"Harry?" The rest of the Weasley clan turned around quickly and every curse Harry knew flew through his head. Before he could turn on his heel and get out of there, the next thing he knew he was pulled into a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh Harry! We were so worried." Mrs. Weasley's voice was loud in his ear, already choked with tears. Harry reached up and firmly pried her arms from around his neck.
"As you can see I'm fine." His tone was sharp, downright cold and he saw her eyes widen in clear surprise. It was just her, Ginny and Ron. He was standing behind his mother and sister staring open-mouthed at the child in Harry's arms. He looked pretty much the same though he seemed to have grown another couple of inches.
"Who-Who is that, mate?" he asked. Harry held Catherine a bit closer.
"This is my daughter, Catherine." There was a shocked silence.
"Your-Your what?!" Mrs. Weasley's hand flew to her chest. "But…you're too young!" Harry rolled his eyes.
"Look, I have some things to attend to so…" he made to step around them but Mrs. Weasley grabbed his arm.
"Harry…what's wrong dear?" her eyes were concerned and she kept glancing at the child in his arms. He sighed inwardly.
"Wrong? I'm perfectly fine." Ron had taken his eyes of the child and was now looking Harry up and down, his eyes shining with jealousy.
"Nice outfit, Harry." Ginny said, her eyes trailing down his body. He shifted uncomfortably under her lustful gaze and suppressed a shudder. Sure she was pretty with her bright red wavy hair and soft brown eyes but…ew!
"Thanks." He mumbled. Mrs. Weasley gave Catherine, who was still clutching her pet, a warm smile.
"Hello there dear, I'm Molly." The little girl tucked her head into his shoulder and gave the older woman a small smile.
"Hi Molly." She said shyly. The woman looked closer at her, examining her features, then her eyes widened.
"Who's her mother?" she asked warily. His blood froze, was he supposed to tell her? He stood up straighter and looked her dead in the eyes.
"I think you know who her mother is." If possible her eyes became wider.
"Oh!" He stepped around them and began to stride towards the counter.
"Wait!" Ron shouted jogging over to him. He paused and raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Is that all you're going to say?!" he asked furiously. "You disappear for a month and then just strut back in and ignore me?!" Harry calmly placed Catherine on the ground then turned to his friend.
"Ignore you? If I remember correctly you were the one who didn't bother to write me." He gaped at him for a second.
"Because Dumbledore told us not to!" Harry rolled his eyes.
"Like we haven't ever disobeyed Dumbledore before!" He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to calm down. He didn't want to loose his temper in front of Catherine.
"What about Hermione?" he asked. Ron's face became confused and his ears turned red.
"What about her?" he stammered.
"Why didn't you write her?" The redhead's face was even more confused.
"How did you know-" His eyes widened. "You've talked to her?! Where is she?!"
"She's with me." He said calmly.
"With you?" his eyes drifted down to the little girl at their feet and they widened again. The color drained from his face and he glanced from the child and back to Harry. His mouth dropped open and he stood there in shock. Before he could say anything Harry picked his daughter back up and walked to the desk, Ron still staring in astonishment and horror at the spot that he once was.
Before the goblin could ask he slid his key across the counter, silently urging the goblin to hurry.
"The Potter vaults?" the goblin grumbled. He nodded sharply and the creature snapped his fingers. Another goblin popped next to him and beckoned Harry and the child to follow him. Without sparing a second glance in the direction of the Weasleys he followed the goblin through a small door.
"Who were those people, Daddy?" Catherine asked. He sighed and shook his head slightly.
"Just some old friends." The goblin directed them to one of the carts. He stepped into it, lifting Catherine in after him and settled her on his lap.
"Hold on real tight, Kitty-Cat!" She let out a mighty yell when the zoomed down into the tunnels. She shrieked and laughed through the entire ride.
"It's like a rollercoaster!" she shouted over the roaring wind. The ride took longer than usual; they were going deeper and deeper into the bowels of the bank.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flare of flame. "Dragons?!" When they finally stopped he could tell by the coolness in the air that they were deep underground. He followed the goblin out of the cart with Catherine in his arms.
They were standing in front of a pair of huge stone doors. The goblin stepped forward and stroked the door. He nearly dropped Catherine when he saw the large room in front of them.
"The Potter Vaults." The goblin said in his gravely voice. Harry nodded his thanks and placed Catherine on the cool stone floor, taking her hand in his.
