Loaded down with far more bags than he thought was possible, Harry squinted in the winter afternoon sunlight that blasted him in the face after leaving the dark Portkey arrival hall, wishing he'd thought to switch out for his sunglasses. The first thing he saw was Ron, leaning casually on the front fender of the car and he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Ron!" Ginny called, running forward to embrace her brother.

"Ginny!" he said, hugging her tightly and lifting her from her feet, making Harry smile.

"What, no hug for me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow when he reached them.

"I'm saving a fat, wet kiss for you, Potter!" Ron said, grabbing him in a hug as tight as the one he'd given Ginny. Harry returned Ron's embrace just as strongly, glad to see his friend again.

They broke apart and Harry looked at the car, checking for dents or scratches. "You taking good care of her?"

"Of course! Just did the oil change thing a week ago." Ron wiped a bit of dirt off the shining blue fender with the sleeve of his jacket. "Come on, we're blocking the pavement. Let's get this lot loaded up."

Harry helped Ron load the trunks and bags they'd brought with them from California into the curiously spacious boot of the car. "What is all of this?" Ron asked as he heaved one particularly heavy trunk into the boot.

"Ask your sister. It's mostly her stuff."

"Harry! That's not fair! It's almost all Christmas gifts!"

"There better be something good in there for me," Ron said as he thumped down the lid of the boot.

"Maybe there is and maybe there isn't. You'll have to wait to find out!" Ginny teased. "It's so wonderful to see you again!" She hugged him again, kissing him on the cheek. "I've missed you so much." When she pulled away, Harry was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"It's only been since August, Ginny," Ron said, gently swiping away a tear with his thumb as you would for a child. "Besides, isn't that lummox enough company for you?" He pointed his thumb at Harry and grinned at him.

Ginny swatted him on the arm and wiped at her own tears. "Shut it or I'll keep everything for myself." Ron laughed and patted her on top of her head.

"Let's get out of here," he said, tossing the keys to Harry who tossed them right back.

"She's yours now. You get to drive her around this madhouse."

Ron looked stunned. "What? Mine?"

Harry nodded, smiling at the dumbfounded expression on Ron's face. "Yeah. I've already moved on to a newer and younger model," he said with a grin as he got into the passenger seat. Ginny slid into the back seat behind him and squeezed his shoulder. Ron sat behind the wheel, still looking like he hardly believed Harry had given the car to him. "Happy Christmas, git."

"Fuck off, tosser," Ron returned as he started the car. "Everyone in?" He carefully navigated the crowded streets toward their shared flat, Ginny chattering away in the back seat.

"Everything looks so flat here! Where are all of the hills? And I never realized that everything here is so old! Look at that building, Harry! It has a plaque that says 1631 on it!"

Harry shook his head and turned around in his seat to look at her. "Ginny, you realize that the whole city of San Francisco was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire, right?"

"Yes," she said indignantly, crossing her arms, "but I guess I never really thought about what that meant. Where's Hermione?" she asked, changing the subject.

"She's still up at Hogwarts. She's coming down tomorrow," Ron said.

"She won't have to stay at the school over the holidays being head of Gryffindor and all?" Ginny asked, leaning forward between the two front seats.

Ron shook his head. "No. McGonagall is going to keep an eye on Gryffindor for the hols this year."

"That's wonderful! I can't wait to see her. Is she staying at the flat, too?"

"Yeah. If that's all right?"

"Why wouldn't it be? It's pretty much your place now, mate," Harry said. He didn't know what he was going to do about the flat just yet. I'll probably have to talk to Ron about it sometime soon, he thought as he looked out the window. Places that were familiar passed by, but they looked a little different now. He saw some soaped-over windows and "to let" signs in unexpected places, including his favorite chip shop.

Soon they pulled up in front of their building and unloaded the boot, surreptitiously making the luggage substantially lighter as they hauled it up to the flat. Ginny collapsed dramatically on the sofa. "I'm completely knackered!"

Ron pushed her feet to the floor and sat down next to her. "How are you so tired? You carried up one bag!"

"But it was a very heavy bag! Harry, are you making tea?"

