Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: Ok, here we go...you might have been waiting for this, and yep this is why the book is rated NC17, and for more than one reason. Many, many thanks to Lady Starlight for her gracious beta work and bouncing ideas back, however as usual, all mistakes are mine alone, so blame me. Also one other point I noticed today. Gabrielle is eleven not fourteen as it said in chapter 4, I'm not going back and correcting it as I'd loose the reviews but it should be ok, going forward.

Chapter 9: A Dark Majority Part One.

**************************# 4 Privet Drive*******************************

July 31, 1997.
12:01 am

Several hooded, cloaked figures watched with incipient glee as the wards around the house, the plain Muggle house of three bigoted, hating people flared and died. Harsh laughter echoed off the clipped and neat lawns of the monotonously similar homes as a tall, goateed man strode up to the door and flicked his wand, knocking it flying into the house, with a great clatter and crash.

The Death Eater smiled, as his fingers of his left hand came up and swept greasy, night-black bangs from his brow. Heavy footsteps sounded on the stair landing above, "FREAKS" Vernon Dursley screamed as Snape causally motioned with his wand and he suddenly hung inverted in the air for a long instant before slamming down the stairs to land bleeding and battered at the traitor's feet. Snape gestured with a pair of fingers over his shoulder and pointed upstairs.

Boots slapped carpeted stairs, and a moment later a high-pitched scream came from upstairs. Snape smirked as he used his wand to levitate Vernon to the pristine, white living room. A moment later, two more Death Eaters appeared, with Dudley and Petunia in tow. Ropes shot out of wands to wrestle each to the ground. A miss-set clock chimed midnight and Snape gave a harsh laugh.

"You can't even get the time right, stupid Muggles." He laughed as the other Death Eaters joined him. A suspicious puddle gathered under Dudley as a dark haired, darkly suggestively dressed woman appeared from behind Severus. Several of the attending Death Eaters gave her a half bow, almost groveling in her presence.

"Don't dawdle Sev..." Bellatrix said softly as she ran a finger down his cheek and slithered over to Dudley. Her tongue licked absently along her full lips. Bella's wand flicked and he hung in the air...

"No don't" Petunia screamed, Bella smiled coldly as she turned to her and absently flicked her wand behind her in the air. A terrible CRACK sounded in the house as Dudley's head hung at an odd angle and he fell from the air; his eyes were dead and blank. "No, NO..." Petunia screamed, and broke into sobs as Bella flicked her wand and the ropes binding her vanished. She crawled over to him, "Dudders...my poor Dudders..."

Snape smiled darkly as he turned back to Vernon, "tell me Vernon, where is Potter?"

"I don't know where that freak is...don't all of you FREAKS track each other...ask that Ministry place of yours." The Death Eaters crowded into the suburban home laughed. One at the door shook with dark mirth as they stared at the poor, doomed Muggles.

"Poor little dirty Muggles...you know so little of a world that you hate." She smiled slightly as her wand flicked and Vernon shut up. "Crucio" She muttered almost lovingly and Vernon shook, and twisted. Veins popped up in his neck as he turned puce and his mouth locked open in a silent scream.

"Bella..." Severus snarled reproachfully. She pouted, but relented and canceled the curse. Snape gave her a small nod and returned to Vernon. "After all, Bellatrix...that way is so inefficient." His wand flashed and Vernon shot across the room, to be held spread-eagled against wall by invisible bonds. Another flick and Vernon's eyes locked open, fixed on Snape's.

Vernon tried and failed to scream once more as Snape's mind ripped though his. Offal of an unorganized mind shot past Snape's probe, until he finally managed to steer his way to memories of Harry. Images of Harry's childhood here, interspersed with occasional encounters with someone from the Wizarding world. Feelings of...fear associated with Harry emerged and Snape laughed. He flicked his wand at Vernon and the florid man fell to the ground, a vacant look in his eyes and a line of drool escaping his lips.

Snape...smirked at Vernon and bent close, flicking his wand at Petunia to toss them together in a pile on the floor. She was frozen, rightly so, in fear. "You poor stupid Muggles, it was not Potter you should have feared...but us. He was your only hope...poor as it is." The Dursleys' eyes were huge as he stood and ran his fingers contemplatively over a night black, neatly trimmed goatee. "I will say this..." his beady eyes bored into theirs, "you did at least treat him as he should have been treated...pity you were so incompetent at actually killing him. Unfortunately for you...we are not." He wheeled and turned in a flutter of a shadowy cloak and left.

