Chapter 3: The Journey Ahead

Hermione thought she would stay at the Burrow for a few more days before going to find her parents. She intended on leaving the day after the funeral but she thought it only proper to stay at least a few days after the funeral seeing as the atmosphere was so grim. She sat on the living room couch reading and contemplating a plan, as Harry and Ron came down to join her.

"What are you reading now?" said Ron with a half amused, half exasperated tone.

Hermione smiled, but didn't take her eyes off the book.

"Don't worry. It's nothing like the one you gave Harry for his birthday." Ron choked on his drink and looked at Harry, who seemed equally surprised.

"How did you know?" Harry asked.

"Ginny told me." Harry and Hermione started laughing as Ron scowled.

"Well, as you said, I apparently have the emotional range of a teaspoon. So, I had to get help somewhere. I mean, you say one thing, mean another. Bloody confusing!" Ron scowled.

Hermione smiled and looked up at the two of them. She missed the care-free moments of friendship they had together. For almost two years, everything was about the war. And she was glad to see that their moments of lazy contemplation were back. She put her book away and beamed at them both with an utmost sense of content.

Ron continued, "Oh, stay away from Mum for a while. She's looking for someone to degnome the garden again. If I see one more gnome in my lifetime…"

"So, what other wizarding comics did you read as a child Ron, apart from Beetle the Bard, I mean?"

"Well, there was the one about Beatrice, the Bicorn Beast."

"A Bicorn?" Harry remarked.

"Bicorns are these two-horned beasts, a bit like unicorns, but they grow very large. Their horn is used in Poly-juice Potion," said Hermione.

Harry grinned at her knowledge and recital of even the most random creatures.

Hermioen continued with a sense of pride. "According to mythology, they eat their faithful husbands."

"Every man's dream," remarked Harry.

Ron, still lost in his comics continued. " I loved reading those. Fred and George gave them to me. They had a huge collection. But, Mum got so tired of them that she shrinked them and stuffed them in a box. Mind you, it made their room a whole lot cleaner."

Ron continued, "What do muggles read?"

"Well, everything that I had in the muggle world once belonged to Dudley; and the only things he ever collected were toy cars." Harry said.

Hermione added. "Speaking of Dudley, Harry, what did your Aunt and Uncle say when you parted?"

"They didn't say much, really. But, Dudley said that he didn't consider me a waste of space. Which, really, coming from him, it's a high compliment. He seemed to think that I was actually going to go with them. The expression on his face when I told him I wasn't…I never saw him try so hard to think." He laughed as he contemplated the thought of his cousin thinking. "Uncle Vernon was just happy to be rid of me. And Aunt Petunia was apparently proud, and alarmed at Dudley's sudden liking to me."

Hermione was surprised. "Wow, Harry."

"Seems like that idiot finally realized that you saved him from the dementors, not caused the dementors. Took him long enough." Ron laughed.

"Hermione, where do you think you're parents are right now? We've got to go find them and put them back right."

"We? Oh, um, well, I was actually going to go down to them at the end of next week."

"I think Mum will be okay with us leaving by then." Ron said.

"But wait, you two want to come with me?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"Well, of course, we do. Why wouldn't we?" Harry asked mirroring the same expression of exasperation that Hermione had when he asked them if they were sure they wanted to come with him.

"Oh well, that's wonderful then! I just thought, that with everything that's happened, you'd rather stay here than come down with me. I mean there's just been a lot going on and it's been so jumbled lately."

Hermione was pleased. The strength of their friendship always made her proud. But at this moment, staring at her best friends, she was happier than ever, that she was locked up in a bathroom with a giant Troll on Halloween many years ago. She got up and hugged them both, kissed Ron on the cheek, and left to tell Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh, Ginny would want to come too. You should tell her." Ron cried out behind her.

She left the room and went searching for Ginny. She found her up in their room feeding Pigwidgeon.

"Hey Ginny, what are you doing?"

"Pig hasn't been fed for ages. Ron probably forgot so I thought I'd give him something to eat. What are you up to?" she said looking up at Hermione with bright eyes.

"I was looking for you actually. I wanted to ask you something."

Ginny nodded.

"Well, you know that I placed an enchantment on my parents so they move away to a safer place. I think I will head down to them by the end of this week and set their memory right." She smiled as she said it. She really missed her parents.

"Oh, well, when are we leaving?" Ginny asked with a casual tone.

