Chapter Fifteen... Dinner with the Parents.

The next day, The Daily Prophet's cover was plastered with pictures of Hermione and "Patrick" snogging in Diagon Alley, "Patrick's" arm around her at the Quidditich match, and pictures of the couple from just about any angle they could take, while they were in their seats, along with the World Renowned Seeker, Viktor Krum at the match.

All of it was along with articles by Rita Skeeter, Lavender Brown, and Hannah Abbot (My cousin though it was Harris Abbot, when she first read it in my handwriting, before I asked her, Who's Harris? and then we got it all straight...).

Witch Weekly even put out a special edition with it all, plus asking the big question, "Who is he?"

Luckily, for Harry and Hermione, Viktor and Harry were leaving the following day, plus besides school lists of who's magical and who's not, the wizarding world wasn't too reliable on when, where and who was born, when, where and to who.

"Hermyowninny, did you ever call your parents?"

"Bloody hell!" she grabbed the telephone and went into the den to call.

Five minutes later, "Patrick, we're going to my parents for dinner tonight, sorry."

Harry looked horrified, as if he was being marched to the executioner.

"Patrick, don't be so worried. My parent's will like you. Viktor already raved about you to them."

"But he's my cousin."

"So, there daughter is dating you. So you have to have something going for you, right?"

Harry rolled his eyes, and shook his head, "You are nuts and we are so playing into this. What do you think, Cousin?"

"Ves, you are votally."

"That's a good thing, right?" asked Hermione.

Krum nodded.

And both Harry and Hermione let out sighs in relief.

"Wha... what... what do I do to get ready to meet Hermione, your parents?" Harry asked nervously.

"Vell, Patrick, virst off, shower, shave, dress up very nicely, brush your hair. Act casually, be yourself."

"Ah, okay," and he dashed upstairs.

"Does he realize it's only nine-thirty and the dinner is not till... five?"

"I von't vhink so," Viktor answered.

They continued their breakfast as Harry went wacko.

"Vhich time are you getting ready, Hermyowninny?"

"Two, threeish, it's my parents, what is there to worry about?"

"Vell, it is vour parents meeting vour boyfriend for thee virst time."

"Oh, right," and she was out of there, "PATRICK, YOU BETTER BE QUICK."

Through the shower he yelled back, "COME ON IN IF YOU LIKE."

Which sent the now alone Krum, into fits of laughter.

Four O' clock, "Do I look alright?" Hermione asked for the tenth time.

"YES!" Harry replied exasperated.

A few minutes later, "Do I look alright?" asked Harry.

"No."

"What? What's wrong with... is it my clothes?"

"Patrick, you look splendid, so shut up. Seriously now, how do I look?"

"Beautiful for the TWENTIETH time. When are we heading to your parents?"

"Uh, it only takes thirty minutes, but we can leave now, if you like... we may hit traffic.

"Uh.. okay.. I can do this... I can do this... I can do this," Harry kept repeating.

"Come on Patrick, you've faced worse then my parents."

"Wanna bet?"

"No, not really."

"Hermione, there going to mutilate me with their dentist equipment!"

"No, that's only if you got me pregnent or hurt me."

"Oh, thanks, I'm very glad that won't happen... right?"

"Never know, eh there Patrick, all it takes is some alcohol to cloud our better judgements."

"You really know how to hit a guy when he's down, okay not down, panicked, scared, terrified."

"Come on, it won't be that bad, it's not like we secretly got married and are going to break the news."

"And are pregnent?"

"Yes."

"Your right, that makes this sound like a cake walk."

"Exactly, you'll survive, hey maybe they'll advise you on your teeth."

"Oh, thanks, their horrible, aren't they?"

"It could be worse, you could have an infection."

"Thanks for the reassurences."

"How did you lose all those teeth anyway?"

"Got beat up."

"Right, how are you going to explain it to my parents?"

"I have a story."

"I'm looking forward to hearing it."

"How do we explain our meeting?"

"The bookstore story, remember?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Good, then we'll be fine."

"As fine as we can be."

She smiled at him reassuringly as they parked in front of her parent's residence.

"What time is it?" asked Harry.

"Don't you have a watch, Patrick?"

"Uh... no, it broke fourth year."

"Ah, it's ten to."

"So... we have ten minutes to panic? Or can we drive around the block for ten minutes?"

"No, we can go inside."

"You sure? What if there not ready for us?"

"There my parents, they've probably been ready for hours."

"Are they nuts?"

"No, there just overly prepared for anything, they accepted nothing but perfection, like my grades."

"Ah, so that's why you were so wound up about those?"

"Yeah."

A minute of silence.

"Shall we go in... Patrick?"

"Yes I am Patrick, yeah, let's go. Let's go before I run home."

"Can't have that, now can we?"

"No, absolutely not."

Hermione and Harry got out of her car, locked the doors and started toward the front door, Harry grabbed her hand nervously as they walked to the door. Hermione rang the bell.