Harry got up out of the armchair he'd just sat down in. "I guess I am!" He busied himself in the kitchen, listening to Ginny and Ron's conversation in the lounge. They were chatting mostly about family news. It seemed that Bill and Fleur would be at the Burrow for Christmas with little Victoire. That'll be nice, I haven't seen Bill in ages, Harry thought as he put the kettle on the burner and looked for the tea. It wasn't in the usual place and he suspected that Hermione had arranged things more to her liking.

"So, have you told Mum and Dad you're staying here with Harry?" he heard Ron ask, causing him to come on full alert.

Ginny sighed. "Well, I don't have to be staying with Harry. I could be staying with you."

"Ginny. You need to tell them."

"I know. I don't want them to be angry."

"They won't be angry. Come on, they love Harry," he heard Ron say consolingly.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mate!" Harry called from the kitchen as the kettle began to boil. He put the tea things on a tray and carried it into the lounge, setting it down on the coffee table.

"You know they won't like it," Ginny said as the tea steeped in the pot. "Besides, it's not fair. You and Hermione stay together here and they probably don't say anything."

"Yeah, but we're engaged," Ron pointed out.

"But not married." Ginny looked at Ron and grinned. "Or are you trying to tell me that all you do in that bed is sleep?"

Ron blushed a deep red and cleared his throat, reaching for a cup and the pot. He carefully poured a cup and added milk and sugar, studiously ignoring them both. "I don't have to tell you anything," he said after he'd taken a sip.

Harry shook his head and made his own cup. "Gin and I have decided to divide and conquer. I'll talk to Arthur and she'll handle Molly."

Ron shot Ginny a sympathetic look. "Give me some warning, yeah? I don't want to be anywhere near Mum when that conversation starts."

"Thanks for backing me up," Ginny said tartly.

"Hey, what are brothers for?"

The next morning, Harry padded out of his bedroom in search of coffee. Ginny and Ron were both still asleep, so he was surprised to find Hermione wrapped up in a thick flannel robe, in the kitchen with coffee already made and reading the Daily Prophet.

"Good morning, you," he said, sweeping her up in a huge hug. She held on to him fiercely and he felt like she was going to squeeze the air out of him before she finally let go.

"It's so good to see you, Harry! I've missed you so much." She kissed him fondly on the cheek and Harry felt a warm glow of friendship radiate out from that spot.

"When did you get in?" he asked as he made a cup of coffee and sat at the breakfast bar next to Hermione.

"Late last night. McGonagall let me leave last night rather than this morning when she heard you were here."

"So she's not entirely heartless, then."

Hermione swatted him on his bare shoulder. "You know her better than that. She's a great headmistress and it's been wonderful working with her." She looked at him intensely for several seconds, causing him to raise his eyebrows in a question and she shook her head. "Nothing. You look great. You look…at peace."

"Huh. How did I look before?" he asked, taking a sip of the heavenly coffee.

"Like the last man on a sinking ship."

Harry cocked his head and looked at her. "Really?"

Hermione shrugged and took a sip of her own coffee. "Well, maybe not that bad, but you usually looked exhausted and you were getting circles under your eyes. And you were much too pale."

"I guess the California sun has done some good for me, yeah?"

"Don't make fun. They were really running you ragged at the end there."

Harry nodded, remembering that stretch of time after Ron left the department when it had seemed like every time he turned around there was some new crisis that needed his immediate attention. He thought of his students and smiled. "Now I have a bunch of teenagers running me around."

Hermione smiled warmly at him. "How do you like it?"

"I love it. More than I thought I would, actually."

"I knew you would. When I saw how you were with the DA I thought to myself, 'He's going to teach one day and he's going to be brilliant at it.'"

"Do you know I just got into a bit of trouble over there?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How did you manage that? I figure they would have given you carte blanche."

Harry nodded. "They did and then they regretted it."

"Now this is intriguing. What did you do?"

"I taught the older ones non-verbal casting."

Frowning, Hermione finished her coffee and got up for another cup. Harry put his out for a top up. "What's wrong with that?"

"Well, you know kids. Apparently at the weekend there were a lot of explosions and surprise flashes and other things around the house. Some parents complained and then Artemis came down on me."

"I assume you set him straight?" She sat back down next to Harry and moved the Daily Prophet out of the way.