Through the still open door, twin flashes of green briefly lit the darkened lawn. "Did they know anything..." Bellatrix asked as they watched the Dark Mark bloom hatefully above the lawns and roofs of Privet Drive.

"No." Snape shrugged slightly, "No one from the Order has visited all summer, I suppose the reports of its shattering after the death of its great leader, are true. " They both sneered identically, the sneer of those who knew in their hearts of hearts, they still were no match for the fallen Phoenix Wizard, "No surprise really. Potter left weeks ago...Granger was here to collect him it seems."

"Interesting, our last report from Draco was that he had taken up with the little blood traitor bitch Weasley." She laughed, "he left her for that mousy little bookworm?"

Snape arched an eyebrow, "I daresay that you haven't seen her lately Bella, I would have thought that one with your shall we say peculiar ... proclivities would have paid greater attention. And what Malfoy reported was a sham...the signs that Weasley had altered him were unmistakable to a Potions Master such as myself. Eventually even Potter's minuscule brain, just like his father's, would have eventually discovered it. Though I am sure that Granger told him, she always does all of this thinking for him anyway." A soft pop sounded on the lawn as Snape vanished. A half dozen others followed, leaving only Bella behind. She blew a kiss towards the Dark Mark, floating high in the sky and vanished.

***************************#12 Grimmauld Place***********************

1:35 am.

Hermione cracked open a bleary eye as Harry moaned in his sleep and shook, shaking her from her, now, normal sleeping position on his shoulder. She gasped as she saw the scar standing luridly out from his forehead in the moonlight leaking through their bedroom window. She crawled upward, feeling his forehead. On impulse she kissed the scar, and suddenly Harry's moans fell silent. She groaned slightly as she tasted Harry's blood on her lips. Hermione absently licked it away as if it were her own and settled into his shoulder as she felt his mind relaxing in their link.

She glanced across the darkened room to see the softly glowing, sad eyes of their familiars looking over at them and sighed. Crookshanks had taken the window seat as his own as soon as he and his mistress had moved in with Harry a week ago. A brief absent smile flitted across tired lips under troubled eyes as she compared the strange ease the kneazle and the owl had with one another, especially when compared to their relations with Pig. You would think they're human...Hermione thought absently.

"Who Mione?" Harry asked in a sleep-addled tone.

"Our pets..." As one the kneazle and the owl glared at her, "ok, familiars happy?" The two animals seemed to nod as one. Hedwig gave her a soft hoot, and took flight, the enchanted window opening for her as she passed. Crookshanks sauntered by the bed, his tail held high as he pawed at the door to the hall. It opened for him and shut firmly behind him.

Harry bent his head up enough to look at the door without dislodging Hermione from her sleeping spot, which was honestly about the only thing that let him actually sleep through the night. "Did your cat just slam the door?" He asked perplexedly.

"Yeah...I think so."

"Weird."

"Yeah." Her neck bent slightly as she pressed her lips to his shoulder, "what's wrong Harry, I thought he couldn't get through any more." The worry in her voice was palatable.

Harry sighed and rolled to his side, pulling her into his chest. "He can't really." He replied, thoughtfully, as the brief flash snapped back into his head. "He was more just letting me know he was happy. I really hate it when he's happy." Harry added softly. He glanced at an enchanted Muggle clock over her shoulder. Red glowing numbers told the time, and he chuckled softly. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I can Apparate and stuff now. I passed that arbitrary line the Ministry laid down."

"That's nice dear, are you really going to wake me up for the next three hundred years to tell me stuff like that?" She grinned softly.

"I might" Harry replied as he tried to wear his most affronted look and failed, horribly. Hermione giggled at him and rolled over, snuggling back into his chest. She sighed softly as happy hands slipped under her loose shirt, one of his actually, and danced along her stomach muscles lightly. She giggled again as he jangled a belly button ring that Tonks and Luna had dared her to get in Muggle London and that a quick wand flick had instantly healed and deadened any pain as soon as they were out of the shop. "That tickles."

"Good." Harry replied as his hands slipped higher and lightly cupped a breast under her shirt. Hermione purred contently and shivered slightly.

"What do you want for your birthday Harry?" Hermione whispered as her eyes slipped shut under his absent efforts.

"Besides the obvious?" Harry smirked as she wiggled her bottom in response to elicit a groan.

"Yeah..." she rolled her neck as Harry nipped at it playfully.

He shrugged and looked out over the nighttime rooftops of London, seeing the stars through the enchantments that removed the excess spill of London back ground lights and the haze of the ever-present smog. "To be normal, Mione. To hold you, to walk down a bloody street holding your hand and not have to worry about a Death Eater attack or some random Death Nibbler going home to tell mummy and daddy about it. To go to dinner or a movie and just be us, not the bloody Chosen One and his whatever you are...do they have a nickname for you yet?"

