Enmity

Author's note: Welcome friends! After all, that's what we all really are. Friends who communicate through our storytelling, and I've read some good ones here. I hope that this becomes one of them.

Have you ever had a memory that just won't leave you be? How about one that, try as you might, just is never as clear as you want it to be? How about one that interleaves itself with many others? That's how our story begins. The first few chapters will seem a little disjointed. I've tried to lay everything out through the subject's perspective enough so things make sense but, well, sometimes it's just not possible. If you get too confused please, don't stop (yes, this is a shameless plea). Drop me a note and I'll try to clarify anything that seems a little too... wrong.

Lastly please let me know what you think. I don't care if you hate it, love it or just refuse to read it so long as you let me know why. And now on with the show!

~~~*~~~

I’m done. Done trying, done pretending, and I’m done lying to myself. There’s nothing for it now.

I’ve been living with this for 8 years. I’ve been trying to stay away from all the thoughts that come, unbidden, to the front of my mind. They invade my dreams and are slowly driving me insane. If I don’t get out of here soon they’ll push me in to something I really want to do but can’t do; shouldn’t do; won’t do. Not to her, not to him. I’ve got nobody else left and if I lose them, well, there’s no point going on.

I lost everyone else six years ago. It broke me. I almost ended everything then. But he was there to help me. He picked me up, dusted me off and offered me a shoulder to lean on when I couldn’t walk my path anymore. She was there, too. She couldn’t carry me but she could listen. And she could help me understand. With her there I could let myself go. I cried on to her shoulder for so many nights. And he was right there with her. They were my closest friends. They are my closest friends. I just didn’t notice how close they’d become.

When I’d finished what I needed to do I was shot. There wasn’t much left of me, but they helped me pick up the pieces of my miserable existence, helped me piece my life back together. I wanted to pay them both back but they both said I had it coming. That I’d done enough for them over the years and helping me was their method of repayment. We all just kind of silently agreed that none of us would ever yield, that we all knew we’d gotten more than we’d given. So we let it go and went back to being friends.

She gave me strength and I gave her nothing but endless shite for it. She bit back sometimes. There were times I didn’t know if we ever saw eye to eye. It wasn’t that I didn’t think she could handle it, just because she was a girl. Hell, most of the men I know aren’t as strong as she is! She could move mountains with her determination. She wouldn’t ever let anything happen to either of us. We both tried to keep her out of harms way but most of the time it couldn’t be avoided. When she was hurt in that Ministry incident in the Department of Mysteries… ~sigh, I thought she was a goner. But she pulled through. I watched her take so many potions every day. It’s amazing she wasn’t completely replaced by them…

Now, today, I find out they’re not talking to each other! God, I’ve been a complete git! I’m so bad with women. I can’t seem to talk right when they’re around. Not that I haven’t had my share of relationships. I’ve been with a few girls, even one or two during my Hogwarts days. Once things get rolling the road is smooth. It’s just starting out, when you’re climbing to the top of the plateau, that’s hard. You’d think that with her, the girl I’ve seen almost every day for the last 14 years, things would be easier. Well they aren’t. If anything, things are harder.

But he hasn’t had that problem for a long time. He’d gotten better with women after growing up some. They’d started dating after a while. You’re not supposed to fall in love with your best friend. That’s just the way things are. It always buggers up friendships. They just got lucky, for the time being. That’s all. If I keep telling myself that maybe it will be true. And now I saw I was right. Merlin, I hate it when I’m right!

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Author's note: Don't know what everyone can expect for an update schedule. I have my off days and my on days, just like everybody else. My goal, at least for this story, is to have a chapter a week, but we'll just have to see. Hate it, love it or bored with it please drop a note and let me know why...

Thanks to Mmbug98841 for pointing out a glaring error in continuity. I stated "Charlie and Fleur's wedding" initially. That's been fixed to read Bill now. That's what I get for editing at 0300...

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It was the summer after sixth year. Bill and Fleur’s wedding was fast approaching and the whole of the Burrow was a bustle with planning this, preparing for that, and in general getting everything ready. Nobody had free time anymore. Even when you were relaxing you were working on something. After a couple weeks we felt extremely fortunate to be assigned to invitation duty.

“Ron, you’re writing’s horrible! You fold the invitations and stuff them in the envelopes!” Molly hollered at her youngest son.

“Yeah mum” he stated, sounding dejected but wearing a sly grin. “At least I won’t have writer’s cramp in an hour” he whispered at everybody else.

Harry and Ginny were sitting across the table from Ron and Hermione. Harry’s hand was still bandaged from playing Quidditch with Ginny, Ron, Fred, George and Charlie so he was already assigned to stuff envelopes.

“She’s right you know, mum is. You writing is atrocious” Ginny replied coolly. “Can’t imagine how the examiner ever passed your O.W.L.s if he couldn’t even read them” she stated matter-of-fact-ly. Harry and Hermione stifled laughs, though just barely, and Ron had turned very scarlet.

“Shut up you! Good as you are at hexes I’m still bigger than you!” Ron retorted.

“Ooh, that was a little on the weak side, mate” Harry giggled, which elicited a sharp kick in the shin.

“Molly just wants the girls to write the invitations. We’re naturally better at it” said Hermione. She’d been quiet most of the night, diligently writing clearly and, for Hermione anyway, a little more flowery than usual. “Boys just aren’t equipped for this sort of work.”

We kept on like that for the rest of the night. Ginny was still persisting with Harry, even though he’d called it quits on them being together. It wasn’t that he didn’t like her, just that he couldn’t. Look at what he had to look forward to! No, he wouldn’t put that on her. He couldn’t, it would not be fair at all and he couldn’t handle it if she got hurt.

~

“Damn it all Ron, what are you on about?!” Harry screamed.

“You, mate, you! You’ve been doing it behind my back! Oh, you think I’m blind to it. ‘Dumb Ron, he’ll never notice’ you say to yourself. But I’m not as stupid as you and everybody else thinks.” Ron had turned a deep shade of red, almost burgundy. They were fighting a lot lately. Ron had it in his head that he was trying to sneak it with his girl.

“I’ve never wished you anything but happiness and you bloody well know it! What the hell do you keep attacking me for?”

Harry and Ginny had been together for just a few months after the end of the war when they called it quits. Ron had been furious with Harry afterwards. He chewed Harry out for a full hour before letting him get a word in edgewise. When he did he heard the other side of the story. Ginny had been growing distant rapidly. Obviously she was over her schoolgirl crush and what she thought was love wasn’t really. When Harry found out why she wanted him he’d all but thrown her out on her ass.

“You tossed Ginny. I couldn’t figure out why then but I know now. You wanted Hermione for yourself!”

“Damn it, Ron, you know that’s not true! Ginny wanted ‘The Boy who Lived’, not Harry Fucking Potter!”

“You son of a bitch!” Ron shouted as he lunged at Harry.

~

“Harry, I just got the owl from Magonnagal a moment ago!” Hermione’s head screamed from his fireplace. “Can I come in?”

“Sure” Harry said, beaming at his friend. Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and flew in to his arms. “Oh!” he exclaimed, quickly throwing aside a copy of Hogwarts, a History.

Hermione looked down at the book. “So all I had to do was get you to be a teacher to read that book? Wish I’d have known that sooner” she admonished.

“Well I figured I’d better read up on my new employer” he grinned. He looked down at his lap, which Hermione had just placed herself on.

She was the first of many he’d hear from over the next couple of days. Hermione had taken a post herself recently, replacing the recently removed Severus Snape as Professor of Potions. Harry had been similarly happy for her, though his loathing of the subject kept him from being from being as ecstatic as she was.

“I thought I’d follow your advice about teaching. I’ve been fighting evil for so long that I don’t want to be on the front lines anymore. Better to shape young minds and all, let someone else take over as savior of the world.”

“Oh Harry, I just know you’ll do well! None of us would be very well off if it weren’t for your skills during DA meetings.” She was referring to the club they started in fifth year, the year Dolores Umbridge came to Hogwarts she took over the DADA classes. Nobody was happy about this, including the teachers (though they kept that to blind reference out of respect for the post). The students rallied together under Hermione’s organizational skills to form one of the most successful secret clubs Hogwarts had ever seen.

“I hope so. Next term starts soon and I’ve got to get ready. I’ll miss this place though” he pondered, looking about Godric’s Hollow. He’d made it his home after granting Grimmauld Place to Lupin. He’d hardly left there since the final battle ended some three years previous…

~ There was broken glass all over his living room floor. Harry’s second term had ended just a few days ago and Hermione wanted to stay with Harry until the Quidditch finals were over. The cannons had made it as far as the semi-finals. Harry was finishing the year when the finals had started so he didn’t make it to the games. Hermione still hated the sport and hadn’t wanted to go, even though Ron was playing.

“Why did you do that?!” Ron screamed at Harry.

Harry was sitting on the couch in his living room at the Hollow, his head in his hands. He’d sent Hermione away in tears. “God Ron, I just don’t know” he said through a strained throat. I’ve buggered it this time he thought to himself. I kissed her, “what the fuck was I thinking?” he whispered.

Ron stopped momentarily. “What did you say?” he spat through gritted teeth. “You kissed my girl,” his voice got louder, “and you can’t figure WHY YOU DID IT!” He was red in the face with anger and clenching his fists. “From other guys, I’d expect this. But you mate? From my best friend? God, you really are pathetic!” he screamed. There was a loud pop. Ron had tried to disapparate from the Hollow. Harry thought he knew better.

“Well that’s just bloody fantastic!” Ron screamed as he rolled on the floor after bouncing off the anti-apparition wards. He was walking to the front door but Harry had just blocked his way. “Get out of the bloody way Harry!”

“No. Not this time. We’re going to talk.” Ron drew his fist back. “Hit me if you want to but we need to talk damn it. You’re not getting away that easy. I told you before that an argument wouldn’t get in the way of our friendship and I’m not going to let you walk this time. Now hit me or sit down!” So Ron hit him, hard.

~ Harry was thinking back on that now. It’d been a mistake. His fifth term after taking the DADA post had just ended and Hermione wanted to stay with him again. They hadn’t had much time to get together throughout the year and she and Ron had a row just before end of year. They hadn’t spent Holidays together for the first time in years and she said she’d missed him. Then, just when he thought he had things under control, she came walking up the road towards the Hollow. < font color = blue>I shouldn’t have invited her, and now she shows up like this. Fuck.<.font>

She wasn’t in her robes anymore. No, she’d definitely changed. She was wearing a pale, yellow flowing skirt, low cut blouse with only three buttons done around her bust and, to him at least, a high cut skirt. He could see a generous length of leg and more of her tight stomach than he’d seen since the night they got pissed after defeating Voldemort.

~

A/N: Disclaimer: Characters and world do not belong to me, only this particular story. No money is being made and all credit for original characters and world goes to J.K. Rowling.

First, thanks to my beta, Karahatay. Her input has been invaluable throughout this whole process so far.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. I've been pleased with the feedback I've received. I'd like to add a few clarifying points quickly for everyone who's reading:

The story jumps around quite a bit and I'm quite aware. It's written like a string of memories until we hit the present full time. Chapter 1 is like a diary entry. Chapter 2 bounces between the present and memories of the past. Every time you see ~ is a break in the time stream, a jump either forward or back so keep an eye out and they should clue you to the shift.

I've also seen some comments from my beta and one or two others about the way the dialogue was written. This dialogue is written in a mix of conversational and Kings English (or as close as I can get it. ^_^).

With that let's get back to the story and find out just what Harry meant by "more of her stomach than he'd seen since that night they got pissed..."

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~

Six months after Voldemort's defeat Ron had wanted to party. So he set up a small party with his closest friends at one of their favorite haunts, as it were. Harry and Hermione were there. Even though Ginny and Harry had broken it off she was there too. But she had someone else now, Neville Longbottom. He had stayed with them through the worst of things and proved to be a great asset with his skills at healing and in herbology. He'd even developed some new weapons that nobody had considered before, a kind of wizard biological warfare, and it was very effective. Everybody owed him a great deal and the Ministry of Magic had recruited him to continue his research.

Ginny had finally seen him for the man he had become. When she and Harry called it quits she took to him quickly. In Neville she found what she'd been missing: someone that could calm her down, and she helped him out of his shell after a period of time. Getting closer to him just made it easier to continue what she took as a personal project. And it had worked fabulously.

Ron and Harry were waiting at the bar in the Three Broomsticks. It was early May and time for a summer fever party with close friends. Ron had arranged for Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ginny to meet up at the bar for a "night of drinking and revelry" in celebration of... well, nothing really. Other than it was early may, that is. Or so everyone was made to believe...

“Ho-ly-shite Ron, would you look at that!” Harry exclaimed quietly, though he really needn’t have.

Hermione had just walked in the door. During the last year fighting Voldemort she’d changed. She was tired of Harry and Ron looking at her like their youngest sister. Not in a sexual way, but in a protective way. She started wearing tighter jeans and t-shirts and shunned her robes for a black leather trench-coat. They both gave her a great deal of gruff about it but admitted they liked it better than the stuffy Hermione from school.

Ron and Harry had changed some too. Harry finally decided he’d never win against his hair and just let it grow out. It suited him well, especially when he grew a goatee, though Ron didn’t approve of that. Both Harry and Hermione said it was just because he couldn’t grow one that he resented it. Ron, having stopped growing vertically, took a different approach. He wasn’t as good at spells as the other two were so he started working out. He’d packed on a great deal of bulk after they left school. By the time Harry turned 19 they looked like a page out of a cyberpunk manga, which suited them just fine.

They’d never seen Hermione dress quite like this before, though. He was certain of it. And she hadn’t attracted this much attention since the Yule Ball in fourth year. Ginny was next to her, similarly dressed in muggle clothes, and she had clearly dressed Hermione for the occasion. They wore matching leather miniskirts and black cashmere halter tops with silver bar necklaces to keep them up, and clearly no bra for either of them (which Ron blushed at). Hermione stuck with the trench-coat, apparently trying to keep some sense of modesty. Ginny opted for a leather bomber motorcycle jacket that looked weather-beaten. And they both wore stiletto boots, though Hermione’s were shorter.

“Blimey, mate” was all Ron could manage at that moment.

“Yeah, blimey.”

Behind Ginny came Neville, another no-longer-boy from their class. The times had changed him, too. He didn’t go to the extremes the Golden Trio, as they were now known as, had gone. But he’d mellowed out, relaxed, and let himself go. The times had been hard on him. Shortly after the war really got going Bellatrix Lestrange went back and finished the job on his parents. For a little while Neville was extremely distraught. But Ginny brought him ‘round right, and then some. She’d admitted to herself that, at least until the war was over, she couldn’t have Harry. So she went for another, someone she could groom in stead of glide in the wake. Neville was wearing a leather bomber to match Ginny’s, but also gloves and a helmet. He pulled the helmet off and revealed a close cropped head with a 10 o’clock shadow. He’d lost some weight in the depression after his parents eventual death and now his face looked chiseled, if a little hollow. He wrapped his arm around Ginny and pointed to the bar at the Leaky where Ron and Harry sat.

Hermione looked utterly flustered and made her way to the bar in front of the others.

“Hi Harry, Ron” she said, blushing furiously.

“H… Her… Hermione!” blurted Harry.

“Cor, ‘Mione, you look bloody fantastic!” Hermione blushed further, brushing her hair behind her ear.

Then Harry noticed it. “You’ve changed your hair” he said flatly. She no longer had the dense matting of brown she usually did. Instead it was replaced by long, reddish brown ringlets that hung to the small of her back.

“Hey, yeah!” Ron said, finally cottoning on. “Looks fantastic” he said. Harry looked at him in utter astonishment. The man he knew was gone, and Ron had become different. “Here, let me take that” as he walked behind Hermione and grabbed the collar of her jacket.

Harry knew Ron had developed a thing for Hermione long ago. But, given the chaos of the last couple years, they hadn’t explored anything. Nobody had, and Ron had just seized the moment.

Ron pulled her coat off and watched as it revealed more and more skin. The halter she was wearing was backless and he marveled at the sight. He caught a glimpse of lacy underwear just behind the hem of her skirt before she adjusted her clothes, making sure nothing was truly visible.

“Let’s get a table” Harry said a little gruffly. Hermione eyed him and he unconsciously adjusted his tone. “Um, yeah, now that everyone’s here we can start the real party!” Ginny let out a yip and rushed to the nearest empty booth she could spot. Neville followed, eying the sight of Ginny’s skirted arse as she fairly skipped to the table. Harry followed after, with Hermione and Ron bringing up the rear. Ron, apparently, had taken a queue from Neville and watched Hermione’s hips sway as she walked. She caught him glancing and blushed, but she swayed just a little more the rest of the way to their table.

Tom, having died near the end of the war, no longer operated the bar. He’d bequeathed the bar to Rose, owner of the Hog’s Head in Hogsmeade. She’d hired more staff and popped between the two establishments every once in a while, and she was at the Cauldron tonight.

“’Allo dears, what’ll it be tonight?” she beamed at the small group.

“A bottle of Old Ogden’s and a round of Butterbeer!” shouted Ron, who was beaming about something, though Harry had no idea what.

“And you’re ID, Ronniekins?” Normally this would have brought a bright red color to his face, but Ron was used to it now. She was an informant for the OoTP during the war and Ron had gotten quite ‘friendly’ with her one night while trying to get information.

“Now now, Rosie, you know I’m of age.”

She smiled brightly at Ron and the rest. “Be out in a few.” She turned on her heel and stopped long enough for Ron to give her a healthy pat on the arse.

“Ron!” Hermione and Ginny exclaimed. Ginny kicked him and Hermione hit him on the shoulder, hard. Neville and Harry broke out in a fit of laughter.

“Ow!” Ron said in pain, grabbing his arm and massaging it and revealing the bottom edge of a white, slightly discolored bandage. “Careful!” It was then that Hermione noticed.

“What’s wrong with your arm?!” she said as she rubbed the large bandage on his bicep with a worried look on her face.

“Oh, that” he said, giving Harry a mischievous look.

Hermione looked between them and settled on Ron to get the information. “Ron, what did you do” she questioningly asked as she gave him a steely, cold look. “If I know you two…” and she trailed off, waiting for an explanation.

Ron gingerly pulled off the bandage, though this was more for dramatic effect than anything else, and revealed a small bat that was striking a ball this way and that. “I was hoping to wait for a better moment to show you, but there you are.”

“A tattoo?! And I suppose he conned you in to one as well, Mr. Potter?” Hermione said (god how he hated it when she called him that), “I thought you’d have more sense!” She was looking at a similar bandage on his right arm that he'd just revealed. “Well then, off with it!”

Harry pulled his bandage off, though with less showboating. There, fluttering madly, was a snitch circling a broom.

“Ugh!” Hermione exclaimed. “Well, you’re both a piece of work, aren’t you.”

Ginny was in hysterics and Neville seemed equally amused by the situation. Harry and Ron were giggling merrily when Rose turned up with their drinks.

“Pass that here” Hermione said, grabbing a small glass and the bottle of Fire Whiskey. “I really need one of those.”

Rose looked at her questioningly, then caught sight of what she was staring at. “Oh, it’s so cute!” she said, pulling Ron’s exposed arm towards her. “A beater’s bat and a bludger!” She was summoned to another table so wasn’t able to hear the next bit of the conversation.

“Well, we had to celebrate somehow, didn’t we?” Harry asked, aiming the question in Ron’s direction. Ron gave him a cold glance and grabbed a glass for himself. Everyone else at the table looked between the two of them while Ron chased a shot of whiskey down with half a glass of Butterbeer.

