Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 41

-

"Harry, where the hell have you two been?" Sirius called out as they walked towards him. "Oh, never mind," he said as he saw Hermione's pink cheeks. They quickly got even pinker and he laughed.

He grabbed two cups and handed to them.

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

"Not really," Hermione admitted. Sirius looked doubtful for a moment before he took two long strides towards her. He pulled her into a bear hug.

"I am so glad you are back, and I am so glad you married my godson." He let go of her and continued: "I never thought anyone could stand him long enough to marry him. Good to know one woman in the world had the stomach for him."

"Funny," Harry said and grabbed two empty plates. "I'll get us some food," he said to Hermione who just nodded.

Hermione looked around a bit uncomfortable.

"Sit, please!" Sirius said and gestured to one of the many blankets set around the fire. She reluctantly did so but kept glancing around.

"If you are looking for Mad-Eye, he left right after you had returned." She exhaled slightly and Sirius grinned. "So you and my nephew…married." He said in wonder and she nodded.

"Sorry you missed the wedding," she apologized honestly. "I know Harry really wanted you there, as did I of course."

Sirius waved a hand at her and drank from his glass.

"Don't worry about it Hermione. In times like this we all miss everything important. It is a miracle we are all here at the same time now!" he trailed off and Hermione saw that he looked awkward. She realized that it had occurred to him that they were only there because Harry had left Europe so abruptly to save her. She smiled weakly, not sure what to say.

"Sirius, do you know where Thomas is? The boy who used to be around me all the time? Hermione asked and felt nervous about his answer. "I haven't seen him anywhere."

Sirius patted her back.

"Nothing to worry about, he is just fine. He was in the group sent to Ireland to hide."

She felt disappointed and relieved at the same time. He was safe, but she really wanted one of his tight hugs.

Harry arrived at that moment carrying two overfilled plates of food.

"Wow!" it had been quite a while since she had seen that much food, everyone in the camp had really made an effort. Harry saw her expression and hurriedly added:

"Yeah well it's spring and there are so many more ingredients.

She smiled at him, he was so considerate. She almost laughed at herself and her swooning over Harry, "And he is so dreamy and just cute," her thoughts mocked.

She took the plate and was unsure where to start. She took some of the fresh baked bread and turned to look at Sirius who was now telling a vivid story to everyone around about a won battle somewhere in France.

Her mind wandered away and she glanced around the tents. Many were dancing at the music coming from three music players. One had a guitar, one a flute and the third a violin. The music was very festive and she enjoyed escaping by looking at them. In all honesty, she didn't feel like she needed to escape, she was quite happy to have returned here, all she was worried about now was people asking her too much about what had happened. She would rather put that behind her and not relive it. And everyone had of course heard that Harry had saved her, even though they didn't know they were married… yet.

"May I dance with your bride?" Ron asked Harry.

"Ask her," Harry laughed and turned to Hermione.

"I did, but I think, rather hope, she didn't hear me, because she didn't answer."

Hermione looked up, realizing they were speaking about her.

"Dance?" she asked and Ron nodded. She smiled and gave him her hand. He took it and led her to the small spot of earth that had now been turned into a dance floor.

-

They had just finished dancing and Hermione was actually laughing as she walked back towards Harry. Ron really was one special person, he had a way of being so honestly kind, and somehow he knew just what to say to make her smile again.

She saw the back of Harry, he leaned forward into almost crouch with Sirius, they were deep in a conversation and the closer she got she realized they were talking about something serious. The music was still loud behind her and voices around her drowned their voices and she couldn't hear anything.

Harry couldn't hear her approaching and as she sat down on the blanket next to him he suddenly went quiet.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked not ashamed at all.

"Of course not," Harry smiled a bit too wide at her and put his arm around her. Hermione turned to Sirius who looked away quickly and reached for his glass. She frowned.

"So when will you and I dance?" Harry said and pulled her closer by the waist,

Hermione met Sirius glance again and he hurried to put a fake smile on his face.

"I'd rather stay here and listen to what you were talking about," she said.

"Sirius was just asking about Bulgaria and the wedding," Harry started when Hermione threw him a dirty look. He went quiet. She glanced over at Sirius and didn't even hesitate.

"Look Harry," she hissed, "Have I suddenly become someone else? Am I this outsider looking at this war from the outside? Not partaking in it? Look we all know what happened when I was away, but so what? It's barely the worst I've been through so far…" she felt her face becoming red and she heard her voice increase in volume. When Harry opened his mouth to object she caught more wind. "You are at war all the time, how would you like it if I made everyone I know pretend like nothing had happened and we would just smile and wave when you came around. Huh?!"

Harry remained unspoken and Sirius was the one who broke the silence.

"Hell yeah!" he said and raised his glass. Hermione looked surprised at him. "Let's raise a toast to that," when no one answered he drank by himself. "I completely agree with you my dear. Harry's parents are dead, I have no idea what happened to my brother or what he became, you have been tortured, Longbottom's parents are locked away…. We can't keep all of us away from danger just because of that. We need to carry on and I personally know, having trained you myself, that you are an asset to us." Hermione smiled at him and felt very affectionate towards Sirius at that moment. She turned to Harry, daring him to object.

