The Safehouse

a/n.... it was soooo hard to dumb Dudley down and not have him use the big words that were coming to my mind because of how i naturally speak, lol.

Chapter 6 Oceans Apart and Inches Away


"WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE!" Vernon bellowed, waking both teens up from a deep slumber. Hermione's immediate reaction to being awoken so abruptly and in such a harsh manner was to reach over to her nightstand for her wand, but her hand found only air.

It was then that she remembered where she was and turned to find Dudley sitting up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Huh?" he asked drowsily.

"I asked you what the hell is going on in here!" Vernon ground out. Petunia appeared behind him and craned her head over his shoulder to see what was happening in her son's room that had riled up her husband this time. When she saw Hermione sitting in Dudley's bed with a slightly frightened look on her face, their fingers entwined together, Petunia's eyes bulged out of their sockets.

Glancing sideways at her husband, Petunia stepped in front of him, taking in the almost purple of his face. "Hermione, let's get you to your own room."

Hermione looked over to Dudley, who nodded his head ever so slightly as he let go of her hand. Helping Hermione out of the bed, Petunia caught Dudley's eyes, her own pleading with him to not cause any more trouble than was already brewing.

When they were safely in the hallway, Vernon having closed the door behind them with a loud 'smack,' Petunia looked to Hermione. "I don't know what you were doing in there, but you must have realized that it wasn't very smart of you to stay the night in Dudley's room."

Walking into her own room, Hermione picked her wand up from its place on the table next to the door and Accio'd her notepad; Petunia didn't even flinch at the spell. "I just didn't want to be alone is all," she wrote.

"And that's understandable. I can see that you care for my son and he for you, despite the short time you've been here. But if you could, please try not to provoke Vernon. He would never actually hurt our Dudley, but he will never grow to accept you. I grew up jealous of my sister for what she could do and I couldn't. That jealousy turned into disdain, which turned into hatred of her and her world. It's only since Harry came home saying V- V-"

"You-Know-Who," Hermione interrupted, hastily shoving her notepad on Petunia's lap, wanting to hear the story but not be caught because of the taboo.

"Yes, You-Know-Who. When Harry came home and said he was back, I felt a fear that I hadn't expected. Underneath everything, I did love my sister, and he took her away from me; took away any chance of reconciliation. I'm sorry that you lost your friends, but I am very happy that he is dead and Harry is not.

"Since coming here, I have come to appreciate your world, but that is something I can never tell my husband. He hates magic because he learned of it through me and my hatred of it, but just because I am no longer upset that I can't do magic and am willing to accept it, does not mean he will follow me in this change. He is a stubborn man and has hated everything about magic for the last twenty-two years."

"Petunia," Hermione wrote, "I appreciate hearing all this and learning where everyonestands and why, but shouldn't you be having this conversation with Harry?"

Reading the thought, Petunia looked momentarily scared before dipping her head. "Yes, it is time I apologize to my nephew for how he was treated under my roof. But Hermione, just remember that when you leave here, no matter your attachment to my son, you won't have to deal with Vernon if you choose not to, but he will always be Dudley's father."

