Chapter Two ~ 12 steps away
Hermione opened her eyes. The soft light peeking through the sheer curtains of the room was just enough to wake her up. She took a deep breath, taking in the mixture of scents on the pillow. Rose oil and peppermint from Hermione's hair, mixed well with Harry's musky soap smell. She smiled just long enough to realize Harry was leaving. She looked at the clock. It said 10, but it wasn't just a normal clock. It was like the one in the burrow, but with pictures of Harry, Severus, Albus, Hagrid, Tonks, Moody, Hermione, Draco, Ginny, and Ron. Harry had one made after he moved in. Harry, Snape, Albus, Tonks, and Moody, all were crowded under out of town. But Hagrid was under lost.
Hermione giggled. "He's lost already." She suddenly frowned and got out of bed. She saw her coat laying on the foot of the bed. Her hair was a messy nest of tangled curls. She quickly pulled out her wand and used a freshening charm and pulled it up into a messy bun.
"How could he leave with out saying goodbye?" She frowned and was about to flop back into bed.
"Well he didn't deary." A shrill voice from a painting across the room piped in.
Hermione jumped out and looked around, the realized it was the painting."What?"
"He left you a note on the night table." The woman pointed at the rose and note floating a few inches above the table. She picked up the note and read it.
The ribbon tied to the rose... follow it.
A red ribbon was hanging from the rose still floating in mid air. Gently brushing her fingers over the smooth red petals it fell into her hands. She walked out the door to see 12 more roses about a step apart all floating in air connected by the single red ribbon. Each step Hermione took a rose fell into her small hands. Soon she stood in front of door down the hall from Harry's room.
Slowly opening the door her mouth gaped looking at her new bedroom. A rot iron bed with cream sheets and big fluffy pillows was against the far wall. The window over looked all of the town, you could see for miles. Rose oil candle's burned on the night table filling the room with her favorite scent. Pictures of Harry Ron and her self from their years at Hogwarts were sporadically placed around the room. The stain of the red wood floor matched the dresser. But what made it all wonderful was the deep blue paint. It faded slowly into an enchanted ceiling. The ceiling looked like the night sky, stars and clouds.
Tears fell from Hermione's eyes. She sat down on the bed next to a dozen more roses and one more note.
Hermione~
I hope you like your room. It took me only a couple of days to fix it up. When I get back, maybe we can spend some time fixing up the rest of the house. Albus just sent an owl saying that I probably won't be back for a year or so. I can't stand to be from you that long. But I know I have to. The Order needs me.
Last night was a relief. I don't know how I would have gone away with out knowing. I love you more than the world. And once I get home, I will always be 12 steps away. I want to you to stay here. This house is so lonely and empty. But there is a rose for every step it takes to get to my room. Just 12 steps away. I have to go, I am sorry I didn't say goodbye, but you looked so peaceful while you were sleeping and I wanted that to be my last image of you while I am gone.
Love you always,
Harry
Hermione was now bawling. Her tears falling and the parchment blurring some words. She hugged the roses in her arms.
"Please come home soon." She cried. Pulling out her wand and putting a charm on the roses to freeze, just as they are, she noticed the ceiling had a shooting star stream across it.
Her brown eyes closed tightly for a second. "I better pull my self together and get to work, I'm already late."
She promptly dissaperated to her own flat. Leaving her clothes in a pile on the floor of her bathroom she stepped into the shower. The steam fogged over the glass and mirror. Hermione pulled out her hair tie and let her silky hair fall upon her shoulders and then dampen with hot water. Little droplets trickled down her porcelain body as she rubbed her legs with rose scented soap. She ran her fingers through the tangled strands of hair then down her neck to her full breasts, and caressed then gently.
"What am I doing? I'm LATE!" She quickly finished washing her hair and got out of the shower.
With a swish of her wand, her hair was dry and pulled back into butterfly flip. She walked into her bedroom and threw on a pair of jeans a blue and green striped button up shirt, and before she could even tie her Doc Martin's, she was grabbing her cloak then gone.
***
The ministry was buzzing like always when Hermione apperated in front of the security gate.
"Morning Miss Granger!" A tall security guard cheerfully greeted her.
"Good morning Alfred!" She was rummaging through her bag for her pass.
"Running a bit late today? Its almost 11." Alfred swiped his pass and opened up the door for her.
"Yes. Thank you so much! I owe you one!" She stepped quickly through the door and into an elevator.
Several memos flew around her head, but one smashed right into her. She opened it up.
