A Long Way from Home

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Chapter II

July 17, 2003

“Hi.”

It was really a very simple greeting, but Hermione felt as if someone had hit her across the face with a cauldron- to say she was shocked would be an understatement. Her best friend for half her life stood only ten feet away from her, looking slightly disheveled after his crash landing. She hadn’t laid eyes on him for over five years and for some silly reason, she assumed he’d look exactly the same as he always had: skinny, even scrawny and definitely quite geeky. But the person that stood before her was no longer a boy, but most definitely a man. He was still thin, but his shoulders were broad and there was an air about him that betrayed a great deal of inner strength. Right now, however, his shoulders were slightly sagged, as if he was very tired and carried a heavy load on his back.

“Harry?” Hermione found that she didn’t trust her voice to not betray her utter shock at seeing him standing there.

“Hermione, Ron. It’s well, I should say that it’s good to see you, but it’s really just surreal.” Harry grinned now, stepping towards both of them so that they were only a few feet apart. They stood awkwardly, none sure what an appropriate greeting was at this juncture. Finally, Hermione let out a laugh and threw herself against Harry, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Oh, Harry, I can’t believe you came.”

“Neither can I, really,” he admitted, chuckling. “I’d really made up my mind that I wasn’t going to come, but Ginny wrote me this letter and well, I had to be here.”

Hermione pulled back and looked at him happily as Ron pulled Harry into a hug as well, albeit with far less exuberance than she had demonstrated. They were interrupted as news of Harry’s arrival spread throughout the Weasley household. Shortly enough, the garden was filled with family as everyone crowded around the trio. Hermione and Harry were introduced to each of the children, whom they had known only by name and the myriad photos owled regularly. Isaac, being the oldest of the group, seemed very serious about finally meeting them.

“Aunt Hermione?”

“Yes?” She smiled down at the strawberry blonde boy standing in front of her.

“My dragon broke.”

Momentary confusion set in before Hermione realized he was talking about the birthday gift she had sent him in April. She laughed and kneeled down so that she was eye-level with him.

“Well it was just an accident, wasn’t it?”

Isaac nodded sadly.

“It’ll be alright then. Maybe you’ll get a new one for Christmas. St. Nick is usually pretty good about things like that,” Hermione winked at Charlie as Isaac brightened up considerably.

“Well, is anyone hungry?” Molly Weasley asked, beaming at the group assembled in her garden. The chattering stopped as soon as she’d spoken and it was with great gusto that everyone went into the house, ready to attack the meal the Weasley women had laid out for them.

As usual, the large meal was full of boisterous conversation and laughter. The twins talked a great deal about new jokes for their company, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. Bill and Charlie traded stories about newborn babies while Ron and Andie talked about their honeymoon plans. Hermione found herself overwhelmed by all the people and noise and one glance at Harry saw that he was feeling the same way. She smiled weakly at him as Mr. Weasley rose from the head seat and looked down at all of them. He still commanded silence and respect from everyone at the table and conversation quickly died down as they turned their focus to him.

“Tonight is a very special night, indeed,” he began, smiling jovially at them, “for it is the eve of my son’s wedding and because we are so fortunate to have old friends join us after so long apart. I am truly thankful to be here, surrounded by my family. Each day is a blessing and I’m reminded of that when I look at all of you. We’ve come so far and been through so much – it’s simply wonderful that we’re all here and so happy. I’d like to propose a toast tonight, to the happy couple. To Ron and Andie!”

“To Ron and Andie!” Everyone at the table echoed, clinking glasses.

It wasn’t long after the toast that dessert was passed around and following that, the large group separated, with many of the Weasley women taking their children up to bed. Harry and Hermione found themselves being drawn into the garden with Ron and Andie.

“Ron, you must tell us how you met,” Hermione said, grinning at her red-headed best friend over the rim of a wine glass.

Harry nodded enthusiastically, “I definitely want to hear Andie’s side of this as well. I mean, what happened? Did you lose a bet?”

Hermione laughed and slapped Harry’s arm, relishing the feeling of having him, and Ron, so close again. She took a sip of her wine and tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as Harry grinned widely at her.

Andie was laughing as well and shaking her head. “Well, of course I lost a bet. Who knew the Cannons were going to beat the Harpies? That’s never happened before.”

Ron scoffed. “Oh, you lot think you’re right funny. I see how it’s going to be. Same as it’s always been: everyone against Ron, except now my wife has joined the fun!”

