A/N - Someone mentioned that the previous chapter had some spelling error issues. I couldn't see any and my computer assures me that there aren't any, so I'm not sure if this is an American spelling v Aussie spelling thing or not. However, I do feel the need for a Beta... so if there's anyone reading this that has read my previous work, likes my stuff and wants to volunteer for the task let me know in your review and I'll send you a PM or e-mail to get things started. I also have a bunch of fan-fiction that is partially completed that I could use some assistance with ideas for so it wouldn't be just finding spelling mistakes that I'd want help with. Anyway, enough of that... on with the show.
Oxford Undercover - chpt 2
Harry and Hermione spent the afternoon ensconced in the comfortable living room of the flat Hermione shared with Gina and Hayley in discussion about the best way to capture a psycho. Unfortunately by the time the sun was setting and their cups of tea were cold they had not been able to come up with a single plan that didn't involve, what Harry considered to be, an acceptable level of risk to his friend. After all he was there to try and keep her safe not expose her to extra risk. All of the plans that they seemed to think of were essentially variations on the same theme, use Hermione as bait in some kind of trap to catch a serial killer.
`It's no use Hermione, I'm not going to set a trap for a homicidal maniac and use you as the bait and any other plan is probably best carried out by the Aurora department. They'll have more resources anyway.'
`Ok, but just for the record this would not be something you're doing on your own. I know how to handle myself and I would be a willing participant.'
`I know, but it just seems wrong somehow. You don't go to protect your best friend from danger and then end up using her as the bait in a trap.'
`Yes but, think about all of the other muggle born witches out there that could be his next victim if we don't get him to focus on me. For one thing they won't have the personal protection of "The boy-who-lived" and for another they probably didn't have you as a teacher in DADA either, with plenty of opportunity to perfect the skills you taught!'
Harry ran a hand through his scruffy hair and stared at the wood grain of the coffee table in front of him as though it would somehow provide him with all of the answers. Of course it didn't and in the end he could only rely on his own instincts.
`We think he's using some kind of anti-magic device or charm. Every one of the witches he's killed has been tortured in the most brutal muggle way imaginable and each one of them was found with their wand in their hand unused.'
Hermione gapped at him, `Why didn't you tell me this to start with?'
Harry looked up at her, `I didn't want to freak you out. That's why I had to come, if it was just a question of magic I wouldn't worry so much. I know better than anyone how well you can handle yourself. This is different though, scary, physically I can handle myself; my training has included martial arts and stuff. You on the other hand never studied anything like that and while you're fit and everything you're not a fighter, not like that.'
Hermione looked as though she'd had the wind thoroughly knocked out of her sails; she stood up and gathered their coffee cups from the table in front of her. In a daze she walked into the kitchen and put them in the sink, her mind had gone blank with the news Harry had given her. She'd been so sure before about the right course of action and now, now she didn't know what to think. Harry couldn't stick around forever and he was right, setting any kind of trap for this psycho was just too dangerous. It seemed there was no solution.
`So what do we do then?'
Fear was as clearly written on her face as it was in her voice and Harry immediately felt the worst kind of useless. `Well my thought was that if I could teach you some self defence and maybe some wandless magic, just in case we're wrong about the way he operates.'
Hermione nodded seeing the sense in what he was saying, `I want to give you the best chance I can,' he was saying now, `and there is one other thing we can do too but I want you to think very carefully about it before you make up your mind.' She stared at him, her eyes wide, wondering what on earth else there could be.
`Do you remember those tattoos the death eaters had, where if Voldemort touched it his death eaters would know and instantly appear at his side?' Hermione nodded her head, `I was thinking we could get something like that, so if you ever need me....' he let the sentence trail of as he saw tears welling in Hermione's eyes, `I won't let anything happen to you Hermione.' He said softly and enfolded her in a hug. Hermione buried her face in Harry's chest and fought back the urge to cry. Harry didn't speak he just held her in his arms and allowed her to vent her fear. He could understand her reaction, he'd felt like doing the same when the murders began to stack up and he could no longer deny that Hermione was very likely a potential target for this psycho. After her sobs had quietened he cupped her chin in his hand and raised her face to look at her.
`I won't let anything happen to you,' he repeated, `you know that, don't you?' Hermione nodded and tried to smile.
`I'm sorry Harry, it's just a shock. After everything we've been through, I feel like I'm right back there again!'
`I know, but if we can beat him surely we can beat anyone, right?'
Hermione nodded and smiled again, a bit more sincerely this time, `Yeah, this guy at least won't have Horcrux's, we hope anyway.'
Harry smiled and released his hold on her, `so, what do you think of my plan then? Are you up for some martial arts training with a little kick boxing thrown in for good measure?'
Hermione laughed, `Absolutely, I'm ready to kick some ass!'
The front door banged open and Hermione's flat mates could be heard in the front hall talking and laughing, a moment later they entered the small dining area that adjoined the kitchen and dropped their bags on the round dining table there.
`Hey guys, how was your afternoon?' Hayley asked plonking herself in one of the chairs.
`Great, was really nice to have some time to catch up. What did you two get up to?' Hermione asked directing her question at both girls.
`We had Robson's class,' Gina began,
`I can't believe you ditched Hermione, I'd never thought you would for anything!' Hayley interjected
`And then we went to the supermarket to pick up some things for dinner.'
