Harry sat in the window seat in the 747 that had taken them on the transatlantic flight to Harry's first true vacation in his life. He smiled as he remembered the last three days and how much fun it was being a regular person for a short time.
The morning before, Hannah and Susan had been taken by Amelia back to Hannah's home to continue to spend time together and Neville had been returned to the Longbottoms by Tonks. The Grangers and Harry had spent the rest of the day Saturday packing and making final preparations for the flight that was scheduled the next day on Sunday.
Harry and Hermione had laughed as they packed talking about Neville and the two Hufflepuffs. The five had spent two nights and a day together having fun and being teenagers. Hermione had been teased a lot when the girls had made it to the bedroom after the movie, and Hermione had returned the favor but Hannah and Susan didn't blush as much as Hermione did, or so Hermione had explained to Harry the next day.
As a result, Harry had agreed to the truth or dare game that was planned for the second night as a means of revenge for the ribbing Hermione had received. Neville was too shy to tease Harry, but even he could see Neville gaining more confidence because of the two girls that had decided to attach themselves to him. After, Harry and Hermione had catcalled when the two girls had said their private goodnights to their not-quite-as-shy Gryffindor friend. That had been in retaliation for the catcalling that the two had to endure when they had sneaked away in the afternoon for some private time.
Harry had also picked up the necessary papers Saturday from Gringott's to travel. He was polite, but decided that the goblins seemed perfectly happy to allow him to come in, do his business, and get out without any long formalities. He had made it a point to meet the warriors who had helped with the ritual as he had promised them the week before. They were less gruff with him than goblins usually were and thanked him personally for the bonus.
As the four made their way through customs, Harry and Hermione noticed a desk that none of the other passengers seemed to notice. When the guard saw the two notice him, he waved them over and pointed at the two parents to indicate they should be included.
When they approached the desk, the guard said, "Welcome to the United States. Now, you know why you were called to dis Customs desk?" The guard seemed very polite about it, although he had a strange accent.
Hermione said, "I assume it's because of the fact we could see you, which means that it is likely that it has something to do with this." At that she pulled the end of her wand out of her purse as she looked at him.
"Very good. And nicely done. If I wadn't a wizard, I wouldn't have a clue. Now, as magicals you gotta check in and have your wands registered. Der's no tracking or anything like dat, but if you get into trouble there's gonna be some record of who you are. Now, all of ya magical?"
Hermione shook her head. "My parents here are muggles."
The guard tensed for a moment and then relaxed as he said, "I should warn ya. In the good ole U S of A, we don't say 'muggle' -- it's kinda insultin'. Like calling someone like me a dego or a wop. The word ya wanna use is 'mundane'. Now, I'm used to the way a lot of folks talk when dey come through, but in general it's a bad idea. Another word ya wanna avoid is 'squib'. What you call squibs, we call 'magical mundanes' -- although unless it's needed for some reason, usually they just call themselves 'mundane' and leave it wit dat. It's not a common ting, but it happens. You understand?" The two teenagers and the two adults nodded.
"Now, we're gonna go in dat door when all of da people from dis plane are through and I know der ain't no more magicals. We do dis cause it makes it easier for magicals and related folks to learn the rules -- and it's faster than mundane Customs. So don't worry about being singled out."
The four waited another 10 minutes until the rest of the plane's passengers moved into the mundane Customs and no others noticed the desk.
Then the guard led them into a room which was very comfortable looking. The benches were upholstered, unlike the mundane section, and it had a much more roomy feel. The guard noticed them looking and said, "We figure if a magical actually goes through customs and don't sneak in, dey gotta be pretty reasonable. So we make it more comfortable for em." The visitors chuckled at the guards cheeky grin.
"Now, let me see da passports." Each of the four took their passports from their pockets and handed them over to the guard. He pulled out a keyboard and mouse attached to a long cord and a display showed on his desk.
Hermione had to ask, "How do you get electronics to work with magic?"
The guard, as he entered information from her parents' passports, said, "Oh, the keyboard and mouse are connected to a computer dat's behind a shielded wall. The display is a charm which is at a distance from the electronic monitor and just shows what it shows. Der are newer electronics dat are actually shielded enough to be used in da room, but you know how da government is. It's either don't spend no money or spend a bucketload more den dey need to." The four laughed at the friendly man's comment.
