Let's keep this going! Thanks again Pamela RR for all your help!
Harry and Hermione walked quietly through the backdoor of the Burrow. As she shut the door behind them, he kept his eyes on her. Her hair was down falling across her shoulders and a grin painted his face as he noticed the love bites he had left on her neck. He reached over and gently stroked the mark causing Hermione to meet his eyes.
"I'm guessing I'm in need of a Concealing charm?" she asked, returning his smile.
"Yep, " he replied, bending his head down to kiss the mark on her neck. When he lifted his head, he watched as she pointed her wand to her neck and cast the charm.
"Looks like you need a bit of help too," she said, pointing her wand to Harry's neck while repeating the charm. They made their way through the kitchen, to the stairs leading to their rooms. Before Harry climbed the first step he turned around and faced Hermione. When he opened his mouth to speak, Hermione lightly placed a finger over his mouth.
"You don't have to say anything. Let's get through today, then we can talk about it once we get back to Hogwarts." Harry nodded his head in agreement then turned to ascend the staircase.
"Breakfast is ready!" Came the loud voice of Mrs. Weasley from downstairs. Hermione shook her head as the sound of doors opening and closing echoed through the house. She knew the first door had to be Ron leaving the bedroom a floor up.
"Dressed already?" Hermione turned around and watched as Ginny rubbed her eyes.
"Yes, I woke up earlier to shower and pack my things," she replied.
"Oh, are you leaving this morning? So soon?"
"I want to get back to Hogwarts and finish up the library."
"Is Harry going back with you too?" Hermione had to turn away from the younger witch. She didn't want her to see the fire spark in her eyes when she mentioned Harry.
"I-I'm not sure. You'll need to ask him."
"I wanted to spend some time with him. We haven't been able to talk to each other since he decided to stay at Hogwarts." Hermione turned back to face the witch.
"Perhaps you can ask him later." Ginny got out of bed and faced the brunette witch. Due to her height, Hermione had to slightly lift her head.
"Has he said anything about us to you, Hermione?" Hermione was not going to be the one to let the redhead down, but she wouldn't lie to her either. Fuck!
"I'm sorry Gin, but...no. Harry has not brought you up during our time together, " she replied.
Ginny looked at the witch, then tilted her head. Hermione could feel the air between them thicken as Ginny kept her eyes on her.
"I just want him to be honest with me. I don't think that's asking for much. Do you?"
"No...I don't," she replied. Ginny gave a nod and walked past Hermione. When she heard the door to the loo close, she decided it was best to head downstairs.
"Come in!" said Harry when he heard the heavy knock on the door. Ron walked in and shut the door behind him.
"You leaving already?" Ron looked at the bag on top of his bed.
"No, not yet. Maybe after breakfast," he replied.
"Well...before we head down...I thought we could have a talk, yeah?" Harry sat on the bed and looked at his best friend. Ron gave him a crooked smile that helped settled Harry's nerves. He wasn't sure what to expect whenever his friend asked for a talk. "It's nothing serious Harry, relax a bit."
"Of course. What do you want to talk about?"
"Hermione," Damn! The one thing Harry wanted to avoid!
"Hermione is fine, Ron."
"I know, but...since the war and Fred passing," Harry watched as Ron's eyes closed for just a second, "I had a lot of time to think. I'm going to take Kingsley's offer and go to Auror Academy. I don't want to go back to Hogwarts. I just...I want to move forward and becoming an Auror is the way to do that."
"That's...that's great Ron." He didn't want to ask his next question, but he had to know. "What does this have to do with Hermione?" Please don't mention marriage!
"Well, I want Hermione to be happy." Harry braced himself for whatever Ron was about to declare. "But I don't think I can provide her that happiness." Harry's forehead creased with confusion, but his shoulders released the tension they were holding. "I want to let her down gently about this. We really only had one kiss and to be honest it was awkward. Maybe awkward isn't the right word." Ron placed a finger under his chin. "No, it's the right word. I know I want her in my life, she's my best friend. I just can't be more than a friend to her. The kiss...was just that I guess. I think the excitement I felt was from the destroying another Horcrux and not from finally kissing her." Harry felt tremendous relief with this news.
"Wow, Ron! This is very...mature of you. I'm sure she will understand and respect your feelings."
"I hope so. And to be honest...that's why I keep talking about her to Charlie. I think they'll hit it off," said Ron with a nonchalant tone to his voice as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Breakfast is ready!" Came the loud voice of Mrs. Weasley from downstairs.
"Breakfast! Meet ya downstairs, mate," said Ron as he left the room and shut the door. Harry was silent and stared at the closed door. Not to long ago seeing the door brought on feelings of happiness (or a hard on), now as he looked at it, a scowl appeared on his face.
"Mature my arse." Harry thought as he shook his head. He was glad that Ron was his best friend, because right now, he was about to consider him, his least favorite Weasley!
"Wonderful as always, dear," said Arthur to Molly as he patted his stomach.
"Thanks, dear," she replied.
"Well I'm off to my work room," said Arthur has he stood from his chair. Seeing this, Hermione quickly stood up almost knocking her chair over.
"Sorry, Mr. Weasley. Um. Could you just give me a few minutes of your time? Arthur looked a the young witch. His eyes soften as he remembered why Hermione has stopped him.
"Of course, dear." A small smile appearing on his lips.
"Thank you. Um. Okay, where to start?" A nervous laugh came from her mouth. "Alright. I'm sure you're all aware now, that my parents are in Australia, due to my Memory Charm." Hermione watched as everyone nodded their head to acknowledge they were aware. "Well, Kingsley and Professor McGonagall were able to get me an international Portkey. I'll be able to go search for my parents." Cheers came from different sections of the table. Molly stood up and hugged the young witch tightly.