`Oh my god! I missed a class; I just forgot all about it, I can't believe it! Did you take notes?'
Harry grinned at Hermione's panic, `Wow Hermione, I'm honoured; you've certainly never missed a class on my account before.'
Hermione swatted him on the arm, `stuff it you this isn't funny. Did you guys take notes? Please tell me you did!'
Hayley and Gina both rushed to reassure the panicking girl and once that fuss had subsided Harry moved the topic back to something they'd said that'd caught his attention. `So you bought stuff for dinner? I can cook for you guys if you like, I'm a pretty good cook. What did you get?'
Now it was Hermione's turn to grin at her friend, `Is that a not-so-subtle hint that you're feeling a bit peckish Harry?'
Harry felt his cheeks heat at her prodding, `Well, maybe, but I'm more than willing to be the cook. It can be my way of saying thankyou for letting me stay and then you lovely ladies will be free to exchange notes about the second ever class that Hermione Granger forgot to attend.'
Hermione smiled at him, `That's very kind of you Harry.'
`You know Hermione, we can just give you our notes to go over, we don't really need to go over them.' Hayley said looking at Harry with interest.
`That's true, plus then we get to grill Harry and find out the sordid details of the first time that you forgot to attend a class!'
Bowing to the inevitable Hermione took the notes from her flatmates and began to transcribe them, while Harry cooked dinner and told muggle modified but nonetheless exaggerated tales of Hermione in high school. By the time dinner was cooked and the notes had been copied the sun had long since set and Gina and Hayley were both in tears of laughter.
`I can't believe what I'm hearing here Hermione!' Gina said wiping her eyes
`All this time you were the perfect little well behaved Miss, all we ever really knew about you at school was that you were a prefect and your two best friends were boys! Now we find out the truth, all of the rule breaking and staying up after curfew!'
`Don't forget the fist fights, got in a few of those too, my Hermione did.' Harry interjected.
`Fist fights!' Both girls exclaimed at once.
`Oh this is hardly fair!' Hermione said trying to defend herself, `It was one fight, and I would hardly even call it that, one punch thrown and that was the end of it. Plus it was in my third year, which is ages ago, and it was with a notorious school bully that you and Ron had several fights with.'
`Actually I would hate to have to correct you Hermione, because we both know that if we disagree your the one whose always right, but I can recall at least two other physical confrontations with other students.'
Hermione laid down her fork and crossed her arms over her chest, `Really, Mr Potter and when would that be?'
Harry grinned at her a sparkle in his eye, `Well there was the time with Millicent Bullstrode in our Second year and the confrontation with Ron in sixth year.'
Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously but Harry's grin only widened. `You know there were extenuating circumstances in all three cases Harry, if you're not careful I'll start telling nasty stories about you too!'
Harry coughed and scratched the back of his neck, `Perhaps discretion is the better part of valour after all, and she's right, in her defence Hermione has never hit or otherwise attacked anyone who didn't absolutely deserve it.'
Gina and Hayley both laughed at this display and the four of them settled in to eat the meal Harry had prepared and the conversation quite naturally drifted to other topics.
`So Harry, Hermione never actually told us what it is you do?' Gina practically purred, both of Hermione's flatmates had become increasingly friendly over the course of the meal and Harry was feeling just a tad uncomfortable.
`Ah, I'm in law enforcement.' Harry said hesitating.
`So you're like a cop then?'Hayley asked
`No, I'm not a cop.'
`Ooh so it's all cloak and dagger sort of stuff, a bit James Bond then?'
Harry laughed, `Not quite, but really I'm not supposed to talk about my work.'
Hayley and Gina both looked intrigued and turned to Hermione as if expecting her to tell them. Hermione laughed and held up her hands, `don't look at me, I can't tell you if he won't, at least, not with him sitting right there anyway!'
Gina then tactfully decided to change the topic, `So how long have you got for holidays then Harry?'
`I've got four weeks off, but if that's too long for me to stay in your spare room, I understand. I can always go back and stay in the hotel I was at, it's only around the corner.'
`Don't be silly!' All three girls chorused at once.
Harry just grinned, `I don't want to be a bother,'
Hayley smiled invitingly at him, `It's no trouble at all, but, are you going to spend your entire vacation with Hermione? You don't have any family or a girlfriend that you want to spend time with?'
Harry squirmed under her question, `Well, I don't know what Hermione may have told you about me but I don't actually have any family, I'm an orphan, and I'm currently between girlfriends at the moment.'
`Oh I'm sorry Harry, Hermione did mention that but I stupidly forgot.'
`It's ok; really, I've had a long time to get used to it.'
`What happened to Edith?' Hermione asked, `I thought you were dating her?'
`We were but it wasn't working out,' Harry looked at the other two girls and chose his next words carefully, `It was the job, you know.'
The truth was that it hadn't worked out with Edith for the same reason it hadn't worked out with any of his other girlfriends, there were just too many parts of his life that were off limits for discussion and then there was the fame thing.
Hermione nodded in sympathy, `It didn't work for Gordon and I either, he said he always felt like I was holding back.'
`Well it looks like we're just going to be one big happy single family then!' Gina said brightly directing her smile straight at Harry.
Harry blushed a little and looked at Hermione, his eyes conveying quite poetically the touch of panic he was feeling. Hermione allowed herself a small grin, she'd do what she could to protect him, but really, she had warned him about her flatmates.
-->