You're My Destiny↣ Harmione

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter 17 - Plan B

They walked into the Great Hall, one that looked rather strange without the four obligatory house tables commandeering most of the available space. Rows of seats had replaced the usual Hogwarts furniture, with the decorating banners all featuring Merlin's Dragon Symbol. Hermione was gradually winning the battle to calm Harry while leading him down the aisle toward their reserved seats at the front, only for Harry to stop suddenly as if poleaxed.

"Oh shit! Hermione, I can't accept this award. I need to talk to Dumbledore, and the Minister of Magic."

Despite the ministry flunky first trying to cajole before resorting to ordering them into taking their seats immediately, Harry simply refused to move - or say any more on the matter until speaking with the right people. Eventually McGonagall interceded, leading Harry, Hermione and their families into a small anteroom to await the two individuals he was so desperate to see.

It wasn't long before Albus and a rather flustered Minister arrived. "What seems to be the problem here. We have a lot of invited people waiting you know…" Cornelius nearly said press, which was who he really meant. It didn't pay to keep them waiting.

"Minister, I'm really sorry but I have to refuse this award."

Thinking again of those members of the press, and how they would report this, a shocked Cornelius needed about three attempts to ask Harry why he was doing this.

"I really am sorry and should have thought of this sooner. It's not the award I have a problem with, Minister, rather what it will do to me. Accepting an Order of Merlin makes me an adult…"

The knut finally dropped for Albus. "…which will remove all the protection from your Aunt's house."

"Yes Sir, and Sirius just heaped a pile of shit onto the Malfoys. Lucius will be livid, just as the wards at Privet Drive disappear. I can't have that."

It was a relieved Cornelius who offered the obvious solution. "You're right, Harry, that problem should have been anticipated - with a solution already in place. We can have new wards erected there within hours, and also have those wards monitored too - just like the Grangers."

Seeing Harry was still troubled, he was actually trembling, Hermione moved directly in front of her intended and gently held his face. Looking right into his eyes, she quietly attempted to reassure him. "We can have the house watched until those wards are up. Any danger at all, your uncle and cousin can be instantly taken to my house. The new wards will soon protect them…"

It was then Hermione discovered the real reason behind Harry's fear. "…but they wouldn't need me to stay there then."

The look of desperate loss in Harry's eyes was breaking Hermione's heart, mainly because she couldn't do a thing about it. There was really only one person present who could.

No one in the room could miss just how close these two were, with Petunia left hoping her Dudley managed to find someone half as nice as Hermione when he started looking for a girlfriend. Through Harry, Petunia now felt closer to her sister than at any time since Lily boarded that magical train as an eleven year old. Just like then, she had a decision to make. Petunia now considered the decision she'd reached as a teenager to be the wrong one, a decision that had subsequently impacted on more than just her life.

Here she was faced with the choice of permanently walking away from her nephew and magic, or accepting both into her life. Accepting this Harry, while trying to become the aunt he deserved - the aunt Lily would have expected her big sister to be. Harry was unquestionably a different boy from the one they took to King's Cross last September, and the Dursleys had unbelievably been given a second chance to be a family to him. Petunia decided to take that chance, though wouldn't be telling Vernon or Dudley that they didn't need to take Harry into their home just yet.