Chapter 12
Things did lighten up considerably after Harry and Hermione arrived downstairs.
When they entered the kitchen, they found Miranda standing by the stove and preparing some kind of dish for the dinner later, while Jack was sitting at the table with a book in his hands. Crookshanks had joined the family in the kitchen as well, taking up residence in Miranda's empty chair for the moment, though he did jump down to greet Harry and Hermione with nuzzles to their legs before returning to the chair. The portable stereo was also already plugged in and tuned into the Christmas music radio station. The two teenagers couldn't help smiling as they took turns heating up their breakfast plates in the microwave to warm them up before sitting down at the table to eat.
For a while, the group simply let the music fill the air as they went about their activities. Even once they had finished eating and put up their dishes, Harry and Hermione simply sat back in their chairs at the table, content to let the joy of the atmosphere wash over them.
At one point, Hermione heard a piano begin to slowly play on the radio. She couldn't figure out exactly what song this might be. Only once the first line of lyrics was sung did Hermione realize that some version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was playing. She smiled in her mind at how fitting of a description that title was for this Christmas thus far, a small Christmas with just her closest loved ones but a Christmas that was also merrier than any other in her life yet.
But then, as the first verse of the song continued playing, she was pulled from her thoughts when Harry suddenly stood from his chair. This caused Miranda and Jack to stop their own activities to see what was happening. As Harry pushed the chair under the table and then turned to face Hermione, she was quite confused at what could have been running through his mind.
That is, until he slowly held out his right hand, with palm facing up, and quietly spoke to her.
"So, I know this isn't exactly the Yule Ball, but… may I have this dance?"
Her heart was screaming so much in delight that she was surprised that no one else could hear it. With eyes wide and a tender smile, she placed her left hand in his right one and then replied, "Yes, you most certainly may."
He gave a relieved yet joyful smile as she used his hand to slowly pull herself out of the chair. He then led them to an open area of the kitchen where they would be out of Miranda's way while she was preparing food. Once Harry stopped them, he hesitantly circled his arms around Hermione's waist. In response, she wrapped her own arms around his neck. She then used one hand to bring their foreheads together, linking her hands at the back of his neck afterward. They simply gazed at each other for another couple of seconds before he began gently swaying them in place.
Even if a resurrected Tom Riddle himself attacked with his entire army at that very instant, Hermione didn't think it could pull her out of this moment with Harry. All she wanted to do was gaze into the emerald eyes that were staring down at her. The only thing she could sense was the feeling of his arms around her as the two of them took small steps from side to side, slowly turning in a tiny circle, in their slow dance. In fact, they were both so enthralled with one another that they never heard the click of a camera in the background.
As the song began going through the final verse, Hermione couldn't help but recall the words of her parents from the talk in that first morning after she and Harry got together. Don't do anything outside of her room that she wouldn't want to catch her mum and dad doing. Well, she had now reached the point in her mind that she didn't care what kind of teasing she would receive for her next action.
Thus, at the final line of the song, she brought her mouth forward and gave Harry a gentle kiss. He was startled for a second before she felt him respond, with him seeming to understand that she wanted to keep this somewhat chaste with her parents in the room. They continued to kiss until she heard the final note of the song coming to an end, when she finally pulled her mouth away. His cheeks were pink with a blush. The small yet warm smile on his face, however, made her action completely worthwhile.
Then, recalling the spontaneous hug she'd given him the morning after he had that nightmare, she teasingly whispered as quietly as possible so that only he would hear, "So, not that the dance wasn't enjoyable, but what was it for?"
He was confused at first before the light of recognition quickly shined in his eyes regarding her phrasing. It caused him to smirk, but that only lasted for a second as he became sheepish again. He replied, as quietly as she did, "Just… felt like the right thing to do, in the spirit of the holiday. For one, I should have thought about you when it came to getting a partner for the ball four years ago, or at the very least given you one dance back then. And second, and more importantly… I'm not sure if I'll ever get enough of seeing the love in your expression when you smile at me. So, even if I have to make a fool out of myself, I'll do it just to see you smile."
Her heart was overwhelmed at his declaration, leaving her completely speechless. This was just like that night in the tent, after Ron had abandoned them during the Horcrux hunt. Harry danced with her simply to see her smile.
She recalled how Harry had told her, after their snowball fight two days ago, that he may never get used to her deep feelings for him. Well, whether he was actually aware or not, she could certainly say the same for him. How she managed to be the lucky one that got to see this wonderful and loving side of Harry, she may never know.
Her emotions must have shown through in her face, because he smiled at her and then squeezed her a bit tighter for an instant. After a couple of seconds, though, his expression started becoming timid as he asked, "Now, if you don't mind me asking… what kind of expression are your parents giving me right now?"
Hermione took a couple of glances past Harry's shoulders, since the dance had ended with his back being to her parents. Her mum was standing at the stove, mainly looking at them but also glancing for an instant to the dish that she was currently cooking to keep an eye on it. Her father was still sitting at the table, but with his book pushed to the side. And both of her parents had the largest smirks she'd ever seen on their faces, yet their expressions also showed a genuine joy within the teasing looks.
Locking her gaze back onto Harry, she whispered, "Mostly like the cat that ate the canary. But they also look legitimately happy, as well."
The immediate relief in his expression made her have to bite down on the inside of her cheeks so that she didn't inadvertently giggle at his anxiety. She wouldn't want to make things any worse for him.
He replied, "Sort of like how I mentioned there may always be a smidgen of guilt remaining within me about all that's happened in my life, it may still be a while before I'm completely rid of any worries about what your parents think of me and my actions. I'm slowly getting to that point, but still not quite there yet."
She rubbed one of her hands in a comforting circle on his back before saying, "Even if you still have worries for a while, you don't ever have to be afraid because of them. You have me, remember?"
His expression went completely soft as he responded, "Yeah, I sure do." With that, the two of them spent a few more seconds just silently gazing at each other.
Then, Harry gave a barely audible sigh. "Well, ready to face the firing squad, so to speak?"
Her simple reply was, "Whenever you are."
He gave her a nod before they let go of each other. Harry shifted his position until he had turned around and was standing at Hermione's left side, before placing his right arm around her shoulders. Hermione then placed her left arm around his waist. She gave him a quick squeeze, hoping to calm whatever unease he could still be feeling. He simply gave her a squeeze with his arm in response.
At that point, while Miranda just couldn't help the smirk on her face, she also didn't want to cause Harry any undue embarrassment about his spontaneous request to dance. Thus, when the teenagers were both facing her and Jack, she gently asked, "Did you two enjoy yourselves?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other first, and neither could resist the smiles that began growing on their faces. Harry then turned back to Miranda and replied, "Yeah, we did."
Jack got everyone's attention with a question of his own, though he took a cue from Miranda and tried to be mellow about it so that it wouldn't come off as any kind of accusation. "If you don't mind me asking, what brought the dance on?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand in a bit of bashfulness and quietly replied, "Well, it wasn't exactly planned. It just… it felt like the right action to take in that moment, given the slow song that was playing and how today is Christmas Day." He then shrugged his left shoulder and added, "Not much of an explanation, I know."
Miranda interjected, "It's not like we need an explanation. As long as you two enjoyed yourselves, that's all that matters. Not to mention, it gave us a couple of good pictures that I'll have to get developed while you're both still here, so that you can have those along with the others we've all taken over the past week."
