Requital by Msscribe
Rating: R- (edited version). Full NC17 version on www.portkey.org.
Ships: H/Hr
Type: Angst\ Romance
Summary: A story of Hermione Granger coming to terms with her greatest loss, finding her own voice and strength, and coming of age in a world battered by a never-ending war.
Disclaimer: No profits are being made off the fiction on these pages. Harry Potter, associated characters and the associated Harry Potter universe is © J. K. Rowling and respective publishers. Fanfiction is fiction--it is not meant to be taken seriously in the least.
Chapter 2 - Evolution
The seriousness and resolve behind her voice made it impossible for Arthur Weasley to deny her request. She had grown thinner in this last month, when she had nothing to lose, but there was a strength there that was hard for him to ignore. She clung tightly to the arms of her chair, waiting for his answer, although he suspected what he said wouldn't matter anyway. She had already decided to fight this battle - with or without the Ministry's help. She got her answer when he reached into his desk and handed her a new badge.
Hermione was overwhelmed with his faith in her. She had never wanted to take this route before, comfortable in the tedious task of putting things together behind the scenes. She had once boasted to Ron and Harry that while they were out there waving their wands around, she was the one making all of their convictions stick. But that wasn't enough anymore. The events that transformed her life had also taken that opinion away from her and she longed for nothing more than to hear the last dying breath of the witch or wizard who had murdered her parents. Only Aurors were given the power to assassinate criminals, so an Auror she would become.
"You'll need to be trained. Cho Chang trains all the female Aurors, after which you will be reporting to Harry's unit," he said, searching her eyes for any change of heart. "Harry, Ron and Neville are in Evangel right now, following up on a lead. As you know, their unit lost Penelope last year, along with Percy," his voice quivered with the words. "But they will return in four weeks. By then you should be ready to join them."
"Thank you. I won't fail you."
Arthur Weasley hoped he had made the right choice. Hermione was like his own daughter, and he didn't want to lose anyone else to this war. It had already taken Percy, Penelope and Charlie from them.
Hermione walked out of his office and stopped as she felt the stares penetrating her. The endless sea of Ministry personnel gave her sympathetic smiles and small nods. She forced a nod back to a couple of people, but hurried to pack up her old office. There was so much to be done.
#
"Welcome to the wild side," Cho Chang said as Hermione walked into the large training room downstairs.
She managed a smile for her teacher. Today she had traded her professional "librarian" clothes for a tight black body suit bearing the Auror symbol. She would have been embarrassed to wear such a shape-revealing outfit before, but now it hardly seemed to matter. Cho's matching outfit, with the exception of a small red stripe declaring her superior rank, fit equally as well.
"You look beautiful," Cho said, walking towards her now with her hand outstretched.
Hermione took it, and Cho let her eyes linger over Hermione's newly revealed curves.
"Thank you," Hermione said, shifting uncomfortably.
She watched as her instructor flung her long shiny black hair back and motioned for Hermione to pick out one of the long sticks hanging on the side of the wall.
"We will start with these," Cho began. "They are called flacks. They are simple in design, but ingenious. You can take down a 400-pound man with one of these to the right zone."
Cho pulled out her own stick and swung it beautifully around her back and above her head. It was like watching a dancer. Hermione was entranced.
"I've long admired your intellect, Hermione. I've always wondered why you and I never became close friends. Perhaps we will now," Cho said ,walking towards her, and standing close enough so that Hermione could feel her breath.
"I'd like that," Hermione said, meeting Cho's gaze and then awkwardly pulling out a flack of her own.
She knew physical contact had been her weakness, but she also knew she had to become the best she could in order to stand a chance. The enemies often quickly disarmed wands and one had to use other means…other magic. Personal contact was essential and fighting was something she would learn to do. Cho was the best. She could even take down Harry in non-magical combat, and Arthur Weasley had asked her to help Hermione become good enough to fight along side of the other Aurors.
Cho swung her flack, knocking Hermione onto the mat. Pain shot through her, but she stood up, this time determined not to get lost in her thoughts again.
"You can never let your mind wander from the task. Always be prepared for those who fight unfair," Cho sneered.
