Author's Note: Some people had some interest in Robert and his 'friends,' but sorry to disappoint, I was just hinting that he had some very loyal friends who'd turn a blind eye to a body and would help dispose of it without informing the authorities. Boring I know, but more realistic than him being some sort of secret agent. Still, your comments and reviews are amusing to read.

This chapter is mostly just informative and fluffy, as this story is heavily pairing focused meaning it won't always be about killing death eaters or whatnot. More dark thoughts and actions will come in the future, rest assured.

Massive thanks to ProphecyMarauder45 for co-writing this chapter, especially for helping out with all the romance parts; so please give her credit. Let's just say romance is not my forte. I'm better at writing inner thoughts, fluff and action.

And thank you, TyrannicPuppy and SweetShireen for alpha-ing and beta-ing this chapter.

Chapter Revised as of April 2020, and thanks WearyCurmudgeon for your comments on this chapter.


Chapter 5: A Different Birthday

For the next couple of weeks, things went relatively smoothly, considering Dolohov's attack. The first day after the incident, Hermione and Harry cooked breakfast together, in an attempt to loosen any tension between the Granger parents and themselves. The cooking itself proved to be very enjoyable for the both of them and they found they could cook in tandem. However, right after everyone had eaten, Helen and Robert demanded to have a conversation regarding everything that had transpired. Helen's shock and fear from the previous day had vanished and was replaced by anger and maybe a hint of sadness.

So they had explained everything that had happened at school, and in the Wizarding World for the past five years. They told her parents about the Basilisk, and how Hermione was petrified. Suffice to say that they were not happy with this newfound information, but had eventually accepted that Hermione was practically an adult, maybe not in age, but certainly in terms of maturity, and so had let the incident slide.

In a way, it was almost amusing to see Helen and Robert gasp and look at him sympathetically when he told them about his dangerous near-death experiences. Most notably, his death-defying Quidditch encounters, the entire Tri-Wizard Tournament, and his multiple encounters with Voldemort. Prior to that conversation, he and Hermione talked and agreed to omit the true events of what happened at the Department of Mysteries since they were afraid of the Grangers' reaction to Hermione being right on death's doorstep for days on end, all the while enduring excruciating pain. And considering their reaction to learning that Hermione fought Dolohov—sending both parents into anguish, even causing Robert to lash out at Harry for bringing Hermione with him on his 'adventure'—suffice to say, it definitely appeared to be the correct choice on their part.

Being blamed for Dolohov had caught Harry off guard, but he would be lying if he did not have those very same thoughts. But it had seriously hurt the young wizard. Unbeknownst to Robert, he had become—of sorts—a father figure to Harry. While he had only known him for a few days, he immensely enjoyed being in the man's presence. It was relaxing to be in the company of someone who had little contact with the wizarding world, someone who was completely down to earth. And he was definitely a respectable figure in Harry's mind. He did raise Hermione, after all.

So when Robert had snapped at him and began telling him how it was his fault, it was almost the same as being stabbed with a knife to the heart. Before he even had a chance to defend himself, his girlfriend had stepped in and took a stance with him instantaneously.

"This is in no way Harry's fault," she told her father coldly.

Robert visibly flinched before recovering and angrily retorting, "How is it not? You said it yourself that you knew it was a trap, yet he forced you to go anyway."

Hermione reacted by glaring at Robert with a look that was previously reserved entirely for Ron, "He didn't force me to do anything. Ichose to go. I chose to come with him, and no one forced me."

Mr Granger didn't seem convinced. "Really? Why don't I ask Harry myself, then?" And turned his gaze towards the teen in question.

Instead of shying away and capitulating to his fears, Harry decided to stand and fight for both Hermione's word and himself. "I didn't force Hermione to come with me, nor any of my friends. In fact, I actually wanted to go there alone. But of course, Hermione wouldn't let such a thing happen. I knew the risks, as did Hermione, and yet we went there anywhere. Sirius was my family and one of the last connections to my parents, so yes, I did act irrationally but also out of necessity, something which Hermione understood. And frankly, I find it insulting that you're doubting the integrity of your own daughter. Who, by the way, is the best and most loyal person I have ever and will ever meet."

While he was admittedly embarrassed by his outburst, he didn't let it show on his face. And in a way, it was good practice for when he would have to face Dumbledore or any other authority figure in the future. He still hoped he could repair his rapidly deteriorating relationship with Robert.

Hermione slightly flustered added, "See! And if you want to blame anyone, blame the Death Eaters! They're the ones responsible. Harry is my best friend, and if you attack him over this ever again, I'm telling you, I will choose his side over yours." To which Helen let out a small gasp.

Robert was about to get up and yell back in response, but a shocked Helen put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something to him.

Instead of following through with what he was about to do and potentially lose his daughter forever, Robert paused and let the words of the two teenagers sink in. After what must have been an eternity, he ran a hand nervously through his hair before apologising, "I—I'm really sorry, honey… and you too, Harry. I don't normally jump to conclusions but I think I've needed some kind of outlet since yesterday."

