The Characters and situations of Harry Potter depicted in this story are the legal property of J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, and AOL Time Warner, and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made off this site, and is for entertainment purposes only.

Author's Notes:

This is an Alternate Universe Story in the Harry Potter Series in that it branches off from the series before the final Chapter of The Order of Phoenix. Also, the ages of Charlie and Bill Weasley were conceived prior to the announcement by JKR. For the purposes of this story they are Twenty-eight and Thirty, respectively.

Chapter Eighteen

"Hermione, I'm not taking sides. Actually, I couldn't care less of a sodding damn. But…"

Hermione froze as Ron ran his thumb over her bottom lip. All thoughts of Adrianna and Auror Directors disappeared with a pop. She couldn't believe he was doing this. Where had her awkward, nervous Ron gone? How did he know how to touch her like this? How did he know that just the pad of his thumb on her lip would make her breathless?

"Ron, what are you doing?" she breathed. Remember they were in the Ministry. Remember they were in the Ministry. Remember they were in the Ministry.

"What I've wanted to do all day…Practice…"

She stood in absolute shock as Ron leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her mouth. Yesterday he was hesitant and unsure…today he was almost predatory. What had happened? Was permission all he needed?

"Ron, we're in the Ministry hallway." Remember they were in the Ministry. Remember they were in the Ministry. She chanted it to herself…but the thought was ephemeral and it faded into specks and dissipated.

She felt him smile against her lips, which in itself felt like a kiss. She couldn't keep her eyes open. He murmured, "Uh huh…" and it vibrated against her mouth. Then he took her pout in between his amazing lips and sucked.

Hermione thought she was going to die. Where in creation had he learned to do that? Her lip was still in his mouth and he lightly ran his tongue over it, making her moan. He sucked harder and lightly gnawed on it with his teeth. The whole things seemed so intimate….

She realized that his arms were around her waist, because otherwise she would have fallen. That new warm, melting, terrifying pressure was developing in her pelvis. She didn't understand it. It frightened her. It made her want more.

She was in way over her head.

Ron seemed to be perfectly comfortable. Why was he perfectly comfortable? Hermione pulled away, gasping for breath…her lip sprang free with a wet plop.

He smiled at her…with a new smile, a sensual smile, a smile that was all hers. She had wanted to say something. What was it? "How did you learn that?" she asked breathlessly. Confusion flashed on his face. "You said you'd never kissed before, but that can't be true…" Her mind cleared as she felt the horrible pangs of jealousy. "You're too good at this."

The sick prat had the nerve to beam at her and pull her closer. "You think I'm good at this?" He was so close their noses touched.

His childlike pleasure at his accomplishment melted her heart….That wasn't the point!

"How could you know how to do that …that lip thing, if you've never done this before?" Part of her wanted to cry. Part of her just wanted to get back to the snogging. She couldn't stand the warring emotions. It was too confusing.

He touched her lower lip again. "You've been pouting all day. All I could think about…" He sucked at it again and her eyes rolled up into her head.

She pushed him away again. "But…"

"Hermione," he drawled huskily. "There has only ever been you." He kissed her wetly, once, twice…she was gone.

The next time, it was Ron who pulled away, asking with boyish curiosity, "You like that?"

"Hmm," she murmured. She couldn't think. There has only ever been you. He didn't mean it the way it sounded…did it even matter?

"The lip thing, you liked it?"

She forced her lips open, nodding drowsily. What a foolish question. Did she like it? Hermione met his eyes. He looked so eager. She loved him so much. This Practice thing was the most brilliant idea of all time. "Yeah, it's good."

He licked his lips, as if deciding something. "Hermione?" he asked with a hint of hesitation. "You try."

Oh heavens!

He wanted…he wanted her to take his incredible, plump lower lip into her mouth. She thought she might faint. Why was she freaking out? It wasn't really so much different than kissing. Why did it feel like so much more?

Ron was talking again. "You know, in the interest of education." He smiled at her seductively.

"Um…um…ok," she stuttered and he grinned.

