-HJP & HJG-

CHAPTER 24: A Granger Family Row!

"Miss Granger. As you have heard, I have informed your parents about some matters that are above the normal in telling Muggles about magical goings on. I have cast some magic around this house, strong McGonnagle family magic similar to the spells I have at my own house, that will let you have some ….. freedom …. In telling your parents a bit more than normal about what has been happening. Under these current, extra-ordinary circumstances; I thought it prudent. The Ministry will not know a thing, nor will Dumbledore. So, if you feel you want to expand on what I have said, you go ahead. But I must stress, Miss Granger, you still cannot do magic here. There are no wardstones here, so my spells will not hold up if they have to hide magic from the Ministry. Now, I am exhausted and need some rest. Mr and Mrs Granger thank you and I bid you goodnight. I will return in the morning for you, Hermione. See you then." …'POP!' ….. and she was gone.

In the Granger household that night, there was much explanation, shock, anger and heated argument. The explanation and shock happened at the words of the Gryffindor Professor, the anger and argument were after she had apparated back to her island home. In addition, there was upset and tears from both the Granger women; the younger upset because of the whole situation with Harry getting to her and the emotional shock of the badly injured state she had seen him in, not helped with what she saw as the lack of understanding and disregard of her feelings for her 'friend' and how she wanted to help him.

Emma Granger had not seen her husband so annoyed in many a long year, and never, ever before at their daughter. He was normally the calm one, the peacemaker between her and Hermione, so Emma was in very unusual territory in her trying to be the mediator between father and daughter. She too, then, ended up in tears at seeing the rift between them and what appeared to be her inability to calm them down. She knew that Dan only wanted to protect Hermione, to shield her from any potential danger that the magical world, a world that he did not understand, could throw at her.

"Why, Dad? Why? Why won't you let me be with Harry? He is my friend, Dad, my best friend and he needs me. He is a mess. He is smashed up, his body broken, his mind and magic are all angry and confused. He needs someone with him that he trusts and that's me, and only me! The only one that can show him that there is someone in this world that cares for him."

Her father's annoyed reaction and answer gave vent to his feelings about the whole 'magic' phenomenon and his daughter's involvement with it. "Harry has people with him, Hermione. His Godfather for one, immaterial that this Lord Black is an escaped felon that is being hunted by the police or whatever their magical lot are called. And you wonder why I don't want you back there! Then there is that old McGonnagle woman. A teacher, still? She's bloody ancient. She should be in a care home, not a fucking classroom! And …. And … what did you call this other one, this Meghan? A medi-witch or something, that even the magical authorities won't recognise as she has no magical powers, couldn't even get into magic school! What right has she to be treating anyone, let alone a severely injured boy? Sounds more like a fucking witch-doctor in the true terms, a boogy- man, well girl in her case. A bloody kid still. She's not even old enough to have started her 3rd year of medical studies. Qualified doctor, my arse."

"Dad, she saved Harry. Meghan saved him. He was stabbed and battered, he had broken bones and everything, Dad. How could she do that if she wasn't qualified?"

"Why wasn't he taken to a hospital then, Hermione, even this St. Mungo's place you go on about? If he was that bad, that's where he should have gone, not some fantasy fucking island by some nutter of a dwarf elf. Bloody hell, Hermione, see sense! See our point of view! You are our only daughter, our only child, living in a world that we don't know anything about or were even aware existed outside of comic books and bloody Walt Disney! Now you have injuries you can't or won't explain, you are mixed up in all sorts with these people and especially this Potter boy, getting into all sorts of trouble. You have been taken away from us, your mum and I. You've got brains Hermione, one of the finest brains I have ever come across. Bloody well use it and see sense. So, no Hermione, No! This is finished! I Have had this magic crap up to here. This whole fucking farce is finished. You are getting enrolled in proper school for September. I can afford the best for you, Hermione, and that is where you will be going. A top private school with proper teachers, proper subjects and proper bloody discipline. … And no fucking magic!"

Hermione Granger was distraught. Not only was she not going to see Harry tomorrow, according to her father she was not going to see him ever again, or Hogwarts, and no magic. That magic flared, sending a bolt of energy from her to a framed photograph of her and her father that sat on the table next to his favourite chair, that picture shattering into many hundreds of pieces. Her father, her mother and she, herself, were shocked at the outcome.

Emma Granger was the first to recover. She saw her once close family crumbling in front of her eyes and she was desperate. She stepped between her husband and daughter, pushing Hermione back away from him.

