Disclaimer: I do not own anything other than the story line . All rights belong to J.K. Rowling

Author's Note: Warning: There is a small scene of sexual exploration. This is rated "M" after all..."

Chapter Five: New Beginnings

She waved her wand over the young girl. She turned to the Headmaster. "We're losing her…"

Albus Dumbledore moved faster than Hermione had ever seen the old man move before. His speed belied his age, and he was at the bedside in an instant. With a wave of his wand Jamie stopped – everything…

"What did you do?" Hermione wailed. She clawed to get loose, a small portion of her mind wondering who was holding her.

"Relax, Miss Granger," the Headmaster said in his most grandfatherly voice while he continued to study the young girl in the bed. "I have simply placed Miss Evans in a state of magical stasis. She is frozen in a moment of time. It will give us the time we need to come up with a solution to her problem." He finally turned to face her. She was straining against Remus who was holding her tightly from behind. "I need you to calm down, Miss Granger."

"But – she's dying," she cried. "I can't lose him…" She broke down into tears.

"And you shan't, I promise you we'll find the answers we now seek." He patted her shoulder and then turned to the nurse. "Poppy, what can you tell us?"

Madam Pomfrey hesitated. Her eyes flicked to Remus, and then back to the Headmaster. With a tiny inclination of his head he gave her permission to speak. "It seems that young Miss – Evans… is giving up the will to live. It's as if she has nothing to continue for."

"It's all my fault," Hermione sobbed. She faltered as her knees gave out on her. Remus steadied her and maneuvered her to the side of the bed so that she could sit down. "It's all my fault," she repeated over and over.

"Perhaps a calming draught, Poppy," Albus suggested. The nurse nodded and rushed to get one from her supply cabinet.

"Albus, a word," Remus growled as he nodded to a spot away from the distraught teen. When the Headmaster nodded his ascent, Remus turned to go with him. Before he got two steps he turned and looked to the great black dog. "Watch over them Paddy," he murmured. The dog nodded and jumped up to sit at Jamie's feet.

Albus stayed just long enough to assure himself that Poppy was indeed administering the potion to Hermione and then he joined Remus. "You wished to say something?" he asked the werewolf.

"I think you'd better come clean, Albus," Remus said in a low, dangerous tone. "You never answered my questions a few minutes ago, and now I've spotted one more unexplained thing about young Miss Evans," he hissed. "How is it that that witch has Lily's wand? And just why did Hermione refer to Jamie as 'him'?"

"Are you sure, Remus, I mean there must be many wands…"

"Cut the bullshit, Albus. Do you have any idea how many times I've seen that wand? That's Lily's wand. Period. End of story."

Dumbledore sighed. He finally threw his hands up in defeat. "Very well, she is a relative of Lily's, a very close relative in fact."

"I knew it," Remus exclaimed. "Just how close a relative are we talking?"

"Every bit as close as Harry himself," Albus admitted. "We just discovered her, just as we were losing Harry." He looked at Remus critically. "I don't need to tell you just how much of a secret this has to remain," he cautioned.

"How could it be that she's Lily's daughter? And about the same age as Harry?" He shook his head. "Albus, how is this possible?"

"Magic my dear fellow, magic." The elderly wizard just smiled at Remus. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must see a young witch about finding a solution for the mess we now find ourselves in." With that he strode back to the bedside. Remus watched him go. This wasn't over. He could smell a mystery, and he wasn't about to let it go without figuring it out. He and Padfoot would be discussing things later. He left the ward to think things over. If this was indeed Lily's daughter then he would do better by her than he had with Harry.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said softly. The young witch looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. "I have to ask you a very serious question, and I need complete honesty from you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Headmaster," she replied.

Dumbledore took a moment to look at the dog at the foot of the bed. He then turned back to one of his favorite students. "Now then, do you love Miss Evans?"

She hesitated for a moment, truly searching her feelings for the first time concerning the witch in the bed next to her. "Yes sir," she said softly. "More than anything."

"And have you told her this?" he asked her.

She blushed red. "No sir, I wanted to, but I've been so confused." She looked down at her hands which were in her lap. "I've made a right mess of things, haven't I, sir?"

