A/N: I do not own any character references by JK Rowling in the Harry Potter series or agree with her comments. This story is a product of my pure imagination. I do not profit from this and will not pay for any commissions for art about this story.
'Cause you could be the one that I love
I could be the one that you dream of
Message in a bottle is all I can do
Standin' here, hopin' it gets to you (it gets to you)
You could be the one that I keep, and I (I)
Could be the reason you can't sleep at night
Message in a bottle is all I can do
Standin' here, hopin' it gets to you
How is it in London? (London)
Where are you while I'm wonderin' (wonderin')
If I'll ever see you again?
~ Message in a Bottle by Taylor Swift
~*~ 13th January 2002 ~*~
Glancing at her watch, Hermione sighed when she realized that they were going to be late getting to the Burrow if Rosella didn't hurry up. Leaving her office, Hermione headed down the hall and opened the door with the Rosella Lily flower painted on it. Inside, Hermione smiled, taking in the pale blue room and its mural of flowers that Dean had painted for her, watching as the bees buzzed across the walls. An owl in the painting took off from the tree, flying along the enchanted ceiling, which used the same spell that was on the ceiling of the Great Hall. Glancing deeper inside, she found Rosella sitting on the floor, wearing a pair of bright, rainbow-colored rubber boots, a blue sweater dress, a yellow scarf, and a pink tutu, as she sat with Crookshanks reading beside her personal castle that Luna and Ginny had gotten for her.
"Rosella, honey, are you ready?"
Rosella looked up at her, "Mumma, I have to finish my book. Crookshanks wants to know what happens."
Hermione sighed and pinched her nose, "Rosella, Nana Molly said that she wanted us there in the next ten minutes. I have to bring her more sugar."
Rosella rolled her green eyes, so much like her father used to do with Snape, as she looked at Crookshanks. "We will finish this later."
Standing up, Rosella walked over to her colouring table, where her tiara that Luna had gotten her sat. Placing her bookmark to mark her spot, she put it upon her head, then announced. "I'm ready."
Hermione slowly blinked at her fashion choices, then sighed. "Fine, let's go."
Rosella's rainbow boots squeaked on the old wooden floors as they walked down the hall, and Crookshanks followed them.
"Boots, tutu, scarf, AND a tiara," Hermione muttered.
Rosella grinned up at her. "I'm a princess explorer, Mumma. Princesses need tutus, and explorers need boots. The scarf is for being fancy in the winter." Rosella stated, adjusting her tiara atop her messy curls.
Hermione opened her mouth, then closed it again. Not wanting to argue with the logic of her highly intelligent three-year-old.
Making their way downstairs, Hermione grabbed the bag of sugar off the counter, placing it into the old diaper bag that had become more of a Mary Poppins bag as of late. Rosella skipped ahead, twirling so that her tutu flared out in all directions, Crookshanks barely swerving to avoid her feet as she lost her balance briefly.
Once at the fireplace, Hermione crouched down, brushing a curl from Rosella's eye. "Now remember, my flower, hold on tight. No letting go until I say so."
"I know, Mumma," Rosella said, wrinkling her nose. "It makes my tummy all wobbly, but I can do it."
Hermione kissed her forehead as she stood up and grabbed a handful of floo powder. Rosella took her hand and blew Crookshanks a kiss. Pressing her face into Hermione's stomach, Hermione threw the floo powder down. "The Burrow!"
The green flames roared around them, and after a short time, they were tumbling out into the Burrow's sitting room.
"Nana!" Rosella yelled, running toward her.
Molly threw down the spoon in her hand and caught Rosella, her arms wide. "There you are! Look at you, Rose! The most colourful princess that I've ever seen!"
Rosella attempted to curtsy, but lost her balance in her boots, sending her to the floor. "I'm good!" she said as she jumped up, making Hermione shake her head, "Thank you, Nana Molly. I dressed myself."
"And did so marvelously. A future queen!" Molly said, spinning her.
Ron stumbled down the stairs, yawning, with Luna following behind him. "What's all the noise? Oh," He said as he saw Rosella and Hermione give him a look. "Um… well, don't you look smashing, Rosie."
Rosella twirled proudly, "I'm a princess explorer, Uncle Ron. Wanna come exploring?"
Ron looked at Hermione, who grinned. "You'll need your boots and something better to wear, Ron. Clearly, you can't go exploring in boxers."
"Right," Ron said as he went back up the stairs.
Luna grinned, "Can I join?"
"Of course, Aunt Luna!" Rosella said as she ran over and took her hand, "Let's go find Lucy! She has the map!"
Hermione groaned as they left the house, "I'm not sure if I should be proud of her creativity or terrified by how much worse it could get?"
Molly patted her shoulder, "It gets worse from here."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Hermione stated.
Hermione watched as Fleur rocked Victoire to sleep in the chair as she talked to her, Bill, Molly, and Arthur. Trying to listen to what was happening outside.
"Are you thinking of schooling, too?"
Hermione looked over at her, "Sorry?"
"Are you thinking of sending Rose to school soon?" Fleur asked, her English nearly flawless now that she was working more with the public in Gringotts' Curse department.
