I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World or any canon characters.

Extended Family

Chapter 43 – AU: A Book Wyrm's Hoard, Part 2

Starts in fourth year, before the Yule Ball.

Hermione blinked slowly, finally realizing that someone was shaking her shoulder and talking to her. "Hmm? Yes?"

"Are you okay?" Alicia held a hand to her forehead. "You don't seem feverish."

"I'm fine," Hermione said, frowning a little.

"Are you sure? I was trying to get your attention for some time and you were completely spaced out."

"Oh, sorry," Hermione said weakly, "I didn't notice."

"Clearly. What's wrong?" Alicia sat at the table and looked inquisitively at her friend.

"Nothing's wrong really," Hermione said slowly. "Just thinking."

"Hermione, you're capable of thinking many things while having two different conversations at the same time. I've seen it. Come on, tell me."

"No really, nothing's wrong."

"If you don't tell me, I will have to assume and will let my imagination run wild. Let's see, did they discontinue your favorite parchment?" She smirked at Hermione's look. "Your favorite ink? No?" Alicia blew a bubble and popped it. "Oh! Are you wondering what is for dinner? It's pie night."

"That's a relief," Hermione said snarkily.

"I thought so. Ah I know. You must be thinking about baby bird and his-" Alicia caught the thrown wad of parchment handily. "Not bad, I am a Chaser though you know. And your face is as red as a Quaffle."

"You're mean," Hermione sniffed, her face indeed as red as a Quaffle.

"This is true but trust me when I say I'm much nicer to you." Alicia put her chin in her hands and batted her lashes. "So, thinking about Harry then? Daydreaming perchance?"

"Only as much as you do Oliver," Hermione returned, smiling proudly when Alicia too went bright red.

"Then you must be thinking about him a lot," Alicia said with false dignity. "And I will deny that if you bring it up to others, about how much I think about Oliver." She snorted when Hermione stuck her tongue out at her. "That's positively childish of you and I approve."

"You do?"

"You're a bit too uptight sometimes dear, as one fellow tight-arse to another. How are you thinking of Harry? Don't tell me if it's rather lewd though."

"It's not!" Hermione crossed her arms while Alicia giggled. "I was just thinking about the…Yule Ball."

"Ah yes. That should be good fun," Alicia said. "George already asked Angelina, wasted no time there but it was a foregone conclusion really."

"Will you be going with anyone?"

Alicia shook her head. "No, I'll just go to get dressed up and have some fun since Oliver isn't here. I'll poke fun at the others. How about you?"

Hermione sighed. "I…kind of want to go with Harry."

"Then you should."

"Just that easy is it?" Hermione huffed.

"It could be. Ask him. He's a bit thick as you know and while he does cozy up to you easily now, I don't know if he will get the hint and ask you soon. And you may want to hurry before he asks someone else or gets asked."

"Do you think he wants to ask someone else?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"I honestly don't think so. Don't know for sure, but he does seem rather attached to you," Alicia said with a smile. Her smile grew at Hermione's soft expression. "You also want to get a date first before someone else asks you."

Hermione scoffed. "No one wants to ask me."

"Hermione, you're lovely and smart. You're a catch. I'm sure there are plenty who will want to and who just might will. Unless you want to go with someone else, it's better to have a date with someone you want to go with and you can graciously decline the invitations of others."

Hermione fidgeted with her quill. "I don't know if I can just ask him like that though."

"I will help you."

"You will?"

"Of course! I adore baby bird and am fond of you too and the both of you together makes me happy."

"Oh, well thank you." Hermione blushed, feeling embarrassed and happy in equal measure. "Wait. How are you going to help me?"

"I don't know yet but I'll figure it out. Actually, I do have an idea." Alicia winked and walked away rapidly.

"Wait! Alicia!" She got up to follow but Alicia already walked out of the common room. She debated following her, chewing her lip, before Harry walked in.

"Hey Hermione. Is everything okay?" he asked, growing concerned.

"Uhm, yes, I think. Or hope. Actually, when Alicia gets an idea to help someone, how well does it go typically?"

"Depends on the person. If it's the twins, poorly but because she aimed for that. If it's for herself of Katie, fairly well. For Angelina, depends on her mood."

"What about for you?"

"Usually well." He blinked at her. "Why do you ask?"

"Alicia's…helping me with something."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry then. She likes you."

Hermione resisted the urge to wring her hands. "Oh I hope so," she whispered.

