Disclaimer: see another chapter- sadly, nothing has changed

It's the thirtieth of July, tomorrow will be Harry's birthday. Days have passed since their first kiss. Days of stolen kisses on rare occasions, when they finally were alone. It's been harder than they thought it would be. Not only the fact that everybody lived together here and there is no explanation for being alone, but also that nothing is the same as it used to be.

They both gave themselves up to an illusion when they thought nothing had changed. But for him seventeen years had passed and he was a different person. Thirteen years in Askaban can make people go insane, so all in all he hadn't even changed that much, still it wasn't easy.

She was another woman as well. Leaving the man she loved behind, accepting his death and mourning him left no one unaffected. That made it hard, that everything was so different and yet so similar for both of them.

And there was the fact that neither of them could take a strong point when doubts came up, because they both believed themselves to be unworthy of the other. There was the guilt, the feeling that she'd left him and the believe that he hadn't really forgiven her, untrue as it was. It troubled her, making her feel unworthy of him. Furthermore, she thought of herself as the bushy-haired bookworm, unable to see that she'd become a beauty and was now a young woman with gently cascading curls in a rich tone of brown.

But just that troubled him. He was her teacher and twice her age, and he was sure she deserved someone better, young man who had a life ahead of him. She could have anybody, so why would she choose him.

Still, their love held them together, though they were unable to see it. They both knew they loved the other, but their fears and troubles kept them from admitting it.

What held them together was the fear of losing each other. Both of them could clearly remember how close they'd been to death, and first of all how close they'd been to seeing the person they loved most die. The feeling that their happiness and love might not last until tomorrow kept them together, because for them it was almost like a way of admitting their love.

Ginny was thinking about that. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to interfere, she had done that enough and she couldn't force them. After all, it was something that should stay between the two of them. Still, it made her unhappy at the least how both of them were so self-conscious and made their own lifes hard.

She watched them, surprised that nobody but herself (and Remus- but that didn't count, Remus saw everything) noticed how Sirius and Hermione kept stealing glances at each other. "For goodness sake", she thought. "It's so bloody obvious that they're in love no matter how much they changed and everything, can't they just tell each other."

She knew it wasn't that easy of course, still she suffered with them. Neither of them had talked to her about their feeling, they'd only told her that they were together again. She'd been happy for them, at least until she'd seen that they hadn't really cleaned it up yet. She knew they'd admitted their love twenty years ago, but both were too unsure about everything that had happened to do it again.

Ginny was shaken out of her musings when Mrs Black started screeching in the hallway, but she was only surprised when the portrait immediately became quiet again. They were all in the kitchen, eating lunch at the moment and her father, Dumbeldore and Emmeline Vance jumped up and pulled their wands when Draco Malfoy entered.

Sirius didn't really registrate what was happing in the first moment, because he'd been quite busy thinking about how gorgeous Hermione looked- and was- so he only looked up when the Malfoy boy came into the kitchen.

People said that Sirius Black acted rashly, and they were certainly right, but he was also a damn good observer. Going with the fact that his cousin's son had several wands pointing at him, he didn't feel the need to pull his won, but looked around instead.

What he saw distinctly surprised him: Harry didn't wear his battle-face and just sat there, looking worried, Remus, Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna (who'd both arrived yesterday) didn't seem irritated and Ginny and Tonks were trying unsuccessfully to suppress their grins at the looks on everybody's face while Susan Bones who'd arrived with her aunt Amelia (also an Order member) for today's meeting after lunch was blushing.

"Wands down. Draco is no threat. I invited him here." Harry spoke in a calm voice but Sirius noticed very clearly that his godson wasn't a little boy any longer. He made it clear that he wished to be obeyed and Arthur sat down again after throwing along look at Harry. Dumbeldore turned around to Harry with an angry stare, but also lowered his wand.

Emmeline however didn't move an inch. "He's a Malfoy Harry. His father is a Death eater, and he probably is as well. Sirius winced when she saw the look in Harry's eyes. He'd seen it often enough, every time when Lily became angry about the fact that the Marauders pranked Snivellus. Well, Sirius thought to himself. Emmeline has always been a stupid bitch.

