Chapter 10 – Down Under
Hermione and Ron spent three and a half hours travelling to Australia by portkey and covered an eleven hour time difference during their travels. When they arrived, two Aurors were waiting in the office at the Australian Ministry that was their final landing point. Neither wanted to admit it, but the long distance portkeys had taken their toll. The taller of the two Aurors stepped forward with a grin.
"Good evening and welcome to Australia! I'm Greg Daniels, senior Auror assigned to assist you while you're in country. I must say that it is a pleasure to meet the two of you."
Ron nodded his head and let Hermione step forward. This trip was hers and he was going to let her lead, as long as she wasn't in danger. Hermione extended her hand to Auror Daniels.
"Good evening, I'm Hermione Granger and this is my boyfriend, Ron Weasley. Thank you for assisting us, especially considering the late hour."
Auror Daniels shook Hermione's hand enthusiastically.
"No trouble at all Miss Granger. Word of what the Golden Trio has done for the wizarding world has even reached us Down Under. May I also introduce Auror Arthur Jameson."
A stocky young Auror with ruddy cheeks and a huge grin bounced forward. He didn't look much older than Hermione and Ron and effusively greeted them before stepping back and letting Auror Daniels take over.
"Well now, I think the two of you are probably ready to get to the hotel. I've only done one long distance portkey to Tokyo and that knackered me for a day. I can't imagine how you must be feeling coming in from England. We've got a car waiting in the garage."
Hermione and Ron followed the Aurors through several maze like corridors before taking a lift up several levels and emerging in a surprisingly well stocked garage. Ron's eyes bugged out as he looked around.
"Merlin! Dad would have a seizure here."
Hermione laughed and explained to the Aurors.
"Ron's dad, Arthur, has an obsession with all things muggle, especially automobiles."
"Well, we keep a good stock on hand since we often have to travel around muggles discreetly. Although, many of the options on these automobiles are anything but standard. Come, our assigned vehicle is over here."
The four of them made their way to a nice, non-descript black Mercedes and Jameson proceeded to the driver's seat. Seeing Ron's excitement, Daniels turned to him and offered the passenger side. Although Ron wanted to sit with Hermione, the lure of checking out the instrument panels up front was enticing. Hermione saw his indecision and laughed, pushing him forward while she and Daniels took the backseat. The drive wasn't far and traffic was light at the late hour, so soon they were pulling up to the hotel.
Jameson parked in a VIP slot up front and waved off the valet. Hermione thought she saw some sort of hand signal pass between them, but couldn't be sure. They crossed the lobby and the two Aurors boxed them in on either side, scanning the room constantly as they moved them quickly to the lifts. Jameson pulled Hermione and Ron to the side when the lift arrived and Daniels checked it before they entered. While Hermione appreciated the caution, it was putting her on edge. They made their way to the fifteenth floor and a similar drill was run before they were allowed to exit the lift. Then they were led to the end of the hall and Daniels produced two key cards and let them into the suite. Once they were in, the Aurors immediately began scanning the room. Then they cast privacy and silencing charms before turning back to Hermione and Ron and talking for the first time since they arrived at the hotel.
"Alright, everything is clear. Apologies on the rush job, but you can never be too sure. Now, I know it's late, but the two of you should eat. Room service here runs a full menu until midnight, so why don't you order and then we can talk while you wait for the food."
Ron and Hermione took the menu that Daniels offered and both quickly decided on full steak dinners. Hermione looked at the price and blanched, but figured they could splurge for one night. Daniels noticed the look and reassured her.
"Not to worry Miss Granger, all expenses at the hotel are being covered by the Ministry. Least we can do after everything you two have done. Steak is a good choice to rebuild your nutrients."
Hermione thanked him and went to the phone to place the orders. Then she turned back to the two Aurors and the four of them took seats at the dining table near the suite's kitchen. Daniels was the first to speak.
"Alright Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, here is…"
"Auror Daniels, please, we're just Hermione and Ron. And please, no Golden Trio. That moniker is not one that we welcomed."
"Okay, thank you. And the same for us, Greg and Art. Now, your parents have been under observation for about a week. I personally saw them yesterday and I thought I'd give you an update. I've been informed you established the identities that they are using, Wendell and Monica Wilkins. Can you tell us more details of what exactly you did?"
"Yes, when I performed the memory charms to remove myself and their lives in England, I wanted to have new identities to fill the gaps. I also had to modify the memory of their partner, who has been running their dental clinic. Then I sent brief notes to all their friends, indicating mum was sick and going to the States for medical treatment. Then I had to use magic on their muggle documents and establish their dental degrees in their new names. The hardest part was the muggle government documentation. I'm afraid I had to use several confundus charms on different officials to file the new licenses. I had to do similar charms when I set up a new bank account in the Wilkins name. Then, I did the final charm and called for the taxi to take them to the airport before I disappeared without them seeing me. I spent several months planning and researching and close to two weeks implementing the details of my plan."
Ron sat, staring at his love and marveled anew at her brilliance. She had told him in general terms what she had done, but he hadn't realized the extent of the work involved. He reached to her and clasped her hand.
"You're amazing Mya love. Just when I don't think you can amaze me more, you do."
She smiled at him and leaned over to give him a brief kiss, oblivious to the two grinning Aurors. Daniels cleared his throat and they pulled apart.