"Not yet." Hermione replied, "I'm hoping for something like the Girl-Who-Shagged-The Boy-Who-Lived. Kind of a Bond title." Harry grinned, white teeth flashing in the moonlight.

"We could work on that, you know." He paused, "did I tell you how cute you look in knickers and my shirt?

"You just like the color." She replied and rolled back to kiss him, and burrow into his chest.

"I admit, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of your unmentionables that seem to be the color of my eyes..." Hermione's eyes rolled and her fingers flicked. An emerald green thong shot out of a drawer to whack him on his head. "I would have rather you had them on first, but hey." Harry commented softly.

"Boys..." Hermione muttered. She pulled back and looked at Harry, "Seriously Harry..." She blushed slightly; prettily in the moonlight and Harry felt his stomach quiver happily. "I was actually planning on um..."

"You were huh?" He asked softly. "Hermione I will wait for whenever you..."

Hermione laughed slightly bitterly, "no, that's not it...if Tonks hadn't landed that kick on my hip and dislocated it...she fixed it, but it still hurts." She sighed as fingers traced lightly over that sore hip. "Of course if you keep that up."

Harry pulled her back into his chest, as she pillowed her head on his arm, "Go back to sleep love. I think we're ok for tonight." Hermione closed her eyes with a sigh and slipped off.

****************************Privet Drive***************************

4:00 am

Mad-Eye Moody looked annoyed. Not that that was a totally unusual state of affairs but it was the truth. He glared up at the Dark Mark that had yet to fade from sight as he stomped in his peculiar peg-legged stride towards the house. He waved at a pair of Aurors that he had trained thirty years ago and came to stand next to Remus Lupin who was glaring down at the covered bodies of the Dursleys. If not for the bodies and the slight indentation on the wall where Vernon had been held by Snape, and some overturned furniture, it would have looked as if nothing had happened, totally unlike the scene when Petunia's sister had died.

Yeah, it's a lot different when they can fight back. Remus thought absently as he turned to Mad-Eye annoyedly. "Why didn't you tell me, Moody?" He growled, "Were you planning on keeping this from Harry too, just like you've kept the breakout from us?"

"I just found out about Azkaban yesterday Remus. I bloody well have enough with getting on with without having to cater to you and your bird and Potter." Remus growled for real then.

"Do not tell me that you just insulted my fiancée and Harry in the same sentence Alastor." Lupin brown eyes turned to flint as he felt those bonds fray once more. His hands flexed as a pair of Aurors eased around them and headed for parts unknown. A heavy stifling silence settled in the room.

Mad-Eye shook his head, "Blimey Remus...I will get Kingsley to apologize...I like Tonks, she's a fine Auror, and you know that I support Potter." He pulled a shining silver flask from a deep pocket and took a hit.

"Then support him, with whatever he's doing. He's the one Voldemort is after."

The pair of them left the house as Aurors and Obilivators started knocking on surrounding doors. An Auror in a chartreuse robe conjured a for sale sign on the lawn and stepped out of the way as three covered bodies floated out of the house and into a large, black, unmarked van. "If he's so important, then he should be in hiding. Not out taking down Death Eaters."

"Bloody Fucking Hell, Mad-Eye, is that all you lot have to say, some variation on hide Harry...we'll protect you and your loved ones. Huh? He's like James, he won't back down from a fight." Lupin rubbed his eyes tiredly, he had been half-asleep, listening to Tonks complain about sore ribs from Hermione landing a kick to them yesterday afternoon when the summons had come. A brief smile flitted across his face as he remembered Tonks' counter that had popped Hermione's hip and probably added to his de facto Godson's frustration at the same time. An Auror course was supposed to take two to three years, he and Tonks were trying to cram it down Harry, Hermione and Ron's throat in months at the most. "We've done such a great job at it after all."

"Is this some transference thing from James and Lily?" Alastor accused quietly.

"Yes." Remus replied as he stared at the man who had killed or captured untold numbers of dark wizards in his career, and Mad-Eye stepped back slightly. "I failed them. I won't again. Alastor there are two things, well three that I fully intend to do before I die. I will marry Nymph before she realizes what a mistake she has made. I will either kill Peter or watch him die, either is fine actually though the former is preferable. And I will live to see Harry kill Tom and have the life that James and Lily would have wanted him to have." He sighed and glanced at a pocket watch he removed from his pocket. "I am going to let Harry have his birthday if at all possible before I tell him of this and of Azkaban. The rest is up to you Alastor. If you want to talk to Nymph or I, come yourself, Kingsley is no longer welcome in my home. Good day." Lupin vanished with a small pop, leaving Mad-Eye looking oddly back towards the house.

