Disclaimer: If you recognize the character, it isn't mine. Just playing in Rowling's sandbox.
Apology: For those who were hoping this was a notification for a new "Perils" chapter, I can say that I'm almost there. Hang in there.
Reminder: I'm on Twitter under "avidbeader" if you are reading this on a guest account and would prefer to get your notifications of a new chapter or story that way. I promise I won't be spamming. I'm also on Tumblr under the same name.
Plug: This story was begun several years ago. When I was invited to take part in the annual Fandom for LLS fanworks charity drive, I debated for a while and finally brought this story to a close. If you donated to the charity drive back in August, you already have this story in the compilation. For everyone else, new story! And for everyone else, here's a new H/Hr story!
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Harry got Hermione settled on his bed and did a basic medical scan with his wand. She was breathing normally, but her mental functions were horribly out of balance. He cast a couple of simple system-cleansing charms from the Aurors' repertoire and sighed in relief when a second scan showed her stabilizing and moving to normal sleep. He spared one second to stroke her cheek, grateful that she was safe.
He leapt into action, summoning the miniature Pensieve that was part of every Auror's kit. He extracted the memories with the clearest views of both men and the one of Hermione's drink being spiked, then went to his fireplace in the sitting room. After starting the green flames and sticking his head through, he shouted, "Auror on duty!"
Shacklebolt came into the room. "Potter? What is it? You're supposed to be out with your friends."
"Need you to put out a search for these two men in the memory." Harry passed the Pensieve through. "The charges would be attempted poisoning and attempted kidnapping. Susan Bones is at St. Mungo's with the remaining liquid, working to identify it."
Shacklebolt scribbled on a purple scroll and sent the memo flying away. "Who was the victim?"
"Hermione. I have her here at my place, safe. She's stable and resting right now."
Shacklebolt waved at two more Aurors as they entered and began looking in the Pensieve. "All right, I'll contact Miss Bones and start on identifying the men. Call me when Miss Granger wakes and is ready to give a statement."
Harry broke the connection and sat back on his heels for a moment. Now that he'd done everything he could, his mind was free to imagine the purpose of the two men. If they knew who she was, it could have been a shot at kidnapping her for ransom. The Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly worked very hard to remind their readers of just how rich the famous Harry Potter was.
If they hadn't known who she was...again Harry felt that rage surge up as he thought about the possibilities.
He made himself get up and go into the loo, where he pulled off his glasses and splashed cold water on his face. When he was calm again, he went back into the bedroom.
Hermione was deeply asleep, her hair spread out across his pillows. She was still in the Muggle skirt and blouse she usually wore under her robes when at work. Harry slid her shoes off and pulled a rug from his wardrobe to cover her. He had just pulled it up to her waist when he heard a massive crack of Apparition in the sitting room.
"Harry? Where're ya, mate?"
Harry stalked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him, and walked up to Ron. He put both hands to Ron's chest and shoved him, hard. Ron stumbled and fell, looking up at Harry in alcohol-enhanced befuddlement.
"Where the hell were you? Do you have any idea at all how much danger Hermione was in?"
Ron pushed himself to sitting, still looking completely at sea. "Blimey, Harry! Whachoo on about? Someone said you an' Hermione'd gone home and I oughter go, too. Wha' happened?"
Harry began pacing, digging his hands in his hair to keep from seizing something and throwing it at Ron. "What happened? What happened was while you were plying Hermione with alcohol, hoping to get a shag out of her, two men beat you to the punch and Transfigured or Switched her drink! If I hadn't seen them, she'd be long gone by now and in the hands of bastards who were going to do who knows what to her!"
Ron protested, "How'd you know dat?" That he would concentrate on the first revelation over the second only stoked Harry's anger more.
"I overheard you and Bill! And it's very lucky for you that he took that Stay-Sober potion with him or I would have shoved the bottle up your arse! What made you think you had the right to do something like that to Hermione?"
"Oh, c'mon, Harry! I jus' wanted her to loosen up-"
"To not be clear in her thinking, to be in a state where you could talk her into something that was against her wishes, to not be able to tell you 'no'! Ron, that was wrong on so many levels I can't even begin! You don't do that to someone!"
"But she keeps pushing me away!"