"Well, I have to say I agree with Ron. What you did is astounding. That would have taken an entire team from our department to manage. Obviously your charms were well done. It's been a bit over a year and they seem to be holding. Now, let me tell you what I know about Wendell and Monica. They arrived in Sydney a little over a year ago. Our investigations indicate that they spent around four weeks at different hotels around the city. Eventually they came to Milson's Point and stayed in a local hotel for a couple of weeks. During that time they became acquainted with a large local dental clinic. The clinic has nine dentists of varying specialties and regularly needs someone to fill in when one of them is out. They're renting a two bedroom flat near the clinic and have established themselves in the community. Wendell takes most of the dental shifts, while Monica works a couple of times a week and spends most of her week at a local gallery. Her paintings are sold in the gallery and she also works there part time. They've been seen out with friends several times and seem to be well adjusted. There is something else I need to tell you, and I have to warn you it may not be easy to hear."
Hermione clasped Ron's hand and felt her stomach do several flips. If her parents were hurt or something had gone wrong with the spells, she'd never forgive herself. Ron stroked her arm to calm her and they both waited for Daniels to continue.
"Hermione, the key development that I need to let you know is that your mother is pregnant. About four months by our figuring."
Hermione suddenly felt faint and began to sway on her chair. Ron reached over and pulled her onto his lap. She let herself be wrapped up in his arms while she tried to adjust to the news. Both Aurors remained quiet, knowing the shock that had just been delivered. After a few minutes, she was finally able to respond.
"Are you…are you sure? Mum had a really hard time when I was born. She almost died and dad got a vasectomy the week after she got home. He said he couldn't live without her and wouldn't put her through that again. And they're not young anymore."
"Yes, we're sure. The first Aurors on the observation detail didn't realize. Then one of the women Aurors saw her and knew immediately. Actually gave some of the guys a hard time for not seeing it. We've also done some listening on conversations when they've been out in public and they've discussed it. They both seem quite happy. And your mother is not quite forty-four, so she's still in her child bearing years."
"Yes, I guess she is. It's just that I'm 19 and an only child and now I'm not. Gods, what have I done?"
"Mya love, you haven't done anything except try to protect your parents. And you did amazing, they're happy here and doing well."
Hermione nodded and grew silent for a couple of more minutes.
"Yes, they're happy. So, what do I do now? Should I even be thinking about turning their world upside down and removing the charms? Maybe they'd be better if I just let them be. I want them back, but is that just selfish of me?"
"Mya love, what happens if the charms break on their own at some time in the future? Not that I doubt your abilities, but memory charms aren't precise. Flitwick emphasized that multiple times with us."
"Hermione, I have to agree with Ron. We've got several memory experts in the department and they've discussed this. They're actually very excited to discuss the work you've done. They would have expected charms as extensive as you did to have started to break by now. The first signs your parents would have would be flashes of their lives as the Grangers. Normally memory charms are only used to erase details or singular events. Modifying whole lives is something monumental in comparison. No, they think that removing the charms carefully and soon is better. If there is a massive breakdown of the charms, it could be catastrophic. I'm sorry to seem dramatic, but it has been a matter of quite a bit of discussion within the department."
Hermione suppressed a small cry and nodded.
"Well, it seems like I don't have much choice. I do worry though, what about the pregnancy? I don't want to cause any problems for the baby. I had plans on how to do this, but now I'm doubting myself."
"The department has a plan on how to proceed, pending your agreement. I know this is all a bit much, but Minister Shacklebolt and our minister, Minister Ryan, have emphasized that we are to provide every resource necessary to assist you. Tomorrow afternoon the team that has been assembled for you would like to meet to review the plans, with the goal of restoring your parents tomorrow evening. Myself, Art, a healer, and another Auror, Gwen are on the team. Gwen has been an Auror for almost twenty years. Prior to that, she was a teacher and she is our foremost expert on memory charms. She's managed to extract memories for legal proceedings that others thought were impossible. If you're in agreement, we can all meet here at three and then proceed to your parents' flat around five. I know it's quick, but Minister Shacklebolt seemed to think that once you were here you wouldn't want to delay."
"Yes, Kingsley knows me too well. Alright, I'll agree to meet at three. I can't say that I will be ready to move tomorrow evening. I still need to think about all this. Right now I'm too tired."
"Understood. Well, your food should be here shortly. I would suggest that you eat and sleep in tomorrow. We'll ward the suite and there are four Aurors in place around the hotel, three shifts of eight hours each. Art and I will be available to you at eight tomorrow morning in the lobby if you wish to look around. We'd ask that you not leave the hotel without an escort."
Hermione nodded and Ron hugged her tighter. Then a knock sounded on the door. Art stood and cast a transparency charm to confirm that room service had arrived. Greg stood, ready to guard, while Art opened the door. Their dinner was pushed in on a cart and Art paid the tip. Once the door closed, Greg turned back to Hermione and Ron and wished them a good night. Art did the same and then the two Aurors left them alone. Ron carefully stood up, unfolding Hermione from his lap. He settled her on a chair at the table and went to uncover their food. He laid out their dinner and poured wine for both of them before joining Hermione at the table. They ate in silence for a few minutes when he felt that he needed to reassure Hermione.
"Mya love, I know it's been a long day and you've been through a lot. I just want you to know that I'm here and together we'll get through this. And I think with the resources that the Ministry has everything will be alright. No matter what, I love you."
Hermione looked at him and suddenly propelled herself out of her chair and back onto Ron's lap. He pushed his plate back and just held her, rocking her as she sobbed. He knew she hadn't felt she could release herself when the Aurors were in the room. They stayed like that for many minutes until she finally settled and pulled back from his shoulder. Ron took a napkin and wiped her face, happy that she seemed to be a bit more relaxed.
