The buildings in Kowari Square were covered with wreaths and glowing lights. Enchanted fluff spun through the windows, forming delicate snowflakes, and signs hung from every store window, shouting “Happy Christmas!� to the passersby.

Hermione twirled her hair between her fingers as she hurried down the busy street. It was Christmas Eve Day, and hundreds of witches and wizards were taking advantage of last-minute shopping at Australia’s biggest wizarding market-place.

A gaggle of peppy girls swarmed by and Hermione smiled vaguely. How those girls would have annoyed her only a few years ago! They seemed so little now, though they were likely only three or four years younger than her.

“Hey, Hermione!� Ron suddenly said pulling on her sleeve. “Let’s stop here for a moment, yeah?�

Her first instinct was to protest – after all, they were on a schedule. Ron never seemed to have any regard for the schedules that she so painstakingly set up, but for once, this wasn’t a schedule that she particularly wanted to keep. And, besides, Ron’s pathetic smile was imploring to a point of eye-rolling.

“All right, go on,� she said. “What do you – ah.�

‘Kingfish Quidditch Emporium!’ proclaimed a flashing sign above Ron’s head.

“This place is bloody famous,� Ron said. “It’s where the Cannons order their brooms from! And, it was rated number one for having the most high quality broom selection in…�

“Which Broomstick, yes,� she said.

“Bloody hell, Hermione, you know everything.�

“Ron,� she said. “We can’t underestimate exactly how much you talk about Quidditch.�

“It’s useful information! If you ever get on Cranius, you’ll be all set in the Quidditch categories!�

Cranius was a popular trivia show on the Wizarding Wireless Network. It had originated in the States and recently crossed over to British audiences. Ron maintained that Hermione was “way cleverer than the morons on there,� but Hermione never batted an eye.

“I think we get bothered enough by the radio programs,� she always said. “…without actually volunteering to be on one.�

They entered the store and Ron immediately dove towards the broom section, while Hermione went to wander through the books. In the past, she had found some surprisingly interesting books about Quidditch: Dive! A Strategic View of the Role of the Seeker and Why the Cannons Will Never Win the Series: A Look at the Flawed Recruiting System in Britain and Ireland had both been informative reads.

The second book, of course, had thrown Ron into a complete tizzy. Hermione thought he ought to have been more grateful she was making an effort at all, but she had long since learned never to mess with her boyfriend’s team of choice.

“It’s a matter of principle,� Ginny (who, herself, had recently been recruited by the Holyhead Harpies) explained.

“It would be like if he went around reading books titled ‘Why you may as well give up on house-elf equality.’�

As much as she resented the comparison, Hermione got the point. Sometimes, it wasn’t a matter of agreement, but simply a matter of support. And in that vein, she decided to look up some books about the Holyhead Harpies, the team Ginny had started training with only a few months ago. As Chaser for the second team, Ginny was hoping to be moved up to the first team by the end of the year, in which case she would be playing in many more high-profile games.

Ron still teased Hermione mercilessly about her lack of Quidditch knowledge, but she had been trying to get better. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t understand the game, more that it simply moved so fast when they watched in person.

In any case, a little extra reading on her friend’s new team couldn’t hurt. She spent a while deliberating before deciding on How They Did It: Gwenog Jones and the Return of the Harpies.

She met Ron by the counters, where he was insisting on buying a Chudley Cannons commemorative Quaffle. He lost no time in noticing her choice of purchase.

“Trying to get up to speed?� He grinned. “Good luck, Hermione. I mean some people just have the instinct for Quidditch, but…�

“And of course, you have it,� she said.

“Well, if you’re the one to say it!�

“Keeper for the Cup-winning Gryffindor team, predictor of the Series winner for the past two years…�

Noticing the lilt in her voice, he blushed. “Oh, shush.�

“You’re utterly ridiculous,� she said. “But you know I love putting up with it.�

She surprised herself, speaking her thoughts out loud like that. Then it was her turn to blush, but she did not protest when he insisted on paying for her book.

It was strikingly warm outside, even for an Australian summer. The sun was juxtaposed oddly against the Christmas decorations, giving them an orange tinge.

“I miss the snow,� Ron said. “It doesn’t really feel…Christmas-y…without it.�

Hermione felt a sudden tinge of guilt.

“Oh, Ron.� She paused and turned to him. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault that you’re here, that you’re not spending Christmas with your family. I shouldn’t have asked you to come…�

“Hey,� he interrupted. “I really wanted to come, okay?�

She tried to protest but he shook his head. “Okay?� he repeated.

“Okay,� she said.

“Besides,� he added. “Now we don’t have to put up with Mum and Fleur’s fights over a baby that hasn’t even been born yet.�

“The first Weasley grand-child,� Hermione mused. “That little girl is going to be the most fawned-over baby in the history of England.�

“The Delacours can’t get enough of it, either. Bill says they haven’t stopped sending over baby clothes since they found out it was a girl.�

“I can’t believe you’re going to be an uncle.�

“You don’t think I’ll be a good uncle!�

“Says the man who nearly dropped Teddy on his head.�

“I didn’t nearly drop him! I was surprised! I mean his piss just…�

Hermione laughed - just remembering the look on Ron’s face when he’d tried to change baby Teddy’s diaper was priceless.

