Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry Potter/Hermione Granger
Warnings: alternate universe; het; next generation characters; James Sirius Potter is a brat; Lily Luna Potter is the eldest child; Rose Weasley and Albus Severus Potter are twins; and there is no Hugo Weasley in the Potter family
Prompt: (Setting) Flourish and Blotts

Summary: James Sirius Potter wanted to be gone in Flourish and Blotts because he wanted to get to Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Unfortunately, no one else was ready to leave.

Tales of Harmony
Sounds Like a Trick

"Can we go yet?" whined James Sirius Potter as he looked at his father. He was so done with this bookstore. It sold books, and books were that interesting. He didn't understand why they were still here.

"No, James," Harry Potter told his son. While he understood James' interest in leaving, they weren't leaving until everyone was done. Currently, that meant everyone but James was still looking.

"But, dad," James whined, "I wanna see Uncle George." James was a miniature version of his dad with messy dark hair, glasses, and green eyes.

Closing the Defense book, Harry added it to his small pile. "You know your mom won't let you buy anything," he reminded his son.

James scowled. "She doesn't have to know," he said, crossing his arms.

Harry smiled fondly as he watched his oldest son. At times like these it was hard to believe James was thirteen. He lacked the majority his older sister, Lily, had. Then again, James acted like his namesakes – according to the regular letters from Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. James Sirius was a lot like his grandpa and Sirius Black when they were young Hogwarts students.

"Since you spent all your money on a new broom, she would," Harry said, walking down the aisle of books.

Following his dad, James frowned. As a reward for good grades, his parents paid five galleons for each Outstanding on his report card, and James earned six out of seven. He spent that money, plus most of his savings and bit extra from his dad, on a broomstick. Like his dad and grandpa, James wanted to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team and lead them to the Inter-House Championship.

"I'll do extra chores," James promised, cutting his dad off in the aisle, as if trying to block him in.

"You already are," Harry said. "Your broke Al's chess set, and you owe your mom the money for the replacement."

Frowning, James tried to think of a way he could earn money and fast. He needed new supplies for the pranks he was planning to pull.

"Can I get a loan?" James asked, sounding hopeful.

"How much, and what are you willing to offer as collateral?" his dad asked, amusement in his tone.

James thought about what he wanted to buy, how much it cost, and factoring in the discount he got. "I need twenty-seven galleons," he said, partly guessing.

"The collateral?" asked Harry, walking passed his son.

"My collection of chocolate frog cards?"

"Denied."

"But why?"

"I don't think your cards are worth twenty-seven galleons, and there's no guarantee you would pay off your debt in a timely manner."

James groaned. "What do you want?" he demanded, glaring at his dad.

"It's not what I want," Harry explained. "It's what you have that I think it worth the price." Without another word, Harry carried on looking at the books.

Scowling, James crossed his arms. This sounded like a trick.

"What's got your panties in a bunch, squirt?" asked James' older sister, Lily Luna Potter, as she ruffled his hair.

Turning, James glared at his older sister.

Lily smirked in response. While she took after their dad in looks, she had the bushy hair of their mom. Most days, Lily pulled her bushy dark hair back in a bun.

"It's none of your business," James snapped, glaring at his perfect older sister.

"It you say so, squirt," Lily said, pulling out a Defense book. Outside of looks, Lily took after their mom – only with their Grandma Lily's temper. Lily was studious, more interested in books than Quidditchs or boys.

"Don't call me that," grumbled James, crossing his arms.

Rolling her green eyes, Lily side-stepped her brother as she picked up another book. She read over the back before opening it. After a moment, she added it to her enchanted basket.

James' eyes widened at the sight of her basket. There were a lot of books in there. "How can you afford all those?" he asked.

"Perfect grades, perfect attendance, perfect reports," Lily answered, returning a book to the shelf, "with the added bonus of mom paying for some."

As he watched his sister move down the aisle, James thought. There had to be someway he could convince one of his parents to loan him the money or give him the money. At the moment, James wasn't too picky since he would get the supplies he needed to survive at Hogwarts.

"Whatever it is, just forget it," Lily called over her shoulder.

James scowled at her back before he resumed his walk around the bookstore. Without anything else to do, James thought it was a good way to kill time.

In the Ancient Runes section he found his mom with the twins. Hermione Potter was looking over the latest edition of some research journal or another while Rose and Albus Potter were reading their first year textbooks. Rose had the Potions textbook while Al had Herbology.

As he watched his mom and the twins, James wondered how he could be related to nerds and bookworms. Even his dad enjoyed reading and learning.

Sighing, James shook his head.

Hermione glanced up and she looked over at her oldest son. She frowned as she took in his downcast expression. "James, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, mom," he answered.

"You lie worse than your dad," Hermione stated, placing the edition issue of The Journal of Ancient Runes in her shopping basket. Glancing at her youngest children, she said, "Rose, Al, go find Lily and your dad."

"Why can't James?" asked Rose Nymphadora Potter with a frown. "I'm busy reading."

"Come on, Ro," Albus Severus Potter told his sister. "We can read more at home."

Rose's frown grew in a wordless response. She was the only child that took after Hermione in looks with her bushy brown hair and brown eyes.

"All of your quills and tabs are at home," Albus reminded his sister. Like James, Albus took after their dad in appearance with his messy dark hair and green eyes. Unlike James and Harry, Albus didn't wear glasses.

Rose's brown eyes widened. She quickly shoved her book into her mom's basket before grabbing hold of her twin brother's arm. "Let's go," she said, pulling her brother off in a different direction.

"Now, James," Hermione said, turning her attention to him, "what's wrong?"

James took a moment to debate his opinions: lie, flee and hide, tell the truth, or remain quiet. In the end, he decided to see if his parents told him the truth. They always said tell the truth was important and it was well rewarded. "I need money to buy supplies from Uncle George," he said.

Hermione closed her eyes as she shook her head. She should have known. He was just like Sirius Black. "Did you talk to Fred?" she asked.

James shook his head. "He's still mad at me," he replied.

"How do you know if he's still mad at you?" Hermione asked. "You haven't spoken this summer."

Wordlessly, James shrugged. Fred Weasley II had sent him a letter or floo-called to see if they could hang out. They were best friends.

"Have you tried talking to him?" Hermione asked. She could almost feel the headache coming on.

"No," James muttered. "He said I was the worst."

Punching the bridge of her nose, Hermione mentally counted to ten before replying, "Did you think to apologize?"

James responded by shrugging his shoulder as he continued to sulk.

"You should that," advised Hermione, "and try doing something nice for him."

"Will it help?" James asked, turning his hopeful green eyes towards his mom.

"It's a good place to start," she replied. "You said some mean things."

"Yeah, I know," he muttered, wanting to roll his eyes.

"Let's go," Hermione said, walking towards the front of the store. It was time to check out.

"Where are we going next?" James asked, falling in step next to his mom.

"Ollivanders'," Hermione replied. "Albus and Rose need their wands."

James groaned at the answer. That would take forever.

"There you are," Harry said in with a smile. He pulled his wife in for a kiss.

"Eww, gross, dad," James complained, shaking his head. He quickly moved away from his parents. They could be so embarrassing.

This was written in response to Can You Make It to the End Challenge from Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.
Round Two: Write about your OTP (Harry/Hermione) in each of the following settings. – (Setting) Flourish and Blotts

Words: ~1,400