Andie laughed and patted Ron’s shoulder gently. “There, there, Ron. It won’t always be just us against you. Someday, we’ll have children and they’ll join right in with us. The more, the merrier, right?”

Hermione and Harry both laughed again as Ron’s face turned red. He stuck his tongue out at Andie (which only caused more laugher) before crossing his arms over his chest and staring out into the garden.

Andie tried to contain a smile as she looked at Harry and Hermione again. “Well, in all seriousness then, Ron and I met at Hogwarts, at the start of autumn term. On the first day of flying for the first years, actually - one of his students flew a broom through the open window of my classroom.”

Harry whooped. “That’s brilliant! Was it on purpose?”

“It bloody well wasn’t,” Ron replied, smiling again as he wrapped an arm around Andie’s shoulders.

“I guess you could say we’ve been inseparable since then,” Andie said as she kissed Ron’s cheek.

“You teach Defense against the Dark Arts, right?” Hermione asked.

Andie shook her head. “Transfiguration, actually. I took the DaDA position the year after Hogwarts reopened but Minerva had full-time headmistress duties to attend to once enrollment was full again and she offered me her post.”

“Ah, Ron didn’t mention what you taught and Minerva had talked about you once immediately after you were hired, so I guess I just assumed…but that’s just wonderful! Transfiguration was always my favorite subject.”

“Transfiguration was always my favorite subject.”

Harry snorted. “Every subject was your favorite, Hermione, except divination.”

“Well, that’s not true at all. Divination isn’t even a real subject.”

It was Andie’s turn to snort. She swallowed a gulp of wine and began laughing. “My third years utterly hate their new divination teacher. Trelawney looks like the genuine article compared to Sully Biffmore. I swear, I have no idea how he even got that job.”

“What’s the wedding to be like? Are you going to have a lot of guests?” Hermione asked, changing the subject. She tried not to let on that she hoped it would be a small affair.

“It’ll be small – only fifty or so people. The men are changing the pitch over tomorrow to host the whole thing and it’ll start at five. We leave on honeymoon the morning after.”

Hermione smiled, feeling content at just being in the Weasleys’ garden again. “Who’s officiating?”

Ron lit up at this. “Dad, of course. I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing it.”

“That’s about right, I think. It sounds like it’ll be very nice.” Harry smiled across at Ron and Andie, who were still cuddled together. They chattered for awhile longer, about jobs and just about any other neutral topic that could be covered. It was five minutes until midnight when Ginny appeared.

“I hate to break this up, everyone, but it’s time for the bride to disappear.” She grinned at Andie, who was now beaming.

“What do you mean, disappear?” Ron asked, nonplussed.

“Well, you can’t see her, you git. Not until the ceremony tomorrow.”

“But that’s seventeen hours from now!”

Andie smiled and leaned down to whisper something in Ron’s ear. Whatever it was caused him to brighten immediately and he pulled her face down to his to kiss her softly on the lips. “Love you, Andie.”

“I love you too, Ron. See you tomorrow.”

Ron nodded. “Tomorrow,” he paused and kissed her fingers. “I can’t believe it’s all tomorrow.”

Andie’s eyes teared up at this and she kissed his cheek softly before heading into the house. Hermione’s eyes followed her in and there was a strange pang in her chest. It wasn’t jealously over what had just transpired. Not exactly, anyway. She loved Ron, always, as one of her very best friends but there was nothing romantic between them any longer. She contemplated her own mind for a minute before realizing that she was simply jealous over what they had. Her life over the last five years suddenly felt quite empty. Not just of love, but of everything. There had been work, to be sure, but what else?

Hermione’s thoughts were interrupted as Ginny took over Andie’s old spot. She was extremely elegant looking, even in a long sleeved shirt and jeans. Her bright red hair had darkened considerably as she’d grown up and now hung in long, auburn curls down her back. She had the worldliness of someone who’d left home and hadn’t looked back, but rather had taken up her new life with gusto. She smiled at everyone before centering her attention on Hermione.

“Do you have any plans for tomorrow, Hermione?”

Hermione shrugged. “Um, not really. I thought I might help everyone set up.”

“Oh, but you mustn’t. That’s wizard’s work! You have to join us girls tomorrow.”

Hermione was suddenly apprehensive. “What are you doing?”

