The weeks had passed and Harry and Ron were still out there. The swedish Ministry ended up being reluctant to help the british aurors, making it hard for them to keep their plan on going. The weak communication between the team on the field and the office was also turning things a bit more complicated than Ron expected. Nevertheless, they were still getting results and closer and closer to the dark wizards they had been tailing and investigating for months. Indeed the talent reunited was undeniable.
The team was gathered on a forest in the middle of Finland, where they last lost track of their suspects. They had decided to camp for the weekend to restructure their plan according to the new data they had collected.
A three bedroom tent was assembled and, except for meeting time, a guard was set and each partner pair alternated between the hours. The firsts to go were Finnegan and Bones, giving the rest of them some rest.
Harry and Ron sat at the kitchen table, looking awfully tired. Ron summoned a parchment and a quill so to write to Hermione. Harry pulled out his mirror from his well-protected inside pocket.
"Ginny, hon? Are you there?" Harry called out.
"You should have freshen up before calling her. You look like hell, mate!" Ron pointed out. Harry let a tired grin show, acknowledging his friend's attempt to make him laugh.
"Harry!!" Ginny answered on the mirror. "Oh, you look like hell!" Both men snorted a laugh. "How are things?"
"Oh, they are... Progressing. I feel we are getting closer everyday, Gin. I can't wait to go home, though. I miss you and Teddy so much."
But before Harry could go on, Hermione yelled from the background. "What about me, hah? Don't you miss me, Harry?"
"Hermione, you're there??" Ron sounded like a kid on Christmas. It was the first time Harry had called Ginny that Hermione was there too. Harry handed him the mirror while Ginny did the same to Hermione, letting them talk for awhile.
Hermione went on and on about how the Ministry was a dull without them and how the flat was so quiet. Harry could hear Ginny yelling to Teddy be careful on the back. He probably was playing outside with his toy broomstick.
"I miss you too. Love you." Said Ron, returning the mirror back to Harry. "Thanks"
"No problem, mate." Harry turned again to talk to Ginny. "But, how are you? How's James?"
"He's great, Harry. I went to St. Mungo's yesterday with Mum to have my last checkup and the Healer said it was alright and I should expect him right in time."
Harry nodded, smiling self-consciously. "I can't believe it's almost time. It's crazy how time has gone by. Well, hon, I should go get some rest."
"Yes, you should! Take care of yourself, Harry. I still want a husband when you come back."
"The same goes to you, Ron!" Hermione screamed.
"Don't worry, we will. Send my love to Teddy, ok? I love you, Ginny!"
"I love you too. Bye Ron, bye Harry!" Ginny blew a kiss which Harry faked to have received it catching with his hand. Ron laughed at his best friend while rolling his eyes. Harry placed the mirror back into his pocket and then stared at Ron. "You know you have no right to make jokes about me and Ginny, don't you?"
"I don't know what you mean!"
Harry got up and headed to their bedroom, but as he was getting there he turned and said. "Sometimes you forget I'm Hermione's best friend too. She tells me things... Good night!" Harry left, leaving Ron with a mortified look.
"Never thought Potter was one for gossip." Moore joked as he headed to the kitchen to get some snacks for Kelly and himself.
~
Ginny placed her mirror on her pocket as well. She looked both relieved and sad like every time Harry called. Relieved he was alright, but sad he was still not home. It had been so long since they have been parted for that much time, she didn’t know how to handle it anymore. But Hermione looked worse. Apart from Ron’s foreign courses during his training years, they never were apart. At least not in Ginny’s concern. The trio never told anyone about Ron deserting them back in the hunt for Horcruxes. And that is where Hermione’s mind was. She felt left out. Although she was quite done with dark magic and was really happy with her job, she couldn’t help but feel like she was missing out on something.
“But what was it you were so excited about?”
The two friends had barely seen each other during the last couple of weeks. Ginny was keeping herself busy with school hunting for Teddy and finishing up the nursery. She also used her free time to visit Luna a bit more often and even went to Hogwarts to have tea with Neville.
