Hermione's Struggle to Protect Family

Shrugging his shoulders, Harry answered as honestly as he could. "I didn't want to charge you any interest, I don't need to make money from this, but the goblins would never have accepted that. Since we really need the goblins to work with us, the combined mortgage is set at an interest rate of one percent. I told the goblin leader these were special rates for my family, he thought it was hilarious. You don't need to sign that today though, you don't need to sign it at all."

Ignoring Harry, Emma focused her attention on her daughter. "Hermione, does your young man understand the sums of money involved here?"

Harry was being quite conciliable with her father but, after her mother's comment earlier, Hermione was in no mood to cut her any slack at all.

"Mother, Harry's given me cards attached to his Gringotts account that could easily cover that amount. Didn't you listen, we're building, equipping and staffing a magical school - which will cost millions. My future husband is incredibly rich, yet all he want's to do is help people. If some people are too stubborn to see and accept that help, I don't know what else to say."

Before anyone could say a word, Hermione clearly had another thought. "Actually I do, take the money then go on a round the world cruise. We'll even pay for it, and you'll be safe. Harry would give every penny he has to keep his family safe, and think it was a bargain.

You might not count him as family, having just met, but being my parents is enough for you to be classed as family by Harry. That's who my Harry is, and he considers all the people sitting here as family. His Godbrother and Godsister will be joining us in Italy today, he's making sure they will be safe too."

Dan well understood the two women in his life could be extremely obstinate but he had never seen mother and daughter go at one another like this. Thinking back, that would probably be because Hermione accepted Emma as an authority figure, and always backed off before reaching this point.

There was simply no give in Hermione today, Emma was pushing against a stone wall that was many feet thick and immovable. He attempted to play moderator, and also wanted to get a handle on just how much trouble Hermione thought they were in.

"Do you really think that's necessary dear?"

Trying to put the situation into terms her dad could understand was hard. Like Harry, she struggled to understand the situation herself. "Think in terms of Nazi Germany, at the hight of the atrocities. I would be a little jewish bitch, regarded as not fit enough to lick their boots. You and mum, well they would probably place Crookshanks above you in importance - he's part keezel. The last time they actively hunted the muggle-born, wiping out entire families who dared to give birth to a witch or wizard. The people who did all that killing are still out there, and getting ready to start again. Harry and I are top of their hit list, but we won't be in the country…"

The tears were streaming down Hermione's cheeks but her starting sobbing broke Harry out of his daze. Hermione had been viewing some of the atrocities from Voldemort's memories, but her parents had been playing the parts of the victims. Watching these horrific memories play had frozen Harry, until he heard Hermione sob.

She found herself sitting on Harry's lap, held tightly in his arms, with no idea how she got there. As Harry comforted Hermione, Remus and Sirius took over explaining Death Eaters to a couple of muggles.

While this was happening, a worried staff were clearing away their starters and bringing out the main courses. Kissing Harry in thanks, a calmer and more focused Hermione then returned to her own seat. She was by no means finished with trying to make her parents see the danger they were in.

"Dad, mum, we can get you small devices to carry with you. If you find yourselves in trouble, saying an activation phrase would see you whisked to safety…"

"Hermione, this is the most exquisite risotto I've ever tasted, please stop with the hysterics and let me enjoy this. Your father and I have no intention of stopping you spending the summer with your young man. We can see how important this is to you, and might even try to make it over a couple of days nearer the end of summer. I see no need to disrupt all our plans because of your teenage fears for our safety. Your father and I will be fine…"

Turning to Harry, Hermione deliberately spoke aloud so her parents could hear. "Am I too late to accept your offer of kidnapping them? I really can't see anything else working. We could easily ward the building so they couldn't leave but you're right, we'd lose Amelia's support. Without it, we can't win this war. Just promise me you'll shoot me if I ever turn as blinkered and pigheaded as my mother."

After that, the rest of their meal was eaten in silence. Harry and Hermione of course continued to chat over their bond. He had seen clearly from Dan's body language that he wanted to object to Hermione leaving with them. Emma's decision however wasn't even questioned by her husband.

As he sat his cutlery down on an empty plate, Sirius noticed Dan staring at the young couple.

"Once you know what to look for, it's easy to catch them doing it. Of course, they're not even trying to hide it at the moment."

"Is this normal, amongst your people?"

Sirius laughing pulled Harry and Hermione out of their mental discussion. "When it comes to these two, nothing is normal. It was only a few days ago they were on the front page of our national newspaper, standing next to our Minister of Magic. If that's not enough of a clue for you, the Minister came to Hogwarts specifically to meet with these two."

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