Chapter One: Routine
The night had been falling quicker with the coming of fall. Across London, crimes had been increasing with fury, but so had the police task force against them. Not a soul was safe outside after dark, but that did not stop those that found London to be the Sin City of Europe. Much had changed in the nights. The Death Eaters were becoming more active, as well as thugs who wanted their own piece of the stake.
He stood on the roof, watching the cars pass below him. Hidden in the darkness, he watched the people pass through emptying crowds. He was not surprised at the wail of a police siren. His comlink back to the Cave told him it was not a major occurrence, one that would require his attention. His stakeout at the moment was however. An hour passed, more were injured, but he would not know of them until tomorrow.
The alarm of the bank in front of him echoed down the now empty street. He could tell of three men, a driver and two gun men, coming out of the bank. With a flick of his wrist, his grappling hook shot from his wand, attaching to bank's upper walls. He sung low and hard, covering the car in a new darkness.
I0I
"-and that concludes the vigilante Batman's attacks last night," the commentator said. Hermione promptly turned off the TV as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was getting ready for another get together with Harry. After the first one they had a little over a month ago, she "bullied" him into scheduling at least one a week, two if she wanted to talk about something. Usually it was lunch, and sometimes dinner at his place, yet whenever it was, she always looked forward to it.
"Coming," she said at the sound of the doorbell. Fixing her earrings, Hermione took one last look into the mirror before opening the door. "Oh." Standing before her, with a bundle of rose was Ron. Ronald Weasley, the same man who almost made her years at Hogwarts unbearable.
"Wow, you look great, can I come in?" He stood at the doorway, waiting for her reaction to him.
"Ah, sorry, but no," she said, thinking about slamming the door. "How did you find out where I live?"
"My father talked to yours," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders. "Here these are for you." He held the rose out for her to take, which she did with trepidation.
"Thanks," she said, turning from him to put them on the table behind her. "I think." She mumbled to herself. She never really cared for roses; she preferred the planner flowers, like tulips and forget-me-nots.
"SO I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me, say tonight?" Ron asked, now leaning against the door frame. She turned back at him.
"My father told you where I lived?" She asked, no quite believing him now. Her father barely remembered where she lived, and would never give it out to anyone without asking her about it first. It was a trait of his that he shared with Harry about how fiercely he protected her.
Ron shrugged his shoulders. "Um…yeah, that's what I said, wasn't it? So, do you want to?"
"I've got plans already," Hermione said. "Besides, I've already got a boyfriend."
"Yeah, right," Ron scoffed. The bitterness in his eyes returned as she stared at him. "Probably some bookworm like you."
"Now really Ron," a voice said. Hermione's eyes flitted over to see Harold standing behind Ron. "I think you'd have to compliment Mr Krum better than that, after all, weren't you one of his bigger fans?"
"You're dating THE Victor Krum?" Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he stared at her. Harry just shook his head, and seemed to be moving fluidly between his two modes of Harry and Harold.
"No, he's dating me," Hermione said in a tone that made Harry laugh.
"That's the spirit, don't let anyone have a hold on you," Harry said, but there was a touch of Harold in him as he spoke. "Now, I was here to pick up Hermione if you don't mind."
"I do mind, I saw her first," Ron said, stepping in front of Hermione.
"Really, is that how you treat a lady?" Harold asked. "There is only one course of action that I can suggest." Ron drew his wand.
"I'm ready to duel you for her," Ron said, stepping back into a dueler's stance. Harry raised an eyebrow to him.
"Hermione," he offered his elbow to her which she took, watching Ron carefully. Although she had understood that he had reformed some of the tendencies he had as a child, she still felt that Ron was mean spirited. "I suggest you leave and not damage anything." With barely a pop, Hermione was squeezed outside to right before Harry's car, a short limousine that Alfred drove. Opening the door for her, Harry got in after her as she collapsed in laughter on him. "I would pay to see his face right now."
"No need to do that," Harry said, wrapping his arms around her. Hermione leaned into his embrace, smiling against him as Alfred drove off. She suddenly felt a sense of security surround her, and she knew that while things weren't perfect, they were close enough to it with him.
"Harry, can I ask you a question?" Hermione asked, moving slightly so she could look at him while keeping her arms around him.
"You just did, but go ahead," Harry said.
"What do you think of Batman?" Harry was the only man who never voiced an opinion about him to her. He never told her any way to think about him, choosing to listen to her talk about him instead.
"I think that he has his heart in the right place," Harry said. Hermione could tell that his smile was strained, yet did not push it as they arrived at the restaurant of choice for the evening. "How about you? What's your opinion of him?"
"While I can't say I approve of his methods, I feel that he is doing the right thing," Hermione said. He got out first before holding out his hand, letting her step gracefully out of the car. She gave him a smile as she took his hand. He was such a gentleman at times, and she knew it was her Harry, not Harold that was the gentleman. "I just wish there was more to him than the media keeps saying. He can't be that evil."
