Post by Hermione Granger on Aug 18, 2011 17:43:08 GMT -5
Hermione apparated into Sirius Black’s countryside cottage the same way she had disapparated from it hours before: with her son, James Albus Granger, in one hand and her – what was he now? a roommate? a best friend? no matter the title, he was hers – Harry Potter in the other hand. In his other hand was her – their – daughter, Lily Minerva Granger, looking the exact same as she had before they left the cottage. In fact, they all looked exactly as they had when they left, except perhaps that Harry and Hermione no longer looked nearly so scared or nervous as when they had left. Granted, Harry hadn’t seemed nervous when he had taken her hand, squeezed it gently, and told her that everything would be fine. And, naturally, he had been entirely right. The meeting with her parents had gone over smoothly, even better than Hermione could have ever imagined – even in a good dream. Her mother had been supportive, her father entirely ecstatic. They hadn’t expected to meet their grandchildren’s father, since they had thought that he might have been killed during the war and hence their daughter’s never mentioning him ever; but they had been pleased that he was alive and, well, completely himself. Every essence of who he was made Hermione Granger’s ridiculously picky parents approve of him.
They had apparated to a small bit away from where they were going to eat lunch with the Grangers and walked the rest of the distance, Hermione and Harry’s hands intertwined as the children released their parents’ grips to investigate the softly falling snow and play on their way there. They had reached the restaurant with no issues, Hermione’s hands finally ceasing their nervous shaking as Harry gripped one firmly, grounding her to the present and reminding her that he would now be the constant in her life. They’d reached the door, and Harry had been the gentleman, opening it and ushering her and the children inside where certain death – also known as unpredictable parents – awaited them. Except no death came, as Mrs. Granger nearly strangled her daughter in a hug, and her father patted her goodnaturedly before wrapping her in a hug and plopping a kiss on her forehead. One glance at Harry told her parents that he was indeed their father, and to Hermione’s surprise, her mother hugged him also, and her father slapped him on the back before giving him a quick hug. The children were another matter entirely, wrapped in hugs and kisses from the grandparents until Lily complained about her jacket and their grandparents removed the children’s jackets while Hermione and Harry took off their own. Then they all sat down to eat, and Harry had sneaked his hand over hers which rested on her leg when he saw how nervous she really was to be telling her parents the truth – the whole truth that they hadn’t been given years before.
The children were perfect angels as Hermione told her parents that many people she knew had died during the war, but neither of her closest friends – Ron and Harry – had passed on, despite Harry’s very close incident with death due to a certain scar. She apologized, on the verge of tears, for not telling the, and she explained that, though he had not known of her whereabouts, he had sent her gifts to ensure she was cared for. Her mother had sighed softly at this, finding it very romantic; her father raised an eyebrow and nodded in approval of Harry’s actions.
All in all, everything was going almost too well when Hermione mentioned that she wanted to move-in with Harry – which she was sure her parents would complain about. Of course, why would her parents be okay with her moving in with her children’s father, a teenager just like herself, and a man they never met? Why would her parents be okay with their only daughter moving out and being further away from her parents, taking their grandchildren with her. Hermione, that’s great news! You mother and I, well, we were meaning to tell you. . . Her father had begun, and Hermione didn’t know what to expect next. Her parents then explained that her had a lot of people to visit – family, friends, and patients – before anything happened, and they weren’t going to be home all that much, if at all. In fact, they had been worried about Hermione because they weren’t sure if she and the children should be traveling that much, but they didn’t want to leave her and the children home alone for who knows how long at a time. Hermione’s moving in with Harry would solve everyone’s problems – she and the children wouldn’t have to travel nor would they be living alone. Things were meshing perfectly, bringing years of chaos into a very neat close. Of course, her father had jokingly added, There’s to be no funny business though, you understand? You two might be living together but . . . Two bedrooms. All right? Hermione had blushed, her mother had smacked him on the arm and then told him that he had a point, and Hermione wasn’t all too sure what Harry did because Lily chose at that moment to ask very confusedly what funny business meant, so the conversation had ended then and there on that point. Hermione released a breath and the conversation continued before the lunch ended and she gave her parents a hug good-bye.
