"That sounds absolutely perfect. I'll make you in a little bit, once I've had my fill of you." And this means that Hermione would have the chance to meet Linn near to face-to-face, as much as they're capable of. Pausing, for a moment, she shifts. "Speaking of animals and ridiculousness, did I tell you that Crookshanks might have a bit of a girlfriend?"
"You did not! Are they still holding paws and give bashful looks or do I
need to pick out kitten booties?" Do kittens even wear booties? If not, can
they be encouraged to? "Inquiring minds, Hermione. This is news. Front page
news. If there was a front page, I would put it there."
"They cuddle up together, really, but that's about it. I'm not sure but if he does have kittens... Well, I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm going to do with them all. Maybe a few of my friends can have some." She pauses before she grins. "Would Linn like a kitten, Harry? A quarter kneazle, even."
"I can't make any promises, but I'll ask. I think she'd like one. Although,
until we've somewhere more permanent to settle, I don't know that it's a
good idea. I wouldn't want to keep it always on the move." At this rate,
he'll know every cheap inn, tavern, and friendly stablekeeper in the
Drabwurld within a couple years.
"Then she can stay in Haven until you find somewhere to live. You know that door is always open to you, Harry, no matter what happens between us or what happens in the Drabworld. I can tell her about it, since I'm Secret Keeper, and then Linn can go there whenever she'd like as well." Hermione reaches out, squeezing his hands between hers, gently, shifting to lean in and kiss his forehead. "... I can tell." And, secretly, she wished she had someone like that. Someone she trusted, someone who was as loyal to her, someone who would be close by.
"I'd like that. This isn't a kind world, and she deserves somewhere good
and safe, with friends." He's blushing, just a bit, and so pleased that
even if they haven't met in person, it's almost as if they're already
getting along. "It shows, does it?"
"Then she'll have me, too, as soon as I can get around to actually meeting her. I know I've messed up but I'd like to make up for that, if I can." Hermione shakes her head, watching him before her expression cracks and she laughs. "Harry, you're as subtle as a smack around the face, really."
"That bad, is it?" Harry's smile is lopsided, all the more after his run in
with the inside of a mountain, but it's genuine and truly happy. "I can't
wait for you to meet her. We've both made mistakes, but she's good all the
way through. I know, I've seen it."
"Just a little bit." Hermione watches him, her eyes flickering over his face before she breathes out. "She sounds really amazing, Harry. Someone really special." And she's not jealous, not even a little bit.
"She is. I'm lucky, you know? I've got all these incredible people. You,
and her, and Aly, and everyone, really. I think that's why I worry about
all of you and want you to all have people. I know you do, and I know that
everyone who meets you likes you - they can't not, or they're utter twits -
but I just want people to see my friends as good I see them." Harry frowns,
wrinkling up his nose as he tries to get the words to sound right. "Does
that make sense?"
She nods. "I know exactly what you mean. And I'm glad you have all those people at your side when you need them, Harry. I don't think there's anything more I could ever want for you. You deserve a family more than anyone else I've ever met in my entire life." She shifts, reaching around to squeeze him gently. "I'm glad you're finding something to be happy about, even here."
He returns the embrace, ducking his head so they fit together just a little
better. "Of course. There's plenty to be happy about."
"Although, there is one looming worry: how will I ever compete with last
year's Samhain costume? It's not even August and I've already had people
ask me."
All Hermione needs to do is shift and they're curled up together again, like two puzzle pieces that were always meant to fit together, just like this. Breathing out, she makes a soft noise, reaching for his hand even as she laughs.
"Maybe a penguin suit? With actual flippers. That might be a terrific start."
"Wnak?" Or at least that's what he thinks a penguin must sound like. It's
sort of like what they sounded like on programs, so that's good enough. "I
think I've had enough with trying to be different sorts of birds."
"You could always go as a lion, a little bit like Luna did? Or maybe you could dress up in nice formal clothes and dance with me." She hums. "I have no idea what I'm going to wear or if I should even go."
"You have to go. If I've got to be there, I need to dance with at least one
person that will forgive me for stepping on their feet." He could go as a
lion. It'd be easy enough to pull off, but he really enjoyed the challenge
of last year's costume and wants to do something tricky again.
"Who said I'd forgive you? I might just storm off in a fit of rage and leave everyone wondering what you did to offend me." She's still smiling, though, so it's fairly obvious that she's joking. She sighs, though, shaking her head. "I bet they're going to dress me up to be very fancy. I might end up standing on your feet."
"When in doubt, just look at them, and ask yourself what would McGonagall
do. If the answer doesn't leave you feeling better and everyone else
running in terror, I'd be very much surprised." Harry is confident that if
anyone would know how to behave, it would be McGonagall. After all, she
taught them all to dance.
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"You did not! Are they still holding paws and give bashful looks or do I need to pick out kitten booties?" Do kittens even wear booties? If not, can they be encouraged to? "Inquiring minds, Hermione. This is news. Front page news. If there was a front page, I would put it there."
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"I can't make any promises, but I'll ask. I think she'd like one. Although, until we've somewhere more permanent to settle, I don't know that it's a good idea. I wouldn't want to keep it always on the move." At this rate, he'll know every cheap inn, tavern, and friendly stablekeeper in the Drabwurld within a couple years.
There's a pause. "I really like her, 'Mione."
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"I'd like that. This isn't a kind world, and she deserves somewhere good and safe, with friends." He's blushing, just a bit, and so pleased that even if they haven't met in person, it's almost as if they're already getting along. "It shows, does it?"
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"That bad, is it?" Harry's smile is lopsided, all the more after his run in with the inside of a mountain, but it's genuine and truly happy. "I can't wait for you to meet her. We've both made mistakes, but she's good all the way through. I know, I've seen it."
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"She is. I'm lucky, you know? I've got all these incredible people. You, and her, and Aly, and everyone, really. I think that's why I worry about all of you and want you to all have people. I know you do, and I know that everyone who meets you likes you - they can't not, or they're utter twits - but I just want people to see my friends as good I see them." Harry frowns, wrinkling up his nose as he tries to get the words to sound right. "Does that make sense?"
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He returns the embrace, ducking his head so they fit together just a little better. "Of course. There's plenty to be happy about."
"Although, there is one looming worry: how will I ever compete with last year's Samhain costume? It's not even August and I've already had people ask me."
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"Maybe a penguin suit? With actual flippers. That might be a terrific start."
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Helpfully, he makes a penguin noise.
"Wnak?" Or at least that's what he thinks a penguin must sound like. It's sort of like what they sounded like on programs, so that's good enough. "I think I've had enough with trying to be different sorts of birds."
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"You could always go as a lion, a little bit like Luna did? Or maybe you could dress up in nice formal clothes and dance with me." She hums. "I have no idea what I'm going to wear or if I should even go."
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"You have to go. If I've got to be there, I need to dance with at least one person that will forgive me for stepping on their feet." He could go as a lion. It'd be easy enough to pull off, but he really enjoyed the challenge of last year's costume and wants to do something tricky again.
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"When in doubt, just look at them, and ask yourself what would McGonagall do. If the answer doesn't leave you feeling better and everyone else running in terror, I'd be very much surprised." Harry is confident that if anyone would know how to behave, it would be McGonagall. After all, she taught them all to dance.