Chapter 3
As Time Goes By
'Make a wish baby!' Hermione whispered in Damon's ear.
The chubby toddler giggled before blowing out the three candles on his birthday cake.
'Yay' Everyone around the table cheered.
Damon's birthday party guests were made up of most of the Weasley's and the Lupin's.
'Happy birthday!' Little Teddy yelled making everyone laugh adoringly.
"Which piece do you want Damon?' Ginny asked.
'That one Aunt Ginny!' Damon shouted pointing at his cake.
Hermione sat next to Ginny and Mrs. Weasley as she ate her cake.
'This is a really lovely party you put together Hermione,' Ginny noted.
'Thank you,' Hermione replied grinning.
'It's wonderful dear, absolutely perfect!' Mrs. Weasley encouraged further.
'Well almost, if only Ron and... Harry were here.' Hermione murmured.
Ginny and Mrs. Weasley exchanged looks then went back to eating their cake.
Later that evening after everyone left Hermione settled down in an arm chair with a book and glass of wine.
She'd put Damon to bed two hours ago, without seeing his father on his birthday.
Hermione, Damon and sometimes Harry had their own house now.
A more secret, safer place than the Lupin's.
At about half past one the front door finally opened.
Hermione looked up and saw Harry's form enter through the doorway of their living room.
She snapped her book shut.
'Evening.' He whispered.
'Morning.' She replied back narrowing her eyes.
Harry sighed shutting the door of the living room.
'Why did you even show up Harry?' She asked him in a tone that made it clear to him that she was pissed.
'Come on Hermione-'
'Save it Harry.'
He glared at her.
'Can we talk please?' He asked walking closer toward her.
'I really don't think I want to hear it.'
Harry huffed and turned his back on her.
'Night.' She growled at him.
Harry spun on the spot.
'Could you at least pretend you understand that I've got the whole Wizarding World to take care of and it's hard to juggle that on top with a family?'
Hermione turned to face him.
There had been a lot of fights like this as of lately.
'I understand that perfectly Harry, but I just don't understand why you think that you have to save everyone when you clearly cannot. You can't do everything Harry!'
'Oh should I just go on holiday then for a couple months? Would that satisfy you?'
'That's not at all what I'm saying! You just overdo it all Harry. Why do you have to go all the way to Russia for a month to help one family in hiding?'
'That's only happened once, and it was important.'
'It's all important Harry, but that's the problem. You see everyone as the same and they all need your help! Every last one of them! But you can't save them all!'
'I can try Hermione! It is after all what I'm suppose to do!'
'But you have me and Damon right here in front of you begging for your help, and we're always the last ones to get your attention! We're your family Harry! We should be your priority!'
'You are!' He yelled grabbing her in his arms.
'As much as I want to be there for you and Damon all the time I just can't!'
'But you can stop leaving for months at a time and stop trying to individually save everyone from Voldemort! You can come to your sons birthday party!'
He sighed.
'Oh Hermione.'
'He's getting stronger Harry! And you're killing yourself by concerning yourself with eveyone else, but your family and yourself!'
That was it.
Harry grabbed Hermione once again and threw her down onto the couch.
'Harry!'
He'd never done anything like that before to her.
'I'll show you how concerned I am about you!'
He grabbed her shirt and ripped open all the buttons.
'Harry! Stop this!'
'What's wrong? I was just thinking the other day how much I want another little tyke.'
'No Harry stop it. The last thing we need is for me to get pregnant again.' She protested pushing against him.
The war was killing Harry, she could see it now in his eyes, he was so badly hurt and out of his right state of mind.
Who knows what kind of horrors he had faced today that he woudln't tell her about, in fear of frightening her.
She decided, with a sigh, that she'd just let him have his way for tonight.
He began to kiss her viciously and tear all her clothes from her.
When he entered her, Hermione felt suddenly better and felt a load of tension within herself be released.
She realised it had been a good six months since she and Harry had made love.
Feeling like a woman for the first time since then she began to moan loudly and recieve Harry's thrusts more fully.
'Harry,' she whispered in his ear.
'What, love?' he grunted.
'M-make love to me.'
And he did.
His thrusts became slower and went deeper.
They made unforgetful love till the early dawn broke across the horizon.
Three more years later......
'Harry... it was negative.' Hermione said coming out of the bathroom.
They'd had a pregnancy scare that neither one of them really hoped would result to another baby.
Harry sighed relieved standing up.
Hermione sighed too.
'Thank Merlin for that,' Harry said rubbing the back of his neck.
Hermione turned away from him and walked into the kitchen.
Harry followed.
'Well now that that's out of the way, I have to leave...'
Hermione nodded.
'How long will you be gone this time?'
'Two months at least.'
Hermione looked down and sighed.
Things hadn't changed.
'Alright, be careful.'
'I always am.'
Hermione felt his fingers grip her chin and tilt her head back up to see him.
'I love you.' He said firmly.
He kissed her lips tenderly.
'I love you too Harry. So much.'
She kissed him back quickly and watched his retreating form as he left their house and walk down the street until he finally apparated and disappeared....
900 miles away.....
'Draco I am pleased that you have returned from Romania after seven months.'
'I'm glad as well my Lord.'
'I have serious work for you to indulge in now.'
'What was the last seven months of work I did called?'
'Busy work.'
'Busy work?'
'Indeed.'
Draco couldn't help but feel angry at Voldemort.
'What is it that you are assigning me to do then my Lord?'
'You are going to lead an attack on Hogwarts.'
That was unexpected.
'When?'
'Six days from tomorrow.'
'What is the attack meant for?'
