Summer Fun

Chapter four

A/N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. You're all wonderful. I wish I could write faster but every now and then those annoying people in white coats come and drag me back to the really world. Anyway, here goes nothing….

        "RRRUUFFF!" Loud barking rang through the air. Hermione looked franticly back at their pursuers. A look of horror crossed her face as she saw a large black dog rushing up next to Victor. The shaggy dog opened its mouth to reveal a sparkling set of razor sharp pearly white teeth. Then the dog lunged forward clamping its mouth to Victor's leg. Victor screamed in agony. The look on Hermione's face changed to one of relief as recognized the dog. She turned back to tell Harry what was going on behind them but her foot caught on the edge of the grass as they entered her front yard. She stumbled and hit the ground with a soft thud.  Harry didn't miss a step as he bent down, scooped her into his arms, and made a mad dash for the front door. Harry rammed into the door with so much force that even if it had been locked it would have opened. He made a move to slam the door closed but a cry from Hermione stopped him, "Wait! Sirius!" Harry turned just in time to jump out of the dogs way as it came bounding through the door way.

        Harry stood there in shock and Hermione moved to close to door as the death eaters were approaching. "Harry!" Hermione shouted bring his attention back to their pressing problem as Sirius quickly transformed back into his human form. "Right," Harry said, then to Sirius, "Explanations later, I have a feeling that a deadbolt isn't gonna hold them." Just then Mrs. Granger came bursting into the room. "What an Earth is going on here? Hermione Granger, I told you that you're not to see this boy anymore and you have the nerve to come home at this unholy hour not only in his company but also with a full grown man dressed like a criminal! I want answers now!"

        Sirius just looked at her. He blinked once then abruptly opened the closet door and calmly ushered a shirking Mrs. Granger inside. Then he quickly closed the door and did a sealing spell on it. "Explanations later madam" He called through the door then turned to Harry and Hermione, "I have to alert Dumbledore can you two hold the house?" Sirius asked.

"I guess we'll have to, go ahead." Harry replied. Sirius ran up the stairs to find a secluded place he could call for help. He had to use a very complex spell because they were in muggle territory and there were no magical communication lines. As he reached the top of the stairs Harry called out to him," Oh, and Sirius? Hurry." The older man nodded then disappeared down the hallway.

        There had been a pounding at the door for quite a while now and just as it was beginning to splinter there was the sounded of shattering glass from the kitchen. "I've got it." Hermione said and ran off before Harry could say anything. He was too preoccupied with throwing shielding and blocking spells at the front of the house. All the sudden the door crumbled to dust revealing an enraged Victor Krum pointing his want at Harry. Before Harry could react the words of the crucio curse had dropped from Victor's lips. The curse hit Harry square in the chest and he flew back against the stair case.

        Harry groaned softly, every inch of his body was screaming in extraordinary pain. He saw Victor walking towards him but he didn't think he had the strength to stand. Then he heard an Earth shattering scream from the kitchen, Hermione's scream, and he remembered why he had to stand. Why he had to fight. He remembered why he had to live. Victor was taken by surprise as Harry swiftly rose to his feet flinging so many curses at Victor that when he was done the death eater was nothing more than a screaming mass of twisted and deformed flesh lying on the floor. Harry looked at what he had done and felt bile bubbling up in the back of his throat but he couldn't be sick now. He had to save Hermione. With that thought in his head he sprinted toward the kitchen.

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        When Hermione heard glass shattering in the kitchen she had reacted automatically thinking it safer for Harry if she took care of whoever it was in the kitchen. She had thought she would be safe because of her superior knowledge. As she came face to face with the treacherous rat that was Peter Pettigrew she realized too late that she was simply not strong enough to hold her shields against him.

         For several minutes she was able to dodge his curses. She screamed when one came close enough to singe her clothing. Then all of the sudden she was trapped against a wall with no where to go and wormtaile's wand pressed to her chest. She closed her eyes awaiting the blow. Then she heard the door to her left burst open and Harry's voice, "No! Don't you dare touch her!" Hermione opened her eyes and looked at him. He was battered and beaten. There was blood trickling from his mouth. His clothes were torn. He was bleeding from a gash in his side. And he was still marvelous sight to see. "You're too late Potter. I'll kill her just like I killed your filthy mudblood mother and muggle loving father."  Wormtail spat the vile words with malice laughter in his voice and a smirk on his lips. Hermione didn't turn her head to see him smirk however, her eyes were focused only on Harry and she felt overwhelmed by emotions she didn't know how to convey. "You're a great wizard Harry," she whispered,  then "I love you." 

        Finally the curse came. It was the crucio curse and it would surely kill her at point blank range. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She saw her own body fall limply to the ground and felt an immense pain in the back of her mind but it was a far off sensation. She watched as Pettigrew turned callously from her body and pointed his wand at Harry but before he could get the killing curse out Harry kicked his wand away and tackled him to the ground. "You disgusting rat! You're gonna pay do you understand me? You're gonna pay for taking my parents! You're gonna pay for taking Hermione! You've taken everything I care about, everything I love, and now your gonna pay. No more second chances. A person can only try to kill me so many times before I get pissed off!"  Harry screamed, tears were streaming down his face but he could see clearly enough. He pointed his wand at the death eater and whispered, "Avada Kedavra"  There was a burst of bright green light and then everything when black.

