The Sad One...

Hermione wasn't entirely sure what to say to anyone at the funeral, and she had a terrible suspicion that Harry was in the same boat. James was his father, yes, but he'd been his father for a total of one year when he was small, and this most recent month that they felt like they'd stolen.

Despite the sheer amount of people who would have actually showed up to the funeral, they had been forced to cap it at just below two-hundred, all of whom were faces and people James himself could have named if he were there.

Harry managed to escape to Hermione where he confirmed her suspicions, grabbing onto her hand and leaning on her shoulder.

"Hey."

"Hey, Harry."

"Merlin, you'd think I'd be able to handle myself a little better than this, but I either feel like I'm faking it or I'm not feeling nearly enough grief as I should."

Hermione sighed, looking around the room in the ministry unmoving, her eyes glossy.

"You already mourned your father once, Harry, it's no wonder you'd be able to get on faster than everyone here."

"I reckon you're right. I barely had him back for a few weeks, and he didn't even tell me he was going-"

"You couldn't have stopped him from doing the same thing to you as he did to all the other aurors who went with him. This isn't your fault, either. Come on, don't do that to yourself, you've still got you mum and your sister."

"Speaking of," he said, removing himself from her hold and looking her dead in the eye, "How are your parents?"

"Harry-"

"No," he waved her off and nodded to someone who tried to talk to him, "Tell me, please, if one more person tells me they're sorry I might bloody cry again, and since I'm fine, they're content with bothering Draco."

Hermione only laughed.

"You're terrible, Harry."

"Come on, I know you and Severus went last night."

"We did," she said lowly, "And they were actually very nice to us both. I explained what happened, they sent their regards to you, and I've never seen them take such interest in anyone I've brought 'round as they did Severus. Circe, Dad actually liked him once they got past all the awkwardness, and Severus has never been more happy for me. It was… lovely, thank you, Harry."

He smiled and kissed her cheek, thankful there was no press allowed into his dad's funeral lest they take that the wrong way. Not that Draco wasn't looking at him with helpless eyes from across the room.

"Harry-" Iris was beside him, looking completely uncomfortable in the black dress robes she was in, "Merlin, mum's really done it this time, can't you morph this thing into something but make it look like I'm still wearing it?"

"Can't you?"

Iris glared at him.

"I failed transfiguration, you git. Hermione, please," she tried, turning to the smartest of them all.

She only softly chuckled before doing as the youngest Potter asked.

The garment was now a much more comfortable set of feminine robes with pants and a looser top, as opposed to the previous dress.

"Bloody hell, thank you."

Hermione nodded sadly, and an aching silence fell over them as opposed to the murmurs surrounding them.

"Everything is different now, and I know you two aren't quite even acclimated to, you know, everything as it usually it, but dad was so-"

Iris wasn't much of a crier, even during this moment of James Potter's funeral, there wasn't much in the way of tears from her. She did seem slightly angry, an easier way for her to show the heartbreak.

"Dad was great, I reckon he had so much more left to do, but everything he'd already done was so spectacular, and the world outside of this family is going to feel it. Are they still figuring out who's going to replace him?"

Hermione and Harry looked at one-another with a glare.

"No," they answered simultaneously.

"Arthur is acting Minister, but he doesn't exactly want it."

"They talked about Jonesquin," Harry added, "But he's in the same spot, and Hermione isn't being considered for it since she's already moved so fast through to her position at her age. They'll keep attempting to convince Arthur until they actually realize he won't do it, then they may or may not ask McGonagall, but you never heard that from us."

Iris gave an impressed look.

"You two really aren't that different, Merlin, you never shied away from gossip. It's a Potter trait," she remarked with a smirk.

They all parted ways, and Hermione found Severus.

"I'm tired of this."

He kissed her head and hummed in agreement.

"I've got to stay to the end for Lily, but you're welcome to head home if you'd like."

"No, I'll stay," Hermione said lightly, leaning up to place a gentle kiss on his lips. "Just tired."

