"What is your plan Padfoot?"
"Simple Moony, we are adults and we need to start acting like it. Pup is always the one who must make the effort, to collect information and further the plans. He put us in charge, which means it is time we started acting like it. Even if we can't solve the problem completely we can at least help out."
"Does that mean wolfie and I get to go out and torture people for information?" Bellatrix inquired excitedly, earning eye rolls from the others.
"No, you two are stuck on babysitting duty concerning the other Death Eaters."
The woman pouted, before her smirk reemerged as she realized that her assignment could still involve torturing people.
...
Hermione Granger glanced over the top of the book she was pretending to read in order to discreetly observe her target. Seeing him idly wandering about her frown deepened as she silently cursed herself. She was so stupid to suggest such a thing, clearly Harry was not enjoying himself. He had been acting a bit odd ever since their arrival, almost as if he was lost in a fog. She had tried to suggest they change their plans but he had waved off her concerns in that infuriating manner of focusing completely on her rather than his own wants or needs.
'We seriously need to break him of that' she noted in agitation, gripping the book just a bit tighter before closing it and adding it to her bag to purchase. Minutes later the two departed, and one Floo jump later were back in their hotel room.
"Are you mad at me?"
The boy froze, turning back to look at the bookworm with more confusion than she had seen in his eyes since they had gone through the 'no sex' period earlier in the school year. "What? No of course not, why would you…"
"Because you have been acting distant ever since we arrived on vacation. I know you want me to be happy so you went along with my plan but I also want you to be happy too…"
His shoulders sagged as he took a seat on their bed, "I am not mad at you, I promise. I am just feeling a bit overwhelmed. Sirius told me something before we left and I am trying not to think about it too much but… well it brings up the future and it is starting to stress me when it shouldn't."
Her face softened as she took a spot next to him, "Do you want to talk about it?"
A slight smile formed, "It may not even come to pass so I don't want to worry anyone else about it quite yet. Let's just say it is something I have thought about but with everything else going on…" he trailed off, leaving her concerned once more before he let out a deep sigh. "What do you want to do with your life Hermione? After school I mean, where do you picture yourself in five, even ten years?"
"I…" this time it was her turn to pause, she had so many dreams and ambitions growing up, all of which had changed and shattered upon finding out she was a Witch. After that they had been different, and then those had been slowly twisted and mutilated over her first two years of schooling… up until she had met 'Mr. Rochester'. At that point things had changed, and her dreams had begun to stabilize around him. "I want to be with you obviously, but apart from that I think I would like to be a teacher maybe, or run a charity, maybe even volunteer. I want to help people, to change the world and aid those in need rather than the ones that those in power tell us to help."
He needed, "I think you would be amazing at any career you pursue. What about your personal life? Do you want to someday get married and have children? Look forward to coming home to someone every day that focuses on you ?"
"Of course I do," the bushy-haired Witch answered immediately, "but I also realized a long time ago that you aren't going to just choose me, even in my wildest dreams." she stood, before walking over to the dresser in order to hide the tears that had formed at her confession. "But that's okay, because I realized something too… do you know what?"
"Tell me," he gently encouraged.
"That I also want to share you as well… that this means I already have a family. I have sisters, older and younger to care for and who care for me. I have a prat cousin named Draco, and two mischievous fathers who like to play pranks but would protect me in a heartbeat if I needed it. I get some aunts and uncles who, while a bit stuck up, are still fun and own mansions. I might even have a raven-haired husband in the future who loves me for me and a few children who have plenty of brothers and sisters to play with."
She turned back to him, no longer bothering to conceal the droplets running down her face, "I am an only child Harry. I never had friends growing up, no cousins to spend time with… the only people I ever truly felt I could confide in were those in books and stories, but now? Now I do . I know that I can talk to Tonks or Fleur if I need older girl advice. I know that if I am feeling sad that Luna and Ginny will try to cheer me up. If I need someone my own age and maturity that Hedwig will set aside what she is doing to spend time with me. You have given me a family Harry, I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you and those around you. I want to watch as you change the world and help you every step of the way. I want you to be happy Harry, all of us do."
"What about your parents?"
That single question caused her to hesitate. The relationship between her and the two elder Grangers had been strained her first few years of Hogwarts, culminating in the summer into their fourth year where she saw them for only a few minutes before they left on a vacation. She had promptly done the same with Tonks, and hadn't so much as sent them a letter since. This year she had conducted a further experiment, and hadn't returned home at all, curious on what would happen.
Thus far it didn't seem as though they had even noticed.
"My parents are gone Harry… I think they have been since finding out about Magic, slowly slipping away from me so that they could distance themselves from a world they cannot understand. I want nothing to do with them."
....
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