Hermione, on the other hand, was hunting down a job opening for Ginny. Ever since Harry told her about Ginny’s epiphany about writing about Quidditch, she had been contacting old friends and former school colleagues that worked on The Prophet and finally got a hold of the Editor of the famous wizarding newspaper, Barnabas Cuffe, only a couple of days before. She had asked Mrs. Weasley some of Ginny’s old essays from Hogwarts and showed them to Mr. Cuffe. He was quite mesmerized by Ginny’s writing and offered her the position of Quidditch correspondent, starting on the next season, which meant September.
“I have some news for you, Ginny. I hope you’re as excited as I am.”
“Tell me already. Don’t keep a pregnant woman waiting!”
“Well, as you know, I have been a bit low on work because I’m waiting for the approval of my law proposal about the rights of House-elves, right?” Ginny nodded. “So I took the liberty of having a bit of a side challenge. Skipping the whole ‘how I did it’, I got you a job on The Prophet for Quidditch correspondent!!”
“MERLIN! How did you do it?” Ginny was up and hugging Hermione to her bones.
“I thought I said ‘skipping how I did it’. Still, being who I am turned out to be very useful to get to some otherwise difficult people to reach. You’ll start on the next Quidditch season.”
“Hermione, just one thing.” Ginny had sat back down and was sadly staring at her hands. “Did I get the job for my skills or for whom I’m married to?”
“I assure you that Mr. Cuffe was impressed with your writing and the fact that you were the best Chaser that the Holyhead Harpies have seen on the last century. His words, not mine.” Hermione caught Ginny’s hands across the kitchen table they were sitting. “It had nothing to do with your surname. You’re as famous as Harry, I think you forget that. I feel really bad about my godson, he has a lot to live up to!”
Ginny slowly started smiling and in a minute both girls were laughing. “Yeah, I guess he does. But I have a feeling he’ll have a name for himself.” Ginny caressed her belly before looking at her watch. She got up again and headed to the kitchen window that overlooked the backyard. “TEDDY! Come back inside. We have to get ready for the game!” The pregnant girl turned to her friend again. “Hey, Hermione, do you have plans for this lovely Saturday afternoon?”
“No, I don’t, why?”
“Come with me and Teddy to the game. Please, it’s been ages since it’s been just us!”
“Sure, I’ll come!”
Teddy came running into the kitchen right into Hermione’s legs. They hugged tightly and Teddy’s hair turned into the bushy brown colored just like the young woman’s.
“Now you turn your hair into mine. Why don’t you do that when your uncle Ron is around?”
“It’s funny when you two fight about it!” Teddy joked before running to hide behind Ginny’s leg.
At that time, the front door bell rang. Ginny asked Hermione to answer, since Flory had the day off, while she put Teddy on the shower. The redhead went upstairs with Teddy, while Hermione went to the door. She was quite surprised when she opened it.
“Cho!”
~
Harry woke up hours later. Ron was on the bed next to him, snoring as he usually did. The Head Auror got up and went to the bathroom to finally make himself a human being again. He looked into the mirror and was alarmed by the image in front of him. His hair was messier than ever, his beard was completely uneven and he just looked dirty.
He went into the shower and allowed himself to stay there more than normal. He shaved, trimmed his hair and put on some fresh clothes. When he looked again in the mirror, he could recognize the person in front of him again. You should have done this before talking to Ginny, you idiot, he thought.
Harry stepped outside to check on Moore and Hall, before returning to the sitting room where Finnegan was alone, reading some notes. He sat on the couch next to him and took some of the parchments on the coffee table.
“Where’s Susan?” Asked Harry.
“She’s in our room, sleeping. She was exhausted.” Seamus answered.
“I can imagine. Thank you for volunteering for the first guard shift. You should get some sleep too, don’t you think?”
“I was going to, but then something hit me. I may be completely wrong, but I think I know where our dear suspects are going next.” Seamus seemed really sure in his words.
Harry took his old dorm mate gaze for a moment. He had never seen this sparkle on Seamus’s eyes. The kind of sparkle you have when you finally connect the dots that have been staring at you the whole time.
“I guess we have a meeting to be held, then.” Harry announced. “Go wake Susan and get Moore and Kelly outside, while I get a bucket of water.”
