Life After Hogwarts

Chapter 1

Harry watched Ron throwing the ball across the pitch to the pigmy-like children laughing and running around trying to be the first to get the ball. Ron's hair looked like a ball of fire, catching the light of the sun and throwing it off as though he wore some kind of a halo. Harry had never seen Ron as happy as he was now, and the children were obviously getting the brunt of it. All three of them had red hair just like Ron, but had definitely got their carefree disposition from their small, energetic, ever-happy mother, Batilda. Ron had met her when his job as Manager in the Office of Organized Peoples' Society (OOPS) had sent him to Australia. According to Ron, Batilda had swept into the meeting bringing an air of total confidence that had impressed and pleased him. According to Batilda, he had stared at her, googly-eyed, for the whole meeting and wouldn't have got a thing done had it not been for her co-position. Either way, it was love at first sight. Harry had to admit that Bat (as they fondly called her) had done wonders in sweeping the cobwebs from Ron's shadowed soul. The murder of his baby brother, Ethan, had shut him off from his friends and family for so long.

"Harry!"

Harry shaded his eyes from the bright sun as he stood and looked around to see who had called him. Too late he realised the call had been to catch the ball. The hard, white ball hit him where his head had been when sitting. His groin. "Ooohh..."

He groaned and dropped to the ground.

There was utter silence in the small park as everyone stopped laughing and watched the still form on the ground. Bat stood and pushed her sunglasses up into her short, black hair and Hermione dropped the sandwich she had been fixing on the porch.

The children were the first to pull themselves together and run to their Uncle, yelling like savages. Martha, Elliot and Gabrielle leaned over him, their small forms blocking the light of the sun.

Harry opened an eye tentatively and groaned, " Nice throw."

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" came the war cries as they proceeded to bury Harry under their skinny bodies.

Harry groaned again and braced himself.

Hermione laughed at the mass of bodies at the other end of the pitch and turned to Bat. "Where did you get those animals from?"

Bat laughed and sat back in her chair. " Those are definitely not my children", she said and the two of them laughed. Hermione was pouring a glass of lemonade for herself when the screen door pulled open and a dishevelled Ginny stumbled out onto the porch. She stopped abruptly and then went flying forward as another figure crashed into her. Draco pulled her up and she scowled at him, then fixed her attention back to the other two women.

"Who screamed?"

Hermione and Bat exchanged a knowing look before turning back to the flushed pair in front of them.

"What-did you guys finally come up for air?" smirked Bat.

Draco turned beet red, a colour that looked very strange next to his white hair. Ginny glanced at him and, on seeing his red face, let out a loud guffaw that ended in a funny snort that she tried to hide behind her hand. Draco then doubled over at hearing her laugh and fell to the floor laughing. Ron came up the porch steps carrying a grinning Gabrielle and stopped, watching the show going on. On noticing that they had an audience, the two stopped laughing and stood, putting on serious faces but with grins threatening to distort their faces.

Another scream exploded and suddenly Harry came running onto the porch followed closely by Elliot and Martha. Harry then decided to use Ron as a shield and grabbed his shoulders. The triplets found this to be great fun and clung to their father's clothes, enjoying the game. Hermione sat in the rocking chair and looked at Harry. "Look at him... He would make such a great father... " She thought, wistfully.

As Hermione, Bat and Ginny went about clearing up the kitchen at the Burrow, the guys sat on the porch, not saying anything at first, just watching the gnomes running across the lawn.

"Potter."

Harry turned, and looked over Ron's head toward Draco. "Malfoy?"

"So, what's up with you and your girlfriend in there? Judging by the tension between you too, you aren't getting any action."

Harry flushed and then smiled. "Oh, I'm getting action all right. I just restrain myself from devouring her whenever I see her. Unlike someone and his ladyfriend," he said pointedly. Draco scowled and stood.

"Can you blame me? I mean, look at the girl!"

"Yeah. Ginny is beautiful..."

At this both Ron and Draco turned to stare at Harry. Harry grinned cheekily, then fixed his face. "Hermione's stunning though."

The guys continued to stare at Harry. He suddenly stood and looked at his watch. It was late.

"Look you guys," he said, "It's late. Herm and I should be heading back now. We both have stuff to do tomorrow."

