A few snippets from various things I started this week
“I had a sex dream about Harry.”
Ron's head shot up. From behind a nearby crate of supplies, George slowly rose into view. Hermione’s eyes widened in horror.
Hermione raised her hands to her cheeks. “Fuck.”
The door to the interrogation room creaked open.
Hermione looked up from her seat. Her hands were shackled to the table and her ankles to the chair. The door closed and the sound of the heavy lock falling into place echoed through the room.
Ron hurried to the chair across from her. He reached across the table and grabbed her hands. “Hey,” he greeted weakly.
“Christ, you're freezing.”
“Azkaban doesn't really come with warming charms.”
She shushed him, scared the Aurors just beyond would hear him.
“Oh, please. Like there aren't a dozen Aurors in here that don't want to break you out.”
Hermione looked away. “Don't be so sure.”
“You're Hermione Granger. You helped end the war. More than me even. Second only to-”
-He cut off, unable to say Harry's name. Hermione released a gut-wrenching sob.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered.
“When are you going to adopt them?” Ron asked and then took a bite out of his bagel.
Harry looked up from his coffee. “What?”
“The babies. Lav asked last night and I realised we hadn't talked about it. Figured it was something in the works.”
“Hermione has never brought it up.”
“Well, yeah, it's a big thing to ask. Bet she's terrified of the rejection. I mean, they're Dolohov's kids. We know it weighs on her. She's always terrified we won't want to associate with her and the little ones.”
Harry stared at his breakfast. He looked up again. “You think she wants me to adopt them?”
Ron raised his eyebrows. “Harry, you're so fucking oblivious. How are you this department's best Auror? It's a fucking mystery worthy of the DoM.”
“Fuck you,” Harry replied without heat.
“Of course she wants someone to adopt the babies. Someone with your clout? Probably the only way anyone will forget they were ever Dolohov's.”
“Yeah. I know. Suppose you can wait, but you're living together and raising the kids together. Unless you're planning on walking out on her?”
Ron shrugged and gestured in a ‘there you have it’ sort of way.
He turned and finally caught sight of Hermione. She had donned a tan trench coat and had taken her hair down from the tight bun. Her wild curls spilled down her shoulders and blew in the breeze.
She raised a pointed eyebrow at him and Harry knew he was giving her that look again. He couldn’t help it. She was so beautiful.
“There’s a park down the street,” she told him. “Let me just grab Rosaline, I’ll be right out.”
Harry waited on the sidewalk and tried not to look like a suspicious man standing outside of a daycare. He wasn’t sure he succeeded in his long black trench coat.
Hermione returned and Harry’s entire life shifted on its axis. The little girl holding Hermione’s hand had wild black curls and big brown eyes. She was the carbon copy of all three of Harry’s little sisters at that age.
Hermione lifted her daughter up onto her hip. Side-by-side, the resemblance between mother and daughter was obvious.
“This is Harry… who is not a muggle, apparently.”
“Hi! Sorry. I’m processing.”
Hermione grimaced. “That’s fair.”
Hermione sat down beside Sirius.
“Reggie down?” he asked without looking up.
“Yes. What're you doing?”
“Looking for a bigger house for all of us.”
“We’re moving?” Hermione responded sadly.
Sirius looked up at her. “It's not big enough here for us all. Certainly not when little Cassie comes.”
Hermione wrapped her arms around her pregnant belly. “I feel safe here.”
“I know and I promise you that I will ensure our family's safety wherever we go.”
Hermione glanced over the real estate listings. “Muggle?”
“I'd like a house where your parents can also cook when they want to. And if we're local, we're near everything both of our world's can provide. Muggle is our children's heritage too.”
She tapped one of the papers. “I like this one.”
Sirius looked up at her in shock. Hermione very rarely made her opinions known since her kidnapping. He swallowed thickly. “I'll set an appointment and we will go see it.”
“I didn't say we would go alone.”
Hermione nodded. “Before or after the baby?”
“It'll be good for the blood wards if you have Cassie there.”
Euphemia gently pushed back Harry’s fringe from his eyes. “I’ll be right back.”
Harry watched her go. The door closed behind her and the room filled with tension. Harry felt his body begin to coil tightly in preparation. Hermione was completely still, as if she were trying to disappear before their very eyes.
“I can't fucking believe you!” Ron exploded into the tense silence.
“Ron, listen, I didn't know.”
“Oh don't give me that bullshit.”
“We didn't!” Hermione insisted. “I just saw the necklace and I liked it!”
He pointed at her. “That – I believe. But you?” He stepped closer to Harry. “You dated my sister for months, you know better.”
“Ron, I didn't know that.”
“But you knew it had meaning. That giving her that necklace meant something.”
Harry didn't respond. He could feel Hermione’s eyes on him.
Ron scoffed loudly. He threw his hands into the air. “Harry fucking Potter. You always have to have whatever you want, don't you? You're brilliant at magic. You're brilliant at quidditch. You're rich. You're famous. You have to have everything.”
“Ron, it was an accident.”
He stuck a finger in Harry’s face. “Bullshit. I've seen the way you look at her. Even while you dated my fucking sister, you prick.”
Ron shoved Harry. Harry stumbled back, but didn’t retaliate. He could feel his anger beginning to boil in his blood.
“Please stop,” Hermione begged.
