Hiding Again

Hermione sat in the Great Hall among the tired and bedraggled forces of the light following the battle that finally ended the reign of Lord Voldemort. Harry had done it and taken the despot down but not without great injury to himself. He was currently in the hospital wing in a magically induced sleep while Madam Pomfrey and a team from St. Mungos were working diligently on him and many others who were injured in the battle.

She sat with Ron among the rest of the Weasleys with her head resting on his shoulder as the fatigue of the last few days finally set in. She had her eyes closed so many thought she was asleep but after the last few years, she was like Harry in that she was still aware of her surroundings and the conversations going on around her. The war and strife they had went through ingrained a survival instinct in them that kept aware of their surroundings even while they were in a half sleep state.

She heard snippets of the conversations and knew people were afraid of the power Harry showed during the battle. Logically, it would take someone of vast magical power to take down the dark lord that even the best Aurors couldn't stand against. Harry had used his powers to remove the evil that was ruling their world but people only saw how powerful the young man had become over the years. She kept quiet when she really wanted to jump up and defend her best friend but remembered that witches and wizards were rarely logical and were imbeciles more often than not.

She heard the whispered conversations of the family she was sitting with as they bought in to the whole Harry was too powerful furor. When the conversation turned to what they could do about it, Hermione's mind came fully online as she pretended to remain asleep on Ron's shoulder. She heard words like Azkaban, potions, and the Veil and knew their struggles were not yet over.

It was then she heard the last person she expected to speak out against Harry. Ginny's whispered voice drifted across the table. "He's not the same. He kissed me before the battle and it wasn't like before. He seemed cold and distant...like he was darker or something."

Hermione mentally rolled her eyes at the stupid little girl. Of course Harry was different. He...they had went through a lot in the last year. She wasn't the same either. She listened to see what Ron would say. She held out hope that he would keep his last promise and not betray Harry once again.

Ron finally spoke. "You'd be different too with all that he' been through. I was stupid to leave him...there's no telling what he did to Hermione while I was gone...he probably had his way with her and obliviated her. I mean...he forced her to choose between us and evidently he already had some control over her. We need him contained so he can't hurt my girl. He also had the elder wand. We need to act before he wakes up or we'll never stop him."

Hermione's immediately reaction was to jump up and defend Harry but her intelligence won out over her fury and she remained in the same position she was in so that they would think she was not aware of what was going on. Her mind kicked into gear. Ron was once again betraying them. Whatever feelings she had for him were now gone for good but more importantly, Harry was once again in danger and he had no way of defending himself at the moment.

Just like for the last seven years, threats to her Harry spun up a whole new level of magic within her just as it always did. It was then she finally understood, Harry was her world and she had been fooling herself to think she could ever be happy with Ron. Harry saved her every time she was in danger and Ron was just along for the ride but he never did anything other than stand back and watch. She felt really stupid right now for two reasons. The first was she denied her feelings since their first year together and the second was she always encouraged him to seek out relationships with others just as she had done. She fought the urge to remove her head from Ron's shoulder and start banging her head on the table but managed to remain still so that she could listen to them and figure out their plans.

From the conversations around her, she knew Harry was in danger despite being in the hospital wing. There were a multitude of solutions being presented but the most common was to lock him away. They were afraid of having another dark lord running around when the light had been decimated in the recent war.

The assembly was finally breaking up and some were heading to their homes while others were making use of the rooms that had been made available to them. As they walked to the dorms, Ron tried to lead her to the boys dorm. He was being overly amorous and in was in fact making Hermione's stomach turn with the thought of sleeping with the boy as she knew she belonged heart and soul to Harry.

Once they reached the stairs, she pretending to come out of her foggy state and simply said. "We're not ready for that yet Ronald."

He looked to be growing angry. "What ya talkin about? Ain't we gonna make things official between us?"

She shook her head. "No...not yet. Maybe soon but not yet. Besides, I'm too tired to be any good for you right now. Let's get some rest and then we'll see okay?"

He didn't like it but nodded his head and headed up the stairs to the boys dorm. Hermione watched as everyone made their way up the stairs and patted her hand on her magical bag. She then turned and went over to a table where she began to pull out Ron's stuff including the tent as she never wanted to see that thing again and left them folded and stacked on the worktable where she had done so much homework over the years.