Seamus hesitated for a second. “What’s the bucket for?”
“Let’s say Auror Weasley is an hard fellow to wake up.” Harry said with a side grin on his lips.
~
“Hermione. What a surprise!”
“I should be the one saying that.” Coldly, Hermione replied to the unexpected guest at the door.
“Is Harry home?” Cho calmly asked.
“No.”
“Is Ginny home, then?”
“Yes.”
A uncomfortable silence was held between the two women. “Hermione, who is it?” Ginny yelled as she came down the stairs. But Hermione didn’t answer and waited for her friend to join her at the front door. “Cho!” Ginny was surprised as well. She turned to Hermione. The last time she saw her that way was on her fourth year when she could have been fit to murder Umbridge.
“May I come in, Ginny?” Cho finally said.
Ginny only nodded and led them to the sitting room. They sat down and stayed silent for a few minutes. Cho looked around.
“You have a lovely home.”
“Thanks.”
“Look, I’ve been meaning to drop by ever since that day. I wanted to apologize.” Cho started. “I don’t know what came into me. Hermione, I’m sorry about what I called you. You’re one of the most upstanding people I have ever come across. I guess I never really understood your relationship with Harry.” Hermione acknowledged her apology but didn’t say anything. “Ginny,” Cho continued. “I never saw a man with so much love for a woman as I saw Harry that day. He really loves you. I should know Harry enough to know he would never cheat on you.”
“Yeah, I know. And I know how much he loves Hermione too. I guess you’re probably about the only person who doesn’t get them. The problem, Cho, is that you could have been heard. Luckily, there was no one around, for what Harry told me, and there was nothing on the newspapers after that, but what if there were? You have no idea what the media can do with a relationship.”
~
The summer after the end of the war was one of the busiest on everyone’s life. People were healing from the battle of Hogwarts and relationships were being fixed. One of them was Harry and Ginny’s. They shared a passionate kiss on the Gryffindor Tower after the battle but never got the time to discuss it.
Harry was filled with depositions on the Ministry, reporters harassing him around for a bit of the story, and girls. Lots and lots of girls. Harry became the most successful wizard ever with only the age of eighteen and there was no way to deny he was a quite handsome eighteen-year-old. But for as many girls he could get if he wanted to, he only had eyes for one.
Ginny was also busy. There were career choices to be made and a last Hogwarts year to come back to. Secretly, she had been on contact with several Quidditch teams and was anxious for the tryouts. She spent every waking hour practicing. She would be made Gryffindor’s Captain and had on her mind they would win the Cup that year. But even in the craziest of time and although they hadn’t had ‘the talk’, in Harry’s understanding they were still together. Pity it wasn’t in the understanding of the rest of the british girls.
On Ginny’s birthday, Harry left the Ministry after another day of depositions and meetings and went to Diagon Alley to pick up her present. While picking out some flowers, a girl, named Beth, identified him and started up a conversation. She was flirting so bad that a blind person could have seen it and Harry was 24/7 followed by Prophet reporters. When Harry, out of the goodness and innocence of his heart, offered the girl Beth a single red rose for her ‘wounded sister’ at St. Mungo’s and gave her a hug, a million pictures were taken.
That night, Harry and Ginny finally had some time alone and could discuss their feelings. Both were in love for one another and it didn’t take that long before they were on each others arms. Harry had left the Burrow with a satisfied smile on his face. He officially was Ginny’s boyfriend.
The damage was made the next day when Ginny received the Daily Prophet at the Burrow. As she opened the newspaper, Harry apparated at the front door and came in running.
“IT’S NOT TRUE!” He yelled, taking the paper out of her hands.
Ginny laughed. “What’s going on, stranger?” She took the paper back and read the front page news.
THE FAMOUS HARRY “THE CHOSEN ONE” POTTER HAS GOT A NEW UNKNOWN GIRLFRIEND
When Ginny finished reading, she threw the Prophet on Harry’s face and climbed the stairs to her room, where she locked herself for a few days. Harry went into miserable mode. A month went by, before Harry and Ginny faced each other again.
“Harry!”
“Ginny!”