“I’ve got some news, everyone” he said flatly. He had the table hanging on his silence and milked it dry.

Hermione broke the silence. “Well, tell us” she said impatiently.

“Ahem” he said, dramatically clearing his throat, earning a scoff from Hermione. “I’ve been signed to the Cannons.”

It took a second to sink in. Ginny squealed and Neville cheered. When Hermione finally remembered a conversation about the posters in his room her face dropped considerably.

“The Chudley Cannons? The Quidditch team?” she questioned.

“Yes, you daffy bird, the Chudley Cannons! I’m a professional beater now!”

Hermione’s face slowly turned from questioning to astonishment to elation in the matter of a second. “Ron, I’m so happy for you!” she screamed as she rose from her seat to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. At least, that’s what she’d meant to do. Ron had turned his face to her at just the right moment and caught her lips with his. They both pulled away quickly, bright red and clearly embarrassed. Ginny and Neville both giggled in astonishment. Harry had a bewildered smile on his face.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!” Hermione quietly chided herself, her eyes wide with disbelief at what had just happened. Ron, on the other hand, had quickly replaced his embarrassment with another expression: glee. He grabbed Hermione’s shoulders, turned her to face him, and kissed her hard. It took her only a moment to realize what was happening. She closed her eyes and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Harry broke the silence a minute later by proposing a toast. “To new opportunities and new love!”

Neville grabbed his glass and raised it, saying “To Quidditch!”

Ginny raised her own glass. “To Ron and Hermione! And it’s about damned time!” The last comment elicited a scoff and a smile from Hermione.

“To friends and happiness!” Ron said aloud, raising his glass.

They made the most of the night, rousing all kinds of mischief tales from each other. Many toasts were had but none so poignant as those to the fallen. All five of them, long time friends, got themselves thoroughly pissed and left the bar late in to the night. Ginny wrapped in Neville’s arms, Hermione in Ron’s, and Harry alone.

~

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A/N: Sorry I've been gone for so long. I've actually had the next couple of chapters written for ages but my muse left me, along with most of my sanity and a fair bit of my cogent thought.

My thoughts about what may or may not happen (have happened, in this case) in DH were completely off. Completely. I was glad to see, however, that there were some things that I got right and I hope that those things shine through. Pumpkin Pie forever!

Enough of my bitching. We're almost back to real time here, just one more chapter of my insane jumping around. Just so everyone's clear we're back to the point near the end of the second chapter.

~~*~~

Harry fell backwards and landed on his arse. He reached up to feel his nose and his hand came back bloody. He reached for his wand and muttered a healing charm, though it only stopped the bleeding. He could feel his face swelling.

“Bludy fantashtic, asshole” he said, getting to his feet. Ron was standing at the bar, pouring himself a double. He tossed it back and gritted his teeth. It normally didn't burn this much, but he shot it hard and without the normal chaser. He turned to face Harry.

“Fuck do you want?” he said harshly after turning back and pouring another.

“Put the bottle down, Ron” Harry said. Ron set the bottle down hard and faced Harry, though he wasn't facing him for long. Levicorpus Harry thought, pointing his just summoned wand at Ron and giving it a slight flip upwards. Ron flipped heels over and hung in the air, thrashing wildly. Harry directed him towards the couch where he fell with a soft thud.

“The hell was that about!” Ron shouted. Harry pointed his wand at Ron again and thought Silencio and, though his lips were moving, he wasn't making a sound. He realized this and sat back, fuming more deeply red than Harry had ever seen him. He made to get up but a quiet, controlled, threatening wand point from Harry was all it took to keep his now righted arse firmly planted.

“Ron, I'm sorry” Harry said, looking at his friend imploringly. “I want to say what I have to say and then you can go.” Ron sat still which Harry took to mean to go on.

Harry lowered his wand and sat down in the comfortably worn armchair in the corner. He buried his face in his hands and sighed deeply. “Ron, I didn't do this to hurt you. I didn't mean to do it in the first place. I've been in love with Hermione for a long, long time. You beat me to her, though. I was so happy for you.” Ron gave him an incredulous look but Harry trudged on. “I really was. I had wondered how long it would take you to get on to the fact that you two liked, if not loved, each other.

“When it finally happened I was relieved. I knew Hermione was getting impatient waiting for you. She had been going on about you for weeks after the last battle. She'd watched you closely the whole time, growing more and more fond of you. She'd asked me for advice but I told her I couldn't. While I didn't mind the thought of you two getting together I wasn't going to help. I had only just dismissed my feelings for her as a crush and that was too recently to push either of you forward.

“That night at the pub was all for you. She'd gotten with Ginny and asked her for advice. Ginny knew that the only reason you hadn't done anything to get Hermione was because of her brains. She knew that you were intimidated.” Ron started to retort but quickly remembered he couldn't, so he kicked the table instead. “She knew that you had to see Hermione was more normal than you gave her credit for. Ginny had told me what she was planning, though nothing she could say would have prepared me for what happened.

“When I saw the look on your face I knew she was right. I noticed too, but I put it to the back of my mind. She'd done it for you, and I didn't want to... dissuade her in any way. Merlin, mate, she was so on to you.”

Harry stood up and walked to the bar. He looked back at Ron. “Want another?” An angry puff of air told Harry yes so he brought over two glasses, both two fingers deep with Ogden's.

“When I saw you kiss her… I wasn't ecstatic, but I was happy. Then I knew Hermione was right. And so was Ginny.” Harry took a slow, deep pull on his glass. He rolled the glass in his hands, minutely examining the coat of alcohol on the side, while choosing his next words. “Ron, I'm truly sorry.” He pointed his wand at Ron and released the spell. “But you have no room to talk. She's not your girl anymore.”

Ron looked astonished and angered at the same time. He stared at Harry hard for a minute, and then turned his attention, downcast, to the floor. “So, she told you.”

“Yeah” Harry said sullenly. “Sorry. I shouldn't have done anything so fast, but I'm not sorry I did it. I'm just sorry that it hurt you.”

“'preciate the sentiment but it doesn't help a damned thing. I need to go. I need to... think.” He made for the door. Just as he was reaching for the handle-

"Ronald Weasley, think?! Before he acts! Now that's new" Ron turned from the door and cocked his fist, ready to lash out physically and verbally. "Ok, mate! Sorry, guess it's not a good time for humor" Harry stated abashedly. Ron turned back to the door, turned the handle and pulled it open.

“Well do me a favor before you go, would you? First, mind fixing my face?” Ron looked at Harry and grimaced. His face was turning an ugly shade of purple. Ron pulled his wand and healed Harry's nose as best as he could, which at the moment entailed nothing more than a spot of wordless and a hasty slash of his wand.

“Best I can do right now. You should see Poppy `bout it, though.”

“I'll head to Hogwarts and talk to her soon. But that's not the favor, Ron. I don't want you to get mad at Hermione. I was the one who started it. She just... reacted.”

Ron sighed heavily. “Well, she wouldn't have if she didn't feel something. Been with her for long enough to know that. See ya, Harry.”

Harry walked over to his friend and patted his back. “See ya, Ron.” Ron walked out the door. Harry shut the door and waited in place for a minute before hearing a pop letting him know Ron had gotten outside the charms that protected the house.

Harry grabbed the bottle from the bar and sat at his chair. He conjured some ice fore his glass, topped it off and stared at the fire, sipping slowly on the amber colored liquid.

~

He wasn't sure how long he'd sat there but the stars were out and the golden hue gone from the western sky. There was a soft knock at the door and it opened, letting in a Jasmine and Lilac breeze that brought all of his senses to life. Harry turned his head and saw Hermione standing there. “Hullo” he said.

“Hi” she answered back. “How are you?” she questioned, moving closer to him.

“Well enough I s'pose. Ron left a while ago.”

Hermione got close enough to him to see why his face looked so dark. “Oh Merlin, what happened!” she exclaimed and she rushed to his side. “Your nose looks broken!”

She turned is face back and forth in her hand, then reached for her wand. “I told Ron to hit me, so he hit me. I guess I had it coming.” Hermione gave him a sorrowful look and waved her wand in front of his face before touching it to the bridge of his nose. He felt his sinuses clear slowly and the pain subsided some. “He was pissed, Hermione. Really pissed off. I deserve much worse.”

“No you don't!” she screamed at him, drawing herself up in front of him. “You didn't do anything wrong. He and I aren't involved anymore so you weren't out of line” she said angrily.

“I was wrong. I should've at least waited a while. I stepped on his toes. It would have been just as bad had you been together.”

“It's been two weeks for chrissakes! He's got no business being that angry at either of us!”

“Hermione, it's his right. As far as he's concerned I took you from him. And he's right.” Harry stood up and took her in to his arms. She was shaking, though from anger or sadness he couldn't tell. “I'm sorry I put you through this. You should go.”

She pulled back from him quickly. “You can't do this to me, Harry! I can't lose all of my friends in one month.” Tears were welling up in her eyes.

“What do you mean `all of your friends'? You have a lot of friends Hermione.”

“Not anymore I don't. I haven't seen Neville since he and Ginny broke up. And I won't be seeing her again for a while either.” She started to cry. “I went to see Ginny to talk about Ron and me and let slip that I'd kissed you -”

“You mean that I'd kissed you.“

She stared coldly at him. “and she started screaming at me to get out. I don't know that I can go see her again, at least not for a long time.” She collapsed on to the couch and was crying uncontrollably.

“It'll be alright, 'Mione. They'll understand or they won't, but it'll be okay. I promise.”

“You do realize you're the only one who gets away with that, don't you? Calling me 'Mione?”

“I would've thought you'd let Ron away with it too. Least you never said anything when he said it.”

“Oh yes I did. That's one of the things that we always argued about. Even when we were arguing about something else that was always brought up, usually by him calling me that. You're the only one Mr. Potter.”

“Ugh. Have I mentioned how much that bothers me?” Harry asked in a slightly playful tone.

“I think you may have, just once...” That comment earned her a slight poke to the ribs which she squeaked at.

“Oh my! The mighty and ever controlled Hermione Granger can squeak!”

“And don't you go spreading it Harry or I'll have your guts for garters!”

“Oh, I think I'd like to keep that one to myself thank you very much” he replied and tickled her again. “I like the sound far too much to let anyone else hear it.”

She looked him straight in the face, slightly taken aback by the candor in his words. “So you're going to keep my locked like a bird in your cage?” she said, blushing only slightly and breathing suddenly heavy.

“Only if you'll let me” he said as he leaned close to her. “Only if you'll let me” he whispered, close enough to her ear for her to feel the heat from his breath.

She sighed, somewhere between completely smitten and breathless. She ran her hands up his arms and around his shoulders to let her fingers play at the bottom of his hair, knotting themselves in the unruly curls. “Whatever you like Harry” she said slowly, breathily, in to his neck, all the while pushing him back on the couch. She lied down on top of him, letting his body take her full weight, as she entwined her legs with his. She was propped up on her elbows and looking intently at his eyes, so much so it appeared she was trying to see through them to his mind like they were windows.

He ran his hands up her spine, making her shiver slightly as he slowly slid the hem of her shirt up with the action. He tilted his head up and kissed her softly, his tongue gaining purchase with hers as her lips parted instinctively.

They broke their embrace long enough for Hermione to find a more comfortable position. She slid down his length slightly, taking notice of his reaction, and lay her head on his chest. She stared in to the fire that was now smoldering, it being sometime early in the morning. “Harry?”

“Hmm.”

“Why didn't you ever do this before?”

~

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A/N: I'm uploading this one quicker than planned (I was originally trying to keep to at least a bi-weekly schedule...) because I feel I owe my faithful readers, what few there are, something. Just a little altruistic I guess.

By the end of this chapter we're back to normal time, as promised. The last time shift is near the end and takes us back to the end of chapter four. From here on out if we go sometime else I'll be sure to warn you and, if you've made it this far, thank you for wading through this little expreiment of mine. ^_^

This is also the end of the short chapters. From here on I intend to make them twice this size. But they seemed the best size for all the jumping around.

And, the last bit. This is the start of the colored thoughts. Each character has a specific color to their thoughts, not a foreign concept here on Portkey, and it's as much to help you when reading as it is to help me when writing. Here's the guide:

Harry = blue

Hermione = green

Ron = red

Ginny = orange

Further, each character's family will match thought color, should the need arise:

Weasley: red

Black: black

Longbottom: purple (don't know why...)

Dumbledore: yellow

With all of that said... r, r & r!

~~*~~

She had just walked on to the landing when the door to Godric's Hollow opened. Harry stood there, mouth agape.

“H-Hermione!” He looked her up and down, appraising her like a piece of art.

“It's not polite to stare” she admonished. She was inwardly grateful for the attention. She appraised him as well, noticing that without his robes on he was quite handsome and well built. Age had been both a blessing and a curse for him. He had a few scars on his neck and arms. A few more were visible behind the tight black t-shirt he wore, namely the x-shaped one over his heart. She stepped forward and locked him in a tight embrace, something she wasn't allowed to do at Hogwarts. “Aren't you going to invite me in?” she asked, looking up at him with a pouty face.

“Oh, yeah, come in” he said, stepping back to let her in through the doorway. He continued to look at her as she passed, noticing the gentle curve of her waist and her lovely bottom. “You look fantastic by the way” he said.

“So do you, Harry.”

He led her in to the living room and showed her a seat. “Drink? I've got Butterbeer, Ogden's, some muggle scotch, anyth-“

“If I didn't know better I'd say you were trying to get me drunk! Tea will be fine, though a spike of brandy wouldn't be bad.”

He smiled. “If I didn't know better I'd say you wanted to get drunk” he poked at her.

“Well, a little drink won't hurt now, will it?”

“No, I guess not.”

Harry walked in to the kitchen to fetch some tea and Hermione found herself admiring his arse through his shorts. Oh, damn it! Stop that, Hermione! You've only just broken it off with Ron, you can't start looking at Harry! she chided herself. But he really does have a nice arse.

Harry brought out a silver serving tray with tea, cups, milk, sugar and a very old looking bottle of brandy. He caught Hermione eying the bottle. “Mum kept it, I guess. It's from the sixties. Very potent stuff.” He removed the cork from the neck of the bottle and proffered it to Hermione for approval.

She inhaled the aroma deeply and savored the buttery, spicy scent. “Smells fantastic.” She put the bottle to the cup and poured out a measure, then tossed it back. “Hoo, that's something else!” she said as the back of her throat warmed to the alcohol. “That's some good stuff, that is.”

“Thanks” Harry said, slightly awed by her candor. “Didn't think you drank like that anymore.”

“I'm allowed, aren't I?” she said, a small, short-lived smile playing on her lips.

He knew her too well. The smile was a farce, but he also knew better than to ask outright what was wrong. He'd just bide his time and let her tell him when she was ready. He poured her a cup of tea just how she liked it: white, one sugar but with a splash of brandy this time. Then he poured himself a cup, black with a shot.

They sat there for a short while, just enjoying each other's company and looking out the bay window to the sunset. “Why don't we go outside?” she asked suddenly.

“Sure” he said questioningly. He put his cup down, the kettle and made his way to the back door. She'd grabbed the brandy and was already halfway to the back door. He stopped long enough to grab a bottle of scotch and a glass, filled it with ice, and joined Hermione on the back porch. The moon was rising early, ¾ on the wax and the eastern sky was a cool, pale blue, just deepening in to night blue and clear. It was clear and cool, but comfortable being an early September evening.

“Okay, I've waited long enough” he said as he placed the kettle next to her. “What's wrong?” He regarded her face for a moment and noticed a small tear escape her left eye. He sat down across from her, but on the edge of the chair. “Hermione?”

She reached up and smoothed the tear away at the bottom. “Nothing, just thinking.”

“Hey, that's my line. When did you become so guarded around me?” He'd just noticed she wouldn't look him in the eye. “What's wrong?” he asked imploringly.

She took a deep sip of her tea and swallowed, but remained quiet for a minute. “Ron and I split up.”

“What?!”

“It was two weeks ago, right before exams. We got in to an argument about me teaching. He was mad because he didn't think I was supportive enough of his Quidditch playing. I'm not one of those other bints who hangs around the players for the acclaim! I don't like the game, damn it! And I can't go to every one of his games. I've got classes! He knows how important my job is to me!” She started to cry, something Harry could never stand.

He stood from chair and pulled the cup from her hands. He took a seat next to her on the swinging bench. She instinctively laid her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her. “Hermione, he knows. But you guys broke up over this? I thought you were doing better than that!”

“Well, we were. At least, I thought ~sniff we were. He was starting to get seriously pissed that I wouldn't go to every game of his. I mean, I couldn't! I can't blow off my classes just because he has 'the most important game of the season'! Every game is the most important, at least to him. ~sniff I go when I can but I can't go to them all. The thing the really set him off was when I told him ~sniff I couldn't go to the finals.”

“You're not going to the finals? Now I really feel like crap. I told him I couldn't go because of end of term tests. The semis are going on right now so I'd be missing most of it anyway. Besides, I don't really want to go to Czechoslovakia. It's just too damned far away for me right now. I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing week after the end of the term.”

“Well, I'm going to Tokyo with my parents next week. They've had the trip planned for a while and I just hadn't said anything until recently.” She'd stopped crying but was still sniffling a little. “They want me to go with them and I've always wanted to see Tokyo. I was hoping to do some research on the Japanese magics while I was there, in preparation for next year. They're supposed to have really cool potions and herbs there. But it doesn't matter, I don't think I can be happy while I'm there now.”

“Hermione” Harry consoled. He pulled her in to a tight embrace. He pulled her face up and wiped her tears and smeared mascara away. “God, you look like hell” he said, a mirthful smile on his face.

“Thanks” she hit him. “Nice to see I can count on you to make me feel better.” She laid her head on his chest and seemed to relax a little. A slight breeze picked up her hair, which had gotten a little more straight and a lot softer over the years.

He stroked her hair lovingly for a while, reveling in the feeling. Merlin, he thought, I forgot just how beautiful she was. He bent down and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

She looked up at him and met his brilliant, deep green eyes. They were striking against his tanned skin. When did he get a tan? It suits him well. Shit, stop thinking like that! She closed her eyes tightly for a moment. When she opened them he was still looking at her, as though trying to see in to her mind through her eyes. He looked like he wanted something, or wanted to ask something. She shifted her body so she was lying on her back with her head on his lap. “What is it?”

He looked down at her, contemplating. He let his arm fall across her stomach and realized how soft her skin was, how toned her muscles were. He couldn't resist giving her sides a pinch. She jumped and almost fell off the bench of the swing.

“Don't do that!” she screamed, getting clumsily to her feet. “You know how ticklish I am!”

He looked back at her impishly. “Yes, I seem to remember something about that... your stomach was the worst, wasn't it?” he said, taking a step towards her, hands held out in mock menace, flexing his fingers.

“Harry James Potter, don't you dare!” she said, backing away slowly. He started to lunge and she turned, ready to run, but it was too late. His large hands had wrapped their way around her stomach and he was tickling her furiously. “Harry... Harry, don't ~giggle... Harry... HARRY!”

His hand had strayed north a few inches and found the bottom of her breast. He'd stopped immediately and pulled his hands back. His face was brilliantly red. “I'm sorry!” he said quickly.

She hadn't turned around. She was frozen, though not dumbfounded. Instead she found herself unable to control her mind. It raced through a thousand scenarios, each one more lurid than the last. She shut her eyes tightly and tried to block the images but she was unsuccessful. She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. “It's alright, you just startled me” she lied. In all actuality she'd enjoyed it on a deep level, a thought she detested thoroughly. God, now I've done it! I'll never be able to sleep tonight!

