Chapter 3 - The Drive Home
"Really soon, Harry," said Hermione earnestly. "We promise."
The promise she had just made was still fresh on her mind as she watched Harry trudge off into the car park, pushing a luggage trolley through the crowd, with Hedwig perched in her cage on top of his trunk. "Harry, be careful," she whispered, as she slowly backed up and watched the Muggles follow along behind Harry at a distance. She noticed that Harry's Uncle Vernon, especially, kept on looking back over his shoulder at Mad-Eye as Moody walked away. He also seemed to look more than once at her, with a calculating look in his eye as he did so. This resulted in Harry slowly separating from the Dursleys as they headed toward the car park. <That's right, Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley; you'd better back off a little. Harry is a powerful wizard, and he's just as likely to take care of any problems that may arise with you as any of the Order would. I promise one thing, if I hear that anyone has touched a hair on his head while he is in your home, you WILL find out what it is like to be hexed by the cleverest witch at Hogwarts, regardless of the Restrictions on Underage Sorcery!> she thought. <Wait a minute…I forgot! I'm not supposed to be protecting him. The rune is 'ehwaz', not 'eihwaz'. Partnership, not defense…!>
Hermione's thoughts were interrupted by her mother's voice. "Hermione, dear? Aren't you coming? What is wrong? Is something bothering you? Why did you have to go over to Harry with those people? They were wizards, weren't they?"
"Yes, mum," Hermione answered as they began walking slowly on the way to the car park, "and a witch, too. That was Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody, along with Nymphadora Tonks. She's the pink-haired one, well, today, anyway," she grinned. I've told you about them before. And, of course, you remember Mr. Weasley and his family" she said, watching them all go their separate ways.
"Isn't Lupin the…werewolf, and Moody the one that was trying to kill Harry about this time last year?" her mother said, with apprehension in her voice.
"Close, mum. Yes, Lupin is a werewolf, but he's safe this time of the month. And the man with the magic eye is the real Moody, not the imposter that was trying to kill Harry during the Triwizard Tournament last year. All of them, including Tonks and the Weasley parents, are members of an Order responsible for protecting Harry," Hermione explained.
"Oh, Hermione, I wish what you just said made me feel better than it does! What has happened that your friend Harry needs that kind of protection? He's never needed an escort like that when we've picked you up at the station before. I remember last year, the Weasley's were there when his Uncle picked him up… you know, when you gave him that kiss on the cheek? Why the guard this time?" Hermione's mother was just as inquisitive as her daughter, and Hermione could tell that she would have to explain.
But, as soon as she was reminded of the kiss from last year, she began to blush. "Mother! I explained that to you at the time! Harry had just experienced some terrible things last year, and he looked like he needed some cheering up. That's why I kissed him, on the cheek, mind you, okay? It was just a show of support! By the time Hermione was finished, her voice was much louder than necessary.
"Hold on, sweetheart!" her mother said quickly. "I know all that. Honestly, you'd think I touched a nerve. And, as a dentist, I DO know what that is like!" she grinned. "Care to explain the explosion I just saw? All I was asking is why Harry needed a guard?"
Hermione paused, taking a deep calming breath while they continued to walk towards a different section of the car park than Harry had gone into. "I'm sorry, mum. It's just been a stressful year. We, Harry and I, that is, have been working together a lot, and, well, you know, sometimes people talk. I assume that one of the Weasleys had fed the school gossip mill about us by exaggerating what happened with that kiss last year. Now I am so accustomed to having to explain that we're just friends that I guess I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. Let me start over. As I have already told you, Harry is still under threat from that evil Dark Lord I told you about, but--"
"Voldemort, right?" her mother interrupted. "I don't know why you keep on referring to him as the "Dark Lord", or that 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' foolishness! Why don't you say his name? You were raised a Muggle, dear. You shouldn't have that instilled fear of the name Voldemort that your wizard friends probably have."
