Harry was miserable. He sprawled on the floor in front of his couch, clad merely in boxers and an old Weasley Christmas jumper. Hermione, equally burdened, was herself strewn across the couch on her stomach, Crookshanks perched on her back.

"Why? Just why?" She random slapped his head with her hand that was dangling over the edge of the cushions. "Why did she banish me?"

Harry shook his head and then considered that she wasn't able to see him. "You? You I understand. You've been sneaking around with her son and broke her other son's heart. Why did she banish me? I thought she would be over the moon about me and Ginny."

Hermione huffed and raised herself on her elbows to grace him with a withered glare. "There is no "Ginny and you," you git. There's Ginny and Dean. There's been Ginny and Michael. Hell, there was even Ginny and Blaise. Never has there been a Ginny and Harry."

Harry shot up into a sitting position, horror paling his features. "She went with Blaise? Blaise Zabini. When?"

Hermione shrugged and resumed her position of staring at the couch back. "Few years back. They made a habit of snogging at parties and gave dating a go for about 2 months. It clearly didn't take, so I wouldn't give it much thought."

Harry was giving it thought, though. In fact, a good deal of his mental faculties were focusing on ways he could injure the man in question. He was a police officer now. He could cover it up fairly easy.

"You can't kill every man she's ever fancied, Harry." She blindly swung out and managed to strike his shoulder. "Even you can't manage to hide that many bodies. You have to consider celebrities."

He huffed and fell back to lay on his back, again. "You were her first crush, though. So calm down princess, all is right in Harry world."

"I can't believe Mrs. Weasley banished us on Easter weekend. I was looking forward to her meat pies." His stomach clenched in agreement. "And her homemade sweets."

"This was the first Weasley Holiday I'd been invited to since Ron and I split after graduation." He heard the mourning in her voice and felt bad for forgetting that Mrs. Weasley had been stubborn in allowing his friend into her house over the last few years. "I was looking forward to it, as well."

She heaved herself up, exaggerating the effort and made Harry chuckle. "I'm going to pack."

"What?" He struggled to his feet as well and followed to her room. "Packing for what?"

"I'm not gonna sit around here being miserable. I've been told ever so politely not to come to the Weasley house for holiday, again. My parents are in New Zealand and I don't want to go there, nor do I have the time or the funds. That leaves the open invitation to visit Shiloh."

"Shiloh Darren, the lush? You're going to spend your holiday with her?" He considered the possibility and weighed the options of being miserable at the flat or being miserable on a beach in the south of France. "Let me get a pack together."

"She's not a lush, Harry. She's American, and drinks far less than even you, mister." She popped her head into his room to shoot him a stern look. "She's seeing a new bloke, according to her last e-mail. So, be nice."

Harry shook his head at Hermione's protectiveness over the girl. "She's seeing a Frenchman? Makes sense that she would need a language barrier to make that work." He raised his hands in defence when she angled a shoe menacingly his way. "Okay, okay. Don't take the Micky out me. I'm just getting it all out now before we get there."

She remained in the door way, though, suddenly looking anxious. "Can we not take the tube? I think I would like to take your motorcycle."

Harry straightened from his packing. "Yeah. What's brought this on? You hate that bike, especially after Sirius." He cut himself off, stamping down that line of thought before it could bring the gloomy mood. "I mean, it's no trouble. If you really want to."

"Alright." She breathed in deep through her nose and let it out in one big huff. "Right. Yes. Okay, so, will you be ready soon?"

"Just finishing up. 15?"

She nodded and disappeared, again. "Oh, I sent a text to Ginny and Fred. Just so they would know what's going on. Can you get Ron? I don't have his new mobile yet."

Harry nodded and retrieved his phone from his pocket. Flipping it open, he saw a few unopened texts from from Ginny and one from Ron. Feeling his breath catch, he very nearly opened the messages from her. Swallowing thickly he made himself ignore them to answer Ron.

"Let her sweat a bit, maybe." He read over Ron's lament about him not being there to see Ginny row with Fluer. "Someone's feeling keyed up then? Good."

He typed a reply and then sent a quick run down of their rough plan of action. Ron was quick to send his own dark jab at Hermione's friend. Harry snorted and snapped the phone shut.