“Maybe we should go inside. I'll take your stuff to your room” said a somber voice behind her.

“It's alright, I didn't bring much with me. I've got it shrunk in my purse. I'd just like to take a shower and get some sleep.” Yeah, sleep, that's it... She turned and walked towards the door, meeting his eyes for only a second.

Apparently that's all it took. He reached for her arm, catching her by the elbow. She stopped in her tracks, her heart now racing. “What are you-” but she was cut off.

Harry pulled her close and stared in to her eyes. Their noses were millimeters apart and she could feel his breath on her lips. He smelled like scotch and a cologne she couldn't identify. But it was divine as far as she was concerned. He was staring in to her eyes, as far as the back of her head. He was looking for something. And he must have found it. He pulled her closer and tilted his head, placing his soft, hot lips on hers. She was startled at first, but felt something warm her, sending the butterflies in her stomach away instantly. She felt his mustache on her face, his breath hot on her cheek. She relaxed herself, falling closer in to him and returned his kiss with passionate, but subdued, intent.

He parted his mouth and hers matched the movement. This wasn't some teenage snogging kiss. This was a kiss that had been brewing for 14 years, full of love, concern, care and longing. It was passionate and warm, without urgency or thought to what would happen. It was the type of kiss that he thought could stop time. But it didn't.

She pulled away, though visibly perturbed. “Harry, why did you... what was... that-” and she was interrupted again.

This time he was more forceful. She wanted to resist but couldn't. Or did she want to resist? This is what I've been wanting isn't it? She decided to find out and gave in. She snaked her arms around his neck and returned the gesture fervently. She parted her lips and sought out his tongue. He tasted like scotch and something else she couldn't identify, something feral, she thought. Whatever it was it was fantastic. She relished the feel of his body, the smell of his skin, the taste of him. Of Harry.

She was pulling herself up by his neck. He grabbed her by her sides and pulled himself closer. He was enveloped in her completely. Her skin smelled of Jasmine and lilac and was soft as rose petals. He felt the scar on her side from a boot knife that had been kicked at her. He slid his hands down her sides to her hips, finding the hem of her skirt. He pulled her closer, his groin pressing in to her pelvis. His breathing had become deeper, more full, as had hers. He moved his hand to the back of her head, wrapping his fingers in her hair, gripped tighter...

“What the bloody fucking hell!” yelled Ron.

Harry and Hermione broke their embrace, though not completely. They both regarded their mutual friend, one with remorse, one with a little fear. “Ron” Hermione said, her voice shaking. “Ron, what... what you... um...”

“Ron!” Harry said, taken aback. He realized his hand was still on her hip, sitting just above her arse. He pulled away instinctively, taking a step back, and regarded his friend with trepidation. “Ron, what are you doing here?” He managed to keep his voice calm, but just barely.

“I might ask her the same fucking question, but I think it's pretty damned obvious, isn't it?!” His face was red, very red. His hands were balled in to tight fists and he looked ready to fight. He lifted a hand and pointed a menacing finger at Harry. “What the fuck were you doing?!”

Harry couldn't answer. His mind had stalled completely and he was unable to think clearly. He could still taste her, smell her on him. His mind was reeling from years of pent up emotion and it was clouding his mind. He needed to put a stop to that. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering his Occlumency training, and pushed everything he could out. He looked at Hermione. “Could you leave us alone for a bit?” he asked.

She looked at him, expressionless at first. She momentarily considered her response and resigned herself to the truth. “Yes.” She didn't even look at Ron. For reasons she couldn't explain she couldn't bring herself to regard him. She walked through the house, grabbed her things, and walked out the front door. She thought for a minute while she walked to the edge of the protective barriers before deciding where she needed to go. “I need to talk to someone” she muttered to herself. Ginny. Ginny will listen. Yes, Ginny was always there when she needed someone to talk to. “I just hope she'll listen this time” she worried. Then she disapparated and found herself outside her friend's flat in London.

“Come inside, Ron, and have a drink” Harry said. He walked to the back door, stopping to grab the bottle of scotch and poured himself a glass as he made his way through the kitchen. He sat in his favorite chair and waited for the shitstorm to start.

~

Harry wrapped his arms tighter around her, pulling her closer to him. He held her tightly, letting her know he was there for her. “Hermione, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I didn't know it would cause all of this.”

“Harry, it's not all your fault you know. I could have pushed back, could have pushed you away. But I didn't want to. I wanted this too, you know.” She'd been crying in to his arms for a few minutes now, and was starting to calm down. She shifted to her side, pulled her legs up and curled her arms around his shoulders. She didn't want to let him go, but she knew that things would cascade if she didn't. Right now, she didn't care.

He pulled one of his arms free and brushed her hair away from her face. He cupped her cheek and stroked her face gently, wiping away the tears. “I'm sorry, but not for what I did. Just for what it caused. Hermione,” he pushed her away so she could turn to face him, “I love you. I always have. I just haven't admitted to myself, or to you, how much until just recently. I love you more than just a friend.” He breathed deeply, trying to keep his emotions at bay so he could explain to her what he was feeling, what he'd been feeling for a very long time.

“Harry, I love you too” she interrupted. “More than you know. When everything finished years ago, Ron was just there for me. He'd changed, a lot. He was more considerate, more kind to me than he ever had been. I was still in love with him so I was confused. The way Ginny acted I thought the two of you would get back together forever. So I dismissed my feelings for you and concentrated on Ron.”

“It was good with Ginny for a while, but it didn't work out. I haven't had anyone serious since her though. And lately I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I've been thinking back to that night at the Cauldron, when you walked in wearing that gorgeous outfit.”

Harry closed his eyes and tried hard to remember every detail.

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Well, as promised, here's Chapter Six. The transition didn't work as well as I would have liked from the last chapter but oh well.

I'd like to say a special thanks to vlbuehle. He/she has made it a point to review on each chapter and I've found his/her opinions to be quite helpful and respectful.

I'll warn everyone now: this chapter gets us very, very well in to the NC17 rating. If you've been reading up 'til now and doubting whether I'd get to this point or not I have. Hopefully everyone will like it. If you don't... oh well. ^_^ I'd also like to say that the next couple (few?) chapters are going to be a bit of a trip.

R, r & r. Enjoy!

~~*~~

“Oh Merlin, don't remind me! I'm still so embarrassed about that. I don't know how I let Ginny talk me in to it.”

“I'm glad she did. I got to see a side of you I'd never seen before. You looked smashing. If Ron hadn't hit on the same thing I did so much faster I think I would have been in his place.”

“You liked it?” she pondered out loud. “I didn't think you would. Ginny wanted me to do it for Ron. He'd been going on about me non-stop and Ginny decided that if neither of us was going to do anything about it she would. So she did, and so we were.”

They pored over this for a little while. It was Harry who broke their reverie. “I don't think I've seen you look more beautiful than you did that night. You had grown in to yourself so much at that point. You looked irresistible! Your hair, your stomach, your legs...” Hermione was blushing furiously.

“I didn't look that good in it. The halter didn't fit right. And Ginny refused to let me wear a bra and knickers! She said it'd ruin it!”

“I knew you weren't wearing a bra, but no knickers! So that's why your arse looked so good...” She shot him a cold stare, but it wasn't without some playfulness behind it. He smacked her bottom playfully. “Yeah, that outfit was fantastic. You looked like one of those anime girls from Japan.”

Now she was beet red, and she could feel it. She covered her face with her hands and moaned regretfully in to her palms. “God, I didn't think it would have that effect on anyone! It was just me, after all. Just plain old Hermione in a different wrapper.”

“You're everything but plain” Harry said, pulling her hands from her face. His expression was serious. “You really don't know how beautiful you are, do you? Nobody compares to you, nobody. Not even 'Phlegm'.” He chuckled at the reference, but his face remained steel.

She felt her eyes grow moist at this sentiment. “You really find me that attractive?”

“You have no idea” he said. He bent forward and kissed her, sweetly and softly. “I would give everything in the world just to see you walk in to a room, your smile lighting the whole place.” She was crying, but her face was happy. “I love you, Hermione Jane Granger, with all my heart.”

She was stunned. Nobody, not even Ron, had ever spoken to her like this. She realized Harry had her on a very high pedestal. She was certain that, were it a real spire, not even a broom could reach her. But she would always come down to find him. “And I love you, Harry James Potter.” She leaned in to him and met his lips with a passionate kiss.

They lost themselves in each other's arms for a while. Their hands began to explore their bodies, roaming where they never had before. Just when they started to get very in to each other Harry broke their embrace. He rolled her off of him to stand and looked down at a very stunned Hermione.

“You're coming with me” said a very hungry looking Harry. He bent down and placed one hand behind her knees, the other behind her shoulders, moving her hand to the back of his neck. She instinctively locked her fingers behind his neck, placing him in a loose hug. He effortlessly lifted her from the sofa until her whole weight was in his arms. Despite her size and build she felt feather light in his arms. Her body was the perfect size for his frame. She kissed him deeply as he walked towards the stairs.

Up he went as though carrying nothing more than a child, up to his room. The place was decorated with deep crimson and brilliant gold without being gaudy. All of the metal pieces in the room were either silver or gold. There was a king size, mahogany four poster in the center of the room, draped with a patterned silk curtain, good for nothing more than keeping bugs out if the window was open. There were planters just outside of two large sitting windows and they brought in the scent of Orchids and Chrysanthemums. Harry set her down on the bed and slid himself on top of her.

She felt his weight settle all over her. His muscles were well developed and she felt each one flex as he contorted his body. His skin was hot and moist and felt very well toned under his shirt. “Yep, that has to go” she said as she retrieved the bottom of his shirt with her hands. She pulled it up over his head and regarded his frame. He knelt on the bed, straddling her hips while she regarded his frame. She ran her hands from his shoulders to his chest, tracing the line of every muscle. He was enjoying this attention very much. She continued down to his stomach, tracing her hands along his abs and finding the hem of his boxers peeking just above his shorts.

She ran her hands gently along the rib of the elastic around his back, then ran them slowly up his back, sitting up as she did so. She dug her nails in to his shoulder, making him arch his back in pain and lust. She rolled him over and came to rest on top of him, collapsing on his chest. She began kissing him at his neck, just behind his ear. She traced her tongue down his collarbone to his nipple, making a small circle around it and eliciting a moan from him. He'd had enough of being teased, now it was her turn.

He grabbed her by the shoulders roughly, though not with malice, and sat her upright. She saddled on to his hips, giving a little shimmy on his groin. This pushed his enthusiasm and she grinned mischievously. He ran his fingers along the inside of her blouse until he reached the first button. He undid it slowly, making as much contact with the crease between her breasts as possible. He continued to undo the other two buttons she had done up, taking a great deal of time on each, until he freed the last one.

He ran his hand over her flat, toned stomach, and marveled at the art in front of him. He thanked whatever god was out there at the moment for the things he was about to do to this beautiful woman. He pulled her blouse off to expose her bra. She took the initiative and unhooked the clasp in the back, letting the straps hang free from her shoulders. She crossed her arms in front of her and slid her index fingers under the material at her shoulders, sliding it down her arms.

She was enjoying the look on his face. It was hungry, almost feral in it's intensity, and she knew she was ruling this particular moment. She cupped her breasts and bent down to his face. She kissed him deeply and bit his lower lip softly, using it like a leash to sit him up. It wasn't until his gaze was level with hers that she let her hands fall, exposing the flesh beneath. He looked down slowly, regarding each inch of newly exposed flesh, until his eyes reached her breasts. He ran his hands, slowly, up her sides until he found the fleshy mounds nestled in his palms.

“Oh” she moaned as he took a nipple between each thumb and finger. He rolled them gently while suckling first her neck, then her collarbone. He worked his lips lower, kissing the whole way down. She was making very pleased noises the whole time, “Oh, yes”, “Mmm”, “Ahh”. Each time his lips made contact with her skin she felt a small tingle at the spot. Her nipples were very hard when his lips found the first small bud. He took it between his lips and sucked it gently. “Oh, god yes, mmm” she moaned. She reached her hand behind his head and entwined her fingers in his hair.

When she could take no more she slid off of him, pulling him off the bed with her. She was standing in front of him now, half-naked and becoming slightly sweaty. His body glistened with moisture and his chest was slightly red. She ran her hands down his chest to his shorts. She kissed him hotly, wantonly, as she undid them and slipped her fingers inside his boxers. Her hand cupped his pelvis, searching out his hard manhood slowly. She found the root of his shaft and slid her fingers gently around it.

She tightened her grip and began to work her hand slowly back and forth along it's length. He had broken their kiss and was now moaning. “Hermione, oh, fuck, don't stop, please” he begged. She kissed his chest and sought out one of his nipples. She bit down gently, sending electricity through his trunk. “Oh god, please” he groaned in to her hair.

He wound his hands along her shoulders, down to her waist. He found the zipper on the back of her skirt and slid it down, loosening it. He loathed to do it at that moment but he pulled away from her slightly, causing her to lose her grip. He slid the skirt down over her arse, and let it fall to the floor. He grabbed her bottom, one cheek in each hand, and pulled her up. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He gripped her mouth with his and immediately sought out her tongue. They kissed each other, tongues as though in battle, furiously exploring each other's mouths.

He spun her around quickly and set her down on the bed, never once breaking contact. He pulled back and placed his hand on her shoulder, pushing her away. He slid his hand down along her neck, between her breasts and down her stomach. She lied back as he did this and placed her hands, outstretched, above her head and offered her whole body to him. “Do what you want to me, but you're mine next lover” she teased.

Urged on to his goal, he traced his fingers down her stomach, from her navel to her knickers. He traced the shape of a triangle in line with her curls, then found the mound of her nub behind the sheer material. He pressed his thumb on top of it and received a small gasp in return. “Ohh” she moaned quietly as he began to make small, circular motions around the small bit of flesh beneath his thumb. She arched her back, pressing herself against his thumb. Her breathing became ragged, coming in gasps each time he pressed right on the button.

He stopped his motions and ran his hands along the inside of her thighs, letting her recover slightly but leaving her momentarily frustrated. She relaxed back down on to the bed as he slipped his thumbs inside the strings of her knickers. He pulled gently until they release their grip around her thighs. She lifted her arse off of the bed and allowed him to pull the thin bit of material off of her legs, throwing them across the room. He kissed her thighs to halfway up until she parted her legs. He looked at what must be Nirvana, if the Buddhists were right. He kissed up the inside of her thighs until he tasted her, hot and sweet. He kissed slowly over every inch before finding that small bit of flesh and nerve again. “Sweet Morgana, don't stop” she was groaning, moving her hips around, trying to get him to latch on. He pulled her clit in to his mouth and ran his tongue over the nub, sending shivers along the length of her body. He pulled back and looked her in the face.

She was sweaty and breathing heavily. He traced his finger along her stomach, to the top of her thigh, and along the inside of her leg. He pushed gently against her folds, keeping her eyes locked with his the whole time. She licked her lips seductively and he slid is finger in slowly as she let her eyes slip closed and arched her back. He plied her depths with his finger and suckled on her clitoris. She was loudly moaning nonsense, just syllables and guttural groans. Her body started to shake and, without stopping his working between her thighs, he reached his free hand up and found her breast, cupping it and rolling her nipple. Her body tensed in ecstasy and she pulled his head further towards her with her legs and gripped his hair almost furiously. He continued his ministrations until she released him and she collapsed back on the bed, sweating. “Fuck, I haven't come like that for a long time.”

He lied down next to her and ran his hands along her torso, stroking her skin and sending tingles along her spine. When she'd recovered some she reached her hand inside his boxers again, finding him quickly. She gripped it firmly and stroked the length. She pressed her thumb in the crease along the bottom and moved it slowly. “Oh god” he groaned. She turned him over on his back and kissed him, then pulled her lips from him and trailed kisses along his jaw and down to his neck and chest.

She slid along his body to kneel on the floor, her hand and lips never stopping. She slid her hands under his firm butt and grabbed the hem of his shorts. He shimmied in place and let her pull his remaining clothing off. “Oh Merlin, please don't stop” he groaned. His dick sprang free from it's binding and she stared at it as though an altar. She moved her hand along his shaft, stopping to give a small twist around the head at each stroke. She slid her shoulders along the inside of his legs until she was eye level with him.

She ran her tongue along the bottom from the base to the head before sinking her hot mouth around it. “Oh, holy hell!” he moaned loudly. “Don't fucking stop” he said looking down at her. She looked through her eyelashes at him before closing her eyes and taking all she could of him in to her mouth, which was a surprising amount. She began to work her mouth over his length. He was grinding his hips in circles, meeting each of her downward thrusts, though not to choke her. He was getting very close when she finally broke her hold on him.

“Oh fuck” he said, sweat falling from his brow. “I don't know where you learned to do that but I'm glad you did” he stated, smiling all the while.

“I could ask you the same thing” she said as she came up to eye level with him. “I haven't felt anything like that for a long time, and you're very good at it” she said as she cradled his balls in her hand. She let go and turned to look full faced at him while propping herself up on her elbows, exaggerating her cleavage. “Get further on to the bed” she said, a lustful look in her eyes. She slid off the bed and walked downstairs.

“Where are you going?” he asked, admiring her naked arse as she sidled across the room.

“Have to get something, back in a jif” she said.

He lay on his back and let his eyes close, thinking about the events of the last few minutes. He opened his eyes and realized the light had faded so the room was now very dark. This won't do he thought. He got up and walked over to his dresser, not being able to concentrate enough work wandlessly, and conjured a number of candles to light the room. “That's better” he said quietly. He heard Hermione coming back up the stairs and took his place back on the bed.

She walked in to the room, wand in hand. She walked over to the dresser and looked at herself in the mirror. Through the mirror he saw her place the tip of her wand on her stomach and her lips moved almost imperceptibly as she said the contraceptive charm she'd learned a long time ago. She set her wand next to his and turned to face him, not seeing the subtle, silverly glow that surrounded the wands imperceptibly. She got a wicked smile on her face and sprang for the bed, jumping and landing next to him. She pushed herself above him and lowered down to give him a very deep kiss.

He tasted something very, very sweet as she did this and he sucked her tongue. “Honey” he said after she'd pulled away. “That's a surprise”.

“Little trick I came up with a while ago” she said as she smiled warmly down at him. Her hair was draped across her shoulders and fell on to his chest. “Did you like it?”

“It was... different. But very good” he said honestly, smiling brightly.

“I thought you'd like it, you're such a naughty little man.” She grabbed him a little roughly and began to get him very, very hard again.

“Mmm” he moaned in to her shoulder. She'd got him worked up again in no time and she swung her leg over him. She settled down on to his waist and let go of him. She slid herself down until he landed right between her buttocks. She continued to look down at him as he looked up at her and rocked her pelvis forward and back, gliding his length between her cheeks. He began to meet her rhythm, making the movement more noticeable to them both. Her slickness was run all along his shaft, making him warm and slippery.

Her eyes were closed and she was experiencing every sensation as deeply as she could, concentrating only on the sensations. He reached his hand up to cup her breast in his hand and tilted his head up to suck on the nipple. She'd had enough foreplay, though. “I need you in me so bad. Do you want to be inside me?”

“Like I've never wanted anything else in my life” he replied.

She lifted herself up on to her knees and slid down until he was right under her. She grabbed his length and centered it on her opening. He grabbed her hips but didn't force her down. He let her take the lead. She lowered herself around him, enveloping him slowly until she was seated against his hips. She licked her lips as he sank in to her depths and he felt wet warmth slide down the whole length of him. Once he was all the way in she stayed still for a moment, getting use to this sensation.

