The Weasley family looked on in shock as two of their own were driven away in the back seat of a cop car. Bill and Fleur were holding a crying Teddy who didn't understand where his godfather was going. George and Angelina were holding back Ginny, Percy and Audrey had Ron's arms and Arthur was trying to convince Molly that attacking a muggle police officer would not go over well. As soon as the cop car was out of sight and his family was calm, Arthur walked up to the officer who remained on the scene.
"Excuse me sir, that was my daughter and son-in-law that were just taken away. Would you mind explaining to me what just happened?"
The officer shook his head, "Well it's pretty cut and dry those punks complained about your kids, and the officer knew your son-in-law, said he was a punk kid that got in trouble a lot. So he's taking them down to the station to sit in the holding cell tonight. It really isn't right, but he's my superior so there's nothing I can do."
Arthur Weasley nodded in what he hopped was an understanding way, "I see, so where can we go to get them. We aren't from this part of the country."
The officer pulled out a map, "The station is right here."
He pointed to a spot on the map and Arthur tried his best to memorize the address, "Thank you officer, enjoy the rest of your evening."
Arthur walked to his family and raised a hand to forestall the questions, "There is no way we can get them back this evening, I think we should take the address to the Grangers, they will know what to do."
The Weasley family made their way to a safe apparition point and with a pop; they disappeared and reappeared in the Granger's back yard.
When Mr. Granger saw the faces of the Weasleys at the back door, he opened it to let them in, "What's wrong?" Not seeing his daughter among them Mr. Granger began to panic, "Has something happened to Hermione?"
Mr. Weasley tried to look calming, "Not really, you see Hermione and Harry got in a muggle scuffle at the street fair in Surrey. They were hauled away to a holding cell for the night. We are unsure about how to retrieve them."
Mr. Granger gestured for the Weasleys to sit down and then sank into a seat next to his wife, "Okay start from the beginning of the story."
Hermione watched in Shock as a rough looking older man grinned at Harry and pulled him into a bear hug. The provocatively dressed woman smiled at them both and patted the bench next to her. To her surprise, Harry and the man went to sit on the bench smiling like old friends.
Harry turned back to see Hermione still hovering nervously near the cell door, "It's okay Hermione you can sit down. These two won't hurt you."
Hermione shook her head, "Harry I don't understand what's happening."
Harry patted the bench next to the older man, "Come on Hermione sit down Bernie won't bite, and I promise to explain everything."
Hermione gingerly sat next to the Bernie and smiled tentatively at the woman. She smiled back and said, "It's Hermione right, I'm Roz."
Hermione nodded and then turned back to Harry, "I suppose this whole thing should surprise me, but I've been friends with you long enough to know better. Spill it Potter."
Harry laughed, "It's really not a long story. When I was a kid, the neighbors didn't like me. They said I was scruffy, so if they caught me somewhere I didn't belong they would call the police. The police would take me to the Dursleys who told them I was a budding sociopath and asked them to throw me in a holding cell for a few hours in hopes of scaring me straight. Sometimes the Dursleys forgot me so I'd be here overnight. Bernie and Roz are regulars they always took care of me when I was a kid. It's also my fault that we're even here. The police officer who brought me here is the same one who always arrested me as a kid. I guess he recognized me and assumed I had turned out badly."
Hermione stared at Harry in shock, "They actually…How could…Okay I'm not going to comment on that. Do we stay here all night?"
Harry nodded, "Yep, they'll let us out at eight tomorrow morning. Now are you going to tell me who those girls were?"
Hermione snorted, "They are my childhood bullies. Evelyn Grouse and her pack made my life miserable until I left to go to school."
Harry nodded, "well it seems fitting that your childhood bully and my childhood bully are dating they deserve each other."
Bernie and Harry moved away from the benches so Hermione and Roz could stretch out. Hermione lay on her bench trying not to figure out what it smelt like and a thought occurred to her, "Bernie, Roz, what do you both do?"
Bernie chuckled, "Well little lady, let's just say I supply people with things they need. The walls have ears so it's best not to say too much."
Roz turned, "I work a street corner if you know what I mean, what about you darling what do you do?"
Hermione replied, "I work for the government in the law department."
Bernie whistled, "Smart lass, what about you Harry?"
Harry smiled at Bernie, "I work with the police in London."
Roz sat up to stare at Harry, "What about your personal life?"
Harry blushed, "I have great friends, an amazing girlfriend, and a godson that I couldn't possibly adore more."
