It wasn't until right before Hermione went to bed that she remembered the letters she had received from her parents and Gabrielle. Throwing on her robe, she walked into the kitchen and found the two sealed envelopes exactly where she'd left them and smiled.

Her parents letter was very typical, as they'd usually write or call two or three times a week to see how she was doing. Hermione was too tired to send a good reply at the moment so she set the letter aside and picked up Gabrielle's:

Dear Hermione,

I hope you get this by the time your trip ends. How was India, I want to hear all about it. Marc and I having begun dating steadily and I couldn't be happier. I am rather unhappy though, as he has decided to pursue a career in experimental transfiguration and is going to study abroad in Montreal for a year. He isn't leaving for a few months now, but I must say, I will miss him terribly.

But enough about my problems, I still want to hear about your trip. I don't know if you've received the invitation yet, but you've been invited to Bill and Fleur's anniversary party. I hope you'll attend (and really, you owe it to them after missing the wedding) and then you can tell us everything. They both send their love by the way, and Bill is very excited to see you again. I would write more, but I'm meeting Marc in ten minutes; we're going for a picnic in the park, I am so excited! Good bye for now!

Love,

Gabrielle.

Hermione blinked. She hadn't received any other important letters, but the post owl hadn't arrived yet that day. Chances were, he'd have the invitation. As she reread the letter and contemplated her reply, Hermione thought back to during the war, when the Delacour family had left for England in order to be there for Fleur's wedding. The two family's had decided it wasn't safe for the Granger's to attend, so the Delacour's (and a few of their friends) had placed the strongest wards they knew around the household just to be on the safe side.

France had been fairly neutral during the first war, at least until Voldemort's true colors were revealed. This time around, they were a bit more active in opposing the dark wizard. Beauxbatons was attacked by Death Eaters only once, but the battle had been a harsh one, and not everyone survived.

Hermione was proud of the fact that she'd fought and defeated several Death Eaters. Gabrielle, when she heard, began seeing Hermione as a hero, as did many of the other students (the younger ones mostly).

If there was one thing Hermione regretted though, it was missing her dear friend's wedding. She'd only even met Bill Weasley once or twice thanks to many years of month long trips and harrowing assignments. As she'd gotten more adjusted to her routine, and as Death Eater activity slowly diminished, the work load had lessened enough that she no longer had to miss any special events in her friends life. Starting with this one.

As Hermione thought, the invite came later that day with the rest of the post. She sent her already written RSVP, along with replies to both her parents and Gabrielle, away with the animal.

When it had gone, Hermione dressed and grabbed her purse, her mind going over ideas for an anniversary gift.

**

Harry Potter didn't know what to think when he crossed the invisible barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. The eleven-year old stared in awe at the area before him. People bustled around him carrying trunks and caged owls and various other strange pets.

The red headed twins whose mother had helped him get into the platform appeared to be harassing their younger and equally redheaded brother, Ron if Harry remembered correctly. The trio were too preoccupied to notice the Boy Who Lived as he passed and tried to figure out what to do next. He wished, not for the first time, that Hagrid had left him with more instructions.

"Need some help there?"

Harry turned to face the surprise speaker. It was a man in his thirties with curly brown hair, brown eyes, and a kind face. Beside him stood a tall dirty blonde haired boy who looked rather bored, and another boy around Harry's age. Harry couldn't see his face as the boy was wearing a baseball cap and was too busy trying to drag his trunk along to pay any attention to what his father and brother were doing anyway.

"Oh, yes sir, thank you," Harry said, grateful for the assistance.

The man grinned and went to pick up Harry's trunk. He motioned for the three boys to follow him.

"It is your first year, son?" The man asked as they headed for the back of the train.

Harry nodded, "Yes sir, it is."

"Well what's a first year like you doing on your own like this? Didn't your parents bring you?"

"Well…they're dead, sir."

The man, who looked as though he'd been about to say something back, instead became quiet for a moment.

"I see, I sorry to hear that."

"It's alright, sir," Harry answered, unsure of what else to say, "My relatives well…they're not all that fond of me, so they didn't want to come along."

The man just nodded. The rest of the trip was silent except for Harry noticing the younger boy struggling to carry his trunk along.

"Do you need some help?" He asked.

The boy violently shook his head and gave a great tug on the large case. His brother rolled his eyes and Harry could just make out a few words being muttered under his breath including 'stubborn' and 'won't accept help from anyone…'

As the man loaded Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage into the back compartment, he turned to the green eyed boy and held out his hand.

"I'm George Reynolds by the way," he said, "And this here's my son Elliot, he's just starting his fourth year."

The dirty blonde named Elliot smiled and shook Harry's hand as well.

"Nice to meet you both, I'm Harry Potter."

