Author Note: After a long hiatus a new episode. Rogue Harry gets mad, A Hermione gets glad and They find a world where Hermione's life was bad.
Starring: The usual gang.
Co Starring: Taurmione
Special Guest: Mad eye Mione
Special Guest: Ginny Golem.
Sponsored by: Cat in the Box toys. Because who doesn't like a little kitty now and then.
Episode begins.
Harry Potter, the one living on what was commonly called the Alpha World entered his family dining room to find Gwen reading a book on local history. It was slightly awkward being around her as she had been married to a version of him. One of the worlds where he and Hermione had not married.
Hermione and Rhonda had both cleared him to accept her as one of the family just like Mia who was carrying her seventh child now. He wasn't sure how she felt about that though as she was still mourning for her friends and working on plugging gaps she had in her memories of her homeworld. He treated her like a sister instead of a lover as that is what she needed he felt.
"Good morning. How's it going?" He asked sitting down.
She set the book down, "Okay. I had a very." She paused and blushed slightly, "Intense dream last night. I think it may have been a memory, at least that's what Lavender thinks when I called her."
"Oh?" Harry "So that's good then eh?"
Gwen nodded, "I suppose. It was um. Well it was when harry and I did it for the first time." she said with an awkward chuckle.
"Oh." Harry said with his eyes growing slightly wider, "Uh. So yeah that would be good I guess."
Sighing deeply Gwen nodded with a smile, "Yeah it was." Then realizing what she said she blushed, "Sorry. I. You remind me so much of Harry. Er since you are a Harry and I was married to him. Hermione said it would be okay and so did Rhonda but I felt kinda awkward and still do and." She stopped talking. "I miss him a lot."
Harry took her hand, "Its okay. Its only been a couple of months since everything happened and I wasn't going to push or try anything. So. You want to be fully integrated into the family?"
"As in another wife in the harem?" She asked with a chuckle.
"Well. I mean officially Rhonda, Hermione and Selene are the only wives I have. Everyone else just seems to be a close friend with special benefits. But if you'd want to call yourself my wife you can." He said realizing how awkward he sounded.
She tilted her head slightly saying, "I could live with that. I don't think I want to try and find someone else. Try and find a Harry that I would have to lie to or change my memories. Or even worse find someone else. You understand what happened to me and what I went through."
"Right. So you don't have to hide anything from me." Harry agreed squeezing her hand.
"Have you talked with lavender to see if this is okay? I mean I don;t want you to rush your recovery or anything."
Ginny sighed, "I will never recover from having all of my friends, my family, my entire world destroyed Harry. There is no recovering from that. But I can rebuild. I can work to rebuild my life. And I would like to do it with you and the others here and be part of this family. Please?"
Harry squeezed her hand, "I would be honored if you joined us then."
Hermione walked in on them smiling, "So is she our wife?"
Gwen smiled, "I think so. Right Harry?"
Harry leaned over to kiss her on the lips before saying, "Welcome to the family."
Hermione grinning broadly, "I'll add her to the bed schedule."
Gwen squeezed Hermione's hand, "Thanks Mione. I love you too."
Hermione leaned in and kissed Gwen on the cheek, "I love you too."
…...
After breakfast Harry and Hermione went to the Institute. The large building had grown to have multiple research and development labs of magical, technological and technothaumic natures. There was also classrooms, libraries and archives for the information they brought back from all of the worlds. Then on the same campus attached by a tunnel there was a large hospital which held some of their guests.
"So where's Chubs?" Harry asked.
"Chubs is taking some PL as Phillip caught DragonPox."
"Oh that's wonderful. Is he going to be okay?" Harry asked in concern.
"Yeah. Apparently their variant of it is not really very deadly, more of an annoyance." She said with a relieved sigh.
"Oh. Great we've all been exposed." Harry realized.
"Yes. And fortunately our immune systems work against her bugs better. So that explains the slight colds we had the last few days."
"Hunh, well that's something I hadn't thought of." Harry said dejectedly.
"Don't worry we do." Hermione said patting him on the cheek.
"Okay so who is going to replace her since Hecate is over working with the Academy?" he wondered in concern.
"The Hermione centauress. We've been working on refining her belt and she's wanting to explore the multi-verse a bit." Hermione said with a smile. "So she'll be on your team."
"Oh good." Harry smirked, "One thing I'm getting to enjoy about this job the variety."
"Just don't enjoy it too much." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"What? I still appreciate the original Hermione of my heart." he chuckled sliding his arm around her waist and kissing her.
Once properly kissed she sighed, "Alright Mister. Keep that up and I may not let you go on the mission."
"It'll just give me something to look forward to when I get back." He grinned.
"You better believe it." She declared entering the briefing room.
Harry followed and found the Centauress Hermione in her human form. She smiled at him as he took his seat opposite her. Harry looked at her and appreciated how the various Hermiones could all be essentially the same person yet have their own distinctiveness.
"Hello. I hope you're not upset I'll be joining you." She said.