The vault looked more like a vast hall than anything else. Huge golden columns surrounded the large circular room. The walls were completely covered with shelves that were stocked full of small boxes and various nick-knacks. Various trunks were stacked on the floor and a pair of gold plated doors stood at the far end of the room.
"What's behind that door?" he asked.
"Gold of course." Another voice answered. He turned around, his hand already flying to his wand. He relaxed when he saw that it was Griphook. "Hello, Mr. Potter."
"Hello, Griphook." He replied. The goblin stepped farther into the vault.
"May I ask who this is?" he asked, looking at Catherine.
"This is my daughter Catherine." The goblin nodded at her.
"It's nice to meet you." She said politely. Griphook followed them into the vault and stood with arms behind his back at the doors. Harry noticed the other goblin had disappeared. He and Catherine walked to one of the shelves and Harry absentmindedly grabbed a small wooden box off of the shelf.
He released his hold on Catherine's hand and opened the tiny box. He let out a small gasp.
Inside the box was a set of rings. The first ring was a women's ring. It was platinum with an old mine cut white diamond and the band was thin and braided. The second was a simple men's wedding band, it was also platinum.
"Your grandparent's wedding rings." Griphook said from next to him. "They are part of a set with the Cor Cordis Ab Munimen."
"Cor Cordis Ab Munimen?" Harry asked. The goblin nodded.
"Yes, the Heart of Protection. Your great, great, great grandfather had it and the rings forged for he and his wife to protect her and their unborn child. It forms a bond between the wearers. A bond, as you might've guessed, of protection. If one is hurt or in need the other will feel it."
"Where is it?" The goblin gestured to a crystal box. Harry stretched an arm up and grabbed the palm sized case. He winced as he brought it down, it was heavier than he expected. Catherine watched curiously as he opened the heavy top. Recognition shot through him when he saw the familiar necklace nestled on soft gold velvet.
It had a braided platinum chain and a small heart-shaped diamond. Though it's colors were different he knew it was the necklace he had seen his grandmother wearing in the picture and the one Caterina was wearing in the portrait.
"I've seen this before…in pictures but the colors were always different." Griphook nodded again.
"It changes depending on the birthstone of the wearer." He nodded.
"Can I take it with me?" The goblin's eyebrows shot up.
"Of course Mr. Potter! They are yours." He blushed slightly and slipped the case into his bag. He looked at the small box that was still in his hands. Should he take them? What would he do with them? An image of Hermione's smiling face entered his mind. "No! I couldn't ask her…" he looked at the rings again then before he could loose his resolve his shoved the box into his bag.
He picked up Catherine and then turned to the goblin, a curious expression on his face.
"Griphook, how did you know where the cottage was if it's under the Fidelus?" The goblin once again raised his eyebrows.
"Didn't you wonder why I was appointed your representative?" Harry shrugged, not seeing what it had to do with his question. Griphook sighed. "Every wizarding family has a goblin representative. They are rarely called on but we do wait in the wings in the event that we are needed. I am the Potter family representative. I keep all the records on your family, I know about every one of your possessions and every one of your properties." Catching Harry's concerned look he gave him a smile, or what can be considered one. "No need to worry Mr. Potter, no one can get that information. The privacy and protection of our customers in guarded even more fiercely than our vaults." They spoke for a few more minutes on the security of his information and when he was satisfied the goblin took him back to the cart and back to the door to the lobby. When the goblin popped away Harry readjusted his hold on Catherine.
"Ready to go meet Mommy?" she nodded happily.
"Yep!" He pushed open the door, peeking out to make sure the Weasley's were gone. When he didn't see them he let out a breath and walked out the door. He strode quickly through the cool marble lobby and out of the large golden doors. He checked his watch and sped up, they were late.
When he made it to Fortescue's he spotted Hermione sitting at one of the outdoor tables. His eyebrows lifted when he saw that she wasn't alone. Two girls, their backs to him, were sitting across from her. One had shoulder-length blonde hair and the other had black hair pulled back into a long braid. Hermione lifted her head, when she spotted them relief flooded her features and a large smile sprung onto his face. The two girls turned around and he had to suppress a wince. "Lavender and Parvati." Hermione stood up as he made it to the table.
"There you are! I was starting to get worried." She said as she leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"Sorry about that. We ran into some…old friends." He pulled a chair up to the table and placed Catherine in it.