Harry nodded and became aware of his rumbling stomach. "Toast?" he asked and Hermione nodded. "We had a nice little conversation where I reminded him that he told me when I came on board that I could design my own program from the bottom up and that if the parents really didn't like me that I'd finish out the year and then find another place." Harry set about making toast for them both and leaned against the worktop, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"How did he take that? Artemis Ashborough seemed like he was…"

"A starfucker?" Harry said with a smirk.

"Goodness! Do you have to be so crude?" Hermione admonished. "But yes. A starfucker."

"He wasn't happy to hear me say I'd leave, that's for sure. Said he'd talk to some of the worst complainers and I asked the kids to tone it down and stop scaring the dogs and mums." The toast popped up and Harry buttered slices for them both, putting them on a plate. "They're good kids, just a bit…exuberant."

They ate in silence for a little while and Harry had a thought. "Question for you. Did you ever meet someone called Jacob Green while you were out there interviewing?"

Hermione thought for a moment, chewing slowly. "No, I don't think so. Who is he?"

"He's a businessman out there. Runs a Wizarding import-export business and is an alumnus of St Ambrose's. He donates a ton of money to the school and Artemis loves him for it."

"Why do you bring him up?"

"I've met him a few times and he seems…I dunno. I can't decide what his game is." He told her about the Halloween party and Jacob coming down in a bona-fide Slytherin uniform.

"Harry, not all Slytherins are like Draco or Tom Riddle," Hermione said.

He nodded and finished his toast. "I know, but it was weird, you know? Why Slytherin? Was it a jab at me? And then there was that scholarship."

"What scholarship?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"Well, you know this last Halloween was twenty-five years since…" he said with a wave of his hand and Hermione nodded. Harry blew out a breath through his nose before continuing. "Our Mr Green has decided to establish the James and Lily Potter Memorial Scholarship Fund." He heard Hermione suck in a quick breath. "And he announced it in front of everyone. And called me up to make a speech about it."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, reaching out and taking his hand, squeezing it tightly. "What did you do?"

"What could I do? Everyone there, watching, Artemis dragging me up the stairs. I said a few words, then I grabbed Gin and got the hell out of there." Harry shrugged, thinking back to that night. Should I tell her about the Horcrux? No, not yet.

"I'm so sorry that happened. This Jacob Green sounds like an awful person."

"That's the thing though. He's not. I mean, he's definitely full of himself and loves to associate with those he perceives as rich and powerful, but I haven't been able to detect any malice in him." Harry sighed and squeezed Hermione's hand back before withdrawing from her grasp. "He invited me and Ginny over to his mansion for Thanksgiving. That was an experience. Found out he has a herd of Thestrals."

"Thestrals? Whatever for?"

"Right? I don't know. I guess he breeds and sells them. I chatted with the Care of Magical Creatures instructor at school. She'd asked Artemis to buy one from Jacob and he just went ahead and donated it." Harry shook his head. "He's got a Blood Seal on his threshold, but that's just good security."

"But not commonly known," Hermione said thoughtfully, swirling her coffee in its cup.

"Exactly," Harry said, pointing at her. "And I found another one on an interior room."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Were you snooping?"

"I was taking the long way back from the loo, all right? Anyway, the school uniform, Thestrals, Blood Seals, scholarships…oh and he's working with George to distribute Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in the States." He knocked back the rest of his coffee and shook his head. "I dunno. It's all too weird."

"What's weird?" Ron asked, sleepily trudging into the kitchen. He bent and kissed Hermione. "Morning, love."

"Morning. Harry was telling me about someone he met in San Francisco," she said, getting a mug out of the cabinet for him.

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"Jacob Green. Rich guy, donates loads of money to the school. Kind of weird and I'm having trouble figuring out his deal," Harry said.

Ron took a long drink of coffee and shook his head. "Sounds like his deal is to annoy Harry Potter," he said, leaning his elbows on the breakfast bar.

"Who's annoying Harry Potter?" Ginny asked, coming into the kitchen in her pajamas. "Oh, is there any coffee left?"

"Apparently Jacob Green is annoying Harry," Hermione said as she started a fresh pot.

"Oh! Hermione! I didn't see you there!" Ginny exclaimed, hugging Hermione tightly. "When did you get here?"