“Well, we have a reservation for brunch tomorrow in London. After that, there’ll be a bit of shopping and then we’re off to the spa. We’ll have lunch there and then return here to get ready for the wedding.”

“But I’m not in the wedding.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve employed a small army of stylists and we can squeeze you in. You’ll look amazing, I promise.”

Hermione looked at Ginny doubtfully. She had hoped tomorrow would be a quiet day. Even though there were only to be fifty or so guests, she suspected she was feeling a bit anxious nonetheless. She’d seen no more than three people that she knew very well over the past five years and if the dinner just a few hours ago was any indication, fifty people was an enormous number.

“Hermione, you should go,” said Harry gently, looking right into her eyes. “It’ll do you some good to get out with girls.”

Hermione looked at Harry carefully before turning to Ginny and nodding slowly. “I’ll go.”

“You’ll have a wonderful time, I promise. If you’re the least bit nervous, there will be plenty of mimosas at brunch tomorrow.” Ginny grinned at her wickedly before standing up. “It’s late, all. I think I’ll turn in myself.”

Ron nodded. “I’m coming right after you. Tomorrow is a busy day.” He leaned down to kiss Hermione’s cheek and pat Harry on the shoulder before heading into the house. “Don’t stay up too late, you two! Remember, you’re back among the living now, can’t be night owls!” He called over his shoulder as the door closed behind him and Ginny.

Hermione and Harry were left alone in the warm summer evening. She turned slowly to look at her best friend, who was staring at the ground around his feet. His black hair was longer and he was considerably taller than the last time she’d seen him. It was enough that she felt remarkably small just sitting next to him. She looked at his profile a minute before letting her gaze travel down his arms and to his hand. His fingers were as long and graceful as they had ever been. Those fingers were made to wield a wand. Inexplicably, Hermione wanted to bring his fingers to her lips.

“Hermione?”

He was now looking at her as she stared at his hand, so very close to hers. She felt her cheeks burning as she dragged her eyes to meet his and thanked Merlin for the darkness.

“Sorry, I must have spaced there for a minute.”

Harry chuckled. “I think I know what you mean. I just – I just can’t believe we’re here. After all this time, I swear to you that Mrs. Weasley’s lemon tart tasted just the same as it did ten years ago. This garden even looks the same. I’d bet a thousand galleons right now that the rustling noise coming from behind that bush right there is a garden gnome, just like when I was twelve. Has any time really passed at all?” He blinked momentarily, suddenly aware that he had just said that all out loud.

Hermione just nodded and touched his hand gently. Harry immediately wrapped his fingers around hers. “I know. It was almost too easy, wasn’t it? Seeing everyone again?”

Harry seemed relieved not to be alone in his thoughts. “I never imagined I could just show up here again. Everything is just so…normal. It makes sense, in a way, that everything is ok here. This place isn’t why I left. It’s everything out there, beyond those walls that make me want to hide again.”

“Where have you been, Harry?”

“In the States, North Carolina, actually. My house is right on the beach and it’s so, so quiet there.”

“My cottage is quiet too. There’s this really great bay window in the parlor, with a window seat. My bookshelves are along the whole front wall. I feel like I’ve spent half a lifetime in that window.”

“Where is it? Your cottage, I mean?”

“Scotland. Nobody bothers me there.”

Harry nodded and sighed softly before looking out over Mrs. Weasley’s garden. He stared ahead for a few minutes before looking directly at Hermione again.

“Are you sorry you left, Hermione?”

Hermione just looked at Harry, unsure of the answer she should give him. Finally, she sighed too. “I’m not sure. I think I needed to. There was, well, there was just too much, wasn’t there?”

Harry nodded and then instantly shook his head. “Listen, this isn’t why we came, not to talk through all this. We need to enjoy this now. Everything else can wait, can’t it?”

Suddenly, Harry looked like that little boy on the train from so many years ago. Hermione nodded, almost imperceptibly. “You’re right of course. It can all wait.”

“Maybe, after this is over, we can spend some time together, catching up? Just us.”

“Well, of course we can. After all, we’re not the ones sailing off on some gorgeous honeymoon in the Caribbean.”

Harry looked oddly at her then. “Right you are. Well then, I think I’m off to bed. And you?”

“Bed sounds so nice right now.” Harry stood up and pulled Hermione after him, their hands lingering together a few moments. He gently kissed her forehead as he wrapped her in a hug.

“Goodnight then, Hermione.”

