Chapter 6: Departures and Conundrums. Part 2

Harry chuckled, "I will try to, though don't expect me to be an overnight genius like you."

Hermione giggled, "Don't even dream of it. You got years to catch up to."

Harry feigned mock indignation. "I say Ms. Granger! You are making mockery of my person! You shall see the brilliance of my wit soon!"

Hermione wore an amused expression. "Whatever helps you sleep better Harry."

The pair of friends basked in the silence. The occasional shuffling of feet had died down and soon it was only the two of them were in the common room. The fire of the fireplace was slowly but surely starting to die down.

Hermione smiled brilliantly at him. She leaned closer to him and placed a light kiss on his cheek. Harry's eyes widened and she flushed a light pink. She whispered, "Thank you for believing in me."

With that, she rose and dashed upstairs to her dorm. Harry was left flabbergasted. What on Morgana's wig was that?

The following morning was a hub bub of activity within the Gryffindor tower. Last-minute packers where shuffling around the tower looking for their things. Harry was merely amused at all the expletives being yelled out and Percy's useless attempts to quell them. Hermione soon joined Harry, a little mysterious smile adorning her face as she sat down next to Harry. The two of them were commenting on the general activity within the tower, Harry found great amusement at some of the colorful language and Hermione clicked her tongue multiple times in disapproval of the last-minute packers.

Of course, neither of them reacted to Ron, who was running around trying to find his missing wizard chess pieces. Neville soon joined them, and they headed down the Great Hall, where they had breakfast together with Luna.

Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Luna settled in a compartment together. They settled in and two hours into the train ride, the door to the compartment flew open. Malfoy and his two goons were standing outside the compartment. Harry rolled his eyes.

Malfoy sniffed as he smelled something unpleasant. He sneered, "Well Potter, just when I thought you had some hope when you kicked out Weasley, you had to be chummy with a squib and a loony idiot. And you still keep that mudblood around?"

Luna maintained her dreamy expression and ignored the blond twit while she continued to read The Quibbler. Hermione scrunched her eyebrows together and balled her fists and Neville outright snarled and was about to stand when Harry held out a hand to stop him.

Harry calmly replied, "Fancy seeing you here Malfoy, ever the unpleasant company."

Malfoy sniffed once more and scoffed, "One would only stoop so low to find companionship with you Potter. Your current associations prove this."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Why is it that the noble Malfoy scion here then? Someone befitting your station would not want lower himself to be with such 'detestable' company."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes and retorted, "Watch your mouth Granger. Uppity people who have no place in our society insulting us Purebloods, tend to meet a horrible fate."

Hermione blandly replied, "Big words Malfoy, do you even know the meaning of the words you use? Or are you just spewing daddy's verbal diarrhea?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and took one step forward. "Watch it Granger. You do not deserve to even mention my father's name with your filthy mouth."

Harry scoffed and smirked, "You mean the same father that helped set a monster on the students at Hogwarts? You mean the same father who is Voldemort's bootlicker?"

Tweedledum and Tweedledee behind Malfoy cracked their knuckles. Malfoy snarled, "You do not know who are playing with, Potter."

Harry tilted his head to the side. "You mean how I stopped your father's stupid plan. Thank you for your concern, but I can take care of myself and whatever harebrained schemes your father and you can come with."

Just as the three Slytherins were about to reach for their wands, Neville yelled out, "FLIPENDO."

A blue spell careened past Harry and knocked the three Slytherins out of the compartment. Harry quickly got up to close the door. Before he completely closed the door, he got one last dig in.

"If Neville is a squib, I wonder what that makes you Malfoy?"

He shut the door and Hermione pointed her wand at the door and whispered, "Colloportus."

A commotion was heard outside.

It seems like the prefect caught up to our infamous Slytherin trio. So much for cunning ang guile by the house of snakes.

Neville handed the wand back to Luna, who hummed a merry tune and tucked her wand in her unusual way. Harry laughed, "And that wraps up our annual pest clean up."

The inhabitants of the compartment laughed and soon they resumed their activities before the Slytherin intrusion. Harry and Neville were playing a game of exploding snap, with Luna commenting away about the explosions. Hermione looked on with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Once the game was done, Harry said, "Neville we have to make a plan to get you a new wand."

Neville frowned, "Gran won't allow me to get one. She thinks because I am my father's son, his wand should be enough for me."

Harry and Hermione frowned. Luna hummed and stated, "Wands do not work like that. They select individual wizards based on everything that makes them. Sure, your lineage matters, but it is more about who you are as a person. Madame Longbottom should know this, she not just an ordinary witch."

Harry sighed. People do not respond to loss rationally. An idea flickered in his mind. "Neville, I can have Dobby sneak you out of your house when your Gran isn't around. During that time, we can go get a wand."

Neville frowned, "She has tight control over our money, I won't be able to pay for the wand."

Harry grinned, "Well consider it an early birthday present."

Neville gaped. He shook his head twice and stammered out, "I-I c-can't do that Harry its-"

Harry raised an eyebrow and interrupted, "You mean I can't buy my friend an early birthday gift. You have no choice over this Longbottom."

Neville retorted, "But that is your parent's money! It was for you!"

"And? I think mum and dad would have wholeheartedly agreed with my decision today."