"And did it even cross your mind to talk to her about it? To ask? Instead of trying to manipulate her? It's like I don't even know you at all, Ron!"
Realization began creeping into Ron's expression, and his face crumpled, as if the implications of what he had been thinking were finally sinking in. And clearly he did not like what he was seeing.
"Hell, Harry...I didn't mean...I'd never hurt her, y'know that!"
"I know you'd never hurt her deliberately, Ron, but you were selfish enough and careless enough tonight that you came damn near close to getting her badly hurt or maybe even killed." Watching as Ron put his face in his hands, Harry relented a little. "Look, go to Bill and Fleur's. You need some space to sober up and think, but I don't think you should be alone. And any minute I'm going to be dealing with St. Mungo's and Aurors as they try and catch those scums. I'll Floo as soon as there's anything to tell you."
He reached down and pulled Ron to his feet. "I'm sorry I pushed you. I was furious imagining what could've happened to Hermione."
Ron patted Harry vaguely on the back, his thoughts still turned inward. "Yeah, I'll go there. Can I Floo? Not sure about Apparatin' again..."
Harry gestured to the fireplace and Ron took a pinch of Floo powder, vanishing in the flames.
Harry went back into his bedroom to find Hermione still sleeping peacefully. He conjured a chair and sat down, taking her hand.
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The steps that registered with Harry's subconscious were open, confident. Whoever it was, they were not at all stealthy. Even so, he came awake with his wand in his free hand, the other still clutching Hermione's. Then he heard the voice. "Harry? You in here?"
Harry disengaged his hand and went into the sitting room, blinking at the bright green hair that greeted him. "Tonks! What's the news?"
"We've identified the wizards. One is from the States and the other from Singapore. Nothing in their backgrounds to suggest that they were abducting Hermione for ransom..." Tonks stopped, seeing the blood drain from Harry's face. "I...thought that would have been good news?"
"No. I'd've much rather have dealt with a ransom than the other probable reasons they attacked Hermione like that."
Tonks pressed her lips together, her expression turning grim. "I take your point. On the bright side, we've got their names and descriptions being fed through the international channels now. And Susan Bones sent this. She says to get Hermione to drink it as soon as possible and it should put her right. But let her sleep again if she wants to."
Harry took the vial into his bedroom. Tonks followed and watched as Harry very gently lifted Hermione into a sitting position and uncorked the potion.
"Hermione, love, wake up a little. You need to drink this."
She stirred, slapping vaguely at him without seeing him. "No drink, no..."
"Hermione, it's Harry. This will help, trust me. I'm here, you're safe. Please?"
She stopped trying to fight him and drank the potion when he lifted it to her lips. Still not fully conscious, she leaned into him. "Harry..."
He let her back down onto the pillows. "Yes, I'm here." He tucked the rug around her again and jerked his head at Tonks to direct her back to the sitting room.
"Were you able to get a magical signature from the glass?"
"Yes, under yours and Susan's. We'll have every major Apparition point alerted soon and Portkeys are already being watched. We'll find them, don't worry." Harry nodded and she put a hand to his shoulder. "Kingsley is changing rotations and you have tomorrow off as well as today. He already sent a message to Hermione's boss that she's ill. Now eat something and get a proper sleep. You look knackered."
Harry smiled vaguely as Tonks just missed cracking her head on his mantle as she entered the Floo. He charmed it to admit no one, made sure that one window was open enough for Hedwig when she decided to return, and went back to Hermione.
He sat on the edge of the bed and pushed back her hair where a lock had fallen across her face. She made an "mm-hm" sound and shifted, cupping his hand to her face with her own. Her voice slurred with sleep as she murmured, "Lov' you, Harry."
Feeling like his eyes would burst their sockets from bulging, Harry carefully slid his hand free and retreated to the sitting room. He stretched out on the sofa, kicking his shoes off automatically.
Had Hermione really just said that? Of course, she could have meant that she loved her best friend. That made perfect sense.
But if she hadn't meant it like that? Did that explain her not fully committing to Ron? He knew that he loved Hermione, his best friend. But that didn't seem to explain his anger at Ron, his rage at the two men who had tried to hurt her, and the driving need to make sure Hermione was safe and whole.
