Harry PotterYou are my Cosmic Connection.

Chapter : 32

"Thanks for offering, Emma, and maybe another time. I wanted to go alone for my first visit..."

"...but I wasn't standing for that. We'll be fine, mum, as long as I can hold my temper. I'm warning you now, Harry, I will not stand there quietly if they start belittling you."

"Nor me you. As you can see, Emma, we'll be fine."

After having his eyes tested, Harry paid extra to have his contacts ready before the Christmas break. They would now be available next day, Christmas Eve, so Harry was very happy with that. He would be delighted to lose the horrible glasses. After getting his hair cut, Harry began to feel more like himself. He noticed though this seemed to negatively affect Hermione's mood, so Harry quietly asked her about it first chance he got.

Seeing her mother was looking at something the other side of the store aisle, Hermione thought it was safe to talk. "With your haircut, new clothes and contacts, you're going to look just like the young man who approached me in the uni bar. The only problem is, I look nothing like the girl you approached..."

Harry leaned forward and gently kissed her lips, ending her rant and worries. "It's you I love, Hermione, not any specific part. The hair you think is bushy, the front teeth you think are too big, things like that don't matter to me. You being the person you are, my Hermione, that's what counts..."

It was Hermione who now kissed Harry, only to find her smiling mother standing behind her. "Is there any more shopping we need to do, or is it time to go home?"

"Just one more thing, and I was going to ask for your help with this. I want to buy some perfume for my Aunt Petunia, I just don't have a clue about things like that..."

Emma had heard what Harry had just said to her daughter. As far as she was concerned, this boy had just earned himself any help she could give. The three of them headed off to the perfume counter.

After having his contacts fitted on Christmas Eve, the plan was for Harry and Hermione to then visit Little Whinging - with Dobby providing the transport. Dan though put his foot down, insisting he and Emma would pick both of them up to head for home after they finished with their last patient. They weren't necessarily attempting to engineer a meeting with the Dursleys, rather just let these people know there was adult support behind both kids - and at approximately what time that support would arrive.

Their elven friend dropped the young couple on the outskirts of the estate that contained Privet Drive, leaving Harry and Hermione with about a five minute walk. Snow was lightly falling, lending a festive atmosphere as all the houses were decorated and lit for Christmas. Harry though wasn't feeling the festive spirit, Hermione could feel him shaking through their clasped hands.

"Harry, I won't be moving from your side today…"

"I know, it's not that I'm worried about. I'm assuming you're the same as me - in that every time you look in the mirror you don't see yourself. It's getting less and less of a shock as I get used to my new appearance as an eleven year old, this time though I'm going through the mirror again. This time it won't be a totally strange environment - like Hogwarts. This is supposed to be my home - my family. I'm dreading what I'm going to find but I need to know…"

Harry stopped talking as they had now entered Privet Drive, the door of number four was looming large.

Wondering who was at the door, and knowing her two boys wouldn't move from their television program to find out, Petunia headed down what she rather pretentiously called their entrance hall. She opened the door to find two lovely children standing there. Both were well dressed and it was easy to see they took a pride in their appearance - something she was always trying to instil into Dudley. "Yes, dears, can I help you?" Petunia then almost fainted on the spot, recognising the voice before the boy it came from.

"Hello, Aunt Petunia. We dropped by with some gifts, and to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Oh, sorry, where are my manners. This is Hermione Granger, my best friend and whose family I'm currently staying with."

Hermione managed a 'Pleased to meet you, Ma'am' in a sweet voice, a not inconsiderable task considering inside she was raging. It was like a switch being flicked with this woman the instant she recognised her nephew, Hermione wondered if they were actually going to make it inside the house.

Realising she couldn't have a scene on the doorstep for the neighbours to witness, Petunia moved to allow them access. "You'd better come in then. how did you get here?"

"We got the bus, but my parents are picking us up after they finish work. With it being Christmas Eve, they're finishing early and will be here about half past three. We intended to be here a little earlier but Harry's appointment at the Opticians overran, making us late."

Since it was now just after two, Petunia was thinking at least they wouldn't have to suffer them for long. "What do your parents do, Hermione was it?"

"My parents have their own dental practice, both are dentists. Harry gave them your number in case some emergency turns up and delays them, I hope you don't mind?"

It was actually possible for the two kids to see the cogs whirling behind Petunia's eyes as her brain shifted gears. "Your parents are dentists? Don't you go to the same school as him.. Eh, Harry?"

Hermione felt her intended's wince at that comment, keeping her smile in place was a Herculean effort. "Of course we do, that's how we met."

Harry was being led through the house he grew up in by the woman who was the nearest thing to a mother he had, yet he felt as if he was in some horrible nightmare. Nothing was the same, and none of it was different in a good way. His Aunt's greeting was as cold as the winter weather and his home displayed not one trace of him. Pictures of Dudley were everywhere, and Harry didn't appear in any of them. He was clinging to Hermione's hand like it was his anchor in this emotional storm that threatened to overwhelm him.

Hermione stuck to Harry's side as if glued there. Returning to the house she hadn't set foot in for years, and then seeing her own parents being younger, was strange enough. She couldn't even begin to imagine how bad this must be for Harry, and it was just about to get a lot worse. While the telly was easily loud enough to mask their entrance, Harry's uncle managed to bellow over its volume without any trouble at his first sight of his nephew.

"What are you doing here, boy? We thought we might have gotten rid of you for good. Don't tell me those people you were staying with threw you out? Not that I blame them but you are not staying here, I won't have you ruining our Christmas..."

Harry was leaning into Hermione for support as the verbal blows kept coming, something Dudley was quick to pick up on. "Hey, dad, the freak's got himself a girlfriend..."

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