A/N: So, what's crack-a-lackin'? I have been SO terribly slack over the last few weeks, anyone that reviewed Mothers, Sons and Lovers knows this, cos I am yet to reply to anyone's reviews...But I shall perhaps do that tomorrow when I have some time to my own. Not that I mind, most of my weekend has been taken up with babysitting my still very new and cute niece - who I gush over EVERY TIME! lol
So now, to this fic. To all of you still reading, thank you for starters and here's the latest thoughts...I have this slightly somewhat boring idea that each new chapter will be another day in Australia for them. Or two chapters, depending on the day. I've planned out their itinerary and some of the days will have to stretch over a few chapters, but now I have a plan and I've made myself get writing I feel better about it. Hope you're all still with me ;) Cheers.
B/N: I'm going to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from the world of writing fan fiction. I've had numerous problems with my account recently, culminating in everything being deleted without my knowledge, and let's be fair here - I don't have much to offer when compared to the accomplished authors I beta-read for. I'm finding I have less time to devote to the FFN world and would prefer to concentrate on helping out EmPoweredBeing and Darth Vandola if/when they need me. Thank you to anyone who ever read any of my stories ~ Spin84
-0-
Minerva, Albus and I had spent the early hours of the morning talking, laughing about students they'd taught and things they'd done together and it was beautiful to watch. I almost couldn't believe how much love these two people had for each other, especially considering how rarely they had been given a chance to show it. What was more, it wasn't until Harry joined us on the deck that I truly understood how lucky I was to witness it. Even though Harry was close to them like I was, it seemed they were just that little bit more reserved with him and I wondered if it was simply because of who he was.
Harry was a little emotionally stunted as far as I was concerned, and I had said as much to Minerva before, back in school when I was complaining about one or both of the boys to her. She'd suggested, though at the time could only guess, that it was because of his difficult beginning to life that he was the way he was. Thinking about it now, I couldn't help but smile at how far he'd come, even in the last few months. Now he didn't have the threat of Voldemort hanging over his head he laughed more, smiled wider and joked around just as well as the Twins had before Fred died. He accepted that some people loved him, Minerva, Albus and myself being among the lucky few, and despite her abysmal treatment of him last time they had spoken, he was head over heels in love with Ginny.
It was strange suddenly thinking about the Weasleys but not Ron. Aside from the momentary lapse earlier with Minerva, I hadn't thought about him too much over the last week and I was worried about what that meant for our future as a couple. I loved him, I was sure I did, but I couldn't help but be annoyed at his lack of motivation. It wasn't that I was not upset about Fred, I was just as devastated as anyone else, but sitting at home being waited on by Molly wasn't going to help him get through his pain.
"Good morning."
I was startled out of my thoughts as mum leant over the back of the chair to kiss my cheek, before doing the same to Harry, who blushed as red as the curtains in the Gryffindor common room.
"Good morning Katherine," Minerva said brightly, passing her a cup of the peppermint tea that she preferred in the mornings.
"Why thank you Minerva," she grinned at the woman. "I see my daughter has been giving up family secrets again."
I laughed, shrugging as innocently as possible as everyone joined Harry and I on the veranda in varying degrees of proper daywear.
"What's the plan for today, Mrs Granger?" Harry asked, leaning against me heavily.
"If you call me Mrs Granger one more time, Harry, I might have to get my daughter to turn you into a toad or something. It's Kate."
"Sorry Kate," he said awkwardly, sitting up quite suddenly as I poked him in the side. "I wouldn't put it past Hermione to do as you asked, so I apologise."
Mum laughed, patting his knee from across the table.
"No worries Harry, but keep an eye on her and I'm sure you'll be fine. I thought maybe today we'd have some down time, spend a few hours at the pool or on the beach, whatever you guys wanted to do. The beach is only a couple of hundred meters that way and we can go for a walk, or a swim. Otherwise we can go shopping, drink coffee, that sort of thing?"
"Mmm, shopping!" I said, grinning at Harry, who merely rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry son, if the girls, um, sorry Minerva, women would like to go shopping, no doubt I can find a few things for us guys to do while they are off doing whatever it is girls do in shops, which usually involves spending money."
"Now that sounds like a fabulous idea," Albus said as he joined us, agreeing with Dad. "I don't think Min has been on a proper shopping trip since before Harry was born," he said with a conspiratorial wink, before dodging a nasty looking hex.
