The Path to be Together
By: Dueler 312
Note: J. K. Rowling owns these characters, not me.
Chapter 11
A Big Potter/Weasley Christmas
It seemed like nearly everything was almost done for the Weasley and Potter weddings. All four of them got their vows done and quickly, but as carefully as well. Although Hermione had to hide hers quickly when she noticed Ron was home who apparently did the same thing when he saw her. Both of them though did vanish their vows away, until they needed them again.
Before they noticed, the months were passing them by. The golden couples had no time to relax to themselves, as they had their job training, which was starting to put a strain on them. Ginny was doing okay with hers Harry and Ron had it tough, with Moody teaching them on how to be an Auror. They actually learned that in their second year of their Auror training, they would be working with a qualified Auror to help taking down Dark Wizards, unless it was serious enough that the Aurors had to take care of it themselves.
Being a Healer trainee was definitely good; at least that was what Hermione was thinking. She though actually got a big surprise when she was getting ready to head out for home one day. She saw a witch coming in that looked familiar to her. It wasn't until Hermione saw her face that reminded her that it was one of the Hufflepuff prefects of their year before Dumbledore was killed.
"Hannah?" she said to the women, who turned around.
"Hermione Granger!" cried Hannah. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she hugged Hermione.
"Well, isn't it obvious?" Hermione said jokingly.
"Yeah, you got me on that one," said Hannah. "I just started yesterday. What about you?"
"I started two weeks after I graduated from Hogwarts," said Hermione. "I'm a Healer trainee now."
"Wow, that's cool," said Hannah. "You still hang out with Harry and Ron?"
"Well, actually I haven't spent much time with Harry, because he happens to be living with his new fiancée," Hermione explained.
"Wow, who's who he marrying?" asked Hannah as she and Hermione walked out of the hospital. But Hannah was shocked when Hermione said, "Ginny Weasley."
"No way," said Hannah. "When did those two start going out?"
Hermione explained about how it happened months after Hannah had left Hogwarts because of her mother being killed. She explained to Hannah that she noticed Harry had been going a little uncomfortable around Ginny, and how they got together, after Harry being in detention after getting into trouble and missing the match. Then when he got back, he heard that they won the match and how Ginny gave him a hug, and then how Harry kissed her on the lips.
Hannah listened even more on Harry though had to break up with Ginny because of Voldemort, and a mission that he, Hermione, and Ron had went upon an adventure to take down Voldemort, though leaving out the key details, and how Ginny joined them later on to help them, because she couldn't stay away from Harry because she was in love with him. And she also told Hannah on how Harry proposed to her on the night of the Graduation Ball.
"Wow, those two must really be in love," said Hannah. "So what about Ron? Where's he?"
"Well, this might answer your question," said Hermione as she lifted up her hand with her engagement ring to show Hannah.
"NO WAY!" she shouted. A few Muggles heard them, and then both girls headed into the alley where they wouldn't cause any more trouble.
"You're marrying Ron Weasley?" said Hannah, a little excited still. "When did you two finally get together?"
"Has everyone been waiting for me and Ron to get together?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah, everyone. Well, except the Slytherins probably, I think," said Hannah. "I heard some of them got their wand snapped for attacking a couple."
"Yeah, that is true," said Hermione, making a mental note to not tell her that she and Ron were the couple.
"Anyway, he actually proposed the same night as Harry did to Ginny. Let's just say that the boys were planning it for a while," Hermione continued saying.
"Wow, it looks like you four have been thorough a lot," said Hannah.
"Hey, if you're free, you could have dinner at our place. I'll even invite Harry and Ginny. Hermione suggested.
"I don't know," said Hannah.
"Well, there you are," said a voice from the entrance of the alley. Hermione and Hannah turned around and saw that Ron was heading toward them.
"What are you doing here?" asked Hermione.
"Well, Harry and Ginny actually stopped by for a while and wanted to have dinner with us, and they wanted to see if that's okay," said Ron. Hermione and Hannah looked at each other thinking that that was a coincidence, because they were thinking the same thing.