Blushes rose up on Harry and Hermione's faces at the implication for a few seconds. Then, Hermione said, "You managed to take pictures? I don't remember hearing the camera."
Jack couldn't help the chuckle that left him before he responded. "Can't say I'm surprised about that, considering you two may as well have been in a world of your own with how intensely you seemed to concentrate on one another."
At that point, however, a small but warm smile came to his face. "But as I mentioned yesterday, there's nothing better on the holidays than simply being with our loved ones." He glanced to Miranda for a second, smile growing just a bit, before looking back to the teenagers.
That caused Harry and Hermione to turn their gazes to one another again. She couldn't resist giving him a tender smile before tightening her left arm around him a bit more. He smiled back before repeating her action with his right arm.
Then, glancing to their empty chairs at the kitchen table for a second, Hermione quietly asked him, "Want to sit back down?"
His eyes shifted away for just an instant before he replied, "Sure." With that, they took their places back at the table, though shifting their chairs to be right next to one another rather than leaving a bit of space as was typical when eating.
Miranda, having been concentrating once again on the food preparation, heard the noise of the chairs and looked over for a second. Seeing the teenagers still sitting in the room, she said, "You know you two don't have to hang around in here, especially since I'll be here for most of the afternoon given that I don't like to leave food unattended while it's cooking."
"Well, it's like Dad said," Hermione warmly responded. "There's nothing better for Christmas than just being with the ones that we love." Her tone then became more somber as she added, "Especially after the uncertainty that plagued the last few years."
That caused a few seconds of silence from the group before Jack quietly added, "No argument there, Little Worm. No argument there."
Seeing Harry appearing as though he was fighting with himself about feeling guilty over all that happened, Hermione gently took hold of his right hand with her left. He stared at their hands for a couple of seconds before turning his gaze to her. He gave her an apologetic smile and nodded, completely understanding her action.
Still, it seemed that he couldn't resist shyly speaking out anyway. "Jack, Miranda."
His tone caused them both to stare at him in concern, with Miranda even ignoring the food for the moment as well as going over and turning the volume of the music down to a minimum, in order to listen to whatever was on his mind.
Harry then said, "I just… thank you both so much, once again, for allowing me to stay here for the holiday break. This – this has been the best Christmas that I've ever had. Thanks in no small part to how kind and supportive you two have been towards me, even when there are enough reasons from those previous years for you to not want anything to do with me. I – "
He had to pause for a second from the growing lump in his throat. He did, however, manage to force himself through it to timidly end with, "I just needed you both to know that."
Hermione tightened her grip on Harry's hand as a means of comfort. But she didn't have a chance to do anything more, as her parents immediately walked over to where the two teenagers were sitting.
Once she was standing by Harry, Miranda pulled him into a gentler version of the motherly hug from yesterday. Then, she quietly said, "And it's been wonderful having you here, Harry. You've had it rough for so long, what with the tragedies that happened to your family as well as that evil man that wanted you dead. We're glad that we were able to help give you some happiness."
After a couple more seconds, she let go and took a step back. Jack then stepped in and clapped a hand onto Harry's shoulder. He wordlessly gave Harry a comforting squeeze, remaining like that for a few seconds before then pulling away and moving to stand beside his wife.
Harry just looked to the two parents with a slightly watery smile and silently nodded. Then, he turned around to face Hermione and said, "And while I'm in the spirit of thanking people, thank you so much for convincing me to come in the first place. So much would be different right now if I had wallowed away up at Hogwarts for the past week."
She affectionately replied, "Like I've told you before, Harry, I'll do anything to help you and to give you happiness."
His expression became quite tender before he pulled his right hand out of her grasp. He immediately reached up and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, right where they both knew her scar began. Then, he quietly said, "Yeah, I know you would."
Without a word, she put her own right hand on top of his. This just caused him to smile even more. And for a time, the two remained still, simply enjoying the moment.
Jack and Miranda smiled at how the teenagers were once again lost in their own little world. Still, as much as she hated interrupting, Miranda did need to keep an eye on the food that was cooking. Thus, she walked back over to the stove, while Jack took her movement as a cue and returned to his seat at the table.
The movement from her parents startled Harry and Hermione enough that they pulled their hands away and glanced to Miranda first and then Jack. Having seen the shift of attentions, Miranda then asked, "So, is there anything you wish to do, if you're going to stay in here with us for a little bit?"
When Harry and Hermione looked back to each other, she just gave him a shrug of her shoulders, conveying that she would go along with him if there was anything he wanted to do. His eyes glanced down and to the right, as he got a thoughtful look on his face. After a few seconds, his eyes looked back up to her for an instant before he turned his gaze to her father across the table.
"You know," Harry began, "I wouldn't mind having another go at you on the chessboard." This caused Jack to immediately smirk at him, but the older man didn't get a chance to say anything as Harry continued his thought. "But, in the spirit of the holiday, I would also enjoy it if we could all maybe play or do something together."
Hermione quickly replied, "Harry, if you want to play chess again, I won't mind at all."
To that, Jack said, "Well, who says we have to limit ourselves to just one thing?" He directed his next statement at just Hermione. "I saw your old Scrabble box in our closet while digging out the chess set the other day. We could switch off to that after playing a bit of chess first."
Looking back to Harry, he added, "That game allows for four players, so Miranda could also join in later, in case that's a concern for you. I will tell you now though, be prepared to lose a fair amount. Hermione has typically been the resident Scrabble queen of this house, since that was a favorite game of hers as a child when we could get her to put down her books."
Harry simply responded, "Well, I've never even heard of that game, so it will be a completely new experience for me anyway. I don't mind coming in last every time while trying to learn the ropes if it means that we can all play at the same time."
Turning to Hermione, he timidly asked, "So, what do you say? Play a few rounds of chess, and then we go to this Scrabble game, if you don't mind teaching me how to play?"
She flashed him a beaming smile and responded, "You really are too sweet, you know that?" That instantly caused him to start blushing. It took so much willpower to keep her giggles confined to her mind so that she wouldn't inadvertently embarrass him by laughing out loud at his continued awkwardness.
Instead, she just said to him, "And yes, that sounds wonderful."
She then turned to her father. "If you want to go get the Scrabble board, Dad, I can get the chess set from the living room, since we left it in there."
Jack just nodded, and soon enough, the two returned with the respective games in their hands. As Harry and Jack were setting up the chess board, Miranda walked over to the stereo and turned the volume back up on the Christmas music. And with the lively atmosphere taking hold once again, everyone had a small but perpetual smile stuck on their faces.
The three at the table played chess for a couple of hours, with the same 'winner goes out' stipulation as before. Harry and Hermione would mostly alternate wins in matches against each other. Of course, Jack continued handily beating both of them when it was his turn to play, though they were also able to last a bit longer against him as the games continued. Miranda would walk over and spectate whenever she had a free moment.
The final chess match ended up being a two-on-one with the teenagers against Jack. That one ended up staying neck-and-neck for much longer with how Harry and Hermione were able to help each other catch possible mistakes with any potential move. But eventually, they overlooked a free move that Jack could make when they thought they had a chance to set up a trap against him and end the game, and that led to the game finally ending in Jack's favor after a few more turns.
