A/N#1: Sorry this one took so long. I've been busy with work and family. This chapter has less action and loads of mushy fluff and lemons. I just celebrated my anniversary, so my brain is full of fluff and lemons. You'll just have to cope. More action to come in future chapters (also more fluff and lemons, guaranteed).

A/N#2: Since it's been so long, here's a brief synopsis of the story so far. Recent readers can skip this part and go straight to Chapter 10 below. The story takes place in the setting of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". It assumes canon up until the events at Grimmauld Place. Hermione discovers that Harry and she have been subjected to multiple memory charms, love potions, and compulsions. They restore the obliviated memories and realize they are in love with each other and that Dumbledore and certain members of the Order of the Phoenix have been manipulating their lives for years, making them pawns in the Headmaster's plan for Harry to sacrifice himself to destroy Voldemort…all for "the Greater Good". Particularly disturbing is their discovery that their best friend Ron has been in on it. The two lovers decide to ignore the Order and Dumbledore's plan and try to find and destroy the remaining horcruxes and get rid of Tom Riddle themselves. They stumble through, having adventures, making love, and suffering losses. They retrieve Slytherin's locket from Umbridge at the Ministry, but don't know how to destroy it. They hunt for others and decide to live as Muggles. Harry proposes and they live like honeymooners for awhile in a Muggle village inn until they say Voldemort's name. Death Eaters show up and kill many people. The couple escapes, but then Ron shows up again. He manages to kidnap Hermione. Harry chases after them and finds them at Ron's Great Aunt Muriel's house, picking up the loyalty of Kreacher and Dobby along the way. Reunited, they realize they can't do it alone and enlist the willing help of Remus Lupin and his pregnant wife Tonks. On with the story!

By the way: All those pesky disclaimers still apply.

Chapter 10

"Best…birth…day…ever," gasped Hermione. With her eyes rolling back in her head, the young woman buried her face in a pillow, biting it to muffle the loud moans involuntarily escaping from her every few seconds. Harry was giving her the most amazing backrub on their bed at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Somehow he knew exactly where each knot and kink was and his hands were working magic easing them. It was non-magical magic, of course, but somehow that made it fell even more magical to her. She wondered idly why, in any of her memories, obliviated or not, Harry had never given her a massage before. Foreplay, afterplay, any time of day, a backrub by Harry was definitely going to be a regular part of her life from now on, if she had any say about it.

Hermione had awakened hours earlier, just as the first pink rays of dawn were peaking through the tall window and streaming across the bedroom. She opened her eyes and realized that it was the first time in nearly a week that she'd slept through the night without waking in terror over nightmares from the attack at the inn, or from any of the other horrors they'd experienced in the recent or distant past. Her life as a witch had not turned out to be like anything she imagined it would be when she first got her letter from Hogwarts. She turned her head and looked at the person still sleeping beside her, thinking that he was the least expected, but best part of that life.

Harry had a look of peace on his face, so different from the dark shadows and creases of worry and fear that haunted him every waking moment. Sighing softly, Hermione wished that she could erase the trials of his past, change the unfair realities of his present, and rewrite the uncertainties of his future. But she knew all she could do was love him, protect him, work side-by-side with him, and help keep him from being overwhelmed by it all. Looking at him, she absorbed every detail of his face, a face she knew so well and had watched change from the wide-eyed child on the Hogwart's Express six years ago, to the determined young man of today. She was astounded by just how much she loved him. As a girl, she dreamed of being in love, but she never imagined that she would love someone as much as she loved him. She never even guessed that she could be capable of emotions as strong as those she felt for Harry Potter.

After several minutes of staring at Harry, lost in her thoughts, Hermione gently rolled on top of him. He woke and smiled, his green eyes twinkling in the morning light. "Happy birthday, love," he said. She put her finger on his lips and shushed him quietly, then leaned down to kiss him. For the first time since the disaster at the inn, they made love, slowly and tenderly. Time seemed suspended, their bodies and minds becoming one, culminating not in an earth-shattering climax, but rather in a merging of souls, bringing pure rapture to them both. It was such a beautiful experience that they both had tears streaming down their cheeks as they settled into each other's arms to enjoy the afterglow of their union.

