A/N: For some reason, I find Harry's interactions with the Grangers really interesting. Hopefully I do them justice!

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Keep up the reviews, even if you disagree with a point I'll try explain myself!

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Meet the Parents

"Ten Williamson Avenue guys." Harry looked left, past Hermione out the window. The Dentistry was in a one story weatherboard Townhouse just a block behind the main street. "That'll be fifty-four bucks." She went for her wallet but Harry grabbed her arm.

"I got it." She bristled but he had already turned to the driver, "Here you go."

"Beauty, have a good day you two." They both said their goodbyes and exited the taxi. The air warmer than before.

As the car pulled away he turned to her, "What's the time?" He turned to her as she didn't answer. "Mione?" She still didn't respond, staring at the house, he couldn't describe the look on her face. He touched her shoulder, probably the first time he had done so like this. The touch pulled her attention to him. He spoke softly, "We're early aren't we?"

She visibly collected herself and checked her watch. "By about an hour."

"Hmmm, how about we go explore this place while we wait?"

"Sure."

He started off, towards the main street with Hermione falling into step beside him. "I really need to get a new watch, can't be asking you every ten seconds." He grinned.

"There is a spell for that you know." She said absentmindedly.

He rolled his eyes this time. "Of course there is. And of course I have no clue."

She replied in the same faraway voice. Reminding him of Luna. "I'll teach you sometime Harry don't worry."

He studied her. I gotta find out what's going on in her head. He could assume most of it, but felt like she needed to talk about it. He did promise to support her in this quest, like she had done for him for years. The beach looked enticing enough. "How about we walk along the beach and you tell me what's got you so worried?"

She glanced at him. "There's no-"

He cut her off. "No! Not now, wait till our feet touch sand." He could feel the eyes boring into the side of his head but he ignored it and pressed the button for the traffic lights. While they waited for the lights to change he looked around. It was pretty quiet but their were still various shops lined up along the main road facing the ocean. Some shops he could smell rather than see, the scent of Barbeque Chicken and Fish and Chips made his stomach rumble.

When they reached the sand Hermione promptly took off her shoes and played with the fine sand beneath her feet. Deciding not to copy her barefootedness he joined her on the sand. They set off down the beach at a slow pace. "Ok Mione, out with it. Don't tell me you don't think you couldn't pull of the spell?

She walked along staring at the sand. "No, I've got the spell down. It's just... I didn't tell them I was going to do this to them, what if they are really angry?"

He decided to answer that one with a question of his own. "What are your parents like?" She looked at him in confusion. "Just tell me. I wish I knew them before..." He waved his hands up from his waist. "All of this."

"Well, my parents are fairly young. Dad is pretty protective, he still doesn't like Ron. Mum is almost like my sister, all of my letters went to her and I can confide in her about anything. They're both nice but pretty smart as they're both dentists."

He expected this sort of answer, considering the girl they raised. "You just answered your own question there you know." He raised an eyebrow as she thought it over. "They're more likely to hate me than you." She opened her mouth but her cut her off. "Well not both, But I'm sure your dad won't like me."

"What on earth makes you say that?"

"Look at it from his view Mione, a protective father who never see's his daughter most of the year. Who also happens to follow this one," He pointed at himself. "Into any number of dangerous situations. At her time at Hogwarts she was nearly killed by a troll, nearly killed by a Basilisk. Ran into a convicted murderer, drew hate from people thinking you were dating me and studying under a Deatheater all year. Fought said Deatheaters two years in a row, nearly dying because of this one. Then living in a tent for a year during wartime, was tortured and partook in one of the biggest wizarding battles of this century." He looked at the sun shining off he waves. "Being friends with me hasn't kept you very safe, no matter how hard I tried."

She followed his gaze. "I've never looked at it that way before... Dad may not be your biggest fan now, but when you stay with us they will get to know you like I have and love you."

He looked at her now, a look of wonder on his face. "Really?"

"Positive."

"Are you sure they will want me to stay? Because I can get a hotel somewhere if-"

"No Harry, you're staying with us. That's final."

"Uuuh ok then." Replied Harry absolutely stumped. He was fully prepared to spend his nights elsewhere while they had their reunion. He cast around for another topic. "How are you going to introduce Ron to them?"

She looked at him after this abrupt change in topic. "I'm not sure. It won't be for a while though, he gets really awkward around muggles I have no idea why."

Confused, he asked. "Then what makes me special enough to meet our parents now?"

She looked down at his feet. "Because you are Harry. A-And I thought you might like to meet some normal parents-." His heart swelled and he pulled her into a hug. He'd always wondered what having normal parents were like, he took interest in her family during his depression-laden ponderings with the locket. No way was this happening now.

He mumbled into her hair. "Thank you." There was no reply but he felt her squeeze him, that was enough. They never needed that many words. He couldn't believe that she would do this for him, he was sure he would never meet anyone that would do all of the things she had done for him. And that's when it clicked.

I love Hermione. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He broke from the hug and stared at her like he had never seen her before.

"What's wrong?"

He coughed and hoisted a grin on his face. "Nothing Mione. What time is it?

