Chapter 6: News
******Diagon Alley, London, 1200, 03 July, 1994******
Neville had stumbled through the day oscillating through grief and confusion with the occasional stopover in gratitude. The steadying hand and presence of Andromeda had been a salve to his pain and a rock to which he moored. He had a very futile and frustrating interview with the Senior Auror assigned to his Grandmother's murder case. After fifteen minutes, he felt like writing on a piece of paper, "I was in the greenhouse from 8AM until after lunch and neither saw nor heard anyone" so he could hold it up every few minutes as the man kept at him with questions.
After another fifteen minutes of his interviewer badgering him about things that Neville had admitted he knew nothing about, Andromeda butted in and said "Neville, do you want to continue to voluntarily answer this Auror's questions?" She had arched her eyebrows, smiling slightly, and stressed the voluntarily in her question.
Neville had returned her small smile and said "I don't know what else I can tell him."
Andromeda nodded thoughtfully, turning to the Auror, she said "Would a pensieve memory of the event be sufficient to answer any other questions you may have?" Ten minutes later they were headed out of the office and on to the Department of Transportation in order to allow temporary access for the Ministry officials to the Longbottom estate. There had been a moment when Neville felt his stomach fall into his feet when he realized that the only reason the wards would obey him was because he was the only one left. The last Longbottom. At least the last cognizant Longbottom.
He looked up at Andromeda with a tear in his eye and she patted his shoulder for a moment, and after a quick consideration, she gave him a slow, gentle hug. They ambled out of the offices and Andromeda said "Come on Neville; let's go get an ice cream." Ten minutes later, they were sitting in the sun outside Florean Florescue's Ice Cream Parlor, chatting about themselves; getting to know one another.
Andromeda was wringing her napkin again; reached out and put her hand on Neville's saying "Neville, my husband and I have plenty of room at our home in Cornwall. Would you like to stay with us for a while until things get sorted?"
Neville opened his eyes widely and stammered, "Stay with you? You want me to stay with you?" When Andromeda nodded with her small smile, he returned it and said softly, "I'd like that."
******Harry and Hermione's Home, Tir na nOg, after breakfast*******
The last few months had been very good for Harry and Hermione. Since the reception of the odious `communication' from the Headmaster, Harry and Hermione had tasked Remus and Sirius to develop a counter plan to the aged wizard's machinations.
Harry and Hermione had advanced by leaps and bounds with their elemental explorations and studies. Harry had laughed when he came in from a stroll in the woods and found Hermione sitting on the bed holding her hands out with small flames sprouting from the end of each finger, like candles, as Fawkes and Crookshanks watched with correspondingly amused and bored expressions . He smiled at her and said huskily "Are you a birthday cake?"
She smiled and winked at him just as he dove on her and their studying fell by the wayside. Harry smiled in remembrance of that afternoon. They had finally begun to see the influence of their element in their life before even coming to the Undying Lands. Hermione's enthusiasm for learning, her uninhibited passion for Harry in physical and emotional planes, her fervor and vim for life all aligned with her Fiery nature.
Of course, Harry's ardor for flight was easily explained, his mood swings were just like rain fronts coming in, the indifference he usually displayed for rain, sleet and snow. All these characteristics they saw as springing from his element; Air.
Sexually, they had exercised restraint. They had progressed far beyond simple snogging and on more than one occasion, a naked Harry or Hermione had almost run out of the cottage and jumped in the brook to prevent them taking the final step in their relationship. Since their discussion with Nuada, they had asked everyone they had seen if they could either give a message to Aine or direct them to her. Every god or goddess had replied with a small smile and said, "She will find you when the time is right." Today, Aine had walked up to their house and taken Hermione by the arm and they had strolled off for a chat. Harry was left behind to do the dishes.
He was currently meditating in the front yard while floating six feet off the ground. Nuada had challenged him to take his wind-assisted jump to the next logical step, which was using the wind to allow Harry to fly. After getting past the overwhelmingly exciting idea, it had taken him almost a month of day in day out meditation and effort to be able to float while sitting cross-legged for over three minutes. He was currently on his record length of forty two minutes and going strong.
