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CHAPTER 7.
After the initial drama of Hermione's arrival at Grimauld place, things seemed to calm down considerably, for which she was endlessly thankful. She worked on her summer homework with Ginny, cleaned the house with the others, and spent many hours talking with Charlie, about anything and everything.
On a sunny Thursday afternoon, she along with Ginny, could be found in the back garden to Grimauld place, wearing her new, black tracksuit bottoms and sports bra, being tought some more self defence by Sirius, (she was doing it for her own piece of mind, more then out of actual need) something that everyone had agreed was a good idea.
It turned out that Hermione had a natural aptitude for fighting hand to hand, her grace and balance aiding her greatly in evading attackers. Her veela side had enhanced her strength, she wasn't as strong as Sirius, but she could hold her own.
She was surprisingly also wickedly fast, out running both Ginny and Sirius (although only in human form) easily. She had always been naturally flexable, contorting herself into possisions that had made Ginny gape at her.
Upon descovering this, she had started to show Ginny some of her yoga posissions, hoping they would help her to move more fluidly, it was one of the funniest things she had ever seen, Ginny trying to balance on one leg. After this, their training had become a spectator sport.
Her fighting prowess was also aided by the fact that she was in Sirius' words, "Unexpectedly Strong for a little thing!" She used her small stature to her advantage, she would be grossly underestamated in a fight.
She was now quite the force to be reckoned with, Sirius was very proud.
During this session she had finally bested Sirius in an attack from behind, something that did wonders to settle her nerves, and little for Sirius' ego, he would be teased mercilessly by the guys for weeks about getting beaten by a girl. None of them seemed willing to take his place though.
Hermione thought back fondly to the few lessons her cousin had given her.
"Come on Minny." The older boy teased her, as a fourteen year old Hermione evaded his neat, well timed punches.
"I'm not going to hit you James, I just want to be able to look after myself." Hermione panted, sweat dripping down her tiny frame as she bobbed and weaved under James' expert hands.
James was her favourite older cousin. He was a little rough around the edges, and had a panchent for trouble, but beneath everything, the tough exterior, was a heart of solid twenty two carrat gold.
He cared deeply for his little cousin, having always treated her as more of a little sister,loving and fiercly protective.
"Ok, that should be enough for today. You know you really are rather good at this, killer right hook!" James smiled down at his litle cousin fondly, rubbing exsaduratedly at his jaw, making her laugh. He had been surprised by just how fierce a fighter his Minny was. Not only was she surprisingly strong and fast, but she had a bit of a temper on her too.
He chuckled to himself, he didn't know if he pittied or admired, the poor sod who fell for her.
"I don't get it Mi," Ginny complained as they joined everyone for lunch in the kitchen, from a particularly vigorous training session in the garden.
"I mean, no offence or anything, but you always had the balance of a hippo on stilts, what happened?" She questioned incredulously.
But Hermione was to busy, having burst into laughter at that mental image to answer her, her laughter like wind chimes floating through the air, it was only when she realised the kitchen had gone deathly silent, that she sobered, and looked around in confusion.
Every eye, was on her. Now what? she thought grumpily.
Blushing, Hermione realised that she was sill in her work out clothes the left little to the imagination, but that didn't seem to be all this time. She shot the group before her a questioning look.
"Laugh..", George managed to choke out, looking as if someone had punched him in the stomach, it was all the others could do to nod in agreement.
"Oh." was all she could think to say, starting to get uncomfortable under the heated gaze of so many.
"Eet ez a veela thing." Fleur explained kindly, "Our laugh, eet draws people een, like our looks do, eet iz...'captivante'... capvating."
"Ahh." Understanding dawned on her, but it was still uncomfortable.
"Um, we should go change Gin." she said, hoping that leaving the room would allow its occupants to regain their faculties. Ginny nodded, and they where half way across the kitchen, when Ron once again caved to his idiocy.
Lunging for her once more, this time though, there was nowhere for Hermione to move to, and so Ron came crashing into her, their combined wieghts sending her flying back into the pointed corner of the kitchen table.