"I apologise for the uncouth behaviour, Katherine, Richard. My husband and I are merely having a disagreement," Minerva said as she fired another hex, getting Albus on the thigh this time and leaving him hissing and smarting as a collection of rather nasty stings appeared on the skin.
"Um, right," Mum said, looking at me in horror. "I guess you're forgiven. I'm not one to come between fighting couples, as long as you're not going to get into trouble."
"It's alright Mum," I said gallantly, daring to heal Albus' leg for him and looking at Minerva. "They're the most respected Wizarding couple in the world. No matter where they are and what they're doing they won't ever get into trouble."
"Yes, well," Minerva sniffed. "It was still uncalled for," she said, glaring at Albus.
"I was only telling the truth Min," he said innocently. "I remember it like it was yesterday, you tried on that -"
"ALBUS!"
I couldn't help but giggle at the way Minerva blushed and the somewhat lecherous grin on Albus' face. It was good to see them relaxing into family life.
"Well I vote shopping, because I can't think of anything I'd rather do than spend hours looking at shoes for Minerva," I grinned, accepting the slap on my leg from the woman in question for my cheek. "Plus I'd like to update my swimmers, so maybe beach this afternoon. It's hotter during the day, isn't it Mum?"
"It is indeed, and it's summer here, so the days are longer. We could even take some dinner down with us if you like. We have a small portable BBQ we can use, and perhaps with a little bit of magic, we can keep a salad quite cool too."
"I think we can help you there, Mum." I was enjoying the atmosphere immensely. "But now I'm going for a shower, I need to get changed so we can go shopping."
I raced through getting dressed, trying and failing to do something with my hair before I arrived in the sitting room where Minerva was already waiting, sitting properly on the sofa looking as perfect as she did every day at school. I caught the raised eyebrow and shrugged awkwardly.
"I never really got a hold of it," I admitted quietly. "I've used Sleekeazy's once or twice, but I really think there's no hope for it."
Mum appeared at the end of the sofa and clucked sympathetically.
"Your grandfather had the same hair, darling. He always reminded me of Einstein."
"Now even I have heard of him," Minerva said, standing and moving to my side. "I think I can help you, come with me sweetheart."
I followed her into my room and stood as she directed me in front of the mirror.
"Like you inherited your hair from your grandfather, I inherited mine from my grandmother, and I was the apple of her eye. From a very early age she would take me aside and tell me anything and everything, nurturing my love of learning and the unknown," she explained, all the while running her fingers through my hair and teasing the knots from the ends. "When I attended Hogwarts, many, many years before you did, I remember going home to her in the holidays of my fourth year, crying against her shoulder for over an hour before finally confessing that I wanted to cut off all of my hair because it was such a burden."
I looked at her in the mirror, unable to believe firstly that she was sharing something so candid with me, but also that she seemed quite engrossed by my unruly hair.
"She took me by the hand and stood me in front of a mirror, not unlike this one, but perhaps with a little more personality," she quipped, making me smile. Mum joined us then, sitting on the end of my bed and watching with avid interest. "She told me that the key to managing my hair was not potions or charms or cutting it all off and wearing a wig; it was love."
I turned around at Mum, looking confused as Minerva smiled serenely and turned me back around to face the mirror.
"It's something that has stood me in good stead as she stood me in front of my mirror and wrapped her arms around me." I couldn't help but sigh as Minerva did the same thing to me. "Minnie, she said, you are my greatest treasure and I am going to tell you something that you have to believe without a doubt for the rest of your life, no matter what happens, what you win or what you lose." Minerva met my eyes in the mirror and held my stare. "You are absolutely beautiful as you are, and I love you with all of my heart. Your hair is a part of you and with it you are complete. You can choose to do with it as you wish, but your hair defines you, makes you who you are, and the key is working out the best way for you to show that." Minerva let go of me and took half a step back, beckoning Mum over as she helped her to help me.
It was one of the most profound moments of my entire life.
"Love yourself Hermione," she said quietly, as she showed Mum how to take a section of my hair and twist it with another part she had already taken hold of. I watched with increasing interest as the twists caught the fly away bits of my unruly hair and tamed them within the ever moving parts and came together with ease, twisting up to form the very same bun I had seen on Minerva for seven years of my schooling life, from the time she arrived on our doorstep to the moment she hugged me and congratulated me on the best marks Hogwarts had ever seen, and in most, but not all of the moments since.