She took one last look around and made her way through the portrait hole and away from her life of the last few years. The thought of being with Ron now a distant memory as he once again proved himself unworthy of both her loyalty and love as well as Harry's.

As she made her way through the castle on her way to the hospital wing, she was joined by another. Without even looking up to see who joined her, she spoke. "Good evening Professor McGonagall. Is there something I can do for you?"

Minerva had a slight smirk on her face. "I think so but then again, I think as always, you are already working on the solution."

Hermione took a glance at the teacher she respected more than any other and stopped in her tracks and turned to face her. "So you also heard the talk?"

"Aye...I did lass. Now the question is what are we going to do about it?"

Hermione chuckled. "Working on it. Only problem is Harry's condition. Is he protected right now?"

"Yes...Poppy is keeping watch and Mr. Longbottom and Miss Lovegood are there as well and on the alert. They have also heard the murmurs."

The two formidable women once again began to move towards the hospital wing. After a few minutes Minerva broke the silence. "You do know that doing this will probably cause yours and Harry's status to not change and you will remain on the most wanted list. "

Hermione snorted. "So we will still be on the run...that was once thing I already was planning for. We're going to have to leave the country after all even though we just saved them all from being subjugated by Voldemort. Kingsley can't help?"

"Nay my child...I'm sorry to say he will only be temporary. The one's with the money and power will take control once again just like they did before."

Hermione sighed. "So all of this was for nothing? We should have just left them to it and got all before going through all this shite. Will Kingsley help us?"

"Aye...he asked Filius to speak on your behalf and has him already working on the Goblins to free up Harry's family's money. They tried to confiscate it but Kingsley blocked that move with threats of banishing them from the country. They are adamant that they will never do business with any of you again so as a compromise, Harry's vaults are being moved to the Gnomes of Switzerland as we speak. And they have promised to have everything ready for you when you need it. You'll just need to pop over to Dublin and visit their branch there."

"Thank you and tell the others the same on our behalf."

Minerva gave a curt nod and they remained silent for several minutes as the walked. After a deep sigh, Minerva spoke again. "Miss Granger...Hermione...you know there will be no coming back from this. That you are basically binding yourself to Harry from now on."

Hermione snorted again. "I've been irrevocably bound to Harry since he saved me from the troll. I just hope he isn't upset with me and will reciprocate."

This time Minerva snorted and Hermione gave her a curious glance. "My dear child...that young man has been in love with you ever since your second year."

"But he never showed...and then Ginny."

"He did...you never recognized it for what it was. Despite my respect for him, Albus truly messed up with Harry. His childhood left him emotionally ill prepared for life among others and he never learned how to open himself to others. The only person to ever really get inside him was...you. And as far as Miss Weasley goes...he was only with her because you were unavailable. In his mind, I'd bet he was under the impression that you didn't see him that way and with you being with My Weasley, he took the only route he could see to stay close to you."

"But..."

"Hermione...if you asked him what the greatest moments in his life were...I'd bet my pension that every single one of them involved you. We teachers see a lot over the years and the one topic that got no dispute was the loved you two shared. (She snorted) Unfortunately...as bright as you both are...you were both to stupid to see it for what it really was and to prove how much you loved each other...both were willing to give up their happiness to see the other happy."

Hermione grew quiet in thought as they walked. Breaking the silence once again, Minerva finally asked the question she was dreading. "You love him don't you?"

Hermione didn't hesitate. "Yes of course."

"As just a brother or best friend?"

Hermione paused in her walking. "It's complicated and so much more than that but I know I can't live without him in my life."

"And I know that he feels the same way about you."

"How?"

Minerva sighed. "When things got to be too much...he came to me and we talked. Naturally he was there at least once a week and there was never a topic that was off the table. In fact, you were his favorite topic but despite all our talks, it a facet of his personality that had been ingrained in him from a very young age that he was not worthy of love so he never felt he could be up to your standards."

Hermione snorted. "I chased after Ron...how could he not feel he was worthy...I was the one who wasn't worthy of him. He's just so..."

"Indeed"

They finally made to the hospital ward and quietly slipped inside. Making their way down the ward and approaching Harry's bed, they were blocked by three people until the lights were slightly brought up by Minerva.

Neville spoke. "Oh thank Merlin you're here Hermione. Have you heard the rumors?"