**********************Grimmauld Place****************************
4:00 pm.

Hermione glanced up at Harry across the library table as he worked on an essay for Lupin. The pair of them along with Ron, who had mysteriously vanished soon after their afternoon training session was complete, had discovered that the Auror course that at the three of them were on was not only shooting curses and throwing punches. Harry was currently working on three feet for Remus on detecting magical traps, while Hermione was on her fourth foot for Tonks, for field-improvised equipment and supplies using both Muggle methods and Transfiguration/Charms.

She glanced down, finished the line she had been working on and blew it dry. She rolled the parchment up and sealed it with a charm to prevent Ron from peaking. Hermione got up from her chair, sauntered around the table, and without warning seized the back of Harry's head and kissed him, hard.

She stepped back with twinkle in her eye as Harry blinked up at her confusedly and she fought not to laugh at his expression. "Umm...not complaining mind you, but..."

"You looked so kissable," she purred as she ran a finger down her throat and across her chest. She fought not to laugh as Harry's eyes followed her every move. She turned on her heel and left the Library, feeling disappointed eyes on her the whole time. I'm going to go get ready.

Hermione! Harry shot back and she giggled as she entered their room and started pulling out the clothes she had fortunately already selected ahead of time.

She heard him coming up the stairs and the door opening quietly behind her. She turned around, her shirt hanging open. A worried look darkened her eyes as she realized she should have probably warned him, it's ok Harry; we don't have...

Harry shook his head slightly as he crossed the room and kissed her, Hermione let out a slight, contented sound as she let him hug her, No, I meant it Hermione, when I said don't take them for granted. I...I would like to meet them before I...um...

What Harry? She prodded gently.

Before I...well, never mind. You know that you get to pick out my clothes right? Hermione rolled her eyes and gestured towards the bed. A green button down-shirt and a new pair of jeans sat waiting for him. "You really have a green fetish don't you?" Harry teased.

"Would you rather I preferred blondes with gray eyes?" She shot back with a twisted half smile that knotted his guts.

Harry raised a finger to his chin and pretended to think. "Well that depends...do you mean Luna or Draco...if it's Luna I would admit that would be rather hot, otherwise, its just sick and wrong." Harry ducked the softly thrown shoe as he retreated to the bathroom with his clothes to take a shower.

********************Canton England, Granger Family Home************

6:00 pm.

The almost silent double pop of Harry and Hermione's arrival was almost lost in the early evening chirping of birds as they arrived in the back yard of a relatively upscale home. A moderately sized swimming pool sat over to one side in the large back yard; with a tool-shed set back a ways from it. A small painted cathouse sat next to that, with the name of Hermione's familiar emblazoned in gold lettering on an otherwise crimson, tiny house. Harry turned slowly, taking in the surrounding as he looked up at the light blue painted house. A large, sliding glass door stood open at the rear of the house, and as they looked up, a woman with wavy chestnut hair stepped out from the kitchen.

"MUM," Hermione cried and the woman looked up with a huge smile blossoming on her face. Jane Granger looked just like her daughter, with the peculiar exception of bright blue eyes inherited from an odd, irascible Scottish grandfather and the fact that Hermione was actual an inch or two taller. Hermione crashed into her mother, and Harry instantly knew that he wasn't the only recipient of those hugs of doom.

"I'm glad you made it honey." She exclaimed as Hermione let go. A slight knowing smile lit Jane's face as she took in Harry. Her eyes flicked sideways to Hermione and back to Harry. She laughed. "Oh for God's sake hold his hand or something..." Hermione gave her mum another hug before returning to Harry's arm.

"Hello Mrs. Granger." Harry said softly, extending his hand. He was briefly shocked as Jane ignored the proffered hand and pulled him into a hug. Harry stiffened for an instant before relaxing.

"Please Harry, call me Jane." Her eyes shot to Hermione. "I get the feeling that we might as well get comfortable with each other now." She laughed slightly. "So Harry...you're a wizard...."

"Mum."

"Just kidding," She waved them towards a patio table where a tray of drinks was already sweating in the temperate July evening. "Harry I have to say that your...familiar, is that correct, not a pet, is very lovely and quite friendly for an owl."

Harry and Hermione shared a glance, briefly remembering the conversation with a pair of familiars this morning, they chuckled at the inside joke, "Thanks, Yeah...Hedwig actually doesn't like to be called a pet. Kind of like Crooks.'