“Oh my god, you feel so good” she said, encouraging him further. She looked in to his eyes and began to roll her hips lightly. He twitched the muscles in his pelvis, causing her to jump a little. “Holy... oh, Merlin!... where did you learn that?!” she moaned, sharply inhaling each time he flexed his muscles.

“My secret, darling” he said. She matched the muscle control and contracted around him, squeezing his whole length slightly. He gripped her hips lightly and she nodded. He began to guide her slowly, up and down, as she started to ride him. Her thrusts became quicker and deeper, him meeting her every downward motion with an upward thrust.

She leaned backwards slightly, grinding her most sensitive spot against his length. She began to buck harder and harder and he thought he might not be able to keep up. She stopped suddenly and looked down at him.

“Do you trust me” she said panting.

“Of course I do, otherwise I wouldn't find myself in such a compromising position, would I?”

“I guess not” she said as she bent down and kissed him roughly. She lifted herself off of him and he slipped out. He instantly missed the sensation, though not for long. She turned her back to him and straddled him again, affording a fantastic view of her arse. He grabbed her bottom and gave a squeeze.

“Fantastic idea” he said. She looked over her shoulder and grinned evilly.

She settled herself down on him again and he felt the familiar warm sensation envelop him. Then she leaned back until she was almost laying on top of him and she began to pump again. This was an entirely different sensation and he groaned in delight. “Oh Merlin, holy shit!” She laughed and moaned a the same time, a strange sound that made her sound wanton. She grabbed his hand and guided it up to her breast. He kneaded the flesh in his fingers and she moaned louder. “Oh my” she breathed as her pumping increased in intensity. He sat up under neath her and she ground down on to him.

He used the hand on her breast to guide her thrusts and he reached his other hand around her waist and down to find her button. He pushed hard and rubbed circles and she screamed in to the room. She was thrusting rapidly now, her arse fairly slamming on to his hips. He met her every thrust, his own climax rapidly approaching. He felt her body tense and she let out a long, guttural moan that became a scream quickly and mixed with broken exclamations as her orgasm overtook her. He continued to thrust until he broke free and his climax overtook him. He bit her shoulder lightly, making her cry again as he came inside her. He didn't stop until her body relaxed and she'd pumped him completely.

They collapsed back on to the bed in sweaty embrace, kissing each other softly.

“You are fantastic, you know” she said.

“Yeah, I know, but so are you” he replied.

“Cheeky little bastard.” She planted a kiss on the tip of his nose. They lay there for some time, stroking each other, slowly getting worked up again. “Where's the bath, love?” she asked.

“In there” he nodded his head behind her.

“Oh. I think I need a shower.” She kissed him softly and walked towards the bath, him staring at her backside as she walked away.

When she was halfway across the room he said “I think I do too.”

She squealed with delight as he chased her in to the bath.

Neither of them noticed, as they passed the dresser, that their wands were no longer separated by it's length. Rather they were laying crossed in the center, as though they were coupled as well.

~

Hermione woke slowly, the light from the sun just peeking over the top of the window sash and striking her and Harry's twisted forms in to sharp relief. With the color of the morning she was unable to tell where one of them began and the other ended.

Harry whispered something in his sleep and hugged her tighter, closing the imperceptible gap between them. Hermione smiled to herself, some half thought only barely touching her conciousness. My god, I'm in his bed. We slept together... A single tear slid out of her eye and moistened the pillow. But something doesn't feel right she admonished to herself. There was something prodding her mind, just at the back.

“What's wrong love?” Harry asked, alerting her to his being awake. She quickly wiped here eyes that had just begun to tear, but he was non-plussed. “Why are you crying Mione?”

“I'm not sure. I feel amazing, but something's off.”

Harry reached around to where his glasses normally were but didn't find them. Being unable to see to find them he summoned his wand. “Accio glasses” he muttered. His glasses jumped to his hand from near the dresser. He set his wand down on the night stand and put his glasses on and regarded Hermione but was startled at her face. She looked absolutely mortified.

“Did you mean to summon my wand, Harry?”

“I didn't, I summoned mine” he said and he started to turn around, reaching for his wand where he'd put it on the night stand.

“No, don't. I've held your wand before, and it's always felt... different from mine, like I could tell it apart, if not tell who's it was, but always knew by feel whether or not it was my wand. What did the wand you just used feel like?”

“Dunno, never really noticed a difference.”

“Let me try then” she said. She closed her eyes and called her wand to her. When she opened them she looked almost surprised by the fact that it was her vine in her hand rather than Harry's wand. “That's strange... Where was your wand when you called it?”

Harry looked slightly worried, as though he thought her insane. “Over on the dresser, where I left it. Why? What's wrong?” he asked but she didn't answer. She padded over to the dresser, grabbing his shirt from the floor along the way. She set the wand down on the dresser and noticed something else, but not being sure of what she was seeing she put it aside for the moment and donned the shirt. She unknowingly, given the current circumstances, afforded Harry a splendid view of her taught body and felt a twinge at the back of her mind. “Why, Mister Potter, I do believe...” but stopped mid sentence.

She whipped her head around, flipping her hair back in to her face, a look he rather liked. She looked, again, somewhere between mortified and ecstatic. “Mione, you're scaring me here. What the hell is going on?”

She did not answer his question though. Turning wheels had clicked in to place. “Harry, close your eyes and summon your wand.”

“Aren't we passed wandless and wordless training, oh bookworm?” he said playfully.

“Oh, just do it you git!”

“Ok, ok” he replied and he closed his eyes sighing. In the intervening moments she silently bumped his wand back an inch or two on the dresser, just before hers went flying across the room.

“Don't open your eyes yet!” she screamed. He didn't jump at the sound, but looked rather thoughtful and worried. “Which wand is in your hand?”

He thought carefully for a moment. He could feel the wand, now that he thought about it, and it formed a twisted image in his mind. While he was usually greeted with the picture of a phoenix subconsciously the image before him now, as he was concentrating on it, was jumbled. It did indeed have wings, and was on fire, but also had a horn and silvery hair. It looked something like a perverted cross between a Hippogriff and a Nightmare. “What the hell...” he started to say as he opened his eyes but went immediately quiet as he regarded the wand in his hand: carved ivy.

“Watch” Hermione said and he was almost startled to realize that she was still in the room. Immediately Harry's holly wand filled her hand. “I think I know what's happened. Harry, we've...” but she was unable to continue. Her eyes had swelled with tears and she found her throat closing, becoming difficult to speak through. Instead she ran the few feet across the room and threw herself in to his waiting arms.

He'd learned a few lessons over the years, including not to interrupt Hermione if she was upset. Instead he held her tightly and tried to simply make her feel safe. It took him a moment to realize that he was crying a little as well but had nothing but amazingly happy feelings. He looked at the wand in his hand, expecting that it would shout answers to him given that it had started this whole morning of a little strangely. He was more than a little shocked to see a subtle gold hue surrounding the ivy, barely discernible from the golden rays peeking through the window.

Hermione pulled back from him a little, though she didn't break their contact. She looked in to his face fully, her eyes red with crying but holding a bottomless mirth that seemed to scream at him. “Harry, give me the wand.” He did as they asked.

Hermione held the wands apart six inches on her upturned palms, each aimed exactly at the other's tip. “Priori Incantatem” she said clearly. The wands rose slowly from her hands. A very quiet song was issuing from each, each different in sound but the same. A phoenix song issued from the holly while a musical braying came from the length of ivy. The glow from Hermione's wand changed almost immediately from gold to green, Harry's from gold to blueish white. Each wand seemed to grow a tendril of the same, muted color, as though reaching out to the other wand. When the two tendrils met in air they began to swirl around each other, as though one wand core was caressing the other. With a dull flash both wands' colors changed to subtle gold and in the center was a distended sphere, either of it's teardrop ends reaching to a wand. The song had changed to a bird-like song, almost a screech, but was now just one song.

“What the bloody fucking hell was that?!” Harry half screamed. He had an awed and terrified look on his face.

“I don't know. I've never heard of that. But I think I know what it means. Do you still practice Occlumency?”

“Not practice, my mind's just always closed now. Why?”

“Open your mind, Harry.” His eyes closed momentarily and it took him a moment to overcome the sudden, nearly foreign, openness to the world around him. “Still relaxed?”

“As relaxed as I can be. It's been a while since -”

Good. The sound seemed to issue from inside his own head like a strange echo, though it was clear, warm and...

“Your voice” he said. “How did you -”

Do that? Try it.

The voice was suddenly there again. “But how do I” and he was cut off again. She was giving him a look that said now as much as if she'd said it aloud. He found that he had to concentrate. He was filled with a number of thoughts and emotions. There was one thought that stood out in his mind, though he tried to suppress it.

“Ok, that will do!” Hermione squeaked. An image that she knew was not hers had entered her mind, one of her as though from above, though naked and... bouncing? “What the hell was that?”

Harry looked sheepish. “Um, I was trying to clear my mind but I kept thinking about last night...” He was visibly flustered and quite pink. He was also still thinking about it.

“Harry, stop” Hermione said, though the sound of her voice slightly betrayed her feelings. That and her wide open mind. Harry had felt... something, pulling his mind somewhere else. He let it wander this time but it went away from his thoughts.

“Ah, Mione!” he quietly admonished. “I had no idea you were such a bad girl!” he had seen a picture, almost a flash, though it must have encompassed at least a few seconds worth of memory. It was the two of them in the shower, writhing wet and slippery against each other. But it wasn't his shower. He didn't recognize it immediately, but it was the prefect's bathroom at Hogwarts and he looked different than he thought he ought to at that time.

She had been watching him and saw the same thing he did. She turned a brilliant shade of red and pulled her face from his, hiding it in her hands. He immediately felt a barrier, like a wall, in his thoughts and the memory was gone but left an after image.

“You shouldn't have seen that” she said sheepishly. “That was a long time ago, just after I told you you were 'fanciable'. I guess now you know I wasn't kidding or just being a friend when you were doubting yourself.”

Harry closed his mind again, recognizing the feeling, but still recognized a small hole in his defenses. He knew, however, that it should be there and wasn't to be worried about. “I never would have thought... so you did fancy me? As far back as Hogwarts?”

“Yes. But I also fancied Ron. I just waited to see which one of you made the first move and, like you said last night, Ron beat you to it. Harry, I think I know what's happened.”

“And that is?”

“The bond.”

~~*~~

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A/N: Hoorays for updates! This chapter's a bit weird. One more time jump, just to explain things a bit for you. ^_^ This is also a fairly long chapter, comparatively, at 7303 words. Hope you like it!

Now, something I haven't done nearly enough. I don't own anything from this universe. It all belongs to JK Rowling, except for my own, menial little bits. Please don't sue me!

R, r & enjoy!

~~*~~

“The bond... what?”

“Harry,” Hermione said quietly in a cooing kind of voice, “the bond is what happens when soul mates, well, mate. It's the joining, coupling, of two people at the soul level when they give in to their feelings and bond. It's something willful and both must feel the same way. It happens when two people fall in love and act on that love.”

“So we're what, bonded together?”

“Yes, but on the soul level. Oh Harry, I love you.” She leaned in to him and gave him the most passionate, most feeling kiss he'd ever had. He felt, in a way, like his entire being was entwining itself with her. And he quite enjoyed it.

He pulled his lips from hers and set his forehead against hers. “I love you to Hermione.” He grabbed the shirt, his shirt, and pulled it off of her. He lied back on the bed and held up the sheet for her, giving her room to lay next to him. She slid her feet under the sheet and lay down next to him. He dropped the sheet around her shoulders and pulled her in to his embrace.

“There's something we need to do today, now that all of this has happened. Someone we need to see.”

“Later” he said and he kissed her deeply, but this time forcefully, needfully. She immediately lost all thoughts in her mind. He slid his hands down the length of her sides, picking her hips up to move her on top of him. He was hard again and she slick. Not once did they break their body contact, each wanting to have as much contact with the other as possible.

She guided him in to her with her hand and began to grind along the length of his body. She felt different this time, however, and she had mixed senses. In addition to his scent and the feeling of him inside her she also slightly felt an inexplicable warmth around an appendage she didn't have and could smell herself from a different point of view. This new mix of sensations mingled with her own was driving her towards the cliff of climax much faster than ever.

Harry could smell something musty. He knew, on some level, that it was his own smell, something he'd never noticed before. But rather than feeling repulsed by it he could feel what it did to Hermione, realizing that it was how she smelled him. He could also almost feel pressure in the center of his abdomen in a spot he knew damned well he didn't possess. But it didn't make the sensation any less pleasurable and, in fact, it drove him absolutely insane!

She was cresting, fast. In love with the new sensations, and with the man giving them to her, she decided to open her mind once more, just a little, to see how far the new feelings could go. She was immediately flooded with sensations and emotions that weren't her own. She felt herself sliding around him and felt him sliding in to her at the same time.

Harry sensed a change in the dynamic, felt his mind being pulled on from outside, and gave in. When he opened his mind he felt everything amplify ten-fold. The previous sensations were magnified, intensified, and he immediately began to crest, sensing how close Hermione was to her own orgasm.

They came at the same time, both within their own bodies and within each other's sensations. The combination amplified for both of them nearly drove them unconscious. Both of their ears were ringing, their nerves and skin on fire, and two ceased to be, leaving one being in absolute ecstasy.

It took a while, an eternity it seemed, for their senses to separate and their minds to retreat back in to their own heads. The sheets were twisted around the foot of the bed and soaking wet. The room smelt like musk mixed with the scent of chrysanthemums and was in shambles. Clothes on their hangers were strewn about the floor in front of the closet. Drawers were half out of the dresser with various bits of clothing laying on their fronts. The bedroom door was hanging slightly open and a little cock-eyed, as though off it's hinge. And the two wands, one holly and one vine, were crossed on the dresser, hovering a little off it's surface.

Harry was the first to speak, but didn't manage to utter more than “Shit” and chuckle to himself a bit.

It took Hermione a bit more, but “Yeah, shit.”

“That was amazing. You're amazing.”

“So are you love.”

They lay their for another little while, both content to simply hold each other. The warm breeze from the window was enough to cool the skin, but not uncomfortably so. They said nothing more and simply were until Harry's stomach issued forth a terrible growl, suited more to a dragon than a man. They both laughed until Hermione's stomach growled as well, more quietly but no less fierce, at which Harry nearly doubled over with laughter.

“Asshole” she said as she hit his arm lightly. Both were momentarily aware of their still heightened nervous system, but neither paid it heed. “I guess we could do with some food” and she lifted herself off the bed. He didn't move from his resting place more than to turn more fully towards her, watching as her muscles rippled lightly under her skin while she stretched. She was again aware of his watching her. “Show later lover” she admonished. “I need food and we need to get a move on. There really is something we need to do today now.”

“Ok, ok” he said after watching her pull his shirt on again. He stood up on the other side of the bed, fully aware of her watching him, and made a distinct show of stretching, highlighting his best attributes. He looked over his shoulder and gave her a wry smile, which she returned.

She padded over to where he was standing and slapped his arse, rather harder than was necessary. “Need to take a shower” and she kissed his cheek. She walked away towards the bathroom and was aware of his following her. “Alone” she emphasized and she giggled at the raspberry sent through her mind by him.

This is going to take some serious getting used to he thought to himself. He none the less pulled some clothing from his dresser and regarded the wands on the top. How the hell could something like this happen? And who are we going to see about all of this? She seemed to know about the rest of what happened, were they going to the library? “Mione?” he yelled as he walked down the hall.

“Yeah babe?” She felt a little strange saying that to her best friend, though not for long as she decided she really enjoyed it.

“Where are we going?”

“Diagon. There's someone I need to see to get some answers and we need to head to Flourish and Blott's for some new texts.”

“Oh” he said as he entered the bathroom and set his things on the counter. “Who in Diagon are we going to see?”

“You'll just have to wait” she said as she turned off the water. She stepped out of the shower and began drying herself off, fully aware of the effect this was having on him. “Later, dear” she said as she wrapped the towel around herself and grabbed him through the boxers he had put on, though why he put them on she didn't know. “There'll be plenty of time for that later” and she walked from the bathroom.

Merlin, what have I got myself in to? he thought to himself. He dropped his boxers, though with some difficulty. Cold shower. Very cold he said in his mind as he stepped in to the tub. The cold water tap turned itself full on though he thought he may have heard a distant giggle from down the hall. The water had the desired, if not completely effective, effect.

Hermione entered their room (Our room... that's a thought) and finished drying her hair with the towel. She grabbed her wand, her real wand, and summoned her bag from downstairs. By the time she was dressed Harry had come back in from his shower. He caught her from behind and buried his lips in the crook of her neck.

“Jesus Harry! You're cold!” she exclaimed.

“Yeah, well, had to do something about the way you left me, didn't I?”

Oh yeah she thought to herself, remembering his state just before she left the bathroom alone. She gave him a wry grin, better suited to an imp. “Like I said, later”.

She made her way down to the kitchen, Harry not far behind. When she got their she looked in the fridge to see what was available but the door was closed by Harry, very nearly on her head.

“That's what Dobby's for, love. He enjoys it” he was saying as the elf appeared on the floor near them, his bright eyes beaming up at the two of them.

“What would Mister Harry and his Mione likes for breakfast?”

“You've got him calling my Mione now?” she said, a mocking and playful tone in her voice. Harry shrugged his shoulders. “Um, how about some sausages, eggs and biscuits?”

“Right right Mistress Hermione!” Dobby exclaimed.

“Dobby...” Harry said in an almost threatening tone. Dobby looked thoroughly abashed.

“Yes sir, Harry, Hermione. 'No more Mister', and that means mistress as well?” he fairly asked. He received a nod in return.

Harry pulled a chair out for Hermione and waited for her to sit. “Coffee?” he offered and got a nod in return. He set a cup in front of her. Their conversation turned almost immediately in to talk of school and students, both the problem ones and the good ones. Once Dobby had finished with their breakfast the both realized just how hungry they were and they tucked in to it with aplomb. Both ate more than they normally would and both had pleasant thoughts and looks as they ruminated on the why of that situation.

~

Two hours later they found themselves inside the nearest apparation zone to Diagon Alley: the Leaky Cauldron. They emerged from the back area down the hall and made their way to the rear door. Harry, at Hermione's behest, was not using his normal wand but a backup he had acquired during their heyday as Dark fighters. He tapped a lone brick on an apparently blank wall and watched, with the briefest flit of memory, as the wall folded out upon itself and made an arch just big enough for the two of them to fit through hand in hand, as they were now.

“So the reason I can't use my wand is...?”

“Because I want to make sure that the Priori Incantatem will still recall it” she said as she steered him to the right side of the street. “Here, this is where we'll get some more answers.”

Harry found himself in front of a shop he hadn't entered for some years. Ollivander's was just as he remembered: a stately, subdued shop full to the brim with walls and shelves full of thousands upon thousands of wand boxes, each waiting for their owner to claim them. And it dawned on him: she knew about the Bond but not the wands. He opened the door for her and they entered the slightly dusty shop.

“Coming, coming” said a quiet, yet cheery voice. “Ah, Mister Potter. And Miss Granger. To what do I owe the honor of your company?”

“Well, Mr. Ollivander, I have some questions to ask you. About wand lore.” Hermione pulled the two wands from the inside of her robes, their glow now only slightly visible even in the darkened store.

“Oh my word” said Ollivander in astonishment, his quiet voice filled with who knew how many emotions. “How long ago? When did you notice?”

Hermione told the story, Harry filling in little parts as though her voice were his own, though they left out some of the more sordid details.

