I own nothing.
Professor Dumbledore had sent Hermione's things ahead of them to Number twelve Grimauld place, and so she only had with her a light jacket, her wand and some money in her beaded bag, both muggle and magical currency.
The odd looking trio walked in a somewhat awkward silence down the street, well awkward for the two women, Dubmledore seemed to be having the time of his life.
They passed many large double fronted houses set In sprawling greenery, and Hermione prayed silently that none of her neighbours should chose this moment to look out of their windows. It was an affluent area, and thus rather quiet, they did not need to walk far before they where in a spot secluded enough to disappearate from.
"You have not of course taken your apparition test yet." Dumbledore stated, not a question, peering down his crooked nose at her. She shook her head apologetically.
"Not a Problem my dear, if you would be so kind as to take my arm, and hold on tight, the sensation does take some getting used to, I will admit, but i'd wager you'll prefer It to flying." He said, with the twinkle in his eye flashing merrily, Hermione smiled, it was common knowledge that she didn't like flying, ironic really when she was best friends with Harry potter and Ron weasley.
She did as she was bid, holding her professor's uninjured arm tightly, just bellow the elbow, she looked up at him, struck for the first time how tall he was, Hermione barley reached his shoulder with the top of her bushy head.
Both professors then simultaneously turned on their heel, and all three vanished from view with a quiet pop!
Hermione had never felt anything like it, and she found that it was indeed uncomfortable, but wholly better than hurtling through the sky at ridiculous heights and speeds held up by only a glorified twig.
She felt as though she where being squeezed through a rubber hose, as if the where the last bit of toothpaste in the tube, being forced from blackness Into daylight once more. As soon as it started, the feeling stopped, and Hermione found herself in the familiar grassy square of Grimauld place, London. The shabby house fronts, exactly as she remembered them, with number twelve invisible to those around it before her.
Professor Mcgonagall cought her by the elbow as she wobbled dangerously, fighting to regain her equalibrium. She looked concernedly at her favourite pupil.
"Still better than flying." Hermione said weakley, making her two professors chuckle.
The three of them wordlessly crossed the pavement, thinking 'Number twelve Grimauld Place' as they did so, and paused as the building materialised before them. They hurried up the stone stepps, and opened the door without knocking.
Once inside the house, Hermione shut the door as silently as she could behind them, and was again struck by her hatred for this old place, dank, dark and musty, it was a great contrast to the sunny day outside. She hated to think of poor Sirius being trapped here for any period of time, without any company, barring a hippogryph.
Creeping quietly down the hall behind her two professors, carefull not to wake any of the foul paintings or their occupants, passing the severed elf heads, she shuddered in disgust, why hadn't someone gottn rid of them yet? She took note of the troll legg umbrella stand, which was up ended. Tonks must be here, she thought.
Hermione finally reached the kitchen, where the majority of her closest friends in the wizarding world currently seemed to be congregated. However before she had a chance to see anybody more clearly, she was being smothered in a motherly hug by Mrs Weasley.
"Hermione dear, your looking well, how was your Journey? Can I get you anything dear? Are you hungry? You're getting thinner, keep going and there'll be nothing of you ..." Mrs Weasley pinched Hermione's stomach for effect, making her giggle.
"Blimey Mum," came the voice of one of her best friends, Ronald , "Don't smother the girl!" There was a resounding thwack, as ron was hit by somebody, Hermione didn't see whom, though she suspected it was her best girl friend Ginny, followed by Mr weaseley's voice saying, "Ronald, don't be rude to your mother!"
Ahhhh, it was good to be back.
Hermione smiled, "Hello Mrs Weasley, I'm fine thank you, how are you?" she enquired.
"Oh I'm fine dear, quite fine." Molly pinched her cheek fondly, and Hermione smiled haapily at her psudo magical mother.
Once Hermione was freed from Molly's clutches, she was able to see the other occupants of the room, aside from the entire Weasley family, minus Percy, there was also, to name but a few, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Tonks, Kingsley and Madeye, whom Hermione was still slightly wary of, ever since she'd witnessed him remove, and clean his magical eye in a glass of water, well she could never quite look at him the same way.
She beamed delightedly at a red head she hadn't seen since her fourth year.
She was fourteen, well technically fiffteen, time turner bla bla bla. But officially she was fourteen, sitting in her living room, waiting for Mr Weasly to come and fetch her for the quidditch world cup. She was very excited, despite the fact that she didn't enjoy flying, she did like quidditch, plus the world cup would be a fascinating oppertunity to further study the magical world.
A knock at the door heralded the arrival of a tall, thin and ballding Arthur Weasley. "Hello Hermione." he said jovially, smiling happily at the muggle dwelling around him.
"Hello Mr Weasly, thank you for coming to get me." Hermione said, looking up at the kindly faced tall man.
"It was no trouble, no trouble at all, I just apparated on the way home from work, so it wasn't out of my way." he said absentmindedly, his eyes had wandered to the television.
"These run of eccleticitys do they?" He asked knoweledgably, nodding knowingly, whilst pressing buttons on the remote with a delighted smile apperaing on his face as the screen sprang to life.
"Marvelous." He mumbled to himself, shaking his head.
"Um sir?" She asked tentativley, noticing her parents slightly allarmed expressions.
"Yes of course." Mr Weasly snapped awake again, pulling out his wand, "Know, I don't suppose you have a floo?" He asked.
Hermione nodded, she had had one set up after her first trip to Diagon alley, for convenience, she still didn't like using it alone though.
"Excellent!" He beamed, "Well then, after you."
Hermione said goodbye to her parents with a swift hug and kiss for each, before stepping into the emerald flames and shouting 'The Burrow'. The horrid spinning sensation only lasted a few moments, and then she was spat out, into the warm kitchen of Ron's family home.
She stumbled sligtly, but managed to catch herself spectacularly at the last second, and not land flat on her face. She punched the air in celebration.
"Nice landing!" Came an appreciative voice.
Hermione beamed, and looked up, and up, and up.
Goodness.
She wasn't tall by any means, but she barley reached this man's bicep...extreemly muscled bicep. He was very tall, and extreemly muscly, with various scars and tattoos visible beneath his leather clothes. He looked a bit intimadating, that was a lie, he looked terrifying to the tiny, technically still fouteen year old witch, that was, at least, untill you reached the eyes, which held a friendly smile.
Judjing by the red hair, she expected him to be a Weasly, he didn't seem that much older than her really, five or six years perhaps.
"I'm Charlie, Ron's brother, you must be Hermione?" he asked kindly, grinning down at the tiny curly haired witch, who had, he noticed, an intellegent gleam in her eyes. She nodded silently, still slightly intimidated, her eyes focusing on the middle of his broad chest, instead of looking him in the eye again.
"Nice to meet you." She said politley, he grinned down at her, and she blushed, looking at her feet.
Just then there were shouts heared from all over the house, "Mione?" Called Ron.
"Was that Mi?" Came Ginny's high pitched voice.