His efforts came tumbling down as Hermione ran out of the woods, crashing through the undergrowth like Brigid in her hind form. Harry lost concentration and fell unceremoniously on his bum. He was about to give her a hard time when he heard her sob and she embraced him in an enveloping hug. Confused, he frowned and held her while she sobbed whole-heartedly in his arms. Softly stroking her back, he began to whisper to her, "Hey, love. It's Ok, whatever is wrong, it's going to be Ok" over and over to her.
After a bit, her sobs became tears that dwindled into hiccups. He was running his fingers through her hair when he said, "Do you want to talk about it? If you don't that's fine, but I'll listen if you want." Harry had been trained very thoroughly that most of the time, a woman just wants her man to shut up and listen to her, not fix it.
Hermione laughed a watery chuckle and said, "Yeah, you deserve to know." This got Harry's attention and he stilled.
Still curled up in his arms, she said, "Aine and I were talking on our walk. At first it was just a bit of this and a bit of that; chatting, you know?" When she felt Harry's nod, she continued, "Then she brought up what Nuada talked to us that one day." Hermione took a shaky breath and said, "She told me that because we are Elementals…" she paused and looked at him with more tears flowing down her face and whispered to him "we can never have children together."
Harry was stunned. Never. All those nights that he spent in the cupboard as a small boy he promised himself that he would never treat his children like he was treated. He would love his little boys and girls and tell them of it every day of their life. Now, that would never happen. Coming back to himself, he remembered that the crying woman in his arms. This is why Hermione had been distraught. With wide eyes he looked at her, shook his head a little and said, "Are you Ok?"
Hermione clung to him, burst into fresh tears, and almost wailed "Oh god Harry! I have been dreaming these last weeks of having our children. Little brown haired girls with green eyes and black haired boys with brown eyes. I've seen them in my sleep and now I'll never see them when I'm awake" she finished in a whisper.
"You said it's because we're Elementals, can we refuse the gift? Our family is more important…" he trailed off as she shook her head negatively.
"We are what we are. I already asked." After a full minute while they sat there in each others arms, she said with a far-away voice, "She also said that we could have families if we didn't marry each other."
Harry stiffened at the implications of what she was saying. Terror gripped his heart and he croaked "Oh?"
Hermione nodded with more tears cascading down her pretty face. "Harry, I understand. You've always wanted a family and I can't give it to you now. You aren't obligated or anything to me."
Now Harry got mad, "Do you really think that I'm such a complete bastard as that?" he almost barked at her. When she flinched at his outburst and stared at him with wide eyes, he ran a hand through his hair and gently lifted her off his chest so they were sitting facing one another. He put his hand on her cheek, looked her in the eyes and said, "I love you. This is very unfortunate, but it isn't the end of the world. I want you, not your baby making ability. If we can't have children naturally, then we'll adopt or something. I've learned that my real family is all here" and he waved his hand about indicating the residents of Tir na nOg, "and I'm related to none of them by blood." Leaning forward, he kissed her softly and she kissed him back. He pulled her close in a comforting embrace, whispered to her, "I love you and only you, I want no one else."
Hermione held him firmly to her and said into his chest, "Oh Harry, I love you and only you. I only want you, no one else. I just wish we could have our babies."
He nodded and said softly, "I know, me too."
After a bit, he pulled her up and, hand-in-hand, they took a walk. At first they followed the brook and then wandered in the woods for a bit. They came to a clearing that had a large rock that they called `the sitting rock' as it was shaped like a loveseat. Wordlessly, they sat and she folded into his side as he held her like precious crystal. They sat there, overwhelmed with emotion, listened to the sounds of the forest and the brook, and watched the sun set through the trees.
The next day Hermione awoke to find she was alone in bed and a note was hovering over her from Harry.
Running a quick errand, be back for breakfast - H
She frowned for a second, wondering what errand he could possibly have this early, then shook it off and rose to head to the toilet. As she finished dressing for the day, she heard him call out "I'm back. I'll start breakfast."
After a pleasantly quiet breakfast, Harry held out his hand to Hermione and said, "Come on" and they walked out to the open field behind the house. Hermione loved to stroll through the tall grass and smell the fragrant wildflowers that grew there. Harry pulled up short in the middle of the blooming flowers and sat, pulling Hermione down next to him. He lay on his back and Hermione lay next to him, resting her head on his chest.
