Chapter 7.
It was weeks after Hermione had been staying with her parents and often times when Harry went to breakfast he had found himself used to fixing two meals for him and Hermione. It just wasn't the same with her gone.
During this time, Harry had been very moody. Many things in his home had bared the brunt of his irritability.
The table in the living room was in broken in pieces and there were several holes in the walls due to throwing several large objects at it.
Harry sighed and grumbled at the table at the mere fact the fact it was bugging him so much. He had tried to forget her, his feelings for her left a bitter taste in his mouth. He could have sworn he heard Hermione's voice in his head a couple of times.
'You might as well do it Harry. If you don't do it now, it will stress you out.'
'But...her parents are there and you clearly don't want me to tell them anything.' Harry protested with himself.
'Don't you know she's never going to do it. Why don't you do what feels right? No one has ever been able to tell you what you can and cannot do. Even when people tried when has that stopped the Great Harry Potter.'
Harry thought long and hard about the times in which he hadn't backed down. Sometimes it backfired sometimes it hadn't but throughout the time in which his efforts had been less than successful, Harry had taken great care of fixing the damage that his efforts had done. In Harry's opinion the effort had always been worth it, so he didn't know the meaning of backing down.
'You're right. Besides I'm not doing this for her, I'm doing this for me.'
He didn't want to talk to her and tell her his problems. As a man he felt he should solve them himself and if that made Hermione hate him so be it. He'd bear that pain ever if it stung like salt being poured on an open wound.
Suddenly Harry heard a knock on the front door and quickly headed towards the door opening it to reveal no one other than Hermione Granger.
Her face was red and her hair disheveled as if she had just got out of bed and was desperate to get to his house. Harry thought that she was trying to be subtle...why had she come here?
"Harry."
"Hermione, what are you doing down here?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to go out on another date?"
Harry looked utterly perplexed by it all.
"How did-?"
"I forgot how perceptive my parents used to be. My dad's been a little paranoid so I had to sneak out of the house."
"That would explain why your hair is a fright and you look as though you've been running in a marathon."
Hermione scowled causing Harry to chuckle as he invited her inside.
She was a bit bewildered by the mess in the living room.
"What happened here?"
"Don't worry about it." Harry brushed her off.
Hermione looked from the battered wall back to Harry but remained silent. Harry didn't look to be in the mood to answer her by the way his right eyebrow twitched.
"If it's alright, can you wait here for a moment? I was in the middle of eating breakfast."
She flushed.
"Of course."
Harry's shoulder brushed past her as he headed back into the kitchen. On the table, the Daily Prophet was spread out so that the highlights of the paper were facing up.
The picture next to the headline contained a picture of the Dursleys embracing the Grangers. Rita Skeeter it seemed had dropped by the Dursleys for the scoop on how Harry Potter had prompted them into finding the Grangers.
It was things like that which really irked him. The paper painted him black and white. He was either a hero or a villain based on her words. No one seen him as a person but rather a revered object.
Harry looked up and saw Hermione walk in while he was sipping on a cup of coffee. There looked to be worry in her eyes.
He readily ignored her though she didn't notice as her eyes darted towards the newspaper.
"I think they look rather friendly together don't you?" She asked not looking up at Harry.
"Good." He said curtly.
"Can I take a shower? I feel like I need a freshening up." Hermione said.
"Sure."
She turned and left the kitchen to take a shower. When she was out, she approached him just as he was reading the Daily Prophet. He glanced over the paper and saw that she was wearing a dress probably for their date in the evening.
"What's bothering you, Harry?"
"When do you intend on telling your parents about us?"
"Harry..." She whispered, though her eyes looked both sad and torn as if she was having trouble making a decision.
"If you don't tell them I will."
"What?"
As they were talking another knock interrupted their musings.
Hermione eagerly turned to get the door.
Ron and Luna stood outside.
"Ron? Luna? What are you doing here?" She asked while Harry popped up behind her.
