Talking of Love
Harry and Hermione clasped hands. Harry gazed into her soft, brown eyes. The eyes she had given to Ash. They leaned close. Hermione's face moved beneath the layer of green into a kissy face. Their lips pressed together. Harry had never kissed before, so he wasn't sure if he'd done it right, but Hermione leaned in and put her tongue in his mouth. Her scent was sweet and sharp. Her face sort of had the taste of rubber, but the tongue part wasn't unpleasant.
Harry felt his heart begin to quicken. He and Hermione wrapped their arms around one another, hugged tight and kissed again. Her bushy hair got in Harry's eyes.
Sukie's strident voice rattled Harry's ear drums. "Love birds, sorry to be a killjoy, but we've got to get the Death Eater back to Hogwarts."
"They're gettin' married," whinnied Ash. Harry gathered her up in his arms.
"The Portkey should take us back. Hold hands," said Hermione. She took Harry's right hand. Harry took Sukie's cold, long nailed fingers in his other hand. Sukie dragged Wormtail with her free hand.
"Accio!" Hermione summoned the Cup and they were whirling through a maelstrom of colour and sound until they found themselves standing on the Quidditch pitch outside the maze.
There was a roar and commotion as they emerged. Cedric was standing nearby. His grey eyes widened. "Congratulations, Harry, but it doesn't look like you won on your own."
"You can have the prize money, if that's what matters to you," said Harry. "I've found what's really important."
He smiled at Hermione. The slit of her mouth in her rubbery green face formed a smile and her brown eyes seemed to shine.
Moody came stumping up to them. "Come along Harry. We're going somewhere private," he growled.
"What do you mean, professor?" said Hermione, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Yeah, you're definitely weirder than me," said Sukie smirking.
Dumbledore came up to them, his blue eyes flashing. "Stupefy!" Moody collapsed and then, to Harry's mild surprise, he began to morph into another, younger man, with no scars.
"There is our impostor," said Dumbledore. "The real Moody would never have suggested anything so shady."
"Look what we've brought you," said Sukie, shaking the bloodied Wormtail by the scruff.
"Ahh, another Death Eater. I thank you, kind Miss," said Dumbledore.
"If you really want to thank me, you'll help me find a boyfriend who is everything I'm crazy about," said Sukie tersely. Harry wondered if she really thought that finding a boyfriend would fix all her personal problems. He didn't want to see her hurt…
"I will be in touch, Miss," said Dumbledore, and he hauled the two Death Eaters away.
"Bother. I wanted to ask about getting married," said Hermione.
"Yeah, Mummy, how could ya forget?" piped Ash.
"Yeah, that's lame," said Sukie.
Harry dumped the Portkey and they trailed back to the Castle. They found their way barred by Professor McGonagall. "Professor Dumbledore is busy with the Death Eaters, so you will have to tell me everything," she said, eyeing them all like a wrathful eagle.
Ash giggled. "Luv ya!"
"Yes, well, be that as it may…" said McGonagall. "You all have a lot of explaining to do."
00O00
In McGonagall's office, they gave an account of the events from when they had been transported to the graveyard. It was complicated by the fact that Sukie kept making snide comments that were not relevant, and Ash asking McGonagall if she liked to read! Fortunately Ash kept quiet after that, munching on McGonagall's ginger newts.
"So, the evil one is vanquished again… for the time being at least," said McGonagall.
"It was Hermione's and Sukie's show all the way," said Harry. He wasn't trying to sound modest, he was just telling the truth.
"Very well. Miss Granger, five hundred points for Gryffindor. Ermm… Sukie… if you would like to enrol here, that could be your reward."
"Mm. Would I be in Gryffindor? The other houses are lame-o," said Sukie.
"Well you won't know that until you enrol," said McGonagall.
"Professor, I really wanted to ask… about Harry and I. We want to get married," said Hermione in a rush. Her shiny green cheeks were not capable of flushing pink anymore, but she was obviously self-conscious as she looked at the floor.
McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Very well then. As you are Muggle born, you don't need permission from your parent or guardian. Harry can only get married this summer when he turns fifteen, and then he needs permission from a guardian. But Sirius' name should be cleared soon, so perhaps you can get married on Harry's fifteenth birthday this summer, but no earlier."
Hermione's green face was split in a wide grin.
00O00
"I hope I do get in Gryffindor," said Sukie as they walked down the corridor, Harry carrying Ash. "If I don't… I dunno, I might not bother. The other houses are all lame, especially Slytherin."
"Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw aren't too bad," said Hermione.
"Well I belong in the house of the brave," said Sukie.
"Yay. I wanna be a Gryffindor," whinnied Ash.
At that moment, Ron and Malfoy jumped into the corridor from two different rooms. They brandished their left forearms, which were branded with Dark Marks, now fading as Voldemort was vanquished.
"We're the latest Death Eater recruits," said Malfoy. "We were inducted only this week."
"Too late now. Voldemort's dead," said Harry.
"Argh! We'll get you for that," said Ron.
Hermione and Sukie stepped in front of Harry and Ash, Hermione pointing her wand and Sukie flexing her talons…