Six Months since we left Harry and Hermione……………………..
"Miss Granger! Your new robes are here in my office!" Hermione smiled warmly as she stepped into the office of her predecessor, Katy , who ran the healing research department at St. Mungo's, London.
"Thanks, a lot Katy." She said as she picked up the green healer robes she hadn't worn in almost six months. Since Katy and Hermione had switched jobs, Hermione took on Katy's duties. Katy was also head healer since there was a hospital on premises and so now Hermione filled the post. After Katy shook Hermione's hand, she picked up the last cardboard box in her office, saluted Hermione with a very cute wink, and murmured to her "I do believe we'll be seeing a lot of each other. Hope you bode well here."
"You too, Katy. I'll pop over to see you, I'm sure you'll love the apartment, I know I liked it…well, it was pretty, but my place is here. You know what I mean, I'm sure."
"I do, I do. I just want you to know you're welcome anytime." Katy grinned, and with a loud pop, she was gone. Hermione sighed as she slipped on her robes and plopped into a squashy armchair behind her new desk. With a wave of her wand a few boxes full of her things began putting themselves away on the shelves and her desk. She beamed as her desk pictures landed right in front of her.
One was of her and Draco, unpacking her things in America, grinning goofily as they shouted at the camera while pointing at the New York skyline. Of course the graduation picture of Harry, herself, Ron, Ginny, and Draco went right next to it. Naturally Harry and Ron were kissing her cheeks, and scowling at Draco, who was tugging his tie uncomfortably, while Ginny jumped up and down, squealing with happiness while Hermione hugged her, and then the boys over and over again. Another photograph included just her and Harry. It was taken fourth year by Colin Creevy, right in the middle of the Yule ball.
Picture Hermione winced a lot as picture Harry stepped on her toes and muttered apologies to her. It was the only dance she had wheedled out of him, and she'd learned not to ask in the future…until he had shown that he had mended his ways, which he certainly had, thought Hermione cheekily as she thought of the ministry gala.
The last two pictures on the desk were brand new ones. Ginny had convinced everyone to go to a muggle karaoke bar around three months ago, and the pictures that resulted were hysterical. The girls, crowded onstage (herself, Ginny, and Luna) screaming a muggle song called I'm not okay towards the boys, who looked mildly frightened, was the most energetic picture on the desk. All three girls were screaming and pointing and jumping, and well…you get the picture. Pun intended. Hermione thought wryly as she looked at the last picture on the already crowded desk.
It was Harry, Draco, and Ron, onstage; they were singing a song from a musical called RENT. The name of the song was 'take me or leave me' and it was usually performed by a girl. It was the funniest sight that Hermione had seen in ages, she recalled as she thought back to Harry pointing at her and bellowing in the crowded, smoky bar.
Every single day I walk down the street
I hear people say baby so sweet
Ever since puberty Everybody stares at me
Boys, girls, I can't help it Baby So be kind
And don't lose your mind Just remember That I'm your baby
Take me for what I
am Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn Take me baby
Or leave me
Take me baby
Or leave me
A tiger in a cage can never see the sun
This diva needs her stage baby Lets have fun
You are the one I choose Folks would kill to fill your shoes
You will love the limelight too, now baby
So be mine Or don't waste my time
Prayin, honey bear,
Are you still my-my baby?
Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn Take me baby
Or leave me
take me or leave me-RENT
By the tine the guys reached the bridge, the crowd was roaring and they were drowned out. It was absolutely fabulous, Hermione recalled as she leaned back in her chair. Suddenly, a strange noise jarred her out of her revere.
"Healer Granger. Don't suppose I can whisk you away to lunch, now can I? To busy saving the world, probably. You look very busy, don't cha love?" Harry leaned casually in the doorway, messy black hair hiding his trademark scar.
"No, I've got plenty of time for lunch. My boyfriend is the savior of the world. You should meet him sometime. Saved the world at seventeen, and still found time to play ruddy quidditch on the side." She answered nonchalantly. Harry broke out in hysterics as he grabbed her and pulled her to her feet.
"He sounds wonderful. I bet you think you're a pretty lucky witch, huh?" He grinned down at her. She looked back at him, completely serious.
"I AM the lucky one, Harry." Harry kissed her gently, and then kissed her forehead before looking back at her with a very wise expression on his face.
" I'm quite sure that I'm the lucky one. I was almost fool enough to let you get away. Hell, if I hadn't stepped up and saved myself from Draco's evil plan, I might be Uncle Harry right now, babysitting little Dracos and Hermiones." Hermione smacked him soundly on the back of the head as they exited the front of St. Mungo's old shop window into the muggle world in front of them. He jerked and winced.
"That was very endearing and aggravating at the same time, Harry." She smiled brightly as they walked down the street together. Harry pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and pushed a button on an alarm pad. A black corvette beside where they had stopped beeped at him. Hermione stepped inside, only to find (as usual) that the car was enormous on the inside. She sank down into the heavily cushioned leather seat and sighed. Harry gave her a knowing look.
"I know what that sigh was about. I don't want to go over this again with you."
"You know you do, Harry. This car is just like-"
"Mione, seriously. I love this car. Don't even tell me I don't know how to drive it right. That's like sacrilege, or something." He nodded as he came to his conclusion, happy with his argument.
"Honestly! You drive this thing like it's a bleeding broomstick, and you know it." she folded her arms across her chest as Harry slid the key in the ignition.
