A/N: I have been asked by multiple reviewers what Harry's role in this story is and why he's on the character list. Harry is a recurring character, the same way Hotch is. I did include him in earlier versions of other chapters, but he was edited out of all of them. I know this bothered some people, but it is what it is. I apologize if you clicked on this story for Harry and didn't find him, but he remains on the list because I think he needs to be there. - Kelly

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of either of these franchises.

This is not happening to me, Hermione thought to herself.

She washed her hands in the restaurant's porcelain sink a second time, running the cool water over her wrists. Usually that helped her calm down. Right now it had no effect at all. How could her parents do this to her? In retrospect, she should have been more clear about what had happened between her and Harry. She hadn't wanted to talk about it at the time, so she'd merely told her mother that she and Harry "had hit a rough patch," and not gone into further detail.

Leave it to her mother, ever the peacemaker, to try and make things right.

Her parents were on a layover for the day visiting her before they continued on to California, where her father had a tee time at Pebble Beach. They'd arranged dinner with her at a local French restaurant and she'd been thrilled. Since the war she'd been working to make erasing their memories up to them. Her father was the toughest nut to crack. As a former military man he took protecting his family very seriously, especially his only daughter. The divide went deeper than that, though, and Hermione knew she'd broken in his trust in a serious manner. They'd been quite close once, but that had morphed into a tense and strained relationship that barely managed to endure. Fortunately for both of them, they had her mother to run interference. But her mother's meddling could be a dangerous thing, Hermione decided as she shut off the tap. If the water hadn't worked by now it wouldn't.

Upon their arrival this afternoon, Linda Granger had decided to give Harry a call.

From their conversation she'd found out that Harry was in town working on an extradition treaty with the U.S. He'd been on a break from hammering out details of deporting Death Eaters to face military justice with local authorities when he'd gotten her call. Unaware that she was in town, he'd mentioned his location and his business. Linda had promptly invited him to dinner and one did not say no to Linda Granger. He'd tried his best to back out, but it was futile. This was how Hermione had ended up sitting next to her ex-best friend at the dinner table. The Grangers had no idea what was going on between them. Also Hermione's Dad was extremely stiff towards her, which let her know that in the seven years since she'd cleared his memory, he hadn't forgiven or forgotten.

Bracing herself, Hermione left the washroom. It was time to face the music. Dinner would only last a couple hours she reminded herself.

"There you are," Hermione's mother said warmly. "Harry was just telling us about his trip to China, isn't that exciting?"

"Yes, I didn't know he'd been," Hermione replied. Wizarding China had one of the biggest militaries in the magical world so she could guess about what he'd been doing there.

"I got back to London on Monday and turned around and came here on Tuesday," Harry said smoothly. He turned to her. "I hear you're settling in well at the FBI."

"As well as can be expected under the circumstances," She said pointedly, giving him a sugary smile.

Harry had no reaction other than a subtle tick in his jaw.

He'd become a different person in the past few years. Dealing with Death Eaters day in and day out hadn't been good for him. Somewhere along the line Harry had developed an almost unhealthy dedication to doing what was necessary. He'd undergone several painful healing spells to correct his vision and no longer needed glasses. Once during a mission he'd had his frames knocked off of his face and had missed a shot. Because of this the Death Eater lieutenant Devon Machar had lived, and Harry had immediately blamed himself. It was two days later that he'd undergone procedures to fix his eyes. Hermione missed the old Harry with the bottle cap glasses and hopeful disposition. This new, colder version of him felt like a stranger sometimes.

"So, Ethan, how did you manage to score a tee time at Pebble Beach," Harry addressed her father, breaking the tension.

Her father lit up, always excited to talk about golf. Setting back in her chair Hermione resigned herself to a long evening.

David Rossi was on a date with the most beautiful creature that he'd ever seen.

She was tall with dark hair and eyes and a beautiful French accent. Unfortunately, she also thought the Dalai Lama was actually a llama. Sometimes nature could be cruel that way, giving so much in some areas and so little in others. Currently she was rambling about how it was important to buy meat at the grocery store, where it was made, and not from farms where it was killed.

