His beard and hair had grown since the last they had seen him, but it suited him well. Expecting dark rimmed, angry eyes from Ron, he nearly physically took a step back when he got the absolute opposite. Instead, Ron's eyes were gleaming at him, almost the same way they had when they were in school together.
Harry's eyes had widened slightly and it was noticed by the others standing with them. Molly and Arthur stepped aside then and began walking toward Hermione, her arms already outstretched to them. Once it was just the two of them alone in the open doorway, it became real. They were back together, in at least a small way. All three of them, even for an evening, even for a single dinner regardless of the mood. He was at least there and suddenly, that meant a lot to him.
"It's good to see you." Harry said, keeping his tone and his mouth flat so that Ron couldn't see how happy he actually was, and not knowing how Ron was really feeling.
"It's good to see you. " Ron beamed at him, and Harry found it odd, considering how he and Hermione had left things, then to find out that his best friend had picked her up. Ron moved forward, his arms out stretched for a hug, and Harry obliged easily. There were still many things left unsaid, but it still felt good to have him back, even if it's short lived. Separating, Harry saw that Ron's attention had caught. He turned, to find that his attention was caught on Hermione, which he had guessed as much. Ron's eyes shifted back to him, gave a weak smile, and stepped into the house.
Harry closed the door behind them and began making his way back to the group, where Molly and Arthur had been admiring Hermione's attire and Ron had made some basic greetings to her. As Harry watched, he understood that he was in Ron's good graces, and perhaps Hermione was too, but he knew that Ron still had feelings for her. He was hurt, as he should been and Harry and Hermione both understood that.
"Let's eat, shall we? It's nice out tonight, so I though we could sit on the porch." Hermione said, once everyone had made their greetings before conversations became awkward. Hermione led the way as Harry and the others followed, a light cool air coming in from the door as Hermione opened it.
Beneath a large square of fairy lights that draped above them, stood a long black opal topped dining table and chairs. On the table were five deep blue placemats, clear glassware. Raising her wand, Hermione laid out a row of food, reminiscent of the meals they would have at Hogwarts, on a minor scale. Delighted to see the turkey, chicken, ham with varieties of vegetables and sides, they all sat and began to fill their plates.
"This place is just wonderful!" Molly exclaimed, her eyes wandering around the visuals around her. Her eyes crinkled from her wide smile. Harry and Hermione smiled at each other, sitting side by side at one end of the table.
"Yeah, it's great. I think it suits you both." Said Ron, with a kind honesty in his voice. He looked to Harry first, then Hermione, and back again, his smile becoming more broad as he did. Harry and Hermione gave their thanks to him and to Molly.
"So, Harry. What are you doing about Hogwarts? Have you decided?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, Hermione and I will run the school together. She will be a great asset in the learning, where I can assist in defense and understanding the muggle world…" he looked to Hermione and smiled. "it'll be just what the school needs right now. And quite frankly, the school is exactly what we need. Its home, and always will be." He finished, giving her hand a tight squeeze. He looked back at Arthur then, to find him smiling.
"Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" Molly broke in, before Arthur could say anything.
"Yes, precisely. I think that'll do really well for the ministry as well, it'll bring good change." Arthur said.
Harry was excited by this, by their support. They continued light conversation over the course of their meal, the most of it going quite smoothly with minimal pauses aside from eating. Feeling more encouraged, Ron caught Harry's eye and stood before walking back inside. Harry took his cue and followed, excusing himself from the table. The others each understood and made no complaints of their departure.
Harry found Ron with his back to him, leaning over the island in their kitchen. Walking toward him, he watched as Ron straightened some, hearing his footsteps. Ron turned to him then, his features still calm and easy. Harry breathed a silent sigh of relief at that.
"I want you to know, I'm seriously not upset with either of you. I wasn't great for her even before the locket. But after? I don't blame her for not wanting to be with me. And as much I hate to admit it, you are better for her. And I want her to have that. For you both to have it." He said calmly, but in a fashion that told Harry that he needed to get it all out at once.
"We appreciate that Ron." Harry said, patting a hand on his shoulder. "We miss you."