All right, then…so now she had to do it. Somehow, it seemed so bold and he was so, well, tall. He needed to bend down more. She was feeling ridiculously nervous; her hands trembled as they reached for his head and pulled him closer. His lips were just there…ok, then, just…she placed her lips around his lower lip and froze…her heart beating in her ears.

He moaned and she found the courage to suck. Oh, heavens it was amazing, his lip was amazing. She had to run her tongue over it. God, it was so smooth and tasted so good.

He pulled away and smiled, "See, it's all instinct."

She smiled back, feeling infinitely better.

"My turn again." She melted as his lips came back to hers and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Ronald! Please, tell me that is not you." A familiar male voice broke into the bliss. Ron pulled away and dropped his forehead against her shoulder, breathing heavily. Instinctively, she stroked his hair.

"Percy," he whispered in her ear and she snapped out of her fog. Oh god, they were in the Ministry of Magic… snogging each others' faces off. When exactly in the past few days had she completely lost her mind?

Ron pulled away and faced his brother, who stood in all his pompous glory. "Hello, Percy, long time..." Ron said irritably.

Percy's eyes narrowed. "I see that you are still associating with the same…crowd and that becoming a prefect has not improved your sense of propriety and responsibility." He looked over Hermione in a way that made her feel dirty. "And I see that Hermione has finally shown her true colors."

Hermione could feel the exact moment when Ron realized what his brother meant. Tension seemed to fill him. He looked like a lion about to pounce. "What the bloody hell do you mean by that?"

"Just when you play with rubbish…"

"Ron! No!" Hermione called out in a panic, but it was too late. He had pinned Percy against the wall.

"You shouldn't talk about things you know nothing about!" Ron bit out.

"Ron, just let him go, we'll leave," Hermione pleaded, pulling at his shoulder.

But Percy didn't know what was good for him. "I know enough, it's clear as day, she's behaving like a common whore in the hallowed halls…"

"Ron!" she cried.

"Ronald Weasley, you will drop your arm!" He froze with his elbow pulled back at the intruding command yelled from behind him. Hermione took the opportunity to wrap her hands around his bicep. She turned her head and saw with shame that Adrianna, Ginny, and Harry were walking toward them. "Drop it!" Adrianna repeated, calmly.

"You don't know what he said," Ron accused heatedly, not lowering his arm.

"Yes, I do, but this is not the place. You need to walk away." Her tone was deathly cold.

Ron reluctantly dropped his arm and threw himself away, still red with anger. Hermione fought her need to go to him.

"What did you do?" Ginny demanded of Percy. Harry put a hand on Ginny's shoulder to hold her back. Percy sneered at them.

"You will all step back," Adrianna's voice cut through the tension. "You are better than this." Hermione was shocked when the other three did as they were told. The Empath turned her full attention to Percy. "You must be the final Weasley brother." She extended her hand. "Adrianna Potter."

Percy straightened himself and took her hand with an arrogant air. He smiled unpleasantly. "Yes, I had heard you were in Britain earlier this summer, but we had thought you had left. I am very close with the Minister, you see."

"Yes, well, I'm back. I'm sure the Minister will be very pleased to have that information," she told him civilly. "Nice to have met you," Adrianna added as she turned away from him.

The look on his face when he realized that he had been dismissed was priceless, but he quickly recovered and, with a condescending look, strode away clearly hoping to be the first to tell Fudge about their presence in the Ministry. Oh, god, Hermione what if he told the Minister about the snogging part. It was too humiliating. Whatever would they think of her? She'd never get a job at the Ministry now.

And, while it was mortifying, being caught by Percy, it was almost worse to be caught by Adrianna, who at the moment intruded by saying softly, "What on earth did you two think you were doing?"

It was a very good question and it just compounded Hermione's mortification that it was Adrianna who asked it.

"It wasn't us, Percy…" Ron defended angrily.

Adrianna shook her head, "No, I'm talking about you two making out in the hallway at the Ministry of Magic."

"Making out?" Ron asked, confused.

The Empath rolled her eyes. "Snogging, whatever."