"No. Are you going to be okay?"
Holding up her watch she nodded, "Yes. Hermione and I managed to alter the way my body is compressed so that it isn't as unpleasant and I can stay two-legged longer."
"Oh okay. That's nice." Harry said looking at his Hermione.
"Yes it is. And I have my normal belt as a backup, right now its just holding my skirt up." She laughed.
"Well as long as you're comfortable with the system then I'm good." He agreed.
"So what kind of world are we going to this time?" Taurmione asked turning to face Hermione.
"You'll be visiting the one Rogue gave us. It seems to be peaceful and stabilized. Still has a statute of secrecy and all. You're to make contact with the local Luna. From what I gather she'll find you so just take a picnic lunch or something and relax for a few."
Harry looked at her in stunned disbelief, "A picnic? No sneaking around or anything?"
"Nope. According to the preliminary scans the world seems pretty peaceful and calm. Even their war went rather light on everything and everyone." Hermione looked at the datapad and shrugged.
"Okay. A picnic it is then." Harry said with a shrug. He kept the reservations that the universe might have other ideas to himself.
…...
In another world across the multiverse another Harry Potter stepped across the void and appeared on a hill overlooking Hogsmeade. He sought the one thing he always sought, Hermione. She was here in this village, barely glancing at the device in his palm he nodded as she started walking.
Moving among the crowds unseen and unnoticed by them he found her. He started at how hurt she looked, how she must have been suffering. She walked with a cane, her body bent slightly as an ugly purple scar ran from just in front of her right ear into the collar of her shirt. She wore a patch over her right eye and the right corner of her mouth was turned down in a permanent grimace.
Walking beside her was the fifteen year old visage of Ginny Weasley. He frowned as her aura was wrong. She had no aura, like a piece of furniture rather than a human being, or a magical. He was not as concerned but since she and Hermione seemed to be friends he would consider studying her as well.
Returning his study to Hermione he saw no ring on her hand, either they did not do that here or she did not have anyone. He raised his palm device to find Ronald Weasley. He was at the Burrow. He would be receiving a visitor soon.
…...
Harry and Taurmione stepped through the wormhole into a brilliant late fall day in northern Scotland. The wind held a slight chill as clouds scuttled along over head.
"Oh this place is nice!" Taurmione declared stretching. "Do you thinnk it would be okay if I changed?"
Harry shrugged, "I don't know. Ssupposedly Luna is going to come find us so I guess she'll not be too surprised."
Taurmione pressed a switch on her watch after stepping out of her shoes. The equine half of her body began to swell and grow rapidly as she sighed in pleasure.
"That is such a nice feeling. Even if the new compression isn't as bad." She said swishing her tail.
Harry nodded before looking at the castle. It looked so much like the one back home that he had a moment of nostalgia. Not so much for the way his childhood had gone but for the few good times he had experienced there. He hoped that the local harry had fond memories of that place, or anyplace.
"It looks and feels so much like home. Look there's the berry patch that Penny and I like to visit." Taurmione was chattering away as she wandered around the clearing on the ridge. She eventually came over and put her hand on Harry's shoulder. Turning to look up at her, their relative heights putting him face to face with her bosom causing her to chuckle and take a step back.
"Sorry about that." She said giving a cheeky smile.
Harry shook his head, "No you're not. You know how tall I am in relation to how tall you are."
"True although harry doesn't mind. Er my Harry. I sometimes wonder how all of you keep track of the various incarnations there are running around." she observed.
"Well you've seen a lot of the Hermione's and Luna's change their names and so far we don't have that many Ginny's we deal with on a regular basis." Harry shrugged.
"So. Am I really that bad?" She asked suddenly.
"What?"
"I've heard that you flirt with every other Hermione or Luna you encounter. Yet you hold me at arm's length and I was just curious. Is it because of this?" She said reaching back to pat her equine half.
Harry raised his eyebrow as he looked at her, "Maybe a little bit. Your Harry grew up with you so he's used to you. You're just you to him. I'm still getting used to the concept that maybe other Hermione's are not entirely, physically the same."
"Like Chubs?" she asked.
"Like Chubs. Like the super big version of Hermione on the other world. Like Jean the catgirl. So I mean. Yeah its me. I look at you and I wonder about the logistics of things, and just have trouble crossing the last boundary."
"Well we have the time so why not sit and talk about it?" She said with a shrug.
"I guess so."
…...
Rogue harry appeared at the Burrow. He stealthily moved through the doors seeking Ron. When he found him he paused. This was not a Ronald Weasley that would ever harm anyone.
He had scars running up both arms which were bare in the short sleeved tunic he wore. Sitting in a chair with drool coming from the corner of his mouth he grinned at nothing as a music box played a simple tune.
Rogue harry touched the surface of his mind and discovered that the personality that had been Ron was gone. Far too much of the essential essence of him had been eaten by something, removed and replaced with a blank gray emptiness. He did not probe deeper.
Reaching magically into Ron's chest he stilled the heart granting the body peace and allowing the families to heal eventually.
