April 28. 1998
Hermione ate her lunch with gusto, a side effect of training with Remus in the mornings. She knew that Harry hadn't meant that she needed to train with their ex-professor but it made her feel more confident about herself that she did. She had learned many new things and she wished that Harry and Ron would both attend but knew that they were both too busy to. She could only hope that her new knowledge would be enough to save them all if the situation arose is the future.
Harry was sitting next to her and he was picking at his food, something that he had been doing a lot of lately. She knew that he was worried about just about everything but there was nothing she could do about that. He had taken over the war effort and while she tried to help him in that effort, it was hard to. Nobody wanted to listen to her and all the older members of the Order though she didn't know anything since she was so young. They only listened to Harry because he had literally elbowed his way in and he was their default savior. She was nothing in comparison and she could see how they saw that. Harry listened to her and let her help when she could but he was still ridiculously overprotective.
They had an Order meeting to go to that afternoon and Hermione found herself a little nervous. She had never been to one and while she knew that Harry was in charge, she wasn't sure what would be expected of her. Yes, she knew that she helped him keep everything straight but she wasn't sure that he wanted her to let that be known in front of everyone at the meeting. She supposed that she would just remain quiet and see where it takes her.
The others were wolfing their food next to her, not surprising since two of them were Ron and Bill. Ella and Fleur were also with them but they were eating at a much more sedate pace. It didn't seem as though they were nervous at all and Hermione envied them. Harry's hand slid up and down her thigh, rubbing her to show her that her fears were unfounded. She shot him a soft smile but remained silent. He, however, didn't.
"You have nothing to be nervous about, kitten. You don't have to prove yourself in any way. I'm running things and I already know exactly what you do for the war effort," he reassured her. She nodded her head and gave him a soft smile. Ron looked up, completely surprised.
"Why would you be nervous?" he asked. Hermione. She could feel a faint blush on her cheeks but she refused to drop her eyes.
"I haven't been able to go yet. I've been hurt and everyone probably thinks I've been milking it so I don't have to go out and do anything," she explained. Of course, there had been the mission to rescue Amelia Bones and Cho Chang, along with the other family members of fellow Order members, but other than that, Hermione hadn't been very active. Ron just sputtered his surprise.
"Nobody thinks that, they've all been worried about you. They can't believe that you stood your ground with Bellatrix and lived to tell the tale," he told her. Hermione flinched, just a little. It was still a sore subject, it probably always would be. Yes, she was better but it still caused her to lose her baby. Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple before glaring at Ron. She remembered how it had felt sitting at his bedside while he recovered and had gained a little perspective on how he felt and acted about her. It had been hard for her to let him go on the next mission.
"I know, I'm still just a little nervous about being around everyone," Hermione admitted. Harry kissed her temple again.
"It'll be fine. If there are any problems, I'm going to handle them," he promised her.
Hermione let it go after that.
Everyone finished their meal and Fleur and Ella cleared the table quickly. Fleur set the dishes to wash and made sure that their guests were taken care of. Once she had returned, they lined up in front of the floo. Hermione looked down at her clothing to make sure that she looked presentable. While her jeans weren't holey, they were clean and fit her well. Her long-sleeved tee shirt was form-fitting, which didn't bother her. What she liked about the shirt was that it covered the scar that had been carved into her arm. Overall, she supposed that she passed.
They started going through the floo, headed for Grimmauld Place. The last time she had been there hadn't been so wonderful for her but she was trying to forget that time. Seeing Harry unconscious had been horrible and she never wanted to see that again. Amelia Bones and Cho Chang had joined the Order after being rescued, ready to fight against the bastards who had hurt them. Hermione didn't blame them; she would have been the same way.
Harry was on the other side of the floo, hand out for her so she could step through without tripping. The Entrance Hall was empty but Hermione could hear a low hum of noise coming from the direction of the kitchen. She knew that it was going to be cram-packed with people and it made her feel anxious. Since her time spent with Bellatrix, she had stopped enjoying crowds of people or people that were overly touchy. Harry wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her to the kitchen; she fortified herself and let him lead on.
