Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! A little longer then the last. Sorry it took so long, but I've been out of town for the last two weekends. Enjoy!
Chapter 9
"How are you holding up, Hermione?" Harry asked as he lead Ron and Hermione through the dense woods.
"I'm all right," she huffed as she stayed close behind him.
"Oh, I'm fine, luv," Ron panted as he brought up the rear. "Thanks for asking."
Harry grinned as he pushed a branch aside. "Good to know, sweetheart."
"Ha. Ha. Ow! Jeez, Hermione careful with the branches! That's the fourth time you let one slap in my face."
"Sorry Ron," she said with no feeling. "Keeps slipping."
"Yeah, right. How much farther?"
"Nearly there," Harry said. "And stop whining."
"I don't whine."
"Ha!" Hermione laughed. "Yeah right, and by the way, I don't have bushy hair and I'm a complete slob."
Harry laughed. "Good one. Ah, here we are."
The trio stopped at a dead end where hundreds of trees and bushes blocked their path. An average hiker would see that they were stuck and turn around to find another route. Harry then pulled out his wand and tapped four different tree trunks in the proper order. They stepped back as the trees and bushes began to shake, before they shifted and scattered around without hitting them, until they were safely in the middle of a circle of trees. Nestled against the woods was a tiny cabin made of glass and wood.
"Smoke is coming out of the chimney," Ron pointed out. "Tonks and Lupin must be here."
The three of them trudged up the rotten wooden steps that if not protected by magic, would have surely collapsed. As soon as they opened the door and stepped inside, Harry's stomach growled and mouth watered. "I smell coffee and toast," Harry sighed.
"I smell bacon," Ron sniffed.
"Harry?" Tonks appeared from the kitchen and then smiled brightly. "You're back! Oh, it's so good to see you three!"
Tonks, who now was spending all her time with Lupin these days, looked far different than last year. She looked radiant. Her hair was a bubbly sunlight blonde and her cheeks were filled with color. "You look great, Tonks," Harry said returning her hug.
"Oh, you're sweet," she blushed. "Come in the kitchen, I'm sure you're hungry. Hey, glad to see the eyebrows have grown back."
"Yeah," he said with a grin. "I'd like to keep them that way."
"Oh, I'm much better in the kitchen, just ask Remus. Please, have a seat at the table."
"Where is Lupin?" Hermione asked taking a seat next to Harry, while Ron sat across from them.
"He's in the shower, he'll join us in a second."
"Tonks, if that's bacon I smell, I'm going to have to make lo--" Lupin stopped dead in his tracks when he first noticed them. "Oh, hey guys. I didn't realize you were back."
"We just got in," Ron said as Harry and Hermione shared an amused grin. It wasn't difficult for either of them to figure out what Lupin would have finished saying.
"Remus, sit down and I'll fix you a plate of eggs with your bacon."
"Tonks has come quite the little homemaker," he teased but did as he was told. "So, Harry…is everything destroyed?"
"Yes, the last one was tough, but luckily my gift as a parselmouth helped us. Nagini is dead."
"No one was hurt?" he asked as he leaned back to allow Tonks to place his plate in front of him.
"No. A few close calls, but we were very lucky."
"What's going on in your end?" Hermione asked. "Any news?"
"Yes, actually we got a tip off. We have a lot to tell you three, so why don't we eat first and I'm sure your dying for a shower."
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Harry was the last to have his turn in the shower. He let Ron and Hermione race to see who got to take the first round, but Hermione was too sneaky and gave him a charm that had his feet stuck to the floor. Although he was very amused, he took pity on him and let Ron take the next shower.
Now, he was under the hot spray, taking his time while he let the warm water ease his aches and bruises. He had gotten quite a few over the last few months and sleeping on hard ground and rocky cave floors didn't help much either. Last night, however, was the first time in a long time he had a good couple of hours of sleep and it was all thanks to Hermione.
He grinned to himself as he ducked his head under the spray, washing out the last of his shampoo. He still couldn't believe what had happened between them. She would always be his best friend, becoming involved with her didn't change that. It was what made their relationship so special. It wasn't just about running off for a quick snog, like he did with Ginny, although kissing Hermione was rather enjoyable. He looked forward to doing it again soon. But with Hermione, he knew he could still talk to her the way he always in the last six and half years he knew her. She was still his Hermione. Nothing would change that.
When the water started to turn cold and his fingers were wrinkled, he finally shut off the spray and stepped out, grabbing a towel to rub through his hair. He picked up his glasses, wiping the steam off his lenses before putting them on and had just finished wrapping the towel around his waist when the door flew open. He jumped and his hands gripped the knot on his towel when he saw Hermione standing in front of him.
"Oh, I am…I am so sorry," she said to him even though her eyes were staring at his chest. "I thought you were…wow…I…er…" Her eyes finally moved to his eyes. "I thought you were in the room changing, I…"
"I just got out of the shower," he said grinning when she started to blush.
"Yeah, I can see that," she said flustered. "Well, I…I'll just leave you to it and…what are you doing?"
Harry took a step towards her, reaching above her head to close the door behind him. "Since you're here," he said backing her up against the door. "Might as well take advantage of it."
"Harry, you canmph…" His mouth crushed down on hers, silencing whatever she was going to say. She moaned and melted against him as her hands started to explore his bare damp chest. He shivered at the feel of her soft touch and murmured her name in approval, before sliding his tongue between her lips. He pushed himself firmly against her, desperately wanting to get closer to her, but it never seemed to be close enough. Their mouths devoured each other, their tongues clashed, their hands groped. There was nothing soft and gentle about this kiss. It was filled with need and passion.