"Oh, um… probably at four. Give her a year of nursery school before sending her off to primary," Hermione told her as she heard Rosella scream something, "I'm going to go check on them."
Bill laughed. "I wouldn't trust Fred with her either. At least Ron and Luna are out there."
Hermione shook her head as she grabbed her coat, "Ron, maybe, but sometimes Luna isn't much better."
Sliding into Molly's boots, Hermione walked out the back door to find a snowman sitting in the midst of the limited snow that was still on the ground. The snowman had a pair of old wellies shoved into the bottom of it, with pool stick arms that Rosella must have found in Arthur's shed. Looking at its face made her pause. For its eyes, it had rainbow stones and an orange rock for its nose. But its mouth. Its mouth was created by one of her menstrual pads that Rosella must have nicked from the bathroom.
"Mumma!" Rosella yelled, taking her attention from the snowman to see her at the bottom of the hill with Fred, Luna, and Ron, "What do you think of my snowman?"
"It's… wonderful. Why is Uncle Fred putting a helmet on you?" Hermione asked, watching Fred trying to negotiate away the tiara on her head.
"We are sledding!" Rosella told her as she let Fred remove the tiara, only to sticky charm it to the helmet. Rosella took Fred's hand, and he led her up the hill.
Hermione looked at Ron, "Is this safe?"
"That's why I told him that he had to put a helmet on her. It's Fred," Ron told her.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Hermione mumbled as they reached the top of the hill, where a sled sat.
Hermione bit her lip, watching as Fred sat her on the sled and handed her the strap to hold onto. Then gasped as Fred pushed her down the hill. "By herself?!" Hermione yelled in horror, Rosella's screams drowning her out.
"I'm flying!" Rosella yelled as she hit the bump at the bottom of the hill and, in fact, got air, then came crashing down onto the snow, falling off and barrel rolling to a stop.
Hermione ran as fast as her legs would toward her with Ron and Luna close behind to where Rosella had come to a rest lying on her back, "Rosella! Are you okay?"
Rosella frowned as she spat out snow. "Why is snow so cold?"
Hermione dropped to her knees next to her, "Shite."
"Mumma, that's a bad word," Rosella said as she sat up and felt her helmet, then looked up the hill. "I lost my tiara!"
Fred slid down the hill laughing. "Don't worry, Rosie-posie. I have it!" He stated, presenting it to her with a bow. "I recovered it in a daring snow quest."
Rosella grinned as she threw the helmet off her head and placed her tiara back on her head. "Uncle Fred, you're the bravest knight ever!"
Hermione stood up, pointing her finger at Fred's chest. "She went flying off the sled, Fred! Flying! She's three!"
"Three and a half!" Rosella corrected.
"She loved it, Hermione. Lighten up," Fred grinned, "She loves flying just like her dad."
Rosella gasped, "Daddy loves to fly? Again! Again!"
Hermione went to protest, and Ron dusted Rosella off, "Rosie, how about this time WE go together."
Hermione sighed as both of them looked at her and pouted, "Damnit, go. But Ron, if she gets a bloody nose, you are both grounded."
Rosella took Ron's hand, and they both ran back up the hill.
"Merlin, help me, if this child keeps this going, I'm going to have gray hair before she's five," Hermione stated.
~*~ 14th February 2002 ~*~
Hermione opened her eyes on the morning of Valentine's Day to find her bedroom covered in paper hearts, mostly crudely cut, obviously by Rosella. Smiling, Hermione rolled over to find a handmade Valentine's signed by Rosella on her bedside table. Rolling out of bed, Hermione made her way downstairs to smell pancakes.
Walking into the kitchen, she found Rosella on a chair next to Luna at the stove, as they made pancakes together. A whole stack was already assembled on a plate next to them.
"Good morning, what is this all about?" Hermione asked.
Luna looked at her, "I thought I'd come over and make you a Valentine's breakfast. The cosmic powers are all over the place today, with an imbalance in the universe's forces. Plus, there is no way I would make pancakes at the Burrow for Ron. So, I told him to come here this morning."
Hermione stared at her, confused. "Imbalance in the forces?"
Luna looked at her, "It's like a butterfly flapping its wings. Tiny changes can change even the weather across the globe."
Hermione frowned, "You know the butterfly effect?"
Luna stared at her, "Yes."
"Oh, kay," Hermione trailed off as her back door opened and Ron stepped through, "What are you doing coming through the door?"
Ron looked at her, "Can I not come in the door? Does it have to be the floo?"
Hermione threw her arms up. "What world am I living in?"
Luna stared at her, then looked at Ron. "The cosmic imbalance has already begun to affect her."
"Cosmic imbalance?" Ron asked, confused.
"It's like a butterfly flapping its wings. It can affect the weather across the globe," Luna told him.
"It's February, there aren't many butterflies flapping their wings in February, so I think we're safe," Ron told her.
"There are in California," Luna told him.
"California? Like the United States, California?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Mumma!" Rosella called, jumping down from the chair. Her rainbow pyjamas were smeared with flour, and in her hand was a heart-shaped pancake dripping with what appeared to be syrup. "Look what we made! It's for you!"
