Hari stared at the two people on the other side of the glass in disbelief, leaning against Shikaku and ignoring the death glare he was giving everybody in the room. She watched them closely, hungrily taking in the fond exasperation Hermione was obviously feeling when Ron said something that was most likely ridiculous. From the way his lips quirked up, he'd done it on purpose.

Exasperating Hermione was a sure-fire method of getting the woman to calm down when she was feeling stressed out or overwhelmed. In other words, giving her a chance to boss them around was the best form of Hermione stress relief.

"It's really them," she finally said, the first thing that had come out of her mouth since her embarrassing dizzy spell. The people around her went quiet, and she was aware of their gazes on her. She turned and looked up at Shikaku, who was gritting his teeth.

"It's Ron and Hermione. They're really - they're here." Her voice cracked on the last word, and just like that the world snapped back into focus, and she straightened.

She took a step towards the door, and was immediately stopped by the hand tightening around her waist.

"Shikaku," she said, voice firm. "Let me go." Now that the shock had passed, she was desperate to see them.

Ibiki snorted from where he was leaning against the wall. "Yeah, like we'll just let you waltz into a room with -"

"Enough, Ibiki," Tsunade snapped. Her brown eyes narrowed at Hari. "You're sure they're not a danger to you?"

Hari met her eyes squarely, hand tightening on the wand that Naruto had picked up for her once she was standing on her own again.

"Hokage-sama, don't," Shikaku said in a voice that sounded almost pleading.

"I'm sure," Hari said confidently, ignoring the guilt that moved through her when Shikaku stiffened.

Tsunade sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"We took their wands when they turned themselves in," she said.

Hari forced herself to remain impassive. She highly doubted they had actually handed their wands over. Knowing Hermione, Tsunade was now in possession of a couple of transfigured sticks, and Hermione and Ron had hidden theirs with some sort of spell.

"No," Shikaku said, and Hari turned and blinked up at him.

"Excuse me?" she said in a cool tone, but he didn't meet her gaze, instead focusing on Tsunade.

"She's a civilian member of the Nara clan. Unless you get the council to back you up, you can't override me on this."

Hari stepped away from him. "You would keep me from them?" She said, and he glanced at her.

Whatever he saw on her face made him flinch minutely.

"They're my family. I haven't seen them for five years. I thought I'd never see them again. Shikaku, you know how much I -" she took a deep breath to stave off her temper, hand fisting at her side. "Why would you do this?"

He stared at her. "We don't even know it's them," he said, voice pleading. "It could be a trick. Please, Hari, I don't want to risk you."

"It's them. I can tell," she said, turning back to them just in time to witness Hermione giving Ron a light smack to the back of his head as she scolded him.

"Definitely them," she said with a wet laugh. She took a shaking breath and turned back to Shikaku.

"Please. You can come with me. I swear, they won't hurt me."

She met his gaze, and after a moment he sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"Fine," he bit out.

Hari glanced at Tsunade, who inclined her head, and motioned for Sasuke to go in first. Taking a deep breath, she moved past a silent Naruto, and followed Sasuke as he opened the door. Shikaku was a steady presence at her back.

"-Seriously, Ron, do you think about anything other than your stomach?" Hari heard Hermione's voice say as the door opened.

Her throat constricted and she swallowed painfully before following Sasuke into the room.

000

Hermione looked up as the door opened. A young man with pale skin and dark eyes stepped inside. She only focused on him long enough to note that he looked just as dangerous as the people who had taken them into custody after they'd turned themselves in.

It had only taken a few days of reconnaissance for them to realize that this dimension housed a different type of magic than what they were used to. One that allowed people to gain super strength and speed and manipulate the elements.

The people of the village seemed happy enough, which spoke well of what may or may not be happening to her friend. When they'd tried to enter the village for further information gathering, however, they'd almost been caught numerous times despite spells and the invisibility cloak. The first time a man with a large dog smelled them. The second time, Ginny had ended up being stabbed by what looked like a throwing star when a guard had somehow sensed their presence despite their invisibility.

Their Find Me spell for Harriet also went haywire once they were outside the village itself, and Hermione had realized it was due to wards that had been put up. She had recognized the work immediately as Harriet's, and they'd been forced to reevaluate her situation. If Harriet was putting up wards, and the people of the village didn't seem miserable or mistreated, it was very likely that Harriet had actually integrated into this world.

If that was the case, then the best way to get to her was to turn themselves in. Of course, they weren't stupid about it. From what Hermione had been able to garner from her observations, the village was under the control of a military leader. While it seemed like the forces were there to protect and not subjugate, it was better to be safe than sorry. So she and Ron had come up with a plan. The two of them would turn themselves in, and offer up transfigured versions of their wands when they did so.

Hermione had assumed that the wands would clue the people who apprehended them into the fact that they were like Harriet - a witch and a wizard - and hopefully they would bring her to them. Ginny and George would stay behind to act as their rescue team if they didn't appear within a few days. Plans in place, they'd walked up to the gate a day ago, and Hermione hadn't bothered to let the guards know that she and Ron could understand everything they were saying thanks to the translation spell she'd cast over them.

Instead they'd put their hands over their heads while speaking English after placing their fake wands on the ground in front of them. The guards had visibly paled at the sight of the sticks - so they most likely did know Harriet - and within a few minutes more guards had appeared and they'd fallen into a whispered discussion of what to do with them.

"Do you think they're after Hari-sama?" a woman with dark green hair asked.

"If they think they'll get through her clan, they're crazy. Not to mention what the princess will do to them even if they did make it."

Hermione had frowned at that. Hari could be Harriet, of course, but what did they mean, princess?

