"Are you sure everything's in order?" Hermione asked anxiously as they hurried through the crowded Ministry. Hermione had been at the ministry twice before and both times she had narrowly escaped with her life. The place was crowded as people appeared at the Atriums on their way to work. The two of them got some long looks courtesy of their and Harry's pictures being splashed across the front pages of the Prophet.

"Hermione, everything's fine," Ron replied. "Dad and Kingsley have sorted out all the details. All we need to do is take the portkey."

"Are you certain you know the way?" Hermione asked doubtfully staring at the maze of passages ahead of her.

"Yes," Ron relied impatiently. "I've been there before when we went to Egypt and we still have fifteen minutes left."

Ron threaded his way through the crowd and passages for another five minutes before they reached a large cavernous room. The room was divided into what seemed like hundreds of small sections with a destination plastered at the top of each. Some of the sections were completely empty while others had longer queues of people waiting. Hermione was impressed with the organization of it all. When they finally reached the section which said 'Australia' above it, they found the Minister himself, Kingsley waiting for them. He shook hands with both of them.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten," Kingsley quipped. Hermione shot Ron an annoyed look. If he hadn't taken his own sweet time they might have reached here with a bit more time to spare. "Well, No harm done," Kingsley added and handed her a set of documents. "Keep these with you. You have a full months permit to stay there. When you reach Canberra, you'll find a Paul Dyson waiting for you. He knows you are there to find someone and will assist you as long as you are there. Anything else?"

"Thanks for doing all this Minister. You've been a great help." Hermione told him gratefully.

Kingsley waved her gratitude away. "If you need anything else, you can contact me through Paul."

"Another five minutes," Ron said, looking at his watch. Hermione nodded. Every step she had taken today had been a step closer to finding her parents. Yet, her excitement and longing were diluted by apprehension. She was afraid of their reaction, afraid of rejection. She was afraid that she might find them unhappy. She was afraid that she might find them very happy…without her. These conflicting thoughts had been heavy on her minds for the past few days.

"Common, let's go," Ron gently shook her out of her thoughts. The portkey itself was a large, hollow cubical object covered with the colours of the Australian flag. She secured the beaded bag that contained all their belongings to herself before she gripped onto the portkey with both her hands as she watched Ron do the same.

"Don't let go," the official warned them.

Just as she was getting tired of doing nothing but hold on to an inanimate object, she had the odd sensation of being pulled up and thrown. The world around her turned dark and it felt like she was revolving around it. It felt like hours but she guessed it had only been a few seconds before she could feel her feet back on solid ground again. Her eyes instantly swept across the room, which although smaller wasn't much different to the room they had just come from. She got up from her kneeling position feeling slightly dazed.

"Now, wasn't that so much easier than one your muggle flying machines?" Ron asked with a grin.

"I never said it wasn't," Hermione countered. "And you'd have to travel in one of those to compare," she pointed out.

"Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger?"

Hermione looked around. Her eyes fell on a tall man. He was a couple of inches shy of Ron's height. His hair was black and neatly combed into place. He was dressed in a muggle attire of jeans and a blue t-shirt which took her by surprise. She had expected someone older but Paul couldn't have been any older than twenty-five.

"That's us," Hermione greeted him. "Paul Dyson?"

Paul nodded. "Kingsley tells me you're looking for someone," Paul said, getting right down to the task in hand which Hermione appreciated. "Now, if you give me all the details I can have the address ready in the morning."

"Monica and Wendell Wilkins, in Sydney," Hermione replied. She could have found them herself using a tracking spell but having Paul do it would be more convenient, she decided.

Paul looked up from his small notebook with surprise. "That was….very precise,"

"That's Hermione for you," Ron put in with a grin.

"Well, I suppose I should have expected this, given what you two have accomplished with Mr Potter," Paul said. "We're all grateful for that by the way,"

Hermione shrugged the praise away. It made both Ron and her uncomfortable and to Ron, any talk of war meant reminders about Fred. Paul seemed to sense the mood and changed the topic.

