Presentation: This story will be based on the prodigious work of J. and her Harry Potter books. Totally convinced, by the couple Harry/Hermione, I propose a continuation ignoring the epilogue of J. . Beware, the couple will not set up immediately and I will try to limit the bashing towards Ginny and Ron, because I appreciate them apart from the fact that they are not in couple with the right person. For your information, this fanfiction is the translation of my own fanfiction Comment ça aurait dû se finir. Therefore, please be comprehensive regarding the grammatical errors you could find. No more talking, here is my first chapter.
"It's over," Harry kept repeating to himself. He, Ron and Hermione had been out of his mentor's office for an hour, the multifaceted man: Dumbledore. Over the past year he had learned a lot about his former director. He had discovered the manipulative man who thought about the common good, but also the man marked by his past mistakes and his quest for power alongside Grindelwald. However, when he met Dumbledore while he was navigating between life and death, Harry felt compassion for this brilliant, seemingly powerful man who was showing himself in a new light: vulnerable. This man of multiple regrets who confessed his weakness and especially his admiration for his former pupil, who had not been swayed by discovering the power of the Deathly Hallows.
Harry was on his way to the castle after having fulfilled his last promise to Dumbledore: to put Elder wand back into Dumbledore's grave. Once arrived at the castle, Harry hid under his cloak of invisibility and took the direction of the Astronomy Tower. He needed to be alone to grieve. He had once again lost people he considered family, friends, and simple classmates he had met over the past seven years. Exhausted after almost two days without sleep, he sat down against a wall and then fell asleep?
"Harry, wake up," said a soft voice, shaking his arm slightly.
"What's the matter?" Harry exclaimed as he stood up.
"We've been looking for you everywhere, it's time for us to go home," Hermione replied.
"How long has it been since we left Dumbledore's office?" Harry asked, remarking that for him the director's office would always be Dumbledore's office.
"It must have been three hours ago, where have you been?"
"I went to put the wand back where it belongs, and then I came straight here... I needed some privacy..." Harry sighed.
"I understand, I left with Ron to be with his family and they're in a state... They are such a happy, warm family, it's terrible to see them like this," Hermione lamented.
"Well, it's time to go," Harry said as he got up.
They walked hand in hand to the Great Hall. On the way, some people approached Harry timidly to congratulate him. They were all exhausted, their clothes dirty and bloody, filled with sadness but also with relief. Hermione made it clear to them with a threatening look to leave Harry in peace, because for the first time in his life, he was at peace. After years of sacrifice, fighting and mourning, he had finally fulfilled his destiny. It was now time for him to mourn their dead, but the end of the war also opened a new perspective: the future.
They finally arrived in the Great Hall, the place where a few hours earlier Harry had fulfilled his destiny by defeating Voldemort in single combat in front of his friends, his teachers, his comrades. The place where he had obtained his freedom...
On entering, he saw Madame Pomfresh assisted by a few students moving the few remaining bodies. He then saw the Weasleys, gathered in a corner of the room, supporting each other in their mourning. This vision tore his heart out: Ginny in her father's arms, Ron in his mother's arms, Fleur consoling her husband, then Georges crying on Percy's shoulder who after years of mockery and tension was reunited in their suffering.
Harry and Hermione walked towards them, Molly saw them and broke away from her son to take in her arms the boy who had come into their lives seven years earlier.
"Oh Harry, there you are, at last we were beginning to worry".
"I needed a little time alone," he replied, stepping away from Mrs. Weasley's embrace and heading towards Ginny.
"It's time to go home and rest," Molly said.
They all transplanted and found themselves in front of the Terrier. They all entered with their heads down and in silence. Mrs. Weasley took out the remains and served them. Everyone sat down to eat except George, who went straight up to his bedroom without saying a word. Mrs. Weasley wanted to stop him so that he could feed himself, but her husband looked at her and dissuaded her from doing so.
Once fed, the whole family went to bed. Harry took over the room he shared with Ron and wished Hermione and Ginny a good night. Once in their room, Harry and Ron jumped on their beds without exchanging a word. There was little to say in a time of mourning and Harry knew from the time Sirius died that when one had just lost a loved one, loneliness was often what was sought after.
Harry awoke the next morning at about eleven o'clock. He somehow managed to get out of bed and out of the room without making a sound for Ron who was still asleep. He went directly to the bathroom to wash himself, something he hadn't bothered to do the night before because he was so exhausted. Once refreshed by his morning toilet, he went down to the kitchen.
Sitting at the table were Ginny and Hermione, while Mrs. Weasley prepared breakfast for the young women. Harry sat silently, nodding his head to the three women. The heavy atmosphere of the previous day was still present, and it was with half smiles that they answered him. Once served, the three teenagers began to eat, and only the sound of knives, spoons and cups could be heard.
Eventually Ron came down and sat down in silence. Harry noticed the stark contrast between the current silence and the usual conversation at the Weasley's table. Finally, Ron broke the silence:
"Where's Dad?" he asked.
"He left early this morning with Bill to help at the castle. Repairs have already begun, and the families are coming to recover the bodies of those they lost..." Mrs. Weasley said as she began to sob and left the room.
