"That.. sounds really interesting," Harry said, "I'd have to consider it, and there's the safety issues to address of course, but my property does extend quite a ways back into the trees there, so there might be a place to put a grove. At least, if it's anything like I'm imagining."
"I find myself fascinated too," Hermione admitted, surprising no one that an aspect of magic would be a source of curiosity for her, "is... it the sort of thing a muggle-born would be appropriate at?"
Pansy snorted, amused, but rested her hand on Hermione's to take away any sting, "Perhaps not at most groves, but here, in Harry's home? I'm pretty sure his first girlfriend and likely primary wife would be required."
"It wouldn't be my home grove without you there, Hermione," Harry reminded her softly, taking her other hand.
She sniffled, then pulled both Pansy and Harry into a quick, fierce hug.
Harry let the conversation drift to specifics of what landmarks or sites, mostly historical but some quite modern, that the Grangers, Fleur, and even Romilda recommended seeing for several minutes, until most of them were nearly done eating. "Of course, there is... one other big thing I've had planned, or been planning rather, for some time. I won't be able to really start it until I'm of age, because of legal reasons and all that, but..."
"That's not even a month away now, Harry," Hermione reminded him needlessly, "but what's this big thing? And why haven't I heard about it? A raid, or...?"
He grinned, "No... not a raid. Though now that you mention it, we might have to see about... well, being a bit more pro-active in that respect. But no. I'm..." He took a deep breath.
"Sorry, this is... nerve-wracking. I've talked about it with Lilith, sent a few query letters- that's how I know I can't start until I'm seventeen- but... I've not talked about it to anyone else."
"Go on, Harry, you don't have to be nervous around us," Hermione encouraged, and her hand gave his a squeeze. He hadn't realized she hadn't let go, and that he'd finished his meal left-handed without thinking about it until that moment.
All around him, familiar faces, friendly, happy faces of people he cared for deeply, smiled. "Go on, son," Mr. Granger added.
"Whenever you're ready, 'Arry," was Fleur's thoughts.
Pansy, Romilda, Emma, all simply smiled.
"I can break the ice with a blow-job if you'd like, Master," Lilith added.
While Mr. Granger sputtered, Emma laughed out loud along with the other girls... which, of course, meant that she'd succeeded in breaking the ice wonderfully. "Maybe later, Lils," Harry laughed after he'd gotten control of himself again. "No, I..."
One more deep breathe, then, "I'm going to start an orphanage. For magicals, but maybe non-magicals, too. There isn't one in the U.K. right now, the last one was the one... was destroyed during Voldemort's last reign of terror. He wiped it out in a night, after he found out he could've been raised there, among 'his kind', according to Dumbledore, before there were even Death Eaters. He was sixteen... it was probably not long after he killed his grandparents and father."
"That's horrible," Hermione whispered.
"I know. A- Anyway, I don't know what I'm going to call it. Maybe something simple, like the Potter Home, or something. But it's... we'll take anyone who needs it. Anyone without a home, even adults, if they're safe. Anyone I can house, I will, but the priority will be the children, of course. And it's going to take a lot of work. There's a lot of legal requirements. A matron to look after the kids, plus an assistant, one for every twenty, but I think I can do one for every five. Make sure no one is left out, or neglected. A chef, a cleaning staff... I might see about other House Elves who want to work, like the Hogwarts ones, or better like Winky and Dobby. There's social workers, because apparently the Ministry of Magic has a department like CPS, and... well, all sorts of things."
"That's... impressive, Harry, and I'd be honored to help however I can," Hermione murmured, "But I've got one question. Where? Where would you put something like that? I mean, you can commute, but..."
"Right there," Harry told her, pointing at the nearby hilltop, which lay bare of trees but covered in grass. "Right off the edge of my property. Another twenty acres, so the kids have plenty of room to play, too. The zoning work's already been filed, along with the escrow. It's just waiting on my birthday to go through."
"Wow," Hermione whispered, "You... you're really going to do it, then? Oh, Harry... I'm so proud of you!"
True, there were only seven people there hugging him suddenly, but Harry could not have told the difference between how he felt just then, and how he felt with more than a dozen shortly after Dumbledore had died.
No, that wasn't true. As nice as that had been, this wasn't a consolation party. This was because...
Well, as Hermione had said.
Harry cried the happiest tears he could remember crying, and he did not stop for a long time. No one present ever complained.
What followed Harry's announcement of his summer plans had been one of the laziest, least-productive afternoons of his entire life. It was a far, far cry from gardening in the heat, trimming the grass under the drought-stricken Surrey sun, and then painting fences (again), or moving boxes from one side of the Dursley's garage or attic to the other with minimal air conditioning.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger had taken Hermione off to the library so that they could start planning how to stock it, or rather, finish stocking it since there were already many hundreds of books that Fleur had ordered since Harry's first visit to the manor. The French woman had gone with them at first, but after an hour had begged off to take a nap. No one could blame her after the late party, where she had been introduced to many of the rest of Harry's friend circle in a most intimate way. Harry hadn't seen her until dinner, and she still looked a little wane and tired, though she smiled through her quiet conversations with everyone else.