Chapter One- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Hermione Granger, now twenty-four, had just graduated from the university she had been attending since she left Hogwarts. She was overjoyed to receive a degree in both Charms and Arithmancy. Her long time boyfriend, a wizard named James Bowtrag, was there to greet her as she ran out the front doors.
Laughing, she flung herself at him. He had no choice but to catch her or be knocked to the ground.
"So?" he asked, already knowing the answer. "How'd you do?"
Hermione couldn't rid herself of the huge grin on her face. "Not to brag, but," she paused, "one-hundred percent on both!" She started laughing again. To her, this was a million times better than anything that had happened to her at Hogwarts.
"And?" James sensed there was more to her excitement.
"Professor Vector, from Hogwarts," she added, seeing his look of confusion. James had attended Beauxbatons. "She offered me an apprenticeship!"
James tried to prevent the look of horror that crossed his face. " Tha- That's wonderful," he managed to say.
"What's wrong?" Hermione had a way of reading people.
"Well, what about us?"
Hermione hadn't thought of that. "I guess we continue seeing each other. It'll be a little difficult, but worth it. I'm going home!"
"Of course, but…" he trailed off.
"What?" Hermione was getting a little worried at this point. James was usually very outspoken.
"Exactly how difficult? I've grown used to seeing you quite often."
"Well, it really depends. During the actual apprenticeship, I may see you once every few weeks."
James was crestfallen. "And after?"
Hermione frowned. Today was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life. "Maybe once a month, if that."
James tried to say something but found he couldn't.
"Are you okay?"
James nodded. "I was just curious. Are you sure this is what you want to do?"
"James!" Hermione pilled herself out of his arms. "If we're really going to have this conversation, I insist we do it in private! I'm apparating to my house. Let yourself in." With a loud crack, Hermione was gone.
An instant later, she was in her small house. Immediately, she noticed something was wrong. She glanced around the room, her sharp eyes taking in the slight movement of the drapes. 'It can't be Deatheaters,' she thought, trying to calm herself down. 'The war's over. Voldemort was killed.'
'Ah,' another part of her said, 'but that didn't stop them last time, did it?' Tears came into her eyes as she thought about the attack that killed her parents.
She bit her lower lip. She had to remain calm. As casually as she could, she walked to her closet and pulled out a travelling cloak. At that point, James walked in the door.
"Oh, just one more minute, love!" she called, amazed that her voice wasn't shaking. "Just wait for me outside."
"But I thought-"
She cut him off. "Yes, I'll be right there." She pulled the cloak over shoulders and started toward the door. She took as much time as she dared, to make it seem more natural.
She saw James outside of her door and grabbed his hand before she began to run. When she made it around the corner, she stopped. James almost ran into her.
"What was that about?" he demanded angrily.
"There was someone in my house. We have to get out of here." She sensed that whoever it was that broke in would follow her soon. "We need to get somewhere safe. Apparate to Hogmeade; I know where we can go."
"Hermione," James had started when her was cut off by her shriek.
"Now, James!" He did as she said without any more protest, but not until he turned to see what had made her scream. He realized as he Disapparated that there was no one there.
Hermione appeared half a second before he did. As soon as he was there she grabbed his hand and took off at a run again. "I'm sure they know exactly where we're going," she managed to say between gasps.
James stopped running, and his grip on her hand caused her to stop, as well. "Well, if they know where we're going, surely I have the right to know also."
Hermione stomped her foot angrily. "We don't have time for this! They're probably just behind us."
"I refuse to go anywhere until you tell me where."
Hermione sighed, frustrated with his stubbornness. "Harry Potter."
"I beg your pardon?" James was amazed. Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world?
"I said that we are going to Harry Potter's house. He lives in Hogsmeade."
"How in Merlin's name do you know this?" James had no idea where Hermione had picked up all this knowledge. He knew they went to Hogwarts together, but surely she'd had mentioned if they were friends. After all, he'd been dating her for two years.
"I'll explain when we get there if you just run!" Hermione jerked his hand again, and this time he complied. They sped at their fastest pace through Hogsmeade.
When the reached a small road, Hermione led him down it, slowing a bit. They were still running, but not at the frantic pace that they had been.