He opened the door and a wave of noise flowed over them. It seemed as though everyone in the room was talking and they weren't trying to moderate the volume of their voices. She could feel Ron at her back and he was pulling Ella in by the hand. Finally, Bill and Fleur brought up the end of the train and quickly found their seats.
Hermione saw many people that she recognized but more that she didn't. She wondered if Harry knew all these people and realized that he probably did. Her eyes met Remus' and he gave her a reassuring smile before falling in behind them while Harry made his way to the front. Additional tables and chairs had been added since they were supposed to be having a meal; the reason for Harry and Hermione eating before they came. Hermione knew that Harry wasn't going to take a chance of either of them ingesting another potion.
Harry took a seat at the head of the table and sat her directly to his right. Even though Ron was just as involved in the war effort, he wanted to sit with Ella so found a seat down the table. Therefore, Remus took the seat opposite of her and flashed her a toothy grin.
"These aren't quite all the members. There are some that can't come because they're on assignment," the werewolf explained. Hermione smiled nervously and nodded.
"That makes sense. How many more members are there? This doesn't seem like enough to take down all of the Dark Lord's Death Eaters," she observed.
"I think our numbers are getting closer since Harry has been in charge. He's all about taking out the enemy, not trying to save them like Dumbledore did," he told her. Hermione nodded, knowing that much was true.
Food appeared on the table and everyone started to dig in. Hermione and Harry were the only ones not to have food, though she didn't see Bill, Fleur, or Ella eating. Ron, of course, helped himself as though he hadn't eaten a full meal not twenty minutes before. While it was appalling, it wasn't surprising.
Hermione caught sight of her mother further down the line, talking quietly to Arthur Weasley. She wondered briefly what they were discussing since they looked so serious but let the thought go quickly. She trusted her mother and knew she would let her know if it was important to her. Hermione still couldn't help but be wary about the Weasleys; the only one she trusted in even the remotest manner aside from Ron was Bill and that was more due to his alpha status than anything else.
Tonks and Kingsley were sitting together and conversing, smiling throughout the conversation. Baby Teddy was in her arms and Hermione itched to hold him. While she was heartbroken that her own baby was taken from her, she was still happy for her friend that she got to enjoy her own baby. She was thrilled that she got to enjoy him with her.
Amelia Bones and Cho Chang seemed to have settled in well; they were permanently staying at Grimmauld Place, Susan quickly coming to stay at her aunt's side. Cho had nobody but she wasn't short on support. Hermione had offered hers but it was nothing compared to Amelia's. Hermione was happy to see that Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet had taken the girl into their circle even though they had never been friends before. Knowing you had someone to listen to you was more helpful than anything, Hermione knew that from experience. Cho was starting to come out of her shell now that she had friends who genuinely cared for her.
Amelia, however, was a different story. She appeared to be entirely unaffected by her treatment in captivity. Hermione knew that it couldn't be the case; she had considered herself an extremely strong witch and knew exactly how her treatment at the hands of Death Eaters had affected her. The ex-Head of the Auror Department had taken to the Order like a duck to water. She was helping Remus train everyone in battle tactics and also lending her expertise to Bill and Ron in the strategy department. She was definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Everyone was finishing up down the table, plates being pushed away as they rubbed their bellies appreciatively. Hermione could only be a little jealous; Molly was a superb cook. Several people waved their wands and the empty dishes cleared, heading for the sink. It was probably a good idea to use a spell because there would surely be broken cutlery if everyone tried to clear their own plate. Compliments were called up and down the table to Molly and Hermione had to wonder if people were idiots. Harry had publicly accused her of potioning them with food and still they ate her food with no compunction at all.
Once all the food and dishes had been cleared, the table was quiet. Hermione knew that this was where Harry was going to start the meeting and she had to admit that she was quivering on the inside. She wanted to see him as the alpha he was, someone who took charge and met adversity head on. She was almost vibrating with the need. Harry dropped a hand on her thigh and rubbed it soothingly, almost as if he knew her thoughts.
