This is my first attempt at Harry Potter fanfiction, it's been a while since I've attempted fanfiction at all. So please forgive me as I relearn a lot of this. It's also been a bit since I've read any of the books, so forgive me if they characters aren't quite right. This story will be Harry and Hermoine, the way I think it should've been. Don't like it, don't read it. Also, I don't own Harry Potter, or any related characters, and I'm not making any money off this.

Orphens

By: Time Keeper

Chapter 1: Somethin' Bad

July 1, 1998

===Grimmauld Place===

Harry Potter enters the kitchen and starts to gather ingredients for breakfast. Suddenly the door to Grimmauld Place comes open. Harry quickly turns grabbing the pan with his left hand, and flicking his right wrist, as he does this the disillusioned wand holster strapped to his wrist ejects his wand into his ready hand. He finishes the turn and sees Hermoine Granger enter the door teary eyed. She slams the door behind her. "Harry." She says her voice breaking. "Have you read the paper today?"

Harry relaxes, putting the pan down and his wand back. "No, I just got up." He answers then notices his best friend's tears. "What's in the paper Mione?" Hermoine hands the paper to Harry who sees that it's a muggle paper and he reads the headline: Bizarre explosion kills 2 in Australia. Harry gasps, "Your parents?"

Hermoine nods. "Once I read the headline I knew it was them. I read the article, and saw the property belonged to the Wilkins." She cries harder leaning against him. "That's the name I gave them. They didn't even know that they had a daughter when they died."

"We should go to Australia, and see if you can identify the bodies, maybe it's not them." Harry says as he places the paper down.

"You don't have to go."

"I'm not going to let you go alone, you're my best friend. I would not have let you go alone before you went cavalcading through the woods to help me when you didn't have to. I most certainly won't now."

Hermione hugs Harry. "Thank you, I knew I could count on you."

Harry hugs her back, enjoying her hug more than he remembered enjoying one before. "Have you eaten anything yet?"

"No, I saw the article and came right over."

"Then breakfast first."

Hermione nods. "You mind if I clean up first?"

"Of course, I'll fix us something while you do."

"Thanks." She says and starts to head upstairs. "Would pancakes and bacon be too much to ask?"

Harry mock bows. "Your wish is my command."

Hermione almost smiles, "Thanks." She heads on upstairs.

Harry turns back around to the stove and starts measuring out ingredients when the door to Grimmauld Place bursts open again. Once again Harry stops what he's doing and turns with both pan and wand in hand. He sees Ronald Weasley come in.

"Does nobody knock anymore?" He asks as he puts the pan down and his wand back before starting work on breakfast. "You nearly got yourself hexed Ron."

"Sorry, mate." Ron says. "Have you seen this paper?" He holds the same paper Hermione had.

"Actually, I have." Harry says pointing to Hermione's copy laying on the counter. "Since it's a muggle newspaper I'm curious how you found out about it."

"Dad works with a muggle-born. The muggle-born gets the paper and lets my Dad read it. You know how he can be." Ron explains and Harry nods. "Dad saw this article and came home to let me know. We both think it's Hermoine's parents!"

"Well, Ron..." Harry starts.

Hermoine comes down the stairs, dressed in a t-shirt of Harry's, it goes down to her knees. "Hello, Ronald."

Ron looks at Hermione. "That... that's one of Harry's shirts. I've seen him wear it. What are you doing wearing his clothes?"

"I got my blouse wet trying to clean myself up." Hermione answers coldly as she walks past Ron to Harry. "Wand." She holds her hand out.

Harry flicks his left wrist and a different wand flings into his hand. He hands it to Hermione. All without stopping cooking. "Feel free to hold onto it until you get yours."

Hermione nods as she takes it. "Thank you." She walks right past Ron again.

"Are you ignoring me?" Ron asks.

Hermione sighs as she turns around. "What exactly would you have me do Ronald?"

"Can't we talk?" Ron asks. "About us?"

"There is no us Ronald." Hermione says her voice elevates as she does.

"You bloody kissed me!" Ron yells.

"Once!" She yells back. "In the heat of the moment! Then you asked me out, so yes I decided I'd give it a chance. What did you do? Not 5 minutes in you try and get your hand up my dress! That certainly ended that!"

"So one date was good enough for Victor Krum but not me?"

Hermione looks astonished. "You… you think I slept with Victor Krum?"

"He told everyone you did." Ron says.

"Harry, did you know about this?" Hermione asks.

Harry nods. "You never mentioned anything, so I assumed it was a rumor. I told Ron as much."