"My, My Mr. Potter!" Lavender exclaimed, letting her eyes travel over his body, a small smirk on her face. "You have changed!"
"Indeed." Parvati giggled and waggled her eyebrows. He rolled his eyes and fought down a blush. Hermione pressed her lips together.
"Parvati and Lavender were just leaving." She said firmly.
"We were but now we have a reason to stay." Lavender still hadn't taken her eyes off of Harry who had slid a chair between Hermione and Catherine.
"Can I have some ice cream?" Catherine asked. Parvati's eyes shot to the little girl.
"Oh look at her! You're so cute!" she squealed. Catherine raised an eyebrow. "What's your name?" Catherine straightened her back and lifted her chin.
"Catherine Elise Potter." She said proudly.
"Potter?!" Lavender exclaimed. "This is getting really old, really fast."
"Yes, Potter." He sighed. "Don't you two have somewhere to be." He knew he was being rude but he was getting tired of people asking questions and staring at him and his family. The girls sniffed at his less than subtle dismissal and stood up from the table.
"Well, we can tell when we're not wanted." They flounced away, their noses high in the air. Hermione turned to him and grinned.
"Thank you! I was barely restraining myself from cursing them." After ordering their ice creams (Sundaes for Harry and Hermione and a triple chocolate mudslide for Catherine) Harry told Hermione about his meeting with the Weasley's. She listened with her lips pressed tightly together.
"Now he worries about me." She said bitterly. She shook her head. "I saw them walking by earlier. I ducked inside before they saw me."
"I had hoped we wouldn't have to deal with them for a while." He sighed. "I guess that it was inevitable." Hermione nodded and sighed then turned to Catherine and smiled.
"Where did you get the cat?" Catherine smiled brightly and licked some chocolate off of her face.
"Daddy bought him for me! He was trying to escape and the lady didn't want him so Daddy bought him." They talked about the rest of their shopping as they finished their ice cream. Hermione informed him that she had found a book that he needed to see, that she'd show him when they got home.
When they had polished off their treats Hermione picked up the child and they left the shop. They continued chatting happily as they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron, his arm wrapped tightly around Hermione's waist and her's around his. Stuck in their own little world they were all completely oblivious to the stares once again directed at them.
Harry tapped the bricks and they stepped into the chilly little courtyard. Fore some reason he felt slightly…off. He glanced over to Hermione to see if she was feeling the same thing but she was still chatting happily with Catherine. Brushing it off he swung open the door to the pub and stopped short.
It was empty.
Now he definitely knew something was wrong. The Leaky Cauldron was never empty.
"We need to leave Hermione." He whispered urgently. She looked as uneasy as he felt. They turned to walk back out of the door when it slammed shut. Before you could blink they both had their wands at the ready and Catherine was shielded behind them.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that Mr. Potter." A calm voice said from in front of them. Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously and rage roared through his veins. "What the hell is that old son-of-a-bitch doing here?!"
"I'm afraid that that isn't your decision Dumbledore." His voice was calm but inside complete fury reigned. Hermione's hand clenched tighter around her wand and her eyes flashed with resentment. The ancient wizard sighed and stepped closer.
"I had a feeling you would make things difficult." Before they could think a powerful spell hit them both in the chest, sending them flying to opposite sides of the room. He heard Catherine scream just before he slammed into the wall.
There were several loud pops and Harry sprung to his feet, having every intention to run back to Hermione and Catherine. Strong arms grabbed him from behind before he could move.
"No!" Hermione screamed, she was being restrained by Snape and Hestia Jones had scooped a struggling and screaming Catherine into her arms and was beginning to carry her away from them.
Seeing the woman begin to take his child he elbowed whoever it was holding him in the stomach and sprinted after them.
Before he could get to them a spell hit him in the back and he fell, painfully, to the ground. He tried to move but it seemed like his body refused to comply. "Body Bind! Damn it!" Someone grabbed his shoulders and leaned him against the wall. From the corner of his eye he could see Snape none too gently place Hermione next to him. From the other corner of his eye he could see the small gray cat slink into his bag.
"I'm sorry this had to happen Harry." Dumbledore had come to stand in front of them and behind him he could see Hestia trying to comfort the now sobbing Catherine who was still trying to claw her way out of the woman's arms.
"You will be going back to the Dursley's and Ms. Granger will be staying with the Weasley's." he glanced over to the struggling child. "We will find a good home for the child."