Harry response sounded desperate to remain calm, but with an anger underneath. "You should know better than to judge people by their families, Mrs. Vance. His cousin is sitting over there", he pointed at Tonks, "and Sirius is a Black as well. Besides if you want to decide over people by their families, why not do it by their blood status?"

She made to reply, but he cut her off. "I take it you were blown?"

The blond boy nodded.

Dumbeldore interrupted the conversation. "Harry, could you explain to us what young Mr Malfoy is doing here?"

"No, I couldn't. I invited him here, I trust him, it's none of your business and I don't need your permission. You aren't the owner of this house, just a guest. Sirius, would it be alright if he stayed here? He can be trusted." Harry sent his godfather a Marauder-grin that reminded the older man a lot of James.

He grinned back. Sirius hadn't been to happy with Dumbeldore for sending Harry to his aunt and while he wasn't sure what his godson was playing at, he trusted him and if Harry said Draco was okay, why would he doubt it. "Of course. How lovely. The whole family together again. Does anyone know if Bella has children?"

Most people tried to suppress their grins, while Molly put on her "you-should not joke about this"- face and Dumbeldore seemed very angry.

A new voice came into the discussion. "Well, dearest cousin, if you want the family together, I'm sure you'll be pleased to see me."

"Cissy?" Sirius whipped around.

In the doorway Narcissa Malfoy pulled down her hood. "Hello, Sirius. Well, it's lovely to be back again. This place looks much better."

"Draco, do you vouch for her?" Harry asked.

He nodded. "Yes, I do."

"I'll also vouch for her, if you need it." Remus spoke from his place. "Narcissa was friends with your mother and Lily trusted her."

Everybody stared at him as if he'd said that Harry's mother had been friends with Riddle himself. Sirius decided to support Remus. "It's true. Barely anyone knew, of course, it was far too dangerous, but they were very good friends." He remembered all the evenings in the Head's lounge with all of them: the Marauders, Lily, Narcissa and Mya. Mya.

Sirius turned around to look at his girlfriend. He'd completely forgotten for the moment that she'd been friends with Narcissa as well. In those short months she spent there, the three of them had been quite close.

Hermione face was blank. She was happy to see Cissy again. She'd been surprised when she first met the younger version of Narcissa Malfoy that the girl was nothing like she seemed to be. While playing the spoiled pureblood-girl, Narcissa had secretly spent her time with two Gryffindor muggleborns. The Slytherin hadn't been arrogant, but intelligent, friendly and helpful and Hermione, Mya, had soon come to see her and Lily as very good friends.

Nevertheless, her happiness to see that Cissy had finally made the choice against her husband who she'd been pressured to marry, was overruled by the fear that the other woman would recognise her.

Their gazes met and the shock and surprise showed on the blond's face. Hermione put a finger to her mouth and silently mouthed: "Later." She hoped Draco's mother would understand, because otherwise she had a very big problem.

"How did they know how to come in here anyway?" Emmeline Vance wanted to know.

Harry looked at her. "I don't know." He answered sarcastically. "Maybe the secret keeper told them."

"But Dumbeldore…"

The headmaster looked grim. "Since last year this house has two secret keepers. After Harry became owner, we transferred it too him as well."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Hestia Jones wanted to know. "It's twice the risk."

Ginny seemed unnerved. "Think for a moment. If Voldermort gets his hands on either of them", she said, pointing at the two secret keepers. "We have much bigger problems than that the headquarters are revealed. Now we've cleared that neither Draco nor Mrs. Malfoy are any danger too us, right, can we please start the meeting."

Dumbeldore seemed to sense that he couldn't win this discussion. "Well, then of course we must ask all not-Order-members to leave."

Harry smiled at him. "Normally, I would agree with you, sir. However, I think that Draco has some information for us, so he'll stay for the moment. Perhaps somebody will agree to escort Mrs Malfoy upstairs?"

"I'll do it. I'm not on duty or anything, and I'm sure you'll tell me anything important later", Hermione commented. "Mrs. Malfoy, come along please."

The two women left the room, Hermione closing the door behind them. The blonde stopped and turned around. "Is it really…"

"Not here. Come along."

