5|At the Reunion

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Friday, May 2, 2008

Harry stood among the Weasleys, all of which had just arrived at the anniversary reunion. Though it technically hadn't begun yet, there were already plenty of people milling around. Some were other guests of honor (mostly those who had been members of The Order of the Phoenix), but most of the people already in the Great Hall were those who were in the committee that had planned this event and those who had helped turn the Great Hall into a fantastic ballroom.

The only person from the Weasley family who was not yet present was Ginny, and Harry figured she and Blaise had decided to come later, when the rest of the guests would arrive.

"Wonder where Hermione is," said Ron to Harry, speaking lowly so as not to be overheard. "She's a guest of honor, too."

"Dunno," said Harry, shrugging. "I'm sure she'll arrive eventually.

"It's not like she'd have a life or family or anything to keep her from coming early." Ron thought for a second. "Actually, that may be why. She probably afraid that if she comes early, she'll be all alone, poor thing."

Harry stared at Ron. "You're bound and determined that Hermione can't have a life outside of us, aren't you."

"Look, Harry, I know that it's been ten years, but think about it for a second. We really were her only real friends, she made all of her other ones through us. And she was so bossy all the time, there's no way she'd be content to work for someone else at a decent job, she loves books, and at a library, she can tell people off all she wants for being too loud and messing up the books and eatings."

Harry thought that it was really sad that Ron thought he knew his old friend so well, and yet didn't really know her at all. "You keep saying that you want to get back with Hermione,but you so blatantly insult her."

"Well, once we're together, Hermione'll get out a whole lot more, and she won't have to worry about being alone, 'cause she'll have me and the rest of my family, and she won't have to worry about her low salary, because I'll make all the money for us."

"You don't even have a steady job."

"I will once I move back here to be with her. That's the whole reason I never got a serious career, because I knew that eventually I'd want to come back." That and you'd rather sit at home stuffing your face than earn an honest paycheck, thought Harry. But he couldn't say that.

So, once again, Harry settled for, "Whatever, Ron."

Harry took this chance to go stand by his wife, who had just returned from taking James and Mark to the classroom where the children would stay during the reunion and was having a conversation with Fleur. A look at his watch told him that it was 6:43, and looking around he saw that, indeed, the Great Hall was quickly filling up with guests. Soon enough, the press would arrive, something that Harry was not looking forward to.

The doors opened and another wave of witches and wizards strolled in, eliciting the sounds of children gasping at the Great Hall that they would soon be in three times a day every day. As they came in, Harry saw the familiar face and red hair of Ginny, waking next to Blaise, who was in conversation with someone that Harry was pretty positive was Theodore Nott.

Harry looked to see who Ginny was talking to, and gasped when he recognized Hermione. His old friend had changed a good deal. Her hair was just as smooth and sleek as it had been back at the Yule Ball, and she wore a long black dress. There were other different things about her that Harry couldn't pinpoint. Maybe she was wearing makeup? Kandy had told him that makeup could really-- how had she put it?-- "enhance one's features." The point was, Hermione looked absolutely stunning.

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