Hermione closed her eyes to the shame and buried her head in her hands for good measure. What had come over her? Then just to make it worse Adrianna added, "Hermione, you don't have to like me, but acting so irresponsibly…It's going to hurt you more than it could ever hurt me."

"I know that!" Hermione snapped angrily, wishing the woman would just go away. Better yet she wished she, Hermione, would just disappear.

"You don't know what's at stake," Adrianna continued.

"Then just tell us!" the younger girl responded with frustration.

Adrianna pulled out a roll of parchment and looked at each of them. "All four of you are incredibly important. You need to realize that. I know it's not fair that you have so much responsibility at your age, but you do. So you need to watch yourselves." She handed Hermione the parchment. Ginny seemed about to speak, when she was cut off with frustration, "Yes, you too Ginny. I said four, didn't I?"

Hermione took a shaky breath and unrolled the parchment. She didn't understand what Adrianna was talking about. Harry was the important one; they were just his friends….

-------Department Of Underage Magic-----

This document hereby allows the practice of Underage Magic from the dates of August 7, 1996 until August 31, 1996 by the following minors:

Mr. Harry J. Potter

Miss Hermione J. Granger

Mr. Ronald B. Weasley

Miss Ginevra M. Weasley

To be contained under the following conditions:

The practice of said magic is for educational purposes only and is to be done entirely under the supervision of Miss Adrianna I. Potter. All magic performed by previously named minors will only take place while in the same physical residence as their said supervisor. All rules of legal age magic, including the ban on performing magic in the presence of Muggles, do apply and remain in force. If at any point these conditions are violated this document will be considered null and void and proper disciplinary measures will be employed.

Mafalda Hopkirk

Director Department Improper Use of Magic

"If Madam Hopkirk had seen you two, she would have very likely changed her mind," Adrianna admonished, while Hermione stood in astonishment and the others pushed over to read the document.

"This is fantastic!" Ron exclaimed, grinning ear to ear.

"Yes, well, tell me how fantastic it is when you find out how hard you're going to be working for the rest of the summer." Adrianna said, taking back the parchment and rolling it up. "Come on, let's get some lunch. We have one more horrifically boring meeting before we can go home."

When Ginny stepped out of the fireplace at number Twelve Grimmauld Place, she was exhausted, but outrageously happy. Who would have thought that Sirius had thought that much of them? Well, she could see him appreciating Ron and Hermione, but her?

Maybe he just felt sorry for the poor, youngest Weasley. For once, she didn't care. She looked over and exchanged a happy grin with Ron. He hadn't stopped smiling since they had learned they were going to be able to use magic for the rest of the summer.

Magic for the rest of the summer, spending money for the first time ever, a trust fund when she turned seventeen, and if she wasn't mistaken, and she was sure she wasn't, Harry Potter had flirted with her today.

Yes, life was most definitely looking up.

"Er, 'Drana?" Harry called. "There's a hole in the staircase."

Ginny rushed over to the stairs and saw a huge opening where the elf heads used to be.

"Oh, good, the twins were able to manage it," Adrianna said as she went around them and ascended the stairs.

Now what? This was really too much. Ginny dashed up the steps with her friends. She coughed as she reached the top. Dust was heavy in the air.

"Blimey."

"Bloody hell."

"What did you do?"

Ginny couldn't help but laugh as she stared at the massive gaping hole in the wall where the shrieking portrait of Mrs. Black used to hang. Strike that… not a gaping hole in the wall. There would have to be a wall for there to be a hole in it. It was all so crazy. There was no wall! Their mum was going to explode.

"See, I told you there was something behind that wall," Adrianna was saying cheerfully.

One could say that.

The room was enormous. It must have been a ball room at some point. Now, it looked as if it were a storage room for every Dark Arts object the Blacks had needed to hide at the end of the last war." Ginny reckoned the collection made clear what side of the war the Black family really was on. The far right wall was even set up like a torture chamber. Mrs. Black was leaning face down on a pile of trunks with most of the wall still stuck to her back.

"And could you believe Fred and George made this mess and then just ran off to be with their birds."