"ENOUGH! NO MORE, YOU HERE? NO MORE, NOT IN MY HOME! How dare you Hermione Granger, how dare you! You do not threaten your father! And you, Dan Granger! Just what are you thinking? This is Hermione, I am your WIFE! We discuss family problems in this house, we do not scream and swear and make demands and lay down unjust rules. So, stop, the pair of you!"

Hermione was still fuming, even more so as in her eyes her mother had taken her father's side, had actually laid hands on her in anger.

"YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF MAGIC! … YOU BOTH KNOW FUCK ALL ABOUT IT. I'LL SHOW YOU MAGIC!"

She pulled her wand from the waistband of her jeans and went to point it at her parents. At that moment, 'POP', and the 'nutter of a dwarf elf' appeared in the living room, instantly snapped his fingers and Hermione's wand flew from her grasp and flying high, stuck to the ceiling. The two Granger parents were stunned as they saw the tiny elf creature standing in the middle of the room. And Dobbie, not even noticing their shocked appearance. He said,

"You stop, Miss Grangy. You'se be wrong. You not use magic on parents. You'se not hurt parents and break up family. You'se be angry because you want to be's with the great Harry Potter. He has no family 'cause nasty, snake face Riddle kill them. Dobbie needs you and your family to be his."

Then, turning to the parent Grangers, he said,

"I's be Dobbie, Harry Potter's friend and a free Elf! I's be watching out for the Great Harry Potter and his friend, Miss Grangy. Much has happened with them. Their magics be together, now, so Dobbie knows when Miss Grangy need him. Miss Grangy not ok, very upset because her magic say so. She not be balanced and her magic be mixed about, just like Harry Potter. She need be away from father but not for long. She calm down soon. Dobbie will help take her to room." And with a click of his fingers, he and Hermione were gone. A noise in the room above the living room, Hermione's room, gave a sign as to where they had gone.

"What the fuck was that?" Dan asked.

"Dan, that elf thing. That was what Hermione was on about. That 'Dobbie'! That was him!"

"Shit! That noise. Upstairs, Emma!"

As he made for the living room door, Emma Granger grabbed her husband.

"Dan! Stop, please stop! You're still angry at her, Dan. Even more so now, because she was going to harm me. Dan, love, she's hurting, hurting really bad. And ….. Look, you stay here. I'll go up to her, speak to her."

"Emma, what has happened to us, our family? We have never been like this. We all love each other for goodness sake. This ….. this can't be happening!"

"Dan, leave it be, go have a drink or something. I will sort Hermione out. But, one thing love, we will have to reach a compromise with Hermione. We just have to! If we don't, we will lose her. She will go, Dan. She will leave …. And we do not have the power to stop her!"

"SHIT!" was all he said in reply.

"Dan, something Hermione said I picked up on. I noticed it but to tell you the truth didn't really pay it much mind. But then this Dobbie elf. He said something too that …. Well, it's got me thinking; something that I need to ask Hermione about. It maybe, just maybe, will shed some light on why she is so extra-highly strung about Harry, about having to be with him more than normal. Give me a bit of time, this could take a while. And please, be your usual patient self; don't butt in. It is going to be a mum/daughter thing, love: you know, love and sex and drugs and rock'n'roll!"

"What? Oh! ….. OH! Fuck, Is Hermione pregnant? Is that what you're thinking?"

"Hmmm! Not sure. I don't think so, but that's why I need to chat with our daughter. So, stay down here, OK?"

As her husband nodded, Emma headed up the stairs. They a had a lovely home: four large bedrooms with the master bedroom and Hermione's both with en-suite bathrooms, the two guest rooms sharing one bathroom. One of those bedrooms was used as an office and extra TV room by the whole family. Hermione's bedroom was the far one overlooking both the side and back gardens. Emma was soon knocking on the door.

"Hermione? Hermione darling, it's Mum. Let me in ….. please darling. We need to talk."

The door opened and the little figure of Dobbie the free house elf stood below her in the doorway.

"Lady Grangie, Miss Grangie was mad but I know she sorry. You come in now. Miss Grangie no hurt you now. She good."

When Emma entered the bedroom, she saw her daughter lying on the floor bawling her eyes out and looking absolutely devastated. She went to her daughter, dropped onto the floor beside her and bending over, put both arms around Hermione, lifting her up and placing her head on her lap. As she run a hand over her hair, Emma said,

"Shhh! Shush now, love. I'm fine and you will be. No harm done. Hush, now. Calm down."