"Harry," Hermione groaned pulling away. "We have to…Oh merlin."
Harry's mouth had found her neck, enjoying the way she responded to him. She clung to him like a second skin and he could feel her trembling from head to toe. Merlin, the things he wanted to do to her. "Hermione." He nipped at her bottom lip, before kissing her deeply until she all but surrendered. "This is insane. We always seem to lose control."
"This is a bad idea," she whispered a she pulled away, then groaned when she looked down at his chest. "A very bad idea."
"I guess it wasn't the smartest idea to kiss you like that while I'm only wearing a towel." He grinned and kissed her softly. "To be continued."
"I can't stop shaking," she said as their foreheads touched.
"I know, me either." He pulled her against him and hugged her close as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Why don't you take a few moments in here, while I go to the bedroom and change. I'll see you out in the den, okay?"
He leaned back, framing her face softly and gently nipped at her lips once, twice and then a third and fourth time before finally pulling back. He gave her a wink and a smile before stepping out of the bathroom. Harry let out a shaky breath as he shook his head in amazement as he walked into the only bedroom. Would they ever be able to be alone and not jump each other? He grinned as he start to change. He didn't know, but he was going to enjoy finding out.
"We know when Voldemort and the Death Eaters are going to attack?"
Harry, who was sitting in the middle of Ron and Hermione on the couch, sat straight up in his seat. "What?" he asked as his heart plummeted. "How? When?"
"Let me start from the beginning," he said calmly as he held up his hands. Lupin was sitting in a pulled up chair along with Tonks who was sitting beside him. "We got a tip off from an American wizard, I don't know his name, for his safety only the minister knows who he is. He lives in New York, but has a cabin up in Maine that he visits on the weekend. About a month ago he and his girlfriend had a row, girlfriend is a muggle and doesn't know he's a wizard…doesn't matter…anyway, to get away he decides to change into a hawk. He's an Animagus. He wanted to clear his head, so he says, and the best way to do it is a nice long flight. He was circling back around when he noticed a certain glow in the woods, so curious he swooped down to take a closer look."
"What did he see?" Hermione asked gripping Harry's hand.
"Circle of cloaked men around a fire. He perched in a near by tree and heard everything. It was Death Eaters and they were planning the final attack. He heard every detail of the plan. When, how and where. Soon as he heard everything he acted right away, apparating to the ministry to tell his story."
Harry linked his fingers with Hermione as he let the information sink in. "When?"
Lupin sighed. "The day after tomorrow. They plan to attack Hogwarts."
Hermione gasped. "Oh no, all those students!"
To their surprise Lupin grinned. "Oh, don't worry about the students, they're safe. Hogwarts has been closed all year."
"What?" Harry asked shaking his head. "But it was announced in the papers that Hogwarts would open."
"Ah, yes, that's what we wanted everyone to think. See, the ministry announced that Hogwarts would be open and that at least one guardian had to travel with their child straight to Hogwarts for safety. The real reason was so the parents could be informed of what really was going on."
"I don't understand?" Hermione asked.
"Well, as soon as the students arrived, we transferred them to a safe home. I can't say where, but it's safe. That's where the students have been, but before they left they had to leave behind a lock of their hair."
"What?" Ron asked confused. "What for?"
"The ministry rounded up all the Aurors around the world, from Ireland, to Scotland, Bulgaria, France, Italy, to the States. The Aurors would take the polyjuice potion of a specific student and pretend to be them."
"So it was a hoax," Hermione said. "To trick them into believing the students would be there, so they could attack. It's brilliant!"
"Why weren't we told?" Harry asked.
"Safety precautions is all," Lupin said. "They plan to attack in the morning, hoping for a surprise attack, but we'll be there waiting."
"When do we leave?" Harry asked.
"Right away," he said standing up. "The apparating charms for Hogwarts will be down for five seconds in about twenty minutes. You're to apparate to McGonagall's office." They both nodded in agreement. "You should also probably know, that Ginny, Neville and Luna refused to go to the safe house. They're at Hogwarts."
"What?!" Ron exclaimed standing up. "Are you kidding me?! Why would they do that?!"
"They knew this day would come and they wanted to be there when it did."
Ron growled in frustration as he started to pace. "I'm going to strangle Ginny's scrawny little neck, then Luna's too. No, first I'm going to kiss her, then I'm going to strangle her."
"Ron," Hermione said gently as she stood and went to him. "They are just doing what any of us would have done."
"That's not the point, I'm still going to strangle them."
She grinned. "Well, at least be gentle."
"While we're waiting to leave," Tonks said eyeing Harry then Hermione who had just sat back down next to Harry. "Mind telling us what's going on between you?
Harry could feel his cheeks turn red as he stole a nervous glance with Hermione. "Er…well, I…Hermione and I…well…here's the thing…."
"What Harry is tryingto say is," Hermione interrupted as she grabbed his hand. "We're together now."
Tonks and Lupin both beamed. "Well, we knew you were going to end up with one of these guys, Hermione," Tonks said with a laugh. "But we didn't know which until the wedding."
Hermione blushed. "Ron and I would be a match made in hell."
"Hey!" Ron said offended.
"Well, it's true Ron," Hermione laughed. "Besides you and Luna are too perfect for each other."
Ron grinned. "Yeah, we sure are." He then scowled. "But I'm still going to strangle her."
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Well, there you have it! Coming up next, the gang heads to Hogwarts to prepare for the final battle!