A random thought as we head into this: I had tons of fun writing the rest of this because I got to have free reign with it since I didn't have a strict time line to follow. It's so much easier to have that freedom, you know? I hope you like reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
-Chapter 26: I Think We Can Manage That-
The Burrow was quiet the days following the Battle at Hogwarts despite having so many people in it. All of the Weasleys plus Harry and Hermione decided to stay at the Burrow until they felt things were semi back to normal. George barely spoke to anyone for almost two weeks. Hermione, Fleur, and Ginny took over in the kitchen for a while after Molly accidentally set fire to dinner one night when she realized she had made Fred's favorite dish.
It had been exactly one month since the Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione and Ginny were snuggled together in Ginny's bed. Hermione heaved a heavy sigh.
"Something the matter, 'Mione?" Ginny asked.
"I'm leaving next week. I have to go find my parents and bring them back."
"How long will you be gone?" Ginny asked, pushing herself closer to Hermione.
"I…I wasn't planning on coming back to the Burrow," Hermione said, "they understood me not coming home during Holidays because of the danger for a while but now that the danger is gone I want to spend some time with them."
"I understand, love. When will I see you again?"
"Well I have decided that I am definitely going back to Hogwarts in the fall. I was thinking though, I would like you to get to know my parents. I know you met them at the book store one year but that was a long time ago. I mean, you are engaged to their only child, I think it is only fair that they get to know you before the wedding."
"You mean come and stay with you for a while?" Ginny perked up.
"Yes, if you want."
"I would love to, Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed. "Oh this is exciting! Of course I have to ask Mum and Dad but I am sure they will say yes."
"Wonderful, we shall ask them in the morning then," Hermione said. She leaned in and gave Ginny a kiss then the two fell asleep.
After breakfast the next morning Molly and Arthur insisted everyone go into the village to do some shopping and get out for fresh air. Ginny and Hermione stayed behind.
"Do you mind, Mum? We...we'd like to talk to you and Dad while everything is quiet," Ginny said as she and Hermione sat down at the kitchen table.
"We should have made time to talk about all of this sooner but as you girls know, Molly and I have been rather distracted lately," Arthur said.
"We understand, Dad. There's been a lot going on and you and Mum needed some time to settle down."
"How exactly did this engagement come about?" Molly asked.
Ginny told her about Fred and George getting her the rings and her sudden proposal in the Room of Requirement before the Battle at Hogwarts.
"I honestly didn't expect to do it right then but I swear to you, the box appeared out of nowhere in my pocket when I saw Hermione come through that tunnel."
"We are happy for you both, really," Arthur said, "but we do have one request of you. We know you will wait until after you finish school next year but we would also like it if you waited until Ginny was eighteen. We know that seventeen is the legal age but this is just personal preference. Depending on when you wanted to get married that may not make any difference but it is the one thing we ask of you."
"I think we can manage that," Ginny said with a nod.
"Yes, I think a September or October wedding would be very nice," Hermione added.
"Do you want an engagement party?" Molly asked.
"Not yet," Hermione said. "We figure it can wait until next summer after we're finished with school."
"There's something else," Ginny said. "We were wondering if maybe I could spend some time with Hermione and her parents next month."
"I don't see why not," Molly nodded. "What do you think Arthur?"
"I think that would be a fantastic experience! Oh living the Muggle way! You would have to take plenty of notes, Ginny. I want to know everything!"
"I will, Dad."
"Do you have anything else for us?" Molly asked.
"No, I think that's about it. We'll have to wait to solidify plans for next month until I find my parents and alter their memories."
"Of course, dear. Now why don't you two get outside and get some fresh air."
The girls nodded. Ginny grabbed a blanket from the sitting room and they headed down to their favorite spot by the river.
...............
Hermione departed the following week. She promised to send Ginny a letter the moment she got back with her parents.
Exactly a week after Hermione left an owl came for Ginny.
16 June, 1998
Hello love!
I am sorry it took so long to get you an letter. It only took three days to find my parents and get them back here. They weren't too happy when I told them I modified their memories but I think they have forgiven me now. They agreed to you coming in July. I haven't told them about you and me and the engagement. I want to break it to them easy. They know I fancy girls but they are already struggling to comprehend everything about the multiple times I faced certain death and the battles, I didn't want to overload them. I hope all is well at the Burrow, I can't wait to see you again.
Love Always,
Hermione
Over the next few days the girls owled back and forth, solidifying plans for July. They decided to meet at The Leaky Cauldron on 12th at noon. The weeks flew by for Ginny since George decided to open the joke shop again with help from Ron and of course Ginny stuck to her deal she'd made with the twins. Ginny also helped Harry move in at Number 12 Grimmauld Place when she had free time. The other Weasley kids left one by one and returned to their lives. Soon the only ones left at the Burrow were Ginny and Ron. Harry had offered Ron a room at Grimmauld Place since they had plans to work together as Aurors at the Ministry of Magic. Ron declined the invitation for the time being, he wanted to be there for his parents for as long as possible and he was putting off becoming an Auror so he could help George at the joke shop.
Finally 12th July arrived. Arthur, Molly and Ginny Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny spotted Hermione and her parents at a table and the two girls ran to each other and embraced.
"Missed you, love," Ginny said smiling at Hermione.
"I missed you, too. Come sit down." Hermione gestured at the three Weasleys.