After that, and once Jack had returned from throwing Hermione's now-washed bed sheets into the dryer, the three put the chess set away and set up for Scrabble, with Harry being taught the basics for the first few minutes. He quickly found out that Jack wasn't kidding about Hermione being quite good, with her having enough luck to get necessary letters, a greater knowledge of words to use, and the strategy of knowing how to use words to block other people from being able to get bonus spaces. Though Hermione handily won the first match, she also gave herself a stipulation of sitting out for one game after winning, not wanting every match to just be her running away with the lead and Harry coming in last for being so new at the game.
Eventually, after having gone and put Hermione's dried sheets back on her bed, Miranda joined the games when she told the others that the meat for their meal just needed to cook for a while longer. While Hermione continued to win when she was participating, the matches became much closer with four people. Harry, having already gotten better since they started playing, even almost managed to beat her in one game, only losing because Hermione was able to play just one more word than him at the end.
The final Scrabble game also became a team match, being three-on-one with Hermione battling the other three. While it still came right down to the wire in the end, the group of three jumped to a huge lead on the first turn, when they got the point bonus for using all seven of their letter tiles to make a word. Though Hermione was able to fight back with the bonus spaces she was able to take, it wasn't enough to overcome that early deficit, leading Harry and her parents to win by a mere six points.
She couldn't help smiling when Harry jumped up out of his chair in happiness and then cried out in surprise that they won. When she walked over to the other side of the table and congratulated them on their play, she also surprised Harry again by pulling him into a hug. When he quickly responded, she whispered into his ear that it was cute to see him happy like that. Though she was sure he probably had at least a faint blush on his face from her comment, he just squeezed his arms tighter around her in response and then pulled away after a few more seconds.
It was at that moment that Miranda went to check on the meat, having already taken it out of the oven after a previous game to let it rest for a bit on the counter. Seeing that it was done and ready to eat, she finally called out that dinner was officially ready. Checking the clock in the kitchen, the other three of the group saw that it was just after five in the evening.
Even for just four people, the fixings were worthy of a feast. Miranda had made a roast turkey, roast potatoes, brussel sprouts cooked with a bit of bacon, Yorkshire pudding, and gravy. Every person piled larger portions than normal of each dish onto their plates. The Christmas music still playing in the background gave the meal the same atmosphere as a feast. Crookshanks, who had remained in the kitchen but took up a position in an empty spot on the kitchen counter, was even given a small bit of turkey to eat as a holiday treat.
The four ate their meal more slowly than usual. They were happy to converse with one another about the games that had been played all day, or the Grangers would tell Harry about how some of their Christmas dinners went in previous years. In fact, they went slowly enough that it was only at about six thirty that the well-fed and stuffed group of people finally put their dishes away and made their way into the living room, with Miranda also turning the music off and unplugging her stereo but leaving it in the kitchen.
When they arrived, Jack and Miranda actually took refuge on the loveseat. Harry and Hermione, though a bit confused, decided to sit on the right side of the sofa so as to not be too far away from her parents. Crookshanks had followed along and jumped up onto the left side of the sofa, having room to completely stretch out.
When everyone was seated, Miranda looked at Harry and softly asked, "So, is this still the best Christmas that you've ever had?"
Harry immediately replied, "Yes, by far."
She smiled for a second but then became quite serious, which caused both teenagers to get a little tense at what might be coming. She said, "Well, while I hope this won't be a damper on that, there is something that Jack and I have wanted to ask while you're here. Not about your relationship with Hermione, in case you worry, but about some things that have been mentioned during this week that stuck with us and give us concern."
Hermione looked to Harry, the question in her eyes of whether he was OK with her parents picking his brain again. Seeing this, he told her, "It's fine with me, Hermione."
She nodded before turning back to her parents. "Alright then, Mum and Dad. Ask away."
They nodded in response before Jack came out, as gently as he could, with the question. "Harry, you mentioned earlier about how you would have basically been stuck at Hogwarts if you didn't come here. And Hermione has talked before about not wanting to leave you at the school alone for this holiday break. Now, if you don't feel comfortable with this question, then it's completely alright to tell us to shove it. So, here it is. Given all the family that you've lost… do you not have anywhere that you can stay when you leave school?"
Hermione immediately cried out, "Dad, that's too personal, you shouldn't – "
"Hermione."
She instantly went quiet and looked to Harry when he interrupted. He glanced down for a second before he grabbed her left hand with his right and intertwined their fingers. Then, he whispered, "It's OK. Like I said earlier, I'll answer anything from your parents."
Though the turmoil didn't fully leave her eyes, she took a long breath and just nodded her assent.
With that, Harry looked to the parents and quietly said, "I guess if we're being technical about it… no, I don't. Not at the moment, at least."
Guilt rose up within him at seeing the expressions of sadness that immediately came to Jack and Miranda's faces. The guilt deepened when Crookshanks walked over to him, curled into the side of his left leg, and then looked up at him with what Harry could only describe as a look of sympathy on the cat's face.
He could also tell that Miranda was starting to fight back tears when she replied with a bit of a tremble in her voice. "You really are homeless? Why? I remember Hermione talking about that house at Grimmauld Place when she told the story of the previous year. Wouldn't it be safe to go back there since that monstrous wizard and his army are dead? Or, if you don't want to go back there, what about a small flat for yourself? Are you not able to afford that?"
Harry couldn't resist the snort that left him at how Miranda's questions were so much like Hermione's at Godric's Hollow. But he sadly answered, "There were too many bad memories for me with that house. As bad as my nightmares have been, and you've seen how I look waking up from one, they would have been almost infinitely worse if I stayed there. Thus, I gave the house up to the house-elf that's lived there for so many years.
"And as far as a flat, it's not a matter of the cost. In my Gringotts vault, I have basically enough money that I could freely live off of it for the rest of my life and never spend it all if I'm even just moderately careful with it. Hermione can even back that statement up. Once we learned from the goblins that we could freely return to the bank with no issues thanks to our large roles in ending Tom Riddle, she saw the contents of my vault when we needed funds to take care of everything in our plans to go to Australia. So, cost isn't the issue."
He had to take a deep and slightly shaky breath before his next words. "The real issue has been… I've not only had no clue with what to do with my future after the war, but Hogwarts has also been the only home I've ever really known, even with all of the dangers that I faced year after year. And when I left Australia, I felt so lost about what would happen with my life now that Riddle was gone, I just returned to Hogwarts and stayed there for the summer because it was the only place that I knew. And even then, I've still been so listless that, if it weren't for Hermione refusing to give up on me since the war's end… who knows if I would even be here right now."
Hermione immediately laid her head on his shoulder and cuddled into his side as much as humanly possible while still holding onto his right hand. At the same time, Miranda lost the fight with her tears, placing a hand over her mouth to try and keep from full-on sobbing out loud. Jack quickly put his left arm around her to hold and sooth her, though he was also fighting with his own emotions after Harry's despairing revelation.
Seeing what his response had done to everyone, Harry's fears started to take hold within him again. He timidly said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the happiness of today."
His fear gave Miranda the resolve to respond. "No, please don't feel the need to apologize. You haven't ruined anything. That last statement was just so much more than I was expecting."
Though he still looked at her with some despondence, Harry did reply with a bit of resolution. "Well, you two not only trusted me alone in your home this week, but are also willing to fully trust me in a deeper relationship with your daughter. I want to live up to that trust, so I won't hide anything whenever you may have questions of me."