"Things yesterday weren't exactly normal…" commented Hermione.

Helen—who had been scarily silent throughout the exchange—asked, "Y—you keep talking about these 'Death Eaters' but haven't explained who they are, or what they do..."

Harry and Hermione shared a glance in silent conversation about deciding who would explain first, to which he gave her a short nod.

"These Death Eaters are fanatical wizards and witches with many similarities to the Nazis. Essentially just switch Aryan with Pureblood, and Jews with Muggles and Muggleborns. The Death Eaters are hellbent on subjugating those below them." He paused before asking a moment later, "Should I continue?"

Helen and Robert nodded in agreement, but their faces wore a weary expression, clearly not liking where this was going.

Hermione elbowed him, causing him to continue the explanation, "These fanatics follow their leader, 'Lord Voldemort,' a dark wizard who unwittingly made me famous as a baby."

Helen's face lit up in recognition, "Hermione told us the story of how you are famous for killing some dark lord! And this is the same wizard who was resurrected at the end of your fourth year?"

Harry nodded grimly in response.

"God," gasped Robert, and Helen's breathing hitched momentarily.

"And if these Death Eaters win this new war," began Harry. He paused and looked directly into Helen's eyes before continuing, "It's likely that they will kill every Muggle and Muggleborn they come across, innocent or not. They're already in the highest positions in our society, which favours the purebloods over half-bloods and Muggleborns. A word that these fanatics often call Muggleborns is 'Mudblood,' which I'm sure you heard Dolohov use before. It means 'dirty blood' and is perhaps the foulest and most derogatory term in the Wizarding World."

"Okay…" began Robert slowly, taking some time to process everything. "You've told us who they are but why did you have to ki—finish him off? Why not let the authorities take over?"

"Because, Dad, the authorities are practically useless. Nearly every single Death Eater we know about is a free man or woman, and with the society and especially the Ministry, being biased towards purebloods, it's likely he would have avoided incarceration. We couldn't let that happen again…"

Robert ran his hand through his hair, "God. You're both justifying killing people, do you completely understand that?"

"Yes, we do," said Harry.

"It's war," supplied Hermione.

"And in a war, it's either kill or be killed. It's us or them. If we only leave them incapacitated and alive, we give them a chance to rise back up and finally finish us off. That's a chance we can and will not make," Harry explained further.

The two worried parents then whispered to one another for a short while, before Robert spoke again, "Neither of us agree in what you two are doing, but... we understand your reasons." He paused and fixed Hermione with a gaze, "You're still you, right, honey?"

Hermione gave a sad smile, "Of course I am. Nothing will ever stop me loving you." And quick as a flash, she was upon her two parents, hugging them tightly. Harry watched it play out with a happy smile.

Though Hermione didn't directly say it, her parents got the underlying message that if they did anything to Harry, there would most certainly be love lost between Hermione and her parents.

And so weeks passed, where there was an obvious tension between the two couples, but as it was said, 'time heals all wounds.' And by the end of the third week, all tension had gone, replaced by a comfortability Harry had never felt before. He truly felt a part of the family, even if it wasn't his, and was a vastly different dynamic to the Weasleys. Sometimes he wondered, had his parents lived, would he have the same experience as he had now. Although he resolved to avoid dwelling on the past.

Harry and Hermione also fell into a new habit.

That same night after they had explained everything to Helen and Robert, Harry went to his bedroom intending to fall asleep. But he ended up staring at the ceiling for a solid hour, finding no rest. A while later, Hermione had snuck in and said that she couldn't sleep, as well. She laid beside him without any concern for what her parents' would think—they were a couple after all—even if they hadn't told the Granger parents yet. He was too tired to argue and considering that those nights he had held Hermione were the times he rested the best, he was all too ready to agree to let her sleep beside him. So every single night from then on, they had slept in the same bed together.

Incidentally, their habit of falling asleep together meant that they slept in their pyjamas, which both of them found to be more comfortable, especially when they held each other in their arms. Harry found he rather liked being 'little spoon,' making him feel more content than when he held Hermione. If they were inseparable before, they were more so now.

Every day, Harry woke up to a beautiful bushy-haired brunette lying right next to him. Sometimes, he would find his face buried inside in her soft bushy mane, where he would then often smile before kissing the back of Hermione's neck, causing her to groan in annoyance before turning to him with a snarky remark. Other times, he would wake up to find Hermione close to him, watching as he slept, and it was a sight Harry knew he would never get tired of waking up to.

Suffice to say, Harry was not looking forward to sleeping alone in the boy's dormitory.

I'll just have to make sure I 'accidentally' fall asleep with Hermione in the common room, thought Harry.