"Mya!" The twins both yelled, running towards her, enourmous smiles splitting their faces. She got on quite well with the twins, the best of friends almost, or perhaps more akin to family.
She was swept of her feet, and squished between Fred and George weasley, she laughed happily, closing her eyes as she hugged them back.
"Hello boys, don't tell me you missed me?" She teased lightly as they set her down. She heared Charlie rumble deep chuckle fom across the room, and felt her cheeks burn in response.
"Us? Miss our tiny-Mione, never." Fred said, George just hugged her again, spinning her in a fast circle.
"Oi you gits, put her down." Came an annoyed voice.
"Hey Gin." hermione greeted, just as she was nearly nocked flat by the youngest red head, only to be steadied last minute by an amused looking Charlie. She smiled up at him in thanks, only to look away quickly when she met his gaze.
"Thank Merlin you're here Mi! Another girl at last." Ginny all but sang pulling Hermione in excited circles, then dragging herback for another hug.
"Ahhhhh, thought it was you." Came the unmistacable voice of her best mate.
"Hello to you too Ron." Hermione said sarcastically, hugging him tightly, the others chuckled at them.
"Mione." he greeted into her hair, "How are the runes?" He asked mock seriously.
"Still anchient." She replied, smiling as the Weasleys all laughed.
Just then Mr Weasley came from the floo behind them, "Sorry, I got side tracked, facinating things hoovers...I nearly lost an eye!" He said, bobbing up and down excitedly.
Hermione cought Charlie's eye, and they both looked away quickly, chuckling to themselves.
"Charlie." she greeted, a grin splitting her face. As he came toward her, she pretended to jump back, "Woah there giant man, don't step on me!" She joked.
"Gosh Mya, have you gotten shorter?" The dragon tamer teased her, pulling her into a hug, lifting her bodily about ten inches from the floor in the process. She beamed, throwing her arms around his neck, and hiding her face in his broad shoulder, loving the musky smell of him.
It had been a running joke between them since they'd become friends, which had happened fairly quickly. Her barley five foot frame was dwarfed next to him, who crossed six feet easily. Their first meetings had been filled with height jokes, Charlie lifting her to reach high shelves, or standing next to her and resting his elbow on top of her head, and hermione constantly reminding him not to squash things beneath his bulk, offering to write for him, to 'save the innocent quills', and wondering very loudly how the broomstick held him up.
"Still making the dragons laugh, eh Charlie!" she quipped, her feet on the floor again, causing many to chuckle.
Charlie kept her in a close hug for a moment, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Please don't run away to fight death eaers like that again, Mya. You scared me to death!"
Hermione felt a blush rise in her cheeks, and was touched by her friends concern. She nodded solemnly to him, squeasing him tighter for a moment before letting go.
"Hello everyone." She greeted whilst going to hug Ron - who had impossibly grown taller, and even more gangly than he had been two weeks ago, her head now barley reached the middle of his chest, - and Ginny in greeting. She decided however to leave the rest of the reunions until later, as Dumbledore had taken his seat at the head of the room, and seemed to be waiting for attention, Hermione dutifully sat, and turned towards him.
"Thank you." He said, by way of greeting, "Now, we are here on a matter of an unusual nature, many of you will remember, from some years ago, a young couple by the names Cathierine and Stephan Greenwood?"
There where humms and nods of agreement from the older in the Room, and looks of polite confusion on the faces of the younger crowd.
Hermione's heart was thumping loudly in her ears. She wasn't entirley sure why she was so nervouse, fear of not being accepted, perhaps? But she was, terrified actually.
"For those of you too young to remember this couple," Dumbledore continued, "Suffice to say they where an extremely popular, affluent and powerful force for good during the last war, tragically they both lost their lives in the fight against evil, leaving behind them a daughter.."
This admission was met by gasps from those that knew the couple personally. It was like watching a melodrama, Hermione thought absently, trying to regulate her breathing, and not hyperventalate.
"Yes you may be shocked but it is never the less true, I was personally entrusted the task of this child's well fare over the last seventeen years, and she has now come of age, and it is time for her to reclaim her heritage," he finished gravley.
Sombre looks where to be seen on the faces of those who had fought the first war, and therefor knew the cross that this mystery girls parents had born, what the child was inheriting, inhuman beauty, money, power, and the loss of a private Life and too gain a noteriaty that would lead to her being virtually hunted by those who knew her true identity.
"I think some of us are missing something here..." Said one of the weasley twins, Hermione could always tell which one, this was Fred.
The rest of the Weasley children nodded in agreement to their brothers statment, looks of incomprehension on their faces. Once however Dumbledore explained, what this mystery girls lot was to be, they became more subdued, feeling everything from pity to envy for this unknown girl.
"Now this is all well and good, but what is it to do with us?" Came the gruff, impatient voice of Alistor Moody from the back corner of the room. Hermione's eyes flashed to him, before looking to Dumbledore.
"Yes, well... Miss Granger...?" Came the headmasters reply.
Molly gasped in horror, and Sirius swore, a look of seriousness upon his face that Hermione had never seen there before.
"Kitten...No." he said, looking sadly at Hermione, who just smiled at him, resignasion on her face. Getting to her feet, she walked slowly to the front of the room, feeling as if she were headed to the gallows. She pressed a kiss to Sirius' cheek as she passed him, gently touching his shoulder in comfort, touched by the concern and sadness on his face.
She noticed that Charlie, who was standing next to his older brother, not that far away from her, looked tense, his shoulders stiff. Hermione tried to reasure him, but was so nervous herself, that she doubted it did much good.
"It'll be fine." she murmered, not sure if she was trying to convince him, or herself. He mearly nodded grimly, edging slightly closer to her.
"Never a dull moment, remeber?" She quoted one of his letters to him, making him smile boyishly at her. Her insides melted a little.
Many still failed to understand, looks of incomprehension on many faces, including the rest of the Weasley children. Tonks seemed more intrested in what Hermione had just said to Charlie, for she was looking from the brightest witch of her age, to the dragon tamer, and back again, a mischevious glint in her eye.
"Hang on, Mi's not seventeen yet!" Ginny called out, looking confused.
"Actually I am." Hermione said, pulling out her wand and levtating some dishes to demonstrate, the room watched her in amazement. "I'll explain later though..." She said, catching Dumbledore's eye.
Hermione stood directly in front of the headmaster, looking so tiny and defensless as she gazed up at him, that Charlie had to fight the urge to step towards her again. He had become increadibly protective of Hermione over the course of their friendship, and to stand back now, and watch another man wave a wand in her face, regardless of who he was, went against everything in him.
He wasn't the only one struggling either, Sirius had his hands clenched into fists, and the twins had uncharictaristically stony expressions on their faces.
Dumbledore gave her a reasuring smile, then raised his wand, and brought it curling and flashing through the air between them, undoing the protection he wrought upon Hermione all those years ago.
