Chapter 2: Blitzkrieg
It was eight O'clock in the morning inside a small apartment of Macross City. "Too … early …" one of the three occupants complained pulling her pillow over hear head.
"Come on, Lisa," one of the others said pacing, holding the cordless phone, and working at brushing her wild bushy hair. "We're going to be late!"
"Hermione, my head hurts … leave me alone …" Lisa responded looking up with bloodshot eyes.
"You shouldn't of hit the bottle so hard, luv," Hermione smirked but jumped slightly at the voice on the other side of the phone. "No I wasn't drinking mum, honestly!"
"You know I've too many responsibilities to do anything like that," Hermione continued on the phone, finally settling down in front of the mirror. "I know, I know, I have the responsibility to make you a grannie. We've been through this … yes, I know … yes … as soon as the Macross launches I'll settle down and start dating … No, Mum, I won't be an old maid … Mum … No, it has nothing to do with him … I gave up on him coming back a long time ago … NO! I am NOT going to write, call or owl Victor … bloody … Mum, I have … Mum … I have to … I'm going to be late, bye, love you!" She then slammed the phone on its hanger and shook her head, "Honestly …"
Hermione jumped when the phone rung again. She answered quickly with an angry sigh, "Listen Mother, I do not care about Harry Potter any … oh Claudia, where the bloody hell are you? Oh … oh right, Roy, should have known …oh, don't you start too. For the last time, I don't want to date one of Roy Folker's little flyboys … ok, see you at the ship. Bye." She then looked up and to her surprise, her other roommate, Lt. Commander Lisa Hayes was up and already in her uniform and looked extremely official.
"If you'd like to go on without me, Hermione," Lisa said walking toward the bathroom. "I still have to brush my teeth."
"Very well," Hermione nodded sliding into her shoes. "See you on the ship," she said as she walked out the door.
The walk from Hermione's apartment to the shipyard for the massive Battle Fortress was only a few minutes, and she quickly found herself at the checkpoint, and quickly showed her badge to the officer. "Welcome back, Doctor Granger," the soldier said giving a salute to the representative. "Allow me to give you a ride to the ship," he offered. Hermione smiled and nodded before climbing into the small golf cart-like transport.
Hermione sat back in her seat and let her mind roam back to her final year at Hogwarts, to her final week that she would never forget. The day of graduation started out happily enough, she was once again not speaking to her on again off again boyfriend Ron Weasley, and it looked as if he'd finally pushed her too far. But then what she feared the most happened, the most important person in her life was called to meet his destiny. Voldemort had come and challenged Harry Potter to the duel of his life.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were quickly taken to Dumbledore's office. He had instructed Ron and Hermione to remain there where Voldemort couldn't use them against Harry, and then left them so Harry could say his hopefully not final goodbyes.
"You best take care of her, Mate," Harry whispered into Ron's ear, nodding toward Hermione as the two best friends hugged. "If I don't make it back, and I see from upstairs that she ever wants for anything, I will haunt you till you die, then kick your arse when you cross over."
He then let go and turned toward Hermione. "Harry …" she said, voice cracking and looking up at him, as if seeing the real him for the first time. Cinnamon met emerald, and then the tears fell as she tackled him in a hug, "You're a much better wizard than him, and you're going to come back to us!"
Harry hugged her tightly then did something he had never done before. Hermione's teary eyes widened in shock as the Boy Who Lived pressed his lips to her cheek, "I'll come back someday, I swear."
After hearing that, Ron, who had been bawling for some time now, tackled both and the three just hugged and cried together till Dumbledore knocked on the door. "It's time, Harry," Dumbledore said to the teenaged chosen one. Harry nodded and readied his wand, but Hermione stopped him.
"Harry, use mine," She said pushing the wand into his hand, "Voldemort's wand and yours can't battle, he won't be expecting you to be able to hurt him with this."
"Thanks, Hermione, I'm not sure I could of made it this far without you, no I'm sure I couldn't," Harry said beaming at his friend, who was crying to hard to even blush.
"Just please come back alive," she begged, but he just nodded and followed Dumbledore out. Leaving the two alone.
Harry Potter won. Using the wand Hermione gave him, he defeated Voldemort after a long, grueling five-hour duel. But after the Dark Lord's death, Harry Potter was never seen in the Magical World again.
"Dr. Granger?" the soldier said. "We're here."
Hermione looked around and to her surprise, the cart was stopped outside Loading Ramp A of the SDF-1 Macross. "Thank you, Sergeant," Hermione said giving a thankful smile to the young man, then exited the cart. She watched it drive off, before bringing her hand up to touch the part of her cheek where Harry had kissed her all those years ago. She could still feel his lips on her skin, as if it was only minutes ago she had been kissed.