Hermione kissed her sticky cheek before getting a plate for the pancake, "Oh, sweetheart, this looks amazing. Thank you." Hermione took a fork, cut off a piece, and ate it, "Ooh, this is so good, chefs."
Rosella smiled, "And Uncle Ron is going to get the biggest one 'cause Aunt Luna said he has a big heart and needs a big pancake that is bigger than his bick."
Hermione inhaled, choking for a moment on the pancake before pivoting to Luna, "Luna!"
Luna looked at her wide-eyed, "Oops."
/\/ <3 /\/ 13th February 2002 /\/ <3 /\/
"Now into downward dog pose, also called Adho Mukha Svanasana," Brooks stated as Harry and the rest of the class moved into the new pose.
Harry had been traveling from Seattle, Washington, to California since arriving in the United States in January. Over the last three weeks, he'd been in San Diego working with a fellow healer named Kevin Luckett, who had invited him to the Yoga Retreat where they were currently located.
Harry stretched deep into the pose when Kevin stated, "You have an admirer."
Harry glanced in the direction that Kevin was looking to see a woman looking at him. When their eyes met, she smiled before going into Warrior Two. "I'm not interested in a relationship, Kevin."
Kevin rolled his eyes. "Who says anything about a relationship? Come on, Potter, you are 21 years old, not 50. When was the last time you had a relationship? If ever?"
Harry paused with the group to namaste, then started rolling up his mat as the class dismissed. "I was in love… at least I thought I was in love, and it came back to bite me." Harry looked at him, "My best friend was also in love with her."
Kevin looked at him, "My God, you are that kind of guy, aren't you? You gave up Hermione fucking Granger, yes, I know who she is, to be some kind of noble for the other guy?"
"That other guy also is my best friend," Harry defended, "And now they have a kid together. So, it all worked out."
Brooks waved him over, and Harry looked at Kevin, "I'll talk to you later."
After a brief conversation about taking some of Brooks' hypnosis seminars, he asked Harry if he would be willing to teach an acupuncture seminar. Harry walked over to the water station to get a drink.
"Oh, there you are, Harry. I want to introduce you to someone," Kevin said.
Harry looked up to see Kevin standing with the woman from earlier. Sighing, he looked at the woman. "Hello."
She was tall, almost as tall as he was, with beautiful tan skin and dark hair. She smiled at him, "Hi, my name is Melinda. What is your specialty here?"
Harry looked at her. "A little bit of everything. I am still trying to narrow it down. Right now, meditation, nutrition, and lifestyle changes as a whole. You?"
"Yoga, and I'm a chiropractor," she told him.
A breeze blew past him, making him shiver. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Melinda."
~*~ 28th February 2002 ~*~
The Burrow kitchen was filled with the scents of sugar and vanilla as Hermione sat at the familiar wooden table, parchment spread before her. Luna sat beside her, while Fred and George shared the store's figures.
"So, this month's earnings were stable," Hermione said, pointing to her table, "But we could cut costs slightly if we adjust how often we order café supplies or cut down the options. Buying in bulk has helped us, but some of the perishable items have gone to waste," Hermione stated.
"Waste isn't bad. Sometimes it means free snacks," George grinned.
"And helps employee morale," Fred stated.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'm being serious."
Fred grinned, "No one could ever be Sirius."
Hermione ran her hand over her face. "You two are impossible."
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Rosella on top of her chair, standing at the stove with Molly. Her rainbow boots peeked out beneath her dress, her tutu draped over the top.
"Now, Rosie dear," Molly said, reaching for the mixing bowl, "Could you grab the cup of sugar and pour it in?"
"Yes, Nana Molly," Rosella said.
Hermione opened her mouth to comment on the projections and froze when she saw Rosella's little hand pick up the salt shaker instead of the sugar. Rosella tipped it over the bowl, and the lid came loose, sending half the shaker into the batter.
"Oops!" Rosella said, jamming the lid back on, picking up the real sugar, and pouring it into the bowl.
Hermione bit her lip to keep from laughing as she looked at Luna, and she winked.
Half an hour later, when Molly took it out of the oven, it was flat as a pancake. "I don't understand. This is the recipe I always use."
"Don't worry, Molly. I'll have Vivian make him one," Hermione told her.
~*~ 1st March 2002 ~*~
Hermione buttoned up Rosella's coat, then helped her put her gloves on her little hands. "Do you need me for anything else?" she asked Misty.
Misty shook her head, "It's a pretty slow Friday. Go and enjoy yourself."
Standing up, Hermione took Rosella's hand, "You know how to get hold of me if you need me."
"We won't. Go enjoy yourself," Misty told her, going back to the register as a customer came over.
Walking out the shop's door, they crossed over the wet cobblestones of Diagon Alley that glowed under the lamps as snowflakes fell around them. As soon as they were in sight of W3's and spotted Ron outside the store, Rosella tugged her hand free.
"Ronnie!" Rosella squealed, her little voice ringing through the cool night air.