Then a gruff, scarred man wearing a bandana appeared, and ten minutes later they found themselves in an interrogation room. They continued to pretend not to understand the conversations around them, but these people were paranoid enough not to give a lot away in their presence despite the perceived language barrier. This was the first time she'd seen somebody other than the scarred angry man and the stern blonde man for hours.

Hermione's eyes flitted past the new face to settle on the person behind him. She gasped, and heard Ron's surprised intake of air next to her. Sandwiched between two of the natives of this world was a whole, healthy-looking Harriet. For a moment Hermione just drank in the sight of her best friend. Her eyes were the same green she remembered, her hair the same unruly black cascade. She was still small, especially next to the two tall, imposing figures that had entered the room with her.

She was wearing a short kimono-style dress over black pants, a look she'd noted on many of the women living in the village during their failed reconnaissance.

"H-Harriet?" Ron croaked, and the girl's eyes filled with tears.

"Ron," she replied, and took a step forward, but was stopped by the man behind her when he wrapped one of his hands around her arm.

"Let me go, Shikaku," Harriet said in the native language. "It's them."

"Hari," he said, and Hermione frowned when she saw the worry in his eyes. "How can you be sure? You told me yourself - your people can make themselves look like - like somebody else."

Ron got a belligerent look on his face, and Hermione grabbed his arm when it looked like he would step forward. The other man in the room tensed, and she had a feeling they wouldn't like the results if Ron got aggressive.

"Ask us a question," Hermione said in English - the translation spell only worked one way, so she couldn't speak directly to the man.

Harriet's head whipped back to her.

"What did she say?" the man - Shikaku - asked.

"She told me to ask them a question - something only they would know," Harriet said thoughtfully. The other, unnamed ninja scoffed.

"Please, there are ways of getting secrets from people."

Hermione bristled a little at his condescending tone, but otherwise didn't respond.

"Secrets, yes," Hari said slowly, face going thoughtful even as she leaned toward Hermoine and Ron.

Hermione almost laughed when she realized she and Ron were also leaning towards her, all three of them wanting to cross the distance but unable to without setting off the terrifying men in the room with them.

And just what is she to them - to the man named Shikaku especially - that he would react this way? He looked ready to throw his body in front of Harriet's at the slightest provocation to take some proverbial bullet.

Hermione set that thought aside to mull over later, instead listening as Harriet continued speaking.

"If somebody had extracted information from them as a way to provide proof of who they were, they would go for the secrets, you're right. The big things. Not the small details that only friends share." Harriet smiled, and Hermione took another step forward, desperate to just touch after all this time. Ron pulled her back when the unnamed man shifted, and she shivered at the intent on his face.

"I made a blanket for Teddy when he was a baby," Harriet said in English. She spoke it awkwardly, as though she were out of practice - probably because she was. "Describe it to me."

Ron snorted next to her, and Hermione's lip quirked. "What, you mean the blue monstrocity with the lamb-dog on the front?"

Harriet let out a sob, then reverted back to the other language. "It's them. Shikaku, baby, please, please -" and then she was darting past the second man after a sharp, pained word from Shikaku, and yes Hermione hadn't missed the endearment, but she was too busy wrapping her arms around Harriet, burying her face into her shoulder as she finally, finally, was reunited with her friend.

Ron had joined the hug, and all three of them were crying and talking over each other almost incoherently.

"How did you find me -"

"I'm so sorry it took so long, Harry, I'm sorry -"

"Blimey, I can't believe we found you. You're alive -"

After a few minutes, they all calmed down enough to pull back, though they kept their arms loosely wrapped around each other, forming a triangle. Hermione knew she was beaming despite the tears on her face, but it was okay because her husband and best friend were also smiling and it was just...it was the happiest she'd been in so long.

"Right," Harriet finally said, then gave a breathy, giddy laugh. "You're here! You - you're in front of me. God, I missed you two. But... how are you here?"

"Hari, sweetheart," Shikaku said, voice strained.

Hermione saw that he was only a foot away, whole body tense, eyes a little wide and lips pressed together so hard they were white around the edges.

"How about an introduction?"

"Can you give us a moment?" Hermione snapped, and Harriet's eyes, which had gone to the man, darted back to Hermione's face.

Her brow furrowed, and then she burst into laughter.

"Hermione, you sneaky witch! You can understand what we're saying!" she said in English.

She shifted uncomfortably. "A translation spell, you know," she said haughtily.

By Harriet's flabbergasted expression she didn't know. Hermione groaned in exasperation.

"Harriet Lily Potter, are you telling me that you became stranded in the middle of an alternate dimension where nobody spoke your language and you forgot about the Universal Translation Spell?" Hermione scolded.

Harriet grimaced and rubbed the back of her neck, and it was such a familiar motion that Hermione's chest squeezed painfully and her eyes filled with fresh tears. God, she'd missed this woman so much.

"Well, I can't exactly forget about something I never knew, can I?" she said a bit defensively and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It's in Section Three, Part B in the Auror handbook, Harriet."

"Uh..." Harriet said, and laughed nervously. "Right, right."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, but decided not to lecture her on the fact that Harriet hadn't paid the attention she should have to the book. Harriet then turned to the man - Shikaku.

"Hermione cast a translation spell, she can understand what you're saying," she said almost cheerfully, and Hermione winced at his murderous expression.

"We can't speak the language, though!" she hurried to say. "We weren't pretending about...that."

Harriet raised an eyebrow, but repeated what she'd said to a still unimpressed-looking Shikaku.

"Right, well, introductions then," Harriet said in the foreign language. "Shikaku, Sasuke-san these are my very best friends and family, really, Weasley Hermione and Ron. Ron and Hermione, this is my friend, Uchiha Sasuke - uh, you should probably call him Uchiha-san - and, um." Hermione narrowed her eyes, knowing that look on Harriet's face. It was the one she got before saying something that she was sure would set her friends off.