"Actually, I remembered having a similar conversation with you and Dad before," Hermione said, smiling. "And, this year, I did as you suggested then and I have been using his name all of the time, now. I said it to Harry near the start of the school year when he was having some issues, and it seemed to help calm him down. You know, Ron still can't stand to hear that name even now that we, that is, Harry and I, say it around him all the time. I guess he'll never get used to it. Must be that inbred fear thing you mentioned. Harry, Dumbledore, Lupin, and I are about the only ones I know of who use it. Funny thing though; it's not even his real name. He was raised in a Muggle orphanage and was originally called Tom Marvolo Riddle. Harry told me that a few years ago and I never mentioned it to you before."
"Tom Marvolo Riddle…Hmm, yes… that would be "I am Lord Voldemort" now, wouldn't it." Her mother chuckled at the surprise on her daughter's face. "You know I love anagrams, Hermione. Couldn't pass that one up!"
"Yep, you're definitely where I got my cleverness from, mum", Hermione said, giggling.
"That's because I still have mine," her father said, repeating the old family chestnut. He had been pushing her luggage trolley (with Crookshanks sitting regally on top) and listening quietly to his daughter and wife as they talked. As they were getting Hermione's things put away in the car, in the distance they heard a loud revving of an engine and squealing tyres.
"Keep your eyes open", Hermione's dad said as they loaded into the car and he started the engine. "Sounds like someone's in a wicked hurry to get out of here. They may be headed in this direction, and I don't want to get in their way."
But, the sounds faded instead of coming closer, so Mr. Granger pulled out into traffic. As soon as he got into the correct lane on the motorway, he said, "Hermione, you never finished answering your mother's question about Harry's guard. This Voldemort fellow isn't getting stronger, is he? Are YOU in danger, sweetheart?"
<Leave it to Dad to get right to the point!> Hermione thought. "No, Dad," she said carefully, "well, at least no more than usual. Remember, I told you that Voldemort was out to get rid of all Muggle-born witches and wizards, along with any 'half-bloods' like Harry, and 'traitorous full-bloods', like the Weasley's, that happen to get in his way. So, yes, I AM in danger by my very existence on the earth at the same time as him and his gang. But, are you going to let me answer Mum's question, or not?" she said, sounding somewhat exasperated.
"Sorry, dear," he said, a bit sheepishly. "Go ahead. It's just, well; you know how it is when a father wants to protect his family, especially his only child. Sometimes I feel so helpless when I think about all you have to put up with in the wizarding world. And, knowing you, I'm sure you haven't told us even half of what you've been doing. For example, I have noticed you've been favoring one side when you walk, and especially when you lifted your trunk into the car just now, so I'm sure you got hurt doing something this last year. I also know that you don't want us to worry, so you probably will never tell us what happened. Then, I begin to wonder if we did the right thing when we said yes to your Professor McGonagall all those years ago."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she realized what he was implying. "Daddy, please don't say that! I can assure you that you did the right thing. If you hadn't let me go to Hogwarts, I'd still be in danger, but I wouldn't have any idea about either the danger or what to do about it. Magic is a part of me, regardless of whether I am in the Muggle world or the Wizarding one, and Voldemort would still want to kill me in either case. ALL non-pureblood magic people, and, for that matter, all Muggles, are in great danger from him. Remember what Professor McGonagall said when she visited us?"
And, in a spot-on imitation of her favorite teacher, Hermione quoted from memory. "Your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, is a part of the Wizarding World by right. You have known since she was born that she was different, and as her powers developed, you realized that she was more than that - she was unique among her school friends. We still do not know why a child of Muggle parents has the inborn ability to use magic. In Hermione's case, especially, our tests have indicated that she has the potential to amaze even us with her abilities. I have come here to invite you to help her understand and control that unique ability, at least partially for your protection and hers. A magical person like her that is untrained can be quite a danger to herself and others. But, there are even those of our kind who feel that these children should be prevented from learning magic. We at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would be honored to work with her and you as parents to explore her gifts."
"Wow… Hermione, I'm surprised you remember that so perfectly after all this time, and you sounded so much like her when you repeated it," Mrs. Granger said in amazement, "but then, I guess that is just a small example of what Minerva was talking about. Please continue, Hermione. Tell us what you can and we'll keep quiet until you're done."
