Remus came out of the fireplace at Grimmauld Place a couple of hours later. He noticed how quiet it was in the house and figured that Harry was still in his bedroom. He went upstairs and opened the door to Harry's room. He did a double take at the scene before him.
"Oh my...Harry!" he yelled quickly looking away, startling Harry awake. "When the bloody hell did you start sleeping naked?"
Harry quickly remembered what had occurred between him and Hermione a few hours before. He looked around his room but he didn't see any indication that she'd even been there. "Uh, I got really hot and decided I'd be more comfortable this way" he said as a faint blush crept over his face while he grabbed a sheet and covered himself.
"Now I know to knock first before just barging in your room. Sorry about that Harry" Remus said as he turned and walked out the door. "When you get dressed, come on down to the kitchen. I have some things to tell you."
"Alright" said Harry as he got up and started to get dressed. Just as he pulled his jeans on, he heard his door creak open again. As he looked up, he saw Hermione sneak in and close it quietly. "Where were you?" he asked as she came over and gave him a kiss that took his breath away.
"I woke up shortly after falling asleep, and realized that Remus could come in and find us. So I took my stuff to my room and cleaned myself up a bit. It sounded like you gave Remus quite a show!" she said laughing.
"Cheeky aren't we?" he asked smiling. "You could have at least covered me up you know."
"And spoil the view?" she teased as she walked towards the door. "I'm going to go down to the kitchen and say hi to Lupin. See you down there in a bit."
"Be right down" he said as he watched her butt sway back and forth as she walked away. He still couldn't believe what they had done. It all seemed like a dream, but there she was walking out of his room. 'This may turn out to be a good summer after all' he thought as he headed out the door.
As Harry walked in the kitchen, he could hear Hermione and Lupin talking. "When I got here I looked around and found Harry sleeping in his room. Instead of waking him, I just took my stuff into my room and read until I heard voices a little while ago." he heard Hermione explain.
"I hope you didn't see as much of Harry as I just did" Remus said trying not to laugh.
"Um...no" said Hermione as her face started turning red with embarrassment.
'Good story' thought Harry as he sat in the chair next to Hermione. "They let you come here so soon after waking up?" Harry asked, continuing the rouse and changing the subject.
"Yes, Madame Pomfrey said that everything looked normal and that there was no reason I should stay another night. I asked to come here with you instead of the Burrow." Hermione said giving him a quick wink.
"I take it Harry is the lesser of two evils?" Lupin asked
"Yes, I would rather be with Harry than with Ron right now. He's being quite the prat lately. Plus it's quieter here so I can get more work done." said Hermione. "There's a book on protection spells I've wanted to read ever since Harry told me about the prophecy."
"You told her?" Remus asked, looking at Harry surprised. "I thought you weren't going to tell either her or Ron just yet?"
"I wasn't going to, but we started talking about something and I felt it was something she needed to know." Harry explained. "Ron still doesn't know though."
"Not that it would matter to him right now" Hermione said with a trace of malice in her voice.
"If you don't mind me asking what you two were talking about that required you to tell Hermione but not Ron?" asked Remus.
"Well" Harry started, looking over at Hermione for her ok to tell him. When she gave a slight nod, Harry said "we were talking about how we felt about one another. We found out we both like each other as more than friends."
"It's about time you both realized what everyone saw a long time ago" Remus said with a huge grin on his face. "So are you a couple now?"
"I guess you could say that" Hermione said while giving Harry a secretive smile. "But I think it's best if it stays between the three of us right now. I really don't want to know what Ron is going to do when he finds out."
"After what Harry almost did to him in the hospital ward I don't think he'll bother you for a while" Remus said seriously. "By the way Harry, we may have figured out what is happening to you. Dumbledore started researching your family tree and found that one of your ancestors dates back to the times of Prometheus. He was known as the Titan-God of Forethought. He was given the task of creating mankind by Zeus. When Zeus wanted to treat mankind badly, Prometheus went behind his back and gave man fire he had stolen from the heavens to make their lives easier. Zeus was angry when he found out what Prometheus had done. Zeus punished him for many generations before he was freed by Heracles. When he was free, he wanted to get revenge on Zeus. He picked what he felt was a worthy mortal man and put the stolen fire of heaven in the man's heart. This would always give the man a way to defend himself and his family from the evil that Pandora had released upon the world. He also explained that the fire would never die out. It would pass from generation to generation so that his bloodline would always have a way to fight evil. Somewhere down the line, a woman from the man's bloodline had a child with a wizard and thus started your family tree. Your Dad was the one that carried the fire but he must not have known about it because it was never revealed to anyone. If he had known about it, he probably could have defeated Voldemort that night and saved himself and your Mum. "
Harry and Hermione sat there with their mouths hanging open in shock. Hermione was the first to recover "I've heard the story of Prometheus before, but I've never heard that he gave out the fire of heaven to a mortal as a way of defense."
