Author Note: Hiya everyone! First of all, thank you SSOO much with being so patient waiting for this next chapter! It must have been a terrible wait! I apologize for it taking me ages to get this one done, but on top of writing this fan fic I had 6 assignments to finish and now I have 2 exams to study and write… oddly enough it's the exam portion that is giving me more time to write, its been a good escape for me. That being said I also had a few writers' blocks along the way and this chapter is a fairly long one.. I hope you'll enjoy it and I do apologize once again for the long wait for an update!
CHAPTER 18
Harry felt the sharp jerk somewhere just behind his navel, he saw the swirls of colors, he felt Hermione cling tightly to his shirt with one hand, and heard the familiar whistling in his ears as the lid pulled them onwards to their destination. He let go of the rubbish bin lid as soon as the souls of his shoes had hit the ground, but the sight that met their eyes was in no way welcoming.
Hermione gasped.
He surveyed the buildings covered in ash, most still smoking and some were still being infested by towering flames, which licked the life away from the rubble and the crumbling structures.
"Harry… where are we?" She whispered cautiously.
He swallowed the lump of shock that bundled up midway down his throat.
"Hogsmeade."
"What in Merlin's name happened here?" She questioned knowing well she wasn't going to get an answer.
"No idea." He answered carrying her a safer distance away from the flames.
"You don't by any chance know any mending charms?" She asked hoping that maybe she would be able to walk on her own two feet again.
"Nope, you're the one becoming a Healer."
She shook her head lightly.
"You really should learn some, they come in handy in times like these."
"I suppose I should… tell you what, if we come out of this alive and well, maybe you could teach me a few?"
Hermione nodded causing Harry to grin slightly.
"If you had a wand, could you heal your ankle?" He questioned.
"Of course!" She stated giving his shoulder a light shove. "It's just a sprained ankle, I can heal a lot more then just that!"
"Then here… take my wand." He indicated with his eyes as she was still cradled in his arms.
"Oh… no Harry… I'd still need to use my own wand, I can't just use any wand, you know that… it might not work, or worse, something might go horribly wrong."
"Are you willing to give it a try?" He asked shuffling her slightly in his arms so that she wouldn't slip from his grip.
"I suppose I could, it's not like I've got much to lose." She stated gently taking Harry's wand from his fingers.
It was the strangest sensation that filled her heart, it was a feeling of belonging, like she had found something that she had thought was lost forever, and she felt like a part of Harry was flowing through her, filling empty holes of loneliness and insecurity, she felt bold and powerful.
"Wow" She murmured breathlessly.
"What?"
"Oh… uuhh, its n-nothing." She blushed and pointed the wand at her ankle, took a deep breath and made sure to speak extra clearly. "Conveirteer."
Harry gently put Hermione down and held on to her as she tested the spell.
"It worked." She said softly with a wide grin.
"Of course, you're the brightest witch in Hogwarts." Harry grinned taking his wand back from Hermione and surveying the destruction around them. "What do you think did this?"
Hermione couldn't help but feel a little bit sad that the wand had left her hands, and she longed to have the security of her own wand between her fingertips. She also couldn't help but wonder how such an advanced spell had worked with the use of a foreign wand. That just didn't normally happen.
"I think… I may have the answer to your question Potter." A feminine voice came from just behind them.
Instinctively, Harry spun around and threw himself before Hermione like a shield. The slim, cloaked figure was hovering above the ground, her identity well hidden by a mask.
"He's over here!" She yelled as she pointed a thick, long wand towards Harry's chest.
Ten figures suddenly appeared from both sides of the slim female, all cloaked in dark colors and wearing matching masks.
"You're quite the escape artists, aren't you boy?" She questioned in a bitter sweet tone as she advanced cautiously towards Harry.
"Stay back!" Harry yelled making sure Hermione stayed hidden behind him.
She clucked her tongue and shook her head lightly.
"Don't worry… we're not after the girl… we just want you."
"No!" Hermione screamed attempting to wriggle from Harry's firm grasp, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.
"Oh, isn't that sweet, she wants to save him." The woman laughed as several of those around her joined in. "Well now, if you'll just drop your wand and allow us to take you quietly, we'll ensure the girl lives."
"Harry don't, please Harry don't!" Hermione cried, the helplessness overwhelming her.
"You promise her safety?" Harry questioned boldly.