"What are you talking about? You two rarely drop by anymore." Ron said. "So I decided to pay you two a visit instead."
Harry and Hermione gaped in surprise.
"Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going to let me in?"
Harry and Hermione stepped aside and easily obliged as Ron and Luna walked inside.
They both looked around.
"I love what you done to the place, Harry." Ron said as he took a seat on the couch.
Harry frowned, his arms folded as if he wasn't amused in the slightest. As he glanced at his friends he noticed that their hands were joined and suspicion welled up in his mind.
"By the way, why is Luna here?"
Ron's blue eyes lit up in excitement.
"I wanted to tell you the good news. Me and Luna are planning on getting married."
Ron brought up Luna's hand and showed him the engagement ring on her middle finger.
"Wait, Luna weren't you dating Rolf?" Hermione asked.
"Him?" Luna asked. "We broke up about a month ago."
Hermione thought she looked rather amused by the thought.
"Wait, how long have you been dating?"
"For about a month." Ron replied.
Hermione's eyes darted towards Ron's a little anxiously.
"Don't you think that's a little too fast?" She asked, worry lacing her voice.
At the tone in her voice, Harry's eyes darted towards her. The way her eyes darted towards their joined hands, chewing on her lip in anxiety just didn't feel right. It almost sounded as though she might have had regrets about letting Ron go so quickly.
His arms reached out to wrap around Hermione's shoulder causing her to jump.
"I mean don't you think it's weird?"
"You don't think that's enough time to know a person?" Luna asked, her eyes peering at her curiously with a childish innocence.
Hermione looked at her as if she were crazy.
"Then it would be safe to assume that you prefer our romance to be more slower paced?"
Harry's fingers had become more intense as they caressed her skin as if she was his most cherished possession.
Hermione ignored this for the most part as she began to see the true intent behind Luna's words.
'I respect your opinion but it isn't your right to dictate our lives.'
Like a mouse towards cheese, Hermione had fallen back into her old habits in trying to solve other people's problems. She had been so worried for them that she had intervened in concern over Ron. With much realisation she concluded that she often assumed things were going to go wrong before they even went wrong proving her distrust for the very same people that often pulled miracles out of their asses.
Still she couldn't help but ask them one question.
"Why?"
"Why not?" Luna asked.
Hermione found she couldn't come up with a decent response for that.
"So what about you two?" Ron inquired curiously.
Hermione opened her mouth but just before she was about to reply, Harry spoke up.
"We're still together, very happily dating I'll add." Harry said between gritted teeth.
Hermione looked very bewildered when Harry pulled her closer. It made her skin prickle and she wanted to pull away.
"Good for you, mate." Ron said. "I was a little worried you might have felt a little jealous over my presence, I did date Hermione after all."
Hermione felt Harry tense.
"I'm just glad we didn't have to go through all of that drama. It's always so tedious don't you think? Besides Luna has something she wants to ask you."
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"I talked about it a little with Hermione."
"Oh that's right. The bit about your relatives?"
"Yeah. Yesterday I told my father about our plans for marriage and all. He was a little worried that he wouldn't be able to afford everything and he always tries so hard for me to be happy. I know for certain that my family comes from a line of descended purebloods, I've been researching it." Luna explained. "You found Hermione's parents, so I'm wondering if it's possible that you could find our more about my family outside my father. I've tried asking about them but he's forgot with the accident with mum. I wanted to see if we still had any relatives still alive. I want him to be happy and this has always been his dream to have our family and friends attend my wedding."
"Sure." Harry grumbled. "Though I don't know what I can do."
"Thank you, Harry." Luna said.
HPHG
Later after Ron and Luna had left, Hermione pulled away from Harry.
"What's your problem?" She asked.
Harry frowned.
"What's your game?"
Hermione looked deeply into his green eyes.
"You were jealous weren't you? Me and Ron."
"How would you know that?" Harry asked.
"I just do."
