Photographic Memory

PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY

"And then mum says that in the summer we can go to America, apparently your mum is thinking about us going together as a double family holiday"

James Potter sat looking out of the window with a bored look on his face as he listened to the annoying natter of Hyperion Malfoy. He had swapped places with Dora, meaning that the Malfoy's got Dora in their car yet the Potter's were stuck with their father identical son Hyperion. So far he had boasted about Quidditch, money, pets and now holidays and James was sick of it. He wished he had a mobile phone like his friends so he could talk to them but his mother didn't find them safe to use and his father wasn't going to argue with her.

"I would love to go on a holiday with you, it would be so great" Albus gushed and James rolled his eyes before coughing, covering up the word 'Kiss-ass' as he did. Albus heard though.

"Shut up James, we all know that you've always wanted to go to America"

"Whatever, I would never want to go to a place as low as America" he scoffed "And especially not with a family as low as the Malfoy's" he mumbled under his breath but he knew his mother heard him slightly because she shot him a scary look before starting up her conversation with Harry again.

James looked over at his sister and smiled, at least he would still have Lily. She didn't know anyone in the Malfoy family so that would be a bonus. Maybe they could throw some pranks around.

However, Lily Potter was currently vigorously sketching in a pad on her lap; looking out of the window as she did. She seemed to be trying to sketch the road home but Harry was driving so fast it was hard to capture everything. James sighed just as they pulled into a small road. He began a mental game in his head to remember everything he saw in the village. So far he had noticed a school, a church, a pub, a corner shop, and a village hall. As they left the village down a small road he noticed a park surrounded by fields. Right in the middle of one of the further fields was a huge mansion, he wished that he was going there; it looked like the perfect place for hide and seek. There was a huge bunch of gardens at the back and what looked like a large orchard. It was like something from a story with its tall turrets and extravagant gates. They were still driving down this road but from James could see it didn't seem to lead anywhere, it just got smaller and smaller.

When his father finally decided to slow down and turn on the indicators he wasn't the only person to be surprised on where they were headed, because to their right, placed outside the huge mansion he had spotted so far, was the sleek silver Mercedes that belonged to the Malfoy family; and their father's Citroen was parking right next to it. James looked around at the wide eyes of his sister and brother but noticed that his parents weren't as surprised, of course they had been here before. Hyperion however looked extremely happy to be home and James couldn't really blame him. He couldn't wait to be back at his home but that would be awhile yet.

"Everybody out" Harry shouted as he slammed the driver's door beside him. Lily got out next, still sketching rapidly; she looked up at the mansion in awe before turning a page and beginning a brand new sketch of the beautiful manor. Ginny pulled Lily's seat forward so that Albus and Hyperion could get out from the seats behind leaving just James. He gulped and sighed before pushing his door open and walking out, his hands deep inside his jeans pockets as he walked towards his family. Ginny walked up to knock on the door but only to find it was already open.

"I was getting worried that you'd got lost" the sweet, motherly voice of Hermione Malfoy. James' face screwed up in confusion, how someone so nice and kind could give birth to someone so cruel and bitter was beyond him.

"Of course we didn't get lost, we're wizards" Ginny joked as she walked through the door.

James sat in silence next to his father sipping tea from a china cup that lay in his shaking hands. His parents and the Malfoy's were talking about what had happened during the last eighteen years, he didn't know why they had started then and wondered why they didn't just start from the eighteen years before that.

"...And when Mione punched you in the face, that was classic" his father said in peals of laughter and Hermione snickered under her breath before biting her lip at her husband's face. Then she turned to James.

"Are you sure you're alright there James? Do you want anything? Do you want to go and see what Hyperion and Albus are up to?"

James shook his head before putting down his cup and standing up "Actually, do you mind if I have a look around the house and grounds"

The Malfoy's shook their heads so he walked out of the large living room and arrived in a gigantic entrance hall. There were millions of pictures decorating the walls that made their way up to the second floor. There were pictures of Draco and Hermione Malfoy at their wedding, on their dates, with their children and their friends. But one that shocked James the most was a small picture on a shelf as tall as him. It was of a tall slender lady with bushy brown hair and big brown eyes; she kept looking at the camera before turning to the lady beside her and bursting into laughter. But the woman beside her was what surprised James'. She had long red hair and blue eyes the shade of a clear ocean; she was tall and thin and looked exactly like his mother.

"I wondered when you would find that" a voice said from behind him and he whizzed around to look into the same blue eyes on the picture of his mother Ginny.

"But when, how"

She laughed half heartedly and walked towards her son, engulfing him in a hug "Well, you know I told you about your missing Aunt Mione"

James stood in shock as his father's words echoed through his brain '...And when punched you in the face, that was classic'

"You mean; that's my Aunt... Hermione"

Ginny nodded and kissed her son's forehead "I only found out myself just a few days ago. We came over here for dinner and I found that picture. I remember that day so vividly."

"Smile" Harry shouted and Ginny and Hermione resumed themselves from their laughter before grinning at the camera before them. Then they burst into laughter again. Ron looked at his mate before rolling his eyes.

"Girls..." he mumbled under his breath and Harry laughed before running up and engulfing Ginny in a hug. Ron did the same to Hermione and the couples just stood there in silence for a few minutes, lapping up each other's presence in safety.

"I love you Ginny" Harry's words echoed through her mind and her stomach started to do back flips. She had known that he liked her, a lot, but he had never said anything so meaningful. She drew away from his embrace and kissed his lips sweetly.

"I love you too Harry, so much"