Hearing the ting of Ron's hand falling off of Molly's clock she came out of the kitchen to see him. She looked sadly at Ron but did not begin wailing or crying Rogue harry noticed. She merely looked tired and resigned.
Rogue took the moment to check the clock and found something interesting. Ginny, Ron, Percy, Fred, Arthur all had their hands off of the clock. Sitting on the shelf beside the mantel. He had seen Ginny earlier in this same day which made him even more curious about her now. Turning and leaving Molly to her grief he left to find this world's version of himself.
…...
Harry and Taurmione were laughing about how her and her Harry had figured out how to overcome certain physical limitations and what happened when they got interrupted once when they heard people coming.
"Oh yeah. Since the potion hadn't worn off yet he had to stuff it down his trouser leg to go deal with the explosion." Taurmione laughed.
"That must have been fun." harry snarked,
"Well I could see if Harry would let you take some and see for yourself." She suggested as she flicked and swished her tail.
"I'll take it under consideration." Harry shook his head then froze as the sensor pinged in his ear. "Someone's coming."
Taurmione adjusted her watch and shrunk back down to human form. She was just slipping her shoes on when Luna entered the clearing.
"Hello. I suppose you are the ones that I was told to expect?" She asked.
"Yes. I'm Harry Potter and this is Harry Potter. We represent the Multiverse Exploration Agency."
Luna stared at Taurmione intently, "You are not entirely what you are presenting yourself as."
"No I'm not. Would you like to see?" Taurmione asked and after Luna nodded adjusted her watch again.
"Interesting, you are a centauress." Luna stated approaching to touch Taurmione's side.
"Yes. I had an accident with a potion and a microwave. My husband harry doesn't seem to mind." Taurmione said happily.
Luna looked over at Harry causing him to shake his head, "Her world's Harry I am married to a Hermione but not this one."
"Interesting. I suppose both of you know more versions of myself?" Luna asked almly.
"Yes. Several. They're all very nice, wonderful people who have a certain. Way of looking at things." Harry said with a warm smile.
"That is what your associate said. He was very sad when he said it though." Luna observed.
"We believe that he has had a rather unpleasant life." Harry confirmed.
"That would explain a great many things. He is searching for a Hermione he lost. Only he will never find her." Luna sighed, "However he shall not return here again and you would like to know about our world."
"Yes please." harry said smiling at this Luna.
"Then let us begin." Luna said making herself comfortable on a rock she turned into a chair.
…...
Rogue Harry wound up in a park. Sitting on a bench with Luna was this world's version of Harry Potter. Playing nearby was a silver haired toddler wearing a bright pink unicorn dress who looked to be about three. Luna was nursing a babe in arms as Harry sat watching with such a loving and caring face that Rogue scowled. While he had nothing against Luna particularly unless he was the plus one in a Harry and Hermione relationship he was not happy.
Touching Harry's mind he gently probed through the memories, layers fo guilt and pain hidden from even himself as he dug deeper, trying to find why he was not with Hermione. Playing memories that had been locked and hidden, noticing there were large gaping spaces were memories and obliviates had been used and the mind worked around them.
The general impression Rogue had was that Hermione had pushed Harry away from her, pushed him to focus his love and tenderness on Luna and not her. She did it with such vehemence and anger that it almost broke him. He was so hurt and confused by proxy that Rogue had to go sit down for several minutes to recover. He had loved her, he had felt such pain at seeing her hurt that he was willing to swear his life to her. She had burned the connection between them so he turned to Luna who was there to help rebuild him. To help deal with his nightmares and pain. She did not cry when he said her name in his sleep.
Rogue frowned as this Hermione seemed to be the one who had pushed others away. He considered touching Luna's mind but the last time he had done so it felt like he touched the center of the universe and did not want to go through that again.
He checked the mind of Neville who was a minor lord and gentleman farmer with his wife Lavender Brown. Neither of them had hurt Hermione, if anything they had tried almost as hard as harry to accept and embrace her. Rogue was becoming more and more upset as this Hermione had been broken but when given a chance from people who loved her to rebuild had preferred to remain broken. He was not going to allow this. She would live. She would thrive!
Rogue returned to Hogsmeade just in time to find Hermione and Ginny walking up the lane to the castle. He was so upset he dropped his glamours as he walked towards them.
"Harry? What are you doing here?" Ginny exclaimed causing Hermione to pause and glare at him with her one good eye.
"Hermione? Why did you push away everyone that cared about you, everyone that loved you?" Rogue demanded.
"Harry we went through all of this long ago. Just go away." She rasped in a rough voice like she had smoked a carton of unfiltered Marlboros every day since she was in the womb.
"NO! YOU DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS!" He thundered as the clouds gathered overhead.
Hermione drew her wand pointing it at him,"Harry I warned you if you ever tried to come near me again I wouldn't hold back. Now go away!" She tried to scream but wound up coughing and spitting blood.