“My word. Not in... Come with me, both of you.” With the flick of his own wand the store front closed and the door locked. “We have much, much to discuss.” That was the last they were able to understand from him for the next few minutes as he was mumbling to himself a great deal. They arrived in the back room of his shop, though it was at least twice the size of the front and filled with drawers, pieces of wood and a good number of hanging items, only a few of which were recognized in the short glimpses Harry and Hermione gave them.

Ollivander subjected both of the wands to a number of instruments. Everything from scales to magnifying glasses to his own fingertips were used to prod, measure and assess the wands. After fifteen minutes he pulled out what looked like a pensieve. Both of the pair grew concerned and attempted to move forward but were halted by “I'm not retrieving memories, per se. I'm looking at the wands' memories. I won't see anything that happened last night but what happened to the wands themselves” and he gave them a sly smile, though short lived and the twinkle of an eye reminiscent of Dumbledore.

He placed both wands in the shallow bowl and began to chant lowly to them, almost as if he were singing a babe to sleep. The bowl began to fill with a golden liquid, though not a liquid. It appeared like vaporized gold slag and hurricane wind. With a prod from the old man's wand it began to swirl very fast and an image familiar to them both appeared to float just above it's surface. But aside from the colors and the two songs there really were few similarities.

In the blue above the holly wand was a phoenix making a slow circle within the confines of a sphere. Above the vine was a green unicorn tossing it's mane and braying musically. As the tendrils moved towards each other the two animals seemed to see each other. As they wove together the animals started to move closer to each other. The brief gold flash, they now saw, was the two animals apparently becoming one because now, in the ovoid shape, was a golden animal, a Gryphon with a short, silver horn and flames at the tip of it's tail, back of it's wings and upon it's hooves and talons.

“Oh my” said Hermione, a sentiment that was echoed by Harry. “But what does it mean?”

“It means that something has happened that hasn't happened for a very long time, as far as I'm aware.”

As Ollivander stared at the image it began to dissipate, mist becoming transparent slowly. But none of them would ever forget what the animal looked like. But what animal was it? I've never seen one like it.. “When you said that it was something that hasn't happened for a long time, what did you mean?”

“I mean, my dear girl, that you now have, the two of you, a pair of bonded wands. When your souls bonded, or rather when you acted upon the bond that was already there, it was so strong that your wands were bonded as well. This requires a specific set of circumstances. But it is also so rare that it has become a thing of myth, of legend, and it is not documented. I doubt that any but extremely accomplished wand makers who study their lore, a group I humbly place myself in, would even be aware of it's existence.”

He closed his eyes for a minute, as though hoping to find a better explanation written on the backs of his eyes. Harry and Hermione were dumbfounded, though whether from this explanation or the extreme remoteness of it's possibility, neither knew.

“I think, perhaps, you should find some more information on your own. There are... friends, I must contact, hopefully establish a more... profound explanation of this. And it's consequences.” He continued to mutter to himself as he handed the wands back to their respective owners, though none of it was intelligible as speech as far as Harry could discern. Hermione, however, persisted.

“What do you mean by 'consequences', sir? Is there a chance that this could impair us somehow? That we won't be able to do magic like we used to be able to?” Hermione queried the old man until she was blue in the face, her questions becoming more and more desperate. Harry could tell that she was becoming hysterical, behaving as though she was tainted somehow. The same way she acted the first time Draco Malfoy called her 'mudblood'.

Harry raised his wand at Hermione. “Sedatus Adaugeo” he said quietly but firmly and Hermione immediately began to calm down, though she looked aghast at him for a moment. “Does that answer your question dear?” She could only stare at him. By the look on her face she must have thought the spell would backfire. Or turn me in to a toad...

“How could you have known that something wouldn't go wrong?!”

“If I didn't know better I'd think you didn't trust me. Ollivander, how long will it take you to find what you're looking for?”

He was still muttering to himself, though he had begun pulling a few books off his overloaded bookshelf. “Can't say, can't say. Those that I must contact are... difficult to find. Could be a week, could be a month, never can say. Is there somewhere that I can contact you when I've found the information?”

“Yes, the school. Send word to the headmistress, she'll know how to contact us. I'll make sure of that” Harry replied. “We'll take our leave then. I think we have some talking to do” he said as he looked at Hermione.

“Thank you Mr. Ollivander.”

“Good day to you” he said as he uncharacteristically, and unceremoniously, waved them off, not even looking up from the books.

They walked out of the store in to a bright mid-morning sun. “Let's get some coffee honey” Harry said, placing his hand on the small of her back and guiding her to Fortescue's shop just down the way. She was still deep in thought and wasn't paying much attention to where she was walking.

“I've never seen an animal like that, have you?” I've seen gryphons, hippogriffs, phoenixes and all manner in between. But never anything like that. Ever. “Did you recognize any other features? Harry?”

They had reached Fortescue's and taken seats outside, just out of the reach of the sun under an umbrella. Harry was staring in to the brightly colored fabric, contemplating the ramifications of what they'd just heard, what had happened over the last two days and, more importantly, what he'd just seen in that wand memory. Yeah, I recognized some other features. Creatures of fury, malice, they're said to be the devil's own steeds and even traverse the planes. The spawn of a thousand bad dreams, able to ride the air, leaving a flaming trail wherever they go. A Nightmare. Perfect word for it too... “Yeah, something may have seemed similar. But I'd rather check first before jumping to conclusions.”

“Then you need to go to Flourish's too?”

“No. What I need to find won't be in any of their books. I'll have to go back to the school. We need to get back up there anyway, don't we? Finish planning for our respective finals?”

“You still haven't finished yours?! Merlin, it's like we're back in school! You and Ron always copying off of me, forcing me to do your work for you!” She gave him a stern look, not unlike Molly would have, but was betrayed by the humor in her eyes.

“Hey now!” Harry retorted, looking affronted by her accusation. “I've got loads planned -” she gave him an incredulous look “and I've just to decide on how much to put in to O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. I've got to be picky since I don't have too much to say in the matter, really just one or two things. Now, what's say we get up the way and finish our shopping so we can finish the day in laziness?”

She found it hard to fight the argument. They finished their coffee quickly and dropped a couple sickles on the table which vanished as soon as they vacated their seats. They made their way up the street, Hermione's arm threaded through the crook of his elbow, neither of them paying the remotest attention to the flash of red hair ducking behind that morning's copy of The Daily Prophet that had been visibly molested by a pair of white-knuckled hands.

Couldn't even wait a week to be seen in public, could you? Damn you. Damn you both. Ron was beyond pissed, though why even he couldn't figure out. He knew very well that he wasn't that mad about her not going to the games, even the finals. And he was very happy for her getting the potions position at Hogwarts. No, they'd been having problems for a while. He just didn't want to admit it. But after what Ginny had said...

~

“Ginny, can we talk?” Hermione had apparated outside the Burrow's wards and made her way slowly to the front porch. The door was already opened, Ginny making her way outside to see who had come calling.

“Sure. What's wrong?” she asked as Hermione threw her arms around her best friend's neck and began crying in earnest.

“God, I've been terrible sis!” They made their way in to the kitchen and a hot cup of coffee was sitting in front of her without even asking. Her presence at the Burrow was almost expected since she'd been seeing Ron for years. She knew then that Ron hadn't told any of them. She composed herself after a few sips of the hot liquid. “Gin, he didn't tell you, did he...” It was more of a statement than it was a question.

“Yeah, he did. But I'm the only one he told. I still don't understand it though. What happened?”

“Well...” she started, unsure how best to explain. “We haven't been doing well for a while. We always fight, and never about anything important. It's kinda like we've said everything we could say to each other already, like there's nothing more to talk about. With him it's always Quidditch. And I'm so involved with school that it's really all I have to talk about.” Ginny gave her a look that she knew to mean 'well no shit' which she returned in kind. “Even the sex wasn't really worth it anymore,” Ginny shuddered at the thought “like it was more of a chore or a duty. There hasn't been any passion there for a long time Gin. Did you know he wasn't really considering getting married?”

“No!” Ginny exclaimed aghast. “I thought he would have wanted to marry you right off! None of us could figure out why you weren't married already.”

“His professional career was 'too important to take the time off for getting married'”. She said the last bit in a near perfect imitation of the real thing. Both of the girls laughed at the thought and impersonation.

“Do you know how long Neville dogged me to go with him to that party we had?”

“M mm” Hermione grunted, her mouth full of coffee and raising her eyebrows. She swallowed heavily. “How long?”

“Five months.” Hermione threw her a questioning look. “He asked me out just a couple days after Harry and I broke up. I'd been talking to him about the whole thing, about how I'd been a git for still wanting Harry and all. Said he'd realized it too. Dumb ass shouldn't have said that.” She gave her friend a knowing look and giggled along with her for a few minutes to the diminishing of men's egos everywhere.

They talked for a while about the stupidity of boys, how they're always acting like right bastards, never saying the right things when it really matters, etc...

“But we're not much better...” Hermione mumbled, her face growing quite pink and very guilty looking. Ginny picked up on it immediately.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I went to Harry after Ron and I broke it off. I was going to stay at the Hollow during the holidays, doesn't seem right to stay at Ron's or here. I was really distraught over everything and I've always been able to talk to Harry -” Ginny looked affronted.

“Like you couldn't talk to me?” she said a little too heatedly.

“Of course I could talk to you!” Hermione replied abashedly. “But I've always been closer to Harry than anyone else, except you and Ron.” This seemed to sate Ginny a little at least. “Anyway, we were talking and drinking and... and he kissed me...” she finished in a small voice.

“What do you mean he kissed you? Like he hugged you and kissed your cheek? A peck on the lips?”

Hermione breathed heavily. “No Gin, he kissed me. I mean really kissed me, passionately.”

“How could he do that?! After you'd just broken up with his best friend! What a bastard... I'll throttle him next time I see him...” and she continued debasing Harry's character.

Hermione let her continue to stew in her anger for a minute, though this may not have been the most intelligent course of action given the part she hadn't told her yet. Well, better get it over with. “That's not the worst of it sis... He kissed me again after we broke apart. I didn't stop him.”

“Of course you didn't stop him! He's bigger than you, he's really strong and -”

“No, Gin, I didn't want him to stop. I wanted him to keep kissing me. I grabbed the back of his head and forced him to keep going.”

“Why did you do that, Hermione?” Ginny asked in a nearly threatening tone.

“Because I was enjoying it. A lot, like it was always supposed to be him and me kissing.” Ginny had started to glare at her as though she could burn her with her will.

“Hermione... why... what... makes you think that it was supposed to be you and him?”

“I don't know Gin. It just felt right. Like really right. And then Ron walked through the door.”

Ginny had apparently forgotten her anger for the moment, waiting to hear what her brother's reaction was.

“He yelled at both of us, something like 'what the fuck are you doing', but I don't really remember. My head was spinning. I... I left. I imagine they're still going at it right now.”

“Wait, you mean this was just a bit ago?” Ginny screamed in accusation.

Hermione was staring in to the dregs of her coffee cup, hoping to see an answer, a way out of this horrid situation. An unpleasant recollection of Professor Trelawney's class came to her mind, which she shook off uncomfortably. “Yes. I came straight here after leaving the Hollow.”

“Get out.” Hermione wasn't sure what she'd heard. Ginny's teeth were clenched. She'd said it quietly, visibly trying to control her anger, hold it back. “I said get OUT!” she yelled, becoming louder with every syllable. She was standing now, her wand in her hand.

“Ginny, what?! What are you so upset about?”

“He threw me out, Hermione! He said it was because I didn't love him, that I 'wanted the boy who lived, not Harry fucking Potter'! I never could figure it out, but now I know.” She was seething, staring daggers at Hermione as though she were her most dangerous, most hated enemy. “Now I know why. He wanted what he couldn't have. So he'd bide his time, wait for you to break up with Ron! I wouldn't be surprised if the two of you planned this. Now get the fuck out of my house!”

Hermione was crying, tears staining the front of her dress. She ran to the back door and out, moving as fast as her twitching muscles would let her. My best friend in the world and she thinks I planned this! She should know me better... She stopped just outside the edge of the wards. She was still crying, though her anger was taking over now. No, I won't let her think that. I'll make her see, even if I have to force it down her throat!

She turned back to the house. Ginny had slammed the door in rage and was still screaming at nothing behind it. Hermione walked to the door to find it sealed, locked against her. Alohomora she thought, tapping the tip of her wand at the handle and it clicked, swinging open just barely. She walked in to the kitchen to find Ginny mid rant at the air, her face red from screaming, her eyes red from crying furiously. Ginny stopped in her tracks and raised her wand level with Hermione's eyes once she'd caught sight of her. Impedimenta, Sedi Subito, Silencio. Ginny found herself thrown hard on her arse on the bench and unable to speak, her wand in Hermione's hand. She continued looking daggers at Hermione.

“Damn it Ginny, you'll listen to what I have to say whether you like it or not. I'll tie you up completely if I have to but you'll listen. And don't try to hex me, we both know I'm much faster than you.” Ginny let her wand arm fall to her side but never losing grip of the wand in her hand.

“I didn't ask for any of this and I didn't plan it. And don't think Harry planned any of this either. He was happy for me and Ron for Merlin's sake! Don't make this out to be some grand scheme to ruin your life, that's just selfish. My guess is Ron's thinking the same thing, being the prick that he can be sometimes.” Nothing she was saying was having a calming effect on Ginny. She started to cry again. “I didn't plan this. But I'm not sorry it happened. I've never been as happy about anything in my life, except when we took down Voldemort.” Ginny shuddered, as did most people still, even though it was some eight years after the fact.

“I'm leaving. You and your stupid prat of a brother can talk to me and Harry when you both stop acting like assholes.” Hermione stormed out the back door again crying, though feeling slightly better at telling her friend off. If I can still call her a friend...

~

Yes, he could still be pissed off. He had every right. They fucking betrayed me, can't they see that? No, they're too much in love with each other to give a shit about their friends.

Harry and Hermione had made their way to Flourish and Blott's where she was currently looking for books on what she had termed 'The Olde Rights' (which he balked at, only guessing their meaning) and had set him about looking for books on wand lore. He wasn't sure what he was looking for but searched none the less for books about wand cores. She found him reading deeply in to a section in a recent book that was discussing what had supposedly happened between his and 'Old Tom's' wands. He was muttering to himself and looked as though he'd very much like to find the author and have his way with him. But there were some unnerving similarities between what had happened between his and Hermione's wands and his and Voldemort's. Merlin, I just hate this whole damn thing right now...

She took the opportunity to study him. He's got a very nice profile. Strong shoulders, defined jawline, and there really is something about that hair... It took her just a moment to realize that she very much wanted to shag him just then. She had an impish smile on her face. She unbuttoned all but two of the buttons on her blouse, exposing the areas up to just below and just above her bra. She sauntered over to him, reaching out with her mind and whispering his name as seductively, as wantonly as she could. Haaarrry...

Harry had just enough time to let his jaw drop as she fairly pounced on him. She was kissing him so fiercely that he was sure the chair he was in would tip over backwards. He pushed himself from the table and pulled her to sit sideways on his lap. Thank Merlin we're in the back of the shop... he almost thought to himself, that being a very difficult thing to do just then. When she broke the kiss they were both breathless, he red in the face, she red as far as he could see down the front of her blouse.

“I knew you had it for books, Mione, but... shit!”

Hermione simply smiled at him and squirmed on his lap, feeling his arousal. “Hmm... now there's a thought. Wonder how quiet we'd have to be in here” she said as she managed to get her fingers under her bum to cup his erection. He jumped and damn near pushed her off to the floor.

“Am I to take it by your actions that it's later now?” he said, a feral look playing at his features. “Because I'm definitely ready to head home...”

“Ah Mister Potter, I think you're beginning to get the hang of this time thing. I'll just pay and we can be off.”

“Pay? So you found what you were looking for?” he asked as they made their way to the front of the store.

“Just a few things about the bond...” Harry new full well what Hermione's idea of 'a few things' meant: he'd have to add another row on to one of the already stressed bookcases back in his library. Sure enough she led him to a stack of books that was easily a foot and a half high, a couple of which had to be at least 750 pages long. “Just pick those up, would you dear?” she said with an indulging smile. She, on the other hand, grabbed a very large tome that seemed to be over 1500 pages in length and 15 inches square. “I'll grab this one.”

The purchase set them each back 200 galleons. “It's our money now as far as I'm concerned” he said in a tone of finality after she started arguing. “After all, they're going to wind up in the library at the Hollow, won't they? Come on, let's get home.”

They disapparated to the edge of Godric's Hollow, opting for a long walk through the small village to simply relax in each other's company. By the time they got back home the sun had decided to make it early evening. Just inside the front door were four large, brown packages, each bearing the silver seal of the bookstore, shrunk and lightened to make it easier for owls to carry. Neither of them had wanted to tote the books home through the city. Hermione made to start tearing at the paper but Harry had caught her about the waist and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

“Oh no you don't” he mumbled through her hair between kisses. “I've decided that it's definitely later enough.”

She pulled his hands far enough away from her to spin around in his arms. “Why Harry, I do believe you're right” she simpered. She kissed him deeply, slowly. Her hands immediately found themselves tangled in his unruly locks. His were busy working her blouse further and further up her body as he kneaded the flesh beneath his fingers. He backed her to the living room and slowly laid her back on the squishy couch, not once breaking contact with her lips.

He trailed kisses down her chin to her neck. He continued his path south kissing the wallow above her collarbone and down between her breasts, which were now moving quite quickly with her shallow breathing. He slowly undid first one then the second button, letting the front of the shirt fall to her sides. He kissed along the center of her body, stopping to lavish attention on her belly button, before continuing to the hem of her tight jeans. She was squirming under his attentions, knotting his hair in her fingers. He retraced his path back to the valley between her breasts.

She decided either that she could take no more or wanted to taste his body. She grabbed his shoulders and rolled herself off the couch, falling on top of him on to the soft carpet beneath. She kissed at his neck, paying particular attention to the pulse points just under the surface of his skin, while she unbuttoned his shirt. She followed a similar path to his, though she didn't stop at the hem of his pants. She gripped the corner of the button hole with her teeth and flicked her head to the side, loosing the fabric around his waist. She dropped the zipper on the front very slowly, each tooth of it sending a strange flicker of motion through his groin, before she returned slowly to his mouth.

Not content to be the only one losing multiple pieces of clothing he gripped the closure of her bra at the back. He made a snapping motion with his fingers, loosing the clips with one, deft movement. She lifted herself up on her elbows and gave him a questioning look. “And just where did a proper wizard learn a trick like that?”

“Oh, here or there” he said as he rolled her over to her back, removing the lacy fabric from her body. He lay on his side, pressing as much of his body against her as he could in this position. He let his hand wander aimlessly, stopping to grip each nubbin on her breasts at every pass. Her skin felt like tingling trails had been left on it by a feather. It was an odd mixture between tickling and obscenely arousing. She recognized a pattern quickly though.

“Ruis gort?!” she laughed. He looked slightly affronted. “Did you mean to say 'red field'?”

It took him a second, being almost completely distracted by the way the muscles of her stomach were contracting under her skin. Really is a fantastic site he thought to himself. “Well, no...” he said sheepishly. “I meant 'red neck', ruis muin.”

She was still laughing as she turned on her side. He turned to lay on his back, her head falling on his shoulder with his arm around her. She began to trace a similar patter on his chest. “Ruis muin” she said once she'd finished. “You added an extra slash, changing muin to gort, 'field'.” She kissed the spot on his chest where she'd made the symbols, allaying some of his humility. She looked him in the face fully. “I love you Harry Potter.”

“I love you too Hermione Granger.”

