An: Chapter warning minor sex scene, I'm not the greatest at writing those scenes, but it's kind of setting up an important plot point.

Chapter 8:

Hermione had kind of been dodging Alastor for the last two days, he had tried to talk to her when they got back from the engagement dinner, but Hermione just couldn't talk about it then. She'd ran into her room and warded it so tightly not even Alastor's extensive knowledge could break through it and he had tried. It had just been too much to process, and she needed time to sort it out in her own head. Time to try and find a way to explain things to Alastor, but she still didn't know what to say to him. Right now, it seemed the best thing to do was just straight up tell him she wasn't going to explain her past to him. That it was in the past and she didn't want to drag it all back up. He'd argue, but it's not like he could force her to talk.

Harry had just been staying out of both of their ways, he knew not to get between Hermione when she was pissed, something he learned from her and Ron. Now Alastor was leaning against the counter, having tricked her by making a popping sound making her think he had left, and she had really needed a coffee. When she went to bolt he held up a hand a placating look on his face.

"I understand you don't want to discuss that yet, but Hermione I need a favor. Half of my trainees, not including your brother because I don't want you in disguise and he requested the night off anyway, are going on their first stakeout tonight. It's a completely controlled process to test them. Their job is to not be discovered as Aurors. You have the instincts needed to be able to figure them out, without having telltale signs that they'll expect you're there to break their cover. At the end of the night give me a list of descriptions of who you think was an undercover Auror. Give me reasons as to why you believe they're Aurors as well, so I can try and work on their weak spots."

It was an interesting request and Harry didn't have any plans other then spending time with Teddy, so she didn't need to be at home tonight. Besides it would be nice to find out how observant she could be. It would help her use her own skills to make sure none of the trainees expected she was there to expose them. Hermione had missed doing something other then healing magic to test her intelligence.

The only problem with Alastor's request was that she was still in emotional upheaval after realizing that Alastor was her grandfather. It had taken her a while to remember what her father had told her growing up, that his father was an agent for the government and that after her father was almost killed by an enemy of her grandfather, her grandfather had decided to cut all contact. Even when they found out Hermione was a witch her father never revealed that her grandfather was a wizard, and he was a squib. It wouldn't have changed how she felt about her parents, but it made it so much worse that she had been on the same mission Alastor had died on in the future. Had he known then that she was his granddaughter, or did he just think her last name was coincidentally the same as his son's?

This time around Alastor knew who she was. She just wasn't willing to talk about their familial ties right now. Being around him for the night would be annoying. Yet getting out for a night might be exactly what she needed. It's not like she could refrain from drinking at the pub if she wanted to keep her cover, drinking her problems away for a night before actually dealing with them would be fine, it's not like it's something she did frequently. She'd give her self one more night to out off dealing with her problems. Not to mention being an emotional wreck would kind of keep any of the trainees from realizing that she was there to blow their covers. None of them would even think she was anything more then a normal pub patron or distraught young woman dealing with her own problems.

"Sure, but at the end of the night I'd like you to tell me who I missed. Also I don't want to have to deal with you hovering, leave me to my own devices."

"Next morning and fine. If none of them make you I could use you again or use you for a different batch, if you're willing. They know I'll be there undisguised to keep the peace, but they don't know how many of the other Aurors will be involved in the exercise, I'm the only one who will know each trainees disguise to remain fair. If you make any of the more experienced Aurors it would be helpful as well. Show us what we need to be on the look out for in the future. I've had too many criminals make a team too early on a stakeout.

"If none of them make you I might even have you in as a guest lecturer. As an example of what they could achieve in the future. Some of them have so much pride just knowing a civilian is better would make them want to work even harder to best you."

"Alright, I guess I should go get ready, I'll need to go by something to wear to the pub, just leave the details on my dresser for the where and when."

She really couldn't stay around him right now. Not when she knew he knew she was his granddaughter, right now he shouldn't be aware that she was from the future. Hermione was fairly certain that Alastor believed that she was David Granger's illegitimate daughter. For her sake and Harry's, she needed to keep it that way.

The pub really wasn't the type she would expect to be used in an Auror stakeout, reminding her more of a club in the muggle world. There were already couples dancing, other's playing darts, even more drinking. Already she could make out one of the potential trainees just from the way the young woman in the purple dress was observing everyone in suspicion. She was too tense and had probably given herself away to all of the Aurors. Not wanting to give herself away Hermione kept her eyes from being drawn to where Alastor was sitting nursing a drink in a corner of the room, even now he was well known enough that no one dared approach him.

Not ever really being one for dressing up Hermione had just come in a knee length black flowing skirt and a sparkly purple top, enough to draw eyes, but not enough to say she was looking for a hook up. Although if she met someone Hermione wasn't opposed for going home with them, or to a room upstairs, she had too much pent-up feelings, that a casual one-night stand could be just what she needed. If Alastor didn't get in the way wanting to protect her. She could just see it now; she was on her way heading out with a young wizard and suddenly Alastor comes up behind them telling the man to scram. Either way she needed to at least try, if Alastor did intervene, she could scream at her grandfather, letting her emotions out in rage instead.

"Double Fire Whiskey please," she requested as soon as the bartender's eyes met hers.

"Now that sounds like you've had a rough night," a man said sliding onto the stool next to her. He had that look of pure charm that would usually make Hermione dismiss him outright, he clearly knew he was an attractive man, with straight black hair, stormy blue eyes, and dimples beside his chin. Not even the scar going through his lip could take away from this man's sexiness, if anything the scar added an air of mystery to him. He was just the type of man who would be good for a meaningless one-night stand that she'd never have to see again. Not to mention he didn't remind her of any one she knew, so it shouldn't be awkward in the future.

"Is that just a line or an actual indication that you want to know what has me drinking such a strong drink right off the bat?" She raised her eye in challenge wondering what this wizard would do.

He smirked at her, the type that had to make the knickers of whoever he spoke to drenched from the moment he turned it there way, "oh I don't need a line for you sweetheart, you're the type who came here hoping to forget your troubles for just one night. In all seriousness though what has you looking like the world is a bleak place?"

Even though she knew it was risky with Alastor in the building Hermione decided to tell the wizard the truth. If he went running because he wasn't serious in wanting to know her troubles, she could always try to find another conquest for the night that she wouldn't share her problems with, but it might be nice to get her feelings of her chest with someone who wasn't involved in the situation at all. Just unload everything she was feeling.

"I just found out a man I deeply respect is my grandfather, he's clearly known for a while since he sprung a surprise reunion with my biological father on me, without telling either of us who we were. Not sure whether he knew I was aware of my father's identity, but since he didn't expect my father to react to meeting me, I don't know what his plan was, if he thought us meeting would turn us into one big happy family. He must have seen a look on my face because he didn't try to properly introduce us, but I was still stuck trying to navigate around a dinner with everyone there. Why couldn't he just come to me first instead of trying to meddle," she said as she threw her drink back in one smooth motion, not even caring on how it burned her throat.

"You know what made the entire situation seem even worse? My grandfather, who has never really been the greatest with feelings, decided he was going to spring this reunion during my biological father's engagement dinner with the rest of their family! Like who does that?! Trying to take the attention off the happy couple!"

Instead of looking pissed that she had actually answered or like he wanted to bolt there was a look of pure sympathy on the wizard's face. Like he could understand on some level what she was saying.

"Did you hex him for it? My best friend is always a hex first kind of witch when she's been reasonably pissed off, punishes the culprit with something that makes them think on the action."

It should have been odd him talking about another witch, but the affection in his eyes wasn't the kind of attraction. Besides if she was that kind of witch, he wouldn't dare cheat on her if his best friend was more then a friend, not unless if he was an idiot anyway.

Maybe test him a little, see if he'd turn disgusted, she wouldn't want to sleep with a man who hated her heritage. "My biological father is a squib and is marrying a muggle woman, since it was her family at the dinner and they don't know about magic, it wasn't really an option. Besides my grandfather is an accomplished duelist, it's very difficult to be able to land a spell on him.

"I've kind of avoided talking to my grandfather the last few days because I just don't know how to deal with knowing we're related. He's a good man, if a bit gruff, so it's not that I'm afraid of him. It's just I've basically been on my own, other then my best friend/kind of brother, for a very long time. I've never really relied on other people. They'd come to me wanting answers, and now I don't know who to turn to about this.

"It's not that I don't want a relationship with my grandfather or my biological father, it's just that there's been a lot of things I've hidden about my past. Stuff I don't want to discuss," she had to keep herself from scratching her arm, she'd liberally applied muggle makeup to her scar to hide it, and then charmed the makeup not to come off, but she didn't want to make it seem like there was another mark on her arm.

It was nice, he didn't try to say how she should feel, or anything at all about the situation, just letting her vent. So Hermione did, talking about how she'd been staying with her grandfather by unforeseen circumstances, without knowing that's who he was. That it was just supposed to be a favor he was doing for a friend, but she wondered whether it was really about wanting to get to know her. About how betrayed she felt. During the whole thing she didn't mention Harry again or Teddy not wanting to explain them or the lies they had to make up to stay safe. For tonight she only wanted to tell the truth.

Even while she spoke to the wizard Hermione's eyes watched the rest of the pub, she was certain the wizard she spoke to just assumed she didn't want to be looking into someone's eyes as she spoke about her troubles. Yet she had made at least two more trainees and who she was certain was a seasoned Auror. None of them paying any attention to her or the wizard at the bar. All of them kind of avoiding others or flitting around from group to group, just acting suspicious from the start. She just really hoped the wizard she was speaking too wasn't one of those she was supposed to be spotting, it would be mortifying if she opened up to someone who would be reporting to her grandfather either later tonight or sometime tomorrow.

With that thought in mind Hermione decided that she was done for the night, she knew she hadn't found as many as she or Alastor was probably hoping, but she just couldn't focus anymore. For once Hermione wanted to shut her brain off. It was his own fault that she was a mess anyway.

"I'm sorry for boring your ear off with my problems. Would you maybe want to get out of here? I just want to forget for the rest of the night something tells me you're incredibly skilled in that area."

The wizard looked a little conflicted, but not uninterested. Hermione just stood up a brow quirked up as she looked into his eyes. For a moment she thought he was going to refuse, but in the next instance his mouth was on hers. It was raw passion that burned through her a lot quicker than she had expected. His mouth moving over hers in a kind of desperate way. She wondered if maybe she wasn't the only one who needed a night to forget.

"Had to make sure there was chemistry first," he said with a wink. "Let's just get a room here, my roommate and I have a bit of a complicated relationship." The last part was said with a dark look, one that Hermione wanted to burn away.

James wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, sure he and Lily had broken up, but she was still his roommate for the moment. Both of them had just been too comfortable with the other to leave right away. Yet now here he was going upstairs to a room at a random pub with a witch whose name he didn't even know, sure he had learned a lot more personal details about the witch and her arse of a grandfather, but it was clear with no names exchanged that she wasn't planning on this being more then one night. Something that should left him in relief, but instead James dreaded saying goodbye to her once their encounter was over. Just that one taste of a kiss had been more then James had ever felt with anyone else! It was the kind of passion that songs were written about, not the type of passion that usually sparked up between to strangers.

Even though he knew that this couldn't go anywhere beyond tonight and that he'd be haunted by this one night for a very long time, James just couldn't turn around, he felt he'd regret it more if he didn't at least have this night with her. So he followed her into the room, not even realizing she had paid for it with being stuck in his thoughts, and he immediately pounced on her. He didn't want to miss even one moment of tonight. Not when it was all he'd ever get.

He preferred to go slow and build up the passion, but passion wasn't an issue tonight and he found himself ripping the sparkly top and skirt from the witch leaving her only in her black lacy barely there lingerie. She was just as frantic, ripping his shirt so hard the buttons clanged on the floor, shoving his trousers down with such force that his boxers were caught up with them. James felt a swell of pride when he heard the hiss she gave when his cock was revealed to her eyes, already hard enough to cut steel. He was feeling as randy as when he'd first discovered sex, he just hoped he wouldn't embarrass himself with how eager he was. Her hand grazed him tentatively before she became bolder and slid her hand along his entire length, her palm soft and silky against his hard flesh.

"Are you on the potion?" he asked. His father had made sure to tell him that a contraceptive charm could interact badly with the potion causing birth control methods to fail. Apparently there had been quite the boom of unexpected pregnancies when the potion first came out because no one had been aware of the reaction.

"Yes, I just took my most recent dose five days ago."

"Good," he said smirking before he tore those little scraps of lace from her body, destroying them so thoroughly not even a spell could fix them.

She was already dripping so even though he knew he should build the momentum more James couldn't stop himself from pushing her down on the bed before he slid his cock into her hot wet pussy. He was only glad she hadn't turned out to be a virgin, because he had kind of been a little rough, not that she seemed to mind. She was tight, but the sounds she was making made it so he couldn't go slow even if he wanted to. Although from the way her nails were digging into his back he didn't think she'd let him slow down, she was the type of witch who would definitely take charge to get what she wanted.

Last night had been perfect. Hermione had never felt that kind of chemistry with anyone else. They'd barely slept a wink. She kind of regretted that this was a one off, but she really didn't think making friends with her one-night stand was a good idea. If they met again in a more natural setting in the future, fate was in play and she'd give a friendship a chance, but right now he was just a stranger she had used to scratch an itch.

Right now he was giving her a smoldering look, clearly wanting to go for another round, but Hermione just wanted to get home. She wanted to curl up with a relaxing book, she couldn't stay longer, if she did it would just be that much harder to actually say goodbye to him. With how bad her clothes had been destroyed she'd repaired them as best as she could, but she was going to Apparate directly into her bedroom because even with the charms she wasn't sure how long they would hold.

"Look last night was great, but I should head home. Thanks for listening to my problems and for the great shag." Leaving when a one-night stand was awake always felt a little awkward.

"Wait…" he said grabbing her arm, the smoldering look gone replaced by guilt. "I'm an arse, I shouldn't have let last night get so far without telling you the truth. This isn't my true appearance, I'm using Auror grade disguising magic, I was on a training exercise last night, but I just can't let you leave with you thinking I'm someone else."

Bloody hell he really had been an Auror Trainee, turn that into fuck, she thought as he released the magic with a complicated twist of his wand, she had slept with James Bloody Potter. Harry could never know. She couldn't believe what she had done.

Wasn't he supposed to have already gotten together with Lily? From everything she had heard about James and Lily's relationship she'd never think he'd be the type to cheat! She couldn't be the other witch, it just wasn't right, even if it had only been one night! It just made her feel slimy.

"You're James Potter, aren't you supposed to be dating a witch named Lily who you've been declaring your love for since you were a first year at Hogwarts!?" Hermione could only hope that it was knowledge known by a lot of people, because he'd know she'd never been at Hogwarts, but Hermione needed to risk it. She needed to know that she hadn't slept with a man in a committed relationship.

"Merlin I didn't think that had been so widespread, the obsession I had with her, Lily and I broke up. She's been in love with someone else for a long time. She just hadn't thought he was an option, and she did have feelings for me, it just wasn't enough to sustain a relationship. We're still good friends, but I'm a free wizard."

"I wasn't asking because I want this to continue, this really was a one off for me, I just needed to be sure I wasn't the other witch." She should probably tell him he worked with her brother, but she just really wanted to get out of here. Hopefully he wouldn't realize it if they met in the future, she'd just have to be very careful to avoid going out with Harry when he was planning to see his fellow trainees.

Her brother would only want the people he loved to be happy, but even if they weren't blood related it felt a little weird that she's slept with his father, even if it was the much younger version who had never had a biological child.

Not giving James a chance to keep her there any longer she just spun on the spot, it was kind of rude leaving like that, but she just couldn't stay in that room with him. Not when he'd still been naked and his clothes and the lingerie she hadn't been able to repair shredded on the floor, showing just how eager the both of them had been last night. Their chemistry had been amazing, but knowing he was James Potter it could never happen again.

Hermione was glad that she still had the wards up in her bedroom, she didn't want to see Alastor or Harry when she still looked freshly shagged. Grabbing clean clothes, she undressed vanishing what she'd worn last night, and hoped into the shower. Staying in there for what felt like ages as she tried to scrub the feel of James's touch off of her body.

When she finally felt somewhat clean, she got dressed and got her hair under control, if she wasn't sure that Alastor would be waiting for her in the kitchen she would have stayed in her room all day, but she was certain he'd seen her go with James last night. She really didn't need him to decide he'd left her to her own devices long enough and come looking for her, especially since he would most likely not realize she was home. It would be mortifying if he tracked James down looking for her and revealed just who her grandfather was.

"Morning lass, coffee?" Alastor asked, the only thing showing he felt awkward was him calling her lass instead of Hermione. He really had seen her leaving with James last night. She could only hope that Alastor didn't punish James in training because of their night together.

"No, I'm fine."

"With how much Fire Whiskey you inhaled last night I thought you'd be hungover."

"I have a fast metabolism, I wasn't drunk last night if that's what you wanted to know, nor was I taken advantage of, I propositioned him. Oh and maybe don't use James Potter for undercover missions where he has to seduce the target, don't give me that look I know there's been stings like that in the past. James felt so bad for the subterfuge that he revealed himself to me," she didn't share it had only been this morning. Let Alastor think she'd known who James was from the moment they had disappeared upstairs. It was awkward telling her grandfather that she had shagged James, without saying those exact words, but she knew he'd suspected it anyway. Besides she really didn't want James hurt in the future, it was something Alastor should know.

"Noted. So who all did you recognize last night?"

"The woman in the purple dress I made immediately. She was too jumpy and suspicious looking, the way she was acting would have gotten her killed if she'd been on a true mission. Either you need to try and see if you can train it out of her, or not use her for any undercover ops. Then there was the man in the green dragon skin boots, he kept moving from group to group, but was careful to not let his back go towards the door. It was obvious he was watching out for something. The young man who was in all black with blonde hair, who stayed near the door, just chatting with someone at there table, his had kept jumping to his wand every time there was a loud noise. I was honestly surprised he was able to keep himself from drawing it out and bring even more eyes to him.

"Then there was the girl in the tight green dress and brown hair with purple streaks who was dancing, she was harder to spot, but she never stayed in one group long. She also seemed to go from eyeing everyone in suspicion to being too relaxed and leaving her drink unattended. Despite the crowd she never once accidentally bumped into anyone, on a crowded dance floor that draws eyes, someone with that much situational awareness usually doesn't put themselves in the middle of such a big group."

"Right on all of them, so I take it that means you didn't make Potter before you went off with him. I'm actually surprised with how much you seemed to be entranced by him that you noticed anyone else."

Hermione couldn't believe that Alastor actually brought that up of his own accord! It was mortifying. "No I didn't realize he was an Auror until he told me. He's the perfect type for any undercover operation, that doesn't involve seducing his target as I mentioned before. If he hadn't felt terrible that I didn't know his true face I would have never known he was an Auror. James just seemed like a regular man out for a drink, looking for a night of fun after a long week."

"Too much of a gentleman, not something that can really be trained out of him, it's a good thing to know. There's still a lot of things he could do as an undercover operative, honestly he's the only trainee who didn't fail last night. Wasn't sure until we talked whether that was because you made him seem like he was on a date making my own senior aurors overlook him, or his own abilities."

"No, as I said I had no idea. He's good at playing the part."

"Now that that's over with are we still going to ignore the hippogriff in the room? You can't keep hiding from me Hermione, not unless you plan to move out soon?" The last part was said with a grimace. She knew Alastor liked not being on his own. It was why he didn't even ask them what their plans for moving out were now that they had jobs, she was certain when they were ready he'd try to convince them to stay.

"Must we deal with this now?" she asked with a sigh. Her sleepless night wasn't really conductive for having a challenging conversation.

"You can't keep putting it off! We're family Hermione, does that mean nothing to you?!"

She glared at him for that. Family meant everything to her. It's just she'd be putting them all in danger. They'd be used against her, sure Alastor could defend himself, but David couldn't. Neither could Helena or the Alain family, they'd be defenceless against the death eaters!

"I didn't know who you were. Why didn't you just ask me or at least tell me your suspicions? Look I know you suspect how I got the scar on my arm, there's things about Harry and I you don't know, things that would put your son and his family in danger! I have nothing against Muggles, but the enemies I have they can't protect themselves against. It's not only about whether I want a family. All I have ever wanted was for the people I love to be safe, but I haven't been safe since the day I discovered I was a witch. Do you really think my father being a squid will make much difference then both of my parents being muggles? It won't. Just please don't push this. As long as Death Eaters exist, I'm not going to acknowledge the muggle side of my family tree, for their own safety.

"If you can't accept that, then I will leave, and Harry will come with me. He and I are family through thick and thin. It's been us against the world since the day we met. He's been the only one I could ever rely on, at least of those with magic, everyone else has failed me."

With that she walked away. She knew she had shocked him speechless and he needed time to process what she said. Plus she felt too raw to go over it anymore right now. So she went back to her room and just fell onto her bed, crying into her pillow, until the sweetness of sleep pulled her under.