After a few minutes, she said, "Ok, what's going on?"
She could feel him smile and he replied, "I had a quick question for Nuada."
Pursing her lips, she figured it was an Elemental discussion, but curiosity won out. "What did you ask him?"
He paused and finally said softly, "How weddings are performed here."
Nonplussed, she shot her head up and looked at her boyfriend with a stunned look on her face. He looked back at her with a quiet seriousness and said, "I meant what I said. I love you with all my heart." Sitting up, he took both her hands in his and quietly said, "I love you, Hermione. Will you marry me?"
There were no more secrets, either intentional or otherwise. She knew him completely and he her. He was her best friend and the man she loved. She would die for him. She would kill for him. Eternity stared her in the face and it had black hair, green eyes and a lopsided grin. She stared back at him, a single tear sliding down her cheek before her face melted into a smile and she said "Yes, I'll marry you."
Harry's face threatened to split in half and he kissed her, softly at first and then more passionately. Hermione leaned back, pulled Harry on top of her, and started pulling his shirt off. He broke their kiss, lifted himself and let her get it all the way off before she moaned and attacked his neck with kisses and gentle bites.
Harry groaned back and ripped her blouse open, scattering buttons in the grass as he kissed her neck and nestled himself between her legs. Cupping her breast in his hand he kissed her powerfully, needfully when she pulled back and said, "Harry, now it's right. Make love to me."
They shared their love together for the first of many times in their very long lives that morning in the beautiful field.
******Hogwarts, Transfiguration Professors Office, 1430, 03 July, 1994******
Minerva McGonagall was a passionate woman who had an iron will. She loved educating. She loved being responsible for children (even the Marauders and the Weasley twins). She loved all of it. She was also driven by a desire to serve others. In this role she felt that she was truly giving back to the community with no strings attached; merely being paid a feeling of satisfaction at performing well in a role worth doing.
All these things were running through her head, for Minerva was an introspective woman. There was one dominant thought worming its way through her consciousness today and it was fear. She was terrified that she would fail at her task. She felt that she was born for this task, raised for this task and she didn't want to fail for many reasons. One of which was that she had come to love young Harry and Hermione as the children she never would have.
She continued her plans on the long parchment on her desk. Filius will be by this evening with his part.
******Tonks Home, Near Bodmin, Cornwall, 1800, 03 July, 1994******
"Ted! Are you home?"
Andromeda and Neville had just flooed from Longbottom Manor after packing a trunk full of clothes. He had very shyly given her a tour of his greenhouse and she had been an attentive audience, asking questions at the right time and listening at the others. Mostly what she saw was a young man with a passion. Neville loved his plants like others love books, or theater, or mathematics. He was fortunate to have found his passion so young, she thought.
After Neville did the work on his projects that was in progress, Andromeda shrunk his trunk, handed it to Neville who pocketed it and they flooed to the Tonks residence.
Neville came out of the floo and looked around the moderately sized drawing room. It was furnished with comfortable furniture, the coffee table scattered with magazines, some of which had fallen to the floor. The pictures on the walls were a mixture of muggle and wizarding. Looking out the French doors, he saw Bodmin Moor stretching out before him, a desolate beauty if he didn't know better.
Hearing the shuffle of feet, he turned to the doorway and Andromeda entered shaking her head, "He's not home yet. Sometimes he works late at the beginning of the month, cleaning up the closeouts of the previous month." Seeing Neville's confusion, she continued, "Ted is a wizarding Barrister and works for Gringotts in the Wealth Management department." She waved her hand and said, "Come on, I'll take you to your room."
He followed her up the back staircase to a nicely decorated second floor that had an overlook into the great room. She pointed down one end and said, "The master bedroom is down there" she walked the opposite way and opened a door on a room decorated in pale blue and green saying "and this is your room. Decorate it however you like and if you want to change the colors feel free to tell myself or Ted and we'll charm it for you."
Neville was quickly reaching saturation. She was so very nice and considerate and had yet to upbraid him or call him names. He looked at her to judge her sincerity with her statements and saw only affection and caring in her eyes. Smiling to himself and to her, he said, "The colors are great. Could you just?" and he held out his shrunken trunk.
Nodding she placed it on the floor and restored it to its natural size. "Go ahead and unpack, I've got to go start dinner, do you have any dislikes for food?"
