Take Me to Brunch
“The last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air. The train rounded a corner. Harry’s hand was still raised in farewell. “He’ll be all right,” murmured Ginny. As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absentmindedly and touched the lightning scar on his forehead. “I know he will.” ~ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry let out a sigh and turned to face Ginny and a grinning Lily who was already beginning to jump up and down as she held her mother’s hand.
Lily was quivering with excitement. “Now it’s to Grandad and Gran’s! Right? Right? Right?!?” she shouted.
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Oh my word, Lil! Hold on a second!” She let go of her daughter’s hand. “Go see if Hugo is ready.”
Their daughter shot off in Hugo’s direction. Ginny grinned up at Harry. “I remember that first day with no brothers vying for attention. She’s practically an only child for a while.” She watched as Lily bounded towards Ron, Hemione and Hugo and flung her arms around Hugo who joined her in her excited jumping-up-and-down.
Ginny chuckled and turned back to Harry. She bumped him with her shoulder. “Alright?” she queried. She was looking up at him, trying to read whatever it was that he was feeling at the moment.
Harry offered a tight smile. “Yeah. I will be.” He rested his hand on her shoulder and gave a squeeze. “Thanks again for being here for this whole thing.” He gestured at the families milling around the platform. “I know it’s a lot to coordinate right after the playoffs…the press…the recruiting and all….” His voice trailed off with uncertainty. He hoped he was expressing his gratitude adequately and scanned Ginny’s face in assessment.
Ginny smiled and shrugged, glancing away as she cataloged the movement of Lily and Hugo who were moving towards Luna and Rolf Scamander’s twins. “It’s not a big deal, Harry.” She paused. “I keep telling you - as long as I get a little notice when I’m needed outside of my days, I can arrange to be here pretty easily.”
“I keep telling Hermione the same thing,” Ron’s voice cut in. He walked up behind Harry and his sister. “You two have got to give the whole ‘never-asking-for-help’ thing a rest.”
Harry looked towards Ron and caught Hermione’s frown as she shifted her attention away from watching the children. She stepped forward into the semi-circle he, Ron and Ginny were forming. Harry let his eyes rest on her for a moment. She looked tired, he thought. She had tensed defensively at Ron’s words, her eyebrows knitted together, but he heard her take a deep breath through her nose and saw her intentionally relax her shoulders and her face into a mostly-genuine smile. “Ronald…” she began warningly.
Ron chuckled and threw his arm casually over her shoulders bringing her fully into the group. “I’m just winding you up, ‘Mi.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze. “What are you going to do with a Hugo-free weekend?”
Hermione opened her mouth to respond, “Mungo’s…” but was abruptly cut off as Ginny’s expression turned to one of exasperation and she hollered, “George Weasley don’t you dare hand out those Whizzbees! Mom’s been cooking for days and if the kids ruin their meal, I’m telling on you!”
George arranged a fake pout on his face as Angelina, hearing Ginny’s rebuke, whipped around from her conversation with Katie Bell and her partner, Sara. “George Weasley!” she screeched. He snatched back the treats he had been surreptitiously offering to Hugo, Lily, and the Scamander girls and gave them an apologetic grimace. Both he and the children had the decency to look somewhat chastened.
“Looks like the legend of Molly’s wrath last Halloween has been taken to heart by the family,” Hermione observed with a laugh.
Ginny mirrored George’s pained expression. “Constant vigilance, Hermione. You know what Mom’s like when her food is not properly appreciated.”
Smiling, Harry closed his eyes and shook his head, picturing Molly’s ire if she found out that treacle tart and chocolate cake were not the sweets of choice for her precious grandchildren. “Heaven forbid,” he murmured.
Ginny smiled up at him again and looked towards Hermione. “You two could come, you know…” she offered absently as she turned back to keep an eye on Lily and Hugo who were now huddling conspiratorially with George.
Ron threw his other arm around Harry. “You can harass them all you like, Gin. It won’t work. I’ve wasted too much breath for the both of us on them.”
Ginny gave Ron a crooked grin, “Well, maybe I’m the favored Ex and my ask will work.” She turned back to Harry and Hermione with a wink “What do you think?”
