Harry and the Americans (updated)

by Aurumlupus

An updated version of my previous work, with more space. I will post chapters on both the original and this one. :) please pm me if you have any good character ideas, and if i use them, i will give you credit for them :) Also, reviews are appreciated, so i can improve my writing style and work, to make a better experience for everyone who reads this. Thank you.

1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter and the American Awesomeness (beta)

(i updated this thanks to a very constructive review.)

Disclaimer, I do not own HP, I only own the American characters. Harry/Hermione shipping, and if you dint like that, bugger off. Quick fill in: Dumbledore's portrait is acting as Dumbledore to help give guidance to the Horcrux hunters. Harry decides to take a break until he turns 17, Rita Skeeter is after Harry again, and Hermione has just the solution: a vacation to America, out of reach of Skeeter. The two Americans are members of an elite unit of mages known by the name Wizards Of Light Force, or WOLF. Rated M for violence and some possible lemons.

Harry had about had it with Rita Skeeter as he read her latest article on his life. "Is the boy who lived the boy who loved too much?" Harry wanted to throttle her, she had managed to dig up his love life, and then twist it beyond all recognition. Harry looked up at Hedwig, "I swear, that woman is going to get herself hexed." He tossed the Daily Prophet into his enchanted incinerator trash can. A silent blast of fire, the paper vanished. He then grabbed a roll of parchment and his quill and scribbled out a note to Hermione.

"Dear Hermione, I need to meet you to find a solution to this Skeeter cow. -Harry."

He handed the note to Hedwig flew out the window. Three hours later, Hedwig flew back through the window with Hermione's answer clamped in her beak.

"Dear Harry, can you meet me in the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow at about 9:00? I will introduce you to my parents, and will see what I can do to help you.-Hermione"

Harry dug in his trunk and packed up for is journey, taking what he needed, leaving most of his spell books at the Dursleys.

The next morning Harry got out of bed and dressed his wand in a duct tape holster he had made. He put on his rucksack and walked down to Mrs. Figg's house. He threw out his arm and the knight bus popped into existence. The big triple-decker bus screeched to a halt in front of him. Harry handed a Galleon to the new conductor, "The Leaky Cauldron, and if you get me there first, I'll give you another."

The bus cracked away, "Here you go, Mr. Potter" Ern said. Harry handed over the promised Galleon as he stepped off the bus. Harry walked straight into the Leaky Cauldron; he walked to the bar and ordered a butterbeer. He found a booth and sat down, waiting. Half an hour and two more butterbeers later Hermione walked through the door with her parents. Her parents walked to the bar to get food. Harry waved to Hermione from his booth. She hurried over to him and hugged him.

Hermione said, "Mum, Dad, I've found a seat." She called to her parents. They nodded.

"All right Hermione, what is the plan?" Harry asked.

Hermione sat down across from him and was grinning from ear to ear, "You, Me and my parents all go to America, where the daily prophet is not run. We go every summer, and this year I can probably convince my parents to let you come along." Harry's face split into a grin as Hermione said this.

"Blimey, Hermione, brilliant!" Hermione's parents walked over, carrying trays heaped with fish and chips.

"Mum, Dad, this is my best friend Harry Potter. He is the one who has saved my life many times, Harry; these are my parents, Harvey and Jean Granger, DDS."

Harry blushed, "I couldn't have survived without you, Hermione." He said modestly.

"Thank you for keeping our daughter safe." Harvey said, extending his hand and giving Harry a firm handshake.

"Mum, Dad, is it ok if Harry comes with us to America? He needs to get away from his abusive aunt and uncle, and He needs to escape the media. Please?" Hermione gave her parents the puppy-dog eyes.

"Well Hermione, I just don't know…" her mother said,

' "Mum, in his relatives house he is treated like a slave, and he is abused, please, mum, I know he will behave." Hermione pleaded. Her mom looked at Harry and saw how thin he was; also she saw some of the bruises left by Uncle Vernon.