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        The first thing Hermione was aware of was the pounding in her head. Her body ached allover. Slowly she came to consciousness and realized she was in someone's arms. They were strong and warm and if it weren't for the dull ache in her body she would be quite comfortable. She slowly opened her eyes and she saw that she being held tightly by Harry, or at least she thought it was Harry but he was bloodied and crying. Now a different kind of ache filled her. A deeper ache that filled her heart. Why was he crying? Had she done some to cause it? Could she do something to stop it? Then the memories came flooding back to her. The death eaters chasing them home, the battle, everything. She looked at Harry. He had his head bent and had not noticed she was awake. She tried to speak, it came out more like a dry cough but got his attention all the same. "Hermione?!" He asked his eyes wide as saucers. She gave a little nodded and smiled feebly. " I thought…, we thought…" He cried harder and held her closer. Hermione noticed that he was shaking and wondered why his wounds had not been tended. "I love you Hermione." He whispered. She began to cry then as well and looked up through her tears into his beautiful emerald eyes, "I love you too." She said quietly, "I love you too."

"Dumbledore! Mrs. Granger! She's awake! She's awake!" He shouted and her mother, father, Professor Dumbledore, and Sirius came rushing through the door.

        Mr. and Mrs. Granger rushed to her daughter's side. Mrs. Granger was crying and kept whispering, "My baby, my baby." Mr. Granger also had tears in his eyes as he quietly stroked Hermione's hair.  "I think it's time to get you two some medical attention and then I'm sure you will have lot's of questions." Professor Dumbledore stated. He and Sirius each put a hand on a muggle and a hand on a student and the apparted to the just out side the gates of Hogwarts. Madam Pomfrey and several of the professors were waiting there for them. Harry was very week from doing so much magic with his injuries and half way to the infirmary he fainted. Hermione was very worried about him and worked herself into such a fit that as soon as they got to the infirmary she was made to take a sleeping potion.

        When she awoke the hospital wing was filled with sunlight and Harry was lying in the bed  next to her's. His eyes were open and he was watching her carefully. "Morning" she said quietly.

"Morning" he answered her with that quiet shy smile that made her go weak at the knees when she was standing. Then Madam Pomfrey entered bringing with her a very large breakfast, Professor Dumbledore, and Hermione's parents.

        Slowly they filled Harry and Hermione in on what had been going on. It seemed that the death eaters had been after Hermione and her family because she was muggle born. Finding Harry with her had just been a fringe benefit to the death eaters. Sirius, who was now back in hiding, had gotten wind of the attack and come to warn Hermione but he had trouble traveling quickly while hiding his identity. It was lucky for them that he showed up just in the nick of time. Dumbledore had gotten Sirius's message and arrived right after wormtail was killed. The Professor had put a memory charm on the whole muggle neighborhood to make sure no one remembered the death eaters or the battle and he had explained everything to Mrs. Granger and Mr. Granger, who had arrived just after Dumbledore.  

       "Which reminds me," Mrs. Granger said, "now that I understand everything that happened, Harry I owe you an apology. You too Hermione. I was really paranoid after what happened with than Victor person and I was also very scared because I realized my little girl was growing up. The professor here has offered to restore our house this afternoon and to make amends for my behavior Harry, I'd like to invite you to stay with us for the rest of the summer.  What do you say?"

 "I'd love to, thank you Mrs. Granger." He answered with a smile.

"Well, I think we've told you everything. Do you have any questions?" Dumbledore asked.

"Just one," replied Hermione, "What ever happened to Malfoy?"

"That blond man?" asked Hermione's father and her began to laugh. "He came stumbling into the house raving like a lunatic about how he was going to kill us all and Voldemort would rain supreme. Dumbledore just kind of looked at him for a minute before saying, 'Shut up you bloody wanker' and putting him into a full body bind." Mr. Granger said before dissolving into hysterical laughter. Hermione and Harry just stared at their Headmaster agape. Then Harry began to chuckle slowly and Hermione started to giggle and soon the whole room chiming with the sound of their mirth. Dumbledore smiled softly at them, "yes, well…" he mumbled looking slightly embarrassed.

        Harry looked over at Hermione who was smiling Joyously, I always want to make her smile like that he thought. Forever. I love her.

        Hermione looked at Harry. He looks so happy here she thought, so relaxed, I always want to make this happy. Forever. I love him.

                                                                                                  The End

A/N: Well folks that's it. It's over. What did you think? Good ending? Bad ending? As always your reviews would be much appreciated. Thank you for reading this far. I hope you enjoyed it.  ~Lissa~

Disclaimer: I own nothing.