Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Alex had all apparated into Hermione's backyard so they wouldn't be seen by any muggles in the neighborhood. Alex was the first to start towards the house, her wand at the ready, the rest following suit.
"Honestly Alex, what is going on?" Hermione pressed. There was a tinge of desperation on her voice.
Alex just put her hand up to silence everyone as they made their way through the back door.
Sitting at the Granger's kitchen table was Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones lost in a deep conversation. Standing in the doorway was Professor Lupin with his back to the group talking to someone in the living room about what to do.
"What is going on?" Hermione demanded.
All of the Order members in the room looked at her, sadness on their faces.
It instantly dawned on Harry what had happened. He felt his heart ache and he wanted nothing more than to ease the pain that he knew Hermione was going to be feeling shortly. 'How could I have been so thick?' he screamed in his mind.
"I said, what is going on?" Hermione said starting to get impatient and more worried by the second. She looked from Ron to Harry, both looking at her with sadness in their eyes. She then looked to Professor Lupin who had heard the commotion and made his way to the kitchen. His face looked just as grave as everyone else.
Hermione started towards the living room. "Mum? Dad? Where are you?"
Lupin tried to stop her from going past him but she mustered up a lot of force to push by him. She peered around her living room and everything looked normal. Nothing was even remotely out of place. Eventually her eye caught on something. She gasped, but held her composure. Inside her normal warm and cozy living room were two cloaked bodies. Their hoods were pulled back to reveal two Death Eaters. One who must have been a new recruit because Hermione didn't know who he was but her hand was drawn to her mouth at the other. She recognized the girl as Pansy Parkinson. She knew she was bad, but it brought it closer to home that someone her age would be siding with Voldemort. She let out a tiny gasp as she realized what must have taken place here. She looked back towards the kitchen where she only saw Harry. The look on his face was enough to cause her eyes start to fill up with tears.
"Miss Granger…" the soothing voice of Dumbledore came from the top of the stairs.
Hermione looked up to the person that she had always respected and saw Dumbledore's normal twinkle gone from his eyes and the look on his face which showed what she feared the most. She let one tear trickle down her cheek as she felt light headed. She felt the world start to fade out, the last thing she remembered was sadness in pools of green.
*~*~*
Harry made his way downstairs after checking on Hermione for about the fifteenth time. He gritted his teeth as the anger welled up inside him with each step he took down the Granger's stairs. He passed Ron who was sitting glumly on the bottom step. He looked up at Harry as he passed but thought better to not say anything.
Harry marched into the kitchen where the group of Order members was sitting. "YOU!" Harry pointed his wand threateningly at Dumbledore. "YOU LIED! YOU LIED TO ME, YOU LIED TO HERMIONE'S PARENTS, AND MOST OF ALL YOU LIED TO HERMIONE!"
Everyone sat back in awe at the amount of wild power radiating from Harry's body. Dumbledore looked calmly from behind his aged face. "Mister Potter, I can assure we took every precaution…"
"Save it," Harry spat. "I warned you. I told you that you should have gotten over here, but did you listen? No."
He looked around at everyone in the room as he seethed. "Now you have a beautiful girl up there in her room that will have nothing when she wakes up. And you know whose fault it is?! It's…it's…" Harry paused. His mind was racing. He could have told her. He could have kept an eye on the house. He could, he could, he could, but he didn't. He failed her. He tried so save her but he couldn't.
"…mine," he whispered as he let his emotions engulf him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa Harry. You can't go off blaming yourself for this." Lupin finally spoke up from his place against the kitchen counter.
"And why not?" Harry sputtered. "I came here to protect her and now I've only hurt her worse. I don't know how she'll ever speak to me again."
He looked at Lupin. He expected the normal response of how he shouldn't beat himself up like this. He received the same treatment on several occasions over the past couple of years. Instead he saw that Lupin was looking behind him. Harry turned to see Ron standing in the entryway to the kitchen with his arm around a half awake Hermione. Her eyes looked like they had cried all the tears that they could cry. They were red and swollen and her cheeks blotchy. Harry locked eyes with her and he felt the pain increase in his heart. He wanted nothing more to take the pain that he knew she had to have been feeling right then. To his surprise, she broke from Ron and walked to him. He expected the worst. He figured she tell him how she hated him, how she blamed him, and how she never wanted to see him again. He expected to be hexed, slapped, or all of the above. What he got was the last thing he expected. She buried her face in Harry's chest, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
He was beyond baffled. He looked to Ron past Hermione's hair with a look of confusion. Ron mouthed the words 'hug her,' so he did. He wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist in hopes that it would possibly take away any of the pain. She pulled away from his chest and looked up at him. He met her by pressing his forehead lightly against hers. "I don't deserve this," he whispered, "This is my entire fault."
