Hermione squealed excitedly, and bounced into Harry's room to tell him. She should have guessed his response…
Harry was not pleased to hear Hermione's plan at all. He was scared enough about what the Dursleys were going to do to him already, he wasn't letting them anywhere near Hermione.
"You don't want me?" She asked.
Harry sighed. "Of course I want you, but-"
Hermione cut him off, saying, "Good, because I'm staying."
In a final attempt to get her to listen to reason, he asked, "But where will you sleep?"
She said, "In your bed, of course!" There was no way her parents-or Harry-were letting that happen! They all tried to give their reasons for why that was such a bad idea, and for a few moments, she let them. Then she raised her hand, and said, "And you can sleep on the floor, like a gentleman."
Stymied for a moment, Harry pondered how he could stop her. Then he realized she wouldn't want him in pain, and asked, "What about my back?"
The faces of the Grangers clouded at the reminder, and Hermione knew she wasn't letting Harry sleep on the floor with his back as mangled as it was. "Alright, I'll sleep on the floor, and you sleep on the bed," she suggested.
"Not a chance!" Harry said. "Knowing my uncle, he'd come barging in and step on you!"
"Fine, I'll sleep on the couch!" Hermione was too determined, they weren't stopping her. "You said you only had to stay for another two weeks to strengthen the wards, anyway."
"I accept defeat," sighed Harry.
Dan laughed, saying, "You'll make a great husband someday, if you keep that up, Harry!"
The women glared at him, while Harry thought about what having Hermione at the Dursleys would be like. He just couldn't imagine it. They were so mean, and she was so nice. How could he get her into this?
While Hermione and her parents were discussing how to get Hermione's clothes to the Dursleys, Harry was once more contemplating how he managed to get people into dangerous situations.
Hermione was busily discussing getting her clothes to the Dursleys when she glanced at Harry. One look at his face, and she knew what he was thinking. Momentarily forgetting the bruises and how skinny he was, she smacked him in the stomach.
At his wince, her eyes widened at what she had done. "I'm so sorry Harry, I forgot! I just don't want you to think that you're putting me in danger."
He responded, "Don't worry about it, I've had worse, and I am dragging you into a dangerous situation."
Hermione felt an incredible rage towards the Dursleys for their actions towards that could make him say so casually that he had had worse. For now, she would let it go. But, she still pointed out, "Harry, you're not dragging me into danger, I'm dragging you out of it at minimal chance of danger to me."
Harry snorted. "How do you figure it's 'minimal danger' to you?" He asked.
"Well, if you had let me explain earlier, if your relatives," she spat the word, "try anything, I threaten them with a call to Dad, here, who will then call the police."
"But you can't, I have to stay with them," Harry said, almost in tears at the thought that he had to stay with them.
Hermione went to him and hugged him. "Relax, Harry," she said, "They don't know that! Besides, you only have to stay with your aunt. So if we call the police on your uncle, and say your aunt had nothing to do with it, then he gets thrown in jail, and we can hold that sword over your aunt."
"I'm so glad I'm dating the smartest witch ever," Harry said happily, before giving her a kiss.
"Dad, can I please have your cell phone?" Hermione asked her father after they broke off the kiss.
"Why?" He asked suspiciously.
"So that I can make sure to call you if the bastards downstairs try to keep me from the phone," Hermione responded vehemently. They were all shocked to hear her language, but given the subject, her parents were more than willing to let it go.
"Here you go, honey," her father said, handing her the phone. "I'll make sure to bring you your own tomorrow with your clothes."
He still couldn't believe it. Had anyone told him even an hour ago that he would let his daughter stay with her boyfriend and his extremely abusive relatives, he would have laughed in their face. He sighed again.
Hermione watched her parents carefully to see how they were about her staying with Harry. She had been surprised when her mother hadn't objected, but then realized just how alike they were.
When she heard her father sigh again, she watched him even more closely, making sure he wasn't going to change his mind. She was a little puzzled when she saw a sadistic looking smile grow on her father's face. "Dad..?" She asked cautiously.
Dan realized the expression on his face, and was surprised to realize he didn't care how violent he looked right now. "I'm alright, honey, I just can't wait to threaten that pompous ass!" He responded to his daughter.
Hermione couldn't help the giggle caused by her father's words. She just wished she could use magic!
Hermione abruptly stopped giggling when she saw the look on Harry's face; it looked like envy and sadness.
Harry watched Hermione's easy interactions with her parents, and couldn't help the feelings that came over him. The strongest was envy that she had parents when he didn't, but he tried to push that down. Then there was the sadness about the loss of his parents. And finally, the emotion Hermione couldn't see, joy; he was glad that she had such a loving family that had turned her into the wonderful, beautiful women he saw before him today. To a lesser extent, there was also the joy that they seemed to accept him and want to defend him.
He didn't have much time to analyze these feelings, though, because as soon as he felt them, his beautiful girlfriend had wrapped her arms around him. He didn't even notice the pain in his back. After living with the Dursleys combined with his guilt about the events at the Ministry, Harry had truly believed what they said about no one ever wanting him. He couldn't help the joy that flowed through him with the knowledge that there was a person who actually knew him, and wanted him anyway! He clutched at her, returning her hug with enthusiasm.
Once again, the Umbridge impersonation interrupted them, though this time it was from Hermione's father, rather than her mum. They broke apart after a few moments, and looked at Dan with a little blush coloring both of their cheeks. Harry was surprised to see a gentle smile on the face of Hermione's father. Wasn't he supposed to try and chase Harry away?
