Disclaimer, I don't own Harry Potter or any of his friend's, wish I did, then I would write another book with a different end.
Not The Half Blood Prince
The sun had just gone down and the small valley was almost completely in darkness when Petunia finally parked her car next to Vernon's car, the three women walked around the damaged house calling out for Harry or Vernon for a while before they took a seat on a small bench sitting out near the back door as they wondered where the men were.
Seconds after they had sat down Dobby appeared, once he determined who the three women were he refused to open the door to the house for them, he was a Potter now and he would not let the bad ladies into the master's house.
When Hermione asked him why? Dobby looked at her as though she had finally gone mad.
"Mrs Aunty is nasty and cruel to Harry Potter sir; Dobby did see the iron bars on Harry Potter sirs' bedroom window. Mrs change face is evil and keeps Harry Potter sir locked in dark wizards house, and Miss Her-min-nee do be hating Harry Potter sir, Dobby was seeing you hurting Harry Potter sir at Hogwarts, Dobby mustn't let bad witches into Harry Potter sirs' house," Dobby told them sounding as though he were angry and ready to attack them all.
Dobby then vanished leaving three very silent and remorseful women sitting in the garden remembering how they had each treated the wizard they all loved in some way; the little elf had not been gone long when they heard the sound of voices on the other side of the house, all three women rushed around the garden to the front of the house to arrive just as Harry opened the front door.
"Harry dear, I- er- I- I brought you some guests… they said they needed to talk to you," Petunia said sounding really nervous.
The three men turned to look at the new arrivals; Harry invited Petunia to join Vernon and Dudley inside while he stayed out side to talk with Hermione and Tonks. Petunia simply nodded and went into the house with her two men.
Harry looked at the two remaining women with an icy stare, "Well, well, well what have we here, one of my jailers and with a new assistant, what's up Tonks, one bitch to keep the pup in his place not enough these days?" Harry spat out "I don't know why you are here but you can piss off, and tell your friends at the order that Harry Potter is going to be after them for some revenge against the bastards that ruined my life, now get off my land before I start taking my revenge out on you first, and take her with you, what happened Granger did Weasley throw you out once he got your knickers off and had what he wanted, didn't he want you anymore, so you thought you would try little old soft hearted Potter as a last resort?"
Hermione could not speak for crying as his every word stung her heart, and soul, she truly had turned him against her, she was now sure she had killed any love he may have ever had. The gentle loving boy she had known seemed to have been replaced by a young man full of hate and out for revenge.
Tonks answered him with tears running down her cheeks. "Harry I don't really know what to say, I deserve your hate for what I helped to do to you, I'm not surprised you want revenge, but Hermione doesn't deserve this, she loves you and if I hadn't done as the order told me she would have joined you days ago. She's been a prisoner in her own house, just like you were. Kept there for her own so called safety by the order, don't let the order destroy how you feel about each other as well as all the other hurt they have done. Talk to her, listen to what she has to say, your aunt listened and thought it worth bringing her here to you, please Harry."
Harry could feel his heart twisting with every word he spoke as he watched Hermione flinch at them as he spat them out, but after seeing the photo's in the living room he was angry, he was angry at himself for still wanting her, for loving her after the way she treated him, he was angry because he still wanted her to love him, angry at the order for destroying his life, and he was angry at Dumbledore for destroying their world. Tonks words did little to calm him down, why should he believe someone who is his enemy, who helped to keep him a prisoner, he was just about to voice this thought when the door opened and the Dursleys walked out of the house.
Vernon and Dudley approached him first and shook his hand telling him they were going to sort out their new home, Dudley gave him a quick one armed hug before the two men said their goodbye, they were leaving for their new home and promised to see him soon. As Vernon and Dudley climbed into the car Petunia pulled him into a tight hug before she kissed him on his forehead.
"Let her stay Harry, listen to what she tells you, you forgave us for things, far, far worse things, give her a chance to explain. I'm going to leave my car here for you, no doubt you can find someone to teach you to drive, the keys are on the kitchen table and Vernon is going to renew the insurance when it is due, we'll see you next month don't forget you and Dudley have a fishing match according to Vernon, that I have to see, my two boys fishing, anyway be careful Harry, bye," Petunia said as she hugged him tight one more time and kissed him on his cheek, before she joined her two men in the car.
A few waves later and after watching the rear lights of the car vanish down the Valley, Harry was left standing looking at two crying women, the parting words from his aunt made him decide to give them both a chance to explain, and his aunt calling him one of her boys had warmed him inside in a way he had never known before, like he suddenly belonged with his family. Once again he no longer felt so totally alone in the world and he thought he owed his aunt at least this one favour, because of him and Dumbledore she would spend the rest of her life feeling guilty for something she could have done nothing about, he would listen first, then he would decide to send them home, it seemed a simple solution.
Harry rather reluctantly led the two women into his house, he was not to happy with them knowing where he was, but he showed them into the kitchen and called for Dobby to make them a cup of tea, while without a word he left them standing in the kitchen, and went to see how Tippy was and to find out if she was feeling any better. Hopefully having three magical people and two elves in the house for a while was helping her recover a little quicker.