The small smiles his words brought to the parents washed away a bit of his fears. Then, Jack replied to him, "Thank you, then, for wanting to give us that kind of consideration."
Harry immediately responded, "It's just the same consideration you two have shown me. No need to thank me for that."
The older man chuckled for a second before saying, "No, I'd say it does deserve thanks. I doubt that many others would be willing to give such personal information to the parents of their girlfriend after knowing them for just a week. Now, I would be lying if I said I wouldn't want to talk more about what you've revealed to us, but I think we could all save that for another day, since we still have another full week with you two before you have to return to school."
Harry's soft reply was, "Sure, whatever you'd like."
Jack just gave a slightly amused hum of agreement. Then, glancing back and forth between Harry and Hermione a couple of times, he cryptically added, "But now, to bring things back to the spirit of the holiday, I think it's time for Miranda and I to do something. More specifically, to give something to the both of you." He looked to his wife at that point and said, "If you agree, that is."
Her tears quickly came to a halt as Miranda smiled and gave a decisive nod, knowing exactly what he was talking about.
When Jack rose from the loveseat and walked over to the tree, Hermione pulled away from Harry to sit up straight, looking at him in confusion at what was going on. He had the exact same expression on his face and just gave a shrug of his left shoulder. With that, the two of them just turned back to watch Jack and whatever it was he was doing.
Thus, they were both shocked when he carefully pulled out two gift-wrapped objects, which had apparently been stuffed in the corner at the back of the tree, and then walked over to them. With a small smile, he held out one gift to each of them, and Hermione believed that the objects were most likely books given their size and shape.
At that point, Jack said, "These are for you two, from Miranda and me. Though in fairness, she was the one who did most of the work for this."
Hermione instantly responded, while looking back and forth between her parents, "Mum, Dad. You didn't have to do anything. Didn't I say in a letter that it was gift enough for us to just be together for Christmas?"
Harry added to that, "And this doesn't seem fair when I don't have anything to give to the two of you."
Jack's smile became a full-on grin when he replied, "Harry, you've given Miranda and me a great deal already this week, even if you don't believe so. And yes, Hermione, we remember you not necessarily wanting gifts this year. But this is also something that was too good to pass up."
Shaking the objects in his hand, he continued with a tease in his voice. "So, go on. I won't move from here until you two take the gift in front of you."
Finding no reason not to, the teenagers did as was requested of them. When Harry reached forward, Crookshanks got up and moved back to the left side of the sofa, though instead of stretching out, he sat down in a loaf position so that he could more keenly observe the current happenings.
As Jack moved back to the loveseat to sit next to Miranda, Harry and Hermione began tearing into the wrapping, throwing each section into a pile on the coffee table. When they finished, Hermione saw that she was indeed right about them both receiving some kind of book. Even without opening them up, it appeared that they had both received photo albums, though Hermione's had a purple cover while Harry's was dark green.
Looking up to her parents, she asked with a bit of puzzlement, "A photo album? Does this contain the pictures that we all took over this week?"
She was further confused at seeing not only a small smirk rise on her mother's face but also a growing happiness in her mother's eyes. Then, Miranda just quietly answered, "Well, why don't you open up to the first page and find out?"
Harry and Hermione shrugged at each other before doing so, with Hermione shifting a bit to her right so that they would both have enough room to open their albums. And when they did, Hermione couldn't help the large gasp that escaped her mouth upon seeing the very first photo.
It was her and Harry, standing with their school trunks at the King's Cross Station platform, staring at one another. The moment where, after she'd hugged her parents for allowing Harry to stay with them for the break, she smiled up at Harry and wished she could have a photo or Pensieve to always remember the way he smiled back at her.
She turned her attention back to her parents and could only say in complete astonishment, "You got a photo of this moment."
Miranda's smile turned gentle as she replied, "Well, like your father said this morning, it's not so hard when you two get lost in your own little world." She then just nudged her head towards the photo album and added, "I'll say now that you have the exact same photos. We just wanted to be sure you both had copies."
Her next words were much more cryptic to Hermione. "Of course, there will be one key difference that the two of you will find in Harry's, after you've reached the final picture. But I ask that you go through the whole album first to leave that for the end."
With her eyes shifting slightly to Hermione's left, Miranda then said, "Though it looks like poor Harry may not have heard even a word of that."
That caused Hermione to immediately turn to Harry, shutting her album as she did so. And she found him just continuing to stare down at the exact same picture that was on her first page, in somehow more astonishment than she had. Though his eyes were dry for now, his expression appeared as though he was beginning a fight against tears.
Then, he whispered with a shake in his voice, "This… I look happy. This was at a point that I was still almost completely consumed by my guilt, but in this picture, I actually look happy."
Jack warmly said, "That's what photos are for."
To which Miranda softly interjected, "To always have a reminder of those happy moments. So, why don't you keep going through the album and see what all is in there? We did make sure to buy large albums so that more could be added into them later, so you won't have even reached the halfway point of the book before you actually reach the last picture."
Harry didn't say a word, keeping his gaze right at the photo. Hermione put her album on the side table before laying a hand on his shoulder in comfort. Though he didn't acknowledge her action, he did take a deep breath before just quietly responding, "OK."
With that, he flipped to the next page. Hermione, dropping her hand from his shoulder, was content to simply find out the contents of the album together with Harry. And she was stunned to see what exactly was in the album, and how many more pictures were there that she and Harry never once suspected had been taken.
A picture of her and Harry hugging in the living room on the first night here. A picture of them heavily grinning at one another, trying not to laugh, with the tinsel wrapped around them. A couple of pictures of them leaning into each other and laughing like loons after their silliness with using the tinsel. The picture where Miranda caught them off guard, when they were gazing at and holding one another by the tree, then the actual picture of them smiling for the camera in front of the tree. The pictures Harry took of her and her parents at the tree. Two pictures of them lying in the snow after finishing their snowball fight, along with a few of them brushing snow from one another. All of the pictures that were taken while everyone was baking and knitting in the kitchen yesterday.
But it was what came after the final picture of the album that truly shocked Hermione to her very core.
The pictures had previously all been ordered chronologically. What ended up being the final picture, however, was one of them standing in the hall at the junction of their rooms. Hermione knew it was taken the night they had first gotten together because she and Harry were holding their foreheads together while she also had her hand on his cheek. And even with how far away the picture was taken, they could still easily see their love for each other in their expressions and body language.
Harry and Hermione looked up to one another after viewing this picture. Both of them had tears visibly building in their eyes from seeing this moment, along with all the others, captured for posterity.
Then, turning to her parents, Hermione said, "Mum, Dad. This is absolutely wonderful."
Harry added, "This… I don't even know what to say to this that could feel even remotely adequate."
Miranda gave them a gentle smile before saying, "Well, thank you both. And Harry, why don't you just continue to flip through the pages before trying to say anything? Like I said, there's one thing about the contents of your album that is different from Hermione's. Something that we added for you, which you'll find on the page after the last actual photo."
Confusion filled the teenagers again at Miranda's words, but Harry did so without complaint. And on the very next page, instead of seeing photos on either side, he only found an envelope tucked into the spine of the album.
That just furthered both his and Hermione's bafflement. When he opened the envelope, he pulled out a card that had a surprising amount of weight to it. On the front of the card, the phrase 'We travel near and far to be with loved ones for the holidays' was written below a Christmas ball ornament.
