MINISTRY OF MAGIC, ELVISH WELFARE OFFICES

HARRY enters a cramped and busy waiting room. He looks around himself. The sign on the door he closes reads ELVISH WELFARE DIVISION. On the ground are yellow arrows directing the way. In the same color yellow are many signs that read such things as, "Wait Your Turn" and "No Eating" and "Don't Be A Nuisance" and "No Socks, No Shirt, No Problem". HARRY sidesteps down a thin aisle between five rows of small, wooden chairs. They are almost entirely filled with short house-elves. The rest of the seats are taken by a few bitter-faced wizards and witches who look very uncomfortable and unwilling to accept change, their gazes malicious, their mouths moving endlessly with rancorous muttering. HARRY tentatively approaches the counter and takes a number from the ticket dispenser. There is nowhere to sit.

HARRY looks down at his ticket, then up at the numbers on the mechanical flip card display on the wall. The dull number on the right flips down, going from 106 to 107. A house-elf dressed in an old pillowcase practically leaps out of her chair and races to the counter. HARRY takes the open seat, finding himself squished between two house-elves, one of whom is wiggling eagerly.

A familiar voice is heard. It's HERMIONE WEASLEY. She walks out, holding a clipboard. HARRY looks at HERMIONE.

HERMIONE (her eyes down): Now serving number one hundred and... (she bumps into the excited elf and smiles) Oh, there you are. Follow the yellow arrows behind me. You'll be in booth nine. Someone will be along shortly to assist you.

HERMIONE steps aside as the house-elf skips along the path of yellow arrows. She looks up and sees HARRY hidden in the crowd.

Harry! What are you doing here?

He shrugs and holds up his ticket. Giggling, she waves him over. HARRY follows HERMIONE behind the counter and into her office. It is incredibly organized. All available wall space is lined with bookshelves. There is a radiant iron chandelier overhead that dances with magical light. HERMIONE sits at her desk and gets back to work, glancing up occasionally.

HARRY: Sorry to drop-in unexpectedly.

HERMIONE: Is this about Robespierre? I did warn you, he can be a handful.

HARRY: No, he's brilliant. We're more than happy to provide room and board.

HERMIONE: That's such a big help, Harry. I can't even tell you. Freedom is one challenge, homelessness is another. And getting funding for a shelter is problematic as long as Percy is holding the purse strings. But don't dare question his defense budget, oh no. (her volume raises) We need experimental weaponry "just in case"! I can only take on so much of the burden. We have thirteen house elves living with us as it is. Ron's at his wit's end.

HARRY: I'll ask Ginny if we can lighten the load for a few months. We certainly have space with all three kids in school...

HARRY trails off, looking distant.

I was there last night, you know.

HERMIONE: Where? Hogwarts?

HARRY (nodding): Albus and that Malfoy kid jumped the Hogwarts Express and went gallivanting through the Forbidden Forest. What an embarrassment. A Potter in Slytherin House.

HERMIONE: It's been years, Harry. I think you're putting too much emphasis on what house he was Sorted in. It doesn't mean anything.

HARRY: That's not what we used to think.

HERMIONE: When we were eleven?

HERMIONE puts down her quill and looks up at HARRY, who stubbornly crosses his arms. HERMIONE and HARRY make eye contact.

Why does it matter to you?

HARRY: Because it does matter. Nothing good comes from that house.

HERMIONE: Then how do you explain Severus Snape? He was a Slytherin.

HARRY: I know! And now I can't help recalling all the reasons I used to dislike him — and the fact that he sided with Voldemort first. Then there's this convict relative — Prince. What if the Sorting Hat can detect evil, even the slightest trace?

HERMIONE: That would mean every Slytherin student was destined to be evil. That's first year Harry Potter talking again.

HARRY: It was all the Daily Prophet's fault. If they hadn't been on the platform that day... Albus wouldn't have felt the need to be different than me. It affected the results.

HERMIONE: How's that?

HARRY: Because the Sorting Hat took his feelings into account.

HERMIONE: Perhaps.

HARRY: It did for me.

HERMIONE: And weren't you almost Sorted into Slytherin? Is there some dark, evil part of you I'm unaware of?

At these words, HARRY steps away, introspective. HERMIONE leaves her desk and moves closer to him. HERMIONE takes HARRY's hand. We are reminded in this moment that they are family.

