Chapter 12

Late at night Kreacher crept into Master Regulus' room. He looked at Master Regulus' bed, and saw the nasty Half-Blood – no, the Black heir – and the outcast's child entwined in each other's arms lying on top of the covers.
"Kreacher hopes Young Heir does his duty soon, Family is needing more members," the Elf muttered to himself. He waved his hands in a circular pattern, and a brown glow softly appeared over Tonks' stomach area.
"Not good, not good at all," the Elf muttered. "Kreacher will take care of that." He waved his hands once more and the blanket softly rose and covered the coupled pair, then left the room.

The next morning Tonks woke in her favourite position: wrapped around her lover, and feeling his hardness press against her leg. Tonks smiled wide as she repositioned herself over Harry, and guided his hot rod back where it belonged. With a groan of content she lowered herself over him, and began softly rocking back and forth.

"Oh Nym..." Harry moaned while he woke up. His arms reached up to embrace his lover and he pulled her down for a deep kiss.

"Morning... love... oh Merlin this is how I always want to wake up," Tonks panted.

"I'm... fine with that..." Harry's expression hardened, he let out a deep grunt, and released himself in her folds.

"Mmm... I love the feeling of you inside me lover," Nym cooed down at him as she softly rocked back and forth waiting for him to finish.

Tonks was lying half on top of Harry, their lower halves still connected, and they both dozed off a little again. Then they were woken by a knock on their door.

"Harry? Breakfast will be ready in a bit," Sirius' voice sounded. Then, sound a bit amused: "If we have any guests... it's best if they come in through the front door okay? See you in a bit pup."

Harry looked at her and grinned, "Well my lady, join me for breakfast? Or do we have time for some more fun first?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Nice try hero, but I need to quickly pop by my flat and change clothes, or someone'll ask," Tonks said with a soft laugh as she got up. "But if you're good, I'll 'show you around' here later in private okay?"

She got up from the bed, put her clothes on quickly, and hit the knot on the back wall to open the secret passage. Harry watched her leave, then with a sigh got up from the bed. Someone had placed a towel near the door so he grabbed it, and went out the door to take a shower in the fourth floor bathroom.

–-

Harry had the towel wrapped around him as he stepped back into his room, and saw someone standing there. He didn't need to see her face to know it was Hermione. His Gryffindor year mate had his shirt from the previous day in her hands, pressing it up to her face as he walked in.

Harry cleared his throat, and Hermione turned on a dime, a deep blush rising on her face.

"Mo... morning Harry!" she blurted out. "I... I came to see if you were up."

"Hello Hermione," Harry said calmly. "Why do you have my shirt?"

"Err... I... that is..." Hermione looked almost pained as she looked for words. Then she blurted out: "Why does it smell so weird in here? Have you been doing something? You should at least air the room out Harry you know, this is Sirius' home and he is gracefully allowing us all to stay here, the least you could do is–"

"I get it," Harry interrupted her, a little curtly. "I'll open a window before I leave. Now I'd like to get dressed okay?"

"Get dressed?" Hermione looked him over, and her blush intensified. "Oh!"

Harry noticed her eyes were roaming over his body, taking in every detail. A little amused, he said: "Are you going to leave, or do you want to watch me?"

"Watch you?" Hermione asked, then shook her head. "I... I'll be downstairs. We're eating in the kitchen, in the basement Harry." She realised she still was holding his shirt, dropped it, rushed out the door, and threw it closed behind her.

"Oh boy," Harry let out a small laugh. "She's got it bad."

–-

Tonks showed up during breakfast. "You know, this is the first time that bloody umbrella stand didn't trip me," she mentioned as she plopped down across from Harry at the breakfast table.

"You with your conspiracy theories Tonks dear," Molly laughed. "Pumpkin juice?"

"Yes please," Tonks said. "Morning kiddos," she greeted Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. Fred and George had grabbed some toast and left before she arrived.

"Strange, where is it?" Molly looked in the pantry but couldn't find the juice. There was some noise from the boiler room, but she ignored it. Kreacher kept his room there, and sometimes he made a fuss.

–-

Two House Elfs stood glaring at each other in the boiler room.

"I is Kreacher of the House of Black, who is you, Elf?" Kreacher demanded of the intruder, who was holding the flask with pumpkin juice. The intruder had popped in just as Kreacher was preparing to pour in a smaller phial, and had snared it from his hands.

"I is Dobby, servant to the Great Master Harry Potter Sir and Great Master Harry Potter Sir's Miss Just-Call-Me-Tonks. Why is Elf Kreacher puttings Potion in drink of Miss Just-Call-Me-Tonks?" Dobby defiantly answered, hiding the juice behind his back.

"Kreacher is serving The Family. Half-blood Potter is Black Heir, and is mating with outcast's child. Outcast's child is using Potion to stop pregnancies. Kreacher is givings her anti-dote," Kreacher explained.

