The Marriage Decree

Chapter 105: They're Actually Chasing a Scotch Egg

When Hermione steps out of his fireplace onto the living room, David isn't entirely sure what to say. He'd been sat drinking a cup of tea and reading the newspaper, waiting for her to arrive to pick Sophie up. Although this wasn't how he expected her to arrive.

"Sorry for using the fireplace. I'm not supposed to disapparate past the seven-month mark." She tells him, struggling to lower herself onto his couch.

David stares back at the fireplace that he'd had blocked up as soon as he'd moved in after hearing horror stories of birds and rodents getting stuck and dying in chimney breasts

"How-," He begins, then shakes his head. "Magic," He mutters. "Sophie's brushing her teeth." He says, folding up his newspaper and throwing it onto his coffee table.

"Great, sorry I'm late. We overslept. We've been having a few late nights recently since Hogwarts broke up for the Summer, and we weren't sleeping too well the weeks leading up to the last day of term, what with exams and everything." She shakes her head. "I'm glad this year is over, although I'm going to miss the school next year when I'm on maternity leave." She rubs her hump with a wince. "Baby's been kicking me half the night too. I don't know when the baby sleeps." She admits.

"I know what you mean about exams being over. I wish I had an excuse to take a year off." He jokes.

They hear Sophie's footsteps bounding down the stairs and along the corridor until she's at the door.

"You're late." She tells her cousin.

"Well you weren't ready when I got here, so you're late too." Hermione teases, struggling to stand up. Her bump had really grown over the past month, making it increasingly difficult to move. "That's a lovely dress." She comments, not used to see her in dresses.

"Grandma got me it for my birthday. It's a summer dress." She states, lifting the hem up, as though to curtsy, showing Hermione the pale blue flowery pattern. "Can we go now?" She asks, letting the fabric fall.

"Yes, we're travelling through the floo network directly to the Burrow." Hermione offers her a small bag of powder. "Take a small handful, step into the fireplace, throw it on the ground and say 'The Burrow'. You need to speak very clearly. Ask Harry what happened the first time he flooed." She instructs Sophie.

Sophie takes a handful of the powder and follows the instructions. "The Burrow," She speaks in an upper class, fake British accent.

Hermione turns to look at her uncle David. "I'll have her back in a few hours." She tells him, following her cousin to the Burrow.

Sophie is already running outside by the time Hermione arrives in the Weasley's kitchen. Molly, as usual, is rushing around the kitchen with the pretence of being behind schedule with her cooking, even though the dining table is already full of delicious smelling and looking food.

"Do you need any help, Molly?" She asks, glancing around at the assortment of pots and pans stirring themselves.

"Oh, no dear, go enjoy yourself outside," Molly tells her, giving her a quick welcome hug. "Look at you, positively glowing." She holds Hermione's face in her hands. "Go on, get outside with the rest of the kids."

"Molly, we're in our twenties." She laughs.

"Bill is thirty, and he's still my baby," Molly mentions as she pulls a tray out of the oven.

Hermione walks outside, into the back garden, where the majority of the Weasleys, and some friends, were sat on a massive picnic blanket. At the centre, with a happy Teddy on his lap, was the birthday boy.

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" Hermione greets one of her best friends as she reaches the group.

Harry jumps to his feet, throwing a giggly Teddy over his shoulder as he rushes over to hug Hermione.