"I miss you both. I know it won't be the same, just like it wasn't the same when I dated her, but I hope we can roughly go back to how things were? Granted, we'll all be busier, but," he said in a rush, then Harry cut in.
"Ron! It's all good. I understand what you mean and we definitely want the same thing. "
Ron breathed out to calm himself. He was relieved that Harry and Hermione weren't too upset with him for how he acted. Sure, at first he was mad about the two getting together especially so soon after he had left, but he had left, hadn't he? The two hugged briefly, then Harry released him.
"So, why didn't you come back? In all that time, I didn't even see you during the war." Harry asked, genuinely curious but still a little bothered by the fact. Ron blushed deeply, his gaze dropped, and his head bowed slightly.
"I'm still kicking myself for not coming back. I should have, the moment my head cleared. Honestly though? I think I already knew." Seeing Harry's eyes widen he added, "it's not hard to see how good you two are for each other. How you've both looked at each other. Trusted each other more than anyone else. And I'm glad you both have that now. I'm over the initial shock of it, really." "I was there during the fight, we just never crossed paths. I was with George when..."
Harry nodded, letting Ron know that he understood, and he didn't need to continue his statement. He didn't know how else to respond to him, he seriously was not expecting any of that. he searched Ron's eyes and features for any note of anger or dishonesty—but found none. Ron's eyes showed just how honest he was being, despite his pain of no longer being with Hermione.
"I'm happy to know that Ron, and I'm sure Hermione would be too. You're a good friend."
"So are you. This relationship you two are in doesn't change that for me. We have too many years together to just throw it away."
Harry smiled, in agreement with him. Understanding that the conversation was over, Harry led the way back to the table outside, Ron close behind. When they returned to the table however, the dinner plates had been removed and dessert was laid out before them, an array of puddings and pastries.
Sliding his chair out to sit, he caught Hermione's eye and nodded slightly, letting her know that everything was fine. He saw her entire posture slacken, clearly relieved of all previous concerns.
"Well boys, you just missed an extraordinary conversation about the use of floor mats!" Arthur exclaimed excitedly.
"I'm glad we missed that one…" Ron muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Molly asked, her eyes narrowing at him.
"Nothing, mum."
"I know I heard you say something." She said, her words drawing out at the end. Thankfully, Hermione was able to distract her.
"Oh, Molly. How is the rebuild going?" She asked, curious as to how the house was coming along after a Death Eater attack had almost completely demolished it in fire. Molly's eyes saddened and pricked with tears, the whole ordeal was terribly stressful, even with magic.
"Oh, it's going…" she said, her unshed tears fighting to fall. "what I can't get past is the amount of items we lost, things we all really cared about." Her tears trickled down her face now, unable to be with held. The back of her hand quickly came to her face, wiping away the wetness.
Hermione looked to Harry then, and he immediately understood. With the elder wand in his suit jacket pocket, he withdrew it without notice and cast a silent spell in which their home would be entirely complete, allowing it to be as it was before the damage. Then, he took care of their lost belongings, each being placed where they were once before. It would be a wonderful surprise for the family, and Harry was glad to finally give back to them after all they had done for him.
He nodded at Hermione then, so that she knew it was done. She let out an audible sigh, but no one else at the table had seemed to notice. Her eyes had returned to their company, and he took the time to admire her. Her long hair was straightened and fell well past her shoulders, drawing further attention to the deep v of her dress. The deep red color of her tendrils had illuminated her white skin which was complimented perfectly with the color dress she chose. She really was a vision, and he knew in that moment that he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life loving only her.
Harry recalled the day he had asked Hermione to marry him. He and Arthur had set off to Diagon Alley in search of a jewelry shop while Molly and Hermione spent time in some other shops and visited the homes of those they knew before they left during the war. Arthur was overjoyed when he learned of Harry's plans, and was more than happy to accompany him to find the perfect ring.
They stepped through a wooden frame, which held a large door still broken from the fights that reached the streets. The empty frame led into a small shop, and Harry was relieved to find that the stock at least had been replenished. Walking over to one of the counters, they found a shop assistant who immediately recognized Harry and smiled broadly at him.