"You did all that you could Harry. It was Voldemort that did this. Its hurts, it hurts like hell. But I need you. You more than anyone to help me through this." She whispered back to him, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
"I promise we'll get him 'Mione, and I'm so sorry I didn't tell you everything sooner. I just didn't want you to think that I was here to watch over you. I really did want to come see you." Harry stared helplessly into her eyes.
She returned his gaze, a lone tear slowly falling down her cheek. Harry carefully wiped it away with his thumb, cupping her chin with his hand. "Come see them with me Harry, please. I can't do it alone," she whispers.
The look in his eyes let her know that he was ready to follow her. She gently took his hand in hers as they made their way silently towards the living room. On the way she grabbed Ron's hand as well, she didn't bother looking up at him though. She was determined to make her way to the study where the Order members had placed her parents' bodies.
She silently led them down the hallway past the stairs. She stopped before the room. Her breath began to quicken. She closed her eyes in a silent battle of whether she could really step through that doorway. She felt her hand being squeezed and she looked up to the cause. Harry looked down at her with a look of reassurance. She knew that if she truly was a Gryffindor that she'd go on. She just had to.
"Wait," Ron spoke up. "I think I'll let you two do this together. I'm going to go check on Alex." He gave Hermione's hand a little squeeze and clapped Harry on the back as he turned back down the hall.
Hermione looked up at Harry, down the hall towards the descending Ron, and back to Harry again. He just shrugged in response. "Are you ready to do this?" he asked.
She looked forward and nodded her head and took a step through the doorway. Her breath instantly hitched in her throat. The air was calm and still, almost stale. It felt as if the heat had been sucked right out of the room.
She proceeded forward. There were two white sheets standing out on the study's hardwood floors. Her first instinct was to turn and run but the comforting feeling on her hand allowed her to hold her ground. She gulped loudly as she approached the bodies and knelt down next to them, breaking free from Harry's hand. She reached for the tops of the sheets. She felt an eerie coolness the closer her finger tips came to the bodies. As she was about to pull the sheets back to reveal her parent's faces, she recoiled unable to overcome her fear.
"Hey," Harry whispered as he knelt down and put his arm around her. "We'll do it together okay? You're not alone in this."
He reached out and put his hand on top of hers. The warmth from his hand seemed to take some of the numbness from her body. Their hands moved forward together until they reached the sheet. The coolness of the sheets was such a sharp contrast to the warmth of Harry's hand. Slowly they peeled the sheets back to reveal her parent's solemn faces.
They sat there in a respectful silence for what seemed like an eternity. Harry looked onto her parents' faces only seeing them a couple of times. He could definitely see where Hermione got her looks from. He leaned forward and gazed at Hermione's face. Her eyes were fixated on the bodies of her parents. A silent flood of tears were streaming down her face. He would have never known she was crying if he wouldn't have looked.
"Do you want me to give you a moment?" He whispered and got ready to stand and leave her to say goodbye to her parents.
"Stay," she managed to choke out as she put a hand on his leg. She scooted a little closer to her parents' bodies and sat cross-legged on the ground like a little girl.
She took a deep breath and began. "Mum, Dad, I want you to know that I love you more than anything. I know I haven't always been the greatest daughter. I shouldn't have tried to fight you as much as I did when I found out we were leaving. I know now you were truly looking out for me and only wanted the best. I'll always remember sitting on daddy's lap and reading stories to you two or going on our afternoon trips to the bookstore. I know things must have gotten hard when you realized that I was a witch but you allowed me to the room to grow with it. I am truly thankful for that. Now with you gone," she stopped, allowing herself to regain her composure," I need to be strong not only for you, but for those around me. I know you'll always be looking out for me, and I promise to make you proud. I love you."
She wiped the fallen tears that had now managed to flow freely due to her goodbye. She leaned over and kissed each of them softly on their foreheads and covered them back up with the sheet. She turned and looked to Harry with a deep breath. He looked like he had been hit by a ton of bricks and when he realized she was looking at him he quickly wiped away some stray tears that had managed to fall during her talk with her parents. He shot her a smile with all the happiness he could muster at that point.
She barreled into him at this point with a hearty hug. She gripped him tightly and began to sob. She sobbed for her parents, she sobbed for herself, and she sobbed for everyone who had to feel a loss like she had. The sobs racked her body and Harry held her tightly, rubbing small circles into her back, trying to ease her crying, ease her pain.
"Shh…'Mione." Harry tried to comfort her. He continued to hold her as he sobbing slowed. She took deep breaths to regain her composure.
"How did you know Harry? Did he show you again?" She leaned back a little and looked up at him with a look of anger in her eyes.
He nodded slowly, not sure what she would do knowing this. "Did you tell Professor Dumbledore?" She questioned.