Harry let his head fall forward in a groan at the same time that Hermione’s gaze shifted to her feet. She shuffled a bit. “Gin…”
“I know, I know,” Ginny cut through the barely-formed excuses. “Hermione, you’ve got some ridiculous amount of paperwork to file at Mungo’s and you…” she shifted her scrutiny to Harry, eyes narrowing. “And you, Potter. What compelling reason do you have this year…”
Harry stiffened and brought his head up just in time to see her catch his change in posture. Her eyes widened and recognition dawned as her hand flew to her mouth.
“Oh, Harry,” she almost whispered. “I’m so sorry. I forgot.”
Beside him, Harry had felt Ron stiffen, too, the moment he realized what his sister was about to say. Harry purposely relaxed his shoulders for Ron’s benefit. He wasn’t mad. He took a breath and paused for a moment, and then met Ginny’s eyes gently.
“It’s ok, Gin.” He took another deep breath. “I’m headed to our cafe.”
He felt Ron’s arm tighten across his shoulders again and his eyes focused on the empty track where the train had departed. He thought about previous years and the way Andromeda would stand without moving as she watched the train take Teddy back to his school world.
He chuckled. “It’s weird to be at this point on Departure Day and not be about to order her a mimosa.”
He took another deep breath and let his mind slip sideways into the memories of how Andromeda would close her eyes and take a deep fortifying breath after the train left. She would square her shoulders, turn to him and bring her hands together in a single clap. Then she would loop her arm through his. “Take me to brunch, Master Potter,” she would command imperiously and together they would march to the little Muggle restaurant around the block from the station.
They’d started the tradition that first year when Teddy had boarded the Hogwarts Express and the hollow place within them felt particularly large. Ever since, every Departure Day involved a bottomless cup of hot coffee for Harry and a mimosa for Andromeda.
Last year, both he and Andromeda knew it was the last time for their little Sept. 1 ritual. Andromeda was frail and thin and the walk to the little restaurant had almost been too much for her. She had passed away peacefully in her sleep just a few weeks later. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He wasn’t surprised that it had fallen to the back of Ginny’s mind.
He came back to the present and realized an awkward silence had descended between his friends behind him. He knew they were watching him carefully. He sighed with exaggeration and pivoted back to them.“The Hogwarts Express and strawberry crepes. Positively Pavlovian,” he declared in his poshest accent, relieved when the tension seemed to dissipate somewhat.
Ron took the cue, stepped out from between Harry and Hermione, and grabbed Ginny’s elbow. “Ok, sis. Let’s leave The Exes to their ex-ing and get that lot to the Burrow.” He gestured towards the children who were now running in a circle. “I told Rolf he could ride shotgun and it’s going to take me a while to get out of that parking space.”
Ginny nodded gratefully, then hesitated and turned back to Harry. She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Andromeda would want you to be happy, Harry. Remember that today, too.” She gave him a soft smile. “I’ll bring Lil back Sunday night before my portkey.”
Harry nodded and reached out for a brief hug. “Thanks, Gin,” he whispered near her ear and he watched her join Ron to walk towards Lily. Mother and daughter talked for a moment, then Lily hurled herself towards Harry. “Bye, Daddy!!” she cried as she flung her arms around his waist. “I’ll see you later!”
Harry barely had time to press a kiss to her head before she was bounding towards Hermione and Hugo as they embraced in a hasty goodbye a little ways off. Lily grabbed Hugo and dragged him towards Ginny and Ron who were beginning a slow ramble towards the exit with the other adults. Now the remaining Weasley families joined them and the group moved slowly forwards. Harry saw Louis, Bill and Fleur’s young son, dart forward to join Hugo. At the same time, Percy and Audrey’s youngest, Molly, shyly slipped her hand into Lily’s hand. Harry smiled to see Lily put her arm around her younger cousin and shift Molly to walk between Lily and the Scamander girls.
