"Cho?" Hermione asked fastening her cloak as she walked down a Ministry hall. "Cho Chang?"

The raven-haired woman turned around her face melted from anxiety to slight relief. "Oh my goodness! Hermione!"

"Hi!" Hermione cheered walking closer to Cho and embracing her. "What are you doing here? I thought you worked at your boutique."

"I do!" Cho said readjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder. "I'm just looking for the place where I can get the form to tell a muggle that I'm a witch."

"Oh," Hermione smiled. "Level three!"

"Right," Cho nodded. "So, um, what level are we on now?" 

"Well, the daycare and primary school are just down that hall." Hermione smiled pointing. "I was about to go get my kids."

"Merlin's Beard!" Cho exclaimed. "I forgot you and Ron got married! How many kids do you have?" 

"Two," Hermione smiled. "Rose and Hugo."

There was the sound of small rushing footsteps. "Mummy!" Hugo shouted. 

Hermione knelt down to receive her son. "Hey, baby."

Ron and Rose were not far behind. Rose was telling her father all about the book she was reading and Ron nodded as they approached. 

"Hi, Ron." Cho smiled.

"Hello," Ron replied. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Cho answered. "I just got married a few weeks ago."

"What!" Hermione cried. "Congratulations!" 

"Thank you," Cho was beaming. "That's why I'm here. I wanted to tell him once he got off work."

"Oh, you married a muggle," Ron said. "Where's he from?"

"Surrey," Cho answered. 

"Oh?" Hermione said raising her eyebrows and exchanging glances with Ron. "What's his name?"

"Dudley. Dudley Dursley."

Ron almost fell over. Hermione was a little more subtle. 

"Oh! I think Harry went to primary school with a boy named Dudley." She said. "Yeah, Harry grew up in Little Winging."

"Wow," Cho nodded. "Small world! So level three?"

"Yeah," Hermione nodded. "Look for Ms. Layeffette."

"Thanks!" Cho called. "It was nice seeing you both again."

"Likewise," Ron answered waving to her as she rounded the corner. 

Once they were sure Cho couldn't hear them, Hermione gasped and doubled over herself. "His cousin! She married Harry's cousin!"

"Well, you've got to hand it to Cho," Ron nodded. "She got a thing for boys with Evans gene."

Hermione rubbed her face and held her temples. "Oh my God! I can't handle this."

"If they have magical children!" Ron snorted. "Harry's uncle might keel over and die."

Hermione was laughing silently to herself, tears were forming in her eyes. "What are the odds!"

"We got to tell Harry," Ron said pulling out his phone. 

"No!" Hermione gasped mischievously. "Dudley might call him! That's way better."

"We're terrible people." Ron sighed wiping under his eyes. 

"That was the best thing that has ever happened." Hermione as they began to walk towards the lifts. "I almost died when she said it was Dudley."

Ron threw his head back. "We should go to Harry's house. Be there in case his cousin calls."

"That," Hermione said pointing to him. "That's why I married you. Genius ideas like that."

"Why thank you," Ron drawled in an overly deep voice.

Once they arrived at the Potter household, they didn't bother to knock as the went inside. As soon as the children got their coats off they both went up the stairs in search of their cousins. 

"Honestly," Ginny groaned from the kitchen where she was munching on a stick of celery. "We should just take the doorbell out."

"Yeah, but that would be a hassle." Hermione grinned hugging Ginny and kissing her on the cheek. 

"Any particular reason you've decided to pay us a visit?" Ginny asked as they made their way to the living room.

"Do I need a reason to come see my lovely sister?" Ron asked leaning back in his chair.

"I don't buy that for a second," Ginny said fixing him with a glare. "Why are you really here?"

"CHO CHANG MARRIED HARRY'S COUSIN!" Hermione blurted. 

Ginny let out an actual snort. "What?"

"We ran into her at the ministry," Ron explained. "She was looking to get permission to tell him that she was a witch."

"That's not going to go well," Ginny laughed. "Dudley was terrified of Harry because he could do magic."

"We think he might call Harry," Hermione whispered. 

"So you came to eavesdrop on all of my husband's phone calls?" Ginny inquired quirking her left eyebrow.

"Exactly," Ron nodded. 

"I'm in." Ginny agreed.

They talked for a few minutes longer before Harry walked into the house. He hung his cloak up and walked over to the refrigerator. Pulling out a bottle of water he turned to the living room.

Harry stopped short and looked at Ron and Hermione inquiringly. "It's not Tuesday."

Hermione and Ginny couldn't help but giggle. "No. It's not."

"Then why are you here?"

"Do I need a reason to come visit my wonderful brother?" Hermione asked sweetly.

"Yeah," Harry nodded skeptically. "That's a lie."

