50A/N: Hello! This is a sequel to my previous Harry Potter/Star Wars Crossover, "Hello There." I suggest reading that first so you don't get lost. I'm planning to take this story up through the prequel movies (including the Clone Wars series), so I hope you enjoy! NOTE: As per the dates, Obi-Wan is 22 and Hermione is 19 at the start of this story.
35 BBY - October 1998
Obi-Wan had seen a lot of odd building styles on the different planets he and Master Qui-Gon had been to, but the sight of the mismatch house that stood in front of them went against everything he believed possible. How did it manage to stand when every floor seemed to be made of a different material and tilted over the foundation? It was just another example of how magic defied all logic, and he loved it.
He glanced over at his soulmate as she reached down and took his hand, lacing her fingers easily between his. "Ready for your impending interrogation?" She teased, and although her eyes glinted with amusement, the tension in her shoulders betrayed her nervousness.
He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I've already met half of your friends," he reminded her as he shoved aside his own anxiety so it wouldn't add to hers. "I'm sure I'll be fine for one dinner."
"One dinner every few months," Hermione corrected him as they began walking up the well-worn path to the house. "Mrs. Weasley won't settle for anything less from any of the family."
He knew he'd promised not to make any grand gestures that afternoon (something about not wanting to encourage the twins), but after her casual reminder that he was her family now, he couldn't help but swoop in and plant a kiss at the corner of her mouth. He tried not to chuckle as her surprise almost made her misstep, but his laugh fully emerged after she swatted his arm in mild annoyance.
"Obi!" She hissed, fighting to keep a smile off her face. "Behave."
He quirked an eyebrow and used their joined hands to gesture at his attire. "I did agree to withgo my normal robes for the day, is that not 'behaving' enough?"
In reality, he didn't have an issue with the dark pants and blue button-up shirt she had chosen for him– she'd let him keep his boots, and he still had a belt to attach his lightsaber to. Besides, they both wore outer Jedi robes atop their outfits, although Hermione had altered the set he'd given to her so it only fell to her knees and the sleeves weren't as baggy. It'd been his only request to her after he'd been invited to the traditional Weasley gathering. The wizards had their outer robes, and he'd have his.
Hermione rolled her eyes but her overall expression softened as she rose up on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss on the cheek in return. "No," she cheekily replied as she pulled away. Obi-Wan didn't hold back his laughter as she pulled him up to the house. She always gave as good as she got.
The door opened before they'd reached it, and he thought it was due to magic until he saw the familiar figure in the doorway. "Hermione, Ben, " Harry said with amused emphasis on Obi-Wan's alias. He reached out to hug his best friend and shake Obi-Wan's hand. "Thought I'd meet you out here first before the rest could go all 'Spanish Inquisition' on you."
Obi-Wan's eyebrows furrowed at the unfamiliar term, but shrugged it off as Hermione waved her hand nonchalantly with a look that said I'll explain it later. He knew she would- they'd already spent time showing each other entertainment from their worlds (what this planet thought of aliens was quite amusing), and that would now be added to their list.
Harry sighed in exasperation. "Like with all the bloody purebloods, my clever jokes just go right over his head," he moaned dramatically as he led them into the house. "Hermione, you're the only one who truly appreciates me."
"Harry, it's far too early for you to be this dramatic."
"I haven't the faintest idea what you mean, Mi."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at their sibling-like antics. " Behave , you two," he teased, using Hermione's own admonishment on her. The two ceased their bickering, but only after they childishly stuck their tongues out at each other before bursting out in laughter.
They entered into a communal living space that appeared to be bursting at the seams. After so long on Coruscant, he wasn't overwhelmed by crowded spaces, but he did find himself having to take several deep breaths to ground himself. The atmosphere was so unlike the formality that surrounded the Jedi temple. This was warm and loud and welcoming, like a true family.
He noticed all eyes shot to look at them when they entered, something he assumed was a reflex from their recent war, but it didn't cause any major lapses in conversation. They'd come a long way from the flinching and shield-raising that had occured when Obi-Wan would appear at Shell Cottage all those months ago.
He was glad to recognize many of those present. Draco Malfoy was in one corner, playing some sort of exploding card game with Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley. He'd met the ginger the morning after the final battle, when she'd awoken before Obi-Wan and Hermione and shrieked at seeing an unknown man sleeping with her best friend in their Gryffindor suite. (Hermione had found it hilarious that both Ginny and Master Qui-Gon had seen the couple in bed together before any official meeting could occur).
He'd officially met Draco during those same weeks Hermione had spent helping rebuild Hogwarts. Hermione had introduced him to Minerva McGonagall and said he was willing to help with the rubble, so after a promise to explain his appearance later, the pair of them had been assigned to a secluded area near the top of the castle. He used the Force to lift the heavy stone, and Hermione performed the spells to reform the walls and towers. It'd been there that Luna had found them, Draco at her side.