“Goodnight Harry.”

He walked into the house and she trailed behind after extinguishing the soft candles that had been burning since their small group had began talking. Slowly, she trudged up the stairs feeling as if the entire day had been weeks long, but she realized as she crawled in to bed, that maybe that wasn’t necessarily a bad feeling.

***

July 18, 2003

“Damn it, George! You know full well that is not how you wear your tie!” Ron sputtered as his brother came waltzing into the bedroom on the fourth floor. Most of the Weasley men were crammed into Ron’s old bedroom, getting ready for the ceremony that began in just thirty minutes. George Weasley was wearing the tie for his dress robes in his hair like a ribbon. He had settled the bow just over his right ear and had brushed his red hair back carefully.

“Well, why not?”

“Because it looks bloody stupid!” Ron answered, glaring.

“Well, I rather like it. It makes him stand out – there’s just something so…elegant about it,” Fred said, grinning wickedly at Ron.

George bowed, with great panache, to his twin brother. “Thank you, good sir. I knew that you would tell the truth as it’s obvious that young Ron here is just wildly jealous. That Weasley charm we inherited obviously did not extend to the end of the line.”

It was instantly difficult to decide which was more red – Ron’s hair or his face. Luckily, Arthur wandered into the room at the moment, straightening his own tie.

“Love your tie, George. Looks a lot like the little pink bow that Fleur put in Addy’s hair,” he said absentmindly as he crossed the room to Ron.

George quickly snatched the tie from his hair and began tying it in its proper place.

“Well, son, are you ready?” Arthur had a hand on each of Ron’s shoulders and was absolutely beaming.

Ron nodded, his father’s tone settling him almost instantly.

“Then we need to get this show on the road. Most of the guests have arrived.”

Ron stood once more in front of a long mirror situated next to his old bed. He straightened his tie, smoothed his hair down, tugged on the sleeves of his robe, shook his shoulders slightly, shifted from one foot to the other, turned to his left side and then to his right and finally reached up once more to straighten his tie when Charlie grabbed his hand.

“Come on little brother.” With a typical Weasley grin, Charlie patted Ron on the shoulder and gently pressed him towards the door. In a single file line beginning with Ron and ending with Arthur, three generations of Weasley men started out of the room and down the stairs. Harry met them on the landing for the third floor and smiled at Ron, who suddenly felt incredibly nervous.

Fred, George and Harry would be standing with Ron. Charlie, who had given up his role in the wedding party to Harry, and Bill, would act as ushers and young Isaac would be the ring bearer. Arthur would be leading the ceremony. They marched quietly down the stairs and were immediately drawn into the living room by Molly. She was positively glowing in a cream colored set of dress robes. Andie’s mother, Diana, had stepped from the kitchen, where the ladies were assembled, to help Molly with any finishing touches for the men. Molly went to each of them and straightened their boutonnières, whispering a spell that would keep each flower fresh and Diana followed after, adding a charm that would prevent their robes from wrinkling and had the added bonus of keeping them cool. Molly stopped at Ron, with tears in her eyes. She kissed him on the cheek and quickly wiped her face.

“Oh, won’t you just look at the whole lot of you? All of my favorite wizards. Well, nearly.” This last statement brought another round of tears from Molly and a palpable sadness from the group of men standing in front of her. Ron, thankful for the charms on his robes, pulled her into a bear hug.

“It’s ok, Mum. Percy’s here you know – he can see us and he’s happy to know that we’re all a family again,” Molly Weasley’s youngest son whispered in her ear. She smiled softly and kissed him again before taking a step back and was suddenly all business once more.

“Well, out with you then. Ronald, you and your groomsmen will move to the archway. I want you ready to go as Bill and Charlie begin to bring the guests round. Isaac, you’ll stay here with Gram and Arthur, if you could check on the wards once more –“

“Absolutely, my dear,” Arthur smiled at his wife of thirty-four years with all the love he had felt on the day he married her. “It’s all taken care of.”

Molly grinned as one more tear rolled down her cheek. She touched Ron gently on the cheek and retreated to the kitchen with Andie’s mum.

“Well, sirs, shall we?” Arthur looked at his sons and smiled warmly. They all nodded and he led the way into the garden, pointing to where each group should go.

