the rest," she smiled at Harry. They were already finishing their deserts – Tiramisu for Hermione and a rich multi-flavoured ice-cream serving for Harry. The candles were quite low by now, two hours after they started dinner.
"So, we basically can trust the Weasleys, excluding Ron, Ginny and Molly," Harry said.
"I believe these three will not stay Weasley for much longer. From the gist of what I heard Arthur talk with George before I left, he's probably going to call for a family meeting and then denounce these three."
"You know, I'm kind of sorry for Ron and Ginny. They're not entirely guilty of what they did. It was all due to Molly and Dumbledore. He had become a control freak at his old age, believing that only he could know what's best for everyone and making sure it all went according to his twisted plans, while Molly should have known better than to use potions on her husband and now on us. Yet her children were already old enough to know right from wrong, so..."
Hermione stopped his rumbling. "They'll only get what they deserve and I trust Arthur to do the right thing. Now, I think it's about time to thank you for this wonderful dinner."
She got up from her seat and sat on Harry's lap. She turned her head towards him, took his head in her hands and kissed his lips tightly and passionately.
It was nothing like what they had experienced before. Harry had already kissed Cho and Ginny and a few other girls thanked him after the last battle by kissing him but none came close. Hermione had also been kissed by Krum and McLaggen, not so willingly, and then by Ron, yet she found this kiss beyond all comparison. It was sweet and innocent and also extremely passionate. They both opened their mouths a bit, letting the other's tongue explore their mouth. Harry felt in Heaven and Heaven for him was where Hermione was. They didn't even notice the waiter who came to collect the empty dishes and left the bill. It took them eternity, or at least ten minutes, before they came back to their senses and stopped for some air.
"Wow! I've never thought one could kiss like that," Harry noted.
"It only depends on who I kiss," she replied cheekily.
Harry initiated another kiss. When they resurfaced for air, he noticed the table with the bill. "I think we've been given a hint to leave," he said with a smile.
He left the appropriate sum of money along with a generous tip and they walked out to the cooling evening air. "What do you plan to do now?" he asked.
"You mean, after shagging you senseless?" she grinned mischievously at him.
He gulped his surprise. This was going much faster than he could ever hope, yet, according to what they had learned earlier, this was just the culmination of previous, interrupted, love sessions. "Well... of course," he managed to answer.
Her smile didn't falter. "I'm going to do it again... and again... until we fall asleep in each other's arms."
Harry was smiling as well. "That sounds like a good plan to me. Shall we take a taxi or..."
"Let's go now!" she urged him, grabbing him by his hand, walking into a nearby alley and apparating them both.
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