Paris

~ Summer-Chapter Three ~

"Lunch With the New Kids"

Harry didn't think he'd ever feel quite the same after the past few days. Most of the time had been amazingly good. He and Hermione had roamed through Paris, at least several parts of it, almost without any restrictions from Chris and Ivy. He knew this was partly because of the official underage permission they had from the Ministry, but was still surprised, in a way, that Hermione's parents didn't object to all the time they'd been spending alone. In a way, he thought he ought to be a little insulted. Didn't they realize his thoughts about Hermione these days were not entirely on a pure and "just best friends" level? When he asked Hermione about this, and told her how he was feeling, she (as he should have expected) had a quick and logical answer.

"As long as we keep coming back with all these bags full of shopping, I think they aren't too worried. They think we're spending all our time in the shops. And they expect us to be back by dark." She smiled a secret smile at him, and winked. "I guess they don't remember how many private places Paris has, or that you can do most anything in the daylight that you can do after dark. If you know where to go."

Harry felt his face go a bit red, but he retorted, "And I guess they don't know how fast you shop. I never saw anyone buy so much so fast. I know you don't keep all of it, but what a system! And, if I weren't such a trusting guy, I'd be wondering how you knew about all these spots for privacy!"

It was true, Hermione and Harry had worked out a system that had turned out to be fairly foolproof. Hermione always bought just a bit more than she really wanted, or got something that didn't fit well, or was so expensive it made him almost lose his breath. It had worked just as she had told him it would though. Chris and Ivy were always so relieved Hermione wasn't keeping everything, and as she told them, "I know this wasn't a good thing to do, I'll take it back." Usually they were so relieved, or proud that she'd realized her mistake, they'd say nothing about the rest of the shopping. Or the amount of time they'd been gone.

"We'll have to hurry a bit today though, Harry. At least if we want to visit that little bench in the park, behind the antique store where you got the inkstand shaped like a dog for Sirius. Remember, we talked about going back there today?" Hermione gave him an appealing look that made him want to skip all the shopping and returning they had talked about to head straight for that bench! He forced himself to sound reasonable, knowing Hermione wasn't going to be fooled anyway.

"We'll manage it all. I think actually there isn't much more we could buy, is there?" He grinned at her, thinking of the bags that were piled in the closets of the suite, then frowning. "What are we doing today that's so important? "

"Oh, nothing so important- just plans for your birthday celebration." replied Hermione teasingly. "And Mom's friend and her children are meeting us for lunch someplace, but Mom won't tell me anything about the place. They'll be picking us up in front of the Tuileries Pond at half past eleven. Are you going to sit there eating brioche all morning?"

"Maybe,'" answered Harry, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her, noticing she had put her hair up in a knot on her head this morning, probably because the weather WAS quite warm. "I think I'll stop though. Something is bound to turn up later, that's better anyway." Hermione's neck did tend to smell very nice when she'd been in the sun, so he'd keep that thought in mind.

A short time later, they were on the streets of Paris, and Harry couldn't help thinking again, how perfect everything had been. He'd never really appreciated how pretty flowers could be, since Aunt Petunia always made him spend so much time slaving over the flower beds on Privet Drive. Each day though, he and Hermione had not only enjoyed the flower beds in the parks, but Harry had bought Hermione a small bouquet that she could carry with her throughout the day, and she had always pinned a flower or two to his shirt. He knew they probably looked like two silly kids, but he really didn't care. For practically the first time in his life, Harry was not giving any thought to scars, or Quidditch, or really anything but enjoying every moment. Maybe he was just storing up good times for what he and Hermione knew might come, but so far, it had just been happiness like he'd never known.

They stopped at a flower cart, and Harry looked at Hermione's green skirt and pale yellow top, then asked the flower seller for a bunch of daisies and tiny yellow roses . As he handed them to her, Hermione said, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I have all of the flowers you've given me, all in separate places, labeled and being pressed. I never want to forget this time, Harry. Guess I finally lost my famous logic this summer, didn't I?"

"Maybe a bit," Harry told her,"But if you want my opinion, you replaced it with something even better. I've never seen you laugh so much... not in four years of school. I reckon the logic isn't buried too far down though."Then he gave a snort of laughter. "If someone started talking about Arithmancy, or some strange ways to get into Hogwarts, I expect you'd be back to logic and "How many times do I have to tell you...you cam't apparate..." fast enough."

She gave him a slight punch on the arm, which Harry tried to dodge, pretending to be in great pain, then said, sounding relieved "Ah, here's the place I wanted to go. I was afraid they'd closed or moved." Harry looked at the shop Hermione was pointing to, and felt a strange sort of shiver. It was a very old place, and when he followed Hermione in, there were smells that he felt were something like the ones in Professor Trelawney's classroom. Although it had always seemed more a torture room to him, especially that last time, when his scar had begun to hurt so excruciatingly.