Inside, "Bert, there here."

"Then let them in, Sam, what's his name again?"

"Patrick, Herbert."

"Alright, Samantha." Samantha opened the door.

"Hi Mum, Dad, this is Patrick."

"Hello Doctor and Doctor Granger," Harry greeted quietly, as her parents hugged their daughter.

"Nice to meet you... Patrick is it?" asked Mister Granger.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied as he shook Herbert Granger's hand.

"So it's just, Patrick? Not Pat or Rick?" asked Samantha Granger.

"It's just Patrick, Mum," Hermione answered.

They walked into the Granger's library/sitting room and the Doctors' sat in the two armchairs stationed across from a loveseat.

Hermione sat on the loveseat, while Harry walked over to the pictures above the mantle.

"Is this you, Hermione?" he asked, pointing to a naked baby in a bath tub.

"Yes, that's our little girl."

"Aww, you never told me how cute a baby you were, Hermione."

"Well, I've never seen any baby pictures of you either, Patrick."

"No? I'll show you some, just remind me."

"Would you like to see more baby pictures of Hermione, Patrick?"

"MUM!"

"I'd love to."

"Urgh!" Hermione exclaimed.

Samantha Granger pulled out the photo albums, and the questions about Patrick started to fly.

"Patrick, are you, Irish?"

"Yes sir, I am.. in part."

"From which area, it's a beautiful, Ireland."

"Along the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland. One of my great-grandparents was from Northern Ireland and the other Ireland, the towns were across the bridge from eachother." Hermione looked at Harry in humerous shock, he'd really thought about this new persona.

"Are both of your parents, Irish, then?" Inquired Hermione's mother.

"Nah, only my mum vas."

"Was?"

"My parents died when I was fifthteen. My cousin took me in after that."

"Your cousin, how could he or she manage a teenager?"

"Vell, Viktor only really had to keep tabs on me during the summers. The rest of the year, I was in school. During the summers I'd tag along to his practices, training sessions and matches."

"What does he do?"

"He's a, Hermione do they know about..?"

"They know, Patrick."

"Viktor is a Quidditich player on the Bulgarian National team."

"Are you part Bulgarian then?"

"Yea, only Dad's side. Half Irish, Half Bulgarian."

"What is your full name, Patrick?"

"Patrick Leovich Krukov."

"Did you go to the same magic school as Hermione?"

"No, I went to Durmstang, which is in Northern Eurasia."

"There's more then one magical school?"

"Mum, Dad, I told you that after my fourth year, or at least in a letter."

"Well, you were home for maybe a week that year, and your letters just kept getting farther and farther between as you got older."

"Are you still penpals with that Bulgarian?"

"Yes, Mother, we keep in touch, Patrick is actually going home with him for a few weeks."

"Yes, my cousin Viktor, he's staying at Hermione's while he's in town."

"Viktor Krum is your cousin? Where do you live, Patrick?"

"He lives with me, Mum."

"When did this happen?"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Her parents asked in shock... (why is it such a shock? she's 23 for christs sake... well a) she's there little girl... b)they didn't even know she was dating anybody... but neither did she.. 3 days before.).

A buzzer went off.

"Do you like fish, Patrick?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Excellent," her parents went off the get the food.

"Hermione, are they going to kill me now?" Harry asked scared of the possible wrath of the Doctors' Granger.

"Patrick, don't worry... they don't want to jeapordize their daughters happiness."

"Dinner," called Bert, from the doorway.

"You sure?" Harry asked with big eyes.

"I think so," Hermione replied biting her lip, "Come on, we don't want to keep my parents waiting."

"Noooo, of course not. There not going to flog you."

She replied by giving him a look, which said, 'Shut up and come on!'

Reluctently, they entered the dinning room and sat across from her parents.

The dishes were passed around with many, "... could you pass the..." and "Thanks," or "Thank you's."

Dinner consisted of baked white fish (mmm... i had microwaved burrito's today, but the fish sounds so much better... ah black river lodge-white fish, yum...), baked potatoes and green beans, along with a bottle of red wine, which Harry had no idea about, whether it was considered good or not, just knew he liked it.

"Patrick, what is it that you do?" asked Samantha.

"At the moment... I'm unemployed, have been the past two months."

"What was your last job, Patrick?"

"I was a bartender."

"Why didn't you get a wizarding world job after you graduated?"

"I did, I worked at the ministry for two years, suffice to say. I did not like the bueracracy, so I quit and came to London. I've been here for the past three years."

"What other jobs have you worked since you've come to England?" asked Herbert.

"Um, I was a security guard for a year, I was released in a cost cutting measure, then I was unemployed fro two months, before getting a job at a bookshop, but it closed when the owner retired, but I had notice and got the bartending job."

"How did you lose that job, and if you don't mind me asking, what happened to you face and teeth?" asked Sam Granger.