Rogue took no more and called a wormhole into existence, "YOU ARE GOING SOMEPLACE THAT CAN HELP YOU!" He ordered.
Hermione threw a brilliant blue lightning bolt at Rogue who parried it with his bare hand, With a flick of his wrist Ginny was sent spiraling into the wormhole.
Hermione seeing what happened to her friend began throwing spells that sizzled the air, a bright red flaming comet barely missed Rogue as she fought for her very life it seemed like. Rogue though eventually managed to catch her with a spell that caused her to fall to her knees, her endurance for a prolonged spell battle not sufficient to fight him.. "Its for your own good Hermione. I love you!" He declared as she felt herself fly into the wormhole.
…...
Alarms began to blare in the control center for the wormhole complex of Granger Institute. Security forces began to scramble as security doors sealed and magical force fields activated.
"REPORT!" Hermione Granger commanded as she entered the control room.
"We have a class 7 wormhole opening." Padma declared excitedly, "Right on top of us!"
"What!?" Hermione shouted as the windows into each travel chamber blew inward, and a strange blue glow illuminated the room. Consoles began to whine as power systems began to overload beyond the circuit breakers capacity. Hermione dared to peak over the frame into the chamber below to see what looked like a body come flying out of the wormhole followed a few moments later by another one.
The wormhole sputtered then with a loud snapping hiss dissipated leaving the chamber ensconced within darkness for long seconds before the emergency lights activated. Hermione blinked away spots.
"Is everyone okay?" Hermione panted picking herself off of the floor.
Padma and the other two technicians all chimed in that they were okay. Padma using a fire extinguisher charm on several panels that were smoldering and one that had open flames.
Hermione coughed briefly before looking around, "Okay Padma figure out what's left and how long before we can get back in business. We've got teams off world."
"On it boss." Padma replied nodding to the two techs as Hermione left to see to the two bodies.
She reached the transit room just as the security doors slid open enough to allow a security team entry. She held up her hand with the glowing rune that signified she was the Alpha Hermione.
One of the two newcomers was sitting up and blinking at the light, a fifteen year old version of Ginny Weasley. Hermione frowned but when she saw the other body her expression shifted to one of confused concern.
"MEDIC!" She screamed loudly kneeling by the bleeding form.
…...
"So you mean Ron and Ginny had sex in a cursed Druid circle and ever since then have been lovers?" Harry laughed in disbelief.
"Yes their three children are quite normal looking amazingly enough, although they do have a large percentage of freckles." Luna said.
"Wow. Well its getting late and we should go back home. I brought you a communicator so you can contact us and such. We'll leave it up to your discretion about who to tell." Harry said handing her the box. "It also has a welcome to the Multi-verse package in there."
"Thank you. I will consider carefully. Although Hermione will be the most likely choice."
"As always." Taurmione agreed.
"Alright well stand clear. I'll call for a wormhole." Harry said standing. Pressing the stud on his bracer he stared at the space in front of him for a moment before pressing the comm button. When nothing happened other than a little red light lit up he tapped another button and stood there blinking.
"Was something supposed to happen?" Luna asked calmly.
"Uh yeah. Mione? You want to try your bracer?" he suggested.
Taurmione repeated the process with the same results. "I can't seem to raise the base."
"That's not a good thing." Harry intoned.
"Why don't you just call those Elseworlds people you told me about." Luna asked serenely.
"Well because these bracers are only able to contact our base. Elseworlds are like AM and we're FM." Harry replied.
"That doesn't seem like a very good design." Luna observed.
"Yeah well the power and control required to punch through the dimensional barriers kinda limits them. Hermione did her best but she had to leave a few things out." harry sighed as he scratched his head.
"Maybe the local Hermione and you could help us?" Taurmione suggested.
Luna nodded, "It is possible. Even though Hermione has become a politician she has not let her runes and charms skills lapse. Come along."
Harry sighed as he pressed the button one more time only to see nothing but the red light illuminate. "Oh boy." he sighed dejectedly.
…...
Hermione stood in the medical center talking to her counterpart that called herself Jean and Lavender Brown.
"So what's the story with the two newcomers?" Hermione asked tiredly.
"The Ginny Weasley is a simulacrum. A golem if you will. No magical signature, no biological process. Sort of like an animated doll." Jean explained. "A very sophisticated and realistic one,but closer to the animated paintings than a person."
Hermione nodded in acceptance, "Okay. I'll talk to her in a few to get her history what about the other one."
"Your counterpart was struck by the Soulfire spell. She must have suffered greatly as over half of her body was burned from the inside out. Its really amazing she survived at all." Lavender said with a sigh.
"Can you do anything for her?" Hermione asked biting her lip.
"I'll have to run some more tests. The trip through the wormhole almost killed her as their repairs got torn apart. She might as well have been held together with glue and spellotape." Lavender wiped her forehead, "We barely got her stabilized and it'll be sometime tomorrow at the earliest she'll wake up. We've got her in a dreamless sleep and immobilized so she doesn't just fall apart."
