Hi everyone,

thought you might like to read the next one..(smiles)

Sirius xox

Chapter 4

Hermione walked in in front of Harry and he was thankful. At least he didn't have to face everyone first. Molly walked in and there was instant quiet at the normally rowdy table.

"Oh everyone this is Harry's girlfriend …. what was your name dear?"

"Hermione, Hermione Granger," she looked around the table sizing up everyone straight away. She noticed the red headed girl first, she had a deep scowl on her face. Obviously she was Harry's interest, this could be fun, Hermione thought.

There were plenty of other red heads around the table, all men though. She didn't find any that interested her at all so she looked at the women around the table. There was one other that was clearly attached to the man she sat with. She looked like she had been trained in combat, probably another Auror. She honed in on the ladies voice who was introducing her.

"Hermione, this is my daughter Ginny, she is a model for the Wizarding Trend and Style magazine." Hermione smiled and nodded and when it was clear Ginny wasn't going to acknowledge her, Hermione turned around to greet the next guy.

"This is my son Ronald, he works with Harry you have probably met him?" Mrs Weasley said sarcastically.

"No, no not at all Harry, where have you been hiding this lovely creature?" Ron said and he got a deathly glare from the blonde sitting next to him.

"Hey Ron, how's the mission going?" Harry tried to change the subject but was interrupted by Mrs Weasley, "No shop talk tonight you boys, Arthur will be home soon so I am telling you now." Harry agreed and Ron smiled still not taking his eyes of Hermione.

Mrs Weasley continued her introductions and it was two more of her sons, Fred and George, obvious twins.

Hermione liked those two, they were pranksters and obviously loved being the family clowns. Everyone sat down to dinner and Ginny noticed how quiet Harry was and called him on it.

"So Harry now I know why you didn't show up to take me to the Minister's Ball a month ago." Harry looked at her and for the life of him he couldn't formulate a sentence. Hermione turned around and leant up against his body and put her hands on his chest and spoke in her sickenly sweet voice,

"Oh honey, you could of taken your little friend to the Ball instead of staying in with me all night." Hermione smiled and ran her fingers up his chest and tapped his nose. Harry was still struck dumb and then she leant up and kissed him quickly on the lips. Harry snapped too but still was at a loss for a response.

"Ok come on you two, take a seat so we can start our dinner, Arthur has just arrived home." Harry turned to look at Arthur as he walked in through the doorway and he smiled when he saw Hermione.

"Hi Hermione, I'm glad you came. I told Harry to bring you I'm so glad you could make it." Arthur said with his own innocence.

"Oh Arthur you know Harry's girlfriend then?" the emphasis on the word know was noticed by everyone but amazingly Arthur covered it well.

"Oh did I forget to tell you Love, I'm so sorry. Hermione was brought in as a transfer and her and Harry hit it off. It was like they were made for each other. So let's get stuck into dinner hey?" Molly didn't question it any more but Ginny wasn't convinced and Ron's tongue was still hanging out of his mouth. Molly directed Hermione to take a seat opposite Ginny and Harry was placed next to her. Molly sat between Ginny and Hermione at the bottom head of the table and everyone else fell into place. The conversation flowed between Hermione, Arthur and the twins all night. Molly constantly tried to intervene but Arthur expertly deterred her. Harry was constantly being distracted by Hermione's actions, her hand was in his lap most of dinner and he found it hard to concentrate especially when she started massaging his thigh subconsciously.

"So what mission are you two on at the moment?" Harry looked over at Arthur who had just intervened and stopped any talk of shop tonight.

The twins kept making her laugh and even though Harry was on edge and constantly worrying about what she would come out with next, he found himself waiting for the sound of her laugh. At one point the sleeve on her dress slipped down and Harry could see that her bruises were about to be exposed so he slipped it up on her shoulder and she reacted to his touch instantly. Her fingers were entwined with his hand on top of the table by now as Harry had to stop her holding his thigh before he had to leave the table for personal reasons.

In the middle of a funny prank the twins were retelling she stopped laughing and squeezed Harry's hand very tightly. He looked at her face and knew something was wrong and after a few minutes she asked if she could use the bathroom and then Harry stood to take her down the hallway to show her the way.