"No, you don't." Harry replied eager to prove her wrong. "You guessed. If you love me why would be so concerned for him? You said they were going too fast but I saw you gazing at him. It was as though you wanted to be certain he'd remain single in case something should happen. I've thought this through and whether you do it for his sake or your sake it's still wrong. I don't want you to care for him."
Harry in a burst of emotion embraced her and held her close. Hermione gasped and was overcome by the amount of warmth he was radiating.
Hearing him admit such a thing, she only knew it was half-hearted laced with a hidden intent. Harry knew she cared about Ron as a friend, what he was really demanding was something completely different. He didn't want Hermione's eyes drifting towards Ron, he wanted her to remain loyal only to him.
Hermione was open to readily complying with this though she was puzzled by the extent of how much Harry truly cared for her.
"Alright." She said, smoothing his back trying to ease his insecurities before pulling away and dragging him by his hands as they swept outside the door.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked in bewilderment.
"Did you forget about our date?"
Harry flushed.
Hermione giggled.
"I'll apparate us there." She said.
The two apparated to a nearby wizarding town and headed towards the pub known as the 'Lady's Heel.'
Once inside Harry's eyes widened in awe as he took in the pool boards on the left side. On the right was several tables where the men were drinking liquor.
"Do you want to check out the pool tables?"
"Certainly." She replied quickly following him to the pool tables.
After a couple of rounds of pool, Harry decided to go the front to buy some refreshments.
Hermione's eye flashed in recognition, having spotted someone she knew sitting in the front of the pub.
"Simon?"
Harry saw an old man turn around. He had a long grey beard and grey hair that stuck up from his head.
"Oh Hermione, long time no see."
Harry's eyes widened in surprise.
"Hermione, do you know that man?"
"Harry, that's the man who taught me about all about knives. He was one of my teachers." She said.
"Really?" Harry asked in surprise.
Hermione dragged him to the seats so they were sitting next to him and Harry ordered them some drinks.
"So why are you down here?" Hermione asked him.
"I was called over here because I owe someone a bit of money."
Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.
"What *hack* was that *hack* for?" Simon stammered, covering his mouth during his coughing fits.
"You never change do you? I feel so sorry for your daughter. How does Delilah ever put up with you?" She inquired angrily.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, trying to play coy.
"You got yourself in deep high water again, didn't you?"
Harry looked confused and Hermione began to explain.
"He'd always borrow money from these hotshot bedwigs, the ones with big money. Unfortunately..."
"They're also the dangerous ones." Harry huffed under his breath, unconsciously completing her sentence.
Simon chuckled.
"Hermione, you always knew me so well. Say how are Leonard and Vincent. I heard Vincent continued his training in Russia while Leonard retired and went to France. He told me he got married last time I spoke with him."
"Don't get off topic. I hope you won't be in any danger staying here."
"Don't worry I've arranged it so I'll pay her off today."
"Her?" Hermione asked.
"You got a problem with that. I know I'm not exactly a wholesome man but I'm not here to be taking favours from young teenage women."
Suddenly someone tapped Harry on the shoulder.
"Excuse me." A light sultry voice spoke to him.
Harry turned around. For an instant he saw a woman with long blonde hair with massive makeup over her eyelids and eyelashes. The amount of red lipstick on her lips that shimmered brightly looked very scandalous to be worn in public and did nothing to conceal the fact that she looked like an ugly harpy. Then she kissed him.
Immediately Harry pushed her away.
Hermione turned and looked at them and couldn't even look away as the woman had just got by kissing her boyfriend cleanly on the lips.
The sight of them turned her stomach. She was slightly relieved that Harry didn't reciprocate the kiss but it didn't cool the hot nasty feeling in her stomach.
Harry was hers, not this overgrown harpy's. How dare a complete stranger be so overpresumptous and impulsively kiss her boyfriend on the lips.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked the daring woman.
"Oh I'm sorry. Was that man your husband?" The daring woman asked. Hermione noted that she didn't sound very sorry in the slightest.
She gritted her teeth trying to reign in her anger.