The young couple cuddled for nearly two hours afterwards, softly exchanging words of love and shared moments. Harry joked about how they had never really celebrated her birthday before, an oversight he vowed to never let happen again, even if he had to force the Ministry into passing a law declaring September 19th a wizarding holiday. Hermione laughed and slapped him playfully. Eventually, as they continued to cuddle, their bodies began to respond to each other once more. As spiritual and ethereal as their first round of lovemaking that morning had been, the second round was purely carnal. They released their passions with uninhibited enthusiasm. Again it felt as if they were one, but now it was on a baser, more animalistic level. What seemed like an eternity later, they collapsed, sweaty, exhausted, and sated…at least temporarily.

After catching his breath, Harry rose to his knees and began rubbing Hermione's bare back. She protested at first, saying he should relax, too, but once he demonstrated his skill she stopped complaining and allowed herself to dissolve under the pleasure of his hands. Eventually Hermione noticed evidence that massaging her was having a rather restorative effect on Harry. She wondered how round three was going to play out compared to the previous two. She didn't care. She knew it would be wonderful. She had already made her breathless proclamation about it being the best birthday of her life.

Vaguely, in the barely conscious part of her rational mind, the newly eighteen year old heard a sharp cracking sound. This was followed a moment later by another crack and some poorly hushed whispering. Reluctantly lifting her head from the pillow, Hermione gasped at the sight right in front of her at the foot of the large bed. "Harry!" she called urgently, reaching behind herself to tap him in an attempt to draw his attention away from what he was doing. "Harry!" she repeated more shrilly, her body tensing.

The young man in question noticed the change in his lover's voice, from the throaty moaning of his name to the urgent call he associated with danger. Opening his eyes, he squinted bleary-eyed at the end of the bed. "Bloody hell!" he shouted when he realized what he was looking at. He grabbed the rumpled quilt next to him and threw it over their bodies. Looking around, he realized with frustration that his wand and his glasses were at the other end of the huge bed, on the nightstand. Squinting harder, he looked back at the foot of the bed and said angrily, "Dobby! Kreacher! What the f…" Hermione gave him a reproving look over her shoulder. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he continued, "What's the matter? Why are you in our bedroom?"

"Master! Mistress!" wheezed Kreacher, who was pulling on Dobby's arm with one wizened hand and trying to cover the younger elf's bulging eyes with the other. "Kreacher is so sorry. Kreacher is telling Dobby now is not being a good time for disturbing the Master and Mistress's…uh…sleep."

"Dobby?" asked Hermione, gently. She was embarrassed by the position she and Harry were caught in , but she was also afraid to move, as that would most likely expose the details of said position even more. "Why are you here?"

"Dobby is sorry!" wailed the elf in distress. "Dobby is not understanding that Harry Potter and his Hermione is making babies! Dobby is punishing himself!" With that he turned and began banging his head against the wall, with the approving Kreacher looking on. The older elf looked like he wanted to help.

"No!" squawked Hermione in shock.

"Dobby!" Harry said loudly, though he had a hard time keeping the laughter out of his voice. "Stop punishing yourself!" He took advantage of the distraction to sit back, smirking even more when the movement caused Hermione to emit a somewhat disappointed whimper. He made sure the covers were still in position and reached to retrieve his glasses. "Now," he said as sternly as possible while suppressing his laughter, "what is going on? Explain yourselves."

"Go on," croaked Kreacher, prodding the other elf in the back with a long, bony finger. "Dobby must be explaining hisself now!" Harry could have sworn he saw the ancient elf's mouth quiver with a quickly hidden smile of amusement.

"Dobby is being so sorry!" the other wailed, preparing to bang his head on the wall again.

"Dobby!" called Hermione urgently, also struggling to suppress a giggle. "We know you're sorry. Just tell us why you ….um…interrupted us."

"Harry Potter's Hermione is commanding Dobby to inform her when Mister and Misses Lupin is arriving. Harry Potter's Hermione is saying to tell her the moment they enter the house. Dobby is trying to be a good elf and is obeying orders. In spite of Kreacher being trying to be stopping Dobby," he added the last part with a dark look at the Black family house elf.