"Uh, Hermione, I don't know whether I want to go in here.Doesn't it sort of remind you of the Divination classroom?" He was hoping this would stop Hermione in her tracks. She had no more use for Professor Trelawney than she had for Rita Skeeter. "What are we looking for here?This place doesn't feel like you."

"How do you know it doesn't feel like me? Anyway, it's one of my dad's favorite shops. He collects these things." Hermione pointed to a case full of small carved objects that were under a dim light. " I'm going to get a couple of these for his birthday and Christmas presents. It's one sure way to please him."

"What are they? Some of them look like you'd find them in Snape's office. And this place does feel strange Hermione. Something like Ollivander's in Diagon Alley.....I dunno, I just feel it." He grinned at her and went on."Maybe you should have stayed in Divination a little longer. Maybe you just have that weak aura ."

For a minute, Harry thought Hermione was going to really get mad, he'd forgotten how insulted she'd been by what Professor Trelawney had said.But then her face cleared and she laughed. "That old fraud? I've got more aura in one finger than she'll ever have. And Professor McGonagall told me at the party, if I continue to do this well in transfiguration, she'll begin some work with me on becoming an Animagus this year.Oh, and these things are called netsuke, and they're very prized by collectors. See, there are some that are really ancient, and others that were made more recently."

Hermione sure didn't mind springing things on a guy,Harry thought.
After all, his dad had been an animagus, he'd kind of hoped he'd be one of the first in their year to do some more advanced study. Of course, Hermione did pretty much score over one hundred per cent on all her transfiguration work. She must have noticed his silence, and put her arm through his.

"Hey!" she said softly. "I haven't told you what I'm thinking might happen. "

"What?" Harry asked with a forced grin. "You're going to become a cat, then you and Crookshanks can live happily ever after, right?"

"No, silly, I was thinking......you know how Sirius said he and the other three became animagi, but it took a long time, because they really had to do it all on their own?" He nodded, thinking, ' She can't be thinking what I think she's thinking!' and Hermione went on.

"So just think how much easier it would have been if one of them had managed to get some help from a teacher." Hermione looked appealingly at Harry, and he wondered again, how this transformation had taken place, right under his nose. This wasn't breaking a simple rule.

"We'll be expelled and I don't know what else, if we're caught. And won't McGonagall make you promise all kinds of things, the way she did with the Time Turner?"

"I'll lie." Hermione said coolly. "And do you think I'm going to let a simple thing like becoming an unregistered animagus stop me, if it means saving your life. And a lot of others, of course." Not looking quite as cool as her voice had sounded, and with very pink cheeks, Hermione turned back to the display case and began telling the shopkeeper which pieces of carvings she was interested in.

Harry wandered around the edge of the shop, looking at other cases and displays. One piece in particular struck him. It was a bright blue, an oval shaped stone, about an inch long. In relief carving on the stone was a stag, and on the stag's back was a woman, somehow showing in a less bright blue. The woman had long flowing hair, and she seemed strangely familiar. Oh, this had to be his imagination, or a coincidence or......

"Harry!" breathed Hermione beside him, in an awed voice. "Is that......?"

"Dunno, " replied Harry in a hoarse voice. "If it isn't, it's a pretty strange coincidence!"

Before they could continue the conversation, the shopkeeper came over and peered down into the case. "Ah, I see you have found one of my talismans." he told them, looking very serious. "You know someone in great danger? You buy this, your friend will be protected."

'Oh, sure!' thought Harry. I could most likely be looking at anything in here and he'd tell me the same thing. But then his eyes caught something he'd missed."What's that thing at the bottom? That long thing, with the curly thing at the bottom."

"Man and lady have killed the snake," the shopkeeper said. "This is what I was told when I bought this. It was a year ago. A very short man came in, said it had belonged to his friends who died. Seemed reluctant to part with it, but said he had no choice, had a debt to someone."

Hermione immediately began to haggle with the man over the price of the small oval, and Harry knew he should have been taking part in the transaction, but his mind had spun back to the conversation he'd had with Professor Dumbledore at the end of their third year.

He'd just found out Lupin was leaving, and had been feeling nothing really mattered much, well, with the great exception of Sirius' escape. Dumbledore had said something like "Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt.... ", "When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them.....and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter."

Harry remembered he had told Dumbledore he wanted no connection
with Pettigrew, but Dumbledore had continued,"This is magic at it's deepest, most impenetrable...but trust me, the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Peter Pettigrew's life."