On another note, Harry and Hermione were glad that both Robert and Helen were happy with their newfound relationship, upon informing them. It seemed like Robert lost some kind of bet, because while he was happy for the two of them, his face was grim at times, whereas Helen had a glint in her eye and a triumphant smile whenever she looked towards her husband.

And so this meant that they no longer had to hide their relationship, though from the looks Harry noticed from Helen before and after they had told them perhaps they were not as discreet as they thought. The first thing Hermione suggested was that they spend a night in her room. He found it a lot more relaxing than his bland and generic guest room, especially since her room had a very Gryffindor and magical feel to it. From then on, they stayed in her room.

Crookshanks seemed to appreciate this new change, now that his mistress was back in the room in which he slept. When the half-Kneazle noticed Harry in close proximity to Hermione in bed, he stared at Harry for the entire first night, making it hard for Harry to sleep, but Hermione's presence and assurances quickly rectified this. Upon waking up, Harry found the cat still staring at him, but once Crookshanks spotted Hermione's smile as she slept, he mewled and moved closer to Harry, demanding attention.

From then on Crookshanks had gone back to his usual friendly demeanour towards Harry, apparently having deemed him 'worthy' of his mistress. He would almost choke at such an idea but he knew that Crookshanks had an intelligence that was on par with humans. Besides, Harry really did like the yellow-eyed fluffball. And it seemed to make Hermione happier than usual when she saw him bonding with her pet. He supposed it was the same feeling he got whenever he spotted Hermione bonding with Hedwig. It was a sense of acceptance. A wonderful warmth that she accepted another part of him, and couldn't help but appreciate the similarities between them. Both were fiercely loyal and protective of him, just like he and Crookshanks were of Hermione.

Hermione also had other reasons for wanting to be back in her room, namely having books readily available to read before sleeping. After sarcastically asking Hermione if she could read a chapter aloud to him, they had fallen into another habit. Harry never thought Hermione's voice could be any more harmonic than it already was, but the way she read through novels made it feel so alive and interesting. Maybe if she talked this way when explaining theories in school, he would have been keener to study and work hard. But then again, Harry didn't want Ron or anyone else to hear Hermione's 'storytelling voice.' It was selfish and maybe possessive in a way, but he liked to think that Hermione only used the voice for him.

He once caught himself daydreaming, as he listened to Hermione as she read from one of the many books they were studying.

An older Hermione sat at a nook somewhere, enjoying the summer sun through the glass window. A little girl, around the age of four or five with dark curls on her head, ran towards her. Instead of being annoyed at the interruption, a smile of pure happiness grew on Hermione's lips as she turned to the approaching footsteps.

"Mummy!" The tiny girl had called out to her. Hermione reached out her arms and readily caught the child.

"Hello, darling! Did you have fun with Daddy?" She asked as she pulled the little girl into her arms.

"Yes! Too bad you couldn't come with us, though!"

"Well, how can I make it up to you?" She had a glint in her eyes, as if she already knew what the little child was going to answer.

"Will you read to me, Mummy?" The girl pleaded, giving her the best puppy dog eyes, likely learned from her father.

"Of course, love." Then she turned towards him with a smile, just as the young girl in her arms did. Her green eyes, much like his own, were bright with joy.

"Come on, Daddy!"

He shook his head in surprise at the vision his brain had conjured. While he knew that Hermione would be an amazing mother, their relationship was still quite new.

They had already done the hard part of getting to know each other, then becoming best friends. They probably knew more about one another and shared a deeper connection than most newlywed couples. But there was no need to rush, especially with things progressing at such a comfortable pace. Though ever since Harry had begun sleeping in Hermione's room, things had gotten a lot more heated, with the use of their tongues when kissing, necking, and even some exploring touches around each other's body. But things had not progressed beyond that.

When they were not watching movies, reading books, or spending some 'alone' time with each other, the couple were hard at work studying. True to his word, Harry started taking his studies more seriously. The couple often spent hours on end expanding their knowledge of defence, charms, transfiguration, and the like.

Harry also found studying with Hermione to be easier than ever and that she was a lot more tolerating and accommodating to helping him than when she had to help him and Ron at Hogwarts.

When he asked about it, she replied, "It's because you're taking this seriously, and actually listen to what I have to say. Back at school, you and Ron barely ever paid attention. Goofing around and slacking off a lot, so of course, I was going to get annoyed with you both. But now you're putting in the effort, and I'm willing to help you in whatever capacity needed."

She fixed him a serious gaze. "Besides, you have some really good ideas. I don't think my Charms essay would've been up to standard without that idea of yours."

He smirked. "Did the genius just commend my intelligence?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." She then tapped his head with her quill. "Maybe you shouldn't have such a big ego, mister."

I think I've learnt more in the past couple of weeks than my entire fifth year at Hogwarts, mused Harry.

In fact, he really wished he had taken studying seriously in previous years. He remembered the first time he got an Outstanding on a defence assignment and the exhilaration that came with it. It was no wonder that Hermione always strived to do her best, and inadvertently defy blood purity beliefs that Purebloods were superior to Muggleborns in every way.