Shocked again, he could only say, "I'm not too fond of liver."
Andromeda chortled and on her way out of the room said, "I don't think anyone is dear."
As he finished unpacking his clothes, he heard the floo sound downstairs and a deep baritone voice call out, "Andi! I'm finally home you sexy woman!"
Neville froze, halfway between a smile and a blush when Andromeda immediately called out "Ted! Come in the kitchen!"
A moment later Neville heard a muted "Oh!" followed by Andromeda calling out "Neville, dinner's ready!"
Neville slouched into the kitchen, looking at the ground and stopped, waiting for directions. Andromeda walked up, took his arm and arm and walked him over to the table. Sitting at the head of the table was a barrel chested man with dark brown hair and a neatly trimmed thick brown beard. His merry eyes looked up at the Longbottom heir and he stood, hand outstretched saying, "Neville, it's very good to meet you. Andi has told me about your unfortunate situation." Pausing, the kind faced man's features softened and in a soft voice, he said, "I'm very glad to welcome you to our household. Consider our house your own" and patted the young man on the shoulder.
Taken aback, Neville's eyes filled and he croaked out a "Thank you" to which Ted nodded and took his seat. Andromeda handed Neville the plates and flatware to set the table when the floo roared and out tumbled Nymphadora.
With a perky "I'm home!" she ambled into the kitchen and ruffled Neville's hair without blinking and sat down, saying, "What's on mum, I'm starved?" With a faint smile, feeling like he belonged here, Neville set the table for dinner.
After everyone had leaned back from the satisfying roast with potatoes and carrots, Nymphadora stood and cleared the table without being asked while Ted and Andromeda addressed Neville. "Neville," began Andromeda, "you know that Ted works at Gringotts, but I work here at home. Usually during the day I'm in my workshop or out walking the moor for inspiration, but you have free run of the entire house."
"Except for my old room" Nymphadora shouted from the sink.
Smiling, Andromeda said, "Except for Nymphadora's old room. Feel free to floo to your family home to tend your plants" here she glanced at Ted, got a nod and continued, "If you'd like, we could set up something here for you." When Neville's eyes rounded, she said "A little greenhouse of your own, if you'd like that."
Slightly overwhelmed, Neville nodded and said, "I'll think about that. It's a very generous offer, thank you."
Nymphadora walked up, drying her hands with a towel and said, "C'mon, Nev, let's go walk around, I'll show you about the place." She smiled and tossed the towel to her father and the two teens walked out.
Ted stroked his beard and said to Andromeda, "He's a polite lad. Looks like his gran was a bit strict with him." Smiling, he looked at his wife and said, "Looks like he needs a family to love him." Andromeda reached out, took his upturned hand with a watery smile, and muttered thanks.
******Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office 1200 07 July, 1994******
Albus Dumbledore was very annoyed. "Where is that damn bird?" Fawkes had been gone for a week, which was six days longer than he'd expected. Some people thought him mad. Others considered him crafty. He liked to think of himself as a man hard enough to make the decisions that needed to be made. In the end, though, he didn't really care what anyone thought.
A knock at the door brought him out of his musings and he called out "Enter."
Minerva McGonagall entered with a box in one hand and a stack of parchment in the other. She set the box on his desk saying, "Since you were unable to make it, I picked up the first year's letters from the Scribe." There was a room in Hogwarts that held the complete list of magical births in the British Isles recorded in a huge ledger. A spell cast in the distant past, that was commonly called `the Scribe' by the staff, would generate the first years letters. The staff commonly called this process, the Scribe. For the upper classes, the staff would charm the letters based on enrollment or applications. Minerva was somewhat confused as this was the first time in over twenty years that Albus had not picked up the letters.
"Ah, thank you Minerva. I've been rather consumed with the planning for the Tournament and hadn't the chance to pick them up." In reality, he didn't want Fawkes returning his wayward students to anywhere other than his office. He hadn't left the office or adjacent quarters since he'd sent the Phoenix on his errand.
Minerva frowned at the obvious lie, but let it go. Depositing the pile of parchment she said, "This is the book list for all years from the professors. No real surprises, even from Alastor."
Dumbledore nodded and said, "You've read it over?" At her nod, he said, "Very well, I trust your judgment, go ahead and send out the upper year letters as well."