"William," Adrianna greeted with a large grin, as Bill descended the stairs.

"Adrianna," he stated warmly, laughter in his voice. He walked straight up to her and kissed her smack on the lips.

Ginny hadn't thought there was anything left that could shock her that day, but clearly she was wrong.

The Empath's response to Bill wasn't nearly as ambivalent as it had been to Charlie. She greeted him with unabashed affection. "Where have you been? Thank god you're not mad at me. I don't think I could take anymore hostility."

"Mad about what? My thick brother's stupidity? I don't think so."

Harry gave a frustrated sigh. "You know Bill as well? How…?"

"Charlie doesn't keep as many secrets from me as he does with the rest of the family." Bill grinned mischievously, barely taking his eyes off Harry's cousin. "So, I just got back to the office today from assignment. I wasn't back in the office an hour when Mum Apparates in, hysterical, demanding an explanation…Charlie's keeping secrets…consorting with the enemy."

"Consorting?" Adrianna gasped playfully. "With the enemy? And you defended me, of course."

"I didn't believe it. Wasn't even sure they were talking about the same person. I never even knew Potter was your last name. So, naturally, I promised to come over straight away and check out the dangerous situation."

"I am dangerous," she said with mock seriousness.

Bill laughed. "I certainly know that, though I suspect, mostly to Charlie at the moment."

She snorted. "Yeah, well…maybe you should greet your siblings before I get accused of enchanting you too."

Laughing, Bill turned away and fondly greeted his sister. "All right there, Ginny with all the…"

"Yeah, great," she reassured, hoping to avoid bringing up the Stupefying thing again…and hoping to witness more interaction between him and Adrianna. This story just got more convoluted every day.

She was relieved when Bill put an arm around her shoulders and continued his conversation with Adrianna. "Enchanted…they actually said that?"

"Well, not out loud….Ron, don't touch that!"

The boys had gotten bored with the conversation and had wandered off to take a closer look at the piles that littered the room. Ron reached out to touch a pair of shackles against the wall. He pulled back just in time to avoid the snapping metal from catching his hands.

"Honestly, Ronald, we shouldn't be touching anything!" Hermione admonished, though she looked at the stacks curiously.

"You can go through it, just no hands…use magic," Adrianna told them. They stared at her. "Go, get your wands. Go on then."

Ron and Harry grinned madly at each other and dashed for the stairs.

Ginny called out to Hermione as she followed, "Could you grab mine? It's in my trunk."Hermione nodded, continuing on. Ginny wasn't in the mood to miss anything and this was where the action was.

"You didn't? You got the underage law…? " Bill asked with a surprised expression.

"Waived... yeah." Adrianna replied absently, pulling sheets off a cluster of sofas all pushed together. "Wasn't hard. You know who the new Director of the Auror Department is?"

"Right. I had forgotten your connection to Carter."

How does he know? Ginny wondered. How much does he know? Could Bill explain the mysterious "CW" on the map?

Shite, don't think about the map. She'll hear…she didn't seem to have noticed. Yet…

Quick, think of something distracting…Harry. No! Don't! Ginny did not want Adrianna hearing her think improper thoughts about her cousin. Great, now she couldn't get him out of her head. Quick, think about Dean.

Shite, Dean! She'd forgotten about Dean. She was really a horrible person. Dean. Harry. Dean. Harry. Ahhhh!

"Ginny, are you ok?" Adrianna was looking at her with concern.

"Fine," she reassured. What the hell was wrong with her? She sank into the newly uncovered sofa.

"Ginny, no!" She jumped at Adrianna's command looking around anxiously. "You don't know what's in there. Furia Coutore." The scruffy furniture transformed into an elegant Burgundy sofa. Adrianna sank into it, with what looked like exhaustion.

Ginny sank plopped onto into the soft sofa beside her, thinking about all the scruffy things at the Burrow. "Are you going to teach us how to do that?"

"Sure."

"Waste of time, Gin. You'll never be able to learn that." Bill approached as Adrianna transformed the facing sofa from a ratty looking settee.

