The summer seemed to speed by for the young couple, when actually only a few days had passed since their meeting with Dumbledore. They never left each other's sight for more then a few moments, and she continued to sleep in his bed at night, now unafraid of what his uncle would or could do. And although they spent the nights together, they both knew it was for his peace of mind and sleep. They realized they couldn't stay at the house on Privet Drive much longer. Uncle Vernon had been making too many complaints about Hermione spending too much time alone with Harry. Uncle Vernon also became aware and very afraid of the events that have transpired in Harry's world, afraid that it might spill into his tidy world.
The young couple sat quietly simply holding hands with each other and talked in the garden Harry had cultivated over the past years here. The bench they sat on every day was under one of the few sprawling oak trees left in the area; most had been cut down when the neighborhood was first built. Dumbledore had warned them to stay close to the house and not to venture to the park, as they weren't as safe there. They had tried very hard to avoid any of the Dursleys to prevent any further confrontations. Hermione, having grown up as she had, was easily able to conform to life in the non-wizarding world. She had made every effort to be pleasant and 'normal' around his family.
"POTTERRRR…" they heard Uncle Vernon bellow one afternoon while they sat quietly on the bench in the garden. "If that girl is to stay here, I won't tolerate any 'funny business' going on in my home between you two."
Harry's patience had ended with these people; he was waiting for one last outburst. She could feel his anger grow and held his hands tightly. He stood and charged into the house, to where his Uncle was watching them sit and talk. She never let him go, knowing he'd strike in anger.
"You can mind your own business!" he shouted, standing to face his uncle.
"How DARE you speak back to me you worthless…" At the moment Harry confronted his uncle in the back porch, his anger began coming off as a swirling vortex of his magic, much like Uncle Vernon last witnessed when his sister was blown up like a balloon.
"You no longer have any say over me," Harry spit at the obese man. "I will continue stay here as long as necessary. You and Petunia will abide by my rules for a change. She is here to help ME," he said, pointing to Hermione. "You can just go to hell for all I care. You NEVER cared about me; you ridiculed my mother and father. You spoiled that worthless oaf of a son of yours," His voice turned to more of a growl. "LEAVE US ALONE!"
And with that, he grabbed her hand, and they left out the front, slamming the door on the way out. He remained silent until they reached the park, to their private refuge from the hate in that house. She tried hard to ignore the sharp pain she felt, knowing he was trying to control his temper. He slumped onto their bench and finally released her hand.
"Hermione, we need to leave here. But it's not safe to leave yet. We can't go to Ron's; you know how he felt about you last year, I don't think he'll understand," he muttered with head turned down.
She kneeled in front of him, pulling his chin off his chest. "That's over, Harry, he and I did try once, but it wasn't right, he knew it and I knew it. And that was before he and Luna started seeing each other."
"I'm glad you two didn't work out," he grinned.
"I really haven't dated anyone before, really. There was the Christmas Ball with Krum, but all he wanted was looking for was a pretty face; I don't know WHY he'd want me."
"Hermione, if you can't see it, then you must be blind. You are the most beautiful girl I've ever known," he whispered as their eyes locked.
"No… don't make fun of me," she said as she looked away.
"You just can't see yourself the way I see you. I think you are beautiful, and I'm lucky to have you as a friend, not just as my love," he forgot his anger and pulled her close into his arms.
"We have to leave, we can't stay here or with Ron and we can't go to your home. I won't put your parents in danger and we can't go to Hogwarts, not yet."
"I have a cousin in the US," she said, suddenly remembering her parents' trip last year. "If Dumbledore will let us go, maybe I can get my parents to go with us, and we won't attract any attention there. If we keep it secret, Voldemort won't find us."
"You think it's a good idea to leave England? And what about Ron and Ginny? Won't they go looking for us?"
"No. We can have Dumbledore make sure they think we're somewhere else. Hedwig can deliver the note, and I can contact my parents. We should be out of here in a couple days."
The couple left the park and hurriedly walked to a nearby store, the same store Harry walked to this time last year. Hermione spotted a public phone and called her mum and dad. "Mummy, can you come get us, Harry's Uncle is the vilest and most loathsome creature and his cousin thinks I'm 'easy' because I'm here with Harry. His aunt keeps yelling at us to stay out of their food…"
"Dear, slow down, please, tell me what happened."
Hermione proceeded to tell her mother all that's happened, except for a few details of her budding relationship with Harry. She couldn't anyway; only one person could reveal that. After what seemed like hours to Harry, she finished the story and listened to her mother's reply.
"Ok, mum, I'll do that. We'll be ready in an hour. Love you too… bye bye…"
She hung up the receiver and turned to him. "Harry," she said as she threw her arms around his neck, "Daddy's going to be here in less then two hours. They want to pick us up, not to use any magic to leave. She said she had a visit yesterday by Dumbledore and was told that all was ready and secure."
"Albus…" Harry started. "He must have arranged everything."
"Yes. And I asked about a visit overseas and Mummy said she'll call and set up a holiday in America."
"Ummm… I don't have a passport. I can't leave as a Muggle."