"We had nothing better to do." Ron jumped in. "Rose was also begging to see Al."

"Okay," Harry nodded. He sat down and as soon as his backside touched the couch the home phone on the mantel rang.

Harry groaned and stood back up. "I'll get it."

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny exchanged excited glances as Harry brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Is this Harry?"

"Yes," Harry answered sounding confused. 

"Harry Potter?"

"Yeah, listen if you're from the Prophet I already told you I'm giving an interview about-"

"It's Dudley."

"Oh," Harry replied. He looked at the others with wide eyes. He pulled the receiver from his. "It's my cousin."

"Yeah," Dudley said. "I- um, how are you?"

"I'm good," Harry answered. The awkwardness was radiating from the phone. "How are you?"

"Good," Dudley answered. "Really good. I- I just got married."

"Woah, congrats!" Harry grinned. "Big-D a married man."

Dudley chuckled. "Thanks, Harry. But here's the thing, she just told me that, she's- my wife- she's um- part of your lot."

"Oh," Harry said. Then he laughed. "I'm sorry Dudley. But you've got to be joking with me. You, I mean, you couldn't have married a witch."

"It does sound like a joke." Dudley agreed. "But she is a witch, showed me her wand, even did a couple of spells. She said she was in Ravenclaw house. What does that mean?"

"Ravenclaw is the smart witty house," Harry explained. "Out of curiosity, what's her name?"

"Cho."

"Oh dear God," Harry muttered. "Did you ask Cho about me?"

"Yeah, she said you were in the same year," Dudley said. "Why?"

"Oh, its nothing," Harry said. "It's just, we dated for a few months when we were fifteen."

To Harry's surprise, Dudley barked out a laugh. "I guess my wife has a type." 

Harry gave a weak laugh. "I suppose she does. Are you going to tell your parents?"

"No," Dudley answered. "Not yet at least."

"Well, congratulations Dudley. I hope you and Cho have a good life."

"Thank you, Harry. Stay in touch."

Then with a click, the line disconnected. As soon as Harry put the telephone down he pretended to collapse onto the carpet and put his face in his arms. 

"My cousin married my ex-girlfriend," He cried. His voice was muffled. "You already knew, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Hermione conceded. "We knew."

"You're not slick you know," Harry said sitting up. "Showing up to my house. I could literally see you edging closer to me as I was talking to Dudley."

They all gave empathic grins. 

"Love you?" Hermione suggested.

"Get out of my house," Harry said pointing towards the door.

Ron kicked off his shoes and propped his feet up on the coffee table. "No."

"Fine," Harry said getting up off the ground. "You can stay, but I'm not feeding you."

"That's fair," Hermione replied. She picked up the Daily Prophet from the coffee table. "Do you mind? I haven't read it today."

"Go ahead," Ginny answered. "I didn't read it either."

Hermione opened the pages and her eyes flicked through words. She became particularly engrossed in one article before snorting out a laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" Ron asked. "There is never anything funny in the Prophet."

Hermione ignored him and instead turned to Ginny. "Gin, I didn't know you were sleeping with Neville."

Before Ginny could respond there was a choking sound as Harry's water sprayed from his nose. "You're doing what?"

"Sleeping with Neville apparently," Hermione said handing the article to Harry. "According to Rita Skeeter at least."

Harry took the paper and read it aggressively. "I didn't know you went to Cambridge last week."

"I didn't," Ginny answered. "God that Skeeter woman will be the death of us all."

"I think that shes a hoot," Ron said. "A really laugh."

"So you saw what she wrote about last month?" Ginny asked.

Ron's eyes widened. "What did she write about me?"

"That you dye your hair," Ginny said picking at her nails. 

"Oh," Ron sighed in relief. "I don't dye my hair. But she can say what she wants."

"She also said that you regularly do cocaine at the Leaky Cauldron," Ginny added taking Harry's water and drinking it.

Ron laughed. "Man I wish."

Hermione's head snapped towards him. "That sounds like a wish to sleep on the couch."

"Okay!" Ron conceded quickly. "I don't wish."

Hermione nodded. "That's right."

***********************************

Harry's alarm clock went off but the beeping stopped before he even untangled his hand from the sheets.

"No," Ginny mumbled, still half asleep. "Stay here."

"Ginny," Harry said. "I have to go to work."

"I think not," Ginny said. 

She wrapped both her arms over Harry's shoulders and nuzzled her face into his neck as she threw her legs over his, so she was practically lying on top of him. 

"You stay here, and cuddle with me," Ginny words tickled Harry's skin.

"I have to go," Harry whispered. 

His words were saying one thing, but his body was saying another. Even as he protested Harry's right arm snaked around Ginny's waist and the other crawled up her back and he began running his finger through her silky red hair.