Hermione nodded her understanding and gave the skinny woman an awkward, but caring, hug before being left alone in her room.

~~~@~~~~@~~~~@~~~~@~~~~@~~~

"What is the meaning of this?" Vernon demanded, gesticulating between Dudley and the door he had just slammed shut.

"She didn't want to be alone," Dudley responded, now wide awake.

"So you let that... that... freak into your bed? Dudley, I swear, if anything... happened between you two..." he let the thought trail off, too disgusted to voice it.

"No, nothing happened," Dudley said with a 'what the hell' look on his face. "But if we had, I don't see how it would be any of your business."

"None of my business? NONE OF MY BUSINESS? You are my son; you are my business! I will not have you cavorting around with the likes of her, or any of her kind!"

"Any of her kind? Can you even hear yourself? You sound like she's not even human. Well, let me let you in on a little something, Dad, she is a human, with human thoughts, and human emotions, just like you and me." Dudley wanted nothing more than to stand up, but he knew that getting in his father's face would only serve to escalate the argument.

Vernon didn't have a retort to that, other than the further purpling of his face and clenching of his fists, so he decided to change the subject. "Dudley, I know that it's tough being cooped up in here day in and day out not being able to go anywhere or do anything. But I will not allow you to make a mistake with her just because she's the only girl you've been in contact with in the last year!" He had started off calmly, but he let himself get worked back up and by the end he was once again roaring. It took Dudley all of his self-control to stay in his bed, having inherited his father's temper but grown into the maturity to hold it.

"Dad, I may have at first been drawn to her for that reason, but now I like her as a person. No, not only do I like her, but I admire her. She has been through more than either of us can understand, and she doesn't need to deal with you being an arse to her."

"Dudley. Norman. Dursley. You WILL NOT tell me what to do! This may not be my house, but I am still your father, still the head of this family, and you WILL show me respect or you will stay in this room until we go home and the girl is no longer staying with us."

Not being able to control himself any longer, Dudley arose from the bed, standing a meter away from his father. "Dad, I show you respect in all other things, but on this I will no longer keep quiet. You treated Harry like he was less than the dirt on your shoes the entire time he was with us, and so did I because you were my role model. I am just lucky that my cousin is a big enough person to forgive me for everything I did to him.

"He's probably mentally damaged from living with us and always being treated like shite, and, if he is, it's all our fault. Mine, yours, and Mum's. His own family! Now let me tell you something Dad. I love my cousin. I care for Hermione. And I couldn't care less that they can do magic and neither should you. If you are going to stick to your stupid prejudices, fine, but don't expect me to be anywhere that I have to listen to you spout your opinions." By the end of his speech, the two men were practically nose to nose, Dudley's hands clasped behind his back in avoidance of a repeat of their last fight.

"YOU WILL NOT BE LEAVING THIS ROOM FOR ANY REASON, BUT TO EAT AND USE THE TOILET! I DO NOT WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THIS HOUSE UNTIL I SAY OTHERWISE! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!" Vernon bellowed, spittle landing on Dudley's face.

"Fine. It's not like I was planning on seeking out your company anyway," he replied indifferently, wiping his face with his arm. Vernon turned and left the room, first practically pulling the door off the frame and then almost splintering the frame itself when he slammed it shut again before stomping down the hall.

Dudley sat back on his bed, his head in his hands, replaying the scene. He had never gotten into such a bad row with his father before, and it left him feeling cold, empty, and drained. They had started bickering a few months back, largely due to the close quarters and cabin fever. Most of those times had been shortly after one of the wizards or witches who were hiding them came to check up on them.

Since they had received word of Hermione's impending arrival a few days previous to her actually showing up, though, the quarrels had turned into three-round, knock-out brawls. Dudley had always looked up to his father, though truth be told, he had only seen his parents for the Christmas and summer holidays since he was eleven and even when he was home he spent most of his time off around the neighborhood. In short, he hadn't been with his parents for such an extended period of time since he was in primary school.

He had, of course, realized his parents were prejudiced against wizards and witches; how could he not, what with Harry being what he was. But until he moved in here with them he hadn't realized just how ingrained that prejudice was into his father's very soul. Despite this fault, though, Dudley still loved his father. He was just afraid that his father's attitude was going to tear his family apart, especially since his mother was realizing the error in her beliefs the way he had the past couple of years.

~~~@~~~~@~~~~@~~~~@~~~~@~~~

Dudley refused to leave his room for the rest of the day, locking himself in and everyone else out and refusing to come down for meals. It was only after dinnertime, when Hermione knocked on the door and slipped a note under the door telling him that she had his dinner and she wasn't going to leave the hallway outside his room until he came out and took it from her, at the very least, that he gave in.

When he opened the door, she stood up with his food, giving him a tentative smile as she held it out for him. He smiled back wanly in return and motioned for her to come in. She set the food on his nightstand and turned on the light there, as the room was completely dark, before gently pulling him into a soft hug, her arms around his neck and her head resting on his chest, tingles running up and down her spine when he wrapped his arms around her loosely and caressed the top of her head with his cheek.