"Oh God," moaned Hermione, dropping her face into the pillow again. "I did word it that way, didn't I?"

No longer able to contain himself anymore, Harry began laughing heartily. He had prior experience with Dobby's literal interpretations of requests. Soon he was joined by Hermione's musical laughter. Wonder of wonders, even Kreacher hid a giggle behind his hand, leaving Dobby to look back and forth between his employers and their bonded house elf in confusion.

"Kreacher is to be teaching young Dobby the …uh…more subtle nature of wizard orders," the older elf volunteered, looking at the other elf with a modicum of fatherly fondness.

"Very good, Kreacher," said Harry with no small amount of surprise. "Now, Dobby," he continued, and the hired free elf bobbed up and down in eager anticipation, "am I to understand that Remus and Tonks are here for Hermione's birthday brunch?" Both Dobby and Kreacher nodded.

"What!" shrieked Hermione sitting up suddenly and pulling the quilt around herself, exposing Harry completely. "What time is it?"

Harry quickly grabbed a pillow to cover himself and laughed, "Almost eleven." Then, turning to the elves he said, "Tell our guests that we'll be down in five minutes. You may serve them tea and biscuits if they wish, while they wait."

"Make that fifteen minutes!" called Hermione, already dashing out of the room toward the bath, the quilt billowing behind her.

"Sorry," said Harry to Lupin and Tonks eleven minutes later as he and Hermione stepped into the parlor, fully dressed and holding hands.

"We kind of lost track of time," added Hermione sitting with Harry on the sofa across from the couple. "Harry was giving me my birthday present," she said. Harry gaped at his fiancée, unable to believe she was able to say that with a straight face.

"I'll bet," smirked Tonks glancing between the both of them, her hair turning from lemon yellow to hot pink.

"So what did you give her, Harry?" asked Remus, clueless. "What?" he winced, when his young wife elbowed him in the ribs and gave him that I can't believe I married someone so thick look. He was getting used to that look from her.

"The same thing I got you for your birthday this year, remember?" she hissed.

"New socks?" he asked, still clueless. Tonks gave him another look and he suddenly turned red and choked on his tea, "Oh! Um, yes…um…right!" After a few moments of embarrassed silence, with Harry and Hermione blushing fiercely, the two couples were rescued by Kreacher, who came to announce that the brunch was ready.

"By the way," Tonks said to Hermione as the four walked down the hall to the dining room, "I keep forgetting to mention it, but I really like your hair short like that. It shows off your graceful neck." As she said this, her own hair became short and curly like Hermione's, though it stayed pink.

"Thanks!" said Hermione, blushing at the compliment. "You should have seen it a few weeks ago. I turned it black. And we gave Harry a blonde faux-hawk!" They were soon all nearly in tears from laughing as she described their "Muggle" disguises.

Remus and Tonks were surprised when, after serving up the delicious brunch, the two house elves sat down at the table to join them in eating it. Remus looked questioningly at Harry, who only smiled and said, "We're all family here. And families eat together." Dobby nodded vigorously and Kreacher managed a slight lessening of his usual scowl. Hermione looked at Harry with pride and squeezed his knee appreciatively under the table. The rest of the meal was spent in pleasant small talk about lighthearted topics, culminating in an outrageously off-key rendition of the birthday song as Hermione laughingly blew out the eighteen candles on her cake.

Harry and Remus insisted on cleaning up, despite the objections of the elves, who kept getting underfoot, making the task nearly impossible. Finally giving it up as a lost cause, the humans all retired to the sunny parlor for coffee. The Lupins gave Hermione her birthday presents, apologizing for their quality. "Shopping opportunities have been a little scarce," joked Remus, as Hermione unwrapped a rare book on transfiguration he selected from his own prized collection. She thanked him with a kiss on the cheek and a tear in her eye. She knew how precious his books were to him and how poor he was. Tonks' gift was more practical, consisting of several containers of potions and potion-making ingredients. Hermione hugged the young Auror, whose hair turned from the festive red and purple it had been during brunch to a shiny brown, matching Hermione's color perfectly. Tonks had overheard the young witch grousing the other day that her supplies were getting depleted and her worry about how to replenish them. Especially concerning to her were her lack of polyjuice potion, which took months to brew, and veritaserum, which they had used in great quantities while interrogating their captives, who were now residing in locked and warded rooms in the basement of Grimmauld Place.