"Late last night. You and Harry were already asleep."

"And you get to stay the whole holiday? That's wonderful!" Ginny hugged Hermione again and kissed Harry. "Good morning."

"Good morning. Sleep well?" he asked, feeling only slightly awkward kissing Ginny in front of Ron and Hermione. Better get used to it.

Ginny nodded and got her own mug out of the cabinet in anticipation of fresh coffee. "Who were we talking about? Jacob Green? Did Harry tell you about—"

"Ron, I'm going to go for a run. Want to come along?" Harry said, cutting Ginny off before she could finish her sentence.

Ron shrugged. "Yeah, could do. I can still kick your arse even with all that sitting around in classes." He finished the rest of his coffee and put the mug in the sink, following Harry down the hall to get dressed in winter-appropriate running attire.

A few minutes later they were ready to go, interrupting the girls deep in conversation in the kitchen for goodbye kisses. "Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

Ron looked at Harry questioningly. "Hyde?"

"Yeah, all right. Should be pretty quiet." They Apparated to a deserted corner of the park near the Albert Memorial and took off at an easy jog down Rotten Row toward the Queen Elizabeth gates. Their easy jog didn't last long as Ron slowly increased their pace until they were pelting down the deserted park road full-out, the frigid morning air like knives in Harry's lungs. He felt a wild exhilaration overtake him and he ran harder, passing Ron as they streaked past the Boy and Dolphin fountain, making the sharp left turn onto the Serpentine Road.

Harry heard Ron coming up on him, sounding like a freight train, and he tried to squeeze more speed out of his legs, but the blistering pace had taken its toll and he had to console himself with the fact that while Ron did pass him, it wasn't easily. His time with the cross-country team had done wonders for his endurance, but not so much for his speed and Ron's longer legs made the difference. They slowed their pace until they were down to an easy jog again, both of them breathing hard as they approached the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen.

"Wanker," Harry said as they stopped in front of the entrance and he finally caught his breath.

Equally out of breath, Ron could barely laugh as he bent over with his hands on his knees, heaving for air. "I thought you had me beat, but I couldn't stand looking at your arse."

"You love it," Harry said, holding the door open for Ron and following him in. "Macchiato?"

"Double. Ta." Ron went in search of a quiet table and Harry was glad he'd thought to shove a tenner in his shoe before leaving the flat. He brought the drinks over to the table and took a long drink. Sweeping the sweaty hair from his forehead he sat back with a groan.

"I'm sort of the assistant coach on the cross-country team, but haven't run like that in ages."

"Neither have I," Ron said with a snort. "I still get out every now and then, but not like before." He took another sip of his double macchiato, eyes closed in bliss. "Now. What was it you didn't want Ginny to say?"

Harry sighed. "I was hoping you'd miss that."

"Fat chance. Spill it, Potter."

"So that Jacob Green guy, yeah? We were there for Halloween and there were a couple of odd things that night. One of them was I found a Horcrux in his library." Harry took another sip of his own macchiato, watching the play of emotions on Ron's face at this revelation.

"You what?" Ron had gone pale and his blue eyes were wide.

"He's got a collection of little miniature portraits. They're all Muggle and one of them's a Horcrux," Harry said simply.

"How do you know?"

"I touched it and it hurt like bloody fuck all in my tattoo." Ron narrowed his eyes and Harry could see the wheels turning in in his head.

"Not your scar?" he asked, motioning to his own brow.

Harry shook his head. "No."

"Why not? Why your tattoo?"

"Dunno. The scar was from Voldemort, yeah? This Horcrux is clearly nothing to do with him."

"How do you know?"

"Because he's dead."

"Fair enough." Ron drank some more and thought. "But why your Auror tattoo? It's not active anymore." Harry shifted in his seat and looked out at the river. Despite the cold day, there were a few hardy souls walking along its length. "Harry. Do you mean to tell me that thing is still active?" Harry shrugged noncommittally, still not looking at Ron. "Jesus. Does Ginny know?" Harry shook his head in the negative. "How did they let you get away with that? Why in the world do you still want it active?"

"They did deactivate it. I might have reactivated it myself." Ron's eyes actually bugged out at this and Harry couldn't help but smile.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, mate?" Ron sat back against his chair, a look of genuine concern on his face.