The tears in the eyes of the young Weasley's were brought back and they each turned to their companions. A few minutes later, Mr. Weasley made his entrance.
"Good morning, children," said Mr. Weasley.
One by one, the teenagers got up and went to greet Arthur.
"What are you doing here?" asked Ginny, "Mom just told us you were at the castle with Bill," continued the younger Weasley.
"I was there, but Kingsley wanted me to deliver a message: tomorrow there will be a ceremony to honor the victims and he wanted Harry to speak. He thought it would be good for him to say a few words since you were the symbol of hope in the dark year we've just experienced. He told me to insist on the fact that there is nothing obligatory and that you could perfectly well refuse since he and Professor McGonagall have already planned to express themselves".
"Why is Kingsley going to speak?" Ron asked.
"You don't know? He's the new Minister of Magic," Mr. Weasley informed them.
"Tell him I'll think about it and I'll send him a Patronus before tonight to inform him of my decision," said Harry.
"All right, I'll go back now," said Mr. Weasley, and then he disappeared.
Ron suggested a game of chess to his sister to take his mind off it, Harry took the opportunity to leave the house and went for a walk in the neighborhood. During his walk, he thought about all the things he had to think about: his future, his godson whom he should visit, whether or not he would speak at the ceremony tomorrow...
After a few minutes of walking, he sat down against a tree and closed his eyes. Behind him, he heard footsteps approaching and recognized Hermione at his gait: after years of friendship and especially after these last few months wandering around England, he could recognize this gait anywhere. Arriving at her height, Harry moved slightly out of the way so that she could sit next to him.
"Did you need to move away too?" Harry asked.
"No, I just thought you needed company too," Hermione began, "they seem to forget that you too lost loved ones last night.
"That's normal, they lost their brother..." Harry began.
"I know that," interrupted Hermione, "what I mean is that you lost Remus that night, he was the last person to connect you to your parents, the last person you could turn to if you had a problem.
"Hermione, every time I had a problem, I always turned to you, and every time I'll have a problem, I will turn to you. Having said that, of course I am torn by the death of Remus and Tonks, but they had a little boy and it will be my role to give him the love he deserves and tell him about the heroes his parents were," said Harry, whose voice broke at the end.
Hermione looked at him with tenderness and compassion and rested her head on his shoulder to show him that she felt his pain and understood it. There was silence between them, but it wasn't the same silence as at the Weasley table earlier in the day. The silence was soothing, comforting... A few minutes passed and Hermione broke the silence and asked:
"Are you thinking of speaking tomorrow?"
"I don't know, I'm tempted out of respect for the people who lost their loved ones and who consider me a hero, even if Voldemort was right, I only resisted him because people sacrificed themselves and ..."
"Stop!" Hermione stopped her, "you are far too modest, when will you start giving yourself credit?" she asked rhetorically, "you are the bravest, most generous man I have ever known. You have known cold and hunger for nine months, you have faced Voldemort several times in your life, you have gone to challenge him in the Forbidden Forest, you...", Hermione stopped short. "Harry, why did you go to the Forest? Why did Voldemort think you were dead?" Hermione asked.
"I had to die..." Harry began.
"You were a Horcrux," Hermione interrupted him with a calm that surprised him.
"How do you know that?"
"I knew it when you told us you could feel their presence. It was the only logical explanation for your mental connection with Voldemort, I never dared to tell you because you had enough to think about... Oh Harry, you went out to sacrifice yourself for us" she said almost incredulous.
"It was the only way we had a chance..." he replied, embarrassed by Hermione's admiration.
"How did you survive?"
"I went under my cloak towards the forest, I hoped that one of you would show up, see me and stop me from going there. I ran into Neville and told him to kill the snake in case you and Ron failed. Once in the forest I opened my Golden Snitch, it was the end, I was going to die, so it was time to open it. Dumbledore had hidden the Stone of Resurrection inside so I saw my father, my mother, Remus, Sirius. Then I saw Dolohov and Yaxley who were looking for me, so I followed them and that brought me directly to Voldemort who killed me without my trying to defend myself. Then it's strange, I met Dumbledore who congratulated me, apologized for his choices and then gave me the choice to join my parents or to come back and I came back" he concluded with his head down.
When he raised his head, he saw Hermione on the verge of tears looking at him with tenderness and with that special little smile. Hermione was far from being astonished by his attitude, he had always been like that: the one who sacrifices everything for others, the one who always puts himself in the front line. Very gently, she took him in her arms and they embraced for a few seconds before separating.
"If you wish, I'll write your speech for tomorrow," said Hermione.
"I'd like that, but I don't want it to make me look good, I want it to honor all the dead".
"Of course Harry, of course..."
He sent a Patronus to Kingsley to inform him of his decision, then hand in hand, they returned to the Terrier and found Ron and Ginny still immersed in their wizard's version of chess. They sat down and watched their friends finish their game. As is often the case in this game, it was the brother who had the upper hand over the sister. Mrs. Weasley then called them for lunch. They all sat down and the heavy atmosphere that had existed earlier in the day seemed to have disappeared.