"This is Nara Shikaku. My, uh, husband."

For a moment, nobody spoke, Unsurprisingly, it was Ron who broke the silence.

"You - you're - what? Hermione, I think your spell is broken, because I'm pretty sure I just heard the word husband when whatever she said must mean something else. Like - like 'guy too old to marry my pseudo-sister or - or!" he sputtered and flailed while Hermione just stood there, frozen.

Harriet stepped back and to the side so that she was standing next to the man, and he relaxed minutely and put an arm around her waist.

"You heard right, Ron," she said in a wry tone. "We're married. Have been for, um, almost three years now."

Hermione studied the man in front of them. It was true that he was older - probably by ten or fifteen years - but that wasn't what struck Hermione and made her stomach flutter in worry for Harriet. He was fairly tall - as tall as Ron, even. His dark hair was up in a spiky ponytail, and there was no denying that he was handsome with his dark eyes and high cheekbones. Anybody could see, however, that the man was dangerous. The scars across the side of his face just paid proof of that.

"Harriet," she said, voice calm. "I need you to tell me, right now, if you're married because you want to be."

Ron went still next to her, obviously having not thought through the implications. Harriet had arrived penniless, unable to speak the language, surrounded by super powered individuals. Who knew what she'd been forced to do to survive? If Harriet even hinted she'd been forced into something...Hermione would destroy this whole village.

Harriet's eyes widened, and slipped out of an unhappy-looking Shikaku's hold, though he made no move to stop her. Then Hermione was being hugged fiercely. She hadn't even realized she'd been shaking, the possibilities of what Harriet might have been through while waiting for them to rescue her crashing over Hermione. She struggled to gasp in air as Harriet's voice fell over her.

"No, Hermione, it's not like that, I promise. I love him, I'm happy, I'm okay. It's okay, Moine, it's okay."

After a few minutes Hermione's fear faded and she came back to herself. She realized suddenly that she was kneeling on the floor, Harriet's arms around her and Ron kneeling by her side, hand running up and down her back. There were tears on her face, and it hit her, suddenly, that they were both there. This wasn't the first minor panic attack she'd had since Harriet disappeared, but before it had been Ron talking her through it. Now it was both of them.

Well then what in the world are you crying about? She told herself sternly as she leaned back and wiped at her eyes. She's here, she's alive. Stop blubbering.

"Right," she said, moving to stand. Harriet hurried to stand with her, and she had to slap both her and Ron away with shaking hands as they tried to help steady her.

"So. You love him, then?" she said brusquely, turning to study Shikaku with narrowed eyes, who was now looking thoughtful and less like he was ready to kill her and Ron.

Sasuke was leaning against the wall, apparently bored with the emotional revelations.

"I do," Harriet said earnestly, and Hermione let out a breath.

This was - this was a lot more complicated than she thought it would be.

"Well, then, please excuse my rudeness, Mr. Nara," she said, stepping forward and holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

As Harriet stuttered out a translation, the man reached out, moving slowly to telegraph his movements, and returned the handshake.

"I am honored to meet you, too, Hermione-san," he returned. He said her name slowly, having some trouble pronouncing it, but she appreciated the effort.

She dropped her hand back to her side and elbowed a glowering Ron, who just huffed and crossed his arms. For a moment, the two men studied each other with narrowed eyes, until finally the Weasley held out his hand.

"Well, I guess it's obvious that you've been taking care of Harry while we couldn't. So. Thank you. I guess," he said grudgingly.

"I am not translating that," Harriet grumbled, and Hermione let out a slightly hysterical giggle as Ron shook Harriet's husband's hand. This was just too surreal.

"Well," Hermione said, voice bright. "We should probably let Ginny and George know we aren't dead."

"Oh fuck, George," Ron blurted, color leaching from his cheeks as Harriet cut in.

"Oh god, George is here? In the Elemental Nations?" She said in the other language.

Shikaku and Sasuke both stiffened.

"Who is George?" Shikaku growled, once again butchering the name.

Harriet got a familiar deer in the headlights look, but was saved from answering by the door opening and a gorgeous woman with...rather large breasts burst into the room.

"Are you telling me we've got more of your people running around unchecked, Nara?" Tsunade snapped at Harriet, who cringed.

"Now wait a minute," Ron blustered, stepping forward with a glower. "Don't talk to her that way -"

"I have no idea what you just said, but apparently you can understand me, so let me make one thing clear. I am the leader of this village. If you lie to me, or hide anything else, I will pop your head like a melon," the woman growled, and Hermione's wand was in her hand without needing thinking about it.

The woman noticed, because she took a step forward, and Hermione felt a little faint when the floor cracked beneath her feet. Then Ron was there next to her, and the fear was fading because when they were together they could do anything. She raised her wand, a spell already on her lips.

Harriet dove between the two parties, arms lifted on either side with her palms facing out.

"Stop," she said, and Hermione immediately jerked her hand up so that her stunner hit the ceiling instead of her friend.

Distantly she heard the sound of glass breaking when Sasuke blurred up to Ron and pulled his own wand hand to the side. Harriet had barely finished speaking before Shikaku was there, shielding her body with his own.

For a count of five heartbeats, everybody was silent. Then, Shikaku straightened, revealing a shaken Harriet.

"You idiot," the man said, and clenched his hands at his sides. "You promised," he said in a calm tone that was actually more terrifying than yelling would have been. "You promised you wouldn't do anything stupid."

"Shikaku, I'm sorry, I -" Harriet started, suddenly looking on the verge of tears. "I wasn't thinking."

"Obviously," he snapped. "If you were thinking, you wouldn't have put our children in between two deadly forces about to come to blows."

