Chapter Two, due to popular demand
Previously:
"Hermione?"
Now on with the Chapter.
The woman outside the door stood about five feet and eight inches tall, she had bushy brown hair, and most importantly she had the eyes. Harry knew those eyes; they were the one thing that usually kept him sane, calm, or, as ashamed as he was to admit it, un-suicidal. He wondered however why Hermione was suddenly back from the grave.
The woman outside didn't appear to be shocked by Harry's utterance and just fixed him with the glare he knew only too well.
"Well, uh, would you like to come in?" Harry asked tentatively. Knowing that if it was Hermione she would accept and if she wasn't then she probably wouldn't. After all, everybody in the neighborhood knew that Harry wasn't exactly what you'd call normal.
"Yes," she said.
God, she even has the same voice. Harry thought as he moved aside and let her in. That was until the Dogs got to her.
Granger was trying to smell this new intruder. She didn't smell like anything she'd ever smelt before. Except the Grangers, which Granger knew as the Brown headed ones. After getting her compulsory smelling Granger let Padfoot smell the intruder.
Padfoot recognized the smell as the smell of a few books and like items that his master kept in his room. After getting a good whiff of her Padfoot ran towards the mater's room to smell the items that smelt like her and compare the scents.
The two dogs left Harry and the woman who looked like Hermione alone in the entryway, their tails wagging almost as furiously as they were when Ron got here.
"So, who are you?" Harry asked to woman he was sure was Hermione.
"Hermione, Hermione. Arrgh dammit I can't remember!" Hermione cried towards the ceiling. This however has the unfortunate side effect of waking three people that needed their sleep.
"Granger." Harry said. With this two things happened.
One was that Granger ran up to Harry and placed her muzzle in his hand he had left at his side. Then she sat and promptly started licking his hand. Only when he absently petted her head did she turn around and barreled into a hungover Ron.
The other was the Hermione recoiled like she was hit in the gut. She grasped her head and moaned in pain. She kept on muttering things like "No" and "I'm going after him Ron". Harry figured that she was reliving her last day alive until now.
Then a hungover Ron got the brilliant idea of coming in. When Hermione saw Ron she showed no sign of anything. Just that he was another face. The same look she had when she had looked at Harry too.
"Who are you?" Asked Ron and Hermione at the same time.
"Hermione." Hermione said at once.
"Ron." Ron said too.
"I'm Harry if anybody's wondering." Harry interjected helpfully.
"Wait. Ron and Harry… Ron and Harry…Ron and Harry…Why can't I remember?" She griped at the ceiling again.
"Uhhh, Hermione. I don't think that the ceiling will help you now." Harry said trying to be helpful.
"Harry, where's the hangover potions?" Ron asked his Raven haired best friend.
"In the top cabinet, next to the floo powder." Harry told Ron. "No a little more to the left. There!" Harry congratulated his friend. "Now grab two more for the Grangers." Harry advised him and he turned back to Hermione.
"So. What do you remember?" He asked Hermione.
"Just a few hours ago really. Why?" Hermione asked.
"Do you know the date? Harry asked.
"Yes, it's June sixth two thousand and one." Hermione promptly said.
"Hermione it's June seventh, two thousand and eight, the seventh anniversary of your death. Well, that plus a day" Harry said gently. "I'm sorry but it's been seven years and a day since then." Harry said. "But I still love you." He said quickly after seeing her thoughts quickly play out on her face.
"Really! But it's been seven years Harry. Wouldn't you have found somebody?" Hermione asked fearfully.
"Hermione do you remember what I told you before the Chamber?" Harry asked her.
"Yes, that you love me with your entire heart." Hermione recited. "But that doesn't make up for seven years." Hermione pointed out.
"I know, but hey. You had my entire heart for those seven years." Harry joked meekly. "But wait, you died! How did you come back?" Harry asked her.
She turned away. "I don't want to talk about it." She said in a small voice.
"Hey, it's ok." Harry said and to prove his point kissed her on the cheek.
Then to ruin the moment Hermione's Parents, Granger, and Padfoot appeared in the doorway. Then Ron walked and sat down between the dogs. And then to make matters worse the door started opening.
The Grangers started asking Hermione questions, Ron went over to her and hugged her, Granger and Padfoot started mercilessly licking Harry's face, and the door opened revealing Linda.