"Alright honey, I guess." Jean said. (Actually, it wasn't Harry who Jean was worried about, it was her daughter.)

"Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, when should I meet you to go?" Harry asked.

"Outside the Leaky Cauldron, at 9:00 am tomorrow." Said Mr. Granger. Hermione pulled out a sheet of parchment and handed it to Harry.

"Here is a list of things you will need." She said. Harry took the Parchment from her and nodded.

"Shure, see you tomorrow." Hermione and her parents left. Harry then walked to Diagon alley, and bought the items on the list. He bought a custom-fitted swimsuit, tank top shorts, sweatshirt, and several other well-fitting clothes.

Harry summoned the knight bus and went back to privet drive. He got together everything he wanted for the trip and then took the bus back to the leaky cauldron, where he got a room and put his stuff in it. He walked back to the alley, and went to the bookstore and got some literature for Hermione. Harry also got books on wandless magic and wizarding laws, to help him understand more of the way things worked. Harry walked back to his room in the leaky cauldron, and crashed to sleep. Harry was woken up by his alarm clock. He got up, and packed up, sliding his wand into the dragon-skin shoulder holster that was sewn into his jacket. He put on the black dragon-hide suit pants, and the red dragon-skin belt. He put on a spider silk undershirt, and over that, his black dragon-skin suit coat. He also put on a golden silk bowtie and a pair of new prescription wraparound shades in his pocket. He walked down to the bar, knowing that he had half an hour until the grangers arrived. He hauled his trunk down, and he ordered breakfast. Everyone was muttering, as they took in Harry's new outfit. Harry ate his breakfast, and walked out of the tavern to wait for the Grangers. At exactly 9:00, the Granger's Suburban pulled up. Mr. Granger helped him put his trunk in next to their suitcases.

"Nice threads, Harry." Hermione said approvingly, eyeing Harry's outfit. They pulled off towards the London/Heathrow airport. Harry was run through the metal detectors four times because he looked like he was armed, but they did not pick up the wand. They got on; Harry had upgraded their seats, using his charge card from Gringotts. The Grangers had refused him at first, but Harry had made them do it. People looked curiously at Harry, because when he stood behind Hermione, in his suit and sunglasses, he looked like a bodyguard. They sat in the first class, the Parents sitting right behind their charges. In the row next to them there were two people in suits, there were distinct bulges under their jackets. Hermione recognized one of them. "Hey, Josh, what are you doing in England?" she asked. One of the figures looked up,

"Hermione, hello, on your way back, with a new friend, I see." There was a distinct American accent. Harry looked over, and saw a suntanned lantern-jawed 18 year old with a suit coat on.

"This is my friend, Harry Potter, Harry; this is Josh, and Argentum." There was a girl, who looked like a blond version of Hermione (Hermione is Emma Watson). The blond girl was asleep against the window. Josh stuck out his hand,

"Hello, Harry, how are ya?" The American extended is hand to Harry.

Harry took the proffered handshake. "I am doing well, except for a muckraking bitch and a dark lord trying to kill me." He said.

Josh laughed. "Sounds about like our politicians complaints." He said

. The Granger adults chortled. "Nice to meet you" Harry said, smiling.

"Yall headed to the beach?" Josh asked. "Yup, and we are staying in the usual place." Said Hermione.

"We are too, and Harry, Dumbledore's portrait said to give this to you." Josh held out a piece of parchment written in Dumbledore's neat handwriting.

"Dear Harry,

By the time you read this I will be dead, and I made arrangements with the Americans, because I know that the British Ministry is infiltrated. The American Wizards Of Light Force, WOLF has given you Agent Josh and Agent Argentum as helpers, they have already been informed of the you-know-whats, and have more resources at their disposal than you otherwise would have.-Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore."

Harry traced the looping signature, reading the last words he would ever see written to him by the headmaster. "You are our helpers?" Harry said, looking at the two Americans.