Voldemort smiled.
'You will capture any mudbloods or halfbloods and bring them to Azkaban.'
'Azkaban?'
'Yes. Whilst you are leading an attack on Hogwarts, your father, the Lestranges and I will be leading one on Azkaban. To free all the prisoners and replace them with all the traitors that you and your men will capture.'
'A genius idea my Lord. If this succeeds without upheaval than the entire Wizarding World will know your strength, are you ready to do that my Lord?'
Voldemort once again smiled.
'Oh yes.'
'What of the resistance led by the Ministry and The Order?'
'Let me just say that The Order is all that we need to be concerned with.'
Draco raised an eyebrow and began to question Voldemort.
Voldemort held up a hand to silence him.
'That is all Draco.'
'Yes my Lord.'
Five days later....
'HERMIONE!' Mrs. Weasley shouted knocking furiously on the front door.
Hermione rushed down the staircase, clad in only her nightgown, and flung open the door.
'Molly what is it?' She demanded.
'Hardly time to explain!' Mrs. Weasley cried as she shut the door and began placing protective charms over the door.
'Molly the house is completely safe, we have every good protective spell already placed-'
'Hurry and get Damon, right now! I'll pack his things and your's dear!'
Hermione's eyes widened.
'What's happened?'
'The Ministries fallen into the hands of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.'
'WHAT!?' Cried Hermione running upstairs to get Damon out of bed.
'When?'
'Early this morning when we were all sleeping. Death Eaters killed several Ministry workers, any who tried to resist them.'
'What about Arthur?'
'They're all fine.'
'And Harry?'
Molly sighed.
'I'm taking you to the Orders new headquaters. There's going to be a meeting as soon as you arrive. Kingsley should actually be arriving any minute to escort you there.'
'Has anyone heard from Harry?'
'I haven't a clue, but maybe.'
'What about Damon?'
'That's what I'm here for, love. I'll be watching him at Grimwauld Place and bring him to you as soon as its safe.'
'Ok.'
'But you'll be residing at the the Order headquaters for now on.'
Hermione nodded as she shook awake a sleepy Damon.
Molly with her wand packed all of Hermione and Damon's belongings.
"Mummy?" Damon asked sleepily.
"Yes my love?"
"Whats happening?"
"Honey mummy has to go help daddy, I'll see you soon I promise ok?"
"O...k."
Hermione held him tightly then kissed his cheek.
"I love you."
"I love you too mummy."
Half an hour later Hermione arrived at the new Order headquaters with Kingsley.
Several Order members sat around the table speaking rapidly amongst themselves.
"What's happened? What do we know?" Remus asked Kingsley as soon as he appeared.
"We know this: this morning Death Eaters and ministry workers under the Imperius curse raided the Ministry, killed any who resisited and killed the Minister."
Hermione gasped covering her mouth.
"Their numbers were in the hundreds and we have no way to regain control against them. The Ministries now in the hands of the Dark Lord."
The room fell silent.
Hermione blinked several times thinking of Harry.
After half an eternity of silence Kinglsey looked at Hermione.
"What about Harry?" She asked shuddering.
Everyone in the room looked at Kingsley.
"He disappeared and nobody knows where he went.
Hermione shook and her body racked with a sob.
Kinglsey tried to ignore her and looked back to the room.
"We have to change all Order hideouts and the Order headquarters."
An eruption of murmurs suddenly buzzed throughout the room.
"Hermione," Kinglsey muttered next to her.
"Yes?" She whispered.
"You and Damon are going to have to stay in separate hideouts for now... I will take you now to your new hideout. Take a deep breath Hermione."
She hadn't even relised she had quit breathing.
"Where is Molly and D-Damon."
"We have to keep that confidential at the moment Hermione."
"What!? Harry would never have ordered that!"
"It will only be for a few days Hermione."
"No! I want my son! I want to know where is now! And I want him to stay with ME!"
Hermione suddenly blacked out.
Several hours or maybe it was days perhaps even weeks later Hermione awoke in a soft small bed in a dark room.
The room was silent and it smelled like dust.
Hermione coughed, for a moment her heart raced in fear that she had been captured and was in a prison, but was immediatley relieved when she heard Ginny sigh.
"Hermione?"
"Ginny!?"
"Yes its me Hermione."
A tiny oil lamp began to burn and soft light warmed the room.
"Ginny... where are we?"
"Dont panic Hermione. Its just a hideout Kinglsey set us up in."
"Us?"
"Us. You and I."
Hermione suddenly gasped.
"Where's Damon!? Have they found Harry!? How long have I been out for?"
It hit her all quickly.
"Sit down Hermione, calm down."
"I can't! Where are they? Does anybody know?"
Ginny meekly shook her head.
"You've been out for about four hours and nothing has changed so far."
Hermione closed her eyes.
"You said you don't know where we are?"
Ginny nodded again.
"Kinglsey brought us here by apparation and gave you a potion. He said that it would make you come around in about four or five hours and he said we had to stay here for a few days. He said he would come back and explain everything then."
Hermione shook her head.
"No! How could he do this to us!?"
Ginny stared at Hermione.
"I'm suppose to watch after you Hermione."
Hermione rounded on Ginny.
"What?"
"That's all I know."
Hermione looked away from Ginny and stared at the ground.
The floor was wooden and bouncy.
Hermione's eyes squinted.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"This floor..."
"What about it?"
Hermione blinked then sighed.
"I don't know there's just something familiar about it."
"Ok..."
"What are we suppose to do in here Ginny?"
Ginny heaved a sigh and shrugged.
"Wait I guess."