Miss Granger~
You have been late almost 3 days in a row now. Get back on task or I will be forced to dock your pay. Please see me in my office immediately.
Head of D.C.M..M.
"I have been here for 3 minutes and she's already on my case! The nerve!" Hermione grumbled and stuffed the piece of paper in her bag. She got off the elevator and entered the Department of charms and their misuses on muggles. Walking down the hall way several people nodded hello and comment that she was late... again, and that the head of the department wanted to speak with her.. She walked into her bosses office.
"Ginny! Come on! You can't dock my pay for being late..." Hermione complained, plopping down in a chair. "I don't think its fair! I mean you aren't here half the time either!"
"Calm down! It was a joke!" Ginny said playfully. Her red hair in her face as she sipped her tea and worked on something at her desk. "I wanted to here about Harry!"
"How do you know?" Hermione pulled her wand out and levitated a cup of tea from across the room to her.
"Harry sent Ron an owl last night saying he was leaving. And to ask you for the details."
"Well I really can't tell you much. They won't tell me anything." Hermione rolled her eyes.
Ginny set down her tea. "I know that I mean about what happened? With you and Harry?"
Hermione couldn't help but smile like and idiot.
"I knew something happened! Tell me!" Ginny got up and sat on the other side of her desk staring eagerly at Hermione.
"Well last night he told me I was going to be staying at his place until the order gets back. Then took me to Three Broomsticks for dinner. I just love the way he makes me feel. You know I have loved him for so long. For years now. Well it was so nice just sitting there enjoying his company, talking. And he is the most amazing kisser and those eyes... they just make me melt-"
"Wait!? You kissed him?" The red head almost spit her tea out all over Hermione.
"Well no he kissed me..." She blushed like mad, and sipped her tea through a smile.
"Wow... I never thought that would happen! But I am happy for you. I swear the tension between you two was getting so bad." Ginny relaxed a bit and went back to her tea.
"What tension?"
"Well maybe not tension, but you two were so perfect for each other it is sickening. It was bound to happen."
"What do you mean we iwere/i?" Hermione set down her tea.
Ginny stood up and walked back around her desk, but just then Draco walked in.
"Hey love! Hermione." Draco walked over and put his arms around Ginny's waist and kissed her cheek.
"What I mean was that he is leaving for an unknown time, and an unknown reason, and you are just going to put your life on hold for him?"
"Yes. I am. I love him."
"Whats this all about Hermione?" Draco fiddled with something on the desk and looked up at her. All she could do was blush.
"She loves Harry." Ginny piped in.
"Its about time!"
"Well fine then! If it was so obvious to everyone else, why didn't any one tell me?"
"Because Harry didn't want us too." Ginny squeaked as Draco tickled her.
"He didn't want it to interfere with your job and his job and things just weren't at the right time to settle down yet.
"I am such a prat for not noticing." Hermione's words went unnoticed as Ginny and Draco were hugging and giggling and doing newlywed type things. "Well then" Hermione huffed. "I better get to work." She promptly got up and hurried out the door.
***
Meanwhile Harry was trudging through a muddy street behind. He was thoroughly exhausted from the 12 mile walk and 4 hour bus ride. He was sick and tired of people staring at him like a freak. The town was so small and crowded. He stuck out like a sore thumb in his cloak. His cloak was muddy at the bottom and his massive bag didn't help either.
"'ello there!" A store keeper yelled form across the street. Harry just waved and turned down an alley and pulled out his wand.
"Point me." He whispered. Suddenly the wand spun around and stopped pointing at to his left. He headed back out towards the street and walked right across into the other alley way to where he saw Hagrid, Moody, Severus, and Tonks standing outside a door. When Harry walked up every one just looked at him.
"Where have you been Harry?" Tonks asked.
"Ummmm 4 hours on a bus and 12 miles to walk." Harry threw down his bag. "Why did you guys give me the longest route of getting here.
"Becuase we love you!" Tonks said sarcastically.
"Lets just get inside."Severus snarled.
He pushed open the door and saw a small dusty house. It looked like it hadn't been touched in years. There were 4 rooms a bathroom, and a kitchen/living room. It smelled like mold and ash. The fireplace was full of ash and had never been cleaned. Everyone threw their stuff on a bed and got to work on cleaning the house. But evening it was spotless with a fire roaring in the living room.
***
A/N: So much for only having one author's note the whole time... But any ways. Thanks for the reviews! I love getting feed back. But I forgot to put up a disclaimer... I am not JK... I own all the books and thats about it.