Harriet put an arm around her stomach, and Hermione's jaw dropped as she noticed the small bump there for the first time.

"I know, I'm sorry, I just - I just got them back," Harriet said, voice small. "I'm not - I couldn't -"

Shikaku sighed and ran a hand down his face. "We'll talk about this later," he said, and Harriet bit her lip, but nodded.

"Right. Okay. Hermione, Ron, I think you'd better take us to where Ginny and George are."

000

Hari trudged along behind the contingent that was being sent to meet with Ginny and George. She couldn't quite place what she was feeling at the moment. Joy, of course, at seeing Hermione and Ron. Trepidation at the thought of seeing George again, but also some excitement - he had been a good friend, despite the back and forth of their romantic relationship. And Ginny - sweet, fiery Ginny, who had been the little sister Hari never had.

A layer on top of all of that, however, was guilt. Harriet was used to throwing herself into dangerous situations to save others. It was part of who she was. When she saw what was about to happen, her old world and new world colliding in violence and ruining everything before she could fully appreciate getting her family back, she had just reacted.

In that reaction she had come close to injuring not just herself, but her children. Hari wrapped an arm around her stomach, sick with the possibilities. What if she'd been hit by one of those spells? Or by Tsunade? Why hadn't she stopped to think? Sometimes, she couldn't help but think she was a terrible mother. When Sachiko seemed more attached to Toshiro than herself, or she put her foot down and insisted on working despite it keeping her from Sachiko for hours at a time. And now this...

"Harry," Ron said from where he was walking next to her.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. Hari closed her eyes for a moment, reveling the comfort of a dear friend that she thought she'd never see again only a few hours earlier.

He'd been a little quiet after his initial outburst when Shikaku had revealed that she was pregnant. Hari knew that he just needed some time to acclimate, and hadn't taken it personally. Apparently he'd acclimated.

"Blimey, mate. That was damn stupid."

His voice was shaking, and a glance up and to the left showed her that his face was white.

"I know," she said, and he sighed. Then, he grinned.

"You haven't changed a bit! Listen, it was dumb, but I bet carrying around precious cargo takes some getting used to. Don't beat yourself up about it. You're a quick learner, Harry."

She gave him a hesitant smile, feeling a little better, though she knew Shikaku was probably still fuming behind her. Speaking of Shikaku...

"Thanks, Ron," she said in English, still surprised at how odd it was to be conversing in her native language after all that time. "Listen, do you know, is George..." she trailed off awkwardly, and Ron cleared his throat.

"Oh, er, well -"

"He's still in love with you, if that's what you're asking," came Hermione's no-nonsense reply from her other side, where she'd been walking quietly.

Hari glanced over, and was relieved to see she had recovered her composure as well.

"Right," Hari said faintly. Then, with more determination, "Right. Be right back."

She slowed her steps so that Hermione and Ron pulled ahead of her. After a moment Shikaku fell into step with her, his whispered conversation with Kakashi dropping off.

"Kakashi-san, could I speak with my husband for a moment?" Hari asked.

The man nodded amiably.

"Sure, Hari-sama," he said, then moved forward to walk next to Naruto, Sasuke, and Tsunade, who were leading the procession.

Behind them was Inoichi and Ibiki. Hari thought it was overkill, but, well, they were shinobi, overkill was kind of their thing.

"Shikaku, listen, you should know -"

"Hari, I am so angry with you right now, that I don't think it's a good idea to have this conversation."

Hari blinked up at her husband. She'd never seen him look so infuriated, not when it was directed at her. She knew she had screwed up, of course, but didn't he see how difficult this whole situation was for her?

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you're taken off guard later," she snapped, hurt feelings making her temper flare.

Before he could reply, she stomped back up to Hermione and Ron, who were exchanging one of their meaningful 'couple' looks - the ones that only they seemed to understand.

"I see you still have your temper," Hermione said, and Hari sighed, anger leaving her as quickly as it had come.

"Yes, well. Being pregnant makes me cranky," she grumbled.

Hermione hesitated, then, "Is he like that a lot?"

Hari didn't need to ask who she meant by 'he.'

"If you're asking if he's overprotective, then the answer is yes. And he can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he's never been quite this angry with me before," she admitted in a small voice.

"Oh, Harriet, he's probably just scared," Hermione said earnestly from next to her.

"I know, I know I scared him when I stepped between you -"

"Well, yes, and honestly he has a right to be a little mad about that. What I meant, though, is that he's probably scared of what it means that we're here," Hermione cut in, and Hari frowned at her friend.

"What do you mean?" She said, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Harriet. From his perspective, you're only here in this world because you were stranded here. We came back to bring you home, obviously. He's probably worried you'll leave him."

Hari stared at Hermione, eyes widening. That was - of course Hari should have thought of that. But she'd been so overwhelmed by her happiness and then later fear and guilt that she hadn't thought through what all this meant. Hari could go home. She could see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Teddy and Luna and...

Her thoughts trailed off, and she looked down at her stomach. But she had a family here - she had children and a husband, and Hari couldn't leave them. Not when she knew what it felt like to grow up without parents.

"Hermione - you know -" she choked out.

"Hush," Hermione said. "We don't need to figure anything out right now. Actually," Hermione's eyes darted to the side, and she cleared her throat, "We haven't quite figured out how we're going to get back yet, anyway."

Hari stopped in her tracks and gaped at Hermione.

"Wait, are you telling me you're stuck here?" she squeaked.

"I mean, technically, but not for long, obviously. I brought a ton of books on alternate dimensions and portal magic -"

Hari closed her eyes as Hermione went into a long winded description of the apparent library's worth of books she'd brought along. Warmth infused her chest as she fell back into step with her friends. They'd figured out how to follow her, and hadn't even taken the time to work out how they'd be getting back before flinging themselves after her into danger. Just like old times.

