Live Forever

4: Slide Away - Part 2

August 3, 1995

It had been twenty five minutes since Harry's declaration and Hermione was beginning to think no-one was taking his threat seriously. At the very least she had expected another letter telling him to stay put but besides the Dursleys storming back to their bedrooms nothing of note had happened.

Well, a few things had happened. She'd embedded herself into Harry's side and her father had decided to fill the anticipatory silence by sharing with Harry how truly awful his beloved Manchester City were. Hermione chuckled when Harry said they sounded a lot like the Chudley Cannons but with better colors.

They'd move on to discussing the merits of Pink Floyd when the door sprung open, revealing three wizards and one witch. Professor Lupin and Mr. Weasley looked pensive while Bill began searching the house for threats. Suddenly another wizard appeared from under an invisibility cloak with the largest grin Hermione had ever seen. Her heart warmed at how happy and whole Sirius appeared.

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed as his godfather pulled him into a hug, "you aren't supposed to be here," he admonished.

"My godson gave me no choice," he replied joyfully as he moved on and pulled her into a hug.

"Uh...could one of you cast...what is it called? Silencio?" her mother asked cautiously. "Harry's relatives were a bit put out by everything happening and I'd rather not have to deal with them again."

"We'll take care of it," Mr. Weasley replied as he motioned for Bill to follow him up the steps.

Amidst all the activity Hermione noticed the unknown witch was beaming at her and Harry. It made sense for her to be interested in Harry but she seemed to be garnering just as much attention. The witch looked very familiar.

"Fetch your things, Harry," Remus ordered calmly before turning his attention toward her parents, "We need to talk to the Grangers for a moment."

She felt Harry immediately tense. "If you're going to lecture them-"

"Just inform and thank," Sirius interrupted happily, "we are all on the same side here." He looked years younger than the last time she'd seen him...and his hair looked fantastic.

"I'll go with you," she stated matter of factly as she pulled Harry up from the couch.

"I'll go too!" the witch added brightly as she bundled to their side and stuck out her hand. "I'm Tonks by the way."

"Uhh...hi," Harry replied uncertainly as the witch, Tonks, shook his hand vigorously.

"Nice to meet you, Tonks," Hermione offered as the woman latched onto her hand. She was very excited.

"Let's go!" she enthused, bounding up the stairs. She and Harry followed uncertainly behind.

"How did you know which room was mine?" Harry asked suspiciously as they entered. Hermione stifled the urge to be enraged by the multiple locks on the door and how barren his room was compared to the rest of the house.

"I'm one of the people who's been guarding you. Oh, I can do that!" Tonks answered as she began magically, and sloppily, packing up Harry's things.

"You were at the café," Hermione suddenly realized, "but you had longer hair...and it was...normal."

Tonks became a bit uncomfortable. "Yeah...sorry about that. We were told to follow Harry wherever he went. I didn't listen into your conversations though...just made sure no-one dodgy had followed you."

"Hang on, you were at McDonalds too! But your hair was pink," Harry interjected.

The woman stopped what she was doing and scrunched her face in concentration. Moments later her hair turned a particularly aggressive shade of orange.

"You're a metamorphmagus!" Hermione enthused, drawing a confused stare from Harry. "I'll explain later," she reassured and squeezed his arm, drawing a wistful sigh from Tonks.

"You two are so cute together!" she exclaimed unthinkingly. "Sorry! I'm just...a big fan," she muttered awkwardly as she levitated Harry's trunk and followed it out the door.

Hermione tried not to think about all of her recent time spent with Harry being monitored and focused on the fact that they were alone for the first time since his birthday. As wonderful as their moment had been before her idiot father had ruined it, it was just that, a moment. She desperately needed clarification and context to where she and Harry stood.

"Harry, you don't regret us kissing do you?" she asked.

"What? Of course not!"

"So...we're together now, right?"

"Yes. I mean, if you-"

"Good," she interrupted before kissing him quickly and forcefully, knowing they would be interrupted at any moment. No sooner than they had started she heard another wistful sigh. It was slightly more pleasant than a car horn but equally as infuriating.

"I really do hate to interrupt but we need to get going," Tonks advised as she grabbed Hedwig's cage. "But don't worry, there are loads of empty rooms where were headed. I'll even let you know which ones have been decontaminated," she advised with a waggle of her eyebrows before exiting the room once again.

"Is she...encouraging us to sneak around and snog? And they're taking you to a place with contaminated rooms?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"I like her," Harry grinned as he grabbed her hand and led her toward the door.