"Mr. Potter, oh, how wonderful it is to see you." The older gentleman said, his hand stroking his long gray beard. The man was stocky and short, his height only reaching half way up Harry's torso. His skin was leather like—tough and slightly tanned.
"What can I do for you today?" he asked, his hands coming to the tops of the counter.
"I'm looking for an engagement ring, preferably with an emerald stone." Harry replied, knowing that emerald was her favorite color and would compliment her well.
"Ooh, a wonderful choice sir, " he said, pulling a few selections from the cabinet. "how about this one?" he continued, pulling a small ring from the velvet casing.
"It's perfect." He replied, his eyes glistening. Arthur pat him on the back in approval, as he too was admiring the ring.
"She'll love it, son."
It really was perfect, it was as though the entirety of the ring was specifically made for her, existed only because she did. The ring, or rather, the meaning of all that the ring stood for, resonated within him. It was a low vibration that seemed to literally and physically affect him. He knew without a doubt that the ring was meant for her, and that she was meant for him. With that, they left the small shop, the ring safely in Harry's pocket and walked down the cobblestone path, soon finding themselves wrapped in easy conversation.
They quickly found themselves in front of a large clothing store, in the same building that Fred and George once had their shop of tricks and toys, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Fred had decided to sell the shop, unable to continue the dream he shared with his brother.
After a few hours of shopping, the group parted and returned to their respectable homes. Once the couple returned to their property, they decided to enjoy a stroll after noticing how nice the evening was. They were hand in hand, silent, enjoying the sounds surrounding them. Still silent, Harry led her to the stream as his heart began to quicken, eager but more nervous than he could ever recall being.
Surely, she wouldn't deny him, he was fully aware of how much love they shared between them. The nerves didn't come from what she would say, but more so from whether or not the moment would be perfect for her. He wanted so desperately to give her the life she wanted, to let her know how much he adored her, in every moment of every day for the rest of their lives together.
Hermione had noticed his unease, seeing that his grip on her hand had tightened unconsciously, and that his gaze seemed to be on anything, anywhere, but her. She felt the warmth of her body drain despite the heat in the air around her, worried as to what was causing him such anxiety. Harry was always the bravest, the calmest. She genuinely could not think of anything that would cause him to act that way.
In what seemed like days for Harry, they had finally reached the stream. As planned, the entire area was covered in suspended lights which looked very similarly to still lightening bugs as there were no wires stringing the lights together. The light reflected off of the calm waters as though it was a mirror rather than what was normally a fast running current, and the only sounds emanating from it were that of the small waves lapping to the edges of the recessed ground.
He looked to her and found himself unable to determine whether or not she suspected what he was going to do. Her eyes were round and wide, curiously taking in the entire scene before them. She brought her hand to her covered chest and took in a breath of air and Harry pondered what she could possibly be thinking and found himself at a loss to find anything he wouldn't give to be able to read her thoughts.
Finally mustering the courage, he thought most of that was due to her back being to him as she stood before him, he lowered himself to one knee and withdrew the boxed ring from his pocket, silently withdrawing its lid so that the ring could be seen clearly. He continued to watch her, knowing that just her presence was calming to him, and he fought to focus on that alone. Slowly, her face still turned upward, she turned to him. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that he was below her rather than standing where he once was. Her eyes drew downward to meet his, and she gasped.
Her hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock, she was still unable to remove her gaze from his. She took in every emotion that laid within his eyes, the nervousness, the excitement…oh, how excited he looked in that moment made her heart swell and brought back to her the warmth she had recently before lost.
"Hermione… my life never held much meaning, or want. I was miserable. And then I met you… despite the fact that the last several years have been that of an upcoming war, having you by my side through all of it has made that time more than bearable. I can't imagine a life without you, you're my best friend and everything that I need." He said, previously unsure if he could get it all out. As he watched her, he caught a glimpse of the single tear running down her cheek, which was raised in the widest smile he'd ever seen on her face. It was then, that he had asked her to marry him.