Winded, she sank to her knees, trying to regain her breath and wincing as she moved, she thought she might have cracked a rib or two, judging by the burning pain in her side with each rise and fall of her lungs. Great, she thought bitterly, more bruising, just what she needed.
Whilst Hermione was on the floor the other occupants of the kitchen had sprung into action. "For goodness sake Ron." Ginny cried, as she and Fleur kneeled next to a gasping Hermione.
Bill had once again grabbed his brother, who was fighting with such vehemence to reach the part veela that he simply stunned him, then enlisted fred and george's help to talk some sense into him, something they looked entirely to pleased to be doing. Molly and Arthur followed them out, looking grim.
"Why didn't you stop him Mi? You could have taken him easily." Ginny demanded.
"The angle he was coming, I would have hurt him, and there wasn't enough room for me to deflect him without hitting someone else." She explained breathlessly.
"So instead of hurting Ron, you let him hurt you?" Ginny asked increadulously. Hermione noded sheepishly, and Ginny grumbled, annoyed.
Charlie once again found himself in front of Hermione gently helping her to her feet.
Once she was standing he moved her around, to see the large purple bruise already blossoming in the smooth skin of her back, he fought anger at the stupidity of his little brother.
"Next time, stop him, don't let him hurt you, regardless of his injuries." Charlie instructed. Hermione just nodded again, her head bowed, eyes on the floor.
Sighing he gently reached forward to check her ribs, slowly running his hand along the curve of her side, painfully aware of what he was doing, who he was touching, he fought to keep from caressing her again. Hermione was having similar issues, with the large, warm calloused hands gently stroking her back and sides, she found it hard to concentrate, her mind fantasizing wildly. But the spell was quickly broken when she hissed in pain, and Charlie brushed along the three ribs, which where indeed, he announced, Broken.
Hermione sighed, and she'd been worried that things would become difficult, she thought sarcasticaly.
"I can fix them for you Princess, but it will hurt more than your wrist, and the bruises are going to be more of a bother because of where they are, and how big." Hermione nodded, straightening her back, and bracing for the coming pain.
It was awful, as soon as Charlie had said the incantation, white hot pokers where jabbed into her side, flames licking along each one of her ribs. The pain was so great it shocked her, tears stinging her eyes, staggering before her knees gave out. Charlie caught her before she could hit the ground, and lifted her to sit on his lap in the nearest chair, holding her still.
"Im sorry princess." He mumbled into her raven hair, and she cried out in pain, closing her hands in a vice like grip around Charlie's arm, her fingernails probably leaving marks though he never complained, holding it as if it where a life line.
What was it with this kitchen and her broken bones? she thought vaguley.
She was starting to feel light headed, and dizzy from the pain, when, just as with her wrist, the pain suddenly stopped. Hermione sagged in relief, collapsing sideways into Charlie's muscled chest letting him support her weight, she probably couldn't herself at the moment anyway.
She was rewarded by a manly scent that only served to make her even more light headed. When the sensation of pins and needles had subsided also, Hermione looked around, becoming aware of her surroundings once more.
From her perch on Charlie's lap, she saw looks of mingled anger, pity and horror on her friends faces. As she moved to get up, Charlie kept an arm around her waist untill she was sure she could support herself.
"Thanks Char." She whispered quietly, the most noise she was able to make at the moment. Her mind was starting to go fuzzy, and somewhere in the recesses of her mind she was aware that she was going to pass out.
"C'mon princess," he said, helping her to walk, "Lets get you to bed, you should probably sleep that off for a while, and try not to make the bruising any worse." He said gently, and he and Ginny, followed by a sobmre Mrs Weasley processed to the girls bedroom.
She absentmindedly noted that Charlie smelled like pine, something outdoorsy and fresh, she inhaled deeply. The last thing she remembered after her head hit the pillow, was Charlie's hand, softly smoothing her hair from her face, then she succumbed to blackness.