At hearing that, George and Elliot both gaped. For a moment, the air became rather uncomfortable for Harry as he was still not used to all the attention he was suddenly getting (really, he didn't think he ever would). Then George grinned again.

"So you are," he said, "Forgive us for staring just now, it's not everyday that one meets a hero such as yourself."

Harry tried not to blush from embarrassment, "Please sir, I'm not hero, I-"

CRASH

They all whirled around to see George's other son's trunk lying open with it's contents strewed out all over the place. The boy himself was crouched down trying to catch his breath. George groaned and pulled out his wand, magically summoning various articles of clothing and toiletries while glaring at his son.

"Didn't I tell you not to try and carry it yourself? Why are you so stubborn?"

The boy just grunted angrily in response.

"Here," Harry said, desiring to repay the family's kindness in helping him, "Let me help you."

"You don't have to do that, Harry," George tried to protest, but Harry was already on his hands and knees grabbing the books, quills and such and putting them back in the trunk.

As he worked, he noticed a strange white garment next to the trunk and picked it up. He briefly examined the object and went pale when he realized what it was. It didn't look exactly like the ones he'd seen on TV commercials, but it DEFINITELY was one, so he figured it must've been the kind for girls who had only just started 'developing'. Harry felt a bead of sweat run down his cheek as he practically threw the garment into the trunk and prayed to whatever God there was that no one had seen him with it.

When he looked up at the 'boy' he noticed that 'he' had removed the baseball cap allowing to sections of braided brown hair fall out and come to rest just below her shoulders.

"Next time Jenna," George addressed his daughter, "Tell me if you're having trouble carrying it."

"I was doing just fine until now," she grumbled, her voice very clearly that of the girl she was.

Harry immediately decided that if he wanted to remain on good terms with perhaps the first people who'd ever treated him like a person rather than a bug, it would be best if they never learned of what just happened.

**

"Stop fidgeting Mina," Harry gently reprimanded the little girl, as he continued braiding her hair, "I'm almost finished okay, just stay still a little longer."

"You don't do it right," the child whined, "Gramma does it better."

Harry smiled slightly, "I'm sorry honey, I guess this just isn't my strong suit."

"Nope!" Mina answered with a giggle.

Once Harry finished, he grabbed Bill and Fleur's gift and headed with Mina to the fireplace.

"Now remember to hold onto me tight okay?" he reminded the girl, "I don't want you getting lost in there and winding up coming out in the wrong place."

"Did you ever do that, daddy?" Mina asked innocently.

Harry coughed, "I'll tell you when you're older."

When they arrived, the party was in full swing. Fred and George were there to immediately greet them with a pat on the back (Harry) and a warm hug (Mina). The rest of the Weasley clan was outside mingling with the guests. Harry picked Mina up (noting that she was getting heavier) and walked outside to greet his old friends.

"Harry, Mina!" He heard a dreamy voice behind him.

The familiar spacey blonde moved into his sight and leaned forward to hug him and Mina.

"Hi Auntie Luna," Mina happily greeted her beloved godmother, "I missed you."

"Me too," Luna said before kissing the girl on the cheek, "I wish your daddy would bring you over more often."

"Luna, we were here yesterday," Harry reminded her, "And the day before."

"It's still too long to go without visiting, especially after everything that happened this morning," Luna Lovegood-Weasley answered.

"Party planning is pretty exciting then?" Harry teased.

Luna giggled, "No not that, I've just discovered that Ron is going to be a daddy again!"

Harry blinked, Luna had said it so casually that it was almost like she'd told him something as trivial as the time. He knew though, from the look in Luna's eye, that she was absolutely thrilled with the idea of another child.

"That's wonderful Luna," Harry cried happily, "Have you told Ron?"

"Yes, he was so happy that the fophacks got into his brain and caused him to lose consciousness for several hours. Just like the first time!"

Harry smiled in a bid to fight down a laugh, poor Ron would always be a bit green when it came to these things it seemed (not that he himself had been calm and collected when Jenna told him she was pregnant).

"We wanted to let you know right away since you'll be the godfather, but please don't say anything to anyone else. Today is Bill and Fleur's day after all."

"My lips are sealed," Harry promised.

Mina took that moment as an opportunity to join in the conversation.

"Daddy, there's a baby in Auntie Luna's tummy again?" She asked.

Harry nodded, "That's right."

"How did it get there?"

**

Hermione entered the house through the front door, having apparated over. She was greeted by portly redheaded woman she assumed was Bill's mother. Once she'd explained her relation to the family, the woman smiled warmly and showed her where she could put her gift. She'd decided on a set of jewel encrusted keepsake boxes one could store wedding rings or other small object in. She didn't know much about Bill's girt preferences having only met him several times, but Fleur had had an obsession with pretty little trinkets for as long as she could remembered.

"'Ermione, darling!"