"Come love, we need to eat. We need the nutrients after all the travel."
Hermione nodded and moved back to her own chair while Ron cast warming spells on their plates. They talked casually while they ate, with Hermione telling Ron more about her parents. One fact that she was pleased by was that her mum was painting again. It had been a hobby years earlier that gradually diminished when the Grangers' dental practice became too busy. Now it seemed that painting was the primary focus in her life. Once they finished eating, she instructed Ron to just stack the dishes and place them outside the door. As he began to do as she asked, suddenly a scream echoed from the bathroom. Dropping the stack, Ron rushed to see what the problem was. When he entered the bathroom, Hermione was standing in the middle of the room and seemed fine, leaving Ron puzzled until she explained.
"Ron! We have a Jacuzzi tub!"
"Um...fantastic, I guess?"
"Oh, that's right. You wouldn't know. It's a muggle thing and exactly what I need tonight. This one is big enough for both of us. I'll go ahead and start filling it and show you how it works. I'll have it ready by the time you finish putting the dishes out the door."
Ron nodded, still unsure why this bathtub was so special. Still, it was big enough for two so that alone made it special and he certainly wasn't arguing. He finished clearing their dinner dishes and made his way back to the bathroom. When he arrived, a glorious sight waited for him. The bathtub was full and Hermione was stepping into it, her back turned to him with her beautiful bum on display. He groaned in appreciation and she turned to look over her shoulder at him.
"Do you plan on bathing in your clothes Ron?"
Ron shook his head stupidly and began to rip at his shirt as Hermione settled into the tub.
"Not so fast there big man. I'd like a show."
Ron groaned, but the look on Hermione's face made him slow down. He finished pulling his shirt off slowly and then reached for his belt, unbuckling it carefully and then pulling it out of his jeans loop by loop. Hermione watched carefully and licked her lips. The sight of her tongue caressing her mouth hardened Ron even more and he desperately needed to get out of the confining jeans, but he kept at his slow pace as he lowered his zip and then stopped to kick his trainers aside. Returning to his jeans, he turned and lowered them with his backside to the tub, wiggling his bum as he went. The jeans were then kicked aside as he slowly turned around. When he saw Hermione, she was rubbing her breasts and her mouth was hanging open. Ron slipped his fingers in the waistband of his boxers and very slowly lowered them. Once the boxers fell, he sauntered over to the tub and placed one foot in, positioning himself right in front of Hermione's face. Then his second foot came over the edge of the tub and he gradually lowered himself into a perfect position as her head moved forward and her tongue grazed the head of his cock. He groaned and closed his eyes for a split second when suddenly he felt her mouth engulf him. Then she reached up and began to play with his bollocks, dribbling warm water on them as Ron's moans grew louder. He felt himself getting close and wasn't ready to cum yet as he pulled himself away and sunk to his knees in the tub, placing one knee between her thighs as he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. As his mouth explored her, his hands did the same as he reached down between her legs. They continued like that for several minutes when she stopped him, panting.
"Alright Ron, let me show you what this tub does. Here's what makes it a Jacuzzi."
With that, she reached to the side and pressed a button. Suddenly there was a rumble that caused him to jump and then the air jets started as the water frothed around them. Ron's look of surprise changed to pleasure as the sensation of the rolling water hit them.
"Fuck that's amazing. I seriously need to get one of these. Think we can make one run on magic?"
Hermione laughed and pulled him back to her. Soon he found himself trying to balance over her while snogging her senseless and trying to not get dunked. Then he felt her small hand grip his shaft and realized she was pulling him toward her. Shifting his position, he readily complied and entered her swiftly. Setting a rhythm in the tub was difficult, but they soon found a way and before long she screamed to completion, muffling herself against his chest. He wasn't far behind as he emptied himself and then sat back to smile at her. When he moved back, one of the jets hit his ass just right and Ron's eyes rolled in his head. He moved himself slightly and sat back to let the jets work on his back, while he smiled over at his lover. He noticed her eyes were drifting and realized they should probably finish in the tub before they fell asleep.
"Mya love, you look exhausted. I hadn't planned on making love after the day we've had, but I'm not complaining. Still, we should probably get clean and get some sleep. Why don't I wash you?"
She just smiled and yawned at him as Ron reached for the shampoo. Moving around behind her, he carefully worked the shampoo into her mass of hair before then grabbing the hand sprayer and rinsing. Next, she instructed him on conditioning. Then, he took a washcloth and carefully started with her face and then worked down her body. As he washed her breasts, he couldn't help himself as he started to rise again. Trying to ignore his arousal and focus on Hermione, who now had her head back and eyes closed as she enjoyed the attention, he continued washing on down her body. As he finished, he realized she was snoring lightly and shook his head. He then quickly cleaned himself before getting out of the tub. He dried himself and then reached in the tub to wake her. She was barely conscious as he guided her out and toweled her off. Wrapping her hair in a towel, he led her to bed and settled her between the crisp white sheets, deciding to forgo clothing in the warm room. Completely exhausted, he crawled in to spoon her and was instantly asleep.
