Ch.7: My Vote

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"I'm Hermione Granger."

"I know who you are. You spend the summers with us. Well, at least the Hermione we knew did."

What? "Why do I spend the summer with you?"

James Potter glanced back towards Dumbeldore but the old man wasn't looking at them. Potter turned back and ran a hand through his hair.

"Her parents gave her an ultimatum. The Magical World or them. She embraced magic and they essentially forgot about her. She didn't tell anybody until the start of their second year when Harry found out that she had been living by herself all summer. He told me and I later found out that they had been sending her money for the year but otherwise didn't contact her. It's been a year or so since the last time they even wrote to her."

Absolute confusion. She curled her fist as she tried to process what he had just told her. It was like being punched in the stomach. She struggled for a full minute. Harry spoke up when she didn't say anything.

"I'm guessing that it was different for you?"

Her throat felt tight and the back of her eyes burned.

Show no weakness, Hermione. "I obliviated them the summer before what was supposed to be my 7th year."

She stepped around James Potter and Harry. She paused in front of the window, watching as the sun finally sunk. She peered down, noticing the deep end of one cliff edge that led to a deep ravine.

"Have you decided?"

Dumbledore was staring at her. So were the others. She had dropped one of many bombs on them, it was a wonder they didn't just ask her for a moment to processes it all.

"I have. But they have voices of their own. They came because they wish to know the truth."

"Even the truth you have kept from them?"

She glanced at him. Waiting. He shifted his gaze beyond her. "If that is what it takes to win."

Of course.

She turned and gazed at the people gathered around.

"Don't trust Mundungus Fletcher. Especially you, Mad-Eye."

The older man grunted. "Why?"

"He bailed on you when it mattered most and you died. Isn't that reason enough?"

Somebody cleared their throat.

It was Arthur Weasley. He grinned and she couldn't help her own smile. His only widened in return.

"If you knew my son then you must have known me. Especially if you look happy to see me."

Hermione gave in to the genuine feeling the older man brought out of her. She crossed to him and reached for his hands. He stood up for her. She looked him over. He was the same as the Arthur she had once known.

Maybe that was why she was so comfortable with him. Her smile grew somber as she tightened her hold on him.

"I'm sorry about Ginny. I knew her too."

Arthur gasp was for her ears alone. He lost a bit of his grin and looked back at Molly, who had appeared at his shoulder.

Hermione smiled at Molly. "Yes, I knew her very well. She was one of my few female friends. I tended to have many male friends so that meant Ginny and I stuck together when we could."

"She didn't-I mean she was alive? Was she happy?" Molly implored her. Hermione let go of one of Arthur's hands and grabbed one of Molly's.

"She was alive the last time I saw her. She was taller than me by an inch, straight red hair like Ron's and wide blue eyes. She loved Quidditch and played as a seeker for Gryffindor. She had a boyfriend here and there. She was loved by her brothers and teased by them too. She fought hard in the final battle. She saved many and was saved in the end by you, Molly."

Arthur looked at his wife. Molly had tears in her eyes and she nodded for Hermione to go on.

"Bellatrix tried attacking Ginny and you stepped in and fought her instead. You killed Bellatrix. You avenged those she had wronged by getting rid of her. Ginny was so proud."

Molly released a sob and was pulled into Arthur's arms. Hermione stepped away and let them have their moment of peace. Ginny might be dead here but they now knew Ginny lived on in Hermione's old world. It was the greatest gift she could give them.

Her gut also told her what her heart wanted to hear.

She could trust this couple. As for the rest of the Weasly's...They were now walking forward, circling their parents. Bill was the same. He was the tallest Weasley and the most dangerous-looking one of them all. Except he wore no scar. Charlie wasn't as tall and if anything, was probably just as tall as his father. But he held the most muscle mass out of his brothers. He suddenly glanced at her, his eyes flashing with something wild. Something untamed.

He looked away just as the twins cut in front of him. She zeroed in on one of them.

Fred. He was alive here. Unlike…

She turned away from them and looked at the others. Many of them had begun to whisper amongst themselves but stopped when they saw her look their way.

James Potter was staring at her with a blank expression again. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Who else died in your war?"

"Is that something you need to know? You were dead before Harry could even talk."

Harsh. Yes. But she was feeling raw inside and needed to lash out. James Potter's jaw worked yet he still nodded. "I think at this point, everybody wants to know."

She would have spoken but her stomach cramped again and she realized she needed to eat. Molly must have read her mind because the woman came up behind her and pulled her by the arm.

"Eat first. I know you haven't eaten all day so come have some food. Oliver, give her your chair."

Hermione passed Oliver Wood, the boy was now actually a man and Hermione looked him over once. She used to have a crush on him in her early years. But had faded once he had graduated. Oliver nodded at her and left her with the chair he had been using.

Hermione sat down between Lee Jordan and Hestia Jones.

The others began talking quietly to each other as she ate some stew. She didn't speak. She was lost in thought. Aware of everybody and everything but making the effort to just be for a few minutes.

That didn't stop the feeling of being watched or being pointed at.

She ate the last piece of buttered bread and chased it down with some cold water. She pushed back from the table and the noise level immediately dropped.

It was time to get right to it.

Dumbledore must have been waiting for this because he turned away from the window to face her.

Hermione stood and pushed the chair to the side before leaning against the wooden table.

"Who else is in the Order?

"Unofficially or officially?" Moody asked.

"Anybody associated with the Order."

"Everybody here is in the Order Officially. The ones that know of it and support are few. Augusta Longbottom works at the Ministry but supports the Order as long as they don't cause problems. A few Hogwarts professors are allied and trust the Order. Flitwick, Trelawney, and Sprout are the professors that might end up joining in a few days." Minerva informed her.