The group was splitting off into the directions of the different modes of transportation they’d be taking to travel to The Burrow. Harry saw George grab Angelina’s elbow and slow her to walk at the back of the group. He bent his head to whisper in her ear and Harry saw her throw her head back in a laugh and smack George’s arm. George grinned cheekily at her. They split off from the rest of the group to head for another exit. Harry smirked to himself. He was certain they taking a detour to their flat above the shop in Diagon Alley to take advantage of a home without children present.
“I’m a little jealous, truthfully,” Hermione’s voice pierced his thoughts and he glanced down to see that she had moved to stand nearer him. She was also watching George and Angelina and a small smile played on her lips. Her eyes tracked the couple as George tucked Angelina into his side and Angelina’s arm went around his waist. “They’re getting a new start,” she mused reflectively, so quiet that Harry almost couldn’t hear the words she’d spoken. “They get a new chance to connect and share…it’s lovely isn’t it?”
“It is,” he replied and her widening eyes shot up to meet his gaze with a start.
She shook her head slightly. “Oh… I’m sorry,” her blush spread across her cheeks. “I meant that rhetorically.” She shook her head again and laughed low. “I actually didn’t mean to say that out loud at all.” She was blushing madly as she dazedly stared at him.
Harry held her gaze. They both knew what it was like to feel alone, yearning for a new start. “It is, though,” he said. “Lovely, I mean.” He offered her a relaxed smile and turned his attention back to the departing Weasleys and friends. “It is lovely. Another chance.”
Hermione kept her eyes on George and Angelina and nodded. Harry glanced back as the group disappeared and took another deep breath. Then he turned his whole attention to the witch beside him.
Hermione’s attention, however, was directed toward the purse that hung off her arm as she shuffled through it looking for something in its depths. He studied her carefully. She did look tired. She had little lines around her eyes and circles under them. Her freckles were almost non-existent. She and the kids hadn’t gone to Australia during the holidays, he remembered. She usually returned from there bronzed and glowing. Now she was slightly pale, he thought. She looked ready for an English autumn, dressed in a green cable knit sweater and brown corduroy slacks. Her curls were shining and bouncy and were gathered in a loose ponytail that hung down her back. Little tendrils of curls were escaping confinement and gathered around her face. Large carved wooden earrings in her ears showcased her elegant neck. She huffed with annoyance and gave her purse a shake. It was a large unstructured leather tote, not the beaded bag of their year on the run, but it had clearly been treated with an extension charm just the same. It probably held a featherweight charm also, he thought, as he heard her grunt and watched her pull a large book from it.
“Here,” she said and extended it to him with one hand and tucked the tendrils of her hair behind her ear with the other. “I thought this could be helpful for your backyard project.”
He pulled the book to him, turning it to better see the title - The Complete Book of Gardening by Alan Titschmarch. A small shiver of joy went through him.“No way!” he exclaimed and grinned happily into Hermione’s upturned face. “I love Alan Titschmarsh!” Something changed in her face and he realized her expression had shifted from expectant to pleased.
He tilted his head to the side and searched her eyes, glancing down again at the cover. “You knew that?” he asked quizzically. She nodded slightly and he recognized in her expression that she had, indeed, chosen this book intentionally for him.
“Wait.” His eyebrows gathered in confusion. “How did you know that?” he probed.
Hermione flushed and swallowed, casting her eyes down before taking up a hurried explanation. “I remembered…it was after Godric’s Hollow…and you said something about the hellebores and you didn’t want me to set up the tent on top of them because they were going to bloom. And I had no idea what a hellebore was and you showed me and then you told me about your cousin making fun of you for watching the Chelsea Flower Show that one time and you talked about Alan…” She had raised her eyes to meet his at some point during the speech and now she trailed off as she regarded his expression.
Harry knew he was staring at her a little too intensely right now. Her brown eyes searched his and he noticed again the flecks of gold and green in the iris. She bit her lip as she took in his expression. “I’m sorry…I didn’t…”
He dragged his eyes away from her face and down to the book again, with effort. He raked his hand through his hair and willed his heart to stop beating so fast. When he looked up again, he was composed. “Thanks, Hermione.” He shook his head a little. What was that all about? He grinned at her shyly. “I just can’t believe you remembered that. That was 20 years ago and something I must have said in passing… it’s just…well…” He held up the book. “This just really means a lot to me.”