Could this have been what Dumbledore meant. Or a part of it? As he was thinking all this, he felt Hermione nudge him. "OK, here, happy early birthday! " she said, looking particularly pleased with herself. "We'll have to check it for hexes and curses, but I did a little checking and it seems safe." She slid a thin but sturdy looking silver chain over Harry's head. and the oval dropped down into his button up shirt. "I guess you know, no time on the bench for us this morning. Mom will be picking us up soon."

Harry reached into his shirt, and touched the blue oval. It had seemed cold when it touched his skin, but had immediately become warm, as it if were a part of his skin. "I don't care how soon she'll be here!" he told Hermione, pulling her quickly from the shop. "Today is going to be the best day on the bench we've had yet. Now hurry!"

He hugged her hard, and then hurry they did, faster than Harry could remember going without his Firebolt, knowing they'd both be really glad they had.

______________________________

Ivy did come to pick Hermione and Harry up far sooner than they wished. Harry held Hermione back twice for "one more hug and kiss", but finally they both realized it was really time to go. The last thing they wanted was Ivy looking for them, and possibly suggesting they visit museums all day instead of shopping.

"I've seen enough museums already, I think, haven't you?" Harry asked Hermione. They had spent the first few afternoons taking guided tours, since Chris felt Harry deserved to hear the official tour guide's information.

"If you listen to Ivy and Hermione's version of what the paintings and sculptures are, you may wind up embarrassing yourself someday. I once spent ten minutes telling a woman about the meaning of a Cezanne, while I was cleaning her teeth. It was a bit embarrassing to find, when she could talk again, that she'd once owned that very painting,and had sold it to the museum! That was why she'd mentioned that particular painting. " Chris had laughed ruefully, and looked at Ivy, who smiled back sheepishly. "I explained to her that my wife, the other Dr. Granger, had an unusual sense of humor, but she's never attempted to discuss art again."

They arrived in front of the Tuileries Pond barely a minute before a taxi drove up with Ivy looking out the window anxiously. "Hop in, kids!" she exclaimed. "We're a bit late, and my friend will love teasing me that I haven't become more punctual as the years passed. I'm sure she still runs her house with absolute punctuality."

"Oh, Mom, you know we'd hate that. Half the fun of growing up with you was never knowing what to expect." Hermione hugged her mother, and Harry tried to fight the lump in his throat, as she went on. "I turned out all right, in spite of not having the perfectly punctual, well planned life, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did, but you also were more serious than I would have had you be. I sometimes wondered whether you were growing up to be more responsible than you should be." Ivy looked at Harry and smiled, "I didn't have to worry about that, did I? Not after you joined up with Harry and Ron, and started on your own course of rule breaking."

Harry couldn't help marveling again at the ease Ivy seemed to have in accepting her daughter's part in some activities that would have turned most mothers' hair white with fear. But he guessed it made her feel better, knowing she and Chris would be at Hogwarts this year. Harry himself was still wondering whether this was going to make things better or worse for him, Ron and Hermione.

Before he could go into these thoughts, they arrived at a small restaurant with a garden on one side, and tables among the huge pots of plants. As they left the taxi, a woman stood and waved to them, and Ivy waved back. Harry hoped these people were friendly, and could speak at least a little English. Otherwise, he was going to feel like an idiot, sitting there while Hermione translated everything.

They went out through the restaurant, which to Harry looked more like the library in someone's home. He realized again how little experience he'd had in the world, considering his age. During the years with the Dursleys, Harry was left with Mrs. Figg and her cats, in her smelly home, when his aunt, uncle and Dudley went out for dinner or other social engagements or entertainments. He looked around in wonder at the long, gleaming wood bar that seemed to go on for a mile. There was a fireplace that was tall enough for two men to stand in, and besides the tables, there were couches and chairs in front of the fire and in each of the alcove windows.

"Now this place feels like me!" he told Hermione, looking all around, as they walked out to the garden area. "I could imagine living someplace like this!"

Hermione laughed. "You'd like to have a bar that size in your house? You must be planning some big parties, Harry. Oh, I know, you were thinking of setting up a huge potions laboratory back there, and having Snape come help you out."

"Yeah, I'd like to have him back there. Maybe I could get him confused, and he'd drink some of his own Veritaserum potion. I'd still like to hear what that greasy git has been doing." Harry frowned, suddenly remembering something. "That party your mom and dad had - was Snape invited to that? It must have been a little awkward not to invite him, since the other teachers were there"

Looking a little startled, Hermione replied, "I hadn't even thought of it. We'll ask Mom when we leave here I think Snape is one of the furthest things from her mind now."

Looking at Ivy, Harry could tell Hermione was right. Ivy and her friend Marielle were now standing by the table, hugging and exclaiming over each other in a way Harry had never heard. Oh, he'd heard Aunt Petunia complimenting guests in a voice loaded with syrup, but Harry knew from experience, as soon as the person was gone, Aunt Petunia's tone would change. He'd heard her too many times, sugar straight to vinegar or worse!