The woman nodded very slowly.
"Yes… just drop your wand and she won't be harmed."
Harry felt his hands drench in sweat, and with defeat drumming in his heart, he allowed the wand to slip from his fingers and clatter to the ground. With a swift movement of his foot he pushed the wand away in case Hermione got any ideas.
"HARRY NO!" She screamed throwing herself at his legs, clutching to them with every ounce of strength, she wouldn't let them take Harry, she wouldn't let them take her Harry away.
Harry couldn't swallow the tick lump in his throat, and with each breath he felt the pain in his chest grow into agony, his heart was breaking to see Hermione this way. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her sorrows away, he wanted to whisper in her ear that everything was going to be okay and that he would come back to her, but he found he couldn't move, and he knew his words would be empty, there was little chance he would ever return, there was little chance he would ever look into her beautiful brown eyes and kiss her soft rosy lips.
"Take your arms off his legs or I'll kill him!" The female spat gliding closer to Harry.
Trembling, Hermione let go of Harry with a great deal of hesitation.
"That's a good girl." She chanted as Hermione continued to tremble, and brushed her arm across her face to wipe away the tears staining her cheeks and eyes. "Imobulus."
Harry watched from the corner of his eye as Hermione became perfectly still.
"You promised you wouldn't hurt her!" He barked.
"Don't worry Potter, we'll keep our end of the bargain… Number seven, Portkey the girl to the Weasley's home."
"Yes ma'am."
He picked up a rock from the ground.
"But ma'am, the Weasley's have a protective barrier ma'am." He said.
"So… send her to their property, she'll be found soon enough." She stated impatiently, keeping her eye and wand on Harry.
"Oh… right'chu are ma'am."
Harry remembered trying to Portkey himself and Hermione to her home, and realized that she too must have had a protective barrier around her home. How stupid could he have been?
"Portus." He mumbled to the rock. Then, with quite a large amount of force, he chucked the rock at Hermione's still body, which disappeared from view before their eyes.
"Good… now that, that's done," The woman began as Harry eyed his wand, why had he kicked it so far away? If only he, "Uh uh, don't even think about it… number three get his wand,"
"I'm afraid number three is no longer available to provide you with his service." A gruff voice sounded from behind the tall cloaked woman.
Harry's eyes widened, his heart began to pump wildly as he saw a flicker of light at the end of the dark tunnel. Moving quickly he swiftly dodged around the cloaked female and lunged for his wand scraping his hands and stomach against the uneven ground.
"Expelliamus!" The gruff voice of Mad-Eye Moody came again, disarming the cloaked woman. "Incarcerous… Seelencio" Cords shot out of his wand and wrapped around the thin woman. The second spell appeared to have glued her lips together.
He figured Mad-Eye wasn't in the mood to hear threats and complaints. Harry was just beyond grateful that he came just in time.
"You okay Harry?" He questioned in his gruff tone.
"I am now." Harry stated pulling himself to his feet and brushing the small stones that dug into the palms of his hands away. "Where'd the other cloaked figures go?"
"Don't worry about them, we already captured them all… Tonks and Felix are watching them real close."
"Felix?" Harry asked curiously.
"Right, you hadn't met him yet, new member of the Order… young but skilled."
"Oh."
"Think you can get to the Weasley's on your own Harry?" Moody questioned.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
Moody nodded.
"Good… just be sure to Apparate on their property,"
"Yeah, I know… Thanks Moody."
Mad-Eye nodded again before Harry waved his wand and found himself on the Weasley's front lawn. He almost ran to the front door, heart pounding, chest heaving, he needed to see Hermione, he needed to be sure she was safe, and most of all, he just wanted to feel her in his arms.
He heard a loud shriek, saw a shower of wild dark toffee colored hair, and felt her fall onto his chest and burry her face near the base of his neck.
"You're okay… you're okay… thank god you're okay!" She murmured and Harry felt her hot tears stain his shirt.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her and just held her as close as he could, her sweet scent caused chills to pulse through him, and he couldn't imagine his life without her intoxicating smell, he couldn't imagine life without his Hermione.
"Is it my turn yet?" Ron teased waiting for his best friends to part so he could take a good look at the boy who lived and escaped yet again.
Harry laughed as he slowly released Hermione from his tight embrace and kissed her passionately, not caring that nearly the entire Weasley family and a few other's were watching.