Josh grinned, "We are going to be your guides, and magical representatives. You have been officially declared wanted by the British Ministry. We must not let you go out in public there. You have been given asylum by all the other nations of the Magical UN. Harry looked at the American, and saw him holding up two ID's that matched the ones in Dumbledore's letter. "To prove we aren't those Dark Hippies." Said Josh. Harry nodded.

The Grangers were stunned, "We knew you were magicians, but not American Ministry Wizards." Mr. Granger said. Josh took out a badge that looked like a FBI shield, but it had a wolf engraved in it, with a crossed wand and sword

. "Actually, WOLF is a specialist agency within the American Auror force. WOLF is the SAS of magicians in America." He finished.

Harry looked at the two in awe. "You have special forces for magic?" he asked. Hermione was also stunned speechless. She had first met them five years ago in Florida, they had been staying in the same condo, and Hermione had found out that they were wizards when they had summoned dolphins and began riding them around. The Americans had taken her to the Wizarding shops. It turned out that Josh and Argentum were specialist metalworkers. They had given her a special gift when she had first entered their shop, she still wore the belt buckle with her name and the Gryffindor lion engraved on it. The teens then went to sleep for the rest of the trip. Josh reclined in his seat, and opened a Guns & Ammo magazine. Mr. Granger looked at his daughter asleep on Harry's shoulder.

Mrs. Granger leaned over, "Aren't they Perfect?" she asked. Mr. Granger looked over at the Americans, and looked at Josh's left hand, which was holding up the magazine. On the third finger (Ring Finger) was a golden ring, with a wolf's head, the eyes were set with gemstones. He smiled, as his wife fell asleep on his shoulder, then he nodded off as well. They arrived at the Orlando Florida airport. Josh led them to a long black and gold limo with government plates on it, "since We are assigned to help you, we figured we would get you a set of wheels." He and Argentum helped them load their bags into the trunk, their suit coats flapped back a little bit, revealing SIG-Saur P-229 semiautos. The adult's eyes flickered, but they all piled into the back of the Hummer stretch. The License plate read ALPHA and the massive vehicle pulled out of the parking lot, and go on the main road towards the island of Sannabell. Josh got bored halfway up, and walked through a door in the enchanted interior, then there was an echo of squealing tires, and they ran to the room, and saw him putting a Humvee into a doughnut on an indoor track. And they all were in awe as Josh put the car into a skid, and came to a screeching halt in front of them. The door opened, and Josh climbed out. "Whoo, sorry, I had to blow off some steam."

He walked back into the lounge of the limo. "Why did he do that?" Harry asked Argentum.

"Because he relaxes by doing high speed maneuvers in a vehicle. I don't know why, but after dealing with your Ministry, I am not surprised he needed to do that." She said.

"This limo is enormous on the inside!" said Hermione, in awe of the charms on the vehicle.

"Yeah, well, being specialists for the American Ministry has its perks." Josh said. The ride took them over a bridge, and soon they were on the island. They went to their condo, which adjoined the Americans. They set up, and Harry and Hermione went out on the back porch to watch the sunset.

"Well, what do you think, Harry?" asked Hermione, as she watched the sun turn the sky red and gold and the warmth of the light soaking into them. "I think it is as gorgeous as you are, Hermione." Harry said. Hermione blushed the same color as the red of the sunset. Mr. Granger watched them and when he heard Harry's comment, he couldn't decide whether to play the angry father, or the welcoming father. He watched as Harry and is daughter stared out over the ocean at the setting sun, and seeing his daughter so happy, decided to postpone judgment.

The next morning, after waking up to a breakfast of cereal, they got into their swimsuits, Harry putting on his dragon-skin swim trunks, and grabbing his Gryffindor themed towel. Hermione walked out of the bathroom wearing a one-piece that was conservative enough, but Harry had never seen her look like that before. He pushed the other thoughts out of his head, the ones that were telling him to say something inappropriate. Harry and Hermione sprinted down to the beach, where they met Josh and Argentum, who had set up a tent for them. They had set it up so that the sun was blocked constantly under the tent, with just enough light to warm it up, and several beach chairs set up. Harry got his first taste of freedom since Hogwarts. Harry was excited when he saw the ocean, he had been taught to swim when he was at the Durslys because it was a required class.

