Authors' note: This is the first chapter to the sequel to Hogwarts Undercover. If you haven't read that story, you might want to do that so you're not confused with what is going on here.
We're sorry if some of you didn't enjoy the last story. We took some hits on that one and if we could go back and rewrite that one we would make Hermione/Harry's feelings a little less "wishy-washy". We would be the first to tell you that we're not really "action" type authors. We stepped out of our comfort zone on the last story and some of you liked it, some of you didn't. We hope that you will continue with us on this one. We both like this story and had a blast writing it and hope that you will enjoy it too!
Hermione arrived home glowing. "Lavender!" she called to her flat mate. "I did it! I graduated and I'm now officially a full fledged Auror!"
The blonde set aside her fashion magazine and leapt off the sofa. She gave Hermione a big hug. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks," Hermione grinned at her. "And guess what else?"
"What?" Lavender asked eagerly.
"I already got my first assignment!" Hermione said excitedly.
"Already?" Lavender asked. "Wow. Can you tell me what it is or is it top secret?"
"I actually don't know what it is yet," Hermione said. "I'll find out tonight when I go back."
Lavender grinned. "They could ask you to solve a case about someone who didn't return a library book and you'd be happy."
Hermione poked her side. "Very funny."
"I suppose my news that Darren has asked me out on a second date pales in comparison to your life of intrigue, Auror Granger," Lavender joked.
"I think that's very exciting as well," Hermione grinned at her friend. "You really fancy him, don't you?"
"What's not to like?" Lavender asked. "He's handsome, rich, charming and he thinks I'm a goddess."
Hermione dramatically put her hand to her forehead. "How positively dreamy!"
Lavender giggled. "Well, I could always see if he has a friend. You haven't been out with anyone since you broke up with Michael. I know it's been a couple of weeks, but you really should get yourself back out there, Hermione."
Hermione shook her head. "I don't want to..."
Lavender sighed. "I still don't see why you broke things off with him. He was perfect, Hermione."
"I just haven't got the time for those frivolous things," Hermione said. "Especially now that I've finished training."
Michael O'Neal had been Hermione's boyfriend for about six months, but truth be told, they barely saw each other when they were dating. Hermione had been extremely dedicated to her training. Michael had gotten tired of waiting and given Hermione an ultimatum, which had led to a huge row and Hermione told him they should call the whole thing off.
"All work and no play," Lavender cautioned.
"He wasn't right for me," Hermione interrupted.
Lavender shook her head. "How?"
"He just wasn't," Hermione said.
Lavender plopped down on the sofa. "You and I both know what his fatal flaw was...he didn't have green eyes and black hair..."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione looked away.
The topic of Harry Potter had been a sore subject for Hermione ever since their break up over three years ago. They hadn't seen each other even though this was made easy by the fact that Harry was still in Vancouver heading up the training program over there. Lavender wasn't about to touch a nerve though and she grinned at her friend. "Let's celebrate."
Hermione nodded. "Sounds good to me," she was relieved Lavender wasn't going to pursue this. "I have a few hours until I have to go back."
"Did you tell your parents?" Lavender asked.
"I rang them before I came home," Hermione nodded.
Lavender led the way into the kitchen. "I think this calls for champagne."
"I didn't realise we had any," Hermione looked into the cupboard for glasses.
"You remember I brought a bottle home from that magazine launch I went to the other night," Lavender said looking for the bottle in the icebox.
"Right," Hermione said, pulling two champagne flutes out.
Lavender was an up-and-coming model and she seemed to get invites to all the hot parties. She'd tried to get Hermione to come with, but Hermione always came up with an excuse.
Lavender poured them both a glass. "I should make a toast to my best friend, the official Auror."
Hermione laughed. "Yes, the official Auror!"
Lavender raised her glass. "To Hermione Jane Granger, may she get a kick-ass assignment and show those blokes in charge that you're the best damn Auror they've got!"
"I will be the best," Hermione vowed. "And I can claim my best friend is the world's most amazing model!"
Lavender clinked her glass with Hermione's. "Who would have thought that you and I would be best friends after those first few years at Hogwarts?"
Hermione laughed. "I wouldn't have, not at first."
