Hermione and Lily nearly had whiplash they turned around so fast – what's his name already forgotten. James and Remus were there looking both relieved and sheepish. They were both in muggle jeans and a t-shirt; Remus in gray and James in blue. It was certainly a sight for the girls to behold.

Neither one of the boys were looking at their girls though. They were still glaring at … what's his name. Neither Hermione or Lily could even remember what he looked like

"You can go now," Remus said in that low sort of voice that left no room for argument and made Hermione need to cross her legs. Michael! held his hands up and backed away. Once he was gone they looked at the two Gryffindor girls who had expressions that showed irritation, relief that they were okay – longing if they were honest. Remus had a hand on the back of his neck looking like someone Hermione would find in one of the magazines her mother would have in her dentist office. James, predictably, had his hand in his hair.

"Hi Lily," he said with just a little nervousness trying very hard to keep his eyes on her face. Both girls were suddenly acutely aware that they were in their bathing suits - two piece ones at that. "Hermione."

"Hi James," Hermione said brightly, looking at Remus and waiting to see what he was going to say. If he was going to say anything. He suddenly looked up and locked blue eyes on hers. She felt her heart kick up a little and a small smile graced his scarred face.

"Hey honey." She got up and went over to wrap herself around him, forgetting that she was half naked, forgetting that the last time she saw him she was basically confessing everything, forgetting everything except that he was safe and warm, and home.

"Hi." He put his hands on both sides of her face then and like he just couldn't stand to wait just a second longer, he kissed her.

Hermione melted.

Melted into a girly puddle.

She sighed against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hair was shorter but his shirt was tighter so she could forgive him for that. Just as he was starting to thread his fingers in her hair there was a small cough.

She would have been embarrassed but it was James and Lily and they were just as disgusting though not in the same way.

"Sorry to interrupt," James said with an amused smile, the lopsided one with one dimple. The one that was missing on everyone else's face. Hermione wound himself against Remus' side, fisting her hands in his gray t-shirt and studied Lily's face, she was beet red and not because of the sun. James was looking anywhere but at her.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hermione asked, feeling whole for the first time since the fight in the Great Hall. "Not that we're not happy to see you."

"Speak for yourself," Lily said suddenly, crossing her arms over her chest. Hermione and Remus looked at each other. What the hell had they missed? Had they been snogging for that long?

"Evans, I-" James' voice was gentle like he was approaching a caged animal. Lily held a hand out in front of her. She breathed in through her nose and let out a long breath.

"Sorry, bad habit. We are happy to see you both." Hermione let out a laugh but covered it with her hand and Remus raised his eyebrows. She knew that Lily had made some progress with her growing feelings for James. Didn't mean she was ready to accept a ring from the prat.

"Well now that we have that settled," Remus said giving James a look. "Can we go somewhere, we have some stuff to tell you." The girls grabbed their stuff from the sand, neglecting to notice the boys' heads tilting when they bent over. Both of them looked decidedly uncomfortable when the girls came back over, beach bags in hand.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked, sliding her hands into Remus'.

"Yes," he said but it was gravelly and broken. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Yes." The girls lead them back to Lily's house, somewhere Lily once said James would never be able to go even in death. Luckily, the Evans' parents were at work and Petunia was out getting her hair done.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hermione asked, after both girls had changed and come back down to the living room. She took a seat next to Remus, not quite as close as she would have before but he hauled her practically on his lap. James and Lily sat on chairs.

"There's been more attacks. The Order sent us to check on you." James said this as fast as he could because he knew that Hermione was going to explode.

And explode she did.

She jumped off of Remus' lap and glared like she could kill Dumbledore just by the force of looking at them.

"The what?" she demanded. Remus winced.

"We were inducted into the Order just after we left school," he told her. "I wanted to tell you but owls can be interc-," she turned on him suddenly and he shrank back against the couch.

"I'm sorry. You were what? Both of you?" James nodded. Lily was watching like a tennis match.

