A/N: Just a warning: in it's entirety, this story will be NC-17. I am not going to post those particular sections on , but I will post them on a personal site where they can be read by any adult readers wishing to do so. That being said, I also would like to reassure anyone awaiting an update on Come Together that I am working my tail off a little at a time and that it has not been abandoned in the least. And onward we go.

For Virginie

Chapter 1 : Not Half the Man I Used to Be.

"We know he's a little wild, but he's damned good at his job!"

General McCall beat his hand against the desk. His second in command, Colonel O'Drake crossed his arms.

"The question is: do we want a damned-good wild man in charge of this ship? He makes rash decisions especially when he's angry."

"Sam," McCall crossed his arms, "he's the best strategist the UMC has. He's captained his own ship since he was twenty years old!"

"I know, I know, but we're putting the best on this ship and I keep thinking...Dan, Harry Potter is going to be on this ship. I don't want to be responsible for the useless death of a young man who symbolizes hope for the entire wizarding world."

"Did you not read their files? They know each other. Harry was his closest friend during childhood."

"And that means what to this mission?" O'Drake asked.

"Sam, you don't understand. They defeated Voldomort together. They've survived the unthinkable as children."

O'Drake got a far away look in his eye, "How easily we say his name now," he shook his thoughts away, "He's so young."

"I know, but I can't help wanting to trust him. He's brought four ships back from battle, REAL battle. He's a playboy, but he's not stupid. I don't know if I would trust him to escort my wife somewhere, but I trust him to get one of those hunks of metal and magic through this war, "McCall leaned forward into O'Drake's face, "he has heart and he could win, Sam."

Samuel O'Drake's eyes closed and he took a deep, burdened breath.

"You know, you might be right. I've seen the kid in action. He's very good."

"And Dr. Granger is this ship's charting Arithmantist. She'll keep him in line," they laughed at that.

"She's so young to be that uptight. Honestly, I'd like to see Weasley get under her skin."

McCall raised his eyebrows, "Well, I know him and I've seen her, and I think he would be more interested in getting under her shirt than under her skin..."

He had a spot on his new robes, his shoes were scuffed, and the right-most lock on his UMC-issued briefcase only worked most of the time...but, he swaggered. He confidently strutted down the hallway because it didn't matter if his robes were messy or his shoes were scratched. He was brilliant, suave, talented, and attractive. He was the best captain in the UMC...and, in his opinion, he was the person everyman wanted to be and every woman wanted to sleep with.

At least, that's what he wanted people to believe

.

He walked like a hero, talked like a winner, and lived like a playboy. But he felt like a lonely liar. There had been a time, not long ago, when he had felt like a good person who was part of something important and meaningful. That's when he was younger. That was when he'd had real friends who cared about him and a gorgeous woman who loved him day and night. That's when he hadn't been jaded. Now, he was different.

At times, he wondered where the old him had disappeared to. But then, he would remind himself that nobody really wanted that guy. Nobody wanted that poor, lanky, ginger-haired kid from a family of nine but, everybody wanted the rugged, sexy, bachelor who was the best goddamned star ship captain in the UMC. He wanted to be wanted and if that's what they wanted, that's what they would get.

So, plain, old, silly Ron turned his smile into a smirk, his walk into a swagger, and strutted into the office playing the part of "Captain Ron Weasely": Bachelor Extraordinaire.

Hermione sat primly on the edge of a chair in the briefing room, waiting. General McCall had asked her...her...to be the head Arithmantic Navigator on the UMV: Enlightenment, the brand new executive ship in the United Magical Fleet. "The best of the best" will be running this ship and they wanted her. So, never one to disappoint, she jumped at the opportunity.

She and the other members of the team were supposed to be meeting for their first briefing today and they were all late. She checked her watch and rolled her eyes...typical.

She heard the door click and turned at the sound of a voice.

"Is this the briefing room for..."

The words fell, forgotten from his lips. Hermione's mouth fell open and she had to grip the table to stay standing.

"Harry?" she asked.

Harry Potter stood, not six full feet away from her looking dumbfounded. It was the closest they had been, in proximity, in six years.

After the defeat of Voldomort, Harry had disappeared for three years, resurfacing to his friends and the wizarding world in early fall of that last year. She had heard, through the grapevine, that he had tried to contact her, but with her status it was nearly impossible. She had filed him away then. He was safe, he was free, and he didn't need her anymore...so she stopped needing him and plunged herself into her work.

But now, he was standing in front of her and she was overjoyed to see him. He had been filed away...but never forgotten.

