“Harry, I need to let Mum know where we are. Since Fred…” Ron’s voice trailed off. Harry could see him struggling with his grief. “Well, since that day, you know how she has been. She has to know where we are at all times. She’ll be worried when we don’t come home tonight.”
“Yeah, good idea. But how are we going to let her know? I guess you could pop over there and tell her where we are so she doesn’t worry. Just don’t tell her why we are staying here. Hermione was very clear she doesn’t want anyone to know yet. I think that even includes your family.”
“I guess I could. I should only be gone a few minutes. Just long enough to reassure her we are fine and let her know where we are.” With this, Ron got up and left the kitchen to Apparate to the Burrow.
Ron was only gone a few moments when Hermione came into the kitchen. Looking around she asked, “Where’s Ron?”
“He went to tell his mum where we are so she doesn’t worry.”
“Oh, okay. Harry, I’m sorry I yelled at you,” as she spoke, she sat down at the table across from Harry. Kreacher immediately brought her over a plate of food. Smiling at him, Hermione tried to eat.
“Don’t worry about yelling at me. I understand why you did. I guess I was being a bit insensitive making jokes.” Harry smiled sheepishly at Hermione.
“It wasn’t that. Not really. It is just everything. For the first time in my life, I am faced with something I just don’t know how to handle. I just don’t know what to do, how I should feel. Should I be happy I’m not a Mudblood? Part of me can understand Professor Dumbledore’s reasons for doing what he did, but I cannot forgive him for what he did. He stole my heritage from me. First when he took me from my birthparents, then just now, by telling us the truth, he took away what I had always believed my life to be. I know I am probably not making sense. It is hard to explain what I am feeling.” Hermione, who once again had the sheen of tears in her eyes, stopped talking.
“I understand part of what you are feeling. Remember, part of my life was taken from me too. You are my sister. I always thought I was alone, the last Potter. Now, I know I’m not. I have a sister, I have… you.” Standing, Harry walked around the table and tugging Hermione up, he hugged her.
As Harry stood with his arms around Hermione, Ron burst into the room.
“Sometimes that woman is impossible,” Ron said his voice aggrieved. “She always has to know everything. You would think we were all twelve years old the way she acts.” As Ron stalked to the table, he noticed Harry and Hermione hugging. For a moment, he felt anger as he did when the locket was tormenting him. The feeling passed quickly as he remembered what they had learned this morning.
Harry and Hermione quickly broke off the hug and turned to face Ron.
“What do you mean, Ron?” questioned Hermione in a shaky voice.
“She wanted to know why we went to Hogwarts, why you hadn’t gone for your parents yet; why we were staying here instead of coming home…” Ron stopped speaking at the look of fear on Hermione’s face.
Quickly, he rushed to explain. “Don’t worry; I think I covered everything without telling her anything. I told her we went to Hogwarts because you wanted to talk to Professor McGonagall about going back to school. This, I might add, led to her yelling at me for not also going back to school. Harry, I should warn you, she is not happy with you either for not going back.
“As far as your parents, I told her we finally convinced you to wait until we knew it was completely safe to bring them home. I blamed us staying here on you, Harry. I told her you needed some time after everything that’s happened.
“I told her we were going to stay here with you because we didn’t think you should be alone. I don’t think she is happy with us right now, but what can she do? We are all over age.” Ron stopped talking and looked at both of them, trying to judge their reactions.
“Oh, and Harry, I am suppose to tell you that the best place for you right now is with your family at the Burrow. She doesn’t think you should be here brooding alone.”
Harry didn’t know what to say. He knew Mrs. Weasley thought of him as sort of an adopted son, but to hear her say ‘with his family’ in reference to the Weasley’s choked him up.
“Thank you, Ron, for not telling them what we found out today. I’m just not ready yet, to have everyone know. I’m not sure I will ever be ready.” Hermione sat back down at the table and looked from Ron to Harry.
Harry, following Hermione’s lead, also sat back down. Part of him wished Hermione would agree to go back to the Burrow and talk to Mrs. Weasley. He knew Mrs. Weasley would know just what to say. Harry felt as he did for most of his life, lost and confused and not really knowing exactly what to do or say.
As Ron sat down next to Hermione, he said to her, “Hermione, I know it is your decision but, I honestly think you should at least talk to my mum. She loves you and she is probably the smartest woman I know.” Ron’s face turned red as he finished talking.