Hermione nodded, "Okay do your best. As for our people?"
"They're all back at work trying to fix everything. Superficial burns, lacerations and some people got a bit overcharged by a magical overload." Jean said quickly.
"Okay good news at least. Thank you." Hermione said turning to leave.
"Will harry and the other Hermione be alright?" Jean asked, "Emma just is going to be worried about him."
Hermione knew that Jean had conflicted feelings for Harry after what happened on her homeworld so she smiled reassuringly, "They are on a relatively safe and secure world so I'm sure they're just fine."
Jean nodded, "I hope so. It would be, nice to have them back."
"I know. I'm worried about him too."
…...
Harry and Taurmione followed Luna down a lane towards a neat and tidy Georgian stone home. It held two stories and a waist high stone wall around the front garden.
Knocking on the door the local Harry opened it with a smile, "Luna. Nice to see you. We were just sitting down to dinner."
"Good. Could you set three more plates?" Luna asked gesturing behind her to the interdimensional versions.
Harry looked at his counterpart and sighed, "Hermione, we have guests." He called out as he opened the door wider.
"Thank you harry." Luna said gliding in while Harry and Taurmione smiled in awkward politeness as they entered.
Hermione stepped out of the kitchen followed by three children and froze staring at the guests. The twin boys gaped before grinning while the girl just looked at them curiously. Harry noticed that this Hermione was looking at him very clinically.
"Yes, I am a Harry Potter. A real harry Potter as I come from an alternate dimensional reality. This is Hermione Potter, not my wife, who comes from another world from mine. We are in need of some assistance as there seems to be a problem with either our communicators or our home base."
"Luna. Could you please explain what is going on?" Hermione asked like she was used to repeating that question."
"Yes I could. Is that veal parmigiana I smell?" She said heading for the dining room.
"I meant would you please explain what is going on?" Hermione repeated as the local gestured for his guests to join them.
"It is exactly what he said. They are travelers from an alternate reality. They came here after being told about us from another version of Harry Potter that was checking on the Hermiones of the multi-verse as his died or was lost somehow." She said then smiled at the girl, "Hello Elizabeth. Is your pet Snarwackle doing well?"
"Yes Aunt Luna its molting right now."
"Oh good do not forget to make certain to add some copper sulfate to its enclosure for the new scales."
"I already have." The girl said proudly.
"That is very good." Luna said sitting at the table.
"So. You're me eh?" harry asked looking at his counterpart.
"From a certain point of view." Traveler Harry intoned.
Hermione frowned, "If the two of you start doing movie quotes I am not going to be happy."
Local Harry sighed, "You had better face the inquisition before she explodes. I'll take over in the kitchen dear while you interrogate our guests."
"I do not interrogate. I merely question intently." She stated as he walked past her.
"So its probably easier if I start at the beginning and then you can figure out what to ask when I get done." Harry stated.
Hermione nodded, "That would probably be a good idea."
…...
Doctor Potter. Head of the Granger Institute and experienced interdimensional traveler walked into the exam room to find fifteen year old Ginny Weasley sitting patiently. She was wearing one of the Institute's blue coveralls and reading the welcome guide.
"Hello. How are you?" Hermione asked politely.
The Ginny on the bed looked at her quizzically for a moment then said, "Wow. You look a lot healthier."
"Well I'm the Hermione that's local to this world. I didn't go through the same things your friend did."
"Oh. Okay. I'm sorry." She nodded apologetically, "What do you want?"
"I was wondering if you felt like talking to me for a bit." Hermione asked coming closer.
"Yeah. Only may I ask you something first?" she seemed to be concerned.
"Certainly." Hermione replied sitting in a chair beside the bed.
"What's going to happen to me?" Ginny asked.
"Well what would you like to have happen to you?" Hermione looked at her in concerned sympathy.
"Would I get to have a choice? Where I came from I was considered property." She said sadly.
Hermione took a deep breath to calm down. "You were considered property?"
Ginny nodded, "Yes. I'm not a living person. I'm like the paintings, only able to move around."
Hermione looked at the girl. She had to think of her as a girl because she looked so real, she was blinking, her chest rose and fell as she breathed. "We'll have to run a few tests but legally the government applies a certain set of standards to determine if a being is considered sentient or non-sentient."
"Oh. They never bothered with that before. They said since I do not have a soul and was built not born I am not alive."
Hermione shook her head again, "I'm sorry about that. But you're not there now. You are here. And the matter of a soul or being built is rather irrelevant from a legal stand point. We'll get legal on the question of your sentience or not. Right now I'd rather like to ask you how you came about and what happened to the, other Ginny from your world."
She nodded, "She died. She was killed when she went with Harry and the others to the Ministry. Her father, Arthur, couldn't deal very well with it and created me. He used memories and thoughts I had left behind, and that others had of me." She looked sad for a moment. "Only he died a few months later too. Mum couldn't handle having me around so Hermione took me in. I helped her recover from her injuries. She protected me from being exploited or taken apart by the Ministry. Harry helped her."