Ron turned, his face breaking into a wide grin as he scooped her up and spun her around in a circle.
"Baby girl!" he said as he kissed her cheek.
"Happy Birthday, Uncle Ron," Rosella said, planting a kiss on his freckled nose.
"Thanks, Rosie," Ron said as he settled her on his hip, as Hermione caught up to them. He smiled at her, "Hey."
"Happy birthday," Hermione said as she gave him a side hug. She looked up at the enchanted board, "Are you heading over to the Burrow soon?"
"Yeah," Ron nodded as he set Rosella back on the ground, "Just changing this over, and then I'll go with you both."
He reached up and tapped the sign with his wand, making the glowing letters change: 20% OFF ALL JOKE PRODUCTS.
"The funny thing is," Ron said as he picked Rosella back up and tickled her, making her squeal, "Our joke products aren't even our big seller now. Those rune kits? They're flying off the shelves. Apparently, everyone wants to make their Muggle Radios to pick up Celestina Warbeck and Muggle music both."
Hermione laughed, "I suppose it's a way to bridge cultures."
"Ready to go, Rosie?" Ron asked her.
Rosella grinned, "Let's go have cake!"
Ron chuckled, "Priorities," he said with a wink toward Hermione, "See you there!" With a crack, he disapparated.
Hermione shook her head, then leaned into the open shop door. Seeing Steve, their assistant manager at the helm, she shut the door.
With a soft pop, she disapparated to the back garden of the Burrow, where she saw Rosella racing Ron to the back door.
The kitchen was full of Weasleys, Rosella, Hermione, Luna, and Neville as they all sat together enjoying dinner when the Floo roared to life. Glancing over, Hermione saw Fred step through, brushing soot off his jumper.
"Evening, all!" He announced, grinning, as Angelina Johnson appeared a moment later, followed closely by George.
"Angelina!" Hermione said, surprised.
Angelina waved as Fred took her hand and pulled her closer to everyone. "I hope you don't mind that I came."
Fred kissed her cheek, "More the merrier, I told you that."
Molly stood, wiping her hands on her apron as her face lit up. "Of course, my dear. Any friends of the boys are always welcome. Please, have a seat," Molly said as George moved it between the two empty chairs.
George sat down next to Hermione as Angelina and Fred took the other chairs. "Hey, sis."
Hermione looked at him, "You are up to something, aren't you?"
George just winked as Neville looked over at them as he helped Rosella butter her bread. "Nice to see you again, Angelina."
"Nice to see everyone," Angelina said, settling in as Fred started piling her plate with food, and George handed her a Butterbeer.
Rosella looked at her, her face covered in butter, "Who are you?"
"Rose!" Hermione scolded.
Angelina leaned forward to see Rosella next to Hermione, "I'm Angelina. I used to play Quidditch with your Uncle Fred and Uncle George, your dad too."
Rosella gasped. "Did you win?"
Fred chuckled as he slid his arm around Angelina's chair. "We won all the games we could that weren't cursed."
"Or because you fell off your broom," George added.
"Details," Fred said, making everyone laugh.
Rosella giggled, clapping her hands. "I want to see you play! Do you play like Aunt Ginny?"
"No, I'm training to be a medi-witch now, but when it warms up, maybe we can all play together," Angelina told her.
Ron leaned across the table toward Angelina, "So Fred finally convinced you to come to one of the family dinners?"
Angelina smirked, "Let's just say… I was convinced."
Fred grinned, "She can't resist the Weasley charm."
George rolled his eyes, "I've been asking her to come for months, but noooo Fred does, and now he's been insufferable since she agreed."
"He has been since birth," Ron corrected, making Luna laugh.
Hermione chewed her food as she watched Fred and George interact with Angelina, sensing there was something more there.
"You okay?"
Hermione looked over Rosella at Neville, "Yes, why?"
"Just wondering," Neville said as Molly announced cake, and suddenly Rosella's plate floated upward, and Hermione caught it.
"Not for you, unless you finish your peas," Hermione told her, making Rosella pout.
"She's how old?" Angelina asked, surprised.
Rosella grinned at her with a mouthful of peas, "I am three and a half!"
Angelina looked at Hermione, "She can control her magic that well already?"
"Some days are better than others," Hermione stated as Rosella showed her empty plate, "Fine, you can have a small piece."
"So, I heard about your new bookshop. I haven't been by yet, but congratulations," Angelina said as she took a sip of her tea.
"Thanks, it's been a labour of love. We have some weeks better than others," Hermione told her, glancing over at Ron as he set up his new wizard chess set. "So you are training to be a medi-witch? Are you already at St. Mungo's?"
"For my internship, I took the unconventional route and went to university first," Angelina explained.
"That's what Harry is doing too. He's traveling the world training," Hermione stated.
"Is that where he is?" Angelina asked, surprised.
Hermione nodded, "A new country every few months, training with healers and doctors, learning all types of medicine. He writes telling us about it."
Rosella rose onto her legs on the opposite side of the board, listening to Ron's directions about the pawns.
Angelina sat back, shaking her head, "I'm surprised he took off."