"I never heard about it."

"I'm sorry Mione, I didn't know you didn't know."

Hermione nods. "I wish you had asked me."

"I was afraid I'd offend you." Harry admits.

Hermione smiles slightly. "I suppose that's the same reason I never asked you if any of the rumors of your conquests were true."

"I don't know what rumors were going around, but I know they were all lies."

"So you didn't sleep with my sister?" Ron asks.

Harry shakes his head. "I saw her topless once, that's as far as we ever went."

"You swear?"

"I swear on my magic." Harry says then flicks his right wrist to get his primary wand. "Lumos." The wand tip lights up. "Satisfied?"

Ron nods and Harry puts his wand back, never breaking from cooking during the whole thing.

"Now I think it best you leave and go home." Harry says. "I want you to really think about the friendship we three share, if the next time the three of us are together you don't apologize to Hermione and mean it i'm done with you too."

Ron nods. "I understand." He leaves without saying another word.

Hermione watches him leave. "You mean what you said to him?"

Harry nods. "I'm not excusing what he did to you, and I don't expect you to ever want to be alone in a room with him again. But I'm willing to extend the olive branch."

"You're different than you used to be." Hermione says. "You never would have sided with me over him before."

"I've felt different since…." He pauses cooking then shakes himself out of it.

"Since what?" She asks sitting down and placing Harry's spare wand on the table.

"The end of the war." Harry says.

"Yes, not having a maniac trying to kill you might have that effect." Hermione says dryly.

Harry nods as he uses magic to float pancakes, bacon and orange juice to the table. He places it all on the table, then grabs two plates and two cups before sitting. "It's more than that. Something happened that day that changed me."

"What happened?"

"When Voldemort hit me with the killing curse I died."

"What?!" Hermione asks as she grabs his hands.

"I was suddenly at King's Cross and talked to Dumbledore." Harry explains. "Dumbledore explained that the night Voldemort first tried to kill me he'd accidentally left me with a horcrux in my scar. So when he hit me with the spell again he destroyed his own horcrux. I was given a rare choice to come back or go on."

"Why would you come back?"

"I had to finish it." Harry answers and Hermione lets go of his hands. "I couldn't leave him alive." He splits the food between them. "It was only after I defeated him and everything settled I began to realize that everything seemed different to me. Like I was experiencing the world for the first time."

"Harry… I had no idea." Hermione says.

"I should have told you sooner," Harry admits. "But even now I'm dealing with the changes. I had to almost completely change my diet, half of the stuff I liked before I can't stand."

"Have you noticed other changes?" Hermione asks as she finishes eating.

Harry nods. "Ginny came by and attempted to seduce me." He says quietly. "That's when I saw her topless. I looked at her and all I saw was the pictures of my mom when she was that age. Suddenly I realized Ginny was what my sister probably would have looked like. I made her get dressed and told her the war had changed me, that I couldn't be with her." He finishes eating.

"That must have been hard." Hermione says as she gets up grabbing the wand and magically makes the dishes clean themselves.

"I wasn't sure what to say to her." Harry says as he watches her. "Mrs Weasley teach you that?"

Hermione nods. "When she heard I was going to go out with Ron she pulled me aside and taught me."

"She really thought you'd become little miss homemaker?" Harry asks.

"I guess." Hermione answers.

Harry nods. "So how long do you think we'll be in Australia?"

"At least a week, I want to stay for the funeral. Might as well have them buried there, easier than getting their bodies back here."

"That makes sense. I'm going to go pack, then we'll head over to your place and you can pack."

"Do you mind if I come and sit on your bed while you pack? I don't want to be alone again right now."

"Of course." Hermoine gets up and follows Harry to his bedroom. "Don't forget your clothes here."

"At this point I'll just wear this until we get to my place, I'd need to change again anyway."

"That makes sense." Harry places a bag down on the bed and starts packing some stuff into it. Hermione sits on the bed absent-mindedly, the shirt riding up on her as she does.

Harry grabs something off the floor and realizing what he can see blushes heavily. "Um, Mione, since we're being honest with each other, why aren't you wearing panties?"

Hermione blushes heavily as she pulls a blanket over her. "I didn't put any on when I left the house. I usually walk around the house nude with a notice-me-not charm."

Harry wolf whistles. "Remind me to pop into your place unannounced sometime."

"Wait, since when do you want to see me naked?" Hermione asks.

Harry stops packing. "I'm a guy, why would I NOT want to see you naked?"

"Ron told me that you told him I was like a sister to you."