"Yeah, we're heading out now-ish." Hermione passed his door, phone wedged between her head and shoulder. "Yeah. Yeah. See you tonight, love."

Harry shook his head. "Poor Gin. She thinks she's your best mate. How will the kids take it?"

Hermione shoved him out the door with a dull laugh, and locked the door behind him. She was hesitant when it came to climbing onto the black monster, a sixteenth birthday gift from his late godfather. He'd attempted to teach her when they were kids, but it had left a bad taste in her mouth. He knew where her fear was coming from, having ridden in the ambulance with her.

"We can take the tube. Or rent a car? You know I'm careful. Especially since, well, yeah." She shook her head, set her shoulders and climbed on. "Alright, so, hold on tight."

She nodded and secured her helmet. Hands shaking, they interlocked around his midsection and she squeezed him tight. He reassured her once more and kicked the bike to life.

He heard her squeal as they pulled off and couldn't help chuckling. The ride was nice, and he revelled in the feeling like flying that bloomed in his chest. Hermione even began looking around, removing her head from its hiding space against his back. They stopped a few times for petrol and food, other than that it was straight through.

When they came up on the coast Hermione began pointing and shouting directions. They were quickly pulling into the neat gravel drive outside a quaint cottage. There was a nice foot path that led to the beach and it had a wrap around porch.

"It's nice." She snickered at the disbelief that sounded in his voice. "Yes, I'm eating my words, alright. She has a nice house."

The front door burst open and a giggling little mess came rushing toward Hermione. Hermione hoisted the girl onto her hip and kissed her cheek lovingly. Harry pat the small girl on the back before having his hand grabbed the girls tiny, paint splattered one.

"Bloody hell, she's big now." He nodded toward the blonde that was waiting in the door way, an infant against her hip. "Oh, and another one."

Hermione shushed him and passed her burden to him. "Hey, 'Loh! And this must be little Tabby." She took the baby and giggled a little as she was accosted by tiny hands on her face. "Where's this bloke I heard about? Harry doesn't think he exists."

"Nope! I actually said it was possible since there would be a language barrier." He let the squirming creature in his arms down and hugged Shiloh. "Seriously, though, he's a fabrication innit he?"

"Nah. He's in town running errands. We're out of almost everything. Kendra here thought it would be fun to open the fridge and leave it open." She grabbed her daughter's arm, threw her other arm around Hermione's shoulder and led them in. "He should be back soon. And jokes on you, Harry. Francis is American."

He watched as the menacing scar that marred her otherwise pretty face became more prominent as her smile slipped under his gaze. "How did everything go? 'Mione just sniffles and changes the subject."

Shiloh shrugged and absently touched her youngest child. "Well enough. He's locked up for a five year term. But he's a manipulative ass and will probably be out on parol before long. Either way, he has to go to therapy for what it's worth."

He nodded and let Hermione lead him to the spare bedroom. It had two twin beds and windows took up half the walls and wrapped around the room. They were open and the breeze was refreshing.

Their weekend was more fun than he had anticipated. Kendra reminded him of his own godson, Teddy. Shiloh's new bloke was quick to smile and give a witty response to her more vicious sarcastic attacks. He was good with the girls, too.

The holiday drew to a close rather quickly. It was easy to just slip into life at the cabin. He didn't think he would mind coming back, some day, just to get away. He could imagine a possible future of Ginny playing with children on the beach as he watched. It was something he immediately wanted, desperately.

He was sad to see their departure time come upon them, as Francis and he enjoyed cold beers while the girls braved the beach on the last day. "How do you handle her barriers?"

Francis shot him a concerned look. "Why?"

"I have this girl. Been mad about her for a while, but she's the kid sister of my best mate." He ran a hand through his hair. "I pushed her away too much and now I don't want to anymore. I can't. But-."

The older man nodded, a wide grin on his tanned face. "She's a feisty one, yeah? Balls, man." He let out a bark of a laugh and rubbed his scruff thoughtfully. "Well, just keep showing her it's different now. Constancy and time. That's all you got on your side, buddy."

Harry considered that as they rode back to London the following morning. Hermione hid her face for a marginally less time span than the ride down. She even whooped excitedly a few times when they swerved between cars quickly to pass slower drivers and change lanes.

