Now I'm SUPER GRUMPY... I am SO TERRIBLY SORRY. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN (if I can help it. grr.)

Considering I got ONE anonymous review, it's open for another week.

SORRY FOR UPDATING LATE! Got home from the football game at 11 at night and couldn't stay awake long enough to post.

Thanks to that single anonymous reviewer, Teddy Tonks-Lupin!

~ladida!~

'Lord, how do I answer her?' Aileen prayed silently. Nothing she knew covered what to do when a child asks to know who she truly was. Of course, angels were supposed to be silent forces of good that no one ever knew about. She was surprised that Harry hadn't simply forgotten about her.

There was silence, and then a voice Aileen had not heard recently. It was the voice of God; strong, unwavering, everlasting. It held the weight of the ruler of the universe, and yet was so gentle that Aileen felt safer than she had in centuries.

'Soft, child. Let her think. Tell her no lies, but hold nothing back. She is wise; she will discover the truth.'

Aileen let out a breath as she thanked God for His graciousness. Then she turned to Hermione and smiled.

"Only one color, but different in size. Stuck on the ground, yet easily flies. Present in sun, but not in rain, doing no harm and feeling no pain. What am I?"

"A shadow. Why did you ask me that question?" Hermione looked puzzled. Harry just stood next to Aileen, confused.

"A riddle to get your logic up and running. Now I'll tell you a riddle about myself." Aileen thought for a moment, then smiled as she had what humans called 'a lightbulb moment'.

"I am clothed in white, bathed in light, wings of a bird, before me demons take flight. Eyes of silver, heart of gold, tell me now, who do you behold?"

Hermione frowned. "You're... an angel. What do you mean?"

"Last riddle, I promise. Remember your last answer." Aileen thoughts for a couple more minutes. Then, her eyes brightened.

"Lighter than air, purer than gold, protection of people wherever they go. Who am I?"

Comprehension began to dawn on Hermione's face. "You're - a - Guardian Angel?" she whispered, looking shocked.

"Aye," Aileen said softly, as for the first time, she opened her pure white wings. Her hands on Harry's shoulders and love in her eyes for him, with the wings wrapped around him, completed the picture. A tear fell down Hermione's cheek.

"I remember when I went to church, they'd teach about angels in class. They said they were perfect beings who just flew around and praised God eternally. I never thought about a guardian angel before."

"Even you have one, sweetheart," Aileen said as she pulled Hermione to her and hugged her tightly. "You just haven't seen him or her. You can only see us in our true form when you're close to death." Aileen instantly mentally slapped her forehead. She had just laid down the foundations for Hermione to figure out how Harry had been treated at home.

'But maybe it's a good thing,' she mused as Harry hugged her waist. She smoothed his unruly hair and waited anxiously. She didn't want to have to erase a memory, but if Harry was put in danger...

Her eyes hardened slightly. She was in charge of Harry and his wellbeing, and if keeping him alive required erasing her memories, so be it.

"You almost died when you were six?" Hermione gasped. Aileen silently cringed. Yep, it was confirmed- even angels made rather... bad mistakes sometimes. This ranked right up there with the Civil War, started because of a lax angel who allowed a demon to get to the charge and turn mad.

"Um... It wasn't as bad as you think! It was just a belt!" Harry blurted.

Aileen now physically did what humans called a 'facepalm'. "Harry, you're making it worse. Calm down, Hermione, he survived." Aileen sighed. "What I'm about to tell you must NEVER get out. This is a very big secret that could have dire consequences if you tell anyone."

Hermione nodded.

"Harry's Aunt and Uncle hate Harry. They physically and verbally abused Harry from the time he was old enough to walk. When he was six, he did his first show of accidental magic- he turned the teacher's hair blue and apparated to the school roof.

"Harry's Uncle was absolutely furious. He promised his Aunt that he would beat the magic right out of the 'freak' and set out to accomplish just that. Unfortunately, he almost succeeded in killing Harry. I knew that I was going to have to do something when he saw me.

"Hermione, he almost died that day. He was so close to crossing over he could see me. That's very dangerous; just by revealing myself I may have changed the course of history. It doesn't help that I've told you. That's why I made you promise not to tell a single soul. Okay?"

Shell-shocked and worried, Hermione nodded, then blurted out, "But- he's not going back there, right?"

Harry looked up at Aileen with pleading in his eyes. She smiled sadly and said, "I've spoken with God and He has told me to wait. I'll obey his commands, because He will provide for all his children's needs."

"That's all I can hope for. Thank you, Aileen," Harry whispered, as Aileen kissed his forehead and slowly faded from view.