AN: This will be a long note but there is some important stuff I need to say to all my readers so please bear with me and read this for the info inside the note. First, I need to thank a few readers who paid me such a high compliment that I almost cried! To: CrazyAvidReader, Kermit304, Kayjordan, Divess, and Wicca_gurl417. That you left the reviews you did on Princess's story she stole meant a lot to me; thanks for all the tracking, reviewing, and reporting that you did because it hurt me when I saw what you alerted me too. For everyone else, my first story; which come on, is special to me as it was my first one was stolen. Everything was copied right down to my author notes and these readers recognized the story and it meant so much that you all remembered the story enough to notice it was stolen. Then they helped me find and contact all the other author's this girl stole stories from and sent abuse reports to have her shut down. She is now gone and the credit for my story is again mine alone and I thank each of you for your loyalty.
Secondly, I want to answer the question most of you would have sent at the end of this chapter ahead of time; no this isn't the last chapter and there is still quite a bit of story to go! I won't say more because I don't want to give it away; but rest assured that this story isn't over yet!
Now thank you all for sitting through this atrociously long note that I felt compelled to write and remember that J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and his world not me, or Fred wouldn't be dead! Also, Stephanie Meyers owns the Twilight Universe or Bella would have ended up with Jacob! Just saying! Clumsy!
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The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when the Cullen's and the rest of the pack began to gather at Sam and Emily's house. Hermione had a small punch bowl that she had poured the lucky potion into so she could hand out enough luck to hopefully protect everyone from Percy.
She still wished she could talk Emily into staying home and out of potential danger if only for the baby's sake, but she got no support in this and Emily was going.
She was setting out shot glasses when two extra warm arms wrapped tightly around her from behind and Jake whispered in her ear making her shiver in the best way.
"Good Morning quo pat." He nuzzled into her neck enjoying her scent which was a combination of Jasmine, Vanilla, and that special spice that was uniquely Hermione.
"Good morning." She greeted him. She set down what she was doing and turned into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck leaning into his warm embrace.
"How are you doing with all this?" He asked her.
"I wish Em would stay here and I wish also that others weren't being endangered because of me; but I'm ready to face him." She answered honestly.
Before Jake could reassure her Bella walked up to Hermione and tried to comfort her. "Hermione I know you don't know me very well yet; but I completely sympathize with how you're feeling. Before I was turned it seemed that I was constantly endangering those I loved and I remember well how that feels. But we protect our own here and as soon as Jake imprinted on you, you became one of our own. Your family to me automatically because your family to him. We aren't in any danger and this will all be over very soon. Hang in there."
"Thanks Bella, that means a lot to me." Hermione said. "Maybe when this is all over we can go do something together and get to know each other. We could have a shopping day!"
Another tinkle bell-like voice suddenly jumped into the conversation. "Did I hear something about shopping?" Alice Cullen said excitedly making Bella laugh.
"You said the magic word Hermione, now Alice will love you forever!" Bella teased.
"Hush Bells! Hermione I will personally show you all the best places to shop in this neck of the woods." Alice offered enthusiastically.
That was all the time they had for conversation just now because Sam and Jake stood and cleared their throats to get the attention of the gathered group. Instructions were given and posts were handed out and then one by one each person came forward and took a shot glass from Hermione with their potion for the day. Then they each headed out to man their stations.
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Time was doing that odd thing that it does to someone; Hermione was dreading the confrontation in a way so of course time flew. If she wanted it really badly of course time would drag.
"Em, please I am begging you to let us do this without you. Think of the baby!" Hermione gave it one last shot as they walked out of the back door and began the hike to the falls with Draco and Harry each holding onto one of them.
"Hermione, you are wasting your breath. If there were any chance of the baby being hurt I wouldn't be here but trust me, Sam will not let anything happen to me." Emily said with complete certainty in his ability to protect her.
They walked the rest of the way in complete silence. Before they left they had all decided that to be on the safe side once they left the house neither girl would so much as whisper to either Draco or Harry just in case Percy was somewhere close. They didn't want to give away the surprise protection that they had.
They had just crossed the tree line into the falls when Percy Weasley stepped forward. Emily immediately made her face go blank the way Harry, Draco, and Hermione had coached her, praying that she pulled it off.
"Very good Emily. Granger, so glad you could join us this fine day." Percy simpered at her.
"What the Hell do you want Percy." Hermione demanded.
"I want many things Hermione but first….Expelliarmus!" Percy said pointing his wand.