"What do you want to do this afternoon?" Ginny asked.
"I thought I'd go and see Andromeda, to visit Teddy," Harry said.
"We'll come with you," replied Hermione.
"You don't have to..." Harry objected.
"We don't have much else to do anyway" Ron pointed out while taking a bite of pie, which earned him a kick under the table from Hermione. Harry smiled, because despite everything that had happened over the past few months, some things would never change and that was reassuring.
An hour later, emerged from Mrs. Tonks' fireplace. Once the introductions were made, she offered to sit down and hand Teddy to Harry and went to make tea.
"He's so cute," Ginny exclaimed.
"It seems he inherited his mother's Metamorphmagus skills," Hermione observed sadly.
Harry looked at the baby silently, as if shocked at how important this child will be in his future. He seemed both fascinated but also stunned by the responsibility entrusted to him by Remus and Tonks. Mrs. Tonks returned with the tea and sat down in an armchair.
"I am truly sorry for your loss," she began, addressing the two Weasleys present.
"We have all given for this war, you the first Mrs. Tonks," Ginny replied maturely. Ginny's answer awakened a question in Harry's head that he decided to ask later.
"Yes it's true, but at least we've protected our children's future. Teddy, for example, can be proud of his parents, of their struggle, of their sacrifice, just as you should be Harry," she added compassionately.
"Thank you Mrs. Tonks, I came because I wanted to see my godson, but you too are now part of my family and I wanted to set the record straight. It is obvious that Teddy will continue to grow up with you, but I would like to visit him on a regular basis and especially give you money so that...".
"No way!" she cried, "I will not accept any form of charity!" she exclaimed in a burst of pride.
"It's absolutely not charity, just money to buy clothes, gifts and education for Teddy".
"No Harry, I refuse" Mrs. Tonks persisted and Hermione decided to intervene:
"I think we should create a safe for Teddy in Gringotts, in which Harry would deposit money monthly and where you could draw if you needed it. If you don't need it, Teddy will always have this money once he reaches the age of majority.
"Under these conditions, I accept" ends up giving up Mrs. Tonks.
They stayed a few minutes talking about the ceremony of the next day and the future politics of the country after the nomination of Kingsley (Hermione was very active on this subject) then greeted Mrs Tonks and left.
Harry, Ron and Ginny spent the rest of the afternoon talking and then Mrs. Weasley called them to the table for dinner. Harry went upstairs to get Hermione, whom he hadn't seen since they had returned. He opened the door slightly and saw Hermione writing energetically on parchment.
"We're going to eat Hermione, what are you doing?" Harry wondered.
"I'm writing your speech for tomorrow," she answered naturally.
"Excuse me, Hermione, I completely forgot..."
"That's all right, it's been a long time since you've allowed yourself to be carefree. I wasn't going to deprive you of it. Besides, I've just finished, do you want to read it?"
"The children!" they heard.
"I'll read it after dinner, even though I know it's going to be brilliant," Harry says proudly for his best friend.
"Wait until you've read it before you say it," Hermione laughed as she walked down the stairs with Harry.
"But I don't need to, I'd even say I can go to the ceremony without reading your speech first.
"Then, let me change a couple of things," Hermione joked with a sly smile as they entered the kitchen.
As they settled in, Mr. Weasley came out of the fireplace, kissed his wife and sat down to eat.
"Where's Bill?" Ron asked.
"He's gone home to Fleur," everyone nodded silently.
"How's the work going?" Hermione asked.
"It's not easy, but we've had enough support to do most of the work and host tomorrow's ceremony. Besides, what's your decision Harry: will you speak tomorrow or not?" asked Mr. Weasley.
"Yes I will, out of respect for those who died and those who have supported me over the past few months. I can't say I do it out of joy of heart, but it is my duty. In any case, Hermione has concocted a very good speech for me".
"He hasn't read it yet," Hermione laughed.
Everyone stopped when they saw George coming down the stairs and sitting at the table. He helped himself mechanically and ate without real conviction. Harry looked at him with a sad look on his face: George, usually so full of life, with his communicative joy of life was unrecognizable. You might even think he had just received the Kiss of the Dementor. Everyone finished their meal, cleared out, and went to bed in turn. In the end, only Hermione and Harry were left.
"You want to read what I wrote," Hermione asked, handing him the scroll.
"Of course," he answered, taking it. He started to go through the scroll and after about ten minutes returned it to Hermione, adding: "That's perfect, that's exactly what I wanted.
"Great" said Hermione as he picked up the scroll. "I'm going to bed now," she said as she got up, kissed Harry on the cheek and walked to the stairs.
"Hermione?" called Harry.
"Yes?" she asked as she walked back to him.
"When do you intend to bring back your parents?"
"Soon, next week at the latest. Why are you asking me?"
"At Mrs. Tonks' house, Ginny pointed out that we'd all lost in the war and I thought..."
"Thank you Harry" stopped Hermione, smiling tenderly at her, "it's nice of you to think of it. Good night Harry" she said before kissing him on the cheek again and going up to the room she shared with Ginny.