"Daddy!" she sobbed. His heart broke with every tear that fell from her eyes.
Harry's eyes narrowed and a familiar feeling began to fall over him. His ears began to ring, his vision took on a tinge of red and a rush of invigorating cold came over him. The feeling rushed back into his limbs and he stood up slowly.
Hestia paled and Mr. Weasley's eyes widened. The power and anger radiating off of the boy was astounding.
"You forget your place old man." He sneered. With a flick of his wand the Order member's wands flew from there hands and landed at his feet. "You are nothing more than my Headmaster. You have no right to interfere in my life or the life of my family." Dumbledore raised his bushy eyebrows.
"You are mistaken. My place is as your protector and I will do everything in my power to fulfill that duty."
"No Dumbledore. It is not your place, it is not your duty. If it was you've sure as hell failed at it." He waved his wand and the spell on Hermione was released. She stood up, shaking with rage. She turned to Hestia.
"Let. Go. Of. My. Daughter." She hissed coldly. The woman released the distraught child and she immediately ran over to Hermione who scooped her up. The child sobbed desperately into her shoulder.
"Dumbledore!" he heard Mrs. Weasley shout from the stairs. "What are you doing?! You didn't say you'd do this! You said you just needed to speak with them!" The ancient wizard didn't spare her a glance.
"Go back upstairs Molly." Ignoring him she continued down the stairs.
"You can't force Harry to go back to those…muggles" dislike flashed across her face. "And you surely can't take their child away from them!"
"She isn't their child. Her name is Catherine Meyer."
"Wrong again Dumbledore." Hermione said coldly. "Her name is Catherine Potter. She is now our child." He looked at the shaking little girl then between Harry and Hermione. His eyes narrowed.
"You did a magical adoption?" his voice sounded disappointed and angry. He knew that there was nothing he could do. Performing a magical adoption on a child was making them yours on every level possible. If he tired to take her away from them he would be on all accounts kidnapping a child from their family.
"We are going to walk out of this door Dumbledore." Harry's carefully composed voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "We are going to walk out of this door and go home. If you even try to stop us I swear to god I will disappear. I will leave the wizarding world to fend for themselves." Dumbledore plastered a condescending smile on his face.
"You wouldn't do that Harry. You wouldn't leave your friends, the people you love and who love you." He raised his eyebrows at the old man.
"The people I love are either right here with me or already protected. The rest of the wizarding world can rot in hell for all I care." He stepped closer. "If and when I defeat Voldemort it will be on my terms and no one else's. If you push me old man I will forget the entire prophesy. I will disappear off the face of the earth." They locked eyes. Each daring the other to challenge them.
Finally Dumbledore lowered his wand and gestured towards the door.
"Go on then Mr. Potter." He said in a resigned voice. "It's your decision." He peered at Harry with disappointment in his eyes. He nearly laughed, there was a time when having the man look at him like that would have made his feel like the scum of the earth, completely ashamed and guilty. Not anymore.
Without hesitating he laced his fingers through Hermione's and began to walk towards the door. Hestia stepped away from the door and Hermione turned the knob.
Before they left Harry turned back to Dumbledore and the few assembled Order members.
"If any of you ever come near my family again I will not hesitate to curse you to hell and back or I will kill you." Leaving them in shocked silence he and his family left the pub.
They quickly pulled on their helmets and sped out of the parking space. He pushed the bike to it's limit, wanting to put as much distance as possible between them and Dumbledore.
He skidded into the alleyway and jumped off of the bike. Hermione yanked off her helmet and slid off Catherine's. Both their faces were tear stained and Catherine had her arms wrapped tightly around herself. He pulled them into his arms, squeezing them close to him.
He had almost lost them. He had let his guard down and they were almost taken away from him.
"I'm so sorry." His whispered brokenly into Hermione's curls. He felt her shudder in his grasp.
"No. No it wasn't your fault." She said tearfully.
"I should've protected you." She shook her head.
"You did. If you hadn't I'd be with the Weasley's and Catherine would be locked up in some orphanage." He pulled little girl closer to him. They had to be more careful.
After another minute of two he released his girls. He shrunk his bike and slipped it into his pocket.
Hermione kept her arms wrapped firmly around the upset child, rubbing small circles on her back and whispering comforting words into her ears. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to his side. They walked in silence to the large house, Harry constantly checking around them, he felt completely exposed.