"Here's the plan; We go to Sydney now and I arrange rooms for you two. By morning I will have the address for you and we can proceed from there,"

"That's fine by us," Hermione said nodding her head. "We'll share the same room," she added. Paul arched his eyebrows before nodding.

A few minutes and another portkey later they were inside their own spacious room in what was apparently a muggle hotel.

"So, let me get this straight, I can order anything I want and the ministry pays for it?" Ron asked as he looked over the menu on the side table.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You had breakfast not two hours. How can you be hungry again? It's a wonder you aren't as fat as Slughorn,"

"Weasley genes," Ron shrugged as she joined him on the bed and stretched her legs.

"You are alone with your girlfriend in a nice room and all you can think of is food," Hermione said with a suggestive wink.

Well, I can think of lots of other ways to pass time," Ron said slowly as he climbed on top of her.

OoO

Ron bent down and placed a light kiss on her lips. He watched as her eyes closed and trailed his lips across her collarbone and sucked lightly. Hermione moaned at the contact before her eyes opened suddenly.

"Ron, I'm ready," Hermione told him, her brown eyes determined.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked. He wanted it, he knew that but he didn't want to go ahead with it if Hermione wasn't ready.

"I love you Ron," Hermione said, her brown eyes locked onto him. "I could never regret it, not with you,"

That was all he needed as he leaned in and kissed her deeply. He resumed his earlier task and began sucking on her neck, drawing delightful little moans from Hermione. He paused for a moment savoring the situation he found himself in. Hermione opened her eyes and frowned. Ron shook his head. "You're beautiful," Hermione smiled before her hands tugged impatiently at his t-shirt. Ron grinned and removed his t-shirt before he tugged Hermione of her jumper as well exposing her bra covered breasts to him. He wasted no time and reached behind her to unhook her bra which exposed her, now erect nipples to her. He moaned at the sight and his own erection strained against his pants. He cupped her breasts and took a hardened nipple in his mouth. Hermione legs squirmed as she moaned loudly. Ron loved watching her come undone, he loved it when she let go of her inhibitions. Her hands tugged at his hair as he shifted his attention to the other nipple even as he fingered her now wet nipple. Hermione screamed louder and grinded her centre against his erection causing him curse loudly.

His hands went down and tugged at her jeans. She lifted her hip allowing him to remove her jeans leaving her in only blue knickers. His hands were again full of her breasts, pinching and rolling the nipple that he wasn't sucking on. Her screams drowned out his groans of pleasure and ecstasy. He moved his mouth lower and trailed kisses down her body until he reached her waistband. His hand stopped kneading her nipple and palmed her through her knickers causing Hermione to moan even louder. So wet. For me. His hands moved to her waistband and removed her knickers and finally he had a look at her sex.

His eyes moved downwards to a patch of triangular brown curls against her sex before he looked up at Hermione. She was breathing heavily, her cheeks flushed and her brown eyes staring at him. "I….you're beautiful Hermione….I love you…I need you.." Ron breathed out. He couldn't think straight, not with all the blood rushing downwards but he had never been more turned on before.

"Oh Ron," Hermione cried out and brought her lips to his. "I need you too Ron, I love you," Ron trailed his lip down her body until he was between her thighs. He could feel her shaking in anticipation. Hermione writhed in pleasure as his hands explored her, her moans increasing in volume. His hands felt sloppy to him but when his hands found her clit she screamed. "RON," Ron continued to rub her clit before he inserted a finger inside her. He moved his fingers in and out of her, watching her lose control and screaming in pleasure until she finally came, her whole body shaking. He watched her regain her composure as tasted her using his finger.

"You taste….nice," Ron told her, feeling like a fool. Hermione blushed and giggled at the same time before she sat up and kissed him. "I want to see you Ron," she told him and without waiting for a response her hand went to his trousers. Too turned on to care he let her shrug him out of his trousers. He followed Hermione's eyes to the straining erection until her hands went to the waistband and pulled them off. Ron gulped and blushed a furious red as Hermione's eyes darted downwards towards his cock.