"No, that man is my boyfriend."
The daring woman had the nerve to gaze at him more thoroughly after she said that. It seemed Harry was flustered by the whole ordeal.
'He acts as if he's never kissed a woman before.' Hermione thought.
'Well, he did kiss Ginny.' Another voice brought up.
Hermione snorted.
"It's a pity that your kisses seem to lack fervor." The woman said to Harry. "You do look to be a fine man."
The woman's right hand seemed to reach out for his shoulders until Hermione reached behind Harry and smacked her hand away.
"Keep your hands off my boyfriend."
"I have no interest in a taken man." The woman added snarkily.
"Don't act so high strung, don't forget you tried to kiss him."
The woman backed off. Harry turned and saw the old man was gone.
"Hey Hermione, where's Simon?" He asked her.
"Simon?" The woman from earlier inquired from behind them.
"Oh, don't tell me you're the one that Simon was talking about?" Hermione moaned with exasperation.
"How do you know him? He doesn't owe you money too does he?"
"I wouldn't be so foolish." She replied proudly causing the woman to flush.
Suddenly in a matter of seconds the ugly woman had Hermione in her embrace with her wand against her neck.
Harry snorted. Was she not aware that he was a wizard or did she think he accompanied her because he was a muggle?
"That irresponsible moneygrubber." Hermione growled. "SIMON!"
Harry winced at her sharp harpy-like voice.
"Don't move a muscle." The woman said with Hermione in her arms. She made proud emphasis on where her wand was placed.
"Get your hands off of her." Harry snapped, taking his wand out from his wand holster.
"If you move a muscle, she dies." The woman roared. "I'll get my money one way or another."
"Harry, just let her go and don't worry about me." Hermione said.
To be honest the very fact that his girlfriend was held captive by one vengeful witch was the least of his worries. He was really worried about the way his girlfriend might have felt if he had left her there...'because that definitely isn't the way to a woman's heart.' Harry thought.
He at least knew that much but he didn't think it was healthy for her to take him for granted either.
Harry looked up slightly above them and smiled at what he saw.
If the woman took a step backwards she'd run straight into the shelves with the expensive looking wine glasses lined up in a neat orderly fashion and one by one they all tumble on them making quite a glassy mess.
The person who seemed to be in charge of the building seemed to have a similar idea and winked at Harry. Much to his slight shock the man had a wand and began filling the glasses on the shelves unnoticed by the two women. He covered his mouth and seemed to holding in his amusement at the whole ordeal.
"Stupefy." Harry said aiming the curse at the woman.
With surprising agility the woman ducked and the curse hit the shelves instantly causing the filled glasses to tip over, spilling the liquid on them.
Hermione groaned.
"Ah, this was my finest dress." Hermione grumbled as she got up. She grew aggravated at the sound of the woman who had ruined her perfect date.
When it proved to aggravate her too much she brought the woman to her feet beating up the other woman with a combination of knees to her groin and punches across her face.
"Nothing beats a good messy girl on girl rumble." The man at the bar said chuckling under his breath.
Harry wasn't in a position to disagree. Hermione looked very sexy all wet in her red dress.
After he took Hermione back from their date, she went to her room and much to he went back in the living room to sleep on the couch. Even with all the furniture bought for his house he noted much to his dismay he preferred sleeping on the couch though inwardly he wouldn't have minded sleeping with Hermione.
He sighed.
'Well there's no use dwelling on that. She's probably mad at me after I messed up her dress.' He thought.
HPHG
In the middle of the night, Harry opened his eyes. There was the sound of banging against the front door.
'That must have been what woke me up.' He thought as he got up from the couch.
He opened the door to find none other than Simon at the front door.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.
"My daughter. That woman has kidnapped my daughter."
"What would you like me to do about it?"
"Can you rescue her? I don't know who else to ask. If I go there, she'll certainly kill my daughter. With Hermione, you both can rescue her."
"Don't I have a word in this?" Hermione asked groggily.