They laid there for a while, their amorous feelings somewhat diminished, until Harry's stomach alerted them to the fact that they hadn't eaten since earlier that morning.

“I think it may be time for a bite, don't you?” he asked her.

She stood, not bothering with the bra and only fastening one button on her blouse, a look he thought he could become very used to. He shook his head to un-rattle his brain. “How does chicken sound?” She simply nodded as she pulled him up. “What kind of chicken shall we have?” he asked as he moved to the kitchen, not really bothering to straighten his garb.

“Hmm... how about Chicken Parmesan with linguine?”

He gave her a strange look. “And where did you learn to appreciate such fine Italian cuisine, little miss London?”

“Daddy. He used to cook a lot. That and our trip to Sicily when I was younger. l'Alimento là era fantastico!”

Harry began assembling all of the things he would need to make the dish, much to the dismay of a now very upset Dobby whose doubts were only waylaid at Harry's insistence that he try his marinara sauce. “I shall have to learn how to make the sauces from Harry Potter! I's having no idea that you was that good at cooking sir! Very great man indeed” he said, taking a seat to watch Harry cook. Hermione was hiding a giggle poorly behind her hand.

They ate on the porch for a change of scenery. Dobby had set a small table for two, electing to take his food back to his small room. Once finished they decided to have a look at the stars, something neither had done much of since their nights in astronomy classes. Harry conjured a blanket and some pillows for both of them, though she seemed more inclined to use his whole body as a pillow for hers, a concept he was quite taken with. It took them both only about half an hour to fall asleep, their days activities and the sumptuous food taking their toll. Dobby conjured a warm, fluffy blanket over them as he was clearing the table some time later, not wanting to wake them.

's not going to rain tonight he thought to himself.

It was warm with a slow, sweet smelling breeze sweeping the lawn. It was a glorious night with a full moon casting odd, silvery shadows across the lawn. A lone shadow detached itself from that of a tree. It was stretched across half the lawn due to the acute angle the moon was currently in, it's shape distended and contorted so it could not be made out from the rest. It moved off to the west, toward the sea, it's length wrapping itself around every contour on the ground and the edge of every blade of grass.

When it reached the hill behind the house it stopped momentarily at a large, white rock. It seemed to shorten, as though whatever figure it would have belonged to would have stooped down to examine the grass.

James and Lily Potter

Loving parents and dedicated friends.

May their sacrifice never be forgotten.

The shadow disappeared silently, leaving nothing but a slight, barely audible tearing sound behind it as a lone, tear shaped droplet fell from a few inches above the foot stone. It struck with no louder a sound than a pin dropping and seeped in to the stone immediately, leaving a slightly darker patch in the center.

~

Near the shores of a black lake, in the back of her office, Minerva McGonagall was startled awake by a voice, that could not be, calling to her softly, though quite discernible over the wind at her windows. She rose from her bed, fastening her tartan robe about her waist as the torches in the room and hall lit themselves.

She made her way to the front office where she saw, if only for a moment, what had to have been a ghost. It can't be. It just bloody can't... “Albus, did you -” she began, turning around to face the large portrait of Albus Dumbledore that was hung behind her desk.

“Yes Minerva, I did” he interrupted, seeming to stare at the in the air as though it would turn in to a pink, fluffy bunny as soon as remain unoccupied. “I saw him too.” A single tear fell from his face to his robes, darkening the deep blue, painted fabric and coming to rest on the tip of a crescent moon.

~~*~~

A/N: Sedatus Adaugeo: A spell used to make someone calm. Literally 'make calm' or 'to make calm'.

Sedi subito : Force to sit.

Just my feeble attempt at spell making. ^_^

Something else: the little bit with the shadow... Got this aspect of the idea from the song & video 'Angel's Son' by Sevendust.

-->

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. I've had a hell of a month and also haven't been much up for writing. Or reading for that matter (I'm about 20 updates behind; my inbox looks like a publisher's). Most likely a lot of you are going to be upset with the short update and the lack of action. However, I didn't want to end what wound up being the next chapter right in the middle so... deal.

R, r & enjoy! Arigatou Gozaimasu!

~~*~~

A week. A blissful, fantastic week... Hermione had woken early the Saturday following exams. She had been pleased with her student's attempts, though only one person was able to accurately and completely create the assigned Amortentia. Nobody had been able to make Veritaserum, though one student managed to make a diluted purple concoction that vaguely resembled grape juice. She shook the thoughts from her head and continued watching the form sleeping next to her, the purplish light from the window casting it in dappled relief against the black sheets. Maybe breakfast in bed for a treat...

She rose as slowly as she could so as not to disturb Harry's slumber. She pulled on a short, silk robe that was hanging off the column at the end of the bed and made her way down to the kitchen. Dobby had already prepared morning tea and paid the owl that dropped off the Daily Prophet. She made a cursory glance at the headline before turning to grab a cup of tea.

“Morning Dobby” she chimed as the elf padded almost silently out of the large pantry.

“Morning Miss -” Hermione gave him an almost dangerous look “Hermione.” He gave her the appropriate sheepish look and she smiled. “What would you be liking for breakfast this morning?”

“Hmm... I think some potatoes, eggs, bacon and biscuits should be fine Dobby. Thank you for the -” but she never finished the thought. It had taken a moment, being this early in the morning on a Saturday, but it had finally caught up to her: the sub-line on the Prophet. She picked up the paper and nearly fainted.

“Ghostly sightings: fifteen people so far have seen what they say is the ghost of Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer who disappeared some ten years ago in the battle against You-Know-Who in the Ministry of Magic. See page eight for more.”

Hermione dropped her cup, shattering it to pieces on the floor and splashing her feet with hot liquid. “Ow. Dammit!” She grabbed a towel from the rack near the sink and wiped her foot off before starting to mop up the mess, but Dobby kept her from doing so.

“I'll clean it Mistress. But why was you dropping it?”

“This article in the Prophet. Did you see it?” She held out the paper and indicated the sub-line in question. Dobby dropped a couple of the pieces of cup he had picked up. His face was as white as his dull brown skin would let it be and he was trembling.

“N... no, miss... I hadn't been seeing it, don't read Master's paper...” Hermione let the slip pass, being otherwise occupied. She grabbed another cup and filled it with tea, then sat down at the table to read the article further.

“'Had to've been him I saw. Couldn't've been anyone else, no mistaking him!' This was the comment from John Peteredge, resident of Camden, down for shopping in Diagon Alley earlier this week. 'Couldn't mistake him, not after all those posters was up ev'rywhere. Saw him down by the fountain in the park while I was out for a stroll.'

Peteredge is one of fifteen people, that we are aware of, that have seen what they say is a 'grey, misty sort of apparition, like a ghost but not as much form.' This was the quote from Brightscale, guard for Gringotts. 'Saw him walking towards Fortescue's Monday morning, just before the sun came up. Now out of here 'fore I have you carted off for obstructing goblin business!' Their lack of courtesy aside goblins are known for their acute vision as well as their love for treasures.

The question we have to ask ourselves now is whether or not Sirius Black is among us again. Very little is known of his his supposed disappearance, though most ghosts appear within days or weeks of their death, not years. Rita Skeeter, Gossip Columnist”

God, I knew we should have killed the lying bitch. But if this many people saw it... She couldn't just put the thought aside. It would bother her until she had an answer. “Dobby, how much longer on breakfast?”

Dobby caught the look in her eye. “How longs will it take miss in the library?” He gave her a wry smile, slightly misplaced on his elfin face.

“About 20 minutes you little smartass.” She smiled back at him and padded off to the library, tea in tow.

Knowing the books as well as anyone could she grabbed the first book that came to her mind that dealt with death. Spectres, Ghosts and Ghoulies: A Guide to the Misty Undead. She set it down on the table and began flitting through pages, briefly scanning the text within until she reached a particular passage.

“Ghosts of the recently departed appear within two to three months after their passing as a general rule. Though rare it has been known to take up to six months for a soul to appear as a ghost after deciding not to pass on. The longest recorded appearance was one Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington, who appeared on the shores of the Thames eight months after his gruesome execution...”

Well, that answers that question she thought to herself. But that doesn't account for Sirius' sudden appearance in random places about London...

She didn't have to time to think on it more as Dobby called, letting her know that breakfast was ready. She spied the clock, 7:30. I think we'll go for a walk this morning. “Dobby, could you bring that upstairs in a few minutes? Thanks” she said as he bobbed his head, making his ears flap about on his head.

She padded upstairs as quietly as she could, only to find Harry already getting out of bed. “Oh poo, I wanted so bad to wake you” she pouted at him, sticking her bottom lip out.

He started to stand only to have her jump on his lap, the robe discarded. “Nope. Breakfast in bed this morning dear.” She slid off his lap to the other side of the bed to pull the covers about her as Dobby appeared in the doorway with a tray. “Thank you Dobby.”

“To what do I owe this sudden surprise?”

“Oh, just a whim...”

They ate quickly, devouring the food in front of them. “Let's go for a stroll this morning hon. How's that sound?”

“Like too early for a Saturday, but I'll deal” he said as Dobby cleared the tray for them. “Have time for a shower first?”

“Mmm, shower with Harry... sounds like fun!”

“I was thinking more alone, but some company wouldn't be turned down” he said with a grin on his face. He pulled her to her feet and they made their way to a very steamy shower.

Half an hour later they had started down the lane towards the town proper, taking things at a leisurely pace. They were halfway to the town before Hermione not so casually broached the subject.

“There've been some sightings of what might be Sirius' ghost, Harry.”

He stopped dead in his tracks. She caught some fleeting images of Sirius across their link. It still felt weird to them both to have things like this happen, but it was usually when one or both of them were feeling something very strongly. “How? That can't be, he passed behind the veil! Even Dumbledore said it wasn't possible -”

“And even Albus has been known to be wrong about things, Harry. He's said it himself. Right now it's just rumors, though a goblin guard at Gringotts said he'd seen it as well. Fifteen people that have been reported thus far.”

His mind was reeling. “What do you think? Do you think it's possible?”

“According to everything I know of... no.” She felt a pang of regret as she said this, seeing the downcast look on his face. “But even I've been wrong before.”

They continued their walk but turned back early, just at the edge of town. Harry hadn't said another word, simply listening to Hermione thinking aloud. It can't be. There's just no way. Even Dumbledore said it: once someone passes through the veil, there's nothing else. No chance. But what could any of this mean? I wonder if anyone who knows him has seen anything like this... He made up his mind to talk to Dumbledore about this for the thousandth time. Death, and what happens afterwards.

~

“Hello Professor Potter. To what do we owe this weekend visit?” Headmistress McGonagall was sitting behind her desk, working on a stack of papers he knew to be NEWTs and OWLs results for the recent exams.

“Actually, I wanted to ask you both about Sirius.” He cast a meaningful glance at the portrait directly behind her.

“And, I imagine, his recent appearances around the country. Yes, most disturbing things...” Dumbledore had posed this last bit in an introspective manner, as though he had been considering this exact thing for some time.

“Albus and I saw him on Monday morning. And yes,” she started at Harry's questioning, anticipatory look “we are sure it was him. Though what it was is as good a guess as any. Not a ghost, but definitely there. Albus, tell the boy exactly what you saw please.” She had definitely taken to her headmistress duties seriously.

“Well headmistress... I had just finished a conversation with Phineas about Patroni and their uses and kipped off for a bit. I thought I heard someone enter the room, though there was a bit of airy sound to the door. When I opened my eyes I distinctly saw a vaporous someone walking around the office. I asked who was there and it stood up, from the other side of the desk, and looked directly at me, though he seemed not to see me... directly, as it were. Then you stepped in to the room Minerva, most likely having heard my call. Then he disappeared. But there was no mistaking: it was, indeed, Sirius Black.”

Harry was a jumble of emotions. How can this be? The other two seemed to have sensed this question and the headmistress answered.

“We're not sure Potter, but we both have some theories. It's possible that it's a crossover from the other plane, wherever that is. The veil that he passed behind is a direct passage to the other side. The corporeal simply isn't anymore and the soul is released into the void, never to find it's way back. However, if some strong piece of magic occurs on this plane that involves a loved one of the deceased, we think -”

“Harry, it's possible that what happened between you and Hermione may have drawn an echo of him here.” Harry looked aghast. “Mr. Ollivander came to see me on Tuesday to discuss what had happened, to gather my thoughts about your wands.” Minerva looked between the both of them, apparently confused. “And I have not shared our conversation with anyone” he added meaningfully at her.

“So, you think that whatever happened may have drawn an 'echo' here?”

“Yes Harry. An echo of his soul, traipsing the world between ours and the void. If you think of the planes as mirror images of each other, which they may be, it's possible that he felt you and went to the places you may have been, or remembered his life and went to places he frequented. In addition to the two people in the Prophet there were some ten others that have reported seeing him. Among them was Madam Rosemerta. She told me herself that she saw him not long before we did, by the hour of her mention.”

Harry was mulling this all over. So Madam Rosemerta's, two people in Diagon and Hogwarts. What other places would he have gone? “Headmistress, sir, where else can you think of that he would have gone?”

“There are a number of places, but you might try those where you yourself have frequented, Harry. I believe, though I have been wrong before, that he will be going to those few places you have in common. Beyond that I cannot think of anything. Lupin has said nothing to me of this, though I imagine I will hear from him soon after this morning's article. Minerva shall let you know if we hear anything” Dumbledore finished.

“Oh, remembered I was hear did you?” she chided the portrait. She was muttering something close to 'every time he's in the office' under her breath. “Yes Potter” she said tersely, “We shall let you know. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to finish my tea in quiet.”

Harry let himself out of the office and made directly for the Hollow, wanting to relay the information to Hermione.

~

“Harry, if what Albus said is right then there's very few places left to cover. Here is the only other place I can think of. I think that, aside from the house, maybe... maybe your parent's grave.”

Harry thought about this. He had become less distraught when he went up there after moving in to the Hollow and having it fixed, though it was still a little difficult to think about.

“Ok, but how would we know if he went there?”

“Well, we wouldn't, but I'd still like to go up there. To tell them about us, if that's ok...”

Harry's eyes teared a little and a small smile crossed his features. “Yeah, let's do that.”

They made their way across the back lawn and through the tall garden gate in the rear. The first of the roses along the fencing were showing their first signs of color, small buds looking fit to burst. They walked up an invisible path that he knew by heart, winding his way up a hill towards a tall oak, under which was a large piece of white marble. There was a hanging bench, suspended by chain under the thickest bough of the tree, next to the headstone. They sat in it, rocking back and forth just a bit.

“Hi Mom, Dad. You remember Hermione, right? Well, she and I are kinda, well, not really going out but...”

“James, Lily, Harry and I have bonded.” Harry just looked at her. He'd brought her up to see their grave before but she had never said anything. She was always there more just to be there with him.

“I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but I know it means we're going to spend the rest of our lives together.” He looked in to her eyes, which had begun to tear. She leaned her head against his shoulder, shedding tears on to his shirt. “But there's something else. According to Albus and a few other people Sirius' ghost, or echo, has been seen around the country recently. It shouldn't be possible but -” his thought was never finished. Barely, just barely, he had seen a dark image standing center in front of the headstone. It was only there for a couple seconds, but it was enough for him to be sure. Hermione had missed it. She'd looked up only long enough to see the look on Harry's face and see what he was staring at.

But she did see something he didn't: two dark, small patches on the footstone at the head of the grave with a silvery, almost glowing third spot nearby. “Harry, look.” She was still crying but sitting on her haunches, her hand over her mouth.

Harry crouched next to her and saw the same thing. The tear stains couldn't have been Hermione's: she hadn't come close enough. And they weren't the right color, either. The silvery one was dry and shouldn't have been visible on the white marble. And the other two were slightly blue with a very slight mist about them, as though they were cold, more frozen to the stone than wetting it.

“I know why he was here, Mione. I think he was just wishing us well, saying congratulations.”

They sat back on the bench holding each other, content to simply enjoy the soft afternoon thinking about what had happened. When evening came they walked slowly back to the house where Dobby had made a light dinner, though light in his terms still meant a great deal of food.

“I need to make a floo call, Mione. I'll be back in a minute.”

He approached the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of floo powder. “Minerva McGonagall.” The now passworded floo asked who he was. “Professor Harry Potter” he said and he was looking in to the headmistress' office.

“Professor, is something wrong?” she asked.

“No. Not anymore. It was Sirius, I saw him just this afternoon for just a moment.” She looked surprised, Dumbledore clearly pleased. “We're both sure that he was just congratulating Mione and I. I'll come in on Monday and we can talk about everything.”

“Very well. Should I notify anyone else?”

“No. But, if it's ok, I'd like to ask Remus to come with. I think he'll want to hear.”

“We'll see you on Monday then. And Harry, congratulations.”

“Thanks.” He gave one last meaningful glance at Dumbledore, who returned is look with a short head shake that Harry took to mean he didn't say much.

He pulled his head out of the fireplace and dusted himself off a little, the residue of the floo powder just dusting his hair and shoulders.

“We're going to go to Minerva's office on Monday and take Remus with us to talk about things. Oh, yeah, she knows about us.”

“Albus tell her?”

“Yeah, but not everything I don't think. Just enough to let her know we were together. She kinda needs to know, doesn't she? Being both our boss?”

“Think you're right hon.”

They spent the rest of the weekend lazing about, Harry taking a couple minutes to ask Remus and Dora along. She wouldn't be able to go, auror duty keeping her busy throughout the week and their son at night, but he'd meet them there at about lunch time.

~

“Are we late or something?” Harry asked as they entered the headmistress' office. Minerva, Remus and Dora were already there.

“No Harry” Remus drawled. “I had to speak with Minerva about... another matter. So, why am I here?”

“I thought you weren't coming?” Hermione asked the brunette Tonks.

“Well, I had some vacation time coming. Besides, who wouldn't want to spend more time with the sexiest of the Marauders?”

“Hmm... I think you're the only person in this room that finds a werewolf attractive” Hermione grinned in response.

“Who said anything about Wolfie? I was talking about Harry!” The girls giggled off to the side of the group. It had been nice for both of them to find a girlfriend to talk to and they had become quite close after the war.

“Well, if we are all finished catching up...” Dumbledore, even though just a portrait now, still had the ability to silence a room with just a few words. “I believe that Harry has something to discuss with everyone. Harry?”

“Right sir. I take it that you and Tonks are aware of the recent, purported Sirius sightings?” Remus nodded his head at the question. “Well, they're real. At least were.” The werewolf's eyes were big as saucers.

“What do you mean, were real?”

“Well, I can't speak for the rest of the people that saw him, but Dumbledore and the headmistress saw him as well. Hermione and I think that he was here to... congratulate us.”

Dora's eyes immediately lit up and she grabbed Hermione in a crushing hug. Dumbledore and Minerva simply looked pleased while Lupin grabbed Harry in a quick Marauder hug, each clasping the others' forearm.

“So when you say you saw him, what does that mean?” Remus asked.

“I think Albus would be better at answering that particular question” Hermione chimed in, sitting back on Harry's lap.

Dumbledore took the time to explain the same things that he had done for Harry and Hermione's benefit. After some more catching up and talking about how they came together, without all the sordid details, they decided to adjourn to Rosemerta's in Hogsmeade for some late lunch, which Minerva declined for work reasons. Talk about Sirius and Remus' days with the other Marauders, along with what may or may not happen between the new couple.

“Well, maybe we'll get married, have some sprogs, I don't know. I'm content to just be with her for right now thanks.” This earned Harry a generous kiss from Hermione and Remus a slap on the arm.