Hermione shrugged, "It's what he wanted."
"Now, Rosie, watch carefully. The knight goes here-"
Rosella tilted her head, squinting at him. "Uncle Ron, why is your hair the colour of carrots?"
Ron froze, blinking at the same time as Hermione. "Um… because that's the hair I have. Why is your hair the colour it is?"
Rosella frowned, glancing around the room, her little brow creasing before coming to Hermione. "Why, Mumma, is my hair not like carrots?"
Hermione let out a breath. "Because your Grandmum Lily had that colour hair."
Rosella's face lit up. "I'm like my Grandmum Lily, Uncle Ron!"
Ron chuckled, moving his rook. "Well, my hair is like Nana and Papa's hair."
Rosella nodded as Ron moved toward one of her pawns. "That's Pinky, and that one's Poppy. And that's…" she trailed off as one of Ron's rooks moved to advance on one of Rosella's, making her gasp. "No, not Pinky! You meany! Don't you hurt Pinky, Poppy!"
The pawn paused and stilled on the board, making Ron frown. "Honey, that's how wizard chess works. They smash each other."
"Wells, I don't like it," Rosella declared, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's barbarics."
Ron looked up at Hermione, wide-eyed, "I just had a flashback."
Hermione tried to hide her laugh behind her hand as Angelina walked over to George.
Neville got up from the couch and crouched down beside Rosella. "Rose, would you like to come out with me to find some flowers?"
She sprang up out of the chair, grabbing his hand. "Yes!"
Hermione slid into Rosella's empty chair as her daughter skipped out the back door with Neville. "There isn't going to be anything, it's March 1st."
"There are some weeds," Ron said with a grin as Luna floated over and perched herself sideways in his lap. "Hey, you."
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Luna asked.
"I am," Ron said, kissing her cheek.
Hermione smiled, standing again, pulling her jumper tighter around her. "I'll be back."
Outside, the evening air carried a fresh scent of soil and the wood smoke from the flue pipe. Hermione spotted Rosella tugging on a stubborn plant and stumbling as it came out of the ground, roots and all. "Is this?" she asked proudly.
Neville crouched beside her, shaking his head. "No, but good try."
Before she could drop it, a gnome darted out, snatching the weed and bringing it back into the ground. Rosella stumbled backward, landing on her bottom with a huff.
"You're okay," Neville said, helping her up and brushing dirt off her legs.
Rosella frowned at the ground. "That's not nice, gnomie!" she scolded, her little hands on her hips.
Hermione bit her lip to hide her laughter and froze as Ginny popped into the garden. The moment she saw Neville, she rushed into his arms, and he caught her, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss.
Hermione's chest tightened as she turned away, her heart aching with a deeply buried longing that sometimes reared its head. Wherever Harry was in the world, she missed him. Some days, she missed him like this, where it made her breath catch in the night air.
/\/ <3 /\/ 1st March 2002 /\/ <3 /\/
The cold waves rushed against his feet, freezing foam sliding over his toes before retreating back into the endless dark blue beyond. Harry stood still with his eyes closed, letting the salt air sting his skin, and the cries of the seagulls above him lull him like a song only the sea knew. For a moment, the world was still.
When he opened his eyes again, the horizon stretched into an abyss before him. England was somewhere across the water, hidden by miles of ocean and memories from his place in East Hampton, New York. His chest tightened as he realized it was Ron's birthday today. No doubt that the Burrow was warmer than he was, the table filled with laughter, Molly's cooking, and family. And Hermione. Closing his eyes again, he could see her in his mind, sitting at the table, teasing Ron or helping Molly. The thought made the wind bite sharply into his cheeks.
"Hi."
He turned, startled to see a woman standing at the edge of the grass, who looked familiar. "Oh… hi."
"It's Melinda," she reminded him as she stepped down into the sand. "Sorry to bother you, but I saw you during the retreat. I thought before I left, I would just say hello."
Harry nodded. "It's good to see you. Do you… frequent these retreats?"
"I do," Melinda said with a small shrug. "I'm a bit of a nomad, really. Are you heading to the next one in Florida?"
Harry shook his head. "No, I'm going into the city. I'll be working with some healers at the Mirabel Potter Institute in Long Island."
"Any relation?"
Harry gave her a faint smile. "No clue."
"Well… I'll let you be. I just thought I'd say hello. Maybe I'll see you again?" Melinda asked.
"Maybe," Harry said, "Have a safe trip to Florida."
"Thanks." She said that as Harry watched her walk back across the sand and up onto the grass, the ocean quickly swallowed her footsteps back into itself.
Alone again, Harry turned back to the sea. Inhaling, he filled his lungs with the salty air, letting the memories carry him away. They took him back to another coastline, years ago. He and Hermione huddled in the tent pitched against the roar of the waves. Her laughter filled him with warmth then, and the sound was so vivid in his mind that he could almost hear it above the waves here.
With a sigh, he sat down on the damp, hard-packed sand, the cold seeping through his trousers. Pulling his rucksack around, he rummaged through it until his fingers brushed the spine of a book. Pulling it out: E.E. Cummings: Complete Poems, 1904-1962.