Hermione smiled at the white knight seemed to be pretty universal at least. "Good I'm glad. So you live with Hermione? Can you tell me about her?"
"She's nice. But she hurts. Physically and emotionally. Even I could tell harry loved her but she pushed him away. She teaches defense at the school. They call her the ramrod, among other more rude things." Ginny gave a little light chuckle.
"Oh, so do you like her?"
"She's nice to me. She let's me have my own bedroom and everything, even though I don't sleep." she said softly. "I sometimes hear her crying herself to sleep."
"I understand." Hermione said, "So what do you like to do then?"
"I like to help out. I sometimes help in the greenhouses, Hannah is nice and lets me tend the plants you don't need magic for." Ginny smiled broadly, "I can even handle the mandrakes without passing out or anything."
"Good. So you don't have magic?"
Ginny shook her head, "No I can;t cast spells or use a broom or any of that. Arthur was good but he still wasn't able to give me that ability."
Hermione nodded, "Okay. Well you can either stay here or we can get you some real clothes and you can go someplace with more people that would like to meet you."
"Can I see my friend?"
"I'll see what I can do. She was injured very badly in the trip through the wormhole. So I don't know if she can have visitors." Hermione stated sympathetically.
"Oh." Ginny looked disappointed, "I could maybe help since I know a lot about what is wrong with her."
"I'll ask and see. I run the place but the healers can even over rule me." Hermione confided.
"The matron at the hospital wing is very stern when it comes to people getting hurt." Ginny agreed smiling.
"Yeah. But I'll ask and see if they won't mind letting you go see her, maybe let you sit quietly in the corner if you don't mind."
"I've done that before." Ginny admitted.
"Okay we'll let's see about getting you some clothes and take you on a tour since there's no reason for you to be in bed is there?"
Ginny shook her head, "No. I can't think of any."
Hermione smiled, "Good." She felt that there would be no problem proving the sentience of this Ginny.
…...
"So let me understand, you used a microwave and wound up transformed int a centaur. They cannot change you back?" Hermione asked for clarification. She had a large notepad in front of her filled with the evening's conversation.
"Exactly. Between my accidental use of animal hair in second year and this I'm form-locked." Taurmione replied.
"Interesting. I have so many more questions I'd like to ask but its getting late and I have to be at the Ministry in the morning. So we should get to bed."
"I set the guest bedroom up for you Hermione. Uh Harry I hope you don't mind the couch in the den." Local Harry said.
"Oh. I have to revert to my Centauress form do you have a garage or a barn I could use?" Taurmione asked quickly.
"You can't stay human?" Hermione asked concerned.
"Only for so long. I spent most of the day in my true form but its still easier and more comfortable to sleep in my true form than human. I can do it if I really need to." Taurmione explained.
"I suppose if you want to we could let you sleep in the garden shed. Its got plenty of room." Local Harry explained.
"That would be fine. I'm not too picky." Taurmione said rising.
"I'll take her out. You can help Harry settle in." Hermione said. Luna had already departed for her own home earlier bidding all of them a good night.
"Alright. Well looks like you get an upgrade to the spare room."
Harry shrugged as Local harry led him off and the two Hermione's exited.
"So you have a harem?" Local Harry asked.
"Uh yeah. Sort of. Its kind of an open relationship. But I'm very big on consent from everyone involved so don't worry about me making a play for your wife." Harry tried to sound reassuring and non-threatening.
"Oh I wasn't worried. Hermione is a very firm supporter of monogamy. She absolutely believes in a commtted marriage." Harry quickly explained, "Not that I mind. Just means more for me."
"Interesting. The harem was my Hermione's idea. Amazing how things can change so much with the same person." Harry observed.
"Yeah it is. So how many Hermiones do you have in your stable?" Local harry asked with a sly grin.
"Well not this one. She and I just started working together and I'm still not quite sure about the horse aspect of things. Her husband and her though get along just fine."
Local Harry shook his head, "Well I guess with magic anything's possible."
"Yeah. As for how many there is a Ron that was born a girl named Rhonda, A luna from a dark universe that is a bit scarier than the usual Lunas, One that is part cat girl after her poly-juice accident, One that had been married to an abusive Ron and a Ginny that was married to a version of me that died. Oh and Chubs. She is quite an interesting version of Hermione."
"Chubs? Tell me more?" Local harry asked with a curious grin.
"Well let me tell you she is amazing. Just under 300 pounds of lusty self-confident joy." Harry sighed.
"Tell me more, tell me more." Local Harry sat in a chair as Harry began to talk about the Hermione's in his life.
Outside Taurmione and Hermione had entered the garden shed. "Oh yeah this is nice."
"Good. You won't be too crowded?" Hermione asked.
"Not really no. I'm only just under 9 feet tall and 14 hands at the hips. So I'll be fine." Taurmione said stepping into the middle of the structure and removing her shoes. Shutting the watch off she shifted and smiled at the local her.
"Well oh my." Hermione said, that's interesting.