"Sure she can. She's quite powerful," Adrianna disagreed.

"You and I know it's not about power." Ginny narrowed her eyes at her brother. He continued, "It's about having a taste for the finer things in life. 'Drana's been doing these sort of transfigurations since birth, isn't that right?" He seated himself comfortably in the now matching sofa opposite them and grinned roguishly at them.

Adrianna just grinned smiled innocently and kicked off her shoes. She put her feet up next to Bill, crossed at the ankle. "Whatever you say, Bill. Just stick around, ok? Because I could really use a buffer from all the hostility around here."

Ginny tensed. It was a strange idea. Not that Adrianna would feel all those negative emotions, but that she might care.

"That bad?" Bill was mimicking her pose and kicking up his shoeless feet.

"You wouldn't believe it…except for Harry, there's nothing but suspicions, rage, and hatred."

"That's not true," Ginny found herself saying automatically. Bill and Adrianna looked at her with skeptical smiles. She found herself flailing, "I…I like you."

Adrianna laughed. "I appreciate the sentiment, Ginny. But you don't like me. We both know its all about Harry."

Ginny felt a horrible sinking sensation, her secret…She was doomed. Bill was staring at her with a bright grin and a twinkle in his eye. She was really, really doomed.

"It's ok, perfectly reasonable…" Adrianna went on.

Bill reached out and gave Ginny's knee an encouraging pat. "Take heart, Gin. 'Drana seems to be encouraging your …infatuation. That's a very good sign."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not infatuated." But then the words sunk in and she forgot about teasing brothers. Her eyes flew to Adrianna, who was glaring at Bill. "What do you mean? What does he mean?" she demanded to the two adults, her heart beating erratically.

It was her brother who answered. "'Drana thinks she's subtle, refusing to tell you secrets of the heart…"

"That's enough, Bill," Adrianna warned.

He just leaned forward to whisper to his sister, "But if you watch closely she gives away everything you need to know. She can't help herself."

"William!"

"And she never encourages a doomed love affair."

"Speaking of which, I hear you're dating a twelve year old."

Bill stopped abruptly and looked over at Adrianna with a horrified expression. The Empath looked smug, and didn't seem to be in the mood to take any prisoners. Ginny was amused, but disappointed. Maybe she could ask Bill more about it later. Though Adrianna wouldn't have interrupted if it weren't true, and that meant…could it mean…?

"She's not twelve," Bill was replying acridly. "She's twenty."

"So, she's not half your age, just two thirds your age. Just a full decade younger than you. I wonder what would make a man your age attracted to a child like that…"

Bill eyes lit up in competition. "So, what about Charlie? Surely he is shielding some of that hostility."

Adrianna smiled back. "Well played," she acknowledged. "What I feel from Charlie, while not hostility, is far from comforting. Speaking of which, he just Apparated in downstairs."

Ginny could feel Adrianna tense next to her. This was all very interesting.

But the next Weasley to enter the ballroom wasn't Charlie, it was Ron. He walked in with a worried, defeated slump to his shoulders and threw himself into the seat next to Bill.

"Poor Ron," Ginny teased ruthlessly. "Things a bit chilly, after being discovered this afternoon?" Ron scowled at her and Adrianna laughed, relaxing again.

Bill looked confused. "Where are Harry and Hermione?"

Ron stared up at the ceiling, in misery. "They're talking."

"And that's bad because…?" Bill asked.

Ron groaned but didn't answer.

"I think Ron might be concerned that they are discussing him," Ginny commented.

"Yeah." Adrianna gave a mock wince. "Harry was a little perturbed about your little escapade at the Ministry."

Ginny grinned with pleasure. "Ooooh, and Hermione might change her mind."

"Shut up," Ron countered, with his usual skill. How come he could only row with any skill with Hermione?

"What escapade?" Charlie asked, walking into the disaster area of a room. "And what the bloody hell happened in here?" He fell into the sofa next to Ron.

"We found a new room," Adrianna replied cheerfully. "Oh, and Ron was caught making out…snogging in the hallway at the Ministry of Magic."