Rossi wasn't listening to a word she was saying because across the room from him, Hermione Granger was having dinner with an older couple who appeared to be her parents. Who knew Granger had parents? This meant she wasn't hatched, which had been one of Garcia's earlier theories, before she'd pretty much started the Captain Granger fan club. Something had happened between them and Rossi was dying to know what it was, but had held off on investigating so far. The team had been quite busy recently otherwise he'd have been on it like white of rice. At the other table Hermione looked supremely uncomfortable. Her date, a good-looking Army officer, bumped her arm accidentally and she went ridged at the contact. Trouble in paradise? Rossi wondered. The man shot her an annoyed look before going back to his meal. Dave was fascinated by their interaction.

He liked Hermione Granger quite a bit.

She was a caring person, extremely smart and over all, a fantastic edition to their team. He realized that her arrival had ticked off Hotch and therefore the team, but didn't hold it against her. After analyzing people for years, he'd realized that Granger had been equally uncomfortable. She'd slowly begun to settle in with the team during the past month, forming close friendships with Morgan and Spencer. Additionally, Garcia had begun worshiping the ground she walked on about two weeks ago.

His eyes darted back to his date when she asked him a question and he was forced to answer.

Hermione felt eyes on her. Next to her Harry felt them too, but kept his conversation with her father going. Discreetly glancing around Hermione searched for the source. On her second pass of the room she realized that David Rossi was sitting thirty feet away at her eight o clock. Of course. Now she'd have to explain this at work. Mentally she ran through her possible explanations. She was so focused on compiling her list that Harry had to tap her on the arm twice before she noticed him.

"Can we have a word in private," Harry requested coolly.

Hermione nodded, feeling his frustration. Dinner had not been a pleasant affair and her parents were definitely sensing it. She'd said little and had tried to hold in her anger while Harry made meaningless small talk to smooth things over. Ethan and Linda were studying them as if they were specimens under a microscope. She'd be hearing about this later. Her bottled up anger was beginning to boil over inside of her, having been tamped down for too long. Harry crashing dinner with her parents was her last straw. He could have warned me, she thought wrathfully.

Harry took her arm, leading her outside. Hermione noted that from this angle Rossi had a great view of them through the restaurant's plate glass window. And of course, he was watching closely.

"I apologize," Harry said, taking her off guard. She recovered quickly focusing on him and forgetting about her nosy Italian teammate.

"For what? Sending me to the U.S? Ruining my career? Taking me out of the action?"

"All of it, and at the same time, none of it."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Thank you, that's very sincere and eloquent." Sarcasm dripped from her every word.

"I need to explain," Harry interrupted, catching her by the elbow when she tried to walk away.

He took a sharp breath and then took both of her hands in his, grasping them tightly. Solemnly he met her eyes. "Look, Hermione, you know that I owe you much of my success. Maybe I owe it all to you. I know one thing for sure though, and that's that I can't live without you. You're my best friend and the one person I trust with no reservations."

"Harry," Hermione protested. "Ron…"

"Ron left me in the middle of the woods and some part of me will never forget that, even if I can forgive it," Harry said. "I don't have any family, not really. The Weasleys are great, but you're the one who was always there for me, no matter what. I can't live without you, so I sent you away, to a place the Death Eaters would never think to look for you. That bounty on your head makes you a walking dead woman in our war torn country. Even non Death Eaters are gunning for you, just for the money. If you died, I'd be alone. I wouldn't be able to trust anyone."

Harry dropped her hands and clasped his hands over her shoulders. "I had to do this. I'm sorry that you're angry with me. I hope you can forgive me and realize that my intentions are selfish, but important."

Hermione stared into his green eyes that shone with emotion. He was telling the truth and he looked more like his old self than he had in ages. But something felt off. Harry had never been able to lie to her.

"There's more," She accused. "What are you not saying?"

Harry sighed, and let go of her. Pacing back a few steps he scrubbed a hand over his jaw and scowled before turning back to her.

"Nothing gets by you."

Hermione didn't bother commenting.