Speak of the devil.

The blonde quarter veela hugged her old friend tightly as her husband moved into view as well.

"Harry anniversary," Hermione gasped out despite Fleur's surprisingly strong grip.

"Alright Fleur, let her breathe," the scarred man said.

Fleur let go and smiled happily at the young woman, "I'm so 'appy you made it my friend, Gabrielle has been waiting for you to show up."

"Well, she won't be disappointed," Hermione answered with a smile of her own.

She then allowed Fleur to gently drag her by the arm into the backyard and through the crowd of guests to find the blonde's younger sister. She was standing by the refreshments, daintily chewing on an hors d'oeuvre until she saw her older sister and brother-in-law approach with the bushy haired witch. She then gasped and, like Fleur had, threw her arms around the girl.

"Hermione, how glad I am to see you!" she cried.

"It's good to see you too Gabrielle," Hermione hugged her back, luckily she wasn't trying to choke her like Fleur had.

"Now you must tell me everything about your trip," Gabrielle said letting go, "I know you left a lot out in your letter."

Hermione shrugged, "Well, there's a lot to tell actually."

Bill and Fleur had by now gone to talk with their other guests, leaving the two girls alone to continue their conversation. Gabrielle wanted exact details on everything Hermione had seen, and when she was through Hermione asked about Marc and why he wasn't there. That sent the quarter veela into a joyful and love struck speech about how he was unable to attend because his mother had taken ill and he wanted to take care of her and about all the romantic gestures he would make and the wonderful dates they went on and basically just going on and on about how he was the most absolutely perfect boyfriend in the history of the universe.

Hermione did her best to remain interested but it was becoming rather difficult. As much as she cared for Gabrielle as a friend, the girl could be rather long winded at times. While fading in and out with Gabrielle's speech, Hermione subtly scanned the area around them. Most of the people she didn't know, at least not personally. Neville Longbottom, whom she recalled being mentioned in several newspaper articles as being one of the heroes of the war (according to Harry at least), was standing with a woman she could only assume was his wife. Hannah, she believed the woman's name was.

Hagrid, a giant of a man, sat beside a red headed man Hermione believed was Bill's father and the two appeared to be conversing.

"Watch me, daddy!"

Hermione almost gasped when she heard the childish voice. She saw little Mina run through the crowd to her father, who was standing beside a very tall red head man and a blonde haired woman.

"Be careful, Mina," she heard Harry say, "Don't run around like that, you could get hurt."

"Are you surprised to see him here?"

Hermione jolted when she heard Gabrielle's voice. It wasn't so much that the blonde's talking had startled her as it was the fact that she'd apparently felt the need to speak right into Hermione ear (perhaps payback for her not listening?).

"I…what?"

Gabrielle giggled, "don't play dumb Hermione, Ronald told us all about what you did for Mina, and that you've begun seeing Mr. Potter."

"Oh…" Hermione answered, before she suddenly realized what Gabrielle had said.

"Wait, I'm not seeing him we're, we're just friends!"

Gabrielle smirked, "oh, but didn't you eat over at his house severel nights ago?"

"Mina was there," Hermione continued to protest, "It was simply to thank me for saving her life. He's not interested in a relationship with me and I'm interested in one with him."

"Is that so?"

Hermione nodded.

"Then why are your cheeks so red?"

Hermione had never wanted to smack a person's smile off their face more than she did at that very moment.

**

Unbeknownst to Hermione, she'd already been noticed by the green eyed savior as well. Harry blinked and looked again as if to make sure he'd seen correctly. He only half listened as Ron went on about all the over confidant novice auror's he'd been stuck training and tried to figure out why she was there.

He figured since she was talking to Fleur's younger sister, that they must be friends. Which made sense seeing as Hermione'd told him she attended school at Beauxbatons. Now he just had to decide if he was going to approached, and if so how?

Ever since his talk with Clarice, he'd been unsure of just what he felt for Hermione. He definitely liked her as a friend, or so he told himself. The truth was, Hermione was a very attractive woman and the fact that Mina loved her to death was also a good thing. He remembered how she'd felt the last time he started dating…

Whenever those thoughts came into his head however, he always shook them off. He had already learned his lesson about dating and he knew now that he'd already found and lost his one true love. Trying to start a new relationship would only provide unnecessary complications to his and Mina's quiet lifestyle, he'd had to learn that the hard way.

"Oh," Luna suddenly said, interrupting both Ron's words and Harry's thoughts, "isn't that the woman who saved Mina from the Death Eaters?"

"Hermione is here?" Mina perked up immediately.

She turned around to see the familiar witch and was immediately off.

"HERMIONE!" she shouted happily, latching herself to her 'best friend'.

