Disclaimer: Not mine. Everything related to Harry Potter has been created and is owned by J.K. Rowling.

Also: this story is, with permission from that author, based on a part of the story "From the cup of duty" by LadyExcalibur2010. (It is a Twilight AU story. No vamps in it) When I read that particular bit I really really wanted to do a Harry/Hermione version and here it is.

Thanks to Sillimaure for betaing.

There will only be two chapters to this story.

For background information: The Potter family defeated both Grindelwald and later Voldemort. Lilly and James Potter survived to raise Harry and his three siblings in a happy family. Hermione grew up in Australia and is largely unfamiliar with the UK's wizarding community. These different childhoods have also made them somewhat OOC in this story.

Ok, on with the show.

Meeting his mother

"Grandma, please tell us how you met grandpa again," eight-year-old Laury asked her grandmother after she had been tucked into bed.

"But darling I've told you that story a hundred times already," chuckled her grandmother.

"But it is such a lovely story," Laury begged, emphasized by her big brown eyes.

"Please gramma," Laury's six-year-old cousin Lucy asked eagerly too.

How could she possibly refuse these two their favourite story? Especially when they were looking at her like that? Her guests, Italy's ambassador and his family, would just have to wait a little longer.

O0o0O

Hermione looked around with interest. It was truly a beautiful castle and she was enjoying the tour. She wondered if the private area of the huge mansion was as impressive as the public part. The reason she was visiting was work related. At twenty seven she was becoming quite the accomplished writer and she had been commissioned to write a comprehensive history for the town of Farley. This town would celebrate its 1500th anniversary next year and the city council wanted the book as part of the celebrations.

Of course there would have to be a chapter on castle Fernworth. The castle located less then fifteen miles north of Farley and whose masters had always been the towns' patrons. Coincidentally Fernworth castle also held one of the worlds' most renowned private Muggle libraries—something which had always fascinated Hermione. Ever since she had landed her current project, Hermione had tried to get permission to visit it. She had been rather eager to go though the library's treasures. She had applied to the earls of the castle a total of six times to be allowed to visit it but she had not gotten her coveted permission. Nor had they granted her the interview for her book. That one she had only requested nine times. Sometimes persistence just did not pay.

It was exactly like her employers had said. In spite of their close ties with the castle owners, the Potter family had always protected their privacy religiously. She had wondered if the family was connected to the wizarding community's Potters. However she had dismissed that thought. Not only was Potter a common English name, the Potters were like Royalty for Britain's magical population. They were directly responsible for the defeat of the last two dark lords who had terrorized the United Kingdom. The last one being defeated only two decades ago. From what she had learned the Potters practically ruled the Wizengamot and she heard they did a bang up job too. The Pureblood agenda was slowly but surely being driven out of the wizarding world. The thought that they owned this Muggle castle was amusing.

Hermione briefly wondered what her life would have been like if her Squib father had not moved his family to Australia after he realised his only child was magical. He had wanted to spare her from all the maliciousness the Purebloods would inflict on his only daughter. They would surely slap the Mudblood label on her and with that a lot of ugliness would come her way. So they had moved to Australia which had an added bonus for the Granger family. Instead of having to go to a boarding school to learn magic Hermione had been able to attend a day school. Because of this she and her parents had enjoyed a very close family life throughout her school years. They were still close but Hermione had opted to return to England when an excellent opportunity for her coveted writing career presented itself to her two years ago. She had been back in England for nearly four years now but had little contact with its Magical citizens. More coincidental than by choice, her life had turned to focus more and more on non-magical aspects. Aside from some trips to Diagon Alley to satisfy her curiosity about the UK's magical world, she had made few such connections in Brittan.

Hermione caught her drifting thoughts and tried to refocus on the huge fourteenth century painting she had been studying. Wool-gathering was not part of her job description, she thought to herself in amusement. Anyhow in the end she had to content herself with a self guided tour through the castle, with a small booklet serving as her only source of information. The interview requests with the castle owners had not been granted either so this was the only kind of foray into the castle she was going to get. Still it was worth the seven pound entry fee she had paid. The path she had to follow throughout her visit was filled with enough history for her to lose herself in. It also gave her quite a comprehensive education in the castle's history. The person or people who had put everything together for the public knew their stuff.

Hermione continued on her path through ancient paintings, sculptures, furniture and more. Too much to name really. No matter how much she loved her adopted country Australia, they just did not have the same history that England offered. Of course in Australia she was not required to wear an umbrella all the time. History for rain—she was of two mind whether the trade off had been worth it.

Grinning further at her own thoughts Hermione suddenly stopped. There, on her right was a door arch which gave an unobstructed view to, for her, a very tantalizing place. She was suddenly filled with excitement. There in front of her was the fabled Fernworth library and the only thing stopping her from immediately stepping inside it was a red rope which clearly indicated it was off limits to the public. Disappointment hit her more strongly than when she had received the letters which had politely refused her access to this very place. Taking a good look at the many books in her line of vision she turned to leave.

Only to turn right back and take a good look at her surroundings. There was absolutely no one in sight. Hermione could not believe she was contemplating what she was. Her friends from Queensland's wizarding school would be dropping their jaws when they realised she was even considering going in there and thus breaking rules, right before they would burst out in laughter. However she was not only considering it, she was actually doing it. She could not resist the temptation and nobody would be hurt by her taking a quick peak. After all she was not stealing anything and what possible harm could there be if she looked?

She looked around again. Still nobody in sight. Just a quick, quick peak….

In spite of her best intentions to remain alert, as well as keeping the quick look exactly that, quick, she forgot all about that when she could not resist taking a look at a few of the library's treasures. She lost herself in the old books and did not notice when she had gotten company.