He leaned forward and whispered for only her to hear.

"I just love you too much I guess," she pulled away from him, he grinned and then he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her rough on the lips.

"That's what we need more of!" Sirius said and made a very dramatic and scenic applause. "Now, cheers!" he raised his cup of wine at them and they followed.

-

Hermione soon settled in, leaning against Harry's chest just listening to the vivid conversations around her. Sirius was very passionate in his claim that Germany had hidden Death Eater camps, Ron kept pushing his point that muggles needed be warned, but Hermione's focus kept going from person to person.

Hermione's thoughts turned to the three supplying the music. No one around seemed to be listening, everyone was dancing or drinking, laughter was almost over the band's music.

But she heard their lyrics:

"They came to take our sons and daughters, but we must stand together. Together we will stand, one people, one will, one wish forever. Freedom, we will find you, we will seek,

we will struggle until you are within our world, we will struggle you are just within our reach ; freedom freedom freedom!"

She saw everyone dancing wildly around her still and thought about how much the song applied to all of them.

"A muggle you might call me, I might be a muggleborn, you might even call me a mugglelover - but for freedom I stand, I riot, I stand, and I will fight. There is just one thing I have to stand for: same or all - equal rights, equal rights!"

Everyone raised their glasses together at the words :equal rights, and she followed willingly. She felt Harry's arms find her waist again protectively.

"Are you okay?" he whispered very affectionately in her ear. She glanced up and saw both Ron and Sirius casually - and trying not to be obvious, looking at her. She kissed Harry's cheek lovingly.

"I want to talk to Cedric for a while," she whispered in his ear and he nodded, she could see something that looked like doubt on his face but she still stood up. She needed a break for a moment. Not from life in general, but maybe from this life. This reality that was now a part of her.

She needed to escape to the security she used to know. She felt Harry hold on to her hand a bit too long as she got up but she kept walking.

-

Cedric was talking to a large group of people and Hermione hesitated walking up to him. Her breath fluttered as she contemplated walking up to him and interrupting, bringing all attention to herself. No… she should do that. She turned back to Harry, he was in a vivid discussion again with Sirius and Ron. She looked around slightly panicked and saw that no one was looking at her. It still didn't calm her.

She walked up to some of her old acquaintances and smiled, standing at the edge of the group. She didn't just blend in as she had hoped, they all smiled overly polite at her and she soon hurried on.

She walked over to a second group, they were in the middle of a discussion about Azkaban.

"I think it should be demolished," a young witch said.

"No!" an older with objected.

"Why?" the young witch demanded,

"Shouldn't we keep it? I mean shouldn't we put those who made others suffer in the same place?"

An uncultivated discussion erupted at once and Hermione started backing away at once. This was the typical discussion she loved to partake in before. But now, she was just afraid they would ask for her opinion because of what had happened.

She was sweating a bit as she looked around. No one was looking directly at her, but weren't they kind of trying a bit too hard…

Her rabid thoughts were interrupted at that moment. A warm hand clasped around her hip and she sighed in relief.

"Hi," she sighed and turned around. She was just about to burry her face in Harry's chest when she realized that it wasn't Harry close to her.

"Cedric!" she said in both surprise and disappointment.

"Hey, looked like you were getting uncomfortable and needed saving!" he said and smiled at her.

"True," she had to admit. He nodded toward and empty bench quite a bit away from the tent. Hesitantly she glanced over at Harry, he was still mid-conversation with Ron and Sirius.

"Sure."

-

Hermione sat down and Cedric walked to get them some ales.

"There you go," he said and handed her the cup.

"Thanks."

He sat down quietly and they both watched the people around the camp for a moment.

"Hermione," he started and she glared up at him. "Shouldn't we talk about what happened?"

"I don't need that."

"No, but maybe I do. I had to see you dragged off, I had to see it." Cedric became quiet and Hermione understood.

"Cedric," she said softly and placed her hand on his, resting against his leg. "You did the right thing; all I wanted was to keep those children safe. They wouldn't be alive now if you hadn't kept them alive. It would all have been for nothing." He looked almost tearful, still staring at the dancing people. "Come on now," she whispered and squeezed his hand. He flipped his hand and their fingers intertwined. He turned rapidly to her and stared into her eyes.

"Cedric…" she complained and pulled her hand back. He bit his lip and released a small gasp of air. He turned back and stared straight ahead.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I know."

She didn't know what to say. It had been years since Cedric and she had been lovers, they had been friends for so long after that, but this new affection he kept showing her had to end. She would never risk Harry believing there was something unresolved between them, and she didn't want Cedric to have the wrong idea.

They sat in silence for quite a while and Hermione took pleasure in the fact that Cedric was one of the few people she could sit with in absolute silence, without feeling uncomfortable.

"So, Cho," Hermione started and hesitated when Cedric drank from his cup.

