CHAPTER SEVEN

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Draco and Lucius Malfoy led the Ministry on a wild goose chase all over the country for over a month before they made the mistake that would cost them their lives. Harry had taken their latest attack against Hermione very personally and took it upon himself to follow them from one place to the next. They led him on something of a tour of the UK, from Acarsaid in the highlands of Scotland to Zone Point in Cornwall, he followed them almost as closely as their own shadows, but they somehow always managed to give him the slip.

Until he followed him to the last place he ever expected to find himself again, Little Whinging. He found himself in the town in which he had grown up so miserably, backed by a team of highly trained aurors and having a wand fight with two unstable Azkaban escapees. It had taken over an hour for the two Malfoys to succumb to their exhaustion, at which point Harry had gained much satisfaction when he stood above their prone bodies and hog tied them, ready to be taken to the Ministry to face their executions.

"What the bloody hell were they doing in Little Whinging?" Hermione exclaimed, having listened to Harry tell his story.

They were sitting around the small table that Hermione had insisted they put in the kitchen, telling Theo that she refused to eat all of her meals at a dining table that could easily hold 20 people when there were currently only two of them. She smiled up at Theo when he put a cup of tea down in front of each of them and sat down next to her.

"Ironically, I don't think they had any idea I grew up there," Harry snorted, "I think I only managed to catch them because I know that town so well, from walking around it almost constantly in the summers."

"Wow, I'm impressed, Harry," Theo grinned, "thank you, we owe you."

"Not at all, if anything I owe you," Harry shrugged, "you saved Hermione's life, and that baby she's still carrying thanks to you, I think we're even, right?"

"I guess we are." Theo said, holding his hand out for Harry to shake and when he did, both men turned at the sound of a sniffle from Hermione.

"Hormones," She squeaked, plucking a tissue from the box and blowing her nose, "seriously though, thank you, Harry. It really means a lot to me."

"Least I could do really," he shrugged, "does it earn me any friend points?"

"You're an idiot," Hermione snorted, reaching out to pat his hand on the table, "how's Ginny?"

"Wouldn't know," he shrugged, "we broke up in… February I think?"

"Oh!" She gasped, "I'm sorry, what happened?"

"She was so jealous," Harry groaned, "even the female aurors ended up being scared of working with me because she would make their lives a misery if they did. A woman just had to stand next to me for me to be accused of an affair."

"Sounds like you're better off out of that one, mate." Theo muttered and snorted when his wife sniffled again.

"Stop being nice to each other, it's making me emotional." She muttered and Harry laughed loudly as Theo stood behind her, massaging her shoulders.

"Would you rather we went back to being horrible to one another?" Harry chuckled and she threw an apple at him after plucking it from the table, which he caught and took a bite from.

"Idiots," she muttered, "the men in my life are idiots."

"Gee thanks Maya, I love you too." Theo deadpanned before heading off to check on the pie he was attempting not to explode and she snorted.

"Talking of idiots, Harry, did I tell you that George approached me?" She asked and he rose his eyebrow in question, "during the retirement party before I took over Flourish and Blotts, he came up to me and apologised, said he never blamed me. What do you make of it?"

"You know George has never been one to blindly follow Molly's word," he shrugged, "What else did he say?"

"He told me he's been having counselling, did you know?" She asked and he nodded.

"I was the one who said he should try it," he snorted, "did he say if it was helping him?"

"Yeah he did, said it's helped him with both Fred and Ron." She nodded and felt Theo stand behind her again.

"Do you think George is serious, about being sorry I mean?" Theo asked Harry and he shrugged, "I just don't want Maya getting hurt again."

"It's understandable," Harry nodded, "we could always go and meet him, if you wanted?"

"Me and you?" Theo asked and Harry nodded, Theo looked down at Hermione, "What do you think, love?"

"I've no problem with George," she shrugged, "but if you want to meet him with Harry, that's fine."

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Weasleys Wizard Wheezes was impossibly bright against the backdrop of browns and greys in Diagon Alley and Theo found it to be quite a shocking contrast. He had left Hermione to have a bath after their lunch with Harry when the black haired wizard suggested they go and see George, flooing into Diagon Alley and wandering down while talking about Hermione. It was weird, being friendly with Harry, but he was willing to make that effort. Especially seeing as Harry had been the one to help them during the most difficult times of their relationship.

"U-no-poo?" He chuckled and Harry rolled his eyes

"Their mum thought they were going to get themselves killed for that," he laughed, "that poster has been there ever since the height of the war."

"Harry…" Theo said, grabbing the man's arm and pulling him to a stop, "George's twin, Fred, how did he..?"

"Rookwood," Harry growled, "battle of Hogwarts, exploded a wall and Fred was under it. Probably wouldn't mention anything around George though."

He nodded. Harry opened the door to the shop and Theo was assaulted by noise, children screaming and laughing, little pops and mini explosions and for some bizarre reason, the voice of Umbridge of all people. As he stepped in, he saw a tiny model of the horrible Professor on a unicycle, calling for order. He snorted and began to laugh as he took in the rest of the store.

"Have you never been in here before?" Harry asked as he stopped next to him and Theo shook his head.

"Didn't think I'd be welcome," he said, raising his arm to hint at his mark, "being marked and all."

"You'll be fine," Harry snorted, dragging him over to the cash desk and waving to Lee, who walked over and shook the man's hand before looking at Theo, "Lee, this is Theo Nott, Hermione's husband."

"Hermione got married?!" Lee squawked and Harry laughed as he nodded.

"It was a small wedding," Theo grinned, holding his hand out and Lee shook it, "nice to meet you."

"You too," Lee chuckled, "you're a lucky man, Theo."

"I know." He agreed.

Harry asked to see George and Lee led them through to the back office where George was sitting behind the desk. The red head looked up and grinned at Harry before noticing Theo, when his grin morphed into a confused frown and Harry introduced them.

"So you're the husband?" He asked and Theo snorted.

"I am, I suppose." he nodded and sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"What can I do for you two most unlikely of friends?" George asked with a grin and Theo opened his mouth to speak, but Harry beat him to it.

"Hermione tells me you offered an olive branch?" He asked and both Theo and George looked at him confused before he rolled his eyes, "you apologised?"

"Oh!" George chuckled, "yeah, I did. Thought it was about time, you know?"

"About time for what?" Theo asked and George snorted.

"About time to let her know that not all us Weasleys are mindless, conniving idiots?" George shrugged and Theo nodded, turning to Harry.

"I like him." He said simply and George rose his eyebrows as Harry rolled his eyes and turned to the red head.

"You should know she's about… how far is she Theo?"

"Almost 8 months pregnant, now." He provided and George gasped.

"Really?" He grinned, "that's amazing. Congratulations, Theo."

"Thanks," Theo nodded, smiling, "You should come over to Nott Hall some time, I'm sure Hermione would be pleased to see you."

He watched as George pulled out his datebook and flicked through it, until they agreed he would come for drinks, along with Harry, the next weekend before Theo said his goodbyes and left to get home. It felt strange for him to be inviting people freely to his home, but he was glad that Hermione was breathing life back into the place and into him.