After lunch Ginny and her parents said their goodbyes and everyone agreed to meet back at the Leaky Cauldron in two weeks. Arthur reminded Ginny to take plenty of notes, he wanted to know absolutely everything.
The Grangers and Ginny arrived at the Granger's house outside of London. The first thing Ginny noticed was that nothing moved on its own. She was accustomed to seeing knitting needles working and dishes washing themselves. In the sitting room the walls were lined with shelves of books. There were strange titles like "Gone With the Wind" which Ginny picked up and opened but there was no wind at all, just words on pages. None of the pictures moved no matter how long Ginny stared at them. She smiled at one of Hermione when she was just a toddler. Her curly brown locks were sticking out every which way and she was curled up in a chair with a book.
There was an odd black box on a stand against one of the walls, the furniture seemed to be centered around it. Ginny wondered if maybe it was a modern fireplace. The furniture was all matching, it didn't look very broken in or worn like the furniture in the sitting room of the Burrow. Everything in the kitchen looked very new and shiny. Ginny was intrigued when Hermione explained the details of the "microwave". She was sure that anything that could make food hot without fire was some form of Dark Magic.
"What floor is your room on?" Ginny asked Hermione as she picked up her rucksack that was still in the sitting room floor.
"Oh we only have one floor," Hermione said, "I'll show you, come on."
"Hermione, would Ginny be more comfortable in her own room?" asked Mr. Granger.
"Oh yes, I could make out the convertible sofa in your father's den if you would rather have your own room, Ginny," offered Mrs. Granger
"Convertible sofa?" Ginny asked.
"It's a couch that turns into a bed," Hermione explained.
Ginny wondered what kind of spell would be used for that, she had never used one even close to it in Transfiguration.
"It's alright Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I will be comfortable in Hermione's room. Thank you for offering though."
Hermione showed Ginny the den, which was also full of books. There was another odd box on Mr. Granger's desk that resembled the one in the living room only this one was smaller. Next to it was a board with buttons that had letters on it. Ginny was confused when Hermione tried to explain the concept of some kind of "enter net" that was in the large rectangular box sitting on the floor that was attached to the thing sitting on the desk. From what Ginny understood it was kind of like a library that you never had to leave home to use.
Ginny half-expected to see a bookshelf in Hermione's bathroom and couldn't help but laugh when she saw a rack stuffed full of magazines. They walked into Hermione's bedroom and Hermione flipped a switch on the wall, the light overhead came on and startled Ginny a bit. Her father had talked about this; they didn't use oil lamps or candles anymore in the Muggle world, it was something about wires and "electricity".
Hermione's room was purple and the walls were of course lined with shelves of books. There was a large Gryffindor logo tapestry hanging on one of the walls and hanging up next to it were Hermione's framed Hogwarts acceptance letter and O.W.L. scores. There was a desk in one corner piled with papers, a half-empty ink bottle, more books and the Puffapod plant Neville had given her for her birthday, one end of a quill stuck out of one of the drawers. On her bedside table there was a frame with a picture in it. Ginny moved closer and saw it was a picture of the two of them at Bill and Fleur's wedding. They were dancing, Ginny had her arms wrapped around Hermione's waist and Hermione's were around Ginny's neck. Their foreheads were touching and they were looking into each other's eyes, smiling. She watched the picture move, the two of them swaying back and forth and they gently kissed.
"Where did you get this?" Ginny asked watching the picture.
"Bill gave it to me before I left last month. Would you like to unpack your things? I emptied a few drawers for you."
"What I would like to do is this," Ginny said a she walked to Hermione and wrapped her arms around her waist. Ginny pulled her in close and they kissed. Ginny gently nibbled Hermione's lower lip. She started to move back towards the bed but Hermione stopped her.
"We can't, Ginny," Hermione said, "I'm sorry, trust me I really am. I want nothing more than for us to be able to spend the next two weeks in bed but first and foremost is that my parents are firm in the belief of waiting until marriage to have sex whether I marry a man or a woman and I know that has already been thrown out the window for us but I would like to honor that while you're here. Second, we can't cast any silencing charms on my room because my parents don't want me doing magic while at home unless it has to do with schoolwork."
Ginny couldn't help but laugh a little when she said, "Well now I know how you felt the first term at Hogwarts while we were together. To quote you, 'I'll survive somehow!'"
"Well don't worry, I have put together an itinerary and we will be plenty busy. There is a lot to do in the city."
"Okay love," Ginny said, "it has been a long time since I've actually gotten to see London."
"You mean you've already seen it all?"
"Well, yeah, but I was just a little kid and I don't remember much of it. You forget that my dad is Muggle obsessed so of course we've been around. It will be wonderful to experience it with you though." Ginny smiled and started putting her clothes away.
"Okay but if there is something you do or don't want to do just tell me and we can make other plans," Hermione said as she went through the pieces of parchment on her desk. She handed one to Ginny and sure enough, Hermione had actually written out an itinerary for the entire two weeks. There was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Girls, if now is an alright time we'd like to speak to you," Mrs. Granger's voice was heard on the other side.
"Alright Mum, we'll be out in a minute!" Hermione said. She looked over and saw Ginny with a nervous expression.
"I told them about us about a week ago and they're alright with it. They're concerned just like your parents are. Getting married so young without extenuating circumstances is questioned in the Muggle world so they're a little apprehensive. They just want to make sure we're not rushing into things."
"Okay, well, what do I tell them?" Ginny asked.
"Just be honest with them," Hermione said as she took Ginny's hand, "everything will be fine, I promise."