"Shit." Harry muttered between the two tongues trying to lick his face.
Linda walked into the Potter residence expecting to wake everybody up. But what she saw in front of her really surprised her. She saw the Grangers as she usually did, but she also saw a strange girl in her Ronniken's arms. It wasn't enough that he spent that night over at Harry's toasting some girl's memories, he had to go a cheat on her too. Then she heard Harry quite clearly mutter, "shit" and when Harry started swearing then it was bad.
This was the last straw for Linda. "So Ronald! This is how you repay me? By sleeping with another girl? Isn't it enough that you spent the night at Harry's toasting the memory of another girl, you had to go and friggin sleep with another!" Out of the corner of her eye Linda saw Harry making cut motions, but Linda was too far over the edge.
"Not only that but judging by how you smell, I'm guessing that you were drunk too. So, whore, how does it feel to be bedded by a married man and then have his wife show up?" Linda yelled at the strange girl in Ron's arms.
"Linda, this isn't how it looks like." Harry tried saying.
"Not how it looks like! NOT HOW IT LOOKS LIKE! I see my husband, drunk, hugging another woman. Not only that but he's wearing a dumb little smile. What am I supposed to think?" Linda turned on Harry next.
"Linda, have I or Ron ever described Hermione to you?" Harry asked in a small voice.
"No you haven't and don't try to tell me that this is Hermione Granger. I will not fall for that trick!" Linda yelled at Harry.
"Uh, Linda?" Mr. Granger asked.
"Yes?" Linda said politely.
"I can tell you without a doubt that that is indeed my daughter who's supposed to be-" He stopped looking where Hermione had been a minute ago. Instead of her being hugged by Ron a very confused Ron was waiting with a pained expression on his face, and Hermione was barely seen though the crack in the door.
"Damn." Harry muttered. "She ran."
"Wait." Linda said. "You mean to say that that was a woman who's been dead the last seven years? Isn't that a bit long to suddenly be alive?"
"Yeah. I'm no closer to figuring it out then you are either. But she's alive, that's what matters." Harry said with a note of finality.
"Sure. Lemme guess, that's why you've remained single for seven years?" Linda asked pointedly.
"Yeah, now let's go after her." Harry said. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I have some flashlights in the bottom drawer, Ron grab our wands, Linda you know where the heavy jackets are kept, right?" Harry asked his friend's wife.
"Yeah." Linda replied with a tone stating Of course I do you bloody fool.
"Got it. Grab 'em. Let me go to my room and then we'll be off." Harry said as he walked off to his room.
Inside Harry's room was not what most would think it would be. There were some clothes just lying about, some papers scattered, and books laying on the floor with bookmarkers in them. There was also Hermione's jacket she lent him during their hunt for the Horcrux's. Then there was the cabinet he had installed when he built the house.
Dialing in the combination of the lock he opened the cabinet to reveal three .45 caliber pistols and their respective permits. Harry reached in and grabbed the three firearms and their permits. Because he lived in the suburbs he really didn't expect trouble, but better safe then sorry. After a pause he grabbed the permits and concentrated on the Grangers and Linda. After a moment the permits read that Linda and the Grangers now owned the permit to a .45 caliber pistol and the pistol.
Grabbing the jacket Harry left the room, a satisfied smile in place.
"Harry, I really don't think there's any need for these." Mr. Granger was telling Harry. "After all, this is a peaceful neighborhood. I don't see why there'd be any trouble."
"Mr. Granger, after going through the hunt for those damn Horcrux's I learned at least one thing. Better safe then sorry. Take the firearms." Harry told Mr. Granger forcefully.
Harry then moved over to Linda. "Linda, I know you believe in pacifism, but just take the gun. I know you don't want to hurt anybody, but if it's a case of you or the other guy, I'd prefer it be the other guy." Harry told his Friend's Wife.
After getting everybody aquatinted with the weapon Harry lead them out into the dark of night.
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Hermione ran. She didn't know where she was running to, she didn't know where she was, and she didn't know where she ran from. She also didn't know why she ran. Just that she wanted to get away from the Angry Lady.
The more she thought about it, it seemed to make less and less sense. She had felt safe in Harry's arms, like always, or is it a new feeling? She asked herself. After all I don't remember before the battle.