Neville remained silent. Luna chimed, "I agree with Harry. There are no wrackspurts circling Harry's head, although you have quite a few flying around. You need a wand, and this is the only way you are getting one. Unless you want to break your father's wand?"

Neville remained silent. Hermione leaned back in her seat and added, "You need this Neville. You are a great wizard, and you have the potential to be greater."

Harry nodded and held out his hand to Neville. "Shake on it?"

Neville sighed and reluctantly shook his hand.

Several hours later, they arrived at the King's Cross station. Neville was quickly scurried off by his grandmother. Luna waded through the crowd to find her father. Xenophilius Lovegood wrapped her daughter in an endearing embrace. Luna tightened her hold of her father and muffled out, "Daddy!"

She separated from her father and motioned towards her friends, with an ethereal smile. "Daddy let me introduce my new friends to you! Here is Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. I have one more friend, Neville Longbottom, but his grandmother took him away quickly. They helped me deal with the nargles and wrackspurts!"

Xenophilius Lovegood glanced towards them. Harry felt conflicted. He remembered that The Quibbler was the only one who spoke the truth during his fifth year, thanks to Luna. Mr. Lovegood supported them wholeheartedly until his daughter was kidnapped. Yes, he betrayed us, but all he ever did was for his daughter. In his shoes, would I be any different?

The older man gently smiled, "I thank you for protecting my little moon. She is the dearest person of my life. Please feel free to call me Xenophilius or Xeno. Would you be willing to let me refer to you as Harry and Hermione?"

Harry and Hermione nodded. Hermione said, "Mr. Lov-ahem- Xenophilius, Neville was the one who really protected your daughter. Harry here was the one who found your daughter's lost belongings."

Harry squinted his eyes at Hermione, who proceeded to ignore him. Luna bobbed her rapidly, "It's true daddy! I even got back mummy's locket!"

Tears pooled at the corner of Xenophilius's eyes. Xenophilius chuckled, "Then you have given me much for me to be thankful about. Hermione, just being friends with her is enough for me. Words cannot express my gratitude to you."

Xenophilius took hold of Luna's arm gently. "Come now little moon, we have much to prepare for our next expedition!"

"Yes daddy!"

Just as they were about to leave. Luna ran up to Hermione and Harry and pulled them into a tight hug. She beamed, "Thank you for being my friends."

Harry chuckled, "Thank you for being ours. We will try to keep in touch with you through summer as much as possible."

Luna happily bobbed her head and skipped her way back to her father. The father-daughter duo disappeared into the crowd. Harry and Hermione followed suit and dragged their school trunks through the exit leading to the mundane side of King's Cross.

Hermione spotted her parents and immediately ran towards them. The three quickly embraced each other. Harry had a wistful look in his eyes. I am not going to let you lose your parents Hermione. I am not going to let it come down to obliviating a parent of their memories and sending them off to a faraway land. Not this time.

Harry noticed his uncle, in his reddened facial glory and a heavy scowl. He ignored him for now and focused his attention on the Grangers. Vernon clearly did not want to cause an incident in public, despite his growing anger. Let the fat pig stew a little bit. I have just the medicine for him.

Hermione pulled her parents towards Harry. Despite his seven years of friendship, not once has he ever talked to Hermione's parents. This was odd considering how close they were as friends, and merely them being mundane should have no clear standing for a lack of association.

Her mother had similar physical features to Hermione, except with straight black hair and her eyes were a dark shade of grey. Her father seemingly stood at about 5'10 the brown curly hair and eyes he associated Hermione with. Both her parents seem to be in their mid-thirties if Harry guessed correctly.

Hermione said, "Mum, dad, this is Harry Potter. Harry, meet Jonathan and Claire Granger, also known as my parents."

John Granger held out a hand to Harry. He smiled, "A pleasure to meet you. We have heard much about you from our daughter."

Harry shook his hand. "Good to meet you too sir. Please call me Harry."

"Then please, call me John."

Claire stepped forward and shook Harry's hand. "Nice to meet you Harry. Please call me Claire. I hope our daughter has been a good friend as she says you have been to her."

Hermione gave a slight withering gaze to her mother and Harry had to hold back a chuckle. He replied, "She been a better friend that I could be to her."

Claire gave a satisfied nod, stepped back, and looked around. "Then what about that red-headed friend of yours, what's his name, Ronald?"

Hermione sighed, "We had some, ah, differences. He is not really a friend anymore."

John's face tightened slightly, a scowl adorning his face. Claire has a hint of sadness in her eyes. Harry injected, "That's not to say that I am her only friend. Another boy in our house and year, Neville and a girl who is a different house and a year younger are her friends. Luna is her name. The two of them keep bickering about what's real and what's not and it is really hilarious!"

Hermione huffed, "You two just keep adding fire to her theories just to spur me on."

Harry wagged a finger and tutted, "Nah-ah, we are just opening ourselves to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she is right!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and huffed, a tiny smile adorning her features. Harry took a sideway glance towards his uncle, who was not doing a good job at hiding his anger. It often surprises him how many shades of scarlet and purple he manages to turn. The Granger's directed their attention to his uncle. Claire's eyes widened and John pulled Hermione behind him.

John asked, with a tone of clear worry for Harry's wellbeing, "Are you sure you going to be safe Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "I have made some preparations; I will be fine Mr. Gr- John."

"Nonetheless, I think it would be right for us to walk with you."