Ron hissed in pleasure as her small hands gripped him tightly. He lay down on the bed as she stroked up and down his length occasionally touching his tip. "Fuck, Hermione," he shouted as she increased her pace before he sat up and stopped her hand. Her eyes looked intoxicated and lustful and he had never felt better in his life but he need to stop her.

"You should stop," Ron told her. "I..well…you know…not going to last.." He stuttered out feeling like the biggest fool on the planet. Hermione grinned at him. "Sorry. I'm ready. Take me Ron," Her hand went back to his cock as she lay down. She stroked his length before bringing it to her entrance. "I want you inside me," Her voice was so lustful, Ron almost came there.

He pushed himself inside her until he met resistance. All other thoughts melted away at the feeling of being inside her. It was incredible. He gently pushed at the barrier and then a bit harder until he felt it give away. "Ron, STOP," Hermione screamed and to his horror there were tears in her eyes. "No, don't pull out," she said immediately. "But you're hurting," Ron protested. Watching Hermione cry could give him no pleasure. Somehow, even in her state Hermione managed to pull off an eye roll. "It's part of it. I just need time,"

Ron waited until Hermione gave him the go ahead and this time when Hermione screamed it was from pleasure. "Bloody hell," Ron shouted as he increased his pace and pumped inside her. "Oh god, you feel so good Ron," Hermione screamed as kept up his pace. But Ron could feel the end coming. He tried to hold on for as long as possible but moments later he came inside her and collapsed on top of her breathing heavily. He remained inside her as he felt Hermione bringing herself to orgasm. He rolled off her and onto his back beside her.

"Sorry," Ron said as he faced her.

"Ron, it's ok," Hermione replied as she cupped his face. "It's not unusual for girls not to orgasm the first time. Besides you already made me come once," she added with huge grin on her face. He was sure his own grin matched hers.

"I love you," Ron said he put his arms round her neck, feeling all of her. It was as if he was suddenly aware of every part of her. Everything was more intimate. "So bloody much," Hermione moved closer to him and rested her against his chest. "We should clean up," Hermione mumbled but made no effort to get up. "Or we could just do it in the morning," Ron said. "Hmm," Hermione wrinkled her nose and pulled the quilt over them.

OoO

Ron awoke, feeling a bit bare and empty. It took him a few seconds to realize he had no clothes on and that Hermione was no longer beside him. The memory of last night made him sit up and look around the room. Hermione was sitting on the couch in her gown looking at a bunch of papers.

"Finally, woken up, have you," Hermione said without looking up. "It's nine by the way and Paul has already been here."

"Who knew sex was so tiring eh?" Ron replied. Hermione looked up at that, her face pink. He grinned at her and got off the bed. He saw Hermione avert her eyes. "You've already seen everything," he replied, amused at her reaction. She was flushed and holding the papers tightly in her hand. "Don't tell me you are horny again,"

"Oh, for god's sake Ron, go get cleaned up," Hermione replied with an ever growing blush as her eyes instinctively moved downwards. "GO!" She repeated more forcefully.

"Oh, alright. Keep your knickers on,"

By the time Ron returned from a much needed shower he found Hermione pacing the room with the papers clutched in her hands.

"So, did he have the required information?" Ron asked.

"He did,"

"So, what are we waiting for then?"

"We could just see around Sydney today," Hermione replied as she continued her pacing.

"But your parents—"

"Have been waiting for more than a year. One more day won't hurt them,"

There was something about her voice that did not sit right with him and the way she avoided directly looking at him enforced that feeling. It disturbed that him she wasn't willing to share whatever it was that was bothering her. But he didn't want to pressure her into anything so he let it go.

"Fine," Ron agreed with reluctance.

OoO

Ron wished he could have enjoyed the day out. It was a glorious day. The sun was shining brightly and when they visited the harbor the waters glistened brightly as they reflected the sun. He was unused to spending so much time in a muggle place and found it all very intriguing. But every time he looked across at Hermione, the enthusiasm faded. He could see she was trying to have a good time but the laughter never reached her eyes. He tried his best to change that. His efforts only resulted in weak laughters and feeble smiles. When they finally went back to their room, Hermione went straight to bed whether out of tiredness or worry, Ron couldn't tell.