"Yes, that bloody cat does think it's a member of the family or something." An amused tenor replied wryly from the door. Hermione grinned as she jumped up and hugged the newcomer.

"Hi daddy." Hermione murmured, as she was almost lost in the arms of her father. Roger Granger was a large man, 6'2" and broad, but where Vernon might be the same size, Roger was solid, the build of a man who had worked hard for a living with his body and was just now relaxing into a profession where he didn't have to any more. Harry watched the two of them with a slight lump in his throat.

Roger came over and Harry took his hand, a grip that was firm, but not crushing, one of a man confident in who and what he was. One kind of like the one Dumbledore had first given him all those years ago. Harry smiled, "It's very nice to meet you sir."

"I'm sure that Jane has already told you about being formal here. Roger please, Harry." Harry smiled as he nodded and made a soft excuse about needing to go the loo. Jane pointed it out to him and he left with a nod.

"He's very polite" Roger observed softly. He looked at Hermione, "so when are you two getting married?" Hermione had been in the process of taking a drink; she sprayed lemonade all over the table and glared at each of them in turn.

"Dad...that's..."

"Too fast, too slow, what daughter of mine?" He played with his glass, "so this is the famous Harry Potter that we heard about every time we actually saw each other for the last six years. He seems...shorter than I would have expected. And I don't see any wings..."

Hermione took a breath, and realized they were teasing her; she gave them a tentative smile. "Do you really want to know the answer to that question dad?" She crooked an eyebrow, "do you want to know that he has only played on the edges of that, but that if he asked tonight I'd marry him tomorrow. I know that you think that we're young but..."

Jane smiled and reached out grab her hand briefly. "No we know that you're mature honey...now why don't you go see about Harry, it's been a bit, make sure he hasn't fallen in." Hermione gave a silent, slow nod and went to go find Harry.

"Well what do you think so far? Besides the fact that she's in love with him enough to charge the gates of hell for him?" Roger asked. "I will admit that he seems a much better match for her than that Ron bloke she was dating there for a bit."

Jane scowled, "I get the impression that something else was going on there if I read between the lines of what she said to us, and the letters she sent...like she was fighting against something. And even besides that, when they looked at each other, there was a...desperation there, I've not..."

"I have." Roger said softly, "Dear you know exactly who paid my way into dental school. The crown didn't give me that funding for hanging out on a beach somewhere... I've seen that same look on blokes, sitting in a little hole somewhere in the jungle, knowing that when they jump out to go do their duty, chances are they aren't coming back."

She sighed and looked toward the house, "it's like when you were at Hereford, and couldn't tell me where you were going, when they called you up." Jane looked at her hands, noticing idly a wedding ring that had been put there by a Sergeant Granger all those years ago, right before he got out and they started Dental School together. "I know that our baby is getting into something that is dangerous as all hell and is afraid to admit it to us, because we might try to stop her. Not that we could or she would, but that we'd try."

Hermione knocked softly on a closed door to a bathroom hallway. Not hearing a response, she entered to find Harry sitting on the closed lid of the toilet, fully clothed, staring up at her. Found you.

Sure did. Harry agreed. Sorry I ran off, but I...

Got sudden flashes of wonder what would have happened if your parents survived...remember I know you as well as you know me. Hermione commented as she knelt down and captured his lips softly. Her forehead slipped forward to touch his. It's ok Harry; we can stay here all night if you want.

No let's go...love you have to move, it's a bathroom...not much room...Hermione gave him a slight grin and took his hand as she led him back outside to her parents and the meal on the patio.

Two hours later Hermione stood nursing a cup of coffee as she leaned back against the kitchen counter with her mother looking on. "So mum, I know you're dying to ask?" In the fading twilight, the pair of them could see Harry and Roger standing out near Crookshanks cathouse talking. Or rather Roger seemed to be, while Harry shrugged a lot.

Jane leaned on her elbows facing Hermione. A mug of coffee was in her hand as she smiled slightly at her only daughter. She sighed as she set the mug on the counter and ran her hand through hair so similar to her daughters. Jane dropped her hand from her hair and played absently with her ring for a moment. She looked back up at Hermione. "How bad is it Hermione?"

"Real bad, mum, real bad." Hermione bit her lip and frowned slightly. She took a sip of the after dinner coffee and absently sent a mental hug to Harry, she could see him shuffling his feet and looking down slightly as he talked to her father "Dumbledore's dead and Harry's the only real hope now...or I guess Harry, Ron and I are rather. Harry's dealing...I guess. He's lost almost everyone he considers family he had left, in the last two years, except me and the Weasleys and Remus...and even that isn't entirely true." Hermione trailed off as she glanced at her boyfriend who was laughing at something her dad said.