Once he had entered the information, he stamped the two passports and handed them back and went on to Hermione's. He asked for Hermione's wand and then entered more information into the computer. He stamped her passport with a different stamp and said, "This is a special stamp. If you get into trouble, make sure you show dis to da magical officer or agent, so dey know you checked in right." Hermione thanked him. He took Harry's passport and when he saw the name he said, "Hey, I've heard of ya. Dat psycho wizard attacked you as a kid, right?" Harry nodded, wondering how much hero worship he would have to deal with in the United States. "Well, good fer you for making it out alive." He then continued entering Harry's information. When he saw his age, he asked, "Des your guardians?"
Harry shook his head. "I'm emancipated. If you have to contact an adult because of my age, you'd contact Amelia Bones. She has given permission, if it's needed." Harry handed the guard the forms.
"It's no big deal, but you gotta have next of kin listed." He finished with the passport, checked Harry's wand and then stamped his passport with the magical stamp and handed everything back. "Okay. Now, da laws are different here den in other places. Da law says as soon as you can use a wand, you can use a wand anywhere as long as no mundane who don't know about magicals becomes aware. A lot of mundane places got cameras, so you have to take dat into account. If you do make a mistake, make sure you call dis number." He handed them a business card each. He also handed cards to the adults.
The card said, "Department of Magical Services, Accident Report Line, 800-555-6244." The Grangers however saw "DepartMent of Special services, Report Line, 800-555-6244." The guard pointed out the difference which was caused by a charm. The odd spelling for the mundane view was so the letters stayed tfhe same.
"Now, I should tell ya dat if dey have to come more den three times in a week, der's a fine of 50 bucks. After dat, more den once a week will get you a fine. How long you here for?"
"3 weeks."
"Well, you don't gotta worry about da other limit, but if dey get called more den 12 times a year, it's also 50 bucks each time. Da DMS figures mistakes are easy to make, but too many and it's jus someone being stupid." Harry and Hermione looked at each other and then nodded at the guard.
"Now, you got da right to defend yourself. If DMS clears you, dat don't count toward da limit. Cause der's no penalty for DMS being called out, private memory charms are illegal. First time in a 5 year period is a civil infraction, second one is a misdemeanor, third time is a felony. If der's sufficient cause, you won't be cited. Like I said, people got rights here. Now, either of you bonded to any magical creature?"
Harry said, "Well, we left our familiars at home. I have two house elves that work for me."
"Well, I'm gotta warn ya: If a sentient magical creature is attacked or abused, it's a felony. A bond is legal, but magical creatures got rights too. We don't allow slavery. If a bonded creature is abused, we call it slavery -- and dat's a felony."
Harry and Hermione smiled and Hermione said, "That's much better than at home." The guard was impressed that the two visitors agreed with the American view on bonds.
"Okay, here's an address for da magical tourist information center. Der's one in da airport -- and here's one in da city if you ain't at da airport." He pushed a button and a door opened in the wall, showing their luggage. "You don't need to go down to the luggage section. Like I said, we make it easier if you gotta do Magical Customs. Now, where ya going next?"
Robert said, "We actually have a night booked at the Holiday Inn here at the airport. We pick up a car tomorrow."
The guard nodded. "Okay. All I gotta do is set the door here and it'll put you in the front desk area." He walked to the door and hit a combination of buttons and pressed his wand to a slot for it and muttered something. He turned and said, "Okay. It's set. You need anything else at Customs?"
Everyone looked at each other and then they all said no. They all also thanked the Customs Agent for being so helpful and then made their way through the door. They passed through a small room and then opened the door on the other side and it opened into the lobby of the Holiday Inn.
As their biological clocks still said it was late afternoon, they decided to find the closest restaurant and get something to eat after they put their luggage in their rooms.
Later, Hermione and Harry learned what every traveler who visits a hotel knows: staying in a hotel tends to encourage sexual relations. The two had quite an evening of sensual massage and manual stimulation which left both quite sated. When they were done, they decided they needed a late night snack. Hermione was about to knock on her parents door to ask them if they wanted something as well, but Harry stopped her with a quiet comment. "If we got up to what we did, what do you think your parents are doing?" Hermione blushed and the two made their way the closest vender that sold muffins and juice.