"Time to head back." He turned her around and they walked back the way they came...

...

Hermione was tapping her foot as the appointment time came closer. He'd never seen her so nervous, even before exams she was in better shape than she was now. The previous patient had left leaving the teens the only people in the waiting room. Just then, her father appeared in the room. Hermione? She smiled nervously and followed her father back to where he assumed the rooms were. They'd decide that Harry would wait so her parents would come-to with no unfamiliar faces to scare them. So he sat, and waited. Some of the magazines actually looked interesting but he didn't want to distract himself. Well, he actually did want a distraction but he wanted to be ready. For what, he wasn't sure.

After what seemed like forever. A woman with wavy light brown hair walked into the room, the woman turned to the receptionist. "Cass, you can head off now. We're going to close slightly early." And with that, he was alone with this mysterious woman. It has to be. He stood up as she smiled at him and walked over. "You're definitely Harry."

He felt the urge to hug this woman but as her feelings toward him were not ascertained yet, he felt it safer to stay mum. "Err, you're correct but what makes you so sure?"

She hugged him. "You do realise just how comprehensive my daughters description was of you was in her letters." She described me in her letters?

Now he felt uncomfortable. "It's great to finally meet you Mrs. Granger."

She looked him over. "I prefer Granger over Wilkins any day but to you, my name is Jane."

"Err ok, Jane."

"Good, now I have some questions for you young man." Oh god here it comes. He nodded, ready to cop an earful about protecting their daughter. "How do you like Australia so far?" He blinked at her in shock, then realised a response was in order so his brain clattered back to life.

"It's a bit warmer than I'm used to but it's nice here, and the coffee is brilliant."

She smirked. "You thought I was going to ask something else there didn't you? I won't embarrass you and ask either. It is quite nice, especially here, away from the city. The travelling takes a while to get used to though."

Harry nodded at that one. Australia seemed to go on forever. On the Taxi ride down, it struck him just how long it took to travel from one place to another. Half an hour was a quarter of the way to Hogwarts. Here you just passed through a few minor towns. Finally he smiled. "It's a shame I never got to meet you earlier M-Jane."

"It's Jane Harry, not Mrs. Jane."

He was in the middle of blushing when Hermione entered the room with the man that he saw before. The man was actually silently intimidating, to him at least. Standing 6'3 with short dark curly hair, every inch the description of a father. The man in question, peered across the room at him. "Daddy, this is Harry."

Mr. Granger eyed him. "Well he certainty looks it." he crossed the room and shook Harry's hand. "It's good to finally meet you."

"The feelings mutual sir."

"I hope so. Now Hermione has promised to explain everything when we get home. I hope you can help with that."

Ok, I knew I had a reason to be nervous. "I'll do my best."

"Good. Let us go." He waved for his wife and daughter to exit the shop.

The trip to her parents' house consisted of Hermione and Jane chatting at about this and that. While Mr. Granger and Harry, stayed silent. To be honest, the older male made Harry nervous. Even though he tried to keep in mind what Hermione had told him, his reaction to Harry was frosty at best. And it unnerved him. "Here we are kids!" Announced Jane from the front seat, startling Harry from his brooding.

"Oh! It's gorgeous!" Exclaimed Hermione. He had to agree. They were up in the hills a small distance from the water. The house seemed nestled among the trees and as a result, it was far from a typical looking house. Inside the house seemed to be made of windows, all looking out at the bushland that surrounded them. Mr. Granger gestured to the couch downstairs in a sunken living room.

"Now, You two need to bring us up to speed on what you have been doing last year."

Jane interrupted. "Shouldn't we be having tea? It could be quite the story."

"Good idea love." She stood up.

"How do you have your tea Harry?"

"However Hermione has it, just stronger. Would you like some help?

Hermione obviously wasn't a fan of this idea. "No Harry. Everyone stay here and I'll get it." She flicked her wand in the direction of the kitchen.

Mr. Granger looked at his daughter with wonder as she laid her wand back in her lap. "Shall we start? The teens nodded. And Hermione launched into a retelling of a year that could fill an entire novel. Only pausing when the tea had floated over to them and when Harry insisted she give an unvarnished account. He felt it the only way to get her father to trust him, or try to at least. There was a fair chance that Harry was irredeemable in her father's eyes but he had to try. An hour later, Hermione had reached the point where Harry left to meet Tom in the Forest. Her parents had been fine listeners so far, with only a few outbursts.

She turned to him. "Your turn." Harry took a deep breath. He hadn't told anyone what had happened after he left, not even to his two best friends. His best friend was about to hear his darkest moment, even his nightmares were nothing compared to it. Every time he closed his eyes when he was alone, he heard screams. Voldemort screaming the killing curse at him, Hermione and Ginny screaming when they thought he was dead. The screams of the wounded and the screams of people he didn't know as a curse overwhelmed them. Hermione grabbed his hand. "We can't finish without your part Harry."

He took a shaky breath and started. His voice monotone as he detailed all of it. All except for the halfway place where he and Dumbledore talked. There was no way he could go into that now, the fact that he nearly didn't choose come back played upon his thoughts even now. He was so close to meeting his family, after so long. "And then I fell asleep."