Dobby frowned. "Why Elf Kreacher wants giving Miss Just-Call-Me-Tonks antidote?"

"Kreacher wants Black Family to grow. Black Heir needs to be making little wizards with mate. Mate must be fertile," Kreacher explained.

"Dobby is not sure Great Master Harry Potter Sir will be likings this," Dobby said. "Will Elf Kreacher swear Potion will not be of harm for Miss Just-Call-Me-Tonks if Dobby gives Elf Kreacher the juice?"

Kreacher scoffed, "Elf Dobby is insulting Kreacher! Kreacher will never harm Heir to Family or Heir's mate. Now Elf Dobby will hand over juice or Kreacher will get angry."

"Dobby will bes watching Elf Kreacher," Dobby glared back. "But Dobby also wants Master Great Harry Potter Sir to be happy, and wizards makings little wizards are happy." He handed the flask back over.

Kreacher snapped it back with a triumphant look, and poured in the phial he had been holding. "Now Kreacher wants Elf Dobby to leave. If Kreacher sees Elf Dobby again before Master calls Elf Dobby, Kreacher will punish Elf Dobby."

"Dobby will be leavings, but will be watchings Elf Kreacher closely," Dobby glared back, and popped out.

"Elf Dobby is no good insane Elf," Kreacher muttered. Then he snapped the fingers of his free hand, and invisibly popped back into the kitchen. He placed the pumpkin juice on the kitchen counter.

–-

Molly turned around and saw the pumpkin juice. "Weird, I could've sworn..." she muttered to herself. "Never mind. Here's your pumpkin juice dear," she poured a goblet, and handed it over to Tonks.

"Thanks Molly," Tonks smiled. She took a deep sip. Kreacher, watching her while invisible, nodded with satisfaction and popped to the top floor. With that taken care of, he could get to work cleaning the house. He would not clean for his No Good Master, but would clean Master Regulus' room for the Black Heir. Even if the Black Heir was a nasty Half-Blood, he still had Black blood through his grandmother.

–-

Following the late breakfast Tonks was roped into cleaning duty along with the others, and she, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry were busy in the library, dusting off piles of books and the shelves.

Molly entered the room. "Tonks dear? Headmaster Dumbledore has arrived, there is a small meeting. You can join us if you like."

"What meeting?" Harry asked.

"Order business Harry, you and the girls just keep working here all right? The kitchen is off-limits for now," Molly said. Tonks shot him an apologetic look, and followed the Weasley matriarch.

"Quick Harry, with me," Ginny said. She took him by the hand and pulled him to the stairwell, then they crept down to the ground floor. Hermione followed.
Fred, George, and Ron were already there, lurking near the stairwell. The twins were lowering two cords down, then they saw the three newcomers, and lowered another string.

"Here Ginny, you and Harry take this one," one of the twins tossed what looked like an ear on a string to his sister. The red-head caught it, and waved Harry closer.

"What's this? Why are we here?" Harry asked.

"Hush Harry, or we'll all get caught," Hermione chided him. "The twins call them Extendable Ears... they are spying in on the Order meeting this way."

"Not like you're complaining too much when we're using them 'Mione, you know they're not telling us nothing," Ron complained. "This way at least we stay informed Harry... just don't let them find out okay?"

Harry nodded, and crouched down next to Ginny as they listened in on the meeting in the kitchen. Despite her claim claiming spying was wrong, Hermione made sure she, too, could listen in.

–-

"Nymphadora, good of you to join us," Dumbledore said. He ignored the frown on Tonks' face as he waited for everyone to sit down. Everyone being himself, Tonks, Sirius and Remus, Molly, Professor Snape, and Dung Fletcher. The other Order members were either at work, or couldn't make it for various reasons.

"Did you learn more about the Dementor attack on Harry?" Tonks asked.

"I'll get to that in a little while," Dumbledore answered. "First, Severus has a report on Voldemort I believe." Several people flinched at the name.

Snape cleared his throat and waited until he got everyone's attention. "The Dark Lord has been suffering from some kind of malady recently, which is why I believe there have been no structured attacks. I am called to his bedside almost daily, and have to invent new pain killing potions."

"What kind of malady? Is it related to his resurrection?" Remus asked.

"I do not know, nor particularly care," Snape spat at the wolf. "Just know that for the time being, he is down and I'm doing my best to keep it that way."

"Why don't you just poison him and get it over with? Seems like you have a perfect opportunity," Sirius offered.

"Typical Black, speaking without thinking!" Snape yelled as he glared at Sirius. "Think for a moment, imbecile! The Dark Lord is a skilled legilimencer, if I were to go there with the intent to kill him he'd find out before I even made it through the door. He may be ill, but he's still more than capable of killing me with a thought."