Hermione sat watching Dobby as he made the tea the muggle way just as Harry liked it, she could not resist asking him if he was being paid.
"Dobby is a Potter now, Dobby is no longer house elf," he told her proudly before going back to doing what Harry had asked.
The small distraction that Dobby had been for her soon vanished as she heard Harry coming down the stairs, she still had no idea how to put right all she had ruined, five years of beautiful friendship with the most loving person she had ever met was ended by her foolish actions and she felt like curling up and giving up.
Harry walked into the kitchen and sat on the opposite side of the table to where the two had chosen to sit, the two women looked up into his now cold green eyes.
"Tonks, could I have a word in private with Harry please?" Hermione asked quietly.
Tonks nodded and stood up and taking her tea with her walked back out of the door to stand just out side in the garden.
"Harry I wanted to ask you to forgive me, but after what Dobby said earlier and something your aunt said I realise I don't have the right to ask, so I simply want to tell you before you throw us out, 'I love you'. Everything I did before during this past year was because I fell in love with you, but I didn't have the courage to accept it and admit it. After what happened at the ministry and then when you told us about the prophecy I got scared and tried to distance my self from you so I wouldn't love you any more. After that I don't know why I got angry because you kept being there for me, not letting me stop loving you. I don't know why I did not trust you anymore, know it sounds stupid, it was stupid, because after all the pain I caused us both I still love you. I think I always will. Well that's it, I just wanted you to know how I feel. I'll get Tonks to take us back now," Hermione said as tears fell freely from her eyes.
Hermione stood to leave and pushed her chair back under the table "Bye Harry," she said quietly as she then walked to the door.
"You love me; you broke my heart throwing your self at Weasley like a cheap tart and you say you loved me?" Harry shouted at her as she reached the door. "Do you know how stupid that sounds?"
Hermione just nodded as she opened the door.
"So you're going to be even more stupid and run away again now you've told me, is that it? Are you still too scared to love me? Or are you off to throw your self at Weasley again and tell him Potter didn't like being second best?" he asked as he began to understand some of what she had been doing, he himself had tried to distance himself from his friends before and knew exactly what it could do to you and what it could cost you even though he had failed where she had succeeded, and with what she had said he thought it was probably with Bumbles Galore and his spells to help her.
Hermione stopped as she was about to step through the doorway, not quite sure what he was saying, what he meant by those words, she turned around to see him standing with his arms open wide waiting for her, she ran the few steps to be in his arms, to feel his warmth once again, and she cried as he kissed her hard and passionately, she kissed him back just as passionately with tears streaming down her face.
"What about Ron?" he asked as their lips parted.
It took a short time for Hermione to stop sobbing before she answered, "Ron didn't need anyone to keep him at the Burrow," she whispered still not quite believing he had kissed her.
"Pour us another cuppa while I nip and fetch Tonks back, after all I suppose I should hear what she has to say," Harry said with a small smile as he let her go having decided she might need a minute to gather herself after his shock tactics of kissing her to see how she reacted, her answer about Ron was not what he wanted but it would do for a few hours. He was a lot more pleased with her reaction to his kiss than he was ready to let on or admit too just yet.
Outside Tonks was wandering around the garden in the moonlight, "Hey you coming back in or have you decided to sleep in the barn?" Harry called to her.
Tonks heart soared with relief when she saw him smile at her, it wasn't a full blown smile but it was enough for her to know that they were not about to be slung out on their butts, she also knew it was her turn to do some explaining, at least it looked like Hermione had been forgiven or very close to it.
Back in the kitchen there were three fresh cups of tea set out on the table; Harry took a seat next to Hermione, while Tonks sat across the table from them. All three of them lifted their cups and took a sip as though the move was choreographed, Harry smiled and placing his cup on the table he looked directly at Tonks.
"I hope you can cook the Muggle way because it's your turn to cook breakfast in the morning, Hermione can cook you both some thing for supper before you go to bed. There is to be no magic performed at all by any of us, Tippy is keeping the house under her illusion as she has for the past sixteen years, I don't want any change in the magic level here that might be noticed by the ministry or Voldemort, or the other lot," he told them firmly. "Any slight increase in the ambient magic caused by us being here is being soaked up by Tippy who was almost dead when I arrived, she's been using her magic with no way to replenish it."
Both women nodded their understanding, Tonks thought the idea quite clever, she knew that no one in the Order would think to look for Harry in Godrics hollow, and if they all remembered not to use magic they should all be safe from any one else looking for them. She also knew it was time she explained herself and what she knew about the order.
Harry listened as Tonks told him why she had joined the order and how the decisions to keep Harry under constant surveillance were made by Dumbledore's top lieutenants, McGonagall, Mad eye, Snape, Lupin, and the Weasleys. As far as she knew the others like her, just did as they were asked in the firm belief that they were helping keep Harry safe. She also told him that she had heard rumours that a number of the professors at Hogwarts had complained several times each year about Harry's physical condition and about his clothing or more to the point the lack of decent clothing. They had asked he be placed with one of them until he was seventeen but Dumbledore had always turned them down. Though none of them knew why he acted the way he had.