Charlie and Bill started to the front of the house, where the guests had gathered amongst good food and comfortable chairs, as Ron and his groomsmen moved up the long, white aisle towards an archway situated amongst Molly’s rosebushes. There were white chairs settled on each side of the aisle. Each end chair was adorned with lilies-of-the valley, violet roses and apple blossoms. Andie had explained each flower’s magical meanings, which Ron had promptly forgotten. He thought it was a miracle that he even remembered what they were called, rather than merely identifying them as those bell-looking things, the flowers that they sold in February and the little pink-looking bits that also bloomed everywhere in his mother’s garden. The arch trellis was covered in the same flowers. Ron was beginning to seriously doubt the wisdom that said it was good to cover every square inch in little dead flowers that people might very well be allergic to.

Harry prodded Ron gently towards the archway. He knew his part very well – they had rehearsed where everyone was supposed to stand and how they were supposed to hold their shoulders and what sort of look they were supposed to have on their faces. As a fresh bunch of jitters worked its way through Ron’s body, he began to rethink this whole wedding thing. The American Muggle idea of getting married by someone dressed up like a dead pop star in a white jumpsuit at three a.m. was suddenly immensely appealing.

The guests, composed primarily of family and very close friends, were quickly seated. Hermione was seated next to Ron’s mum and dad in the front row and he vaguely noted that she looked pretty in the pale blue dress she was wearing. He nudged Harry gently as Charlie led Hermione to her seat and Harry only nodded.

It felt like at least a hundred years since they’d been forced to stand up under this silly flower arch. Ron shifted nervously from foot to foot and began a very similar routine to that which had been performed in front of the mirror earlier. Casually, Harry kicked his foot against Ron’s and they both stood still as music from a small quartet to the left started up and Arthur appeared in the center of the archway, seemingly from nowhere.

Colin and Sadie were starting up the aisle, both dressed in dress robes that mimicked the bride and groom. Colin had a very serious look on his face and was staring straight at the ground. Sadie, however, was skipping slightly ahead of him, clutching a small basket full of the purple rose petals. She seemed to have forgotten Ginny’s edict that she was to scatter the petals and was simply carrying them under her arm like she would a bunch of school books. Colin looked at her, rolled his eyes and tossed the satin pillow over his shoulder like a backpack.

Ginny followed in a sage colored set of robes and she cleared her throat loud enough that Sadie heard and turned. Blushing slightly, the toddler unceremoniously dumped the petals into a pile at the end of the aisle and moved to stand over by her mother’s chair. Ron noticed Ginny roll her eyes and it took his entire concentration to prevent himself from laughing. Andie’s sister, Janie, and her best friend, Emma, followed shortly after Ginny and they quickly took their places on the opposite side of the trellis. Shortly thereafter, the music changed to the wedding march and there was a large rustling noise as the entire congregation stood to watch the bride walk down the aisle.

Andromeda Dickens was very regal in snow white dress robes. Her shoulders were bared and a fitted bodice flowed into a full skirt. The material was soft and whimsical and her deep, chestnut colored hair was covered by a silky veil that covered both her head and face. In her hands, she held a simple bouquet of violet roses. Even under the veil, it was obvious to all that she was both smiling and crying. Her father held her hand tucked against his arm as he walked her up the aisle.

In no time at all, Ron and Andie were hand in hand, standing in front of Arthur and grinning as if they had some huge secret. In Ron’s memory, the ceremony was really a lot of flowery words, some wand waving and finally, a big kiss at the end, which was met with great applause. Before he knew what was happening, he and Andie were moving down the aisle, arm in arm, and each with a band of shimmering gold on their left ring fingers. He was married, without a doubt. The witch on his arm and the ring on his finger proved it and Ron wasn’t sure if he’d ever been happier in his entire life.

Soon enough, they were in the kitchen, grabbing and kissing at each other, laughing around each kiss. The guests were being moved around to the side garden as Harry and the twins set up the tables and dance floor for the reception. The rest of the wedding party joined them quickly and a photographer friend of Ginny’s was snapping candid shots of the whole group. Setup for the reception was completed speedily and Harry and the twins wandered into the kitchen, followed by Hermione.

Ron pulled Andie towards Harry and Hermione and pulled them all into a group hug. Everyone was laughing and the girls were crying and once again, Ron thought that he had probably never been happier in his whole life.

“Oh, Ron, that was beautiful. I’m so happy for you,” gushed Hermione. Her eyes had that shrink-wrapped look that Ron had seen in Muggle movies.

