Chapter 15: Setting Things Right.

Malfoy stormed around in his office, a great anger seething through him. His manor was gone, him belongings were gone, and he was still unmarried. Ministry Wizards swept to the remains of Malfoy Manor to see what had actually happened. Investigations were being held and searches through many rooms were being seen to. Luckily, everyone had escaped the fire which had roared through the manor that previous night. Witches and Wizards from The Daily Prophet and magazines bombarded Malfoy with questions, wanting a full account as to what happened between him and some of the most wanted criminals. He refused to answer any of them but gave them one comment. "Find Potter, dead or alive, 100 000 Galleons to anyone who succeeds in doing so." The news spread like wildfire. Some of the best bounty hunters took this chance to search for the wanted wizard who remained in hiding after the incident.

"I hate Harry Potter," Malfoy snarled as he banged his fist on his desk. No one had come back with any news of his whereabouts and it had frustrated him to no ends.

"Could there be a more annoying person in this world?" he spat in pure anger. He looked up at his cronies since school, Crabbe and Goyle. None spoke, but stood looming in the corner like bodyguards. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair in a frustrated manner.

"He's going to pay for what he's done!" Malfoy whispered to himself as he looked out the window to the now setting sun.

Harry sat under a tree with his sack beside him. He and Sirius had managed to get the wands back to their rightful owner after many days of the villagers testing wands to see if it belonged to them. It had gone on for a long time, but everyone had their own wands, and Hagrid had his umbrella. It took so long; half of his wounds had healed from the manor incident. After a long day of organising wands, all he wanted to do was relax under the shade of the largest tree just outside the elfish village. He closed his eyes as the sun started to set over the horizon and the leaves offered him shade from the bright eve light. He would've continued to sleep had a large twig snapping above him not woken him up. Harry looked up at the tree and saw none other than Hermione sitting on a branch, reading a book.

"Since when do you climb trees?" Harry asked looking above him from where he sat. Hermione looked down and smiled as she saw who it was.

"I actually just learned today. I've been practising since you took me to that big oak," Hermione replied. Her smile suddenly turned into a look of desperation, "But I'm still scared of heights and I can't get down! Help me!" she started to plead.

"Couldn't you use magic to get down?" Harry asked with an amused look on his face.

"I could, if I hadn't dropped it when I attempted it at first, it's just beside that toadstool," Hermione commented. Harry burst out laughing. Here was his sweet, sensible Hermione, acting like a rebel and climbing a tree and now begging to for help. He found it very amusing. He brought out his wand, still laughing and turned some of the branches into a staircase so that Hermione could walk down. Hermione sighed as he feet touched solid ground. She then looked at the still laughing Harry. 'He doesn't know how adorably childish he looks like when he laughs,' Hermione thought. She then walked up to him and hit him on the arm.

"That's for laughing!" she said. Harry rubbed his arm, and started to stifle his laughter with the flushed look on Hermione's face. 'Hermione looks cute when she's embarrassed.' Harry thought through his stifled laughter.

"And this is for helping me down!" Hermione silenced him by kissing him full blown on the lips and wrapping her arms around his neck. Harry was taken so aback by the gesture that he lost his footing and they both fell backwards. They both parted and laughed at their antic. Harry's arms wrapped around Hermione's waist and held her there. They felt comfortable like that as they just gazed into each other's eyes. Harry could see that Hermione's eyes were just as mesmerising as they had been after he had woken up in hospital wing. They were warm, shining, beautiful and filled with so much love. Hermione was drawn into the magic that Harry's eyes held. So deep in green, that she could drown in them and feel safe. They were so beautiful and filled with unconditional love, that she could've cried in happiness from that one look in them. Hermione slowly lowered her head that their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss. It was a special kiss that all lovers had, a special kiss that only they could perform for one another. Harry and Hermione were lost in their own world, the world that only they shared as the kissed and their lips caressed the others. Harry's hand found it's way to Hermione's smooth, long hair, and he brought her in closer, deepening the kiss. They wanted to stay like that for eternity, dwelling in the other's love, but knowing this couldn't last forever, they parted, slightly breathless. Harry smiled up at her and stroked his fingers through her long waves of hair.