"You probably read the story in a muggle book. They would have left that part out because of the connection to the wizarding world." explained Remus.
"So I've had this inside of me since I was born? But why did it just now surface? What am I supposed to do with it?" Harry asked trying to sort out all the information that had just been given to him.
"Well" started Remus "somewhere down the line the gift has evolved with each generation. It's known as "natio ardoris" or being of flame. You are known as an Ignipotens, or a ruler of fire. The reason that Hermione wasn't killed by the fireball you hit her with is because she is good, and the flame only effects evil."
"So what's going to happen next?" asked Harry.
"Well, Dumbledore gave me this book to give to Hermione" replied Remus, sliding a book towards them that they hadn't seen sitting there. "He's studied up on some spells that will help you control the flame inside of you. You will also need to keep in control of your emotions. That seems to be the trigger. Albus is hoping that Hermione will read over the spells and incantations and help you learn them. Along with that you will be having sessions with him to study the new spells and your Occlumency so that Voldemort doesn't learn of this new development."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So this flame inside of me, is this "The Power He Knows Not" mentioned in the prophecy?"
"Part of it perhaps" stated Remus "but we're pretty sure it mainly refers to Love."
"This is so fascinating!" exclaimed Hermione while looking through the book Remus had given her. "When do we start?"
"Dumbledore will be here tomorrow morning at ten to start lessons. Hermione, you're to be there too. You're going to learn Legilimency while Harry learns Occlumency. The more defenses we have in place, the better the chance at Harry bringing Voldemort down." As Remus explained the following days activities, he rose from the table. "Well, I'm off to bed. You two should get as much sleep as you can tonight. Tomorrow will be a taxing day for both of you. Goodnight."
Harry and Hermione both said "Goodnight" as they got up to go to bed also. Harry walked Hermione to her bedroom door and wrapped his arms around her in a giant hug. "Are you sure you want to be involved with me after everything you just heard?"
"Yes Harry, I will stand by you no matter what. This is giving me an opportunity to learn so many new things!" she said while looking into his beautiful emerald eyes.
Harry smiled at the excitement he heard in her voice. "Alright. You know, we need to talk about what happened with us tonight. Things went kind of quickly."
"Tomorrow, ok Harry?" she asked with a pleading look in her eyes. "I'm really tired and I'd rather discuss everything with a clear head."
"Alright Love" he said as he bent down and gave her a tender kiss. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight Harry" she said as she closed the bedroom door.
Harry walked into his room and stripped down to his boxer shorts. 'Tomorrows going to be a very interesting day' he thought as he climbed into his bed and fell right to sleep.
The next morning came quickly, and Harry woke up feeling energized. He lay in bed wondering why he felt so wonderful, then he remembered what he and Hermione had done right here in his bed last night. He knew he was probably too young to have lost his virginity already, but what they had done had felt so right. He turned his face into his pillow, and he could still smell Hermione's shampoo; it smelled like vanilla and strawberries. He didn't think he would ever wash that pillow again. 'I could die any day, why not live my life while I can?' he thought as he climbed out of bed and got dressed. As he headed down the stairs to the kitchen, he smelled something delicious and his stomach growled.
"Remus what are you making...Dobby?" Harry said surprised to see the house elf there.
"Harry Potter sir, Dobby has made breakfast sir" said Dobby as he gestured to a table full of eggs, ham, toast and many other breakfast foods.
"When did you get here Dobby?" asked Harry as he sat down and started to fill his plate.
"Professor Dumbledore is asking Dobby to help Harry Potter sir" replied Dobby "I is to be helping you and Miss Hermione around here until school is starting."
"Well, breakfast looks great!" Harry said as he started eating. "Mornin' Remus" he said around a mouth full of food.
"Morning Harry" said Remus laughing "enjoying breakfast are we?"
"Yesh" replied Harry spitting food on Remus. They both broke down laughing as Hermione walked into the kitchen.
"Good Morning!" she said happily. "What's so funny?"
"Harry decided to share his breakfast with me" Remus said while still laughing.
"Oh...o-k" said Hermione while looking from one to the other strangely. "Dumbledore will be here in an hour so we need to hurry and eat. Oh, hi Dobby! What are you doing here?"
"I is helping you and Harry Potter miss" said Dobby while bringing her some orange juice.
"Alright, well, eat up!" she said while taking some toast. The rest of breakfast went by quietly as they ate and enjoyed the veritable feast that Dobby had made them.