Bernie bumped shoulders with Harry, "see what did we used to tell you when you were a kid, good things happen to good people and you kid are good people."
Harry smiled at Bernie and Roz, "you both are good people too, if you ever wanted to leave your current professions…"
Roz cut Harry off, "It's sweet of you to offer sugar, but we're fine. Me and old Bernie here are in it for the long haul. But we better not see you and your little friend in here anymore."
Harry chuckled, "I promise this'll be the last time."
With that, silence settled over the holding cell. Hermione tried to take in this new facet of her friend's life. Despite the fact that she was trying to sleep on a bench in a holding cell with a prostitute and a nefarious character Hermione felt oddly at ease. She tried to imagine what life would be like if she wasn't a witch. She wouldn't have met Harry and Ron, her whole life would be different, and in that moment, even though she'd identified the mysterious smell as a mix of urine and vomit; Hermione knew she wouldn't trade her new life for anything.
Ron was wandering the streets around the street fair with Fred and Bill. Ginny had taken Teddy back to Harry's flat, and had given him strict instructions to make the bullies from earlier pay for what they did. His parents were still trying to reassure the Grangers, they didn't know how to handle Hermione getting arrested. Finally, they caught sight of them. The man Polkis and the woman Grouse were still hanging around the street fair. They were terrorizing some kids. The Weasley men hung back until they had wandered into the crowded part of the street fair. The three men disguised themselves and moved in closer to the bullies. With a few well-placed confundus charms, the suddenly very confused bullies were creating quite the spectacle.
Another officer came over and tried to calm the bullies down. When he was unable to control them the officer called over backup and the bullies were loaded into cars and driven off to be placed in holding cells. The Weasley men high fived and hurried off to their apparition point.
Ron hurried through the door of Harry's flat and found Ginny tucking in a sleeping Teddy. "It's done Ginny it went better than expected. They made a big ruckus and the cops took them away."
Ginny smiled at her brother, "good, I just hope then don't end up in a holding cell with Harry and Hermione."
Molly and Arthur were standing outside the police station at exactly eight o'clock. Ginny was holding Teddy, Ron was leading the Grangers and trying to reassure them. The Weasleys went inside the station and after signing a few pieces of paper, they were led to a waiting room while the officers went to collect Harry and Hermione. Finally, Harry and Hermione were brought out. Harry kissed Ginny's cheek and pulled Ginny and Teddy into a big hug. Then much to the surprise of the Weasleys Harry signed out the two muggles who were still in the holding cell.
The motley group made their way outside where Hermione was accosted by her parents. Trying to succeed in calming them Hermione held tight to Ron and tried to speak in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. Hermione saw Bernie and Roz each pull Harry into a hug and then much to her surprise she found herself being hugged as well. Her parents' mouths fell open in shock, as Bernie and Roz headed off together towards wherever they made their homes Hermione started laughing. She couldn't control herself, she Hermione Jean Granger had just spent the night in a prison holding cell with a criminal and a prostitute who it would seem had decided to befriend her. The whole situation was so foreign to her she couldn't seem to control herself.
Harry watched as Hermione broke down. He couldn't help but smile at his sister's antics. As soon as Hermione had gotten control of herself, and they had both convinced Mrs. Weasley they were unharmed Harry headed back to his flat with Teddy and Ginny. The little boy relieved to finally see his godfather again fell asleep as soon as they got home. Harry gently laid the little boy out in the middle of the bed. He turned to the grinning redhead who was standing arms crossed waiting for him.
"So Potter, are you going to tell me who those people were this morning?"
Harry pulled Ginny down next to him on the couch, "They used to look after me when I was a kid, they're good people."
"I'm sure they are love. I hate to break this to you, but you need a bath." Ginny wriggled away from Harry crinkling her nose.
Harry pretending to pout kissed Ginny on the cheek and headed for the bathroom.
Ginny turned around on the couch, "after you bathe I want to hear about those people from this morning and how it was spending a night in prison with Hermione."
Harry laughed as he got into the shower, knowing Ginny would not be patient that long. Sure enough as soon as Harry had stepped behind the shower curtain, he heard Ginny enter the bathroom and sit down.
"So how was it?"
Harry laughed, "It was a good as a night in prison can be love. How was Teddy last night?"
As Ginny started filling in the details Harry wanted to know he couldn't help but feel very peaceful, Bernie had been right all those years ago. Good things had happened to him eventually, and in this moment Harry knew it was well worth the wait. Another thought struck Harry tonight Neville was proposing to Hannah.
