Author's Note: More wonderful reviews! I'm trying to follow the time line of DH, but don't want to just retell the same story that JK Rowling gifted us with. I'm going to skip over some of the events to help move along the love story of Harry and Hermione. Again, I own nothing. And on to the next chapter.

Harry and Hermione spent the next week doing some more research, and deciding on a plan for their visit to Godric's Hollow. Hermione felt they should disguise themselves to avoid any possible detection. Harry refused.

"I don't want to go back to my birthplace as someone else. I won't waiver on this Hermione."

"Fine, I guess I'll just cross my fingers that we're not discovered!" Hermione crossed over to the table loaded down with books, sat down and crossed her arms, and blew an errant lock of hair out of her eyes.

Harry followed her over, and crouched down in front of her. He ran both his hands gently up and down her arms. "Hermione, love. You are so smart, you do most of our research, you make a lot of the plans, and then get us out of the mess I usually get us into."

She rolled her eyes at this, but couldn't help the small tug at the corner of her lips that could quickly turn into a smile.

"Please, please, trust me on this one. Let me take the lead. We've researched all we can. Let's just go, and see if there is anything to find." He could tell by the look in her eye that she was going to cave. He kept quiet and let her come to her decision.

"All right, all right! We'll do it your way. I know you really want to see where your parents lived, and I want to be there for you."

He grabbed her face and kissed her hard followed by a whoop and fist punch in the air. "Let's go later this evening once it's dark. Shouldn't be too many people out and about."

Hermione wasn't sure what they would be walking into, but she couldn't deny him this chance to see where he was born. It was one of his only connections to his parents. The look on his face just made her heart melt.

"Maybe we should get some rest, since we won't be leaving until tonight." Hermione couldn't stifle a yawn.

"You're right. Come lay with me." Harry reached for her hand, and led her over to the bed. They both curled up under the covers, and just held each other. Hermione placed her ear against Harry's heart, and let herself be soothed into sleep by the steady rhythm of his heart.

Harry brushed his hand through her hair, smoothing it down as he heard her breathing even out. Once he knew she was peacefully asleep, he allowed himself to slip into slumber.

Harry and Hermione apparated to Godric's Hollow, and took a few seconds to get their bearings straight. A light snow was falling, and the street looked deserted. Hermione slipped her arm through Harry's, and they began walking.

Hermione noticed a small church up ahead. She could faintly hear Christmas carols being sung. "Harry, I think it's Christmas Eve. Look."

Harry briefly spared a glance at the small church. He noticed a small graveyard next to the church. Hermione noticed where he was looking, and gave his arm a light squeeze.

"Do you think my parents are in there, Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry. I do." Hermione began leading Harry into the graveyard. As they walked along, she starting taking notice of the different names on the stones. She let Harry walk on as she noticed a long tomb that was snow covered. Brushing the snow off the top, she read the name Peverell.

"Harry…" She trailed off noticing that Harry had come to a stop in front of a large headstone. Slowly she walked up next to him, linked her arm with his, and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

Harry stared a little at his parents' names a moment longer before wiping a tear from his eye. "Happy Christmas, Hermione."

Hermione leaned down, swirled her wand elegantly, and created a beautiful wreath of white roses at the base of the headstone. "Happy Christmas, Harry." She wrapped her arm around his waist as he put his around her shoulder, and pulled her in close.

Hermione noticed a small movement out of the corner of her eye. Glancing over, she noticed an older woman watching them.

"Harry, I think someone is watching us." Harry glanced over, and the woman nodded her head in the opposite direction.

"I think she wants us to follow her." Harry began walking after her, only to have Hermione hold him back.

"Harry, I don't think that's a good idea." Something was off about this woman. Hermione had a bad feeling about following her.

"Hermione, I think that's Bathilda Bagshot. Remember at the wedding? Bathilda Bagshot is from Godric's Hollow. Rita Skeeter interviewed her for her tell all book about Dumbledore."

They began following at a discreet distance. Hermione didn't think this was going to end well.

Hermione and an unconscious Harry landed heavily on the forest floor. She placed her fingers on his neck, and sighed a breath of relief when she felt a steady his heart beating a steady rhythm.

She levitated him back into the tent, and onto the bed. "Please be ok Harry." After making sure he was comfortable and safe, she headed outside to keep watch. She took along the book she grabbed from Bathilda Bagshot's house.

She sat with her back up against a tree, a blanket wrapped around her, and began reading. She hoped against all hope that she would find something useful in there. She tried to keep her mind off the fact that Harry was going to be devastated when he found out his wand was broken.

Hermione couldn't figure out how she cast that spell at Nagini while simultaneously disapparating them out of there. The rebound must have broken the wand.

Harry woke up with a splitting headache. He didn't know how he made it back to the tent. Glancing around, he didn't spot Hermione or his wand. He made his way to the tent entrance, and noticed Hermione sitting against a tree.

She was extremely engrossed in a book, and didn't notice him walk up next to her. It wasn't the first time that had happened. "Hey. What happened?" He questioned as he slid down to sit next to her.

"Hey, I'm so happy you're awake." Hermione linked her arm with his, and rested her head on his shoulder. "What do you remember?"

"We followed Bathilda Bagshot to her house. She wanted only me to follow her upstairs. Hermione, she shed her skin. It was Nagini inside her skin! That's the last thing I remember." Harry rubbed his temple, trying to ease the pain in his head.

"I ran upstairs when I heard you scream out. You grabbed me, and we backed up towards the window. I couldn't decide whether to try and disapparate, or fire a defensive spell." She marked her page and closed the book. She pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders.

Harry noticed she had her brows pulled together, and looked to be thinking really hard. "What is it Hermione?"

"Well, I don't know how it happened. I was thinking about a spell, but decided to disapparate. Somehow I cast the spell while simultaneously disapparating. We landed back here in the woods, you were unconscious, and….." She paused and looked down, not able to meet his eyes.

"And what, Hermione?"

"And, your wand was broken. The spell must have backfired and broken it. I tried to repair it, I really did. I'm so sorry, Harry!" Tears had begun to slowly fall from her eyes.

"It's done Hermione. Don't cry over it. Tell me what you've been reading out here." Harry tried to show he wasn't upset. He knew she was only protecting him. He put his around arm around her and pulled her in close.

"I grabbed a copy of Rita Skeeter's book from Bathilda's house. There's a letter in here from Dumbledore to Gellert Grindelwald. Here at the bottom…he replaced the A in Albus with this symbol. This is the third place I've seen this symbol. It's in the copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard that Dumbledore left me, and again in the graveyard in Godric's Hollow, and now in Dumbledore's signature. It has to mean something."

"That is something. Why don't you go inside and get warm and get some rest. I'll keep watch for a while."

"Are you sure, Harry?"

"Yeah, we'll tackle researching this later. Leave me your wand."

Hermione stood up and brushed the snow off her pants. She handed him his wand, and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the top of his head. Harry reached up and squeezed her hand before she walked away.

He was devastated that his wand was broken, but he couldn't stand to see her upset. And she would be if she saw how this affected him. He leaned his head back against the tree trying to figure out how they were going to go on from here.