Hermione was caught by surprise when his lips captured her, she welcomed his show of affection by returning the hunger they had for one another, she wrapped her hands around the back of Harry's neck, allowing the dancing tingles to tickle her spine, and the butterflies to wriggle in her stomach.
"Alright, Alright, break it up or get a room!" Ron called again as Mrs. Weasley wiped her eyes on her apron, and gave Fred and George a scowl of disapproval as they sniggered.
Harry felt the hot blush creep across his face when he had parted from Hermione, but he didn't have time to feel embarrassed as everyone came towards him either clapping him on the back, or giving him warm hugs. This was his family, he loved them, and they loved him.
"Your things are upstairs dear, in Ron's room, you can change if you like before we have a bite to eat." Mrs. Weasley said sweetly.
"I'll umm… show him." Hermione said softly, her cheeks turning a dark pink.
"Of course dear." Molly smiled knowingly.
"We're you two going?" Ron asked when he spotted Harry and Hermione heading off together.
"I'm uuh… showing Harry to his room."
"Oh, yeah, right… like he hasn't been here a hundred times before." Ron stated shaking his head causing them both to turn a scarlet color.
"Ron, leave those two alone and come and have a round of chess with me." Ginny said forcefully, grabbing Ron by his sleeve and dragging him off.
As they both marched towards Ron's room, Harry made a mental note to thank Ginny somehow.
As they reached Ron's room, Harry held the door open and allowed Hermione to walk through first, closing the door behind them. She threw herself at him, just holding him like she had back at the front door of the Weasley's home. He did the same, before showering her forehead and bushy dark curls with kisses.
"I thought I was going to lose you." They whispered simultaneously before searching each others eyes, grinning softly and then they kissed. It was a chaste kiss, a simple touch of the lips, but they both knew how many words and feeling they were expressing to one another.
"Don't you have to change?" She asked playfully tugging at his shirt.
His heart gave a throbbing double beat before he grinned widely and pulled off his shirt.
She put her soft delicate hands on his lower chest and slowly brushed her fingers towards his shoulders enjoying the feeling of his hot skin against her fingertips. He was so sexy with his messy morning hair and his fringe falling slightly over his enchanting emerald eyes that glistened with so much hope, passion and above all else, love. He had found his true love, and she felt like she could die happy right at this moment knowing that it was she he had always wanted, it was she he had always loved. Her fingers gently brushed down his strong shoulders and down his arm where he winced slightly when her finger had gently brushed against his wound.
She stared into his eyes for a moment, moistened her lips, and slowly and gently brought them down on his salty skin, leaving soft feathery kisses on his well defined chest.
Harry closed his eyes as his heart hammered within his chest and waves of pleasure slowly consumed him. He brought his hands into her spicy curls and allowed her hair to flow in-between his fingers like water. Like a knife cutting through soft butter, he undid the first four buttons of her blouse, and tenderly draped her collar bone with sensual kisses that sent wave after wave of stimulating chills through her body, and caused her to moan gently with pleasure. His breathing heavy and husky, he studied her delicate face with his eyes for a moment, before he tenderly memorized her through touch while lovingly staring into her beautiful dark eyes. They spoke their love for one another through silence and sealed their confessions with a deep arousing kiss.
Harry felt his head spinning uncontrollably as her tongue reached deeper into his mouth and explored every crevasse, he kissed her back with the same hunger she had for him and carefully pinned her back against a bare wall. He felt her pressing into him, he was fully aware that Hermione felt his arousal against her thigh, and it made him feel embarrassed.
His embarrassment passed quickly as Hermione brushed her lips against the side of his neck and continued to press into him. Her breathing seemed fluttered and she moaned when his hands trailed down her curves, her cheeks were flushed and her look of complete arousal caused his lower half to ache for her soft touch, he held back a loud groan that was begging for release.
"I know you're having dessert in there, but my mum wants to see you both in the kitchen."
They both nearly had a heart attack at the sound of Ginny's amused tone of voice, as it echoed through Ron's room. They gasped for air trying to regain their voices. Hermione leaned her head against the wall, not trusting herself to stand alone on her wobbly knees.
"We'll be down in a minute." Harry called once his voice was steady enough to speak.
"Yeah right." They heard Ginny laugh before her footsteps were heard making their way towards the kitchen.
