Harry x Hermione Short Stories

Xanthippe

"You know how you call mum, Xanthippe, your endearment?"

"I don't use it very often, but that's correct. So, what about it?"

"Well, I came across this book – "

"Of course, you would," her father snorted.

"Dad!" She whined.

"Sorry, please continue," her father rolled his eyes.

"As I was saying, I came across this book. It's about Ancient Greece. There's this information about Socrates, you know him, the philosopher?" She prodded which received a nod in return.

"Anyway, to my surprise, his wife's name is Xanthippe and she's called a shrew. The word even means an ill-tempered woman in the English dictionary!" She exclaimed.

"Okay... So?" Her dad had a confused look on his face.

"Honestly! Why would you call Mum that horrid nickname?" She was aghast.

"We never did tell you, Jamie, and Charlie the story behind that, eh?" Her father mused.

"Yes! So, I need to know why. Because really, I just don't understand!"

"Didn't your mum and I tell you and your brothers that we got together when I asked her to be my date for the Yule Ball when we returned for our final year at Hogwarts?" Her father had a pensive look on his face.

"Well yes, but you never explained how the whole Xanthippe thing came to be," she insisted.

"Ah, I see... This is rather hard to explain," her father's eyebrows furrowed in contemplation.

"But dad – "

"I could show you the pensieve memory if you like," her father said with excitement. This must be a good memory if it makes him this happy just by sharing it with me through a pensieve... My dad is bloody whipped indeed, she thought fondly. She adored the way her parents loved and doted on each other.

"Alright, Dad. Should I make you some tea as well?" She grinned.

"No, thank you. Your taste in tea is so like your mother, so no," her father shook his head vehemently.

"Well then, lead the way Daddy-o!" She said cheekily as she grabbed her cup and stood up from her stool.

"To the library then, darling!" Her father pumped his fist in the air.

She followed her Dad to the center of the library. He summoned their family's pensieve with a flick of his wand. Carefully setting the marble bowl on the table, she watched as her father touched the tip of his wand to the side of his head while closing his eyes to extract the memory. When the thin glowing thread of memories was dropped into the bowl, the elegant pattern of runes engraved on its surface emitted a bright light.

"You go ahead, darling," her father pointed to the pensieve with an encouraging smile.

"Okay, Dad! Here I go," she smiled before she lowered her face to the swirling memories inside the bowl...

_______________________________

Harry Potter sighed as he watched the Head Girl, Hermione Granger, leave the Gryffindor Common Room to get some books from the library. He had a look of longing as he stared at the portrait hall she just exited from.

"Harry Potter, we need to talk," Ginny said with her arms crossed. He glanced around the crowded area and waved his wand to cast Muffliato charms to preserve their privacy.

"Yes, Gin?" He asked the feisty redhead.

"Read it," Ginny placed a magazine on his lap. He was gobsmacked when saw a scantily clad woman winking at him from the magazine's cover.