Ginny laughed merrily and her two oldest brothers practically sputtered with mirth.

"Hey," Ron protested. "Aren't you supposed to keep secrets?"

"Hate to tell you this, Ron, but when you do that in a very public hallway, it's not a secret," Adrianna explained.

"Um… is this with the Hermione who's not your girlfriend?" Charlie asked, causing Ron to bury his head in his hands, groaning.

"Not your girlfriend, huh? Mum's going to die when she hears this," Bill said almost seriously.

That made Ron look up. "Oh, no, please don't tell Mum."

Ginny actually felt sorry for him and just a twinge guilty due to her promise to Hermione.

"No one's going to tell your mother," Adrianna reassured.

"Oh, we're not?" Charlie asked.

"No, we're not," she directed to Charlie. "I'm sure we can obtain quite enough pleasure from tormenting him amongst ourselves."

Bill was smiling. "I don't know, 'Drana. It could be so much more fun."

Ginny knew that he wouldn't tell. He was just enjoying the torment. "Cheer up, Bill. Since it was Percy who discovered caught him, it's likely to be all over the Ministry by now." Ron groaned again.

Bill and Charlie had grown strangely quiet and still. Ginny's laughter faded and she looked at them curiously. Charlie was looking intently at Adrianna. "You met Percy?"

She sobered and nodded grimly. Bill leaned forward with a mixture of eagerness and worry. "What did you see?"

So that's what they were all about. Ginny felt her stomach clench and all trace of amusement was gone. Did any of them really want to know the answer to that question? She joined the other three redheads in their expectant scrutiny of the Empath.

Adrianna sighed and Ginny wondered if they were going to get the typical refusal to answer, but she just leaned back and sighed sadly. "It's awfully hard to be a younger brother in this family."

Bill scoffed and Charlie rolled his eyes. Ron looked to the floor.

"Don't scoff at me. The two of you are a lot to live up to… and your family doesn't even know the half of it. It's hard to find an identity when all the good ones are taken."

Ron shifted uncomfortably. Ginny wondered if the same applied to her. Somehow she felt it did.

"So, that's what the prat's about? Charlie asked angrily. "Finding himself?"

Adrianna gave a half shrug, half nod. "He's doing what he feels is right and finding a way to do it that is entirely out of your shadow."

Charlie flopped back on the sofa irritably. After a moment, he turned to his youngest brother. "Don't do something that stupid to find yourself."

Ron looked uneasy at the thought but Adrianna drew his eyes to hers as she said, "Its good advice, Ron. Especially since you have the added pressure of a destiny to contend with."

Somehow Ginny didn't think that Ron was any more prepared to deal with that than she was.

Harry dashed up the stairs and into his room. He found his wand immediately. He savored the feel of it back in his hand. He had magic back again and he couldn't wait to use it.

For some reason, as he bounded back down the stairs, he paused on the first floor. Something drew him to Hermione and Ginny's room.

Standing in the doorway, watching Hermione rummage in frustration through Ginny's trunk, he realized what had drawn him here…there was something wrong with his relationship with Hermione. He was feeling a disconnection from her that he had never felt before. And, oh yeah, she was really pissing him off.

Harry didn't generally confront issues unless he was in too much of a rage to stop himself, so he surprised himself when he entered the room. He cleared his throat. "Hey."

Hermione looked up. "Oh, Harry. Can you believe Ginny? She sends me up to find her wand and her trunk is a complete disaster…Finally, here it is." She sat back and looked at him expectantly. Harry watched her become more anxious as he didn't move or speak. "Did you want something, Harry?" she asked.

"Yeah." He gathered his courage. "Yeah, I do. I was just wondering what the bloody hell was going on with you today?" Once he began talking, all the rage and hurt spilled out, unbidden. "I can understand Ron; he's impulsive and couldn't give a rat's arse about the rules. But you, Hermione? When you do something like that, I can't help but think it's downright spiteful."

"Harry, I…no," she shook her head, alarmed and anxious.