He knocked quickly. It seemed to take hours before Tonks finally answered the door. She was flushed and her hair was different. Instead of the usual outrageous colors she usually had it was a shoulder-length white blonde, her bangs were feathered and reached just below her eyebrows. Her eyes were still gray but larger and surrounded by thick, light colored eyelashes. From the aristocratic arch of her nose and the highness of her cheekbones he could tell this was her natural appearance. He also understood why she didn't go around looking like herself; no one would ever take her seriously as she looked like a small porcelain doll.
"Wotcher! I didn't expect you back so…early. What happened?!" she asked anxiously as she ushered them inside, her bright eyes widening at their stressed and miserable expressions. She pushed them into the living room and onto the couch, getting even more worried when she saw how scared Catherine was and how she refused to let go of either Harry or Hermione.
"I'll go get some tea, ok?" Tonks said. When she returned Remus (still in his pajamas) followed her in.
"Ok, what happened?" Harry took a deep breath and launched into the story, Hermione interjecting every once in a while. By the time they had finished the story Tonks had beaten one of the pillows from the couch to a pulp and Remus's face had turned a deep shade of red and he was gritting his teeth. Sometime during the tale Catherine had dropped off to sleep and Hermione had brought her and the kitten into one of the many guest rooms in the house.
"So you're saying that Dumbledore" Remus spat out the name like a curse "Tried to capture you and take Catherine away?!" Harry nodded grimly.
"Son-of-a-bitch!" Tonks suddenly exploded. They all jumped at the sound of her voice. "How the hell does he even think that he has the right to?!" she threw the pillow to the other side of the room. Remus leaned over and grabbed her hand, rubbing gentle circles with his thumbs.
"Calm down Tonks, you shouldn't be letting yourself get worked up. Not now." He gave her a meaningful. She nodded and took several calming breaths. Remus pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What do you two plan on doing?" he asked. Hermione sighed and shook her head.
"I think from now on we'll have to keep her out of the wizarding world. Out of places where Dumbledore has control." She said. Harry leaned back into the couch and ran a tired hand through his hair.
"Every time we start to enjoy ourselves, every time we try to be happy that old bastard goes and pulls something like this. It's like it never ends!" they sat in silence, everyone caught up in his or her own thoughts.
"Then we'll have to end it." Hermione said softly. "We need to finish this soon, Harry." He laced his fingers through her's.
"I know and we will."
"We're quitting the Order." Remus said softly. Tonks nodded in agreement.
"There's no way we can stay when he's using us for his own agendas. Not when he's doing things like this." She stood up from her chair and Remus popped up after her. "Are you guys hungry?" she asked. Harry thought about it for a second. He didn't really have much of an appetite but he knew that at least Catherine and Hermione had to eat; none of them had had more than ice cream since breakfast.
"I guess I could go for a bit of lunch." He replied. He stood up, helping Hermione up after him, and they followed the older couple into the kitchen. Tonks bounced over to the pantry and began going through it.
"So what are you guys hungry for?" Remus's eyes widened in horror.
"Err…maybe I should cook Tonks." She turned, hands on her hips and glared at him.
"Are you trying to say I can't cook?"
"Of course not, Dora." he spoke softly as if peaking to a child. "You can cook, you just shouldn't. Ever." She pointed a dainty finger at him.
"I'm going to remember that Remus Lupin." He just grinned and stepped around her and into the pantry, pushing her out.
"Now, what can I make for you guys?" Harry glanced at Hermione and she shrugged back.
"Anything is fine." He answered. Remus nodded and began pulling things out of the pantry.
"I'm going to go get Catherine." Hermione said, walking towards the kitchen door. When she disappeared through the door Tonks slid onto the stool across from him.
"How are you doing?" he shrugged.
"I'm fine; I just don't understand why Mrs. Weasley would call Dumbledore!" Remus turned around and leaned his back against the counter.
"You have to understand Harry, Dumbledore didn't tell anyone that you were ok. He let everyone come to there own conclusions. Molly was more than likely just letting him know that you were ok. I doubt she meant any harm." Harry dropped his eyes.
"I know she didn't." he shook his head "Dumbledore has too much control over them! Over everyone." Remus sighed heavily and turned back to the stove.
"He always has and I doubt he'll ever really loose it. Dumbledore isn't an evil man he has just had too much power for too long. It's gone to his head." Harry snorted.