Now Minerva furrowed her brow, as well as, frowning. This was most unusual. Albus was many unpleasant things, but he did not shirk his responsibilities as Headmaster. "Except for Snape" she corrected herself. Aloud she said, "Are you sure?"
The old man nodded absently and resumed reading a sheaf or reports he had abandoned an hour ago. After a moment, he looked across his desk and saw his Deputy staring at him. "Was there anything else, Minerva?" he asked absently.
After a swift internal debate, Minerva shook her head, rose and left the office quietly with the items she had thought to leave with the Headmaster. Her eyes were focused on faraway objects; she had much to consider.
******Marauders Pad, Tir na nOg, Dinnertime*******
Sirius and Harry were coming back to the house the older men shared after a walk. Hermione and Remus had volunteered to cook so Harry and Sirius left to stay out from underfoot. The older man noticed the look of almost glee on his Godson's face and said "So what's the good news, Pup? Let me guess, you finally got laid?"
With his mood dampened only slightly, Harry scowled at Sirius and said, "Shut up Padfoot. Actually, something wonderful has happened." Pausing for a comedic dramatic effect he said, "I asked Hermione to marry me and she said `Yes'."
After a long pause, Sirius flatly said, "That's great Harry" and continued to walk down the path.
Blinking in surprise, Harry stood watching his Godfather walk away from him. With a bit of heat he snapped, "Sirius!" and the dark haired man turned and looked over his shoulder. Harry rolled his eyes in an exasperated manner saying, "What was that about?" Shifting to a Crabbe-like tone he said, "Oh great Harry." Waving his hands he said, "What's the problem?"
Sirius ran his hands through his hair and exhaled loudly. Muttering, "How do I say this…" he turned to Harry and said, "Look, I love Hermione, she's a great girl"
Harry narrowed his eyes and spat, "But"
"But when you guys got here you were only thirteen and fourteen, right?" At Harry's quick nod, Sirius felt a little bolder and said, "So don't you think you're rushing into things. I mean you haven't even dated other girls yet. James dated three dozen girls or so before marrying your mum." Sirius' courage flagged, wavered and then collapsed at the look on Harry's face.
Coldly, Harry said, "First, I'm not my father. I never knew my father, so the comparison is irrelevant. Second, our ages when we got here are irrelevant as we are now well over the age of consent. Thirdly, I don't want to date other girls. I've found the one person who I will literally spend the rest of time with. Sirius, no one else on the planet comes close, do you really understand what I'm saying?" Huffing loudly, Harry turned away and strode up the path.
Turning back, the Master of Air stabbed his finger at his Godfather and said, "And it's not like I'm settling for her either. Do you realize that we were literally made for each other? She's my better half as I am for her. Do you realize that? Should I go shag half of Hogwarts to prove to you that Hermione is really the one for me? Damnit Sirius!" By now the storm clouds were gathering above them, the thunder rumbling ominously. Harry continued, "I appreciate that you're trying to fill a father-type role that I've never really had, but you are not my father. You are my Godfather, and I'd appreciate it if you would just be Sirius."
Sirius winced at this and then nodded in resignation. "Look Harry, marriage is a really big deal and despite your age, you don't have a lot of experience." He held his hand up to forestall the blossoming outburst from the younger man. "It's true, whether you like it or not, it's true. But if you are sure, really sure, then I'm happy for you two." Harry nodded back at his Godfather, pleased at his words but annoyed that the conversation had taken place at all.
After dinner, the young lovers walked back to their home, hand-in-hand and Harry told Hermione about the discussion with Sirius. He was a bit scared when she didn't start up one of her usual rants she reserved for people who were being obtuse. With a bit of a hitch in his voice he asked, "Do you think he's right?"
She shook her head, as if clearing away sleep and said, "No!" After a pause, she asked in a small voice, "Do you?"
His response was to pull her in a hug and hold her close. After a few moments, he said in her ear, "No, I don't. I want you to be my wife, and I want to be your husband. For the rest of time."
She pulled back, but still in his arms and looked him in the eyes; searching. She entwined her fingers in his hair and pulled him down to her in a passionate kiss. After a minute or two of intense kissing, she pulled back, leaned her forehead against his chest and said, "Take me home, Harry."