Josh was wearing a black swimsuit with a grey swim shirt, with a tribal Wolf design on it. Argentum was wearing a conservative two piece, also decorated with a tribal wolf pattern. Harry and Hermione raced each other across the beach to the sea, which was crystal clear at this time. They frolicked in the surf, splashing each other playfully. The Grangers parents walked down after their charges, and walked over to the tent. They set down their stuff. Harry showed his muscles, wiry and hard from Quidditch. Hermione was admiring his muscular frame, they spread out their towels on the soft sand, and lay down side by side. Josh had taken off his shirt, revealing a Wolf tattoo, inked in metallic gold on his shoulder. His biceps rippled in the sun as he began to dig a hole, then proceeded to build a sand replica of Hogwarts, complete with the obligatory Quidditch field and lake. Harry and Hermione joined in, building Hogsmeade. Argentum cooked lunch over a small portable stove.

"So, how long have you been in the WOLF force?" Mr. Granger asked Argentum.

"Since I graduated from The American Academy of Magic." She said. "Oh, and how did you get in?" Mrs. Granger asked curiously.

"I recruited her straight out of the Academy, due to her scores on her tests." Josh said, looking up from where he was shaping out the Astronomy tower. Harry looked up from where he was shaping out the Hog's Head

"Wait, she got a job with you straight out of school?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yeah, we take them, and after a two year training period, they become full Wolves. They go through their two years of intensive training, learning everything from muggle weapons and techniques to highly advanced spells and defensive magic. They are taught the same way that American special forces are trained, with an extra year of magical training." Josh finished his explanation.

Argentum served the food, and as they all munched on the hot dogs, and sipped from their bottles of Coca-Cola, they watched other beachgoers jogging, building sand castles, and otherwise enjoying themselves. Harry was watching the waves as they swept onto the beach, and Argentum was with Hermione, looking for cool shells. Harry began asking Josh about the various forms of magic taught in the United States verses Britain. Harry was surprised to learn that in America, you could learn how to do specialized forms of magic, but the basic was wandless, then wand, and then specialization in shapeshifting, Native American healing, and tribal magic, and the final, more modern, the Hogwarts style of magic.

"What is the difference?" asked Harry.

"Wal, I reckon that your girlfriend there will want to hear this too. How about we take you to Dragon Alley tomorrow to do some magical shopping, and we will explain it to you then." Josh said.

"Sounds good, and Hermione is not my girlfriend." Harry said.

"Yet" winked Josh. Harry blushed. As the two girls walked back to the two guys and the Grangers, Harry noticed the silver ring on Argentum's left hand, an exquisitely formed wolf's head with a large diamond set in it, with two brown gems set, which matched Josh's eyes perfectly. He also noticed the golden wolf's head ring on with two perfect sapphires which matched Argentum's eyes perfectly. The three couples watched the sunset, then headed up to their humble abodes.

Back in the condo, Harry began cooking dinner, against the Granger's protests. Hermione turned on the television, and read the channel guide. Her parents set the table, but Hermione turned on the BBC and watched

. "More sudden storms are sweeping through the countryside of Great Britain and the surrounding countries. These freak storms have claimed over a thousand confirmed victims, and more are unaccounted for or missing." The reporter said. Harry shook his head, and he and Hermione exchanged looks

, "If only they were freak storms" their look said. Harry served the perfect spaghetti and meatballs he had prepared. As they ate, Harry told Hermione what Josh had said. Hermione's parents looked up at this.

"Mom, Dad, can we go?" asked Hermione. Mrs. Granger and Mr. Granger looked at each other.