"Madam Representative?" a voice called from behind her. She turned to see Lt. Commander Roy Folker standing there. "Doctor Granger," he said with a flirty smile, "I'd like you to meet one my best pilots. This is Lt. Potter …"
At the name Potter, Hermione's eyes went wide and went straight to the very familiar face beside Commander Folker. "H-Harry?"
"Her-Hermione?" Harry choked out in response, leading the pair to stare at one another in awe and disbelief.
"Um … you two know each other?" Roy asked looking back and forth between Harry and Hermione.
Hermione dove at Harry and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, then quickly she pulled back. Before Harry could react, he was spiraling backwards from a hard right cross to the jaw. "Seven years, Harry, SEVEN BLOODY YEARS!" Hermione hissed, even with her short stature, she was towering over him menacingly. "Not a single owl, letter, or phone call, NOTHING!"
"And I'll take that as a yes," Roy murmured. "I have a flight show to organize now, bye guys!" he said quickly before moving away from the downed pilot and the nearly screaming representative.
"And what exactly did Commander Folker mean by you being one of his best pilots? You told me that you just worked on jets. And where is this Harmony, last owl I got from you said you were getting pretty serious? Married, family, kids?" Hermione rambled on calming down but not helping Harry to his feet.
"First off, I was a fighter pilot right after I joined the Royal Air Force," Harry began, standing up rubbing his jaw. "Don't look at me like that, Hermione. I never lied to you … in a certain point of view I do work ON jets … as for Harmony …"
"Oh drat!" Hermione jumped, reaching down for a pager on her belt. "Bloody … I forgot! Come on, Harry, I have an early lunch date with Ron and the Weasley clan. You do know they're here right? Oh, Ron will be jumping to see you again!"
"I already saw Ron and the kids," Harry started, but was jerked forward by Hermione grabbing his wrist.
"You can tell us all about what's been going on over Chinese," Hermione said, bringing a smile to Harry's face.
"I see you haven't changed that much."
"You'd be surprised, Harry," Hermione smiled leading Harry toward a small sidewalk dining area on base.
"How?" Harry asked, smiling at his old friend, "You know why I'm here. What are you doing here?"
"You know the Macross, That really, really big thing sitting here in the middle of nowhere?" Hermione asked, pointing to the Battle Fortress. "I designed the gravity control systems, navigation system, and modified all the systems on board to be powered by the alien power source basically. In other words: she's my baby."
"Bloody hell, Hermione," Harry smiled, pulling out a cigarette. "That had to hurt coming out."
"Oh you … honestly!" Hermione slapped his arm playfully. "You know what I mean." She then noticed him lighting his cigarette, and immediately jerked it from his mouth, threw it to the ground and stomped it.
"Hey! What did you do that for?" Harry gasped watching her twist her foot over the smoking cigarette.
"Those could kill you, you know?" Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"Hermione …" Harry said trying to keep from smiling, as they continued walking. "I stood against and defeated the most deadly wizard in history. I fly a vehicle that travels faster then the speed of sound, and I'm a soldier. And you're worried about a little cigarette killing me?"
"Yes," Hermione nodded solemnly. "If you haven't forgotten, Lt. Potter, I am a doctor. Cigarette smoking leads to lung cancer and heart disease."
"Oh, Dr. Granger," Harry gasped sarcastically. "I never knew all of that … I will cut back on my cigarette smoking. I know now!"
"Knowing is half the battle … HEY!" She smirked before gasping when he ruffled her hair. She humphed and crossed her arms over her chest as he pulled out a second cigarette and smiled down at her.
"I see why Ron always liked making you angry," Harry said between puffs of his cigarette. "It's fun."
"Ah, Harry, I see you found our good Doctor," Ron said running up and kissing Hermione on the cheek with his two young children at his side.
"Let them be, Ron," a blond headed woman said with a redheaded infant on her hip.
"Luna?" Harry asked staring wide-eyed. "Luna Lovegood?"
"That's Luna Weasley now," Luna replied smiling warmly, pulling Harry into a hug. "It has been far too long, Harry Potter." She then nodded to the younger copy of Ron who was walking up to the group, "That's our son Sirius, and this little fellow is Albus," she cooed, raising the infant up in her arms.
"Come on," Ron spoke up. "Ginny and her 'husband' are waiting at the table," Ron said spitting out the word 'husband'.
The group walked back to the table and Harry stiffened as the blond headed Auror turned to face him with the very familiar smirk.
"Malfoy …" Harry growled.
"Potter! Welcome back to the fold," Malfoy gasped sarcastically. "We've missed you!"
"Thank you, Malfoy," Harry groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"So are you going to stick around this time?" Malfoy asked. "Or are you going to run like the coward I knew you always were again?"
"Why you …" Harry growled, pulling against Hermione and Ron's arms, until a familiar voice came from the table.
"Draco, honey, would you stop showing your ass and give me a back rub please?" Ginny said glancing back at the group. "My neck's stiff again."
Draco stood toe to toe with Harry a moment, before with a growl turning to the redhead, "Coming, dear."