After awhile the conversation turned to the topics that were always on their minds. In the days since the events at Prewett Manor, the four had shared everything they knew and now remembered, both about the Order of the Phoenix and about Tom Riddle and the Death Eaters. Remus, especially, was horrified at the news about Riddle's horcruxes. Hermione showed him and Tonks the description of how they were created in the copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art book that she had "liberated" from Dumbledore's office. The fact that Riddle made six such terrifying pieces of dark magic made them all shiver. Remus agreed with them that he would have chosen important artifacts from Hogwarts for some of the horcruxes, given his ties to the school, but none of them could guess what the additional objects would be beyond the known locket and cup.

After finishing their coffee, the group moved upstairs to the Black library. One entire wall was now taken up with Harry and Hermione's "Wall of Mysteries". Hermione hadn't said anything the other day at the complete devastation inside the tent when they went into it to retrieve their collection of notes and diagrams on their quest. Instead she gave Harry a reassuring hug when he shamefacedly admitted to "losing it a bit" when Ron had taken her. After the intervening days of questioning their captive Order members, the section of the "Wall" on Dumbledore's machinations was now much larger and detailed.

Several days earlier, right after leaving Prewett Manor, they had gone straight to Grimmauld Place. Remus re-did the Fidelius Charm and Dobby nearly died in tearful shock when Harry asked that the eager elf be made their secret keeper. Tonks and the elves set up additional powerful wards on the house, with Hermione watching and learning attentively. They then transferred their still petrified prisoners from Great Aunt Muriel's library to secure rooms that Kreacher prepared in the basement of Grimmauld Place. Tonks' training as an Auror was invaluable during the subsequent interrogations that took place over the next few days.

The interview with Molly Weasley had proven the most difficult for Harry. Questioning with veritaserum revealed that the woman he once thought of as a surrogate mother was totally and utterly committed to Dumbledore and his ideas for achieving the "Greater Good", regardless of the costs for Harry and Hermione, or anyone else for that matter. Under the influence of the truth potion, Mrs. Weasley stated simply that she would continue to try to use whatever means necessary to enact Dumbledore's plan for Harry to the letter. Not knowing whether he wanted to yell at her, to try to convince her the error of her ways, or to just plain kill her, Harry ran from the interrogation room. At the reassuring nods of Tonks and Remus, Hermione soon followed after him. He wasn't hard to find, given the volume of his cursing and the accompanying explosions as he directed his emotions at the furniture in one of the bedrooms that hadn't yet been renovated by Kreacher.

"Harry?" Hermione asked softly from the doorway after he paused blasting holes in the mattress. He turned to her and she gasped at the tortured look on his face.

"Why can't they just leave us alone?" he asked, his voice constricted with both anger and tears. "Why Hermione? Why?" She ran to him immediately, throwing her arms around him. They stood, holding each other for several minutes before Hermione lead him to their own bedroom. Harry shut down completely, falling asleep in her arms. Meanwhile, Hermione's brain churned down countless avenues of plans of her own, many involving revenge on all those who had wronged her man, from Voldemort to Dumbledore, from the Dursleys to the Weasleys.

She was still plotting over an hour later when Harry woke up and softly kissed her cheek. "Sorry," he said simply. "I kind of lost it again, didn't I?" Hermione nodded, pursing her lips. "I just feel so many things all at once," Harry continued. "Anger, sadness, frustration, fear. Sometimes I think I'm simply going to explode." He paused then smiled, "I guess I've got Ron beat in the emotional range department."

Hermione's lip twitched, then she nodded. "Way more than a teaspoon, Harry. That's what I've always loved about you. Though you used to keep it bottled up too long. Sometimes it is good to vent," she added with a restrained voice, "to let it all out."