"What happened honey?"

Hermione's eyes fell to the tile floor. She shuffled her feet slightly, remarkably like Harry, Love, mum wants to know about what happened...

Jane's eyebrow crooked absently as she watched Harry pointedly turn to Hermione and catch her eyes through the open sliding door. Go ahead, Mione. Do what you think is best...maybe it's better if they know. It might explain some things to them.

Hermione's lip twitched upward and Jane smirked to herself as she picked up her coffee to hide her smile, They already asked when we are getting married, baby. Hermione barely stopped a laugh as she saw Harry spit his coffee over the lawn.

"So" Jane inquired casually, "do you two do this telepathic thing all the time?" Hermione goggled at her a bit, "I've known you for almost eighteen years, maybe not as well as that boy out there, but I am your mother, Hermione Jane."

"Don't tell anyone, mum, nobody else knows," Hermione pleaded softly and Jane nodded with a little smile. "Actual words, like a couple of weeks," Hermione replied quietly, "Emotions, ideas...probably since first year." Jane's jaw dropped slightly.

"So," she said shakily, she had been mostly kidding. "How does it work, do you hear all his thoughts and?"

"Oh Merlin, no." Hermione laughed slightly, "Most of the time, it's more like just talking, if we don't specifically try to think to each other, it doesn't come across...If I try though...I can feel his heartbeat, I can hear what he hears, but that takes a specific effort usually, which is rather tiring, unless...." Hermione blushed slightly as she did not quite meet her mother's eyes. Jane grinned behind her hand. "And no I won't let him cheat off me in class...not that he'd ask." Hermione added quickly almost as an after thought.

"Back to my original question Hermione, what happened? I know, what you said to me after the Ministry, I never told your dad, but, I was half expecting you two to be here last Christmas..."

Hermione closed her eyes and groaned. "I failed him mum," She replied in a small, child-like voice...I got scared and ran, and then...it happened."

"What happened honey?"

Hermione paused and paced out of the kitchen, her mother following her. She settled on a comfortable couch and drew her knees up next to her. "Ginny." Hermione whispered. As she lowered her head to her knees Jane frowned and looked at her oddly.

She sat down next to Hermione, her hand rubbed softly on Hermione's neck but she didn't look up. "What about Ginny? I thought Ginny was your friend?"

"So did I." Hermione muttered, she took a breath and ran her hands though her hair. "She always had a crush on Harry, even more so after he saved her from the Basilisk..."

"You mean a really big snake that paralyzes people, they are a myth right?" Hermione shook her head absently to Jane's question, "You mean there really are Dragons, Hippogriffs and stuff, I thought you could just change things, move stuff around, a lot of other stuff..."

Hermione smiled slightly, remembering years in Hagrid's class, then groaned slightly as her behavior...all of the trio's behavior towards Hagrid last year registered. I'm getting back in... "Yeah mum, there are. Harry killed a Basilisk second year, after it paralyzed me and kidnapped Ginny, or maybe Riddle took her down there, we never really figured it out." Jane carefully listened knowing that Hermione was absently categorizing what she and Roger had worried about over the years that Hermione had never admitted to. " And we had a Hippogriff named Buckbeak at the school...Harry and I have rode him together, and Hagrid had a Dragon named Norbert, and then Harry fought one fourth year, and a Sphinx, and Blast-ended Skrewts...those really sucked." Hermione chuckled to herself.

She shook her head and turned back to Jane from were she had been reminiscing. "Ginny had a crush on Harry before she even met him. Molly evidentially used to regale her with tales of this boy wizard who defeated the most powerful wizard of the age at one" Hermione took a breath, and looked down, and the rest of the story tumbled out in a rush... "Ginny told me that she was over Harry, but she wasn't mum, she used me then she gave Harry a Love Potion so he'd love her, and she snuck a talisman into my planner to get me to like Ron. And but I was mad at Harry, he was using a book with the answers and he didn't need me so I shot some birds at Ron, and I went out went out with a jackarse to get Ron's attention, but I was trying to get free of the talisman. And Snape and Draco were really bad and I didn't listen to Harry and he was right, but he couldn't fight Snape cause of the potion weakening him and Dumbledore froze him to save him and...."

Hermione broke into tears, and heartbeat later, Jane learned just how close the link between her daughter and the wizard she had brought home with her actually was. Harry appeared like a ghost and gathered Hermione into his shoulder before he had even finished falling to his knees in front of her. "I'm sorry Harry." She sobbed, "I'm ruining your birthday."