She closed her eyes, trying to block out all the staring faces in the room. It was a strange feeling, almost like a disselusionment charm, Hermione decided, it felt like warm liquid dripping slowly down her form.
She felt warm, her frame was almost vibrating slightly, sending electric shocks through her very bones, making her start every so often. It was not painful exactly, but by no means was it plesant either. She coud feel herself grimacing, her nose wrinkling in distaste.
Intense, she decided, the feeling was extreemly intense, she let lose an involantarry whimper, and felt, rather than heared responding movement throughout the kitchen.
As the wand stilled, and the mist of magic dissipated, the room was greeted with its first glimpse of Hermione Catherine Greenwood, and pandemonium ensued.
CHAPTER 3.
Hermione jumped, opening her eyes, as the room erupted with shouts of disbelief and anger, mingled with concern.
She noticed that her Veela senses had come into play, her eyesight was noticably clearer, nothing spectacular, she couldn't read a book from the the other side of the room or anything, but everythig was brighter, the colours more vibrant, like taking off sun glasses after waring them for a long time.
She also felt stronger, more poised, her muscules were tense, with raw energy flowing through them, and she could tell that she would be much stronger and faster than she had been before. She imagined a coiled spring, itching to be let lose.
Everything was very overwhelming, but the thing that would be hardest to get used to, would be her new sensative hearing. With everyone shouting in shock at the same time, she visibly cringed. She could also hear other noises, things like Dumbledore's breathing from beside her, the noises of birds, and cars from outside, the backfireing of engines, slamming of doors. Her own breathing was a hurricane, her pulse a military marching band in her ears, she was fighting the urge to cover her face with her hands.
When Mrs Weasley started screaming at her children to 'stop shouting' however, she lost the battle, her hands covering her ears as she stumbled back slightly, only to be steadied by Dumbledore's hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him, terror in her wide, doe like eyes, he mearly gave her shoulder a reasuring squease.
She looked around the room, scared of the anger on her friends faces, they looked betrayed, but not by her, most of the glares were being leveled at Dumbledore.
The most alarming reaction however, or at least to Hermione, was that of the men, who now they had looked at her, seemed to have trouble looking away.
Their eyes glazed over, and they were staring at her as a starved man looks at steak. Eyes scanned her hungrily, roving over her, taking in her every curve. It reminded Hermione of what she'd seen at the world cup two summers ago, with the Bulgarian team mascots.
She sudddenly felt extreemly aware of Moody's magicall eye, and she shifted uncomfortably, her eyes narrowed and crossed her arms over her body subtly, taking a involantary step away from the back corner of the room, where the mauled, starring auror presided.
Professor Dumbledore noticed this, and cleared his throat loudly, at which most of the men came to, smirking apologetically, and sending sheepish glances her way, however not all.
Ron, for instance was still staring open mouthed, his hands balled into fists, edging ever so slowly towards her.
Fred and George, who thought of Hermione as their third twin, as they jokingly put it, seemed not to trust themselves to look at her, and where staring determinately at the floor, Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly hurt, but pushed those feelings aside quickly.
Hermione noticed the married men seemed to be faring better than the Singles, perhaps she wasn't so veela after all, she though with relief, remebering it had been every man for himself at the world cup, just as she thought this however, she was surprised by a blur of sudden motion in front of her.
Whilst the occupants of the room had been either staring at Hermione, drinking in her new apperance wonderingly, or furiously questioning Dumbledore on this new development, they had all failed to notice Ron's steady progression to the front of the room, that is, however, until he lunged for her, his face contorted viciously, arms out streched towards her.
By this point Hermione's nerves where shot, she was emotionally and physically exhausted, her hightened senses were giving her a headache, and it had been a trying day... morning, good god was it only lunch time?
So when she saw the attack coming, she reacted on pure animalistic instinct, forgetting about her wand, and using the small amount of self defence her cousin had tought her, many years ago, diving for cover.
She dove, completely panicked, behind the nearest thing, which happened to be the two oldest Weasley boys, both of whom seemed to be managing just fine without attacking her, the small non screaming part of her brain pointed out snidley.
Bill moved forward and cought Ron by the back of his jumper, pulling him bodily from the room, whilst Hermione cowered behind Charlie who, was alert and ready. Fisting her hands into the back of his shirt, shaking, and seemingly trying to make herself as small as possible, closing her eyes, and bringing her foarhead to rest againts his warm back.
She hated this, ...not the leaning against Charlie this, that was actually quite plesant,... this show of weakness, she wasn't weak, she poked her head around the burley dragon tamer in time to see Ron, ho's eyes were wide and starring, being placed under a full bodybind, to calm down.
Once this was done, the rooms attention returned to her.
"You ok princess?" came the deep rumbly baritone of the concerned man infront of her (technically she was still clinging to him), quietly enough for only her to understand, the term of endearment made Hermione blush, he was always so different to what his looks suggested.
She remebered being scared stiff of him on their first meeting, six feet tall, dressed in leather trousers, covered in burns and tattoo's, but it took him all of twenty minutes to win her over, when she had mustered the courage to talk to him, that is.
She had been reading in the living room at the Burrow, and Charlie, noticing she was carrying a book on magical creatures, struck up a conversation with her about it.
She leared he was witty, intelligent and charming.
Sigh.
Hermione and Charlie had always gotten along well, ever since the world cup in her fourth year, when she had secretly harboured a crush on him, still did if she was being honest with herself.
Gazing up at him, she was touched by the worry evident in his sea foam eyes. His cloanses surprised her, he had wraped an arm around her waist, and pulled her into his side, instead of cowering into his back. He smiled down at her, taking away her power of speech.
Yet she couldn't help but fall into an easy comfort, that was just her and Charlie, she nodded mutely.
Remebering everyone else in the room snapped Hermione away from her fantasies.
"Bloody hell." She muttered under her breath, causing Charlie to laugh, she blushed, not meaning to be heard.
Looking up at him, she saw him grinning at her the same way he always did, happy and care free, she remeberd the countless times he had tried to get her to join them playing quidditch at the Burrow.
He had actually succeded once, to learn that she was in fact a fair flyer, she just didn't enjoy it. He had worn the exact same look on his face, it gave her hope that things may not be so drastic after all, but then she looked at the faces of the rest of the people in there room. Maybe not.
"Do I really look that different?" she asked, sounding nervous. She didn't feel any different, although perhaps her voice was slightly higher, and...was she taller?
Everyone stared, nobody seemed to know how to answer, in the end, it was Ginny who spoke up.
"Well, you still look like you mi, just more... veela?" she nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer she had given.
More veela? she thought, the hell is that supposed to mean?
Oh God. Please don't let me be blond, she prayed, I'll never hear the end of it.
"I swear to Merlin, if i'm blond..." She mumbled lowly, Charlie next to her snorted, pulling her tighter into his side as he threw his head back and laughed.
She elbowed him in the stomach, playfully glaring up at him, as the kitchen watched in confusion, none of them, -bar Lupin- having heared what she said thanks to his warewolf senses. Remus was chuckling to himself quietly, looking amusedly at Hermione.