Harry watched in awe as Draco Malfoy walked around an extremely pregnant Ginny Weasley-Malfoy and began to gently rub her shoulders, "Great Merlin …" Harry gasped at the smirking Ginny. "You actually broke him."
"Too right, Harry," Ginny giggled, as her husband rubbed her shoulders. "Now, you all are making my feet tired, pull up a chair."
"Ok then," Hermione started, as they all sat down, "Harry fill us in, we have more then a few years to catch up on!"
"Ok then, where to start …"
---
Meanwhile on the bridge of the SDF-1 Macross, Henry Gloval, captain of the ship, sat in his command chair looking over the bridge. "Captain?" a communication officer spoke up.
"Yes, Kim, what is it?" Captain Gloval asked, giving her his attention.
"Something weird has happened, Sir," she said nervously. "We've lost contact with Houston, Washington, and the UN Headquarters, Sir."
"Perhaps we are having satellite difficulties," Gloval mused, pulling out an old pipe. "Have you tried switching sats?"
"Yes sir," Kim said shakily. "I just tried the forth time, sir, it's like our satellites … aren't there anymore …"
"That is odd, Commander Haze, Commander Grant?" Gloval spoke up turning to the bridge officer. "Is there anything on long range radar?"
Lisa Haze and Claudia Grant looked at one another before turning to their monitor, "No sir," Lisa spoke up. "Nothing on radar, but … Captain we're having energy fluctuations on board the ship!"
"What?" Gloval gasped, standing to his feet.
"Sir, the Macross Canon is activating!" Claudia gasped, as the front of the ship began to transform and split into two long sections with electric-like energy running up and down between their lengths.
"Signal a red alert!" Gloval barked. "And someone get me Doctor Granger, NOW!"
---
"Um, Hermione …" Harry said as the group stood to see the rapidly changing Battle Fortress, "What's 'your baby' doing?"
"The Canon?" Hermione gasped, terror edged on her face. "It shouldn't do that, not in that formation … it just isn't possible!"
Almost as soon as the words left her mouth an intense blast shot from the front of the massive ship, atomizing a path through the city and through the mountain of the island then taking an angle and going high into the sky.
"Wicked!" Ron gasped and smiled in awe.
"Ron!" Luna hissed, slapping his chest.
"Great Merlin …" Hermione stuttered, staring at the destruction the ship, which was slowly returning to its original shape, caused.
Before any more words could be said, alarms sounded throughout the area, before Commander Haze's voice echoed through the city: "Attention please, would all defense personal report to their ready station and go to stand by position, all civilians report to the closest bunker or the Macross Civilian Center, and Doctor Hermione Granger please report to the Macross bridge. Repeat: would all defense personal report to their ready station and go to stand by position, all civilians report to the closest bunker or the Macross Civilian Center, and Doctor Granger please report to the Macross Bridge. Thank you."
"Luna, you and Ginny get the kids on board the Macross," Ron ordered, Harry noticed him more serious then he had ever seen him. "Draco let's get to the other Aurors."
"Come on, Hermione," Harry said taking her hand, not noticing her face went crimson at the contact. "I'll get you to the ship, it's on the way to the hanger."
Hermione nodded dumbly before Harry jerked her to the feet and the group split up.
Harry led Hermione to the entry ramp of the Macross and started to leave when he felt her hands grip her arm. "Harry, I don't know what's going on, but please be careful …" Hermione pleaded.
"Don't worry, Hermione," Harry smiled. "I took down Voldemort, I'm positive whatever's going on can't be worse then that."
"You're right, but still, do be careful ok?" Harry nodded, and Hermione watched him disappear into a group of soldiers and pilots, before running into the ship.
---
Hermione entered the bridge and went immediately to Capt. Gloval's side. "You called, Captain?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Yes, Representative," Gloval sighed, "Moments ago we were forced to use the magical communications system you created because of a phenomenon with our satellite communications."
"Did it work properly?" Hermione asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"Yes, Dr. Granger, but … what I'm about to tell you cannot leave this bridge just yet, understood?" Gloval said a deathly serious look on his face. Hermione nodded a strange pit growing in her stomach, "We received reports from UN Command in Norway. You see, every major capital city, and mass populated area on the globe … no longer exists."
"I … I don't understand …" Hermione gulped. "What do you mean 'no longer exists'?"
"According to Norway, reports of what appeared to be a type of nuclear armament," Gloval stated nervously. "New York City, Paris, Houston, LA, and Washington DC, to name a few. We even had one headed our way till the Macross Canon blasted it at a safe distance."
"Who's attacking, who could possible hit so many so fast?" Hermione gulped, her face losing color.
"We traced the armaments' paths," Gloval explained. "They came from outer orbit … and more large objects are on their way."
To Be Continued …
Next Chapter: Escape
C. Cowboy: again sorry for the delay, more on the way a lot sooner this time ^^ don't forget to leave a review!