Once more, tears sprang to his eyes, and he hastily looked away, wiping at his eyes with his sleeves. "It's dusty in here," Harry lied, fooling no one. The hearts of all three Grangers broke at the young man's reaction to care.
Dan cleared his throat again, and said, "Let's go face the Dursleys." No one could miss the edge to his voice or the wicked gleam in his eye. Even Harry, brought up as he was, noticed it. None of them could deny wanting to hurt the Dursleys, though Harry would have been shocked had he been able to recognize the true depth of protection the Grangers felt for him.
Harry tried to go first, just in case the Dursleys were enraged enough to attack, but Dan forcefully told him he was going second. He had endured enough, and Dan was sure that even someone who had less common sense than an amoeba wouldn't attack him. Harry was going to try and insist, but saw the determination in Dan's eyes and acquiesced.
They went downstairs with Dan in front and Emma bringing up the end. Hermione was behind Harry, clutching at his arm nervously. She didn't realize she was chafing the cuts on his arms, and he didn't say anything; he needed the affection too much.
Dan was the spearhead of the assault, and went straight for Vernon. "Alright you overstuffed walrus," he began angrily, ignoring the snorts of laughter behind him, "it's time to set things straight.
"First off, I absolutely hate child abuse! I would love nothing more than to beat you into a tiny pulp, then call the police. Unfortunately, your nephew here made me promise I wouldn't do that. I agreed. For now. Unfortunately for you, my daughter was not willing to leave your nephew here alone to face your wrath. The obvious answer was to simply take Harry and leave-"
At this point, Vernon made a mistake. He interrupted Dan, saying, "Please, take the little freak, useless sack-" a fist backed by a furious Dan Granger ended whatever he was about to say.
"Never. Interrupt. Me. Again," the furious man said to the mass of jelly that was Vernon Dursley.
"As I was saying, the obvious answer was to simply take Harry and leave, but for some unfathomable reason, he insisted on staying for at least another two weeks. I don't understand it, but Hermione seems to, and she insists on not leaving him alone. So she's staying here to keep an eye on you, your wife, and your son. If you do anything to harm either of them, she'll call me up, and I'll call the police. Even without the evidence on Harry's back, I have a few strings I could pull that would have you lost in the system for at least a week."
By this point, Vernon's had turned pale, as had his wife and. They all knew what would happen if the police were called. Dan was not at all upset by the effect he was having on them. "Now that I have your undivided attention," Dan continued, "I'll set a few ground rules.
"As I said before, I hate child abuse! No more of it! If my daughter tells me of one more mark on Harry, you'll be lucky if I call the police.
"Second, teaching a child responsibility is one thing, but making them your slave disgusts me. Harry will not be cooking, cleaning, or doing any other chores for you for the next two weeks.
"Finally, you will feed him and Hermione a proper meal. If I hear anything about the fact that Harry is starving again, I'll shove you all into the broom cupboard Hermione tells me you used to keep Harry in. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" Dan thundered. None of the Dursleys were capable of coherency at this point, and simply nodded.
Emma was just staring at Dan, her love and pride for him showing very clearly. Harry and Hermione were also staring at him; Hermione loved him intensely for standing up for her boyfriend, and Harry seemed to have a case of hero worship. The only people he had seen who stood up to the Dursleys all had magic; the fact that someone without magic was doing it-and causing them to cower in a corner-was absolutely amazing to Harry. It elevated Dan above the status of mere mortals for him.
While the Dursleys stayed huddled in their corner, the Grangers and Harry went to the door for their goodbye. He was pleasantly surprised when both of the adult Grangers gave him hugs goodbye, though he couldn't contain the winces.
Hermione let Harry say goodbye to her parents first because she knew her goodbye would take longer. She was the brightest witch of her age after all! When her father whispered to her to do everything she could to make Harry's relatives lives a waking nightmare, she giggled and whispered back that she was already planning it. Her mother just told her to keep safe, and that Harry was a keeper. Hermione blushed a little bit, and said that she already knew that.
After her parents drove away, Hermione dragged her willing victim into the kitchen, shooting a glare at the Dursleys that was so filled with loathing, contempt, and hatred, that they decided they would just stay in the corner for a little longer. "Come on, Harry, you need food!" Hermione said to him. He just laughed and followed. Soon, they were heading up to his room with a plate of sandwiches that would feed a good portion of Africa or Dudley.
Harry couldn't even eat one; he hadn't eaten in two days, and eating at all made him nauseous after that long. Hermione simply put the sandwiches into a bag she had made at Hogwarts that would keep them from going bad. Harry just smiled at her forethought. Who else would think to do that?
Hermione struggled to contain herself. She knew that living with the Dursleys wasn't easy for Harry, and she also knew that he needed to talk to bleed the poison out. Harry was stubborn, though, and she knew it wouldn't be that easy to get him to talk. She decided she would start tomorrow, after her parents brought her clothes.
They stayed up talking for a while, waiting until they knew the Dursleys were asleep before Hermione went to lie on the couch, and Harry went to his bed, feeling guilty that Hermione was on the couch, of course.
Before she left his room, she kissed him softly, whispered, "Goodnight, Harry," and tucked him in. She knew he'd never had anyone do this for him before, and decided it was the least she could do for her abused boyfriend. Tomorrow, she thought, we talk.