"But look at us now," Lavender said. "All of us, really. I just wish Parvati would have gotten over this grudge she had against Luna."
Her sister's attack was still a sore point for Parvati and to this day, she still held Luna responsible. That had put a big strain on her friendship with Lavender and now the two former friends barely spoke.
"It's a shame," Hermione nodded. "Luna was no more responsible for any of that than you or me."
"Tell that to Parvati," Lavender said with a shrug. "But if she wants to live in the bitter barn, so be it."
Hermione smiled. "I should owl Ron and Luna and tell them the good news too."
"Ask Luna if she saw it coming," Lavender said before taking a sip of her champagne.
"Very funny," Hermione grinned before heading for her study.
When she was alone in her study, she couldn't resist doing a little twirl and pumping her fist in triumph. It had been three long years of gruelling training and hard work. And now it had all paid off and she was an Auror.
And she was positively delighted that she had already been given her first assignment.
She sat down at her desk and scribbled a quick note to Ron and Luna. She also wrote to Neville, who was currently interning at St. Mungos. Everyone was surprised when they found out his dream of becoming a mediwizard.
She briefly considered sending a note to Michael, but what good would it do? She didn't want to give him false hope.
She sent off her letters and went into her room to change. Lupin had told her earlier how proud he was of her. The older man held a soft spot for her ever since the Hogwarts assignment three years before and she was looking forward to working with him now.
Her first year on the job would be a chance to really prove herself and she knew that if she worked hard and took on any assignment, no matter how small, she'd move up the ranks fast.
Something she never allowed herself to think on was her past relationship with Harry. Lavender, Luna, Ron and Neville all now knew how Harry had never truly been a student at the school, but the two men had kept in touch with him despite that. Whenever they tried to tell her anything about him, she would always cut them off, sometimes even leave the room.
His name appeared quite often in the papers though and she couldn't count the number of times she'd seen a picture of him going out to some party with some slag. She would have thought he had better taste than that, but she'd been wrong about him before.
"Enough," she told her reflection firmly as she tightly plaited her hair.
She had more important things to think about now and Harry Potter had no place in her life. After saying a quick goodbye to Lavender, she set off for the Ministry. She was a little early but she couldn't wait.
She went down to the offices and knocked on Lupin's door. "Sir?" she called.
"Come on in, Hermione," Lupin called back.
Hermione smiled. "Thank you again for trusting me with this assignment so soon."
Lupin motioned for her to sit down. "When I heard about this assignment, yours was the first name I thought of."
Hermione was pleased at that. "Is it here in England?"
"No," Lupin said handing her a file. "Grand Cayman Island."
"That's in the Caribbean isn't it?" Hermione asked, reading through the notes.
"Yes," Lupin replied. "You remember our good friend Antonin Dolohov, right?"
Hermione nodded. "He was one of Bellatrix Lestrange's followers wasn't he?"
Lupin nodded. "We received intelligence a few weeks that he has been plotting something big, but we didn't know what."
"And I'm to go and find out what it is?" Hermione guessed.
"Yes, but that's not all," Lupin said. "Dolohov has been living quite the life on Grand Cayman---keeping a low profile, but buying up Muggle properties. One of those properties is this resort..." Lupin handed her a brochure. "He hates Muggles, but he doesn't have a problem taking their money..."
Hermione nodded. "And I'm to pose as a tourist and get to the bottom of what he's got going on?"
"You and another Auror are going to pose as newlyweds," Lupin told her. "You'll see your identification and your dossier. You'll need to alter your appearance a little, but nothing too extreme."
"Okay," Hermione nodded. "Who's my partner?"
"He'll be here shortly," Lupin said. "In fact, I'm just going to go and check to see if he's arrived. Feel free to go over the file notes while you wait."
"Thank you," Hermione wondered why he wouldn't tell her who her partner was.
She looked over the dossier and discovered that she was going to be posing as Janie Montgomery, a recent University graduate who had just married her childhood sweetheart, James. Hermione rolled her eyes---Janie and James. How sweet could you get?
"And how unoriginal..." she muttered.
She had just turned the page when the door opened. Expecting to see Lupin, Hermione turned. "Sir, I think---"
Harry smirked. "Well hello there..."
