Harry's wide unblinking eyes were fixed out the window as the large car pulled through a massive wrought iron gate onto a crushed stone driveway towards the sort of manor house he'd only gotten peeks at on the period dramas his Aunt Petunia enjoyed. He hadn't thought people still lived in places like this massive multistory, hell, he hadn't thought the country had many of them since they'd seemed more like relics of a bygone era.
"That's where you live?" Harry murmured in shock, half expecting her to laugh and to tell him that she'd decided to make a brief stop for an educational tour of some historic notable's home on the way to her much more modest abode.
"On weekends and holidays," Hermione agreed. "We're usually at the London house during the week. Why, is there something wrong with it?"
"It's huge," Harry replied. "You never said your house was so big."
"It isn't," Hermione corrected him with an annoyed huff. "My house is in London and it isn't nearly so large."
"Then what do you call that thing?"
"I told you," Hermione said in exasperation. "It's the weekend house. It's where we stay on weekends and holidays, Harry. Pay attention," she admonished.
"Oh," Harry said faintly. The boy felt like he was in a daze as he followed his best friend out of the car and towards the front entrance.
"I really don't see what the big deal is anyway," Hermione continued. "It isn't even half the size of Hogwarts."
"Bit more than a third," Harry agreed mumbled back. He didn't think it would be productive to point out the fact that Hogwarts was built to house an entire staff and student body, while her 'weekend house' kept only one family.
Hermione was able to contain herself until they came to a stop at the front entrance. "Thomas, did they transfer my library?"
"Of course, Ms. Hermione," the burly driver agreed. "You don't think we'd be cruel enough to keep your books from you?"
"Sorry, Thomas," Hermione said contritely. She captured Harry's wrist in an unbreakable grip. "Come on, I wanna show you my books!"
The large driver smiled as the girl he thought of as a daughter dragged her victim into the house. It was good to have her back, even if only for a few weeks.
IIIIIIIIII
Luna waited patiently until they got home before she asked her father where their search for elusive creatures would take them that year. The answer her father gave shocked her to the very core of her being.
"The back garden of course," the man replied proudly.
"Why not some mysterious and distant land?" Luna asked with a frown.
"Because that's where we'd expect them to be." Her father gave a knowing wink. "They're eleven steps ahead of us, so . . ."
"We've got to be on a twelve step program," Luna cheered. "You're brilliant, father."
"I have my moments," he said modestly. "This will also let you spend more time with your friends," he added.
"Oh?" Luna cocked her head. "How so?"
"We can't spend all our time searching," he said with another knowing wink. "We've got to set some aside to lull them into a false sense of security."
"Of course," Luna agreed. "It makes so much sense."
"That it does." He winked again.
"But first, there's something we need to do," Luna said firmly.
"What's that?"
"We need to get you to a healer," Luna replied seriously. "There's something wrong with your eye." She gave him a look full of reproach. "You haven't been taking care of yourself without me around to watch you."
IIIIIIIIII
Hermione dragged Harry into a large room filled with books and shoved him into a large comfy looking chair before disappearing into the stacks.
She returned a few moments later with a lithe brown haired woman in a modest dress and very intense eyes.
"Harry, this is Ms. Jane, the librarian," Hermione said respectfully. "She was my governess before I went to Hogwarts."
"A pleasure to meet you," the woman said kindly.
"The pleasure is all mine," Harry replied gallantly. Something about the woman put him on guard, he wasn't sure why but it was a feeling he'd gotten from all the servants in the Granger household. "Any friend of Hermione's is a friend of mine."
"Ms. Jane, this is my friend Harry Potter." Hermione beamed up at the woman. "He's the one I told you about."
"Yes," the woman said thoughtfully. "I believe there were references to him in a couple of the new books."
"Which ones?" Hermione asked excitedly.
"They're on my desk," the librarian said with a fond smile.
"I'll be right back," Hermione announced before darting off.
"Harry."
"Yes, Ms. Jane?"
"Hermione is very special to me." The woman looked down at him. "If you let anything happen to her, I will kill you," the woman announced calmly.