She led her friend up the stairs, towards the library, around which she cast several powerful silencing charms. She'd learned to be careful, and she was sure that Cissy would get everything out of her.

"Yes. It is me. The wonders of time travel."

Narcissa Malfoy hugged the other woman, tears of joy running over her face. "I can't believe it. I thought both of you were gone forever. So, tell me everything."

After Hermione had finished telling her story, Narcissa smiled. "Oh god, that must have been awful, knowing what would happen and not being able to do a thing about it. It's wonderful that you're really alive. I'd given up all hope, after Lily died."

"Were…were you at their funeral?"

A short nod was the answer, while grief and pain shot into the other woman's eyes.

"Could you tell me? I was never able to say good-bye properly."

"It was a beautiful ceremony:"

Flashback

A grey-hooded figure stood at the graveyard of Godric's Hollow. Tears were running over a face. When a wisp of wind blew a strand of hair from under her hood, she quickly tucked it back in. Narcissa Malfoy didn't want to be recognised. Not that it mattered that much anymore, her life was over.

She'd been forced to marry a man she hated and despised herself for not be strong enough to rebel. And now she'd lost everybody important to her. In her life, she'd had two true friends, women whom her family saw as the lowest of their kind, mudbloods they called them. And yet they'd given her hope in herself and a future.

But now, one of them had disappeared after a few short months and the other was dead. Her son was the only one who remained now, but he would probably become an arrogant pureblood-prat like his father was. Soon he'd be taken away from her, to "grow up a man". She could only hope that he'd be strong enough to withstand, that maybe he could see the right in this world. And her daughter, well she hoped that the girl she'd born two days ago was safe.

Remus ended his speech, he'd been the last speaker. People went forward, putting flowers on the grave of two brave heroes- and two good friends. There were a lot of lilies, something that made the blonde angry. Lily had liked her name, but disliked the flower.

Narcissa but roses their instead: four of them. One for James Potter, a good man who'd respected her though she was a Slytherin, one for Lily, the woman who'd shown her that their was more to life than prejudices, one for Sirius, in whose innocence she believed and one for Mya, because she'd been there when she was needed and because she was a ray of hope. The hope that maybe, one day, someone would manage to defeat the Dark Lord. And all for roses as symbol of the love the two couples had for each other, something she'd always admired.

She left the graveyard quietly, not being able to get rid of the feeling that her life had been buried as well.

The roses remained. Their magic made them last a year and when they'd grown black, she'd return every year at the same day, to put four new ones there.

Both women were crying when Narcissa finished her story. It was only some time later that they managed to compose themselves, let their mourning end for a moment.

They talked for a while, about past, present and future until Narcissa asked: "What have you told Sirius?"

"Everything I told you."

"How did he take it?"

"He didn't speak with me for several days, but he forgave me. Not that I deserved it." The guilt was visible again in her eyes which didn't go unnoticed by the other woman.

"It's not your fault, M…Hermione. It's going to take some getting used to calling you that. Anyway, are you together now?"

"Yes, we are, but I don't know. He's so much older than me, he deserves somebody better, and especially after everything I did."

Narcissa gave her friend a reassuring smile. "Have you talked to him? I'm sure he doesn't think so. The two of you are meant to be. You always were."

"I don't know. I made so many mistakes. And he should be together with some beautiful women, not with boring old bookworm Hermione."

"You know that's not true. You made the right decisions. How would you feel if Harry lost this war and hundreds of people died for your happiness? And you are beautiful, you're just afraid to admit it, because being the bushy-haired little girl is the role you've always played and you feel safe with that."

"It's not that easy."

"It is. Do you love him?"

"Yes. Did I just say that?"

"You did. I won't say I told you so, but you know it's true. Everybody who has two eyes can see. And now turn around."

AN: Sorry for the long wait, I've been terribly busy with all the Christmas-stuff.

Thank you so much to all my reviewers: googlibear, SmallChatteryOne, amrawo and Slytherin-Lycan! Your reviews really helped me!

I'll probably update this week, I hope so at least. And now please click that blue button and leave me a short (or long) review.