"Why are those two even asking that?" asked Hermione. Ron just shrugged, and then looked at Hannah. "Hannah Abbott, is that you?" he asked.
"Yes, Ron Weasley. It is me," Hannah retorted back.
"Man, I haven't seen you in a while," said Ron as he reached out to shake Hannah's hand.
"Same here," said Hannah. "Someone just told me that she going to become your wife soon."
"Did you tell her about everything?" Ron teased with Hermione. Hermione just lightly tapped Ron.
"Well, I also did invite Hannah for dinner as well, Ron. Is that all right?" asked Hermione.
"Hey, its both of our house. You can invite anyone into it, except Dark wizards, of course," joked Ron. Hannah and Hermione just laughed at the joke as Ron showed a picture of their house so Hannah could picture it in her mind, and all three turned on the spot and Disapparated to the household.
It was a fantastic dinner. Harry and Ginny were glad to see Hannah again. They all talked about what they were doing. They even showed the pictures of Ron and Hermione in their dress robes that they wore for the Graduation Ball. Hannah thought they look beautiful together, with adding that Hermione looked like a princess in her silver dress robes. Harry and Ginny promised that they would let her see their pictures at another time. Ron asked though if Hannah were seeing anyone, but Hannah said she wasn't. Though she was hanging out a lot with Ernie Macmillan, The other Hufflepuff prefect from their year. They actually had a fantastic time, that they asked Hannah if she and Ernie if they could come to their weddings.
"Oooh, Is it going to be a double wedding?" she asked.
"Actually, they're going to be separate ceremonies, Hannah," said Harry. "Me and Ginny are going first, then after a few months, Ron and Hermione will tie their knot. Ow!" said Harry, rubbing his back a little, because of Ron slapping him on the back for that little comment.
Hannah definitely accepted and would ask Ernie for them if he could come as well.
The months were passing by real quickly. Before they knew it, December had fallen upon them. Harry and the rest of the group were going to spend Christmas time at the Burrow. All of their training for their jobs was put on hold for the holidays. Ron and Hermione spent time with each other nearly every day, and Harry and Ginny were did the same as well. They did spend some time as a foursome though a couple of days, and also Ginny and Hermione had some girl time to themselves, with the boys having some man time as well. The girls used on of their girl time to see if they needed any adjustments on their wedding dresses. Luckily for them, they didn't. (Still not going to reveal them yet. Just hold on.)
Harry and Ron also talked about the wedding as well, though not much as the girls did. They did though use that time to buy the girls' Christmas gifts, as the holidays were coming up on them real fast.
"I think this year is going to be hard to find them something for Christmas," said Ron. Harry definitely agreed. Harry was lucky that he found the Phoenix necklace at such an early time. Now he really wanted to find something special for her, even though he knew Ginny would accept anything he would get her.
The girls even did the same thing when the boys were Christmas shopping. Luckily for them, they had an easier time than they did last year trying to find a present for their fiancés. Ginny though found something extraordinary that Harry would definitely love, and even hid it away from Hermione when she bought it. She wanted to surprise everyone with it.
Before they went to the Burrow on the day before Christmas, Harry and Ginny had their own little Christmas fun time. They cooked a little lunch for them and had a Butterbeer for each of them. Ginny even giggled when they finished kissing underneath the mistletoe, because Harry kissed her nose lightly.
Ron and Hermione also had a little fun. After making sure they had everything ready to go for heading to the Burrow, (which drove Ron a little nuts, but made sure Hermione didn't see it) they had a little Christmas Eve lunch of some stew near their fireplace. They were even feeding each other, which made Hermione turn red when Ron did that.
Because that it wasn't that far to the Burrow, Ron and Hermione decided to walk there. On the way however, Hermione was looking down on the ground thinking. Ron noticed it and asked, "Something on your mind, honey?"
Hermione giggled as he said that. The last time he called Hermione honey was back at Hogwarts, when they were in the beginning of their N.E.W.T. exams. "I was just thinking about how I imagined things would be right now, when I was a little girl," she said.