"Hermione? What are you doing here? How did you...who...well, how are you?" he broke into a genuine grin and closed the distance between them, enveloping her in a warm hug.

It felt like coming home. Memories of a serious-looking boy flooded her brain. Red and gold scarves, Quiddach games, and that glorious summer after sixth year when they had thought Voldomort to be gone. She frowned in remembrance of another face. Handsome, fair, and ginger-haired...he was the thing that had made that summer so unbelievable...he was the thing that made her what she was at that very moment. He was the reason she left and buried herself in her work. He was the reason she had not been with more than two men in the last...she didn't even know how long. But that wasn't Harry's fault.

"I'm wonderful! What are you doing here, Harry Potter?"

He backed a comfortable distance away before responding.

"I was told that the crew for the UMV: Enlightenment was meeting in this room. So, here I am."

She smiled, "What's your job? I'd heard rumors that you were working for the UMC, but I didn't know for sure."

"I'm the pilot," he said flashing a toothy grin.

She slugged his arm, "you would be. They drafted amateur Quiddach players for that...were you pursuing a professional sports career?"

"Yeah, I was totally unprepared for my letter, but I had to do it."

She rolled her eyes, "Didn't we all?"

He nodded in agreement, "What brings you here?"

"Navigational Arithmancy. I'm the brains of the operation," she said.

"You would be,"he said as they laughed.

"I bet you were the best in the academy," she mused.

"Well, I was the best pilot," he smiled, "by the scores, anyway. But...I was number two in the whole academy."

Harry scratched his neck sheepishly.

"Who bested the famous, Harry Potter?" she asked, crossing her arms smugly.

"The Captain, Ronald A. Weasley, that's who."

Hermione's good-natured smile fell from her face as her head whipped around to find the source of the information.

"Ron?" she whispered.

There he stood, full grown and much different than the last time she had seen him. He was taller, towering over Harry. All his baby features had been washed away and replaced by a chiseled jaw-line, two dark blue eyes, and his signature lop-sided grin. She let her eyes travel down the rest of his body. He wore a crisp, military uniform robe of dark grey which practically molded to his toned chest. She glanced over the rest of him and slowly back to his face. The look he was giving her made her tremble. She wanted to punch him. She wanted to yell in his face. She wanted to push him up against the door and tear his clothes off. The urges that he brought about in her were violent and indecent all at the same time...so much so that she had a hard time shaking them.

Harry broke the silence, "Hey Ron, it's good to see you mate."

He walked over to Ron and shook his hand, pulling him into an embrace.

"Hi mate, good to see you also, number two," Ron teased.

They laughed companionably.

"Hello Ron," Hermione said icily, "you are doing well, I suppose?"

Ron's mouth curved teasingly, but his expression was tainted with an element that could only be described as...sly.

He crossed his arms mocking her, and replied, "Yes, I AM doing well, I suppose."

Strode over to her, stopping close, "And you?"

She tried to calm her breath at his closeness, "Better. Than. Ever."

"Why are you here Hermione? What, are you a secretary or something?"

Her hand whipped up to his face and connected with a resounding SMACK.

"No, you bastard, I'm your Arithmantic navigator. In fact, I'm the best goddamned Arithmantist in the entire UMC!"she yelled, sticking her chest out and challenging him. His breath caught in his throat as her breasts brushed against his crossed arms, but he remained calm.

Harry's eyes were wide, "Um, Hermione, he's your superior and..."

He trailed off as Ron's hand came up to stop him.

"I am your captain. As your captain, I expect you to hold your temper in my presence," he said evenly.

"Don't pull rank with me, Ron. I've read every rule in the regulation book and what you just said, knowing me as you do, was borderline provocation."

"And what you did was borderline insubordination," he countered.

"I'm your second in command along with the pilot, I'm one of the only two people on the whole team allowed to challenge you," she re-crossed her arms, but didn't back down.

"There's a line, Hermione, and you've crossed it. Don't. Cross it. Again," he said, lowly.

"Fine, I'll be good if you'll keep our past out of the picture," she said.

"Fine."

They stared at one another in silence. Each ignoring the blatant sexual tension that still road the undercurrent of their hostility.

The door burst open and in walked a graceful-looking woman with ebony skin, a huge, intimidating man, and a young boy that looked to be no more than sixteen or so. They were all dressed in the same military robes as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They all took the military stance and stood at attention.

"At ease," Ron said, rubbing his eyes after saluting them.

He gave Hermione a withering look and then turned to the group.