“Well, I managed to change his diaper just fine the next time,� Ron said. “And without your help, either.�

“Yes, you very cleverly managed to learn how to, just as he’s getting ready to be potty-trained.�

“It’s not my fault he’s some kind of bloody genius getting potty-trained at eighteen months!�

Hermione grinned. “Bill told me you didn’t until you were nearly five.�

Ron’s ears glowed unpleasantly as he blushed orange. “I’m going to kill Bill,� he muttered. “It was…hard, yeah?�

She grabbed his hand and swung his arm gently. “Let’s get something to eat.�

‘The Red Galleon’ was a flying pirate ship that circled Australia and its nearby islands, docking near various wizarding markets and serving traditional British food. Though protected from Muggle eye by a well-cast disillusionment charm, no wizard could miss it in all its holiday glory. It was decorated massively for the holidays and there was something of a line to get a table. Ron gave their names and they sat down outside to wait to be called in.

Hermione flipped open her new Quidditch book while Ron rifled through her notes. He wrapped his foot around her ankle and she wiggled her toes, smiling behind the pages. The book was as interesting as she had hoped it would be and she certainly hadn’t known what a pioneer Gwenog (who was Ginny’s boss) had been in triangular plays. She didn’t know whether to be annoyed of just acceptant of the fact that she had now watched enough Quidditch to know what “triangular plays� were, but it was no matter, she simply –

“Oh!�

She let out something between a gasp and a sigh and Ron turned quickly, his fingers tripping over the papers he held.

“Are you ok?�

She bit her lip and showed him the page.

“Furthermore,� it read. “Jones did something completely unprecedented – she went right to the players she wanted and ‘stole’ them, as it has been called, without any due care to contractual tradition. In 1995, Bethan and Gwen Wilkins were star beaters of the Appleby Arrows…�

Ron furrowed his eyebrows, peering closely at the page. Their silence was filled with the chatter and buzz of the other waiting customers, but both of them were focused only on the book.

Wilkins...

“Hermione,� he said, surprising himself. “We need to talk about your parents.�

“What do you think we’re doing here? Merlin, Ron…�

“I know that you know where they are.�

“What?�

She paused and Ron looked directly at her, his eyes a challenge.

“I saw the pictures on your desk.�

Her eyes widened and she felt her cheeks warm under his gaze. “I don’t know…�

“Yeah, don’t even bother denying it. I haven’t said anything because it’s clear you don’t want people to know, but when you’ve been dragging me all around this bloody island…�

“I said you didn’t have to come.�

“Oh, stop being all high and mighty! You lied to me, Hermione. You lied and you owe it to me to tell me what we’re doing here. So what gives, Hermione? Why have you been paying some Muggle… investigator… to spy on your parents? And what are we doing wandering around this whole bloody country if you already know where they are?�

The air pulsed between them as he waited for her to speak.

“I want to see them,� she finally said.

“Then what’s the problem?� he said, his voice squeaking slightly.

She stared at him incredulously.

“I’m scared, Ron,� she said, pulling at the ends of her hair.

Her throat caught as she tried to speak. She grabbed at the air, her knuckles cracking painfully.

“More than anything, all I wanted to know was that they were safe, that they were happy. And they are! With every picture Martin sends me, I’m more certain that they are. They have this life…this whole new life. And I’m not a part of it.�

He tried to speak, but she went on impatiently. “No, Ron. I’m not a part of it. And they’re so happy. And I can’t…I won’t just walk in and ruin that. I don’t want to be the freak witch daughter again, the one who was constantly putting them in danger, constantly leaving them sick to their stomachs with worry. Shouldn’t it be enough for me, knowing that they’re happy? Isn’t it enough?�

The wind blew loudly between them, rattling a chain on the edge of the ship. Ron gaped for a moment before shuffling his feet and taking a deep breath.

“I know you’re scared,� he said, running a finger over her hand. “But we have to go see them. You know we do. You wouldn’t have even come here if you didn’t know it, right?�

She nodded slowly, her lips clenched.

“Weasley?� a voice called out from the ship. “I’ve got a table up for Weasley!�

Ron reached for her hand and they walked towards the restaurant. The Hostess led them towards a table by a port-hole and they sat down comfortably. Ron gave her a tepid smile and he thought she was about to say something when the hostess let out a small shriek.

“Wait a second!� the hostess exclaimed. “Aren’t you Harry Potter’s friends? Like, the Golden Trio?�

“Erm, guilty,� Ron said, grinning awkwardly. “Uh, I’m Ron…and this is Hermione.�

He waved his arms a bit and the hostess giggled, but Ron ignored her.

“Hermione Granger,� he repeated, glancing firmly at his girlfriend.

She gave him a small nod. “Okay,� she said.

******

The house was white and looked smaller in person. Hermione couldn’t help but notice that the flowers, though more tropical now, were arranged in the same way they had been at her childhood home. Her mum had always put up the same dark Christmas wreath that was on the door now. Insisting that the traditional green with a red bow was “cheap,� she preferred a darker color, covered with ripe berries and twigs.

Hermione felt her heart pounding and she wanted to stop, but Ron decisively led her up the front path. They rang the doorbell once and Hermione heard a clatter inside. There was a mumble then a laugh, and footsteps moved towards the door. It opened easily and Hermione felt herself let out a breath. There they were. It was so utterly different when it was actually them, not a picture not a video, but them, really them. She reached for her wand and before they could fully respond, she pointed it at them, muttering under her breath with certainty.

Finally, she put her arm down and she felt Ron squeeze her other hand. Her mum blinked and stared at her. Hermione felt her heart drop as her dad turned to stare at her, too. What if something had gone wrong? What if they really, truly weren’t happy see her?

Her mum reacted first. Suddenly, there was a cry and Hermione felt her hand pulled from Ron’s as her mum encompassed her in a heart-wrenching hug.

“My baby,� her mum whispered, her voice throbbing through tears. “My baby is home.�

Hermione felt her eyes starting to water and she collapsed into the softness of her mum’s shoulders. How could she have ever thought of just giving this up – this, her family?

“Happy Christmas, Mum,� she said. “Happy Christmas.