Chapter 6:
A/N: This is the last chapter for this story. I am closing it to return to working on Summer. I hope you have all enjoyed this little jaunt into my imagination.
Gol
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Hermione was awoken by Crookshanks jumping on her stomach. She sat up quickly, pulling her wand out from under her pillow and looking around. The sun had just risen. Suddenly Albus Dumbledore was standing in the hallway just outside of her room, he looked very worried. "Miss Granger, I, excuse me, we have a problem."
She wiped the sleep from her eyes, "What's the matter Professor? Is this about that owl I sent you lastnight?"
Professor Dumbledore walked into her room and conjured a chair. Just as he was starting to sit down she heard her parents' door open and her father exclaim, "Harry, what are you doing in Mione's room at six o'clock in the morning?" Professor Dumbledore looked levelly at her before sitting down facing the hallway. "Now a little snoggin is fine but…" Her father cut of as he, quickly followed by her mum came around the corner.
Emma slapped Dan on the shoulder, "I told you we could trust the boy. Or do you think he is disguised as Albus Dumbledore?"
Before Dan could answer Albus held up one hand, "I assure you good sir that I am indeed myself. I am here on a matter of gravest concern. Please, be seated so I may put together the pieces of this most intriguing puzzle." He flicked his wand and a small loveseat appeared behind Dan and Emma. They quickly sat down, stunned.
Hermione was nervously petting Crookshanks. Though Professor Dumbledore was calm she was suddenly afraid, "Professor, are we in danger?"
He looked gravely at her over his half-moon spectacles, "Not just yet Miss Granger however, Alastor is currently leading forty Auror's to Privet Drive to remove Harry from danger. Since Mr. Granger thought that Harry could have been here I will assume he has some undetectable method of traveling here? That is interesting but irrelevant to my primary puzzle. At approximately seven twenty last evening something happened to Harry that started eroding all of the protective wards that have been protecting him for the last fourteen years. These wards are based on his mother's love and her sacrifice for him. Within the next three hours they will completely disappear and Voldemort will be able to locate him."
Hermione was now rather red with embarrassment and tears gently trickled down her cheeks. She started shaking her head, "I didn't know, I swear I didn't know. I didn't mean to cause any harm. Please believe me sir, tell me what I can do to make it right again. I will do whatever it takes to protect Harry."
Albus looked sadly upon her and fished a crumpled paper bag from an inner pocket, "Sherbet Lemon drop?" She took one and once it was in her mouth he continued, "Miss Granger, I am not here to exact revenge or anything of the sort. Please tell me what happened, as completely as you can."
The lemon drop seemed to have a calming affect on her. She was able to organize her thoughts before she spoke, "Well at seven twenty we kissed, it was our first real kiss, as boyfriend and girlfriend that is. We were both rather serious about it and it was completely heartfelt and open."
Dan suddenly pumped his right arm in the air, "yeah!" Emma slapped him again as Albus and Hermione looked sharply at him. He looked around perplexedly, "what?"
Emma and Albus looked back to Hermione who continued, "You may want to know how I know how he felt. I saw it in his eyes, they tell me everything. He loves me and I love him."
Albus nodded gravely again, "Yes I rather suspected something like this. Miss Chang nearly gave me a coronary last term. Fortunately Harry's heart was not in it, as you know Miss Granger, it was with you. I had rather hoped that this would be delayed by your being apart and by keeping Mr. Weasley close to you both. Delayed mind you, not avoided, some things are completely unavoidable. I hope you are serious Miss Granger, I also hope that your love for Harry is mature enough."
"What do you mean mature enough Professor?"
"To put it plainly I intend to recast those wards using you as a replacement for Lily. The strength of the new protective wards will be relative to your love for Harry."
Emma stood quickly, "You are asking our daughter to die to keep him alive?"
Professor Dumbledore quickly shook his head, "Nonsense…"
Hermione said quite clearly and firmly, "I'll do it, whatever it takes!"
Everyone started talking loudly at once, "No you can't, Yes I can, Please Dear listen…"
Albus stood and the air crackled, the Granger's all froze in mid argument, "Stop, sit now!" Everyone sat automatically, looking to him attentively, "This does not involve anyone dying. All I need is a flask of Miss Granger's blood. With that I will re-cast the wards that were on Privet drive upon this house and prepare a potion for Harry to drink when he arrives. You did ask permission for Harry to stay here for the rest of the summer. We just extended that to six weeks instead of four. And to explain my earlier statement, about your love being mature enough, should you merely have a crush on Harry the wards will fail and there will soon be a battle in which many will die." He held his hand up to stop her from protesting, "Miss Granger I do not doubt your dedication to Harry, merely the force of those feelings."
Hermione stood, facing Albus, she looked very determined, "Professor, I have nearly lost my life several times while helping him, I would sacrifice my life for his. I hope to spend a long life with him, bear his children, and be buried beside him. I will do whatever is required to ensure our future!"
Dan was gently patting Emma's back, she had her face buried in his neck and was crying loudly. Professor Dumbledore stood, "Miss Granger, I most humbly apologize. The depth of your love humbles this old man, may you both live to see the days beyond our current troubles."
She held out her arm, "Just get on with it. Let's deal with the present."
Hermione stood still while Professor Dumbledore summoned a vial and touched it to her arm; it quickly filled with her blood. He sealed it carefully, "They should be here within the next two hours. I must work swiftly to be ready when they arrive." He nodded at them all and disappeared.
***
When her parents had recovered and gone to get dresses she pulled out the mirror and called into it, "Harry!"
