Harry PotterYou are my Cosmic Connection.

Chapter : 36

Everyone recognised it was now question time. Dan intended to start off gently and build up to the big stuff. Like Harry, hearing their explanations made some sense to Dan, again in the strangest possible way. These two simply couldn't be eleven and twelve. "You mentioned Dobby was with us in France, is he in on this too?"

"Dobby is my friend, my family, the brother I never had. Without him, we wouldn't be sitting here. While performing the ritual, Harry and I were attacked. Dobby dealt with the attackers but found himself dragged back in time too - and, while we didn't know that was possible, all three of us couldn't be any happier about that. In the original timeline, Dobby was a slave to a family that treated him worse than an animal. Harry freed him and these two have been great friends ever since. Dobby counts any friend of Harry's as a friend of his too, that's the reason he was with us in France."

The little elf was almost glowing with pride and happiness. It was a measure of how comfortable Dobby was in this company that he felt able to speak about the situation. "Dobby has his whole family together for the first time ever, this makes Dobby a very happy house elf. House elves is allowed to protect their families, Dobby will protect his family."

This saw Emma wade right into the discussion. "All this talk of danger and protection, just how much danger are we in? Apparently moving to the South of France took us out of that danger the last time, what's to stop us doing the same again?"

"That would be me!"

All eyes were now on Harry again as he tried to explain that comment. "Hermione told me this psycho is determined to kill me, and a little thing like the English Channel isn't going to put him off. You were safe in France the last time because I wasn't with you…"

"…and Dobby and I didn't travel back in time to then leave Harry behind. This is one of the times you're going to have to trust my judgement, trust me though that I didn't go through three and a half years worth of very taxing work and tons of trouble to lose my Harry now. Harry and I both agreed, first sign of things getting as bad as they were before and we're all out of the country. You've both talked about Australia in the past, or was that in the future? That's the kind of move we might have to make, right round to the other side of the world from Britain."

"Hermione is teaching me magic so I can defend myself against any attack. Neither of us has any intention of going looking for trouble, and Dobby keeps an eye on us so that any trouble heading our way doesn't catch us unawares."

"Who else knows about this, that you two came back in time?"

"Only Professor Dumbledore, dad, and he doesn't know any details. He's a master at a technique that can pick thoughts right out your head. His future self taught me how to shield against that, and then made me take an oath not to tell his past self specific information. When the professor tried to read my thoughts, he not only found them shielded but recognised who taught me. I think that really scared him, that things must have gotten so bad he would help me learn how to travel back in time. It really was a desperate measure, a real last resort shot in the dark. This Professor Dumbledore is now a changed man, and he's also helping make the future a brighter one."

Questions and answers were then batted around for the next couple of hours, Dobby popping away and returning with some snacks. No one felt like sitting down to dinner tonight. Hermione was relieved her parents appeared to be accepting their story, and also that they couldn't be told certain things for fear of that information reaching others. Knowing she had absolutely no interest in football, her father had told her what to say if this situation ever came about. "Dad, Leeds United sign some Frenchman, Eric Cantona, and then go on to win the league. I've no idea if that's true, or whether your future self was playing some prank on me."

Knowing his daughter's absolute indifference to his beloved football, he had to accept he did indeed give her that message to pass on. Accepting these two were indeed time travellers, Dan then focused his attention and questions on a different area. "I'd like to know exactly what your relationship is now, and please be honest with us."

Honesty was exactly what Dan got from Harry. "I'm an eighteen year old man in an eleven year old body. Even saying that out loud seems weird and rather creepy, far less having to live with it every day. Hermione had trouble even kissing me because it felt to her like she was taking advantage of some kid. That is the total extent of our physical relationship at the moment, and neither of us can see that changing for the foreseeable future."

This appeared to please both parents so Harry pushed the honesty further. "While Hermione was teaching me how to protect my mind, she would sneak into my four poster bed. We would spend a couple of hours late at night working on that before snuggling in together, both of us of course in our pyjamas. Dobby would then pop her back to her own bed in the morning. I fully intend to marry your daughter, our journey down that road will of course be tempered by the ages of our bodies - rather than our minds. We're in no hurry though, we'll have the rest of our lives to spend together."

Hermione kissed his cheek at that while Dan seemed to give that answer careful consideration before nodding his head and rising from the couch. He offered Harry his hand.

"Welcome to the family, Harry."

After the reception he'd received in his own home earlier, Harry felt himself choking up at the meaning behind Dan's gesture. Emma then hugging him with the same sentiment had his eyes welling up. Dan then offering Dobby his hand, and also welcoming the little guy to their family saw those wells overflowing. Emma then hugging Dobby too meant Harry wasn't the only one with a few tears on his cheeks.

Harry lying in bed wide awake had nothing to do with it being Christmas Eve, he'd just had quite the day. Hermione entering his room was a surprise, her pulling back the covers and slipping in beside him was a shock - though a very welcome one.

Snuggling in, Hermione offered something of an explanation. "I've just had one of the most surreal conversations of my life. Considering some of the ones we've had recently, even counting those earlier today, that's really saying something."

Kissing the top of her head, Harry held her and encouraged the telling of her story. "Mum just tried to apologise to me about an argument we haven't had yet, nor will ever have. She didn't want me, or you, thinking she didn't like my choice of intended. She and dad both think we're well suited, though are still understandably weirded out by the age thing."

"Love, we've had a couple of months of dealing with this and it still occasionally catches us out. Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing in bed with me. If I've just got your parents' approval, I don't want to blow it right away."

Snuggling in further and getting comfortable, Hermione signalled she wasn't going anywhere. "Mum and dad now recognise what a horrendous day you just had, and feel as if they've just added to it with all their questions tonight. She said I could snuggle in with you, providing that was all we did. I think I may have shocked her by saying we didn't have the bodies to do anything else. I certainly never dropped the word 'yet' anywhere in that conversation."

Finally beginning to relax, Harry started to snuggle in too. His mumbled 'best Christmas present ever' saw Hermione fall asleep with a grin on her face.

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