Previously in Chapter 9
Most people are starting to wonder if maybe something is wrong within the Golden Trio as we have seen nothing of them. Some examples are that Harry, Ron and Hermione are now no longer friends because of everything, another is that they are all actually in 's due to the stress of everything that they had to endure over the last year. Even though we the public know very little as to what they were doing prior to the Battle that defeated Voldermort.
Hopefully we will see the Golden Trio out and about soon especially as Hogwarts starts back on September 1st."
Chapter 10
Harry, Hermione and I are all speechless after everything that we have read and we all just look at each other not knowing how to react at all. Finally Hermione breaks the silence by asking, "How did they find out all that information about us and our years at Hogwarts?"
"Well you said it Hermione, what you three got up to while at Hogwarts was quite well known." Bill states.
"Just be grateful that Dean and Parvati never spilled the beans that you guys are a couple." George says smiling at Hermione and me.
"It makes no sense though. Our relationships are private and are no-one else's business. Why they had to go to Hogwarts and asks our friends about us is completely wrong." Harry explains angrily.
"Yes Harry it is wrong. However would you have answered a question about your relationship honestly?" Dad asks Harry.
"Yes, I would have said that I was in a serious relationship with Ginny and I would have left it at that." Harry answered truthfully.
"What about you and Hermione?" Mum asks looking at Hermione and me.
"We would have probably said that the same thing." I say. "Besides why they needed to go into our past relationships is beyond me. As they have no relevance on our relationships now." I add.
"Don't they?" Percy asks slightly confused.
"No." I say defensively.
"Why do you think that? Don't you think that it was seeing Hermione with Viktor at the Yule Ball that made you realise that you liked her as more than just a best friend?" Percy asked looking at me.
"No it wasn't the Yule Ball that made me realise that I liked Hermione as more than a best friend. I knew that in 2nd year." I admit.
"The whole Malfoy and slug thing?" Harry asks smiling at me while remembering the memory.
"Yes." I say smiling too.
"That is funny because I realised that I liked you more than just my best friend because of Malfoy too." Hermione admitted while laughing and looking at me.
The three of us laughed before I asked her, "When you punched Malfoy in the nose?"
"Oh yes." Hermione says smiling. "Besides he deserved that punch." She added.
"It was a very good punch too 'Mione." Harry states looking at both of us. "I guess we are going to have to make a public appearance aren't we?" Harry asked looking at my family.
"I would say so. Besides you are all receiving your Older of Merlin's in a month's time from the Ministry." Dad explained.
"If we go out we are going to have to answer questions about last year and I know that none of us are ready for that." I say.
"True, but unfortunately you three can't hide what you went through forever, even though I know that you want to." Mum reasons. "What are you going to do about the press knowing about your relationships?" She adds worriedly.
"Do you think that it would be possible for Kingsley to set up a press conference for us to do at the Ministry before we receive our medals?" Hermione asks.
"What are you thinking Hermione?" Ginny asked her.
"I am thinking that it would be a public appearance to show that we are all still alive and everything and we would be able to answer some of the questions to do with last year. It would get both over with quickly." Hermione explained to us all.
"That sounds like a great idea. I'll let Kingsley know right away. I'm sure he won't mind besides his schedule is not that busy right now." Percy states.
"Ok. Percy if you are able to arrange it all then we will all turn up for it. However I am not able to do a fortnight yesterday at 12." Harry explains.
"Why not Harry?" Charlie asks curiously.
"I am meeting Dudley for a chat in Muggle London." Harry says.
30 minutes later
All of us are sitting in the sitting room of the Burrow and we see Percy's owl come flying in from the kitchen window with a letter. Percy unties the letter and reads it out to all of us.
Percy,
Please let Harry, Hermione and Ron know that I am happy for them to hold a press conference at the Ministry of Magic. I have arranged it to be a week yesterday at 10. Please reply if this date and time suites everyone. Of course everyone is allowed to come. I would advise that Harry, Hermione and Ron come to the Ministry about 9, that way they won't get mobbed by the press. It is my understanding that they should know how to get into the Ministry but I will have informed all staff of their arrival so they should not have any problems. Just let them know that I don't think they will need disguises this time, they are allowed to just be themselves.
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Minister of Magic
As Percy can see that Harry, Hermione and I are all nodding that we agree to what Kingsley has suggested. He scribbles a reply onto a bit of parchment and sends it back with his owl.