"Really," said Ron. He wrapped his arm around her and said, "Can I ask what they were?"
Hermione just smiled as she wrapped her arm around Ron, and said, "Well, its the same thing right now right here, except in a muggle way."
"Well, I'm glad it isn't that way, because I wouldn't have you," Ron passionately said. Hermione chuckled as she and Ron went up the path to the Burrow.
When they got there, they saw that Bill, Fleur, their daughter, Elizabeth, Harry and Ginny were already there. Molly was in the kitchen making dinner while Arthur was in the living room.
"Hey, you two," said Ginny as they walked in the doorway.
"Hey, you guys," said Hermione, as she hugged Ginny. Harry and Ron just slapped each other backs, before hugging their sisters. (A/N: Harry and Hermione feel like brother and sister, even though they will be soon.) Bill and Fleur gave all of them hugs. A couple of screams from a playpen alerted the adults know that Elizabeth wanted to be in the hugging.
"Oh, what's wrong Elizabeth?" said Ginny. "You want a hug from your two uncles and aunts?"
Ron just smiled, but Harry and Hermione giggled, knowing soon that they would be officially an Aunt and Uncle to Elizabeth, when they marry Ginny and Ron.
Ginny picked Elizabeth up from playpen, and gave her a light hug, but then gave her to Fleur. Everyone then noticed why Ginny did that. Elizabeth didn't want a hug. She wanted a clean diaper, because a stinky smell was coming from there. Fleur hurried up the stairs with her to get that stinky diaper off, while Bill vanished the stinky smell away. Everyone was glad that he did.
Charlie, Fred, and George turned up sometime later. Molly and Arthur made sure that they did have none of their joke products on them, because they didn't want their granddaughter getting a hold of them. Ginny made a promise to them that if Elizabeth had gotten one of their products, she would cast a Bat-Bogey Hex so powerful, that it would need 12 casts of the cleaning spell to get it all off. Fred and George ran off after that, knowing that they wouldn't want that.
She, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Bill went in to the living room, where Arthur was looking at old pictures of the Weasley children. Harry could notice a baby Ginny squirming in her high chair. "Noticing something, Harry?" said Ginny. Harry turned red while Arthur chuckled. "I can show him more, Ginny," he joked.
"DAD!" Ginny yelled. Everyone just laughed at what Arthur said to her daughter, but soon Ginny joined in the laughter.
"So," said Arthur, everyone had calm down, "how are you two couples getting along with your wedding plans?"
"Let's just say we're way ahead of schedule, so were taking a break from the plans right now," said Harry.
"Same here," said Ron as he took Hermione's hand in his own.
"Well, I just can't wait for them," said Arthur. "And she can't wait for them either," he added, as they heard a crash from the kitchen.
"I better see if Mom needs any help," said Ginny, as she got up and went into the kitchen. Hermione went along with her.
"Well, actually, I glad were women free right now, because I need you two for a sec," Arthur said, pointing at Harry and Ron.
"Are we getting the talk?" asked Ron. Harry hoped it wouldn't be that.
"No, nothing like that," said Arthur.
"He was just wondering how you guys would want the yard to be, where the seats would be and stuff," said Bill. Harry and Ron smiled as he Arthur, and Bill went outside, with Arthur making some papers appear in his hand.
When Ginny and Hermione went into the kitchen, they saw everything was cooking real well. Then they saw the cause of the noise. Molly had tried to pull a pan to cook something else, but Unfortuately pulled all of the other pans out as well.
"Mom, are you okay?" asked Ginny. Hermione used the Banishing charm to put all the pans except the Molly was going to use back into the cupboard.
"Don't worry, dear," she said. "I'm fine. Although I'm using my wand next time to get a pan from there."
Ginny looked at Hermione, nodding her head to tell her that her mom better do that next time.
"You need any help, Molly?" asked Hermione.
"Actually, I could use some help, Hermione. Could you check the potatoes over there?" Molly asked, pointing at a pan cooking at the northwest part of the stove. Ginny was asked to help cut some vegetables up.
