Chapter 4:
A/N: away we go again, where this bunny ends nobody knows…
Gol
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They quickly made the connection. Harry put his mirror on the floor under his bed. It enlarged and he slid through, pulling his bed back against the wall to hide it. He was in the guest room at the Grangers. Technically it was his room now as all of his worldly possessions except the photo album had now been moved here. The piles of Dudley's hand me downs had stayed behind. Emma and Dan Granger were quickly filling his closet with new clothes. Hermione stood expectantly near the door. She was dressed in that same huge white t-shirt, he noted hints of a bikini under it though. She threw a dark blue piece of material at him. He caught and unfolded it. It was a new bathing suit. "You know where the pool is, see you there." She grinned wickedly at him and closed his door. He quickly stripped and put it on. It was a little loose but that was alright.
He stroked Hedwig's chest and walked out of the bedroom and downstairs. Dan and Emma were just coming inside from the pool each was wrapped in a wet towel. They smiled at him and Dan looked surprised, "You're looking awfully skinny Harry, do they feed you there?"
He shrugged, "Not really, I do most of the cooking but don't get to eat much."
"Nonsense, we'll get dinner ready, you go join Mione in the pool."
"Ok, and thank you for the bathing suit. Remember to keep track of how much I owe you so I can pay you back when I get to Diagon Alley."
Emma patted him on the shoulder with a wet hand, "Yes dear, we will."
He headed out onto the screened in porch where the pool was. Crookshanks was trying to catch a fly that was trapped inside the screen. Hermione was looking through a Daily Prophet while she waited for him. She smiled when she saw him come out onto the porch.
He pretended to display his new suit for her approval, "Well?"
She looked critically at him and tapped her lips with her finger, "Hmm A bit scrawny. Dad will fill you out soon enough though."
"Scrawny! Bah!"
She giggled at him and pulled off the shirt she had been wearing over her bathing suit. As he had hoped she was wearing a bright red bikini with gold ties. His gaze was drawn to her chest where he immediately noticed a large angry red slash that went across her. It started just under her arm on the right side and stopped just before her heart. He let out a strangled, "ah?" as he leapt to her side. She tried to jump back, but he grabbed onto her waist to keep her close while he looked carefully at the wound.
"Harry, stop, it's nothing!"
Though it was mostly healed it still looked very painful. His touch was feather light and she shivered at the touch but didn't pull away, "Is that what Dolohov's spell did to you?" She nodded slowly while he traced it across her chest. It was just below her collarbone and with only the straps from her bikini to hide it he could see it clearly. He found himself trembling with rage.
She took his hand and held it, when he looked into her eyes his rage melted, "Harry it doesn't matter. I'm alive. Poppy said it will fade away, eventually. It still hurts sometimes but I have a tonic for that."
"But I…"
She hushed him with a finger on his lips, "But nothing, Dumbledore captured him along with the other Death Eaters at the ministry." He looked so concerned about her that she almost kissed him right then.
They were inches apart, he whispered, "Why didn't you tell me about this?"
"Because it doesn't matter. So I got the big scar in our fifth year. How many injuries have you hidden over the years so I wouldn't get worried? Look at the back of your hand." I WILL NOT TELL LIES was still faintly visible. She looked deeply into his eyes, they answered her though he refused to speak. "I thought so. When are you going to tell me the things you're hiding from me?"
He finally let go of her waist and stepped back, looking away. Then looked back at her, "I wanted to talk about one tonight. I'm not sure if I'm ready to touch the second one. I guess that depends on you since, since it involves you."
She put her hands on her hips, "Harry, everything about you involves me. When are you going to get that through your head?"
He stepped back again, bewildered. That was one step too far though. He lost his balance and fell into the pool with a great splash. Hermione went to the pool edge and covered her mouth with one delicate hand and started giggling. He stood up quickly and wiped the water from his face and straightened his glasses. "Oh you think that was funny do you?" Just after she nodded yes she was shoved into the pool, right on top of Harry. She saw him grinning as she landed on him. He caught her and made sure she went under before he stood, cradling her like a baby in his arms. With one hand she pulled her hair out of her face then wrapped her arms around his neck.
Her parents were standing on the deck where she had been. They were both looking around absently, pretending that hadn't just shoved their bikini-clad daughter onto her best friend. "You two never let up do you?"
They both had grins that would have made Gred and Feorge proud. Emma answered vaguely, "What are you talking about dear?" Dan continued, "I heard you say you're hungry Harry, we will be fixing dinner, inside." They turned arm-in-arm and walked back inside the house. Their laughter floated back onto the porch.
After they had gone back inside Hermione looked up at him, studying his expression. It slowly changed from giddy to rather serious while he walked backwards in the water until he was leaning against the side of the pool. She shifted slightly but stayed floating in his arms. "Well Mr. Potter just what are you going to do now?"
"I guess we should talk about that second subject."
"Alright, I'm ready if you are."
"To be honest I don't think I am but now is definitely a good time to bring it up."
"Ok, go ahead then, when you're ready."
"I'm not good at this."
"I know Harry, just talk, I'll understand."
He nodded and after thinking for a minute, "I am drawn to you I don't really know how to describe it. It has always been there though, something driving me to face another day. Even back before I found out who I am. I knew I was looking for something, now I know it was you. I don't understand it very well though."
"You didn't grow up with it all around you like I have. Its feeling accepted and needed at the same time isn't it."
"Well I know I feel accepted here with your family and Merlin knows everyone needs me."
"No Harry, they don't need you. They need the-boy-who-lived not Harry James Potter."
"Well no one could possibly need him, I mean that's what's important about him, I, I mean me."
"You're wrong Harry. What is important about you is that you are the nicest most helpful and trustworthy person I have ever met." The Sorting Hat had tried to place her in Ravenclaw but she convinced it that Gryffindor was better. She was again proven right when she looked him in the eyes and asked, "That feeling is love Harry."
His eyes always told her the truth, they could never lie to her. He may be able to hide from others but never her. She saw the answer in them then and with a start realized he was seeing the same in hers. They both smiled and slowly nodded, never breaking eye contact. With that one silent acknowledgment fate sealed its bonds on them. There would never again be any question about where they belonged, together was the only answer. She straightened so she was standing in his arms, they wrapped comfortably about her. She tightened her arms around his neck. There was nothing friendly about this hug, it was filled with something new and wonderful.
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A/N: Should I end it here??? This seems like a safe place to me. I know you will all kill me if I don't get back to Summer but am I also leaving you hanging here? I do have a few more ideas that would work well in this story. Not sure if I want to ruin the idealism I have forged so far. Putting out a chapter a day of this has left no time for work on Summer. So what should I work on next? Email me or leave me your review. I also had an idea for a very naughty 7th year story… can't talk about that here though.
Thanks,
Golasgil