Harry couldn't help himself, he burst into laughter.
The woman raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm joking?"
"No, I do not." Harry wiped the tears off his face. "I think the two of us are going to get along very well."
A look of confusion appeared on the woman's face. "I . . ." Her mouth snapped shut when she heard the sound of returning footsteps.
"You didn't tell me there were so many," Hermione said as she walked up. She frowned when she noticed the looks on their faces. "Did something happen?"
"We were just surprised to find out how much we had in common," Harry explained to his friend. "I think Ms. Jane and I are going to be very good friends."
"It's so rare to find someone who can understand you so well," Ms. Jane agreed. "As Mr. Potter said, we have quite a bit in common."
"I knew you two would get along," Hermione said in relief. A smile bloomed on the girl's face at the thought of two of her favorite people getting along.
"Was there anything else you needed, Hermione?" the librarian asked Hermione with her newly returned genuine smile.
"No thank you," Hermione said politely.
"Then I shall leave you to your reading." She gave Harry an appraising nod. "Mr. Potter."
"Ms. Jane." Harry's eyes tracked the woman until she was out of sight.
"I found a defense book in the new stack that I thought you might enjoy," Hermione enthusiastically as she thrust the book into his hands.
"Thank you." He took the book from his friend. "Is there another chair in here?"
"We can both fit on this one," Hermione replied, flopping onto the chair beside him.
IIIIIIIIII
Phil Granger was waiting outside the changing room when his wife stepped out. He could tell by the look on her face that it was going to be one of those 'fun' conversations.
"Problem?" He asked gently.
"Why don't we wait until we get into the car before we discuss it," she suggested. "For that matter, why don't we get to the car right now? I can change into real clothes after we get home."
"If you like," he agreed. He nodded to someone further down the hall. "James should have the car waiting for us outside."
"Thank you," she sighed.
He waited until they were safely in the car before he breached the subject again. "So what's got you so tense?"
"Bloody fool," she growled. "I've told him for years that he needed to do some major work, but no, he was too busy. And then now, on the day I was supposed to meet our daughter at the station, the idiot breaks something and absolutely has to get it fixed right away."
"Should have made him wait," Phil murmured.
"I would have if I'd known what it looked like before hand," she sighed. "Bloody fool made it sound like he was dying."
"Then he'll have no complaints when he sees how large the bill is." Phil had already decided to make the man pay, both officially and unofficially. "Emergencies are expensive and dentists with the proper clearances are hard to come by." Doubly so if they had to be 'socially acceptable' too. "Especially when my presence is demanded as well and not needed."
"That was me," Anne admitted. "I wasn't sure if I would need some trustworthy help or not and you wouldn't believe who they tried to saddle me with the last time."
"I see."
Anne moved across the seat to snuggle up with her husband. "Philistine."
He raised the privacy screen. "High bred fop."
IIIIIIIIII
Harry and Hermione were deeply engrossed in their books when the sound of someone clearing their throat caught their attention.
"Your parents have called and they are on their way," a man in a distinguished looking suit announced. "You may wish to take the opportunity to freshen up before dinner."
"Right," Hermione agreed. "Come on, Harry."
"Perhaps Mr. Potter would like to freshen up in his own quarters," the butler suggested delicately.
"Thanks," Harry said gratefully. "Where are they?"
"I'll have someone show you to your room," the butler offered.
"I can show him," Hermione volunteered, seizing the boy by the wrist and dragging him in her wake. "This way, Harry."
IIIIIIIIII
Luna cautiously stalked her prey. Slowly, carefully, she moved closer and closer until she was close enough to make her final lunge. She waited a heartbeat for the right moment. Two heartbeats. With a cry of triumph, she leapt to her feet and held her prize aloft.
"Look what I found, father," Luna called out.
The man hurried over. "What is it?"
"It appears to be a frog," Luna replied with a wide, smug smile. "I must admit that it had me fooled at first."
"But not now," he agreed.
"Nope, not since I had a flash of brilliant inspiration."
