Ever After || Harry & Hermione

Chapter 1.5

"And who are you?" Aunt Petunia glares down at the familiar looking girl on her doorstep.

"I am Hermione Granger," her steady, determined voice reaches Harry's ears. "And I have come for my friend."

"You've got the wrong house," Aunt Petunia snaps and tries to close the door.

"Harry!" Hermione calls out as she shoves her foot inside the door and keeps it open. "Pack your things. We're leaving."

Harry jolts out of his frozen state from the top of the stairs and goes to do as she says. His movements are stiff and clumsy and he thinks that he must be dreaming. This can't be real.

"Now look here, girl. I don't know who you are but that boy is my ward and you aren't going to waltz into my house and just take him," Uncle Vernon says menacingly as Harry is bringing his luggage down.

"That is exactly what I'm going to do." Hermione lifts her chin and coldly looks at him, as if she's dealing with a toddler. "Don't try to act like you care for him now. We all know you don't."

She finally notices Harry standing awkwardly with his luggage and a radiant smile breaks out on her face.

"Harry!" She elbows Uncle Vernon out of the way and goes to him.

"Hermione," he responds dryly.

"Is everything ready? You don't need any help to pack?"

Harry shrugs and looks down at his trunk. "It's all that I have."

Her face becomes stony again and she takes a deep breath. "Well, at least that makes this quick. Come on then."

She grabs his hand and leads him towards the door.

"You little bitch—"

Uncle Vernon's hulking frame blocks the way.

Harry feels a shiver run down his spine at the pure hatred on his uncle's face, but he knows that look and he knows these signs. He instantly puts himself in front of Hermione and pushes her back, holding his arm out protectively.

"Don't you dare call her that." He glares back at his uncle with hatred of his own.

"Mum says no one's allowed to use those sticks in the house." Dudley's terrified voice comes from the side and Harry turns around to see Hermione pointing her wand at his uncle.

"This isn't a house," Hermione states emotionlessly. "It's a prison. And I'm taking Harry out of it."

"Y-you're not allowed to do magic outside of that freak school!" Dudley yells. "Mum said so!"

"Oh?" Hermione raises an eyebrow and smiles at Aunt Petunia, but there is no laughter in her eyes. "Try me."

His aunt's face pales.

"Vernon," she whispers. "Vernon, let them go."

Hermione ushers him into a car and gives him a brief introduction to her parents before squeezing the living daylights out of him with a tight hug.

"You're safe now, Harry." She embraces him as if afraid that he'll disappear once she lets go. "You're never going to go back to that horrible place."

Harry finally realizes that he's been trembling all this time—from fear or excitement or disbelief, he doesn't know.

He doesn't say anything back. Even if it's Hermione, he doesn't dare to hope.

The clock strikes at midnight and nothing has ever stopped it.