The sadness in Severus presented about the same way as it did in Iris, but he was far less prone to wearing things he didn't choose. She distinctly recalled him pulling the robes he was wearing from the back of their closet, looking disdainfully at them, and proclaiming once the evening was done he would incinerate them.

"Thank you, my love."

The sentiment warmed her heart, proved a kind of trust when he didn't just send her home anyways.

Draco on the other hand, watched as what could be considered a miracle happened.

His father had been one of Lily's strongest pursuers his entire life since his own mother had died, but now that James was sleeping peacefully forever, he'd turned over his leaf to what could only be labeled as serene respect.

Lucius had been at Lily's side just as everyone else had, not a joke or word out of place to be heard. Really, he was the only one who understood what she was going through, and had been the only person able to get her out of bed the few days after James' death.

It was fascinating. Of course, he knew his father had it in him, that Lucius would never disrespect someone he called a friend like that, but it was surely quite the change in demeanor for Draco to see.

Harry coming to him was the only thing that broke him from his reverie.

"Hey, Hare."

"I'm knackered."

"I imagine."

He took Harry under his arm and sighed.

"I'm sorry this happened."

Draco flinched.

"What does that mean?"

"If I hadn't have written that book-"

"If I hadn't cast that spell," he countered, glaring at his husband.

They had a lot more work to do in opposition to Hermione and Severus.

"I know… I know, I mean, my father is the one who… and here I am apologizing and making us both feel like shite. This isn't anyone's fault, I just… we came here, and there was a brief moment where I thought, how could anything go wrong, this place is so much better than my last, time was finally manipulated in my favor-"

Harry sniffled.

"Fuck this, yeah? I didn't mean to- It's just frustrating, Draco, I'm sorry. I love you, and there's so much here to be happy about once all this business with the funeral and changing of Minister until my dad's term is over and they can vote on a new one. Once it's done, and I mean this, why don't we start refreshing all the details for… for kids, yeah?"

Draco's eyes grew to the size of saucers, glanced over to the side and muttered, "Yeah, we'll talk about it later though."

Harry turned around and saw Ron and Aries right by them, clearing his throat.

"How are you, Harry?" Aries asked him with sad smile. Her eyes were red, and she seemed rather prone to the pain of this kind of event, same as Ron, though he was braving it better.

"As good as I can be, Miss Malfoy, thank you."

She giggled at the formality, shaking her head and clinging onto Ron.

He cleared his throat and asked at a measured volume, "All this is wrapping up, you lot want to get a pint after?"

"My dad wouldn't want us to do anything else," Harry agreed.

Ron seemed relieved to have helped his best mate.

"See you later then, we're gonna change. Meet you at the Leaky Cauldron and we'll go from there?"

"Sounds great," Draco agreed for them.

They disappeared before their eyes, until Draco seemed to short-circuit.

"They're going to change? Together?"

"Best not to think about it!" Harry said, hiding his grin behind a tactical nose scratch.

"Everything okay over here?" A new voice joined them.

"Hey mum," Harry sobered quickly. "If you don't want me to go tonight-"

"Don't worry… I'm fine. Your dad would want you to go… smile a bit in his honor."

"You asked Ron to take us out," Draco figured her out with a grin. "You're right, mum. Thank you."

"Anything for my babies. Lucius and Sev are going to come over tonight and go with Remus, Sirius and I to the castle before we go back and they just all tuck me into bed like a child, so I figured Hermione would need something to do as well. You kids have fun okay? I'll be taken care of. And don't think I didn't notice Hermione changed Iris's robes. You kids are not as sneaky as you'd like."

Harry gave a wary smile.

"We'll have fun, promise."

She gave them both an extended hug and stuck closer to their sides as the funeral tapered off and their time there came to a bitter end.

Harry and crew had several pitchers in his father's honor, while Lily and company drank the finest wine Lucius could muster from his vaults.

James Potter was honored, to say the least.

{Epilogue 2/3}