A/N Sorry for the cliffhanger, I just couldn't help myself. (Enter evil laugh here)

Ch. 11 Reconnecting

Hermione opened her eyes and blinked at the bright light and the white ceilings. Groggily she tried to remember where she was and how she got here. The last thing that she remembered was her pumpkin juice flying out of her hands then being hit by a stunner. Putting the pieces together she figured she was in the Hospital Wing. Sitting up she looked around confirming her conclusion.

"Ah Miss Granger, it is good to see you're awake." Madam Pomfrey said coming over to her.

"What happened?" Hermione asked the Healer.

"You were stunned by Mr. Longbottom. He suspected that you were not acting as yourself and felt this was the best course of action."

Hermione was speechless. Somewhere in the back of her mind a small part of her that had been getting stronger over the last few days was doing a small jig in finally being proven right. But the larger part of her still wasn't listening to it. "I don't know what brought him to that conclusion. I feel perfectly fine." Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips.

"Be that as it may, we did find some foreign substance in your pumpkin juice, if I can just run some diagnostic spells to assure me that everything is ok." Not waiting for her answer Madam Pomfrey brandished her wand casting numerous charms over her. Hermione watched as the Healers face took on a scowl. Hermione knew from that look that Neville and the little voice in the back of her head were right. "Miss Granger, my scans indicate that there is something in your system. If I could get a sample of your blood Professor Slughorn will be able to identify what it is along with what is in the pumpkin juice and how we can help." As if saying his name summoned him, the Hospital Wing doors opened and in walked Professor Slughorn carrying his potions kit.

"Good morning Madam Pomfrey, Miss Granger. Let's see what the problem is." The Potion Master walked over to the goblet and started casting spells at it as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over Hermione in a complicated pattern that caused a glass vial to materialize with what Hermione assumed was her blood in it. The Healer handed it to Slughorn who was still working on the goblet. He handed the Healer a vial out of his bag and she came back over to Hermione.

"Miss Granger. This is a potion that will wash all traces of other potions out of your system. I warn you, the effects could be quite dramatic, but it is the quickest and easiest way to get whatever is in your system out."

Hermione nodded and took the vial and went to drink it when she was stopped by Pomfrey and directed into the bathroom. The reason why she was sent here became obvious for as soon as Hermione drank the potion she hunched over the toilet and everything in her stomach came gushing out. When Hermione was finished she rinsed her mouth out and started to leave the bathroom. As she was walking out of the bathroom, a fog seemed to lift from her mind. For the first time in what felt like months, she was thinking clearly again. Now that she could think straight again her brain began to re-engage.

This strange feeling felt familiar to her. Thinking back she could remember that she had the same feeling in sixth year but it slowly started to fade after Bill's wedding. Hermione was lost in thought as she walked back to her bed not seeing the concerned looks from Neville or a still stunned Ron. She looked down at the ring on her finger and things started to come back into focus. She started to remember everything like it was someone else in her body. Slowly Hermione's face paled at all she had said and done since the end of war. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered that she had skipped Harry's 18th birthday party, her conversation with her parents and the hurt in his eyes when she had so callously declared that it would be silly to think about marrying Harry.

Then the last conversation they had at the Burrow, the pain and loss in his eyes as he asked what he had done for her to drift away so much. The tears broke free as she buried her face in her hands sobbing. As she cried she felt someone sit on her bed with her and wrap an arm around her shoulder. "It's ok Hermione. Everything will be all right." Hermione looked up to see Neville sitting there.

"I'm not too sure about that Neville. I'm afraid I ruined the best thing to ever happen to me. What if he doesn't forgive me? All the things I've done and said over the last few months." Hermione looked down at her hand and scowled at the ring on her finger. Angrily she tore it off and threw it away.

To her surprise, Neville just chuckled under his breath. "Hermione, do you really think that Harry would hold anything you said while under the influence of a potion against you?" He handed her a piece of parchment she immediately recognized as the Marauders Map.

"Where did you get this?" She asked.

"Harry lent it to me when he heard I made Head Boy. He wanted me to keep an eye on you. Look here." Neville pointed to the map that had three dots moving quickly through the castle to the Hospital Wing. The dots were labeled Hugh Granger, Jane Granger and to her joy Harry Potter. Her eyes followed the dots as they rounded the last corner and right when they approached the entrance she got up and ran to the doors. When they burst open she was ready and threw her arms around her best friend hugging him for all she was worth as she sobbed into his shoulder. Her fears were dispelled when she felt his arms circle around her returning the hug.