"Nothing. I just…I dunno. I feel like it needs to be active. You know it's more than just the Summons," he said, glad to see Ron's nod. In addition to allowing the targeted Auror to Apparate instantly anywhere he or she were Summoned, the spell laid on the tattoo functioned almost as a sixth sense, enabling a low-level awareness of potential danger and even a bit of Dark magic detection.

"I can't really explain, but there's just some weird shit going on and I feel better with it." Harry took another drink and wished he'd thought to get some biscotti to go with. "Ginny heard it."

"Heard what? The Horcrux?"

"Yeah. Said she heard a sort of screaming. I think she hears the creation of it."

Ron frowned into his cup and sighed. "Stands to reason she'd be sensitive to that sort of thing after that diary. Does this Jacob know what he's got?"

"I don't think so. Says he bought an estate and kept the best for himself. The Horcrux really is the best of the lot. I got him to hold it when we were there on Thanksgiving and he had no reaction. He's got a specialist helping him curate the collection and he didn't react either. Get this—it's one of the Beauxbatons blokes."

"Really? Small world." Ron was quiet for a moment, staring out at the river himself. "So you've told the local Aurors about it?"

"No. Haven't decided if I'm going to yet."

"Bugger. It's not your problem, mate."

"You sound just like Gin."

"That's because we're both right. Fuck Horcruxes, Harry. It's not your fucking problem, yeah? Make it someone else's!" Agitated, Ron drummed his fingers on the tabletop and fixed Harry with a look. "Let it go."

Harry let out a long breath and shook his head. "I can't until I know more. You know I can't. There's another thing, too. I think they're connected, but I haven't figured out how yet." He told him about Ignatius Weatherbee and how he'd recognized him when Harry had been out for a run that evening. "I didn't know who he was that night, just that he was a wizard and knew who I was somehow. And then, he was there at Jacob's Halloween party."

Ron grunted, frowning. "What happened at the party?"

"It was weird. He introduced himself and he knew Gin—said he worked with your dad in the Misuse department when she was born—and then proceeded to play dumb about Dumbledore. Asked if he was still Headmaster."

"Well, he's been in America, hasn't he?" Ron said reasonably.

"Come on. Albus Dumbledore is killed by one of his own professors and it doesn't make worldwide news? That funeral was huge."

"When you put it that way…"

"So there's that. And then he goes on about what Halloween means to my family, or rather lack thereof." Harry shook his head and finished his macchiato. "There was just something very unpleasant about him. Plus, he left England not too long after Gin was born in 1981."

"You think he's a Death Eater?"

"I have my suspicions."

"Fuck me sideways. Harry, you've got to tell someone over there."

"What am I going to say? 'Hello? American Aurors? There's a guy over here—he's one of ours—but I think he's a bad guy doing bad things even though he's been in your country for a quarter century with a clean record.' That'll go down a treat." Harry sat back in his seat and crossed his arms, watching a dog outside run around after a ball.

"Don't you have any contacts over there? You did some consulting, didn't you?"

"Actually, Gin and I ran into an ex-Auror at a resort up in the Wine Country Thanksgiving weekend. Bloke called Archimedes Douglass. He knew me too and sent us a bottle of wine and invited us to lunch."

"Sounds like you're not as anonymous as you were hoping you'd be, eh?" Ron chuckled, finishing his own coffee. "Listen, I know you feel like you need to do what you need to do, but I'm telling you, be safe, right? Don't get Ginny involved. I wasn't kidding when I said I'd break you in half." He stood up and stretched his arms high over his head with a groan. "Ugh, I stiffened up sitting there. Come on."

Harry rose from his chair, turning Ron's words over in his mind. He knew that he absolutely should tell the American Aurors about the Horcrux along with his suspicions about Ignatius Weatherbee, but he hadn't yet figured out how to share his suspicions without seeming like a paranoid crackpot. He still vividly remembered how he'd been treated when he tried to get the word out about Voldemort's return and he did not want to go through that again. Well, Archimedes did invite us over for a visit. Maybe I'll start there.