Returning his thoughts to the present, he found that Ron and Hermione had begun a friendly conversation. Harry looked between the two of them, trying to contemplate how they were both doing emotionally as the conversation took place. Hermione seemed almost entirely normal to him, though he did sense some guilt coming from her. Obviously understanding that aspect, he was proud of her for how well she had been handling everything.
He turned his head to watch Ron, finding his smile and laughter to be light, easy, like it used to be. Harry smiled at that, knowing that the dark days from the war were behind them, and that Ron had fully recovered from the affects of the locket, and of his heartache with Hermione.
All conversation eventually died and everyone said their goodbyes. Harry closed the door behind the last member of their company and turned to Hermione, who was standing only a foot behind him. He let out a deep sigh, and relaxed , knowing that the night was far more than either of them could have expected.
Her body seemed to arch towards him, needing his comfort in that moment. She felt so overwhelmed in the joy she felt over the evening. The Weasley's had also become like family to her, even before she and Ron began seeing each other, and keeping them in her life meant more to her than she had thought.
Understanding her body language, Harry allowed her to fall into him, and he just held her. Many moments of their embrace had passed and Hermione reluctantly pulled away. She took his hand and began walking toward the bedroom, turning off lights as she went so they could settle into sleep for the night. They undressed silently before taking their places under the covers in their bed, its sheets cool to the skin.
"How are you feeling about tonight?" she asked softly, turning on to her side to face him. She caught a small smile begin to form, and then she smiled too.
"I couldn't have asked for everything to go better than it did tonight", he replied, his voice tired and low. "it almost felt like nothing had changed… I think they're all genuinely happy for us." She nodded slightly, and he felt the movement against his bare chest and released a low hum from the comfort.
"I'd like go into town tomorrow." She said abruptly.
"For?"
"Just some herbs, I still haven't had a cycle and the herbs will allow me to determine if I'm pregnant." Her voice was low in her exhaustion, but held a note of eagerness and excitement. He understood the feeling all too well as his heart beat faster, the warmth in his chest spilling, soon devouring his entire body.
"Would you like company?"
"No, that's alright. I'd much rather go alone and be left to my thoughts."
His brows furrowed, worried that she was not as eager as he had hoped, in the idea of having a child…or perhaps, having a child, with him. The notion caused a stir within him and he wasn't particularly pleased with how it made him feel. He had half the mind to ask her about what she had meant, but thought better of it and his mouth remained closed, unsure if he would he able to keep a sane tone while he inquired about the matter. Instead, his arm tightened around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. They said no more for the remainder of their time awake and soon found themselves giving in to their exhaustion from the day.
The following morning, Harry woke to find Hermione already out of bed, his hands finding nothing beside him. He opened his eyes and dawned his glasses, clearing his vision. As he took in the entirety of the room, the small amount of light coming from the covered window of their bedroom had shown that Hermione was not in the room at all. Finding his deep gray robe adorned over a sitting chair within their room, he slid it on and tied the sash around his waist. He set out to the main area of the home, calling her name as he went. There was no response.
Finally deciding that she was either outside or had already left, he found his way to the kitchen. There laid a single sheet of white writing paper on the kitchen island, and Harry went to it immediately.
I woke early, and couldn't go back to sleep. I've gone in to town and should be back before lunch. I love you.
His teeth clenched, he nodded slightly. He wondered if there was more to her needing to leave so early, but quickly quenched the thought. If he had stayed that way upon her return, surely he wouldn't be in the best of moods, and he was quite sure that she would need him that day more than ever.
Deciding to brew some coffee to distract himself, the house was soon enveloped in the rich smell of freshly ground coffee beans. He inhaled deeply, and found his thoughts soon calmed. He wasn't sure why, but the smell of coffee always settled his mind. With it still being three hours before noon, he chose to settle himself on the outdoor sofa to enjoy his morning drink.
It was a sunny day, without a cloud in sight. The morning sun was now high risen and the waters seen from their porch glistened within the cast light. The blue birds in the area were quite active that day, flitting around the trees just beyond the edge of their porch, their vibrant blues and grays of their wings illuminated at angles as they changed paths.
