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Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing I tell you! All the characters, places etc. belong to JKR.
*** HAPPILY EVER AFTER?
*** Harry needn't have worried about Oliver knowing all of his moves and telling them to the rest of his team - Oliver was knocked out by a Bludger in the first three minutes. Of course, when the opposing team didn't have a Keeper it was incredibly easy for the Chasers from the Montrose Magpies to score. Padma Patil, who was on the opposing team did manage to score a fair few goals - when her team managed to get the Quaffle. It was slightly misty, meaning the Golden Snitch was just a bit harder to find. Harry wasn't the youngest Seeker at Hogwarts in a century for nothing though. Watching him as he caught the Snitch fifty-seven minutes into the game, Hermione came to the conclusion that Seeker wasn't a position you could become - it was something that you could just do, a sort of innate ability some people are just born with. Hermione and Parvati practically screamed themselves hoarse during the match, both cheering for different teams, and afterwards they followed the crowds out of the grounds. Being close relatives they managed to get inside where most people did not. As Harry emerged from the men's changing rooms, Hermione ambushed him, pulling him in for a kiss. Harry was surprised at first, not realising what was happening, but when he realised it was Hermione he relax and melted into the kiss. "What was that for?" he asked when she pulled back. "Just for being you," Hermione replied with a smile. "That was a good match today. We were both cheering for you." "I thought Parvati would have been cheering for Padma's team?" Hermione sighed. "Not, Parvati." It took a second for Harry to comprehend what she meant by this, but the he grinned. "And how do you know she was cheering for me?" "What makes you think it's a she? I get the feeling its going to be a boy." "You do?" Harry placed a hand on Hermione stomach which was still relatively flat and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nah, I reckon it's a girl." "Well if she looks like you I don't mind," Hermione told him, kissing his cheek lately, ignoring the other players who were starting to emerge from the changing room and were staring at them for a moment before continuing on their way. "If the baby looks like me I feel sorry for it. It'll have an eternal bad-hair day!" Harry said with a grin. "I like your hair!" protested Hermione defensively. "That's what makes you you. That and your gorgeous eyes." "Hermione, stop complimenting the lad - his ego's big enough as it is!" Turning around, Hermione was face to face, or rather, face to shoulder with Oliver Wood who was sporting a large bruise on the side of his face, evidently where the Bludger had hit him. It also looked as if he had broken his jaw and it had been repaired by magic. "What are you doing here, Oliver? I thought you left a few minutes ago?" asked Harry, slightly confused. Oliver winced. "I did. But I thought I'd warn you. Apparently news has got to the press that Hermione's pregnant and the press is waiting for the two of you outside." Hermione turned to Harry, biting her lip. "How did they find out?" she asked. "So it's true?" Oliver sounded surprised. Hermione looked at Oliver. "Yes. Where did you say the press are?" "Players entrance," he said. "Why?" "We'll leave through the front entrance, then," said Hermione with a sigh. "Why?" asked Harry. "Will you trust me on this? I stalk people for a living, in a legal way, that is, and so I know what I'm talking about." Harry had to agree with Hermione there. She had been in the profession for quite a short amount of time compared to most photojournalists, but she knew all the tricks of the trade. "They go," said Harry. "Thanks, Oliver!" called Hermione over her shoulder as Harry led her by the arm to the front entrance to the Quidditch stadium. As she had expected, there weren't any journalists waiting for them there, and only a few members of the public were still milling around, though Harry knew from experience there were probably more around by the players entrance, waiting for the players to come out and hopefully get their autographs. They Apparated back to the Cottage and as Harry prepared a cup of coffee for the two of them, he asked, "So how do you think they found out?" Hermione, who had been collecting a bucket of water and set it down by the side of the table, said, "A multitude of ways. Someone who saw me at the doctors the other day, a friend even someone in this house. Someone could have just made a random guess, of course. I couldn't tell you." "What's the water for?" asked Harry, nodding in the direction of the luminous yellow bucket as he set the coffee's down. Hermione took hers and sipped it gently. "Give it a couple of minutes and you'll see," she told him. She was right. Just a few minutes later the Howlers began to arrive, which Hermione immediately put in the water. Harry however picked one up before she could get to it. The woman who had sent it was obviously a very big fan of Harry's and ranted at Hermione non-stop for ten minutes about how