But then again, if he excelled in classwork, he would end up getting even more attention than he already had. With the war beginning anew, there would most certainly be students willing to pass on information to his enemies. If they found out about his efficiency in learning, Voldemort may regard him with more caution. Having Voldemort underestimate him would be a huge advantage, especially considering that the Dark Lord had more than fifty extra years of experience over him.

He told Hermione about his reluctance to excel in school and she agreed that it would be better for him to be seen as average, academically, so to not lose the element of surprise. She also added that Ron would be extremely jealous if Harry suddenly got much better marks than him. But in all honesty, Harry didn't really care what Ron thought.

It seemed that every day as he grew closer to Hermione, the more he realized how much Ron lacked at being a decent friend. Still, his other best friend had not done anything recently to cause a fracture in their friendship, and so Harry had kept in contact with Ron via letters, which were sparse and it often took days for Ron to respond. His responses were often short and uninformative leading Harry to wonder if Ron resented his decision to stay at the Grangers rather than the Burrow.

If that's the case, Ron seriously needs to become more mature. I've been to the Burrow multiple times for prolonged visits, he shouldn't be angry at me for spending time with my other best friend.

Regardless, they had agreed that Harry should keep studying non-school assignments to his personal best, where Hermione would then critique him just like any other Professor. As he compared feedback he received from Hermione and their Professors, Harry found his girlfriend's to be way more informative and useful than the one-sentence responses his teachers gave him. He seriously wondered why Hogwarts was considered one of the best wizarding schools in Europe, considering the quality of teachers such as Snape and practically every new Defence Professor.

Harry remembered Dumbledore talking about recruiting a new teacher and hoped that the new professor, who would likely be teaching DADA, would prove to be capable of actually teaching students the necessary skills and techniques so they could defend themselves. Though considering events of previous years, he wondered if Dumbledore had some ulterior motive for choosing this specific teacher, especially considering that he wanted him to help in the recruiting process.

I hope that the new professor isn't another bloody Lockhart. That just wouldn't do.

While they were unable to do any practical magic due to the age restriction, the couple still used their time wisely with basic training in whipping up their wand, or in practice with a substitute stick to prevent accidentally casting a spell. They knew that their life would rest on every single second, so the faster their reactions, the better.

Additionally, since summer began, Harry had spent some time doing physical exercises. Not overly much, but some sit-ups here and some push-ups there, which helped him feel stronger. Hermione had also informed him how much she liked his more defined muscles, causing him to blush in embarrassment which never failed to amuse the brunette. But he would also admit that he enjoyed making Hermione blush.

It would also seem that Dumbledore had replaced Mundungus with other witches and wizards for guard duty for the next couple of weeks. They first noticed it when they saw a pink-haired woman, waving her wand in intricate ways the day after Dolohov attacked. They recognized the witch to be Tonks as she put up charms and wards around the Granger property—which should have been there from the beginning of summer.

Still… better late than never.

They thought about striking up a conversation with the young Auror but decided against it because they were still unsure where the woman's true loyalties lie. With how involved Dumbledore had been in Harry's life, neither wanted to draw more attention to themselves than necessary.

Besides, things were currently looking up for Harry Potter, why do anything to endanger it?


Harry opened up his eyes after a night's rest and noticed that her warm presence was absent.

Huh? Where's Hermione? This is the first time I've woken up with her not next to me.

He instantly sat up and looked around the room, and after a few moments of investigation, it was clear she wasn't in the room.

Just as he finished that line of thought the door opened to reveal his cheerful girlfriend, still only clad in her nightgown and carrying a tray with two plates on top, filled with eggs and bacon.

"Happy Birthday," she said in a soft voice and a small smile.

"Hermione, you didn't—" began Harry.

"Oh, shush you," interrupted Hermione. She set the tray down on the bed, walked up to his side of the bed before leaning over and pulling him into a lingering kiss.

Just as Harry was getting lost in the sensations, Hermione began to pull away but he brought his hand behind her neck so she couldn't escape far.

"Just where do you think you're going?" He breathed against her with a raised brow.

"Harry, you need to get up. Lazy arse," she replied but her eyes had a playful glint.

He smirked and looked straight into her dark chocolate eyes before speaking. "But like you said: it's my birthday today." And with a small squeal from Hermione, he pulled her onto his lap.

Conceding to him, she rolled her eyes before straddling him and kissing him passionately. Without resistance, Harry's tongue found its way into Hermione's mouth and caressed hers. The overwhelming sensations caused him to groan his pleasure. Taking charge, his girlfriend pushed him up against the headboard and leaned her whole body against his without breaking their kissing.