"Nope, still haven't seen her. We don't all get special privileges," he chuckled somewhat mockingly.

"Cedric…" she both complained and scorned.

"Yeah I know," he sounded cautious. "I'm just drunk and a bit bitter." He raised his glass to her. "I hope this bloody war will be over soon."

"Me too," she admitted and clunked her glass against his.

"If Dumbledore doesn't let me fight soon, I'm thinking about trying to go down to see her," he admitted. Hermione could hear that he was getting tipsy. "Or maybe I'll just go to war either way."

She patted his leg kindly.

"I know you're frustrated," she smiled.

"No you don't understand Hermione," he turned to her and looked very serious. "Seeing them take you, knowing all those people are dying. I can't just sit here…" he groaned and ran a hand through his hair. She knew how he felt. She had felt the same so many times. All those times she had had to spy on some boring rich Death Eater, just wishing she could do more.

"Do you know what you should do; you should send her something romantic. Obviously nothing that can be identified with you, but something subtle, a sign that only she can understand. Make her remember something."

"Like what?"

Hermione's mind wandered and she thought about Chocolate muffins, Bulgarian linen, German beer, traditional folk music… she looked up at Cedric.

"You tell me."

"Like sending her a dozen red roses and hiding a white one within them,"

She frowned at him. Cedric had once sent her that very bouquet with a note saying You stand out against all the rest. He chuckled and she continued frowning.

"Give me some stories about you and Cho and I'll give you some ideas," she promised.

He sighed and drank again, Hermione knew his face well enough to know that he was really very frustrated and she worried slightly about him.

"We stayed at this lovely inn once. We went to the north of Scotland, this was before I went into hiding, and we went to see this band she likes: "The Wollongong Wormwoods", he smiled to himself as he thought about it. "We went to a lovely pub and sat in the back of the place drinking nettle wine all night." He seemed to dream away and Hermione smiled.

"There you go!" she laughed. "That's such an easy one. Just send her a disc of the band, attach a bottle of nettle wine. She'll know at once it's from you and it'll bring her right back. And it'll let her know you're thinking about her too."

He grinned widely.

"Yeah, good one." He seemed to be making a mental note. He turned to her and nodded his head eagerly. "She'll love that, thanks so much Hermione."

She felt happy to see his enthusiasm.

"I'm going to go talk to one of the guys still on the muggle outside, do you mind?" he asked and she just nodded encouragingly.

He hesitated before he rose and eyed her warmly. "You should drink up, stay up all night! Have fun, just try and relax."

"Yes sir," she joked and he kissed the side of her head before he left.

-

A couple of days later, Harry and Hermione were walking around the very outer parts of the camp perimeters, trying to get some privacy. They had their arms around each other, holding on tight. It was still very early and some fog lingered over the ground. The woods were still very quiet, just a few frogs could be heard. It was too early for many noises to be taken notice of.

"So when do you have to leave?" Hermione asked for the fourth time. Harry laughed and squeezed her waist.

"I honestly don't know, and I don't even know if I will go. I'm kind of leaning towards staying near you to be honest."

Hermione stopped walking and Harry stopped in his tracks.

"Just like Mad-Eye feared," she breathed.

"Oh stop," he tried to sound informal and released his grip around her. Instead he took her hand and they sat down on the ground. Harry groaned loudly. "I miss being able to use my wand," he sighed, "With a flick this ground could be warm and toasty… and more importantly it wouldn't be wet!" he hissed. She smiled and caressed his cheek.

"Does the big powerful wizard feel naked without his wand?" she teased.

Harry gently touched the wand peering out of his pocket. She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. She snuggled her arms under his arms.

They stayed like that for quite a moment; their only disturbance was a doe walking across the small space ahead of them.

"Can you smell that?" Harry said after a long while. She closed her eyes and indeed she knew what he meant.

"Bread," she agreed and as Harry started to get up she grabbed his arm. She was still hesitant at being with others. She just wanted to spend every moment alone with him. He laughed and gently pulled her up from the ground.

"Let's go eat, and then let's go and let our butts dry off in front of the fire in your tent."

-

Hermione sighed loudly. Her eyes shot opened and she saw the ceiling of the tent she had lived in for so many ears. She sighed again and her head tossed involuntarily to the side and she stared into the fire wild in the middle of the space.

She arched her body and bit her lip.

She ran a hand over the wild black hair, gripping it wildly.

She lifted her hand fractionally and looked down at Harry's naked form, centered at the very end of the cot. His shoulders placed right between her knees.

She groaned again and gripped another large handful of hair, he didn't react. She let her eyes roll back in her head and arched her back so much she might have been able to see the back of the tent if she could keep her eyes open.

She felt her body start to tingle and just about when she was about to moan she was interrupted. A very loud siren brought her back alive.

Harry's head snapped up.

"What the hell is that?" he yelled loudly.

Hermione needed only half a second before she answered in panic.

"It's the alarm, we are under attack!"

-

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.2.7

-->