"Yeah let me take my bra off and get totally comfortable." Taurmione said performing the contortionist act all females learn that allowed her to remove the undergarment without disturbing her over garment. This permitted her bosom to swell to their large melons size.
"Oh my. You are rather large."
"Yeah they are F cups. You should see me when I'm nursing. I get absolutely huge." Taurmione said hefting and massaging her mounds.
"And your husband finds you sexually attractive in this form?"
"Well we have two children in this form." Taurmione said shrugging.
"Oh the logistics of that must be problematic." Hermione said looking down Taurmione's flanks.
"We've managed to work around it. And harry really doesn't mind. I think he's got a bit of a size fetish. Doesn't yours?"
"He's never mentioned it before. Although we've played around a few times." Hermione admitted, "With each other, no one else. I'm not entirely keen on the idea of harems and loose relationships."
Taurmione giggled slightly, "Is it really a loose relationship if they are just an alternate universe version of our husband?"
Hermione thought for a moment, "That is an interesting philosophical question."
"Isn't it." Taurmione said as the two women began to have an interesting philosophical discussion about the potentials being part of the multi-verse brought.
…...
Hermione Granger woke up in what had to be a hospital bed. The fact she did not feel any pain and the nasal cannula with the antiseptic dry oxygen sensation made her believe it even before she opened her eye.
Looking up at the ceiling she frowned as the ceiling was a pale light blue with clouds and birds drifting along. Obviously a magical ceiling but with muggle devices? She could hear them beeping and sighing faintly behind her head. She grimaced and groaned slightly when she tried to move.
"Oh you're awake. How are you?" She heard Ginny say from the bedside. Her left side was the good ear and turned to see her standing there wearing a dark blue blouse and skirt. She was smiling although with a worried undertone to her expression.
"Wha. What happened?" Hermione managed to rasp out.
"We got sent to another dimension by a version of Harry that is going around and trying to save Hermiones. You got injured but they saved you." Ginny said squeezing her hand.
"Stupid bastard." Hermione said tiredly. She could see Harry doing that. The one she knew and loved had already pushed hard enough to save everyone he knew. Even people he didn't know. She was afraid someday he would push too hard and break, it looks like one already had.
"Mione?" Ginny asked.
"Just resting." She said squeezing Ginny's hand back.
The door opened and Lavender Brown walked in causing Hermione to blink in confusion. This one was a tall strawberry blonde with a healthy curvy figure. The one she knew was shorter, chubbier and lighter blonde.
"Hello. Yes I am Lavender Brown. Ginny told us that the one you knew looks a bit different. No I'm not married to Neville I'm married to Hannah Abbott." She said with a smile, "I hope that gets some of the more pressing questions out of the way."
Hermione nodded, although she had not really cared that much to learn the differences.
"So you are healing form your most recent injuries rather well. Although the long term ones would require a lot more treatment." Lavender said reading off of a digital notepad.
Hermione frowned, there was no treatment for Soulfire. That was the point of it.
"I know on your world there is no way to heal from the Soulfire spell. Ginny told us about your medical history." Lavender explained, "I'm sorry if that upsets you but we needed to know as much as possible to try to treat your injuries."
"Why bother." Hermione sighed.
"Because to me all life is precious. I am a healer and I don't give a flying hump who comes through my doors. If they are hurt I am going to heal them." Lavender declared with some slight heat to her voice, "Now. You were sent to us because you had someone who wanted you healed. So I am going to do all I can to do that."
Hermione looked at her curiously. She had a feeling that this Lavender was no meek giggling housewife like the one she knew. "Okay. How?"
"Well fortunately we have developed, with the help of others, the ability to clone organs and tissues. They are from your own genetic code and so the body will not reject them." Looking down at the datapad she sighed, "Now with you this is going to take a lot of work and we will not get you back to a hundred percent but we can improve your health by a great deal."
"Fake organs. Feh." Hermione spat, or would have if her mouth wasn't dry. She pointed at the water pitcher which Ginny grabbed and gave her a drink.
"No. they are not fake. They are healthy, lab grown, replacements for your own organs. Once switched with the failing ones in your body they will be absolutely indistinguishable from what should have been there." Lavender sighed, "Now with your extensive injuries there will be some residual nerve damage so a minor loss of sensation. But we can restore your hearing, your vision, your mobility. Even your fertility and breast feeding capacity."
Hermione laid back blinking up at the ceiling. Watching a bluejay flit and wheel overhead she thought about it. A child of her own. Something she had thought impossible. Being healthy again, something she had given up hope of ever experiencing. But why. She had pushed all of her friends away. She had become a teacher because she did not have the strength to fight in the Ministry. She knew she was dying and wouldn't make it past her thirties. Her emotions and thoughts began to whirl.
"I know this must be a major shock. But you've got a great opportunity here to start over. We can help you."
Hermione took a breath. It was not a deep one as usual because she did not want to have a coughing fit. She looked at Ginny who smiled hopefully at her. Thinking she finally asked, "What would I have to do?"