"Laugh it up, Dragon boy." She grumbled good naturedly, surving only to increase his laughter.
"You look beautiful my dear, nothing to worry about at all, here." This was Mrs Weasley, who pulled out her wand, and conjured a full length mirror for her inspection.
Hermione stared. Eyes wide, screaming internally. She turned, still under Charlie's arm, to see herself clearly.
Ahhh. Fuck Fuck Fuck, she chanted internally.
More Veela.
The woman in the mirror was her, but not, Ginny was right, she looked like herself still, but more... veela, that seemed to be the only way to put it. It was like she had finished puberty, experienced an impressive growth spert and caved to one of Ginny's make overs, all in the space of five minutes. Her newly powerfull eyes catogarized the changes methodically.
Her hair, once chocolate brown had lost its untameable wild bushyness, and now fell in a cascade of lustrous, sleek shining ringlets down to her shoulder blades, it was longer, thick, and looked heavy. It had also gotten darker, from a milk chocolate, to dark, black tresses, glossy and indulgant.
Her face was still heart shaped and soft, but here eyes seemed to be bigger, more doe like, with extremely thick dark eye lashes. They had also changed colour, she did a double take.
The dark amber they had been was now a vibrant green, almost like Harry's, and even held some blue. Her cheek bones where high and prominent, and balanced perfectly with the button nose and cupids bow full ruby lips.
She could have been Harry's sister, she thought, with her inky black curls, and vibrant green eyes.
Her teeth where perfect. They hadn't been bad before, not since madam Pomfray had shrunk them in her fourth year, but know they where dazzling. Pearly white, and perfectly square, they were small, and fit her face perfectly. She ran her tounge over them experamentally and many men in the room shifted uncomfortably.
Her complextion had not changed drastically either, she was still pale, however, now her cream and roses skin was almost translucent in its perfection, giving way to a natural blush over her cheeks. Her skin also had the faintest sheen, lke she was constantly bathed in moonlight.
Looking further at herself In the mirror, she noticed larger scale changes to her form, she had grown a good few inches, perhaps she would finally reach charlie's shoulder? And filled out, her clothes where now ill fitting.
The denim shorts she wore, that had previously fallen to her knees, now barley touched mid thigh, and fit extreemly snuggly on her hips and bum, and her button up blouse no longer reached the waistband, showing a few inches of flat stomach.
Also, with the growth in her chest, the top three buttons had popped open, revealing her now ample cleavage, spilling out of her pinching bra, and the pendant her parents had given her, which seemed to be the most fascinating thing the males in the room had ever seen.
"I grew." she exclaimed without thinking.
"No kidding." she heared Sirius mutter, only to grunt as he was hit by Remus.
She glared at him, "Taller." She finished pointedly.
Hermione blushed in embarrassment, trying fruitlessly to cover herself. Pulling out her wand, she enlarged the shirt by several sizes, so that it covered her comfortably, but not before she had noticed the skin beneath.
She pulled up her magically enlarged shirt, affording the kitchen an unobstructed view of the horcrux scarring on her hip. It hadn't even faded, if anything it stood out more clearly against her moonlit skin tone.
Her slender fingers traced the burn scars along her hip, just as she had done in bed that morning, she bit her bottom lip, and her bow furrowed.
"Some of my scars have gone, but not all?" She asked Dumbledore, knowing that he would understand. All of the scars she had previously had on her body had gone, except for those made by the Horcrux exploding at the end of her last year. Even the marks left by Umbridges foul quill had vanished, yet she still had the slight scallding burn marks over the top of her right hip, they looked and felt the same as they aways had.
"Those created by natural means will have indeed vanished my dear." he said gravley, looking Hermione straight in the eye. She nodded, it was the dark magic that made these scars permenant, for they had broken through some of the protective spells to reach her real skin.
She shuddered, dredding to think what would have happened if the Horcrux blood had landed on one of the others, who had no magicall protection.
Shaking it off, she turned back to her reflection, noticing that people were eyeing her and the headmaster curiousy after their cryptic conversation.
Taking in her new height she noticed she was now a good few inches taller than Mrs Weasley, however she would still be dwarfed by her friends, she now at leased cleared five foot five, still shorter than Fleur though, and Ginny, she grumbled, but not by much. Tucked under his arm, Hermione now passed Charlie's shoulder, she grinned.
And she had been right, she did seem to be fitter, more athletic looking perhaps, with shapley long muscular legs, a flat, subtly musculed stomach and toned arms, she was still soft somehow, femanine, a gentle hourglass figure with impressive breasts that had grown at least three cup sizes. Really they would get in the way, she thought, and she'd have to buy new bras, and they where expensive.
Her waist was waspishly thin, and her hips flared subtly to accommodate her now sagnificantly rounded behind.
She noticed there was also a change in how she held herself, she now stood straighter, her long neck and narrow shoulders emphasizing a grace that was evident even when she didn't move. And when she did move, it was like watching flowing water, lythe and fluid. The hunting prowl of a jungle cat, she noticed the people around her become slightly mesmarised by the seductive sway of her hipps.
All in all, they were subtle changes, but the over all affect was dramatic, she thought the indavidual changes may be less noticable to someone with weaker eyesight, but doubted that the end product was any less staggaring. She was still belivably her, but was now stunningly attractive in a noticable way, instead of her previous subtle prettyness, she looked grown up, a woman, and she resigned herself to the fact tat she was probably going to get stared at from now on.
Hermione was speechless, everyone in the room seemed to be waiting for her reaction, not knowing what to say, she blurted out the first this that came to mind.
"Well shit." She blushed furiously, and clapped her hand over her mouth, turning apologetically to her teachers.
That broke the tension nicely, and everyone broke into laughter, except for Mrs Wesley who cajoled her about language, even professor Dumbledore was chuckling, and McGonagall was fighting the twitching at the corner of her lip.
Scanning the rooms amused faces, she noticed Moody was still scanning her from head to toe, with both magical and natural eye, and anger was starting to simmer in the pit of her stomach. She cought his gaze, leveling him with a cold stare, raising an eyebrow pointedly. He didn't react, mearly kept scanning her body, and she got the feling he wasn't going to stop.
Pulling out her wand, she wordlessly cast a shield of her own designe about her, something she had created during her fourth year, when tht magical eye had been at school. The shield was not visible to the others, it marly blocked her from the magical eye's view.
"What did you do?" Moody demanded, stepping forward and bringing silence to the room.
"I stoped you." Was Hermione's simple reply.
The room was watching in confusion, and Professor Mcgonagall spoke up.
"You'd do well to remeber this Alistor, you deserved it." The scottish woman was thin lipped, and a formidably stern expression on his face.
"That's extreemly powerful magic, girly." Moody growled, eyeing her suspiciously.
"I took steps, when there was a magical eye in school durnging my fourth year. I'm now very glad I did." Hermione replied shortly. Moody snorted, but Mcgonagall spoke again.