"Then why, Hermione? Why would you act so irresponsible and so un-Hermione if you weren't trying to spite my cousin and sabotage her guardianship?" He felt betrayed as he accused her.

"Harry…."

"Hey, mates." A hesitant interruption came from behind Harry as Ron stood in the doorway, looking fearful. "You ready to go down?"

Harry looked away, his jaw clenched. He heard Hermione say, "Ron, could you give us a few minutes?"

It was clear that Ron did not like the idea, but he relented and Hermione closed the door behind him. She sat down on her bed and waited for him to join her. Harry reluctantly sat, his arms crossed, and glared at her, awaiting an answer.

Hermione's look was pleading. "Harry, I assure you that what happened in the hallway had nothing to do with anything except a lapse in my good judgment." She blushed as she said this and seemed to be having trouble maintaining eye contact.

Harry scoffed. "Don't pretend that you don't hate Adrianna. That you aren't against the guardianship."

She sighed and said carefully. "I don't deny that I don't trust her and that the guardianship worries me. Harry, do you have any idea the power you just handed over to her? You barely know her and now she has complete control over you. She could pull you out of Hogwarts, she could…"

"So!" Harry interrupted her before she could work up to another rant. "So, you were so intent on sabotaging it you were willing to...to act like a …like a…" Harry couldn't bring himself to say the words he wanted to say. The unsaid insults hung heavily in the air.

Hermione flinched. "I wasn't trying to sabotage anything. I was…I just went with Ron to vent a little so I wouldn't say anything to ruin this for you, then…" She trailed off, burying her head in her hands. "Oh, god."

"Then what? You got a better idea?"

"No, then he kissed me and I really didn't think of much of anything…" she mumbled the words into her hands, staring at her knees. "This is so humiliating."

Harry gaped at her. Was she really admitting what he thought she was? That she, Hermione Granger, Queen of Rules and Responsibility, not to mention Intellect and Reason, had become completely addled by teenaged lust? For some reason, the idea struck him as vastly amusing. "So, this whole practice thing really was your idea?"

Her eyes snapped to his. "Ron told you about that?"

Wow, it was true. This really had nothing to do with him. It was all about…hormones? "Yeah."

"Oh, you must think I'm a total slag." She buried her head again. "Especially the way I acted today." When she raised her head again, she looked a tad desperate. "Harry, I think I might be going mad," she told him quite seriously.

He couldn't help but laugh as he felt a rush of affection for her. He placed an arm around her shoulder. "You've always been a bit mad, Hermione."

"Thanks," she muttered, eyes down.

"Hermione?" he asked more seriously. "Why do you hate Adrianna so much?

"Harry I don't hate her, I just don't trust her."

"But…"

"I think it's just everyone else trusting her so completely." She rushed to continue, unable to look at him, "That and all the secrets; it makes me nervous. It makes me feel as if I'm not paying close attention, no one will and then something bad could happen." She closed her eyes and said very quietly, "And I haven't been very good at paying attention lately."

Wow, this whole Ron thing really had her off her game and she was feeling pretty guilty about it. Hermione really was just trying to protect him…them. He squeezed her shoulders to show that he wasn't angry. When she looked up, he smiled at her and said, "I think I can understand that, but I'd really appreciate it if you could at least try and give Adrianna a chance. For me?"

She nodded and said with a small smile, "I can do that."

"Come on," he said, smiling back. "We need to go downstairs and find out how many other Weasleys Adrianna has had a relationship with in the past." He paused at the door, considering. He turned back to her. "Hermione, if this thing with Ron…." What was he trying to say? He didn't even know. "If it ever, becomes, you know, not ok with you, or if he hurts you or anything, you know I would….Just let me know, all right? Best mate or not, I'll knock some sense into him for you."

She smiled warmly at him. "I'll keep that in mind."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded, all of a sudden extremely anxious to get out of the room. He led the way into the hallway and down the stairs. As they reentered the newly discovered room on the first floor, Harry found that most of the dust had been cleared away. Adrianna had her wand out and seemed to be repairing the ragged edges of the wall where the twins blast through. Harry also noticed that Charlie had joined them and the four Weasleys were carefully levitating items from the piles and creating new ones.