They slowed to a walk as they reached a mid-size house on their left with a white picket fence.
For the first time since they had started this, Hermione smiled. 'Harry's finally gotten the house of his dreams,' she thought.
Almost shyly, she walked up the front steps. James was trailing behind her. He didn't think it was much of a house. It was hard to believe that the famous Harry Potter lived there. It was so quaint.
Hermione rang the bell and jumped when a small creature with bat-like ears, a long nose, and big eyes opened the door. Her mouth fell open and she stormed into the house, almost knocking the poor creature over. James followed, a little more calmly but anxious as well.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Hermione was yelling. "Get out here right now and explain yourself!"
James was beside himself with shock. She was yelling, actually yelling, at Harry Potter. He was even more shocked when said boy, now a man, walked into the room.
"Hermione?" Harry said, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Yes, it's me. Now, explain yourself!" she said, gesturing wildly at the house elf.
Harry burst out laughing. "Hermione, look closer."
She glared at Harry and turned back to the elf. "Dobby?"
"Yes, miss." Dobby looked sheepish.
Hermione turned back to Harry. "You! You had me thinking you went out and got a house elf behind my back!"
Harry laughed and held out his arms. Hermione ran into them, if not quite as exuberantly as she had James's that morning.
"It's so good to see you again! It's been, what, two, three years?" he asked, letting her go.
"Two and a half," she said quietly. "I'm so sorry I never came around, but…"
Harry laughed. "I'm sure you were just caught up in your studies or something like…" he trailed off, finally noticing James. "Hermione?"
"Hmm?" she asked, looking back at him. She had been inspecting the molding in the foyer. She followed his gaze and actually jumped when she saw James. "Oh, my! In all the excitement, I completely forgot why I came. Harry, this is James. James, Harry."
Harry reached out to shake his hand and James responded, still in awe. He had never imagined Hermione had been close to Harry Potter. True, he had never asked, but that was the kind of thing everyone bragged about.
"Harry? Is there somewhere to sit and talk around here? As much as I love the foyer, I'm sure we'd be more comfortable somewhere else," she joked.
"What? Oh, right! Dobby would you bring us some tea in the parlor?"
"Of course, sir! Dobby is bringing it right out, sir," the house elf squeaked.
Hermione shot him a look. "I hope you're paying him at least."
Harry chuckled as he led them into another room. "Of course. With a friend like you, it'd be suicide if I didn't."
Hermione mockingly glared at him. She took a seat on the couch. James took a seat next to her and Harry sat in an armchair across from them.
"So," Harry started. "What brings the two of you to my house?"
Hermione frowned, thoughtfully. "There was someone in my house. They followed us as far as the road. Of course, she can't come here."
"She?"
Too late, Hermione caught her mistake. She hadn't wanted to mention that yet. "Yes, she. It was." She paused, glancing at James, "her."
Harry's eyes glazed over with anger. They had yet to catch the woman who had killed Sirius. Bellatrix was still at large and was the most volatile of all the remaining Deatheaters. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. I recognized her."
"How?" James interrupted. "Before I Disapparated, I looked behind me. No one was around."
Hermione smiled bitterly. "Of course you wouldn't notice. You can't see through glamours."
"But the only people who can do that are…Oh." It dawned on him. His girlfriend had quite the secret. It seemed that very few people knew about her role in the war. If they knew she had been in the fight, someone would have told him by now. "How? How did you keep it a secret?"
"A few well-placed memory charms." Harry supplied.
Hermione nodded. "The only people who know are my old teachers and members of the Order." At this point, the Order of the Phoenix was common knowledge. "And they all took an oath to never tell. Unless I allow them, that is."
James was amazed. He couldn't wait to flaunt his girlfriend's new status.
Hermione saw the wheels turning. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
"James?"
He looked up and saw her toying with her wand, fidgeting a little.
"I'm so sorry." She pointed it at him and cried, "Obliviate!" Then, she burst into tears.
The next thing James knew, he was standing in Hogsmeade. He was puzzled as to how he got there, but soon remembered. He had come to see of his now ex-girlfriend. She had been offered a job in America that was too good to pass up. He didn't blame her in the slightest, and even supported the decision.