"And Sirius, Marlene, and Pete. We –"

"What about us?" Lily suddenly asked. Hermione was breathing too hard, too furious to even see straight.

"That's why we're here," Remus said. "There's a meeting tonight and we are supposed to bring you." Hermione needed to sit down before she had a stroke.

"And Dumbledore sent you?" she asked, seething. He nodded. "Because he knew I would kill him myself or?" They all turned questioning eyes on her.

"Hermione, what is going on? Dumbledore wouldn't tell us the whole story." James didn't mean to pry but he had to know. What was she talking about before? Why did it matter so much that he and Lily survived?

She deflated then, falling back onto the couch and allowing herself exactly ten seconds to be exhausted.

"It's not his story to tell. Bring me to this meeting."

oOoOo

Of all places for the Order meeting to be – it was at the Burrow.

The boys Side-Along Apparated them because it was under the Fidelus Charm. This was new information to Hermione. Hermione hadn't remembered this from before and wondered who exactly the Secret Keeper was.

The sight of the house, still just a little uneven, made her heart clench in her chest so painfully she nearly fell over. The garden was the same, the blue Ford Angelina sat in the yard, there were old broomsticks laying up against the side of the house. It looked lived in and loved.

"This is the Burrow," Remus told her in her ear. "It's the Weasley's house. They have a bunch of little kids in there! Why they picked this place I'll never know but the little one is hilarious. He's so serious"

"Percy," she breathed out. He looked at her surprised.

"You know him?" She let out a breath but didn't answer.

"I need Dumbledore right now."

The house was in chaos when she walked in, which was normal, but it wasn't the usual lovely chaos. This was frenzied and angry.

"We need to move now!" Hermione smiled, she knew that voice. A much younger Alastor Moody slammed his hands down on the table. "He is going to make a move soon!" The kitchen table that Hermione had spent countless meals at was filled with witches and wizards, some she only knew by name. There were maps and blueprints lain everywhere. Hermione even saw a few calendars and star charts.

"We have a few new arrivals," Dumbledore said in a quiet voice that somehow cut across all the noise. They all turned to the door to see Hermione, Remus, Lily, and James. Hermione heard Sirius let out a sigh that sounded like relief. How bad had things been while Hermione and Lily were laying out at the river.

"We have a lot to talk about, Dumbledore." Hermione's voice could cut glass and certainly caused utter silence.

"That we do, Miss Granger." Hermione felt an arm wind around her waist and she leaned against Marlene for just a second, enjoying the comfort of her friend. It was obvious that everyone was worried about them.

"Why weren't we invited earlier?" It was like a tennis match. Even the older adults were silent, understanding that Hermione was not someone to be trifled with, teenager or not.

"Because you and Miss Evans were not needed yet and the Order needed time to comprehend just what you are-"

"You told them?" she hissed, eyes narrow, hand on her wand. Nobody knew what to do.

"Just the necessities, Miss Granger, the rest of the story is yours to tell. You said that you were willing to sacrifice yourself, accept the consequences, did you not?" His eyes were challenging behind his glasses. She knew that she couldn't back out, not when he called her out in front of the entire Order.

"What does he mean, honey?" Remus' voice was quiet, only for her and her friends to hear. She wanted to reach for him, kiss him one last time because she was sure that he was never going to want to talk to her again. He was never going to look at her the same way ever again.

"Of course I will sacrifice myself, that's why I'm here."

She was cold as ice, backbone of steel.

"Then tell them, Hermione. Tell them when you're from." Hermione hated him. She wanted to kill him, rage at him. Wanted him to look in her head and see that he did exactly what she expected him to do.

"When?" James asked, catching on instantly but Hermione only had eyes for the Headmaster. He was using her just like he used Harry. Lining her up for slaughter just like he did to Harry.

Both of them sacrificial lambs on his altar.

He was despicable and he knew it.

Unfortunately, he was also their best chance.

He knew that too.

"My name is Hermione Granger and I was born September 19, 1979."