HERMIONE: Harry. What's wrong? Should we have not brought you the Time-Turner? (beat, he releases her hand) Maybe I was pushing a little hard, but you know I love you both dearly and sometimes a nudge in the right direction —

HARRY: No, no. Nothing like that. I just... Lately, I've been very...

HARRY pretends to notice the bookshelves. He walks towards the nearest one and glides his finger slowly across the bindings of many old books.

I had a test done, actually, to see if I'd been Confunded.

HERMIONE (surprised): Really?

HARRY: It came back negative. Unfortunately.

HARRY looks closer at one of the books. He touches his scar. HERMIONE's face falls.

HERMIONE: Harry, tell me the truth. Does your scar hurt?

There's a silence as HARRY digests. HERMIONE looks at him imploringly. HARRY pulls the book down from the shelf.

HARRY: Isn't this book illegal?

HERMIONE: I own many illegal books. Nothing like Professor Quirrell's library back at Hogwarts. But you're dodging the question.

HARRY: No. No. I'm fine.

HERMIONE: Are you sure?

HARRY sways a moment, unsure.

HARRY: I never anticipated that I would be this person. I feel like I'm failing Ginny and the kids. (he laughs clumsily) I can handle being a part of Lord Voldemort, but not a husband or father? What does that say about me?

HERMIONE: That you're more than a wizard. You're human. Don't forget that. Just because you were the chosen one as a young man, it doesn't mean you won't make mistakes as an adult. Or that you're invulnerable to injury.

HARRY (proudly in his suffering): I have survived the killing curse on more than one occasion.

HERMIONE: Yes, but that doesn't make you invincible. (beat, she tries to get a glimpse of his face again) Why did you come see me today? Is there something you want to confide in me? Why do you feel like you've been... Confunded?

HARRY looks at HERMIONE, his face grows more contemplative. He starts fiddling nervously with the wedding band on his ring finger. HERMIONE hesitates. And then her face breaks.

Do you have feelings for this girl, Harry?

HARRY looks at HERMIONE, he thinks. He opens his mouth to speak. He thinks. They both know who she's talking about. The two look at each other, HERMIONE nods, HARRY nods back, HERMIONE'S face crumbles slightly. She puts her hand to her heart

HARRY: It's hard to describe, Hermione. I'm only now admitting this to myself. There is a connection between us. It's strong. Unlike anything I've felt before — which sounds awful, I know. I'm just... I'm very confused.

HERMIONE: And you're curious whether this connection is magical in nature? Like, what, a love potion?

HARRY: No, not something so obvious. (beat, he looks plagued with guilt) I don't understand it. There has to be some explanation.

HERMIONE's gentle expression turns cross.

HERMIONE: Right, there has to be some magical excuse. Because the reason can't be that you just decided over the course of many days to care about someone new — maybe more than you should have — and started caring less and less about Ginny and your family.

HARRY: No, it wasn't over the course of time.

HERMIONE looks at HARRY slightly strangely.

HERMIONE: Love at first sight, Harry? Is that what you mean?

HARRY: You're twisting my words, Hermione.

HERMIONE (done playing): You aren't giving me many words to twist.

She changes her tone, looking more determined than irritated.

If I know one thing about the famous Harry Potter, it's that he would go to any lengths to overthrow another person's manipulation on his mind. And he would use every drop of blood in his heart to do so. That tells me you're either lying about the connection you two had, and didn't feel it since the beginning, or you felt it and did nothing about it. Which is worse, Harry?

HARRY (looking completely lost): I honestly don't know.

HERMIONE: You do, though. You didn't relieve Delphini of her duties. You kept her around because, for the first time, you liked how it felt to be adored. (beat, he shrugs) Yes. You're confused, Harry. It's as obvious as that lightning bolt on your forehead.

HARRY: What should I do, Hermione?

HERMIONE: Get unconfused. Whatever it takes. Hopefully, everything will still be in order when you come home.

There's a pause. Neither of them moves the smallest inch. Everything feels too important for movement.

Harry, we've known one another since we were kids. So, I feel like I know you better than most. (beat) You finally have all you've ever dreamt of having — the perfect job, the trust and respect of your peers... a family of your own. Don't let it slip through your fingers.

HARRY's face falls as he realizes.

HARRY: That's what I'm afraid of.