Ron was about to retort when Harry spoke.
"Cauldron Cakes."
And with those two words, the gargoyle to Dumbledore sprang to life and the 4 teens, now somber and silent, made their way to see the headmaster.
- - - - - - -
As they rode up the spiral stairs to Dumbledore's office, Hermione turned to Harry with a curious expression on her face.
"Harry?"
"Yeah Mione?"
"How'd you know the password to Dumbledore's office on the first try?"
Harry shot her an amused look. "Mione, I don't want to sound like a prat, but I AM Harry Potter, and he IS Dumbledore. Why wouldn't I know it?"
Ron choked back a laugh as the redhead girl smiled shyly at the look on Hermione's face.
"Really now Harry, shrink your ego just a little bit, would you?" Hermione huffed.
"Relax Mione, I was kidding. McGonagall added a whole list of passwords in order as a PS to the end of my Hogwarts letter this summer. She said incase I needed it. Which we obviously did."
Hermione crossed her arms and looked quite sulky at the thought that Harry, who wasn't even Head Boy, knew Dumbledore's passwords, but as Head Girl, she didn't.
Ron was still chuckling at the two of them as the stairs stopped moving and the four teens stood in front of Dumbledore's door. Harry went first, taking the redheaded girl along with him as Hermione and Ron followed behind.
As they walked in, Dumbledore was sitting, feet on desk, reading the latest edition of The Quibbler as Fawkes sang softly in the background.
Hermione looked absolutely appalled to see the Headmaster like this, Ron had to shove a fist in his mouth to stop from laughing out loud, and Harry and the redhead stood like statues and waited for Dumbledore to notice them.
Finally, as Dumbledore turned the page, he raised his blue eyes and noticed the teens. Chuckling, he put his feet down and placed his magazine on his desk. As he readjusted himself more formally, Harry and the girl stepped forward.
"Ah Harry, you know as much as I love you and Miss Weasley together, you know full well that Molly would have my head if I married you two right here with only Hermione and Ron as witnesses." Stated Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling jokingly.
Ron paled at the thought, and Harry started to stutter as Hermione placed a hand over her mouth as she giggled at both Harry and Ron's reactions.
"Sir, that isn't the case--" Harry was cut off.
"Albus!" the girl had shrieked. "It's me!"
Dumbledore looked down at the girl. "Ginny, you know as close as we all are, you shouldn't call me Albus while still at Hogwarts."
"I AM NOT GINNY!" the girl bellowed.
Hermione's jaw dropped, Ron snickered at the girl's outburst, being quite impressed with her boldness to yell at the Headmaster, and Harry took two steps back from the girl who looked ready to Avada Kedrava them all.
Dumbledore gave the girl a look, and eyed her up and down. Finally when he looked at her face, he noticed her eyes. Her vibrant, emerald green eyes, staring at him hopefully, tears streaming out of them, and suddenly, he knew. He stepped around from his desk and enveloped the girl in a hug.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, I ask that you go wait outside for a few minutes, and no eavesdropping."
The three teens traded a look but nonetheless left the room.
Once the door clicked behind the trio, Ron laughed so hard he had to clutch the railing to prevent himself from falling down the stairs. Hermione let herself giggle at Ron's state but then sobered up once she saw Harry's confused and worried expression. She kicked Ron in the ankle to get him to stop laughing, which he promptly did.
"Harry?" Hermione ventured. "Are you alright?"
"Well," he started. "I was. Until Dumbledore thought I wanted to get married…"
Ron went up and smacked Harry in the head.
"Merlin Ron! What the bloody hell was that for!"
Ron glared at him. "If you EVER think about marrying my sister, you TELL me first."
Hermione let out a shriek of laughter at Ron's outrage over a situation that was clearly not happening anytime soon.
Harry just nodded at Ron and went back to staring at the door. Ron looked at Hermione, who nodded at him.
"Hey Harry?" Ron started.
"Mmm?"
"I have this theory."
"What is it?"
"Well, she said she's not Ginny, so what if she's yours and Ginny's daughter. You know, from the future and whatnot?"
Harry stared at him. "That, is by far, the STRANGEST thing you have EVER said."
Hermione jumped into the conversation. "Strange, yes. But potentially true, even more so. You heard her in there, she's not Ginny, and Dumbledore obviously knows who she is."
"But what does it mean if she's my daughter? She's our age. That's insane. And even if she is, how the hell did she wind up here, and now!"
Before Hermione could answer, the door to Dumbledore's office opened. As the trio walked in, they saw Dumbledore sitting on a couch, with the girl sitting next to him, smiling, although she still had a few tears running down her face.
As the teens took a seat across from the two, Dumbledore started to speak.
"Hermione, Ron, Harry. I would like you to meet Harry's mother, Lily.