-0-

"Oh no, I know that smile," Angelina groaned, looking at Alicia.

Alicia plopped down between Katie and Angelina. "I don't know what you mean."

"I do. When you smile like that, it means you're proud of what you've done and are feeling really smug." Katie smiled. "What'd you do?"

Alicia peered over at Harry and Hermione at a table by the window and lowered her voice. "Hermione wants to go to the ball with Harry."

"Oooh! That would be super cute," Katie gushed.

"But she didn't know how to go about it so I'm helping," Alicia said.

"That poor girl," Angelina said sorrowfully.

"I'm pretty sure this will work," Alicia sniffed.

"What did you do?" Angelina smiled when she recognized a white bird flying to the window from outside. "Oh no."

Harry looked up when he heard tapping. "Oh, hi Hedwig," he said happily and opened the window. The owl flew in and butted her head against his, cooing softly. She landed on his arm and he took her back to the table. "You have a letter for me?" He undid the tie and Hedwig hopped to sit beside Hermione who looked at her curiously.

Harry opened the note and read it, eyebrows creasing in confusion. "You want to ask me a question?"

Hermione looked at him. "What?"

"It says you want to ask me a question." He let the parchment go when she snatched it from him. "I've been sitting beside you for a while now, why didn't you just ask me?"

Hermione went red and stared at the parchment for a bit. She then glared across the common room and bristled at Alicia's jaunty wave.

"Is everything okay?" Harry asked.

"Yes, everything's fine," Hermione said as calmly as she could while glaring at Alicia.

"Okay. So, uh, you wanted to ask me something?"

"No, I don't." She yelped when Hedwig pecked her hand.

"Hedwig! Why did you do that?" Harry exclaimed.

Hedwig barked at Hermione.

"Oh don't you get involved!" Hermione said sharply.

Unintimidated, Hedwig flapped her wings at the irate girl, barking loudly once more.

"This is beautiful," Alicia said solemnly.

"Poor Harry, he must be so confused," Katie said, hand covering her mouth to hide the smile.

"I will ask on my own time and volition thank you very much," Hermione said loudly.

Hedwig pecked her hand again.

Harry grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her to keep her from flapping her wings. "Hedwig! Seriously, what's gotten into you?!" Hedwig squirmed free and pecked Hermione once more.

"Okay fine!" Hermione said at last, rubbing her hand and glaring at Hedwig who glared back. She smoothed her robes in an attempt to smooth her thoughts. "So, uh," she coughed awkwardly, "you heard about the Yule Ball?"

"That's what you wanted to ask me?" Harry scratched his head. "Yeah, I mean, I was with you when Professor McGonagall told us about it, remember?"

"Right right." Hermione rubbed her face. "Uh…were you thinking of asking someone to go?"

"Oh." It was Harry's turn to look awkward. "I was thinking of it, yeah."

Hermione's heart thumped and broke a little. "O-Oh?"

Harry nodded, looking resolutely down at the table.

"D-Do you think she'll say yes?" Hermione asked in a very small uncertain whisper.

"I hope so? I mean, I don't know. What do you think?"

She raised an eyebrow. "How would I know?"

"I'm being a prat about this," Harry sighed. "I was going to ask you."

Hermione blinked. "Me?" She pointed at herself dumbly.

Harry nodded, face bright red. "Yeah. I would like to go to the Ball with you, only if you want to, of course."

"You do?"

Harry nodded, face twisting with mounting embarrassment and panic.

"I'd love to!" Hermione nearly shouted. She coughed again and cleared her throat, trying to ignore the triumphant look from Alicia and the happiness on Katie and Angelina's faces. "I mean, I was going to ask you to go with me."

"Oh! That's funny," Harry said, laughing with relief.

She laughed too. "But uhm, yes, I would love to go to the Ball with you."

"Brilliant!" Harry's smile was bright. He looked at Hedwig who was looking at them with smug fondness and exasperation. "So you had Hedwig keep prompting you to ask? That's effective and a bit extreme."

Hermione's smile was all teeth. "Yes, clever of an idea really."

"I'm going to go grab something from the dorm," Harry said. "Thank you for helping but please apologize Hedwig."

Hedwig hooted dolefully until Harry walked up the steps. She smirked up at Hermione once Harry left.

"How many?" Hermione asked Hedwig flatly.

Hedwig hooted three times.