She let out a breath of relief.
“Thanks,” he said again.
“Yes, well…” Hermione averted her eyes and hitched her purse up on her shoulder. “It was in Mum and Dad’s stuff and I keep forgetting to give it to you, so I thought…” She gestured at the book again, glanced down and also seemed to take a minute to compose herself. “Well. Yes.” She repeated as she looked up at him and smiled softly.
Harry looked at her for a second longer and then shifted his attention to her hand where it remained at her shoulder on her purse strap in a gesture of departure. “You’re headed to Mungo’s?” he asked. She nodded. He thumbed towards the exit opposite of the place the Weasleys had departed. “I’m headed that way, too. I’ll walk with you.”
“Okay,” she said quietly and they headed towards the large staircase.
They didn’t talk as they walked up the stairs. They came out blinking into the entrance and Harry glanced at Hermione again. She was chewing on her lip and picking at the cuticle on her fingernail.
“Hey,” he reached out his hand and put it on her shoulder. “Are you ok?”
Hermione startled a bit. She was definitely preoccupied with something but she didn’t slow and kept moving towards the entrance. “I am” she said. “I really am ok. There’s just a lot going through my brain right now. I’m thinking about Rose and the new school term and how Hugo is going to handle being with his dad and the Weasleys and whether he’s going to come home all keyed up and how that will affect school starting on Tuesday. And I don’t know if I even have all the things he’s going to need. I don’t think I checked to see if he needs anything different for the school uniform this year. They don’t do anything different for 10 year olds, right? And I need to check in with Annabella to be sure she’s coordinated with Ron on the pickup/ dropoff schedule. And I have a Director’s meeting for the new Mom/Baby Unit plans and I’m supposed to present with Theo and I haven’t even seen him for the last two weeks. I have no idea what we are going to have for dinner this week and I haven’t been to the shops. And I am pretty sure I accidentally stood up my latest date last weekend and have just now realized it…”
“Woah, woah, woah…” Harry cut in with a laugh and pulled her out of the flow of foot traffic. “Take a breath, Hermione! That’s too much for one person to be thinking about at the start of a kidless weekend!” He turned her towards him and put his hands on her arms. He waited for her to look up at him. “What can I do to help?”
Hermione’s face crumpled and her eyes got watery. “Harry, you’re just as over-scheduled as I am! I know you’ve got a new training group starting this week and Lily’s been talking about nothing else other than ballet. I’m sure Mrs. Figg and Kreacher are going to help but I’m also pretty sure you’re going to be needed every moment of every day.” She brought her hands up to his chest and looked up into his eyes again. Her expression softened further. “I’m really sorry. I know that this morning, you’ve set aside some time for yourself. I think it’s really important that you just do that. You need to take some time to sit still and remember and grieve.” She gave his chest two pats with her hands. “I’ll be ok.” She took her hands off his chest and clasped her hands and stepped back a bit away from him. She looked down. “I’m sorry I just dumped all of that on you. I wasn’t thinking.”
Harry stepped forward and again, put his hands on her arms. “You aren’t dumping, Hermione. And I want to help you. Come to breakfast with me and we’ll sit and talk and I can drink coffee and you can have Andromeda’s mimosa and we’ll get all of that stuff out of your head and onto paper.” He grinned into her face as her eyes narrowed at his words. “Yes. I’m using your words against you. It’s Brain Drop time, Granger. Come on now.” He turned her towards the cafe and slung his arm over her shoulders, pulling her to him. The opportunity to remind her of her own lessons in organization was providing him a tremendous amount of glee. “I’ll brook no nonsense. Let’s get you something to eat and get your brilliant brain a place to put all its brilliant thoughts and then we can tackle where the fuck Theo Nott’s got to, eh?”
Harry felt all of the fight go out of Hermione. She sighed and then laughed and grinned back at him. “Ok, Harry. You win.”
Then she pulled herself up and flung her arm around his waist and in her best Andromeda, she commanded, “Take me to brunch, Master Potter.”