His hands roamed her body, as if having minds of their own, and hers weren't idle, either. He broke away from their kiss and quickly latched onto Hermione's neck before she voiced any protest. The combinations of his lips and tongue on the sensitive skin of her neck caused her to moan in bliss. He knew Hermione could clearly feel his hardness under her, but she didn't seem to mind and made no comment about it. Their intense snogging and heavy petting continued for a few minutes more before Harry broke away from her lips. Silently staring at each other, they tried to return their breathing back to normal. Harry didn't stop himself from leaning in and capturing her lips with his again, this time for a gentle and tender kiss. He only wanted to enjoy the sensation of her against his lips while conveying his feelings of love towards the brunette on his lap.

When the kiss ended, he wrapped his arms tightly around Hermione, pulling her closer to him. As if she was made for him, her body fit snugly against him, her head resting on his chest.

It took them a minute to gather their breaths. "I did make breakfast for you which, mind you, is probably cold now because of the activities you drew us into."

Hermione shifted so she was looking up to him with her dark brown eyes and with a bright smile he replied. "Doesn't matter. I'm sure it will be just as delicious. And as I was saying before you rudely interrupted me…" She tilted her head and gave him a curious look. "You didn't have to do anything for me today."

He paused, lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. "I already received the best possible gift, right here next to me. You."

She blushed at his statement and with the cutest smile, he had ever seen on her, replied, "That's all well and good, Harry, but you're being quite silly. I already spend all day and night with you, what could possibly make me the best gift that you received?"

He shook his head, "Don't you see, Hermione? You're the reason for my happiness, the reason for my passion, my rock, my reason to keep on fighting. I don't need anything else, just you… and I absolutely love you for it."

"Harry?" Questioned Hermione in a whisper.

"Huh, guess that's another thing that's true," began Harry almost chuckling. He focused his gaze on her eyes, trying his best to convey every emotion he felt when he said his next words with utter conviction. "I love you, Hermione Granger."

He had always 'loved' Hermione in the previous years, but that was simply platonic love, and this was different. Romantic, passionate, an-all consuming love in its fullest capacity. His feelings for his best friend were completely overwhelming that everything else paled in comparison.

So yes, he did love her.

Hermione was rendered speechless but she didn't seem shocked at his declaration. In fact, once she was done processing his words, her face lit up into a bright smile. "And I love you too, Harry James Potter," she declared. They sealed it with a short kiss.

"Now, come on!" she said jumping off of him and pulling him upright. "You still have to eat the breakfast I made."

"And what have you whipped up for us today, Miss Granger?"

"Eggs and bacon, Mr Potter, with my own secret ingredient."

After taking the first bite, and swallowing the delicious food he said, "Merlin, Hermione this is bloody amazing."

"Glad you like it, because I was slaving around for an hour making it perfect."

"You didn't have to do that," said Harry with a sad smile.

"Oh, Harry. Right, wrong choice of words. It was a joy to cook for you. This really is good, if I do say so myself." She looked at him with piercing eyes, "Though… this would've been better if it was still hot."

He rolled his eyes but was grinning like a fool.

After they finished breakfast, Hermione spoke. "Well, I still have a gift for you—well, a few actually."

"Hermione—"

"No. This is going to be the best birthday you've ever had, Harry. I've got the whole day planned out. But for now, let me just go and get your main birthday present." And before he had time to stop her, she had left with their empty plates in hand.

He almost wanted to tell Hermione that this was already his favourite birthday, one which would forever be ingrained into his memory. But he knew that Hermione wouldn't be satisfied until he had seen the day through.

Taking advantage of Hermione's absence, he got up and changed into some clothes for the day. He suspected that Hermione wanted to take him into the city, so he decided to wear nicer and better clothes than usual.

A few minutes later Hermione returned with a shy smile, and upon spotting Harry's clothes, smiled more confidently. "Seems like you've already got an idea of what I have planned."

"Wouldn't be a very good best friend if I was clueless."

"No, I suppose not." And they both sat next to each other on the side of the bed. In her hands was a small box, wrapped in some colourful paper.

"Well, here it is. I hope you like it."

I'll probably like it no matter what it is, since you gave it to me, mused Harry.

Harry smiled and asked, "And where did you hide this gift?"

With a smirk, she replied, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Ever so slowly Harry undid the wrapping causing Hermione to say impatiently, "Oh just open it already, Harry."

"But Hermione, I want to be careful with your present," he mock whined before promptly ripping open the remaining paper. Upon seeing the gift, he gasped in amazement.

Inside the box was a silver-coloured pocket watch, with an engraving of a stag and doe, heads leaning against one another. He ran his fingers over the engraving, feeling the small crevices outlining the two animals.

A stag and doe… Dad and Mum's patronuses.

Harry looked towards Hermione with shining eyes. "I—". He was simply speechless, he had no idea what to say. He never would have thought that such a simple thing could have such a profound impact on him.

"Open it," she whispered with some nervousness.

His breathing hitched. There's more? What could she possibly add… but trailed off upon opening the pocket watch.