"Of course! It all makes so much sense now. If they're willing to trick us by hiding near our home . . ."
"It stands to reason that they'll try to trick us by pretending to be ordinary creatures," Luna finished. She glared down at the frog. "And to think, you almost got away with it."
"Croak," the confused frog replied.
Luna grinned. "Hah, no use playing innocent, mister. You aren't gonna fool me now that I know the truth."
A bead of sweat worked its way down the 'frog's' brow. "Croak?"
IIIIIIIIII
Hermione allowed nearly Harry five minutes of peace to settle in before she started pounding on his door and demanding that he open it.
"Hurry up, Harry," she called through the door. "My parents will be here any minute now and I want you to meet them."
"Just a second," Harry called back. He pulled his pants on and opened the door. "Well?"
Hermione gave him a critical once over, noting every little thing he'd gotten wrong. "Where's your tie?" She demanded.
"I need a tie?"
"I want you to make a good impression," Hermione said firmly. "So you need a tie." She brushed past him and began rummaging through his trunk.
"Go right ahead," Harry muttered. "No, I don't mind. Feel free to look through my trunk, what's mine is yours."
Hermione showed no sign that she'd heard a word he said. After a few seconds of rummaging, she pulled a scarlet tie out of the trunk with a look of triumph on her face. "Did you say something, Harry?"
"Nothing you'd like to hear," Harry replied cheerfully.
"Okay." Hermione looked around for a moment. "Sit on the bed," she ordered.
He complied, knowing that it was best just to ride it out until she'd run out of steam and her mood changed. "Fine," Harry sighed. Sometimes, it wasn't easy being Harry Potter.
"It's a good thing that Ron's such a slob or I'd never have gotten enough practice to do this," Hermione said conversationally as she tied Harry's tie.
"I'm perfectly capable of tying my own tie, Hermione," Harry grumbled. "I do it at school every day, you know that, you've seen me do it."
"Yes but you seem to favor a Shelby knot while Daddy always seems to wear his tied in a Windsor," Hermione replied. "Personally, I think the Shelby looks better, but we want to make a good impression on daddy so we're going with the Windsor."
"Finished?" Harry asked with a much put upon sigh.
"Let me see your teeth," Hermione ordered. She inspected them for several seconds before giving her grudging approval. "Alright, let's go." She froze and stared out the window at something in the distance.
"I could have had a nice relaxing holiday at Hogwarts," Harry grumbled to himself. "Voldemort doesn't usually try anything till the end of the year and I'd have had the whole castle to myself. Or I could have gone back to Privet drive and worked as a slave for the Dursleys, but noooo. I had to spend the winter with my friend. How could I be expected to know that she got even worse when she was at home? Most people relax on holidays."
"Did you say something, Harry?" Hermione asked absently, looking back at her friend.
"Nothing particularly important. Why?"
"Because my parents are here," Hermione squeaked. "Hurry." She seized his wrist and darted out of the room.
She finally came to a quivering halt in front of the main entrance. She didn't have long to wait before her parents came in.
"Mum," Hermione squealed. "Daddy." She threw herself into their arms.
"I missed you too, Pumpkin," Phil murmured.
"James." Hermione disengaged herself from her parents and hugged her father's burly driver. "I missed you too."
"Glad to know that someone does," the large man said with a pleased grin.
"Suzanna!" Hermione stepped around her mother to hug the maid. "How have you been?"
"Quite well, Ms. Hermione," the woman said fondly.
Harry noted silently that neither the driver nor the maid had focused more than a fraction of their attention on Hermione and that they'd been careful to hug her back with only one arm, the right for the driver and the left for the maid. A fraction of the boy's mind wondered just what in the hell was going on, the rest of it noted that Hermione didn't seem to think that any of what was going on was unusual so he decided to mind his own business until things made sense or he needed to act.
Hermione stepped back and placed herself at Harry's side. "Mum, daddy, James, Suzanna, this is Harry Potter."
"Pleasure to finally meet the boy that fills so much of our daughter's letters home," Anne said cheerfully.