"That's brilliant Hermione!" shouted George. His lips were even shadowing a smile. Something she hadn't seen much of
"Dear, when do you leave? Perhaps, we can throw you a small good luck party to see you off?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"I'm sorry, but that might not work Mrs. Weasley. I leave within the fortnight," replied Hermione. She turned her head to look at Ron, who was looking down at his empty plate. "Ron?" Ron picked up his head, his bright blue eyes locked on hers.
"This is probably some of the best news I've heard in awhile. I'm happy for you Mione." Ron came around the table and hugged her.
"I know if anyone can find them, it'll be you."
"Thanks Ron! That means a lot." She placed her arms around her best friend, giving him a good squeeze.
"I wish I could come with you. The idea of you being alone, worries me."
"Well, um. I'm not…"
"She's not going to be alone." The Weasleys turned their focus to the black haired wizard next to Hermione. "I'm going with her." The silence in the room was truly deafening.
"I knew it!" shouted Ginny as she stood hastily for her chair to face Harry and Hermione. "Despite, what you two may think, I'm not bloody stupid!"
"This has nothing to do with you Ginny," replied Harry, leaning over the table to speak to the youngest Weasley.
"Nothing to do with me? I'm supposed to be your fucking girlfriend!"
"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" shouted Mrs. Weasley from the end of the table as she started to lecture her daughter about the use of coarse language. Mr. Weasley placed his hand on her arm, adding a bit of pressure, to silently tell her to sit down. Molly looked at her husband and for the first time in a very long time, she closed her mouth and sat down. Charlie tapped on George's shoulder and inclined his head towards the back door. George was hesitant to leave, waiting to watch the drama as it unfolded. It had been a long time since he had been this entertained; however, the look on Charlie's face made him get up to follow his older brother outside. After the two siblings stepped outside, Harry looked at Ginny.
"I do care about you Gin...just not in the way you want me too. You know that we are not together, it's been over a year." Tears started falling from Ginny's eyes, her hands tried to wipe them away without any progress. "I didn't think, that I lead you to believe there was an us after the war." Ginny wiped her cheeks one last time and sniffed her nose.
"You didn't really. I-I guess I just hoped."
"Gin.."
"Don't. I don't want to talk about this anymore," said Ginny as she squared her shoulders, sat back down and turned to face Hermione. "I hope you find your parents, Hermione. You're so good at taking things that don't belong to you, I wouldn't want you to also take my parents away from me."
"Ginevra!" shouted Mr. Weasley.
"Wait! What?" Now it was Ron who held the attention of the people around the table. "Bloody hell! You're together?"
"I think that's pretty clear, Ron!" shouted Ginny.
"When the fuck did this bloody happen!" Harry and Hermione turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley waiting for an argument; nothing came. "I can't believe this! It's been since the hunt, right? Fuck! The bloody locket wasn't lying!"
"Ronald, stop," said Hermione, rubbing the bridge of her nose. A headache was starting as Ron continued his accusations.
"You too shagging in the damn tent when I kept watch. Hell! I could only imagine what you two did when I left, probably had a party and a damn fuck fest!
"Hey! That's not what happened!" shouted Harry.
"Oh! Really, mate? You expect me to believe you? You just deceived me!"
"Sod off, Ron! You're the one who told me an hour ago that you wanted to toss Hermione off to Charlie in so many words!"
"What!" shouted Hermione as she looked at Ron with narrowed eyes; her breathing coming out rapidly as she stared at him. "Are you my procurer now!"
"No, of course not! I knew we wouldn't work Mione, and I thought that maybe you and Charlie would. But never mind that since you've been shagging my best friend for Merlin knows how long!"
"Enough!" Hermione shouted as she slammed her hands on the table causing the glasses to rattle loudly. "How dare you Ron? Let me remind you, in case you forgot, during the hunt there was no time for romance or shagging all over the tent as you like to call it! WE were trying to survive and that WE includes YOU! When you walked out on us it was Harry who had to keep us going because you know what, Ronald? You broke my heart! You almost broke me! If it wasn't for his caring, his comfort, him carrying the weight of that bloody locket...I don't know where I would be. So, yes, I'm with Harry and I'm not sorry for it." Ron's jaw tightened and he looked at his feet. "I found something I wanted and I took it, AND I don't plan on stopping. For the first time, I know exactly what I want."
"Always a plan, hum, Hermione?" snorted Ginny. "Did you create a time table too and color coordinate it?" Hermione turned to look at Ginny and provided her with a smirk that would have made Severus Snape gasp.
"As a matter of fact I do have a plan," Hermione said in a voice so low yet filled with venom, "I'm going to find my parents. I'm going to find a way to restore their memories. I'm going to go back to Hogwarts. I'm going to score O's on all my N.E.W.T.s. I'm going to make sure house elves get paid. I'm going to work in the Ministry and make sure all bullshit Pure-blood laws are destroyed."
She leaned closer to Ginny. "I am going to become Mrs. Hermione Jean Granger-Potter and perhaps if I have time, I'm going to become the bloody fucking MINISTER FOR MAGIC!" With this Hermione pushed away from the table and stormed past Ron and Ginny; walking straight through the back door to head outside. As she was walked away, a grin spread across her face as the cool breeze cooled her her hot skin.
"Hey!" She heard a voice call, but Hermione had no intention of stopping.
"Hey!" She continued to walk.
"Excuse me!...Minister Granger-Potter!" That worked! Hermione stopped. She turned to see Harry running towards her carrying their bags.
"I figured you might need your things, Mrs. Potter," laughed Harry.
"Oh! Shush you...um, about that Harry, I-"
"I don't need an explanation, let's go home." Harry opened his arms and Hermione melted into him. She needed a brief second before the uncomfortable feeling of Side-Along Apparition.