Author's Note: Those in italics are Harry's thoughts.

CHAPTER EIGHT

"So Mr. Potter, have been having some chest pains lately, have ye?"

I was less than relieved to find that Grawp would be the attending Healer. I still couldn't forget him trying to lunge for Hermione at the Forbidden Forest but I guess he learned to adapt pretty well – that and make use of his opposable thumbs at the same time. Although, I do know that he has changed a lot since then and has become one of the more popular healers, it's just strange to see him and not remember those times when Hagrid would come out of the Forest battered and bruised. That and he sounds a lot like Hagrid with my eyes closed.

I reply to his inquiry, "Well yeah. I can't seem to know why though?"

"I'll have to run some preliminary tests and then we'll see what we can do feh yeh. But my unofficial prognosis is that you're just suffering from a little heartache. "

I looked at Grawp incredulously and wondered whether he's changed enough so that he doesn't rip my head off from my body when I laugh at him. Because honestly, that's not even a healer term. Mistaking my silence for confirmation of this fact, he orders me to drink some lovelorn potion made from roots of a mashed up rose bush on some guy's gravestone which I'm not doing because nothing could be more wrong. But I don't want to argue with Grawp and so I let him think what he wants to think. No use making him angry as he might just give me a good reason to be at St. Mungo's. I wait until he scribbles all of the requirements on a piece of paper which took longer than usual because he kept on breaking all the quills but eventually he did finish and so I took off quickly, thinking about my impending trip.

Upon reaching Grimmauld place, I hurriedly scribbled a note to Ron informing him that we won't be having our normal Sunday sports marathon and that he need not send the aurors to find me because I'm just going for a short trip. I contemplated telling him that I'm going to Kenya but thought it best not to. He's going to gloat and for all the wrong reasons. I'm not going there because I'm jealous of this John character who he doesn't even know yet but because I just want to find out if Hermione's okay. So there. Nothing to it at all. I'M NOT JEALOUS. I'm just looking after her welfare because after all Hermione's like the sister I never had and we don't want any old chap just insinuating himself into her life. I mean she's probably lonely there. She's going to be vulnerable and would be looking for something to seem familiar. Then wham! She goes on a date with him, marries him, moves away and have kids. Heck! I'm not going to let this guy take advantage of Hermione like that. He's not taking her away from me. I mean us. We're her family. Obviously, I didn't think this through but I have all the best intentions in going down there. Let's just hope she would share the same opinion and not hurl bat-bogey hexes at me when I show up at her door unannounced.

So debating on whether it would be better to travel by plane or on a broomstick, I decided to travel muggle style, which would give me more time to think about what I'm going to tell Hermione as to why I'm there. Maybe I'm better off facing Grawp and getting pummeled by him because then I wouldn't have to go to Kenya. Ron can just write Hermione that I've been badly beaten and she'll be back safely in London with me. Now there's a plan but bodily harm is my last resort considering that I still have wounds from fighting Voldemort that hasn't healed yet even after all those years. In the meantime, I have 14 hours until I reach Kenya and look into Hermione's eyes and tell her that … tell her…that she absolutely cannot marry this dubious character because he may be a doctor but I could tell that he's…well, he's boring. I mean the name alone is a dead giveaway. Name one interesting person named John. None. Hermione craves excitement. Like that time when we were in Hogwarts. Besides, obviously Hermione is still distraught about her parents – the poor kid. I mean, I know what that's like and I could better support her during these times. This John and Hermione doesn't have a long history together. I mean, how can she possibly know that he won't just leave at the merest hint of trouble. He took off when the orphans needed him, didn't he? I would do no such thing. I would keep Hermione safe and try my damndest to keep those she cares about safe. Well granted that I wasn't there for her parents but shoot she couldn't possibly hold that against me. Well, actually she can and she probably should.

The thing is I'm not sure Hermione will appreciate the reasoning behind my arguments and lest I make a mess of things, I think I better write this down and keep the internal dialogue to a minimum so as not to scare the person beside me. Didn't know I was saying that out loud.

Africa and John

1. It's an exotic place. I chortle at this and pretend that I choked on the water I was sipping. The passenger next to me is giving me the evil eye as I do this. Please, there are unexplored parts of England which can be considered exotic like…the River Thames. Who knows what lurks underneath its placid black surface.

2. John is a doctor. So what if he is? It's just passive heroism but Hermione deserves someone who isn't afraid to lay his life for the people they love. I'm going to cross that out. I wonder, if profession factors into a girl's propensity to fall in love with someone? Can it? I turn to the nice old lady across the aisle and ask her. She looks at me in a strange way but she says no. So I can definitely cross that out

3. She's making a difference where it counts. Then again, it's not like England is a wellspring of contentment. She can make a difference there.I see the nice old lady across the aisle peer at what I'm furiously scribbling down and tells me that I do hope I figure it out quickly. Figure what out quickly? It's Hermione who has to figure it out for herself and from the looks of it, it's a no-brainer.

4. He seems nice. Oh that's bull crap! From Hermione's one letter, he does seem like a pretty decent guy but then again I haven't had the benefit of longer correspondences to verify that. He could be a wife-beater back in the States for all we know..

5. They have shared experiences. Hah! What 6 months? Hermione and I have had shared experiences for 18 years. Granted those experiences are fodder for her nightmares which I know she has, but still that counts for something, right?

6. He probably loves her and she…she may love…you know what?. That's not certain. She just probably likes him.

Now for my list….I'm rooting for England but I can be objective. I just want to guide her in what's right for her. So here goes…

England and Harry. Wait let me add onto that list…

England and Harry / Ron

1. England is her home. Home. Shouldn't that count for something?

2. Friends and family. Sure she doesn't have a family there anymore. Well thanks to me and Voldemort's obsession with killing me off but Ron's there. So is Luna and the Weasleys. I'm there.

3. She's going to be an aunt soon. Luna would need all the help she can get. God knows, the kid would be in for a lifetime of therapy without normal intervention and Hermione normal.

4. Memories. It's where she had taken root. Not to be churlish about Kenya but where did she have her first kiss. Her first dance. Her first love. Incidentally, all of those memories were tied with Viktor Krum who is from the Planet of Grunt but England holds those memories for her and there are still a few more memories that we can make together. Err, I meant me, Hermione and Ron and Luna.

5. Ron. Enough said.

I know it's cheating to write down our names separately but hey it's not like someone will be suing me for doing so but here goes… Hermione's last reason for choosing England is --- well, me. Harry. I write that twice and so it comes off bold and dark against the stark white lined crumpled paper. One reason she has to come back to England with me is because she's my best friend and I ….I. LOVE. HER. Oh my God! I love Hermione.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are approaching Kenya International Airport, please remain in your seats until the "fasten your seatbelts" sign has been turned off. We thank you for flying Afrikair and we hope to see you in our next flight."

Oh shoot! The old lady across the aisle reaches over and pats my hand. "I hope you get your young lady, young man." All of a sudden, I can't breathe.