"Our country needs a leader," Harry declared. "The Death Eater state has divided us, and not even Kingsley can fix it. I don't believe the next Prime Minister will either. At some point, this situation is going to come to a head, and we'll need someone who can get us through that fight." He looked at her seriously. "You know I'm right, Hermione."

"I agree," She told him. "But this has nothing to do with sending me to the FBI."

"That has everything to do with sending you to the FBI. People are suspicious of me. They glorified me as a hero for a while, but as soon as I started the military it all came back. Rita Skeeter still runs articles insisting I'm planning to over throw the government by force and make myself dictator. The western Magical world isn't like China and the other eastern countries; they aren't used to having militaries. By putting myself in control of an army I've lost all hope of ever becoming Prime Minister. Not that I was ever interested in the job in the first place," Harry added.

"I didn't think you were," Hermione said dryly. "Too much diplomacy."

Harry grinned. "True. On the first day I'd have probably started a war."

"Give yourself some credit. You'd have started three in the first hour."

"What I'm trying to say is that our country needs a leader that is experienced in war. At the same time, it needs someone who can cross boundaries, show people that equality is important and that freedom from fear and oppression is our greatest pursuit. That person is you."

Blood rushed in Hermione's ears. Her mind spun. Harry was still talking.

"I sent you here so that you'd have the opportunity to distance yourself from my political problems. I'm trying to set you up with a clean slate in the public. I'm sure that-"

Harry didn't get the chance to finish his sentence because Hermione's open palm made contact with his cheek, striking him with such a force that his head snapped backwards.

"You jackass! How dare you make my decisions for me!" She exploded. "I have a right to know what's going on and you lied to me, you made me think this was my fault!"

"Hermione-"

"Don't Hermione me! If I want to be prime minister it's my decision, and certainly not one I'll make for another twenty years. Harry, I don't know if you realize this, but you're changing and not for the better. You're manipulative, cold and secretive. I'm not happy to have those qualities turned on me," She said bitterly.

Harry looked as though she'd slapped him again.

"It'll be awhile before we move past this," She told him unhappily. "Make my excuses for me inside, okay?"

Her friend nodded, a dark look settling in his eyes. "I don't regret doing what I needed to, to keep you alive."

"I know, it's everything else that's appalling. I have a right to make my own choices without your intrusion. You're not a king maker, Harry."

He turned away from her at that, his officer's coat swirling behind him.

Hermione pulled her wrap tighter around her shoulders against the cool fall air and dug her keys out from her clutch. She walked across the well-lit parking lot towards her car. Out of the corner of her eye lights from another building caught her attention. The Book Nook, the sign read. Hermione realized that it was a bright coffee shop that boasted an attached book store. A combination of two of her favorite things. Hermione was still seething with anger and she realized that driving wasn't the best idea at the moment. She put away her car keys and redirected her steps to the coffee shop.

In the shop she ordered a latte and bought herself a novel. Her drink arrived promptly and she took it and her book to the corner of the store, finding a seat on a small couch. From this perspective she had a view out of the window to the parking lot, but was hidden from on lookers. She watched as her parents left the restaurant with Harry. The trio stood on the sidewalk for a minute talking and she watched them, paying particular attention to Harry while he put them in a cab.

He'd aged a great deal in the past seven years, she realized unexpectedly. There were lines on his face that had no place on a twenty-five-year-old. Her mind circled back to some of the things he'd said and she realized that he'd been thinking about reassigning her for a long time. The incident with in the South had given him an opportunity to follow through on a plan he'd formed a long time ago. Her blood boiled as she thought of his audacity.

"Want some company?"

Rossi's voice startled her and she jumped.

"I didn't mean to startle you," He said, spreading his hands in a non-threatening manner. "I wondered if needed a shoulder to cry on."

"I'm fine, seriously," Hermione said. Rossi shrugged and took the chair across from her.

"You don't seem like the kind of person to slap someone unprovoked," He told her.

"I'm not, but we all have our breaking points."

Dave smiled. "Yes, we do."

"Your curiosity is killing you," Hermione said after a few minutes of uneasy silence.

"Come on throw me a life line. Is he your boyfriend? Fiancée? Ex?"