"Glad you decided to join us for the winter holidays," Phil added.
"Thank you for inviting me," Harry said politely.
Hermione seized him by the wrist again. "Come on, Harry. You can sit next to me."
Her parents shared a grin as they watched their daughter drag the boy out of the room.
"Do you remember her being that high strung?" Anne asked blandly.
"There's certainly nothing like that on my side of the family," he replied. "I'd hoped that having good stock on her sire's side would counter the inbreeding on the dam's."
"Hold that thought till we have a chance to be alone," Anne said in a husky voice. "Oh, and don't think I've forgotten your crazy uncle Charlie."
"Great Uncle, and by marriage."
"Later, darling."
"Right," he agreed. Arm in arm they strolled after their daughter.
IIIIIIIIII
Anne and Phil shared a smile when they entered the dining room and found the two children sitting side by side at the table.
"It's considered customary to sit across from each other, darling," Phil said with a smile.
"I always sit next to Harry like this," Hermione said with a slightly raised chin. It also put her in the perfect position to whisper advice to her friend and to make sure he used the proper fork.
"Delightful idea," Anne cheered, managing to conceal most of the amusement she felt at the situation. "We shall of course sit across from you."
"An informal atmosphere is best when trying to get to know someone," Phil agreed.
The food began arriving shortly after everyone took their seats.
"So tell me about this sport of yours, Harry," Phil began the small talk.
"It's played on brooms, sir." Harry began. "You got to fly around and dodge bludgers . . . er, balls, while trying to toss a different kind of ball through a hoop. I'm a seeker so my job is to try to catch a third kind of ball."
"Hard to find this third ball?"
"It's about the size of one of your golf balls, daddy," Hermione interjected. "Harry has one of the best records as a seeker in school history," she boasted.
"How difficult is it to ride a broom?" Phil persisted.
"Er . . ." Harry glanced at Hermione, not wanting to say anything that could remind his friend of one of the few subjects where she was not in the top of the class.
"It's very difficult," Hermione said quickly. "Harry is the best at that in school."
"Hmmmm." A smile appeared on Phil's face. "Ever ridden a horse, Harry?"
"No, sir, but I've ridden a Hippogriff and a Thestral."
Hermione's parents glanced at their daughter.
"They're kinds of flying horses," Hermione explained.
Phil gave Harry a speculative look. "I wonder if . . ."
"Not at the table," Anne chastised.
Hermione frowned. "No what at the table, Mum?"
"Your father has become obsessed with polo lately," she sighed. "I thought he'd gotten over it after you were born."
"I was focused on other things." He smiled at Hermione. "Like my lovely new daughter. With you away at school most of the year, I need to do something with my time."
"Your father is getting old and the doctor says he needs to exercise," her mother translated.
"I can only play so much golf before it gets boring," Phil stated, ignoring the woman's implication. "Polo is the sport of kings and cavalrymen. I'm neither but I enjoy it all the same."
Anne grinned mischievously and leaned across the table to whisper to her daughter. "Personally, I think your father is trying to recapture the faded glory of his youth. Next thing you know, he's going to go out shopping for a young trophy wife."
"No danger of that," he quipped. "I've already got one." He reached under the table and did something that caused Anne to give a surprised squeak. The two adults smiled at each other. "Back to the lovely conversation I was having before I was so rudely interrupted by my trophy wife." He turned back to Harry. "What is your favorite subject? I was always partial to studying the Tap myself," he added with a grin, thinking of the long hours he'd spent drinking in Eton's pub.
"Defense is my favorite," Harry replied. "Even if the teachers aren't always the best."
"Harry's the top student in our year," Hermione said proudly. "He's so good at it that students in the upper years come to him for help."
"Even better than you, Pumpkin?" Phil asked his daughter with a look of profound innocence on his face.
"In the practical portions," Hermione allowed. "I have the edge on theory."
Phil raised a speculative eyebrow after hearing the girl not just admit, but proudly state that someone else was better then her at something academic.