"Understatement of the century." Hermione stepped through the door with Catherine in her arms. As soon as she saw Harry she released her death-grip on Hermione's shirt and reached for her Daddy. He gladly pulled her into his lap.
"Hey Kitty-Cat" he kissed her cheek "Enjoy your nap?" she nodded and leaned her head against his chest. "Are you hungry?" she shook her head. Hermione sat on the stool next to his.
"What are you making Remus?" she asked. He flicked his wand and five plates floated onto the table.
"Grilled Cheese." He shrugged. "It's my best dish." He flicked his wand again and the sandwiches floated onto the plates. He slid into a stool next to Tonks and bit into his sandwich. Tonks conjured a bowl of milk for the cat who fell upon it with vigor. They ate in comfortable silence though Catherine only picked at her food. Her face was forlorn and her eyes were downcast.
"I think we need to be getting home now." Harry sighed. Remus nodded and stood up, vanishing the plates.
"Yeah, you've all had a long day." They walked them to the fireplace. Tonks gave them hugs and kissed Catherine on the forehead.
"Don't worry about Dumbledore." She said "He won't try that again."
"I'm not too sure." Hermione sighed and readjusted her hold on Catherine. They said their goodbyes and she and the child flooed back to the cottage. Before he followed them Harry turned back to the two adults.
"Thanks for…you know." Remus pulled him into a hug.
"It's no problem cub. I told you before, you're family." Harry returned the hug.
"You're right, we are family." After another hug from Tonks he stepped into the flames and disappeared. The flames seemed more sinister than ever, he kept expecting a hand to fly in and grab him. "Calm down Harry, you're freaking yourself out."
He finally stopped spinning and he flew out of the fireplace and onto the cool wood floor of the family room. Hermione was standing next to the couch helping Catherine pull off her sweater, revealing a white shirt. She turned and gave him a tired smile.
"Do you mind helping Catherine get ready for bed?" Hermione asked tiredly. He shook his head and picked the quiet child up.
"No, you go on up to bed." She gave him a small smile and kissed him on the cheek. After making sure to give the little girl a few kisses on the face she headed up the stairs.
"Ready for bed, love?" he asked the small girl. She glanced up the stairs fearfully then looked back at him. His heart clenched painfully at the terrified look in her eyes.
"I-I'm scared." Her voice was small and shook slightly. He pulled her into a hug. "And she was just starting to feel safe."
"It's ok princess." He said into her hair. "You'll be alright." She nodded against his shoulder and sniffled gently.
He carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom. After she was picked out her bedclothes Harry helped her take the braid out of her hair.
Hermione walked into the room. Her hair was damp and loose and she was wearing baggy black pajama bottoms and a bright orange Chudley Cannon's tank-top. She grinned at seeing him combing the small child's hair.
"Hey." She said. Harry returned her smile as he undid the last strand of Catherine's hair.
"Hey Mi." she came and sat next to him on the bed and pushed the child's wild curls from her eyes.
"Feeling tired yet Cattie?" the little girl nodded. "Go take your bath, love."
"Ok." She picked up her pajamas and walked out of the room. As she walked out of the door Harry began pulling the shrunken purchases, Hermione peered curiously over his shoulder.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing at the colorful bag in his bag. He grinned and placed it on the bed.
"Toys!" he turned the bag upside-down and the playthings tumbled out. Her eyebrows shot up.
"I see you two enjoyed yourselves!" she said, picking up the monkey which promptly jumped out of her hands and onto the bed, beginning it's crazy little dance. Harry collapsed into laughter.
"It's cute but it isn't that funny, Harry."
"It's not the toy" he said between his giggles "It was Cattie. We were in the store and she saw it…" he told her the story as he began taking the bag of robes out of his leather bag. She laughed along with him when he described the dance; she was nearly in tears when he began to imitate it.
They talked about the highlights of the trip while they put away the toys and clothing, joking and laughing. Hermione paused in hanging up one of Catherine's new dress robes and turned to Harry who was placing a couple of sets of magical puzzles on a low shelf.
"Do you think we're spoiling her a bit?" she asked, a small smile on her face. He stood up from his crouch and looked around the room and the armfuls of stuffed animals, boxes of paint, dolls, the cat stretched lazily on the bed, and the magically enlarged wardrobe that was full of both magical and muggle clothing. He turned to Hermione and grinned.
"Yes, I think we are." She looked around the room and shrugged.
