Chapter 10

I didn't end up staying there all that long - even though I had my translator earrings in, it only meant that I could understand them, not that they could understand me. So, after picking up a few souvenirs, I headed back to Lima.

I think I ended up spending about another three weeks there before I decided to move on.

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. That'd been Harry's pattern for years now: arrive in a country, explore it a bit, go see all of the major muggle tourist places, visit the wizarding enclaves, look around a bit more and then move on to the next country.

Oh, and of course, write letters back home teasing her with all that he'd seen and saying that he took a heap of photos and bought souvenirs without ever sending them on to her! It was enough to drive her mad and most likely explained why her hair still retained some of its frizz years after her mother's had settled down when she was Hermione's age.

I realised that I'd seen all that I'd wanted to of South America, so decided to head north to the next continent on my list. But I was also getting tired, Hermione. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love all of the sightseeing and travelling that I've been doing, but I was missing being with friends or even making friends that I would see for longer than a week or two before moving on.

And I know what you're thinking, why didn't I just come home to Britain?

Hermione nodded. She was thinking that, but she also already knew the answer. She knew what things had been like for Harry after the war and especially how needy and ... invasive certain people were. Harry had needed his space, to explore and to find out who he was without the fame and trappings that he'd lived with for so many years.

But you know why. And besides, with four continents down and only three to go (although, does Antarctica really count? And you know that I've already seen some of Australia), I wanted to finish what I started.

So, I made a plan. I still have plenty of money, not only from the Potters, but even more from the Blacks, so I was going to use some of it to buy a place and use it as a, I guess, a base. I'd have somewhere to live and could do day trips or something like that to explore the continent.

Hermione was impressed. It seemed that Harry was starting to think smarter. He'd still get to explore and do his travelling, while getting a chance for a bit of normalcy as well. The fact that he'd have a semi-permanent base that meant that she could send letters to him was a definite bonus.

Of course, I then had the problem of deciding where to 'settle'. So, I let fate decide. I went to the travel agent and bought a ticket on the first plane heading to North America.

And there was the Harry that she knew and loved so well - completely impulsive, jumping in feet first without doing any research whatsoever and hoping for the best.

As I'm sure that you've already guessed from the return address on the envelope, I've ended up in New York. I've bought myself an entire building. It's really old and run down, but it has a great vibe to it, lots of old world charm. It's three stories tall, well, four if you count the basement. Oh, and a flat roof that I'm thinking of putting a small greenhouse on.

The top two floors will be where I live. There'll be a bedroom especially set aside for you (hint hint) and I'll make a library where I can have all of the books that I've picked up around the world as well as all of my souvenirs on display. (There! If that doesn't get you to come visit me, then nothing will. ~smile~ )

Hermione wasn't sure whether to scowl or laugh. Harry made it so easy to do both. And he was right, already she could feel herself salivating at the thought of exploring all of the books, souvenirs and photos that he'd gathered from his world tour. Deliberately supressing the thoughts of asking for some time off, she read on.

I'm still not a hundred percent sure what to do with the bottom floor yet. It does have a massive kitchen, though, and I've always been good at cooking. Plus, it's something that I enjoy and it would be good to have more of an income than whatever investments the goblins made for me. So, I'm considering something like a cafe-restaurant-pub kind of thing. We'll see.

Or, at least you will when you come visit. (Are you sensing a bit of a theme here yet, Hermione?)

Seriously, though, I miss you terribly. I can't wait to hear from you or see you or even talk to you (although you'll have to give me your phone number again, I seem to have put it somewhere really safe where even I can't find it).

Best be off, the builders are due here any time now.

Love,

Harry.