It was the second full day of the road trip. They had spent a day looking up travel information and had started on the road. Harry had a hard time getting used to the cars driving on the wrong side of the road. It was weird to him. Robert almost had an accident coming out of the parking lot when he had forgotten. After the adrenalin had worn off, the four shared a small -- very small -- chuckle. Once they had gotten on the road, they had found their way to Philadelphia. They had stopped overnight in the city at a hotel, and then had taken in the sights, after a breakfast of eggs and scrapple. Harry's comment on the mystery meat was "Well, at least it tastes good".
Although they were British, they could respect the efforts of a people to fight against the oppression of a ruler who ran roughshod over them. Independence Hall was interesting. The Liberty Bell actually caused Harry to tear up. When he had seen the the phrase, "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof", he had asked the information center what the letters after the quote meant. It was a biblical quote: "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family." The idea liberty relating to the return to family caught him.
They had then learned what a "Philadelphia Cheese Steak" was -- Pat's and Geno's were both visited and Harry decided he'd have to learn to cook that.
They were on the way to Ohio. Hermione was looking over several pamphlets. She suddenly piped up with, "Hey, there's a magical settlement near Columbus. Will we have time to go there?"
Robert, who was in the passenger seat, looked at his map. "Well, we'll be a bit north of that. We were planning on stopping in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I supposed we could take an extra day -- as long as we're back in New York in 2 weeks and 4 days, we can do anything we want. What do the rest of you think?" Emma nodded her acceptance and Harry would always take Hermione's suggestions. Hermione hugged her father from behind.
After stopping in Cleveland -- Robert was REALLY into the Rock and Roll Museum and they had spent longer there than originally planned -- and visiting the National Inventor's Hall of Fame in nearby Akron, the group continued on their way toward Columbus. They stopped at a restaurant which served an American dish called pancakes. Harry, isolated as he was growing up, learned that it was a breakfast food but he figured it tasted just as good as dinner and could understand why the place specialized in it. Emma, however, spent a good few minutes lamenting the effect of syrup on their teeth. Robert, who had been the one who had suggested the particular meal, very maturely explained that they were on vacation, it was not a regular thing, and then stuck his tongue out at her. Everyone, even Emma, had a good laugh about it.
Later that night, the group stopped at a rest stop before midway between Akron and Columbus, where they planned on getting a hotel. They were enjoying the trip immensely. Although the cities were somewhat crowded, at least outside of New York none were as crowded as London back home and there seemed to be much more space all over the place. It was a totally different feel.
Harry and Robert were coming out of the bathroom, having needed to relieve themselves. Emma and Hermione had taken one look at the roadside facilities and decided they could wait until they reached a hotel. It wasn't completely disgusting, but the two women claimed it was too much like an outhouse and they didn't feel completely comfortable using the facilities if they didn't have to. Consequently, the two women waited at a picnic table near the building.
As Robert was talking to Harry, Harry stopped because something felt -- off. He began to rush, before he even realized he was worried. When he got into a position to see the women, he noticed a man that had stopped at the previously desolate rest stop. The two women were aware of him and kept an eye out, but something about the man screamed "danger" to Harry. The man was facing the women seemingly intent and so did not see Harry coming from behind. Hermione saw Harry with Robert behind him and felt immediate relief. Her face must have alerted the man as he swung around toward Harry and began pulling something from his jacket pocket.
Harry had already been reaching for his wand when he was approaching, and as a result he needed no time to aim and call out "Stupefy!" The man crumpled to the ground as the two women rushed over to the the two and threw themselves at them.
Harry had a time trying to settle Hermione down. "I'm so sorry, Harry. I left my wand in the car. The man started approaching and I knew he was trouble. He reminded me so much of the Death Eaters. I was so worried ...." Harry decided at that moment to kiss her. It was the only way he could think of to calm her down quick enough. It worked to, although Harry could see she was still reacting. But she took on a forced calm to at least not worry her mother more than she already was.
"It's okay, Hermione. I got you." He pulled his wand arm from around Hermione and shot out an Incarcerous and then turned toward Robert, who seemed to have calmed Emma as well, and said, "Go to the pay phone and call that number we got at customs. I'll keep a watch on him."
When Robert and Emma came back, the two women reluctantly separated from them and went to the car to get Hermione's wand. Robert stood next to Harry, thankful that the boy -- no, the man -- was with them and could protect his wife and daughter. He wordlessly patted Harry on the back as the two men stood looking at the man on the ground in the magical restraints.
