(Chapter 2)

previously…

Harry,

Hermione has been attacked and her father had been killed.

Hermione will be arriving shortly and will be staying the remainder

of thesummer. I'll be there soon, wake everyone up but tell them nothing.

- Albus Dumbledore.

As Harry stood there shocked at what he just read. He realized that the
emotions he had felt earlier when his scar were hurting were those of Voldemort's frustration at not getting Hermione and glee at getting someone she loved. Then he realized something else - HERMIONE was staying with HIM, at the DURSLEYS! There is no way they are going to let this happen, thought Harry
as he knocked on his Aunt and Uncles door, I dunno what Dumbledore was
thinking.

"What do you want?" exclaimed Uncle Vernon "Is the house burning down or something?"

"No, Uncle Vernon, it's just that err, well, Professor Dumbledore will be here in a second and he has something to tell you, I'll go wake Dudley, but he wants you all downstairs."

"BOY, you get back over here now! If I don't see your face in 3 seconds, you will be placed in your room for the remainder of the summer. I don't care what your kind of people say about mistreating you! BOY, I said get back here n…" BANG!

"I'll get it!" yelled Harry as he ran down the stairs from Dudley's room and flung the door open. "Hermione, are you okay? What happened? Who attacked you? I thought they had protection around your house? How's your mum? I'm sorry about your dad. Are you really staying with me?

"Harry..., Harry settle down, all will be told, I promise," said Professor Dumbledore, "let Hermione get her bearings, it has been a difficult night for her." He addressed Hermione, "Hermione, sit down in the living room while I conjure us some tea."

As Hermione made her way to the room, she glanced around the house and saw Harry, and gave him a brief smile. She looked horrible, and she had cuts and bruises all over her face. Harry wasn't sure what to really do in this sort of situation, it was usually other people caring for him, and one of them was always Hermione. Harry still couldn't get over the realization that one of his best friends was hurt and that her father was dead. He realized he should at least be there for her, since she has always been there for him. He walked over to her and put a
comforting arm around her shoulder, and it was then that she collapsed onto him and started crying. He could tell she had been holding it together because she wanted to show she could handle anything, but Harry knew from experience it wasn't good to hold that kind of grief inside. He let her cry until she was all cried out. Then did something he didn't think he would have done in any other situation, he kissed her on the forehead and whispered it would be all right.

Professor Dumbledore tapped Harry on the shoulder and asked him where the Dursley's were. Harry told him they probably went back to bed or they were too scared to come down. As Harry turned back to holding Hermione, he saw Professor Dumbledore leave the room and head for the stairs. It had been about thirty minutes before Hermione finally started to calm down and before he knew it she was sleeping on his chest.

Professor Dumbledore reentered the room about 15 minutes after Hermione
had fallen asleep and with a flick of his wand he had Hermione floating
in the air, still asleep, but Harry told him he would rather carry her, so Professor Dumbledore floated her into his arms and went towards the stairs. As he was walking up the stairs, Professor Dumbledore told him he
needed a few words with him in the kitchen and would make some tea while he
waited.

As Harry laid Hermione down on the bed in the guest room, she woke up and looked at him with an expression he couldn't remember ever seeing before. Harry told her that he would be back after he went downstairs to talk to Dumbledore and he would check on her. "Try and get some sleep," he told her. Hermione nodded in agreement and shut her eyes.

"Firstly, Harry, we need to discuss Miss. Granger's stay here. She will sleep in the guest room, and will be staying with you the whole summer. Tonks will provide both of your belongings. Hermione is free to owl whomever she wishes. She may be a little traumatized by what has happened, so don't push her into talking."

Yeah, because she never pushed me, thought Harry, but he said, "Yes sir."

Dumbledore continued, "You will also be able to practice magic together this summer. The Ministry knows what has happened to Mr. Granger and have waved the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery because you are both big targets and they know you need to be prepared. No one else who is underage is allowed to do magic outside of school, so do not abuse this privilege. Mr. Weasley is not allowed to do magic either, he does not live with muggles. Neither are other muggleborns because there not big targets. So, I must insist you and Miss. Granger do not take this responsibility lightly and take the time to prepare, but have some fun also and don't neglect your studies either."

"Secondly, I will tell you about the attack. To answer your question from earlier, yes, there are protections around the Granger household, but there was not protection around thie dentistry practice. We are very thankful that Mrs. Granger was not at work that day, but are unsure why she wasn't. Hermione was helping out in the office that day instead, which was unfortunate but she at least was able to help with her magic. She
fought the death eater, whose name is Zack Smith. Harry though of fellow Hogwarts student Zacharias Smith. I must admit I do not know much about Zacharias Smith but hopefully he will not follow in his dad's footsteps. I do recall seeing his name on the Defense Association's list, which will become a real group this year, but only for fifth through seventh years. The younger students will have to wait because of the advanced magic. You will also be heading it up again and may work on offense as well as defense this year. I also am pretty sure that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will have no problem with the association. But I have run off track with our discussion. Hermione was
able to stun the Death Eater in the end and saved lives even though she lost the most important one there for her. She did not know he had already attacked her dad, she thought she was keeping him occupied before he got there. Unfortunately, her dad did get hit with the Avada Kedrava curse. Hermione will be physically okay in a few days. I hope the month you guys have will be okay. She may see Tonks for any belongings she needs as of now."

Dumbledore stood up, "I must be leaving. Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Thirdly I have something you have probably been waiting for all month. If I'm not mistaken it should help cheer Miss. Granger up. It is of course your OWL results.