"Yes Neville. I heard them."

"What are we going to do?"

"You're not going to do anything. Harry and I have been on the run for a year already, running a little bit further won't be any harder."

Luna asked. "Where will you go?"

"It's best if you don't know that right now but we'll be in touch one day."

She then turned to Poppy. "What's his condition?"

Poppy sighed. "He is fully healed and out of danger but his core is dangerously low and he needs rest as he recharges."

"So nothing abnormal then."

Poppy looked at Hermione for a minute before she realized what was going through the young woman's mind. "Hermione...I've been kept abreast of the rumors but he is in no state to help you in any way."

Hermione snapped back. "I'm aware of that Madam Pomphrey but it's either leave him here to recover and watch as they cart him off to Azkaban in his current state which would be a death sentence or get him out of here which could also be a death sentence because of his health."

Poppy nodded. "Yes"

Hermione's shoulders tensed up and she got a look of intense concentration and she weighed all the options. When she came out of her thoughts, she turned to the others. "Madam Pomphrey, Professor McGonagall...perhaps you could go get some tea while I consider my options. Neville and Luna...thank you for watching over him but I've got it from here."

All four blinked as the commander in Hermione came out and they recognized a dismissal when they heard one. Minerva stepped over to Hermione and pulled her into a hug and whispered. "Take care of him." She then grabbed Poppy by the arm and led her into Poppy's office.

Once they were seated, Poppy asked. "I'm not that slow but what was that?"

Minerva smirked. "Plausible deniability."

"Ah"

Back out in the ward, Hermione turned to Neville and Luna. "It's best you not be here for this or ask any questions at this point."

Neville quietly asked. "Will they really try to lock Harry up after he just saved everyone?"

Hermione growled out. "Can I really take that chance?"

Luna finally spoke up. "No...no you can't. Please keep in touch Hermione Granger and good luck. Come along Neville. Let's let Harry and Hermione rest."

"Oh yeah...sure...we'll leave you to watch over him."

Hermione watched as two really good friends walked out of the ward and quietly closed the door. She then turned to Harry and started speaking quietly. "I'm sorry Harry but they're leaving me no choice. You've been my world for so long I can't fathom you not being in it. If this doesn't work then I'll join you soon as I've come to realize I can't live without you. I love you Harry."

She then placed a kiss on his lips before stepping away from the bed and pulling the elder wand out of his moleskin pouch. The fact that she could even reach into it should have told her all she needed to know. She hoped the wand would allow her to use it due to her connection to Harry which after being able to remove it from the pouch should have answered that question. She started off with a body bind charm to hold him still before beginning an intricate waving of her wand. Before long, Harry's body began to change into a manikin as Hermione transfigured him into a life sized doll. She inspected her work by gently tapping on his arm and was satisfied that he was now made of plastic. She stepped back once again and began another series of wand movements which had the result of reducing him down to the size of the Ken doll she played with as a child.

With the use of Harry's cloak, she eased her way through the castle and out onto the grounds. As she made her way to where the gates once stood, she used the elder wand again and summoned the resurrection stone. Once it landed in her hand, it joined everything else in the moleskin pouch. Since she knew the wards were still down, she turned on her heel and disappeared from Hogwarts for the last time.

Hermione landed in an alley in Dublin then made her way to the bank. Once she completed the business on behalf of Harry, she apparated to a bathroom in Heathrow airport. After looking around to make sure she was alone, she used the elder wand to transfigure her clothes into something more acceptable. With a glance at the mirror to make sure she looked normal, she made her way to the ticket counter to see when she could book a light. She got lucky that there was a flight to Australia leaving in two hours and took out the Gnomes card she had just received for Harry.

Her arrival in Australia once again brought out the elder wand in a bathroom where she used it to cast the locator charm that paired with the tracking charm for her parents and began the multiple apparation hops to join back up with them. It was only after restoring their memories and the argument that happened after did she reverse Harry's transfiguration.

It was three days later before Harry opened his eyes. They immediately were drawn to the person who was the most important person in his life. She drew on her Gryffindor courage and kissed him passionately.

Their life for the next few years was spent catching up on their non magical education. Before they would enter a university to further their education, they married in the local church but completed their magical bonding in the privacy of their flat.

The savior and his most trusted were never heard from again.