Opening the card up, Harry realized what was causing the weight when he saw a key taped to the left side. At the top half of the right side, there was a heart with the phrase 'Because home is always where the heart is' inside it. And at the bottom, there was a handwritten note. A note that would completely blow both Harry and Hermione away.
We know that your heart belongs to Hermione, so feel free to consider our house your home for as long as she does, if you wish to.
-Jack and Miranda
The two teenagers just stared at the handwritten part, neither even realizing that they had the exact same expression on their faces. Their eyes were as large as could possibly be, and their mouths had completely dropped open in absolute shock. In fact, their minds had basically shut down in complete disbelief that what they were reading was real.
Meanwhile, when the utter surprise first appeared on the teenagers' faces, Jack and Miranda just looked at each other with smiles, knowing that their little note had finally been read. And unbeknownst to each other, neither could resist flashing back to the conversations that led up to this moment, starting with the one that was had while witnessing the kids have a snowball fight two days ago…
-O-
But then, an idea suddenly hit Miranda, and she gave a pensive hum to herself.
Jack looked over to her in confusion and asked, "Something wrong, honey?"
She turned to face him, knowing that her idea was a little crazy but hoping that she could get her husband to at least consider it, for all of their sakes.
Then, she evasively said, "You know, there is one possible solution to your worries. One way to assure that she would be here with us, we get more time with both of them while they figure out their plans after school, and he would know that he has a place where he's welcome and can return to."
Jack was preparing to ask what she meant, but his eyes widened once he fully processed her exact words after the third point she listed. "You mean letting him stay with us after they graduate, don't you? And I'm guessing you're not just talking about a temporary stay like this holiday break is."
Giving him a timid smile, Miranda silently nodded.
With a bit of hesitance, he said, "I don't know, Miranda. As much as I like the boy and want the best for him after what we've seen of him over these past few days, are you sure that's not too much too fast? Would he even be comfortable with an offer of something like that, considering he hasn't even known us for a full week? And besides, what makes you think that he has nowhere to go? I remember Hermione telling us, in the story of what happened while our memories were modified, about that house of his godfather's that they used for a while before accidentally letting one of those Death Eaters into the protections. With all of them gone now, wouldn't he be able to stay there safely again?"
She replied, "Remember everything that Hermione told us about the family he's lost, including that godfather, because of that abhorrent wizard? And how Hermione talked about not wanting to leave Harry alone for the holidays because he had no family to celebrate Christmas with? Yes, I do believe that he has nowhere to go, because he has no one else close to him in his life except for Hermione. But beyond that, I'm also just afraid about what all those losses could do or have done to him. You saw him after he woke up from that nightmare two days ago. Can you imagine what could have happened if he had to face it completely alone, instead of having Hermione with him to support him through it?"
He grimaced at her question. "Even if I could, I'm not sure I would want to. That was… rough, to say the least."
"Exactly," she replied. "And you know good and well that nightmare can't have been the only one he's had. We already know that the guilt he holds in relation to the two of us is so bad that he still at least somewhat believes that we should hate him. What about all the other tragedies he's suffered? How much needless guilt is he holding in regards to all of the people he's lost throughout his life? How many times since that war ended could he have woken up in a fearful sweat, just like two days ago, but had no one there to soothe him?"
She looked down and away towards the floor at that point, shaking her head a few times and taking a deep breath. Jack remained silent, just looking at his wife with some concern.
When Miranda focused her gaze on him again after a few seconds, she quietly and grimly said, "Look, I know that in any other situation, talking about letting our daughter's boyfriend live with the three of us would be completely barmy. But this isn't any other situation. Look at how happy those two make each other. And look at how Harry has been slowly improving over this week, with Hermione's help as well as getting the chance to simply enjoy what a relatively mundane family life can be like. I can't in good conscience, as a mother, just sit back and take the risk of him being alone and having some kind of nightmare that could ruin all of that progress if he wasn't able to handle it without that extra support."
Her voice was sounding more desperate as she made her points. "Finally, there is a selfish part of me that wants as much extra time with our daughter as possible. Letting him stay here would not only make those two happy at not having to separate for a time when this school year is finished, but it could also give us that time if Hermione decides to remain here while getting her affairs in order. And it would be the ultimate show of trust on our part for him, if he still has doubts about our words from this morning."
Jack was at a loss for words. She'd really put a lot of thought into an idea that had only popped into her mind barely a few minutes ago. His silence gave her a chance to say one final piece.
"I'm not asking for any kind of instant decision on this, Jack. I know it would be a massive step to take, and we still have six months before they leave school. And maybe you're right, and I'm completely wrong in my assumptions about him not having anywhere that he can call home, and he is able to stomach being at that house of his godfather's. Just… all I ask is that you just think on it. Please."
He wordlessly stared at her for a second before giving her a tiny smile. Then, he quietly said, "I will, Miranda. I promise."
Though her overall expression didn't change, he could tell she was a little relieved when she squeezed his hand that she was still holding. He returned the squeeze, and then they both turned to gaze out the window again, continuing their vigil of their daughter, watching her in her total jubilation.
Later that night…
Jack and Miranda silently walked up to their room and shut the door. Though they changed into their sleepwear and got beneath the covers, it seemed that neither of them wanted to try and sleep just yet. The two of them sat up against the head of the bed, and neither of them seemed very eager to turn off the light of the lamp that sat on a side table next to the bed. The parents simply remained still and silent, as though each one was waiting for the other to do something.
After another minute or so, Jack was the one to break the stillness, but only just so. He whispered with astonishment, "She told him."
Miranda turned her gaze to the right to look at him, finding him staring down at the foot of the bed, as he continued. "Hermione actually told Harry about her nickname."
Unable to help the gentle smile on her expression, Miranda said, "Yes, she certainly did."
That caused Jack to refocus on where he was and then turn his gaze to her. He said, "Hermione not only revealed it to him in the first place, but she let him in on that secret before even revealing her true feelings for him. And if she hadn't said something tonight, or any other night, about it being OK to say the name out loud around him, we would never have realized that he knew."
"Then that shows her trust was rightfully placed," Miranda replied. "There's no way it would have passed over him that her nickname was always a secret. So, for him to hide that knowledge from even us shows how seriously he takes everything related to her."
Jack let out what could only be described as an amazed snort. "He takes it so much more than just seriously. That response he gave to us, about being lucky just to have Hermione in his life at all? As much as I was already aware that Harry thought highly of her, I somehow managed to still underestimate exactly how much, which I didn't think was possible after not only hearing Hermione talk about him reading a book with her but also getting to witness him ask to do that again tonight."
As he shifted to look to the end of the bed again, Miranda quietly said, "He really treasures her, doesn't he?"
A small smile finally came to Jack's face at her comment. After a few seconds of silence, he turned back to her and then solemnly asked, "If you don't mind indulging me with a question. Have you ever worried about them possibly becoming too codependent?"
She became pensive as her eyes shifted away for a couple of seconds before she answered, "They certainly depend heavily on one another, there's no doubt about that. But they also make each other better when they're together. They can trust each other with secrets and issues that would never see the light of day around anyone else. Not to mention how they've shared experiences that no other person could ever be able to imagine, even long before they became a couple. So, if it was a choice between risking them becoming too dependent versus having to watch them become miserable again if they had to be separated for a lengthy period of time, I'll take the former any day of the week."