"He's my ex best friend," Hermione said. "My parents don't know that we had a falling out. He was in town today and my parents were passing through. Since they weren't aware of the situation, well, you saw it."

"Friendships between comrades don't usually fall apart without reason. You become each other's family over there," Rossi said, looking pensive.

"You speak from experience," Hermione noted.

"Former marine, Vietnam," Rossi revealed.

"That explains a few things," She replied.

"So why'd you slap him?"

"He's a manipulative ass trying to peddle himself as a martyr."

Rossi nodded.

Hermione continued, unable to stop talking. "Have you ever had someone do something for you that they thought was helpful? But really it was downright offensive? That's what this is."

"He's your commanding officer isn't he?"

"Yeah. But we've been friends for almost fifteen years. We went to boarding school together."

"So I take it he sent you to the team?"

Hermione sighed. "Yes. And apparently it was for my own good. According to him he was trying to protect me. I could just strangle him right now."

"He sounds like a good friend actually," Rossi told her.

She narrowed her eyes. "So you're on his side?"

"I'm not that dumb. I'm just far enough away from the situation to see both sides. You feel that he's ruining your career." Hermione gave him an inquiring look. "Penelope and Derek were discussing the fact that this isn't a prime assignment for you the other day. I happened to over hear," Rossi explained.

"I hadn't intended for that to reach all the way up the chain of command," Hermione grumbled.

"I'm not offended, and Hotch doesn't know."

"Can we keep it that way?"

Agent Hotchner and Hermione still hadn't hit it off. He remained stubbornly suspicious of her and she was beginning to wonder if it was because she was foreign. The idea that she was a spy had taken root within the team early on due to her intelligence affiliations.

"I won't tell unless explicitly asked," Rossi said.

"Good enough. I don't know what to do about Harry though. He's a jerk, but he was my best friend for a long time."

"Life can be a heck a thing to happen to a person. He wasn't always a manipulative jerk I take it?"

"No. His job has really changed him over the years. I didn't realize that until tonight."

"We have to love people for who they've become sometimes if we want to keep a friendship. And if they've crossed a line, it's a friend's duty to put them back on the right path."

Hermione sighed, leaning her head on her hand. "You must have some experience with this kind of thing?"

"I'm an old man and a philosopher at heart. Hang in their kid." His eyes drifted down to her neck where Bellatrix's mark marred her skin. "You've hung in their this long after all."

Unconsciously Hermione reached down and covered the scar on her throat. Rossi's eyes drifted back to hers, a question lingering in them.

Hermione said nothing.

"I think they're closing," Rossi said finally.

Turning around Hermione noted that the barista was indeed cleaning out the pastry case. She stood and Rossi followed her. The pair left the shop and the Italian man insisted on walking her to her car.

"You know, you've been a real asset to the team and I think that you'd make a good agent someday if you wanted. If you're ever interested let me know and I'll get you into the classes, okay?"

Surprised, Hermione nodded. "Alright." She hardly knew what to say. Rossi had been by far the most welcoming of the team from the get go, but the gesture was still unexpected. He turned and began to walk away. "Why?" Hermione called after him.

He turned back to her, not pretending to misunderstand her question. "You remind me of me when I was your age."

With that, he strode away.

Rossi had intended to go back to his car, which was parked around the other side of the building. However, a lone figure caught his attention, standing at the mouth of alley behind the restaurant, leaning against the wall. The military coat was unmistakable, flapping in the wind as the man blew out cigarette smoke.

"Those things will kill you," Rossi said casually.

Harry turned, and Rossi found himself looking into the greenest eyes he'd ever seen.

"That's the plan."

Interesting, Rossi thought.

"You want one," the sable haired man asked dryly.

It had been years since Dave had a cigarette, but the potential information this man could provide was too good to pass up.

"Sure."

The tall man pulled a pack from his jacket pocket and offered it to him, so he took one and lit up. On the first drag he barely managed to avoid coughing. But by the second one, his old bad habit was flaring back to life. This had been the only thing that kept him sane during Vietnam and it had taken him a decade to quit. He'd have to stop by a pharmacy on the way home and get a nicotine patch.

