DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!!
Memoirs
Chapter 16
"You can't be real." Hermione breathed.
"Mione, we are real."
"We can explain everything when we get back to HQ, but right now we have to go." Tonks said as Remus helped Hermione onto her feet.
"Sirius, grab her a cloak." The werewolf said, walking the young girl over to the balcony door. "The rest of you, hurry up. We'll be getting company any moment." Harry, Ron, Sirius and Tonks followed Remus to the hovering brooms that were outside.
"Hermione, who do you want to ride with? Me, Sirius, Harry, Ron or Dora?"
"Harry." She whispered, leaving Lupin's arms in favour of going into her friend's.
"Everyone mount." Sirius ordered, handing Harry a cloak to wrap around his shaking friend. Harry climbed onto his Firebolt first before taking Hermione's hand and helping her onto the broom and sat her in front of him. Wrapping his arm around her waist to avoid 'losing' her, they began to fly.
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Arriving an hour later only a minute's walk away from HQ, they all touched down and left their broom. As Harry was about to help Hermione off the broom, Ron burst into the scene, took the lady's hand and pulled her from the broom. Harry was confused and angry at his friend's intrusion upon his and Hermione's moment of silence, awkwardness yet happiness, he watched as the ginger picked up Hermione and carried her after the other members of the rescue group. She looked over his shoulder to Harry and they shared a look, and all was forgiven and understood. They walked for a minute or two to a small rundown shack covered in ivy and the windows were heavily boarded.
"Where are we?" Hermione asked as Ron put her down but kept her against his side.
"HQ, Mione." Sirius said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"A shack? A rundown shack? In the middle of the forest?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.
"Don't underestimate it, Hermione. It provides our needs and is more than comfortable and big enough to house all the Order members." Remus said but Hermione remained sceptical. They continued to lead her to the shack and as Tonks clumsily opened the door to the shack, Hermione was amazed. The inside that she was a lavish modern interior. But the outside was still the same. And it was huge on the inside!
"But...but that's impossible."
"No, actually." Harry said, nudging her inside. "It was quite hard though, loads of charms and spells to master before casting."
"How'd you do it though?"
"A one sided Expanding Charm on the inside. Then we just fixed it up by ourselves."
"Oh. I'd love to live here."
"Well, you're as good as going to."
"What do you mean?" she asked Sirius.
"Well, we're keeping you here until we defeat Voldemort. And then you're free."
"What if he finds us again?"
"We admit that there is a chance he could find us but it's quite slim. We've cast Non-Plottable spells all over the place, loads of untracking charms on everyone here, disguised the building, the whole shebang." Tonks explained, leading them into the kitchen.
"Have you guys got her back yet?" called a familiar motherly voice.
"Yup, Mols. She's right here." Sirius called back.
The plump small red headed woman turned around from the cooker and her face lit up as she saw Hermione.
"Oh, my dear! My sweet little girl!" she cried, running over to her and embracing her tightly. "Oh, how are you, dear? Are you hungry? Thirsty? Cold? Of course you're thirsty and cold! You've flown for hours. Move, move!" she snapped, ushering Hermione into a chair at the table, conjuring a blanket and bustling back to the cupboards to make a hot chocolate.
"So, Mione, how are you feeling?" Tonks asked casually.
"Um...okay. I mean; tired, cold, confused, scared..." she trailed off, shaking a little.
"Why are you scared? You're in good hands."
"Yeah, but he found us last time."
"That was only because a Death Eater knew the location of Grimmauld Place. No one besides Moody and Dumbledore know of the exact location to this place. We just know that it's-"
"That's enough, Ron!" Arthur Weasley snapped, entering the room. He instantly rushed to Hermione, who jumped up as well, and embraced her tightly. "I just heard." He whispered in her ear. "I'm so glad you're back. As we all are."
"Let her breathe, Arthur, dear. Poor girl looks dead on her feet, no offence." Molly said, remembering what happened to Hermione.
"It's alright." She said, smiling a little and sitting back down. Molly came back over, put the cup of hot chocolate down on the table and wrapped the blanket around the young girl. "Thank you." she whispered. "So, what happens now?"
"Well...we've actually given that thought and we've decided that..." Harry couldn't continue, he merely bowed his head in misery and Remus took over.
"We've decided that it would be better for you and your safety to send you to our French allies."
"You're sending me away?"
"Just until we know you'll be safe."
"You can't send me away!" she screeched, sudden and unexplainable anger erupting through her. "He'll find me wherever I am so what does it matter where I go? I want to stay here with you all! You're my family."
"Hermione, we understand how upset you are but-" Sirius began but Hermione cut across him.
"You have no idea how I feel!" she snapped back coldly. "My friends and family whom I've only just got back are packing my bags already and shipping me off! How am I supposed to take this?!"
"Hermione, please try to calm down." Remus' calm attitude was really starting to grate Hermione's already tight nerves.
"No! I refuse to calm down! Why should I calm down?!"
"Miss Granger, please calm yourself, we will explain everything shortly." Came a new voice, a soft voice. And Hermione knew it was the voice of Albus Dumbledore.
"Professor?"