She ended her little speech with total resolution, hoping to assuage any worries that Jack may have, given his question. What she wasn't expecting after finishing was for him to give her a warm smile and then say, "I actually agree. I just needed to hear your thoughts to see if we would be on the same page."
His eyes then glanced down and to the right as he said, almost more to himself but still loud and clear enough for her to hear, "You know, as crazy as this might be, maybe crazy is exactly the way to go sometimes."
She had to speak up at that. "What are you talking about, dear?"
That brought his eyes back up to lock onto hers. "I'm saying… your idea from earlier, about letting Harry stay here further and basically allowing him to call this home… let's do it."
Her eyes became as large as dinner plates in her surprise, and she whispered, "Really? Are you sure?"
"Utterly certain, honey."
She immediately twisted her body and then threw herself at him into a crushing hug. He chuckled before wrapping his arms around her just the same. Neither said anything for a few more seconds, just enjoying the happiness of the moment.
Then, Jack said in her ear, "I do have one condition, if you'll hear me out. And I think it'll be something that you'll agree with."
Miranda pulled back just enough to look into his eyes and replied, "Name it."
He responded, "We need to do it in a way that still gives Harry the ultimate choice, rather than us forcing him to accept it in any manner. The young man has never gotten much of a chance to dictate his own life. I think us allowing him to do so in this case, that might mean even more to him than just the act of letting him stay with us. And whether he takes up our offer, decides after school to get his own place for himself and Hermione, or if he does already have a place, we just need to let him know that our home will always be open to him."
She flashed him a huge and beaming smile before leaning in and kissing him for a few seconds. When she pulled away, she couldn't resist nuzzling his nose with her own before then saying, "You, Jack Granger, are just a wonderful human being."
He smirked at her. "It helps that I had you preparing me earlier this year for the inevitability of those two getting together."
She let out a quiet chuckle, but then quickly sobered up when something else came to her mind. "Now, if you will indulge me with a question. You were apprehensive of the idea at first when I brought it up. So, what changed your mind?"
His expression became more serious as he answered, "For one, it was seeing how I'd still underestimated the depths of their feelings for each other, even when already knowing for certain that they loved one another. That got me thinking back to your words about how happy they've been as they've grown closer and finally made things official between them. And…"
He paused as he let out a deep sigh. After a few seconds, he continued, "And second, that bit you mentioned earlier, about how he still seems to believe that we should hate him. After everything we've seen of him over this week, or even simply everything we just saw in the living room, knowing that you're right just breaks my heart, because he really is a fine young man. And he was always going to be a huge part of Hermione's life regardless of whether or not one of them realized their deeper feelings for the other, though now that they have, I also see zero chance of them not working as hard as possible to make their romantic relationship last for their lifetimes. Thus, if offering to let him call this home will get him to finally see that the two of us truly do think highly of him and are glad to have him be a part of our lives from now on, then I'm fully willing to do it."
With another huge smile, she replied, "I'll say it again. You are a wonderful human being."
Jack smiled back at her for a second. Then, he said, "Now tomorrow, I know we're going to get those pictures developed after we drop our donations off at the church. I'm thinking we could also stop and look for some kind of holiday card in which to put a house key for him. If the place where we can get duplicate keys isn't open, or if we just don't have the time to get a duplicate, I'll just give him my own and then get a copy of yours made after the holiday is over to replace it."
Miranda responded with resolution, "Alright then, that sounds like a plan."
But then, she lowered her voice as she added, "And you know, perhaps your generosity won't go unrewarded this Christmas, as well."
He raised an eyebrow at her, and the corner of his mouth twitched for an instant, before he asked, "So, I've been nice enough that I'll have something good waiting under the tree on Christmas Day?"
She just chuckled and said in a sultry tone, "Mmm, more like you'll find it up here later that night. There is a rule to follow about excessive displays of affection outside of the bedroom, of course."
His only reply was a wordless smirk before she gave him a preview with one deep kiss, and the two of them finally called it a night afterward.
-O-
The parents were pulled out of their memories when they heard Hermione speak in a completely shocked tone. "Mum. Dad. Is this real? Is this what I think it is?"
Hermione was looking at them with an utterly aghast expression, and Harry continued to stare at the card in total awe. To the question posed, Jack gently yet jokingly said, "Well, if you think that a copy of the house key is taped to the inside of that card – my copy in fact even, since we didn't get a chance to have another made yesterday – then yes. It is."
To supplement his response, Miranda said, "And yes, we also mean every word that we wrote about how Harry can consider this his home, if he wants to."
Hearing the confirmations just caused Hermione to sputter in trying to find any words. "But how did… when did… I don't – "
It was then that Harry raised his head, eyes shining with a few unshed tears, and whispered just loud enough for all to hear, "Why?"
When everyone's attention was directed to him, he said to the parents, "Why would you give me this? It – it's so much. And you've only known me for a week."
Seeing the strife in his eyes, Miranda got up from the loveseat and then pushed everything that was on top of the coffee table to the table's edge. Then, she sat down on the table, right in front of Harry. Jack joined a moment later, sitting next to her and in front of Hermione.
As Harry just silently stared at her, Miranda replied, "We know that you've given so much of yourself to stand up for what is right, even when it brought you untold suffering. We know that your friendship with our daughter inspired her to fight for what she believes in, even if that meant she had to lose us for a while in order to fight with no regrets. And we know that you cherish our daughter more than anyone else in the world could even dream of doing. So, if there's any way that my husband and I can be here for you with all of your problems, then we'll do everything that we can."
Though his cheeks were still dry for now, Harry appeared as though he was beginning to lose the fight with his tears. Seeing this, Hermione immediately circled her arms around his waist, holding him tightly, and placed her head on his shoulder. She felt his right arm go around her as tightly as possible, so she knew that he was desperately trying to hold his emotions in.
At that moment, Jack quietly said, "Harry, there's one extra part to this gesture that couldn't be physically placed in a card. And that is… we want this to be entirely your choice. Now, whether or not you take us up on this offer, you will always be welcome in our home regardless. That won't change at all. Therefore, if you truly don't feel comfortable accepting the offer to call this your home, you can freely decline it. If you do that, this key will simply remain here and be waiting for any day that you may decide to accept it, whether it be a week from now or even never. It's long past time that you be the one making decisions about your own life, given how people have imposed upon you, from an early age, what they thought was best for themselves but not necessarily best for you."
When Harry's arm slowly pulled away from her, Hermione separated from her hug to look at Harry. He had opened the card and was staring at the inside of it again. He was also taking short breaths and blinking his eyes fairly quickly, showing that his emotions were just continuing to rise. At the same time, her parents had gone silent after her father's last statement. It seemed that they were now simply giving Harry time to think about whatever response he wanted to give.
Right then, Hermione couldn't help recalling that conversation in the Forest of Dean, before they Apparated back here. Where, when Harry told her that her statements about the both of them going home made it sound like he had a place where he would always belong, she had immediately told him that her home was his home, if he wanted to consider it as such.
With that thought, she gently placed her left hand on his arm. When he immediately twisted his head to look at her, she lovingly whispered, "I told you three days ago that my home is your home, wherever that home may be. Well… this is a way that you could make it official, if you want to."