They walked as far away as possible and then he turned her around, "What's wrong?" Hermione glanced over his shoulder and saw Ginny approaching so she kissed him again and held his head in place by entangling her hands in his hair. Ginny walked around the corner and stopped in her tracks as the two people in front of her were in a passionate embrace. She watched for a few seconds that must have felt like hours to her but when Hermione's leg lifted up and hooked around his hip she had seen enough, she turned around and walked away. After a few more minutes Hermione broke the kiss and then pulled her dress back down.

"What the hell was that about?" Hermione quickly adjusted her ring and answered, "We had company, Harry I need to go he is calling me."

Harry freaked out, "NO fucking way Hermione I just spent all night repairing your broken bones, there's no way you're going back to him again. Forget it."

"Thanks for the heroics Harry but I have no choice plus it wasn't dad this time. I'll see you as soon as I can get away." Hermione walked past him but he grabbed her arm and turned her around.

"Hermione who did it to you?" Hermione looked at him and even though she had no idea why she did what she did, but she leant up and kissed him again. It wasn't frantic, it wasn't urgent, it was just nice.

"Don't wait up Harry," Hermione continued to walk away but Harry followed her and grabbed her again, "Who did this to you Hermione, tell me?" Hermione felt the ring growing warmer and if she didn't apparate soon the injuries she got last night would be nothing compared to what would happen to her once she got back.

"It was Malfoy Harry, now please let me go, I have to get back there." Harry was shocked, Malfoy, his arch enemy from back in school was capable of nearly killing her. He let go of her arms and she nodded and then apparated away. Harry composed his thoughts and then walked back in to see a few shocked faces that he was alone.

"Where's Hermione?" Molly asked.

Harry looked at Arthur and answered, "She had an emergency with her dad, she needed to go." Arthur was surprised but then covered up quickly changing the subject.

"So Ron how is the mission going?" Molly sent a glare across the table which again stopped any work talk. Molly started chatting between Harry and Ginny and Harry could see exactly where it was going. He turned his attention to Ron who had just suggested that they take a drink in the lounge. Harry jumped at the opportunity and stood up quickly to follow Ron who was on Luna's tail. Arthur walked in behind Harry and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and followed him into a small room that was his office.

"Harry what happened at dinner?" Harry explained what happened with her being summoned and then Arthur nodded.

"We have sources who have told us there will be an attack on Sunday night, that's only two days away Harry, you need to get down there and see what you can do with or without Hermione." Harry nodded.

"Do I take a team and if so, who?" Arthur thought about it for a minute and then when he heard Molly calling for him he spoke to Harry, "We will have to meet up later and go over the details, it's too hard here with everyone around." Harry nodded and then they both walked out of the small office and joined up with the rest of the family.

Harry was very distracted and if it wasn't for that he would have noticed Ginny literally throwing herself at him. She sat next to him on the lounge and was pressed up close to him. She constantly rubbed his arm and over dramatised her laughs at the twins jokes and pranks. It was quite pathetic really. Harry noticed the time and as it was nearing midnight, he stood up to take the glasses into the kitchen and Molly was standing at the sink.

"Oh Harry dear you needn't worry, go back and enjoy your time with Ginny, it's been so long since the two of you were together." Harry didn't miss the emphasis on 'together' and decided to put a stop to it.

"Molly, you know you have always been like a mum to me..."

"Yes I know dear and if you married Ginny I would be your mum." Harry forced a smile.

"... and I thank you and Arthur for everything but I am not going to marry your daughter, not now not ever." Molly looked at him and laughed, "Oh come now dear you can't tell me you love that Hermione girl, its only been such a short time."

"Molly, its very serious between Hermione and me, we even live together now and nothing is going to change that in the near future, trust me. I have Arthur's blessing why can't I get yours too?" Molly pretended to wipe away some crumbs on the bench and then commented.

"Harry its just that you both seem so intense, it's like you can't move unless she moves or breath unless she breathes, she looks at you like you're her entire life. Its unbelievable Harry how can two people be so entwined, so over whelming in such a short time? I just don't see it lasting the distance Harry love I'm sorry but Ginny is the right one for you, no-one else." Harry smiled and touched her hand.

"No Molly, she isn't."

Molly looked at him and even though she could have argued her point and she may have won it eventually, something in Harry's voice and manner made her stop, he made her see that he was right, he was never going to marry her daughter.

OK so hopefully Molly is in her place.

Hope you like it,

Sirius