"Little loss there," Sirius said.

Before Snape could say something back, Dumbledore coughed. "Thank you Severus. We will have to see if an opportunity to take Voldemort on will arise from this, please keep us informed. Now then, on to the Dementor attack."

Everyone snapped to attention, including the spies one floor above.

"The good news is that we have insurmountable proof that there were at least two Dementors present. The DMLE investigators found their traces, and two of their number were missing on Azkaban at the first count."

"First count?" Tonks asked.

"Yes, it seems they slipped through Azkaban's wards and returned some time after. The Aurors counted ninety-eight at first, but a later count found the full hundred. Which, as far as we can know, always has been the full extent of their number," Dumbledore answered her.
"The bad news is that we could not find out any reason why they were sent after Harry. There is no record of anyone sending them away, but the Dementors claim they were following a direct order. This is very concerning as it appears that whoever decided to attack Harry has managed to cover their tracks. I tried to convince Cornelius we need more guards to keep track of the Dementors at all times, especially since they are likely to side with Voldemort should he openly return, but sadly the Minister still refuses to see reason. I fear he may try to oust me at the Wizengamot before the summer ends," the Headmaster concluded.

"Don't you think we should tell Harry then? If his life is in danger, surely he deserves to know?" Tonks spoke up.

"No, I think not," Dumbledore said in a stern voice. "With Harry's situation being what it is, it is best he is kept far away from any news on Voldemort. We can't risk him learning what we know."

Upstairs, several eyes focused on Harry, who could only shrug in reply. He had no idea what Dumbledore meant.

"Which brings us to the evening of the attack itself. I tried asking the Dursleys for their memory of the evening, but sadly when I returned to them they were not at home. A neighbour informed me Harry's cousin had some kind of accident and was hospitalized, and the Dursleys had gone to be with him," Dumbledore recalled.
"Nymphadora, while Dung here is grateful for your help in securing the wards and holding the demons off, your presence there was unexpected. Would you care to explain?" He stared her down.

"Well... err.. I was concerned about Harry," Tonks said. "I know you ordered me not to contact him, but he's still family, you know? So I was nearby, just in case."

"I see," Dumbledore stroked his beard. "But you have not been inside the Dursley home?"

"No sir, I only went in after the attack" Tonks truthfully answered. It was true... the wards were already under assault when she and Harry had gone there.

"Good, good," Dumbledore swallowed the half lie. "I know you see him as family Nymphadora, but Harry needs to be as isolated as possible this coming school year. Can I trust on you to be strict with him?"

"May I ask why, sir?" Tonks frowned.

"The Minister is refusing to see the truth about Voldemort's return still," Dumbledore said. "He is also continuing his libel campaign against both me, and young Harry. We cannot risk the existence of the Order becoming general knowledge, too many people already know as is, therefore it must appear as if Harry is no more than a student to you."

"But sir! Surely just being friendly to Harry won't be a problem?" Tonks protested.

"It is nothing I did not ask Remus to do two years ago," Dumbledore countered. "Perhaps you can take some advice from Severus on how to deal with Harry?"

Snape grimaced at the idea, and Tonks frowned.

"Well with that settled, we should talk about the guard at the Ministry. Hestia is currently disillusioned there and I believe Arthur is to take her spot, right Molly?" Dumbledore asked.

Upstairs, the twins began raising the Ears. "Best we stop now, usually they end the meeting after this topic," one said.

"Oi Harry mate, what is that 'situation' of your's Dumbledore mentioned?" Ron asked.

"I have no idea," Harry admitted. "Wish I knew... maybe it'd explain why Dumbledore was so insistent nobody contacted me before I got here. Good thing my real friend here ignored his orders," he hugged Ginny, while glaring at Ron and Hermione.

Hermione looked away guiltily, Ron didn't seem bothered. "Don't know why you think it's such a big deal mate. He is the Headmaster, you know."

"That's fine Ronald," Harry said calmly and got up. "Well, I'm going back to work before Mrs Weasley finds out. I suggest you do the same." He walked off.

"Ron, you really are stupid," Ginny said, sounding annoyed.

"Oi Gin-Gin, watch your words," Ron protested. "What did I do?"

The twins answered for her: "Well little brother,"
"If you are too dense to see why Harry is annoyed,"
"We think Gin-Gin is right."
"Perhaps you should have been named mo-Ron at birth,"
they finished.

Ron glared at them. "Oi! You're my brothers, you're supposed to take my side!"

"Little brother,"
"It is our sworn duty,"
"As your older and wiser siblings,"
"To point out your mistakes,"
"And to punish you when necessary,"
the twins said, a twinkle appearing in their eyes.

"You wouldn't! I'll tell mum!" Ron protested.