"Mum said her 'visitor' left passports for both of us."
The pair walked back to Privet Drive for what they hoped was the last time and carefully opened the door. Uncle Vernon was waiting, still fuming from Harry's outburst.
"HARRY PO---"
He stopped as soon as he saw his nephew's arm pointing a thin stick at his throat. "Just give me a reason…" he growled and as quick as a man his size could manage, vanished into the kitchen.
"Harry, when did you pick up that stick?"
"HAHA… I grabbed it on the way in; I knew he'd never know the difference."
"Let's get packed and tell them we're leaving."
After a quick peck on the cheek, they split up, he to his room and she to the guest room. It didn't take her very long, as she really never unpacked. Harry, on the other hand, had to pack all his possessions, planning to never return. The first thing he emptied was his secret trove, where he found the dream diary from last year. He hid it in his trunk, not wanting to see it again, but also not wanting to lose it. As he was working on his closet, she came in, offering to help. Together, they finished in under an hour.
"I need to tell those 'people' that I'm-we're leaving."
He entered the kitchen to tell his 'family' that they were leaving. Petunia and Uncle Vernon were sitting at the table, white as sheets when Harry walked in. Then, off to the side, he realized why they were terrified. He grabbed his wand from his pocket, and before he could turn to face whoever was in the room, he was greeted with some friendly faces. Alastor Moody, and Tonks were waiting for them.
"Dumbledore sent us to escort you two. Your dad's been told we'll bring you to her house. Tonks, go get their things," Moody commanded. Tonks bounded up the stairs to retrieve the packed trunks, along with the couple boxes Harry had packed, shrunk them, and carried them downstairs.
With that, Moody placed a muggle newspaper on the floor and stared at his pocket watch. "Wait a minute… There, it's ready to go. Now everyone touch it…"
Harry, Hermione, Moody and Tonks all placed a hand on the portkey and instantly, the familiar pull from the navel hit everyone as they were whisked away to the Granger residence.
"Hermione, welcome home. And Harry, please consider this your second home," Hermione's father greeted them.
He didn't have the heart to tell her father he never really had a home outside Hogwarts. "Thank you, sir," He also couldn't tell Hermione's father that his home would be wherever Hermione was, and that what he felt for her was more then he had ever felt for anyone before.
He looked at his daughter, and gave her a hug, but sensed a change in her in the few days she spent with Harry. "Are you ok bunny?"
"Yes daddy, I'm perfect." She hugged the first man she'd loved as she looked at the one she had just given her heart to.
"Harry and Hermione, you'll both be safe here, we're working on a transference protection spell so you two can travel safely. Albus told us you plan to move around this summer."
"Yes, we, err… thought about going to---"
"DON'T TELL US, BOY! The fewer people that know, the better."
"Yes sir…."
"When can we leave?"
"From the looks of things, it should be in the next couple days. I was also told you'll need these muggle documents to travel. We decided you both should use different names and travel as brother and sister. It'll draw less attention to you."
"Harriet and Herman Gratter... Interesting, so I guess I'm Herman and she's Harriet?"
"We hoped you two would remember these phony names. Remember to use them from now on. And as brother and sister, Albus said it wouldn't be suspicious for you two to be in the same flat. And it'll be easier for the spells to protect you both."
Harry gave 'Harriet' a wink and a half smile, while she felt a blush flow through her face; they knew the real reason they would be traveling together.
"Don't worry about things here, we've made plans to let people think nothing's changed," Moody said before he and Tonks left the Granger home.
The next couple days were uneventful, 'Harriet's' mum made the necessary arrangements for them to travel to the United States for a holiday in sunny Florida. Harry sent Hedwig off with a message to Ron, telling him they had to go into hiding and not to worry. He also instructed Hedwig to stay with Ron for the summer. They planned to fly in a muggle plane to Orlando, to be met by Eileen Madison, a distant relation from her father's side. From there, they were going to drive to a small town on the coast just south of Daytona Beach, a beach vacation spot for the youth of America. Being sixteen and seventeen and from Britain, the couple was more mature then their American counterparts at that age and less likely to draw attention in the company of others their age.
Eileen Madison met them at the airport. She was Hermione's cousin, a young woman in her early thirties, attractive and well mannered. What struck Harry was her resemblance to Hermione, bushy brown hair, but pulled into a tight ponytail, honey-brown eyes and the same nose. Only she was taller and thin. She had an air of confidence about her that Harry'd never seen in Hermione, one from experience and maturity.
"Herm--- Harriet, is your cousin, you know, like us?" he whispered to her.
"I think I'm the only one in my family that is, no one's even mentioned our, ah, special school to anyone else. I think it best to keep it secret for now."
"Hermione? I'm Eileen, your cousin on your father's side. We've never met before, but your folks visited last year, and all they said was you were visiting friends from your boarding school. I want to know all about that. And this must be Harry, the boyfriend your mom's told me about. And she was right; he is a handsome young man. You two make a good-looking couple. But we really need to get him a comb."
Harry blushed at the complements, having never heard complements about himself before.