"Will the two Americans be there the entire time?" asked Mr. Granger. "Yes, dad, they will." Hermione assured her father.

"Well, I don't know…" he said. Then Mrs. Granger whispered something in his ear, and he nodded. "All right, you can go." He said. His wife had pointed it out that if Harry and Hermione were out with the Americans, they were safe, and then they would have time to themselves. Harry and Hermione went to their separate bedrooms, and crashed, falling asleep almost instantly.

The next morning, Harry woke up, and walked to the kitchen, where he smelled the familiar smell of bacon and eggs cooking. He got up and stretched, and put on a t-shirt and some cargo shorts, putting his wand in its holster. The song, Awful Beautiful Life by Darrel Worley played softly from a radio in the kitchen, and Mrs. Granger was setting the table, while Mr. Granger was cooking the eggs and bacon. Hermione walked out of the room next to his, stretching, in some short shorts and a loose t-shirt. She also had he wand strapped in a holster, but it was at the small of her back. She walked past him to the great room, were Mr. Granger was just sliding the hot omelets onto a plate. Harry felt a feeling deep, one that he felt every time he was at the Weaslys and every time he was with his friends, but this was deeper than even this. He felt a blazing fire in his very deepest being, in his soul. He recognized it as true love, which runs deeper than even death. Hermione looked at Harry with much the same feeling running through her body. It was not lust, no, they were not thinking about each other like that, they just felt love, If you have felt it, then you know what it is. Harry and Hermione wolfed down their breakfast, and they went and got dressed for the shopping day. Harry put on his suit, and custom made wraparound prescription mirrored sunglasses.

Hermione dressed in a tight-fitting tank top and jean shorts. Josh was wearing a t-shirt, with his pistol tucked into a concealed carry holster at his back, and Argentum was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, with her pistol tucked into a holster at her side. They walked down to the parking deck, and Josh showed them to a big black jacked up truck with the license plate, "GLDWLF" and they piled into the spacious interior, and Harry noticed that the controls for the car were like those of an airplane. He also noticed two wooden staffs in the back, with runes carved along them, and crystals set in the tops. Harry watched as they pulled up outside a small Mom and Pop bar and grill, called The Blue Dragon. They entered, the place was very neat and clean, a man was wiping a polished wooden bar, and seeing them enter, jerked his head to the kitchen. They followed him through to the back, where he pulled a switch, and the walk-in freezer door swung Open. Josh walked in, and pulled on a bottle of milk, and poked a box of eggs, then the back of the fridge stretched, and opening, they walked down a boardwalk-style row of shops. Harry looked around, and saw a huge bookstore, a Gringotts, a wand and staff shop, and several clothing shops. He also noticed a small shop, "Aurum and Argentum Metalwork, Josh-Master Metalsmith" he looked at Josh's badge, which was pinned to a badge wallet on his side. It said, :Josh Aurum Wolf. He looked at the sign again.

"Is that your shop?" he asked the American.

"Yup" Josh replied.

"Harry, we should probably go to your vault, and get money, because we cannot access your vaults from England." Hermione said. Josh and Argentum nodded at the wisdom of Hermione's statement.

"Harry, it would also be a good idea to learn and unlock your powers, and have your parent's will read while you are there." Argentum said.

"Ok, that sounds good." Harry said, and they entered the bank. Harry looked around, the bank's interior, and it looked exactly like the British version of the bank. The main difference was that the American clan and the British clan had access to all the tunnels, but they obeyed different rules. They walked up to a counter, and Josh said to the goblin,

"Mister Bonecrusher, Mr. Potter wishes to have his parent's will read, and a magical abilities test and a blood descent test." Josh finished.

"Very well, I will take him to the back room, and you must accompany him by law." The goblin said. They followed him into a back conference room, where a bowl of pensive and a second stone bowl sat. Harry walked to the bowl and saw that it had his parent's name written on it. "Harry Potter, this is hereby the reading of your parents will to their son, this day, executed by Josh Aurum Wolf, American." Said the goblin. Harry touched the pensive, and immediately, he was standing in his house in Goderic's hollow.