"Stay," Ginny whispered.

Harry's lips found Ginny's forehead. He laid a singular kiss there before untangling their limbs. "I wish I could, darling. But I have a job to do."

Harry dressed in the dark as Ginny gathered the blankets around her and buried herself in the fluff of the comforter.  

Once he was ready to go Harry crawled over the blankets until he found Ginny's face. Taking her chin into his hand he tilted it upwards until their lips were inches apart.

"I love you," Harry whispered.

Ginny's eyes fluttered open. "I love you too."

Their lips met in a short sweet kiss. Before Harry left he leaned back to gaze at Ginny's honey-colored eyes. "Do you know when you're coming back to the Ministry?"

"I'm working on it," Ginny said back. "I'll be there soon enough."

Harry nodded and got off the bed. He was at the door when Ginny called after him.

"Harry?" 

Harry turned to look at Ginny who was now sitting up. "Yeah?"

"I really do, I love you."

"I know you do," Harry smiled, "and I'll always love you."

Then he left. Creeping through the house not to wake the children, though, the light under Albus' door was shining. Harry grabbed a banana as he walked out the door to apparate. 

Arriving at the ministry Harry passed his equally groggy co-workers. Stepping into a lift Harry waited as it filled up. The last person to step in was Hermione.

"Harry," She said standing next to him. "Good morning."

"Good mor- wait, no," Harry said his brows furrowing. "I'm mad at you."

"What?" Hermione asked. "Why are you mad at me?"

Harry crossed his arms. "It's the first week of your dementor plan. Phasing them into the prison. Just because my life fell apart doesn't mean I forgot about it." 

"Harry, please," Hermione said glancing around the crammed lift where people were pretending not to listen. 

"Do you not remember what those things did to Sirius. What they've done to me? To you! It's not too late to change."

"It's the best solution until I can come up with more money and a better alternative."

The lift stopped on Harry's floor. As he walked out he scoffed, "Yeah, right."

Harry trudged to his office angrily. There were no trials today so he had reports to read and cases to investigate, along with leads to send Aurors out on. 

Harry spent the first hour of his day scratching out assignments, but when he called his secretary to take them to the Auror department there was no answer. 

"This is just the best day ever," Harry muttered. He tapped his wand against a small pad on his desk again to summon his sectary. 

"I'm going to fire his arse if he isn't careful," Harry muttered as he bitterly stacked up the papers against the edge of his desk. 

"Mr. Potter!" Harry's secretary shouted banging the door open. He was red in the face and looked as if he had been running. "There been an escape, from Azkaban!"

The complaints of his tardiness died on Harry's lips. "Who?" He demanded. 

"Augustus Rookwood, sir!"

"Great Scott," Harry said pulling on his traveling cloak. "I need Hermione immediately!" 

"She's on her way down."

"Good." Harry said making his way out of the office." He rushed down the halls where there was chaos. Memos were flying in every direction and staff members were frantic. 

"Harry!" Hermione shouted. They met in the middle of the hall. "Rookwood, he's the one that-"

"Killed Fred, yeah  I know," Harry said. 

"George cannot know," Hermione said. "I've already contacted everyone, Audrey and Angelina are going to Shell Cottage with the kids. The rest are meeting us at the coast."

"Okay, I'm going down to the Auror department right now. I'll send them to you." Harry said.

"Yeah," Hermione nodded frantically. 

"And Hermione! Send out the dementors. License to capture, but not kiss."

"What?" Hermione asked. "Why not a kiss?"

"Because," Harry growled. "I want to be there when the light leaves his eyes."

Then they split in opposite directions. Harry rushed to the Auror offices, he burst in to find all the of the field agents standing in attention with Harold Green lecturing them. 

"Ah, Potter, good of you to join us."

"Hicks, Reudyenply, Springwork, and Smith," Harry said pointing to the four agents he had worked with, in the past. "You're with me."

"Mr. Potter," Harold Green said. "You're out of order. This matter requires at least eight Aurors on the case."

"Shove off Harold," Harry said. "I've already got over half a dozen experienced Order Members on the case. I only need four."

"Mr. Potter that is not protocol."

"Screw the protocol!" Harry said. "I don't expect you to understand, but we're wasting time. This time, this mission, it's personal." 

Harry then exited the office with the two men and women in tow. As they walked Harry was spewing instructions.

"Apparate to the coast off of the prison. Hermione Granger-Weasley will be there, follow her orders unless I tell you differently."

"Sir," Springwork said. "Where will you be?"

"I have one more thing to attend to before I join you on the coast. Now go."
They each stepped into fireplaces but instead of apparating to the coast, Harry arrived in Hogsmade. 

He stormed into Ron's nearly empty joke shop. "You need to close the joke shop right now!"