He had walked into a cramped Chicago bookshop to pass the time, waiting for his bus, and had pulled this used book off the shelf. Flipping through it, one poem had stopped him cold: "I carry your heart with me." Its words had clung to him, and he had purchased it, unable to leave it behind. It traveled with him all the way to New York.
The ocean breeze tugged at his hair as he opened the book to find the folded piece of parchment that he had written in the bus depot, but never had the guts to send. Smoothing it open, his eyes skimmed the words he knew by heart.
Dear Hermione,
I came across this book and had to send it to you. I am tired of running. I am tired of fighting with my heart. I know you are with Ron, but if you'll have me, I will come home.
You see, Hermione, I am still in love with you. I never stopped.
I plan to be in New York for the next two months, from March until May. In May, I will visit Ilvermorny until September, when the weather turns. From there, I will move to Texas and into Mexico. I am going to start traveling with a group called Healers Without Borders. But if you will have me, I will leave it all behind.
My heart is yours if you will have it.
Love, Harry.
He'd written it over a week ago but never found the courage to send it. His fingers traced the ink, the words he couldn't bear to speak out loud.
The waves crashed again against his legs, licking the edge of his hands as if they were trying to take the book from him with the note within, like a message in a bottle. Closing his eyes, he closed his eyes and could see her in the darkness behind his eyelids, her brow pinched as it did when she was deep in thought.
"I still love you, do you still love me?" he whispered into the wind.
The breeze blew at his face as a gull swooped down as he opened his eyes. He would send the book once he reached the Institute. It was time for him to stop running.
~*~ 15th March 2002 ~*~
The bell over the door rang as one of her regular customers, Glinda, stepped out of the Muggle side of the store. Hermione smiled as she turned to glance toward the couches where Rosella had spent the last two hours reading through the I Spy books she was fascinated by.
But the couch was empty. Rosella's books lay on the cushions, but her daughter was nowhere in sight.
Hermione's stomach dropped.
Slipping around the counter, her throat tightened as she called, "Rosella?" Scanning between the shelves, she checked the lounge, even. Empty. Her pulse raced as she nearly collided with Regina in an aisle toward the back.
"Regina, have you seen Rosella?" she asked frantically.
Regina slid the book in her hand onto the shelf. "She's on the couch with her books."
"No, she's not," Hermione said, panic creeping into her voice. "I was helping Glinda, and after I rang her up, she was gone."
"Oh," Regina frowned, "She asked me to go to Ron's earlier. I told her to ask you first."
Hermione's breath caught in her chest. "Watch the checkout." She didn't wait for a reply. She was already running toward the portal between the two stores.
"Misty!" she yelled, spotting the witch behind the checkout counter of the wizarding side, "Did Rosella come through here?"
Misty nodded. "About ten minutes ago. She said she was allowed to go see Ron, but judging by your face, I'm guessing that was a no."
Hermione shook her head, fear twisting in her chest as she bolted out the front door and down the alley into W3s.
"Rosella!"
George looked up from the register, "What's wrong?"
"Is she here?" Hermione gasped, trying to catch her breath.
"I don't think so," George told her, "But I've been in the stockroom. Ron's at the Hogsmeade building, helping get it ready. Let's go check with Freddy."
Hermione followed him up the stairs, her heart pounding. George pushed open the office door, just in time to hear a loud sneeze echo inside.
"Rosella!" Hermione yelled as she spotted her.
Fred was leaning against the worktable inside, glitter all over it and his robes. Sitting on the table was Rosella, her little face sparkling as if she had washed her face in fairy dust.
Fred held up his hand. "So… don't kill me. We have a master pranker in the making. She mixed sneezing powder and glitter, and I found her right as she accidentally sampled it."
Rosella sneezed and a stream of glitter shot from her ears, "Oopsie!"
Hermione's knees nearly gave out in relief, but it was quickly replaced by fury. "Rosella Lily Potter, you are NOT allowed to leave the store without telling me!"
Rosella blinked at her, wide-eyed. "But I asked Regina to see Uncle Ron!"
"You didn't ask me!" Hermione yelled, "Do you know how scared you made Mumma?! Your actions have consequences. You know better than to run away."
Rosella dropped her gaze to the table, scuffing her shoe in the glitter. "I'm sorry."
"You're going home with Grammy and Grampy for the rest of the day," Hermione said firmly.
Rosella gasped, tears filling her glittery lashes, "No, Mumma! I'll never do it again!"
"This is your consequence," Hermione turned to the twins, "Can I use your Floo?"
"It's all yours," Fred told her, "Sorry, Hermione. I didn't think she'd just come here on her own."
"It's not your fault," Hermione said, scooping Rosella up. Stepping through the floo, she stepped out into her house, "Mum! Dad! Are either of you here?"
Briar Rose appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Hermione, what-"
Rosella sneezed, spraying glitter through the sitting room.
Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. "I have to get back to the shop, but could you please clean Rosella up? It will wear off soon. She has to spend an hour without her books. She decided to sneak off to W3s without telling me, so she lost the privilege of coming with me for the rest of the day."