They were on Hogsmeade and Harry was on his way to the Broomstick’s to meet Hermione while Ginny was out shopping with Luna who easily excused herself to leave the two alone.
“Harry, you look like shit.” Ginny started. Harry let a grin out.
“That’s what happens when I don’t have you, Gin. Ron and Hermione called it my ‘miserable mode’” They stayed silent for a bit. “Gin…”
But she had put her finger in the air, holding his speech. “I know what you’re going to say.” And for a moment Harry’s whole world fell. He thought Ginny would never let him explain what really went down with the girl. “But I’m the one who should apologize. I’m just too proud and then I came back to Hogwarts and it was too late. Ron told me what you said to him. And I believe you.”
The truth was that after Ron told her the story, she went after the girl Beth on the ‘mad as hell/don’t you mess with my man Ginny mode’ and the girl (in tears and a couple of feet off the ground) confessed she was paid to make it look like she and Harry were together for the Prophet.
“I love you, Gin, you have to know that.” Harry spilled out, feeling relieved.
“I love you too, Potter.”
And they kissed as they never had in the middle of village. The next day’s Prophet was actually filled with some truth.
HARRY “THE CHOSEN ONE” POTTER IS IN LOVE WITH GINNY “THE RED HURRICANE” WEASLEY, THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM CAPTAIN
~
“Yeah, I guess I don’t. And you’re right, it could have been a disaster. I’m sorry, I really am.” Cho admitted. “Could you tell Harry that, for me?”
“Yes, I’ll do that.” Ginny confirmed.
“Hermione, do you forgive me too?”
The bushy haired girl hesitated, but nodded. Teddy came down, wrapped in his towel, running to Ginny. “Who is this?” He said, pointing to Cho.
“She’s your godfather’s old friend. Say hi, Teddy. Be polite.” Ginny scolded.
“Hi! I’m Teddy.” The boy said with no hesitation on his tone, although he turned his hair Weasley red, as to say he liked Ginny more. Even the five-year-old could feel the old Weasley/Chang tension in the air. She couldn’t help but hold an inner smile.
“Hello,” Cho greeted. “I’m Cho. Nice to meet you, Teddy. You’re Lupin’s son, am I right?”
Teddy struggled a bit with the question. He knew that Harry and Ginny weren’t his real parents but his godparents, and yet he didn’t know much about his own parents. The boy looked over at Ginny, who was nodding and smiling. So, Teddy did the same in return to the question, he nodded and smiled.
“Well,” Said Ginny, getting up. “I better get this little guy dressed. Thank you for your visit, Cho.” Ginny picked Teddy’s hand and climbed the stairs back up with the boy. Hermione got up as well, making Cho follow her lead.
“Hm, do you know were Harry is?” Cho asked when getting up.
“Harry is out of the country.”
“Hm, right. I’d love to have you, Ron, Harry and Ginny over some day. I’m sure my fiancé would love to meet you all. It would be nice put all this behind.” Cho offered, carefully.
“You’re getting married? Congratulations!” Hermione, graciously, skipped the invitation.
“Thank you. He’s a muggle, but he has accepted quite well who I am.”
“That’s good.”
“I should go, then. Thank you for receiving me.” Both women headed to the door, which was open by Hermione.
“Our pleasure. Bye, Cho!”
“Bye, Hermione.” Cho left the safe zone and apparated away with a pop.
Hermione closed the door, releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She climbed the stairs to met Ginny in Teddy’s room, but was taken to the door next to Teddy’s: the nursery. It was filled with Gryffindor colors, that must’ve not been a coincidence. It had a unassembled crib on a wall, a cute changing table and a big closet. Next to the window that faced the backyard, there was a toy box and a measuring tape painted on the wall, where they would keep up with James’s growth. Hermione looked down at her stomach and placed her hands there. A tear filled her eyes joined with a soft smile.
“A galleon for your thoughts?” Ginny was leaning in the door frame. Her profile was huge due to her 8-month bump.
Hermione jumped around. “What?”
“Earth to Hermione! What’s on your mind?” Ginny insisted.
“I was just thinking… You’ll have such a lovely family, Gin.”
“I have a feeling that’s not all you want to say, am I right?”