"She's a good kid; she deserves to be spoiled a bit." She closed the wardrobe door and bent down to see if there were more bags in Harry's. Her face became curious and she reached into the bag and pulled out the crystal case.
"What's this?" his eyes widened and panic rose in his chest. He sprinted towards her and yanked the box from her hands. She flinched in alarm.
"Nothing! Don't go through my bag!" She took a step back and a hurt look entered her eyes.
"Sorry." She said coldly. "Idiot!" he thought reached for her arm and she stepped out of his reach.
"I'm-I'm sorry 'Mi! I didn't mean-" before he could finish his apology the door swung open and Catherine walked in.
She didn't seem to notice the tense atmosphere as she padded into the room.
"Hey sweetheart." Hermione said, forcing a smile onto her face. The little girl nodded and yawned. Hermione picked her up and carried her to her bed and placed her under the covers. The kitten instantly snuggled next to her. Harry came and sat on their other side.
"What are you going to name him?" he asked. She looked down at the gray cat that was now batting at one of Hermione's curls and grinned.
"Trouble." She stated. Hermione knocked him away.
"Fitting name." she said. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight lovely." She said softly.
"Goodnight, Mummy." The child whispered. Harry tucked a stray curl behind her ear and tickled her side. She giggled slightly and he also placed a kiss on her head.
"'Night princess." He murmured to her and tucked the blankets closer to her body.
"'Night Daddy." They extinguished the lights, all except the on next to the bed and left the room.
As they walked towards their bedroom he could practically feel the coldness radiating of off the young woman next to him. He opened his to try to apologize again but one look at her face told him it would not be gladly received. He thought about the jewelry in his bag and winced again. "Why didn't I just leave it?"
When they walked into the large room Hermione promptly headed over to the bed and slid under the covers, turning her back to him. He stood there for a few seconds, just watching her still and angry form. Finally he sighed and turned away from her, feeling angry with himself for snapping at her. He grabbed a random pair of pajamas and went to the bathroom to change, not even bothering to take a shower.
The room was dark when he walked back in and he stumbled blindly to the bed. The thought of casting a Lumos hadn't even entered his mind. When he finally slid under the covers Hermione scooted closer to the edge of the bed, he could almost hear her furious thoughts.
He scooted closer and made to touch her shoulder. His hand hung a few inches over her, unsure if he should touch her,
"H-Hermione?" he whispered in the darkness. She didn't answer but he felt her stiffen. "Look Hermione, I'm sorry." He waited for her to reply but she didn't. He sighed and backed away. "Bloody hell! I screwed up." He wasn't good at all this relationship stuff; he didn't know what to say to her! He watched her for a second, wishing she'd just roll over and smile at him, say that all was forgiven. Her curls fell into her face and spilled onto the pillows.
"I'll get her to talk to me." He thought with a smirk. He scooted closer to her and ran a hand lightly up her side, his smirk widened when he felt her shiver. His hand continued its journey upward until it came to her shoulder, he reached up higher and brushed the hair from the nape of her neck, he felt her start with surprise.
He pressed his lips to her shoulder and began trailing soft kisses up to her neck, to behind her ear, her cheek, her jaw. She shifted closer to his until her back was pressed against his chest.
Finally he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her's. She gasped in surprise and he let his tongue slip into her mouth. She moaned slightly and arched against him. He smirked into the kiss and turned over so that he was on top of her.
His hands fell to her waist and he felt her soft hands slip under his shirt and her fingernails rake against his chest. He groaned and pressed himself closer to her. Soon he forced himself to tear his lips from her.
"Forgive me?" he asked breathlessly, peering down into her flushed face. She blinked looking dazed.
"What?" she asked in confusion. He grinned and rolled onto his back, taking Hermione with him. She straddled his waist and pouted down at him. "That wasn't fair Harry! You tricked me, kissing me like that! I was fully ready to give you the silent treatment."
"You wouldn't do that." He said with a smirk. She raised a cool eyebrow.
"And why wouldn't I?"
"Well, One:" he said, lifting a finger. "I'm cute. Two: I'm an amazing kisser. And three: You love me." She grinned and slapped him on the chest.
"Stupid ass." She said lovingly. He gave her an affectionate smile and grabbed her 'round the waist.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you 'Mi." he said seriously. She shook her head.
"It's alright Harry; I shouldn't have been going through your things."