Ivy and Marielle had now turned back to the table, and were re-introducing Hermione and Marielle's children. For some reason, Harry realized he'd been expecting someone like Fleur Delacour, but he couldn't have been more wrong. The brother and sister looked as if they had spent most of their lives outdoors, and both had a twinkle in their eyes that somehow reminded him of the Weasley twins, when they were about to play one of their better pranks. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad, after all, if he could only understand them!

"This is our friend, Harry Potter, he and Hermione are in school together," Ivy was saying. "Harry, this is Danielle, and this is Max. You're very close in age, aren't you?"

They did look very similar in age, Harry noticed. Danielle was blond, but her hair was more the color of sunshine, and instead of Fleur's cool blue eyes, hers were more like a piece of Honeydukes chocolate. Max was brown haired and his eyes were interesting, Harry thought, they seemed to change color each time he looked at them. He also seemed to have an honest, direct way about him that made Harry feel comfortable right away.

"Practically twins, everyone says" answered Max. "I have to stay close to Dani, like it or not. She's always finding some trouble."

"I am finding trouble?" his sister asked, indignantly. "I am not the one who kept us out in a thunderstorm on the lake yesterday. 'Ah, it will blow over, Dani' he tells me. And now Mama says we may not take the boat out for one week!"

"You didn't try to persuade me differently," he answered coolly. "You know you are the one who likes fighting the waves!" Max turned to Harry and Hermione, "I'm sure neither of you like doing such dangerous things?"

Hermione and Harry looked at each other, and Harry was more grateful than ever for Hermione's ability to think fast. "We have had an adventure or two since we've been at school, I don't suppose you could say either of us is a stranger to trouble. Too bad about the boat though, Harry and I would have loved to go out with you."

'They would?' Harry thought, looking at her with disbelief in his eyes . These two seemed nice enough, but what about the time alone they'd been enjoying? Was Hermione growing tired of him, already? But there seemed to be a more immediate problem. The others were ordering lunch, and he realized nothing on the menu looked the least familiar or readable.

He was ready to accept making a prat of himself when Hermione turned to him and said, "Everything sounds so delicious, I just can't decide. Harry, could I order two things and we could share both of them?" Harry nodded gratefully, and found her hand under the table, giving it a squeeze of thanks.

Hermione returned the squeeze, along with a look that told him she was far from tired of him, and Harry leaned back in his chair, giving an involuntary sigh of contentment. "Tired, Harry?" Ivy asked, with a twinkle in her eyes. "Hermione's been keeping you pretty busy in and out of those shops. I'd never have expected you to be such a shopper!"

"I, erm, guess the newness of shopping hasn't worn off yet. I am a bit glad to have a nice comfortable spot for awhile. Hermione could teach a class in covering ground shopping!" 'There!' Harry thought. 'Managed that one fairly well!'

Marielle burst into laughter, and exclaimed, "So, your daughter is much like you, my Ivy! More than you had told me."

With an even bigger twinkle in her eyes, Ivy replied, "Hermione and I are finding we are alike in more ways than you can imagine this summer!"

The meal came then and they were all busy eating for a few moments. Harry was relieved to see Hermione had ordered something he was familiar with, and they divided up the two meals. Soon Max turned the conversation back to the sailboat he and his sister owned, and was telling them about some of the races they had entered.

"I can see Max is trying to make me change my mind about their banishment from the water." Marielle told Hermione and Harry. "And I can see the two of you would enjoy a sail. What do you think, Ivy?"

"They have been spending a great deal of time shopping. A day on the water would probably be a nice change. So, Marielle, I see you are a very stern parent. Never bend the rules do you?" Ivy answered, laughing. "I seem to remember in our younger days, you said your children would be brought up according to strict rules. What happened?"

Marielle also laughed, a bit sheepishly. "I suppose I had not anticipated having children such as I do. These two are more like you than they are their own mother. It's possible we did more to change each other's minds about having children than we realized." She looked at Danielle and Max sternly. "Can I expect that you think more carefully about what is safe than you have been, if I allow Hermione and Harry to come to us for the day?"

"Oh, yes, Mama! We can sail to some of the islands, and pack a picnic. We'll be back safe and early. Just one more chance!" Danielle pleaded, her eyes shining."To come to France, and not enjoy a day on the water, you know this would be so sad!"

Everyone laughed, and as they finished lunch, the rest of the plans for the next day were made. Harry found he was really looking forward to the day. Even if it meant no time alone in the park with Hermione, he looked forward to being out in the sunshine, and doing something really physically challenging. The way Max had described sailing on their small boat, it sounded as if one was rarely still. Besides, there was the picnic on the island to look forward to. If he could speak to Max alone, he could arrange something, he was sure.

To be continued.....