They shared a shy moment of silence with one another, before they both broke into loving grins.
"I guess we best get down to the kitchen before Mrs. Weasley decides to come up here." Harry said softly running his fingers gently through her bushy hair.
"Yeah, I think your right." She smiled giving him a soft kiss on the cheek and intertwining her fingers with his.
Together, hand in hand, they made their way to the kitchen. Harry felt Hermione pull away from his hand and saw her run towards the kitchen table.
"Daddy!" he heard her cry.
"Oh baby, I was so worried about you, I was so scared!" Mr. Granger cried as he held his daughter in his thin, fragile embrace.
Harry suddenly didn't feel hungry as his stomach flip flopped unpleasantly. He felt sick and guilty. Quietly, he slipped away from the kitchen and locked himself in the bathroom by Ron's room. He wanted to be alone, in a small space, in the dark, away from anyone he could hurt. If he hadn't foolishly persuaded Hermione to get ice-cream at such a late hour, she wouldn't have been in such a dangerous situation.
Hermione sat at the table for a while, staring at Harry's empty seat, which stood across from where she had been sitting. She hoped Harry would come back on his own, she hoped Harry needed a moment to himself, but the longer she waited, the more sure she was that Harry was alone, blaming himself for what had happened. She had seen it in his eyes as he tried to slip away unnoticed.
"Hermione, can you pass the sugar and biscuits?"
"Hello… earth to Hermione!"
She jumped when she felt a hand gently fall on her shoulder.
"I believe your friend is trying to ask you for some biscuits and sugar." Mr. Granger said softly.
"Oh… right… sorry Ron." Hermione apologized while passing Ron the plate of biscuits, and then returning her gaze to Harry's empty seat.
Trevor studied his daughter for a moment. She looked entranced with her eyes fixed on the empty seat before her, with both elbows propped on the table to support her head. He heard her sigh heavily.
"Go and see him." He said quietly into his daughter's ear.
Her eyes lit up when she looked at her father in surprise. Hastily pushing her chair out of the way, which clattered loudly to the ground, she managed to mutter a quick, "Thanks daddy." before giving him a peck on the cheek, and running off to find the boy.
Mr. Granger shook his head lightly. The conversation around the table stopped as all eyes fell on Hermione before she disappeared from view. With a sigh, he picked up the chair that had fallen and pushed it back into the table.
"Poor dear." Mrs. Weasley said softly.
"She'll be alright, it's the boy I'm worried about." Trevor stated.
"He'll come around, now that Hermione's with him." Ron sniggered trying to swallow a mouthful of food.
Ginny rolled her eyes and excused herself from the table.
Ron watched his sister slump away, wondering what had made her so upset.
Hermione took a deep breath before turning the knob to the bathroom door. She knew he was in here. She had checked Ron's room first, and was sure the only other place he'd try and escape to, would be the dark and empty bathroom.
The door was locked.
"Harry… will you let me in?" She asked softly.
She sighed, resting her forehead on the door when he did not answer.
"Please?" She pleaded.
The door opened just enough that one of his green eyes were visible to Hermione. She had smiled inwardly; glad that he was going to let her in.
"You okay?" She asked timidly.
Harry shook his head to indicate a no.
"I don't mean to interrupt," Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder as her father's voice sounded just behind her. "but may I have a word with you Harry?"
Harry's eyes darted towards the floor and fell on Hermione's speckled white socks before he gave a defeated nod.
He noticed Hermione's frown as Mr. Granger stepped into the crowded bathroom and gently closed the door behind him. Harry took note of how determined, yet uncomfortable Hermione's father looked; he cleared his throat before speaking.
"So… Harry… how are you feeling?"
Harry studied the gap beneath the door where a small portion of Hermione's speckled socks caught his eye. He gave Mr. Granger a weak shrug.
"I think your blaming yourself for what's happened, for everything that's happened, and it isn't right." Trevor spoke quietly resting his skeletal form against a portion of the bare wall.
"Don't you hate me?" Harry questioned under his breath, hoping Hermione hadn't heard what he had said.
"Hate you?... now why would I hate you son?"
Harry's heart leapt to his throat. Son? Had Mr. Granger just called him son?
"That's twice I nearly killed your daughter." He muttered under his breath, repulsed to an even greater extent as the words continuously ran through his head.
"If I recall correctly, you weren't the one pointing the wand at her." Trevor stated patiently.
