A/N: To anyone who actually reads this (meaning nobody hhahahahaha) sorry the story's been on hiatus for so long... lack of inspiration I suppose...
Anyhow, enjoy.
xxx
Hermione felt the knees of her jeans rip as she collided with the sidewalk. She flung out her hands to stop her face from getting smashed in. She rolled over and dusted herself off, noticing Harry and Ron doing the same. They where in the dark, dingy alley that lead to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione's knees and palms where bloody but she couldn't have cared less. She was back.
She picked up her pack and smiled. "So what're we doing, huh?"
Harry and Ron stared at her in disbelief.
"Hermione!" shrieked Ron.
"We aren't doing anything. You're going straight back to LA!" said Harry. He looked livid.
"Oh come the fuck on, don't be angry. You didn't expect me to just stay behind did you?"
"YES! WE DID!" shouted Harry.
"Harry, calm down..." muttered Ron.
"I WILL NOT FUCKING CALM DOWN!"
Just then there was a crack like a whip and Seamus Finnigan appeared in front of them.
"What the hell are you doing? Making such a- HERMIONE?"
"Shut the fuck up Finnigan." said Harry, grabbing Hermione's arm rather roughly and steering her inside the Cauldron.
Seamus lead them to a room at the back. All but Hermione sat down.
"Will someone please tell me what the bloody hell is going on?"
"It's none of your fucking business Hermione." Said Harry.
Hermione felt as though he'd slapped her.
"What's she doing here anyhow?" said Seamus.
"She jumped the portkey," said Ron. He paused and looked up at Hermione. "Listen... Mione, it's really not safe for you to be with us right now. You need to go back to LA. Now."
"Remind me why it's not safe and maybe I will," said Hermione, completely dumbfounded.
Harry eyed Ron angrily. If looks could kill...
Ron inhaled deeply. "We're Aurors Hermione."
"I know that."
"Have you been following the news lately?"
"What do you think?" she said, sitting down in an arm chair and lighting a cigarette.
"Aurors have become targets. Most of them have given up the profession. Those who still actively practice the Dark Arts have been tracking down Aurors and killing their families... I'm sure it's been going on in the States as well."
"Aurors have always been targets though!"
"Yeah, but the surviving Death Eaters have been recruiting all over the world... they almost match out numbers now Hermione."
"Yeah but it's not like Voldemort's still around. It's not like they have a leader."
"They don't need one. They all have the same plan. They want the magical world under their control Hermione. And the less Aurors we have the better chance they have of gaining power."
Hermione didn't know what to think. She felt a lump in her through and angry tears filled her eyes.
"How many Aurors have we got left? Ron?"
"In the UK... 12. 13 if you decide to be active again."
"NO." said Harry, firmly."The risk's not worth it."
"Harry, he's right, you need as many as-"
"NO. That's final."
"Why do you have the right to tell me whether I can or can't start again?"
"He's Head Auror Hermione." muttered Ron.
"But... where's Lupin? Did he quit too?"
None of them could look her in the eye.
"Hermione..." said Seamus. "He's dead."