He stared at her for a second before his gaze shifted to her hand on his arm. Though his overall expression didn't change, his breathing was slowly beginning to become a bit steadier. Then, after about five seconds, he turned back to her parents.
With a tremble in his voice, he said, "Could – couldn't I be taking up too much space if I stayed here for a longer period?"
Hermione's eyes widened ever so slightly upon hearing his question. He was actually on the hook. He was slowly being convinced.
Meanwhile, Miranda immediately but softly said, "You haven't been a burden at all this week in regards to space. And if you're worrying about taking up the guest room as a permanent room, you absolutely could take it with our blessing." Her eyes then shifted back and forth a couple of times between him and Hermione before she added, "Or you could even just share Hermione's room, if you also worry about what we would think of that. It's large enough for two people, and I can't imagine that she would turn you away if you requested it."
That brought a blush to Hermione's face, as she timidly replied, "I – I already said to Harry two nights ago that he could move into my room if he wanted to. He just declined at the time since he wasn't yet comfortable with such a step, in case you two might think we were progressing too fast in our relationship."
To that, Miranda responded, "Then there are no problems in this regard, either. Sure, you two have certainly progressed quickly over the last three days, but it's not like you needed to go through the full dating phase of learning about the other person anyway, since you have seven years of friendship under your belt. And you two have already lived alone together before as well, during that hunt last year when that former friend of yours left you and was gone for two months."
Harry's jaw dropped open, and he was completely dumbfounded once again. Hermione couldn't help rubbing his arm with her hand, which caused him to close his mouth and then glance at her with a quick smile.
At that moment, Jack then quietly spoke up. "So, are there any other questions you have, any more concerns that we can hopefully assuage? Or do you just need time now to think on a decision?"
Harry didn't say anything, only hanging his head after a few seconds and then closing his eyes. Hermione could finally see a tear begin to gradually fall down his right cheek. Unable to resist, she reached up with her left hand and gently wiped it away. Though he continued to keep his eyes closed, she also saw his mouth curl up into a small smile, expressing his gratitude with no words.
It was another full minute, in which the entire room remained completely silent, before Harry opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at Jack and Miranda. And then, though his voice was still shaking a bit, he finally spoke up with his decision.
"OK. OK then, I'll accept it."
The two parents immediately broke out with large smiles, and Harry turned his gaze back to Hermione when she loudly gasped. She whispered in awe, "Really? Do you mean that?"
With a tender smile, he simply said, "Yeah, I mean it."
And without warning, Hermione launched herself towards him, circling her arms around his neck as tightly as she could in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her middle just as closely, and apparently was still holding onto the card since his left hand wasn't splayed out on her back like the right one was. Though she could feel her neck getting a bit wet from a few more tears, she knew from his smile before that these were happy tears.
After a minute, the two teenagers broke away, with the hugest smiles on their faces. Harry wiped the tear tracks off of his cheeks before then turning to look at Jack and Miranda. He found them standing in front of the loveseat, apparently having gotten up from the coffee table to give him and Hermione room to savor their own moment.
He placed the card on the table before rising from the sofa and moving to stand in front of the parents, about two steps away from them. Then, he said with all the gratitude he could muster, "Thank you. Thank you so much for wanting to go so far for me. I – I'm not sure what else to say beyond that."
At his response, Miranda instantly stepped forward and gave him a big hug. And she couldn't help feeling even more joyful when, for the first time, Harry actually returned the hug rather than just remaining still and accepting it as with all of her previous hugs.
Then, she just quietly said, "No need to say anything more. Just simply enjoy your new home, for however long you two remain here after leaving school."
He nodded his head and replied, "I – I will, thank you."
When she nodded in response, Harry dropped his arms, causing Miranda to begin pulling back. But rather than separating completely, she placed her hands on his shoulders. Then, she gave his shoulders a comforting squeeze and smiled up at him. And the gesture felt so familiar that, for an instant, Harry saw his mother standing in front of him instead of Hermione's. The image went away as quickly as it appeared when he blinked, but the implication was not lost on him that he was actually beginning to see Hermione's family as his own, which wasn't exactly undeserved after everything Miranda and Jack had done this week.
Thus, he couldn't help responding with a smile of his own, which caused Miranda's to grow a bit before she stepped back. Then, Jack stepped up in place.
As with the talk two mornings ago, he held out his right hand, which Harry quickly took and firmly shook. After another second, still keeping their right hands joined, Jack threw his left arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him into a one-armed hug. This time, Harry reciprocated by doing the same with his own arm. Neither of them said anything, just remaining in the hug for a couple of seconds before pulling away. When they separated, Jack clapped his right hand onto Harry's left shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Harry smiled up at the man, recalling the similarity of this to what his father did in that dream.
After pulling his hand back, Jack then nudged his head towards the coffee table and said, "Well, that key is yours now. Merry Christmas, Harry."
Harry tearfully yet joyfully replied, "Thank you. Again, thank you so much. For this, the photo album, and everything you both have done over this week."
The mention of their albums caused Hermione to think of one more thing to do this night, in celebration of what her parents had just given Harry. She called out, "Mum, do you have your camera?"
Miranda responded, "Well, it's a new one since the last ran out of film. But yes, it's sitting over here on the loveseat."
Hermione, shifting her gaze back to Harry, then shocked him with her next question. "Harry, would you mind if I used it to get a picture of you holding your card and standing with Mum and Dad? Something that we can add to the albums to always have a reminder of this moment?"
Harry looked at her in amazement for a second before another smile grew on his face. "Yeah, that sounds wonderful."
He looked to the parents, but they immediately smiled and nodded before he could even ask if they were willing. And soon enough, the three of them were standing in front of the loveseat, waiting for Hermione to give the cue for the picture. Jack and Miranda were on either side of Harry, with Jack throwing his left arm around Harry's shoulders while Miranda wrapped her right arm around the middle of his back. Harry himself simply stood and held his card open so that the inside was visible. After a few more seconds, when Hermione called out to smile and say cheese, he felt another tear begin to slip down his face as he followed the directions. But even if that was captured in the picture, as the click of the camera sounded right then, he knew it would just be one more sign of his overwhelming happiness during this moment.
After that, one more picture was taken, when Miranda then got the idea to have Harry and Hermione stand together while showing off their photo albums. The two happily complied, and the picture that was snapped would be one of them holding the albums up to their chests while leaning into each other's side, with Hermione also laying her head on Harry's shoulder.
Once the second picture was taken, Jack and Miranda looked up to the clock on the wall and saw that it was already past nine o'clock in the evening. He then looked at her and said, "What do you say the two of us end on that note and let them be alone?"
The right corner of her mouth just barely twitched upward such that he was the only one to see it, since she knew in her mind that they wouldn't just be going straight to sleep. But she simply nodded at him before turning to the teenagers and saying, "Well kids, I think we're going to head upstairs. Feel free to stay up for as long as you want, though."
Then, she walked up to Harry and Hermione and, just like earlier that morning, wrapped her arms around both of them and said, "Merry Christmas, both of you."
Hermione quietly responded, "Merry Christmas, Mum."
Harry replied at the same time, "Merry Christmas, Miranda."
When Miranda gave them one squeeze and then stepped away, Jack took her place and repeated the well-wishing process. And with that, the two parents walked out of the living room, leaving the two teenagers alone.