"I'm calling this meeting to order. I want everyone to report, starting at next to Hermione and going down the table," Harry ordered. Since Hermione was seated next to a man she had never seen before, she listened intently.
The reports went on for what seemed like hours. Hermione paid attention as best she could but when Dedalus Diggle started going on about how many victims he had found at the last Death Eater raid, she zoned out. Hearing the numbers made her realize that while Harry had taken charge of the war effort, people were still dying. They needed to get that horcrux and destroy it so they could continue their search.
Kingsley shared information on the latest news from his spying while Arthur reported that they had found enough extra wands for everyone to have a second one. Remus told everyone how pleased he was with how they were coming along in training. Her mother reported that things were just as terrible as before at Hogwarts, that making contact with Severus had done nothing to change the way things were in school.
Hermione had been surprised at how well her mother making contact with Severus Snape had gone. She had expected him to rant and rave at her for not trusting him, for thinking him capable of cold-blooded murder. Instead, he had awkwardly hugged her mother back and told her that he was glad that somebody had figured out just how corrupt Dumbledore was. Of course, her mother hadn't understood. Snape had gone on to explain that while Severus could never have betrayed the Order because of the oath he took, neither could have Pettigrew. Her mother had connected the dots instantly and shed tears when she revealed it to Harry.
Harry, of course, had told her that he had already figured it out but doubted that anyone else would likely believe them. She informed them that Severus had passed onto her that the Dark Lord was growing more unstable and was flitting between several plans that were completely outrageous. One of them consisted of attacking Hogwarts to draw out the Order, not caring that magical children would most certainly be harmed.
With Bellatrix and Greyback dead, the other Death Eaters were vying for her spot in the inner circle. The fact that they were being hunted and killed made no never mind to the Dark Lord; he waved their losses away with a statement that if they were stupid enough to let Order members get in their homes, they were too stupid to serve him. Although, he was livid at the loss of Amelia Bones.
There was also an invigorating search for Hermione that was ongoing. It seemed that the Death Eaters and snatchers that had survived Malfoy Manor and then the Dark Lord had told him that Harry had been frantic to get to her. While nobody had proof, with Harry's size as a factor, it was being bandied about that he was an alpha and Hermione was his omega. Snape had been quick to shoot that down, telling him that Harry was nothing more than average in every other way, meaning that he was most likely a beta. He didn't think that the Dark Lord had believed him but it was the effort that Harry appreciated.
Finally, they made it around to the other side of the table. Hermione sighed as she listened to the last report be made by Molly over the fact that there were no prisoners to look over at that time. The ones from previously had been dealt with a couple weeks before that. Hermione hadn't asked for details on that since she wasn't sure she really wanted to know. When all finally fell silent, Hermione watched Harry lean forward and speak authoritatively.
"I'll get with Bill and Ron tomorrow and we'll get your next set of orders to you in the next two days. Everyone is doing a great job and I appreciate all your efforts," he paused for just a moment.
"I also wanted to inform you that Ron, Hermione, and myself are still on the mission given to us from Dumbledore. We're going to be going on said mission shortly. I know that most of you want to know what it is but it's too dangerous to share. If the information were to get to You-Know-Who, the war would instantly be over. While I'm gone, I'm leaving Remus and Minerva in charge of the Order. Bill will continue to counsel. If anything happens to us, one person amongst us knows the mission so it can be carried on. Before the Dark Lord can be defeated, this mission has to be completed," he explained. There were wide eyes all around them but most of them were nodding agreeably. Her mother raised an eyebrow.
"You will not be disappearing for months at a time again. You will complete your mission and return either here or Shell Cottage. After the information that Severus has given us, it's too dangerous for the three of you to gallivant all over the wizarding world and expect to not be found," she told them. Harry gave her a differential nod.
"Yes, we will be returning to an Order safehouse after we conclude the next part of our mission. Not only is it physically dangerous, it's becoming more and more difficult to go shopping for food in the muggle world, the way we were supplying ourselves. You have my word we'll return if we're capable," he promised.
Hermione wasn't sure why but it made her breathe a little easier.