I didn't look anything like Minerva when she wore her hair in the same fashion, instead I looked like me, but maybe just a bit more mature. Instead of wrestling it into some sort of mess at the base of my skull it was high and smart, but soft as the odd curl fell around my face.
"Wow," Mum whispered. "Why didn't we ever think of that?" she asked, kissing my cheek.
"Well, I guess we had to wait for the secret to be passed down," I said cheekily, hugging Minerva and kissing her cheek loudly. "Thank you," I whispered, squeezing her a little harder before letting go. "But now let's go, because I owe Minerva a thank you and I'm going to show her just what a set of stiletto boots would look like peeking out from under her teaching robes."
All I heard was Minerva mutter a prayer before I whisked her out of the door and down the stairs to Mum's car, staying outside on the driveway until Mum had cranked the air conditioning.
"I'm not going to enjoy this much, am I?" Minerva asked, looking worriedly between Mum and I.
"Minerva, this is an activity that is fun, we're not going to make you do anything outrageous," Mum said gently. "Trust us."
As it happened, Mum was only lying a little - something Minerva took great delight in mentioning more than once, especially as she passed Mum an outfit to try on that looked like it belonged to Bathilda Bagshot after she was possessed by a giant snake.
I shuddered, now wasn't the time to think of things like that.
"Alright?" Minerva asked, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. I glanced up at her, smiling at the shining eyes staring back at me.
"Yeah, just a few thoughts from my 'year of traveling'," I confessed. "It's nothing."
"Merlin, I missed you while you were away," she said quietly, pressing a kiss to my temple.
"I missed you too, I thought about you so much, knowing that Mum and Dad were here and that they didn't remember me, didn't even know they had me." I sighed, leaning against her a little. "I wished I could tell you everything I was worried about and ask you all the questions I'd wanted to ask you before. I'd never been happier to see anyone than when we walked into the Great Hall when you were duelling with Severus." I grinned at her. "I'd love to see you duel again one day," I admitted shyly. "You and Albus duelling would be something I doubt I could imagine, not even in my wildest dreams."
"I confess to be somewhat prodigious at duelling my dear, but perhaps, if your parents agree, we can sort something out in that rather large garden of theirs? I'm sure Albus would enjoy it just as much as I."
"Minerva, I don't know you very well, but this is not funny!" Mum said suddenly, coming out of the changing rooms wearing the most hideous thing I'd ever seen. Minerva and I fell into fits of laughter, giggling even harder when Mum joined in as well.
"For that you two can decide where we're going for lunch before we meet up with the boys," she said, poking her tongue out for good measure before retreating back into the changing rooms.
"Excellent," Minerva said. "I noticed an interesting sushi restaurant on the way in, would that be agreeable?"
"I think Mum likes it, I haven't had it all that often, but I hear it's good."
"It is," Minerva winked as Mum joined us. "You'll love it."
-0-
We arrived back at Mum and Dad's just as the boys were coming home as well. It was announced before we'd left that BBQ-ing was a man's job, and Minerva and I had bristled a little until Mum pointed out that if it was a man's job to BBQ then it was also his job to get the food to BBQ. So the boys had set off on a culinary adventure and when we opened the back of the four wheel drive Mum screamed with laughter at all the food they'd bought.
"We were hungry," Dad explained with a grin, "and now we don't have to go out tomorrow either."
"Hopeless, the lot of you!" Mum said, grabbing a few bags. "Let's get it inside before it spoils in the heat."
It had become progressively hotter, something that we only noticed once we had left the beautifully air conditioned shopping centre. It was abundantly clear that Minerva and Harry were struggling a little with the heat, until I remembered something we'd all forgotten.
"Minerva?" I said, beckoning her over. "I think your husband conveniently forgot to mention something when he said hello to you this afternoon."
"Oh?" she asked, glaring at Albus, who was busy marinating the steaks and completely oblivious to our conversation. "And what is that?"
"You're a witch," I whispered, placing a cooling charm over her and watching as the lines on her forehead disappeared.
"Bother," she said, looking mortified. "Thank you, Hermione."
"It's alright, I'd forgotten that too," I giggled. "I think living with Mum and Dad means you kind of get used to living as they do."
"And it is not unpleasant to do things with one's hands after years of using magic," Minerva agreed, patting my cheek. "Are you going to go and rescue Harry, or am I?"