Hermione felt her stomach plummet as she looked at him. "What...what the hell are you doing here?"
"I've been called back here on special assignment," Harry said, sitting down in the chair opposite hers.
"Could you wait somewhere else?" Hermione asked glaring at him. "I'm meeting with Lupin."
"So am I," Harry replied.
Hermione closed the file and got to her feet. "Fine, if you don't leave, I will."
Lupin appeared in the doorway. "Good, you're both here. Welcome back, Harry."
"Thank you sir," Harry reached out to shake his hand. "It's good to see you again."
"Sir, I can come back later," Hermione said, eager to get as far away from here as possible. "Or I can wait for you in the---"
"Sit down, Hermione," Lupin said. "Please."
"But--" Hermione looked first at Lupin then at Harry. "Fine..."
Lupin smiled. "Janie meet James."
Hermione was horrified. "WHAT?"
Harry, too, was taken aback by this news. Only two hours ago, he'd been in Vancouver leading a training session when Sirius appeared with news that he was needed on a case back in London. He had no idea Hermione was involved. If he had, he wouldn't have come.
"Your partner for this case is Harry," Lupin told her.
"I can't work with him, sir." Hermione shook her head.
"Hermione, as a first-year Auror, you have no say in your choice of assignments," Lupin reminded her.
"But I do," Harry interrupted.
"Are you turning the assignment down?" Lupin asked him. "I'm sure Sirius told you about---"
Hermione looked back and forth between them. "About what?" she demanded.
"Don't look at me like that," Harry told her. "I didn't know you were going to be here, okay?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "We don't work well together," she told Lupin. "Please don't make me work with him again."
"On the contrary," Lupin said quietly. "You work quite well together. Thanks to you two, Bellatrix Lestrange and Viktor Krum were apprehended and a plot to bring back Lord Voldemort was foiled."
Hermione shook her head. "It's personal..."
"Unlike some Aurors, I know when to separate my personal and professional lives," Harry said smugly with a pointed look at Hermione. "If you think that she and I should work together on this case, well, I trust your judgment, Remus. If Auror Granger feels that she'd be too uncomfortable..."
Hermione knew he was challenging her. "I could do it if I wanted to," she retorted.
"It's okay," Harry said leaning back in his chair. "I'm sure there's some small assignment we could find for you."
"Harry," Lupin said reprovingly. "You're not in charge here."
Harry had nearly forgotten that Lupin was even there. "Right," he said sheepishly. "Sorry, sir."
"Miss Granger," Lupin looked at her. "Do you feel you can handle this assignment? I do think you'd be perfect for it."
"I can handle it, sir," Hermione answered after a moment.
Lupin smiled at her. "I'm glad to hear that."
"When do we leave?" Hermione asked.
"In two days," Lupin said. "Between now and then, you two will have to meet to figure out your whole story and create as many details about James and Janie Montgomery as you can think of in case you're asked questions. You'll also both need to go over the case file and memorize it."
Hermione gulped. "That soon?"
"This needs to be resolved as soon as possible," Lupin nodded.
"Right," Hermione said looking down at the file in her lap.
"I'll need a copy of that," Harry said to her.
"I'll make you a copy," Hermione said quietly.
Lupin looked the two of them. "I'll leave you to it, then. I'll be in touch tomorrow with the details on your transport."
"Thank you sir," Hermione looked up at him.
Lupin left the office to give them some privacy and for the longest time neither of them spoke.
"Here," Hermione touched her wand to the file and another copy materialized.
"Thank you," Harry said taking it from her. He scanned over the contents. "Not a very original back story."
"What did you expect it to be?" she asked acidly. "A seven hundred page novel?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "If you wrote it, maybe."
Hermione was already near seething. "Good to know some things don't change," she stood up and stuffed the file into her bag. "You're still an arse."
"Are you flirting with me, Janie?" Harry asked with his most winsome grin.
"Hardly," Hermione rolled her eyes. "I despise you."
Harry stood up too and tucked the folder under his arm. "This brings back so many memories. You were the exact same way with me the first time we met..."
"Still smarter than you," she retorted.
"I so missed this side of you," Harry said sarcastically.