"A spell of your own creation?" She asked, soundeing impressed.
Hermione nodded and shrugged sheepishly. "I had to have learnet something from all that time in thelibrary." She said, and the room colectivley laughed.
The tension in the room now gone, everybody relaxed, the twins rushed towards Hermione yelling 'Mya' together, before crushing her between them in a hug, pulling her from Charlie and lifting her feet from the floor with their enthusiasm.
"Can't change what's on the inside it seems," started George.
"Fancy swearing in front of a teacher, the headmaster to boot, and you a prefect." Teased Fred.
"Don't worry Mya, to us you'll always be our Tiny-Mione." They finished together.
"Although, not so tiny any more." George said, earning a poke in the tummy from Hermione.
"Thanks guys", she rolled her eyes chuckling, hugging them both fiercly before pulling herself free from their embrace, and enveloping Ginny in a hug, grinning at the girl she'd come to love as a sister.
"Lookin good Mi." She smirked, wiggling her eyebrows tesingly, Hermione blushed.
"Hey, now that we are almost there same hight, we can finally share our clothes!?" she said excited, Hermione laughed glad that she was being accepted so easily.
She turned to Charlie, "Looks like all the short jokes will have to stop now!" She said cheekily, contorting her face in mock sadness.
Charlie went to stand in front of her, pointedly making a show of looking down, forcing her to take a step back, and lean back in order to gaze up at him.
"Nahh. You're still tiny Mione." He said, patting the top of her head and making the others chuckle. He lifted her bodily from the floor for good measure, swinging her in a circle, watching as she laughed like a loon.
"Very well then everybody, if that's all, we'll leave you good people to settle in, and see you again in a few days time to finalise any information." and with that Dumbledore was gone with a swish If his cloak.
She looked at the Weasley family, all smiling at her, and remebered the first time she had properly met them all, at the world cup.
"Bill, what warming wards did you say again?" Percy weasley called to his eldest brother. Percy and Hermione had an unspoken agreement to leave eachother alone. Despite the fact that many saw them as alike, and therefor thought that they should get along, they detested eachother.
'It's which warming wards' she thought grouchily to herself, honestly, how did this boy manage to get a job at the ministry? And he had been Head Boy?
"Here." Hermione said shyly, drawing the runes into the ground outside the tent. Being runes they didn't require any actual magic, and so she could do them outside of school without getting in trouble. Not that the ministry would notice if she did do magic at the moment, she thought wryly, taking in the chaos of the world cup around her.
"Now Hermione," Percy began pomposly, with a condesending air that made her eye twitch, "I'm sure you mean well, but..." He was cut of by the deep voice of Bill.
She had only known the eldest Weasley boy a few days, and already saw him as an older brother figure. They had bonded over a love of anchiet runes, which turned out to be their favourite subject, and her thirst for knowledge intrigued him.
"Perce, don't be a prat, you know full well Mione is better at runes than you are." He interjected, making Hermione blush and shuffle awkwardly, lloking at her feet. Percy just huffed, and stalked off muttering something about 'Mr Crouch'.
Bill grinned down at Hermione, who pulled a face at him, "We barley manage without killing eachother as it is, why...?" She whined loudly, making the curse breaker laugh boysterously and ruffle her hair.
"Like you could ever hurt anyone." Came a rich, baritone voice from behind her. Turning she saw Ginny and Charlie had arrived, Charlie had been the speaker, and Ginny was laughing at him.
"What?" Bill and Charlie looked at a giggling Ginny.
"Looks can be deceptive." Ginny mumbled between laughter, "Hermione is known as the brightest witch of her age for a reason you know."
The two boys turned to the tiny witch, incredulous looks on their faces, "What are you, 13?" Bill asked, dissbelief clear in his voice.
Hermione smirked wickedly, "15 actually, time turner, last year." She said, watching with great enjoyment as the boy's mouths dropped open, Ginny was giggling again.
"Shoudn't we be going to the match?" she asked innocently. The boys were not detered, simply walking one on either side of her through the tent flap and towards the stadium.
"Go on then. Amaze us brightest witch of your age." Charlie dared her, a slight smirk on his face, and something she didn't recognise in his eyes.
Hermione rolled her eyes, shrugging.
"Mountain troll, first year. Basalisk second year. Dumbledore's obstacles to fight quirrel and Voldemort for the philosipher's stone. Brewed pollyjuice potion illegally in an abandoned bathroom when she was twelve, after nicking the ingredients she needed from Snaper's private stores..." Came a voice from behind them.
"Been keeping score have you Harry?" Hermione asked dryly, looking over her shoulder at the smirking, dark haired, bespectecalled boy.
"Yep." Was his short reply, he grinned impishly at his best freind. Ron next to him was laughing silently, shaking his head. Bill and Charlie were speechless, staring at the little witch between them, lost for words.
Hermione had been worried that the weasley boys would shun her, think her a freak, now that they knew all about her, a bossy know it all. But they hadn't, on the contrary, they seemed impressed, proud even. They continued to treat her with the same knidness they always had, like she belonged, a feeling she didn't often get to experience.
The match between Ireland and Bulgaria was one of the most exciting things Hermione had ever seen. She along with the Weasleys and Harry had seats in the top box, and so not only got a great view, but also shook hands with some of the winning team.
She jumped and screamed herself horse. She had also gone deaf in one ear from all of Ginny's screaming from the row behind her, she had no idea how Bill and Charlie had coped sitting on her either side.
Hermione was stood between Harry and Fred as the bulgarian's came to collect their trophy. They all shook hands with the bulgarian minister first, and then with Fudge, before moving throughout the box, congratulating eachother and shaking hands with spectators here and there.
George was still danceing like a maniac on Fred's other side, doing something that looked like a cross between a jig and the tango. One particulaly exuberant move sent fred flying backwards, knocking into Hermione in the process.
She staggared, and readied herself for impact with the floor, when she felt hands on her waist, catching her. Looking up greatfully, she met the midnight black eyes of none other than Viktor Krum.
"Thank you." she smiled up at him politley. He looked at her, silent, before smiling gently.
"You must be more carefull, milla moya." He rumbled in a deep baritone, his rich accent flowing over her senses, making her grin.
His hands slid slowly along her waist as he released her, and stepped back, bowing gallantly to her, pressing his lips to the back of her hand but never losing eye contact with her, before going back to his team mates.
She turned back to her friends, all of whom were gaping at her, Ginny with a smug smile. "He seemed nice." She said innocently, watching with amusement as Ron mouthed desparatley, but no noise came out.
"What's the matter, Ron?" Hermione teased.
"Kru...m...kr...um...um...Krum, That was krum." he finally managed to choke out.
"Yes." Hermione nodded, looking off in the direction the international star had walked. Ron just gaped.
"Good talk Ron." Hermione muttered dryly as she turned to the others.
Ginny was giggling quietly, "Looks like he can catch more than a snitch." She teased Hermione, who just rolled her eyes.