Briar Rose nodded, "Come along, Rosella."
"Mumma, I'm sorry!" Rosella sobbed, her glitter-streaked face a mess as tears mixed in.
Hermione knelt, pulling her close, "I know you are, sweetheart, but do you realize you could have been hurt, or someone could have hurt you? You have to tell me where you're going. Always."
Rosella nodded, clinging to Hermione's neck. Hermione kissed the top of her head before prying her off. "I love you, but I don't love the choice you made. Go with Grammy and get cleaned up. I'll see you tonight."
Sighing as Briar Rose took her toward the bathroom, Hermione stepped back into the floo and reappeared at W3s. The twins were sweeping glitter into piles.
"I'm sorry, guys." Hermione sighed.
George shook his head, "No, I am, she knows the password. I guess I need to change it now that she's older."
Hermione groaned, leaning against the counter, "She's the granddaughter of a Marauder and raised by Weasleys… I'm doomed."
Fred smirked, brushing glitter out of his hair, "Welcome to the club."
~*~ 31st March 2002 ~*~
"Hoppy Easter!"
Hermione looked up from stirring the mashed potatoes to see Fred and George hop into the room, wearing matching pink bunny suits, their fluffy ears flopping with each hop. Angelina was shaking her head behind them, holding a basket of rolls.
Hermione rolled her eyes, and Rosella ran up to them, hugging them as she looked around the room. Charlie was there, helping to set the table. Ginny and Neville sat shoulder to shoulder in the sitting room, with a wedding magazine in front of them, as they talked to Fleur about wedding plans. Ron was sitting in his Dad's chair as Luna stood above him, making him a crown of daisies while Ron spoke to Bill.
Rosella perched herself at the coffee table with Victoire, colouring with her tiara slightly askew.
"Lunch is ready!" Molly announced bringing the ham over to the table.
Everyone gathered at the table, and Hermione noted that George pulled Angelina's chair out for her, and she smiled up at him. Not Fred, who was over at the ice box.
Placing carrots on Rosella's plate, she poked at them in disgust. "Prince Harry doesn't have to eat his carrots," she announced, adjusting her tiara.
Hermione dropped her fork, "Fine! It's great that you want to become a princess when you're older, but even future monarchs have to eat their vegetables."
Molly nodded across the table. "I made special chocolate Easter eggs, and without your vegetables, you cannot have one."
Rosella's green eyes went wide as she looked at her plate, then at Hermione. "All of them?"
"All of them," Hermione said, eating a piece of her ham.
Rosella slumped in her chair as she speared a carrot, then begrudgingly ate it.
The hum of conversation was alongside the scraping of forks on their plates as conversation continued around the table, until Hermione heard a sound no one else seemed to hear. A faint tapping outside. Rising from her chair, she moved toward the kitchen window.
"What is it?" Ron asked, appearing at her side.
"I swear I heard an owl," Hermione murmured, looking outside through the rain-splattered glass.
Ron forced the window open, and right outside on the ledge was a tawny owl, soaked from the storm. It hopped inside, and Hermione grabbed a towel. "Sorry, buddy. I can't believe you are out there in this weather."
She patted its feathers as it hooted pitifully as Ron untied the small box strapped to its leg. Reopening the window, the owl blinked at him.
"Fine," Ron sighed, "You can stay until the wind and rain stop."
Luna came over with a small plate of food and a bowl of water. "Here," she said as she set it on the ledge.
The owl gave a hoot of thanks before enjoying its own Easter dinner.
Hermione lifted the lid off the box and drew in a sharp breath. Inside, nestled in tissue, was a snow globe. Hot pink coloured, with the Statue of Liberty inside against a city skyline. On the base, in cursive, was the word "Princess," with "New York City" beneath.
No note was inside the box, but Hermione didn't need one. She bit her lip as she turned the globe in her hand.
Ron leaned closer to her, "He's in New York."
"Looks like it," Hermione muttered.
"Mumma?"
Hermione turned toward Rosella's voice and froze. Her little girl's mouth and chin were covered in chocolate, making her gasp. "Rosella! Did you sneak into Nana Molly's eggs?"
Rosella shook her head, eyes wide. "No, Mumma."
"Rosella Lily," Hermione said, crossing her arms, "I can tell you're lying. Do we lie?"
Rosella's shoulders slumped. "Fine, but it was just one!"
Hermione looked at the ceiling, "Lord help me."
"What's that?" Rosella asked.
Hermione crouched down next to her, using her thumb to brush some of the chocolate away. "Harry… your dad sent it to you. He's in America right now."
Placing her hands around the base, Hermione showed her how to shake it. The flakes of glitter swirled around the Statue of Liberty, and Rosella gasped, "Does it say Princess?"
Hermione nodded, "It does."
Rosella held the globe close to her chest. Chocolate smudged on her face, tiara crooked, and her eyes shining. "Can I write to him?"
Hermione swallowed hard, "Of course."
~*~ 16th May 2002 ~*~
Hermione stood behind the counter of the magical side of the store, carefully scanning the stack of books for the patron in front of her.