"So I saw you get slapped by your girl earlier," Rossi mentioned casually, watching the officer closely.

The man's vibrant green eyes narrowed slightly and he shrugged. "She more of a friend. We had a simple disagreement."

"Must have been some kind of disagreement. The last time I got slapped like that, her lawyers served me with papers the very next day."

"Long marriage?" Harry inquired.

"Not in years, but yeah."

The man laughed. Then he took another drag from his cigarette. "If she knew I'd picked up this habit, she'd kill me with her bare hands."

"I thought you wanted to die. 'That's the point'," Rossi quoted Harry's earlier statement.

"She'd make it slow and painful. You're divorced, you know how women can be."

"True enough. Have you been in the army long?"

"I've been in for a while."

Rossi looked over the man's face carefully, noting the faint crow's feet around his eyes and the stress lines that bracketed his mouth. His eyes were tired in a world weary way that went deeper than any physical fatigue could ever cause.

"So what was your fight about," the agent asked.

"I'm a selfish, controlling bastard. She told me as much, but in more words. The problem is that she's right." Harry grimaced.

"That sure sounds like a relationship to me. You sure you're not dating her?"

"We've been friends since we were children. We served together. It's a relationship alright, just a platonic one. She's kind of like having a sister except she's not related by blood."

"You did something to piss her off, didn't you?" Rossi asked, playing up the sage old man shooting the breeze character as he puffed out smoke.

"I changed her assignment, which you well know because you're working with her, Agent Rossi."

He couldn't hide his shock. Harry grinned, looking slightly Machiavellian when his sly green eyes narrowed.

"I don't go around sprouting off about my personal life to strangers, Dave."

"Probably a good habit, Harry."

"What are you fishing for here?" The officer asked him, dropping his cigarette to the sidewalk and snuffing it out with the toe of his well shined shoe.

"Anything I can get my hands on. I happen to like solving mysteries. So, tell me did you really go to boarding school with her?"

"Yes."

"Okay," Rossi said, satisfied that the man was telling the truth. "Why did you reassign her to our team?"

"Because her life was at risk and I'd kill myself if anything happened to her that I could prevent. She'd come too close to death already."

"Something happened to her didn't it?" David probed.

"Yes. Knowing is above your security clearance, so don't bother asking. Or trying to hack in."

"Hack in?"

"Let's just say that Agent Garcia is a very lucky woman and Hermione has a soft spot for rebellion."

"Ah. So that's what the instant friendship is about," Rossi mused.

"Hermione isn't there to spy on you. She's answering to me, but her loyalty is primarily to the team. We aren't a threat to you, your group, your agency, or your country. As a matter of fact, we were invited. That's as clear as I can be."

"I'm not worried about her. You seem the more likely threat. Something about you tells me that you're the type of guy who would destroy anything in his path to get to what he needed. No matter the cost."

Harry met his gaze steadily. Then he smiled, and it wasn't a nice smile. "You have no idea. Keep that in mind, and keep my girl safe."

Rossi took a drag from the cigarette before tossing it into the ash tray on top of a nearby trashcan. "She's your only family, huh?"

"Everyone else is dead. Hermione is all I have and the only person I trust."

"You lead a sad life, Harry."

His lips twisted into a bitter smile. "So do a lot of people."

Rossi shrugged, his mind drifting to Caroline, to their miscarriage and on to the other women he'd tried to fill the void with. "I suppose so."

He offered Harry his hand. "I'll do everything in my power to keep her alive."

Harry grasped his proffered hand in a firm grip. "I can't ask for more. If you need anything, call."

He handed Dave a card and then spun on his heel walking off into the night without a word in parting. Rossi looked down, scanning the card.

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Potter, British Army. Underneath there was a phone number and no other words.

Rossi looked up towards where Potter had walked off, but he'd vanished. Glancing around the open space the agent frowned. Where had the man gone? Unable to shake a disquieted feeling he walked to his car, got in, and dialed Hotch.

"You'll never guess what just happened to me," He began before recounting the events of his night.

Please feed your author! Review, review, review! Who should I do next? Is it time for Hotch to accept her?