Harry couldn't help but smile a bit at the scene. Mina had always been a bit shy, her only real friends were Teddy, Dobby, and Ron and Luna's three year old Nora. Seeing her take so well to a complete stranger was rather amazing, not that Hermione was really a stranger anymore. As he watched the brunette kneel down to hug his daughter, he heard Luna start whistling.

"Well look at that," Luna said with a grin, "Harry, something wonderful has just happened…a herd of huffbubs have made a nest for themselves in your scalp!"

…

"…erm, what was that dear?" Ron asked his wife, ending the awkward silence.

"Don't be silly Ron," Luna playfully smacked her husband's chest, "You had a nest in your hair when we started dating."

Instinctively, Ron's hand immediately went to his red hair as if to wipe away any foreign entity that might be there. Luna giggled at his antics.

"Silly Ronald, they left long ago. They only stay in one place for a few months after all."

"Luna," Harry asked getting her attention, "What exactly is a 'huffbub'?"

"Well," Luna began, "They're tiny spirits that look a bit like caterpillars, only small and with wings. They're only visible at a certain time of night when everyone is asleep."

"That's convenient," Ron muttered.

"They move from nest to nest every several months. Men are their preferred target, and they always go for men who are in love."

Harry blinked, "In love?"

"Oh yes," Luna said with an excited nod, "You see, men in love always have the nicest aroma, and their blood is the sweetest."

While Harry wasn't sure he liked those implications, he was more focused on the 'in love' part to really question it.

"Luna…if you're suggesting that I've fallen in love with Hermione then-"

"I'm not suggesting anything," Luna piped in, "and you can say whatever you want on the subject, but the huffbubs never lie."

With that, the blonde walked away to get some more punch leaving a very confused Harry and Ron in her wake.

Harry let out a nervous chuckle, "Just when I thought I was getting used to her."

"Hey, that's my wife you're talking about," Ron said with a scowl, even though he knew Harry didn't mean anything by it, "I think this is just her way of telling you to ask Ms. Granger out."

Harry gawked at the redhead, "Out? On a date?"

"No," Ron said rolling his eyes, "she's telling you to throw her out of the party…of course on a date!"

"Ron, I can't do that," Harry argued, "Even if I wanted to, she'd never say yes."

"You actually think any woman would be stupid enough to say 'no' to the Boy-Who-Lived?"

Harry's eyes narrowed, "Yes, because my main criteria for a potential girlfriend is one who loves my fame more than me."

Ron suddenly looked ashamed as he realized what he'd just implied and the memories it obviously brought back.

"Look mate, I'm sorry I just…" he trailed off, "I'm just sick of seeing you alone like this. I know you say you're happy, but I know you're lonely. It's been five years almost, and anyway Jenna wouldn't have wanted this. You know that."

Harry, at this point, was having trouble maintaining eye contact with his longtime best friend, only because he knew the man was right. He wondered briefly when the Hell Ron became so insightful, but soon moved to more important thoughts.

"I'm not asking you to marry the woman," Ron continued after a brief pause, "Just ask her out once. If she says yes, then go for it. If she says no…well, you'll have tried anyway."

The red head watched his friend's reaction and could tell the man was thinking it over. With a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders, Harry quietly excused himself, turned, and walked toward his daughter and Hermione Granger.

Ron couldn't help but smile.

**

"Mina, why don't you go play with Uncle Ron for a while," Harry said to his daughter once he'd reached them.

Hermione, for her part, was unsure of what to say to Harry if Mina left. She figured he wanted to talk to her privately and she had a few ideas as to what that could mean. For some reason, every one of them terrified her.

With a sad sigh, Mina gave Hermione one last hug and ran off into the waiting arms of her godfather. Now Harry and Hermione were alone, and neither knew what to say.

"Are…are you enjoying the party?" Harry finally asked.

"Yes, I…like the food," Hermione answered with equal (if not greater) nervousness.

Harry chuckled, "It is good isn't it? Mrs. Weasley is an amazing cook."

"She did all this herself?" Hermione asked, amazed.

"Well, she uses magic sometimes and I think Fleur helped a little, but most of it she did herself."

Hermione nodded, "That's impressive."

"Yes, she's a lovely woman," Harry nodded.

Silence loomed over them again. Harry wondered if Hermione knew what he was about to do and if that was why she acted just as scared as he was.

"So um…" he started to say, "I…I was just wondering…if you're not busy maybe, maybe we could go out some time?"

Hermione stared at him, "Out? On a date?"

"That's what I said," Harry murmured under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing I just…" Harry paused to try and calm himself, "I just…yes, on a date. You know…without Mina. Just us…"

Hermione nodded, but didn't say anything else.

Harry took a deep breath, "So…what do you say?"

**

A/N: Is it evil that I didn't update for a year and then ended on a cliffhanger? If so, then this all went…EXACTLY AS PLANNED! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Review please!