He answered quickly, "Yes, Hermione?"
She saw his face, it was almost completely dark where he was and he was bouncing around a bit, "Where are you?"
He sounded very confused but answered her, "I'm in a car with Tonks and Kingsley, we're driving there apparently."
She tried to reassure him without getting him worried, "Ok good, I will explain when you get here alright?"
He looked relieved, "Ok, see you in a little while."
"Bye"
"Goodbye"
***
A storm was brewing, Albus though he had timed it just right. The neighbors up and down the street were hiding inside to avoid the imminent deluge. He had just finished his fifteenth circuit of the Granger's home. The wards were in place, now he just needed Harry to drink the last few drops of Hermione's blood. He had already given her the flask with explicit instructions as to what to do. If it had just been another year along he felt confident their love would be mature enough for this to work, he had known Lily's protection would fade in time. It had been considerably weakened when Tom had used Harry's blood in his rebirth. Alastor suddenly apparated in the middle of the front lawn, his wand was out and he was covered with an invisibility cloak. His magical eye focused on the spot where the Chief Warlock stood waiting, also invisible.
Alastor walked over and stopped a few feet away, "They will be here soon, do ya think it's strong enough to work?"
"I believe it is we shall see shortly."
"Do you think he will drink it?"
"I have every confidence in Miss Granger's ability to persuade him. She is aware of the gravity of the situation."
"Eh, yeah guess we'll see then. Nice storm ya got here Chief." Lightning crackled from close by and the thunder was deafening.
Albus bowed his head briefly, "Thank you, it seemed the easiest way to remove unwanted eyes."
Moody's eye stopped, pointing back through his head, "There they are."
A white sedan pulled up in the driveway. Tonks who was disguised as a male teenager climbed out of the back. She was carrying a wrapped package and clipboard. Harry was just behind her under his invisibility cloak. Kingsley, dressed in his crisp suit got out and fingered his wand in side his jacket pocket. Albus saw twenty house elves concealed in the bushes around the front yard. Tonks walked calmly up to the front door and rang the bell. Dan Granger opened the door and holding it open stepped out onto the porch, Harry darted past him and inside.
"Sign here gov'nor."
Dan read the paper and nodding signed at the bottom. He took the package from Tonks, "Thank you."
Tonks nodded and took the clipboard back, "Welcome gov'nor. Glad we could get it ter ya so fast." She turned and walked quickly back to the car. She and Kingsley got back in and drove off.
"Guess we should go see if this works." He apparated inside the house and dropped his invisibility, Moody did the same and removed his cloak. Harry and Hermione were in the kitchen. Harry was just lowering the empty flask from his lips. Dan and Emma stood nearby. Dan held a shotgun warily.
Harry saw them appear, "Professor Dumbledore can you explain all this?"
Albus held up his hand palm upwards, he twirled his wand, "Locatus, Harry James Potter!" The wand jumped out of his hand and clattered to the floor. Albus looked up at Harry and Hermione and smiled, "Well I guess that answers that question Alastor?" He held his hand out to his wand and it flew into it.
Moody harrumphed and stomped over to Harry and Hermione. He focused both eyes on Harry's and pointed his wand at Hermione, "Keep this witch safe at all costs boy, it means your life to loose her." Moody turned back to Albus, "I'm going back to Privet drive, see if there's any action there, You got it here Chief." He closed his normal eye then opened it, astonishment written across his expression. "Bloody hell, I can't apparate outa here!"
Harry and Hermione both drew their wands and stood back to back. Dan took that as a sign of impending attack and started pointing his shotgun at various windows, Emma hid behind the couch. Albus held up both hands, "Relax, this is just a minor deviation in the wards of protection. Quite interesting but nothing to be alarmed about, Alastor, step out back, go two meters from the back door and try again."
Moody wrapped himself in his invisibility cloak and walked outside. They all heard a soft pop shortly after that. Professor Dumbledore looked around, "See nothing to be concerned about. Harry, to answer your question, this is all about your safety. Because of your recent, um personal developments the protection you were under at Privet drive has been negated. With Miss Granger's help that protection has now been moved here. You must live in this house for the next two weeks and each year until you are eighteen must spend at least one month a year sleeping under its roof." He looked over his spectacles at a very bewildered Harry, "I know this will be immensely difficult for you to manage." He broke into an infectious grin, Harry and Hermione started laughing. He pointed to the counter and a large stone bowl appeared on it, "Here is my pensive, you may now safely use it within this house, do you need instructions?" Hermione shook her head no and Professor Dumbledore nodded.
Dan sighed loudly and finally put down his shotgun Emma looked over the back of the couch and stood up. She dusted off her skirt, "So did everything work then?"
"Yes mum, everything is great again."
Dan collapsed on the couch, "Good I don't think I could take much more of that. Harry you are responsible for the dishes, mowing, taking out the trash and cleaning the pool."
Harry stepped closer to Dan, "Yes sir, it will be a pleasure."
Dan nodded, Emma sitting beside him on the couch, "Excellent."
Hermione went beside Harry and looped her arm around his waist, his arm quickly encircled her. "So I guess that means you want me to cook dad?"
Dan paled, "Jesus, no. I love you dearly Mione but your cooking stinks." He looked back to Harry, "Can you cook son?"
Harry grinned at him, "I've had a lot of practice."
"Ok then Mione gets dishes and you get the cooking, well a fair share of it, alright?"
Harry and Hermione answered as one, "Deal."
They heard the back door close and noticed the Headmaster was gone. The sun soon broke through the clouds and the rest of the day was bright and sunny.
FIN