Ok, I was going to do a chapter with the detention, but I couldn't think for the life of me what to write. I knew that Harry wouldn't be able to come out with anything with Snape there, so after about 20 minutes of thinking what to write, I gave up. Hope you don't mind.

I might not be able to get two chapters up tonight, because I'm still trying to think how to write this chapter. I'll make it up to you though! (Whispers – somehow)! Writers Block today…school may have something to do with that…bloody school and this bloody homework. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter or anything from the magical world. However, I own the plot of this story!

Chapter Twelve

One month, three weeks and four days. That was how long it was since Ron had spoken to Harry and Hermione. Most of the school was going home for the winter break, Harry and Hermione included. Hermione had owled her parents and they had given Harry permission to stay at their house. Harry pulled Hermione's trunk into the bitter cold outside her house and knocked on the door. It was bloody freezing. Hermione stood next to him, wrapped in his arms. The door was opened a few seconds later by Lilly.

"You're still here?" Hermione asked, pulling her cousin into a hug.

"Your mum said that you were coming back from your boarding school for Christmas and I thought I'd come and visit you. Hiya, Harry!" Lilly pulled Harry into a hug too, which surprised him.

"Err…Hi, Lilly. It's nice to see you again." The two of them were still standing on the doorstep.

"I'll go and get my trunk, hold on," Harry said.

"I'll help-"

"No, you go inside, I'll be fine on my own." Harry gave Hermione and little shove in side and then walked back to the side of the road where they had got off the bus. He dragged his trunk across the snow covered lawn to Hermione's house and closed the door behind him. Hermione had taken her scarf and coat off and was just slipping her gloves off.

"So warm!" Harry exclaimed, pulling off his own coat.

"Isn't it?" Hermione asked, leaning on the wall.

"What shall we do with our trunks?"

"We can leave them down here."

"Where did Lilly go?"

"To make us tea. It's so nice to be home," Hermione laughed, twirling around. Harry grabbed her round the waist when her back was to him and lifted her off the ground, twirling her round in a full circle himself before setting her back down on the ground and poking her side to tickle her. Hermione squeaked.

"Don't."

"Why not?" he asked, doing it again.

"Harry!"

"What?" he poked her again.

"Harry!" she squealed, and then ran off up the stairs and into her room. She tried to slam the door shut, but Harry grabbed it before she had and ran in. Hermione stood on the side of the bed away from him and pointed her finger at him.

"You tickle me and you'll get it!"

"Well, in that case, I dare myself to tickle you." He ran across the room and jumped across the bed. Hermione ran round it screaming to the door, but Harry grabbed her from behind and put her on the floor, sitting over her mid-section.

"Right…now…you should know that you cannot run from Harry Potter," he said, in a serious tone. "And I'm afraid, that for trying, you must pay."

"Harry, don't-" that was as far as she got before going into a giggling fit when Harry started to run his hands across her stomach, tickling her.

"Harry!" she gasped. "Stop it! Now, or you'll be so sorry!"

"What're you going to do? I'm not as ticklish as you!" Harry replied. Hermione was squirming underneath him.

"Please…" she gasped. "Stop…stop…please! Harry…Harry…st-stop it!" The door opened and Harry looked up without stopping tickling her.

"Hi, Lilly," he said, smiling. Lilly laughed.

"Doesn't take long to find out that Hermione's ticklish, does it?" Lilly asked. Hermione squealed again.

"Not really, and it's quite funny actually."

"Please…please…stop!" Hermione begged. Lilly laughed and laid the tea down on Hermione's bedroom floor.

"Lilly…Lilly…make him stop!" Harry smiled and moved his hands away from Hermione's stomach, laying them on the floor beside her and kissing her forehead.

"There," he said. "I've stopped. Be happy!" Harry climbed off her and sat down beside, Lilly, picking up a cup of tea. Hermione sat up, red in the face from laughing and glared at Harry.

"I swear, if you do that again, then you are so dead!" Hermione hissed. Harry would have taken her completely seriously if it wasn't for the smile that was playing at her lips.

