A/N: Okay, so much for "summer's coming, updates will be more frequent." All I can say is this summer was either one of the best of one of the worst in my life, depending on which part you look at. I suck, I know. I can't believe it's been so long. I can't help but feel like I'm missing notes for the rest of this story... Updates will be very random. I'm now in high school, in three difficult honors classes, struggling with my term project for Biology, two easy but time-wasting classes, and a sport and a club. Then homework. Fanfiction has been majorly displaced. I'm sorry. But I will try to be better about the updating.
The next morning they awoke and Hermione left to tend to her potion while Harry began to prepare ingredients for another potion on Hermione's list using Snape's book.
They spent several days making potions and spending mealtimes speculating the locations of the remaining horcruxes.
The second to last day they planned to remain at Hogwarts, Hermione woke long before the sun and when she returned to the Room, Harry was just getting up. She had finished the Felix Felicis and cleaned everything up after bottling it. Then she called a house-elf to bring them breakfast while Harry showered and dressed. After eating, they began to sort through their trunks.
By lunchtime they had a pile of things that they were taking with them and a pile each of things they wouldn't need anymore. They repacked these things into their trunks and Hermione pulled out her beaded bag and they put all the things they were taking into it. Harry demanded that they break for lunch after that, and so they walked down to the kitchens.
They spent the early afternoon in one of the courtyards. Harry was "reading" a defense book. As if he thought Hermione didn't notice the magazine Ron had confiscated from some younger boys. She chose to ignore it and made a list of things they still had to do.
Before they went to the Weasley's they had to stop by Privet Drive and her parents' house and go grocery shopping in the Muggle world, and of course, steal the sword of Gryffindor.
Once they arrived at the Weasley's, Hermione didn't expect they'd get much time to plan, as Mrs. Weasley was bound to object to the three of them dropping out of school for unexplainable reasons.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to take care of my parents and go grocery shopping. I'm also going to stop by your aunt and uncle's house to make sure they're going into hiding."
"Take someone else with you," Harry said, without looking up from his reading.
"I will. Who do I ask though?"
"Try McGonagall. Lupin, Tonks…" Harry suggested.
Hermione wasn't sure she would manage to accomplish what needed to be done if McGonagall went with her, but she figured she had to ask her first.
…
"Professor McGonagall?"
"Sit down, Miss Granger."
"I'm not a student here anymore, you may call me Hermione," Hermione said. She hoped McGonagall wouldn't treat her like a student any longer because she would probably never attend school again.
"I'm sure you had a reason for coming to see me, Hermione."
"Yes. You see, I need to venture out into Muggle London for a few hours and I need someone to go with me as Harry is still underage."
"Yes."
"Sorry?"
"Before you ask, yes, I will accompany you. Allow me a few minutes to change my attire into something more suitable."
"Thank you Professor. I'll be in the Entrance Hall."
With that, Hermione headed to the Entrance Hall to wait, desperately hoping the trip wouldn't be terribly awkward. She shrank her beaded bag and put it in her pocket, stowing her wand in her sleeve where she could get to it at a moment's notice. She hadn't been waiting long when McGonagall appeared.
They walked to the gates, and Hermione awkwardly took her professor's hand as she apparated them to Harry's aunt and uncle's house. She rang the doorbell.
"Hello, Mrs. Dursley?"
"What do you want?" Petunia snapped.
"I know that some of our kind have already visited you to inform you of the danger you will be in."
Petunia nodded.
"May we come in?"
"Yes, I suppose…" And she stepped out of the way to allow them in, if a bit unwillingly. They made their way to the kitchen where Vernon and Dudley were sitting, eating.
"I'm Hermione Granger and this is Minerva McGonagall. Harry wants me to make sure you are going to go into hiding."
"Why should we?" Vernon demanded, with his mouth full of food.
"Voldemort will hunt you down and torture you for information on Harry. And then he will kill you. He has thousands of dementors at his control. Ask your son about those."
Dudley, who hadn't been paying attention until then, looked up.
"There are more of those?"
"Yes. All this fog, it's not bad weather. It's the dementors. You can't see them, but they're out there and they'll suck your soul out through your mouth," Hermione said. Dudley looked terrified.
"Why didn't the boy come tell us this himself?" Vernon asked.
"He is underage and still has the Trace on him. If he had come, it is likely that we would all be dead by now." Actually, Lily's protection would have prevented that but Hermione was trying to make her point, and left that part out.
Petunia made a noise, as if she wanted to say something, and Hermione turned to look at her.
"Vernon, I know what these people can do. We should go."
"I'm not leaving my life because of that bloody boy!" Vernon exclaimed.
"I'm going with them, Mum. I don't want to be around those dementy things," Dudley said. "Who are you anyways?"
"I'm Harry's friend," Hermione said.
"Alright, alright, what do we have to do?" Vernon asked.
"Be ready to go in three days like the other told you. Go with them. Trust them. Harry wants you to be safe."
They turned to leave, and Dudley followed them out into the garden.
"Hermione?" he said uncertainly. She turned.
"It was nice to meet you," he said, extending at fat hand. Hermione shook it and smiled.
"Tell Harry thanks for saving my life." Wow, Hermione thought, this idiot changed.
As Hermione and McGonagall set off down the walk, Dudley called out,
"See you around someday?"
"Probably not," Hermione replied, and she could have sworn Dudley looked disappointed.
They walked a little way, until they reached a spot secluded enough to apparate from, and again Hermione took her professor's hand, this time apparating them to her parents house.
"Hi, Mum, Dad."
"Hermione, darling!" her mother exclaimed pulling her into a hug. Hermione and McGonagall stepped into the house.
"Mum, Dad, this is Professor McGonagall." They greeted her.
"I'm afraid we can't stay long. Miss Granger –Hermione, insisted upon saying goodbye," Professor McGonagall explained. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at Hermione with confusion in their eyes.
"The dark wizard I told you about… I have to help my friends defeat him. There is a good chance we will not survive," Hermione said bluntly with tears in her eyes. "So I came to say goodbye and to protect you from harm." Before her last words could register in their minds Hermione hugged her parents and told them she loved them. Then she pulled her wand on them and whispered, "Obliviate." The spell that would save them.
She had convinced them that they were Monica and Wendell Wilkins and their greatest dream was to move to Australia. She left with tears in her eyes because her parents' new identities did not include a daughter.
Then Hermione and McGonagall went grocery shopping. Hermione bought mostly canned food and power bars. When they left the store and Hermione had stowed her purchases in her bag, McGonagall apparated them back to Hogwarts. They walked up to the castle together and parted ways in the Entrance Hall. McGonagall headed towards the kitchens and Hermione made her way back to the Room of Requirement where she was greeted by Harry.
"How was it? Did my relatives cooperate?"
"Oh Harry, you didn't see my parents. They were so pleased, when I showed up out of nowhere. You should have seen their faces when I pulled my wand on them. They looked so scared, like they thought I would hurt them, but by saving them, I only hurt me.
"It'll be okay, Hermione," Harry said, pulling her into a hug. "It'll all be over soon." They stayed silently holding each other for a few long moments.
A/N: Please review. Also, please check out my other works! Feedback is always welcomed.