Standard disclaimers apply!

I do not own Harry Potter. I have nothing to do with Scholastic, Warner Bros or Bloomsbury. I'm not JKR and I am certainly not making any profit out of this.

Sundries

"George," Arthur said quietly, unpinning the Fawkes Cross from his robes and handing it to his son, "they gave this to the wrong person."

"Are you sure?" George ran a finger over the engraving – Fred Weasley, 01/04/1978 – 02/05/1998, Your Laughter Will Always Be With Us – and looked up at his father.

"It belongs to you," Arthur nodded as he watched George pin it next to his own awards.

"Thanks, Dad." He blinked frantically and then reached over to take his father in an impulsive, firm hug. "Come on now, let's get some food."

"In a minute," Arthur agreed, and nodded toward Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were in the middle of a chattering group and looking decidedly uncomfortable. "I think they might need some help."

"Ah!" George's eyes lit up. "A rescue mission!" He glanced around the room and spotted his other brothers, "I think we'll need some backup ..." he pointed out Neville, Ginny and Luna who looked to be in a similar situation.

"I'll marshal the troupes," Arthur chuckled.

*

"Make way, make way!" Percy Weasley put on his most official tone as he and Bill broke through the crowd surrounding his sister and her friends. "Give them some space, please." Miraculously it seemed to work.

"Thanks, Percy," Ginny grinned breathlessly. "Have you seen Harry?"

"George and Charlie are attending to them as we speak." He took her hand and beckoned for Neville and Luna to follow. "We're at Kinglsey's table."

"I have to find Gran," said Neville promptly.

"She's already there," Percy told him and then smiled at Luna, "so is Xenophilius."

*

Xeno Lovegood felt extraordinarily uncomfortable, seated at the Minister of Magic's dinner table ... just a few seats away from Harry Potter.

Usually the gregarious type; he was currently bent over his soup, far too embarrassed to respond to Andromeda Tonks' attempt to draw him into conversation.

Ever tactful, Andromeda graciously decided to leave him to his thoughts and turn her attention to Luna, starting a conversation about the upcoming Hogwarts school year.

Xeno sighed with relief.

"Oh yes, I am rather looking forward to it," said Luna, "although I dare say it will be considerably less exciting than the last year."

"Luna, I hardly think ..." Xeno mumbled after he recovered from choking on his soup.

On Luna's other side, George Weasley's voice shook with barely suppressed laughter. "I don't know about anyone else, but I wouldn't say no to a nice, boring, safe couple of years."

"As long as it doesn't involve camping," Hermione Granger sniggered, "I'm all for it."

Xeno stared at Hermione, startled at her dry tone, and saw her flanked by George and Ronald Weasley.

"I don't deserve to be here," he mumbled as he pulled his serviette from his collar and threw it on his table, unable to tear his eyes away from Ronald and Hermione.

*

"I don't deserve to be here."

Ron more sensed the words than heard them, and seemed to be the only one at the table to have done so. Until recently, very recently, Ron might have agreed with him ... but looking at the man now, he wasn't so sure.

Losing Fred was hard. Harder than he had ever thought losing a loved one could be, and the idea of losing Hermione still made his blood run cold.

Xeno had lost his wife and had come very close to losing his only child as well.

He looked from Xeno to Hermione. Seated close beside him, chatting happily with Luna and Andromeda; beautiful in floating sunset coloured robes – orange, he'd thought, but Ginny assured him they were definitely sunset, couldn't he see the way they were shot with purple?

Alive and well.

What if she hadn't made it through?

What if they had a family one day in the future and then she was taken from him?

Reflexively he hitched his chair even closer to hers.

What if, having lost her, he found himself about to lose their child?

*

Xeno started violently at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder and stared up at the face of Ronald Weasley.

"I was wondering if we might have a word?" Ronald said quietly.

"I ... well ..." Xeno glanced around the table quickly, unsure, "certainly."

"We'll go have a look at the monument, yeah?"

"As you wish," Xeno agreed.

*

"Nice, isn't it?" Ronald said conversationally as they both stared up at the obelisk.

"For what it is, yes." Xeno agreed, eyeing the young man warily. "Very handsome."

"I was really mad at you, you know," Ronald said baldly.

"Indeed." Xeno coloured slightly. "My behaviour was indefensible."

"I said was," Ronald pointed out, as he turned to look Xeno in the eye. "I don't know about Harry and Hermione, but I would have done the same thing."

"Thank you for saying so," Xeno said quietly, and then added, "could you ..." he flushed and stared down at his feet, "would it be possible if you ..."

"If I could what?"

"Luna is ashamed of me," Xeno mumbled.

"Oh. Did she say that?"

"No, but I know ..."

"I'll talk to her," Ronald nodded and then grinned slightly. "I owe her one anyway."

*

"Where did you run off to?" Hermione asked Ron in an undertone when he returned to their table with a considerably happier looking Mr Lovegood.

"Just had a chat with Xeno," Ron murmured.

She looked over at Mr Lovegood, who was now laughing with Andromeda and George. "Must have been a good talk," she observed, "care to fill me in?"

"Later," Ron smiled, taking her hand and linking their fingers together, "it's nothing to worry about. What have I missed?"

"Not a lot, dinner will be along soon. You're having welsh lamb with teifi sauce and baked potatoes, because you weren't here to order it."

"Teifi?" Ron looked slightly suspicious. "Isn't that nettle cheese?"

"Well yes, but ... you'll enjoy it, I promise." Hermione grinned at his look.

Ron shrugged. "If you say so. What are YOU having?"

"Swper Scadan," she told him promptly, "so if you don't like yours, we can swap."

"Feeling a bit Welsh today, are we?" Ron laughed.

"Something like that," Hermione agreed lightly, squeezing his hand and leaning past him to talk to Harry.

Another odd spot to leave it, yes?

Hermione and Ron seem to be getting along well lately, aren't they? Not bickering at all.

Not like them at all. LOL.

Actually, I disagree with that; I think a lot of bickering had to do with unresolved romantic feelings and hurt feelings, and both of them being immature brats. IMHO the war would have matured them ... oh, and they're in the honeymoon period. :-P

More coming soon.

(As in the next couple of days ... the REAL next couple of days, not the "I'll say that, but really have no clue" couple of days.)