"I'm sure you did Potter," Hermione pulled her cloak on.
Harry shrugged and followed her out of the office. She glared at him. "Where do you think you're going?"
"With you," Harry replied simply. "You did hear Remus, right? We're supposed to get together and come up with our own little story, memorise that file..."
"I'll memorise the file, thank you." Hermione said. "I don't want to be with you right now."
"We have two days to prepare," Harry reminded her. "You can't avoid me, Hermione. Like it or not, we have to work together."
"I'm not avoiding you," she said angrily. "We don't have to work out a story RIGHT THIS MOMENT!"
Harry opened his mouth to reply, but at her tone and the look on her face, he decided to keep his mouth shut. "Okay, then. Well, when you are ready to work you can Floo over to Grimmauld Place. I'm staying there until we leave."
"Fine," she muttered. "I'll be there tomorrow morning at seven. Can you handle that early an hour, or do I need to come after noon?"
Harry stepped forward and leaned in as if he were going to kiss her. Instead, he grinned at her. "Sweetheart, I can handle anything you've got."
Hermione didn't let him see how his closeness affected her. "Fine," She answered evenly. "Same goes for me, Potter."
"See you tomorrow morning, Janie," Harry said before turning and heading toward the lifts.
Hermione waited until he was gone before she uttered a string of curse words.
After checking in with some of his old Auror buddies, Harry decided to stop by St. Mungo's and see what was going on with Neville.
He headed up the lift then walked down the corridor. Knocking on the doorframe, he grinned at the brown haired man. "Hullo Nev!"
Neville looked up from his paperwork and grinned back at his old friend. "Harry, what are you doing back?"
"New assignment," Harry shook Neville's hand. "How's it going mate?"
"They're working me pretty hard here, but it's going to make me a great Healer," Neville replied. "Have a seat."
"Thanks," Harry said. "What else is going on?"
"Nothing much," Neville admitted. "I've been working hard---"
"Neville, have you had a chance to look at those--oh, I didn't know you had company," an extremely pretty girl with long black hair said from the doorway.
"It's no problem," Neville reassured her. "Cho Chang, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Cho. We work together."
"Hi," Harry offered her his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you," Cho said shaking his hand. "Neville's told me a lot about you."
"All of it good," Neville told his friend.
"That's because there's nothing bad," Harry joked.
Neville chuckled. "Right."
Cho smiled at Neville. "So I was wondering if you had a chance to go over that chart for Mr. Kramer?"
Neville nodded. "I just finished looking it over." he handed it to her. "You can tell me if my notes are right."
As Cho took the file from him, her hand brushed against his. She smiled at him again. "You got a haircut."
"Yeah," Neville smiled at her. "My Gran did it for me when I went home last night."
"It looks really great," Cho gushed. "Not that it didn't look great before, but it just looks really good now. You look...handsome."
Neville turned a bit red. "Thanks Cho..."
Cho just looked at him for a few moments before remembering they were not alone. "I-I guess I'll go. I'll see you for rounds though, right?"
Neville nodded. "I'll be there in just a bit."
"It was nice to meet you, Harry," Cho said before departing.
Harry watched her go. "Boy does she have the hots for you."
Neville rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."
"Come on," Harry said with a laugh. "She's gorgeous and obviously interested in you."
"Girls like that are never interested in blokes like me," Neville said dismissively.
"I like to think I understand women," Harry said. "And if she's like any other girl, then she fancies you."
"You've got it wrong this time," Neville said. "But what about you? Anyone special in your life?"
Harry shook his head. "I've been too busy."
"We seen you in the papers every now and then," Neville said teasingly. "Looks like you have been busy."
"I was surprised they wanted me back here," Harry said. "I'd tell you what the assignment is but--"
"It's top secret," Neville finished. "I understand."
Harry nodded. "I haven't heard from Ron in awhile. What's new with him and Luna?"
"Completely besotted with each other," Neville replied. "His life is pretty much Quidditch and Luna."
Harry grinned. "I thought it was pretty cool how he just forgave her."
Neville nodded. "It wasn't her fault."
"Right," Harry said. "When we got to Vancouver three years ago, it's all anyone could talk about."