Harry turned and saw that Hermione didn't exactly look her best coming straight out of bed.
"Delilah has gone missing."
"We'll go look for her then." He said.
"Where is she?" Hermione asked.
Simon drew them a map on a napkin he had taken from his pocket.
Harry and Hermione quickly turned to get changed before they left the house.
"Go home, Simon. Don't worry we'll bring her home."
Simon looked a little sad but her words seemed to cheer him up slightly.
"Then I will see you, Hermione."
After Harry had dressed he put on his wand holster over his belt. Hermione had come down looking fully equipped with her jumper, trousers and her wand. He figured there must have been concealed hiding places in various places of her clothing and nodded in acceptance of her wardrobe.
The two apparated to the area drawn on the map. Both had knew the area rather well and once they appeared they headed towards the place.
Hermione knocked on the door.
A rugged man came to the door.
"What do you want?" He asked in a husky voice riddled with suspicion.
"Is there a woman here? She had blonde hair, wears a lot of makeup."
"Margaret!" He turned to yell in the other direction.
Hermione saw several men were coming towards the door.
In an instant, Hermione kicked him and he stumbled to the ground. She took out her wand from it's holster as they walked inside.
Harry had already taken his out and had spelled the man on the floor unconscious just as Hermione had unleashed her own wand.
"Bombarda."
The men fell backwards with their backs on the ground.
"Protego." Hermione said as she ran towards them while the men fired their spells and used her elbows to knock the wand out of one of their hands. As she turned towards the other ones, it seemed they had dropped their wands in favour of beating ganging up on her and using bare fists as they knocked her off her feet in a surprise attack.
Her ears were filled with the sound of someone beating on someone. Pleading groans echoed through the air. She turned and saw that Harry had knocked out the guy with his fists as his wand was on the ground.
He must have knocked the other man unconscious and lost his wand in the scuffle. She saw Harry was wincing as he shook his hand. Harry must have beaten them both with his own rusty hands that were so unused to physical combat.
He helped Hermione to her feet.
"Don't forget your wand." She said.
Harry quickly picked it up before they ran towards the back of the building. Near the back was a locked room.
Hermione pointed her wand at the door.
"Alohomora."
The door clicked open.
Harry and Hermione both stepped into the room and a young woman approximately in late teens tied in robe and a gag.
Hermione lunged towards her, kneeling on her knees. She took a knife out from the inside of her shoe and began cutting the ropes. It was rather unfortunate that there was no spell that could accurately and efficiently cut ropes. As it was there was the cutting charm and the dancing rope charm. Using the cutting charm could very well kill the person if the cut wasn't precise. The dancing rope charm worked solely on the efficiency one had in untying knots a skill Hermione didn't have.
"Are you alright?" Hermione consoled her.
There were tears in the girl's eyes.
Harry carefully removed the gag from her mouth.
"She's going to get away, you have to hurry. She attached a bomb."
Harry's eyes widened and he glanced at Hermione.
"Don't even think about telling me to leave. I'm helping her."
Harry huffed and ran in his pursuit of that woman.
He finally found her down the road as she ran in the car.
"Hey, stop." He called out to her.
Once she saw his face, her eyes widened in disgust and horror. The car immediately left the drive way.
"Accio broom." He cried out.
Unfortunately before he could snag the broom the car blew up in a huge explosion. Harry was propelled back from the force of the explosion and landed rather harshly on his back. If he had got any closer likely he would have died.
Suddenly Hermione appeared behind him. It seemed she was with that young woman.
"Harry, we got to go that bomb is going to explode in minutes."
It was just then that his broom came to him.
"Is that a firebolt 2000?" The young woman with them asked curiously.
"Yes." Harry replied with amusement and chuckled as the two ladies got on the broom with him and quickly flew away.
HPHG
As they set off into the sky, Hermione told Harry about the location of Simon's place.
"We do have to deliver his daughter you know?"
"I didn't think about that."
Hermione sighed and leaned forward her face against his shoulder. Her arms wrapped around him like a teddy bear.
