The Laws of Love

Disclaimer: I do not own \'Harry Potter\', and am making no money off of this story. This applies to all subsequent chapters.

The Laws of Love

Chapter One

Hermione Granger sighed in relief as she shut the carriage door behind her. The cold February wind howled outside as she began the last leg of her trip to Hogwarts. She settled back in her seat and thought back to the last time that she’d been at the school six years ago.

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Graduation was a rather solemn event for her class. The war had been over only two weeks, and the entire Wizarding Community was still mourning the loss of hundreds of witches and wizards. Most had been Order members. She, Harry, and Ron had made it thorough with their lives, but each had been changed forever.

Harry had destroyed Voldemort single-handedly; literally, as he lost a hand in the battle. Though Hermione’s physical injuries faded away with time, the emotional wounds would never heal. She saw her parents tortured in front of her, then had her virginity savagely stolen by a group of mask wearing Death Eaters. She had to Obliviate her parents so that they could move on with their lives. Her mum still had nightmares though.

But no matter how bad her experience had been, Hermione\'s loss in her mind could never equal Ron’s. Thanks to a vicious hex by Bellatrix LeStrange, the youngest Weasley brother would never see out of his right eye again. But that had been the least of his worries. He’d lost his parents and three of his siblings, Bill, Percy, and Ginny along with his girlfriend, Lavender Brown.

The three went their separate ways after Graduation. Hermione went on to University and earned a Master of Transfiguration. Harry was happily accepted into the Auror’s academy, although now that Voldemort was gone, work was slow. Ron had traveled for a few years, but finally ended up working for Fred and George at their joke shop in Diagon Alley.

The owls between the old friends were few and far between, but they managed to keep up with each other somewhat.

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The carriage stopped in front of the castle, and when Hermione saw the two men waiting to greet her, she threw open the door and ran to them.

She couldn’t stop the tears as she embraced her two best friends that she hadn’t seen in six years.

Ron was no longer the skinny, gangly one of the group. The exotic foods from his travels abroad had been able to do what Molly’s cooking hadn’t. Fortunately for him, the extra weight was distributed pretty evenly around his body, but he did have a slight pouch that made Hermione want to rub his belly. Today, he was wearing a black eye-patch that made him look like a dashing pirate.

Harry was now the spitting image of his father, except of course, for his eyes. Those vivid green orbs were now empty and devoid of the defiant glint they’d held through his school days. His messy black hair still refused to lie flat, and he looked at her from behind the same spectacles that she’d given him as a graduation present. He was taller, though not as tall as Ron, and had filled out a lot through his chest and shoulders.

He held up his new hand for her to inspect, and how real it looked and felt astonished Hermione. Although his hand had quickly turned ice-cold in the February weather, and it occurred to her that holding his hand was like holding that of a cadaver’s.

“What are you two doing here?” she demanded with the biggest smile she’d had in years.

“Dumbledore asked us here. Charlie, Fred, and George are here too,” Ron told her, smiling back.

“It’s very suspicious,” Harry muttered, his eyes haunted as he gazed across the lawn.

Hermione pulled them both into another hug.

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” she said.

Harry handed her his handkerchief, and she hastily wiped the tears from her face before they froze.

“Let’s get inside. I’m hungry,” Ron complained, leading the way to the door.

Hermione laughed and turned to Harry. “Some things never change,\" and she was relieved to see him smile.