All she wanted to do was to return to the feeling of safety and comfort that Harry's arms had provided. To return to safety, to return to home. She continued running hoping that she'd run into Harry again, so she would return to the safety and comfort.
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Harry heard the sound of somebody running. He turned his flashlight to it. Harry thought he saw Hermione and followed it. After running a few yards he noticed that the person was running towards him and he paused, drawing his wand and pointing his flashlight to the air before him.
What he saw was surprising. So surprising that he didn't have time to react. But fortunately somebody else did.
Ron heard Harry run off. Sighing to himself Ron followed and found Harry standing waiting. Only after a minute did Ron's brain begin to register what he saw before him.
He saw Harry being attacked by Hermione. But that's not what was surprising, what was, was that behind her ran twelve…malcontents… that looked out for blood.
Raising his wand Ron thought, You owe me big Harry. Then he released his spell. "Bombarda!" He cried.
A spell launched itself from Ron's wand and landed in the street in front of the malcontents and exploded the street in front of them, throwing rubble into their faces and hopefully killing them. "Oh well, not much of a loss." Ron said aloud.
Then he did the obvious. "Dan, Emma, Linda!" Ron yelled, "come over here!"
After waiting a second the Grangers and Linda came over to see Ron watching Harry and Hermione hugging tightly and Hermione wearing her jacket, Harry wearing what he wore the day before.
"So." Linda started. "When should we grab them and bring them home?"
"Now." The Grangers replied at the same time. Then they both went over and interrupted the two hugging adults
"Time to go home now." The Grangers told their daughter after giving Harry and broad wink.
"Don't wanna leave. Ten more minutes?" Hermione said hopefully.
"Dear we're all going the same place." Mrs. Granger told her daughter.
"Oh." Hermione said, clearly embarrassed. She let go of Harry but gained a death grip on his hand and walked following the rest of the odd party.
Five minutes of walking later they arrived at Harry's house and let themselves in. Hermione wanted to stay at Harry's and her parents relented, rationalizing that Harry and Hermione were responsible, and wouldn't do anything rash.
After talking for fifteen minutes and agreeing on a plan the Grangers left Harry's house to get to theirs and get ready for the day. Linda and Ron left with a promise to return later. It was only Harry and Hermione left.
"So, Hermione." Harry started saying. "Are you tired?"
"No!" Hermione cried. Then destroyed it with a yawn. "Alright just a little." A larger yawn destroyed that. "A lot."
"Thought so, here you can have my bed." Harry offered.
"No I couldn't," a huge yawn followed that statement. "Lead me there!" Hermione ordered like a royal.
"Got it Milady." Harry said, tipping an imaginary hat.
Being followed by two dogs the two made it up into Harry's room without any problems. It was only once they were in there that the problems began.
"Harry!" Hermione begged from her position under the covers. "Don't leave me now! Stay! Here!"
"Got it." Harry agreed tiredly.
Harry got himself under one cover and fell asleep. Granger wedged between them and Padfoot slept at the foot of the bed.
Hermione fell asleep after five minutes, minutes later having Granger's head atop of hers.
Hermione awoke to see pink, then after that gold and black. She thought she was going insane until she saw a dog's head followed by a tongue. Then she saw Harry sleeping, his left arm hugging the dog awkwardly. Smiling to herself Hermione took in the scene quietly.
"Morning, sleepyhead." She heard Harry through the pillow in front of his face.
"Morning yourself, it's almost four o'clock. PM!" Hermione said irritably.
"I know who woke up on the wrong side of the bed today." Harry grumbled good-naturedly.
"You know." Hermione said after a moment's thought. "I could get used to this."
"Yeah, so could I…" Harry's voice trailed off. "Then he caught a glimpse of Padfoot sleeping on the foot of the bed. "Padfoot, come here." He ordered the dog.
Obediently the dog got up and walked over to Harry.
Harry then made a hand movement that Hermione didn't catch, Padfoot evidently understood it because he went over and started licking Hermione's face ceaselessly.
"Harry! What is the meaning of this!" Hermione said between laughing bouts and keeping the dog tongues out of her mouth.
"Just making sure you're real." Harry said quietly.
"I'm me! Seriously!" Hermione said offended.
"I have an idea to restore your memory." Harry said offhandedly.