By seven-fifteen, everyone was at the table in the front room and kitchen. Molly had outdone her self. She had cooked a well oven-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and had some cranberry sauce and some homemade Ice Cream for desert. Elizabeth though seemed to only want to eat the turkey. Fleur and Bill just smiled at that.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were sitting right next to each other, as they were close with each other. They were definitely having a wonderful dinner.
Harry took some sneak peeks at everyone. Bill and Fleur were trying to feed Elizabeth something else besides turkey, but were losing that battle badly. Fred, George, and Charlie were talking about the twins business. Harry just hoped they were planning on playing any jokes or tricks at the weddings, because if they did, he would blast them back so far with a Disarming spell that they wouldn't be found for days. Harry then just thought that that wouldn't work, since the twins knew how to Apparate. He shook that thought of his head as he looked at Arthur and Molly, looking at all of their children. Harry just thought how it would be different if Percy were here alive. Too bad it couldn't happen, as he was killed with a cutting curse to the heart during the battles with the Death Eaters, while he and the others were taking down Voldemort, and the Death Eaters that were guarding him.
Everyone went to bed with his or her stomachs full as a new stuffed animal. Harry and Ginny stayed in Ginny old room, while Hermione and Ron stayed in Ron's old room. Fred and George went in their old room with Charlie, and Bill and Fleur were staying in his old room. Elizabeth was staying in Percy's old room, with a crib all set up for her.
They all rested, with Harry and Ginny dreaming about each other, and Ron and Hermione doing the same.
A flash of sunlight woke up Harry a little bit on Christmas morning. As he looked over Ginny, who was cuddling her head on his chest, he saw a pack of presents lying right next to the beds. Harry smiled, as he knew how much Ginny wanted to open her present from Harry. So he rubbed her back to try to wake her up, which did the trick.
"Morning, love," said Ginny.
"You feel like starting to unwrap presents?" asked Harry. Ginny sat up and turned around, looking at the presents.
"As long as we do our two to each other first," Ginny laid out. Harry was okay with that as both of them got up. They got their clothes on first, and then looked for their gifts from each other. Harry opened his carefully and was shocked. It was a beautiful green cloak, which had two pockets on the front of each side of the openings. He was just about to say thanks to her when Ginny let out a gasp. She was holding a package of what looked like magenta-red dress robes.
"Harry, you always know when to and what to surprise me with," she said, as she swooped down on him and gave Harry a big kiss on the lips.
Ron and Hermione were up as well. They opened all of their presents except the ones they got for each other first. They wanted to do those last.
"Well, do you want to open yours first, or should I?" asked Hermione.
"Ladies first," Ron graciously offered. Hermione just giggled a little as she opened her present from her fiancé. Her heart just melted as she saw a picture frame with their house, and her and Ron in the middle.
"Ron, thanks. This is really sweet," she said.
"You're welcome, Hermione. Can I open my now?" Ron asked.
Hermione just laughed out loud as she nodded, giving the go ahead for Ron to tear off the wrapping paper of his present from Hermione. When Ron looked at the present first, it looked pretty small. Then Ron just smiled as he pulled out what looked to be a watch, but had also a compass like feature, and where the members of his family was. "Thanks, Hermione," he said, as he went up and kissed her on the lips.
"BREAKFAST TIME, EVERYONE!" Molly called out from downstairs. They heard Elizabeth starting to wail a little, wanting somebody to come and get her. Ron and Hermione left the presents in the room while they went downstairs, with Bill hurrying down to take care of his daughter.
"I take it you heard Mom," Ron asked Harry and Ginny as he and Hermione spotted them from coming out of her old bedroom.
"Who wouldn't have heard her?" asked Ginny.
"Oh yeah," Harry and Hermione said together, then laughed at how that happened. Ron and Ginny just smiled as the four went down to get some breakfast, with making sure Fred and George didn't set up and Christmas jokes around the Burrow.
(A\N: How did you like this chapter? Kind of neat, isn't it? I actually like the part I made of Elizabeth eating the turkey, but nothing else from her mom and dad. She's hogging all the turkey. Well, you know what to do.)