"That's what you've been doing while I slept," he said suddenly grinning at her. "You've been venting, but in that special Hermione way."

"What do you mean?" she asked, her curiosity overcoming her desire to hold on to her own anger and frustration.

"You've been devising plans to take over the world, haven't you? And get back at our enemies? A Dark Queen enacting vengeance on all who dare oppose her!"

"You know me too well, Harry Potter," she said, blushing.

"Tell me, did you come up with an anagram for this Avenging Angel you are to become, like Tom Riddle did? Wait, don't tell me," he said holding up a hand, then tapping on his temple. "Let's see Hermione Granger….hmmm….I know! 'Enraging Her More!' What do you think? Or…or…'Mean Herring Ogre!'"

In spite of herself, Hermione started to smirk, holding back a laugh. "Actually," she admitted, blushing even more, I was using Hermione Potter, but could only come up with 'Heroine Temptor'. Pretty lame, huh?"

"Hermione Potter, huh? I like the sound of that." He said with a warm smile, squeezing her in a hug. "Let's see….How about 'More Ripe Hot Teen'?"

She broke into a laugh and slapped his chest. "I don't think that quite works. Too many e's!" They spent the next few minutes coming up with more insane anagrams for both Hermione Granger and Hermione Potter. Their laughter grew louder as the titles got more bawdy, culminating in 'Green Harem Groin' from Harry and 'Re-enter it, oomph!' from a seriously blushing Hermione. During a pause in their hilarity, they heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in!" called Hermione, still laughing.

"Everyone decent in here?" said Tonks, pushing the door open just a crack.

"'Theorem Pointer' and I are anything but decent," said Harry with a smile.

"What 'Thy Pert Roar' here is trying to say," Hermione said to a perplexed Tonks as she stepped into the room, "is that he's doing much better."

"Good one, love!" exclaimed Harry, after working out the anagram of his own name. "What's up, Tonks?"

The ex-Auror looked at the two teens for a moment, her hair shifting between several colors rapidly, expressing her confusion. Shaking her head and settling on her favorite pink shade, she said, "Remus and I have finished the interrogations, if you want to come to the library we can go over our notes."

"We'll be right there," Hermione said, sitting up and swinging her legs off the bed. "Right, 'Try Hero Prat'?"

"I give up," Harry laughed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Your amazing brain is just to fast for me….'Morning Rage Here'!" Hermione laughed. She had more anagrams of his name in mind, but kept silent, letting him have the last word…this time. She was just glad he had his emotions under control again.

The next day, after some followup questions that Hermione suggested for some of the prisoners, they sat down together again and summarized what they had decided about the captive Order members with new notes on the Wall of Mysteries: Molly Weasley – do not trust, totally committed to D. and his plan – keep imprisoned and isolated. Arthur Weasley – can trust, but heartbroken over actions of his family and D., admits more loyal to M. than his own conscience – keep imprisoned, but comfortable, work on. Kingsley Shacklebolt – unknown level of trust, could be powerful ally, but has always been D.'s man, though seems torn now – keep imprisoned, but comfortable, try to convert. Muriel Prewett (and elf) – unknown level of trust, has no love for D., but loyal to family over all – keep imprisoned, but comfortable. Ron Weasley – do not trust, does care about H. and H., but too weak to stand up to M. and D. – keep imprisoned and as slug. Hermione added the last bit with a growl of anger. She would never forgive their former friend.

Of the rest of the Order, they determined that Minerva McGonagall, Rubeus Hagrid, and Severus Snape were the only others left from Dumbledore's inner circle. The rest were as oblivious to the Headmaster's machinations as Remus and Tonks were. Hermione suggested that Remus try to contact the others, discretely, testing them for memory charms and compulsions and restoring obliviated memories when necessary. They decided not to let any of them know about Harry and Hermione's whereabouts until their loyalties could be ascertained.

As the Sun set on Hermione's birthday, the two couples were still talking and making plans in the Black library. Suddenly Harry gasped. Pushing Hermione's legs off his lap, he slid to his knees on the floor, clutching his forehead and groaning in pain. He woke, curled in a fetal position several minutes later, his lightning bolt scar throbbing. Hermione had his head in her lap and was bent over him, gently caressing his hair. Remus and Tonks were behind her, looking concerned. Tonks' hair was as grey as her husband's. Dobby and Kreacher were nearby, wringing their long hands with worry. Harry sat up and gratefully took the cup of tea offered by Dobby.