His thoughts in a whirl as he reassessed assumptions he'd been making for half his life, Harry finally fell asleep as dawn was breaking.
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Hermione woke, a little at a time, relishing the clarity of her thoughts. That reaction made her pause-why on earth should she be so grateful for a clear head?-and then she opened her eyes and realized where she was.
She was in Harry's bed.
She immediately dismissed the thought that she and Harry had slept together. Not only would Harry never, ever take advantage of someone like that, she was fully and neatly dressed. All the evidence pointed to her being taken ill or passing out at the pub and Harry bringing her home to recover.
She tried to remember exactly what had happened, and began feeling uneasy when some memories wouldn't come. She remembered being at the Leaky Cauldron, remembered her impatience with Ron, who was encouraging her to drink something stronger. And then she remembered a feeling of complete disorientation, of being unable to stand or speak or even see clearly. Even now she was breathing faster, remembering the fear that had surged through her.
She was interrupted by a loud and insistent growl from her stomach. All right, breakfast first. But I'm still going to get some answers.
She entered the sitting room on her way to the kitchen and saw Harry, fast asleep on the sofa. Unsettled by the rush of gratitude she felt at the sight of him, Hermione retreated into the kitchen for toast and tea. She charmed the kettle to flash light rather than whistle, and dug out the tea and sugar. She prepared a tray for two, just in case, and brought it to Harry's little table in the sitting room where he usually took his meals.
She had demolished several slices of toast and two cups of tea when the aromas seemed to penetrate Harry's awareness. He inhaled deeply and stretched. Hermione moved to perch next to him on the sofa and she touched his face gently to wake him.
His eyes flew open in surprise and he squinted at her. "Hermione?"
"Good morning, Ha-" He sat up and cut her off with an enveloping hug, pulling her tight against him. She returned it willingly, smiling a little at this unusual display, then froze when Harry's lips pressed against her cheek.
He pulled back, sensing her stillness, and his own smile faded a little. They stared at one another for a moment, reading the uncertainty in her eyes and the concern in his own. Then Harry groped for his glasses on the side table, breaking the spell. "So, how are you feeling? Any headache, stomach issues? Susan just said that her antidote would put you right-"
"Harry!" She cut across his babbling with one stern word.
He drew back and turned to move his feet to the floor. "Yes?"
"What happened?"
He hesitated. "How much do you remember of last night?"
"Going to the Leaky Cauldron with you and Ron. Being quite bored. It was too full to talk properly even when I found someone I knew. Ron trying to get me to drink too much even though I-oh! I'm late!" She jumped to her feet, looking frantically for her bag.
Harry seized her hands and pulled her back down. "We already let Bassington know you wouldn't be in today for illness. It's okay."
She frowned, feeling conflicted over relief that she wasn't expected at work and irritation that she still didn't know why she wasn't expected.
"Do you remember a chap coming up to talk to you? Out of the blue?"
"The one from America? He was a right tosser, thinking he was God's gift to women."
Harry squeezed her hands. "Well, what he did was distract you, so his partner could spell your drink. They tried to drug you so they could take you away. Whatever it was made you appear extremely drunk."
Hermione drew in a breath as she began to remember. "I couldn't control my legs...I couldn't say anything...everything went out of focus and the noise got so loud..."
Harry pulled her close as she began trembling. "It's all right, that's all that happened. I got him away from you and he ran. The Aurors are after both of them now."
She shut her eyes tight for a moment, the memory of complete helplessness washing over her once more. One of Harry's hands was stroking her back and she could feel his cheek pressing down on her head. Safe...I'm safe...Harry took care of me.
Reluctantly, she drew back. "Where's Ron?"
If she hadn't known Harry so well, she would have missed the briefest of stutters as he replied. "R-ron? He was pretty well sloshed. I sent him to Bill's to sleep it off."
Hermione was a hundred per cent certain that, while probably true, it wasn't the entire truth. But Harry moved to stand and she let it go for a moment.
"If you're up to it, we should give Kingsley your statement. Then you won't be bothered again until they've captured those bastards."
She glanced down at the clothes she'd slept in. Reading her thoughts easily, Harry said, "Yes, there's time to stop by your place for a quick shower and change."
"Then let's get this over with."
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Author's Note: As always, thank your for reading!