LPF

Harry had forgotten how much he missed his Hermy-Hugs as he called them in his head. He would never say that out loud of course. He valued his bits a bit too much to tempt that. All Harry could do was to wrap his arms around Hermione and hug her back for all he was worth. He could feel his shoulder getting wet as Hermione was crying on it.

"Hermione, what's wrong? I got here as soon as I got Neville's message." He rubbed her back trying to calm her down.

It was Madam Pomfrey who ended up answering Harry's question. "It seems that Miss Granger is the victim of some sort of potion. It was due to the quick thinking of Mr. Longbottom that we were able to discover it."

Harry could only stair with a shocked expression on his face. "Who?" was all he could ask. No one said anything but their eyes shifted to the other occupied bed. Harry looked and saw the still stunned form of Ron lying there. Harry released Hermione and passed her over to her mum who wrapped her arms around her daughter as Harry stalked towards the stunned form of his former friend. To the others in the room, Harry's eyes began to glow with righteous furry. His robes billowed ominously and each step sent a small shockwave through the Hospital Wing as Harry's temper let his magic loose. Professor McGonagall was eerily reminded of an enraged Lily when she looked into the eyes of the young wizard. Knowing this might not be the best idea, she got between Harry and Ron before he could do anything. Harry turned his eyes bright with repressed rage on the person blocking his path from the person who dared hurt Hermione.

"Mr. Potter, right now we only have a suspicion as to what happened, we do not have any proof."

"Then we will find proof" he growled back. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it straight up in the air and silently cast a summoning charm to retrieve the needed potion. To his delight, a small clear potion zoomed from Slughorn's potion kit and Harry caught it with a deft hand. Brushing past McGonagall, he continued to walk towards the red head. Another wave of his wand saw Ron bound in ropes. Harry then cast a rennervate and Ron's eyes quickly popped open focusing on Harry.

"Hi Harry, it's good to see you mate, what brings you to Hogwarts?" Ron seemed to notice that he was tied to the bed. "Why am I tied to the bed?" Ron looked at Harry again and seemed to notice his mood for the first time. He paled seeing those emerald eyes filled with anger directed at him. "Why do you look like someone tried to hurt your family Harry? What the hell is going on?"

"Someone did try to hurt my family Ron, and I am going to find out why and for how long." Before Ron could react, Harry's arm shot out and grabbed a tuff of Ron's hair. He forced his head back and when Ron went to scream in pain and surprise, Harry brought his other arm around and poured three drops of the clear liquid down Ron's throat.

Ron stopped struggling as soon as the potion touched his tong. His eyes lost focus and he sat there motionless. "What is your name?" Harry asked in a voice laced with barely controlled anger.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley." Ron answered in a mono-tone voice.

"Were you giving Hermione Potions?"

"Yes." Ron confirmed to the surprised gasps of everyone in the room.

"What were you giving her?"

"I gave her two. A mild love potion and a loyalty potion."

"Why?" was Harry's next question through gritted teeth.

"I knew Potter wanted her, but he already had money and fame, and could get any girl he wanted. I wanted him to feel the way I felt by taking the one thing he wanted above all others. I knew if I used a stronger love potion it would have looked suspicious, so I combined it with a loyalty potion keyed to me that was slowly forming a wedge between her and Potter."

"How long have you been giving her these potions?"

"I started during the summer before our sixth year when she was staying at the Burrow. I had to stop though during our hunt for the Horcruxes as I couldn't get the potion. I started again while we were staying at Shell Cottage though as I was able to slip out using Potter's cloak to get more."

"Who else knew you were doing this?"

"No one, I acted on my own."

Harry was enraged. He now knew why things seemed so off between Hermione and him during sixth year and since the war ended. Harry had to quickly walk away from the red head or he would do something that he would not regret though the Aurors might object. Turning angrily around he walked back to Hermione who was still wrapped in her mother's arms crying. Jane seeing Harry approach quickly passed Hermione off to Harry who again wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey hey, it's ok. I'm here. It will be alright" Harry whispered in her ear running his hand through her hair. "We will see that justice is done, but more important, I have my best friend back." Hermione pulled away and Harry could see the hope in her eyes. Harry smiled reassuringly back. He could see a small smile start to shine through the tears. "Theirs that smile I've been missing." Hermione's smile got a little larger at that. While the two friends were talking, Professor McGonagall had taken Ron to an unused classroom leaving him tied up to await the Aurors. Harry led Hermione back to the bed and sat her down taking the chair beside her never letting her hand go. "I'm going to go get Andi and Teddy. They are in the village and Andi will be able to help us." Harry gave her hand another squeeze and rose from the chair and left the Hospital Wing sending his patronus on ahead of him.