Hermione woke the next morning shortly after nine and was a bit surprised until she remembered where she was. Then she looked over at Ron and smiled. He was sleeping on his stomach and his hair was a complete mess. Reaching up, she felt her own hair and realized it was still wrapped in a towel. Groaning, she slowly extricated herself and made her way to the bathroom. There was no way Ron would have known, but sleeping with her hair in a towel was a sure way to make it an impossibly matted mess. She went to her bag and found her hairbrush, ready to start the battle with her hair. She unwound the towel and started in on the mass, but she was shocked to find that it actually wasn't bad at all, no worse than a normal day. Wondering what Ron had done, she went to the tub and found that it hadn't been drained. She drained it and then reached over to grab the shampoo and conditioner he had used. It was a local Australian brand that had been provided by the hotel. Hermione had never heard of it before, but quickly decided that she should think about switching brands.
Within a few minutes she had her hair righted and pulled on a robe as she went to call for room service. She decided to order two full breakfasts, complete with stacks of pancakes. Ron was still sleeping and she enjoyed doing something for him after the way he had cared for her the previous night. In the month since their relationship escalated from friends to lovers, she had discovered just how much he had matured and was continually finding new reasons to love him. His choice of her nickname had been a surprise, but she liked it. She also surprised herself by being more open personally than she would have been in the past. After all that they had done, what did the occasional PDA really matter? Soon, her reverie was broken by the arrival of breakfast and she went and gently shook Ron awake. He grumbled and groaned as usual.
"Come on lover boy, time to wake up. I ordered breakfast. Pancakes."
"Huh? Pancakes?"
Hermione laughed.
"I knew that would do it. Nothing like food to get you moving. Come along or I'll eat them all. And maybe you should put on a robe. You're a bit distracting right now."
Hermione left him and returned to the other room. A few minutes later, Ron appeared, yawning. He descended on her, kissing her soundly before settling at the table. They ate heartily, while discussing the day. Both felt surprisingly good after the long trip and wanted to do a bit of sightseeing in the few hours they had until the meeting at three. Finishing breakfast, they dressed quickly and made their way cautiously to the lobby. They remained on high alert, but saw nothing alarming. Once they reached the lobby, Art spotted them first and came over from the left side, while Greg appeared and came from the opposite side.
"Good morning you two! Sleep well?"
"Yes Greg, the suite is quite nice. We had a good large brunch as well and were thinking about looking around a bit."
"Excellent. Did you have a plan? If not, I can make a suggestion."
"Please."
"Well, there happens to be a walking tour that starts from a park about two blocks from here. It covers a lot of the main sights around the waterfront. Takes about three hours."
"Brilliant, lead on."
The four of them exited the hotel and turned right as Greg kept up a steady stream of discussion. He was muggle born, native to Sydney, and quite proud of his city. Soon they arrived at the park and joined a larger group of tourists. Their timing was perfect, as the tour left about fifteen minutes later. The guide was quite knowledgeable and the walk was set at a good pace for everyone in the group. Hermione and Ron enjoyed it immensely and the activity kept their minds distracted from what was coming later in the day. Shortly before two, the tour wrapped near St. Andrew's Cathedral and Greg went to thank and tip their guide. Hermione tried to pay, but he waved her off. As the group of tourists dissolved, the four of them headed back toward the hotel.
They were within a block of the hotel when suddenly a Sydney police officer approached them. Greg smiled, but placed himself in front of Hermione and Ron. As the officer came closer, he suddenly drew his gun. Ignoring the muggles around them, Hermione and Ron quickly drew their wands, but then Art let loose with a barrage of his own wandwork. The gun fired once, but the bullet bounced off the shield that Ron had quickly cast around Greg, who was busy with offensive spells. Within seconds, the officer was down on the ground, stunned and bound. Greg and Art meanwhile pulled Hermione and Ron closer. Then the corner where they were standing became suddenly crowded as the backup team that Greg had signaled for arrived. The next few minutes were chaos as the officer was gathered and apparated away to the Ministry. A team of Obliviators arrived next and began to work on the muggles nearby. Meanwhile, Greg, Art, and two other Aurors hustled Hermione and Ron back to the hotel. Once they were safely back in their room, Greg opened the bar and pulled out beers for everyone before he spoke for the first time since the start of the incident.
"First, let me apologize for that. We thought we had everything handled and the area was safe. Obviously we missed something and we'll get to the bottom of this immediately. Also, thank you Ron for your quick shielding. You have excellent reflexes. Ever thought about being an Auror?"
"Actually, Kingsley offered the three of us Auror positions earlier this week. I'm still considering."
"Well, I think you'd be quite good at it. Anyway, now we need to decide on our next steps."
"I'm sorry Greg, next steps? I thought we were going to my parents later?"
"What? You still want to proceed with the plan?"
"Of course. I suspect that what happened was a singular attack. We'll all be on guard even more now. I wouldn't expect more trouble today."
"I agree with Hermione. Let's get this done. It will be better for everyone if we can get our business wrapped up."
Greg looked at the two of them and shook his head.
"Alright, fine. Gods, you two really are something. Let's see, it's not quite 2:30. Let me confirm with the other team members to proceed as planned. Art, please order us some snacks for the meeting."
The two Aurors left to attend to their tasks and Hermione settled into the couch, still absorbing what had happened. Ron joined her, not saying anything, just providing the support she needed. As he held her, she turned her head to him and he couldn't help himself as he started kissing her. When Greg returned at ten minutes to three, he found them half reclined and wrapped together, snogging and oblivious to his return. He tried to suppress a smile, but couldn't help himself. Deciding to stop his voyeurism, he cleared his throat and waited for them to disengage. A minute later they came up for air and looked over at him.