Hari ignored the suspicious looks they were getting from their escort at her outburst - she was feeling a little miffed with Tsunade and Shikaku at the moment, and was tired of Ibiki's suspicious stares - and started walking again, letting Hermione's voice wash over her.

They'd left the village and had been walking in the forest for about five minutes when Kakashi held up a hand and looked to a spot on the right.

"Somebody's there," he said.

Ron stepped forward. "George, Ginny, if that's you, stand down. The puffle is uncaged," he said, and Hari snorted at the ridiculous code.

That had George written all over it - he probably just wanted to hear his brother say something completely undignified. A moment later, George and Ginny appeared in front of them, wands in hand and looking at their party warily. Hari's breath hitched as she took them in. They were both older, of course, and Ginny seemed to have gained even more confidence. She had been in training to become an auror when Hari disappeared. Judging from the easy way she wore her auror robes, and her familiar fighter's stance, she had succeeded.

George's hair was shorter, and there were new lines on his face. He was still handsome, though she didn't feel the pull towards him that she used to, only a small pang for what might have been.

"Harry!" Ginny said, and, completely ignoring the multiple deadly people surrounding her, took a few steps forward.

"Ginny," she choked out, and moved to meet her in a fierce hug.

She knew that their entourage had gone on high alert and stepped in closer, but she didn't pay them any mind.

"Oh Ginny, it's so good to see you," she whispered as tears sprang unbidden to her eyes.

"We missed you so much, we never stopped looking. Harry, I can't believe it - you're alive."

"Harriet," George said from where he was now standing next to them.

It sounded as if her name had been torn from him, and the next thing she knew she was being tugged away from a protesting Ginny and up against a chest that was broader than Hari remembered.

"Gods, Harriet, I can't - I can't believe it."

She returned his hug fiercely, swallowing back tears and guilt. He pushed her back and put his hands on either side of her face, meeting her green eyes with his brown. Her heart tugged again, but when he moved forward to kiss her, she turned her face to the side so his lips met her cheek instead. Then she stepped back, reaching up to remove his hands from her face and holding them in hers.

"George," she whispered. "It's good to see you."

He studied her intently, seeming to drink in her features. His eyes darted to something over her shoulder, and a moment later a familiar hand settled on her waist. George's eyes followed the movement and narrowed.

"And who is this, then?" he asked, voice frosty.

Hari cleared her throat, nerves hitting her hard.

"Ah, well," she said in English. "This is Nara Shikaku. My...my husband."

000

Nara Shikaku was not a man that panicked, but he could admit, at least to himself, that right now he was terrified. He watched as Hari stomped away from him and back to her friends - her family - after her cryptic parting remark.

"I see you've still got it," Inoichi said quietly from where he'd come up next to him.

Shikaku sighed and resisted the urge to run a hand over his face. "I just...I cannot believe she put herself in danger like that when she's..."

Inoichi sighed. "Yeah, it wasn't smart, but Shikaku, you have to know she's not thinking straight right now."

"I know," he said. "I know, okay?"

Ahead of them, Hari stopped in her tracks and said something incredulous in her native language. And, yeah, not understanding what they were saying was getting really annoying, really fast. He tensed, but after a moment he saw that whatever it was that had surprised her wasn't dangerous. Everyone relaxed as she fell into step with Ron and Hermione again.

"I don't think she'll leave," Inoichi said a few minutes later, and Shikaku twitched. Of course his friend knew what had him so worked up. "She missed her old friends and family, that's to be expected. But she won't leave you and the children. I'd bet my house on it."

Shikaku relaxed a little at his friend's declaration. Inoichi was good at reading people and situations, and he had spent a good amount of time with Hari the past few years by virtue of his friendship with Shikaku.

"She especially won't leave if you stop being an asshole and driving her away," Inoichi continued bluntly.

Shikaku sighed and looked up at the sky. Why were his friends so mean to him?

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he grumbled.

They didn't have a chance to say anything else, however, because Kakashi had stopped and was looking at a spot to the right. Shikaku readied himself to defend Hari, and around him his comrades went into battle stances.

"Somebody's there," the copy nin said.

Then Ron stepped forward and said something in their strange language - though Shikaku could make out the names of the two people they were supposed to meet. He blinked when two figures suddenly appeared. One was a woman with long, red hair, face fierce in a way that reminded Shikaku of his wife. She was wearing the same red robes that he knew Hari had appeared in - the ones that she still donned if she thought she might run into trouble. Next to her was a tall man with the same hair and facial features.

Shikaku stepped forward when the girl - Ginny, most likely - dashed forward, and his wife moved to meet her. His shadows pooled at their feet, ready to freeze them both if it looked like Ginny would make an aggressive move. Instead, she began talking, Hari answering in a watery voice, and Shikaku felt suddenly guilty for wishing earlier that none of this was happening. His brave, selfless wife had lost so much in her life - how could he begrudge her this reunion just because he was afraid of losing her?

The man strode up to them, face a mixture of joy and disbelief. Shikaku moved his shadows over when he tugged Hari into an embrace, but as she didn't seem distressed, he did nothing else. Over the top of Hari, who was much shorter than the man, he saw that his face had morphed into...tenderness.

When he pushed Hari back and looked into her eyes, realization hit Shikaku hard, and only Inoichi's firm hand on his shoulder kept him from going over there and bodily ripping them apart. The way he was studying her...those were the eyes of a man who was looking at his lover. He chest clenched as Hari didn't move away, even when George leaned forward, going in for a kiss. He relaxed minutely when she turned her head so he got her cheek instead of her lips, but still couldn't stop himself from shaking off Inoichi and moving to stand beside her as she took his hands in hers and stepped back, saying something as she did so.