-O-
"Meeting dismissed," Harry said, thankful it was finally over. While he didn't mind the work or the responsibility of running the Order, he truly detested having meetings. However, they were necessary.
Even though he really wanted to just go back to Shell Cottage and fuck Hermione into the mattress, he knew that he would have to stay a little while to answer any questions that hadn't been asked during the metting. There were usually one or two people that wanted to clarify points he had made or ask further details even though he had been clear that no more would be given. Remus usually helped field these questions since they just made Harry want to hex someone.
The first to approach him was Aberforth Dumbledore, somebody that Harry really struggled in dealing with. The man was pushy and felt he had a right to all the information on the table, probably because his brother had run the Order before his death. Hermione watched him warily; she wasn't overly fond of him since she had heard that he was entirely blase about the fact that Molly had been potioning him and herself. She veered off slightly to go stand by Tonks so she could pull Teddy into her arms. Harry kept her in view while the man started speaking.
"You need to share this mission, my boy. It isn't safe for just one person to have that kind of information. What if this person is killed?" Aberforth cajoled. Harry shook his head.
"Your brother felt that it was safe to keep the information to himself for years. He only passed it to me when he knew that he was dying. Snape already told us why he killed your brother. His hand had been cursed and he wasn't going to survive the year. He made Severus kill him so it would solidify his position as a spy. I'm taking the exact same precautions as your brother," Harry explained coldly. Before he could even listen to a response, he caught sight of movement from the corner of his eye, opposite of the side that Hermione was on. He dismissed it as nothing important until it was too late.
A flash of vibrant red hair and before Harry realized what was happening, his arms were full of a witch. Ginny's lips pressed against his and he could instantly tell that they were coated in something. He wasn't sure what it was but that wasn't the most pressing concern. Hermione had collapsed, Teddy in her arms, screaming like she had when she had suffered at Malfoy Manor.
Harry instantly moved into action, throwing Ginny from his arms and into the table. He angrily swiped at his lips with his sleeve before moving to Hermione's side. Her screaming had subsided and Tonks was struggling to get Teddy from her grasp, tears down her cheeks in worry. Remus was instantly at his side, snarling at anyone that got too close.
Hermione was panting, her chest heaving with every breath, while Harry gathered her in his arms. Madam Pomfrey was straining to get through the crowd and when she broke free, she dropped to her knees at Hermione's side, wand already working its magic. Harry allowed it but held his wand aloft, pointing it at everyone else in the room. He let Madam Pomfrey work in silence until she finally sat back on her heels and shoved a wisp of hair out of her face.
"She cracked her head pretty good on the floor when she fell and she'll have bruises. The pain is gone now; just your typical omega pain," she explained. Harry literally growled at her.
"What omega pain?" he demanded. Madam Pomfrey looked at him like he was as intimidating as a first year.
"It's well known that an alpha can find solace with other women. Omegas can't without permission. However, it's doing harm to a fundamentally necessary bond. Of course it's going to be painful," she said. Hermione was trembling in his arms but it was clear that it was already getting better. Tears streamed down her face as he moved to kiss them away. Then he remembered whatever it was that Ginny had had on her lips.
"It felt like I was being crucioed again," she confessed. Harry didn't dare leave her until he knew that she was safe. Remus instantly stepped forward, as did her mother, and his place. Ginny was trying to stand, clearly injured judging by the blood on her jumped and and the red scrape on her cheek. Harry truly couldn't explain how angry he was. He couldn't ever remember being this angry in his life. It was as though the anger inside him was an entirely different person.
Therefore, he rose to his feet and did the one thing that he knew he wouldn't regret. He had vowed to protect Hermione and it was obvious that Ginny was a threat. However, before he could do anything, she smiled saucily at him.
"Are you ready to ditch Granger yet, Harry?" she asked. Harry just looked at her as though she were completely insane. He truly wondered if she was, if her mother hadn't warped her mind so much that she had completely lost touch with reality.
"No, you stupid cunt, I'm not ditching my omega. How fucking stupid are you?" he spat at her. Ginny cocked her head to the side, clearly confused.