"Just step into my laboratory my dear." Lavender said in a very bad mock Transylvanian accent.
Hermione wondered if this was really happening or she had finally gone crazy. Either way she might as well relax and enjoy the ride.
…...
Harry and Taurmione were eating breakfast with the Potters when there was a knock at the door. Local Harry rose to see who it was only to come back with a Harry Potter and a Hermione. This one was wearing a green coverall with an equipment belt and grinning. The patch on his uniform was that of the Elseworlds project.
The Hermione was wearing the Granger Institute blue coverall and looking relieved at Harry.
"Oh you guys are okay. I am so glad to see you." she gushed as she came over and hugged Harry.
"Hey. What happened?" he asked after kissing and hugging her back.
"Rogue happened. He dropped a level 7 wormhole on the facility and threw a Hermione and a Ginny at us."
"Was anyone hurt?" Taurmione asked in shock while Harry looked anxiously at her.,
"Some of our people had a few minor injuries. The Hermione he threw at us got hurt pretty bad, but then she was already hurt before that happened. I can explain when we get back home."
"You'll have to take a side trip through our facility first though." Elseworld Harry declared. He was grinning at the local Hermione. "Hi. How's it going?"
"Fine. You are taller than Harry." Local Hermione observed.
"Yeah. I grew up with the Weasleys instead of the Dursleys." EW Harry said with a wide grin. "As a result I got better food, better treatment and wound up taller and healthier than I would have otherwise."
"Oh. That is nice." Local Hermione said.
"Yeah I can come back and talk more if you'd like."
"Well since we spent last night talking to those two. Getting to speak to another version of you might be interesting. What's your Hermione like?"
"Nice. Tall, smart, powerful. Quite wonderful. Ron and I love her very much." EW Harry stated.
"You and Ron?" Local Hermione asked.
"Yeah she fell in love with both of us and couldn't make her mind up, and we both loved her so we wound up forming a triad form of marriage. Not common but since we were heroes we got the Ministry to accept it." EW Harry explained with a chuckle.
"Oh, how unorthodox." Local Hermione declared.
"I'd love to talk more but I'm sure this crew would love to get back home so I had better see to that."
"Well if you could bring your Hermione, and maybe your Ron back with you, I'd love to talk to you more." Local Hermione said smiling brightly.
"Sure." EW Harry said as the others thanked the locals for their hospitality. They stepped outside into the back garden so they could open a wormhole and leave.
Once the others had left the local Hermione turned to her husband with a thoughtful look. "Harry. We need to discus the definition of monogamy and its relevance in a mutil-dimensional frame of reference."
…...
Harry had been welcomed back with hugs and worried tears by almost all of his family. Jean II was a bit more reserved but she even gave him a friendly hug.
Taurmione was taken back to be with her family until regular wormhole travel was reestablished between Alpha and the rest of the multiverse.
Harry had checked on the people at the Institute and what happened. Looking around the travel chamber Harry shook his head, "He did this?"
"That's what the people he basically threw at us said." Hermione explained, "He got angry with her it seemed like, then they dueled and the next thing she knew she was waking up here."
Harry looked thoughtful, "Its like he's becoming more unstable."
"I know. I wonder why?" Hermione agreed.
"Have you tried contacting him?" Harry asked softly.
Hermione took a deep breath, "He's not responding. And before you ask we are no closer to finding his homeworld than we were before this."
"Alright. I'm going to go say hi to our new guests and then go home." Harry declared.
"Okay Harry. I'll eventually make it there."
"Yeah once you've put humpty dumpty back together." He said giving hr a hug and kiss.
She grinned but didn't argue.
…...
Harry walked into the room after knocking to find the Hermione and Ginny newcomers sitting up talking. A plate of food was in front of the Hermione.
"Hello. I hope you don't mind the intrusion. I was told you wouldn't be upset by seeing me." Harry said cheerfully.
"No. I know you're not the Harry I knew." Hermione rasped out.
"So. You're going to be staying with us?"
She nodded, "Yeah. Once I get back on my feet there's a lot of things Ginny and I plan on doing."
"Good. Hopefully we'll have the wormhole projectors back up and running." Harry said.
"Why? You trying to get rid of me?"
"Uh no. I was just thinking if you wanted to go home."
She shook her head. "No I have no reason to go back."
"Oh I'm sorry." Harry said.
Hermione shook her head, "Don't be. I'm not."
"Okay. Well there are always options." Harry said cheerfully.
"I certainly hope so." she said with her crooked grin.
Review Responses
Lazarus Rules: I suppose it could be considered that way.
Chasczc: I'm working on an idea for this series.
OfficerDonNZ: Chilling is good. I like it when its hard to put the story in a box. A good story should hit more than one box when it come to adjectives to describe it. Thank you for the compliment.
TimeKeeper: lol. Yes that's what I was hoping for. As for if it is THE book or not we'll have to see if it shows up or not. Maybe it was just a lesser copy.