Hermione met the eyes of the older woman. "What about Slughorn. Is he here?"

"Yes. He's teaching potions while Severus is teaching DADA." Dumbledore answered her.

That was good. She didn't have to go hunting him. From the brief flash of impatience when the mention of Slughorn had first been mentioned, she knew he hadn't had any luck in getting what he wanted from the Potion's Professor.

"Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Doge, and Emeline Vance are Order allies. They are currently at the Ministry. Percy Weasley is an Official Member but hasn't been to any of the meetings in the last 6 months." Minerva said, her eyes briefly flashing to the cluster of Weasley's.

Percy. She thought of the skinny ginger. He had fallen out with his family after getting a close job with the Minister. Hermione tapped her fingers against her thigh. "Percy will come around."

Molly's sharp breath came from her right. "He did the same then?"

"Yes. If he is the same here, he'll come around on his own. Don't beg him to come back, Molly. He's a grown man making decisions on his own. Let him make up his bloody mind." Hermione stated coldly.

She had once liked the boy but hadn't really ever thought of him after his screw up with his family.

"That's what I keep telling her. But does she listen? No. In comes this stranger who looks like Mione and within seconds of meeting her…"

Hermione turned her head and locked eyes with Fred Weasley. The boy, not yet a man was staring at her with a mock smile on his face.

Hermione stiffened.

That kind of expression had never been directed at her before. But she had to push back the hurt that was flaring at seeing such expression.

She raised an eyebrow. "I am a stranger, aren't I. But I'm starting to notice that not everybody is so different from my world."

"You're world? From what we've been told, this is your world now, Granger. Or is it a different name?"

His mocking tone was hitting her hard. She dropped her lazy facade and was in his face within seconds, wand pressed to the base of his throat. He stumbled back, alarm filling his blue eyes. She smiled, making sure it was sharp enough to cut.

"You're right, Fred Weasley. My world. Trying to act tough? The thing is, Fred, I'm not just anybody. I was at your family's side when they lost you. When you were killed in front of your twin and had to see your family grieve in the middle of the battle. You are no stranger to me. I'm coming to trust my gut and it's telling me you are just trying to test me. Don't. That job isn't yours. You are no match for me, Weasley."

His eyes changed. Pain and fear mixing in with the reality she was giving him. His mocking stance had left him and now he almost trembled under her wand.

She slid it down his chest to just under his ribs.

"You died of two things. A killing curse finished you off but the large wound under your ribs would have killed you in the end. George screamed for you and Percy to move but you were too busy trying to be a hero and covered Percy's back, taking the hit that was supposed to be for him. George killed the man. He lost not only half of himself when you died, but who he was. Think about that when you decide to play with what shouldn't be played with, Weasley."

One tap of her wand had him stumbling back, bumping into George, who had been steadily making his way to them.

She ignored the stares. But addressed their curiosity.

Hermione wanted to snarl.

They were wasting time trying to talk to her. Yet, it was necessary. Riddle wasn't going anywhere. She had time yet to make them accept her.

She just had to move things along. She resumed her previous position, acting like she hadn't just verbally shredded a boy in front of them.

"Remus, are you married?"

Remus Lupin jerked back and covered his left hand.

"We're married?"

Hermione carefully released a breath. "Not you and I. But with her."

She jerked her chin to Tonks. The woman's hair had gone white and was now blushing. "I know you two are together but are you married yet?"

Lupin seemed to struggle to breathe as he whipped his head from her to Tonks. "We were just talking about it."

Hermione snorted. She couldn't help it. Tonks' expression of irritation answered Hermione's question.

"Just marry her. Being a werewolf isn't that big of a deal. Just don't forget to take your potion and you two will be fine."

This time, Hermione was the one confronted.

Lupin's expression changed and a hint of something feral reached his expression.

He moved fast, faster then she had and was leaning over her. His tall frame crowded her but she now wasn't the time to fight. He was one of the few Order members she had never gone up against. But even she knew she was no match for the strength of a werewolf.

"There's a potion?" The wolf was there, however impossible that was, but she was sure it was there. Here. In her face. The gold in Lupin's eyes drowned out everything else in the room.

She didn't hear Harry's shout, Dumbledore's warning, and the door opening.

Hermione struggled hard not to eliminate the threat and stared up at the wolf-man.

"The Wolfsbane potion. It's not a cure but it prevents you from shifting during the full moon. You can still infect others the usual way but it would only be up to you in your human form."

The man in front of her trembled. "Do you know how to make it? Say that you can. Nothing like that exists here. Why would it? We're werewolves. It was one of the main reasons I won't marry her. I can't risk having kids for fear of what I'll be giving them."

The last was said in a whisper. Hermione shoved back her need to remove the threat and grabbed one of his hands.

"You once called me the brightest witch of my age. That was when I was 13. That hasn't changed. I know how to make it only because I needed to satisfy my thirst for knowledge. It will take up to a month to make but I can brew it as long as I get what I need for it."

He would have fallen down to his knees if she hadn't seized his other hand and tugged him to the empty chair she had occupied before. He sat down hard but didn't let go of her hands.

She knew what he was still waiting to hear. She finally lost the urge to annihilate him and leaned down so that they were eye to eye.

"You can have children without concern of what you'll be giving them, Remus."

Hermione swallowed with difficulty as he nodded, blinking back obvious tears of relief.

"You don't know what that means to me, Hermione Granger. But I will say this. No matter what others say, I'll be at your side. You have my vote even if you can't make the wolfsbane. Knowing I can have a life with her...nothing else measures up to it."

…...o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o….

Thank you for reading! Feedback is welcomed.

I'll reply to comments in the next chapter.

I hope you love Hermione's badass vibe as I do.

Vanee