For a moment George continued to stare at her, and then he noticed Shikaku's approach. He kept his expression blank even as he sidled up to Hari and put an arm around her. Hari sighed, and he could tell she was nervous. She said something he didn't understand, though he did pick up his name. He knew she'd also included their relationship status when George's eyes widened and he stumbled backwards. He said something, mask a face of disbelief, and next to him Hari flinched, but gave a firm nod.

Ginny moved up next to George, putting a hand on his arm and frowning at Hari. She said something in a questioning tone, and Hari hesitated, then looked up at him.

"She wants to know if it would be okay for me to talk to them in private," she said a little apologetically.

"Absolutely not," Tsunade finally said, and moved to stand next to them, arms crossed over her chest.

Hermione and Ron had moved to stand with George and Ginny. Ron had put a hand on his brother's arm and was saying something to him in a low voice. George, for his part, looked like somebody had just died. Shikaku couldn't exactly blame him - if Hari disappeared for five years and then showed up married to somebody, he'd feel pretty devastated himself. Of course, he also felt a fierce wave of satisfaction that she'd turned the man away. This whole situation was going to be so troublesome.

Hermione gave George a worried look before stepping forward and saying something earnestly to Hari, who hesitated.

"Hermione wants to know if she can cast the translation spell on you guys," she said a little apologetically, knowing exactly what she was asking of a bunch of paranoid ninja. "So that we can all understand each other."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Can't you do it?"

Hari sighed and rubbed a hand over her forehead.

"I could probably learn it, but I'm guessing it's complicated and would take a few days. Hermione has always been more talented with charms than me," she said. "My skill lies in fighting, I'm afraid."

Shikaku hesitated, then looked at Hermione. "If she'd be willing to do a mind walk with Inoichi first, she can cast this...spell on me."

He felt any trepidation fall away when Hari sent him a wide-eyed, hopeful look. "You - you'd do that?"

He gave her a tight smile, feeling like an asshole for making her doubt that he'd support her. "They're your family, right?"

Hari beamed at him, then stood on her tiptoes in an obvious request for a kiss. His lips quirked up on one side, more of his fear leaving him, and he leaned down and pushed his lips against hers.

"Now wait just a minute," Tsunade growled. "I did not authorize this."

Shikaku pulled back and looked at his Hokage.

"I understand, Hokage-sama, but I think it would be best if at least one of us could communicate directly with them. I'm willing to take this chance, especially since I know Hari's here to reverse anything."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "I want to talk to you, Inoichi, Ibiki, and Kakashi alone," she grumbled. "Sasuke, Naruto! Stay here and watch Hari-san. Anything happens to her and I'll break all your bones," she snapped, and both of them lost a little color in their faces from where they had been standing and silently watching events unfold.

Shikaku hadn't even known Naruto had a silent setting, but apparently his time in ANBU was teaching him something. He hesitated and looked down at Hari, who gave him a small smile.

"It's okay, I'll be fine. No more stupid moves. I promise," she said.

He sighed, and reached up to cup her cheek. "Alright, sweetheart. I'll be right back."

He stepped back and walked over to join Tsunade on the other side of the small clearing they were in, noting that Naruto immediately moved in and enthusiastically asked for introductions.

"I'm so happy your family found you, Hari-san," he was saying. "Hey hey, do you think I can get that spell, too?"

Shikaku's attention was brought back to Tsunade when she spoke, though he kept one eye on where Hari was having a rapid-fire conversation with Hermoine.

"Inoichi, Ibiki, what do you think?"

Inoichi hummed. "I haven't done a mind walk yet, of course, but from what I've seen, they're sincere. They really came here looking for Hari. I don't think they'll try to hurt her."

"Will they try and take her?" Kakashi said bluntly, making Shikaku wince.

"I...don't believe so," Inoichi said with a frown. "They seem to genuinely care for Hari-san. They probably know how much it would hurt her."

"I agree," Ibiki said. "But they're still a potential threat. I know Hari-sama vouched for them, but I still think we need the mindwalk."

"And if they come up clean? What then?" Tsunade asked, frustrated. "We can't just have people with powers like Hari popping in and out."

"That's a discussion for another day, when we have more information," Kakashi said, drumming his fingers on his thigh. "Probably after we find out how they even got here, and if it's something that others can do."

Tsunade sighed. "Right, and to have that conversation, we need to let them cast that...spell on us. Okay. Shikaku-san, if you're still willing, you can go first. After a mind walk." He inclined his head

"Okay, if they're cleared, what do we do with them?" Ibiki said.

"They can stay with us," Shikaku found himself saying. "We have the room, and they're...Hari's family. My clan can also keep them in line, we're familiar with what they can do, anyway, probably more familiar than the rest of the village.

"...Fine," Tsunade said with a sigh. "Let's go see if they're willing."

When they returned, Hermione was studying Inoichi shrewdly - apparently Hari had explained mind walking to her. Ron was looking unhappy, Ginny was glaring at everybody, and George still looked like he'd had the rug pulled out from under him. Naruto was giving them an enthusiastic play-by-play of his last mission, and Sasuke was looking extremely bored.

"Alright. If Hermione-san is willing to do a mindwalk, then she can test the spell on Shikaku. If it works with no ill effects, then you will cast it on myself."

Tsunade had somehow pronounced the girl's name without butchering it, and her eyes narrowed when Kakashi and Ibiki immediately tried to argue with her.

"Enough! As Hokage, I need to be able to negotiate with potential allies," she said, and Shikaku almost chuckled.