At exactly ten that morning, Albus Dumbledore walked into the sitting room where Harry and Hermione were sitting. Hermione was sitting on the couch reading a book on protection spells, and Harry's head was resting on her lap while he listened to her read about one spell in particular. She held the book in her left hand while her right hand was running through Harry's hair. Dumbledore smiled as he walked into the room and saw their behavior. Anyone that would have walked in at that moment would know that these two were in love. They reminded him so much of Harry's parents, James and Lily, that it saddened him. He swore to himself that what happened to Harry's parents would not happen to Harry and Hermione. After all that Harry had been through growing up, he deserved to be happy.
"Good morning!" said Dumbledore, startling the two teenagers. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you, I didn't want to interrupt your reading."
"Good morning sir" said Harry jumping off of the couch with a slight blush on his face.
"Good morning Headmaster" said Hermione, blushing also.
"Ready to begin?" asked Dumbledore as he pulled up a chair across from the couch while gesturing for the two to sit back down. At their nods, he continued "I assume that Remus has explained what we found out at the meeting last night?" When he saw Harry nod again, he said "today we will practice a little Occlumency and Legilimency and then we will start on the spells involving 'Ignes Venificum', or fire magic."
Dumbledore worked with Harry on his Occlumency first, teaching things that Professor Snape had never mentioned to Harry. Harry was slightly pissed that Snape had never mentioned some of the things that Dumbledore showed him because it made it so much easier to learn. Next Hermione was taught Legilimency and practiced breaking into Harry's mind. She failed the first few attempts, but then she saw a few of Harry's memories the fourth time she tried. Dumbledore stopped them after that so that Harry was not too tired to learn the new Ignes Venificum spells.
"Ok Harry, here is the first spell you need to learn. You will not need your wand for this because this magic is focused solely through your hands." Dumbledore explained.
Harry looked disbelievingly at the professor. "I won't need my wand at all?"
"No, Harry this is almost like wand less magic. You will be drawing from the magic within you, but instead of focusing it through a wand; you will use your hands. Now, the first thing you will learn is to put one hand palm up and say 'igniculus."
Harry put his hand out as Dumbledore had said and said "Igniculus!" Harry's eyes grew wide as a small flame erupted out of his palm and sat there burning. It didn't go out, and it didn't burn his hand either. "Wow!"
"Great Harry!" exclaimed Dumbledore "To extinguish it, just close your hand around it. Now on to something harder. Since you were able to spark the flame within, let's see if you can use that fire. I want you to put your hand out again with your palm facing that fireplace over there. Concentrate on it and say 'focus accendo'."
"Focus Accendo" Harry yelled while holding his hand out and concentrating on the fireplace. Nothing happened. "Focus Accendo!" he yelled a bit more forcefully. This time there was a spark, but nothing more.
"Harry, clear your mind and really focus in on what you are aiming for" explained Dumbledore.
"Focus Accendo!!" Harry watched in awe as the fireplace roared to life with orange flames. "I did it!" he said with excitement in his voice. All of a sudden, the room seemed to spin. Next thing he knew, Hermione was leading him over to sit on the couch.
"That's enough for today Harry, I don't want you to exhaust yourself." said Dumbledore with a grin on his face. "Excellent work! You're learning quickly. Next time we will practice more on these spells and I will teach you one or two more. I will be back the day after tomorrow."
"Thank-you Professor" said Hermione while rubbing Harry's back. "We will practice what you've shown us today."
With a nod and a smile, Dumbledore walked out of the room leaving Harry and Hermione to rest.
As they sat there recuperating from their training session, Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and held it while he asked "are you ready to talk about last night?"
"What is there to talk about?" she asked. "Are you going to say it was a mistake?"
"No" Harry said quickly "I'm glad it happened. I feel the same as you do in respect to living life. Who knows when Voldemort will attack, and according to the Prophecy I could easily die."
Hermione blinked back tears as she thought about what Harry said. "We will find a way to defeat him Harry and then you can live a normal life just like everyone else."
"I hope so. So will you be my girlfriend?" he asked while slowly moving his face closer to hers.
"I would think you got your answer last night" she said with a smile "but yes, Harry, I will."
Harry smiled and leaned in to kiss her. Their lips met, and Harry ran his tongue along her bottom lip seeking entrance. She opened up to him, and he deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. They sat snogging on the couch for a while. Harry started trailing kisses down her jaw to her neck, and after a minute she pulled away.
"Harry" she said breathlessly "we need to stop before this goes any further."
"Yeah" said Harry, pulling away. He leaned his forehead onto her forehead and looked her in the eyes. "I love you Hermione" he said quietly.
"I love you too" she said with tears in her eyes. "Promise me you won't let anything come between us."
"What do you mean?" he asked confused.
"Voldemort, Harry" she said "I know he likes to play mind games with you. Promise you won't let him convince you that he'll hurt me to get to you."
"I promise" he said and kissed her again "I won't let anything come between us."
*All Latin words and meanings came from the Notre Dame University website, Latin Dictionary and Grammar Aid section.