"Three rashers? Double it if you harass her now."

"Wait, hold on," Alicia said, alarmed.

Hedwig held her leg out and Hermione shook it firmly. The capricious owl flung herself into the air and flew straight at Alicia who ran out of the common room screaming. Hermione went tearing after and Katie and Angelina fell from the couch laughing.

Harry reappeared and looked at them, noticing the absence of Hermione, Alicia, and Hedwig. "What happened?"

"A bit of well-earned revenge," Angelina laughed.

-0-

"Tell me you didn't!"

Hermione looked up at Lavender. "Didn't what?"

Lavender's eyes were wide open and she was practically dancing from foot to foot. "You said no to Viktor Krum?!"

"You didn't!" Parvati exclaimed.

"Oh, well, yes, I mean, I said no to him."

Both girls' jaws dropped open. "You turned down a date with an international Quidditch star?!"

"I did. I don't know him at all or anything about him. Why would I want to go to the Ball with him?"

"Because he's famous!" Parvati said.

"And he's handsome!" Lavender said.

"Fame does nothing for me and handsome is a matter of opinion," Hermione said. She shrugged. "I wouldn't have said yes even if I didn't already have a date to the Ball."

"You have a date to the Ball already?!" they asked together.

"Is that so hard to believe?" Hermione said a bit sharply.

"I'm sorry," Lavender said, her features softening. "I'm not saying it like that because I didn't expect you to not have one."

"Me neither," Parvati said hurriedly.

"Just that, it's only just been announced and it's awesome that you have one," Lavender said. "And they must be nice for you to have accepted so soon."

"Oh." Hermione blushed a little. "Thank you, and yes, he's very nice."

"It's Harry isn't it," Parvati said. She and Lavender squealed at Hermione's shocked look. "Knew it! You always have this look when it's about Harry."

Hermione groaned and buried her face into a pillow. "It's not that obvious, is it?"

"Only a little," Lavender said, patting her back. "I think it's great, you two are cute together."

Hermione was glad neither girl could see her smile into the pillow.

"So who asked who?" Parvati asked.

"I was going to but then something happened where he asked me right before I could," Hermione confessed.

"Aww that's sweet," Parvati said and handed Lavender a Sickle.

Hermione had looked up and saw that. "Really?" she asked, trying to sound offended.

"It was only a matter of time," Lavender grinned. "Just didn't know who would take the first step."

"It's just a date," Hermione protested.

"For now," the two girls said together. Then they proceeded to laugh when Hermione flailed the pillow at them, unable to keep her smile off her face.

-0-

"I love your dress robes," Katie said brightly when she walked into Hermione's dorm.

Hermione smiled bashfully, looking down at her soft blue robes. "Thank you! I like the color. I feel a bit silly in them though."

"You shouldn't, you look lovely."

"I wish I could do something about my hair. All the Sleekeazy's hair potion didn't do what I had hoped and it felt weird."

"I think it looks nicer like this. Your hair always looks soft." Katie gently ran her hands through Hermione's hair, pulling it a little with a dab of potion. "There, see? Still your natural style and just a little sleekier."

"Thank you," Hermione said with relief. "It looks good."

"My thought's exactly. Come on! I can't wait to see Harry when he sees you." The two girls walked into the common room and chatted at their usual table. She looked up the boys' staircase and grinned. "Going to like to see your reaction too."

Hermione looked up and her heart fluttered seeing Harry walking down the stairs with Alicia on his arm. He was dressed in very sharp looking dress robes that fitted him well. When he saw her, he stopped briefly, blinking as if in a daze.

That made Hermione feel a bit self-conscious yet terribly flattered, her chest warm and happy. Her happiness only grew when she saw that he had taken her idea of making corsages to heart and after she saw Katie accept hers and Alicia show hers off, she sighed softly when Harry gently tied it around her wrist.

"White chrysanthemum for truth and loyalty. Yellow freesia for friendship and joy." Harry looked faintly embarrassed. "I hope you like them."

"I love them," she replied softly and hugged him tightly. As they made their way down to the great hall, she was conscious of how close he felt to her, how her arm felt in his. She was also aware of the warm looks Alicia and Katie were giving them, making her happy and even more self-conscious.