"You can," I said, catching some towels from Mum. "I have to change."
It was funny really. I had thought for the longest time I would never be happy again. In the darkest of times I wanted to do nothing but cry, fall into someone's arms and have them hold me and comfort me but then suddenly, we had won, everything was fine and it was like it wasn't real. Harry felt it more than I, but then he had so much more pressure on him than we had. But even he was slowly getting better, like Albus. I remember seeing Minerva when we thought he'd gone, died, disappeared. I bet even Minerva doesn't know all what happened to him during that year, but I will never forget the moment he returned, looking tired, worn and a little broken, but most importantly alive.
We were just finishing up the Great Hall when the doors banged open. Harry and I were exhausted, and the Professors looked just the same, covered in dirt and grime but resolute in their obsession with getting the castle back to its former glory. Everyone stopped when Albus appeared like an apparition amidst the chaos . It was only after many tears of happiness had been shed that we all learnt what had happened. Minerva had squealed in disbelief which she admitted much to her horror later on, and sprinted to the door, flinging herself into his arms. If it had been anyone other than Minerva, we would have probably all turned away, but everyone had no doubt had felt exactly the same as I had: intrigued. She was such a difficult woman to read and even harder to get to know, but at that moment we were treated to a side of Minerva McGonagall that all of us who were present would remember for the rest of our lives.
"Hermione? Are you coming or what?" Harry shouted through the door.
I laughed to myself as I threw on a shirt and grabbed my sunglasses. I was actually really looking forward to the beach. I only hoped Minerva was brave enough to enjoy it as I knew she could.
"Oh hey, your Mum and Dad have already left, they said they needed to set up camp or something, personally I can't think of anything worse," he grinned, making me laugh. He, like I, had been put off anything to do with camping for the rest of eternity after our year on the run, but I was glad we could joke about it now. "They said you'd know the way and all we have to do is wait for Albus and Minerva."
"Okay, grab those bread rolls, clearly Mum forgot them and we'll go and wait for them downstairs."
In hindsight it was fortunate that Harry had picked up the big bag of rolls because as he neared the bottom of the steps Minerva walked to the front of the house wearing only her swimmers and a sarong.
Harry went flying.
"Damn!"
His foot caught on the step and he flew forward, down the last three steps and landed face down on the ground, his head saved only by the bread rolls he'd managed to fall on. I couldn't help it; I laughed - hysterically. Minerva raced forward, helping him to stand, then brushed him off and cast a few healing charms on him to make sure he wasn't badly hurt.
"Hermione! Come here and help please," Minerva said, fussing with a graze on Harry's head while he went progressively more pink.
"Minerva, he's fine, he just got distracted," I said, weathering the glare he was giving me.
"By what?" she asked, looking around, which only served to make me laugh harder.
"Minerva McGonagall, if you weren't so oblivious it would be funny," I giggled, slipping between them and wrapping my arms around them. "You, silly," I whispered to her, grunting as Harry elbowed me.
"Hermione, he, I -" She gaped at Harry, who was doing an admirable job of looking anywhere but at her. "Mr Potter, I, ahem, thank you," she said, looking a bit uncomfortable. "That is, uh, quite a compliment."
"Minerva, I -" he paused, "before we both agree to never mention this again, let me just say this -" He took a deep breath and turned to face her. "Wow!"
Minerva chuckled, then laughed as she hugged Harry and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you, now, shall we go?" she asked, looking around. "Although I don't know where Albus has gone."
"I'm here, my love," he called, coming around the house to join us. "Lead on, my dear."
-0-
It was glorious at the beach and we spent most of the afternoon going back and forth between the ocean and the sand dunes. I'd never seen my parents so happy as they were while they were lying back on the sand holding hands. We'd taken holidays to the beach before, travelling through Europe and the like, but they had never behaved so freely as they did here. It was like a magic all of its own, especially as I watched Albus rubbing sunblock onto Minerva's shoulders, massaging it in and watching her close her eyes and lean back against him, happy to have his arms around her.
It was perfect.
And that was when Harry dumped a bucket's worth of water over my head.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" I squealed, getting up and chasing him. He was supremely lucky we were on a populated stretch of beach so I couldn't openly use magic, but as I chased him into the water, I just sent a little wandless nudge in his direction, laughing as he slammed face first into a wave.
"I was only getting you back for earlier," he said, shaking the water out of his ears.