"Uh, sorry Greg, didn't hear you come back."
"No, you seemed a bit distracted."
Hermione smoothed her hair and tried to return herself to a more professional appearance. Collecting herself, she looked over at Greg.
"Greg, my apologies for that. I know we have a lot of business to attend to. We'll remain professional from now on."
"No worries Hermione. Hell, the two of you are pretty darn cute together. After what happened earlier I'm glad you can still relax a bit. And you had a few minutes free, might as well use it."
Ron winked at Hermione as he gave her knee a squeeze. Pulling herself off the couch, she scowled at him and went to the dining table. Greg chuckled and Ron just shrugged, getting up to join her. A few minutes later, Art returned with a tray of snacks and two additional people.
"Hermione, Ron, I'd like to introduce Healer Val Michaels and Auror Gwen Fossett, the other two members of our team that will be accompanying you this evening."
Hermione and Ron greeted the newcomers and everyone settled down to go over the plan of how they would proceed with the encounter, using the latest observational data from earlier that morning. Hermione was nervous and tried to analyze every potential, raising eyebrows more than once at the table with her breadth of knowledge. She also peppered Gwen with questions on memory charms, especially considering the risk to an unborn child.
At 4:30 they had everything as planned as it could be and the six of them made their way down to the lobby. As they approached the front door, Ron looked around and noticed several people who appeared a bit too alert, and he was certain that the Ministry had placed extra guards given the events earlier in the day. They exited the hotel and made their way to a Land Rover with darkened windows that had more than enough room for their six person team. As they climbed in and pulled out, Ron noticed Hermione fidgeting and took her hand in his. As much as he wanted to pull her into his arms, he remembered her comments earlier and decided to remain 'professional'. They arrived in the Milson's Point neighborhood shortly before five and drove around a few minutes. Greg pointed out the dental clinic, as well as the gallery where Monica worked. The neighborhood looked like a nice, upscale city suburb and Hermione calmed a tiny bit being able to see it for herself. A couple of minutes after five they pulled down a side street and stopped at a quadplex. Art parked a short ways down the street as they walked to the building where the Wilkins had the lower right flat. Everyone was on alert, but the only other living creature around was a very friendly calico cat who kept trying to trip them. As they approached the door, Greg turned sideways and looked at Hermione.
"Alright, our agents in the area indicate that Monica returned home around four and that Wendell is still at the clinic. So, like we discussed, we'll take Monica first and then Wendell when he arrives home."
Hermione nodded, took a deep breath and squeezed Ron's hand tight. The two of them approached the door, leaving the other four standing to the side, slightly out of visual range. Hermione reached the door, knocked and waited. A minute later her mother appeared. Her hair was shorter and the small baby bump gave Hermione pause, but the sight of her still made Hermione's throat catch.
"Hello mam, we're with Paws for Cause rescue shelter and we were…"
As Hermione began her prepared speech, Ron quickly drew his wand and cast a confundus charm. Jean Granger's eyes crossed briefly and then she stared blankly as Hermione took over.
"…and of course we'll come in for tea, how nice of you to ask."
Hermione and Ron stepped into the door as Hermione took her mother's arm and walked into the living room. The other four team members followed behind, closing and warding the door. Jean Granger was coming around a bit and started to ask a disjointed question as Hermione sat her down on the couch.
"Now mam, there's no need to be concerned. You've just had a bit of a shock. I'm going to help you now."
Jean looked puzzled and then slightly startled as Hermione drew her wand and began to carefully cast the spells that she and Gwen had discussed. Gwen stood behind, wand drawn, sensing and watching as the casting began.
"Obliviatus inverto memoria reconcilio."
"Memorium reparo unum annum."
"Transvecto caudex."
"Purifico sensus."
As each spell hit Jean Granger, the look on her face changed. When the last spell cleared most of the initial confundus, it took just a few seconds before Jean finally responded.
"Hermione! What? What is going on? My head seems scrambled. Who is Monica? Wait, that's me, but I don't understand. Hello Ronald. Who are these other people? I'm in Australia? Yes, of course I am, I live here, but why?"
"Hi mum. There's a lot to explain and I want to wait for the full story until dad gets here. Briefly, I will tell you that there has been a war and you have been in hiding under an assumed identity. The war is over and we won, so I am now here to restore your identity. The people with me are Aurors and a healer. They are here to ensure that all goes well, and also that there is no harm to the baby."
Jean Granger shook her head, too confused to say much more at the moment. Then a sound from the front door shifted their attention.
"Alright mum, that will be dad, home from the clinic. Please stay here while we return his memories."
Hermione and Ron rushed back to the door as Neil Granger opened it and was momentarily startled to see strangers in his flat. Then Ron's confundus stunned him and Hermione took his hand to pull him in the door and lead him to the couch. She sat him down next to her mother and initiated the same sequence of spells she had used just a few minutes earlier. As Neil Granger's eyes refocused, he seemed shocked and tried to form questions, but the only word he could manage was Hermione's name. Hermione looked at Gwen, who was smiling and nodded. With that confirmation that the spells seemed to have worked, Hermione and Ron took seats across from the couch as she began the long and difficult process of reconciling her parents' two lives.
"Alright mum, dad, time for some explanations. I know everything is confused right now. Are you ready to hear the full story?"
Suddenly Neil erupted. "I would bloody hell hope so! What the hell is going on? Hermione, what did you do to us?"