Of course Tsunade had already seen the possibilities behind having more magic users in the village, and was taking the diplomatic approach. Hermione said something to Hari, and Ron stepped forward, protesting. Shikaku felt for him, but didn't say anything.

"She'll do it," Hari finally said, relief evident.

Two hours, four mind walks, and four spells later, the exhausted party made their way back into Konoha. Tsunade looked thoughtful as she spoke with Hermione. The girl was explaining how they had followed Hari, and that, no, that particular spell wasn't repeatable. They didn't even know how they would be getting back, and suddenly Shikaku understood where Hari had gotten her rash bravery from.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" he asked, looking down at Hari's pale face.

"Fine, just...tired," she admitted. "Maybe a little hungry."

Sasuke snorted from where he was walking ahead of them.

"Considering you had cake for lunch, it's not surprise." Hari sent him a betrayed look that he ignored.

"Hey that's right! You didn't eat any of your vegetables. Don't worry, Hari-san, I'll get you something!" Naruto yelled, and before anybody could stop him he disappeared.

"Well, that was...enthusiastic," Ginny said from Hari's other side, and his wife snorted.

"Yeah, Naruto has a lot of enthusiasm," she said, but it sounded more fond than annoyed.

"Harriet!" Hermione scolded. "You haven't eaten anything but cake? In your condition, you need to eat plenty of -"

Hari groaned. "No, absolutely not," she said, and Shikaku still found it strange that he knew she was speaking in a different language but somehow her words just made sense to him. "I already have a whole clan of overprotective, overbearing Nara on my case. I refuse to add to the numbers."

Just then, Naruto appeared in front of her, and proudly held out a pastry.

"There you, go Hari. Eat up so you don't get sick." he then bent down to talk to her stomach while walking backwards. "Tell your mommy not to forget to feed you, huh?" said cheerfully.

Ginny gasped, and ahead of them, where George had been walking next to Sasuke, silent, Shikaku heard a painful intake of breath.

"Harry, you - you're pregnant?" Ginny said.

Hari rubbed a hand across her forehead in exasperation even as she sent a concerned look towards George. Ron had moved to walk next to him, and had leaned in and was talking to him quietly. Shikaku didn't try to listen in.

"It's supposed to be a secret, but, yes."

"I - that's. Wow." Ginny was silent for a moment, studying her friend before offering Hari a tentative smile. "Congratulations, Harry. That's...really great. I know how much you wanted a family."

Hari smiled at her, then reached out and threaded her hand into Shikaku's. "Thanks, Ginny. Really. It means a lot. I know this wasn't what you...what you were expecting."

Ginny suddenly looked fierce. "I'm glad it wasn't. We've been so scared, wondering if you were - were hurt, or alone, or - or -" Ginny took a shaky breath before reaching over and squeezing Hari's arm. "I'm so glad you've been happy these past years. It's such a relief."

Shikaku studied the girl in front of him and felt something in him relax. They weren't going to try to take her from him. They were honestly happy that she was happy, though he was sure some tension would arise when they started talking about them returning home. And Hari...Hari wasn't pulling away, except for when he'd been a jerk earlier. She was holding his hand, and now she was telling Ginny about their home, and how much they'd like the forests and the clan, which she always talked about with fond exasperation.

"Nara are all crazy," she was grumbling at an amused looking Ginny. "They're lazy and pretend they don't care about anything, but they're all geniuses, and every time I need help one of them just 'happens' to appear. God forbid I realize they're trying to actually be helpful. It's ridiculous."

Finally, they seperated from Tsunade and the rest, and moved towards the Nara compound. Shikaku could sense the ANBU shadowing them, but had already given Tsunade permission to have them hang around to make sure nothing crazy happened. They entered the gates, and he heard Hari sigh next to him when she saw the inordinate number of their clan wandering around.

"Guess word has spread," she whispered as Rai appeared next to them, making their visitors jump.

"Rai-san," Hari said as the girl narrowed her eyes at the visitors. "Will you do me a favor and go tell Shikamaru and Neji that they need to join us for dinner tonight?"

"They're already at your house," the girl admitted, not taking her eyes off of Ginny, who was returning her narrow-eyed look with an unimpressed one.

"Of course they are," Hari grumbled under her breath, then, in a louder voice, "Everybody, this is my friend and clan member, Nara Rai. Rai, this is my family from the place I lived before I came to the elemental nations."

Hari pointed at them as she introduced each of them in turn. Shikaku was amused to see that Rai looked like she was holding herself back from snatching Hari up and running off with her.

"...Nice to meet you," she grumbled, and blinked when she was met with replies that she couldn't understand.

Hari sighed. "Right. Well, I only want to explain this once, so let's get home. Rai, please gather everybody in the family room, okay? I have some things I need to talk to them about."

Rai gave a stiff nod, then disappeared in a swirl of leaves, making the foreigners jump again.

"Show off," Hari said fondly. Shikaku tugged her a little closer, realizing what an idiot he'd been earlier that day. Of course Hari wouldn't just leave them - she loved them, too.

000

Hari entered the family room, noting that everybody was there before she was bowled over by three children.

"Nee-san!"

"Mommy!"

Hari leaned down and picked Sachiko up, taking a moment to just hold her despite her protests. Natsu and Eito had both given her a hug, and were now staring suspiciously at the four obviously-foreign people standing behind her and Shikaku.

"Alright, everybody sit down."

Sachiko was straining towards Shikaku, who plucked her from Hari and tossed her in the air once, causing her to let out a squeal of delight.

"Papa! Again!" she demanded, and he chuckled before pulling her against him in a hug.

"Not now, princess," he said gently, and she pouted, but didn't protest when he handed her back to a narrow-eyed Toshiro.

She was a smart girl and had picked up on the tension of the adults in the room and was now studying the newcomers with obvious interest.