"Well, those are connected, actually."

"How?" asked Bert Granger.

"A couple of drunks started some trouble, so I went over to break it up and ended up getting some teeth knocked out, a messed up jaw and maybe a concussion."

"Maybe?" asked Hermione.

"I never went to the hospital or anything, though I did salvage my teeth."

"Why didn't you go to the hospital?"

"I'm not a citizen, I'm legal in the eyes of the magical world, but not the muggle world. Your government would most likely ship me back to Ireland or Bulgaria."

"Then why didn't you go to a magical hospital?"

"Didn't think about it," Harry shrugged, "Numbing charms will do that to you."

"Didn't your face swell up?"

"Like a balloon."

"Had you met Hermione at that time?"

"We had gone on a few dates, yes."

"Hermione, why didn't you do anything or force him to go to the hospital?" Her mother asked.

"I was off promoting mu book that week and the next, by the time I returned the swelling was down. He told me what happened and that was it. Excuse me, I need to use the loo," and Hermione got up from the table and exited the room.

"Do you care for our daughter, Patrick?" Herbert demanded of the young man.

"Yes, sir. I would never intentionally hurt her."

"Do you see a future in your relationship with Hermione?"

"I can, but who knows where the future will take us. We're taking things slowly, letting things happen. Who knows what will happen with Hermione's career or mine, whenever I figure out just what it will be. We're happy now, learning about one another, but who knows what tomorrow holds. I certainly don't."

Hermione came back and sat down.

"Ready for dessert?" asked Samantha Granger.

"Of course, honey."

"Sure Mum."

"What is it?" Harry inquired.

"Sugar free chocolate cake."

"Hmm," Harry's eyebrows rose and he remembered back to his early summer's away from Hogwarts and the sugar free care packages from Hermione.

Harry and Hermione choked there cake down as her parents enjoyed there's.

After everyone was finished, Hermione said, "Mum, Dad, Patrick has an early flight tomorrow, so we need to be heading out."

"Flight to where?"

"Bulgaria." Hermione replied.

The Granger's hugged and kissed their daughter good bye, shook Harry's hand and the the 'couple' leave.

"Hermione, why didn't you warn me about that cake?"

"It is awful, isn't it?"

"Very much so. How did you get through eating that as a child?"

"Well, napkins, swallow, drink, etc... Crookshanks was a real help when I was home for the holidays."

"Oh, I bet. Where is that old cat, anyway?"

"Running around your basement, catching mice."

"Yes! The old fellow's still alive, I love that cat!"

"You do? I thought you and Ron hated him?"

"Ron, yes, me no. Crookshanks helped Sirius. He's a great lazy old lovable bundle of fur."

Hermione laughed, "I hadn't known you felt that way, hey, it that where he disappeared to sometimes... you?"

Harry smiled, "Yeah."

Sorry for the asides, people usually bitch about those, so I'm apologizing.

I've only had one parent since I was eight years old, so as in every story or chapter where I include parents, if the mother is really horrible, that explains it, okay. I usually end up making whoever it is a daddy's girl and leave the mom alone, Or as Hermione seems to be, copping an attitude with her mother... cause I'm unsure what to do with either parent really... oh and I've never met anyone's parents like dating or anything... cause well I've never been on a date... yeah I need a life... well I do have college, test this week... runs away screaming...

Okay, I've never been to Ireland, but everyone I know who has says it's beautiful, and where I say he's from is where my grandma told me some of my family was from...

Now to answer a review:

From: Jenna Kathleen

alright you have Yahoo..well at the moment I don't, but the comptuers
at school do so I will be on there.. all I can say is God love college.
It is wonderful...where are you going again?

... I also have AOL IM: Screaminshout... I just set it up yesterday... I go to school in the 10th biggest city in the U.S. It's just under a million. Wayne State is my university.. now I bet no body every heard of it...?

anyways thanks for the update and I can't wait til they have dinner
with the fam. an experience there. PLease tell me that Draco didn't really
die...that would kill me sob..

...Sorry, but he is finite... never to be seen or heard from again... I can't seem to write a fic and not kill him, sorry, if you read the one where Harry sees a shrink, that's the best way I've killed him.

hey question. will Harry ever be exonerated (or whatever other big word
that means get off scott free)? I know that Patrick is technically
Harry, but he still isn't Harry you know...

...That you'll have to keep reading to find out... I haven't written that far ahead yet, but I have planned out what happens... and yeah, he's not technically Harry, I know, you'll see a lot of dragging into the basement coming up...

...and on that next update, uh, give me a week most likely...

and the next chapter is called... if I tell you it'll give it away, hahaha.. Rachel, you know the title of it, don't blab.

ears91

my aol im is: Screaminshout and my yahoo im is: ears9115

email is in my profile.

I know if anyone knows me that I have another Im, but I can't acess that one from here so I created a new one so I could.