Chapter One - Settling In For a Bit
Harry was amazed at how quiet things seemed when they arrived back at the Granger's house. He had gotten used to
the commotion at the hotel, with employees going about their jobs, and guests constantly moving around. The trip
back on the Eurostar had been much more crowded as well. It seemed everyone had decided to come back from their
holiday at the same time.
He and Hermione had tried going back to visit Crookshanks and Hedwig, but once they had gotten there, the car was
so full of animals and baggage, that there was no room to move. They had looked at each other sadly, remembering
the nice time they'd enjoyed on the way, and how the conductor tried to frighten them.
All they could do was take refuge back in their seats and see how much food, and how many types of soda they could
eat and drink. It wasn't long before Hermione was looking a bit green, and she turned around to ask her Mom if
she could help.
"Ah, I thought you two were indulging a bit too much. Just because you're allowed to eat anything you like
on here, doesn't mean you have to try it ALL, Hermione. Hold on a sec." Harry watched, holding Hermione's
hand, and hoping she wasn't going to be sick all over both of them, as Ivy carefully put her wand over the seat
between himself and Hermione, and muttered " Digestivus Settlinus." To his, and, he could tell, Hermione's
relief, her face had returned to a normal color and she had slowly sipped a ginger ale the rest of the way to London,
resting her head on his shoulder.
But now they were back, and Chris and Ivy were turning on lights, and opening windows, then settling on the couch
with the mail they hadn't had forwarded to Paris. Hermione was looking at the huge pile of luggage and shaking
her head. Chris looked up and smiled wickedly at her, "Don't forget, dear daughter, most of your Paris purchases
aren't here yet, we had them shipped. Like it or not, you'd better work on putting away what's already here."
He shook his head and looked at Harry. "Every time we go away, I tell her the same thing, but does she remember?"
Harry laughed, thinking that Hermione was a bit spoiled by her parents, but he couldn't imagine her any other way.
Besides, once they were at Hogwarts, and back in their robes, Hermione would be back to living in the library,
so he thought she should enjoy her fun to the fullest.
They still had a trip to visit the Weasleys at the Burrow to look forward to, and there was a possibility Percy
and Penelope would have their wedding within a week or two. The details hadn't been decided, but he knew Fred and
George were already busily at work, stocking up on some joke items they thought would be suitable for their brother's
big day. He'd heard Ginny, alternately begging them and scolding them not to be so hard on Percy, and to remember
it was Penny's big day as well.
"Right," added George. "If they have kids, they'll be spending lots of time with Uncle George and
Uncle Fred, we'd best break Penny in now."
Harry imagined it would be a snowy day in July before Percy would let THOSE uncles take any child of his for very
long, but he'd kept his mouth shut. It would be fun to be an observer.
He sobered a bit as he remembered some of the events of the last school year. He'd come very close to not being
around to even enjoy this summer, now he was thinking ahead to when Penelope and Percy were parents. As little
as he wanted to, he wondered how things were between Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge. He had attempted to ask the
headmaster, when they were together on his birthday, but Dumbledore had changed the subject, and instead, told
Harry some stories about the days when he and Nicolas Flamel had been partners. Professor Dumbledore had looked
so happy as he reminisced, Harry didn't have the heart to bring up anything that might have changed the mood to
a gloomy one.
For now, though, he came back to the present to hear Hermione saying, "Harry, you've got quite a pile of things
here too. And some of your birthday gifts had to be shipped. You're going to leave things here, aren't you? Even
with that Charm Mom put on him, I wouldn't trust Dudley with some of these things."
Harry agreed with her. He was still feeling embarrassed whenever he thought of the mountain of gifts he had received
for his birthday. He'd never expected such a celebration, then the Quidditch game to end the evening, and coming
back in after the guests had left to find all of those strangely wrapped packages. Ivy and Hermione had obviously
given out some ideas for things he might like, and he could imagine what a stir it had made when some of the guests,
who were accustomed to shopping only in Diagon Alley, had appeared in some of the muggle stores to purchase jeans,
shirts, CD's, a CD player and some of the coolest shoes he'd ever imagined. There was also a new set of gobstones
and a few magical creatures, ( he'd sent those along with Hagrid, who'd stayed on after the other guests).
Hagrid seemed to not want to let Ivy out of his sight and Harry could tell he had probably had a soft spot for
her when she'd been at Hogwarts. They had talked for a few moments, privately, before he left, and Hagrid had told
Harry and Hermione how happy he was, not only to see Ivy once again in the magical world, but to see how much stronger
she looked than when he'd last seen her, not long after the murders of Harry's parents.
"A pitiful sight, yer mum was, Hermione. For so many years, she an' Lily had shared almost every thought,
had always planned to raise their families together. Both Lily and Ivy wanted a house full o' kids, and they'd
have had as many as the Weasleys, if You Know Who hadn't stepped in. Ivy never feared anythin' up until Lily and
James went, but after that, her heart was fair to bein' broken. But she had you, Hermione and yer dad. Chris was
there for her, an' muggle or no, he's been a fine and faithful husband. Kept all o' you safe in the muggle world,
yet didn't protest overmuch when you came to Hogwarts. Ah, Hermione, how proud they were o' you both. Me and yer
folks have been keepin' a correspondence o' sorts, and they were so pleased when you two were best friends. Although,
unless I'm becomin' a bit blind in me old age, "friends" might not be sufficient for the two o' yeh these
days?"