End Ron's Point of View
At the Ministry of Magic (No-one's Point of View)
It is an hour before the press conference and Harry, Hermione and Ron are all in a small back room. Harry is pacing up and down the length of the room, while Hermione and Ron are sitting together watching him.
"Harry, will stop pacing. You are giving me a headache." Hermione informs Harry.
Harry stops and turns around to face Ron and Hermione and says "I'm sorry 'Mione. I'm just nervous."
"Nervous about what mate?" Ron asks.
"About having to tell our story about being on the run last year all over again. Also having to reveal the truth about our relationships." Harry informs both Ron and Hermione.
"True, but at least if we are honest then we might get some piece from the press. Besides we have each other and we can get through this. Hopefully this will be the last time that we have to talk about our time on the run." Hermione says looking at both Harry and Ron.
At that moment the Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt came into the room and looked at the three in silence and then he smiled at the fact that Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap with her arm around his neck. "You guys ready?" He asked.
"I think so Kingsley. Thanks for letting us do this." Ron states looking at Kingsley.
"Ron, there is no need to thank me. Besides if Hermione hadn't suggested it, I was going to because I have been putting it off for as long as possible. I said that you three had to come to terms with the losses and just exactly what you had accomplished that night." Kingsley explained to them all.
"Do the press know about the Order of Merlin's?" Harry asked.
"No, I am officially going to announce that today." Kingsley said. "I know you must be nervous about having to explain what happened last year. You don't need to go into a great of depth, ok." Kingsley adds.
"Thanks Kingsley that is good to know." Hermione says smiling.
"I must add that I am surprised that Ginny isn't here with you three." Kingsley states.
"I asked her to come but she refused which I will admit surprised us all. She said that she would just let the three of us have our time to get our thoughts together, together." Harry explained.
"She also knows how hard it was for us to tell her and the rest of the Weasley's about our time on the run. So she probably figured it would be easier for us to all be alone together before it." Hermione added.
"That is fair enough. Harry, you have one very understanding girlfriend there." Kingsley says smiling at Harry.
"Gin, is more understanding than people realise. She knows that the three of us are still best friends and that at times we might keep things from her. However from now on we are going to try and include her as much as possible. She is a big part of us, as she is my sister, Hermione's best female friend and obviously Harry's girlfriend." Ron explains.
"Knowing Ginny as I do, I think that she will appreciate that very much." Kingsley says to the three of them. "There are a few more things I need to go and check before the press conference so I will see you guys in a little while." He adds leaving the three of them alone in the room again.
At the press conference
Harry, Hermione and Ron are all sitting at a table with microphones in front of them facing hundreds of people from either the press or just ordinary witches and wizards who wanted to hear what they had to say as well as the Weasley family.
Kingsley was standing to one side and began by saying. "Before this press conference gets underway there are few things I would like to say. The first of which is that I am very happy to announce that Harry, Hermione and Ron will all be awarded with Order of Merlin's First Class medals for all their work in defeating Voldermort and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood will all be awarded Order of Merlin Second Class medals for their work in reforming the student organisation, Dumbledore's Army and fighting Severus Snape's regime at Hogwarts last year. Lastly as you are all aware Harry, Hermione and Ron are all here to answer your questions about their time before the Battle at Hogwarts and the defeat of Voldermort. I would just like to request that you let them answer each question before moving onto the next one. The floor is now open for anyone to ask questions."
"What were the three of you doing before the Battle?" A reporter asks quickly.
Harry, Hermione and Ron all exchanged looks before Harry answered with, "We were locating and destroying Voldermort's Horcruxes's."
"How did you know he had made them?" Someone asked
Harry answered again with, "Dumbledore told me in my 6th of Hogwarts."
"Why did Hermione and Ron go with you Harry?" Another reporter asked looking towards Harry.
Ron answered with, "Hermione and I were not going to let Harry go off on his own, without us. If we had we would have been worried sick worrying if he was still alive or not. Besides we have helped Harry throughout the years with Voldermort and this was no different even though we might have died in the process."
"How come you have not been out in public since the end of the Battle?" A member of the public asked.
"That is simple. We as well as everyone else have had to come to terms with the aftermath of the war. We have all attended as many of the funerals for those that died that night as possible. We thought that we owed them that as they were there for us that night and we would be there for them. As well as that, what the three of us went through together prior to the Battle has meant that it has taken us a while to get used to not being on the run." Hermione told everyone.