"What!" Ron called stepping out to meet a harried-looking Harry.

"There has been a breakout," Harry said. "Rookwoods escaped."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ron called pulling on his cloak. "Let's go!" 

"No!" Harry said pushing Ron's chest. "You aren't hunting with the rest of us."

"Like hell, I'm not!" Ron said.

"Are you forgetting that you're the man that put Rookwood in a cell!" Harry bellowed. "He killed Fred, we're all pissed, believe me. But George cannot come hunting for him with us either! You need to go to Diagon Ally and distract him. Word is going to spread fast and we need to keep him occupied until we recapture Rookwood."

Ron's face flushed but eventually, he nodded. "Okay fine."

Harry nodded and blinked out of existence as Ron went to the other joke shop. He found George in the backroom restocking the shelves.

"Ron?" He asked wiping his forehead. "What are you doing here?"

"Slow day," Ron shrugged. "Thought I could work here today."

"Yeah," George grinned. "Hey, do you know what's going on? The streets got really empty a half-hour ago and I haven't seen many people since."

"Well, it's Thursday," Ron said trying to sound casual. "Not a very busy day by most standards.  The streets will probably fill up by lunch,"

"Yeah," Gorge nodded. "You're right. I was actually meaning to run this new idea by you."

As George and Ron talked business for five hours Ron grew more anxious. They were playing exploding snap in the backroom to pass time. 

"Why do you keep looking at the door?" George demanded after Ron did so for the thousandth time.

"I-I I'm just making sure that I see if someone comes it."

"The shop hasn't been this empty in years," George said looking around at the empty area. "It hasn't been this empty since-"

George stopped and he stood up suddenly. Ron scrambled after him. "Since what? Since what, George?"

George looked out the shop window and the mostly deserted streets. "Since the war."

He was starting at the brick wall which was usually covered in colorful flyers. But there was a yellowed poster in the center. 

Wanted: Agustus Rookwood

"Ron," George said slowly. "Why are you really here?"

"Because it was a slow day in Hogsmade," Ron said nervously. 

"Don't lie!" George snapped. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because Harry said so," Ron said. "It wouldn't be safe for you to go after him."

"Why not!" George shouted.

"Because you would kill him!" Ron shot back. "Then you would go to jail. No matter how much you want him dead, your freedom means more!"

"That man stole my other half!" George said. "Death is too good for him!"

Before Ron could retaliate the door banged open. Bill was drenched in rain and panting. "We got him."

The three of them apparated to the ministry where the four Aurors were detaining Rookwood.

"Where is he being tried?" George asked. 

"Courtroom twelve," Percy said eyeing the criminal as they took him down the lift.

"I wouldn't call it a trail," Harry said joining them. "Hermione and  I are just ordering the kiss."

"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked Harry.

"Getting her nose fixed," Harry said. "Rookwood used his head to break it before we were able to stun him."

"Ginny's the one who captured him?" George asked his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," Percy nodded. "She saw him and for a second we thought she was just going to murder him."

Hermine appered with Ginny and nodded. "Let's go," Harry muttered.

They all went down to the courtroom. Harry and Hermione were dressed in their ridiculous black robes and hats. The rest of the Weasley's sat on the surrounding benches watching.

Harry and Hermione sat high looking down at Rookwood chained to the chair. He was sneering up at them. 

"Do it!" He spat. 

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances before looking at the dementors hovering above. Harry dipped his chin and looked down at his feet.

Hermione waved her hand and the shield disappeared the dementors descended down upon the criminal. 

Harry raised his head in time to see that last of Rookwod's soul leave his body. Hermione waved her wand and they were forced back. 

"Take him away," Harry said through his teeth.

As soon as he was gone Harry threw off the robes and walked from the room. "I'm going home."

Ginny quickly went after him. She found Harry sitting at the dining room table scratching ta the wood with his fingernail.

"I couldn't stop thinking that Sirius was in that chair." He knew Ginny was there. "He was supposed to be kissed. If Hermione and I hadn't set him free. Sirius would have ended up just like Rookwood."

Ginny walked up to Harry and wrapped her arms around his chest. Her chin resting shoulder. She whispered, "That didn't feel as good as I thought it would." 

"It never does," Harry replied taking her hands into his. 

"I miss my brother."

"Me too. Me too."

**********************************************************************

Okay, so when I was writing this, my laptop auto-corrected home phone to homophone and I died. I picked up my phone and called it a homophone. I laughed so hard I actually cried. 

It's funny because I'm gay.

Byt anyways I hope you liked this speedy update. It was curvy.
I know what I said.
This chapter was curvy.

Thank you, goodnight! I'm here till Thursday.

See you next time Loves!

💚💚🤔☠