Inside was a small clock with two hands, only that it was no ordinary clock. Much like the Weasley's, it had various locations instead of the traditional number system, and two hands representing him and Hermione. Currently, they both pointed towards home.

"I've set home to the location of the pocket watch at the moment… but it can be changed to whatever you like in the future."

Perhaps our future house, he mused. Or better yet her… because she's my home now.

He was even more speechless, he simply didn't know how to respond. He was about to turn to her when he spotted the inside of the lid containing a circular photo. The photo was of him and Hermione cuddling each other in an armchair, fast asleep. Helen or Robert must have taken the photo and he absolutely loved everything that it captured, from their smiles to the way they held one another.

"I know it's a bit presumptuous—" she began.

"Hermione," he interrupted finally gaining the ability to speak. "I love it. Everything about it. Thank you." He immediately pulled her into a tight hug, before pressing a kiss to her lips, and then another… and another.

The day just kept getting better and better.


"Harry, Hermione! Are you ready to go yet?!" Called out Helen from downstairs.

He glanced at Hermione suspiciously, "What's going on exactly? I already gathered we're heading somewhere, but care to give a hint?"

With a mischievous smile, she answered. "Where's the surprise in that?"

He grumbled in response, but her reply only increased his anticipation and curiosity. "Now why don't you go downstairs and tell my mum I'll be down in a few quick minutes. I still need to get dressed."

"See you in a few then."

Harry had been telling Hermione frequently that she was beautiful without any added cosmetics, so she had forgone wearing any makeup at his request. In return, he had asked if he should style his hair better, but Hermione objected. "Where would be the fun in running my hands through your 'neat' hair?" So they had both agreed not to change their appearances, besides they liked each other beyond their looks.

Robert and Helen had taken the day off so they could transport Harry and Hermione. They were all standing at the door when Hermione came downstairs and graced them with a smile. She was wearing shorts that ended just above her knees and a simple shirt, with her hair in its natural curly form. She walked up to Harry and pushed his fringe to the side, allowing her a clearer view of his face. In response, he tucked some hair behind her ear. Harry almost forgot that the two Granger parents were there until someone cleared their throat, dragging both teens back from their own little bubble.

Robert snickered. "Now, while the both of you may enjoy staring at each other for hours on end, I think it'd be good for all of us to get going. Otherwise, we'll be stuck here forever."

"Oh, Robert," admonished Helen. "Let them be."

Robert rolled his eyes in response, causing Harry to realise that maybe the Granger's relationship was not that different from his and Hermione's. Now that he was observing and noticing a lot more, he was becoming quite adept at reading people. He was learning to distinguish the tells of when a person was lying and could read what a person truly meant just by seeing the emotion conveyed in their eyes.

Upon leaving the house, they were stopped by a suddenly visible blonde, unlike anyone he had seen before.

"Wotcher Harry, Hermione and Hermione's parents, where are y'all going?" Asked the witch with a suspicious gaze.

Realisation hit Harry, "Nymphadora?" And in the background, he heard Hermione breathe out a sigh of relief.

"'Course it's me, Harry," replied Tonks slightly annoyed while changing her hair to brown, and her face back to its natural state. "But I must insist on you not calling me that name."

"Sorry, Tonks," he corrected himself with an apologetic expression. "And I have no idea where we're going, you'll have to ask Hermione," he added with a small smirk.

Tonks snapped her head to the witch in question, "And?"

"We're taking Harry on a trip… somewhere in the Muggle World. But it's a surprise for Harry."

"But I can't—" argued the metamorphmagus.

"You can't let Harry go anywhere, per Dumbledore's orders, right?" finished Hermione with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh…" The fact that Hermione knew what she was going to say had essentially rendered her speechless. Especially Hermione's delivery which seemed cold, compared to the usual warmth she remembered.

She eventually shook her head. "How did you know I'd say that? No, nevermind that. But seriously, I can't let Harry leave, especially if I don't know where you're going."

"Well, why don't you come with us, then," supplied Hermione.

"What?" Everyone but Harry asked, but he almost blurted it out, as well.

After taking in his previous observations, realisation came to him. I think I now know why Hermione was relieved before.

"Tonks, you know the Muggle World well, right? So what's the harm in letting us go somewhere where Death Eaters would likely never set foot in?" Questioned Harry.

"And you're a fully trained Auror, Tonks. What better protection could Harry have?" Added Hermione.

Tonks still seemed torn between following Dumbledore's direct orders and the prospect of joining them on the trip.

With a pout and pleading eyes, Harry said. "It is my birthday today, Tonks. Surely we can let this one incident slide?"

"Oh, stop with the puppy dog eyes, Harry," complained Tonks. She sighed loudly, "Fine! But if this comes back to haunt me, you'll have bigger problems than Death Eaters."

"I don't doubt that," replied Harry unseriously, sharing a look with Hermione.