"Yes, young lady, I'm afraid you have, but I do not believe that you have not yet done irreversible harm. I believe that we can use those feelings you have to help your young witch. If you are willing, I can re-attach your core to hers." Hermione looked up at him, hope swelling in her for the first time since her Harry had collapsed.

"I must warn you however," he cautioned. "Since this is not a natural binding, it will cause you some discomfort, perhaps even some considerable pain. It will mean for a very long night while your two cores adjust to each other. Are you willing to endure that for her?"

"Yes, Headmaster, anything for Harry," she whispered. Padfoot's head whipped around and he looked straight at the Headmaster.

"Jamie Harriet Evans," Dumbledore reassured the dog. Padfoot's eyes narrowed as he considered what the Headmaster had revealed. With what could only be called a snort of derision, he laid his head back down on the bed.

"Very well, I suggest you relax as much as possible, Miss Granger as this shall be rather uncomfortable. When she had laid back next to Jamie, and grabbed the girl's hand, Dumbledore waved his wand over the two of them.

Hermione grimaced as it felt like a thousand pins and needles were pricking her skin all at once. It felt strange, and not a little painful. The intensity picked up and she gritted her teeth as she fought back tears at the sensation.

"Could you please tell my parents what's happened, Headmaster," she managed to get out through the pain.

"Of course, my dear. I shall endeavor to inform them at once." He spun on his heel and was out the door in an instant.

*0*0*

Hermione had finally shifted in the middle of the night and was snuggled up next to Harry with her head on her left breast. The pain had subsided to a dull ache, which was at least bearable now. She could feel the gentle pull on her magic as Harry drew strength from it. A couple of hours ago Madam Pomfrey had performed a diagnostic spell and announced that the young witch seemed to be out of any immediate danger.

She fought back tears once more as she thought back over her behavior of the last week. She had been very atrocious to Harry. She could see that now. She sucked in a sharp breath as she realized just how close to losing Harry she had come. All because of her stupidity. It wasn't a situation that she often found herself in, but in retrospect it made perfect sense.

She now understood her mother's statement about failing her. Not that she blamed her parents in the least. No, she placed the blame directly where it belonged, on herself. What was she thinking?

She had been trying to over analyze the situation. Of course Harry had been having a hard time adjusting. It had only been a week. If the roles were reversed, and she had turned into a boy, she would have been a basket case. But not her Harry, no, even though she was trapped in a foreign body, she was valiantly trying to make the best of the situation, and Hermione had only been making it worse for her best friend.

In her efforts to understand she had failed to see what was right in front of her. She was an introverted bookworm who didn't have the emotional experience to fully understand what was going on, so she had tried to understand it intellectually. That hadn't worked. In point of fact, she had crashed and burned in her efforts. And now her poor Harry had paid the price, as she always did.

She wiped furiously at her eyes. So now she had come to this point, a point where she had to rely on her emotions rather than her intellect. It was so hard to do that. She had tried in the past, and it had always ended with her being broken-hearted. Could she do it this time and survive? She had to. For Harry's sake, she had to do whatever it took to correct this. She had to follow her heart. But what was her heart telling her?

Was Harry worth enough for her to endure the ostracizing that would come to them if she never changed back? Could she truly love a woman? She propped herself up and looked down at Harry's sleeping form. While she missed Harry's male form, she had to admit that as far as girls went, Harry really was adorable.

Could she kiss those lips? She looked at them for a long time. The outline was very similar to the one that she had spent hours memorizing. She licked her lips subconsciously. Her gaze ran up to the pixy cut hair. It was really nice hair… She reached out and ran her fingers through it. It actually felt really good to do so. It was so soft and luxurious.

She brought her gaze downward. There was just enough light coming from the windows that she could make out Harry's outline. She watched, mesmerized by the rhythmic rise and fall of her breasts. The soft curves were fascinating. She had never, ever had a sexual thought about another girl before, but this wasn't just any old girl. This was Her Harry. She traced a finger over the swell of one of Harry's breasts. A frisson of pure pleasure raced up her spine. She sucked in a gasp.

She couldn't help herself. She gently pulled the covers back, to uncover both of them. Harry was nude from the waist up, clad only in a pair of panties. She slowly ran her fingers down the witch's abdomen, feeling the muscles ripple under her soft stimulation. Harry shifted slightly and laid there, her legs splayed out as she got into a more comfortable position.