"I made her come with me."
"Didn't she decide to come on her own?"
Harry frowned.
"Why are you defending me?"
"Because,"
"You feel you have to." Harry said firmly with an anger rising within him.
"No, because I truly don't blame you… you've done nothing wrong son."
Harry's heart leapt to this throat. There it was again… son.
He wanted Mr. Granger to be angry with him, he wanted to hear fowl words about how his daughter shouldn't be seen with boys like him, he would have even accepted a slap in the face instead of his kind words of comfort; he would have felt better knowing he received some form of punishment for what he'd done to Hermione. How could such a loving father not blame him? How could such a loving father not see the curse hanging over Harry's head like a death omen haunting its prey.
"I have something else I wanted to talk to you about." Trevor said quietly after a moment of silence.
Harry made eye contact to indicate he was listening.
"The people from your world took my wife's life… she's gone… forever,"
Harry's eyes fell to the floor once more, where he could still see Hermione's speckled socks through the crack in the bathroom door.
"I may be selfish, but I don't want Hermione going back to Hogwarts."
Harry looked into the man's tired eyes, his pale, thin skin stretched firmly over his skeletal face. Silently, he agreed with Mr. Granger, Hermione would be safer at home, away from the magical world; but he also knew what Hogwarts meant to Hermione, the magical world was her life, and she felt just as strongly about Hogwarts being her home as Harry did.
"No disrespect sir… but you can't stop her." Harry answered gently.
"I don't suppose I can." Trevor admitted sadly. "But that doesn't stop me from trying."
"Hogwarts means everything to Hermione." Harry said softly.
"Hermione means everything to me, she's all I have left." Her father stated with a faltering voice.
Harry's chest tightened, he knew exactly what Mr. Granger meant. He, himself felt the same way about Hermione; he didn't need Hogwarts or magic as long as he had her.
"They took my wife, I won't let them take my daughter too." Trevor said sternly.
Harry noticed Mr. Granger clenching his teeth firmly together; he looked very hurt and angry. He didn't know what to say as he felt his heart ache for the man before him.
"I'm sorry for putting you in this position Harry… I just wanted you to be aware of what may happen, and I don't want you blaming yourself anymore. You're a good young man, and whatever may happen, I would still be happy to have you as a part of Hermione's life… please try and understand where I'm coming from."
"I do." Harry answered truthfully feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. Mr. Granger didn't mind him being a part of Hermione's life, he had never expected that.
Harry was slightly taken back when Mr. Granger's tall bony form held him in a relieved embrace.
"Thank you for understanding son."
Harry felt comforted and safe, he wondered if this was what it would have felt like for his own father to embrace him.
"Now then… what do you say we go back down to the kitchen?" Mr. Granger asked ruffling Harry's dark hair.
"Thank you sir, but I think I'm going to call it a day, I'm kind of tired." Harry answered truthfully.
"Okay… think we can keep this conversation between us?" Mr. Granger questioned with a slight grin.
Harry stole a quick glance to the crack beneath the door; Hermione's speckled socks were no longer visible.
"Eerr, yeah… I guess so." He answered with a shrug.
Mr. Granger opened the bathroom door and allowed Harry to make his way towards Ron's room before he headed down towards the kitchen.
Harry had a feeling he'd find Hermione waiting for him in Ron's room, and he was right. She sat at the edge of the bed, gazing out the window; Harry knew she was just thinking while her upper teeth ran over her bottom lip.
"You heard?" He asked knowing the answer.
She nodded.
Normally, he probably wouldn't have been too happy with her for listening to his private conversation, but Harry felt a sharp sadness eat away at him, while she was torn between giving her father what he wanted or choosing the magical world as a path in her life.
He didn't need to ask what her decision would be, he knew well that not attending Hogwarts was completely out of the question, she just didn't quite know how to tell her father without breaking his heart.
With a sigh he sat down next to her and brought her head down on his shoulder.
"How are you going to tell him?" He asked.
"I don't know," She murmured. "No matter how I say it… it's still going to hurt him."
"He's just trying to protect you." He said softly, running his fingers through her spicy dark hair.
She nodded.
"I know." She answered with a yawn.
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Author Note: Yes I have another author note lol, I just wanted to say that I will indeed explain why Harry didn't have any protection at the time of the attack, that'll be in the next chapter =o)
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