"Mumma?"
"Rosella, hold on. Mumma is with a customer," Hermione said as the computer totaled out a receipt, "Your total is 42.59."
The customer paid, and Hermione made change, handing it back to them, "Thank you for coming. We hope to see you again soon."
"Mumma?" Rosella's voice piped up again.
Hermione turned toward her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Now you have my attention, sweetheart. What do you need?"
Rosella sat on her stool, her little legs swinging beneath the hem of her dress. "Can I write Daddy again?"
Hermione's heart softened. "Of course you can. You can write him whenever you want to."
Rosella's eyes lit up. "Can you help me with the words if I draw the pictures?"
"Of course I will," Hermione told her.
Rosella hopped down from her stool, her curls bouncing. Halfway toward the stairs to her office, she stopped and looked back at Hermione. "Can I go to your office, please?"
Hermione smiled. "Thank you for asking. You know where your paper is."
Rosella nodded and skipped off, singing a tune to herself as she skipped up the stairs.
Misty appeared next to Hermione, "What's the Princess so excited about this time?"
Hermione hesitated, biting her lip. "She wants to write a letter to someone."
Misty shook her head. "She amazes me, honestly. It's like she's six instead of three sometimes. I mean, sure, you're scary smart, but she… she's ahead of herself."
Hermione laughed as she unboxed some books. "I've been thinking about nursery school. She's nearly four. I don't want her to get bored. Our patrons are so kind, reading to her, talking to her. But when the shop is quiet, she's restless."
Misty nodded, spotting someone outside the window. "It's about that time, yeah. I'll be back."
Hermione glanced up as the person walked inside and froze. A tall, familiar figure walked over toward the desk, dark hair falling into his eyes.
"Theo Nott," Hermione said, recognizing him.
"Hello, Granger," Theo said, his voice less haughty and smoother than she remembered.
Misty came to his side, her smile wide. "Hermione, I didn't realize you've already met my boyfriend, Theo."
Hermione blinked, surprised, "Yes, we were in the same year at Hogwarts. How are you, Theo?"
"Not bad," he said, looking around the shop, "Nice place you've got here."
"Thank you," Hermione said politely, "I should go check on Rose."
Misty nodded as she leaned into Theo. Hermione slipped up the stairs, her footsteps quiet on the wood. Her office door was ajar, and she pushed it open to find Rosella sitting on her little stool at her own small desk. A crayon in one hand, her tongue peeking from the corner of her mouth in concentration.
Hermione leaned against the doorway, watching her for a moment. "How are you doing, love?"
"Good," Rosella answered, not looking up.
Hermione glanced at the paper to see a crude version of her pink snowglobe, surrounded by stars. Underneath it was written Luv U Dad Princess.
"Did I spell Princess right?" Rosella asked hopefully.
Hermione smiled, "Yes, you did, and you spelled Dad right too. Great job."
Rosella smiled, "Do you think he will like it?"
Hermione kissed the top of her curls, breathing in the familiar smell of her shampoo as her throat tightened. "He's going to love it."
Rosella went back to her drawing, humming again as she added sparkles to the snow globe.
Hermione straightened as her gaze fell upon the office wall where rows of Rosella's artwork were displayed. Some for her, flowers and rainbows, but most of them were copies that she had made of the artwork for Harry. Drawings of her snow globe, of castles, drawings of them as a family.
All unanswered.
Hermione swallowed hard, her chest aching at the weight of it. She hoped that letting Rosella 'write' to him wasn't setting Rosella up for heartache, or making things harder for him. That he didn't see it as pressure or guilt.
Turning back to Rosella, who sat happily at her desk, her little feet moving back and forth with her tiara caught on one ear as she worked. Rose looked at her, "Mumma, can I send him this one tonight?"
Hermione forced a smile, "Yes, sweetheart, we'll send it tonight."
Preview of Chapter 28 – Haunted
Hermione came through the door to see Ginny standing, watching everything with her broom in her hand.
Ginny glanced back at her, "Mind if I take her up? Nothing fancy, just a little float around."
Hermione bit her lip. "I just… I don't feel comfortable with her being up in the air."
Ginny sighed. "If Harry were here, would you let him take her?"
Hermione froze.
Ginny shook her head. "Hermione, you can't wait around for him. I miss him too, but I don't think he's coming back."
Hermione swallowed hard. "He is going to come home. I know that he is."
"When was the last time you heard from him?" Ginny pressed.
Her question was like a punch in her chest. "He… he doesn't write much until he moves to the next place. He… he sent Rosella that snowglobe though."
Ginny looked up at her brothers as they flew around. "Look… I thought I was in love with him for years. But now that I've found true love with Neville, I realize it was infatuation. I was looking for a fairy tale." She turned to Hermione, "I don't want you to waste your life on someone who left you, left Rosie… and never came back. Especially when he knows about her. Because Hermione…" Ginny's gaze dropped, "I don't think the Harry that came back out of the forest is the one we know… or knew, anymore."
Hermione's throat tightened as Ginny walked out into the orchard and wrapped her arms around herself.