"But the cream should have worked, the book said it would," she murmured. Harry snorted at her.
"If you're talking about the love cream you had smeared on your lips, it takes time to be absorbed. I wiped it off immediately. In case you couldn't tell, I don't want to shag you silly," he said, venom coloring his tone. He pointed his wand straight at her chest and spoke hollowly.
"I warned every single person in this room just what would happen if they hurt Hermione. Did I not?" he asked in a voice that was close to a whisper. Everyone in the room nodded. He could see fearful looks all around him but he didn't care. He could stand for anything but traitors and those that hurt Hermione.
"Crucio," he said, not bothering to hide his spell. There were shocked gasps all around but not from Remus or Minerva. Molly surged forward, as did Arthur, but were held back Bill and Charlie.
Harry could feel the hate unfurling inside him as he held the hated curse. He hadn't been able to hold it when he had used it in fifth year against Bellatrix but he was clearly capable now. Everyone stared in horrified shock and silence as he held the curse for a full minute before releasing it. Ginny had tears down her cheeks and was laying in a puddle of piss. Blood streamed down her forehead from where her head had hit the floor while she had been thrashing. He bent down just close enough to make sure that not only Ginny heard him but those closest to her.
"I warned you what would happen if you came near Hermione. You hurt her as though you had cast a crucio on her yourself so I thought it fair to pay you back in kind. As for your fate, you are dismissed from the Order of the Phoenix. You clearly got missed when taking your vow and I won't stand for that. Rest assured now that I have no ties to you whatsoever, if you come near my omega again, I will kill you. I won't feel bad, I won't miss you when you're gone. You'll be dead and I won't even think about you. Don't cross me in this. The only reason I didn't kill you is because I hold most of your family in high esteem. Don't make me regret showing them kindness," he hissed angrily. He stood up and glared at Molly.
"Get your spawn and get her off my floor. Make sure you clean up the blood and piss too. Don't try me, Molly. Cross me and you'll both be dead," he warned her. Molly glared back but rushed forward to remove her daughter from the floor silently. He looked up to see that the Weasleys were all staring at him as though they just couldn't understand what had just happened. Harry hoped he hadn't just lost Ron's friendship but if he did, it was a price he was willing to pay to keep Hermione safe. He met Aberforth's eyes before heading back to Hermione.
"I'm not telling you about our fucking mission. Get the fuck over it and carry out the duties you've been assigned. You aren't the head of the Order and you never were. If you don't like it, you can follow Ginny out the door," he stated.
Harry turned back to Hermione and gently scooped her out of Remus' arms. She shook her head, indicating that she could walk but he wasn't about to let her walk after bearing what was like the Cruciatus Curse. Nobody followed after him and it was probably a good thing. Hermione tucked in close as they stepped through the floo and spun away in a flash of green flame.
Harry briefly wondered if he should be worried that he was staying in a Weasley home after just cursing said Weasley's sister with an Unforgivable. However, he was going to ward his and Hermione's room so heavily that nobody would be able to enter without him letting them through. Maybe a bit extreme but he wasn't taking chances with Hermione any longer.
He strode through the house and found the stairs, climbing them quickly. Once they were safely ensconced in their room, he sat Hermione gently on the bed while he pulled his wand and started casting at the closed door. He cast all the charms Hermione had around their tent and then pulled a knife from his robe pocket to prick his thumb, casting the blood wards as well. He hadn't been entirely sure that it would work since they were already under quite a few wards guarding Shell Cottage but it appeared that it had. Once he was finished, he returned to Hermione's side to see her watching him carefully. He sat at her side and took her hand in his.
"Do you think I'm a monster now? That I'm turning dark? I don't regret it at all, you know," he enquired. Hermione was quick to shake her head.
"No, you're not dark or a monster. Would you think that I was if I had cast that curse on someone that hurt you?" she said, turning it on him. He chuckled softly and brushed her cheek with his thumb.
"No, you cheeky witch, you know I wouldn't. Way to prove a point," he said. She smiled softly.