Dancing with Harry felt wonderful. He was awkward and so was she, but it was a shared comfortable awkwardness, punctured by smiles and laughter. The ballroom style dancing was a bit of a mess but the wilder carefree dancing of the faster music was fun, letting them dance more freely. She did not begrudge the times when Harry danced with another of their friends, even laughing loudly when Colette did her usual thing of teasing Harry. Before, she felt a vague sense of disquiet when he was teased by Colette and Aimee, or when he was close with Fleur.

A life of isolation, forced by others and herself, had caused Hermione to constantly compare herself to others. She spent a lot of time comparing her flaws to other people's features, holding herself to them and finding herself wanting more often than not. Becoming Harry's friend had been a revelation to her, made the sweeter when he was truly a friend and not one that wanted to use her work ethic or intelligence.

She had compared herself to the Chasers a lot their first few years, always slightly unsettled by how close Harry was to them. She could not compare to them, she thought. They were taller, older, more in-shape in more ways than the obvious, beautiful in their own ways. Confident in a way she was not.

Becoming friends with Alicia and then Katie and slowly with Angelina had helped a lot. She knew she was being unfair to them and to herself by doing the comparisons and she should try to be herself, not what she thought others wanted her to be. They had taught her that.

Since Harry had asked her to the Ball, she felt more assured of her place, of who she was to him, and she reveled in it.

As the night drew to a close, she and Harry swayed to a very slow song together. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for asking me to the Ball," she said softly.

"Thank you for saying yes and for wanting to ask me," he replied just as softly. "I had a lot of fun. Did you?"

"So much fun," she said. She closed her eyes and locked the memory of that moment deep inside her heart, a tiny spark that would never fail to bring her warmth.

-0-

The door creaked open and Jean smiled when she peeked inside. "Hermione, why are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding," Hermione protested, her voice muffled.

"You could have fooled me."

"I can hear you smiling, mother."

"If you weren't all bundled up, you'd see me smiling."

Andromeda looked at Jean. "Should I go? Is this personal? It feels a bit personal."

"No, I think it is okay for you to stay. I may need your help with my daughter."

Andromeda smiled gently. "If you are sure. Dora used to do this too when she was younger. I called it her dragon bundle because she curled up like a dragon."

Hermione had rolled herself in a blanket and was curled up a little, her face in her pillow. She tried to inch away when she felt the bed dip from Jean sitting on it. She growled a little when Jean rubbed her back through the blanket.

The Grangers and the Tonks were at Grimmauld with Sirius and Harry to spend the rest of the holiday together. After the Yule Ball, students were able to go home still and Harry and Hermione had gone to Grimmauld together. After the rush of feelings from the Ball, the two had a very intense awkwardness between them and while they did not avoid each other per se, they definitely were not as close as they were before the Ball.

Hermione had hoped to have a little time to herself to sort her feelings, completely forgetting that she and Harry would be spending the whole holiday together. She had claimed to be slightly ill and had fled shortly after arriving but apparently her attempts were seen through.

"That boy of mine did not do anything improper did he?" Andromeda asked with a teasing smile.

"What? No!" Hermione looked up. "He was a perfect gentleman!"

"Well that's a relief," Jean laughed with Andromeda joining in. "Did you do anything improper?"

"Mother!"

"Did you want to?"

"MOTHER!"

Jean laughed even louder. "Then what has you hiding up here?"

"You wouldn't understand." Hermione tried to wriggle under the pillow to hide her face.

"Hermione, as much as you might not believe it, I was a young girl once too." Jean smiled at Hermione's deep snort. "I have feelings too and well, I just might know what you are going through. Andromeda too."

"I am a fairly experienced healer and I do believe I have a diagnosis for your malady," Andromeda smiled. "You, my dear, have a crush."

"Is that an official diagnosis?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

"It is. Two diagnoses in fact but one usually involves something very heavy and is more literal."

Hermione ground her teeth at the laughing women. "I'm glad you're having so much fun at my expense."

"We're trying to make you feel better with a bit of humor dear," Jean said. "Come on, give us a smile."

"I believe that is a bit of a grimace," Andromeda observed.

"Come on, tell us what you're thinking," Jean said.

"Surely something bad did not happen. Harry is cooking feverishly in the kitchen thinking he did something wrong," Andromeda said softly.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean for him to think that." Hermione looked stricken. "No it was lovely, like incredibly lovely. I just…" Her voice faded and she looked down.

"You really fancy him, don't you?" Jean asked gently.

Hermione nodded. "I didn't know how much until the Ball. He was so sweet and nice and it felt so good to be looked at like he did."