she was using Harry for his body and that she would probably divorce him once she's had the baby so she could get Harry's money. This sent Hermione into hysterical laughter, especially when the woman went on to tell Harry her address in case he wanted to contact her. The Howlers stopped arriving after about half and hour, but Hermione kept the bucket by the side of the table, telling Harry that there were bound to be more in the morning - after all, the news probably hadn't reached Australia or America yet. "Ron, no offence or anything, but it's a bit too early for you to be buying them things for the baby," Lavender said, placing a hand on her boyfriends shoulder. Ron was looking in the window of a baby shop in Diagon Alley, excitedly pointing out things he thought Harry and Hermione would like. "But they're the first of our friends to have children," Ron told her. "This is kind of important to me. Anyway, it's almost Christmas!" Lavender looked at Ron in shock. "You mean you still haven't bought your Christmas presents for everyone yet?" Normally Ron would have ignored Lavenders amazement, but the fact that it was already December the 21st weighed heavy on his mind. "Don't be mad," Ron pleaded, "but I've been kind of busy. There's been a lot of trouble at the British Embassy in Sydney." Although it was not the Muggle capital of Australia, Sydney was the main Wizarding city. With a sigh, Lavender pulled Ron away from the window. "Come on, there's been enough press speculation about the two of them the last few days. We don't want to add to it." "People might think that we're shopping for ourselves," pointed out Ron as she led him into Flourish and Blotts. "And why would that be?" Ron grinned. "Us Weasley's are known for being rather virile." "Well, there's an exception to every rule," teased Lavender, leaving Ron temporarily so she could go and check the some books for her Divination class at Hogwarts had come in. Ron scowled at her retreating back, and started to browse through the bookshelves as he had heard there was a new Chudley Cannons book out. The book was easy enough to spot, as its cover was the bright, trademark Chudley Cannon orange. As he walked slowly back to the counter to pay for his book, Ron spotter something that made him smile. "Looks like some things never change, eh?" he asked loudly. The couple who had been kissing behind one of the densely-packed bookcases broke apart blushing. Parvati hit Ron's arm playfully. "Ron Weasley!" she exclaimed. "Don't sneak up on us like that!" "It's not like it hasn't happened before, though," said Dean Thomas, who was looking embarrassed to say the least. Dean and Parvati had been notorious at Hogwarts for having their snogging sessions in the Hogwarts Library hidden by the books. Ron and Lavender had accidentally stumbled upon them several times when they were trying to find somewhere to... well, do pretty much the same thing. "Where's Lav?" asked Parvati. "Getting some Divination books, I guess," Ron told her with a shrug. "Why?" "I wanted to check with her about the New Years Eve arrangements. We are coming to the Cottage, right?" Parvati asked. December 31st 1999. Ron had almost forgotten about it in his rush to buy Christmas presents. "Yeah, I think so. But check with Hermione. She's organising the whole thing." Parvati nodded. "It was, uh, nice seeing you again, Ron, but we have to go. Dean still has to buy presents for everyone. Including me," she added, jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow. They left quickly, Parvati apparently nagging Dean about something as soon as they were out of earshot. Lavender rejoined Ron a minute or so later, struggling with two large bags, both full of books. "How many books can they write about Divination?" Ron asked in amazement. "Divination?" asked Lavender. "Only one of the bags is Divination. The other is your Christmas present for Hermione." Ron smiled gratefully. "You're a saviour," he told her, obviously relieved. "Don't I know it," Lavender said, leading the way out of the book shop and into Diagon Alley which was packed with Witches and Wizards all doing last minute Christmas shopping. A/N: I managed to get a little bit of Dean/Parvati into that chapter. Not much, but it's a start. Next chapter will be Christmas Day and New Years Eve. If you would like an email when I post the next chapter, please say in a review. Also, I think Oliver Wood needs a bit of romance in this fic - does anyone have any ideas who his girlfriend should be? I have a couple of ideas, but some suggestions would be helpful. Here's a thanks section for Chapter Thirteen:
Review, Flame, Whatever. silverphoenix |
Happily Ever After?
By: silvernatasha
***COMPLETED*** The sequel to 'So What Now?'. After seven years at Hogwarts the gang are ready for the real world, but is the real world ready for them?
Rated: Fiction K+ - English - Romance/Humor - Harry P., Hermione G. - Chapters: 21 - Words: 50,369 - Reviews: 458 - Favs: 74 - Follows: 9 - Updated: Oct 31, 2002 - Published: Mar 20, 2002 - Status: Complete - id: 669417
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Full 3/4 1/2 Expand Tighten
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