Again he nodded. "Ron and I went straight to him. He basically told me he didn't believe me and thought that Voldemort might just be setting a trap for me. I couldn't believe he wouldn't do anything so I stormed out and created an illegal portkey to come and see you."
He shut his eyes, fearing the repercussions of his confession. He knew she'd be angry at him. "Oh Harry," she shook her head in the manner he knew she would. Her mind was fighting the increased anger she felt for Dumbledore not wanting to take any precautions. "Don't you know what kind of trouble you're going to be in now?"
"It was all worth it 'Mione, and I would do it all over again. I'm sorry that we lost your parents, but you, you're safe now. I'm not letting you out of my sight."
She blushed at his admission. "Thank you so much Harry. I…I really couldn't have managed this without you."
He nodded with a small smile. "Anything for you 'Mione, anything. That's why I came to see you. I couldn't let anything happen to you. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."
"That's how I feel all the time Harry, especially since we've been apart for so long. I can't imagine. This loss is so hard, but if I lost you too. I don't know how I'd go on."
He brushed back some of the hairs that had fallen out of her pony tail from her breakdown. She looked up at him, her breath became hitched in her throat again as she got caught in his eyes. He leaned in slowly. He didn't know why he was doing it. It's like he was magically being drawn towards her. He wanted nothing more to kiss her lips.
She closed her eyes in anticipation. It was like they were finishing what was supposed to happen two years ago.
A loud coughing interrupted them. They broke apart, a full scale blush visible on each of their faces. They turned to look at their interrupter.
"I didn't interrupt anything too important did I? Lupin wanted me to come get you guys. They wanted me to come get you because there is some food made in the kitchen." Ron grinned knowing full well what he just interrupted. He felt bad, but it was worth the priceless looks on their faces.
Harry looked to Hermione and she looked back. "Oh no, uhm…we were just finishing up in here." Hermione hastily answered.
Harry stood, offering Hermione a hand to get up. She stood and wiped what remaining tears were on her face and hoped to get rid of the blush before making an appearance back out in the kitchen. "I can't believe you allowed him to make an illegal portkey." Hermione scolded Ron, swatting him on the arm as she passed him in the doorway.
"Like I could stop him. Besides, I wanted to come see you too." Ron smiled, following her out. He turned back to look at Harry who was bringing up the rear. He glared at Ron and mouthed the words, 'thanks.'
"There she is." Lupin said with a half hearted smile as the trio made their way into the kitchen.
On the kitchen counter there was a smorgasbord of food. The amount of food could have rivaled Hogwarts. "Food." Ron groaned as he helped himself.
"Are you hungry 'Mione?" Harry leaned down and asked her.
She shook her head in response. "Not quite yet, you go ahead I'm going to go talk sit at the table for a little bit."
He frowned at her. "'Mione you have got to eat something."
"Alright, alright, just get me some toast and a glass of pumpkin juice for right now okay?"
"An excellent choice." He smiled and escorted her to the table with his hand protectively on the small of her back. As she sat, he placed a kiss on the top of her head. They were both very unaware that the whole of the kitchen was watching the scene unfold.
"Hey you, how are you holding up?" Alex came up behind her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulders.
"I'll manage. I'm strong. Besides I've got you guys." Hermione looked up behind her, giving her a smile.
"So how did you manage to get here so fast?" Hermione asked Lupin who was sitting across from her with a plate of food.
"Lets just say we had a hunch," he smiled looking up at Harry who was dishing up food with Ron, "So I assembled a small team and came just as they were storming the house. I apologize we were so late Hermione."
Hermione sighed and looked down at the table, taking deep breaths to control her composure. A plate of toast had been place in her line of sight and she felt a comforting squeeze on her shoulder. She looked up to see Harry sitting down next to her with his plate of food and Ron next to him.
"It's okay Professor, really. You did all you could do. We were a prime target, that's why we moved. The Order can only do so much." She smiled weakly and began to pick at her toast.
"Wait a second." She caused whatever mild talking in the room to cease. "Hey Alex?"
"Yeah?" She asked from behind her.
"How did you know to get back to my house? It's almost like you kn…" Hermione stopped mid sentence as if something had just dawned on her.
"Bloody hell!" Ron shouted.
Harry's fork clattered on the top of his plate.
Hermione shook her head with a smirk.
From behind her all she could hear was a chuckle and "Wotcher Hermione!"
**A/N: This was such a sad chapter to write. I know Hermione seemed to take it very well being that her parents died and all, but we can't necessarily assume she's totally came to terms with it yet. Also, big props to those who guessed Alex's true nature. We thought that would be a fun twist to add in. We're hoping that we can continue keeping up with our update schedule. Sabi is having mucho homework piled on her and I'm trying to keep up with my work too so hopefully we won't have any problems. Thanks, as always, for your support and sticking with us!**