"And have it ready when we're ready to leave the bank. Do not give it to me in front of anyone else," Sirius finished up.
"Yes Mr. Black," The Goblin replied.
"Don't need Tonks or Vance wondering why we need muggle money do we?"
"But that's ten thousand pounds," Hermione argued.
"Better too much, than too little," Sirius said. "Look around, it's not hurting me any. Go live it up a little; Merlin knows you need the fun."
They left the bank a short time later with a hundred and eighty fifty pound notes and another fifty twenty pound notes along with bags filled with galleons.
While Harry and his escorts wandered into Quality Quidditch Supplies, Hermione ducked into the apothecary for her needed potion supplies. Soon they were headed out of the Leaky Cauldron and back to Grimmauld Place.
...…..
Fleur was the only one at Grimmauld Place when they arrived. "Ze Weasleys are still at St. Mungo's," She explained. "Mr. Weasley will be fine zey say but 'e must spend ze night."
"Thank you Fleur," Harry replied as he remembered his own experience with severe bone healing, or regrowing in his case.
"Eet is nozzing," she replied. "I just wish…" She looked away for a second before shrugging. "Zey did not want me zere and wizout Bill I could not insist."
"Bill's working?"
"Oui. 'E could not get time off."
"We can take you down if you want," Harry said. "They won't argue if you're with us."
"Non, but zank you," Fleur replied with a shake of her head.
"You don't have to stay here," Sirius said. "You and Bill can find a place of your own. I think Harry proved this morning, he can take care of himself."
"Oui, Missus Weasley was very adamant about what 'Arry did. Even so, I must remain. I will not...not run away," She looked at Hermione. "And you Miss Granger, I understand zere is a relationship now?"
"Yes," Hermione replied as she moved a bit closer to Harry.
"Zen I wish you ze best. You are fortunate zat Molly likes you zough she did 'ave a few words last night about your... your exuberant display at ze platform yesterday."
"Thank you," Hermione replied. "I'm not going to worry about what Mrs. Weasley says. If I wish to kiss Harry I will. I'm not going to look over my shoulder to see if she's watching," Then she smirked. "Then again maybe I will."
"Zat is good," Fleur replied. "Maybe I should be less concerned but eet is 'ard for Bill."
"I think someday Mrs. Weasley will realize you truly love Bill and will come around," Hermione replied.
"I 'ope so."
"If you'll excuse us, we need to start studying," Harry said and led his wife up the steps. Sirius followed behind. When they were in Harry's room, Kreacher appeared almost instantly.
"Kreacher did as Master Sirius commanded," The old elf said. "Kreacher checked the trunk of the youngest blood t..." Kreacher caught himself. "There were four bottles in her trunk. What does Master Sirius want Kreacher to do?"
Sirius looked questioning at Harry and Hermione.
"Can you keep an eye on her; let us know if she uses any of the potions?" Harry asked.
"Kreacher can do that," And the elf was gone with a crack.
"Can we go on to my house?" Hermione asked. "It's later than I thought it'd be and I want to show you around before my parents show up."
"Sure."
"Feel free to spend it all, more if you need," Sirius replied as he handed over the notes the goblins had given him. "I don't want to see you in those clothes again."
"No problem there," Harry replied.
"Well this is my home," Hermione said slightly nervously as Harry climbed out of the cabinet a minute later.
"Nice garage," Harry smirked as he looked around.
"Prat," Hermione said as she walked over and pressed a button that raised the garage door. "I'll show you the outside first," She took his hand and led him into the driveway.
Hermione's home was a two story brick house with high hedges surrounding the decent sized gardens. There were flower beds and trees, though attractive they were not meticulously maintained as the Dursleys kept theirs. Even the grass was in need of being mowed. The house itself sat back from the road giving an impression of seclusion in a residential neighborhood. It was a neighborhood that bore little resemblance to Privet Drive. It was obviously an affluent neighborhood; one where the residents had enough money that they didn't have to pretend to have more than they did. Each of the houses were unique in their design, something else that made it distinctly different from the neighborhood where Harry had lived.
"It's brilliant," Harry said as he looked around.
Hermione gave his hand a squeeze and then pulled him toward the front door. When they entered, they found the house was spotless.
"Dobby and Winky have been busy," Hermione explained. "They wanted to clean so Mum and Dad are letting them."
"If it's what they want."
Two cracks were heard then and the elves stood in front of them. "Master and Mistress need anything?" Winky asked excitedly.
"Not right now thanks," Hermione replied. "I'm showing Harry my home. You two have done a wonderful job. It's very clean."
"Dobby and Winky are just doing our jobs," Winky replied.
"Well take some time off now and enjoy yourselves."
"Dobby and Winky are enjoying ourselves," Dobby exclaimed as he brandished a duster. "The loft is very dirty, but it will be clean in just a short time."
"No I mean..." Hermione started and then saw the look of happiness on the elves' faces and sighed, "you two do whatever you want that you consider fun."
"Thank you Mistress Hermione," they both answered and with another crack they were gone.
The house was fairly large. Dining room, kitchen, a large living room and a study made up the majority of the downstairs, while the upstairs held the four bedrooms.
"And this is my room," Hermione said as she led her husband into her bedroom. The walls were powder blue while the trim was white. The bed was a double width bed with bookshelves at the headboard. A white comforter with small blue flowers stretched out over it. A matching dresser sat against the wall between the two windows covered in white blinds. There were, of course, several bookshelves, one fairly large and two smaller ones. Between the smaller ones was a roll-top desk. Hermione pulled out a key and unlocked the cover that hid the top of the desk.
Harry was surprised to see a computer monitor sitting in the recessed area of the desk, especially in contrast to the transfiguration and charms books leaning against it.
"You use a computer?"
"Not really," Hermione replied. "Dad bought it when I got home from fourth year as a welcome home present, but that was right after Voldemort came back and well I never did much with it. Besides I don't think Professor McGonagall would appreciate my homework typed and printed do you?"
"It might be amusing," Harry replied. "Dudley has a computer. Well actually it's his third one. He broke the others like everything else he's ever owned. I never got to touch it."
Hermione saw the wistful look in Harry's eyes as he looked at the computer and smiled. "Well it is 'our' computer isn't it?" She asked. "What's mine is yours didn't you say?" Well have a seat," She opened the vertical door on her desk and touched a button on the tower computer that sat there. As the DOS Operating system finished loading and Windows 3.1 started up she went on. "There are some programs and games, but there's also a really fun screen saver program. You can set it to Flying Toasters or an Aquarium. It's fun to just watch them."
It was four thirty when the Grangers returned home. The garage door had been left open so Mr. Granger realized his daughter was there with 'the boy'. He was surprised when he didn't see them in the dining room, kitchen or living room. It was only after he'd walked up the steps did he hear their voices coming from the closed door to his daughter's room. He inched closer to listen.
"It doesn't go there," He heard Hermione say.
"What about there," The boy's voice replied. "Can I put it there?"
"Don't...I told you not to touch that," Hermione's voice said with a sigh. "Can't you keep your fingers off of it? See what you've done, you've made..." her voice became inaudible as she must have turned in a different direction, a couple of seconds later her voice became stronger again. "Yes you can put it there but wait, let me do this first."
Richard couldn't believe what he was hearing. Visions of strangling the boy rushed through his head. He immediately pushed open the door and stormed into the room. "WHAT IS..." He started and stopped, mouth opened as he blinked in confusion. The two teens were at Hermione's desk. Hermione had a rag in her hand wiping a fingerprint off the CRT monitor while Harry was playing solitaire.
....
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