After 20 minutes, two cars with flashing lights pulled into the rest stop and two uniformed men came out of each, all of them with their hands on their weapons although they didn't look like they were going to draw.
Two of them went to deal with the man on the ground and two approached the two men and two women. One of the men, who had three stripes on his arm versus two for the other driver, said, "Ohio State Police, Special Services Section. What happened? Who subdued the man?"
Harry, who was the one who had stupefied the man, said "I did. He was menacing my girlfriend and her mum when I came out of the loo. When he realized I was behind him, he started to pull something from his pocket and I reacted."
The officer nodded at him. "I need to interview you alone. Are you a minor?"
"I'm 15, but I'm emancipated."
"Then you won't need an adult present. Please come to my car. My name is Sergeant Jeffrey Swanson." He began to put a latex glove on his hand. "I'll have to ask you to give me your wand; it's standard safety procedure to make sure anyone being interviewed doesn't have a weapon. Do you understand?" The man obviously was making sure Hermione and her parents could hear his instructions so they would know what was happening. The man was very businesslike but Harry could sense that he was not in any danger. He turned his wand over, handle first, and the officer took it. When the two got to the car, Harry was put in the backseat but the door was left open. It was apparent to all present that he was not being treated as a criminal.
The second officer was getting the names and personal information from the others while Harry was interviewed. When it was done, Hermione's father was questioned and then Hermione was taken to the car with her father present as her guardian. Emma was then interviewed as well by the man.
While Robert was being questioned, Hermione had to ask the officer a question, "Excuse me, sir, I'm curious." The officer standing with the three not being currently questioned looked at her. "I'm not trying to be offensive -- I'm just always curious about things. But is there a reason you interview in the car and not here?"
The officer tensed slightly, even though he was outwardly calm. Harry interjected and smiled as he said, "Really. She's a bookworm. Has to learn everything." The officer relaxed and laughed at the grin Harry and Emma had and the sheepish expression on Hermione's face.
"Standard procedure. There is a recorder in the car to make sure that there is a video and audio recording. Protects both us and the people we question."
Hermione nodded, "That makes sense."
Harry also had noted that the two officers who had gone to the man he had stunned were in the other car. He was in handcuffs sitting in the back seat as one officer stood next to the open door and the other was in the car typing on the computer.
Finally, the interviews were done and everyone was sitting at the picnic table waiting for the officers to come back. The two that had interviewed them were talking to one of the officers from the other car. When the discussion was over, the two came back.
"Here are your wands, passports and other papers." He spoke to Harry directly, "You have good instincts. The man you stunned, Chase 'Chaz' Johnson, is a mundane prior offender and has a warrant for his arrest pending for kidnapping, sexual assault, and assault with a deadly weapon. What he was pulling out was a gun. He allegedly targets women in out of the way places who are alone or only in pairs. You might have just saved many lives."
The group shuddered at what could have happened.
"As this was considered justified, there is no infraction for DMS violations. We report to the federal jurisdiction and they always defer to the state authorities is such cases unless a federal crime is involved. Now, there happens to be a $10000 reward that was posted for information leading to the arrest of Johnson. Normally it's arrest and conviction, but this wasn't posted by the Department of Public Safety. It is a privately funded reward by the father of the girl who was last attacked by him. Here is the card with who to contact to collect your reward." He began to hand Harry the card, but Harry refused.
"I don't need a reward. The fact that I protected my girlfriend and her mother is good enough for me. Tell the man that I refused it."
The officers looked at Harry with approval, but Sergeant Swanson said, "The reward is already deposited, and in these circumstances we actually don't have a choice but to disburse it because as I said, the money doesn't come from the government. Besides, a little money can go a long way for someone your age."
Harry thought about it a moment. "Is there a fund for victims?"
The officer nodded. "Victim Compensation Fund helps pay for counseling and to take care of medical costs and lost wages for felony victims."
"Then I would like to donate the reward for that. I have enough money from inheritances and I really don't need it. How can I donate it?"
The officer went to his car and returned with a form. Harry filled it out and handed it back. Sergeant Swanson looked at it, and then looked at Harry. "The Department of Public Safety thanks you for your generous donation." Harry nodded.
Two two officers actually shook Harry's hand as they said their goodbyes. Hermione and Emma decided that with everything that had happened, they could no longer wait and the two made their way to the facilities. Harry and Robert stood watch outside, neither willing to take any chances, although both saw that the two officers had turned their emergency lights off and were apparently waiting until the group was safely on their way.
