Harry Potter The Surprise

Normally they would mentally back away when the other was in the toilet or showering but not today. Harry needed Hermione's presence as much as she needed to be there. 'I think I may have shocked our friends.'

'You heard my dad telling me what Malfoy said, I'm certain that's why he went all berserker on us.'

'Yeah, which is why I simply can't feel any remorse at Malfoy's death. We have memories that show us what he's capable of, along with first hand experiences of the bastard that totally backs those memories up. I don't know if these memories are hardening us to what we saw and did today but, to be perfectly honest, you cutting a finger would concern me more than every single Death Eater dying. If that makes me a callous git then I'm guilty as charged.'

"Well I'm guilty too, because I don't feel one bit of regret either. Those bastards deliberately broke into my house to torture, rape and murder. I will not feel sympathy for them being the ones killed instead of us. Dad said Malfoy called the other one Edmund, I can only think that would make him Pansy's father.'

Quickly searching Tom's memories had Harry reaching the same conclusion. 'That's the only Edmund I can think of too. It's trying to explain our new tough stance on Death Eaters to our friends and family that might be a problem.'

Hermione was unrepentant. 'The fact that I've still got a family is enough for me at the moment. I thought we were going to be popped in there and drag my resisting parents out, not step into the middle of a battle. I just wasn't prepared for that love, sorry I let you down.'

Harry was having none of that. 'You didn't let anyone down. I couldn't cast the control spell, we don't know if it would work on Death Eaters that may have been in other parts of your house. We all came home in one piece, Hermione, I'll settle for that.'

Harry was now out of the shower and changed, heading toward the room where Poppy had placed Hermione's parents. He hardly made it through the room door when Hermione was in his arms. Their kisses were more of the needy variety, rather than romantic. It was almost as if they were checking what they had between them had survived the ordeal.

"You should go and have a shower, a change of clothes will make you feel better too. I'll stay here until you get back, you won't miss a thing."

Glancing toward her resting parents, Hermione reluctantly agreed. Though she too would be keeping their bond wide open while she was away from here. Hermione had barely stepped out the room when Poppy approached and started scanning Harry.

"Poppy, I told you I was fine."

"This coming from a boy who would tell me he was fine if his leg was hanging off. Excuse me if I don't believe you."

After she completed her scan, Harry raised a questioning eyebrow. Trying to keep a straight face, Poppy gave her verdict. "You're fine."

Shaking his head, Harry walked over to sit between Hermione's parents. Having Hermione in his head sniggering at Poppy's joke had him smiling too. The room had been magically enlarged to serve as Poppy's infirmary, and had four single beds in it - while Poppy's own room was next door.

Having hardly sat down, Harry was rather shocked when Hermione's father started speaking to him. Dan's eyes were closed, while his voice had a rather emotionless quality to it that worried Harry at first - then he remembered the calming draught.

"You're good for her, you know. My little princess has led quite a lonely life. Only at Hogwarts has she found friends - found love."

Spotting the tears running from Dan's still closed eyes, Harry wondered what this man's reactions would be without the calming draught. It was soon evident Dan's experiences today had breached whatever structure he'd built to contain his emotions, and Harry was about to discover first hand what the problem was in the Granger household. Through their bond, Hermione was getting every word of this too.

"Emma and I were very much looking forward to the birth of our child, more and more so as the pregnancy progressed, then everything that could go wrong seemed to happen all at once. At one point I thought I was going to lose both of them, and I was helpless to do anything. Those very same feelings returned today with a vengeance."

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