"You're so beautiful, my guardian angel," Harry whispered to her. Hermione smiled down back at him.

"And I'll always be your guardian angel, I love you," Hermione whispered back and gave him a short sweet kiss.

"Love you, too." Harry replied.

***

"Why hasn't anyone found him! I mean, he's only Harry Potter, the most noticeable guy in the world!" Malfoy said, angrily, getting more frantic.

"He's chosen a very good hiding spot. My men and some world-famous bounty hunters are still searching for him. We can't do anything but to keep searching," said Nott. A small man who had last help him find the villagers.

"Well, your men and those bounty hunters aren't doing a fine job of it! Are they?" Malfoy stated more than asked.

"We are trying our hardest." Nott commented.

"Your hardest isn't good enough, I want results Nott! Try harder!" Malfoy nearly shouted with a tone of finality.

"Yes Mr Malfoy," he said and walked out the room. Malfoy sighed and sat at his desk. He held his head in his hands and looked down at the paper work he had to fill out. 'This is too much.' He thought as he reached out for his quill.

"Well, I thought you could run the Ministry quite well in our absence, how are things going Mr Malfoy?" said a voice Malfoy had heard many times before. He almost dreaded to look up. He looked up to see none other than Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was a very old man, but he never looked more energetic and alive until now. His long bear was tucked in his belt, he wore robes of deep purple and sparkling blue eyes looked down at him behind half-moon spectacles.

"Professor Dumbledore, it's nice to see you again! When did you return?" Malfoy said in a pleasant voice that sounded very forced.

"It's nice to see you too Mr Malfoy. I arrived here just a few moments ago. But to my knowledge, you have placed quite a high price on Mr Potter," he said giving a warm yet piercing look at Malfoy.

"Yes and for good reasons too. If you only heard half of the things he has done." Malfoy said, starting to conjure some tea.

"Well, since you seem well informed of him, I would like you to tell me what has been happening these years I have been away." Dumbledore said, sitting opposite Malfoy and taking the offered cup of tea. Malfoy sighed and started on his side of the story from when he left and from the incident at the manor. Dumbledore listened intently to Malfoy as he talked of the 'horrendous' Quidditch tournament, and the terrible loss from the kidnapping of his fiancée. Professor Dumbledore may not have been a Ministry member, but he had the highest praises from them. He wasn't Minister, Cornelius Fudge was still in that role, but he was always helping in decision making since the Dark Wars were still going on. Professor Dumbledore listened to it all, thinking about the many 'terrible' things Harry had done.

"Very well. Thank you Mr Malfoy for your time. I'm sure we will be able to fix the problems going on." Dumbledore said, and left the room, with a knowing smile on his face and headed back to his school.

Meanwhile, back at the elfish village, a party was being held in Friar Hagrid's honour. He had let it slip that it was his 70th birthday, and the House Elves prepared a grand feast for him. A huge chocolate cake was made; it had five layers and had white icing on it. The villagers had no presents, so they insisted in helping the house elves prepare the meal. However, they wouldn't let Fred or George anywhere near the food, as they had heard tales off what they had done some years before in Hogwarts. But that wouldn't stop the two. So they party was being held and everyone was cheery, and full from eating so much. Canaries were popping up every now and then, as people ate. Laughter would be heard as they popped up everywhere. Some unfortunate souls had the fate of the Ton Tongue Toffees. The evening was full of laughter, dancing, eating and some drunks, as Sirius and Hagrid had insisted in a lot of drinking. The few sober people tried to keep the drunks in order, but it didn't help that some of the drunks were legendary pranksters. Fireworks were let loose in the sky and Remus had managed to make one blast in the sky to say 'Happy Birthday Hagrid!' Overall, the villagers were having the time of their lives.

"I neve' though' I'd live to hav' such a grea' par'y!" Hagrid boomed in happiness.

"Well you old lug, this is your party! Make a speech!" Sirius said, patting him. Cheers could be heard from the villagers as the shouted 'speech.' Hagrid didn't really want to, but ended up as the centre of attention as people looked at him expectantly.

"Yer all grea' friend's. The bes' friend's a person can hav'. I'm blessed. I don' know wha' I'd be doin withou' friend's like you all. Yer all saints an I'm happy ter be celebra'ing with yer!" Hagrid said raising his tankard. The rest of the villagers raised their goblets and cheered loudly.