"What did you see?" Hermione asked softly, knowing what caused these fits. "What is Riddle up to?"

Taking a sip of tea with slowly steadying hands, Harry looked around at all of them and said, "He's angry, of course. I only seem to connect with him when he's really upset. He's in eastern Europe…Albania, I think. He's still hunting down the trail of that boy who stole whatever it is he wanted from Gregorovitch. He's getting frustrated because he can't find him or it. I watched him torture an old woman's family in front of her, trying to get information from her. He ended up killing them all when she didn't know anything useful." Hermione hugged him while Tonks and Remus looked on with serious faces.

Harry sat back and held his fiancée by the shoulders, looking her in the eyes. "Hermione," he said, "I think we need to go to Godric's Hollow now."

She bit her lower lip and shook her head. "Harry, we've talked about this. It's too dangerous. He'll be expecting you to go there. He's probably got Death Eaters or worse waiting for us there."

"Maybe, but we know that he won't be there right now. He's distracted with this Gregorovitch thing. His focus is completely on that. There's never going to be a better time."

"Why do you want to go to Godric's Hollow?" Tonks asked.

"It's where Harry's parents lived," said Remus softly, his face showing inner pain and sorrow, "and died."

"It's also where Dumbledore grew up," Harry added. "And Bathilda Bagshot still lives there."

"The magical historian?" asked Tonks.

"We think she may know some useful information, maybe clues about the horcruxes, or have a message from Dumbledore," Hermione said, not taking her eyes away from Harry's face. "Or she may even have the Sword of Gryffindor that Dumbledore left to Harry in his will. Harry thinks that Dumbledore knew something about the sword that would be important in getting rid of the horcruxes."

"Please, Hermione," Harry pleaded, holding her hands and looking beseechingly into her eyes.

"I'm not your mother, Harry!" she snapped, jumping up angrily. "You don't need my permission to do what you want!" She huffed and stormed, red-faced toward the door.

"No," Harry called after her, his brain working faster than his passion for once. "You're not my mother. You're my partner…the love of my life…the brightest witch of any age. I won't go if you don't think it's a good idea. How many times have I had to learn that lesson? Me not listening to you about going to the Ministry in fifth year cost Sirius his life and nearly got you killed." Hermione stopped in the doorway but kept her back to the room. Harry took a breath and said calmly, " I can't believe I'm saying this to you, of all people, but I want you to think about this rationally. Just tell me the real reason why you don't want us to go to Godric's Hollow, Hermione."

The young woman bowed her head. She turned around slowly and they all saw the tears running down her blotchy face. "I'm scared, Harry," she croaked. "Plain and simple, I'm terrified that you're going to die. I just got you back. We're closer than ever. We're engaged, for goodness sake, and we've been living like…like a happily married couple. I don't think I could handle it if I lose you. I don't want to live without you."

Ignoring the others in the room who were watching with rapt attention the intimate moment between the two young lovers, Harry walked over to Hermione and engulfed her in a hug. She sobbed into his chest. He'd never seen her more frail and vulnerable. She was his rock. She was always the one to calm him down, to make the right choices, to plan what needed to be done. It shook him to the core to see her like this.

"I don't want to live without you, either," he said softly into her hair. "But the sooner we get this stupid horcrux thing done and finish off Tom Riddle for good, the sooner we can get down to being just us, two people madly in love." Hermione lifted her head from his chest and swallowed her tears, nodding at him. "I can't do it without you. I don't want to do it without you." She nodded again and wiped her face with her sleeve.

Stepping out from the circle of his arms and putting on a determined face, she turned to the others and said confidently, "Right then, I guess we need to start planning for Harry's and my visit to Godric's Hollow." To the astonishment of everyone except Harry, she walked over to the desk and grabbed a piece of blank parchment and a quill. Harry smiled at her, knowing he had his rock back.