"Harry, you are my love" came Lilly's voice "Harry, my son, I know you will do what is right when the time comes, now, we, James and Lilly Potter, being sane of mind, and healthy body, do hereby leave everything to our son Harry Potter." The pensive memory of Lily reached out to touch his face once, then with a swirling of silver, he was back in the bank. He wiped the tears from his eyes

. " Now then mister potter, you have also inherited the Black Family fortune, and all their material and stock possessions." Said the goblin respectfully.

"Thanks, and now the heir test?" asked Harry.

"Ah, yes, please hold out your hand, we need some blood." Said the goblin, holding up the other basin and a knife. Harry held out his hand, and the goblin expertly sliced a thin, quick healing cut on his palm. The blood dripped into the basin, and the wound healed cleanly. A parchment was placed beneath the bowl, and words began to appear in blood. Harry read them. It read:

Harry James Potter-Black-Perevell.

Powers: Parsltoungue, Metamorphagus, beast speak.

He read the list and gasped. "Am I really that powerful?" he asked.

Josh picked up the parchment, which was now covered in writing and a huge diagram of a family tree. He scanned it quickly, and said, "It seems, Harry, that you are related to all the most powerful wizarding families in Britain, and also are a descendant of the four founders and Merlin." Josh said, looking up from the parchment. Everybody, including the goblin stared at Harry

"Wow, Harry, you have the most power of any Wizard I have seen, you and Hermione are at our level, which is near Merlin's" said Argentum, reading the power rating.

"Well, now, I think it is time to go get some money." Said Harry, getting somewhat uncomfortable with the way everyone was looking at him.

'Right this way, Sir." Said the goblin, and instead of the usual Gringotts cart, there was a more modern enclosed bullet train style car. They road down in comfort. They arrived at Harry's vault, and he found a lot of rare things he had not noticed before. He picked up a book, with the title of The Potter Family Holdings he leafed through it, and noticed several castles and manors, he found one that was in London as well. "Well this simplifies matters somewhat, because now we can have a base of operations." Harry said. They exited the bank, Harry having gotten a magical money bag and credit card tied to his vaults. The rest of the day was spent shopping, and by the end, they had several dozen bags of books and various things, now it was time to visit the shop of Josh and Argentum. They walked into a shop that had locked racks of everything from guns to wands to swords and daggers. There was a ringing of hammers from the back, and as they walked back, five goblins stopped hammering, and three other goblins looked up from various tool benches.

"Good day, all, Keep up the good work." Josh said, as the goblins bowed to him respectfully. They continued walking until they reached a back-back room. Harry saw that here were racks of even more weapons, more exquisitely made and much more detailed.

"The weapon chooses the wizard, Mister Potter, and Miss Granger, it is similar to wands, but these are for more than casting spells." Said Argentum. Harry wandered around the racks of weapons, and finally seemed drawn to a hand and a half sword, with a gold leather handle, and plain brown leather sheath. He took it down from the rack and found it to be surprisingly light. Hermione wandered around, and finally felt herself drawn to a long Japanese style samurai sword, with a red leather handle, and a plain black sheath. They walked back to the two Americans, who now had blades of their own at their sides.

"Ah, you have chosen well, for Argentum and I forged those blades ourselves from several rare magical alloys." Josh said, looking at the blades. Harry drew the sword out, and the long silvery blade came into view. Harry looked at it, and felt instant warmth running down his arm, the blade felt more like an extension of his arm than anything else. Josh examined the blade, "That sword is forged out of starsteel, and quenched in dragon's blood and basilisk venom." He said. Harry swung the blade, and golden flames flickered along the edge

"What is it called?" he asked.