"You must really enjoy flying don't you, Harry?"
Harry smiled, his eyes looking at her softly.
The two eventually made it to Simon's house.
Delilah was first to slip off of the broom as she ran to the front door of her house. Harry and Hermione followed her.
Simon appeared just as they both approached the door.
"Delilah, you're back."
"No thanks to you." She spouted off indignantly with her hands on her hips. "You should be grateful to Hermione. She managed to get me out of there before that woman's house exploded."
Simon embraced Delilah.
"Thank you, Hermione." He said.
Delilah pulled back from her father.
"Thank you? That's it? I think it should come out of your paycheck. You owe them dinner for what they've done for you."
Simon flushed.
"I guess so."
Delilah giggled.
"You hear that, Hermione. Drop by tomorrow, we'll be expecting you at dinner."
"Thank you, Delilah."
Harry and Hermione had stayed silent for most of the trip home until they approached the front door to their home.
Hermione was a little confused by the fact that Harry had yet to open the door. She turned towards him.
"Harry, what's wrong?"
Harry got on his knees and took something out of his pocket which he opened to reveal a ring.
"Hermione Granger, will you marry me?"
Hermione was silent.
Harry felt his heart clinch, he would surely refuse her.
He looked up and saw her eyes water. Tears slipped from the corner of her eyes down her cheeks.
"Of course, I will marry you silly." She said. Her soft smile made his heart beat wildly and he grinned settling the ring on her middle finger.
HPHG
During breakfast the next morning, Hermione treaded downstairs just as Harry had finished fixing the food.
"Can we talk?" He said while staring the other direction as he handed her a plate full of food.
"What did you want to talk about?"
"I want to tell your parents about our relationship. I know we've discussed this before but I didn't finish talking about this matter."
Hermione looked up at him in surprise.
"I know you have said that your father dislikes me but don't think for a second that I even care about that. I can't bear it without you in my life. If your parents don't accept me I'm just going to have to deal with that because I don't want anyone else, I want you."
She gasped as Harry took her hands into his own.
"I don't know." She whispered looking rather pensive and ashamed over it.
"Are you afraid what they might think?"
"Harry, I-"
"Don't be. You shouldn't be afraid over something like this. Our relationship can handle it."
"I don't know."
"Trust me, Hermione." Harry pleaded. "Why should we hide our relationship from them? So what if your father hates me, it doesn't matter to me and it shouldn't matter to you. I'll marry you either way."
He lunged towards her and captured her lips with his own. Unconsciously Hermione wrapped her arms around him never wanting to let go of his comfort.
She pulled away.
"We'll tell them tonight before we go to Simon's."
Later that evening before the two headed out, Hermione picked out Harry's clothes as well as her own.
"You got to at least look nice." She told him earlier when he had been trying to pick his own clothes and had been less than successful.
Finally she got out a flat long-sleeved, button up, white shirt and a pair of black trousers and a blue tie while she picked out a frilly yellow dress for herself.
Quickly the two changed into their clothes before heading out.
The two headed out to the Grangers and Jane greeted them at the front door.
"Hey Harry, Hermione."
"Is that my daughter outside?" Harry heard David ask from the other side of the door.
"Don't worry, she's in one piece dear."
"Good."
"Won't you both come in?"
Harry and Hermione willingly obliged.
Jane joined her husband who was sitting on the couch facing the wall.
There was a couch across from them which they claimed for themselves.
David once again stared at Harry shrewdly.
"You're dating my daughter aren't you?" He asked Harry.
"Not at all." Hermione answered for him.
Harry held her hand in comfort.
"We're engaged and I'm not giving her up even if you don't accept us."
David smiled.
"Good, the last thing I want is for you two to get a divorce."
HPHG
Dinner was rather eventful the next evening as the two had dropped by Simon's house after the big fiasco at the Grangers.
Simon lived in a rather rich place. It contained a large library among other things and Hermione had been rather eager to check it out.