Harry was surprised to hear Ron speak that way about his mother. He knew Ron loved his mother but to hear him praise her in that way made Harry realize how much Ron had grown up over the past year.
After a few minutes of silence, Hermione looked first at Ron, then at Harry. Taking a deep breath, she said simply, “Harry, I want to go to Godric’s Hollow tomorrow.” At Harry’s shocked expression, she rushed to explain, “It won’t be like last time. I need to go there now, knowing what I know. I also know you may not want to go back there after everything that happened there, but I want, no, I need to go there… Please Harry?”
Harry could see a slight shimmer of tears in Hermione’s eyes. There was no way he could deny her because he knew how he had felt the urge and desire to visit Godric’s Hollow last year. Though he wasn’t completely sure it was safe- there were still Death Eaters roaming around free-he agreed.
Once he agreed to go, they decided that after the long day they had, they better get some sleep. Hermione said goodnight and quickly left the kitchen first. Harry and Ron soon followed.
As Harry climbed into bed in Sirius’ room, he thought about going back to Godric’s Hollow again. He knew there should be some fear or at least unease there, but all he felt was the same desire for knowledge he felt last Christmas.
***
As Harry, Ron and Hermione finished their breakfast the next morning, they discussed the best way to enter Godric’s Hollow.
“I agree we should Apparate under the Invisibility Cloak,” said Harry. “But, I don’t think there is a need for us to go in pairs as we did when we went to the Ministry. We can just Apparate outside the village, Hermione.”
“Harry, last time it was Christmas Eve and it was snowing, so there wasn’t many Muggles out and about. It’s summer now and daytime. I am sure there will be more people out this time,” Hermione said, exasperation evident in her voice. She had been trying for the past half hour to convince Harry they still needed to be cautious when they Apparated into the village. “We can’t risk being seen and exposing our world.”
“Hermione, I think it will be fine. If you are so worried, then we will Apparate right onto the grounds of the cottage. That is protected from Muggle eyes. If we do that, we won’t even need to use the Invisibility Cloak,” Harry paused as he thought over this idea.
Before he could continue, Ron spoke up, “Harry, how do you know we can get onto the grounds? What if it is protected somehow from anyone entering?”
Harry smiled. He knew it was time to tell them of his conversation with Kingsley about this very subject.
“I already asked Kingsley about my parents’ house and the protections surrounding it. He told me Dumbledore explained to him all the enchantments on the house. We know the house is protected from Muggles seeing it. It is also protected from anyone but a select few people from entering it,” Harry stopped talking to look at both of them to make sure they understood what he was saying.
“A select few? Did he know who could enter it?” Ron questioned.
“Yes, Dumbledore told him. Only myself, Hagrid, and Dumbledore could enter. They could bring people in with them, but anyone else would not be able to get past the enchanted gate nor could they Apparate onto the grounds.
“This was done so Voldemort or his Death Eaters could not gain access to the house. We will not be seen and we will be safe once we are there.”
“Harry,” Hermione’s voice was laced with concern, “are you sure the enchantments didn’t disappear when Dumbledore died? Remember when you were on the Tower, the spell he cast on you broke when he died.”
“I asked Kingsley about that. He told me he had the same thought. So, he went to Godric’s Hollow right after Dumbledore died and tried to get in. He couldn’t get past the gate. He said he tried to Apparate in and told me he wouldn’t recommend trying that to anyone with the exception of me.
“So, are we going to Apparate under the Invisibility Cloak to the outside of the village, or just Apparate directly to the cottage?” Harry asked them.
“I guess we can go directly to the cottage,” Hermione said hesitantly. Harry could tell she didn’t really like this idea.
“Hermione, what’s wrong?” Harry asked her. He knew there was something she wasn’t telling him.
“It’s just… I think I would...” Hermione’s voice broke.
“Let’s just all go together under the Invisibility Cloak to the outskirts of the village like you did last time. I’m sure no one will see us.” Ron reached across the table to take Hermione’s hand.
Hermione looked at their joined hands then up at Ron. Harry could see the confusion in her eyes as well as something he couldn’t quite figure out. He agreed with Ron and had only suggested the other plan because Hermione seemed to be trying to find excuses to delay their going even though it had been her idea to go, at least this time.
Shaking his head to clear the unwanted memories, Harry spoke, “I agree with Ron. Let’s just go. We can use the Invisibility Cloak and Apparate outside the village.” Standing, Harry held out his hand to Hermione. He could see her mind trying to work out another argument against this plan. Finally, she pulled her hand from Ron’s and put it into Harry’s.