Before he could respond, however, the photographer was grabbing people, pushing them to the pre-determined photo spot, and arranging them in groups. After approximately fourteen thousand pictures (It had to be at least that many, Ron thought), the photographer was asking the bride and groom if there were any additional shots that needed to be taken.

“Well, I know two that I’d like,” Andie supplied. “There needs to be one, right over here, actually, of myself, Ron, and his two best friends here. After that, I want one of just the three of them.”

“Andie? Wh-“

Andie cut him off with a kiss. “Don’t worry about it, Ron. It’s my wedding day, after all, and you have to do whatever I say.” She grinned innocently at him and flounced towards the fireplace, where she had directed the first photo be taken.

Shrugging, the trio followed her and lined up for the photos.

***

Harry was suddenly struck with the thought that he felt very grown-up. Sure, he had spent the last few years working with the Order to take out a lot of dark wizards in the United States and had lived on his own the entire time. He was no longer in school and the Muggle driver license said that he was twenty-two years old; he was definitely an adult by all acceptable standards of measurement, but there was something about this night that made him finally feel like an adult.

After all, his best friend had just gotten married. Married. It was a distinct reminder that Ron was no longer that little boy on the train, trying to turn his pet rat yellow. A handful of old school friends and plenty of teachers were at the wedding and they were all older as well. Dean Thomas also had a wife, an American witch named Heather. Neville Longbottom had married Luna Lovegood three years back and they had a baby with them. A baby. Some of his old professors had retired and there were a group of Ron and Andie’s friends that had taken over those positions at the wedding as well. Harry had absolutely no idea who any of them were and it was this thought that made him realize how much he’d left behind.

“Harry? Are you ok?” Hermione took one of the empty seats at his table and looked at him carefully. She had no doubt caught the somewhat stricken look on his face.

“Yeah, I guess I’m okay. Just thinking about everyone here and how different they all are. I mean, did you see that Neville is a dad? The kid who lost his pet toad every two or three days is a father, Hermione.”

“Well, I’m sure it’s much harder to lose a baby than a toad, Harry. They don’t move as quickly,” Hermione answered with a completely straight face.

He chuckled softly before his face was serious again. “I mean it though. This is all so indescribable. We’re all adults.”

“Well, of course we are Harry. After everything that happened, we weren’t really given a choice were we? There wasn’t any other option but to grow up.”

“You’re right.” Harry shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment. He then smiled broadly and looked at Hermione. “We said now wasn’t the time for all this, was it? Let’s dance then, shall we?”

Hermione just grinned in return as she stood up and allowed Harry to lead her out onto the dance floor. It wasn’t long before they were dancing comfortably to the jazz music that was coming from a band perched on a small stage next to the dance floor.

There had been several toasts throughout the evening and the champagne and butterbeer had been flowing since dinner. Harry realized he was feeling a bit light-headed as he held Hermione, swaying with her to a slower song that had just started up. His hands were resting on her back and he felt the cool silkiness of her dress robes beneath his fingers. She had charmed her hair into tight curls that fell to mid back and it took every ounce of his being to not run his fingers through them. Oh yes, everyone at the wedding was very adult indeed.

The dance ended and everyone applauded as George Weasley stepped up to the mike. “On behalf of the bride and groom, I’d like to thank everyone for being here tonight. If you would please follow the wedding party out front, Ron and Andie are about to depart.”

Harry and Hermione set off with the rest of the guests towards the lane. Once there, they saw that Ron and Andie were tucked safely inside a white carriage, which was being pulled by two chestnut-colored, winged horses. The guests began applauding and cheering as Ron waved his wand and the horses set off into the air. The bride and groom looked down on all of their guests, smiling and waving, as they disappeared into the night.

Turning to Hermione, Harry asked, “Now what?”

“I’m not sure. Are you going back to North Carolina?”

“I don’t think I want to. What about you? Back to Scotland?”

“Well, I’ve got a lot of work to do but you could come stay with me there for awhile, if you’d like. I’ve got a spare bedroom,” Hermione said, not feeling the least hesitant in giving up her solitary lifestyle. The idea of her best friend coming to stay with her, even for awhile, was infinitely pleasing.

Harry just nodded. “That sounds like a plan, Miss Granger.”

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Author's Note:

In my previous chapter, I forget to say thanks to my beta reader, Neil! Also, thanks to all those who reviewed Chapter I. Thanks for reading, and please, leave a review if you so desire!