"Yeah, well, it's good to be one up all the time," I laughed, then dived away from him into the water.
The ocean in Australia was nothing like the ocean anywhere else I'd ever been in the world. It was so fierce and untamed and exhilarating to swim in. I popped my head out of the water to see my parents joining us, with Albus and Minerva standing in the shallows.
I struck out and caught a wave, washing up to the shore at Minerva's feet.
"You should come in," I said, standing up and pushing back my now loosened hair.
"I couldn't possibly," she replied, looking cautiously at where Harry and my Dad were now swimming. "I think you should call them back, it looks dangerous out there."
"Oh Min," Albus said gently, kissing her before diving in himself.
I took Minerva's hand and drew her in a little deeper, trying to think of things to ask her to take her mind off the fact that she was in the ocean.
"What do you usually do at Christmas?" I asked, managing to manoeuvre her a little deeper again.
"We usually spend Christmas Eve at my cottage. It's not much, but it's cosy and we have Christmas lunch at the school."
"Minerva, you're in the ocean."
"Oh my, Hermione!" She gripped my shoulders as a particularly strong wave hit us, pushing us a little as it swept past. "Hermione, I really don't like the water! I can't swim, I don't, I need to -"
"Relax. I've got you, and Albus is right here," I said as the wizard in question swam up, holding her tightly as she tried to calm down.
"Well done Minerva," he praised, spinning her around.
"Oh, gracious!" she said, blushing as the rest of the family gathered around us. "I think it's time for our BBQ," she pointed out, looking back towards the beach.
We walked from the ocean to our setup, thankful for the clandestine drying charm Albus performed once we were settled. The BBQ was perfect. We talked and ate and laughed our way through the afternoon, eventually falling into an easy silence as we watched the sky transform for the sunset.
"It's beautiful," Minerva whispered.
The sun was setting behind us and we were all suitably stuffed with steak and sausages, salad and cake. Dad set up some lanterns, digging the poles into the ground.
"I'm afraid we can't stay too long because of the mosquitoes," he grimaced. "But these should keep them at bay for a while.."
"I don't much like insects," he said, scratching at his arm.
"Albus, after leaving me all morning to sweat it out in the heat without reminding me to place a cooling charm on myself, I should perhaps let you suffer, but as I'm quite enjoying the evening and most of our immediate neighbours have gone home," she waved her hand, smiling as a shimmering bubble seemed to surround us all, "I shall take pity on you."
"Why thank you, my dear," he said, dropping the mosquito repellent on the sand. "That takes care of that then."
-0-
It was close to midnight by the time we got everything home, and we were all exhausted.
"I don't think we have any plans yet for tomorrow," Mum said tiredly, kissing me, then Harry before giving Albus and Minerva a hug. "I was thinking a day of lazing around the pool, maybe the boys can go fishing, but I do know that I am going to have a lie-in. We're on holiday, so feel free to do the same. Otherwise I shall see you all in the morning."
"Goodnight," I called, kissing Dad on the cheek. "Night Dad."
"Goodnight pumpkin, night Harry," he said, ruffling Harry's hair as he walked past on his way to bed.
"Well, we are off as well," Albus declared too, pulling Harry into a hug himself as Minerva hugged me.
"This was perhaps the most brilliant of all your ideas, young lady," she whispered. "Thank you so much for letting us come here with you."
"I wouldn't want you to be anywhere else," I admitted, hugging her again before swapping with Harry. "Night Albus."
"Goodnight, dear one," he said, pressing a kiss to my hair. "Sweet dreams both of you."
Harry and I watched them walk down stairs, hand in hand, waving to us from their doorway before disappearing inside.
"Night Harry."
"Night Hermione," he said quietly, pausing by his own door. "Hey Hermione, do you think they miss us?" he asked, looking wistful.
I paused and really thought about it. Ginny and I hadn't had much occasion to talk since Fred's death, and I had some doubts about Ron's commitment to me, but as I looked at my best friend, it didn't matter what was happening in my relationship with Ron, he needed some comfort and to know that the love of his life would be waiting for him to get back.
"Yeah Harry, I bet Ginny misses you every day."
"Night," he whispered, closing the door on our conversation.
I didn't reply, but still dragged myself into the shower and then under the sheet that Mum had clearly turned down for me before she'd gone to sleep. Hopefully tomorrow would be just as perfect as today had been.