"That sword is called Semper Fidelus, or Always Faithful." Argentum said. Then Hermione drew her sword, and the black and silver Damascus pattern glittered with silver fire. Josh looked at the blade, to stunned to speak. Argentum said, with a similar stunned look on her face, "That is a starsteel blade as well, but it is called the Fidelus Femme, or faithful woman." She said, "It is the sister to the sword in Harry's hand." She said. Hermione and Harry looked at each other, Josh looked at them," when those blades were forged, the prophesier blessed these, saying that they would be wielded by great lovers, he called them the Amor." Josh said, in an awestruck voice.

After getting over the initial shock, Harry and Hermione sheathed the blades, which magically turned them into a watch for Harry, and a locket for Hermione. They walked out and over to a Starbucks on the edge of the pier, and after ordering coffee, they sat outside and looked out over the ocean, watching the sunlight sparkle on the water as smooth as glass. "Now then, let me tell you about how Magic is taught in America." Josh said. Hermione and harry sat forward eagerly, "We teach wandless magic first, because that is the first way you tap into the magic ability. It requires lots of focus and willpower, as well as a lot of imagination. Then we go on to teach wanded magic, or foci magic, because not everybody likes a wand, some prefer staffs, some prefer daggers, whatever, as long as you can channel magic through it. Then we teach specialist magic, like shapeshifting, teleporting, combat, elemental, and many others. The most useful magics are wandless, due to the surprise advantage of a disarmed opponent suddenly throwing a fireball at your face, or summoning their weapon back." Josh said.

"So you teach wandless magic here?" asked Hermione.

"well, of course, the things you did when you were eleven were wandless magic." Said Argentum, who would never cease to be amazed by the awe held for wandless magicians, even though it was the most basic form of magical focusing. "We teach you how to control magic with your will, instead of using a wand to focus it, wandless magic is rather simple to use." To prove her point, Argentum waved her hand, and caused her empty glass to vanish, and reappear in the busboy's tub. The two Brits gaped at them.

"What… That is normal magic." Argentum said, enjoying the stunned look on the British magicians' faces. The watch strapped to Josh's wrist began beeping, and he said, "It is time for us to head back." They walked back out, to their van, and drove back. Harry and Hermione walked back into their condo, and found a note to them:

"Harry, Hermione, we followed your example and went out to go shopping, and we will be back by 11:00 pm local time.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, each wondering what the other was thinking. Harry looked at the clock, and saw it was 9:00pm. Hermione went to her room and returned with several books and a dozen rolls of parchment, along with a ballpoint Pilot G-2 pen. Harry walked over to the television and found the channel guide and remote, then flipped to the BBC.

The announcer was standing in the middle of a demolished town. "Here I am standing in the middle of a second town that was destroyed by the freak storms that have been hitting Britain. Eyewitness reports state that the storms happened somewhere around midnight, and they awoke people from their beds to what was described as a loud grunting sound, the first responders are still trying to sort things our…"

Harry muttered under his breath "Those were not storms." Hermione looked up from her notes and looked at Harry, noticing his worried expression.

"Harry, we will beat him, don't worry" Harry looked at her, then said, with a wry grin,

"well you won't be in any condition to help me beat the Riddle if you pull another third year." Hermione blushed.

"Aww, thanks, Harry" and with that, she walked over and plopped down on the couch next to him and gave him a smooch. Harry blushed slightly, but Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and he rested his head on hers. She gently took the remote, and switched the channel, turning it to an American show she had found entertaining, called NCIS. Harry watched as special agent Gibbs headslapped special agent McGee for being an idiot. He watched as Ziva beat the shit out of armed terrorists with her bare hands. "I can see why this show is so popular" Harry said. Hermione did not respond. Harry turned to look at where she had been sitting next to him, and found that she was asleep on his shoulder. He looked down at her, and noticed that when she was asleep, she looked at rest, without the usual look of focus and concentration, was even more beautiful than when she was awake, which is saying something. She stirred in her sleep, nuzzling into his arm. He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and gently stroked her hair. She made a gentle purring noise in the back of her throat.