Mr. Granger leant back. And glanced out the window at the darkness which had set in as they told their story. "And what have you two been doing before you came to get us?"

"Err, claiming my inheritance, catching up with the Weasley's, visiting my Godson and arranging to come here."

Her father looked surprised. "You're a godfather?"

"Yes, little Teddy Lupin. His Mum and Dad died in the Final Battle."

Jane gasped. "You mean your Defence teacher for your third year?" Harry looked away.

Hermione answered for him. "Yes mum, him and Tonks, she was in the Order as well."

Jane stood up, "Hermione? I'd like a word before we go to bed." Hermione got up and followed her mum upstairs and out of sight.

Mr. Granger coughed. "Mind if you stay here for a bit? I'd like a word without the girls present."

"Sure sir."

"Hmm. Now I don't know you too well but I've noticed how you look at my daughter. Is there anything you want to tell me?" Harry looked at him in surprise. "I won't tell her, as I've already assumed what it is."

In keeping with his honest dealings with her father he simply stated. "I love her." Mr. Granger stayed silent. "I know I haven't kept her as safe as I, or you wanted too, but I would not be able to live without her."

"This is why you're here instead of her boyfriend." His eyes locked onto Harry's. "What would you do if she marries this Ron?"

He swallowed. His chest constricted at the though, but he knew what he would do. "I couldn't do anything about it. I'm not going to ruin her life and our friendship because she doesn't feel the same way."

"Hmm. Tell me about your friend. This Ron. With nothing held back thank you, I know you're his friend but I'd like honesty."

Harry took a breath, being asked to describe his friend honestly felt strange. "He likes to crack a joke, though sometimes he can go too far. He's been jealous of me for as long as I can remember. Exceptional at chess, plays Quidditch. He's brave. He doesn't take things too seriously and he eats like a pig."

"Jealous type eh? That won't be good when my girl outshines him." Harry stayed silent. "Tell me about the rest of the family. Starting with... Arthur was it?"

"Yeah, Arthur and Molly. He works at the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, he's very interested in electronic gadgets though he doesn't know much about them. He's pretty relaxed otherwise. Molly is very protective and... overbearing, though she would do anything to protect her children. She's been the closest thing to mum I've ever had."

"That's what I thought. Keep going."

"Their older children are all out of the house and are working full-time. Charlie works in Europe with Dragons, Bill works as a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts and Percy works at the Ministry. They're all good people. George is the resident troublemaker since Fred died, They run a joke shop in Diagon Alley and are doing quite well. And Ginny-"

"Ginny? Isn't she Hermione's friend, the one that-."

"Liked me yes. I dealt with her before we left to get you two."

"Why don't you like her anymore?

"The war changed me. My priorities aren't that same now, Your daughter is all I've ever dreamed of. And... family."

Mr. Granger seemed to ponder this. "My father fought in World War Two. He was never the same after he got back, he enjoyed life more."

"As do I sir. It's still a bit overwhelming, all of this... Freedom. To do whatever I want."

"And you accompany my girl to another country to keep her company?"

"Yes."

"And what has Ron done for her?" Harry's eyes widened, apart from helping him save her in their first year. What had he done for her?

"I-I can't answer that sir."

He stood up. "Call me Dan Harry. Thank you for filling me in, I'll have to sleep on it." He stood. "I'll have Hermione show you where you'll be sleeping. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Dan." Harry breathed a sigh. Finally her father had accepted him. Well at least he thought so, or hoped so. 'Dan' was a start.

Just as he left the room, Hermione entered it wearing a white dressing gown and matching slippers. After not denying how he felt to her father, he was now far more nervous as she stood with her mouth moving. Wait mouth moving? He coughed. "Sorry what was that Mione?"

She looked at him a little miffed. "I said you're sleeping with me, this place only has two bedrooms, follow me." He tried not to look too excited about this prospect. Even though his brain was going at a million miles an hour. She huffed in impatience as he slowly followed her. I'm not going to look there-shit-I just did. Ok I'll not look at her ass again. He was stuck in a recurring loop, trying not to think about something. Even though in the effort to not think about it, he had just thought about it. He shook his head as he followed her.

He focussed his gaze on Hermione's face which wore a strange look as they got to the bedroom door. "Bathroom is down the hall, use the towel on the counter. I'll be in here." After a shower that went longer than he had anticipated he dried himself off, only to realise he had forgotten to bring his pyjama bottoms with him. He thought about summoning them, but that might disturb everyone. After his experience with Hermione. So, he chose to do something he never thought he would ever do. With the towel wrapped around his waist he crept to the bedroom, once that death-defying trip was over, as she was seemingly asleep he summoned his clothing from her beaded bag. As he dropped the towel and was changing into his pyjamas, he heard a rustling behind him before he turned fully around and pulled his pants on, he saw her body suddenly frozen, facing the other way. Did she just see? Oh shit. Not knowing what to do, he slid into bed beside her and tried to instantly go to sleep. Like that ever worked in history.

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A/N: I'd be shitting myself in that situation! We're about halfway through what I've written so far so this fic won't end anytime soon!