The shaking and sobbing continued for some minutes, little being said between them, just occasional consoling words from mum to daughter. Eventually, the sobbing slowed, the shaking eased, the gulps of air steadied to easier breathing.

"Mum, oh Mum, I'm so sorry."

"I know you are, love. And you're hurting. It usually does, a lot, when close, loving families have a big bust-up. And it goes both ways. Your Dad and I, we're hurting and very sorry, too. Things get said in the heat of the moment that in normal circumstances just wouldn't be said. And rarely are the words meant. There's raw emotion involved, a lot of temper, oh … all sorts of stuff. And, well, in a close family none of us are used to it or know how to handle it. Everything gets just a bit fractious and OTT."

There were a few more sobs then she felt Hermione take her hand.

"Oh, Mum! Why? Why did this have to happen to us. You, Dad and I, we never argue! We have always been so … so …. Well, so GOOD with each other. We laugh, we joke, we holiday together, go shopping; we never fall out! …. Oh, Mum, I feel awful. And Dad, what I said to him! I threatened him, Mum. With magic! OH, and then you! …. I ….. I…" ….. And the sobbing started all over again.

"Dobbie?"

"Dobbie be still here Lady Grangy. What be Dobbie doing for you?"

"Dobbie, am I allowed to ask you to help?"

"Yes, Missus. Me a free elf. Dobbie can choose to help. Me help Lady Grangy because she be being mum to Miss Grangy and Miss Grangy be the great wizard Harry Potters witch."

Emma breathed deep. She knew she had heard right downstairs.

"Dobbie, can you get both Hermione and I a glass of water but not from this bathroom. My bedroom is at the other end of the hallway. There is also a bathroom in there. The cabinet on the wall has a couple of blue packets of small tablets in them. They are a human, a muggle, remedy for feeling bad, for headaches and things. Can you bring those as well, please? …. Oh, and Dobbie. Can you fetch Hermione's wand from the ceiling downstairs?"

"Yes, Lady Grangy. You ask Dobbie nice, like Miss Grangy and Harry Potter. Dobbie happy."

'POP! …. 'POP!' And he was there and back again. A snap of the fingers and Hermione's wand appeared, lying on a chair the other side of the bedroom.

"Wow! Great service, Dobbie! Thank you. Very Impressed."

The little elf face reddened.

"Thank youse, Lady Grangy. Dobbie be happy helping. It's what Dobbie do. Me need to stay, now?"

"No Dobbie. Thank you. If I need anything I will call again, is that all right?"

"You call, I come." 'POP!'

"Well! That Was different!... "

A small giggle came from her daughter.

"Something funny, Hermione?" Asked Emma, with a slight smile on her face.

Hermione at last moved her head to look at her mum.

"You have a fan, Mum. Asking Dobbie with a please and a thank you! You have a friend for life, now!"

"Good manners never hurt anyone. It's just being polite and they go a long way to making a friend."

"Yes, Mum, they do. And … and I think Dad and I forgot about that. Oh, Mum. You and Dad, will you ever forgive me?"

"Oh Hermione, you are our very loving daughter who we love to bits. Of course, we forgive you. I just hope you will forgive us, as well. You're not the only one in bits, you know! Your Dad's downstairs, heartbroken."

Hermione raised herself and the two Granger ladies gave each other a mutual, typical Granger bear-hug cuddle. A small whisper went into the daughter's ear.

"Hermione, we still need to have a chat. Just you and me. It's important."

Hermione leant back but took both her mum's hands in hers. Then, taking a deep breath, she asked'

"About what, Mum?"

"Harry …. and you."

"Oh!"

"How much do you love Harry?"

"OH!"

"Yes, oh. Something you said downstairs, your reaction about wanting to see him so very much, then a couple of things Dobbie said when he got here and since then. Your magic being mixed with Harry's or something like that. Something changed between you and Harry that I should know about?"

"Well …. Yeah, maybe a bit."

Emma took a deep breath. "Go on then, tell me."

"Merlin, I didn't want this to come out as a result of a family row."

"Hermione, whatever you say, it's fine. Your Dad and I, we will ….. we will accept it and deal with it. What's happened?

It was Hermione's turn for the deep breath, then,

"I love Harry, Mum, and … and I mean not just as my best friend."