"Wait. It's your birthday today?" asked Tonks. After receiving a nod of confirmation, she commented, "Merlin, I'm so forgetful"

She fiddled around in her pocket before pulling out a few old letters. "Eh—I completely forgot that it was today. Remus gave these to me since he knew I would be on duty. He said it wasn't much, but he was sure you'd appreciate it all the same. Can't believe I forgot…"

Lupin got something for me? He thought hesitantly.

Harry took the letters slowly as if they were something precious.

"Oh! And here's one directly from him, as well," she added hastily.

Harry was now very intrigued by what these other letters were about if they were not from Lupin.

He then passed them onto Hermione, who proceeded to place them inside her small magical bag, causing Tonks to give him a weird look.

As Tonks stayed back and talked to the Grangers, Harry and Hermione walked to the car where he whispered into Hermione's ear. "Why exactly are we bringing Tonks along?"

"I didn't want to sneak around all day, Harry. I thought it'd be better for all of us if she came with us. Besides, it's added protection," she whispered back.

"How'd you know it would be her?"

"Tonks was here for the last three Wednesdays and Sundays. I assumed it would be the same this week and formulated a plan around it."

He chuckled before grinning at her. "You're brilliant Hermione."

She flashed him a bright smile. "You give me too much credit."

"Credit you're deserving of."

Once they were inside the car, he asked with furrowed brows. "Puppy dog eyes?"

She giggled quietly. "Yes, Harry. And you use them quite well."

He groaned audibly. "It wasn't something I did consciously."

The car ride was slightly cramped, fitting five people into the car, three of which were adults made for little room, but Harry didn't find it that bad. In the back, he sat on the left side, with Hermione next to him, and Tonks on the other side of Hermione.

Tonks' presence led to conversations all around the car often relating to the metamorphmagus. Harry was particularly interested in how Tonks grew up with both wizard and Muggle heritage, something which he would have likely experienced if things were different.

Despite their best efforts, Harry and Hermione still found their hands unintentionally reaching for each other. Touching and feeling each other's hands were almost instinctual, along with their tiny caresses. They even shared some silent conversations just by looking at each other.

"You two are dating, aren't you?" stated Tonks bluntly having looked at the couple curiously for the last ten minutes.

A sound perhaps resembling a laugh escaped Robert's mouth.

Harry practically flinched at the directness of her question. "Umm—yeah, we are."

"Though we'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else yet. We'd like to be the ones to tell our friends," added Hermione.

Tonks lowered her voice to say. "Well, regardless of what others may say, I actually can keep a secret." Then gave them a wink.

Unfortunately for Harry and Hermione, Tonks spent the remainder of the trip gushing about their relationship and how well they looked together. The two Granger parents also joined in on the conversation, stating how cute they were and how nice it was for them to look so happy, rather than acting like angsty teenagers. But it was all in good fun, despite the massive embarrassment for the young couple.

Finally, the car stopped in front of a beach—at least that's what Harry assumed, having never seen one before.

They all got out of the car, and after overhearing a hushed conversation between Helen and Tonks, regarding 'letting the kids have some time together,' Harry and Hermione took off their shoes and walked hand in hand along the sand.

Harry found the beach to be peaceful and elegant, especially with Hermione walking with him. And as there was no one else, other than the three adults watching from afar, they were alone. They stayed at the beach for an hour or so before they decided to leave. Robert and Helen, however, seemed reluctant to leave as it seemed Tonks was entertaining them with some magic.

After that, they travelled to various places, including a museum, a fancy restaurant—and with Harry's insistence—a bookstore. Claiming that he wanted to buy some books, but in reality, Harry just wanted to do something for his girlfriend. Sure, it was his birthday, but he enjoyed browsing books just as much as Hermione. He wouldn't be surprised that they could both be dubbed as the 'resident bookworms' of Gryffindor, though he mused that people would just assume he was spending time with Hermione rather than actually studying.

He had loved to read and study books before Hogwarts, but upon entering school, he had gone down a path of laziness and procrastination. But now that Hermione was helping him, and the fact that he was finding it enjoyable, reading was fast becoming one of Harry's favourite activities.

While there were three other people on their little 'expedition,' they kept mostly out of the way. Harry got to spend quality time with Hermione in the muggle world, even if he did spot Tonks shadowing them with a different shade of hair at every location. Which—while annoying—gave them peace of mind, especially since it was Tonks and not someone unreliable like Mundungus.

Finally, they ended their trip by going to the cinemas. Harry decided on Mission: Impossible, with Hermione by his side, and drinks in hand as they watched the cinema screen. The experience was monumentally more impactful than watching on the Granger's television. The sound, screen size, and atmosphere created an exhilarating and suspenseful experience.

After the film, Harry and Hermione talked about the film and both found particular interest in the creative ideas of which Muggles came up with. Such as the wearable mask, which they couldn't help but compare to the polyjuice potion, even if the movie was complete fiction.