"No love, you couldn't if you tried." Harry whispered, but loud enough for both Jane and Roger, who had followed him when Harry had broke into a run towards the house, to overhear. He leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss, and she smiled shyly at him as he thumbed away her tears. "You okay now? We probably need to get going if you still want to catch that movie, or we can stay. It's your call, Mione."

She gave him a small look of gratitude, more than enough to say what she didn't say. "We better go then." Hermione went and hugged each of her parents, she stepped back and started to reach for Harry's hand again, when a flash of inspiration crossed her thoughts. Hermione paced over to a large, open cabinet in the corner of the comfortable, but not immaculate living room. One could tell someone actually lived here, unlike the Dursleys where Petunia ruled with an iron fist, cleaning, or making Harry clean rather, until the room was sparkling. An abandoned drink glass sat on a coaster next to several marked, large books, a stack of medical journals and at least four remotes on a scarred by use coffee table.

Hermione briefly examined a pair of framed photos; one was of her the summer before she started Hogwarts and another, one she had taken at Hogwarts third year or rather Harry had taken it. In it Crookshanks was looking annoyed as a smaller, younger Hermione smiled up hugely at the camera, and Harry coincidentally, as she held up her half-Kneazle who had been forced to wear a Santa Hat. She laughed slightly, and took her wand from, somewhere, and tapped the frame as she muttered a long string of Celtic under her breath. The frame shook and glowed a soft gold before settling back onto the shelf. Hermione picked it up and pressed it into her mother's hands... "If you ever need us, grab the frame and think of Harry or I..." She glanced her dad and then back at her mum, "if something happens...run, don't try to fight them, please. Dad?" She asked, and Harry was privately sure there was something that he did not yet know about the man.

"We'll see." Roger replied and smiled. Hermione smiled softly back at them and her and Harry walked out into the yard. They vanished with almost nary a sound.

*******************************12 Grimmauld Place************************

11:45 pm

"So do you think I'm shagadellic baby?" Harry whispered against Hermione's lips as he softly pressed her back against the wall in the entrance to the old house. Hermione was never so glad as she was right now that it had taken Dobby a good fifteen seconds to remove the portrait of Sirius' mother once he had taken over for his "Master Potter." Of course he had used ten of those seconds rubbing his small hands together in glee, but no one was counting really.

"Lord...I knew we should have seen something different." Hermione muttered, she gasped slightly as he nibbled behind her ear. She sighed as she slumped slightly against the wall and arched her neck to give him a bit better access. Harry grinned as soft kittenish sounds slipped from her lips. Hands played softly with her exposed midriff and she giggled softly as her fingers started to work on the buttons of his shirt though a sudden haze of emotion. Her eyes glanced around the entrance to the house, "Harry..." she murmured urgently, though her fingers seemed to be on autopilot and had almost completed their initial task on of his shirt. "We can't do this he...herre...Oh..." she squealed as his hands slipped higher and slipped her bra aside. "Ohh...shit...Harry..."

"Yeah?" He replied then gulped as she retaliated by lightly running her fingers across his crotch. His eyes darkened further as his fingers tweaked a small nubbin that happened to be begging for attention.

Hermione placed her hands on top of her shirt, on top of his under it, and smirked, at his disappointed expression. "We can't do this Harry." She said slowly, and her heart fell at his hangdog expression, I meant not here silly...she corrected herself and smiled and kissed him as his eyes looked up at hers. "I am not doing this in the entrance hall, Harry..." she bit her lip considering her words, "well at least not the first time, Ron can get his show from Luna" Harry laughed as he pulled his hands free and placed them along side her head. He leaned in and kissed her, his tongue slipped home to hers...and she felt the sensation of Apparation for the first time with her powers in full bloom and her hormones racing.

Hermione panted wide-eyed as the sudden rush settled, followed by another, as she swept Harry's shirt from him. Her lips crashed to his, she giggled as she felt herself being swept from her feet and tossed on their bed behind her. Crookshanks let out an angry merow as he growled at them and left after narrowly having escaped being crushed. Harry leaned over her, panting slightly as dark, forest eyes looked into hers beseechingly, "Mione...we can stop right now, if you want."

Hermione's heart beat faster at the emotion the poor boy managed squeeze into those words. Her only response was to pull her wand from her jeans, point it at her belly, inconcievious. "Harry." Hermione replied softly, "Love, I've been wanting to all day...I wanted to yesterday..."

"Damn Tonks." They muttered as one, and laughed.