"What are your plans now? Do you plan on going back to Hogwarts?" A reporter from earlier asked.
"Yes, all three of us are going to be going back to Hogwarts. Even though the Ministry have offered the three of us positions. These positions are permanent and will be effective as soon as we graduate Hogwarts next year. In many ways we are not going back for the extra grades, well maybe Hermione is but we are really going back more for the sentimental value and besides we have never had a quiet year at Hogwarts." Harry explains smiling.
"Is it true that the three of you broke into Gringotts and escaped on the dragon that was there?" The second reporter asked.
"Yes it is. However the only reason that we broke in Gringotts was to get on of Voldermort's Horcruxes's." Ron explained.
"Are you allowed to tell us what these jobs at the Ministry will be?" Someone asks.
"No." Harry states simply.
"How do you feel about being awarded the Order of Merlin First Class medals?" A member of the public asks.
"We are very honoured to be receiving the medals. It was not what we expected at all. We were just continuing the work of our late headmaster Albus Dumbledore." Hermione explained.
"So the thought of you ever receiving medals never crossed your minds while you were on the run?" A reporter asked.
"Of course not! Our only thought we ever had while we were on the run was staying alive and defeating Voldermort once and for all." Harry said.
"Oh and making sure Harry lived to see the death of Voldermort." Ron adds looking at Harry.
"We know there have been reports about relationships regarding the three of you are these true?" The same reporter asked.
"What exactly are you asking?" Hermione asks them smiling.
"Are you and Ron in a romantic relationship?" The reporter asked looking between Hermione and Ron.
"Yes. We are in a serious relationship and we are extremely happy." Ron says smiling at Hermione.
"Ok, now Harry are you in a romantic relationship with Ginny Weasley?" The same reporter asked looking at Harry.
"Yes I am in a serious romantic relationship with Ginny. Neither of us could be happier." Harry explained with a very large smile on his face.
"Hermione and Ron is it true that you got together on the run?" A member of the public asked.
"To be honest Ron and I both denied our true feelings for each other for years. However it was not while we were on the run that we got together." Hermione explained.
"Harry, did you ever see your best friends as a couple." A reporter from earlier asked.
The three of them all chuckled before Harry looked at each of Hermione and Ron. He finally answered, "I think that I was the first person to realise that they had feelings for each other."
"Is that because you spent so much time together over the years?" The same person asked.
"No. It wasn't because of that. However over the years they just reinforced what I knew was true. The reason is because I saw them when they first met." Harry explained chuckling at the end
"Do you mean when the three of you met on the Hogwarts Express just prior to your first year at Hogwarts?" Another reporter asked,
"Yes that is the occasion I am mentioning." Harry confirms.
"Was there any point over the years that you thought that they might not get together?" The same person asked.
"I think that most people were worried about them in our 6th year, but I knew that what they had would survive it. I also knew that what they both felt was strong enough and that their love would prove everyone wrong and it has." Harry states.
"So if it wasn't while you were on the run when you got together. When was it?" A member of the public asked looking at Hermione and Ron.
"Well Hermione and I finally admitted our feelings for one another after Dumbledore's funeral but we decided that it would hinder the hunt that we were going to be going on with Harry. So we said that should we still be here after it all that we would get together. Expect it was during the Battle when we finally let our feelings show." Ron said.
"You mean to say that while you and Hermione lived in close quarters on the run nothing happened?" A reporter asked sceptically.
"Nothing that was to do with our eventual romantic relationship no." Hermione stated.
"So something did happen?" The same reporter asked eagerly.
"Of course things happened. As it has been reported we have tested our friendship to the limits over the years. This was certainly no different out with the grounds of Hogwarts. However what happened stays between us." Ron says filmily.
"Ron, have your feelings towards Harry changed since he and your sister got together?" Someone asked.
Ron smiled and said, "No. Harry is still my best friend and brother. He and Ginny are perfect for each other and I know that neither has been as happy."
"After Hogwarts do you plan on living together or separately as couples?" A member of the public asked.
"To be honest. None of us have thought any further than returning to Hogwarts in September. I know that I still have my god-father's house, so I might try and get that so it can inhabited by humans again." Harry says chuckling.