"Well i'm bigger and slower than a snitch, so it should be easier." she quipped back, making Bill and Charlie laugh, both still looking slightly star struck.
The conversation seemed to start up again after that, although everyone noticed the Bulgarian national seeker stealing glances at the young woman who had fallen into his arms, a burning curiosity in his black eyes.
Everyone that is, except for Hermione, who hadn't looked back at him since he'd walked away, engrossed in conversation with her friends.
Later, back at the tent, they were all sitting in a circle arguing good naturedly over the match. Ginny kept teasing Hermione about Krum. But Hermione didn't seem to belive her, even when the other's told her that the international seeker had been staring at her for quite some time, Hermione just laughed as if they were joking.
They stayed up into the early hours of the morning, by which point Ginny was falling asleep on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione didn't mind, but the extra weight was slowly but suley making her slide bakwards, and she would be lying on the floor if she wasn't careful.
It was then that Mr Weasley declaired it bed time, much to everyone's dissapointment. Hermione tried to gently shake Ginny awake, but the young girl stubbornly refused to move, only suggling further onto Hermione, hugging her like a rag doll.
She looked around for help. Harry and Ron had already gone to bed it seemed, and she would rather stay on the floor all night than ask Percy.
"Bill?" Hermione whisper-called him. He looked around, and chuckled when he spotted her predicament, stuck under his little sister.
"Need some help there?" He asked, bending to scoop his baby sister into his arms, and carry her to bed.
"Thanks Bill." She smiled. "Goodnight." she said to the tent at large, she heared it called back to her from various hamocks and bunk beds. She retreated next door to the slightly smaller tent, which was the better one in her opinion, for it didn't smell like cats.
She arrived in time to see Bill and Charlie kiss their baby sister goodnight, tucking the blankets around her more snuggly, she smiled fondly, and made teasing 'awwwwwwww' noises at the two men, who blushed scarlet.
"Goodnight guys." she whispered so as not to wake Ginny.
"Night." they replied, taking her by surprise and kissing her head as they passed. She lay awake after that, pondering, eventually she fell asleep, dreaming about her new acceptance to the magical family.
She had slept well until the death eaters interrupted her, some people are just so rude.
She was pulled back to the presant by a hand on her shoulder, Ginny was giving her a questioning look, probably wondering where her mind had gone. Hermione merely smiled reassuringly, and threw herself into the conversation.
Some hours later found Hermione alone in the darkening library of Grimauld place, furiously swiping tears from her cheeks.
It was all a lot to deal with, and she needed a moment to catch her barings, to become acusstomed to her new self.
She dreaded the reaction she was going to get at school, from the likes of Malfoy and Parkinson was bad enough, but she was also worried about her dorm mates reactions. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil weren't known for their tact. At least she would have Harry, Ron and Ginny with her for back up if she needed it.
Her revalry was interupted by a familiar warm hand on her shoulder. Looking back, she saw charlie standing there, understanding in his eyes.
"Rough day?" he said. Hermione nodded, chuckling weakly.
"You could say that." she replied dryly.
Smiling, Charlie just pulled her into a hug, she went readily, needing comfort, and wanting his in particular. He had the unique ability to make her feel better, not matter the problem.
She nuzzled her face into his neck, breathing deeply, her hands fisting in the back of his shirt once again. His hands spanned her tiny waist as he pulled her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head.
She remebered the first time he had comforted her this way. It had been during the tri wizard tournament, while he was at Hogwarts for the first task. Hermione had been strong for Harry ever since his name had come out of the Goblet, and Ron was being a prat, so she hadn't been able to talk to him. She hadn't yet gotten close with the twins, that happened in her fifth year, so when she saw Charlie that night, she broke.
And he had completley understood, holding her, letting her cry into his shirt.
Hermione had just left her last class of the day, A History of Magic, and was heading to dinner. Her heavy book bag slung over her diminished frame was hindering her abuility to walk in a straight line, and so she vanished it back to her room, using ha tired flick of her wand, with a skaky hand.
It was only a few days until the first task of the triwizard tournament, and even though she had imparted Ron's message for Harry to visist Hagrid that night, she was still sick to her stomach with nerves, electing to skip food again as she cought sight of the great hall.
She decided to go for a walk, perhaps visit Hagrid herslef, whom she could always talk to when things were difficult. She secretly wished that Ron would get over his petty jelousy, so Harry could have some more support, and she herself wouldn't have to worry alone.
She wondered around the lake for hours, only getting up to walk elswhere when Viktor Krum decided to go for a late night swim, accompanied by his usual fan club.
Krum seemed to be everywhere, Hermione thought, in the library when she was working, in the grounds when she went for a walk, now the lake? He hadn't spoken to her, or given any indication that he remeberd that they had met before, but he did stare at her quite a bit, which was starting to get creepy.
It was getting dark as she pulled herself up from the fallen branch where she had been perched for the last hour or so. She was getting cold, and the lack of a propper meal in the last few weeks hadn't helped things either, she staggered slightly as she fought to regain her equalibrium. She really needed to start eating properly again, but knew that she wouldn't until the stress of the first task had passed.
As she walked along the tree line of the forest, she took herself in. She had lost weight, and it was noticable. With her already small stature, she now looked ill, her roabs hung loosley off her figure unflatteringly, she seemed to be lost in them. She avoided looking at herself when changing, painfully aware that her ribbs were now visible.
There were also dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, bruises on her palms, from where her nails had bitten into them, whilst she clenched her fists anxiously, and even her hair seemed to have less life than usual, although she wasn't sure if that was nessecarily a bad thing.
She had been half way across the forrest, making slow progression when she froze, whipping out her wand and turning towards the tree line. She had heared something move, something big. She squinted her eyes, but could see nothing in the near darkness, and didn't want to light her wand for fear of attracting whatever was hiding.
When the large figure moved towards her, she thought she might faint, but she relaxed considerably when she saw a flaming mop or red hair. As Charlie Weasley became visible Hermione felt several emotions at once, relief, curiosity, worry and terror. Why was there a dragon tamor in the castle grounds only days before the first task?
She started to shake, stowing her wand in her pocket took two tries her fingers were trembling so badly.
"Hermione?" Charlie asked in a gentle voice. He had come to stand in front of her, and she was struck again by just how tall he was, she swayed dangeously as she leaned back, looking up at him.
"Hello Charlie." Hermione greeted tiredly, "So dragons, then?" She asked, her expression a mixture between horror and resignation.
He nodded sadly. He was more than a little concerned seeing the mess this young witch had become, she was a far cry from the spitfire he had met during the world cup. He observed her silently, taking in her hollow cheeks and sunken eyes...how had nobody in the school done anything to help her yet? It ws obvious to Charlie that she was suffering.
It was then that the tears started, her skellital shoulders shook with silent sobbs and she turned her back on the forrest, and Charlie, hiding her face. Charlie tentativley lay a hand on her shoulder, cringing when he felt how brittle it was, how breakable she had become, he was very gentle whilst turning her to face him.