"Whatever you say 'Mione," he replied, sipping his tea and smiling into the mug. Lilly looked from one to the other.

"Did you finally ask her out then?" she asked.

"Of course I did, how couldn't I? Look at her, she's beautiful!" Harry exclaimed, causing Hermione to turn a deep shade of red.

"I can't really add any input there, being a girl and Hermione's cousin an' all."

"Well, take my word for it. She's bloody beautiful." Hermione slapped him playfully on the arm and he tried to look hurt before standing up with his tea and walking to the window. What he saw made his face turn completely white. He turned to Hermione.

"Get your wand, now," he ordered, putting his mug on the side. Hermione stared at him wide eyed.

"Harry, what-"

"Hermione, I'm not joking, get your wand out now. Where is it?"

"In the top drawer, beside you." Harry turned to it and pulled, but it didn't open. "It's locked, I'll find the key-"

"No need." Harry pulled out his own wand and pointed it at the lock. "Alohamora." Something inside the look clicked and the draw swung open. Harry handed Hermione's wand to her.

"What's going on, what are you two doing?" Lilly asked. Harry spun round. He'd forgotten she was there.

"Me and Harry don't go to a boarding school in Scotland," Hermione explained. "We go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Yeah right," Lilly laughed, but when she saw the serious expressions on their faces, she stopped. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. Hermione we have to get your parents, there are Death Eaters outside. We have to get to the ministry and tell Dumbledore. We have to-" A loud explosion downstairs stopped him. Someone screamed and Harry had to grab Hermione to stop her from running away.

"Harry, my parents. They'll kill them-"

"Kill them?" Lilly squeaked.

"No they won't, trust me Hermione, I swear I'll protect them and you and Lilly."

"Check upstairs!" Someone shouted from downstairs. Hermione's eyes flashed to Harry's and he twirled his wand round in his hand.

"Right, Hermione, cast a few locking charms on that door a-and make sure they're nice a powerful, we've got to hold them off for a while. There's got to be a way to contact Dumbledore from here. D-do you have a fireplace?"

"No, and even if I did, it's a Muggle house. It wouldn't be connected to the Floo Network."

"Good point. Scrap the locking charms, we'll take them head on." Just as he said it, the door exploded inwards, taking the walls around it with it.

"In here!" Someone shouted through the dust.

"Impedimenta!" Harry shouted, sending the first Death Eater crashing into the wall behind him. The dust cleared and at once three 'Crucio' spells were cast at them.

"Protego!" A shield formed itself around them, weakening with each hit of the Crucio spell until it ceased to exist.

"Stupefy!" Harry and Hermione yelled at the same time, sending two more Death Eaters crashing to the floor.

"Expelliamus!" Hermione's wand flew out of her hand and landed with a clatter on the floor behind her. Harry noted the vase of flowers on the chest of drawers behind the Death Eater.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" the object rose and Harry jerked his wand to the side, smashing it into the Death Eaters head. "Accio Wand." Hermione's hand flew to Harry's hand and he handed it to her.

"Harry, there's more of them downstairs," Hermione whispered.

"They better have attacked for a bloody good reason, because I've used underage magic here about four or five times and the Ministry are going to have a field day," Harry muttered, walking to the door with Hermione and terrified Lilly in tow.

"Crucio!" Harry heard a woman scream in pain and guessed that it was Hermione's mother as she was biting her lip and it was taking all her will power not to run down the stairs. Harry motioned for Hermione to follow him and they crept down the stairs. Lilly looked like she wanted nothing more than to run like hell out of the house and never come back and Harry didn't blame her. When he finally got to the bottom of the stairs, he looked round the corner and counted six Death Eaters.

"Six?" Hermione asked. "With the four upstairs that makes ten. What's going on?"

"I don't know, Hermione, don't worry. We'll all be fine. Now we'll take three each, ok? Don't worry about what spells you cast, kill 'em if you have to, but once we have your mum and dad, you need to apparate all of us to the Burrow." Harry wasn't quite sure why he'd said the Burrow, he guessed it was just the first place that felt like home other than Hogwarts.