"Friends is what we have always been and will always be, Hagrid. We just kind of found we have a bit more
in common than we once thought,"
Hermione told him, then looked at Harry, as if to say "Do something, say something!"
He knew he'd gone all the shades of red, and was extremely tempted to disappear out the French doors, but Hagrid
had just laughed, and begun packing up the creatures he was taking back with him. Hermione, on the other hand,
had smiled and kissed him on both cheeks, before leaving them alone. He remembered Hagrid had chuckled and said,
"Yeh act jus' like yer dad did when he realized Lily was more than someone tuh play tricks on. Interestin'
tuh see, I gotta tell yeh."
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
When Harry woke up the next morning, the first thing he saw was the gift that had "magically" appeared
last night, not long before they were ready to go to sleep. He jumped up and ran to the desk across the room, kneeling
by the clear glass dome that enclosed a miniature Quidditch stadium. He'd already found that he could make the
players move quite well, and he thought how useful this could have been, back when Oliver Wood had tried to explain
tricky new plays with squiggly lines. He and Ivy had played the first game, and he could see why Dumbledore had
asked her to help coach Quiddditch this year. Her reflexes were very quick, and she seemed to be able to see all
the players at the same time. Next, he and Ivy had "coached" Chris and Hermione as they made the tiny
players move, and it had been just as exciting.
Trust Sirius to come up with something like this! Then he noticed something he hadn't the night before. There had
been a card attached to the dome, that read "Better late than not at all. Happy Birthday from Snuffles!"
Now Harry noticed there was something that he hoped was a letter from Sirius, a folded piece of blue-violet paper.
Unfolding it he read:
Dear Harry:
I am with Remus, and he tells me your birthday celebration was a great one. I sure hate that I missed all the food
and dancing, and that Quidditch game. It must have been a treat to see Albus. Remus tells me he can still take
care of a bludger with ease even though he has some years on him. Also I was told Hermione might be becoming interested
in flying, after resisting it all these years. That wouldn't have anything to do with you, I suppose?
Ivy tells me you'll all be visiting the Weasleys very soon. As their home is quite a distance from anyone, wizard,
or muggle, I may decide to visit while you're there. Arthur and I will be in touch, he will know whether it's a
good time to chance it.
Have a great rest of the summer, Harry. We'll discuss some plans for the future when I see you. Hopefully by Christmas
we'll be discussing how you'd like your new room at my house refurbished. What luck, you and Hermione finding Monsieur
Maas and that pendant! Wear it constantly, Harry, I feel much better knowing you have it. See you soon!
"Snuffles"
"Well, this added a whole new dimension to the rest of the summer" Harry thought. He knew he was way
too excited to go back to sleep, and without thinking, he headed out the door and went down and opened Hermione's
door, saying much more loudly than was probably wise, "Hermione ! Wake up! I've found a letter from Sirius
!"
Hermione did wake up and with a start! She sat up in bed with a yelp, and then when her eyes focused, answered
with a sleepy, "That's great Harry, but d' you have to scare a person to death. And, oh, what a dream I was
having!"
"About what?" he asked, curious about what dream could be better than hearing from Sirius.
Hermione's face went slightly pink and she mumbled "Never mind." Then in a more normal, Hermione-like
voice she continued, "So what does he say?" sitting up in bed and pushing her quilt and sheets back.
"He's, um, he's maybe coming to the Weasleys to see us. And he mentions making some plans for the future,
like my room at his house. And Hermione, I think I'll see you at breakfast. I wasn't expecting your pajamas to
be so, well, see you in a bit." Harry backed out, closing the door behind him.
'Whoa,' he thought. When he'd said Hermione was looking really pretty these days, he'd had no idea she could look
like that! Now that he'd left, he wished he'd stayed, but he just hadn't expected to see all that skin! 'All right,
Potter!' he told himself. "You'll be swimming with her at the Weasleys, it's no different!' But he knew it
was, not just seeing her in those little pajamas, but seeing how cute she looked, still almost asleep. And, could
she have been dreaming about HIM? Why else would she have gone all pink and mumbling?
He'd better go back and reread Sirius' letter and see if he could find a way to pay against himself in a Quidditch
game. That ought to get the picture of Hermione in short pajamas with tiny straps and long, long legs out of his
mind. He hoped!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Harry came into the kitchen a bit later, he was relieved to find Ivy and Chris there, as well as Hermione.
He hadn't been sure he might not have embarrassed her, but typically Hermione, the thing on her mind was now the
letter from Sirius, plans for going to the Weasleys and what would happen with Penelope and Percy.
"Harry, if you know Fred and George are planning anything evil, you'd better let someone know," she told
him. 'It just wouldn't be fair to do something like turning Percy into a monkey like one of the Malfoys, right
before the wedding."
"Oh, I will," Harry replied, thinking simultaneously,'I'll tell Ron!' and what a funny sight it would
be, Percy in his wedding tuxedo, acting like a monkey. He really wished Hermione hadn't said that, now it was going
to be very difficult not to ask Fred and George whether they planned to have a special treat of banana "monkey
tarts" for their big headed brother. Fortunately, Ivy said something at that moment that took the Weasleys
straight from his mind.
"Harry, I know you will probably not love me for saying this, but I suppose you'd better spend a couple of
nights with the Dursleys."
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, except the Quidditch game, Ivy's tummy ache charm and the blue violet paper
Sirius wrote to Harry on. Thanks to JK Rowling, we have Harry and the gang to play with.
So, hooray for her! I hope she's having fun writing too, and those WB peeps are leaving her some space to think,
and breathe.