Ginny and Hermione shared a look and got up, leaving the Weasley brothers to their starting row. Ginny opened the door to the formal dining room, and waved Hermione in.

"We need to talk," she said to the older Gryffindor girl.

"About Harry?" Hermione sounded a bit sad. "I know he is angry, but the Headmaster specifically said –"

"And you're supposed to be smart?" Ginny sighed. "Listen, I know you like to follow the rules... well when you're not spying with the rest of us," she smiled a bit. Hermione brightened a bit as well.
"But you've got to realise, you really were wrong when you decided to ignore Harry's letters," Ginny continued.

"Surely Harry understands it was on Professor Dumbledore's orders?" Hermione protested.

"Argh, listen to yourself! Who is your friend, the Headmaster or Harry? What if Professor Dumbledore came to you and said that you had to marry Draco Malfoy for some reason, would you do it?"

Hermione turned green, "Marry Draco? Never!"

"So you wouldn't just follow any order then? Why then did you pick the Headmaster over Harry? I thought he was your best friend? Do you want to lose him? Because you're doing a damned fine job of driving him away!" Ginny railed in on her.

"No, no, I... I don't know," Hermione weakly protested. "Oh what can I do? He hates me now..."

"Silly girl," Ginny hugged her. "Just apologize to him and promise never to betray him again... and really don't do it then. He'll forgive you this time."

"I... I'll do that," Hermione said with determination. "Can... can you make sure we have some privacy? Harry'll be in the library, so I'll do it now... no chance like the present eh?"

"That a girl," Ginny beamed at her. "Go get your friend back. I'll stand guard."

Hermione shot her a grateful smile as they left the formal room. They passed Ron, who was tied up against the wall and painted purple and white – apparently the twins had decided an object lesson was in order – and went up the stairs. No comment was needed, a shared grin told them both what they thought of Ron learning his lesson.

Ginny stood guard in front of the door, and Hermione went inside. She found Harry placing books back on the boards, and stood there a bit gathering her thoughts.

Harry noticed her, "Hey. I've got this side, why don't you start over there?" His tone was neutral, without the warmth he usually had in it.

"Harry..." Hermione said, trailing off. Harry turned and looked at her, raising one eye-brow in question.

"Harry... I am so sorry for being such a bad friend and not contacting you just because the Professor said so and I feel really bad and I know I was wrong and I won't ever do it again and I hate how lonely you must have been and I hope you can forgive me?" she blurted out.

Harry blinked twice... "Err... what?"

"Oh Harry!" Hermione rushed towards him, hugging him close. Despite his mixed feelings on her, Harry accepted the hug, and soon had the air squeezed out of him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Hermione sobbed on his shoulder.

Harry hugged her back, and said, "It's all right, I forgive you."

Hermione looked up at him, her large brown eyes wet from tears. "Really?" she asked in a small voice.

"Of course," Harry smiled at her. "You're my friend, and friends forgive mistakes."

"Oh Harry!" Hermione moved her head closer to his, and kissed him.

For a moment Harry just stood there, as his probably best friend mashed her lips onto hers, then he pulled his head to the side, and gently pushed her away.
"Let's not go there all right?" he commented.

"But... but..." Hermione was flustered, and unwilling to meet his eyes. Then, in a small voice, "Don't you think I'm attractive?"

"Merlin no, you're beautiful," Harry quickly said.

"Then... then why don't you want to kiss me?" Hermione softly said. "Is it because I listened to Professor Dumbledore? Because... I'll do anything to make it up to you Harry, anything!"
With a shaking hand, she began to unbutton her blouse.

Harry's eyes grew wide as she saw her bra revealed, and realised what she was doing. "Hermione, stop!" He placed his hands on hers before she could go further, and caught her eyes.
"Listen... I would have loved to try to see if we could work out as a couple if things were different... but I am already with someone," he said gently.

"Who is it?" Hermione asked softly. "Ginny? She could have said so if it's her..."

"No, it's not Ginny... it's not any of our classmates," Harry assured her. Hermione let out a sob, and he hugged her close again. "Shhh... no need to cry. I still love you... as a friend, okay?"

"Don't... don't mention this to the others okay? I can't stand being teased over this," Hermione said, sounding miserable.

"Promise," Harry agreed. Hermione held on to him closely as she tried to come to grounds with her conflicting emotions.

On the other side of the library door, Tonks nodded, pleased to herself, and she cast a charm to remove the one way see-through effect she had placed on the door.

"You're so lucky with him," Ginny commented. "Weren't you worried, when Hermione confessed?"

"Nah, she's got a nice rack, but I know my Harry," Tonks stated with conviction. "Hopefully with this out of the way, they can become friends again. Merlin knows my hero needs them."


A/N: At this rate I'll be 20 chapters in before I make it to Hogwarts!
Hope I can work in a time skip next chapter, there's just too much to tell =D