"But Harry, I can barely apparate myself, I don't know if I'll be able to apparate four other people."

"Then I'll apparate myself and Lilly."

"But you haven't passed your test…"

"I'll take the risk."

"Harry-"

"Shh." Harry looked round the corner again to see a Death Eater checking Mr. Granger. He held his breath.

"Unconscious." He let it out and then without thinking stepped out from behind his hiding place.

"Let them go, now," he ordered. The Death Eaters all turned round and Harry prayed to God that his hands weren't shaking as much as he thought they were.

"Oh this is brilliant," one of them said. "Mudblood Granger, Potter and Muggles. It's our lucky day." Harry knew it was Lucius Malfoy and he could see Crabbe, Goyle and – his blood ran cold – Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I'll make you an offer, Potter. You come with us and Mudblood can stay alive-"

"Why don't you stick your offer up your arse?" Harry sneered, pointing his wand at Lucius and yelling the first spell that came into his head. Four were shot back in return and he dodged them all by ducking.

"Stupefy!" Hermione's voice shouted behind him, stopping another Death Eater in his tracks. She jumped out from behind the wall and stood defiantly beside Harry, daring anyone to cross her.

"Impedimenta!" Harry shouted at a stationary Death Eater. He flew back into the wall and was knocked unconscious. That left three more Death Eaters. Before Harry or Hermione could react another barrage of spells was sent their way, one hitting its target. Hermione screamed in pain as the torturing spell was cast on her and Harry looked round for the Death Eater that had cast it.

"Expelliamus!" he shouted at the nearest one. Hermione screamed in pain again. "Stupefy!" She fell to the floor and dropped her wand, with her hands on her head. Harry looked over a Bellatrix, the only one left with a wand or not unconscious to see her smiling at him. "Endingus!" Harry shouted. He had never even heard of the spell before, it just sort of came out. Bellatrix screamed and threw her wand on the floor as it shattered and Harry stupefied her before turning to the last Death Eater and finishing him off too. Then, he threw his wand on the floor and knelt beside Hermione, brushing a stray strand hair out of her face.

"Hermione, can you hear me?" he asked, grabbing her hand. She groaned and tried to roll over to face him. Harry pushed her back, clearly noticing that it caused her a lot of pain.

"Don't move. It'll hurt like that for a few minutes, just stay still, OK? Me and Lilly are going to go and check on your parents." Hermione whimpered in return and Harry jumped up, motioning for Lilly to come with him.

"Mr. Granger? Mrs. Granger?" Harry asked, kneeling on the ground.

"We're fine, Harry. Where's Hermione, is she ok, Lilly are you ok? What about you, Harry?" Mrs. Granger said.

"I'm fine Mrs. Granger, I'm fine, but we need to get out of here in case more Death Eaters come. We need to wait 'til…just wait for a moment, then we can apparate to the Weasley's house." He stood up again and went back to Hermione, lifting her off the floor and picking up his wand at the same time. He laid her on the sofa and stroked her hair.

"Hermione, can you hear me?"

"Yes," she croaked. "My…parents…they-"

"They're fine. They're perfectly fine. What about you?"

"I'm ok."

"Are you OK to apparate?" he asked. Hermione threw her legs over the side of the sofa and forced herself to stand up.

"I think so."

"We'll do it together on three, ok?"

"Yes." Harry grabbed Lilly and Mr. Granger's hands and Hermione grabbed Lilly and her mum's hands. Mr. Granger held his wife's hand and Harry and Hermione closed their eyes.

"1…2…3!" The ground was swept away from their feet and Harry felt like his stomach was being pulled apart. Suddenly his feet were on solid ground and jumped forward to grab Hermione as she staggered.

"I'm fine."

"Let's get inside." The two of them turned to face the Burrow.

The next chapter will continue straight on from this one and I'll hopefully have it up by tomorrow. Again, thanks to everyone who reviewed and I hope you're all enjoying it!