"Now that everyone is here...wait, where's Ginny?" he asked, exasperated.

"Ginny?" Harry asked, looking up in interest.

"Yes, she's supposed to be-"

"I'm SORRY!" Ginny said, bursting through the door and bustling over to sit down, "Dad stopped me downstairs Ron."

He suppressed a smile, "Just sit, Gin."

She did.

"Now, I'd like to welcome you all to the next five years of your life. My name is Captain Ron Weasely, your commander. This," he motioned to Harry, "is Harry Potter. Harry, tell us what you do and a bit about yourself."

The larger man poked the woman and looked up in unabashed awe at Harry.

"I'm Harry, the pilot and a lieutenant in rank. I've been serving the UMC for almost six years now and I'm twenty-six," he waved awkwardly.

Ron pointed to the teenage boy, "And you are...?"

The boy sat up as though a professor had just called on him, "Levi, Levi Crane. I'm an American, from New York City and I'm the technical operator for all of mother Enlightenment's motor functions. I was pulled out of wizarding school two years ago. I'm fifteen years old. They call me a child prodigy, but...really, I'm just Levi." The boy waved, emulating Harry.

Ron pointed to the mountain of flesh sitting next to the boy, "And you?"

"Valentine," the man said, his voice was like a roll of thunder. He stood somewhere around six and a half feet tall or more and filled the lush conference room chair, "I am the artillery commander. My job is to lead the soldiers in battle. I've had extensive training in the dark arts and defense in my twelve years working for the UMC. It's an honor to be here. I'm twenty-nine years old and...they say I'm the best, so I believe them," he nodded and sat back down.

Ron shook his head and chuckled, "Nell?"

The statuesque woman sat up straight. She had a beautiful head of pin-straight, charcoal hair that was swept back on the sides. Her rich, dark skin glowed beneath her robes.

"My name is Nell Harmegnies and I am a healer. I was born in Belgium, but moved to London as a child. I will head the small group of medi-wizards and the nursing staff. The captain and I have worked together before and I look forward to knowing each of you. I'm twenty-four and have been working for the UMC for five years," she smiled. Her voice held a strange accent that mixed in with her British.

"Nice to see you again Nell. Go on, Gin," Ron said motioning for Ginny to speak.

"I'm Ginny Weasley, the nutritionist and head nurse. Nell and I are natural heal I'm twenty-five and I've been working for the UMC for four years," smiled and then her eyebrows shot up, "Oh! And I'm Captain Weasley's sister."

"Miss Granger?" Ron said, being especially cold toward her.

"I'm Ms. Hermione Granger and I am your Navigational Arithmantist. I'll be working very closely with Valentine, Harry, and Captain Weasley. I chart our courses using Arithmantic mathematics and magical cartography. I'm twenty-six and have been working for the UMC for five and a half years," Hermione cast her eyes down and turned her nose up at Ron, daring him to say a word. But, he just continued to address the group as a whole, launching into his own introduction.

"And I, am Captain Ron Weasley, commander and chief of the Enlightenment. My superiors tell me that this is the best crew in the entire UMC," he looked over each of the faces, surveying them individually, but at the same time, as a whole," looking at all of you, knowing many of you...I believe that to be true. I was taken out of the University of Magical Law six years ago when I began working for the UMC. I trained to be a strategist and then was promoted to Captain when I was twenty. I'm twenty-seven and I've been captaining my own ship for six years. If you have any questions, write them down, I can answer most of them later," he cleared his throat, "I need to be at another meeting in ten minutes, but feel free to stay and talk with each other. Team training will begin in two weeks when we will all move in together and begin to form a crew. The Enlightenment will blast off two months from today. If you will all excuse me?" Ron gave a small wave before exiting the room.

As soon as the door swung closed Hermione's face fell into her hands and she began to rub her temples. Ginny put a hand on her shoulder and tried to comfort her.

"He will cool down after a while," she murmured.

"Hermione, he was a wreak after...you know. He was just as shaken to see you as you were to see him," Harry reached across and took her hand.

"He hides it well."

"What happened?" Levi asked, innocently.

Hermione looked up, her eyes harrowed.

"We have...history, Captain Weasley and I," she said.

"Yeah, history. The four of us," Ginny nodded at Harry and Hermione," we have lots of history."

That's chapter one. Review on this one would be cool. I'd like to know how everyone likes the original characters. Thanks! Sidenote: You will find out later why O'Drake and McCall didn't know about Hermione's involvement with the defeat of Voldomort.