"Well love, better buckle up then, right?" He stroked her jaw line, winked, then pushed a button that disillusioned the car. A blink later and they were airborne, Harry laughing joyously, like a kid on Christmas morning, while Hermione looked rather like Crookshanks on the way to visit the doctor. Her nails were embedded in the upholstery and she had turned a very slight green. As the car started twirling end over end, Hermione began screaming at him
"Harold James!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs "Make this car fly straight this instant!" Harry immediately righted the vehicle, with a guilty grin on his face.
"I love you Mione. SO much. Even when you act like a barmy old codger!" Hermione raised an eyebrow and tried to look affronted, but lost herself in giggles.
"I need you to help me unpack at my apartment tonight, Harry. Can you spend a whole night in the presence of this barmy old codger, as you so eloquently put it?" Harry frowned in thought, appearing to mull it over.
"I guess I need to put in some community service time, anyway. Makes me look good, see? I'll be there as soon as you get off work." Harry chortled, and squeezed Hermione's hand. She nodded as the car began to slow and nose towards the ground. They had landed in front of Chez Ron.
"Don't tell me you picked me up at lunch to poison me with Ron's cooking?" Hermione pleaded as Harry opened her door for her.
"Just so's you know missy, I took out for Chinese, thank you very much." Came a dry voice from the doorway, as Ron stepped into view.
"Harry, you took her here in the vette? How in the bloody hell did ya get her inside? I can't get her on a broomstick." Ron said as he opened the door for Harry and Hermione. Hermione shot him a dirty look and sat down at Ron's kitchen table.
"So, Ronnikins…how's Miss Luna doing? I gather that you guys are going to make it official soon. I wonder if I should tell her about the gala last year. I bet she'd be surprised ."
"Ouch, Hermy! You sure know how to hurt a guy. I just wanted to take you because I was worried that you'd have to go all by your lonesome. I was being gallant for Merlin's sake!" Ron answered her as he bit into an egg roll. Harry just shook his head as he opened a container of sesame chicken.
"Listen you two, you both need to be at Hogwarts next Saturday round ten am. I'm going to pop it to her there. I want you to be under the tree we used to study under. That's where we're going to be. Can you do that for me?" Hermione squeezed Ron's hand across the table, a swirl of excitement and worry on her features.
"Of course we'll back you up Ron."
"Assuming she says yes, I want you to stand up with me. I mean, if you want to. I know Luna loves you Hermione. She would want you to be her maid of honor, I know. Harry…you're like the only brother I've actually liked this whole time. I know mum might freak but"
"I'll stand up with you Ron. I'd be honored" Harry answered immediately.
Ron grinned broadly, and slapped Harry on the back. Harry could tell what he wanted to tell him, he didn't even need occlumency to know. Harry looked Ron in the eye and nodded, letting him know that he understood with out any words needing to pass through their lips. Ron began to load a plate full of food instead of eating out of the containers, to give himself something to do to pass the emotional moment.
"Well, Ron, this was great fun, but I need to get back to work." Hermione stretched her shoulders and strode towards the back door to Harry's car. Ron was picking his teeth with a toothpick, his feet resting on an ottoman in his den. Harry stood up as well when Hermione mentioned her lunch break being over.
"I don't know how you hang around with that slave driver. I had enough when I was done with Hogwarts. I say just give her a couple drinks and tell her to sit down and just look pretty." Ron winked at Hermione as he went to the door to kiss her forehead. Harry laughed, and opened the door for Hermione to get in his car.
"So, Saturday, right? See you then, mate." Harry called as he started the car and Ron watched them disappear from sight. He slowly closed the door behind them, and walked back to his den so he could floo back to the stadium.
The piles and piles of boxes towered around Harry and Hermione as they looked around her new flat, which was about fifteen minutes walk from Harry's house. Harry turned to Hermione and said "I think I've got a plan." Hermione raised an eyebrow in a faintly arrogant, Draco-like way.
"Do tell, Mr. Potter"
"you go make tea, and I'll figure out where to put all this stuff." Hermione laughed, said "Alright, you know what you're doing, I'll just let you get on with it." and went into the hallway. As soon as she left, Harry raised both hands, and focused very hard on the bookshelves on one side of the room. All of Hermione's books rose obediently into the air and placed themselves on the shelves. As her other boxes unpacked themselves, a slight glow began to surround Harry, a kind of pale green light. When Hermione came back with two cups of hot tea, she saw everything was alreadywhere she was planning to put it, and the boxes had ceased to exist. She shrieked very loudly, and nearly dropped her tea.
"How in the name of Merlin did you know where I was going to put everything?"
Harry shrugged. "I told it to go where it belonged." he said nonchalantly as he sipped his tea. 'Doesn't really matter though." Hermione looked at him curiously.
"Why is that?" Harry couldn't help but smile.
"Don't you notice that all your clothes aren't here?" Hermione dashed to her closet, only to find it empty. Same with the wardrobe.
"Harry-"
"This isn't my fault. I told it to go where it belongs. I have a feeling I know where they are, though, don't worry." Hermione put her hands firmly on her hips.
'Where do they belong besides my home, Harry?"
"Maybe your real home? 12 Grimmald Place?" Hermione sagged into a chair beside her bed.
"I've already told you. I'm not ready for that yet, Harry."
"Maybe your clothes are." Harry laughed. Hermione ran over to him, jumped in his arms and kissed him soundly. When they broke apart, Harry held her tightly to him as he breathed in her scent. Hermione sighed into his ear.
"This isn't the end of this huh?" Harry gazed into her dark brown orbs as he answered her honestly as he knew how.
"I don't think so love. I think it's only the beginning."
FIN
AN: I juat want to thank every person that has read this story. Thank you.I hope you liked it. If you want the sequel...give me a month, and it'll be posted. Just let me know if you want it.