"Thanks, mum," Hermione said, with a slight catch in her voice. She had managed to keep her tears at bay, but the love she felt from her parents made it difficult. Her eyes glistening, she continued. "As I was saying, Harry is still under threat from Voldemort. But, these past few years, I found out that Harry was also under a different kind of threat. This is both a physical and an emotional threat, and it comes from his relatives, the Dursleys. I will spare you the sad details, but suffice it to say, they have been treating him horribly his whole life. It is amazing that Harry has come through it all as well as he has, even though I know first-hand that his anger is close to the surface. Sometimes he can't help but let it out, with unpleasant results for those around him at the time." Hermione could tell right away by the Grangers' reaction that she shouldn't have mentioned his anger, but they let her continue.
"Anyway, the guard, as you put it, was just there as shows of support, or maybe force, to let the Dursleys know that they better be more civil when it comes to how they treat him this year. Someone from the group will be in contact with Harry at least every three days, or else I…I mean, they, will investigate and take the appropriate action at that time. That's all."
Mr. Granger smiled at her slip of the tongue, but didn't say anything. He knew that his daughter meant to be quite involved in protecting Harry. He was realizing just how much she had changed since the previous year. First, leaving home so early last summer to go "visit some friends from school in London" weeks before school started. And then, when she didn't come home for Christmas, giving some transparent last-minute excuse about "studying for exams" over the holidays instead of being with them at the ski trip they had been planning for a year previous. He and his wife had resigned themselves to no longer having their little girl around much anymore. They assumed, somehow, that she was doing something with, or for, Harry. They also knew that they were the proud parents of a unique, powerful, and independent young woman.
But, one obvious question came to his mind. "Hermione, dear, if it is so terrible for Harry to live with his relatives, why doesn't he live somewhere else? I'm sure that many wizard families would be glad to take him into their home. Or, your mother and I would be very happy to have him stay with us for as long as necessary, even. You've mentioned him in every letter you've ever written to us from Hogwarts, so we'd like to see for ourselves what kind of young man you have for your friend. Besides, we have a spare bedroom, you know, and we know we can trust the two of you to behave yourselves."
The more Hermione thougth about Harry visiting, the happier she looked - a fact which did not go unobserved by Mrs. Granger. "Yes, sweetheart- we're almost home now. Why don't you telephone Harry after he has a chance to get where he's going and invite him to visit for a week or so? He lives in Surrey, doesn't he? We'll gladly go pick him up tomorrow afternoon. We don't have any appointments scheduled for tomorrow, since we planned to spend it with you, but this will work out fine. We'll be able to visit more with you while we're traveling to Surrey, and then chat with Harry on the return trip. What do you say?"
"Well, mum, that's just it," Hermione answered quickly. She definitely didn't want to dwell on the thoughts that were running through her head right now. <Harry, away from Hogwarts, just the two of us, for a week, possibly more! Harry, sleeping right next door to me in the spare bedroom, with no charms on any staircase to keep him from---" No…mustn't go there…Mum and Dad trust me…> she thought as she blushed even more noticeably. She cleared her throat and answered, "I've thought of that very thing…no, not Harry staying with us…" <Will my face EVER return to its normal color?> "…but the thing about why Harry has to stay there, for as long as I have known what the Dursleys were doing to him. Neither Harry nor Professor Dumbledore will say anything, but I'm sure that there must be a reason. Before I call Harry, I'll contact the Headmaster and ask him if it would be okay for Harry to visit. That will give Harry time to get to Little Whinging and get settled in before I call."
Crookshanks snuggled comfortably in Hermione's lap. He had been sitting on the seat next to her while they had been driving, but as the conversation turned to the discussion about Harry visiting; he had jumped into her lap and started purring softly. "How about that, Crookshanks? Would you like to have Harry and Hedwig come visit us for a while?" Hermione asked. He rose up on his front legs in her lap, looked directly into her eyes, and meowed happily. Hermione was sure that if he could talk, he would have been agreeing with her. As they pulled into their driveway, she gave the part-Kneazle a big hug. <Maybe this summer isn't going to be so bad after all,> she thought smugly.