"And that being?" Andromeda asked.

"Like I was beautiful," Hermione whispered. "That I was special."

"Oh my darling girl." Jean pulled Hermione to her. "You are beautiful and special."

"Mother, no need to lie to me."

"I do not know you as well as your mother or friends obviously but I must agree, you are special and you are beautiful," Andromeda said stoutly. "And I have heard of you before meeting you over the summer, many a story told by Harry. He thinks incredibly highly of you."

"Oh. That's nice," Hermione squeaked.

"And from my little interactions with you and from those same stories, you are very good to him as well," Andromeda continued. "Now, I do not know his feelings for sure but given how frantic he is down there, he cares about you deeply. Do not hide away in here, it is a disservice to you both."

"Just be yourself and it'll work out," Jean said. "Really."

Hermine leaned against her mother. "Thank you, Mum. Sorry, I guess I was being silly."

"Not at all," Jean assured her.

-0-

Harry felt much better knowing that he had not done something bad and things were much more relaxed after that. Dinner was a grand event and everyone ate and laughed as they chatted and enjoyed the festivities. Afterwards, they decided to continue the fun and hand their gifts to one another.

Hermione shook the small box gently. "It's a bit small for a book," she teased.

"Or is it a bunch of shrunken books?" Harry asked. "It's not but I hope you still like it. It is book related."

She opened it eagerly and gasped at the silver necklace that lay on the black velvet. "Oh, it's so beautiful," she breathed. She lifted it up and looked at the small silver charm that hung off the chain. "Does this come off?"

"It does! Let me show you." He taught her the spell to undo the clasp and the charm was in the shape of an open-ended bookmark in the shape of a U. Harry then took a book and slipped the bookmark over a page and incanted. Hermione squealed with delight as the book shrank and turned into a tiny book held snugly by the charm.

"You can basically have a book with you at all times. When it's shrunk, the book is water-proof and protected by the charm. Only you can undo the shrinking and attaching of the charm onto the chain. When I saw this, I thought it was perfect for you," Harry said shyly.

"I love it, thank you so much!" She crushed him in her arms. "This is perfect for me." She sighed softly. "You want to hear something strange? There was a time that I didn't like books all that much."

"Really?" Harry blinked at her.

"Really. There was a time I was so desperate to make friends and fit in. So I pretended not to like books and try to be like the other kids. Didn't work obviously and they used to call me a book worm. I went back to my books because books don't make fun of you."

Harry patted her arm. "Think of it this way, maybe you're more of a book wyrm."

"Isn't that what I already am?" she asked, frowning at him.

"No a wyrm, like a dragon. A book dragon. You're powerful and hoard books."

Her smile fought against the frown. "Now that I've seen dragons up close, I'm not sure if I should be flattered you think I'm like a dragon or concerned that you think I'm like a dragon."

He patted her arm again. "Yes."

She snorted. "That's…a pleasant alternative. Thank you, Harry."

They sat side by side in soft silence.

"Are you two going to snog?"

Hermione yelped and flinched, suddenly aware that Tonks was leaning in between them. Harry fell over, glaring at a smiling laughing Tonks. "Tonks!" he shouted.

"'Cause you look like you want to snog and if you want, I can offer pointers." Tonks laughed when Harry hit her directly in the face with a pillow and the two pseudo siblings started fighting in earnest while Hermione buried her face into her hands to hide her mortification and her smile.

-0-

"Good book?" Harry asked.

Hermione smiled at him. "One of my favorites but I'm doing something a bit silly right now instead of just reading it. I'm trying to see if our spells were applicable in this setting. There're a few wizards in it you see and I'm trying to decide on what spells, if any, they are using."

"Oh? What have you figured out?"

"That they aren't very good wizards compared to us," she said confidentially and was gratified to see Harry smile and to hear him laugh.

It had been a long time since he did both so easily. It was beyond cruel what happened. He was free with his smiles, easy with his laughter before the incident with Crouch Junior, before almost dying from fighting the Death Eater and protecting Katie. Then just when he seemed to recover from the duel, he had grown serious and slightly withdrawn. Hermione had been worried and tried to be there for him however she could.

The two had seemed to exist in a state of uncertainty for some time. They were still incredibly close friends but the spark they had during the Ball and right after, it seemed to be faint and faded. However, it was not truly dampened or gone either. Hermione held onto that spark and kept it safe while she did her best to support him.