They went back out in the cold air, running slowly up the Serpentine Road to warm up, speeding up as they got closer to the bridge where they would cross and run back to the Albert Memorial. Not racing this time, they chatted easily, Ron telling him about his classes and time spent with Hermione and Harry sharing classroom stories. "Oh, hey, guess who's showed up in San Francisco?" Harry asked as they ran across the bridge.

"Who?"

"Hudson."

"Fuuuuuuuck."

"So how are things going at Hogwarts? How're Neville and Hannah?" Ginny asked Hermione over coffee and toast.

"Things are going very well. I love my classes. Neville and Hannah are doing great. Their little girl…well, I guess she's not so little any more, is she?" Hermione said with a smile. "She can't wait to get her letter and Neville has really come into his own as the Herbology professor."

Ginny smiled at the news that her old friends were doing so well. She still remembered Neville as the awkward boy who'd asked her to the Yule Ball during the Triwizard Tournament. Talk about growing up well, she thought. "How's being head of Gryffindor?"

"Completely mad. I don't know how McGonagall did it and stayed sane. The things those children get up to! We definitely weren't that bad," Hermione laughed. "It seems like I spend half my time in there breaking up pillow fights or fist fights. Right before the holidays I had some seventh-year boys sneak in some alcohol from God knows where. And the drama. It never ends."

"Oh come on. We definitely were that bad."

Hermione sighed and rested her chin in her hands. "It was different times, then. We were bad because we were trying to survive." She shook her head as if trying to dispel bad memories. "Sorry to be so maudlin. Tell me about your classes! How are you getting along with the Muggle technology?"

"I'm doing better than I thought I would. When I first got that computer from George, I didn't know what in the world to do with it, but Harry has helped me loads." Ginny smiled at the memory of him buying her a whole pile of compact discs and showing her what to do with them. "It's fascinating seeing what they've come up with to get along without magic."

"I've looked into the UCSF medical program; it's very intense. How are you handling the workload?"

"Pretty well. A lot of it, especially right now, is stuff I already know—gross anatomy and things like that—so it hasn't been too bad. I got accused of ruining the grading curve by some of the other students."

"They're just jealous. Are you making friends? What's your cover story?"

"I've made a few. I have a gay boyfriend called Ben. He's very entertaining and completely smitten with Harry. Calls him his 'future husband'," Ginny giggled, remembering the first time Ben had seen Harry in the library.

"How does Harry like that?" Hermione asked, finishing her second cup of coffee.

"You know him. He's a good sport and goes along with it. I think he really likes Ben and that I have someone that's not him to talk about things with. As for my cover story, I'm a former nurse who's decided to go all the way and become a doctor. Explains my familiarity with anatomy."

"That's a good idea. How are things with your St Mungo's grant?"

"Pretty good. I have an advisor I have to meet with at San Francisco Thaumaturgical once a quarter. He reports back about my marks and things. I thought it would be a pain, but he's really nice and it's good to talk to someone who's on my own level every now and then," Ginny said, swirling around her now-cold coffee in the cup.

"And how are things with Harry?"

Ginny felt a blush spread across her cheeks and she smiled, blushing harder when Hermione raised her eyebrow. "Really good. I love having him there every day, knowing he won't be Summoned away to possibly return in a box."

Hermione sighed. "I know what you mean about that. When Ron was still in the department, I could hardly stand it. He got called away once while we were in the middle of…things…and it was just the worst thing ever."

Ginny looked up at the ceiling, mentally ticking off the situations Harry had been called away from her in. "Let's see…yes, once during sex, several meals, a few times at the Burrow—that first time was a hard one, Mum about lost it when they both had to go—shopping, drinks…oh! Once we were out driving in the country. He had to pull over and park the car and I had to Apparate home."

"And he always came back to you?"

"Usually, even if he wasn't injured. I think he did it mostly to decompress and apologize. Make sure I knew he was okay." Ginny shook her head. "I'm so glad that's over."

Hermione smiled and put her hand on Ginny's arm. "I'm glad things are going well for you two. I've always had a feeling about you."

"Well, we're not perfect. We had a pretty good blowout right before Thanksgiving."

"Oh? What happened?"

"Well, there are a few weird things going on right now over there, so he decided to teach me Occlumency and we were practicing and he found out about that one time…" Ginny said, trailing off and looking away from Hermione's frown.

