Summer

Summer ~ The Faery Lights Finale ~

It was late evening and London was as beautiful as anyone could hope for on this summer night. The Grangers' home had been magically transformed into its normal, comfortable size. All the guests had departed, and after a few charms and spells, a person wouldn't have been able to tell what a crowd there had been so recently.

Harry saw Hermione wince as she heard Ivy and Mrs. Weasley discussing some of Gilderoy Lockhart's domestic charms. Mrs. Weasley was very enthusiastic, and Ivy was promising Molly that she would try a few.

"All right, you lot, we have an announcement to make too." said Mr. Weasley,as they sat draped across chairs, and sprawled on the rug. "Since Ivy and Chris will be at Hogwarts so much of the time, Molly and I will be spending a great deal of time here in their home."

"But what about the Burrow?" all of them chorused. "You can't desert it!"

"No, we'll be there on weekends and whenever I can have a bit of time off. We'll never let the Burrow go, have no fear of that. But think of your mother, having a modern kitchen, and close to all the shops."

"And your father, closer to the Ministry. He can apparate in no time, and have a place to quickly bring any of the ministers for a private meeeting." Mrs. Weasley looked so pleased, Harry forced himself to think that time away from the Burrow would be nice. And he had to admit, anything that gave Mr. and Mrs. Weasley an easier time was a good thing.

While the Grangers' house wasn't the Burrow, it had certainly taken on something of the same feel, after all the extra people and excitement, and the fun he and Hermione had been having this summer. Somehow, Ivy and Mrs. Weasley, as different as night and day in many ways, both had the knack for making a person feel warm, and comfortable, and that they just belonged.

After a bit more discussion along these lines, the adult Weasleys and Grangers went into the kitchen for coffee and a "nightcap" he heard them say, and grinned. The rest of the group drifted outside to the Grangers' wide front steps where they sat silently for a few moments, looking up at the stars.

"So, guess you two will be looking up at some French stars pretty soon?" said Ginny, unable to keep a trace of envy from her voice. "I hope I can go there someday."

"You'll have to let me know what you'd like me to bring you," said Hermione. "Harry may not like it, but we'll have to do at least a bit of shopping."

"I imagine Harry can find something to amuse himself," said Ron with a snicker. "It's a big city, I hear.And he's capable of entertaining himself. "

Hermione looked furiously at Ron for a moment, then she grinned. "Just can't stop, can you, Ron. Harry can do whatever he chooses, he's clever enough to amuse himself, and not hurt anyone he cares about."

They all laughed at this, and Hermione continued, "Now, tell me about this 'love letter'- why was Viktor so sure I had written something? He did act like an ass, and he tried to tear my dress. But something started it. He never acted that way before."

Harry was sitting directly behind Hermione, and she was leaning against his knees. This made it easy for him to lean forward and whisper,"You never looked the way you do tonight before!" and he saw a smile in her eyes, and a very pretty pink cover her cheeks.

"OK, no whispering with the hostess," scolded Fred."So you want to know about the ink? Well, we've been working on that one for a while. We call it Disaseepering Ink. It can be quite useful."

"How does it work?" Harry and Ron asked at the same time.

"You write what you want on a piece of paper. After about five seconds, it will seep through that paper and form the same letters on the piece of paper underneath. The original witing disappears immediately" George explained.

"Then," finished Fred, "About five minutes after it's been read, all of the ink disappears."

Hermione nodded. "I thought it might have been something like that. So Viktor really did see what he was saying? No wonder he was so certain.And so angry."

"We never wrote anything about a romantic time. It just said you were going to need to step outside for a few moments" Fred exclaimed. "All that rubbish about you wanting to kiss him-that came from his own head."

"No one told him to be grabbing you or your dress either, Hermione!" said Harry, sounding as if he'd like to chew Viktor up and spit him back out. "There was nothing to make him think you wanted that."

"Nothing except being a guy," said Ginny with a grin. "Sounds like that thing with grabbing the dress is preying on your mind, Harry.Wishing it had been you, maybe?"

"Harry wouldn't ever have to grab," put in Hermione, apparently without even thinking. The Weasleys hooted, and Harry and Hermione went red at the same moment.

Feeling it was wise to move on, Harry quickly asked,"What about those tarts? That was a real treat, just wish we'd gotten a photograph of the two Malfoy monkeys!"

"And what makes you think we didn't? " asked Ginny, smiling slyly. "Colin Creevy might be annoying as hell, but he's taught me a bit about remote photography. We may just have some treasures on hand, as soon as I develop them."

"Oh, you can do that in my parents X-ray room.They have developing suppiies in there, muggle ones of course. My dad will love showing you how to work them." Hermione convulsed in laughter," I think my dad also might be one of the most appreciative of a copy of his own. Did you see how Lucius Malfoy was going on and on about his 'important role in the wizarding world? ' And that crack about muggles at Hogwarts!"

All of them sobered up slightly at this, knowing they probably hadn't heard the end of Malfoy's dad's complaints on this subject., but they brightened again when Ron cried, "Got it! A bit of blackmail, but since we'll have the pictures.......as soon as we hear Malfoy begin to brag that his dad is going to get rid of the muggle- and he will, Hermione, sorry. Anyway, we pull out the monkey photos, and let Draco, the slime, know they're ready for distribution."

"Looks as if the Weasleys have all the angles covered, as usual," Harry said, sighing contentedly, and casually leaning forward to rest his chin on top of Hermione's head. She turned around and smiled up at him .

"Nothing's going to be easy or simple," she said,"but with friends and family like we all have, we'll put up a good fight, won't we?" Harry noticed that the Fairies were no longer twinkling and flashing, but were instead shining with a deep, steady glow that somehow matched the way he felt.

. "And no good sittin' worryin' abou' it," began Harrry with a grin, looking around at the friends who had made his life feel more normal than he'd ever hoped for. Hermione and Ron, the best friends anyone could have, no matter what world they lived in. Ron becoming so understanding, but losing none of his fire. Hermione, still bossy, but now having the stubborness balanced by the warmth in her eyes (and her lips!). Ginny, no longer the shy blushing one, showing signs of the pretty, confident witch she would grow to be. George and Fred, more mischievous and nutty every year, but clever, loyal, and obvously hard working and intelligent when it came to the important things. And the older Weasleys and Grangers, managing to become as close to parents as Harry would ever know, but never making him feel guilty or that he loved James and Lily less because they were not physically beside him.

"And so ...... he continued. To his amazement, Gred, Forge, Ron , Ginny and Hermione all chimed in, as if they had rehearsed it a million times - "What's comin' will come, and we'll meet it when it does!"

They all laughed, a bit shakily, then in their usual way, Fred and George managed to change the mood back to the truly important things in life. "Well, I reckon it's time for..." began Fred, and together he and George shouted, "more FOOD!!!"

They all got to their feet and headed for the door, happily discussing what they hoped to find to eat, and how they wanted to spend the next few days. A very unusual group, perhaps, but at that moment, just a happy, hungry group of teenagers, determined to squeeze every possible bit of fun they could get from this Summer.

Only Harry paused at the door, taking one more look up at the stars, and whispered "Thanks!" before Hermione's arm slid around his waist and he was pulled into the noisy, happy confusion that was now his world.