"Some people still can't seem to let it ago," Neville told him. "But nobody who really knows Luna would think she'd done this intentionally."
Harry nodded again. "I never knew her all too well, but it sure seemed like she wasn't the type."
The loud speaker on Neville's desk crackled and Neville looked apologetically at his friend. "I'll just be a minute...yes?"
"Healer Longbottom, there's a patient in the emergency department who is asking for you by name," the nurse's voice called out over the speaker.
Neville groaned. "Is it Ginny Weasley?"
"She's still after you?" Harry asked in disbelief.
Neville nodded.
"Yes, it is, sir," the nurse said. "She's running a bit of a fever..."
"I'll be right down," Neville sighed. "What's she done to herself now?" he asked in general.
"You think she's faking?" Harry asked curiously.
Neville nodded. "She'll give herself a fever or some other affliction."
"Desperate, eh?" Harry asked following his friend out of the office.
"I don't know why she can't get it through her head that I don't want to see her," Neville replied. "I made it pretty clear that we were through."
Harry shook his head, wanting to see this firsthand. When he and Neville made it to the examining room, he stifled a laugh when he saw the "ill" Ginny, touching up her makeup with a pocket mirror.
"Good afternoon, Miss Weasley," Neville said crisply.
"Neville!" she said brightly then faked a rather lousy cough.
"This is your third visit this week," Neville reminded her. "And it's only Tuesday."
"I can't help that I'm feeling so lousy," Ginny put her hand to her forehead.
Neville picked up Ginny's thick chart and made a couple of quick notes. "What are your symptoms?"
"Symptoms?" Ginny asked. "Um... my throat hurts. And I'm hot... very hot." she fanned herself.
"That's a matter of opinion," Harry muttered under his breath.
Neville stepped forward to get a better look. Ginny grabbed his hand and brought it to her chest.
He rolled his eyes. "Ginny, you're fine. Stop wasting my time."
"I really am feeling bad this time," Ginny said pleadingly. "Neville, you're the best healer at St. Mungo's."
"I'm not even technically a healer," he pointed out. "Ginny, I have real patients that need my help."
Harry grinned. "She does look a little peaked."
Ginny glowered at him. "Hello, Harry."
"Hi," Harry replied. "Third time you've been sick, eh? Sure it's not morning sickness?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but no I haven't," Ginny replied hotly. "Neville..."
"If you're really sick, I could get one of the residents to look at you," Neville told her. "Healer Chang..."
"Why would I want to see HER?" Ginny asked snidely.
"Because she's one of the best we have on staff," Neville said. "I'll just go and get her..."
"Never mind," Ginny huffed, grabbing her bag.
"Okay then," Neville said standing back as she stalked past him.
"She was really sick," Harry said sarcastically. "At death's door, even."
Neville shook his head. "She's been doing this for quite some time now. She's had every disease known to wizard kind at least twice."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I can't believe Dumbledore made her think I went out with her."
Neville laughed. "He certainly did pick some random memories to plant in our heads."
"I'm glad you and Ron still wanted to keep in touch despite the fact I was only at the school a few months," Harry said.
"We went through quite a bit in that short time," Neville said thoughtfully.
"Tell me about it," Harry agreed.
"So have you seen Hermione since you've been back?" Neville asked. "Oh...wait, you obviously haven't since you're still breathing."
"No, I have..." Harry replied. "It was just as joyous as I thought it would be."
Neville took a seat on the now vacant examining table. "She's not your biggest fan."
"And I'm not hers," Harry shrugged. "She was pissed I wouldn't stay at the school."
Neville knew it was much more than that, but he didn't call his friend on it. "She's one of my good friends, Harry."
"That's nice," Harry wanted to avoid this subject.
"She's living with Lavender Brown now," Neville told him.
Harry shrugged. "I hadn't realised they were close."
"Best friends now," Neville said. "I go over and have dinner with them every now and then."
Harry stood up. "I should get going," he said a bit abruptly.
"I'm really glad you stopped by," Neville said extending his hand. "I've missed having you around."
"We'll go out sometime soon," Harry promised, shaking his friend's hand.
"Definitely," Neville said. He walked his friend out of the hospital. He had a feeling that Hermione wasn't too happy with Harry's return.