As he watched the birds, he found that one in particular had returned to its home and he found that it was feeding four smaller birds within a nest. The image brought him back to his thoughts of possibly having a child soon. Sure, he was nervous of the idea of being a first time father, especially considering he never really had an example of one. Oh, but the idea excited him too, the idea of creating something out of the pure love he felt for his fiancé.
He took a moment to picture Hermione's growing belly, and what would become of their child. Desperately hoping for a son, he also reveled in the idea of having a daughter. He imagined a little girl, with long red hair like her mother's, eyes like his…like his own mother's.
Suddenly, he was caught off guard by the wave of emotion he felt in the fact that his parents, his godfather, would never know their child or any future children they would have together. He would never come to know how his mother would take to her role as a grandmother, or how is father would take in his respective role. He found himself wishing he could see them, to know how they felt of Hermione as his future wife, and the future, or perhaps current, mother of his children.
Pulling himself from his thoughts, he checked the time. It was still only two hours before noon. He shook his head, wondering what the hell he was going to do to occupy his time. Rising, he took his cup and headed back inside, the outside air becoming too hot for comfort. He placed the porcelain cup down into the sink and headed for his study, just off of their master bedroom.
The room was dark, as the walls were made of a deep mahogany and the floors in complimentary color. A large black desk was stationed across from the entry door, about six feet from the far wall which held numerous photos of him and Hermione, and some of his parents, godfather, and Lupin as well. He hadn't been in this room yet, aside from the building of it, and found himself understanding why. This room was important to him. It held the photos that transported him to the time when they were all still with him, and it made him miss them deeply.
He lowered himself into the thick leather chair at his desk, and rummaged through the drawers, his hands finally coming across the letters at the bottom of one of the large drawers. They were wrapped within a red silk that tied over the top, the corners still exposed. He untied the fabric and filtered through the letters, in search of one in particular. At last, he found the golden scribe across a single envelope.
Severus Snape was all that was written.
He hadn't yet found the ability to read the item, as his death and the memories that came from him, had left him beside himself. The emotion was that of ending a long stint of confusion at the professors apparent hatred for him had ended, as well as a deep sorrow that he was unable to know that version of him, unable to ask him questions about his mother.
Now seemed as good a time as any, he wasn't sure why, but he felt a strong need to read it. Seeing as his previous gut feelings had led him well, he followed his instincts almost always. After holding the letter, and staring at it for what seemed like ages, he finally slid his finger beneath the blood red seal, and unfolded the paper.
Harry,If you're reading this, then I've gone from this world. If my intentions were met before my death, then you have seen the memories I would have asked you to collect, and it is my hope that those memories served you well. It pained me to treat you the way that I had when you were my student. It pained me to do many of the things I had. You should now know that each decision I made was for your safety, even if some may still be disputed against such in your mind. I've written this letter to tell you something, something very important. I'm proud of you, boy, more proud than I could ever recall being. Your mother would have been proud, as your father would have been. I'm sorry that you had to see your father acting so against what you had thought of him to be, but it was crucial for you to truly understand why my life ended the way that it had. Your mother was the love of my life, and my end goal was to protect you, for her. She would have wanted that of me, and I hope that I served her well. You will be excellent in all things in your future, know that. You may have kept a life of unease but that will do you well, seeing as how well you have already managed when many of us have made our decisions based from fear, my own included. Attached with this letter is a photo of your mother that I don't believe you've seen, and it is in my greatest desire that you deeply understand the meaning of it.
S.Snape
Harry was surprised to find his face wet from shed tears, and he quickly ran his hands over to dry it. Remembering the last of his writings, he opened the envelope once more and turned it upside down to release the paper within it. He picked it up from the top of his desk and examined it closely. It was an image of his mother and father, his mother holding what was presumably Harry, wrapped in a bundle as his father had his arms wrapped around her. To him, it made no sense, there seemed to be nothing in the photograph that spoke any meaning to him, aside from enjoying a new photo of his family.
Hermione was in a slow walk along the shops in town, enjoying the sun and the heat radiating from it. She had finished collecting the herbs needed for the potion she had to make, and thankfully, it was one that she could have ready by the end of the day. She was nervous, shopping for the herbs, as surely any witch that sold them to her would know what they were for, and seeing as everyone knew of her and Harry's relationship by now, she was concerned for their privacy. After all, if she wasn't pregnant, what would that say about her?
