I love this chapter! It shows that Harry really cares for Hermione and would do anything to protect her.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and co.

Chapter 14: "Hi, I am Harry."

"Oh don't worry Harry. I am sure that my parents will love you." Hermione said exasperated as Harry ran his hand through his hair for the billionth time trying to make it lay flat.

Harry sighed and gripped his hands tightly in his lap. It felt weird for all three of them to be on the train at Christmas. They had never been on the train this early in the school year.

"Yeah mate," Ron chimed in, "how could her parents not dislike the Boy-Who-Lived?"

Harry glared at Ron, "When you have a girlfriend, which I personally feel sorry for whoever that poor girl is, and you have to meet her parents for the first time and you are spending the holidays at their house we'll see how calm you are."

Hermione stifled her giggles behind her hand at the look on Ron's face. He opened his mouth to protest then closed it realizing that he didn't have anything to comeback with. He ended up just sticking his tongue out at Harry that looked so childish that Harry started to laugh. Ron glared for a second then joined Harry in laughing. Hermione stared at them as they leaned up against each other laughing their heads off.

"Huh, boys." Was her only commit as she buried her nose in a book.

Wiping tears out of their eyes slowly Ron and Harry got them selves under control. The rest of the train ride passed in happy bliss for the trio. Ron kept Harry's mind occupied by playing game after game of exploding snap, one of few wizarding games that Harry was actually good at.

Finally the train slowed down and finally stopped. Harry seized Hermione's and his luggage from the rack and heaved it out onto Platform 9 ¾. Hermione grabbed two trolleys on which Harry tossed their luggage. With his heart in his throat he wheeled the trolleys toward the magical barrier that separated Platform 9 ¾ from the rest of the station. Hermione smiled reassuringly at Harry and seized his hand and gave it a squeeze. Harry smiled at her and together they stepped through the barrier.

Hermione's POV

"Hermione! Hermione over here!" Someone was shouting her name. She looked around and spotted her mother waving and calling to her. Abandoning Harry she ran into her mother's arms.

"Oh my Hermione, it is so good to see you! How are you? Is everything ok at school? How are all of your friends?" she asked excitedly.

"Easy Mum, I will answer all of your questions on the way home. Just let me grab my luggage…oh my gosh I so totally forgot Harry!" she turned around and spotted Harry standing right where she had left him.

Harry's POV

Harry watched Hermione run into the arms of her mother. He smiled as he watched she and her mother talk a mile a minute to each other. Unbidden tears sprang to his eyes; this was how it was supposed to be. Parents to welcome him home and for him to tell them everything that had happened since they had last seen them. He knew why Hermione's parents had asked her to come home; they were afraid that they might never see her again every time they shipped her off to school.

"Harry!" Hermione's voice snapped him back from his daydream. He blinked and glanced down at her where she was tugging at his sleeve. "Harry come on my mum wants to meet you." Harry smiled down at her and pushed the trolley with their stuff toward Mrs. Granger.

"Mum," said Hermione excitedly, "this is Harry Potter, my boyfriend." Harry smiled at Mrs. Granger trying to look as happy as Hermione was.

Mrs. Granger blinked, and then smiled so warmly Harry could have sworn that it got hotter in their immediate area.

"Oh Hermione! Why didn't you tell me in your letter that your friend was your boyfriend?" She cried.

Harry stared; he had expected her to angry at Hermione because he was her boyfriend, but no she was absolutely thrilled!

"Harry, I am so glad to meet you at last! Hermione has talked so much about you at home and in her letters!" she said excitedly.

"Uh, so you aren't annoyed?" he asked.

"No, why should I be annoyed?"

"Well I thought since Moine…" Harry started to say but Mrs. Granger cut him off.

"Moine?" She looked at Hermione confused then her face lit up comprehending, "oh Moine, is that your pet name for her?"

Both Harry and Hermione blushed furiously red.

"No mum," said Hermione quickly, "Moine is my nickname, my nickname. Ron calls me that; it is not just a name that Harry uses."

"Oh, ok, just checking, I am sorry Harry, dear what were you saying?"

"I was wondering if you were annoyed that Hermione didn't tell you that I was her boyfriend." Said Harry as they started to walk out of the station toward the Granger's car.

"Oh no of course not Harry, Hermione will tell you that we take surprises very well. Here we go." She said reaching the car, a nice family size five person Taurus SE, burgundy in color. She popped the trunk and Harry lifted Hermione and his trunks into it.