Sighing, he joined her in bed and flicked the lights off. But sleep did not come to him. He watched Hermione pretending to be asleep but he knew enough about her to know she was faking. Her body remained stiff with her back to him. For a long time he debated between talking to her and letting her sleep it off. But Hermione made his mind up for him when she rolled over and buried her head in his chest. Instinctively, he wrapped his hands around her.

"I'm afraid they won't forgive me," She said in a small voice.

"They love you,"

"They don't even know me!"

"They will, when you reverse their memories,"

"They will hate me when they know what I did,"

"No they won't," Ron said firmly. He knew how it felt to doubt your parents love. "They might be angry but they will forgive you. "

"Ron, I destroyed their lives! I sent them half a world away without ever asking them. I made them forget their only daughter."

"Hermione," Ron lifted her head from his chest and looked into her eyes. "Trust me on this," He gazed at her brown eyes until she nodded hesitantly and snuggled against him. "I'm scared to see how they are doing. I'm scared I'll find them miserable and I'm scared I'll find them happy….without me,"

"I know it's tough but you had no other choice Hermione," he replied. "They will understand that." Eventually, he added silently. If her parents were as stubborn as she was, it would take time.

"I'm glad you came with me," Hermione whispered. "I love you."

OoO

"Is this it?" Ron asked.

Hermione barely nodded, her gaze never shifting from the white two-storied house in front of them. The gardens were neatly kept and there was a car parked on the driveway. It brought back memories of their own house back home, the one she hadn't seen for almost a year. Finally, she tore her eyes away from the house and took a deep breath.

"You alright?" Ron asked.

"I'm fine…just a bit nervous I guess," Hermione said.

"You'll be fine," Ron said. "I'm the one who should be worried,"

"Why is that?" She asked.

"What do you think their reaction will be when they find out their daughter has been with a boy for the past year?" Ron said. "It won't be to thanks me, I can tell you that."

Hermione could tell Ron was genuinely worried about it. "With her boyfriend," she corrected him.

"That's even worse,' Ron. "They'll think we have shagged."

"Well…we have unless it was all a nice dream I had," Hermione replied.

"That's not the point!" Ron said as he ran his hands through his hair. "They will think I seduced you or something,"

Hermione laughed out at that. "Don't be ridiculous," she said. "You're over thinking it."

"So, here's the plan; We knock on the door and go inside. Then I stun them and remove the memory charm."

"Are you sure you don't want me to do the stunning?" Ron asked.

"It has to be me," She insisted and Ron did not press it any further for which she was grateful.

They approached the door with Hermione's heart beating wildly at the thought of seeing them again. She rang the bell and waited. Hermione gripped Ron's hands tightly when the door opened revealing a middle aged woman. Her mother. For a moment, Hermione forgot to breathe. She searched her mother's eyes for any signs of recognition but found none.

"…Can we trouble you for a glass of water?" She heard Ron ask. Her mother nodded and stared at her for a moment before she went back inside.

"Hermione, should I do it?" Ron asked and his words jarred her into action. She entered the house and before she could change her mind, she weakly stunned her mother with a non-verbal spell. Ron caught her mother before she fell and gently put her on the couch.

"Who was it Mon—" Hermione gave her father no chance to finish. His eyes went wide before he crumpled to the floor unconscious. Ron levitated her father on the couch beside her mother before he came to her and hugged. "You did well," Ron said in his soothing voice. "You had to do it, there was no other way." She clung on to him and stayed like that for what felt like hours. When she finally withdrew from him, she steeled herself and turned around to face the couch.

She emptied her mind of any emotion and slowly let the void be filled by all the memories she had taken away. Then, moving her hands slowly and precisely, she pointed her wand first at her mother and then her father as she muttered the spell that would make them whole again. When it was all done, she lowered her hand and heaved a huge sigh of relief, waiting for them to regain consciousness.