"Hmm. That's what I suspected. Love him as in boyfriend/girlfriend stuff?"

A nod from Hermione and "Yes, Mum. As in boyfriend/girlfriend stuff. And …. Well, I think it is a lot more than that, Mum. A lot more."

"Right. How long has this been going on?"

"I have probably loved him as more than a friend for a while, Mum, I'm not sure how long but months, probably. But, well, I have only sort of realised it, well, today, actually!"

Emma Granger's eyes opened wide in surprise and relief. Then she voiced her thoughts.

"Oh, just today? So, eh, no long term, all year thing, then?"

It was now Hermione's turn to look surprised.

"No, Mum. Just today. With all that has happened to him all the times I have known him, Harry and I have got close. And I have been a bit mixed up about how I felt about him for a while, certainly since … well, around my birthday last year. But I just didn't know! I have never had a boyfriend, never felt close enough to a boy to want to be a girlfriend to anybody. Only ever been close to Harry, and maybe Ron Weasley as well, but nothing like Harry. Then, when I saw him this morning, all smashed up and .. and … other things, well, it hit me. Wham! And, ….. I love him, Mum. Way down deep like it hurts when I am not with him or have to leave him!"

"Yes, daughter, when it is way down deep like that, love definitely hurts. Your breathing hurts, your head hurts, your heart hurts. It just hurts!"

"Yes, Mum! Yes! When I saw him today, Mum. He was just like a little boy lost, you know! And so badly injured and beaten up, Merlin, Mum, I was so angry! I wanted to find the people that did that to him and … and …."

"Yup! When your Dad was badly hurt on a mission with the army, he was flown home for specialist treatment. I saw him. God, I was devastated, then angry, then boiling mad. I wanted to take a gun and go get the bastards that did that to him. I would have taken on every terrorist going to get to the people that tried to kill him. Yes, darling, I know how that feels."

"Mum, does it always hurt when you see Dad in pain or troubled or…stuff?"

"Yes, love, always. You want to take that pain away, take it yourself, if necessary. The pain you feel deep down is not always the same, some worse than others, but always something. One consolation about your Dad's injuries that time, though. When he had recovered enough and he needed to get exercise and get fit again, the sex was marvellous and often!"

The look of shock and rising pink complexion made the elder Granger lady smile.

"MUM!"

"What?"

"Well …. Well, that's kind of … well private stuff, you and Dad stuff!"

"Hermione, have we ever hidden anything from you? You have seen us cuddling, clothed and naked, around the pool on holiday! Hell, we walk around in the nude pretty much all day on holiday when we have no company and so have you, just last week and the week before, as a matter of fact. You were quite happy lying on the beach in nothing but that tiny thong you were nearly wearing, didn't give a hoot who was having a good look at you. We have always been the same since you were little. It's not bothered you at all ….. before!"

"What do you mean, 'before'?"

"Well, 'before' …. Before you and Harry became an item! What's changed? You and Harry have had plenty of time together even before today. I mean, have you, sort of, kind of… eh …. Got intimate … or stuff, before today? When you just 'loved him' as a friend, sort of 'friends with benefits' type thing …. Maybe?"

"WHAT? No mum, we have not! We had not even kissed before today, thank you!"

"Ah, now we are getting somewhere! So, you have kissed today, then?"

"Yes, we have. And as you are being so bloody nosey, it was in bed! And for quite a while, as well! And Harry's shirt was off and he was only in his boxers. So there!"

Now, this statement did set the senior Granger lady back on her heels. Eyebrows high, a look of surprise o her face. 'Shit, that was fast! It took me three dates and two weeks before I got Dan to take me to bed!'

"OH! I …. I ….. You are only fifteen, young lady! What do you think you are doing? And what was Harry thinking of? And I thought McGonnagle was with you and these other two adults? What were they doing when they were NOT keeping an eye on you!?"

Hermione started laughing, a loud, hearty, enjoyable belly laugh.

"Oh Mum, you should see your face! If looks could kill! Harry was covered in bandages, Mum, one arm in a sling, one leg heavily strapped, herbal poultices in assorted places all over his body. He was doped up to the nines on painkillers and healing potions of various types. We had as much chance of having sex as a snowball in hell! And anyway, I was trying to keep him calm and stop his magic from blowing the place apart! Harry heard some stuff a bout … well, himself, when he was a baby, and he hit the roof! So, it is just a bit quick, Mum. At least give us till Friday!"

Now it was Emma's turn to look guilty.