Another smile creeped on to her face. "This Friday. I need to go tell Mrs.Weasley now. Do you think she will be okay with all four of us leaving?"

"I think Mum can manage. I think she would actually like to have the house be a bit more free; only for a while though so we should come back soon enough," Ginny said.

"Hey, um, is Harry down in the kitchen?" she added.

"Living room."

Hermione left the room and went down to Ron and gestured him out of the living room. She figured Ginny would want to talk to Harry alone, at least for a while. Besides, she found it relieving to have Ron by her side when she told Mrs.Weasley of their departure.

She peeked into the room to make sure they weren't catching her in a bad mood. She seemed to be sorting through a magazine. Hermione felt sad as she noticed that the usual life in Mrs.Weasley's smile seemed to be absent.

"Mrs.Weasley?" called out Hermione. "Mrs.Weasley, are we disturbing?"

"Oh, no no no. Come on in dear. Would you like a spot of tea? Ron, I made pumpkin pastry if you'd like to have some. It's by the stove," said Mrs.Weasley gesturing to the stove. Ron smiled, grabbed a large piece of cake and drew up the chair next to Mrs.Weasley.

"Mmm, I love it Mum. Thanks," said Ron with a mouthful.

"Mrs.Weasley,"

"Yes, dear," she looked up startled. She seemed distracted, as though she forgot that they were still in the room.

"Mrs.Weasley, you know that last summer, I bewitched my parents so that they are not harmed. So, I will be leaving this Friday to go find them. I wanted to stay till the funerals were over. But I think it's really time that I go find them."

"Yes, dear." Mrs.Weasley smiled at Hermione with an essence of pride etched on her face.

"I'll be going with her, Mum. Ginny and Harry will be coming too." Ron muttered through a mouth full of cake.

"We'll come back as soon as we find them. They'll be coming back to London as well. I think they would actually like to meet you, again" said Hermione.

"That would be lovely dear. Just take Pig with you and keep us updated, will you?" said Mrs.Weasley.

Hermione nodded and left the table, Ron trailing behind her, mouth still filled with cake. She laughed as she thought of all those times at the Great Hall when he stuffed his face.

"Whahth?" muttered Ron with an indignant expression on his face.

"Nothing. It's a wonder how you survived all those days when we were hiding out trying to find the Horcruxes. I mean, the way you eat, honestly. Try swallowing once in a while."

They both laughed. He finally put the plate down and they decided to stroll around the field.

"So, where exactly in Australia are your parents?"

"Well, we're going to have to look around, quite a bit actually. I didn't want to have any specific information laying around, you know, just in case. I wanted them to be a bit spontaneous actually, so they're harder to track down."

"We can use a few charms, I guess. I'll ask Dad if he can help us out somehow. Although, I don't see what he can really do."

"We can try checking muggle records," said Hermione thoughtfully.

It was a beautiful day. It had an air of promise. The sun was warm and bright with a few clouds sprinkled in the sky. The grass was greener than ever and a sense of warmth and comfort permeated Hermione. They both walked around, hand in hand.

"Ron, what do you think about coming back on train after we find them? For old times' sake?"

"Sure. We should go to Hogwarts sometime too. For old times' sake," he said grinning.

"Yeah. It would be nice to visit Hagrid sometime too. I wonder who the new Headmaster is. I heard McGonagall was offered the job but she rejected it," said Hermione.

"Well, she was getting pretty old," said Ron. "I guess we should start packing, eh? What books do you plan on packing this time? I should have your copy of Hogwarts: A Historyframed. You practically worship it."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. A cool breeze blew past them and the sun started to sink.

"We should get back inside, Ron."

They both made their way back towards the house. The happiness they both felt at this moment of bliss was indescribable. But they had to get inside and start setting up for dinner before Mrs.Weasley noticed that they were missing.

"Hey Hermione," Ron was stroking the back of his head with a doubtful expression on his face.

"What is it Ron?" Hermione was amused in anticipation of what he would do next.

He took her other hand and carefully leaned in to kiss her softly. She had not expected this; but it was the perfect way to end this beautiful day. He pulled away gently and smiled at her. She gave a small laugh and looked up at him.

"There you two are. We've been looking all over for you. We've got to go set up for dinner." They were interrupted by Ginny as she happily rushed out toward them.

Ron gave Hermione one last smile and left. She stood there smiling. Ginny mirrored a knowing smile and they both laughed.

"So, I'm assuming you and Harry are officially back together?" she asked.

Ginny beamed as they both laughed and made their way inside.