Ron stood, nodding, then took Harry's hand. "Hey, it was great seeing you guys again. Owl us when you guys aren't busy and we'll plan something again."

Draco groaned and muttered something about having to actually go through this again.

They walked inside and stopped short in the doorway. Having put the triplets to bed, the women had sat down at the fire with mugs of cocoa and were relaxing, talking women's talk. The fire reflected off of Hermione's soft curls, Ginny's raging hair and Bat's short black hair, making it look streaked. They were each beautiful in their own way and all three of the guys just stood there, drinking in the sight off them. Hermione yawned and then noticed the guys in the doorway, gawking.

"Harry," she said softly and stood. They embraced and he whispered into her hair.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded into his chest but didn't let go of him. Harry looked over her head and saw Ron slipping into the armchair, positioning his wife in his lap. He winced and she smiled, removing her wand from her pocket. Though she was two years older than him, she could have passed for two years younger. And, funnily enough, Ron didn't feel uncomfortable about the age difference.

Draco moved to Ginny and pulled her from the chair. They kissed, hungrily, and Harry had to smile.

"See you guys soon," he said. He walked to Bat and kissed her cheek, then to Ginny (waiting for her and Draco to finish kissing before placing a kiss on her cheek). Hermione gave a small wave and blew kisses all around. Then the two of them Apparated back to their "humble" home.

Two weeks later found Harry and Hermione standing across from each other with scowls on their faces, Hermione with a frying pan in her hand, Harry with a knife. The two continued to glare at each other before Hermione exploded again.

"YOU CANNOT USE A KNIFE TO SCRAPE THE FRYING PAN!!! IT'S RUINED NOW!!!"

Harry stormed over to the sink, dropped the knife in, then pulled out his wand. He pointed his wand at the frying pan and muttered a few words. In Hermione's hand, the frying pan was once again as good as new.

Hermione's face went red and she looked at Harry. "Oh. Yeah."

He grinned and took the frying pan from her. Hedwig and Reggie looked nervously between the two, perched on the windowsill. Hermione shrugged, then went back to the table and picked up her quill. Harry returned to the sink to finish washing up, this time doing it the with his wand, humming a tune that he had heard Hermione singing. Neither of them heard the door open and shut again, nor did they see the figure standing there, until they heard a load "ahem!"

Both of them turned to the door, wands out, mouths open, the beginnings of curses forming on their lips.

"Woah! Woah woah woah! It's me!"

Both of them let out long breaths and put away their wands as the tall man sat down in the settee. "You guys sure are strung tight!" he said.

"You could have knocked y'know, Sirius," said Hermione getting up to give him a hug. Harry came over and shook Sirius' hand.

"It's been a while Sirius. I was beginning to wonder where you had gone to."

Sirius leaned back and grinned, "Well, you know how it is. Hey! Guess who I saw in Brazil?"

Brazil? Hermione and Harry exchanged a look.

"Give up? Arthur and Molly Weasley! They were at a market and I was passing through. Then I stayed with them at their house for a while. They look well. Better than they had when they were at the Burrow. Too many things for them to think about."

Hermione nodded, a sympathetic look on her face. " It was a good idea for them to leave. And they can still have the good memories whenever they visit Ron and Bat there."

Yeah, thought Harry, but I miss them.

It had been 4 years since they had graduated from Hogwarts. In their 7th and last year, Mrs. Weasley had announced that she was pregnant, to the surprise of everyone. But, not only was she pregnant, but had been for the past four months. At first, the Weasley "children" hadn't known what or how to feel. Then, they had each warmed to the thought of having another brother and everyone was excited. Harry, Hermione and Ron had just got rid of Voldemort and everyone was still celebrating. Hermione's parents hadn't heard of this yet, and so, had not come out of hiding yet. Everyone was in great moods and all inhibitions were forgotten. Then, out of nowhere, Mrs. Weasley had announced her pregnancy. It truly was a time for celebration!