"Oh Mya." he said sadly.
He moved them both to some rocks inside the tree line, pulling her to sit in his lap, and stroaking her hair soothingly until she calmed down. His brow creased in concern as he lifted her, she weighed almost nothing, and he could easily feel her ribbs through her cloak.
She was incapable of speech for a long time, she mealry clung to the Weasley she probably new the least, and cried heart brokenly into his chest.
"I take it Ron is still being an idiot, and you've been dealing with this alone?" Charlie rumbled quietly, his head bent, looking down at her with concern in his eyes. She nodded, the tears having run their course. Using her sleeve she whiped her face dry, but made no move to get up from Charlie's lap.
He kept gently stroaking her hair, as her head lay against his shoulder, his other hand was resting on her back.
"You should have seen him Charlie," She whispered brokenly, "When they pulled his name from the goblet, he was so fightened. He didn't ask for this, he doesn't want it...God, I can't sleep Charlie, he's gonna get himself killed!"She sounded faintly hystericall.
"The way he looked at me. He was that little boy again, the same scared litle boy I met on the train our first year. I promissed then I would do all I could to keep that look from his eyes, that terrible, heart breaking fear, and now..." She trailed off before she started crying gain.
They sat in silence again for a while, Charlie was trying to absorbe the magnitude of the task Herione had been grappling with. She hadn't picked an easy boy to protet this way. He watched her nervously for a moment, before he shyly asked, "When was the last time you ate properly Mya? There's nothing of you." He shifted her in his lap to prove his point.
She couldn't even blush from pleasure at the nickname, or embarrasment from the situation, she just shrugged sheepishly. "Food and I aren't exactly friends at the moment..." Hermione muttered darkly, refusing to meet his gaze.
"Hopefully it should get better after the first task, but..." Dragons, she thought again, how the hell was she going to get Harry through this unscathed.
"Mya, there are dozens of us here to step in if something goes wrong, not to mention all the teachers, and Dumbledore. Harry will be fine, I promise." He murmered into her hair, rubbing her back gently, and making her shiver.
"Promise me that you'll eat properly from now on." Charlie asked, tilting her back to look at her face, she sighed.
"I'll try, but if it's anything like last time it will just make me sick." She said, before shaking herself, she sounded like a pittyfull Pearl, Harry was the one in danger, not her. She mentally slapped herslef.
"So,... How are you Charlie?" Hermione asked dryly. Charlie threw his head back and laughed, secretly releaved that the old Mya was back.
"Oh you know, tri wizard tournament, getting cried on by pretty witches, the same as ever really." He said nonchalontly, making Hermione chuckle to herself, and marvle at how easy it was to be with Charlie Weasley, the young dragon tamer she barley knew, had comforted her more in one night, than her friends hd succeded in weeks.
They talked for a while, Hermione still in his lap, which he didn't seem to mind, and she made no move to rectify, she just snuggled further into his warm spoke of the strangest things, things that seemed so inconequensial, but fascinating when they spoke of them to eachother.
He had held her for hours that night, it had been well after curfue when she had returned to her dorm.
Since that night, they had become confidents for eachother, they wrote to one another, sharing their problems, if they's had a bad day, or a good day, or just wanted someone to talk too. She was glad for their relationship, as was he.
During the remainder of her fourth year, her letters to Charlie had been invaluable. Not only with the tournament, but also with that terrible skeeter cow. It had been Charlie that had given her the patiants to not kill every slytherin in the school for quoting that blasted article at her.
She was just coming from transfiguration, her finall lesson of the morning, she had lunch to endure with a large helping of whisperes and pointed stares, and then doublepotions with the slytherin, what joy is mine, she thought glumly.
It had been two days since the hate mail incident, something that she had shared only reluctantly with Charlie, his reply arrived that morning however, and she hadn't yet had the chance to read it.
She tried her best to ignore the snide comments that followed her through the corridors into the great hall, sitting inbetween Harry and Nevlle, with Ron opposite her. If anything good came of Harry battling a dragon, it was his renued friendship with Ron.
Pulling out her letter from her robe pocket, she smiled privatley at Charlie's handwriting, she fought a blush at her idiocy, opening the parchment and reading;
Dear Mya,
Blimey Bookworm, there's never a dull moment with you, is there?
But jokes aside, I'm glad you're not hurt, and that the staff have finally noticed the effect all this has been having on you!
I hope things are better now than when I last saw you, and that my idiot little brother has finally come to his sences. You had also better be sleeping and eating again, other wise I'll be coming to visit just to feed you properly. And don't think I won't, I was raised by Molly Weasley after all.
(This had made Hermione giggle, and had earned her funny looks from the boys she sat next to.)
Speaking of mum, just a heads up that she does actually read witch weekly, she says for the recipes, but i'm not sure. So maby it would be wise to have Harry or Ginny write to her, and straighten everyting out, other wise she might be a little...um...chilly the next time you see her.
Anyway, things are all good on my end, that Hebradean Black I was teling you about finally had her egg, it's due to hatch any day now. You haven't lived untill you've seen twelve burley dragon tamers argue over what they're going to name the baby when it arrives. My vote was Matilda for a girl, and Apollo for a boy, in case you were wondering. (more Giggles.)
I was thinking of getting a new tattoo, to comemorate the first hatchling under my care. I'll keep you posted, and send pictures...of the dragon...not the tattoo...Never mind.
Write again soon, and keep safe,
Charlie.
Hermione had spent the rest of the day in a happy fog, completley oblivious to the stares and gossipers. Double potions had even gone without a hitch, even with Snape's dramatic reading from Reeta's article.
That had seemed to be more aimed at Harry than herself however, Snape had pretty much left Hermione alone since the 'i don't see any diffrence' incident, which had reulted in Hermione getting her teeth shrunk, she liked to think he felt bad for making her cry.
She slept for weeks with Charlie's letter under her pillow, adding more to the quickly growing bundle as they came.
Also during her fifth year, Charlie had been a great help with her founding the DA, suggesting numerous topics they could cover. It had also been him who suggested the murtlap essance to heal Umbridge's blood quill scarring.
Hermione had been in detention every night for almost three weeks, for speaking out against the Slinkhard book in a DADA lesson. She was now using a glamour charm to cover the words, 'I must obey the rules' scarred into her left hand. They were deep, and probably permenant.
She was hiding them so that Harry and Ron didn't find out, for they would have gotten themselves into even more trouble by shouting at Umbridge if the knew.
It was painful, but she had been coping with it, untill the forth consecutive week of her detention. Her hands was now raw, the skin reduced to bloody ribbons, she needed to have her hands permenantly bandaged, and even then it still bled. In a last ditch attempt before conceeding defeat and going to the school nurse, Hermione had written a desparate latter to Charlie, begging for any suggestions he might have.