"Hey, mate, come over and have a look at this," Ron called with a familiar enthusiasm. Harry and Hermione walked over to where Ron and Ginny stood.

"Look, Harry," Ginny said. "We found a whole bunch of Sirius' old stuff and this trunk's labeled 'Lily and James.'"

Harry's heart clenched and his breath left him in a rush as he looked at the trunk. He shook his head. "Why would Sirius hide my parent's things in here?"

"Probably didn't," Bill called. "Bet old Mrs. Black hid them in here after he was thrown into Azkaban and they needed to hide all their Dark Magic. Sirius probably thought it had all been destroyed."

Harry swallowed, reaching for the trunk.

"Harry, your wand," Adrianna warned. "We don't know what the Blacks have done to this stuff."

Harry nodded calling, "Alohomora," and opening the trunk. The rush at doing his first magic in a week faded into sorrow as he saw heaps of baby clothes, books, photographs…

"Wow, quite a…a change, this is." Harry looked up to see Lupin enter. His old professor smiled and shook his head, "Reckon you were right about the other room, though Molly is going to have kittens when she sees this." He chuckled.

"I'm fixing it," Adrianna responded lightly. "Besides, it'll give her one more excuse to hate me. She'll enjoy it."

"She doesn't hate you," Charlie called.

"Are you attempting to tell me I don't know what someone feels…?"

"I'm saying you're exaggerating, on purpose," he tossed back. "Besides, if you wouldn't antagonize her..."

"I'm not antagonizing anyone…."

"Hermione," Remus called, shaking his head in amusement and approaching them. "I checked on your parents today."

"Oh." She looked surprised. "Good, then. How are they?"

"They're well. No signs of Death Eaters, you'll be happy to know. They appear to be quite safe." He reached into his pocket. "They gave me a letter for you, said they hadn't received an owl from you in a few days, so they couldn't send it themselves."

Hermione had a strange look on her face as she took the letter. She muttered, "Thanks," and bit her lip, walking slightly away from the group as she read the letter.

Harry turned his attention back to the trunk. He knelt beside it and levitated things out into neat little piles. Nothing looked the least bit dangerous. Mostly it seemed to be personal mementos.

He was distracted by Hermione's gasp. He turned to see tears rolling down her face. "Excuse me," she sobbed and ran over and up the stairs. The group stood dumbly looking after her. Ron, in particular, was pale.

"Someone should go after her," Harry said.

Ron nodded and swallowed. "Yeah…Yeah, um, I think it should be you, Ginny."

Ginny looked at him as if he was crazy. "Don't be stupid, go after her."

He just shook his head rapidly.

"Ron," Adrianna called. "She wants you."

He took a hissing breath and nodded once. He wiped his hands on his trousers as he walked deliberately up the stairs.

When he had cleared the landing, Charlie turned to Adrianna and asked mockingly, "So, they're not in a relationship, then?"

"Oh, they're in a relationship. They just aren't ready to call it that."

Various scoffs and eye rolls filled the room.

"Don't dismiss it. It's difficult to deal with feelings that intense at their age. They're doing the best they can and I don't want any of you interfering, either."

"Why are you so concerned?" Charlie asked mockingly.

She faced him and said sadly, "Maybe I'd just like to see a love affair end happily for once."

Harry and Ginny shared a glance as the group fell silent and the tension in the room rose measurably. They seemed to be the only ones in the room able to make eye contact.

Turning back to his task, Harry's eyes found a pocket watch. It was gold with a black enamel center, delicately painted. He couldn't help but pick it up. It depicted a castle…but one with those odd teardrop shaped roofs like they have in like he had seen in Moscow. A woman with a baby was sitting in front of the castle. The gold looked tarnished and old.

"Harry," Ginny hissed. He looked up to see her looking at him in warning, as he blatantly broke the no touching rule.

He didn't know what came over him, but he whispered, "Shh!" to Ginny and slipped the watch into his pocket.