When the baby was born, it seemed that the Burrow was never empty. Bill, Charlie, Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Harry, Ginny and Hermione spent most of their time around the new baby, when they weren't in school. Baby Ethan was in great health and received plenty of attention from his family. Even Draco had softened towards the little baby (he had Apparated there to see Ginny once). Then, one day when everyone had been away, Mrs. Weasley had been attacked. It seems as though Peter Pettigrew (a.k.a. Wormtail) had got wind of the birth and had summoned the last of the Death Eaters. They tried to get Mrs. Weasley to go with them and they had planned on using her to get back at Harry, but Mr. Weasley entered just then. Pandemonium broke out as Mr. Weasley realized what was going on and had summoned help while trying to defeat the death eaters. The twins had arrived first and then Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny spilled into the room. It had been a hard fight and at one point, it seemed that the Death Eaters would kill them all, but they had come out victors and defeated the last promiscuous Death Eaters. Not to mention, Peter Pettigrew. Mr. Weasley Apparated him to the Ministry and the whole Sirius scandal was sorted out. Then the Death Eater had been given the Dementor's Kiss. But this had only happened after Pettigrew grabbed baby Ethan and threatened his life. There was nothing anyone could do while the grinning man held the screaming baby by a leg. Mrs. Weasley was screaming and tears streamed down her cheeks, while Ginny and Hermione tried to calm her. Then, without warning, the child had stopped screaming. Peter had looked at the child uncertainly, the beginnings of doubt forming in his eyes. While distracted, almost everyone had shouted a curse at Peter, most of them stunning curses, one of them a cushioning spell and another the Impediment Curse, slowing the baby down as he fell. Peter was knocked out cold. No one moved. Then, Mrs. Weasley had stepped forward tentatively.

"Ethan?" Her voice shook. The baby was still falling, incredibly slowly. She placed her arms around the small form and someone behind her took the charm off the baby. Molly Weasley held the baby and gently lowered her head. Her shoulders shook.

"Ethan." she whispered.

She turned to them, standing behind her and raised her head, tears spilling down her face. Arthur Weasley walked towards her, looking at the baby, then raised his eyes to hers. She shook her head, an almost imperceptible movement. Then her face crumpled.

Hermione touched Harry's arm and brought him back to the present. Sirius frowned, then stood.

"Sorry to just come and go like this, but I have some business to take care of. I was just stopping by to say hey. So, see you guys around."

He dropped a kiss on Hermione's forehead and reached out to shake Harry's hand, then thought better of it and embraced the younger man. Harry hugged him back and then Sirius was gone. The Muggle way, Harry noticed. Hermione looked at Harry, concerned.

"Harry? Are you alright?"

Harry looked at the slight form in front of him, the knowing look in her eyes. God, he loved her. Tendrils tickled her ears and neck and her deep-brown eyes looked into his. She was so beautiful, and as innocent as ever. Well, innocent during the day. At night she was everything but. He looked at her hungrily and cradled her face in his hands. He lowered his lips to hers, but instead of kissing her, brushed her lips with his own and whispered "I love you."

Then he lifted her into his arms.

George looked up from the newspaper he held, watching the petite brunette open the door and turn to close it behind her. On spotting George, she froze and widened her eyes. Her eyes darted from him to the bedroom door closest, then back to him. Then her face relaxed. She walked back inside and leaned over the still George, placing a long kiss on his lips. When she finished, she ran a finger down his chest, then smiled and retuned to the doorway. "Call me." she mouthed from the door, then left. George sat there looking at the closed door, then stood and walked over to the slightly open door. He pushed his head through and looked at the still-smiling Fred.

"Your... friend... says you should call her."

"Thanks George."

George retreated back to the dining room and folded up his newspaper. He then walked to the door "Later Freddie." and stepped out.

George crossed the hallway and knocked on the apartment door across from theirs.

"Angie, can I use your fireplace? I'm running late and Muggle method's take so damn long."

Angelina poked her sleep-filled face out the door and looked at George. "What could any self-respecting person be doing going to work at this time of the morning?"

George laughed and pushed the door open. Angelina squeaked and her eyes widened.

"Well, Angie, if you really want to prevent me going..." he looked at her body that the sheet barely covered, "I'm all yours."

Angelina stepped forward, trying to pass him, "George... the fireplace is over there. Go to work."

At that, she tip-toed and kissed his cheek. Unexpectedly, his arms closed around her. She looked up at him, then down. His arms pulled the sheet taut across her chest. She swallowed and looked back up.

"George..."

The look in his eyes fled and he released her. "I'm sorry."

He stepped back. "On second thought, I'll Apparate. Bye Angie."