Mrs. Granger got into the car and started it up. Hermione reached for her door handle but Harry suddenly decided to be polite and knocked her hand out of the way and opened it for her. She raised her eyebrows at him and Harry glanced meaningfully at her mum. Hermione glanced at her too then smiled at Harry in understanding and slid into the car. Shutting the door behind her, he circled around the car and opened his own door and slid in next to her. Almost immediately Mrs. Granger pelted him with questions on his life in Hogwarts, what classes he took, how well he did in said classes, who his friends were. After all of this she went into a subject area that Harry wasn't very comfortable with.

"So Harry what about your family?"

Harry froze; Hermione who was starting to yawn and snuggle up next to him also froze and glanced at him apprehensively.

"Uh, Mum, Harry isn't very comfortable talking about his family…" she started to say when Harry hushed her.

"It is ok, Moine, I have got to get used to talking about it sometime." He said, she nodded but grabbed his hand knowing how hard this was going to be for him. Slowly but with more confidence he told Mrs. Granger his sad family story, from Voldemort's attack on his parents, to his horrible aunt and uncle, then to the brief period that he got to spend with his godfather. Mrs. Granger didn't say a word through the whole entire thing but kept her eyes focused on the road. Only when he finished did she say anything.

"I am so sorry Harry. I had no idea, if I had known I wouldn't have asked."

"No it is ok Mrs. Granger, I need to get used to telling people."

"Well," broke in Hermione in a cheerful voice, "on a happier note Harry, welcome home for the next month. We are here!"

Harry glance out his window to see a medium sized two-story house part brick part light yellow paneling with brown shutters. There was a well-kept front yard with plenty of trees, the gardens in the front were bare but there fake silk poinsettias stuck into the ground. Beside him Hermione sighed happily. Glancing up at him she smiled and Harry smiled back. Still being polite he got out first and then opened Hermione's door for her. She smiled at him then went to the trunk of the car and hauled out her trunk before he could protest and carried it by herself to the front door, where she put it down and looked back at him smiling.

"Come on Potter, hurry up and get your trunk so that you can open the door like a good boy."

Harry grinned and quickly grabbed his own trunk and hurried up to the front door, which he opened for her. Carrying their trunks inside Harry looked around at the house where he would be spending the next month in. It was well kept but not overly tidy, it felt homey, something that was definitely missing from the Dursely's or even Grimwauld Place.

Harry turned to Mrs. Granger who had come in behind them. "Where is the guest room so I can put my stuff in?"

"Don't you want to sleep in Hermione's room?" she asked him. Harry started and looked at her he realized that she was dead serious too. Hermione also seemed slightly shocked that her mother had said that.

"Um, well I thought that you would feel more comfortable as a parent if I slept in the guest room."

"Oh no, go sleep in her room her dad and I trust you two completely."

Harry couldn't believe his luck and Hermione pulled him eagerly up the stairs to her room. He walked in and blinked. It was like walking into Ron's room, but instead of orange it was green, bright green and every inch of the wall space were covered in horse stuff.

"You like horses?" Harry asked innocently.

"Yep absolutely love them." She said as she placed her trunk at the foot of her queen-sized bed. "You can put your trunk over there." she said pointing to an empty spot on the floor in front of the window.

"Moine? Is your mum serious that we can sleep in the same room?" he asked tentatively. He wasn't sure if he was ready to share the same bed with Hermione.

"She must be, I was a little taken aback myself when she said that. Are you comfortable with this Harry? I don't want to do anything if you aren't comfortable with it."

"I am if you are." Was all he said blushing slightly.

"I am ok with it." She said simply

Harry got an evil grin on his face and stepped closer to her, "Then maybe we should take advantage of this time alone together before your mum calls us down for supper."

"Maybe we should." Said Hermione with just an evil grin on her face as she too stepped closer to Harry.

Harry pulled her into his arms and looked down at her with mischief in his eyes, something she hadn't seen in a long time.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Yes something."

"I say we stop at the groping, deal?"

Hermione chuckled, "Deal."

Together they kissed. It was full of hope, trust, and a promise that they would always be together, together for ever, since together was where they were strong.

"Hermione, Harry! Dinner time!" Mrs. Granger called.

Startled they broke apart. Hermione grinned up at Harry and he smiled back at her.

"Race ya?" she asked.

"Sure."

Together they barreled down the stairs into the kitchen where food a waited them.