LPF

Hermione sat up in her bed in the Hospital Wing alone while Harry went to go meet Andromeda at the front gates. Her parents had stepped out to have a word with McGonagall in her office and Poppy was in her office. Hermione was brought out of her thoughts when she heard the doors quietly open and close. She looked up and to her surprise saw Susan Bones walking up to her. The red head took the seat next to her bed and smiled at Hermione.

"How are you feeling Hermione?" the girl asked.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole situation honestly. I still can't believe Ron would do something like this."

"Oh Hermione, both you and Harry always had trouble seeing what was right in front of you in more ways than one." Susan said sadly. "Ron has been a jealous prat his whole life. If he could find a way to take something someone wanted who he was jealous of he would do it whether he wanted it or not." Hermione was about to respond that that was absurd when Susan stopped her. "Just listen for a second and don't interrupt me. I shouldn't be doing this but my Hufflepuff sense of fair play won't allow me to not say something."

Hermione was confused and didn't know where the red head was going with this. She opened her mouth again to say so but was stopped again by Susan's hand. "You came very close to throwing away every girl's dream. For the last four years now you have been the envy of every girl in this school. Whether either of you realized it, you held Harry Potter's heart. No girl stood any chance with him as long as you were in his life. Even in 6th year it was always you no matter what the Weasley girl thought. But these last few months, you came close to losing that and going with a human garbage disposal. I give you fair warning Hermione, pull that again and there will be a line of women waiting to take your spot, with me at the front of the line."

With that Susan stood up and walked out of the Hospital Wing leaving a confused Hermione behind. Hermione sat back and thought. 'Surely Harry doesn't feel that way about me. I mean, he could have any girl he wanted, why would he want a bossy bushy haired bookworm like me?' Hermione wouldn't lie to herself, she knew she loved Harry since their ride on Buckbeak but she never allowed herself to actually believe that it would be returned. After all, the hero always winds up with the beautiful princess, not the best friend who nags the hero to study more.

But then Hermione actually started to use her brain and look at the facts. Harry was the one constant in her life since she was eleven. He always stood up for her and tried to look out for her. Even during 6th year when she was being such a bitch she now knew was from the potion, he was there for her. She thought back to those months and could now remember the hurt that Harry tried to hide from her as she cried over Ron being a prat. Then his words at their 'engagement party' came back to her, "As long as you're happy". He wanted her to be happy no matter how much it hurt him. And yet, he still always put her first. Even though he must have been angry at her for missing his birthday, he had still dropped everything to go to Australia with her. 'How could I be so blind?' Tears started to form in her eyes, tears of both happiness at finally realizing what was right in front of her eyes for the last seven years, and tears of sadness at what she almost lost. Now she just needed to figure out how to proceed and hope that it wasn't too late. It was time to talk to her mother.

As if her mother knew that she was needed, the doors opened and Jane walked in. She made straight for her daughter and sat in the chair that Susan had so recently vacated. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" her mum asked with voice full of concern.

"Mum, I'm really scared I ruined things with Harry. I think I love him, but because of these damn potions, I'm worried that with what they made me do and say I've lost him."

Hermione could see the worry in her mum's eyes. "You two didn't…"she trailed off not being able to finish the question.

"No, thank God no. I was able to maintain enough of my own thoughts to not want to do that with him." Hermione could see the relief in her mother's face.

"I won't lie to you honey, Harry was really hurt this last summer. Your father and I have become really close with him and we were able to figure that much out. That being said, I don't think you have to worry about Harry holding anything that was said while under the potion effects. His reaction alone when he found out you were in trouble told me that much."

"I remember you said that Harry told you about his childhood. How did you get him to talk to you about that? I've been trying to get him to open up more for seven years."

"He told your father, and I think the only reason was because he was totally and completely drunk."

Hermione looked at her mum incredulously. "Why was Harry drunk?"

"Oh sweetie, Harry has had a hard last few months and they were made harder on him that his two best friends weren't around to help him."

Hermione flinched at the reminder. "I plan to rectify that mum." Hermione said with conviction and Jane nodded. "So what else have you been up to since I have, for lack of a better term, been 'out of it'." The two Granger women chatted again like they hadn't done for a few years. Hermione couldn't keep the smile off her face as she re-forged her relationship with her mother.

LPF

Andromeda walked up the walk from Hogsmead to Hogwarts carrying Teddy on her back. Harry's message sounded urgent and together with Madam Longbottom, John Abbott, and Edger Bones set out for Hogwarts. When they approached the gates, she saw Harry hurrying his way down to the gates. She could tell by his walk that something major happened. He quite literally stalked up to her his eyes glowing with suppressed rage.