Then Halloween of fifth year came and went, the Horcruxes were broken and Harry was broken. It had taken months of time for him to slowly recover from the way his heart and his mind broke. Slowly but surely, with the help of his friends and family, he had clawed back from the brink. Lately he had been smiling more. It was sometimes forced, sometimes haunted, but it was there. He was trying.

Harry looked at the cover. "Oh the Lord of the Rings. I think I've heard of that book. What are the names of the wizards?"

"Gandalf the Grey and eventually Gandalf the White, Radagast the Brown, Saruman the White and eventually just Saruman."

Harry looked over the Lake. "Imagine if we did that. McGonagall the Tartan. Flitwick the Blue."

"Tonks the Pink," Hermione giggled.

"She'd actually love that," Harry chuckled. "Hermione, thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything. You've been amazing to me through all this and I've taken it for granted."

"You have not," Hermione said earnestly. "You needed help Harry, there's no shame in admitting it."

"No, I did, and you're right. But, I wasn't fair to you, any of you, but you especially. You spent a lot of time with me even when I was bad company."

"You've never been bad company," she said, poking his leg. "I wanted to. You've done the same for me. Or have you forgotten about the troll, or when I was petrified?"

"No, I haven't," he winced. "Bad things happened to you because of me."

"At the risk of sounding like certain unsavory individuals, you really do think it's about you, don't you?" She smiled widely at his laugh. "I'm kidding but don't think that. You were there for me when I needed you. I am here for you when you need me. I care about you so much Harry. You're my first real friend and I…really care about you." She looked out over the Lake, her cheeks pink.

"I care about you too," he said softly and her heart sang at the words. "I wouldn't know what I'd do without you."

"Fail your classes."

He laughed. "I beat you in a few tests I can recall."

"Hmm, I can't."

He laughed harder before sobering. "Mind if I ask why?"

"Why I care about you?"

"Yeah."

"Besides what I just said?"

"I recall you calling me thick on many occasions. Have you forgotten?"

"No those I recall perfectly." She smiled. "Because I want to, Harry. You're so important to me and I can't imagine anything without you."

"Oh." He felt incredibly warm and incredibly shy. "Thank you. I…I've been thinking about a lot lately and had a really good conversation with Katie today. And she said it's time I start thinking about how to live and what I want to live. For the longest time I didn't think I had anything to live for because of the Horcruxes and Voldemort. Now that he's gone and I'm still here, I can think about…having goals and dreams again."

"I love Katie," Hermione sighed.

"Me too, she's the best." Harry gulped a little. "So, uh, well…" His voice faded awkwardly.

Hermione beamed. "Am I a goal or a dream?"

Harry smiled. "Both? Which do you prefer?"

She hummed. "I don't know to be honest." It was her turn to feel and sound awkward. "But, you want to…be with me?"

"Like I said, I wouldn't know what I'd do without you and looking back over the last many weeks, you've been a real comfort to me. You've helped me so much and I can't possibly repay it."

"It's not about repaying."

"Sure, but, I guess what I'm failing to say is, I want to be like that for you."

"Oh Harry, you always have been."

He flushed. "That's good. Do…do you mind giving me another chance?"

Her smile was warm. "You never lost your first one."

His smile was warm. "Brilliant."

She scooted closer to him and leaned against him tentatively, sighing happily when he leaned against her without reservation. "Besides, you should be used to me acting how I do. You called me a book wyrm after all."

He looked at her fondly. "I thought you only hoarded books."

"And other things," she said demurely and leaned her head on his shoulder.

-0-0-0-

jouve25 - Thank you, I'm glad you like them. The Grangers have a very different dynamic and it's been fun developing the dialogue through them.

mwinter1 - There are some characters I do not write a lot of for many reasons. Either I don't have as good ideas with them, or I do not like them that much, or for reasons that are solely my own. If you are so dissatisfied, then please read other stories. There are plenty of other stories by other fine authors to suit your tastes.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - That is because I had not fleshed them out as characters at the time. So they weren't as featured in the chapter while Hailey had a role in it.

alix33 - Poor David. No motorbike for him.

AiyaKnight - How I do the AU chapters is that I keep certain things consistent from the main story while making small changes here and there or exploring some scenes we did not see. In the regular story, she gave Harry cookbooks for his birthday. In this AU, she had a slightly different motivation and it showed a different view with her buying them with her mother.