At that point, Hermione watched as Harry picked up the card again and opened it up. He just silently stared at the handwritten note from her parents. Though his eyes were wide as though he wanted to cry, his mouth was also curled up into a small smile.
She stepped closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder. When he looked over to her, her heart fluttered at the way his smile grew.
At that moment, she whispered, "So, how does the last week here stack up against all those years at Hogwarts?"
Chuckling for an instant, he responded, "Well, I suppose I can't talk too badly about Hogwarts. Never would have met you without it."
He then became serious again. "But this last week, it's been so amazing. Getting to experience a normal Christmas by all accounts. Having fun like I was just an average teenager with no fame at all. Your parents being as kind and supportive as they have. That they would so willingly allow me in after just a week is just…"
He trailed off before looking back at the card he still held. With his right hand, he gingerly touched the key that was still taped to the inside. Then, he added, "There really aren't enough words that can adequately describe it."
Giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, she quietly replied, "They see how amazing of a person you are, even with all of the struggles you've had to face or still currently face. Just like I do."
Though he didn't move his hand from the key, he did look back to her with another tearful smile. With a bit of playfulness in his tone, he said, "Still not as amazing as you, Angel. All of this only happened because of how wonderful you are."
Then, shifting his gaze to the card again, he held the card in his right hand in such a way that his thumb was on the key, before using his left hand to pull out his mokeskin pouch from underneath his shirt. After that, he began carefully peeling the tape off the card. In a few seconds, when the tape was gone, he grabbed the key with his right hand, before closing the card and placing it on the table. He opened his right hand and looked for a few seconds at the key sitting in his palm, like he was confirming that this was still real, before slowly slipping it into his pouch.
When he put his pouch underneath his shirt, he said to her, "I guess it's really official, then."
She gave him a tender smile and just whispered, "Yes, it is. Welcome home, Harry."
He responded with the same smile before then moving in and wrapping her up in a gentle embrace, resting his chin on her right shoulder. She immediately returned the hug, and the two wordlessly remained that way for a while, relishing the simplicity of the moment and the happiness of all the events that took place that day.
After a while, Hermione was the first to start pulling away, to which Harry let her with no resistance. Looking at him for another second, she then grabbed her photo album and said, "What would you say about us going upstairs and ending the day, as well?"
His mouth curled up for an instant before he grabbed the card and his own album and replied, "I'd say lead the way, and I'll be right behind you."
With that, they quietly made their way to the second floor, giving Crookshanks a pet as they walked past him lying on the sofa. And like every night, they stopped at the junction of their rooms. But this time, rather than gazing at each other for a bit, Harry actually spoke up as soon as they were standing there.
Stammering a little bit, he said, "So, um… given everything that's happened in the last twenty-four hours, and how your parents truly don't seem to mind, would it – would it be alright if I stay with you again tonight?"
The most loving smile she could muster quickly rose on her face. She still, however, also couldn't resist teasing him a bit with her response. "If you recall, I was the one that said you could stay with me every night if you wanted to, was I not?"
That made him relax as he began to smirk. "Well, I didn't want to presume, just in case." Becoming more serious, he then said, "Like last night, I'll go change into my night clothes and then knock on your door."
She merely responded with a nod. Thus, the two separated to prepare for bed. Hermione, once her door was shut, placed the photo album on top of her smaller dresser so that she would definitely see it and know where it is before the next time that she left the room. And after a few minutes, once she was dressed in her pajamas and her wand was safely tucked beneath her pillow, the sound of a few knocks on the door signaled Harry's arrival. When she let him in, he smiled at her before placing his glasses on the dresser beside her bed. When he moved to the bed, he pulled the sheets and cover back and, as with last night, placed his wand underneath the pillow. Then, he got onto the bed, lying in the same spot on his left side.
At that point, Hermione smiled before turning off the lights in the room. When she crawled into the bed, she then pulled the covers back up to their shoulders before shifting closer to Harry and then wrapping her arms around him. That caused him to instantly circle his own arms around her. The two still remained, though, where they could gaze right at one another.
After a few seconds, Harry quietly said, "This holiday break really has just been incredible, hasn't it?"
Hermione gave him a warm smile and replied, "Yes, it certainly has. It's been the best time of my life so far."
That caused him to give her the same smile before saying, "Yeah, that goes for me, too."
Then, he became quite serious. "Again, I'll be a broken record, but I need to say it. I can never thank you enough for all that you've done for me, Hermione. I mean it when I say that none of this, everything that's taken place this last week, would have happened without you. And if I could give you the entire universe, even that wouldn't be enough to repay you."
No matter how many times he thanked her, he always seemed to find a new way to leave her completely stunned. Not knowing what to say, she settled for leaning in and giving him a slow, gentle kiss. Though it caught him off guard for an instant, he quickly but just as gently responded to the kiss.
It only took about five seconds before Hermione couldn't resist deepening the kiss and making it more passionate. Then, without stopping the kiss, she threw her left leg around his waist and slowly shifted their position until he was lying on his back and she was straddling his waist. Only then did she gradually pull her mouth away to look at him.
Seeing the question in his eyes, she interjected before he could say anything. "You know, the contraceptive charm that I placed on us. It lasts for twenty-four hours, and it's only been maybe fourteen hours since I cast it."
Surprisingly, instead of any kind of shock coming to his expression, she only saw fondness and temptation in his eyes. Still, he did ask her, "Are you sure?"
She just touched and held her forehead to his before answering, "Let's end this day the same way that we started it. Together."
The tenderness in his smile after her statement caused her heart to start flying in total joy. After a few more seconds, without a word, he just leaned his mouth forward and picked up their previous kiss right where they had left off. And there were no more words spoken for a while, as the two lovers gave themselves to one another again.
Eventually, after they had reached that blissful high, Hermione buried her head in Harry's neck as she hugged him, and he shifted them so that, just like that morning, his back was now to her room door. After a couple of minutes, their breathing had leveled out and become steady again. That was when Hermione pulled her head back so that she could look at Harry.
Gazing into those emerald eyes, there was only one thing she could think to say. "Merry Christmas, Harry Potter, my shining Emerald. I love you so much."
With a slightly watery yet happy smile, he quietly replied, "Merry Christmas, Hermione Granger, my beautiful Angel. And I love you, too."
There were no more words after that, as she snuggled back up closer to him. They closed their eyes, and in only a few minutes, both of them had drifted off to sleep, their last thoughts being how utterly elated they were to simply be in the arms of the one that they loved.
A/N: So yeah! We finally hit the payoff for not only all those little moments in previous chapters where Harry and Hermione didn't realize that they were being watched, but also the full conversation after the cutoff that I made for the scene with Jack and Miranda in Chapter 7 earlier. And of course, I also couldn't resist having a little family fluff beforehand in this chapter just so that there was some Christmas Day fun for the characters, too.
Hopefully, this chapter is as enjoyable for all of y'all as it was for me. Even with as much seat-of-the-pants writing that I mostly do, this ended up being a big culmination for certain things, so I hope that all the events within it work for you.
Also, it's hard to believe this story started on a whim for a Christmas challenge post, and now it's over 100k words and is most likely going to have at least a few chapters taking place within the next part of the school year. There's definitely one specific chapter (at least, at this point lol) that I want to take place around the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, so there's definitely still more to come.
With that, thank you to everyone that has read, followed, and reacted to the story up to this point! And as always, I hope you stay tuned for more!