The blonde boy wasn't so bad, once you got to know him. His rough exterior was quite clearly in place to protect himself from the barbs that would be thrown his way (Obi-Wan wasn't an idiot: the Malfoys had obviously been on the wrong side of the war originally). He had seen how quickly Draco's wall crumbled in Luna's presence, though. She was good for him.
The brunette sitting in one of the armchairs he knew to be Neville Longbottom, as they had been introduced during the rebuilding efforts as well, but the ginger boy sitting across from him he'd seen in moving photographs at Shell Cottage. He looked different from the photos, however, as he now had a pair of crutches propped against his chair and Obi-Wan knew underneath his left pant leg was a prosthetic limb.
He hadn't seen either girl on the couch next to the two however, but from Hermione's descriptions before their arrival, he assumed them to be Pansy Parkinson and Angelina Johnson. The darker girl sent him a warm smile while Pansy had surveyed him through narrow eyes before turning back to her conversation of wizarding fashion with the other girl.
"Hey, Hermione, Ben!" Ginny waved at them after she successfully set down a card without having it explode. At her greeting, the pair made their way over to stand above the trio.
"Hey guys," Hermione replied warmly as she looked around at the lively room. "Gin, is this everybody?"
The ginger shook her head, her ponytail flying on either side of her head as she moved. "Fleur and Remus are in the kitchen helping Mum," Ginny said, pointing her chin in the direction of the mouth-watering smells. "Uh…" She looked at the other two players. "Bill and Tonks?"
"By the pond with Teddy," Draco supplied as he shuffled the deck. Obi-Wan had learned that the young Teddy Lupin was Draco's cousin, and both of them were related to Sirius. From both Hermione's stories and his own observations, it was clear that the little boy had secured an important place in his cousin's heart. "They should be on their way up."
"Oh, and Fred and Lee went to go get Dad," Ginny added with a fond roll of her eyes. "He's out in the shed."
Obi-Wan glanced towards Hermione in question. "The shed?"
Hermione's response was a mix of a smile and grimace. "Mr. Weasley keeps muggle inventions out there."
He nodded thoughtfully. He knew Hermione came from the muggle, or non-magical, world originally, and he could clearly see that the man's fixation towards it made her slightly uncomfortable. He'd ask her about it later. "What about Ron?" He instead commented on the lack of the boy's mention and was surprised when almost everyone shrugged.
Luna smiled calmly. "He'll show up."
She had spoken, and everyone seemed to fall in line with her belief. "He's never missed a dinner," Hermione added in agreement. "Luna's right– he'll be here."
Any further conversation was waylaid as a loud voice called out from the other room– from the delicious smells wafting out of it, Obi-Wan assumed it was the kitchen. "Hermione, Draco: can you come help transfigure the table? We need to add a few more spots!"
After he gave an encouraging nod to let her know he'd be fine, Hermione trailed behind the blond as they somewhat sulkily went off into the kitchen.
"Ben, want to give it a shot?" Ginny asked, gesturing at Draco's now empty spot across from her. He could hear the dry amusement in her tone as she called him by his safe name again– apparently she and Harry's sense of humor was another thing the two had in common.
Luna tilted her head slightly as she looked up at him. "He might do better with chess," she observed, "but we can play Patience without wands."
Obi-Wan smiled back as he sat down, feeling rather eager to try a new game; it was almost as if he were a youngling again. "Don't go too easy on me."
Ginny smirked wickedly at him and began to lay out the cards face down in front of them. "Don't worry– I wasn't intending to."
Hermione couldn't keep from giggling when she saw the state of Obi-Wan, Luna, and Ginny as they all sat down at the table for dinner. The ends of Luna and Ginny's longer hair were singed, and the tip of Obi's padawan braid hadn't escaped the same fate.
"At least you still have your eyebrows," she mused as she ran the braid through her fingers to examine it closer. "The bead's still alright, you'll just have to regrow the rest."
Obi sighed good-naturedly. "To think it survived all those sparring sessions but was a casualty of a simple game."
"Wasn't the only casualty," Ginny joked from across the table. "My ego wasn't expecting to take such a hit by losing to a newbie."
"A newbie?" Mrs. Weasley honed into their conversation as she overheard the term. The matriarch glanced over at her first, eyebrows raised questioningly at the sight of this new figure at her table. Hermione watched uneasily as the woman puffed up and a hard glint appeared in her eyes as she gave Obi-Wan a look over. "Ben, dear , how come you never learned to play at Hogwarts?"
The younger members at the table all froze, their eyes wide as the matriarch's question sank in. Hermione's gaze searched out and met Harry's in fear as they always did in a dangerous situation.