Her mother was the first one to regain consciousness. She sat up groggily and her eyes swept around the room in a confused manner until they settled on her, recognition flashing across them. "Hermione?" She said her voice thick with emotion. Her mother slowly made her way towards her before she embraced her, tears rapidly falling down her cheeks. Hermione felt tears on her own face as she watched her father waking up and staring at the two of them.

"I knew something was wrong," her mother said eventually. "I knew I was missing someone. I knew it!"

Hermione stared at her father, wanting to go and hug him like she often had when she was little but she only saw doubt and confusion across his face.

"What are you doing here….What the hell is going on?" Her father looked as perplexed as she had ever seen him and even her mother's expression had changed. "Hermione, what did you do….why have I just…remembered…?

"I—"

"Hermione, don't tell me you used….magic on us," Helen said, her voice full of dread. The disappointment in her mother's voice cut her deeper than she would have thought. She had never been a disappointment. She had been their pride and now she had let them down. She hung her head, unable to look them in the eye.

"Tell us everything," There was a hint of resignation and trepidation in her father's voice. And she did. She told them everything. She told them all the things she had hidden from them for seven years. She told them about Voldemort, she told them about the Ministry, she told them how she had modified their memories and sent them to Australia and she told them how they had spent the last year running away and taking part in a war. Ron had moved closer and kept a comforting hand on her shoulder while she was relating the tale.

"You lied to us."

"I'm sorry,"

"We trusted you, we gave you freedom and you've lied to us for seven years," her father went on. "Why?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't allow me to go back to Hogwarts," Hermione said.

"I wouldn't have, not when my daughter was nearly killed every other year," Robert fumed.

"That's why I didn't tell you," Hermione said. "I belong there. It's who I am,"

"And do they teach you to magic people away against their will?" Robert said sarcastically.

Hermione stared at him helplessly. "She had to do it," Ron spoke for the first time. "Voldemort…the death eaters…they were targeting muggleborns and their families," Ron said. "She tried to keep you safe."

Her father turned his anger on Ron. "Well, I suppose this explains it," he said as he eyed them. "You sent us away so you could have fun with him,"

"Leave him out of this," Hermione said in silent fury. "Blame me all you want but he knew nothing about this until I told him. Do you think we were having fun?" She asked. "He saw his own brother die in front of him. Do you think that was fun?"

Her father faltered for a moment before turning back on her. "You lied to us Hermione. You took our lives away from us."

"I had no choice," Hermione said. "I didn't want you to get hurt because of who I was,"

"You still hurt us," Robert said. "You broke our trust,"

"Tell me what I can do to…make up for it," Hermione said in despair. "I love you both and I'll do anything you say to make it right again."

"That's enough for now," Her mother interrupted loudly. "We'll talk tomorrow. Hermione, it's a lot for us to take in as well. You've come back and told us we've been living a lie for the past year," That stung Hermione but she knew her mother was right. "Give us some time."

"You can stay here….if you want to," Her father said. There was affection and warmth in his voice that she hadn't felt before. "I want to," she told them.

"I guess I'll leave then," Ron said. There was a uncomfortably brief pause where she hoped they would ask him to stay. "I'll see you out," She said eventually when no one spoke up. Ron exchanged a brief glance with her parents before they headed to the front door.

"Sorry about what Dad said," Hermione apologized.

"Nah, it's ok. He didn't know. I wouldn't be too pleased if someone removed my memories," Ron said. "Not that I'm blaming you," he added hastily.

"I wish you could stay here," Hermione said.

"So do I but it's for the best I leave," Ron said. "I don't want to push things with your parents."

"You'll come tomorrow won't you?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure if I should Hermione," Ron replied. "They didn't exactly take a liking to me did they?"

"They don't know you," Hermione insisted. "How can they like you if you don't see them?"

"Fine," Ron held his hands up. "I'll be there tomorrow." Ron reached down and placed a kiss on her lips. She sighed when he eventually let go and turned his back.

