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It was the tingle in the wards that let Hermione know that her children were back from the pond near their Godric’s Hollow cottage. Their voices became clearer as they came closer to home. She quickly wiped her hands on the dish towel and opened the back door to the garden.
“Oh my, what is going on?”
“We slid straight through the mud about ten million times,” her oldest said. Both children were covered head to toe in mud, the youngest dragging the broom which was also covered in mud.
Her oldest, James, had a grin that was likened to his father’s, while her youngest Miles looked absolutely sullen.
“You alright, Miles?”
“No,” he whined, “I’m cold.”
“Same,” James grinned.
It was fascinating to Hermione just how different her two boys were and just how much their personalities differed. There was an age gap of 3 years, but the boys did almost everything together. James was a proud older brother who always looked out for his youngest. It was something both her and Harry had instilled into both boys to always look out for each other.
“Wow, how is it possible that you have mud even in your ears?” Hermione questioned as she inspected both boys. “I’m not even sure a scrougify would work with how much mud you both are wearing.”
“Mummy, I think I need a shower,” Miles chattered.
“Yeah. I’m going to need a shower too, Mum,” James remarked as he shook his head, spraying some mud remnants around him.
“You think?” Hermione chuckled.
“I’m going first! I called!” Miles bellowed.
“What, I’m the oldest!”
“No, I’m first!”
“Honestly, neither one of you is getting into the house with that mud,” Hermione mumbled, still inspecting both boys, her wand ready in hand to attempt any spell to rid them of the mud. “Stay here, I’m getting your father.”
Hermione leaned back into the house and yelled for Harry. She heard him yell back and the footsteps down the stairs. When she turned back, she found a crying Miles.
“Are you regretting your life choices?” she chuckled. Miles let out a sobbing yes. “Oh, bless him,” she whispered through a smile.
“Come along to the side of the house, your father will have to hose you down.”
“No, mum, I’m cold!”
“I’ll warm up the water,” Harry spoke as he entered the back garden, “Bloody hell - what happened?”
Miles only howled louder with Harry’s question as he held his broom, while James grinned at his father.
“We played down by the pond, we were taking turns at that broom. I was helping Miles but I hit a bit of a slipper patch and fell and took down Miles.” James looked proud of himself as he recalled the story to Harry. “I caught Miles before we felt but we kept sliding. We probably slid nearly twenty million times. Had a right laugh, Dad!”
Miles kept crying, now the broom dragged on the ground and he looked up at the sky, full tears streaming down his muddy face.
“Daaaad! I’m cold,” her youngest wailed to her father.
To his benefit, Harry did his best to not laugh at the situation, understanding that if he did his youngest would only wail louder.
“It’s alright Miles, it’s going to be okay. We’ll get you cleaned up,” Harry spoke gently as he knelt down to speak to his youngest.
“Dad, I want a hug,” Miles sniffled as he wiped off a dirty snot bubble on his muddy sleeve.
Harry looked back at Hermione with a look of despair and Hermione gave him a shrug. But their oldest caught the look between the two and gave a mischievous smile.
“Don’t cry, Miles. We can give dad a Potter Boys’ Sandwich Hug!” James said as he thumped his brother’s back.
“Perhaps we should -” Harry started to protest but Miles looked at him with his big, green eyes.
“Really, Dad? A Potter Boys’ Sandwich Hug?” Miles asked with such sincerity that Hermione that she might even give him a hug, might being the operative word.
Harry gave Hermione one quick glance who grinned at Harry’s predicament before turning to his boys and opening his arms for a hug.
The boys whooped in delight and ran into their father’s arms. Harry laughed as they knocked him over with their excitement and instead of a sandwich hug it was a Potter Pile of muddy boys.
“Ew,” said a tiny disgusted voice came from behind Hermione. At the garden door was Hermione’s youngest, June, in the arms of her godson with Fluffy right behind them.
“You lot, are filthy.” Teddy’s voice also matched his godsister’s and hair turned a deep brown matching the color of the mud covering the boys. Fluffy gave a small wine at Teddy’s words. “Should we hose them down, Junie?”
June’s face dimpled with her smile and hugged her godbrother tighter. Fluffy gave a quick bark.
“Yes!” she squealed and with a quick movement, grabbed the back garden hose and sprayed down his brothers and godfather who were still crumpled up in a pile of hugs.
The boys and Harry yelped, scrambling to get into a standing position. Fluffy circled the boys ensuring that the family was safe and okay. It was the sweetest to see Fluffy come up to her youngest son who, thankfully, had a smile on his face once again and licked his face with love and concern. This only made Miles giggle out loud, hugging the dog with such ferocity but Fluffy remained by his side, tail wagging and all.
June was besides herself, laughing and cheering as her godbrother continued to spray down the Potter boys. However the boys would not stand back without retaliation, Harry pulled out his wand and started sending small sprays of water each time he yelled out Aguamenti.
Teddy dropped the hose and started running around the garden, June still in his arms. Her laughter and delighted rang throughout the garden. All for the children’s whoops of joys and yells of delight was a beautiful sound.
Hermione felt an overwhelming sense of emotions witnessing her family finding joy in each moment. It was something her and Harry would dream about, from their days in the tent to the times after the war when there was so much left to recover, fix, and rebuild.
The light at the tunnel felt so far away in those days, but together they had found their way to the future they once could only dream of. Of course there were moments they both argued or had disagreements but they always found ways to recover, fix, and continue to build out their beautiful life.
“Now we can’t leave your mother out of this, she’s got to feel the love, no?” Harry’s voice cut through her thoughts.
Her children and her husband had turned their attention to her and the lot of them were now completely filthy. All of them soaked head to toe and most of them covered in mud.
“Oh, absolutely not. If any of you would like any treats or goodies for the next week or two you will think twice before acting,” Hermione yelled as she slowly backed up to the door of the home.
Harry wandlessly closed the door and grinned.
“Mr. Potter, you’ll be in the biggest trouble -”
“If dad’s going to be in the biggest trouble - CHARGE!” James bellowed. And her children ran towards.
“Oh dear,” Hermione groaned right before her children slammed into her with hugs and kisses. She could feel the dampness soak into her clothes but more than anything she could feel the love fill her heart.
As her children clamored all around her, she looked at Harry who was grinning.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes, before giving each child a kiss on top of their heads. She turned back to Harry and they both exchanged a look, recognizing what a cherished memory they both were experiencing.
He gave Hermione that smile which always melted her heart and mouthed to her I love you.
She smiled back and mouthed I love you.