"The car's over here, we can put your things in the trunk."
"Trunk? We already have out things in our trunks."
"No silly, here that's what they call the boot."
"Bloody hell…"
"AND DON'T SWEAR like that." Harriet gave him a swat to the arm.
"Sorry"
They all climbed into the car, with Eileen driving. Harry sat in the front passenger's seat with Hermione between them.
"WATCH OUT… YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE!!!"
"Herman… here they drive backwards."
"Or maybe it's you that drives backward. And I thought his name was Harry?" Eileen said with a grin.
"Eileen, we're kind of in hiding, we need to use different names while we're here, Harriet and Herman Gratter."
"Hiding? From who?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well it's a long story, and if we're found out, Harr-err Herman could be in danger. He, ahh, witnessed several murders and we're in what they called 'Protective Custody', but England isn't safe for us right now."
"MY GOD, that's horrible. Is there any thing I can do to help?"
"No, we just need to blend in, and Harr-err Herman here is in dire need of cheering up." She reached over and gave his hand a squeeze.
"Well, there's SOO much to do here, you can spend time at the beach, or we go to the parks in Orlando, and there's the keys just past Miami---"
"Thanks, but right now, we'd both really like to just get to our flat."
"Flat? Oh you mean apartment. Hermione, your mom said that you two are to share an apartment while you stay here, kind of unorthodox if you ask me, two young teenagers in love alone in an apartment, but your mom seems to trust you." Hermione blushed so much Eileen smiled. "I managed to get a two bedroom for you for the next 6 weeks in my building; it's only 2 doors from my place. It's a cozy place for two with a breathtaking view of the ocean."
"What makes you think we're in love?" he asked nervously.
"Oh, I can tell," she said as she winked to them.
Hermione leaned to Harry to whisper so only he could hear. "I guess she really is a blood cousin of mine."
"Here we are, there's an elevator over there. We are all on the top floor. It's got a great view of the ocean for only three floors up."
"OK, we'll unpack, and I think a quick nap before we meet you for dinner."
"Herm--- Harriet, did you see that? The people here are walking around nearly naked!"
"We, I THOUGHT you'd take LONGER to notice," she pouted in jest. "No they're not nude, those are swimming suits."
"Now, don't get mad at me," he leaned closer and gave her an 'I'm sorry' kiss.
"Hmmm…I see why you're hiding out with him if they're after him."
Hermione blushed a deep crimson. "No, it's not want you think. He needs my prot--- help."
"OK, you two love-birds we're here."
They arrived at a beachfront three-story apartment building with a dramatic view of the ocean. "One of the perks of owning the building, I can conjure up empty apartments when I need them."
They carried their luggage upstairs, wishing they could use a weight reducing charm. Once safely inside, Hermione continued her interrogation. "What do you mean, 'love-birds', we're just 'friends'."
"Right and 'Boy George' is the real 'Queen of England'. You two aren't too obvious, but you were seen with her sleeping on your shoulder on the plane; and if you're just friends, why did you keep stroking her hair while she slept. You really need to be more discreet or just bring it out in the open, no one here will even notice.
Exhausted, they dropped their trunks in the middle of the room, bid Eileen good-bye, and started to examine the new apartment. It had a comfortable common area with a sofa, a couple of chairs and a television; connecting to the common room via a hallway was a pair of bedrooms, each with a bed larger then what either was used to at school, 'queen size' in the states. Opposite from the hall was a small, cozy kitchen with a table large enough for two.
"Harry, we'll use that room to sleep, it's a bit larger, and the other one to change." Even though they were together, and in love, they had not broached the next level of intimacy.
He nodded and fell into the bed.
She deposited her trunk in the smaller room, and unpacked their things, although it was obvious they would have to do some shopping hot him. When she thought he was asleep, she quietly entered the bedroom and cuddled next to him. It was a comfortable loving feeling. "I love you, Mione," he said as he held her in an embrace.
"I love you, too Harry," she cooed back.
He pressed another kiss to her forehead as he pulled the covers around them. "I meant what I said, I love you, unconditionally. I'll do anything for you," he whispered and reached over to turn the light out.
The day's events and revelations swirled through both their of sub consciousness, as they drifted off in each other's arms.
Two apartments away, a secret correspondence was being answered, as a large red and gold bird flew into the apartment. The woman relieved the bird of his burden, a sealed letter from his owner. She opened the letter and sat at her desk, keeping an eye on the large bird. Large parrots and macaws are seen in that part of Florida, but a bird of this size and color isn't a common sight.
Miss Madison
I trust the packages have arrived safely, and are concealed as I instructed last week. In this envelope is an additional method to contact me should you require my assistance. I trust your family is well and happy. I am looking forward to the next family reunion.
Albus
She picked up a pen and pulled a sheet of paper from her desk for a reply.
Albus,
Thank you for your thoughts of concern for my family, they are well and happy. Their lodging was not a problem and they are adjusting wonderfully. We are all looking forward to a wonderful visit.
I have reviewed the list and I am including my thoughts for your approval.
Also, I don't believe they know.
Until we meet again,
Eileen