Hermione felt so stupid! How could she have not thought of that immediately? Her wand went flying through the air but even though she may have been disarmed Harry and Draco weren't because of the cloak. So she was still fairly confident that they had the upper hand.
But Percy meant business and unbeknownst to any of them had been following and watching Hermione for weeks. He knew about the Cullen's and the pack. However he just got lucky with Harry and Draco because he hadn't planned what happened to them.
Hermione heard two thick thuds directly behind her and turned to see the cloak had slipped a bit when both men hit the ground in what appeared to be a deep sleep.
"What the…..?" Percy jumped. "Thought you'd try to trick me? When did the new dynamic duo join the group?"
"What have you done? What's wrong with them?" Hermione demanded. Percy laughed maniacally.
"Your precious followers are in an enchanted sleep. I knew you were gathering the wolves and vampires so I lay an enchantment on the area that all of them reported to. They're all asleep although I am confused as to how your Muggle friend isn't." He said studying Emily who was perfectly wide awake.
Hermione was just trying to think of how this whole plan went to shit so fast. What could she do now to protect Em while she was wandless and all of their helpers were asleep? There was no-one to rescue them and Hermione took ahold of Emily's hand and squeezed, they would support and protect each other the best that they could and hopefully at least one of them would walk away from this disaster.
"Before we get any further Hermione, I will give you one chance only to admit the truth that you killed Ron and tell me how you did it and why you did this to the man who stood behind you through everything." Percy said.
"You're sick! He was hurting me and the baby Percy, he'd already killed Gracie and was trying to kill me, and there was no other option." Hermione said forcefully trying to get through the git's thick skull.
"Lies! I see we're going to have to do things the hard way." Percy said while rubbing his hands together with a delighted look on his face.
Hermione thought fast and made a decision. She jumped at Percy while yelling for Emily to run. Percy easily wrapped a hand around a clump of hair and fisted the hand painfully yanking Hermione's neck back. Hermione was just relieved to see that Em had gotten away.
"I was going to have fun with that one!" He growled in her ear.
Later Hermione would wonder where the courage had come to say what she said next. "I doubt you have the balls or stamina just like your brother!"
Percy slapped her to the ground and pulled his wand back out. Just as he was pointing it at her neck he was knocked to the ground from behind. The wolves had arrived on the scene. It was only when the other wolves had pinned him to the ground that Hermione remembered that the wolves were immune to the enchantment because magic barely affected them.
The russet wolf in the pack; the very largest of the group stood directly over Hermione until the others had Percy subdued. He lowered his head and handed her a thin stick of wood that was held gently between his teeth. Her wand. She reached up and threw her arms around his neck and only stopped when he nudged her forward by bumping his head gently on her chest.
Once she did what he wanted they walked out of the falls area together and when they reached a safe distance Jake walked behind some bushes and phased back.
"What the FUCK were you thinking throwing yourself at him like that?" Jacob was yelling at her.
"I was trying to get Emily out of the situation! I forgot you wolves wouldn't be affected Jake." She defended but he just growled.
They began walking again, and Jake lectured and bitched at her the whole way back. Hermione listened with a slight smile on her face because he sounded so cute when telling her off because she had endangered herself. She finally found someone who loved her for herself, who put himself in danger to protect her, and someone who would never ever lay a hand on her in anger. So sure, he could complain all he wanted to on their walk back home.
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Draco and Harry didn't return from the American Ministry of Magic until the next morning. Apparently because the crimes happened here Percy would be tried here by the American Ministry officials. Details had to be given and procedures followed leaving them both too drained to apparate back home until they had both gotten sleep. The Cullen's had offered them rooms and beds to sleep in and they left with them promising to come back once they were awake.
Hermione and Jake were cuddled up in her room just talking together. They were still learning new things about each other all the time. Like Jake had just stopped tickling her after finding all the spots that made her giggle. In turn Hermione found a spot just below Jakes earlobe that if she blew very lightly made him shiver.
They'd pushed the physicality of the relationship as far as Hermione was comfortable with and so she backed away. Or she tried to anyhow; Jake just hauled her back to lie on his chest but began talking again. They talked for hours that day about big things and not so big things. Anything and everything was open. They brought dinner back to her room and didn't leave again until the next morning. Jake held her in his arms all night as they slept the strain of the morning with Percy away for good.
If only they had realized that there was a much darker enemy still to come for Hermione….
So, there you go a new chapter, and Percy gets what he deserves! But what lies ahead that is worse? You'll just have to keep reading to find out! Review please!