"I feel so loved!" Fred and George commented in unison and cheered. Some laughter was heard from the crowd.

Harry and Ron cheered loudly as Hagrid made his speech. He winked at them and continued to drink deeply from him tankard. Loud music started to play after the speech and many started to grab some partners and dance.

"Come on Ron, one dance for me!" Hermione said holding out her hand. She had been dancing all night and seemed to not lose any energy.

"But I can't dance." Ron stated.

"Liar! Lavender's said a lot of good things about your dancing!" Hermione commented and dragged him on the dance floor.

"And don't think you're getting off the hook," Lavender said and grabbed Harry's and brought him on to the next dance. It was a fast song, and dancers sent their partners swirling. And when it came to swirling, Fred and George were dangerous. They were notorious for not only pranks but for dancing also. Their partners were often cautious but enjoyed dancing with them. They knew that they would go to far when they started throwing them in the air and catching them, doing tricky dance moves. After they shared a dance, Harry and Ron escaped the clutches of Lavender and Hermione and decided to eat some cake. Hermione and Lavender let them go, but warned them that they'd be back for another dance later on.

"I hate dancing!" Ron stated and dug him fork into his cake.

"It's not that bad," Harry commented and put some cake in his mouth.

"Anyway, I'm exhausted." Ron said and sat down. Harry sat beside him and ate more cake.

"Today was fun though."

"Yeah, you're right. It was."

The two best friends sat under the tree and chatted like they use to back in Gordic's Hollow. About different things like Quidditch and whom they thought would win the next championship. Just regular chat. After two more dances with Hermione and Lavender, the party ended and people retired into the night, needing some well-earned rest. Sirius helped Harry up and they walked to their temporary home up in a tree. It was fairly late and Harry was exhausted and all he wanted to do was sleep. Harry went into his bedroom and collapsed on to the bed and slept. Sirius took off is robes and felt a bulge in the side pocket. He took out the object and saw that it was the photo of himself, Remus, Lily and James in their school years. He smiled as he saw all four of them wave up at him. He sighed, as he realised that it was Peter who had taken the picture. 'Little scum. Hope he dies in the Dark Wars!' Sirius thought. He walked into Harry's bedroom and put the picture by Harry's bedside table. He smiled at his sleeping godson and then left for his own room.

The next morning, a little House Elf called Peggy awaked Harry. She had been jumping up and down on his bed and he groaned as the sunlight hit his green eyes.

"Miss Granger says wake up Mr Harry Potter sir!" the little elf squealed and jumped off the bed. She whistled as she walked out of the tree house and went down to prepare breakfast. Harry watched her with a bemused expression on his face. He yawned and stretched and scratched the back of his head. He slipped a T-shirt over his head and fixed his glasses that had been knocked off. Once he put on his glasses properly he noticed the photo of four people waving cheerily at from the picture. Once he focused clearly on the picture, he recognised it as the picture that Sirius had saved from the fire. He picked up the frame and took a closer look at it. It looked like it was the day that they were graduation from Hogwarts. They all looked so happy about passing school, and even though they all had messy hair from the celebrating, they still looked very smart. 'I wish I knew them.' Harry thought as he looked at his parents, who stood beside each other, looking like the perfect couple. He laughed slightly, as the three Marauder's in the picture were throwing pranks at each other, and how Lily shook her head with a look that clearly said 'they'll never learn.' Harry moved his hands over the picture, dusting away some of the dust that had rested on it over the many years. He felt the slide in back of the picture slip away and hit the ground. He bent down to pick it up but then felt something light rest on his lap. He looked down at it, a worn out piece of parchment. He unfolded it and his eyes snapped wide open. All attention that had been on the picture had been lost. This parchment held a deeper meaning right now. He read the heading over and over in his head.

In this parchment lies the final wishes of Mr James Potter and Mrs Lily Potter.

A/N: I seem to be very accident-prone this week. I meant to have this part of the fic up earlier, had I not accidentally slammed my fingers in the car door. Everything bad seems to happen to me! Anyways, please review! It would help my pained fingers recover quickly enough to write the next chapter!