"It's not alright, love. I overreacted." She rolled her eyed and leaned over so their faces were inches apart, her hair created a curtain around them.
"Let's just agree that we both made a mistake, okay?" when he nodded she kissed him softly on the lips. She sat back up and rolled off of him.
"Lumos." She said and the light instantly came on. He squinted at the sudden light and sat up.
"What are you doing 'Mi?" she grinned at him then reached under her pillow.
"Do you remember when we were at Fortescue's and I told you I found an interesting book in Flourish & Blott's?" when he nodded she pulled a small book from under her pillow. It was black and covered in what he guessed by the design was snake skin. On the cover, written in large curvy letters was a name that made him flinch and gasp in surprise. Salazar Slytherin. Hermione was smiling happily at his shell-shocked expression.
"Do you know what this is Harry?! The diary of Salazar Slytherin!" he swallowed thickly and took the book from her hands.
"Why...Why did you buy this?!" she rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly.
"I bought it because it will help us tremendously on the hunt for the Horcruxes." She said in a 'duh' voice. He blushed slightly. "The only problem is I can't read it. It's written in some weird language, it's like nothing I've seen before." Her voice had begun to sound awed. He flipped the book open and frowned slightly, what was she talking about? It made perfect sense to him.
"Makes sense to me Hermione, maybe you're the one who needs glasses." Her eyes suddenly lit up.
"Read it to me!" She said, excitedly. Giving her a confused look he shrugged and did just that.
'That blasted Godric Gryffindor set my hair on fire during breakfast-' he stopped when he heard Hermione squeal.
"I knew it!"
"What?"
"Parsel-Tongue! You're speaking parsel-tongue!"
"I was?"
"Yes! It must be written in parsel-tongue." He looked down at the book in his hands in slight awe.
"Wicked." She yanked the book out of his hands.
"This will definitely give us clues to where the locket is or at least what it looks like." He nodded thoughtfully.
"How is it that you keep finding these things?"
"Research." She said simply. He winced; he really should have been trying harder to find out where the Horcruxes were. Sure the training was necessary but he'd still been lazing about. A determined expression crossed his face.
"We need to get to muggle London." She pushed a stray strand of hair out of her face and nodded.
"I was hoping we'd have been able to do it today but after what happened…it didn't seem like such a good idea."
"When we do go we cannot bring Cattie with us." He said firmly. She sighed.
"I know but we can't leave her here."
"We might have to take Remus and Tonks up on their offer." Hermione grinned at the mention of the older couple.
"Did you notice something different about Tonks?" she asked.
"Other than the fact that she actually looked halfway normal?" she punched him playfully in the arm.
"Not just that! Something about her was just…different."
"Yeah, I did notice but I can't quite place it." He looked at her mischievous expression suspiciously. "But you have an idea?"
"A suspicion." She said shrugging. He opened his mouth to ask her what it was when there was a timid knock on their door. Throwing him a curious look Hermione slid off of the bed and walked to the door.
Catherine stood in the doorway, her big green eyes full of unshed tears. She looked smaller than ever in her long white nightgown, her tiny feet peeking from under it, her dark curls tumbling softly down her back, her bear under one arm and Trouble at her feet.
"Can-Can I sleep with you?" she asked brokenly. Without answering Hermione scooped her up into her arms and brought her into the room, waiting for the cat to trot in and kicking the door closed behind them.
Harry wordlessly pulled back the covers and Hermione placed the child onto the bed and slid in next to her.
"Nox" Harry said softly and the lights were extinguished. He slipped into the warm bed on the other side of Catherine so she was nestled between them. He kissed her soft forehead; he could see her bright eyes already slipping closed. Hermione squeezed his hand and brushed a hand through the small girl's hair.
"Goodnight." He whispered.
"Goodnight, love." He heard Hermione whisper in the darkness.
After a couple of hours he heard Hermione's breathing even out and he snuggled deeper under the covers.
He sent a silent prayer to keep them safe, that one day his daughter would no longer have to be afraid. He prayed that he'd be able to protect them, that they'd end this soon. After kissing Catherine's forehead again he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.
A/N: Ehh…that ending could have been better. Anywho sorry y'all about the long wait until update (hey I rhymed!) but I was beginning to lose interest in the story but no worries! I wrote out the parts with the Horcruxes and I'm super excited! Lol. I know the confrontation with the Weasley's was short but not to worry! It was the first of many and there will be some tough conversations.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!