Hermione couldn't believe it. She looked at how Harry's panties hugged her form, her mons clearly outlined in the moonlight. Hermione had seen her own parts often enough, but there was something hypnotic about seeing them on someone who loved her unconditionally. She brushed her fingertips over Harry's panties.

Harry let out a soft moan and shifted again. Hermione pulled her hand back, blushing furiously. She couldn't believe she had done that, but the thrill was incredible. She snuggled back down into an embrace with Harry and pulled the sheet up over them. Within moments she was fast asleep, as soft smile on her lips as she slept.

*0*0*

"Hermione, dear, it's time to wake up," a familiar voice said. Hermione blinked a couple of times while she fought through the momentary confusion that she always experienced when she was woken from a sound sleep.

"Mum?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Yes, sweetheart, your father and I are here. Your Headmaster was kind enough to bring us to see you and Jamie." She smiled down at the scene before her. Dumbledore had indeed explained the situation, including what he theorized had happened to cause the collapse of the witch that had given her heart to Hermione.

Hermione carefully extricated herself from the covers so as not to expose Harry. "I was so stupid, Mum," she said with a sniff. "I hurt her so much. I couldn't see passed my own foolish concerns. I only hope I can fix things." She was pulled into a huge hug from her mother. When she was released she realized that her Daddy was standing just back from the bed. She reached out to him and was rewarded with his own version of the Granger hug.

Her mother motioned with her head towards her companion. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Kitten. I think she's waking up. We'll just leave you to things, alright?" Hermione nodded and sat up to await Harry's return to the waking world.

It wasn't long before Harry woke. She was immediately enveloped in a huge hug.

"I'm so sorry," Hermione cried. "I love you, I love you, I love you…" she repeated over and over as she pressed kisses into her cheek and down her neck.

"Hermione," Harry moaned. She pushed Hermione back so that she could look at her. "What's going on?"

"Oh, I almost lost you!" she answered. "Please forgive me! I was so stupid!" She looked down at her lap. "It was all my fault, and because of it I almost lost you. Can you forgive me?" She looked up into her brilliant green eyes.

Harry looked at her girlfriend for a long moment. She finally gave her a small smile. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Hermione returned.

"Really?" Harry asked, wanting to believe her.

Hermione didn't answer him verbally. She reached out and cupped Harry's cheek with her left hand. When Harry leaned into the touch and closed her eyes Hermione smiled. She ran her hand up over Harry's ear and through her hair. Harry moaned softly. It thrilled Hermione that she could affect someone so powerfully.

She reached around through Harry's hair and pulled her head in. Harry's eyes flew open as she realized what was happening, and then their lips came together and Hermione lost all conscious thought as sensations coursed through her. She couldn't tell which one of them moaned into the kiss, but she brushed her tongue across Harry's lips and when she accepted the invitation Hermione deepened the kiss. Harry's hands went around her and she wove her fingers into Hermione's hair.

It was only due to serious oxygen deprivation that they broke the kiss. Hermione looked into Harry's eyes, and saw the love and desire she felt mirrored in her eyes.

"That was brilliant," Harry whispered. Hermione rested her forehead on Harry's. She let out a low, throaty chuckle.

"Just wait until I get you alone," she replied.

"Not that I'm complaining," Harry said softly, her soprano voice low and husky, "but what changed?"

"I just realized that you're worth everything to me," Hermione replied. "I don't care anymore what anyone thinks. I don't care if you change back or not, Harry. I just want to be with you. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, in whatever form you're in."

"Wow," Harry exclaimed softly. "Thank you."

"I really had a chance to think things through while you were ill, and one thing that really struck home was when I thought about this war, and what could happen. I realized that if you were horribly disfigured, or lost a limb, that it wouldn't make the slightest difference to me. A change in appearance is only that, it doesn't change the person that I fell in love with. It doesn't change you. I had to realize that to understand." She kissed Harry again. It was every bit as good the second time around.

She giggled. Harry cocked her head and looked at her.

"I'm in love with a girl," Hermione said in a demure tone. Then she couldn't help it, she giggled again. This time Harry joined her…