What finally jumped her back to awareness was someone taking a book from one of the many shelves which she noticed from the corner of her eyes. Well aware of the fact she was not supposed to be there, she did not know what to do.

"Tom Jones. I think I actually read that at one point."

Flustered she turned to the man who had spoken to her and who was regarding her with obvious amusement. At least that conclusion was easy to draw, judging from the smirk on his face and the twinkle in his green eyes. For some reason those eyes looked familiar but she had trouble remembering where she had seen them before.

The eyes aside, there was something about the man that made Hermione throw caution in the wind without even realising it. Besides, trying to run and hide would be kind of futile now. Much better to ignore the fact that she was not supposed to be there.

"It is a lovely book, isn't it? I don't think I've ever seen a first edition before."

"I wouldn't know about lovely. It was required reading for me in those days and everything which was required was automatically considered a chore. Back then I much preferred to spend my time otherwise," was the amused reply from the handsome guy. Tall, messy black hair, well muscled and dressed to impress, as her mum would have said. Confidence seemed to ooze out of him yet there was gentleness about him as well.

"Of course now that I have my adult responsibilities, I've learned a good book can be a good escape. Something to take my mind of things," he continued.

Hermione chuckled in return. "Reading can be a very nice escape can't it? I think I must have spent years of my life lost in worlds created by writers. Were you looking for something to read then?"

"Truth be told, I was just looking for an excuse to delay facing my mother. She has summoned me here. Apparently I have been absent for too long."

"Your mother works here?" Hermione asked curiously.

His green eyes were shining with amusement again. "Yes, I guess you could say she has worked here for quite some years."

"It must be lovely to work here. All the history and this library…"

"I guess it is." He seemed to shrug it off and Hermione let it drop. Turning to a different subject they fell into an easy conversation about the castle. Without realising it, half an hour quickly passed. Silence finally fell between them but it was neither uncomfortable nor awkward. Curiosity took hold of Hermione and before she realised what she was asking she asked. "Do you often feel the need to hide from your mother?"

He laughed. "No, but it invariably begins with her asking when I'm going to bring home a nice girl. You know, get married, settle down. Give her some grandbabies."

"Oh, I know what you mean." Hermione grimaced in sympathy. "I was talking to my mother on the phone the other night and she enquired about my love life only eight times. I am beginning to think it is a crime to enjoy my single status."

"In their eyes it probably is but I just don't want to get married to any woman. I want the same thing my parents have with each other and I'm not willing to settle for anything less. I don't think mother understands how rare what she and dad have is."

"I think I know exactly what you mean and there is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself while searching for that perfect person either. Not everyone you meet is a potential spouse. Sometimes a little fun is all people are looking for."

"Glad someone is at the same page as me. Hey, while we're on the subject of mothers, I don't suppose you'd be willing to join me in my visit to my mother. It would give me a reprieve if I actually introduced a lovely looking lady to her." He gave her a lop-sided grin while he looked at her expectantly.

Hermione let out a hearty laugh. "You want to take me to your mother? I don't even know your name."

"Well, let me rectify that omission. My name is Harry."

Hermione shook the hand he held out for her to shake and with quasi-formality replied. "Hermione, pleased to meet you Harry."

"Likewise." Releasing her hand he gallantly held out his arm for her to take. "Shall we?"

Hermione looked at his extended arm. Looks and manners. It was almost a pity that this would only be a one time and pretend introduction. At least it would be a fun story to tell her friends. Hooking her own arm into his she gave him a grin of her own. "Let's."

Harry led her through long hallways and corridors of the private section of the castle and Hermione looked around with interest. When she noticed the moving paintings on the walls she would have stopped right then and there but Harry continued to pull her forward.

"You're wizards?"

Harry looked at her in confusion. "Didn't you know? You would not have been able to see the library entrance, let alone enter it uninvited, if you weren't magical."

Hermione's face turned red as she mumbled. "You know about that, huh?"

That smirk was back on his face as he answered. "Of course, nothing goes unnoticed at Fernworth. There have been eyes and ears focused on you from the moment you entered."

If Hermione was not so distracted and flustered by this revelation she would not have missed the next few paintings which depicted several of the previous Earls. All of them shared a striking resemblance to the man pulling her forward. Maybe she would also have seen the looks of approval the long dead earls were throwing their way.

"Don't worry about it. Ok, here we are." And Hermione had no further opportunity to ask why he had not had her arrested for trespassing or at the very least had her thrown out. Harry threw the big oak door open and pulled her inside after him.

A striking middle aged woman and a younger copy of that woman immediately turned their attention to them. "Why Harry, how pleasant of you to barge in," the elder woman's tone was chastening, before her green, startled, eyes settled on Hermione. She got up from the sofa she had been sitting on holding out her hand to Hermione.

Like with her son there was something vaguely familiar about the woman. She had seen her face before. And then she remembered. A few years ago Lilly Potter and her family had visited Australia. The wizarding papers in Australia had been filled with pictures of the famous and influential family. She recalled her earlier thoughts about wizarding royalty. Merlin, what was she doing here? What was she doing meeting Lilly Potter dressed in her jeans, her comfortable but too large sweater and her hiking boots? Hermione started to panic, but Harry, who had noticed and recognised her budding panic, squeezed her hand, calming her slightly. However it did not dispel the thought that just maybe she had somehow portkeyed to an alternate universe.

Wait a second if this was Lady Lily Potter nee Evans and she was Harry's mother then…

She left that thought unfinished as Lady Potter smiled at her before she looked at her son. She looked at Hermione again and her smile grew wider.

Uh oh