OoO

Hermione sat up abruptly in bed, breathing hard and her forehead covered in a thin sheen of sweat. It was the same nightmare. Bellatrix had tortured her and even in dreams the ache spread across her whole body. Greyback had then sunk his teeth in her neck. She shivered as the image of the hungry werewolf unwittingly appeared in her mind again. It worried her that the nightmares only occurred when Ron wasn't around with her. She did not want to become so dependent on him.

The door opened suddenly and her mother entered the room with a worried look on her face. "We heard you scream," Hermione mentally berated herself for forgetting to put up the silencing charms before going to bed. "I'm fine mum," She tried to keep her voice level but even to her own ears she didn't sound very convincing. She wilted under her mother's strong gaze and her shoulders sagged. "I had a nightmare," She admitted. Helen sat down on the bed and put her arms around Hermione.

"Was it something to do with the…..war?" She asked tentatively.

Hermione nodded cautiously. She detected hesitancy about her mother that she had never done before. Several times she seemed to be on the cusp of saying something before she lapsed into silence again and stared at her.

"I don't know how to talk to you," Helen finally said, her voice laced with pain. "I feel like I don't know you anymore,"

"I'm….still Hermione," she replied.

"Are you?" her mother said with a sigh. "You've changed Hermione,"

"Mum, can we go back to how it was between us," Hermione pleaded.

"I don't know Hermione," Helen said. "How was it between us? You've been hiding things from me since you started going to Hogwarts. Can I take anything you said at face value?"

"I never wanted to hurt you," she replied. "I had no one to talk to and did I what I thought was right,"

"You always had me Hermione," Helen said accusingly.

"But Dad said he would have taken me out of Hogwarts," Hermione protested.

"He was angry Hermione; you should know that better than anyone else. I swear the two of you are the most stubborn people I've known," Helen said with a smile. "Besides, would we have been bad parents if we had withdrawn you on account of your life being under threat?"

"No and that's why I didn't want to tell you," Hermione said. "Can we start afresh? I missed you, I missed you both. I need you in my life."

"Oh Hermione," Helen pulled her into a hug that brought tears to her eyes. "We'll always be there for you whether you want it or not. Robert will come around as well, just give him some time."

"Can you trust me again?" Hermione asked fearfully. "After what I did,"

"I won't lie to you Hermione," her mother began. "It will take time but we'll get there eventually won't we?"

"We will," Hermione replied in high spirits. She wanted nothing more than to gain back their rust and she was prepared to be patient for that moment.

"Enough of this depressing talk," her mother said briskly. "So, this Ron is quite handsome isn't he?"

"Mum!" Hermione protested with a blush. "It's late,"

"Oh come on!" Helen said with a laugh. "It's been a year since I last saw my daughter. I want to make up for lost time. Are you back together? I remember something about you breaking up with him,"

"We're together," Hermione replied. "I love him mum, I really do,"

"Does he love you?"

"He does,"

"Well I'll have to have a talk with him then," Helen said. "I assume he'll be along tomorrow?"

"He didn't want to but I told him to come," Hermione admitted. "He thinks you and Dad don't like him,"

Her mother chuckled. "I'm not surprised with that considering what happened today,"

"Dad didn't seem to like him," Hermione said.

"He didn't," her mother said with a frown. "But he will be when he sees how happy you are with him. I can see it in your eyes Hermione. Your face lights up when you talk about him," she added. "So tell me, have you two—"

"We have," Hermione interrupted her mother. "Once," she added as an afterthought as her face burned red.

"I should probably go before you self-combust with embarrassment," her mother said in an amused tone. She got up and made her way out as Hermione sighed contentedly. And for the first time in a long while Hermione Granger went to sleep fully content with her life.

Sorry for the long delay! That's if anyone's still following this story! This is the biggest chapter yet of this story so I hope that makes up for it. There's a part two to this chapter which I've removed from this chapter. If all goes to plan and I don't procrastinate it should see the light of day in a couple of weeks.

Read and Review!