Harry stops and rubs his scar. "I did say that, and at the time I meant it."

Hermione stands up. "Are you saying that you feel differently now?"

"I think so." Harry responds blushing.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I, um, kind of JUST realized it."

"What do you…" Hermione starts to ask only to notice a bit of a bulge in his pants. "Oh." She blushes again. "Do you fancy me or did your mind go straight to sex?"

Harry pauses. "At first my mind went straight to sex, hence reaction. I think it took me a minute to realize I ogling you."

"Ogling?"

"Got a word you would prefer?"

Hermione shakes her head. "As soon as you realized it was me you said something?"

Harry nods. "It felt wrong to see something so personal without your permission."

"So the whole pop into your place unannounced?"

Harry grins. "You did say you keep a notice-me-not charm on, so you'd have to want me to see you."

"Sounds like you like me."

"You're my best friend, of course I like you."

"I think you know what I mean."

"I do." Harry admits. "I think I've liked you for a very long time, but just couldn't realize it.

Hermione nods and takes his hand. "I've had a crush on you since first year"

"Seriously?" Harry asks.

Hermione nods. "You were so brave, you jumped onto the back of a mountain troll in the girls bathroom."

Harry laughs. "I was more afraid of going into the girls bathroom then the troll."

"I have no problem believing that." Hermione says. "I knew that day that I wanted to be with you, even if it meant just being your friend."

"I had no idea."

"I never intended for you to know, unless.."

"I said something first."

"Correct." Hermione confirms. "You know i'd like to give us a try."

"I'm not sure sure that's a good idea."

"Why's that?"

"Mione, you're not in a good place to start a relationship. I don't want to take advantage of that or you."

"Do you honestly think I'd let you take advantage of me?"

"Of course not." Harry answers squeezing her hand. "Okay, but you need to promise me that if this doesn't work we stay friends. You're my best friend, I don't want to lose that."

Hermione nods. "I think I can handle that."

Harry leans down and kisses her forehead. "Lets go get you packed." They leave Harry's room and head outside then disappear with a snap.

===Hermione's Flat===

Harry and Hermione apparate right into the living room of Hermione's flat. "You know, you really should put up some wards."

Hermione laughs. "Silly Harry, I have dozens of wards up. They're all keyed to let you in, after all you are my best friend." She reaches out and takes his hand squeezing it slightly. "And now my boyfriend."

"I should've known that, after all you are the smartest witch in a generation."

"And don't you forget it." Hermione says as she pulls Harry up to her room. "Sit!" She commands him as she let's go of his hand and goes to the closet.

Harry sits on Hermoine's bed as she starts packing some stuff into a bag. Harry can't help but watch as she moves sometimes the shirt comes up and he sometimes catches glimpses of her bare bottom.

Hermoine notices Harry watching her pack. "Getting a good view?" She cracks when she realizes what he's actually looking at.

Harry grins as he looks her in the eyes. "Hey, I'm allowed to look at my girlfriend, right?"

"I suppose you are." Hermione relents as she walks over to him and snatches his glasses off him. "But I think you've seen enough for the minute."

Harry laughs. "I see better than I used to."

Hermione stops. "The horcrux affected your vision?"

"Seems that way."

"How much better are we talking?"

"It's still pretty blurry, but I can tell what's going on."

"Then catch!"

Harry turns in the direction of her voice and with his seker reflexes catches the shirt she had been wearing. "Like a badly censored movie." He says and she laughs. "So not ready for me to see you completely naked yet?"

Hermione blushes slightly. "I know it seems silly after seeing so much already."

Harry smiles. "I understand, take your time."

"Thank you." Hermione responds as comes over and kisses him on the cheek. Then returning his glasses.

Harry blinks a couple times after she puts his glasses back on. He sees Hermione now dressed in a simple black short sleeve blouse and a black skirt that falls just below her knees. "Nice simple outfit." Harry says as Hermione goes to brush out her hair.

"Thanks, I debated pants instead of the skirt."

"What made you decide on a skirt?"

She smiles slightly. "I thought you might prefer the skirt for our first outing."

"You know I don't care what you wear."

"I'll keep that in mind." Hermione says then after putting her brush in the bag closes it up. "Ready."

Harry grabs his bag. "Ready."

Hermione pulls a stuffed kangaroo out of her bag "Here I have the portkey."

"You've got to be kidding me." Harry laughs as he grabs onto the toy. Hermione taps the toy with her wand and they feel the familiar tug at their naval and are gone.

~ Time Keeper ~