"Thank you. It really was awful but I feel fine now. Madam Pomfrey healed what she could. At least what happened doesn't have the lasting effects of the Cruciatus," she stated, almost clinical. He shook his head and carded his fingers through her hair.
"You're not fine, kitten, you were struck with the equivalent of the Cruciatus," he started. Hermione spoke before he could continue.
"I need you to take me, Harry. For the love of Merlin, make me forget what it looked like to see you two kiss. I know you didn't want her to and I'm not mad but the sight of it brought back every insecurity and fear I had before. Please touch me and reassure me that it's me that you want," she nearly begged. Harry's heart broke. He couldn't blame her for how she felt; he would have lost it if it had been the other way around. Hell, he had lost it when Greyback had almost raped her. It had killed him inside and just knowing that she might be scared to touch him after that had been horrible. To know that she still wanted him was earth shattering.
Harry waved his wand and they were both naked. He wasted no time in fisting a hand in her hair and pulling her forward, his lips taking possession of her own. She yielded so sweetly and he tasted every inch of her while he dominated her. His free hand stroked the soft skin of her neck, right over his mark, and she keened at his touch.
Releasing her hair, his hand traveled down to tweak her nipple roughly, eliciting a small gasp of delight. He dragged his mouth from hers, trailing it down her neck to lave at her collar bone. Hermione laid back and he was quick to catch a hardened tip of her breast in his mouth. Suckling roughly, he smiled into her breast when her hands tightened in his hair to keep him in place. He spent several enjoyable minutes there, teasing her delicious skin, before she finally pulled him back.
"Please, Harry, I need you now," she begged, her voice rough and husky with want and need. Harry decided to do as she asked, not teasing her any further even though it was his favorite past time.
Harry positioned himself between her legs, her thighs cradling him perfectly while he lined himself up with her entrance. He could smell her arousal and didn't bother to make sure that she was ready; he knew from experience she was sopping wet and aching for him. He plunged home, full to the hilt. Hermione hissed as she grew accustomed to his girth, the pain clearly adding to her pleasure.
Harry started with a punishing pace, one that Hermione clearly approved of. Her hips lifted off the bed to meet his thrusts and she seemed frantic. Harry knew that he wasn't going to last long. He would normally draw it out and punish Hermione for trying to take over but he knew she needed this. Therefore, he continued with his pace until her face bunched up, her nails dug into his back, and her muscles clenched around him deliciously tight. Moans, mewls, and whimpers escaped her lips as she reached her pleasure, his name and a string of profanities following them. It was heaven to his ears and Harry let himself go. He exploded inside her, painting her insides white with his seed.
Harry laid there on top of her, his face buried in her neck, while he recovered. Her arms were wound around him, holding him close so he knew that he wasn't hurting her. Eventually, he moved his head to press a soft, reassuring kiss to her mouth. She accepted it sweetly and looked a bit dazed. He moved off her, reaching for his wand to wave away the mess. Even though they hadn't had dinner, he was ready to go to bed. He curled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close as he pulled the duvet over them. He pressed a line of kisses from her ear to her neck, careful to avoid her mark. He didn't want to work her up again when she clearly needed sleep.
"I hope you realize that I will never choose Ginny over you. Ever," he promised. She nodded sleepily.
"Yes, I do know that. It was just that seeing her kiss you brought it all back, the fears I had that you were really meant for her and not me," she admitted. Harry kissed her neck again, this time only once.
"Your fears are completely unfounded, kitten. I swear on my magic," he swore. The oath settled on him but he didn't think that Hermione even noticed. Her eyes were closed and her breathing had evened out, having drifted off to sleep. Harry smiled to himself at how ridiculous she was but he didn't blame her. It had been a terrible meeting for her and she had re-lived her time at Malfoy Manor, not really something he was too happy with. She deserved sleep.
Harry tried not to focus on what had happened at the Order meeting because he knew that if he did, he would likely obsess over it all night long and get no sleep at all. It would hold until tomorrow. He closed his eyes and focused on Hermione warm and safe in his arms.
Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.