Hermione quaked at the sight of her father's anger and Ron put his arm around her. Seeing that, Neil started a new tirade.
"Ronald, I know we have met before, but why are you here? And I would kindly appreciate that you take your hands off my daughter!"
Ron trembled just slightly, but held steadfast to Hermione and glared at her father as Hermione responded.
"Dad, stop! Ron is my boyfriend. He is here to support me and right now I need him. I do not want him to take his hands off me. Now, as soon as you are settled I will tell you everything."
Neil's jaw dropped a bit and he gasped, but seemed unable to say anything. Art appeared at his side with a glass of scotch that he had located. Looking at the complete stranger offering him his own scotch, Neil just shook his head, took the glass, and downed it. Then he turned back to his daughter and waited for the promised explanation.
"Alright dad, mum. What has happened to you is that I modified your memories and sent you into hiding to save your lives. There has been a long war within the wizarding world with a focus on eradicating muggleborn wizards and witches and bringing all muggles under wizard control. Harry, Ron, and I have been at the center of that and the two of you would have been targets to get at me. Despite what you may think at this moment, I love you both very much and could not allow you to be killed or tortured on my behalf. That is the summary, but now I need to give you details going back a number of years. I have not been truthful with you for quite a while. I am unique in the way I have had to straddle two worlds. I am a witch and could never be anything but, except that I was born a muggle with two wonderful non-magical parents. After I was petrified during my second year at Hogwarts, you will remember that you wanted to remove me from Hogwarts and force me to subdue my magic. That is impossible and something I could never tolerate. After that long summer of us battling and Professor McGonagall visiting to reassure you, I was finally allowed to return to school. From that point on, I have kept certain events within my world a secret from you. Those culminated with the events of the last year, during which I sent you into hiding."
"Oh great! So you've been lying to us for what? Five years? And you say you love us?"
Neil was out of seat and hovering over Hermione when Greg cast two quick spells, induresco and langlock. Neil was suddenly propelled backwards, stuck to the couch and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.
"Mr. Granger, I am Greg Daniels, senior Auror with the Australian Ministry of Magic. I am also the lead protection for your daughter and Mr. Weasley. They are two well-known heroes in our world and I would appreciate that you give them a chance to talk. The two spells I have cast on you will keep you from moving or talking and I will dissolve them when Hermione is finished. Mrs. Granger, you have remained quiet and I do not desire to use any additional spells on you due to the pregnancy, so please wait and I am sure Hermione will answer questions when she is done."
Hermione nodded her thanks to Greg, but still trembled, close to tears. Ron pulled her close and whispered for a few minutes. Once she settled, he gave her a brief kiss before turning to her parents. Surprisingly, Jean seemed to have a slight smile and he felt he should explain himself.
"Before Hermione continues with the story, I need to tell you both that I love your daughter. We've been friends for seven years and I've been slowly falling in love with her that whole time, although I was too stupid to admit it for a while. The war brought us together and I'm completely committed to her."
"And I am completely committed to Ron as well. Now, let me continue. I'll try to keep this summary brief. As you know from my second year, I was attacked and petrified by a malevolent force fueled by an artifact that was left behind by a dark wizard. That wizard's name was Tom Riddle, although he called himself Lord Voldemort. The artifact that allowed him to take control of others and attack me actually contained a piece of his soul. He was killed in the first war when Harry was a baby. Harry's mum sacrificed herself for her baby and his killing curse rebounded to him due to her loving sacrifice, effectively ripping him from his body. Unfortunately, he had split his soul and was able to possess others while he sought a way to return to physical form. He managed that return during my fourth year at school when he kidnapped Harry and killed another student before performing a dark rite that brought him back to physical form. His supporters, who call themselves Death Eaters, had gone into hiding after his first defeat then returned to his side at that time and he also began to rally new supporters. During my sixth year of school, you know that Headmaster Dumbledore died in an accident. Except that it was no accident. Dumbledore was killed as part of his ongoing quest to destroy a number of artifacts that Voldemort had created. Until all seven were destroyed, Voldemort's new physical form could never be killed."
"After I returned home following that horrible sixth year, I knew that Harry, Ron and I would have to continue Dumbledore's work. The reason for this is that there was a prophecy about Harry from the time he was a baby, foreseeing that he would be the one to defeat the Dark Lord. At the time I returned home, the reports of muggle killings and kidnappings also increased and I knew that my friendship with Harry would also make you targets. For that reason, I began the research and planning to keep you safe. Using a combination of magical and muggle means, I changed your identities and documents to those of Wendell and Monica Wilkins. Then I worked charms on Dr. Landis so that he would take over and keep your dental practice running until you returned. I also sent letters to your closest friends, advising that you were sick mum and would be seeking treatment at a spiritual retreat in New Mexico in the States. Finally, I removed everything that showed any evidence of myself in the house and then altered your memories and implanted the idea of coming to Australia. Once you left for the airport, I sealed the house with as many protections as possible and left the yard maintenance to a property management company. I haven't been back since to see what the place looks like, but Kingsley, that is the British Minister of Magic, has promised to assist with that. Finally, once I knew you were safe, I left for the Burrow. Not long after I arrived, the Ministry fell and Harry, Ron and I went on the run. We spent nearly a year continuing Dumbledore's quest, culminating in the Battle of Hogwarts. We lost a number of friends and all of us suffered some injuries, but we were victorious and the world is much safer for muggles and muggleborn witches and wizards now. Since the battle, we've been gradually rebuilding the school and trying to settle back into normal lives. Meanwhile, the Ministry is tracking down Death Eaters and their supporters that fled. Just a week ago two of them were arrested here in Australia. Once the Ministry deemed it was safe, I returned to restore what I took from you. I understand you are angry with me, but I would do it again. Even if you disown me, I would prefer to have you alive and out of my life than dead."