“Why can't you say anything romantic like that?” Dora prodded.

“Cause a werewolf's good in the sack?” he replied in a mock innocent tone. This earned him another slap on the arm from a slightly pink Dora and a laugh from Harry, which in turn earned him a slap on the arm.

“Hey, what was that for?” Harry asked of his... well, what she was right then he couldn't determine.

“For laughing at that lewd comment you prat!”

“Hey Remus, isn't it generally accepted fact that all Marauders are good in bed?” he asked.

Remus ruminated on this for a moment. “Yes, I believe that's the generally accepted fact.”

Both of them received glares from their respective others, followed by much more laughter.

“I think that if their talent in bed was half as big as their ego's we wouldn't be able to walk for a week!” Dora exclaimed. This had all of them nearly rolling on the floor.

“So, have either of you talked to Ron about any of this?” Remus asked seriously after a while.

“No. He and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now and I don't imagine that news like this would go over well with him just yet” Harry responded.

“I don't think we'll be invited over for Sunday dinner anymore, as far as that goes. Ginny's pretty pissed as well. She threw me out when I went to talk to her.” Hermione sighed to herself. “I just don't get that family sometimes.”

“Well, Ron can be a bit thick sometimes. And I don't think Ginny really ever got over you, Harry” Remus offered.

“Maybe you should talk to someone else in the family? What about Gred and Forge? They're always ready to celebrate something” Dora put in.

“And they have always been able to talk sense in to their younger siblings...” Harry had more asked this of Hermione, rather than stating it to the group. “Thanks you guys. Don't know what I'd do without you, Moony.”

“Probably nothing, just sit there being a great lump. That reminds me, you done with that book yet?”

Harry looked a little guarded at this question. “No, still using it. Doing a little more research.”

“Come now, Harry. You already knew about every -”

“Spell?!” Harry interrupted. “Yeah most of them...” Hermione looked at him sceptically.

“Ok you two, what am I missing here?” Dora gave Remus a look to make him feel abashed, though it didn't work with his obvious innocence.

“Just a book that I loaned to Harry a while back. Well, I think it's time we were off, don't you?” He was looking at the quickly darkening sky. “Some of us” he pointed in to Dora's shoulder “have work early in the morning.”

They walked out of the bar and made their way up the high street. Remus held Harry back while the girls were talking loudly, making slights against the ego vs. performance potential of Marauders.

“Harry, what are you looking for in that book?” Harry regarded Remus carefully. “Come on Harry, is there really something that you can't talk about?”

Harry sighed heavily. “I guess not, Moony, so long as you accept that I can't tell you everything.” Remus nodded his head. “Have you ever heard of a Nightmare?”

“Yes. Frightful things, though I don't think one's been spotted for a great, long time. Why?”

“Well, I'm trying to identify an animal that has some distinct commonalities with a Nightmare. Imagine a Gryphon that was silver, like a Hippogriff, but with flame-tufted wings and hooves and a horn like a Unicorn's. That's what I'm trying to identify.”

Remus thought long on this, so long that they were at the gates of Hogwarts before he answered. “Harry, I don't think you'll find anything in that book that I gave you. Gryphons, Hippogriffs and Unicorns are all good creatures. Nightmares, on the other hand, aren't really dark, more not good. And we both know that being 'not good' doesn't make you evil, just not good. Have you talked to anyone else about this yet?”

“Yes and no. We have someone doing research from another angle but I'm the only one looking closely in to this. Not even Hermione knows that I'm looking for it. So please, if you run across anything let me know directly but don't say anything to Hermione, ok?”

“Sure Harry. But, a piece of advice?” Harry nodded. “Don't keep secrets. Never does well for a relationship, even one so strong as your's and Hermione's.”

“Thanks Moony, Dora” Harry said as they rejoined the girls just outside the castle's wards. “Ready to go honey?”

“Sure.” They each hugged the other before stepping back. The Lupin's apparated, presumably home. Harry and Hermione made their way back up to the castle, Hermione to check on a potion and Harry to his own study.

He began again looking for a book that would lead him to the answer he was searching for. He had been buried so deep in his work that he barely noticed Hermione looking over his shoulder, and by then it was too late to hide his intentions. He had left several books out regarding the four creatures in question.

“Harry, what are you looking for?”

Harry sighed deeply. I seem to be doing that a lot lately... “I'm looking for a specific creature.”

“The one from the Priori? Harry, don't you think that Ollivander will have that answer for us?”

“He's not an expert on creatures though, is he? If it's a cross between a Phoenix and a Unicorn why is it's neck so short? Why are it's hooves flaming and not just it's talons? Those are questions that can't be answered by a wand maker.”

“Harry... there's...” she couldn't come up with anything. His argument seemed like an impenetrable wall.

“Yeah, that's what I came up with too. There's only one creature in the entirety of history that I've ever heard of with those characteristics: a Nightmare.”

“Yes, but haven't they been gone for centuries?”

“Yeah, but that's part of what bothers me so much. Why would those traits come out?”

Hermione thought about this for a while. Then she grabbed a book that was opened to Unicorns and began reading, but she obviously didn't find what she was looking for. “I'm not sure, Harry, but I don't want to worry about it right now. Let's deal with that until after we talk to Ollivander, ok? I just don't think it's something that we have to be that worried about yet.”

“Ok” he said resignedly. “Let's go home. I'm kinda hungry and I could really go for a scotch about now.”

~

Two weeks later they still hadn't heard from Ollivander. The rumor was that he'd left the country for a while, a fact substantiated by his shop being run by his nephew who was only slightly less eccentric, and a great deal less apt to sell wands. But he had no idea more about when his uncle would return than “before the next Hogwarts term starts.”

With this news in hand Harry and Hermione had decided to talk to Fred and George. They flooed ahead and agreed to meet for lunch at a less-than-reputable establishment, the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade.

“We've got to check in daily at the other store. Lee's just not got the best of minds for running a business, Merlin bless his miscreant soul.” George had tapped their friend shortly after he graduated from Hogwarts, choosing to finish rather than go out with a bang as the twins had. “So, why'd ya want lunch? Wanting to test our latest stuff?” he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“No you git. We've actually got something serious to talk to you two about” Hermione quipped.

“Is it business or pleasure related?” Fred asked. Hermione blushed only slightly.

“Pleasure, I guess. Though it's not so pleasurable most likely. Have either of you talked to Ron or Ginny in the last few weeks?” Harry asked.

“Nope” they replied in unison. “Ginny hasn't been that talkative and Ron left just a couple weeks ago” George continued. “Why?”

“Well...” Harry looked at Hermione, who was still slightly pinkish. “Hermione and I are together now.”

“That's great!” they exclaimed in unison. “How'd it happen?” “When'd it happen?” “Who else knows?” They were firing questions alternately and quickly.

“Whoa, slow down you two!” Harry had almost gone cross-eyed looking between them. “Um, three weeks ago, none of your business” he gave them a meaningful look “and just a few people, namely Minerva and the Lupins. But Ron and Ginny probably figured it out. I kinda got in a row with Ron and he hit me -”

“and I got in to it with Ginny. She threw me out of the Burrow.”

“Hmm, sticky situation. You want us to bring Ron back so you can get revenge? Or do you just want to send a WWW care package?” Fred had a sinister smile on his face.

“None of the above, just talk to them both. You've always been able to make Ron see a bit of reason and I doubt he'll try to hit you. And Ginny won't reason with anyone, so maybe being family will make it easier. Think you can help us out by doing that?”

“Sure” they chimed together “but I still think you should send our git of a brother a care package,” George continued “just to be safe” Fred finished.

“No!” Harry and Hermione said together, emphasizing the point.

They finished lunch talking about the new developments taking place at Weasley Wizard Labs, their research half. But aside from some Instant Darkness Powder that didn't affect the person who threw it there was nothing that interested them.

~~*~~

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Sorry this has taken so long everyone. I've had this chapter written for the last... well, since before my last post. It's been very hard times these last months and I've had some serious trouble finding not just the words to write but the will to write them. To those few of you, and they have been few, who have been following the story you're in for a real treat! This is my second longest chapter to date at 6627 words and there's a lot of action in this one. We're up to normalcy on the timeline and from now on, unless I see need to (as is my wont), there shouldn't be many more memory breaks. So please, read, respond and enjoy!

Chapter Nine

Enlightenment

“You are cordially invited to attend an engagement at Godric's Hollow on the Eighth of August, 2008, at 8:00 PM to celebrate the engagement of Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger. Please come dressed for the occasion with one guest of your choice. Please RSVP by Owl no later than the First of August.”

Red ink. Gilded parchment. Signed in gold. Addressed by Hermione's own hand. “Do you really expect me to go? After what they did! You all really expect me to go?!”

“Yes, little brother, I do.” It was three weeks after Harry and Hermione had met Fred and George at the bar for lunch to talk about their siblings. Once Harry and Hermione had declared their engagement to their closest friends, save the two that wouldn't speak to them, Fred and George had decided to deliver the engagement party invitations by hand and use it as an opportune time to discuss things with them. George had drawn the short straw and went to talk to Ginny. Fred, in the mean time, had gone to the Quidditch summer home of the Cannons to talk to Ron. “I think you'll go because no matter how pissed off you are, or how big a prat you're being, they're still your friends and they still like you. Though why I'll never know...”

“You just don't bloody get it, do you!” Ron had stood up to face his brother, his face growing deep red in anger. “You don't get a damned thing about it!”

“What don't I know, Ron? What it feels like to lose someone? You forget that I know all to well what that's like. If anything, I know more about it than you, so does Hermione.” Ron hit him. “And that won't do you any good.” He had on one of their Protego hats. “But you don't seem to have one on” and he swung at Ron's stomach, only to be stopped by a hasty Protego Physius.

“We could go at this for hours, Ron. But I don't want to. The only reason I'm here instead of either of them is Hermione doesn't want to see you for what you did to Harry and neither does he. I don't blame them. I don't know what's gotten in to you lately but you need to put it all behind you. Hermione still loves you, as does Harry, but just as friends. You've got to learn to accept that. I had to.” He and Alicia had broken up unexpectedly. She went off to play Quidditch professionally, a dream that ended for him when he left Hogwarts and became successful, and eventually married Oliver Wood. “But it didn't take me nearly as long as you're letting this shite bugger up your life.”

“How's that make you more like Hermione? I invited her to come with me but she wouldn't leave... Oh kiss my ass.” Fred was giving him a knowing look, almost glowing as his brother finally cottoned on to what he was trying to tell him. “But they didn't even wait a decent amount of time! Not even a week later they were out on the town hanging off each other! They may as well have snogged in the middle of Diagon for hell's sake!”

“Wait, what do you mean?” He looked genuinely confused.

“Oh, didn't tell you, did they? I saw them in Diagon that Saturday. They were hanging off each other, coming up the street. Got a table right next to me but didn't even notice I was there they were so buried in each other's eyes. Made me sick it did.” Ron was looking completely sullen now, slumping low in to the couch.

“So what, you were right out in the open and they didn't say hi?”

“May as well have been.”

“So you weren't. What were you doing, hiding behind a paper and spying on them like those old muggle movies?” Ron looked guiltily at him. “So you were doing just that. Merlin, you are a prat! You blame them for not saying hi to you when you were trying not to be noticed by them. You get all huffy at them because they got together when it had been at least two weeks, and an accident at that!”

“So you believe them, do you? What'd they tell you, he tripped and caught himself on her lips?”

“No. Don't play them for stupid like that bro. Harry was comforting her, she was crying on his shoulder, one thing led to another... Come on, he's your best friend! You lived with him for seven years! Are you really telling me that you had no idea they were ever attracted to each other?” Ron shook his head. “You really are thick. You know, the only reason he didn't try to get her back then was because you finally realized she was a girl. That's it. Now, here you are pouting like a moron about your feelings and not giving theirs any account.”

Ron looked thoroughly depressed. He knew he was wrong. He'd known since the night he left the Hollow. He just wouldn't let himself accept it, putting the blame on his best friends rather than admit he was wrong. But now he had to.

“So you really think I should go.”

“No, I think you will go, even if I have to bind and apparate you myself. So just RSVP now.”

Ron grudgingly scribbled out 'Ronald Weasley and Guest' and tied it to Pig's leg. “So who the hell am I supposed to take to this... party?”

“Not a matchmaker brother. I'm just the delivery boy” Fred replied as he walked out the door and disapparated away.

Ron was left holding the invitation, able to do nothing more than stare at it. I need a drink.

~

“No.”

“You have to go! You're her best friend. Ginny, what is your problem with all of this anyway? Did you really expect him to never fall in love again?” George had been hearing no from his sister for fifteen minutes straight. She'd said nothing but when he handed her the invitation.

“Yes. No. Just... gaaahhh!”

George smiled at her. “Well, which is it? Yes or no?”

“No, I didn't expect him to never fall in love again. Just not with... her.”

“Why not her? What's wrong with Hermione?”

“She was never supposed to fall in love with him! It was supposed to be me and Harry, Hermione and Ron. That's jut how it was supposed to be!”

“Gin, you spent far too much time listening to our mother. You can't pick who you love just because you want to. You and Harry had your chance and you buggered it up, always wanting to show him off at parties like some trophy. Ron, well, Ron's a git. You need to get over it, both of you. If you don't, you're going to lose your best -” he finished his sentence with a Protego as she had fired a hex at him.

“Don't you dare call either of them my friend! If either of them were my friends then I would still be with Harry!”

Two things happened very quickly. Ginny tried to slap George, but her hand was caught by a very hurt looking Neville. And Fred came bursting through the door, rushing in at the familiar sound of a family fight breaking out.

“Funny, Gin, that's what your other brother just said” Fred told her. “He's going, though at the threat of binding and side-along with me.”

“Guys, could you leave the two of us alone for a bit?” Neville's small voice sounded like a hammer on a wall at that point. The mixture of anger and hurt on his face burned Ginny like an iron.

“Sure, but watch out for her hexes. You've got to be pretty quick” George said as they left the room and closed the door behind them.

“Are you that mad at them? Do you still love him that much? Am I just not good enough for you?” All three of these questions felt like daggers through the heart to Ginny and she began to tear.

“Neville, I love you. You know I do. But it's -”

“What Ginny? What is it? Because I can't see it from here.”

“It's... I spent so much time trying to get them together! It took months for him to notice her, and even then he was too chicken to do anything about it! It took getting him drunk and her half naked for it to happen. And then she just throws him away, like... like...”

“Like Harry did to you?” He said this softly, finally realizing just how much everything had hurt her. “But Gin, do you really blame him? You were acting like he was nothing more than a -”

“Don't you say it!”

“trophy. Ginny, I know you still love him, but am I not enough for you?”

She hugged him closely, her tears staining his vest. “Yes, Neville. You're more than enough for me. But it's... hard. Imagining him happy with anyone else. It's just hard.”

“Is it hard or is it Hermione? If I didn't know better I'd say you were jealous.” Now he was being playful and teasing.

“Maybe. Just a little. Do you hate me?” she asked, pouting.

“Yep. Hate your guts.” She swatted his arm. “I don't hate you Gin. I just want you to let this go. I love you with my whole heart. I want to you that you love me with yours.”

She considered his face for a minute before kissing his cheek and stepping away from him. She grabbed a quill and parchment, scribbling down 'Neville and Ginerva Longbottom'. I do like the way that sounds... She tied the parchment on to Perigee and sent him out the window.

“Fred, George” she shouted through the door. “Go home.” George opened the door to a sight he could have done without: his sister snogging her husband.

“Ah, Merlin! Do you have to do that while we're here! Now are you going or not?!” Fred yelled.

She broke their kiss just long enough to mutter “Yes” before returning her lips to his.

Fred started to walk off, almost at a run, but George grabbed his arm. He held out a capsule of their new and improved Peruvian Instant Darkness powder and threw it in the room to Fred's giggles. The inside burst into complete darkness.

“Thanks guys!” they heard Neville yell while Ginny giggled loudly. The twins looked at each other in alarm and both ran as fast as they could toward the front door as their sister began undressing her husband.

~

“Hey love!” Hermione said as she sat down hard on Harry's lap, interrupting his reading of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

“Uhgh. You know, this Saruman bloke was a real git. He's supposed to be as evil as Voldemort?”

“No, that's Sauron. Saruman is just a puppet, kind of like Lucius Malfoy. You're really getting in to this, aren't you?” she smiled at him.

“If I say yes do I get to snog my fiance?”

She leaned in to him and kissed him deeply, just barely not spilling the cup of tea in her hand. “Maybe” she said, her breath just a little bit short.

“Is that for me?” he said gesturing to the tea. “Thanks.” He placed a bookmark in the pages and set the book on the small end table next to him before wrapping his free arm around her. “So, what potion has kept my lover away from me for so long?”

“I've been working on developing my own. It's a variant on the Wolfsbane potion that should keep any werewolf from transforming forcibly at full moon, instead transferring the control to the canis him- or herself. The problem is that every time the subject takes it he breaks out in boils. It's too strong, but if I weaken it any more it won't be any more effective.”

“Well, have you thought about not having them drink it?”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, aside from potions, there's amulets, salves, maybe even tattoos. Have you thought about any of that?”

“Certainly not tattoos but an amulet wouldn't allow the direct contact necessary and any exposure, even just skin contact, could still have the same effects. I just can't see any way to make it work!”

“Where's your notes?” She got up and grabbed a rolled up parchment from her robes. “What are the ingredients?”

“Nothing much different in the ingredients. Wolfsbane, Hemlock, Opium. But their extraction and brewing are where the differences are. All of them are pulled fresh, a feat in and of itself. The Hemlock is oiled in a still, as is the Opium. The Wolfsbane is chopped in to two millimeter slices crosswise, discarding the stalk and tip, and added after one week of brewing the Hemlock and Opium in still purified water. Then the whole thing is left for two weeks, stirring six times clockwise and three counterclockwise. After the two weeks it's left to age covered in a dark, cool room until the next full moon when it's exposed one more time to the full moon at a simmer, from moon rise to moon set. But I think the problem is -”

“It's the Hemlock. You're extracting the oils but you should add pieces, not oils. It's too strong.”

“But then it'd be too weak!”

“Well, what about Snape's notes? Crush with the flat side of a silver dagger after chopping. It releases more oils but it'll still be diluted enough to be effective, don't you think?”

“But it will still be too strong.”

“Well, what about a tattoo? I know it's unorthodox but it'll keep from having to re-dose every month, which I imagine was part of the goal” Hermione nodded her head “and the dose will be low enough to keep from having any adverse reactions.”

“Hmm, maybe...” She summoned a quill and started charting equations. Harry simply watched her work, drinking his tea and offering the occasional quip. “I think you're right. The only problem is it would need to be on the chest. So what shape should it be in? Do we give them their choice?”

“What about a ward?” Hermione gave him a loving look and motioned for him to continue. “If we made it in to a transfiguration ward, like this” and he drew a ward on the parchment next to her notes “that could be activated at the wearer's discretion for, say twelve hours, wouldn't that amplify the potions effects?”

“I think it might” she simpered at him. She tossed the notes away and grabbed his face roughly. “I love you” she said after she kissed him hard. “What would I ever do without you?”

“Be bored?”

“Maybe. Just maybe.” She laid down on his chest, forcing him to scoot down a little in the chair to become more comfortable. He began running his fingertips up and down her spine, causing her to shiver every few passes. She began kissing his neck when there was a knock at the window. She let her head flop down to his shoulder disappointedly as he looked over to see a large, golden eagle owl standing on the sash, a large note tied to it's leg.