"The day is not over yet," commented Hermione afterwards.

There's more?! he thought incredulously. What more could she possibly have planned? She's already made this day unforgettable and she's going to add more to it?"

"Oh, don't worry," she said spotting his disbelief. "It's just homemade dinner," she added with a wink.

As he suspected Hermione's last gift for the day was his favourite meal, courtesy of the three Grangers.

Tonks sadly, could not join them, having to switch duty with another Order member. While Harry had been initially wary of Tonks, he admitted that she was kind of growing on him, and believed Hermione felt the same way. Ever since Harry opened his eyes to the old man's manipulations, he realised Dumbledore held this demeanour around him that cried 'superior' and 'all-knowing,' which was only obvious to those not entranced by him. The way in which he talked to people lacked any sincerity, making Harry think that the Old Fool knew exactly what he was doing in order to persuade susceptible people, especially since it used to work so well on him.

Tonks, however, was different. She made jokes, was often clumsy, and had a childish behaviour that made her easy-going, and her obvious reluctance to blindly follow the Headmaster's orders after hearing their argument made her somewhat trustworthy. Harry knew first and foremost her loyalties laid with the Order, and then to the Auror department. Her willingness to listen, and her later assurances to not tell Dumbledore of what transpired, made him wonder of the possibility that she, too, was questioning the Headmaster's motives. Perhaps they'd have some allies if things ever 'went to shit,' so to say.

After dinner, and the most delicious one yet, Harry and Hermione—with Dobby's help—snuck back out to watch another movie at the cinema. With the day going quite well and both feeling happy, the two decided to watch a romantic comedy. While it was interesting and funny, Harry thought that it didn't really reflect how a real relationship should work. His relationship with Hermione was perfect to him, even if he didn't have romantic one-liners or made a fool of himself in front of others, the smile she flashed him afterwards told him she felt the same.

The couple finally retired for the night, but not before opening the various presents that had arrived throughout the day. Ron and Ginny had gifted him with various sweets, but Harry scowled at the comment Ron made about Hermione's parents being dentists. Surprisingly, both Neville and Luna had also given gifts to him. Neville gave him old defence books from the Longbottom library, claiming that someone should appreciate them, rather than continue gathering dust. He also mentioned that his grandmother was more than fine with parting with them after learning that Harry Potter was the one responsible for Neville's massive improvement in classes via the D.A. Luna's present was a letter of gratitude and a lifetime subscription of The Quibbler. With The Daily Prophet continuing to cover up the true scale of the threat of Voldermort and his Death Eaters, it was a very welcome gift.

With the rest of the presents out of the way and Hermione by his side, Harry opened Lupin's letter. The last living Marauder, the last true link to his parents had given him something. The thought alone made his heart soar.

Dear Harry,

I'm sorry that I haven't been keeping in contact with you over the last couple of years, but I hope I can make it up to you one day.

With this are a few letters I have found while looking through Sirius's room, after his death. It seemed that he intended to give them to you, himself. I know I'm not as good a man as Sirius or James were, but I hope one day we can repair our relationship.

Happy Birthday, Harry.

From Moony Remus Lupin.

"You alright, Harry?" Hermione asked softly, while rubbing his arm with one hand.

"Yeah, yeah I think so." He gave her a wry smile. "I suppose I should see what these letters are then."

Upon opening the first letter and reading the first line, he felt an overwhelming combination of sadness and happiness overtake him. He read through the whole letter, which was a letter from Lily to Sirius, months before his parents' deaths.

Mum…

He couldn't help but smile at his Mum's handwriting of the letter, 'g,' the similarity to his own astounding. While he had not known his parents, he loved and cherished the similarities he shared with them.

And upon spotting the attached picture of him riding the toy broomstick, with Lily and James watching over him, he collapsed straight into Hermione's hold with light sobbing.

She soothed him, and comforted him, not moving an inch away from him.

Together they read the two other letters, and Harry had realized they had read them out of order. They were dated during the war but at an earlier date, being addressed from the Potters to Sirius, with most topics surrounding their newborn babe and the happiness they felt from Sirius taking the role of being Harry's godfather.

He was glad that Hermione was there, because, without her, he wasn't sure if he could have kept on reading. Afterwards, he took out the pocket watch Hermione had gifted him and ran his fingers over the engraving of the stag and doe, before setting it aside on the bedside table, close but most certainly not forgotten.

He turned his attention to Hermione and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Thank you for the best birthday ever, Hermione."

With teary eyes, she replied. "I just wanted to make you as happy as you make me happy."

With a hum, he pulled her into his arms and turned off the bedside lamp, before giving her a final kiss to her bushy mane as they settled into sleep.

Once he heard her breathing even out and felt that her body relaxed, he thought, Now I just have to figure out how to top her birthday over mine.

He knew such an idea would be impossible, but he was prepared to take up the challenge. Hermione Granger was most definitely worth it.