As she finished, Hermione drew her wand and cancelled the spells on her father. As she did, Greg and Art came closer and watched Mr. Granger carefully. He turned to his wife and took her hand, pulling her closer and the two started whispering to each other. Hermione waited for a response, clinging to Ron. After several minutes, Mr. Granger turned to his daughter and the look in his eyes was filled with pain.
"Hermione, I don't know what to say to you right now. I'm still very angry and also very confused. In addition to everything you've told me, I now have the memories of two existences, forty four years as Neil Granger and a year as Wendell Wilkins. It's the end of a full day as well and right now your mother and I need time to think and talk. I would ask that you and your associates please leave. We'll contact you in a day or two."
Hermione nodded and stood up to leave. Ron joined her and then turned to the Grangers.
"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I know you are confused and in pain, but I can assure you that it isn't near the pain that one feels when he has to witness those he loves be tortured and killed. My family buried my brother nearly a month ago. Believe me when I tell you that what Hermione did was necessary. Please call whenever you are ready. We are at the Hilton, suite 1505."
As they left the living room, Hermione turned back and looked at her parents. Her mother was crying softly as her father stared at her and Ron. Her control broke then and Ron had to grab her as her knees began to give way and her own sobs started. Mrs. Granger looked up at her daughter briefly before Ron ushered Hermione out the door. As soon as they were all outside, Ron turned to Greg.
"I know you don't normally apparate around muggles, but I think it's dark enough now. I'm taking us back to the suite directly."
Greg nodded and Ron held tight to Hermione as he turned and they disappeared. They landed in the living room of their suite and Ron set Hermione down as he went to the bar. He poured Hermione a large glass of wine that she downed in a few gulps. Next, he went to the bathroom and filled the tub. Returning to the living room, he found Hermione hadn't moved, although her empty glass hung limply from her fingers. He took the glass, set it aside and pulled her up. Then he led her to the bathroom where he carefully undressed her and then lowered her into the tub. Normally he would have been instantly aroused, but he gave only a slight twitch at the sight of her beautiful body. Once she was in the tub, he left and returned with a refilled glass. She took it, but still said nothing. He knew better than to tempt himself by climbing in, so he sat on the edge and lightly stroked her hair.
"Mya love, I'm here. We'll work this out together. I love you."
She still said nothing as they sat for many long minutes. When the wine was gone, he took the glass and set it aside. Then she reached for the shampoo and fumbled it. Ron took it from her and grabbed the sprayer to start washing her hair. Once that was done, he reached over and did his best to wash the rest of her. That finally aroused him fully despite the situation. He quickly thought of Snape in Neville's grandmother's clothes and his arousal deflated a bit. Once he was done, he lifted her from the water, dried her and wrapped her in a robe before leading her to bed. Even though it was not quite eight and he was hungry, he knew from the way she looked that Hermione was exhausted. After settling her in bed, he stripped to his boxers and crawled in behind her. Waving his wand, the lights went out. He didn't sleep, but was glad when Hermione's breathing settled into a rhythm. Meanwhile, his brain kept reviewing everything that had happened. He hadn't been sure what to expect, but the violence that Mr. Granger responded with had been a surprise. What would happen if they did disown Hermione? She would always have his family, but he knew it wasn't the same. Now that he had finally acknowledged how much he loved her, he wished there was something he could do to make everything right. That was one of the biggest lessons he was learning. Sometimes 'right' wasn't possible. Eventually he dozed, lulled by Hermione's regular breaths and the warmth of her body against his.
A few hours later, Ron was awakened by a pressure on top of him. Hermione was awake and had pulled herself over him as she kissed his jaw and ran her hand across his growing arousal. Briefly startled, he worried about Hermione. He switched on a lamp and saw that she had removed the robe and her breasts were at his eye level. Withstanding temptation, he forced himself to check on her.
"Mya love, I'm not complaining, but are you alright?"
"I…I don't know. I don't feel whole. I feel disconnected. Help me Ron. I need you. Make me feel whole. Make me feel alive."
Ron was about to object, but then he was being kissed thoroughly as Hermione ground down onto him harder. Giving up, he resumed kissing her. Working the kiss down her neck and to her body, he eventually made his way to her legs. Pulling them open, he dove down and began to suck and lick every part of her sex. She squirmed under him, making delightful noises, but didn't manage to come. He inserted two fingers and began to stroke her as she thrust harder against him. His cock was rock hard and aching as he reached with his other hand to lose his boxers. Stopping his oral work, he pulled himself up and entered her in one swift stroke. Surprised at his sudden move, she finally came undone and screamed his name. He gave her just a minute to ride it out before he picked up speed and started pounding into her. Soon she came again and he joined her as her muscles contracted around him. He collapsed on her, remaining inside as long as he could. When he finally slipped out, he looked into her eyes and was happy to see a glimmer of light had returned. She gave him a long kiss before pulling back.
"Thanks for being quick. I know I probably startled you, but I just needed you so badly. I feel better now."
"No worries love. You can wake me up like that anytime you want."
They lay together for a few minutes when Hermione's stomach groaned. Ron laughed and sat up.