"Oh?" Hermione asked.
"Here's how it works…"
3 weeks later.
"Harry, I remember." Hermione said after she got back from her memory retrieval lessons. Then to accent her point she kissed him, straight on the lips. Which he only too gladly responded in like.
The two had been "dating" since she got back and her memory had gotten unlocked gradually. It was only know though that she could really say that she knew the man before her better then he probably knew himself.
"So? Dinner?" Harry asked.
"Sure." Hermione said right after.
2 years after
Harry and Hermione were enjoying their dinner at Harry's. They both pretty much lived there, and the Dogs had accepted her. Also, Linda had made up with Hermione after she realized what damage she may have done to her.
Harry was absently rubbing his thumb across her knuckles when she coughed politely.
"Oh, sorry." Harry said as he blushed a shade of red that could match any Weasley.
"No that's quite alright." Hermione said. "Though, I thought you might want to know that your meal's getting cold." She said, then laughed at the face he made as he dug into the meal.
After he finished and made sure his mouth was clean he approached Hermione un-surely. He had a small smile on his face and he seemed a little happier then normally.
It was only when Hermione heard the tune stuck in his head that he was absently tapping out on the table that she realized why. The tune was: Here comes the bride.
9 Months later.
"Dammit Harry! This is all your fault!" Hermione cried as she lay on the delivery bed. "If you hadn't-" But the rest of her sentence got cut off as the nurse inside the room said, "breath."
"I'll just wait outside." Harry said once he saw his chance. A minute later he was leaning against the wall sighing. Then he pulled himself up again, Better call Ron and Linda. He thought to himself.
After walking to a pay phone he pulled out thirty-five cents for five minutes of talking and dialed in Ron's number.
"Hey, Ron its Harry. Guess where I am right now." Harry said. "What? No I am not at the funeral home, yes Dan Granger was a great man but that's not the point. Hermione and I are at the Hospital right now. Yes, that's why. Listen, could you and Linda come over now? Here's where we are…" After giving him directions Harry hung up and dialed in Emma Granger's phone number.
"Hello Emma. It's Harry, just calling to say you're going to be a Grandmother when you hear this message. Well, that's all bye."
It struck Harry as odd that Emma Granger didn't pick up her phone during the time it rang she usually picked up the phone within the fifth ring, but he just shrugged it off. He and his wife had a child to name.
5 years later.
"So, Hermione." Harry started saying. "What would you say to going to Hogwarts soon?" Harry asked, "like in fifteen minutes?"
"Harry!" Hermione griped. "Why do you always do this to me?"
"Mainly because it annoys you." Harry supplied helpfully, then he got a shoe in the back of his head for his helpfulness.
Fifteen minutes later Harry, Hermione and their three kids arrived at Hogwarts more or less intact.
They walked into the Room of Requirement where Emma and Lily's party was going to be when they walked upon a different scene. A table much like the head's table was laid out with spots for four people and a smaller table set for seven off to the side.
Ron and Linda took up two of the spots on the larger spot; their four kids took up four of the spots on the smaller table.
Harry and Hermione helped their kids into their seats and then they sat down in their spots. Harry looked around, all was right in his world everything felt right.
He raised his glass of white wine and said quietly. "To all those who died to bring about this, may you rest in peace. To all those who died while securing this castle, May your sacrifice be worthwhile. And above all, To Love, Honor, and Prosperity, may you always be in plenty now." He drank part of his wine and then whispered, "And may Emma Granger rest happily in heaven and watch over her namesake."
Fin.
A/N: What did you guys think? I loved this story and was almost in tears at the end. And just so you know I am not continuing it anymore. To all of those who believe that Harry and Hermione moved to fast, I had that question too and answered it myself. They had known each other for eleven years before dating and then two years before getting married for a grand total of 13 years, I think they know each other better then they know themselves by then…
Lastly, thank you to all of you who said I should continue this, this chapter is dedicated to you. If you hadn't said that I would've let it stay and finish where the first chapter did, but thanks, you brought about the ending I had envisioned and pictured but never typed. It also feels good to put the Fin on a piece of work. Thank you immensely.
Also, a few reviews would be nice…Not to be greedy, but I'm addicted to them now. There worse then what I've read about any Narcotic. So, please continue the good work.