Harry carefully kept a straight face. "No idea, but ten to one he tells Draco and me to be good when we're leaving."
Hermione chuckled. "Yes, that sounds like him. By the way, what was that about the Ministry and the N.E.W.T.s? Snape sounded . . . well, peeved, actually."
No chance of a straight face at that. Harry grimaced. "He got official word this morning that since his curriculum is way too hard, starting this year only the O.W.L. in Potions will be required to apply to the Auror's programme. He's livid."
"I imagine so." Hermione slanted him a glance. "Why are you the one pulling a face?"
"Why do you think? I could drop Potions now, which you know has only been my dream for years, except, I can't, because my father would never agree!"
"You'll be seventeen soon, and able to decide your course programme for yourself--"
Harry gave her a lopsided smile. "Yeah, but if I drop Potions, I'll never hear the end of it. Can you imagine?" He dropped his voice a full octave and tried to narrow his eyes the way Snape sometimes did. "You are trusting the Ministry to make a wise decision for once in their miserable existence, are you?"
Hermione chuckled, which of course only encouraged Harry to keep on.
"Moreover, you idiot child, I do believe that preparing yourself above and beyond the minimum requirements is by no means an unreasonable imposition . . ."
"Well, he wouldn't exactly be wrong, would he?"
"Oh, thanks for the moral support!" Harry took her by the arm. "Come on, let's go see if Draco's ready."
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"So, travel arrangements," said Snape almost as soon as Draco emerged from his room. "My supply of Portkeys is not unlimited, therefore--"
"Oh, I still have the shoelace Draco owled me," said Hermione, fishing it out of a side pocket in her dress. "Here, sir. I didn't need to use the keyword, after all."
"You passed your Apparition test!" said Harry, grinning.
"Yes, just the day before yesterday."
"That certainly simplifies matters," said Snape, nodding slightly as if in congratulations. "Keep the Portkey in case of emergency, Miss Granger, and Harry and Draco will have one as well . . ." He quickly passed them each a candy wrapper. "But try not to use them for any casual return. I will Apparate with all of you out to the usual spot in Exeter, and as Miss Granger is licensed, she can supervise your return whenever your evening has ended."
Draco gave a long-suffering sigh. "We don't need supervision, Severus. You know we're perfectly competent."
"Until you are licensed, you are not legally permitted to Apparate in public without someone who is," Snape insisted, his voice one Harry recognised. The stubborn one.
"Oh, you'll both be seventeen really soon," said Hermione. "Just one more week, right, Harry? And Draco, only a few days after that."
Draco's features tightened. "And how would you know anything at all about my date of birth, I'd like to know?"
Hermione coloured slightly. "Oh. I . . . well, I'm a prefect, you see, and--"
"I was a prefect too! It's not got a thing to do with birthdays."
"Well, you weren't a prefect at year's end, and we started making up a birthday list so next year we could do something nice for each person on the right day. House unity thing!"
Draco stared at Hermione for a moment, then appeared to give up on the whole issue. "Oh. Well, you're mistaken, in any case. I happen to be seventeen already, thank you very much, so don't be surprised if I do a spell or two in front of Rhiannon."
Hermione blinked. "Seventeen already? But I was sure Professor Snape said your birthday was after Harry's, and I know I don't have that one wrong!"
"It's fine, Miss Granger," said Snape. "I may have misspoken."
"You, sir? But--"
"It is fine."
No arguing with the firm tone used that time. Hermione obviously sensed that. "Yes, sir."
Snape glanced once at Hermione. "Ah, one more thing, Miss Granger. Your wand. Let me see it for a moment, if you would." Snape cast something across it, then closed his eyes and waved it several times, conjuring a thin stream of gold that quickly faded into thin air.
"Sir?"
"I've added your wand to the trip wires crossing Exeter."
"Alarm spells to tell us right away if any other witches or wizards are in the area," Harry explained as Snape handed Hermione's wand back to her. "Good thinking, Dad."
Snape gave him a mirthless smile. "I do try. Are all of you quite ready, then? I'll side-along Miss Granger so she learns the location. Harry and Draco, you follow."
A few seconds later, the four of them were standing in the alley in Exeter, which was deserted as usual, due to the subtle keep-away spell Snape had cast earlier that summer. Draco straightened out his clothing even though it was impeccable as usual.
"So," said Snape, regarding the three of them, his dark eyes looking pleased, though in the dim light of the alley, Harry couldn't be sure. "Enjoy your evening, all of you. Harry, Draco, be good."
Hermione chuckled, meeting Harry's sideways glance. Harry knew what she was thinking: Definitely a dad.
It was a good feeling to know that finally, she fully realised and accepted that. And that she was happy for him.
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"Video store's a little far to walk," said Rhiannon a few minutes after they'd arrived at her house. She'd served a round of fresh lemonade she'd made "just for Draco," as she put it, and then they'd all talked for a little while. Harry was pretty impressed that Rhiannon didn't immediately begin pestering everybody with questions about magic. Maybe she really did like Draco for himself, not just that one part.
On the other hand, she beamed with delight when Draco said that Hermione was their friend from school. She obviously knew what that implied, so Harry expected she'd start asking questions sooner or later. Turned out to be sooner, although what she had to say wasn't properly a question.
"So, anyway," said Rhiannon, her hand clasping Draco's as they sat side-by-side on the sofa, "Uncle Stanley said I could borrow the car this evening, but if it's all right, I'd much rather . . . you know. Appear-ate. Er . . . do you all know how?"
"Apparate," corrected Draco. "We do, but it has to be planned a little bit. We can't risk appearing where non-magical people might see us."
"Oh, well." Harry was almost expecting Rhiannon to wheedle, or maybe pout, but she seemed to take it in stride. "Car, then. Shall we?"
At that, Harry gave Hermione a significant glance. She looked a little annoyed, but went ahead and asked, "Why go to a video store at all, though? Isn't there already enough to watch on the telly?"
"Very funny, Harry," growled Draco.
Harry collapsed into laughter. "Sorry. Couldn't resist." And then, to Rhiannon, who was looking perplexed, "That's what Draco said earlier this week when he found out what a telly was."
Rhiannon turned to Draco. "You didn't know what a telly was? But . . . how did you manage to seem so . . . so completely normal when my parents came over?"
Draco shrugged. "I improvised."
"But you know what a telly is," Rhiannon said to Hermione.
"Oh, yes. I didn't realise I was a witch until I was invited to attend Hogwarts. I grew up entirely in the M-- ah, non-magical world."
Harry saw a look of utter relief pass over Draco's face.
"So you've known Draco for five or six years, then?"
"Oh, my, yes," said Hermione, a glint in her eyes that could only be described as mischievous. Or perhaps, even wicked. "I know him quite well, I think. The stories I could tell you! The things he got up to at school!"