He lifted her chin, placed a delicate, soft kiss on her lips and said, "As you wish."
******Harry and Hermione's Home, Tir na nOg, after breakfast*******
To an outside observer, Harry and Hermione's morning meditation was a natural disaster in progress. Hermione sat on the opposite side of the yard from Harry while sheets of fire shot up from the earth, twisted, curled in on themselves, rocketed skyward again, coalesced into a molten hot spear and then dove earthward, impacting with a crash and melting the ground in a three yard across circle, leaving behind magma bubbling and popping. Lifting her hands, the heat radiated out of the pool causing the magma to quickly harden and finally become cool to the touch. At the end of the exercise, she opened her eyes, stretched and saw her fiancee across the way. It took all she had to keep from laughing aloud.
Harry was held aloft; about fifteen feet in the air while three miniature tornadoes spun around him like children's toys. He held his hands out in front of himself, palms facing each other and lightning lanced out from each palm, meeting in the middle in an eerily beautiful display of blue and white. Hermione heard crackle and sputtering of living electricity all the way across the yard, and smiled. Harry had been having a difficult time harnessing lightning and had many discussions with Nuada regarding the connection to that aspect of his element. Opening his eyes, he saw her there and with a crooked smile, he shot heavenward with a whoop of joy.
Shrieking, Hermione leapt to her feet to follow his flight path. Fortunately for him, he came right back to earth, stumbling a bit as he landed. His hair was like a living thing and his face was an open example of wonder and delight. "That was bloody brilliant!" he shouted at her. He ran across the yard to her, whooping the entire way and grabbed her about the waist, swinging her around. "I finally did it! Did you see?" he asked somewhat nonsensically.
Hermione just couldn't maintain her scowl in the face of such abandon, "Of course I saw Harry, next time give me a little warning though, I almost had a heart attack!" Harry chuckled and kissed her firmly.
"Next time, I'll take you with me" he said huskily.
Shaking her head with a snort, she replied, "No way under heaven or earth will you get me to fly tandem with you. I won't even go up on a broom, much less with nothing under me." Harry looked at her with puppy dog eyes and she laughed, kissed him quickly on the nose and walked in the house.
Harry ambled over to the brook and grabbed a cup full of water to slake his thirst. After a deep draught, he looked at his reflection in the water. The glint of the sun on the water, combined with the dark blue rocks in the bed made his hair look like it had blue highlights. Tilting his head from side to side, he smiled and pulled out his wand.
A few minutes later, Harry ambled into the kitchen, finding Hermione reading over one of the magical theory books she had packed in their rapid evacuation of her house. Crookshanks was curled up in her lap while Hedwig slept on a perch in the corner of the room. Harry stopped in the middle of the room and waited for her to notice. After a full minute of standing there without her even acknowledging his presence, he gave in and cleared his throat.
Hermione started and looked at him, "What? Is everything alright?"
Harry rolled his eyes and said, "Do you notice anything different?"
Hermione looked him up and down a few times when Harry let out an exasperated sigh and pointed to his hair. "Oh" she said and stood to get a closer look. He'd used the Color Changing charm they'd learned in second year to give his hair dark and light blue highlights. She got close and gave him a sultry smile. "I like, Mr. Potter."
Smiling back he said, "I've got an idea" and pointed his wand at her hair. A few moments later she had red and gold highlights in her hair. Turning to the mirror she examined her hair and smiled in appreciation. Harry looked over her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist. He smiled and said in an undertone, "I like."
Smiling back at him, she said, "Oh really. How much do you like?"
Harry spun her around and pinned her against the wall, branding her with his kiss. Her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively and he supported her with his hands under her bum. "Quite a lot" he panted out a few minutes later, and carried her to the bedroom.
A/N
1) I own nothing
2) Yep, all of Neville's great-Uncles and Aunts have passed on. Right now, it's only Frank, Alice and Neville left alive in Clan Longbottom.
3) Sorry for the long delay in posting. Between the holidays and a wicked case of Bronchitis, it's been hard to get the time/energy to write, thanks for hanging in there with me.
4) Yes, I intentionally swapped the role my wife and I have. She usually has to ask me if I've noticed when she got her haircut, a new outfit…
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