"That one time…? Oh! He didn't know?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, I'd never told him. There wasn't really any reason to, you know?"

"How did he take it?" Hermione asked softly.

"Not well. He thought I was trying to hide something from him, but I honestly wasn't. Before that afternoon, I hadn't even thought of it in ages. So he flew off the handle at me, I shouted right back at him and he went to go clear his head and I went to hang out with my gay boyfriend. By the time I got back to the flat, he was back. He'd gone into the Pensieve and saw that I was right and there was nothing to tell."

Ginny looked down at her hands, remembering the feeling of being more than just herself. "I think he was just terrified that it happened in the first place. Gave me a whole speech about how he can't be careless."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "I get where he's coming from. I saw a few articles in the US Wizarding news about false children. Have you been…careless?"

"No. The next day I went to the student health center and got a prescription for pills. Just in case we both get caught up and forget again."

"Really? Does Harry know?"

"I haven't told him. I haven't decided yet if I'll keep taking them."

"Do they work?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Our biology isn't significantly different, so they should. I hope to never find out for sure!" Ginny hopped off the stool and got a bowl for some cereal, hunting for the cornflakes she knew Ron always had on hand. "Listen, enough about me and Harry—how are you and my dumb brother? Why aren't you married yet?"

Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. "I don't know. No particular reason, I guess. Molly keeps dropping hints, but we're not in any real hurry. When we do get married, we just want something small. My family's all Muggle and since my parents…well, I haven't really kept in touch."

"What's that ring he's got on? You haven't gotten married on the sly, have you?" Ginny poured herself a generous bowl of cereal with just the right amount of milk.

"That's my dad's ring. I wanted him to have it. I like seeing it worn again."

"Oh, that's sweet, Hermione."

Hermione got up and made her own bowl of cornflakes. "I was worried he'd think it was too strange to wear it, but he's been wonderful about it." They ate quietly, each lost in their own thoughts. "Now, what are you going to tell Molly and Arthur?" Hermione finally asked.

"Oh God, I have no idea," Ginny groaned. "We've decided on the divide and conquer strategy. He'll take Dad and I'll take on Mum. I'm definitely not looking forward to that."

"I don't blame you on that one. Your parents are quite traditional; I wonder if it would be better if Harry came to them? I imagine that's what they'd expect," Hermione reasoned.

"He's not asking to marry me! We're just informing them of our relationship and living arrangements, that's all!" Hermione fixed her with a look and Ginny had to fight the impulse to run away and hide. "What?" she asked defensively.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Want to get married to Harry?" Hermione rested her chin in her hand and focused on Ginny, making her feel like she was a bug pinned to a board.

"I don't know. We haven't talked about it. We're still getting used to being together after so long and so many other…things."

"You've thought about it, though."

"Of course I have. When I was a little girl!"

"But not now? Why not?"

Sighing, Ginny put her empty cereal bowl in the sink and leaned against it, crossing her arms. "It was the Aurors, wasn't it? He was married to the department—how could he ever be married to me? I got very good at keeping him at arm's length over the years and I stopped myself from trying to imagine a future with him."

Hermione nodded and gave her a sad smile. "You lived with him in the now."

Surprised to feel the prickling of tears, Ginny nodded, wiping her nose. "I never thought of it that way, but yes. And now…"

"Now you can have a future with him and you don't know what to do?"

"Sort of. It's a little bit scary." Hermione enveloped her in a warm hug and Ginny rested her head on the other woman's shoulder, breathing hard and trying not to sob. "Oh, I don't know what's come over me," she said, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her long-sleeved tee shirt while Hermione rubbed her back.

"Shh, it's all right," Hermione murmured quietly as Ginny calmed down.

"I didn't realize how much stress I've been carrying around over all of this," she said, exhaling shakily.

"We'll get it sorted out. Molly and Arthur love you both and I know they just want you to be happy. Ron's getting to be quite good at presenting arguments and you know he's on your side," she said with a smile. She glanced at the clock above the cooker. "They should be back soon. What time are we going to the Burrow?"

"Mum and Dad think we're coming in today around lunchtime, so a bit after that I think."

"Good, that gives us more time to talk. Now, what's this about Harry teaching you Occlumency?'