Shortly after leaving the shop, she found a mother and a child shopping for needs for the child's first year at Hogwarts. She had smiled warmly at them and received an eager wave from the little girl, her eyes bright with excitement. Hermione waved back to her, decidedly not wanting to disappoint her.
The child's kind smile made Hermione's mind wander as she strode down the cobblestone paths leading out of the town and back to her home. She wondered what their own child would look like, who they would grow to be. Even if she wasn't pregnant now, she and Harry would eventually have children together, probably sooner rather than later anyway.
Her own mother had made an extraordinary example of motherhood, always doting on her needs and always willing to expand her education. In fact, each time she asked her mother for a new book or trinket to figure out, her mother had always done her best to give her what she needed. Hermione had never really been the sort of person to want things for the pure sake of wanting them, and her parents knew that.
The example her mother had shown was exactly why Hermione was nervous about potentially being a mother—it made her wonder if she could amount to the same for her own children. Harry would be an impeccable father, she knew, despite his own father never being alive to see him throughout his life. The idea calmed her some, knowing that he would always be by her side, to straighten her path if she ever strayed.
Her home came into view, and her pulse quickened at the thought of making the brew, to find out if she truly was with child as she suspected. She had never missed a cycle before, but it was funny to her how it hit when the cycle stopped, causing her thoughts to wander so aimlessly, as though reaching for something she needed, but wasn't entirely sure if she wanted.
After all, she was still unmarried and she and Harry still had a lot of life to experience together. She wondered how much a baby would effect their quality of life, and she immediately scrunched her face in disgust at her own selfishness. A child would grow their love, not hinder it.
Hearing the front door close, Harry stood and made his way to the living area. He found her walking toward the kitchen, and followed. She had set her purchases down on the table and had begun rummaging through them, pulling out each item individually. Finally turning to him, he found that her eyes showed signs of thoughtfulness, but in such a way that Harry's earlier concerns were washed away. She looked happy--excited even, and the thought made him smile.
"Hey honey," he began, moving closer to her. "how was your trip in town?"
"It was wonderful, it felt nice to get out on my own…not that I mind being here with you at all." She added, recognizing the look of concern wash over his face once more. "I just meant that it was good to be alone with my thoughts for a moment."
"And, how are they? Your thoughts." He asked, hoping to learn where her head was at.
"Quite well, actually. I know this morning must have concerned you, and I'm sorry for that. My thoughts simply woke me earlier than expected…" she drew out her last sentence, her eyes looking dazed.
"Did you have a bad dream?"
"No, quite the opposite actually." Seeing Harry's eyes still cast on her inquisitively, she added, "I dreamt that we had a little girl…she had the most beautiful golden hair and she had your eyes." She smiled sheepishly up at him, her bright eyes cast through her long dark eyelashes.
After several hours, the potion was ready. The couple had been wrapped in a blanket together, enjoying a movie. When they caught sight of the purple plume of smoke that signaled it's completion, they stood. They had taken the time to discuss their concerns and excitement during the hours that the potion took to brew, and they both found themselves more at ease with any result it would show. They were prepared. They would bring a child into a better life than they thought possible. Everything would be okay.
Hermione took a glass from the kitchen, and ladled some of the twilight purple drink into it. Bringing her nose to the rim, she was pleased to find that it didn't smell bad. Actually, it smelled quite good, with hints of strawberry and lime. Opening her eyes and meeting his, she took the full glass, and waited.
"Well?"
Thank you all so much for your feedback I'm far from perfect these are the first I've written in atleast 10 years. I'm getting there(:When this story has reached its end, I'll provide the names of the other stories I'm working on-- 1 will be specifically linked to this story as a sort of "book 2" if you will. A second will be an unrelated story, but still following an 'M' related Harry/Hermione. Also please note that my 'M' is not for smut or intense scenes. That sort of thing isn't my style personally, I respect those that enjoy them, I just can't write them.Please continue reviewing these writings, each bit helps me become a better writer for all of you.(: