Chapter 3-- Late Night Chats and Decisions

Hermione quickly found Harry and Ron in their seperate rooms in number 12 Grimauld Pl. She found Ron first and smiled at the picture he made as she watched from his doorway. His room was (thankfully) painted white instead of the hideous orange that it was at the Weasley house. However, Ron's love for the Chudley Cannons still shone through from the posters on his walls, the hat hanging on a nail in one wall, his comforter set, and other memorabilia. Clothes were strewn all over his floor and his desk was littered with books on Quidditch as well as papers on the Order. It was a rather funny mix, but suited Ron perfectly. His broom stood in one corner of the room with the servicing kit that she got him every Christmas opened before it. He had changed so much since their final year at Hogwarts. He was taller and had a better build from all of the Quidditch that he and Harry played, so he was no longer considered lanky. His red hair had grown long, nearly to his shouders, and was more unruly than even Harry's. He almost always wore it in a ponytail, which Mrs. Weasley threatened to hack off everytime that she saw him. The only things that hadn't changed about Ron were his eating habbits, his sense of humor, his obsession with Quidditch, his smile, and the fierce loyalty that he had towards her and Harry.

He was laying on his bed, his hair a wild tangle, asleep with strategy papers spread out around him on the bed. She chuckled before picking her way through the room to wake him. He woke with a start like he had since his first year training as an auror. His arms flailed and his eyes grew huge until they rested on Hermione. He took a deep breath and smiled at her. "More strategy, Mi?" He asked with a weak smile.

Hermione shook her head at the question and at the nickname that Harry and Ron had given her in their first year. "Nope. Much needed Trio meeting. My room, half an hour."She knew that she didn't need to tell Ron to dress comfortably since he was already in his pajamas. She quickly got up off of his bed and picked her way back through the room without waiting for a response as she knew neither of the boys would argue about a Trio meeting. It had become tradition after the many years together and was never neglected. When one of them needed to talk they simply found the other two and told them and that was that.

Hermione walked up three more flights of stairs before reaching Harry's room. He was a sight for sore eyes as he had just come back from a three week long mission. Seeing him in his neat little room brought a warmth to her that she had missed. He had also changed through the years though much less than Ron. His hair was slightly longer and still unkempt though always cute. His build had toned more during his training as an auror, and he had even grown a few inches. However, the most noticeable change in Harry had been his eyes. They had slowly taken on a look of wisdom and infinite knowledge. Just by looking into his eyes you could see how tough his life had been and that he obviously knew that it would only get tougher from here on. Even through all of the changes though he was still the same old Harry with his warmth, loyalty, and love for life and those he held dear.

Everything was in it's place in Harry's room and always neat, it must have come from years of living with the Dursleys. She had always had a slight crush on Harry though she knew that nothing would ever happen as he and Ginny were meant to be. She couldn't help but miss him sorely when he was away though and she knew that it was more than his being one of her best friends. She doubted that her feelings for Harry would ever go away but she knew that she would never act on them. "Harry!" she squealed as she bounded into the room and tackled him, knocking him back on the bed.

When he got over the initial shock and realized who it was a warm smile split his face. "Hey, you," he said softly. She smiled at him. "Missed you." was all she said. "Me too." was his reply. This had been their routine since his very first mission away and had carried to her missions as well.

"Harry, we need to talk. Trio meeting in my room. Ron should be there in a minute or two and I'll be back as soon as I change and grab some snacks for us. Come comfortable. It might take a while.K?" Again she left without waiting for a reply. She already knew the answer as Harry was much more reliable than Ron. Even when Ron neglected their meetings and such Harry never did. She knew that the Weasleys and she were as close a family as Harry had ever had and that he held them very dear.

She hurried to her room and grabbed her favorite pair of pajamas (low cut pink and blue striped pants and a pink tank top), which had been a Christmas gift from Harry in seventh year, before heading into the bathroom across the hall to change. She did this knowing that it was tradition also for the meeting to be held in the room of whomever called it and that they also were obligated to bring snacks, more for Ron than anyone. She hurried downstairs after changing and grabbed some snacks and a six pack of butterbeer before heading back up to her bedroom.

Hermione's room reflected her personality to a t. The walls were a pale blue and her comforter set was done in pastels. Her rather large desk and numerous bookshelves took up most of the room and were all perfectly neat and, sad as it was, simetrical. Her walls were bare except for one which was a collage of all of the photographs from Hogwarts and University. It was what everyone in the house called 'The Trio Shrine' as a joke. She smiled to see her two best friends already curled up on her bed in pajama pants with no shirts chatting away. Harry was the first to notice her and quickly hopped up to help her with the burden in her arms. She smiled at him gratefully and sat on the edge of her bed, hugging a pillow to her. Both boys knew this gesture and immediately stiffened. Hermione only cuddled with a pillow when she was either a) on her period or b) was stressed about some news. The last time that Hermione had done that it had been when her parents had been murdered almost three years ago.

They sat and waited with baited breath for some awful news. Sadly they were both hoping that it was just a 'bad week' for her but they knew better. (A/N: If you're a girl you definately understand this. lol) Hermione finally pulled herself out of her thoughts and cleared her throat. "Guys, I just had a meeting with McGonagall and I need to talk to both of you about it." Harry's breath caught in his chest slightly as he watched her face though Ron was completely unaware of what was going on, thinking that it was just more boring strategy. "She offered me a mission." This statement finally caught Ron's attention. "What was it, Mi?" he asked warily.

"Well, it's rather dangerous actually." she began slowly, unsure of what to say or how.

"Spit it out, Hermione." Harry commanded as he watched her.

"Oh." Hermione's eyes grew slightly at the thought of what they might say to her about it. "Well, you see... " she began even slower than before. "McGonagall thought that I was best suited seeing as my skills in stealth have surpassed almost everyone within the Order and how I'm not one to act without thinking it through all the way beforehand." Harry watched her as she got this bit out and realized just how bad it was actually going to be. For the first time in a long time he began to fear for the girl before him.

"ShewantsmetogoandassasinateoneoftheDeathEaters." It all spilled out, banging together.

Ron's eyes grew to the size of saucers though Harry hadn't a clue what she had just said. He couldn't believe that Mi, his Mi, had just spoken in Ron, which she was thoroughly against. "She whosy whatta huh?" he asked stupidly, staring at her.

Hermione took a deep breath and repeated her statement, but more slowly this time. "She wants me to go and assasinate one of the Death Eaters." She blew out the breath that she was holding before she passed out from lack of oxygen.

"What!" Harry screeched with Ron. "What do you mean she wants you to go and assasinate a Death Eater! Are you both out of your mind! Have you gone completely bonkers, Hermione?" He ranted as the seriousness of her statement hit him full on. She couldn't possibly be serious, could she? To think that Hermione Jane Granger, the most intelligent girl he had ever met would do something so foolish... Then again she was also the bravest girl that he had ever met. She never let anything get in the way of what she felt was right. So... he was just going to have to show her that to take this mission would be suicide. "Mi, consider what she's asking of you." Hermione began to open her mouth but Harry held up his hand which stopped her instantly. If she had ever obeyed anyone it had been Harry. "This is possibly one of the most dangerous missions that she has ever given. This is like her asking you to go after the Malfoys or Parkinson instead of Voldemort. It isn't the toughest but it's the closest thing." Hermione's eyes grew wide at his last sentence, but not the way he had hoped. Oh. Dear. God. "Mi..." His breath caught in his throat at the question that he was about to ask. "Who, exactly, did she ask you to go after?"

Hermione's eyes said it all but he needed to hear it from her own lips. "Parkinson. Senior." Both boys gasped though Harry took it harder. He had been face to face with Parkinson and knew what the man was capable of. "Mi, you can't possibly be considering this." he whispered. He felt as though a knife had just been driven through his heart.

"At first I wanted to discuss it with you two..." she began. "Good. Let's discuss it." Ron bellowed. "But." Hermione cut him off sharply at the knees. "After I called the meeting I realized that it was more to tell you that I was going to take it." At the looks on their faces she continued quickly. "Guys, I really need your support on this." she started to plead but Ron's sharp retort killed the words in her throat. "Well, I'm sorry, Hermione. I just can't give you my support on this." he stated before storming from the room and slamming the door behind him.

Hermione was thankful that they were the only people living at Headquarters at the time or she feared they might have woken everyone up, even with the silencing charm that she had placed on the room. "Harry?" she asked shakily through her tears and choked up throat.

One look at that face and Harry knew that he couldn't deny her. He had never been able to. Little did she know, but she had stolen his heart away in first year when she had saved Ron and him from the Devil's Snare. He stared at the girl... no... woman in front of him. Hermione Jane Granger was no longer the girl that he had known, she was the woman that he loved. Since their sixth year at Hogwarts she had changed. That fateful year that had changed everything for everyone. Her eyes, though always holding knowledge, now held wisdom, and though it hurt him to admit it, they also held pain. Her face had thinned into the face of a woman during their final year at school. Her eyes were still a honey color but the once bright shine, that had always occupied them, now was rarely seen. Her body had filled out and she had developed womanly curves and the definition of a well trained fighter during training. Her hair had grown since she always neglected to cut it and refused to let Ginny touch it. Whenever one of the women would start on her hair Hermione would always state that it was more practical as she could put it up out of her way. It fell to her waist and the length had pulled out all of the frizz. It was now just pure, stunning curls. At her petite 5'5" she didn't look like much but she was a hell of a fighter and had taken Harry himself on more than one occassion. He knew that she could do it. That had never been the question. The question was if he was brave enough to allow her and if he would be able to handle it. What if something was to happen to her? Would he ever be able to forgive himself? He knew that the answer was no, but he also would never be able to forgive himself if he didn't allow her to try.

He walked over to the bed from where he had been pacing since her statement and wrapped his strong arms around her tiny shoulders. She began to cry into his chest out of nerves and relief. She had known in her heart that he would be there for her as he always was, but, for a moment, had been afraid that this time he would leave her like Ron had. She wouldn't have been able to handle it if he had walked away from her.

Harry ran his hands through her hair and over her back trying to soothe her. She had always been there for him and it tore at his very heart to see her this way. "Hush, Mione." he whisered the nickname that had been his alone for her since the very beginning. "Hush now, love. I'm here." he whispered soothingly, realizing too late what he had said. She stiffened in his arms for but a moment before relaxing completely against his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist to hold on tighter, knowing that she didn't want to let him go even though she must.

Slowly she untangled herself and looked into his face, shocked at the unshed tears in his eyes. "Harry," she murmered. "Will you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone right now." she stated as way of explanation. He nodded slowly and slipped beneath the covers with her. She snuggled deep into his chest and let her tears fall onto his bare muscles as she tried to calm herself. "Thank you." she whispered looking up at him. "If you had walked out too I don't know what I would have done." she admitted quietly.

"I could never walk away from you, Hermione. You know that." Harry stated as he tangled his hands into her hair, bringing her head back to his chest so that she could hear his heartbeat. "You're my best friend." he whispered though it killed him to not tell her the truth.

"And you're mine." was the sleepy reply that he got as an answer before she drifted to sleep in his arms. He stayed awake long after that moment though realizing that tomorrow might, and most likely would, change their entire lives. For some reason he had a feeling that something would go terribly wrong and Harry Potter was never one to ignore his feelings, but she had made her decision. He wondered late into the night how he could have said no to her pleas, and if she would have listened if he had,before he finally came to the realization from her words that the decision had never been and never would be his to make. "I just hope you know what you're doing." were the last words to escape his lips before he too entered the land of dreams.