"No man is inherently evil," Harry said. "Its just his past that makes him that way." She looked at him for a moment, wondering what he meant by those words. Did he mean himself? Who? With a shake of her head, she let the thought go for the time being. Instead, she found herself enjoying the meal with her best friend, never realizing she felt safer and happier than she had ever felt with her boyfriend.
I0I
He sat upon the roof, watching the people pass along the street. The darkness was rising from the streets. Thugs striking harder and faster. Nothing he could not handle though.
He was getting better. It wasn't arrogance or ego. It was the truth. But these were the small fish, the grunts. The big fish were coming to town. Real big fish.
Banishing his hook to the building across from him, he swooped to the next building, picking up the wave radar signal of the police on the headset in his cowl. Swinging toward police station, he knew Gordon needed to speak with him. The wind rushed past him was nothing, not anymore. In another lifetime a part of the exhilaration of danger, but there was no danger to him. Only failure.
Landing in a shadow, he stood and watched Gordon for a moment standing beside a large spotlight with the shape of a bat superimposed upon it. It had been created after he had taken out Maroni, and although he did not like calling himself out like this, he thought he could trust Gordon.
"What seems to be the problem tonight?" The Batman said. As Harry he would have smiled at Gordon's jump. But he was not just Harry anymore.
"We've gotten numerous reports of activities from a warehouse," he held out a calling card for the newest criminal mind in London. Batman had picked up several such cards on some of the thugs. "He left this after robbing Gringotts. Lord knows how he managed to do that." Gordon mumbled the last part to himself. He heard it though. Gringotts was supposed to be one of the strongest banks in the world. This card however, had writing on the back of it, as opposed to just the solitary question mark.
I'm as small as an any, as big as a whale. I'll approach like a breeze, but come like a gale. By some I get hit, but all have shown fear. I'll dance to the music, though I can't hear. Of names I have many, of names I have one. I'm as slow as snail, but from me you can't run.
"You have any idea what that means?" He looked up from the card, the words now locked in his mind. He stared at Gordon, knowing the man would back down. "I'll take that as a yes." With a silent wave of his wand, his hook flew away from the rooftop. It would take a moment for Gordon to realize he was gone.
He needed to think over the riddle for a bit. While he knew a thing or two about problems such as those, he had time to think on it. His, albiet brief, experience with the criminal mind had taught him if one thing. They had egos and they were patience. The good ones where at least. While he thought though, he still had a city to protect.
I0I
Sitting in a classroom, Hermione found herself unable to pay attention to professor. It was a computer science class, and she already knew just about everything the man was trying to tell her. She knew this stuff since she had graduated from Hogwarts. No her mind was wrapped around how to break up with her git-of-a-boyfriend.
The bastard told her not to see Harry, ever again. Kept saying that Harold was trying to steal her from himself. She pushed her mind away from those thoughts for the moment. All that matter was no man, no one was going to tell her how to live her life.
Krum had gotten worse these past few weeks, and she really didn't know why. He seemed like such a wonderful person when she met him. He helped her get over Harry, kind of. He was just someone who was there for her, there to help her get back on her feet. And when he finally asked her out, the first boy to even look at her that way, well, she couldn't help but feel wonderful.
That had ended about a year ago. They weren't see each other as much, and Krum keep trying to her to meet some of his "important" friends from his business. She met the first one, a chauvinistic pig if she had ever seen one. After that, she just told him that she was too busy studying for her degree to meet his friends. Of course, this was all before Harry came back into her life. Now though...things had gotten worse. Nothing horrible, he didn't hit her or anything like that. No, she just felt like she wasn't worth anything when she was with him. And that wasn't here.
Gathering up her materials, Hermione could not help the sigh that she released. Class was over, and she had to go back to an apartment that she really did not want to. While she loved her parents, she did not feel right imposing on them all the time. Harry had said that she could crash with him if she ever needed to. And it wasn't like she would take up much space up at his manor. Gathering her courage, she called the manor, hoping she could spend the night there. She didn't want to go back to her apartment, not at the moment.
"Alfred?" Hermione said.
"Ah, Miss Granger, how wonderful to hear from you again," Alfred said. "Would you like me to get Master Harold for you?" Hermione smiled at the thought of talking to him, but she needed ask her question before she did.
"You think it would be alright if I stayed at the manor for a few days?" Her voice died off in a whisper.
"What's wrong? Is everything alright Miss Granger?" Alfred asked. She paused, trying to think of something to say. She heard speaking on the other end of the line, and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Harry had picked up.
"Hermione, are you okay?" His voice was filled with such compassion and concern, she could not help but smile.
"Yeah, I just need a place to stay for the next for days," she repeated.
"Hermione, you don't even need to ask," Harry said with a laugh. She could hear his smile, and the one that grew on her face did so on its own. "Where are you? I'll send Alfred over, and I'll start making up a room for you." Hermione quickly told him and said her goodbyes.
She needed to pick up a few things from her apartment, and with Alfred there, she felt better about going. Still she could not shake the feeling she was being watched.
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