"And on everything else in the other classes," Harry added. "She's the top student in our year." He smirked when he noticed his friend blush a deep red, two could play at this game.
The four of them continued their chat through the meal and beyond until Anne gave a deep yawn and began to visibly droop.
"Never was much of a night person," she said with a shrug.
"So we may as well cut things off there," Phil added. "It was lovely chatting with you, Harry." He pretended not to notice when Hermione leaned over to whisper some instructions into the much put upon boy's ear.
"It was good talking with you too, sir," Harry said politely. "I look forward to continuing our conversation tomorrow."
Harry barely managed to suppress his reflexes when the butler suddenly appeared by his elbow. "Would sir like to have a guide back to his rooms?" He asked formally.
"Uh?"
"I'll take him," Hermione chirped.
"Really, Ms. Hermione, it's rather far from your suite."
"I moved him to the free one in my hallway," Hermione explained.
"You did?" The butler said sickly. This new development would make the job of keeping the two teens apart a hundred times more difficult.
Hermione giggled. "I can't believe you were going to put Harry on the other side of the house when the room adjoining mine is still free, you're usually much more efficient than that."
"Yes . . . well, we thought you might like to save that for your other friend," the butler offered. "The girl." Since the staff viewed Hermione's other, yet to arrive guest with much less suspicion and trepidation than the one already present.
"Luna can stay with me in my rooms when she comes here," Hermione said with an unconcerned wave. "I'm used to having roommates, more used to it than I am having a whole suite to myself because of Hogwarts."
"As you say, Ms. Hermione," the butler agreed sourly. He looked down at the boy and waited a few moments until the girl he thought of as the daughter he never had turned her attention away for a moment. "I shall have one of the staff waiting in the hall in case you need anything," he said calmly. "Just open the door and they'll see you." Thank all that was holy for the fact that the two suites weren't connected, he thought to himself.
"Um . . . okay," Harry agreed. "But I don't want to be a bother."
"It's no bother," the butler said firmly, searching the boy's face for any sign of disappointment. "I wouldn't want you to want for anything. Just remember, there will be someone outside your door all night."
"Thanks, then." Harry was sure that he was missing something. "I appreciate all the trouble you're going to for me."
Phil grinned as he watched the butler's defense of his daughter's virtue before the oblivious girl dragged her equally oblivious potential suitor off to their wing of the house. It was so wonderful to see things from the outside for once. He snapped himself back to reality when his wife mumbled something to him.
"I'm sorry, dear," Phil said softly. "But I didn't quite catch that."
"I'm going to bed now that I no longer have to play hostess," she repeated.
"I'll join you shortly then," he replied. "I need to have a speak Thomas for a moment first."
"Hurry," she said in a husky voice. "I've got something I'd like to discuss with you before I drift off, you arrogant twit."
"I'll be there as soon as I can," he promised. Phil spent a few moments admiring the sight of his wife leaving the room before returning to the task at hand.
He found her driver waiting patiently outside the dining room with a massive sandwich in one hand and a mug of ale in the other.
"Thank you for waiting, Thomas," Phil said politely. "Now, if you would be good enough to give me your first impressions of our guest?"
"Seems like a good kid," the driver said after a moment of thought. "Seems a bit put out by the way Ms. Hermione likes to hover over him. Not sure that's the way she normally acts when they're at school together." He paused for a moment. "Also seems to be a bit shocked by how large the house is, don't believe he had any clue that Ms. Hermione came from money."
"I see, anything else you'd like to add?"
"Mr. Harry noticed my baby Fairbairn right off," the driver reported. "Seemed to relax a touch when he noticed it was a knife. Was all set to do violence before that. Very observant lad, always has an eye on everyone."
"Probably thought it was a wand," Hermione's father said thoughtfully. "Did he also notice your pistol?"
"I don't believe so." The driver scratched his chin for a moment. "Well, might have noticed that I had something hidden but I don't believe he realized what it was or realized that it represented any sort of potential threat to him or Ms. Hermione."
"Thank you, Thomas, that will be all for the night."
"Yes, sir."