A/N: Guess what, guys! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! I am finally 21! Woo! I'm so excited!

Anyway, I'm gonna go jump up and down now!

Tallyho!


Chapter 9:

Late January 1999

"Hermione, can I ask you something?" Harry asked.

She put her book down and looked at him expectantly. "Sure, Harry."

"Remember how you told me your parents gave you that money for Christmas?"

She stiffened a bit and nodded. "Yes."

"And remember how I told you I got an anonymous donation from someone for 200,000 galleons a while ago? The note that came with it said it was for the orphanage."

She nodded again. "Yes, I remember."

He looked at her for a long minute before speaking. "Did you send in the donation?"

She swallowed and put her book on the coffee table. "Harry, I-"

"So it was you," he concluded.

She sighed and dropped her head. "Yes; it was me."

He gave her a small smile and took her hand in his. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

She nodded and looked at him. "I know, Harry, I just… it seemed like the right thing to do." She removed her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the couch. "It's a lot of money, Harry. I don't know what to do with it all; honestly, I'm uncomfortable with how much it 's this huge pile of gold sitting in my vault at Gringotts and I have no idea what to do with it! Donating it to the orphanage seemed like a good idea because at least it was going to a good cause but it barely made a dent in what's now in my vault. How the hell do all these old wizard families deal with having that much money? How are they comfortable with it?!"

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "I don't know, Hermione. Have you thought about giving some to the Weasleys? You know, just as a cushion?"

She nodded. "That was the first thing that came to mind but I decided against it because it seems a little insulting to do that, you know? After everything that family's done for us, giving them money seems offensive; like everything they've done for us could easily be replaced with money. I didn't feel comfortable with that."

Harry nodded understandingly. "I see your point."

"Ugh!" she exclaimed. "I don't know what to do!"

"Look at it this way," Harry said. "You don't have to do anything with it. You can just keep it in your vault, only dipping into it when you need to and feel satisfied knowing your future children will be set for the next six hundred years."

She laughed and shook her head. "I suppose you're right. It's just weird."

He nodded. "I know what you mean. But you'll figure something out; you always do." She smiled at that. "I do have one more question for you," he said.

"Go for it," she replied.

"Will you be my plus one to the orphanage opening?"

She laughed and nodded. "Of course, Harry."


February 1999

"Ladies and gentlemen," Harry said, beaming. "It is my pleasure and honor to open the Potter House for Orphans to the public!"

The crowd applauded as Harry unlocked the door to Grimmauld Place and allowed everyone to enter the new orphanage. Hermione linked her arm with Harry's as they led several reporters throughout the house and explained how the orphanage would work and what Harry's intentions were.

Most of the day was spent with Harry and Andromeda talking with reporters about the orphanage while friends, family, and public officials toured the house and saw what would become a refuge for young wizards/witches/squibs who needed a sanctuary. "This is going to be a place where the kids feel safe," Harry told one reporter. "This may be the only home they ever know; I want them to know that, here, they are safe and loved."

Hermione, holding a blue-haired Teddy and watching the interview from afar, smiled at Harry's statement. She knew that, as long as Harry was running the orphanage, every and any kid who entered Number 12 Grimmauld Place would never feel alone or unloved again.


P.S. Sorry for the short chapter; it needed to be like this because the focus shifts in the next chapter. If I can, I'll post another one today but no promises.

Please review!