Hermione glared back, gripping the flack with both hands. Cho looked serious for a moment, and dropped her weapon. She moved behind Hermione, grabbing the girl's waist and repositioning her hips. Cho kicked Hermione's legs apart and guided her hands to the proper position on the flack.
"Let your weight shift with your weapon. Use whatever force your body can hurl against it," she whispered in her ear.
Hermione swung into the air with great force, looking around at Cho who stood behind her smiling now.
"This will come naturally to you, Hermione," she said.
Hermione turned and swung, only missing Cho by an inch. Cho retaliated quickly, knocking her to the ground again. Cho lent Hermione her hand, pulling her up. She put one hand on her shoulder and let it fall gently down to the hand Hermione held the flask in. Hermione shivered.
"Close…but you'll have to be faster than that."
And Hermione stood ready again. Let the Dance begin.
#
A very tired Harry Potter returned to his flat to find an owl from Arthur Weasley. He groaned. Couldn't he even have a moment's rest? He opened the letter reluctantly and sat down on his couch in front of the fireplace.
Dear Harry,
I'm pleased to report that we have found you a new Auror for your team. Hermione Granger is almost through with her training and will be ready for assignment in one week. She is currently sharing a residence with Cho Chang, and needs all the support she can get. She will be helping you and Ron track down the wizards and witches responsible for the recent Muggle assassinations. She will be invaluable with her Muggle upbringing. You've worked together before, I'm sure you can do it this time. Please owl back once you've received this message.
Arthur Weasley, Head of the British Ministry of Magic
Harry was livid. How could Mr. Weasley do that? How could he send Hermione into a dangerous situation like that? Sure, her spell-casting ability was solid as a rock but she was never very good with anything as physical as the fighting they were exposed to every day. He thought she'd still be at the Weasley's house, recovering from her loss. It seemed too soon. He needed to object to this. His own bruises and cuts were proof of what happened when you did his job.
"Dammit, Hermione!" he muttered under his breath.
He heard a movement and grabbed for his wand. There was a red-haired woman standing near his couch.
"Dammit what…Harry?," Hermione asked. "It's me"
He relaxed his grip on his wand, as she moved to sit next to him. He tried to control his temper. He didn't want to upset her anymore.
"I'm glad you're out of bed and getting better…but…I'm not sure about this," he said, offering her a sympathetic gaze.
Hermione met his eyes with a steely resolve.
"I can do this, Harry."
He had never seen her this way before. He was frustrated at the situation he was facing now. He knew when they were out there he couldn't protect her.
"So you asked for this? I can find them for you Hermione…Ron and I can find them and make sure they are punished," he said, taking her face in his hands so she couldn't look away from him.
She gripped his wrists and pulled his hands into hers.
"I need to do this for myself, Harry. I'm ready. Cho has been wonderful. She says I'm the best she's ever trained."
He studied her for a moment, reluctantly dropping her hands and standing to close his door. He couldn't let her do this. He couldn't let her die like this. It was hard enough for him to order Ron into situations that could cost Ron his life, let alone Hermione's.
Harry disappeared into his kitchen for a moment. Hermione noted the eerie lack of noise.
She felt his hand go over her mouth and his other arm restraining her from behind. The sneaky bastard had apparated behind her.
"What do you do if this happens to you?" Harry said to the struggling girl in his arms.
With a force he didn't know she had, she flipped him onto the couch, knocking the wind out of him, and drawing her wand to point directly at him.
"I'd probably start with this."
He chuckled a little in defeat, raising his hands in the air to surrender.
"I'm tired. And you got lucky with that move," he mumbled, staring into her familiar brown eyes.
"Maybe, but I'm with you now, whether you like it or not."
Harry knew that much was true. He noticed the subtle changes in her as she moved confidently into his kitchen, snatching a beer out of the refrigerator.
"The flowers you sent were beautiful. Thank you." Hermione said, sitting down next to him again.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there more."
She smiled at her friend.
"You and Ron had the greater good to fight for. And now we all do."
"What you did before helped the greater good. Probably more than we have…"
She chuckled at his modesty. He had only saved the world once or twice.
"Well, I guess I needed a change."
His eyes wandered up to her hair again. The hair would take some getting used to.