The group took the first exit from the expressway that showed that there was a hotel. It was getting late, and after the run-in with the attacker, none wanted to be out on the road anymore that night.
They all made their way to the rooms and showered. Hermione didn't really want to be alone and so the two teenagers showered together. After they had gotten in bed, Harry held Hermione who was still a bit shook up from the earlier incident. After she had actually calmed down fully, instead of looking like she had, she turned her head toward Harry and said, "Thanks, Harry. I don't know how I would have handled this without you."
Harry smiled at her, "Anytime, Hermione. I will always protect you."
Hermione's face took on a thoughtful look as she looked past Harry for a moment. Her eyes then landed back on Harry and she said, "Harry, I want to do something to thank you." She pointed toward his bits to show what she meant.
"Hermione, Love, really no thanks is needed. Not that I don't want to ... well, anyway ... not that I don't appreciate the thought. But, I also don't want to take advantage of you being upset. I want to make sure whatever we do, it's what we want and not because something bad happened."
Hermione nodded her head and replied, "I understand and I agree. I want things between us to happen for the right reason." She paused for a moment and then continued. "I've actually wanted to do this for a couple of days -- nothing having to do with tonight." She blushed. "What happened tonight is really just an excuse for me to do it."
Harry looked at her to see if what she was saying was true. Although his streak of nobility was saying stop, his teenage body was reacting. It was much harder to be objective, but finally he decided that she was telling the truth and it was just an excuse. He laughed, although he was somewhat nervous and then quietly said, "Okay."
*** LEMON STARTING *** (If you want to skip it, you can go on to the next chapter -- when it's posted of course.)
Hermione turned slightly in Harry's arms and kissed him. As her tongue played in his mouth, her left hand moved down his chest, over his stomach and into his pubic hair. She then grasped his member and moved her hand up and down on it. She withdrew her tongue from his mouth and moved down to his chin and kissed him there, then his neck, and then down to his nipple.
She moved down his body so that she could lick each one for a moment before she continued down by dragging her tongue between his two nipples and then down his body, past his sternum and to his belly button. She dipped her tongue in while still moving her hand. She kissed her way down his very sparse happy trail until she was right above his pubic hair.
She looked up at him and saw his eyes wide, watching her as she moved their physical relationship to the next step. She smiled impishly at him and then moved her hand toward the bottom of his member and then took her tongue and deliberately placed it at the small aperture at the end of his penis. She licked down the underside and she took his testicles in her hand as she licked the base and then moved her tongue back up toward the end.
She stopped watching his face and took a good look at the piece of flesh in her hand. It really was very pretty to her, and she definitely enjoyed playing with it. She looked right at the end as she moved her right hand on the base again while her other hand was slowly rubbing the sac below it. She took one last look at his face as she deliberately took it in her mouth and deliberately moved her lips down the turgid shaft. She saw his eyes grow even wider and then blissfully close as he experienced this for the first time.
She alternated providing suction and then licking the glans and then back to providing suction. She moved her hand on the shaft near the base while she moved her mouth up and down. Harry put his hands through her thick hair while she did this, and she could tell that he was rapidly losing control. When he started moaning her name and his breath became shallower and shallower, she concentrated on just putting the corona of the glans in her mouth and moved her hand faster on the shaft.
Suddenly he breathed out with effort, "Hermione ... I'm ... about ... to .... let go ...."
She was prepared. She had tasted his ejaculate before and while she didn't find it particularly pleasant, she didn't find it particularly unpleasant either. And she had taken the advice of her mother to heart -- men loved to see a woman swallow.
Harry gave out a loud, drawn out groan and liquid starting filling her mouth. She kept running her hand up and down the shaft, but more slowly and concentrated on the spurting bulb in her mouth. Finally, he relaxed and opened his eyes somewhat and looked down at her. She pulled her mouth off of his shaft and then deliberately swallowed while looking at him.
He shuddered at the sight and she smiled in happiness to see him react so pleasurably to her actions. Finally he smile down at her with love. She sat up, grabbed her wand and did a breath freshening charm, and them moved up and kissed him and then snuggled down to his side.
As he caught his breath, she heard him say quietly, "Oh my god, Hermione, I love you."
She replied just as quietly, "I love you too," and then, smiling, closed her eyes and let sleep take her as she lay in the arms of her lover.