Damn it, she’s good, she thought. “Yeah, there’s something else…”
“IT’S GAME TIME! IT’S GAME TIME!” Teddy went skipping into the nursery where the girls were chatting. They started laughing and Hermione picked the boy up.
“Yes, I guess it is.” She forced a smile.
Ginny stared hard at her friend as if saying, we’ll finish this later. They went back down, but before leaving, Ginny excused herself to floo-call Fleur. Five minutes later, she was back.
“What was that urgent call you had to make to Fleur?” Hermione joked.
“F.Y.I., Fleur is not that bad, ok?” Hermione snorted at this. “And I’ve asked her to take Teddy after the game, so we could have a girls night out. I’m censoring you need it, am I wrong?”
“No, you’re not. Damn, Gin, I’m sorry for your teenager kids. Nothing passes by you, hah?” Ginny grinned self-consciously, opening the front door open. She and Teddy side-apparated with Hermione (Ginny was ‘too pregnant’ to apparate by herself).
~
The first time Hermione Granger had ever had a sip of alcohol was on Ginny Weasley’s watch. The foursome had called the year of love (of course if you take out the fact that Dumbledore died on the end of the school year). But the trio’s sixth/Ginny’s fifth year was full of love. It was when Harry realized he was in love with Ginny, when Ron had his first girlfriend as to defy Hermione who had herself just figured her feelings out for Ron and Ginny was more in love with Harry as ever but was stuck with Dean who she cared dearly.
The day Ginny broke up with Dean had been a relief. But on the same day, Hermione and Ron had had one more of their arguments. Ginny was at the common room with Harry when Ron barged in looking furious, heading up to his dorm room. Ginny and Harry stared at each other, as if having a silent conversation (which would become very common as their relationship grew stronger), and each got up to their duties. Harry went up stairs to his dorm to calm Ron down and Ginny stood at the door waiting for him to borrow her the Marauders Map so she could find Hermione. Harry found her waiting at door and handed her the map.
“Don’t worry, Harry, I’ll give it back.”
“I trust you.” That’s all he said before closing the door again to take care of an angry redhead.
“I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” The map reveled itself and Ginny could easily identify Hermione on a very far away and empty classroom. “Indeed, I’m up to no good. Mischief managed.” Ginny headed to her own dorm to get some fire whiskey she had been able to snuggle in on the last Hogsmeade day. She also filled her pockets with some sugar goods and hid the map on her trunk. She left the Gryffindor Tower running to where Hermione was. Ginny knocked on the door, before letting herself in.
“GO AWAY, HARRY!” Hermione screamed as she turned around. When she saw Ginny she excused for her yelling. “Oh, it’s you. I really don’t feel like talking, Gin.”
“I’m not here to talk.” Ginny said. “I’m here to drink. I broke up with Dean today.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t. I’m in love with someone else anyways. And I believe we are both going to drink our sorrows for not being with the ones we love. Don’t give me that look. Hermione Granger, I’m getting you drunk. I know that’s just what you need.”
Hermione got up, with a serious face. She went to the door and when Ginny thought she was leaving, she held her wand out.
“Colloportus! Muffliato!” Hermione turned around with a malicious smile on her lips, a smile which Ginny had never seen before. “Let’s get this party started!”
~
“I’ll pick him up tomorrow, then.” Ginny promised. “Come give me a hug, Teddy!” But it was useless. He was already entertained with Victoire. They were both playing with the eight-month-old Dom who was already crawling. “Ok, then. Thank you once again, Fleur! Bye, Bill.” Ginny hugged her sister-in-law and her brother, who caressed Ginny’s belly, followed by Hermione.
The two Weasley’s girls headed to the Leaky Cauldron by floo. Getting there, they sat on a table on the back, so they could talk without ears-dropping. Ginny ordered a pumpkin juice and asked for a fire whiskey for Hermione.
“NO! I mean, I’ll have the same as her.” Hermione corrected to the waiter. “Thanks.”
Ginny waited until they had their drinks before casting a Muffliato charm. “Now, young lady, how far along are you?”
“What?”
“You’re pregnant. Don’t you even deny it.”
“Two weeks. Valentine’s Day, you know…”