“It's an owl with a large bit of parchment.” He waved the owl over and let it land on his arm while Hermione untied the note. Once it was free the owl took off out the window and alighted on a tree near Hedwig. Hermione unrolled the parchment and squealed just a bit.

“It's from Ollivander! He's in Germany! Says he's found out some more information but will still be looking for a bit longer. Oh, I was so hoping to hear from him by now!”

“It's okay, he did say he'd be back before next term, right? He's got to be there to get new students their wands. It'll be okay. We'll find out soon enough.” He kissed the top of her head. “So, when is the next full moon?”

“Well, today's the 19^th. Just tested the potion today. So... August 16^th. If I get started tomorrow I can give it some extra aging time.”

“Who've you been testing on, Mione?”

“Er... Remus. He volunteered when I asked him about the potions effects. He's gone through it twice now. I've also been having it's effects tested on Fenrir and some of his pack that are locked up in Azkaban. I don't feel so bad about them. But Remus is hoping that it will work for his son. He'll start Hogwarts soon and he wants to make sure that he'll never have to go through the same things that he did.”

“I know you'll figure it out hon. You're too smart to let anything beat you... except me!” he said as he started tickling her. She was laughing very hard after just a few seconds and she started to fight back, tickling him in kind.

“I can... do that... too...” she heaved, trying to control her body's reactions. But he didn't let up. So she pulled her trump card and grabbed his crotch. He immediately stopped tickling her and began disrobing her instead, working very quickly at the buttons of her blouse. She continued to grip him through his trousers, moving her hand back and forth, while he finished undoing her shirt.

His hands gripped her breasts and she moved around a little to straddle him, never stopping the movements of her hand. She had just unbuttoned his fly and was gripping the zipper when they both felt the wards trip. Harry had tuned them to her as well shortly after she had moved in.

“Two people” she muttered, her breath short. There was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” she hollered, trying to sound composed.

“Ron and Ginny” came a deep voice from the other side of the door.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, both worried. “Oh shit” he muttered, a sentiment she returned in kind. “What should we do? Tell them to go away?”

Hermione sighed. “No, best get this over with now. Just a minute!” she shouted. They tried to assemble themselves but realized that without more time it would be fruitless. Harry being the more composed one at that time, his bulging trousers not withstanding, answered the door while Hermione went upstairs to change. He opened the door to find Ron and Ginny looking sullen; repentant if he didn't know his friends better.

“Can we... come in?” Ron's voice was meek. “Talk for a bit?”

Harry stepped aside and waved them in. Ginny and Ron made their way in to the living room. Harry stopped by the bar to grab a couple bottles and some glasses. “Whatever you like.” Harry poured a glass of scotch for himself and took a seat back in his favorite chair. He eyed his friends warily as they threw each other questioning looks and poured drinks for themselves. Hermione came back downstairs and poured herself a glass of brandy and resumed her perch on Harry's lap. Neither of them said a word.

“Hermione, I'm sorry.” Ginny broke the silence first. She was rolling the glass of brandy between her hands. “I had no right to act like I did.”

“You're absolutely right: you didn't. You had no business being pissed off at me, for what I don't know. So what the hell was all that shit about anyway?” Ginny didn't speak, she simply sat there sheepishly. “Was it jealousy? Fuck Gin, you had no right.”

“I know! I know. That's why I'm apologizing to you. But how was I supposed to react? Be happy for you? For taking what I wasn't able to keep?”

“I'd appreciate it if you didn't objectify me while I'm in the room, Ginny.” Harry looked slightly pissed. “I don't want to bring up dirty laundry, ok? Ron, I'm sorry you're so pissed off, but you and Mione hadn't been together for two weeks. It wasn't an accident, I could have kept it from happening, but I think I deserve a little happiness as well. So for making you so goddamn mad I'm sorry. But I love her and she loves me. We'd just like to have our two best friends bloody accept it and congratulate us.”

Both Ron and Ginny looked aghast, completely floored. Ginny looked as though she would cry. Ron looked... well, he didn't. He looked completely impassive at the whole situation. “How's your nose?” He watched Harry's reaction carefully for a moment. When he saw a small grin break out on his face he began to laugh. “I am sorry mate.”

“Remind me never to get in a fight with a beater again, alright?”

“God, if you two are done being girly?” Harry and Ron looked fit to tie Ginny up. She tossed the remaining brandy down and reached for the bottle of firewhisky. “I do believe that none of us are drunk enough and there's some congratulations to be given.” Harry and Hermione weren't paying attention though.

“You guys bring company?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, Neville said he'd be not long behind us. Why?” Ginny responded.

“Nobody else?” Hermione asked, looking perturbed. “I think we may have a slight problem...”

Two in the back, right?

Yeah. Plus Nevile out front, I'm sure it's him. What do you think?

You take the rear with Ron. I'll take Ginny out front to get Neville and we'll split around the house. They'd spent some time developing their ability to communicate telepathically, mainly because it seemed to cost them so much each time. Enhanced Occlumency was required to keep things limited to speech and it was still difficult. But the tenseness of the situation seemed to help them focus.

“Ron, you're with me out back. Gin, with Hermione out front. Mione, wait 'til I signal.”

“Right babe, see you in a few” and she kissed him quickly, then dragged Ginny towards the front door.

They saw Neville coming across the lawn. When he saw the look on Ginny's face he became very alert. “What is it?”

“Two, 'round the back. Harry and Ron are taking the back, we're going around the sides. But not until I signal.”

Harry and Ron had made their way to the back. Harry probed the wards again but the intruders were still not being recognized. “Damn. See anything?”

Ron was peeking over the window just enough to see the back yard. “Nothing. Cloaks?”

“Maybe, but who? Order's the only ones who've got 'em.”

“That we knew of, but that was a long time ago.” Ron tapped the top of his head and dissolusioned himself. Harry did the same. In the near-twilight, with their backs to the sun, they were all but completely invisible.

They moved on to the porch as one then split, Ron on the left and Harry on the right. They moved synchronously across the yard to the back fence, the perimeter of the wards just an arm's reach away. They stopped by the corners of the rear fence, completely still and watching for movement. But there was nothing. Nothing.

Mione, anything?

Nothing up here. Why?

Cause I'm not seeing anything back here. Neville up there?

~

Yeah. There was a short pause. None of us see anything. What should we do? Harry? “Shit, something's wrong. Harry's not responding.”

“What do you mean, not responding? Is that like some fucking code word?” Ginny asked, visibly and audibly upset.

“Neville, take Ginny and go left.” Hermione didn't wait for a response, she simply moved to the side of the house at a run, disillusioning herself along the way. She came to a halt at the back corner of the house, trying to control her breathing, but that was difficult. She could just feel her link with Harry, just barely. Shit!

Just out of the corner of her eye she caught movement. The branches on the shrubs had been brushed and she saw the faintest glimpse of a hand before it disappeared. She queried the wards again but they were still just showing two unidentified intruders, not even the where.

“Who the hell -!” It was Ginny, then she was silent.

Hermione tripped the wards to full alert. All inside their perimeter there was a screaming klaxon and every light in the house came on, lighting up the entirety of the shadows in the back yard. Then she heard it: someone bouncing off the wards.

“Dumb bastards! Tried to disapparate, didn't you!” She set off around the back of the house, moving low and fast. She saw the owner of the hand, various appendages sprawled out from under an invisibility cloak. She spotted dents in the grass as she moved to the other side of the house. Ginny and Neville... Where the fuck are Harry and Ron?!

She heard a crash in the house, just passed the kitchen. Upstairs! She ran back towards the back door, stopping to grab the invisibility cloak. Silencio she thought, pointing at her feet. Not knowing where Harry was was... unnerving at best. At worst it was throwing her off her game. She heard the stairs squeak. “Dobby!” she whispered as quietly as she could.

“Yes Miss Hermione?” Dobby had popped in as quietly as possible, making him just louder than the snap of a dry cake.

“Who's upstairs?”

“Doesn't know, didn't sees them. What's they wanting?” Dobby was talking fast and fidgeting a great deal.

“Don't know. See if you can find Harry” and the elf disappeared. Hermione continued to the living room and made her way upstairs. The bedroom door was still standing open and she saw bits of clothing flying from the dresser. She took a breath, dove in front of the door and Reducto! She hit the floor hard and slid a couple inches. She picked her feet up under her, got in a low crouch and peeked her head around the door. There was a figure trapped under some debris trying to free itself. “Expelliarmous! Incarcerous!” The figure's wand flew to Hermione's hand and was immediately bound in steel re-enforced ropes. “Finite Incantatem!” The figure in front of her shimmered back in to visibility. “No. It can't be! You can't be real!”

~

“Master Harry must wake now!” Harry felt himself coming to in the grass. He felt horribly sore in the chest, as though a giant had punched him.

“Huh? Wha... Hermione!” he screamed both aloud and in his mind. “Don't you fucking let him go! Dobby, get the others up and get them upstairs NOW!” Dobby looked terrified but obeyed none the less.

Harry ran as fast as he could inside the house and upstairs, casting an Incarcerous on the unconscious figure at the foot of the steps. He canceled the alarms but left the house on full alert, the anti-apparation wards effective.

Harry reached the top of the stairs at a run, sliding on the hardwood floor and catching himself on the jamb. “What the bloody fuck are you doing in my house you worthless piece of shit!”

“Oh spare me Saint Potter. If you have any idea what is good for you you'll release me now! My colleagues will be here shortly and few of them are nice enough to stun instead of kill, as I have.”

“You don't make demands in this house, snake!”

~

“Hrngh... Dobby? Dobby, what's going on?!”

“Master Harry says to wake them and for them to get upstairs!”

“Where's Ginny and Neville?”

“Over here. This way, this way!”

Ron shot to his feet and ran to where Dobby had apparated. He had removed the disillusionment charms from the two prone figures. Ron Finite'd Neville. “Come on, Harry says we're to go upstairs... and I think we'd better move!”

He had heard someone screaming in agony. He knew the sound well: someone was under the effects of the Cruciatus.

~

“WHY?!”

“Potter, you will never understand. Even if I did tell you, which I will not, you would not understand.”

Harry sighed heavily. He locked eyes with his captive. “Legilimens” he said calmly. For the briefest of moments he saw a flash of a girl on a swing, then nothing. He broke eye contact. “Legilimens” he said more forcefully as he tightened the bonds around the twitching figure on the floor. He saw the swing again, himself at Hogwarts, on Diagon after leaving Ollivander's... he tightened the bonds more... Rictum Sempra...

“You will go to Harry Potter. Take his wand and his halfblood mate's, then bring them both to me.”

“Yes sir.”

He was facing a short, stalky man. The split tail of Ollivander's cloak were just disappearing through the doorway. He had been discussing the condition of the Potter's wands with Gregorovitch, who seemed indeed interested.

Harry visibly relaxed. “Stupefy” and his captive went limp immediately. “Gregorovitch sent him. He was supposed to get our wands. Something about them really interested him.”

Ron, Ginny and Neville came charging through the door. “What -” Ron started.

“the” Neville continued.

“fuck!” Ginny finished.

“How the hell... is it really... Is that Snape?!” Ron managed to stammer.

“Yeah, he was supposed to get our wands. Gregorovitch wants them” Hermione replied. “Where's the other one? The one I stunned?”

“Below the steps in the back. We should see who he is. Have any Dreamless Sleep?” Harry asked her.

“I'll get some. Best put them in the spare bedroom.”

“Yeah. Ron, Ginny...” He sighed again. “Wait downstairs. We'll explain... everything. Neville, would you bring the other piece of crap up here please?”

“Sure Harry.” They all looked confused, Ginny more so than anyone.

After a few minutes Neville had dropped the other captive unceremoniously on the floor. Hermione had returned downstairs. Harry conjured two thick chairs, each with manacles. He had the chair from his inquiry during his fifth year in mind. Incarcerous he thought and chains fastened themselves around their captives torsos, the manacles clanked shut about their ankles and wrists. He and Hermione cast Imperterbus and Silencio spells on the room, sealing the two figures inside and keeping them from overhearing anything.

He sighed. “Again. Merlin, do I just do that a lot and not notice?”

“Yes.” She smiled at him and kissed the tip of his nose. “Ready to face our friends? Deal with withholding information from them again?”

“No. But let's do it anyway. And” he added, kissing her softly, “let's make sure it's the last time.”

“Ok.”

The other three were sitting in the living room talking animatedly. Ron was gesticulating so wildly his whiskey was sloshing about the floor.

“Ron, I would appreciate it if you didn't spill good booze all over my nice clean floor.” Harry poured himself a double, shot it, and refilled his glass with the ancient scotch. “Before you pummel us with questions we don't know how he's back, but we do know why. The thing is he's the least of our worries for the time being. We'll keep him locked up here, along with his accomplice. As far as his accomplice goes we do not know who he is yet, but this is all about my and Hermione's wands.”

They received questioning looks from all three of their friends. It had been a while since they were all gathered together, since just before the start of last term during their Christmas party.

“You've been keeping things from us again.” It wasn't an accusation. It wasn't a question. It was simply a truth, and they all looked hurt by it, though Ron the most. “I thought we were passed all this?”

“Well, you weren't exactly talking to us Ronald” Hermione chided. “Now, if that's all of the questions, we can get about explaining what's happened.”

Hermione spent the better part of an hour filling them all in. She left out very little, giving enough detail to cause Neville to blush a little, a trait Ginny apparently found attractive.

“So, you think that Gregorovitch is interested because... why?” Neville asked.

“Well, we don't know yet. Aside from the fact that this has just happened wands are very particular about who they'll work for. If he'd asked we probably would have let him inspect them. I think the most important thing right now is to get answers from Ollivander. I don't care if he's done with researching or not: we've given him months and I would like to have all this sorted out before our engagement party. I'd like to actually enjoy it.” Harry seemed indifferent to the whole situation, as though he expected this to happen. But given my track record for attracting the most demented people in the world...

“So, who wants to help... interrogate?” Hermione asked a little to zealously.

“What do you think boys, let the girls play a little?” Ginny responded. “A little girlfriend bonding over the sounds of some light torture...”

They both looked extremely sinister. None of the men around were going to interfere: Ron looked a little scared, Neville downright terrified, and Harry... still looked indifferent.

“Go for it. Just be careful.” And keep the link open. I want to know everything that goes on, ok?

Harry, are you alright?

No. But I will be. I just want to sit down for a while. Hermione leaned in to him and kissed him deeply.

You're tired. We'll make it quick, then we can go to bed and not get up 'til next Tuesday, ok?

Sounds splendid. Harry smiled on to her lips and the briefest of images of them joined flashed across her mind.

Hermione and Ginny set out purposefully up the stairs. “Let's outside guys. I need some air.” Harry did indeed feel very tired at the moment.

“You ok mate?” Ron asked as they sat down around the table on the back porch.

Harry had just taken his third glass of scotch down in a gulp. “I'm tired, guys. Tired of always having to deal with this shit. I mean, why does all the weird, batshit insane stuff always happen to me?” It should have been angry raving, but he felt calm. He knew very well that he should be pissed off right now. The image of Snape being given Veritaserum made him feel a little better. “I just want all of this to be over for good. I'd like to just teach and come home to Hermione and read a book and... just do any damned thing besides deal with stupid fucking dark wizards again!” He sounded exasperated more than anything.

“I can't pretend to know how you feel, Harry. But you know that you can come to us when you need anything. Even if it's just to disappear for a while.” Neville had a genuine, concerned tone to his voice. “You should take a nice, long vacation after your party. Just take off for a couple weeks. Don't tell anyone but me where you're going, not even this stupid git!” he said as he hit Ron on the knee.

“Hey, I'm not a git!” Ron retorted.

“So what, you're just stupid?” Harry had a mischievous smile on his face.

“Oh ha ha ha. Bastards. Oh Merlin Harry, I almost forgot! What the hell are we going to do for your birthday?!”

Harry thought for a minute. He suddenly felt old. “My god, I'll be 28 tomorrow. I haven't really thought much about my birthday in... well, ever. I don't really care. If you guys want to plan something go for it, just make it small. I'd really just like to have a drink and get laid, to be honest.”

“Sounds like a good birthday to me!” the other two exclaimed. “So” Ron began, holding up the bottle of whiskey for the other two, who drained their glasses and held them forward to be filled. “I think a toast is in order. To Harry and Hermione. May they live happy, full lives together without their friends interference...” they chinked their glasses together “except at the most in-opportune times” he added, not quite under his breath. The three drank and laughed for a good few minutes afterwards, sharing jokes and generally giving each other constant shit.

~

Hermione had just placed three drops of Veritaserum on Snape's tongue. Ginny Ennervated him after her sister, in all that mattered, backed off. He woke slowly and was quite groggy, the Veritaserum having the desired effect.

“Who sent you?” They had decided that Hermione would do most of the questioning.

“Gregorovitch.”

“Why?”

“To capture the Potter's wands.”

“What does he want with the wands?”

“He is curious about their bond. Ollivander didn't give him enough information. He thought he was holding back, keeping certain facts from him.”

“What did Ollivander tell him?”

“That the wands had bonded. He said their cores had somehow combined. He said the Priori Incantatem revealed a golden glow about both and their cores had joined.”

“What else did he tell him about it?”

“That was all he said.”

“Did Gregorovitch give him any information about what may have happened?”

“No. He was stunned. He said that it was something from myth, that if it ever did happen before it hadn't happened for a thousand years. Not since the time of Godric Gryffindor. But that it was nothing more than unsubstantiated myth.”

Hermione felt Harry focus a little more on their link, probing her to 'replay' the last bit. We'll have to ask Ollivander about that specifically. “And who is your little friend here?”

“Milisevic. Just a thug sent with me. Gregorovitch thought I would need help so he sent one of his lackeys.”

Stupefy Ginny thought at a glance from Hermione. “So this was just a stupid little task? What the hell was Snape doing alive, and why was he with Gregorovitch?”

Hermione nodded to Milisevic. She tipped three drops on to his tongue and Ginny Ennervated him. “Why were you with Snape?”

“Gregorovitch didn't trust him. He thought he would betray him, keep the wands for himself. He'd been given much information, enough to pique his interest.” He had a thick Russian accent that made it difficult to understand him.

“What was Snape doing with Gregorovitch? How long had he been there?”

“Since just after his defeat at the Potter boy's hands. He wasn't dead. We don't know how he made it there and his memory has been erased. So Gregorovitch let him stay. He thought that, with his ties to Hogwarts that he might be useful.”

“And was he?”

“No. He proved to be quite useless until now. Gregorovitch kept him shut up, making whatever potions he could. Snape was content to remain there, to stay hidden until he could take revenge on the Potter boy.”

“Why did Gregorovitch want the wands?”

“He believes that they are powerful now, more powerful than any wand in history.”

“What did he want to do with them?”

“Only he can answer that. There is no one that he completely trusts with that information.”

“Where is Ollivander?”

“I know only that he was considering going to Japan.”

“Why would he go to Japan?” She had asked the question more to herself and Ginny, though Milisevic replied.

“There is a wandmaker there, older than any other. He believed that this wandmaker would have more answers, though Gregorovitch doubted so. He believes there is no more powerful wandmaker than those few in Europe.”

“And Ollivander?”

“He believes that the oldest magic is where he must search. He believes that the oldest magic lies in the east. Gregorovitch said that he is believing too much in myth and chasing his tail. So he left.”

Hermione signaled Ginny again. Stupefy.

~~*~~

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