His reply had come with the morning post the next day, he had been livid. After three long paragraphs on miss treating students, he finally suggested the murtlap essance, which was what he used on dragon scratches. He had even included a vial for her, with instrucions for it's use.
She had gone straight back to her dorm, and applied it, sighing in relief, as for the first time in weeks, the pain in her hand was numb. She had sent Charlie a two page letter in reply, thanking him profusley and all but confessing her undying love in gratitude, something he had found quite amusing.
The familiar feeling of Charlie was a comfort, she liked that she still felt tiny in his huggs, that he could still hold her safely in his musculed arms effortlessly.
They stood there in silence for ages, content in eachothers company. And when Hermione left the library some time later, she felt better.
That night dinner was an exceptionally crowded affair, Hermione spent her time learning what had been happening since she had last seen them, the answer, not much.
Planning Bill and Fleur's wedding, collecting information on supposed death eaters were abouts and recruiting summed up the last few weeks.
She sat with her leggs crossed beneath her at the old wooden table, next to Fleur who helped her enormously with the whole Veela developement. Suggsting diffrent foods that would be bennaficial now, and certain herbs or scents she should avoid in soaps or skin creams. In turn, Hermione helped Fleur settle in, she was struggling to fit in with the Weasleys, but with Hermione there to bridge the gap between the two parties, things seemed marginally less strained.
The ones not yet inducted into the order had, once again, been bared from any information pertaining to the war, however, now that hermione was legally of age, she was eligible to join, and was doing so, much to the chagrin of mrs wealey, and the jelousy of Ron, Ginny, and no doubt also Harry when he finally arrived.
During dinner Ron kept to himself, ignoring Hermione's attempts to talk to him, In the end she sighed, leaving him be, and turning to talk to Charlie, who was home for the rest of the summer.
"Needed a break from constantly being nibbled by giant lizards?" She asked cheekily, but it was all in good fun, it was something she and Charlie had bonded over, their love of magical creatures.
"I miss my dragons," he said, "But it's worth it, and the'll always still be there." He said, grinning down at Hermione.
After dinner found everyone crammed into the front, and only clean, parlour of number twelve Grimauld place, it being one of the more habitable rooms in the house still didn't mean it was plesant, but it was better than others.
Ron hadn't re-appeared after dinner, chosing instead it seemed to stay in solitry confinement, in the room he would share with Harry when he arrived.
Fred and George had also decided to retire early, or so they had told Mrs Weasley. However, Hermione's new sensative hearing, and she guessed most probably also Remus' warewolf senses, could hear occasional crashes and bangs from their room. Hermione cought Lupin's eye after one alamingly loud bang followed by a yelp, he raised an eyebrow questioningly at her, she just shrugged, they new what they were doing, she hoped so anyway.
They stayed up late, swapping storys and enjoying each others company. Hermione, Fleur and Ginny where curled on the floor by the fire, talking about Ginny's latest escapades with one Dean Thomas, and then chatting with Ginny's two oldest brothers, along with the two reaming marauders. Fleur had taken it upon herself to iniciate sisterly bonding with Ginny, and hermione by extention, and so all three girls now sported newly painted toe nails, cliche perhaps, but it seemed to have thawed the ice slightly.
Bill and Charlie where entertaining the girls with tales of their careers, both of which where exciting, facinating and dangerous. Whilst Sirius and Lupin regaled them with the adventures of their miss spent youths, Hermione wasn't sure whether she should laugh, or disapprove, she settled on laughing though, after all, Remus had been a prefect too.
After a particularly rude story from Sirius, that had Bill fighting to cover his younger sisters ears, and Hermione's face burning as she and Fleur laughed raucously into their hands, all girls where fighting off yawns, and failing. Mrs Wesley who seemed to have a radar for these things declared it to be time for bed. After bidding everyone Goodinght, they trudged up to the second floor landing, to the room they (Hermione and Ginny) shared.
Charlie was climbing the stairs to the room he was sharing with his older brother, trying desparatley to keep his eyes from Hermione's retreating form before him. He felt lecharous, thinking about his young bookworm this way. But as he raised his head, his eye cought on the gentle curve of her hipps, and her long shapley leggs, leading all the way up to her perfect...
He mentally slapped himself. She was barley seventeen for crying out loud, he was nearly twenty four. Despite the fact that she no longer looked her age, or felt her age, he mused. His mind wandering back to the feel of her body pressed against his when he hugged her.
How her soft curves molded themselves to his form, and how perfectly she had fit into his arms. He watched almost sadly as the young woman ahead of him conversed with his sister. Completley unaware of her enraptured audience, for that's what he was. He couldn't physically bring himself to look away from her.
He couldn't have feelings for Mya, could he? He'd always known she was brilliant, kind and funny, and unlike his idiotic younger brother, also noticed that she had been beautiful, even before the change, she had the prettiest little scrunch on her nose when she concentrated, and her smile was beautiful, now heartbreakingly so.
But the age diffrence, Seven years? So what if she was of age, barley, she was only a child, he felt like a dirty old man. She didn't act like a child. She didn't look like a child either, a traterous voice pointed out, thinking of her when they had met, comparing it to the woman she had become. A gorgous woman, he thought guiltily. And you do flirt with her every chance you get, pointed out the same snide voice. He didn't, did he?
As he reched the first floor landing, he felt a pang of regret, watching the two girls continue to the next floor, as he trudged into his room, pulling his shirt over his head as he went. He got ready for bed in a daze, his mind elswhere, in a bedroom the next floor up if he was being honest.
He came back from the bathroom to find Bill sitting on his bed, removing his tattered old wand holster. Charlie flopped face first onto is bed, and groaned into his pillow. He could hear Bill chuckling from across the room.
"You're being too hard on yourself." He said, not looking up.
Charlie truned his head towards his brother, "What do you mean?" He asked nervously. God, he wasn't that obvious was he?
"C'mon Char, I know you've liked her for ages, even if you never admitted it, you've been writing to eachother every other week for nealry two years, for crying out loud, and you haven't taken your eyes off her all night. She's not a kid anymore, so stop beating youself up about it." Bill said, taking in the pathetic view of his younger brother, hiding his face beneath his pillow once more.
"But the age gap, I feel like a dirty old man, and she's just so...innocent." He mumbled pathetically.
"Christ Char, you're twenty four. It's only seven years, one more than me and Fleur." Bill pointed out exsaspartedly, getting up from his bed to change his clothes.
"And as for the 'innocent' thing...I think Mione's a bit like a baby dragon, packs an unexpected punch." Bill said, feeling more than a little proud of his annalogy.
Charlie paused, he had truley never thought of it in those terms. It was after all only one year more than Bill and Fleur, and they were fine, heck, they were engaged. A slow smile started to spread his face, making Bill smirk in amusement.
Just then their conversation was interupted by screaming from the floor above. Charlie's blood ran cold, pausing for a split second to look at the ceeling, where his sister and his Mya had screamed. Bill had a similar reaction, staying frozen for a second before springing into action. Both men grabbed their wands, and sprinted towards the girls.