"Well, that's another excellent idea. It's a bit after midnight, but let's see what room service has on the late menu."
A half hour later they sat down to eat a simple meal of sandwiches and fruit. Hermione remained quiet for a few minutes and Ron let her think. Then she broke the silence.
"I don't know what's going happen with my parents. We'll give them a couple of days. If they don't call I guess we go home. How long should we wait?"
"Mya, I think it's a bit early to start thinking that way. We honestly don't have anything we have to be home for until the 1st, which is still almost three weeks away. I say we do some sightseeing and give them time. How about we take a harbor cruise in the morning? You said you wanted to do that."
"That sounds good, but what if they call? You gave them the hotel information."
"If they call, the hotel will take a message. We can't just seclude ourselves in the room the whole time."
Hermione nodded and they finished their sandwiches. Then they returned to bed. Ron nuzzled Hermione to test her receptiveness and she responded enthusiastically. For their second round of the night they took much longer, each bringing the other to multiple orgasms. Sometime after three they finally slept.
After the late night loving, they slept until almost nine and decided to get out of the hotel immediately. Dressing quickly, they made their way to the lobby, where Greg and Art waited. Informing the Aurors that they wanted to walk down to the harbor cruise dock, they exited into the beautiful, slightly crisp winter morning. On the way to the harbor, they stopped at a bakery for a light breakfast. As they ate, Art spoke up after having been quiet since he first greeted them in the lobby.
"Um, I just wanted to tell you two that what you told the Grangers yesterday was incredible. The official report never gave full details. What you did...well, thank you."
"We appreciate that Art, but it was a combined effort of many good people, some of which are no longer with us."
They finished their rolls and proceeded down to the harbor. When they arrived, they chose a cruise that was leaving within the half hour. The two Aurors joined them on the two hour cruise and seemed to enjoy it almost as much as Hermione and Ron. When they returned to the dock, a tall man was waiting and Ron felt a brief hesitation until Greg greeted him warmly. Turning to Hermione and Ron, he made the introduction.
"Let me introduce Auror Bergen. He has some information regarding the attack yesterday. I think it would be good if we return to the hotel."
Hermione nodded and the five of them made the quick walk several blocks back to the hotel. Once they arrived, Hermione inquired at the desk, but no messages were waiting. They proceeded back to the room, where everyone sat down for Bergen's briefing.
"Well, it's been a busy 24 hours for the department. We've run a full scan on the muggle police officer that attacked you and confirmed he was Imperiused. His memory has been modified and he has been returned to his station, where several other memory modifications have been made for him. His missing afternoon is now due to a bad cheeseburger that caused him to get sick and pass out in his hot automobile. He may be in a bit of trouble, but nothing severe. We did sift through his memories and found one flash of a face right before the spell hit. The wizard who performed the spell was really quite sloppy. He should have hit him from behind. Anyway, it made our work easy. We identified the wizard and have him in custody now. We administered veritaserum as soon as we had him. He works at the Ministry in the Department of Magical Transportation. Which means he was privy to a suspicious portkey and the arrival of two unnamed individuals a couple of days ago. He has been with the Ministry for a long time and used some friendships to put together the rumors on who was visiting. It seems he is not a Death Eater, but sympathetic to the cause and decided to take matters into his own hands. He has some very rabid anti-muggle beliefs that really should have been identified a long time ago. The good news is that there is no indication that he was working with anyone else. Those that gave him information did so in a friendly matter with no indication of his intent. I can assure you though that those individuals will be receiving official reprimands. As for the wizard in question, he will have a trial, but his use of the Imperius means life in prison."
Hermione absorbed the information and then responded.
"Well, that's good news. So, this was an isolated incident?"
"Yes. Of course, vigilance is recommended, but we don't foresee…"
Bergen was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. Hermione jumped and looked at the phone. Seeing that she was unsure, Ron went and answered it, glad that Harry had given him several lessons on using the device. He spoke briefly and it was obvious to those in the room that it was Hermione's father calling. Ron talked briefly and then hung up the phone. Returning to the table, he turned Hermione to him.
"That was your dad. He wants to talk to us. Asked that we meet at their place at two. I agreed."
"Well then, that's good news. It gives us enough time for lunch. Bergen, did you have anything else?"
When Bergen assured Daniels that he had no further information, he left the group of four and Greg turned back to Hermione and Ron.
"You've been eating in quite a bit. Want to try the restaurant downstairs?"
They agreed and followed the two Aurors to the hotel restaurant. At 1:30 they were back out front, where a Mercedes waited for them. Greg leaned in close and whispered.
"I know apparating is faster, but it's discouraged as much as possible. Too risky, even if we found an alley or someplace, it would be our luck that a muggle would be passing through."
They assured him it was fine and climbed in the vehicle to make their way to an uncertain reunion with Hermione's parents.
o-o-o-o
Hi everyone. A couple quick notes. First, thanks for the kind reviews. Second, I had originally planned on Australia taking one chapter, but this is already at 9k words, so I decided to split it. I don't stick to firm chapter lengths, but I didn't want to get too excessive.
Finally, while I am trying to put together a unique viewpoint on the story of Australia, I can never measure up to the standard that holly1492 set with her story All In. Her writing on the trip to Australia is brilliant and I felt a good deal of pressure when writing this to make my version even a tenth of what she wrote. The story is ongoing and I highly recommend it.
I hope you are enjoying my take on Australia. One more chapter here and then we'll be back to see what is happening with Harry and the others.