She couldn't believe she had forgotten to prepare Obi-Wan for the terror that was Mrs. Weasley when meeting one of her kid's new partners. When Draco had first showed up with Luna, they'd all thought that the boy had survived the war with a madman in his house just to be taken out by Molly Weasley's ferocity over him not being good enough for the girl. Hermione thought the term 'Mama Dragon' best applied to the woman. Hopefully Obi-Wan wouldn't be caught in her crossfire.
Obi's hand found her thigh and tensely rested on it under the table, despite how relaxed he looked otherwise. She could tell he was nervous. "I was educated at home, Mrs. Weasley," he smoothly said. "It was far more… traditional."
Nothing he'd said was a lie, and they all knew it. Hermione could've kissed him for his brilliance.
Mrs. Weasley pressed her lips together tightly as her eyes narrowed in suspicion, but still nodded at his words. "And where were your parents from, dear? I'm not sure I can place your accent."
Her soulmate's hand tightened on her leg, but Hermione was ready to cover for him on this. "Oh, they have ties to–"
Her voice and the other minor conversations around the table abruptly died as the side door to the kitchen area swung open, revealing Ron Weasley and another tall, dark haired boy hustling inside to escape the current drizzling. They both stopped like deer in the headlights as they realized the table was already full, save for two empty seats to the right of Mrs. Weasley.
"Um… hello?" The dark haired boy awkwardly said, his eyes frantically darting towards Draco and Pansy for help. Hermione knew why– this was Theodore Nott, one of the Slytherins that'd helped Neville and the DA during the last school year.
Ron had used the reprieve to pull together some of his Gryffindor courage and finally spoke to his assembled family. "Everyone, this is Theo. Theo Nott." He paused to take Theo's hand in his own. "We're…" He took a deep breath as he steeled his nerves. "We're together."
The startled silence was broken by Fred Weasley's triumphant shout. "Gred, Eel, my good men, you owe me ten galleons! I told you he'd be with a Slytherin bloke!"
Remus had taken initiative as one of the few sane adults in the room and had risen from his seat to apply drying charms to the two soaked boys, but he was quickly pushed aside by an elated Mrs. Weasley as she rushed forward to draw Theo into a warm hug.
"Oh, welcome to the Burrow, dear! Ronald, how come you brought this poor boy to his first dinner here late? Come, sit at the table! Don't be shy! It's Ben's first time here, too." She smiled kindly back in Hermione and Obi-Wan's direction.
Hermione smiled in relief as she nudged her soulmate gently with her elbow. "Congratulations," she whispered. "You survived your first close encounter."
Ginny leaned across her with a sly grin as she reached for a bun. "Technically, it'd be the other way around, yeah? Wait 'till Mum eventually finds out you've had a 'Close Encounter of the Fifth Kind!'" She shrugged casually at Hermione and Obi-Wan's shocked expressions. "What? Harry showed me that movie too, y'know."
Obi-Wan watched fondly as Hermione said her goodbyes to her large family. Everyone wanted a hug from her and a whispered comment, probably about himself— he hoped they were good. She was loved here. He was glad she had this support… just in case.
Many of them had already shaken his hand or wished him well, so he stood by the doorway as he waited. He wasn't expecting to be approached by Luna, but it seemed as if she'd been waiting for him.
"Your future has diverged onto a new path," she told him with a knowing smile. Knowing of what, he wasn't entirely sure.
"I do hope it's a good one," he said cautiously, unsure of her intentions.
She reassuringly patted his shoulder. "You are no longer destined for sadness." She paused briefly, tilting her head as if she was staring at something over his shoulder that he couldn't see. "As long as you trust in and learn from your bond."
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I'm sorry?"
"Oh, don't be," she replied happily. "Just trust in Hermione. No matter what."
Obi-Wan's gaze flickered over to his soulmate as her carefree laugh filled the room. "I already do," he found himself saying confidently as he turned back to the short blonde. "Thank you, Luna."
He could've sworn he saw her eyes flash with a silver light, but chalked it up to a reflection from something in the room. "Of course, Obi-Wan Kenobi. May Magic, and the Force, be with you." And with a wink, she skipped off towards Angelina and Fred.
Luckily for him in his shocked state, Hermione joined him only moments later and guided him through the door and back down the main path. "What's wrong?" She asked once they were out of earshot of the Burrow.
He gave her a wry smile. "Luna… she's an interesting character. She knew my true name. And about the Force."
Hermione pursed her lips together and pulled her robes tighter around herself. "We think Luna's a Seer," she admitted. "She can see the future– or at least possible futures." Her face was serious as she looked over at him. "Whatever she said is important. Please, remember it, no matter what."
Obi-Wan met her gaze steadily and nodded. "I will."