"Harry, what happened?" She asked with concern.

"Hermione has been drugged on and off for the last few years." Harry seemed to notice the group behind Andi for the first time. "Excuse me; I forgot my manners for a moment. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Harry James Potter Head of the Potter and Black family." Andromeda watched in satisfaction as Harry bowed formerly right foot forward and left arm behind his with his right sweeping out.

Madam Longbottom stepped forward and performed a small curtsy that belied her age. "Nothing to excuse Mr. Potter, we received a message informing us of your friends plight. It is understandable that you would be concerned. Allow me to present, Edger Bones, Head of House Bones, and John Abbott, Head of House Abbott." The two men behind Madam Longbottom repeated the formal bow to Harry. "We have come to lend aid in whatever way we could." Harry nodded and gave his thanks to the three and they continued onto the castle.

As the group moved to the castle, Harry began to explain what had happened. Andi listened with growing frustration and anger as Harry explained about Ron's confession under Veritaserum. She saw looks pass between her companions and she knew that they realized the same thing as she did and she was not looking forward to telling Harry. Teddy broke Harry out of his story by gurgling and clapping. He smiled at the small child and took the baby pack off of Andi and put it on his own. To Teddy's delight he then began a sort of gallop as he made his way up the lawn to the castle. Andromeda smiled watching her two boys accompanied by Teddy's giggles.

The group entered the Hospital Wing and found Harry already sitting there with Hermione and her parents with Teddy on his lap. Andi was surprised to see Teddy's hair had turned brown and bushy to match the young women in the hospital bed. It was the first time Teddy had done that while in her presence. She approached the bed and took a seat next to Harry.

"Hello Hermione, I'm glad to see you feeling better. Harry has told me what happened, but I would like to hear it from your point of view if you don't mind."

Andi watched as the girl nodded and visibly steeled herself. Harry seeing his friends discomfort reached out and took her hand. Hermione shot him a small smile that Harry returned accompanied by a squeeze of her hand. "I think it started back before our 6th year. Things started to become confusing. Things that I was always sure about I stated to question," Andi noticed her eyes flicker to Harry. "I then started to have feelings for someone who I had never felt that way about before. I felt like I was swimming through a blanket of fog and unable to get out of it. All through 6th year, I was not feeling like myself and I couldn't do anything about it. Things became better when we were chasing after Horcruxes but then it started up again towards the end of the war and became far stronger."

Andromeda nodded when Hermione finished her story. Professor McGonagall walked up and handed her a memory in a glass vial along with a piece of parchment. "Here is my memory of Mr. Weasley's questioning under Veritaserum along with the written deposition. He admitted to feeding Miss Granger love potions and a loyalty potion on and off for the last two years. The paper work for his expulsion is already complete and only needs the signatures of two of the School Governors to be completed."

"Good." Hermione said with satisfaction. "Mrs. Tonks, I would like to press full charges against him also." Andi saw Harry and both Grangers nodding in agreement to this and Andi knew that it was time to tell her the cold hard truth.

"Miss Granger, I would be delighted to represent you in this, and will do all I can to see justice done." She began as she saw smiles grow on all the faces in front of her. "But, I really hate to have to tell you this, but there is nothing we can do."

The silence that followed was absolute. It was Hugh that finally broke it. "What do you mean there is nothing we can do. That bastard drugged my daughter and was going to force her to marry her."

"I know Hugh, and please believe me I wish I could do something. The problem is who did the potioning and to whom he did it too."

Andi saw the light of understanding in Harry's eyes immediately then they darkened to anger. "Let me guess Andi, because the person who gave Hermione the potion was a pure blood and she is a muggleborn, he will get off?" Andi could only nod. Harry angrily ran his hands through his hair as Jane reached down and took Teddy from Harry's lap seeing his anger rising. With his godson out of his lap he stood up and started pacing the Hospital Wing. "This is the exact problem that I was talking about. Muggleborns are treated as second class citizens. I did not fight and die for a world that treats people like that." Andi could see the anger and frustration roll off of Harry like waves. The others in the room stepped back watching the young man. He rounded on the three other Wizengamot members' determination in his eyes. "This is what I will be fighting for now. I ask for your help in making our world fair for everybody in it."

The three other Head of Houses looked at each other, than at Hermione, and finally back at Harry. Nods were exchanged between the three and it was Madam Longbottom who stepped forward. "Mr. Potter, you have your alliance. Let's change the world."