Harry enjoyed the food with relative ease.
"So who is this man, Hermione? Is he your boyfriend?" Delilah asked.
"He's my fiancé."
Delilah blushed.
"Really? I'm so envious of you two."
"What about you, Delilah? Do you have a boyfriend?" Hermione asked slyly.
She turned red.
"Not at all."
"You really haven't changed much have you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.
"Nothing. It's been a long time though, since I've been here hasn't it? I remember all the fun things we used to do."
"I remember that one time, you asked about our library. Father told me you loved to read a lot at the time."
"It's what I do when I'm bored." Hermione said, while she stared at Simon. "Speaking of which you never did let me read a single book from your library."
"Father, why don't you indulge her."
"Oh all right." He grumbled. "Don't make a mess in there though."
Hermione left her seat treaded upstairs, Harry got out from his seat to follow her.
She began looking at the books.
"Wow, I'm kind of glad that he didn't allow me access to his library. All these books would have been dangerous in my hands." Hermione said as she pulled out a book on well-known spells and curses.
"What's that down there?"
Hermione's eyes peered down to where Harry was pointing. She knelt down and pulled the book from the shelf.
As she opened it she soon discovered it was the Lovegood grimoire she held in her hand.
The family tree showed Xenophilis on the left side having married Selene Lovegood and having their daughter, Luna.
Much to their surprise however Xenophilis had a brother, Simon Lovegood. He also happened to have a daughter named Delilah Lovegood.
"Well, I guess that solves that problem." Harry said.
"You think we could convince Simon to visit his niece?"
"I don't see how it could be a problem."
Both eagerly ran downstairs.
"Hey Simon, I didn't know you were related to the Lovegoods."
Simon groaned and rested his palm on his forehead.
"Oh don't remind me."
"What's the matter?" Harry asked.
"I never told you the reason why I never used my family name have I? Most of our family had gone barmy with all that ridiculous in-breeding. I speculated that could also have been the reason why I thought You-know-who's legacy was ridiculous. The man's a pure slimeball and my family had considered joining him. Then days after he's gone I discover he's killed my parents after joining his regimen, I didn't even know my brother was still alive. I thought all of their money had gone to me." Simon said.
"If you had all of that money why do you always get yourself in trouble with those loan sharks?" Hermione asked.
"I'm considered to be a criminal by the Ministry and while I have plenty of wizarding money to spare, getting muggle money is hard when you are a criminal."
"Your brother's daughter is getting married and she wanted to know if you could drop by during their wedding."
"That's something I can do though you'll have to introduce me to her."
Harry and Hermione eventually planned out their wedding not long afterwards. Some time after their marriage, Ron stopped by their place.
During this bout of time, the place had been altered and became a business all of it's own. Harry and Hermione of course had to take temporary jobs at the Ministry as eventually they concluded that the money would eventually run dry and it was there deepest wish to expand and create a business of their own. Most of the corrupt politicians and death eaters had been kicked out and Kingsley had taken the position of Minister for Magic so it was easy for them to find work.
Ron was curious. Luna was at the front desk.
Though both had put a stop to their marriage before it had happened, Ron couldn't get the thought of Luna's face out of his mind the day she was visited by her uncle and his daughter. Her father had been very happy to meet Simon. Later that day, she had dropped by Harry's place to thank him.
Thinking about it that must have been the inspiration for this business to begin with.
"Hey Ron."
"Luna, what are you doing here?"
"Don't you know? Harry and Hermione have been talking about it for a while. This is the Finder Agency."
"The what?"
"Harry wanted to start a business. One where wizards and witches could find their lost loved ones. There are a bunch of witches and wizards in the world and odds are most of them would like to find out about their long lost relatives."
Ron smiled. How like Harry.
"Hey I was wondering maybe we should go out for dinner some time?"
"I'd like that." Luna said with a smile.
FIN
End Notes:
1. This is approximately 12,000 words longer than the original draft and surprisingly I'm happy with it.