Harry leaned down and kissed her softly, almost chastely, "I love you..."

"I love you too...now get your arse in gear, Potter.'' Hermione growled. And then hissed, as her back arched off he bed as Harry's fingers slipped down the front of her jeans. She felt her jeans unbutton and Harry tugged on them until she raised her arse to let him slip them free. Of course she had to reciprocate, as she unbuttoned his jeans, letting Harry slip them off. Her eyes glanced down at a large bulge in a pair of snitch-patterned boxers and an eyebrow crooked.

Hermione licked her lips and Harry moaned as a small hand slipped inside and grabbed him, while the other, through some odd magic, managed to disappear those selfsame boxers. Her eyes slipped closed as she marveled in the sensation. Harry retaliated with even happier hands as he massaged her chest gently, pushing her bra out of the way, until it flummoxed him for an instant. Hermione laughed happily as Harry gave up, his eyes flickered and he snapped his fingers to vanish it.

Merlin you're beautiful. Harry whispered as his eyes met hers and his fingers rested lightly on her the waistband of her knickers. She nodded slightly and shivered as he slowly pulled them down, sliding down her entire body. She giggled as his tongue circled her belly button, his teeth grazed her hipbone softly and...

Hermione arched upward as Harry's tongue teased her gently and she saw stars... "Holy shit." She snapped and Harry chuckled against her thigh to watch her shiver again. Harry inched back upwards a fraction and returned to what he had been doing.

A soft keening, sound echoed in the room as Hermione's pulse raced. Her hands absently split time between knotting themselves in his hair and taking up the slack for Harry's hands were he had been paying attention to her breasts. She shivered, and bucked up off the bed as her hands fell to the sheets and twisted in them as her keens became low, animal growls. His tongue flicked once more, "OHH....FUCK....HARRY...." She screamed and arched up hard enough to throw Harry back.

She collapsed to the sweat-soaked sheets and looked up at him, panting as she enjoyed the warm afterglow filling her to her toes. A light sheen caught the moonlight from the window beyond and he gulped slightly at the sight, "Merlin you're beautiful." He repeated himself absently and she reached up to pull his lips to hers.

Her nails scratched down his back as she groaned, tasting herself. She lay back slightly. "Make love to me Harry...please..." White teeth worried at her bottom lip as she ran her fingers through locks dampened with sweat.

"Alright."

"Let me on top Harry." Hermione said almost shyly and he nodded. They flipped with a soft, shared groan and Harry's eyes slipped half-closed as a small hand took him in hand and positioned him. Their hands joined. A long shuttering moan slipped from his lips as Hermione slowly, tortuously lowered herself onto him, and paused as she reached an impediment...

"Look at me, Mione." Hermione blew wet bangs out of her eyes and met his gaze. Chocolate and jade eyes flared, as a green fire lit their eyes and she slowly forced herself downward. A distant sting was echoed in a twitch in Harry's face and they paused, waiting. Her breasts started heaving slightly as she sat motionless, adjusting. She bent forward to capture Harry's lips in hers; never letting go of his hands and...moved.

Eyes never left each other's as a crash of thoughts snapped back and forth and heartbeats, rushed to the same beat. Sweat beaded up on their bodies in the slightly cool room as Hermione leaned back to the extent of their arms and bounced before falling forward again, panting. Soft, repetitive moans slipped from her throat in an ever increasing stream as she felt Harry's feelings dancing over and mixing with her own, and a brief shudder, a mere teaser snapped along her nerves. "OHH...Fuck...me," Harry whispered heatedly.

"Wor..rrking on i..it" Hermione replied, breathlessly as Harry started to push her off, as he increased the rhythm they shared...She felt a flush building in her stomach...then with the rush of a flash fire along her nerves...she collapsed...spasming , as Harry continued to move, once, twice and followed her over the edge, letting go all at once. A rush of energy snapped outward from their bodies rattling the walls and knocking loose items to the floor. A whole set of DADA and Transfiguration tomes were dumped in a messy pile. Hedwig's perch was on its side and the closet doors hung oddly.

Hermione fell to his chest, breathing heavily as she continued to twitch randomly for several long moments. She nuzzled his chest as she look up into his eyes though damp bangs, a utterly sated smile on her face. "Well that was fun." She chuckled slightly and after a moment Harry joined her.

"Yeah." Harry agreed, and looked pointedly at her. Her eyes widened suddenly and she stretched to kiss him roughly.

"If you insist, I guess we can," Hermione said as she grinned evilly down at him.

You are going to kill me...

I am certainly going to try.

A/N: Ok, there we go, next chapter...we get to visit the Grangers again

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