What neither Harry nor Hermione saw was the flash of pain in Ron’s eyes when Hermione pulled away from him.
***
Ten minutes later found Harry, Hermione and Ron standing at the edge of the village. Their Apparation to the outskirts of the village had as predicted gone unnoticed.
Slowly they walked the same path Harry and Hermione had walked last Christmas Eve. As they approached the stone memorial, they watched it change into the tribute to the Potters. Ron, having not been with them on their last trip, gasped as it changed.
Harry chuckled at Ron’s reaction. Though the statue brought a bittersweet ache to his heart, seeing it now, without the fear and uncertainness he had the last time he was here, brought a sense of peace.
Harry saw Hermione staring blankly at the three people in the statue. He couldn’t imagine what she was thinking. Perhaps that she should also be in the statue, perhaps just looking at her birth parents faces and comparing them to her own. Deciding they shouldn’t stand there too long staring at what to most people appeared to be a war memorial, he knew he would have to take the lead to the cemetery this time.
As Hermione did with him, he reached out and took her hand in his and gently led her away from the statue and towards the small church with its cemetery behind it. Ron followed behind them quietly.
As they approached the kissing gate, Hermione’s steps slowed. Within three steps of the gate, Hermione stopped.
“Hermione?” Harry looked at her.
“Harry, I don’t know if I can do this. How can I go in there and see where my… where…” Hermione stopped talking and tried pulling her hand out of Harry’s.
“But, you have been here before. You’ve already seen their grave,” Ron said, clearly confused.
“Ron, I didn’t know then they were my parents! You don’t understand,” Hermione’s voice trailed off.
“Hermione, listen to me.” Harry turned Hermione to face him. “Yes, our parents’ graves are in there and I know it’s different this time going in there. But, you need to do this. You need to go in there knowing they are your parents.” Harry turned and gently pulled her along with him through the gate.
They walked along in silence until they were standing in front of the white marble stone. The wreath they had placed on the stone was long gone. Once again, Harry thought he should have brought flowers or something.
He saw Hermione’s shoulders slump. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her waist and drew her close to his side.
“I’m going to just go look around and let you two…” Ron’s voice conveyed the hurt he was feeling. When neither Harry nor Hermione answered him, he turned and walked slowly away.
As Hermione stood there, tears fell silently down her cheeks. No words were spoken between brother and sister as they stood united over their parents’ grave.
***
Ron wandered around the cemetery noticing as Harry had done months ago several names of relatives of people he knew. When he came across the Dumbledore gravesite, he stopped. He read the words on the stone and the meaning to him became clear.
Ron knew his treasure was Hermione. He knew without a doubt, she had his heart. He didn’t know if this was what Dumbledore meant by these words, but that is what they meant to him. Glancing up, Ron looked at Hermione and Harry standing arm in arm, side by side.
Ever since Dumbledore had made his confession, Ron felt as if Hermione was pulling away from him. He knew it was probably just the shock of finding out your whole life had been a lie, but Ron couldn’t help but notice while she continually told him he didn’t understand and stiffened at his touch, she seemed to be leaning on Harry. Every time he turned around Harry was hugging her, or holding her hand. Ron knew he was being petty, but he couldn’t help but feel hurt.
Shouldn’t she be turning to him for comfort? After all, they were a couple now. It’s not like when they were in school and just friends. Ron’s insecurities and feelings of never being good enough were brought to the forefront of his mind. He hadn’t felt like this in a long time and he didn’t like the feeling anymore now then he did then.
***
“Where’s Ron?” Hermione asked Harry when she finally noticed Ron was not next to her.
“I think he went to look around to give us some time,” Harry answered her. Looking around, Harry spotted Ron standing over the Dumbledore grave looking sad and lost. Harry wondered at the look on Ron’s face, but he thought it was because of the grave he was standing at.
“He’s over there,” Harry said as he pointed to Ron. “Ron!” Harry called to him.
Ron looked up at Harry’s call and started walking slowly over to them. As he approached he saw Hermione wave her wand and a bunch of flowers appeared in front of the stone.
“Let’s head up to the house, that is, if you are ready,” Harry said to Hermione.
“Okay,” she replied quietly.
Turning, they walked towards Ron. The three of them left the graveyard and headed up the road towards the home that three of the four Potters had lived in until that fateful Halloween night.