"With you so temperamental downstairs, so desperate to be with Harry, I was thinking you actually might have been ….. pregnant!"

"OH! I was that bad?"

"Yes, love, you were. Even your Dad thought along those lines just before I came up here. That is part of the reason I did come up. Pregnant, hormonal, Harry either didn't know or had dumped you, etc etc. All sorts goes through a parents head with that scenario that you and your dad presented, downstairs. And, well, you only really ever talk about this Harry Potter! Harry this, Harry that, Harry the other! And, well, I thought, maybe it was a bit of the other that had caught you out!"

"Oh, I see. I wondered where this was going. So that's what you thought! I …. We, Harry and I, we are right at the beginning of something Mum, me and him. Something I hope will be very, very special, but that is all. We kissed for a while Mum, had a cuddle as best we could with Harry's injuries, then I just held him. He is in so much pain and his magic is going crazy, it's all over the place. And his temper! It is really huge. It is causing these awesome, frightening actually, magical outbursts that are just incredible. Nothing like I have seen from him before. He was so drained. I gave him some potion …. Magical medicine, Mum, … and held him for a while as he fell asleep. We were like that when Professor McGonnagle came into us."

Hermione then let out a little giggle and blushed a little.

"Oh! Now I understand the look of relief and the sigh that came from the Professor! She must have thought that …. Ooh!"

And the blush intensified as she thought of what the adults around her must have been thinking.

"I was fully clothed Mum, honest! The kisses were as far as Harry and I went! We couldn't do anyth …"

"Shush darling! I believe you. I think I know my daughter well enough to know when she is telling the truth. In fact, I doubt you have ever told us a lie in your life. Although, from a few things that have been said this evening, both from you and your Professor, I suspect some … events … in your Hogwarts life may have been missed out or gilded over a bit. I think all the facts have not come out! Am I right?"

A sheepish nod of the head came from Hermione.

"Hmm. Thought so. Is there some reason why you have kept some stuff hidden from us?"

"Mum, it is like the Professor said more than once today. There is a sort of binding magical contract, no, not contract, …. Magical rules been put in place by the Ministry of Magic that prevents magicals from saying or doing anything that will reveal us to the Muggle, non-magical world. Britain has the strictest rules of any country, really binding. Loss of magic, memory erased; loads of other stuff can happen to a witch or wizard if we break those rules. I am only getting away with telling you this stuff now because you are my parents and there is a little bit of leeway given to letting close family know a little bit of what goes on with us. In fact, I am surprised that I can tell you this much. It must be the spells that Professor McGonnagle put on the house."

Emma nodded and replied, "Yes, I can see that. Back in your Dad's army days when he was going on or been on some sort of covert mission, he basically had to clam up as well; not allowed to tell me a thing. Drove me round the bend. I got round him eventually to tell me a bit here and there, though!"

"Mum! If it is the sex thing again, I am not surprised. You and Dad may be into your forties, but you two were certainly going at it often enough on holiday to make me blush! Why do you think I had my Walkman playing and earphones in so much? Honestly, I have seen less raging hormones in a school full of teenagers!"

This time it was Granger lady the senior's turn a pretty shade of pale pink.

"That bad, eh?"

"Yes, Mum, that bad!"

"OK, love. It will be your turn eventually to get us all hot and bothered with your antics with young Harry boy! …..But, meantime, are you good for going downstairs to see your Dad? He needs some reassurance not just from me but you as well. You will probably be in for the Dan Granger big cuddle and sorry trip."

"Mum. About me seeing Harry tomorrow. Will Dad be OK with it?"

"He is worried about you Hermione. Not just the danger that you appear to have gotten involved in, but your education as well. And ….. this Harry Potter. The depth of your involvement with him."

"What if I get Professor McGonnagle to bring Harry here so you can meet him? Or take you to her island, he home. When he is well, of course. Harry is really sweet, Mum. He is very kind, mannerly, polite. Honestly, Mum, you couldn't ask for me to be involved with a nicer boyfriend. It is just everything else that is around him that is bad. But Harry, without all that …. crap, he is serious boyfriend material, Mum."

"OK. We will discuss that together, with your Dad. So, let's go."

An hour later, with all the promises made about both parents meeting Harry somehow, keeping her parents 'in the loop', not galavanting off into trouble with Harry or anyone else and obeying McGonnagles rules, Hermione went to bed a happy witch. She could see Harry tomorrow.