"Okay," Hari said, ignoring the shocked looks she was receiving from the Weasleys.

She hadn't mentioned that she already had a child, but, well, it had been a busy afternoon. She cleared her throat nervously and took in the people gathered in the room. Shikamaru was sitting next to Neji on the couch, and both of them were studying the newcomers with distrust. Rai was leaning up against a wall in the back of the room, and the twins had moved back to sit next to Shikamaru at Shikaku's urging. Toshiro was in an armchair with a fidgeting Sachiko on his knee. All of them turned to her expectantly when she spoke.

"As you know," she started, and relaxed a little when Shikaku moved to stand next to her, putting a supportive hand on the small of her back. "I'm not originally from the Elemental Nations. I became displaced when a - a bad man did something to me. I never figured out what happened or how to get back, and I assumed that my family from that other place couldn't find me either."

Hari took a deep breath to steady her nerves as the adults in the room focused on her with more intent. "Recently, they discovered a way to follow me. So. I guess I'd like to introduce you to the Weasleys." Hari turned to them, her smile faltering when she saw George was staring in the direction of Sachiko, face white and hands shaking.

"This is Hermione, Ron, George, and Ginny," she said, and George flinched when she said his name.

Hari gritted her teeth. "You guys, this is - this is also my family. Shikamaru is Shikaku's son through his first marriage," she said, and he tilted his head to the side but didn't say anything. "Neji is his husband," she continued. "And, these are my adoptive siblings, Eito and Natsu."

Natsu jumped up off the couch and approached them, eyes lit up in excitement and Eito following close behind. "Moni-neesan and Ron-niisan? Aneki has told us all about you!"

"Ah, sorry, Hermione, but they could never pronounce your name, so..."

Hermione seemed to get over her shock at discovering that Hari had siblings, though the look she shot her told her that they'd be getting the whole story from her later.

"I quite like that, actually," she said, and Natsu blinked in confusion. Right, they couldn't understand her yet.

"Hey, they talk just like you did when you first came, neesan! Don't worry, we can teach you to speak our language just like we did with Hari!" Natsu said, and Eito nodded solemnly.

"Actually, they have a spell that makes it so they can understand us. But go sit down and let me finish now," Hari said, cutting off their questions.

Natsu pouted but did as she was told.

"I wanted to hear about the dragon," she grumped.

"Which one?" Hermione quipped, and Hari ignored the way Shikaku stiffened at her side.

"Right, so, you met Rai. Over here," Hari felt her voice soften, "Is Nara Toshiro. And sitting with him is mine and Shikaku's first born, Sachiko."

George, apparently having had enough, let out a distressed noise and darted out of the room. Hari bit her lip and took a step as if to follow him.

"I've got it," Ginny said in a soft voice, then turned and followed him.

"Well, that wasn't weird," Shikamaru said, crossing his arms over is chest and leaning back, the picture of nonchalance.

Hari let out a breath but didn't respond. "Right, so, as you can tell, they don't speak the language. However, Hermione knows a spell that can make it so that you understand what they're saying. They've already cast it on Shikaku and the Hokage, along with Naruto and Sasuke. They can also understand what we're saying."

"So they have been cleared by the Hokage," Neji said, and relaxed minutely when Shikaku made a noise of agreement next to her.

"Oh! Cast it on me!" Natsu yelled, jumping up and bounding over to Hermione.

Hermione looked over to Hari, who just shrugged and turned to her husband. Technically, it was his choice, since Natsu was a Nara. He inclined his head, and Shikamaru sat up.

"Dad, come on, I don't think -"

"It's fine, Shikamaru," Shikaku said. "Inoichi cleared them."

Shikamaru pressed his lips together and slowly sat back, watching with sharp eyes as Hermione cast the spell, which was, as Hari expected, extremely complex. She doubted she'd have been able to do it just from reading about it in the handbook even if she had remembered it existed.

"There, how's that?" Hermione asked, smiling at the girl, whose eyes widened.

"Whooooa," she said. "That's so weird."

Of course Eito then insisted he would go next. Soon everybody in the room except Sachiko had it cast on them. Hari didn't even want to know what casting the spell on a child who was just developing their complex language skills would do, and neither did Hermione.

Hari walked over and plucked Sachiko from a wary Toshiro, though he didn't try to stop her.

"Sachi-chan, darling, I want you to meet your Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron," she said gently.

The girl narrowed her eyes at them and tilted her head to the side. "Like mommy," she finally said, pointing at the wand.

"That's right, they have magic like mommy, and like Sachiko," she said, and Ron inhaled.

"You're sure?" he said, even as he inched closer and held out a hand to Sachiko, face soft.

"Yeah, she's already had a few accidental bouts," Hari responded.

"She's beautiful, Harriet," Hermione said, smiling at the girl as she put her wand away. "Hello, Sachiko. I'm so happy to finally meet you. I hope we can be good friends."

Sachiko looked over at Hari and Shikaku, face unsure. "She wants to know if you can be friends," Hari supplied

"Friends?"

"Yes, darling. If you want." After a moment of thought, Sachiko held out her chubby little arms to Hermione, who made a little choked off sound before carefully pulling her from Hari's arms.

"Oh, look at you," she whispered as Ron crowded in next to her, a small smile on his face.

"Gorgeous, she is," Ron agreed.

Sachiko narrowed her eyes, put off that she couldn't understand them, but also realizing that the besotted looks they were giving her could only mean good things for her future. After a moment, her face went sly and thoughtful, and she twisted in Hermione's arms to point at the high shelf she'd fallen off of three weeks ago.

"Up?" she said innocently, and Shikaku groaned.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

The end.

I hope you enjoyed this story a lot.

Thanks for reading!