Ron was having a beer on their couch when they finally made their way through the front door. "Oi, bout time you got back. How was it? She hit on you, didn't she."

"Nah. She only hits on married men." Harry couldn't help himself and Hermione hit him with her pack as she shoved passed him into the flat. "Actually, it was pretty good. Francis is a decent bloke. The girls are rather cute."

"Girls? Two now, then. Hell." Ron smiled, but a shadow flitted over his face. "How's she healing? It's been a while, sure, but she was pretty roughed up."

"She's on the mend." Hermione held up a disposable Harry had somehow forgotten she'd bought at a shop on the way down. "Got plenty of snaps. You can flip through when I get them developed at Creevey's"

"I'm knackered, but also hungry." Harry threw his bag to the side and pointed at Ron. "Leaking Cauldron? They have decent chips and sandwiches."

"Oh, I'll join you." Hermione returned from depositing her things in her room. "I'm starving."

Ron finished his drink and followed them to the pub across the street. They ordered a round and some chips as they waited on sandwiches. Hermione spent a few minutes answering texts, since their signal had been spotty while at the cottage. Harry had managed his on the way down to eat.

Hermione huffed when her phone almost immediately buzzed once she'd set it on the table. "Harry, have you heard from Ginny lately?" She raised her brow in his direction and her eye twitched when it buzzed insistently against her elbow. "Well? Oh, shut up, Ron!"

He was chuckling, face slightly red from containing himself. "Yeah, Harry. Heard from my sis?"

Harry felt proud of himself when he answered, "she sent me more than a few texts. I have opened none of them. She said she wanted me to keep my distance, rather loudly actually. So, I am giving her what she wants."

Hermione hit him repeated on his arm. "Ow. Hermione, what?" She then began digging his phone from his front pocket. "Hey, whatcha? Stop that."

She grumbled and randomly called him a git from time to time as she clicked through his unopened texts. "'Mione, stop it. Give me my mobile."

She slapped his hand away and sent Ron a glare as his chuckling turned into near hysterics. "I'm fixing your stupidity. Honestly, Harry. How did you ever get any girl? You can be so thick sometimes."

He sputtered in shock as she thrust the phone against his chest. "I do fine thanks! Gin will come round. Butt out, yeah?" His phone trilled in his hand and he took a quick glance at the front screen to see a new text from Ginny had just come through. "What did you do?"

"I fixed your blunder, you impossible prat." She shoved a chip in her mouth and tossed another one at Ron who managed to catch it his mouth between random laughter fits. "You're meeting her for coffee tomorrow. You're welcome."

"I'm doing what?"

Harry was still feeling bitter toward Hermione the next morning as they walked down the street toward the cafe where he was meeting Ginny. They were a bit early since he wanted to see her coming and mentally prepare. He stood with Hermione as she ordered drinks and muffins for her and Fred. She'd resumed going round the shop after coming clean to Ron about her affair with his brother.

"Calm down." She took her change from cashier and shoved him over to the pick up station, since his eyes were focused on the street outside. "You've been friends for years. This will be fine."

"What if things had been like this between you and Ron? Or with Fred?" She closed her mouth, looking scolded. "Yeah. I don't feel like you did with Viktor. This isn't a fleeting fancy. Stop laughing."

She giggled and hid her smile behind a hand. "I'm sorry. "Fleeting Fancy?"

"Oh, shut up."

She stepped forward then to pick up her order. When she returned to his side he nodded toward a table near the side entrance. She shuffled behind him and nudged him with her hip once he was settled.

"You'll do fine." She beamed down at him. "You're bloody Harry Potter! You're made of tougher stuff than saps who use terms like "fleeting fancy." Just be honest."

She gave him a jovial farewell and he watched her go through the window. She practically skipped across the street and up to Fred, who was making his way down from the flat above the shop. He took the drink carrier, giving her a kiss and passing off the front door key so she could lead them into the shop itself.

"Yeah. They're disgusting." He was startled by Ginny's sudden appearance as nearly fell into the seat across from him. "I had a chat with him this morning. The boy is utterly smitten and it's nauseating. So, order yet?"