"Would you find it odd that should both sets of relationships work out that the three of you would not only be best friends but be related by marriage?" Someone asked out of the blue.
Harry, Hermione and Ron all looked at one another. None of them knew what to say exactly. Then Ron answered with, "I know that from the summer before our 2nd year at Hogwarts that Harry and Hermione have been like family to my family. I suppose it would be slightly odd however I doubt that we would see it any different than to how it is now. If I am honest Harry and Hermione are already family to me, so if was to be official as in that Harry and Ginny married and so did Hermione and I, then it would be great and probably in my parents view long overdue."
"Harry, does it feel odd to have a family after not having a family for so many years?" A reporter asked,
"This might seem like a strange answer but the people that I have lost over the years have been a family to me. However they haven't been as much of a family to me as the Weasley's or Hermione and Ron. So no it doesn't feel odd at all, it feels normal" Harry says.
"Is family important to you Harry?" A new reporter asked,
"Yes. I think that it is important to everyone. I know that I never knew my parents but through my Dad's best friends Remus Lupin and Sirius Black I got to know them slightly better. I know that I consider Molly and Arthur Weasley like my second parents as they have looked out for me when my last blood relatives couldn't have cared less about me." Harry states.
"Hermione how do your parents feel about everything?" A reporter asked,
"My parents are very proud of what the three of us achieved. I know that over the years they have heard a lot about both Ron and Harry but unfortunately haven't had the chance to meet. However they are looking forward to meeting them both." Hermione reveals.
"Harry were you parents alive, do you think that they would be proud?" A member of the public asked.
"I am not able to comment on that." Harry states.
"Ron are you surprised by what your fellow housemates said about your relationship with Hermione in the press?" Someone asked.
"Yes and no. Yes because I never realised that what Hermione and I denied was that obvious to everyone else around us on a daily basis. No because Harry had said that everyone saw through Hermione and my arguments that we had over the years." Ron explained. "Also it was nice to see someone else's perspective on it aside from Harry's, as in a way Harry's is slightly bias and he knows both of us so well." He added
"Are you three looking forward to returning to Hogwarts?" The first reporter asked
"I think that in a way we are but we are also very apprehensive about returning knowing what we had to go through last year. However I feel that we will be fine once we are back and settled in." Harry says.
"However as we now have no Voldermort we are going to have to find another reason to break the rules." Hermione adds smiling at both Harry and Ron.
"Also as Harry said earlier we have never had quiet year at Hogwarts and somehow I doubt that us returning will change that." Ron says smiling too.
Before anyone is able to ask another question Kingsley stepped forward and said, "I would like to just thank Harry, Hermione and Ron for taking the time to come down here and for answering the many questions that have been posed to them. I thank you as well for letting them answer them without making it any harder for them." He then gave Harry, Hermione and Ron a nod and they stood and walked into the little room that they were in just before the press conference.
Back at the Burrow
The entire Weasley family including Harry and Hermione were all in the sitting room. After a long silence Arthur looks towards Harry who is sitting next to Ginny and Hermione and Ron who are sitting next to each other and says, "You three handled today so much better than I imagined you would."
"Thanks Dad." Ron says smiling. "I just hope that it gets the press off our backs for a while." He adds.
"The impression that Kingsley got was that they appreciated what you three did today. So hopefully there shouldn't be any more stupid reports." Percy informs them.
"However I will love to see tomorrow's front page." Bill says smiling.
"I bet it'll read someone like 'The Golden Trio finally speaks out!'" Charlie states.
"As long as that is all they write, then that is fine." Harry says filmily.
"Are you looking forward to your chat with Dudley next week Harry?" George asks.
"Yes and no. I am glad that we are going to finally talk about everything. However I am not looking forward to having to re-live it all again. As it all feels like a life time ago." Harry explains.
"Although I do have to admit that he does seem to changed for the better." Hermione says.
"What is that Muggle expression you used 'Moine?" Ron asked her.
"What leopards don't change their spots?" Hermione asked looking at Ron, while Harry chuckled.
"That is very true 'Mione. However maybe in the case of Dudley Dursley they do." Harry manages to say while still laughing while Hermione just smiled at him.
Find out how Dudley and Harry's chat goes and how the trio and Ginny prepare for going to Hogwarts for the last time. All that is to come in Chapter 11.
A.N:- I would really like some more feedback on this story. So please read and review good, bad whatever.
Thanks Vikki x