Haven Magic?

Summary: Hermione decides to take a vacation after the wizarding world was put back to rights but doesn't quite make it to her destination.

Notes: I have been trying to get back into the mind frame for writing and this popped into my head. I'm hoping to be able to get to the many stories I have started and to be able to continue the WIPs I have. Keep your fingers crossed for me. :) Also, this is my first Haven/HP fanfic and would love to know what you think of it. Let me know with a review/comment.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no money from this.

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"Oh, bloody hell!" Hermione exclaimed when she realized where she was or, more like, where she wasn't. As she took in her surroundings, Hermione realized that the Portkey Office had screwed up again. Since the Ministry of Magic had been completely redone after the War ended, many things had been getting messed up due to the employees getting training on the job. She appreciated the corruption being cleared out but it was times like this she really wished they had taken a bit more time to train the employee before allowing them to hold whatever position. She was supposed to land on the Boardwalk in Baltimore, Maryland however, she was fairly sure, this wasn't it. If she was seeing things correctly, it would appear that she had landed on a ship of some sort. Where in the bloody hell was she? Hermione whirled around when she heard a throat being cleared and about fainted. Behind her stood a man a good head and shoulders taller than her with shoulder length hair, a goatee, an open shirt with a half-smile and wary eyes. Trying not to drool or make a fool of herself, Hermione tried to think of something to say.

"Um, hi. Would you be so kind as to tell me where I am?" She asked, trying not to stare at the gorgeous stranger in front of her.

"That would be Haven, Maine." The handsome stranger answered.

"I see, thank you." Hermione replied, letting her eyes take in the stranger once more before checking out the rest of the ship she could see.

"May I ask where you're from and where you're headed?" she was asked and could have sworn there was a bit of humor in his voice.

"That's only fair, I suppose. I'm from Britain and I was supposed to be on the Boardwalk in Maryland." Hermione answered. "My name is Hermione Granger. May I ask who you are and if you are the owner of this boat?"

"The name is Duke Crocker and you're quite a bit away from Maryland. I am indeed the owner of this boat. Might I ask how you got here, exactly?" he inquired.

Hermione just looked Duke in the eye for a moment, trying to figure out if this man knew about magic or not. He hadn't seemed all that surprised about her sudden appearance. Maybe this was part of a small wizarding community. She knew they were scattered all around the U.S. and in plenty of small towns. She fretted for a few more minutes before deciding to throw caution to the wind for once and find out.

"What do you know of magic, Mr. Crocker?" Hermione asked him.

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Duke Crocker had been having a wonderful morning so far. The last Trouble hadn't been a bad one necessarily, just some harmless dancing anytime someone was around any type of music and the dancing would be appropriate to the style of music. It did have the down side of causing many minor accidents but, fortunately, nothing life threatening.

Considering some of the ones to have started popping up, that one was quite tame. He had taken to wearing noise cancelling headphones when he ventured off his boat after the first day. Who knew the residents of Haven could have so many moves? Duke chuckled to himself. He was busy bringing supplies from his Rover to the ship when a sudden crack almost made him dropped the bags he was carrying. When he hurried up the ladder to see what was going on, he noticed a bushy haired brunette standing in the middle of his boat. As he took a moment to check her out and to make sure nothing else was going to happen, he heard her exclamation of "Oh, bloody hell!".

Of course, Duke noticed her accent right off and it only made him more curious. It would seem that the young woman was from somewhere in England and it only piqued his interest even more. Where had she come from? How, exactly, had she gotten there? Was there a new Trouble already? Were the Troubles coming more quickly? Reaching further than Haven? Instead of making his presence known, Duke chose to stay silent and observe this newcomer as long as he could. He noticed how petite the woman was and that she seemed to be a bit disoriented, frowning as she looked around her. He guessed she was trying to figure out where she was. He had to admit, if he had to have a stranger just appear on his boat, at least she was pretty. Then he cleared his throat and when she whirled around, it took all of Duke's concentration to give nothing away, she was beautiful. She had curves in all the right places and her wild hair framed her heart-shaped face enticingly. He hid the smirk that wanted to show itself when the young woman slowly checked him out, instead he only gave a half smile before answering her question.

Her reply almost made him chuckle. She was totally lost and irritated but ever so polite. He wasn't able to totally keep his humor out of his voice when he asked her where she was from and to where she was headed. He wasn't surprised to learn where she was from but was to where she was headed. Maryland was quite a distance away from where they were. It made him a little wary; he knew he needed to find out if someone's Trouble had brought her here or if something else had. After answering her question of his name, Duke held his tongue as he watched her have an internal battle. Waiting patiently, he hadn't expected her next question. Well, that was new.

"What type of magic are you asking about? And it's Duke, Mr. Crocker was my father." Duke countered. He needed to know if she was talking about illusions, slight-of-hand, pagan or Haven's own special type of magic.

Hermione considered her words carefully. If this wasn't a wizarding community, she didn't want any trouble from MCUSA or Duke thinking she was completely mental.

"Then please call me Hermione and, well, the kind of magic a witch or wizard can do, natural magic." Hermione ventured, hoping she wouldn't get in any trouble.

Duke cocked his head at her words and thought things over. Well, considering how apprehensive she seemed, Duke knew she was being serious with him but it wasn't something he had ever considered actually existed. However, this was Haven so he wanted to clarify before answering.

"You mean the magic like Merlin was reported to have?" he asked her.

"Yes! Is there any other kind? I mean other than the entertainment ones, that is?" Hermione answered then asked. She had caught something in his expression that had her wondering. What had crossed his mind that had him so guarded? Was magic a bad thing here? Could she have inadvertently put herself in danger? She hoped not and didn't really think so considering the nonchalance Duke was showing her but it could be a well-practiced act.

"I can't say I've ever come across someone who could do that but then again, this is Haven." He answered with a shrug.

"What do you mean by 'this is Haven'? Is there something wrong with this place? Something going on that I should be aware of?" Hermione fired off her questions as her body stiffened at the thought of unseen trouble. She hadn't been away from war long enough to lose the edge his words had caused.

Duke locked eyes with her before answering and took note of the wariness there and the fact that her body had gone rigid at the mention of something possibly being wrong. What had this young woman been through to cause such a reaction? Duke found himself intrigue by her more than he had anyone else since returning to Haven.

"Have you heard of the Troubles, Hermione?" Duke countered watching her closely.

"Can't say that I have, what are they?" Hermione queried with confusion and curiosity clear in her voice.

Duke almost laughed at the almost uncontrollable curiosity she had but managed to hold it in. Instead he asked, "Are you hungry? I was about to make some lunch if you're interested."

Hermione was thrown off for a moment at the sudden change in topic but hoped he would expand upon what his question meant over lunch and she was a bit peckish.

"Well, I wouldn't say no to something to eat. You cook?"

"I do. Let me just run back to my truck and get the last of the groceries and I'll fix something for us to enjoy while I try to explain Haven to you." He answered with a smirk.

Hermione chuckled before checking to make sure they were alone then asking, "Is that your truck?" at Duke's nod, she continued, "Then allow me." At that she released her wand and waved it towards his Rover and levitated the remaining bags to the ship as well as closing the back. Duke looked at her with surprise and a slow smile began to appear. Maybe explaining Haven to Hermione wouldn't be so bad after all and maybe, just maybe, she may be able to help figure out a way to rid the town of the troubles for good. It certainly wouldn't be a hardship to spend some time with the lovely and intriguing witch.

When Hermione looked to Duke, he made a sweeping motion with his hands and led her down to the kitchen, the groceries following behind them.

~Fin~