She tilted her head up to look at his face, shadowed in the soft back lighting. There was a sadness in his eyes that she had never noticed before. She brought one hand to his face and rested it on the day-old stubble, unconsciously smoothing her thumb over his dry lips. "I'm sorry," she mouthed to him, her eyes mournful as she thought about the fight she and Petunia had heard every word of earlier, and how it started because of her.

He brought his hand up to hers and lightly kissed her thumb before pulling out of the hug and bringing her to sit on his bed, grabbing a quick sip from the milk she had brought. "For what?" he asked, holding her hand in his.

"For causing a fight between you and your dad," she replied, writing on her ever-present notepad.

"It wasn't your fault. You were just the excuse. The longer we stay here, the more we fight. This was the worst, but it wasn't your fault."

"Okay, I believe you. Now, eat your dinner before the Warming Charm I put on it wears off," she ordered. He rolled his eyes at her but started eating his plate of pot roast and potatoes with gusto. When he had cleaned his plate and finished his milk he excused himself to bring back the dishes and stop at the bathroom.

Upon returning to his room, he found that she had turned on his stereo to a local soft rock station and had lit a few candles, much like how she kept her own room. Once he had asked her why, and she had responded that she had gotten used to not having electricity and she preferred candles and oil lamps to the harshness of light bulbs. She still liked other parts of electricity, but she swore that if given the choice, she would never go back to flourescent lights.

She was sitting on his bed cross-legged, her eyes closed, swaying to the music with a small smile on her face. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. The door clicked closed behind him, bring her out of her trance. She looked up at him through her lashes, her smile spreading, and he was sure that she had no idea how sexy she was in that moment. He blinked his eyes a couple of times to reorient himself before smiling back at her and sitting next to her on the bed, stretching out and leaning against his headboard.

"One of the Aurors came by today. They named a new Minister of Magic. His name is Kingsley Shacklebolt and he's a very nice man with very strong principles. I'm sure the Muggleborn laws will be repealed soon," she wrote to him, leaning against his headboard as well.

"Well, that's good. Does that mean that you'll be leaving then?" he asked, not able to look at her.

"No, I don't think so. It just means that I can take my N.E.W.T.'s sometime soon. It doesn't change the fact that I'm still Muggleborn and still one of Harry's best friends."

"Then we'll just have to make sure you're prepared," he told her, relief coursing through his body.

"Are you sure? You don't have to help me. I'm used to studying by myself." She was looking over to him, her eyes filled with such warmth, and he knew in that moment that he didn't just care for Hermione Granger; he didn't just admire her. While he wouldn't call what he felt 'love,' he wanted nothing more than to see her smile, to be the one to cause her to smile. He wanted to be the one she went to when she was upset, or when she was happy. More than anything else, though, he wanted to find out what her pink, supple lips would feel like pressed against his own.

"I know I don't have to, Hermione. I want to." He moved his torso so he was facing her, the notepad slipping to the crevasse between their legs. His fingers found their way to her face, softly touching her cheek, her lips, her forehead, before threading his fingers into her surprisingly silky hair. Her eyes were darting between his own and his lips, anticipating what he was about to do, and she licked her own lips, finding them suddenly dry.

He brought his face down and grazed their mouths together before tentatively touching their lips together with a soft pressure. She gave into him right away, kissing him back just as softly, just as hesitatingly, bringing her hand up to clasp onto his muscular arm. She gave his bicep a small squeeze and it was as if the floodgates had broken. His second hand went to beneath her chin, holding her face in place as he deepened the kiss, pressing their lips together harder, sucking in her bottom lip and gently nibbling on it.

She silently sighed against his mouth and he used the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, feeling the dimples of her teeth before her tongue gently ran up and down his. Her eyelashes fluttered against his cheek and he couldn't stop the moan that escaped his throat. She pulled out of the kiss and looked up at him, bringing her hand to his face and gently stroking the contrast of soft skin and rough stubble, a dazed smile on her face that he was sure matched the one on his own.


end note...... thanks to lupie for such a quick beta job... all remaining mistakes were either on purpose or i made when rewriting parts.

and thanks to everyone who has been keeping wioth this story and reviewing and everything, I love you all!