Hermione wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she had gone to such lengths to look decent that made her mother finally break down into tears or whether it was the actual good-bye. Of course, her mother had been worried as to why Hermione never got fixed up during the past two years and attributed it to fierce grief. But seeing Hermione so happy with Harry, her hair curled, her makeup nice, and actually making an effort to look nice, had made an impact on Mrs. Granger who had hugged her daughter for dear life before leaving with Mr. Granger, while Hermione walked back down the street with Harry and the children before grasping Harry and James’s hand – and ensuring that Harry had a firm grip on Lily – and disapparating, appearing shortly after at the empty Black cottage. Sirius must have decided to stay out later than expected.
With a smile, Hermione removed the children’s coats and then her own before looking up at Harry with a sigh. “Thank you Harry. That – you- were perfect.” And with that simple statement, she rose up on the tips of her toes and planted and kiss on his cheek.
They had apparated to a small bit away from where they were going to eat lunch with the Grangers and walked the rest of the distance, Hermione and Harry’s hands intertwined as the children released their parents’ grips to investigate the softly falling snow and play on their way there. They had reached the restaurant with no issues, Hermione’s hands finally ceasing their nervous shaking as Harry gripped one firmly, grounding her to the present and reminding her that he would now be the constant in her life. They’d reached the door, and Harry had been the gentleman, opening it and ushering her and the children inside where certain death – also known as unpredictable parents – awaited them. Except no death came, as Mrs. Granger nearly strangled her daughter in a hug, and her father patted her goodnaturedly before wrapping her in a hug and plopping a kiss on her forehead. One glance at Harry told her parents that he was indeed their father, and to Hermione’s surprise, her mother hugged him also, and her father slapped him on the back before giving him a quick hug. The children were another matter entirely, wrapped in hugs and kisses from the grandparents until Lily complained about her jacket and their grandparents removed the children’s jackets while Hermione and Harry took off their own. Then they all sat down to eat, and Harry had sneaked his hand over hers which rested on her leg when he saw how nervous she really was to be telling her parents the truth – the whole truth that they hadn’t been given years before.
The children were perfect angels as Hermione told her parents that many people she knew had died during the war, but neither of her closest friends – Ron and Harry – had passed on, despite Harry’s very close incident with death due to a certain scar. She apologized, on the verge of tears, for not telling the, and she explained that, though he had not known of her whereabouts, he had sent her gifts to ensure she was cared for. Her mother had sighed softly at this, finding it very romantic; her father raised an eyebrow and nodded in approval of Harry’s actions.
All in all, everything was going almost too well when Hermione mentioned that she wanted to move-in with Harry – which she was sure her parents would complain about. Of course, why would her parents be okay with her moving in with her children’s father, a teenager just like herself, and a man they never met? Why would her parents be okay with their only daughter moving out and being further away from her parents, taking their grandchildren with her. Hermione, that’s great news! You mother and I, well, we were meaning to tell you. . . Her father had begun, and Hermione didn’t know what to expect next. Her parents then explained that her had a lot of people to visit – family, friends, and patients – before anything happened, and they weren’t going to be home all that much, if at all. In fact, they had been worried about Hermione because they weren’t sure if she and the children should be traveling that much, but they didn’t want to leave her and the children home alone for who knows how long at a time. Hermione’s moving in with Harry would solve everyone’s problems – she and the children wouldn’t have to travel nor would they be living alone. Things were meshing perfectly, bringing years of chaos into a very neat close. Of course, her father had jokingly added, There’s to be no funny business though, you understand? You two might be living together but . . . Two bedrooms. All right? Hermione had blushed, her mother had smacked him on the arm and then told him that he had a point, and Hermione wasn’t all too sure what Harry did because Lily chose at that moment to ask very confusedly what funny business meant, so the conversation had ended then and there on that point. Hermione released a breath and the conversation continued before the lunch ended and she gave her parents a hug good-bye.
Hermione wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she had gone to such lengths to look decent that made her mother finally break down into tears or whether it was the actual good-bye. Of course, her mother had been worried as to why Hermione never got fixed up during the past two years and attributed it to fierce grief. But seeing Hermione so happy with Harry, her hair curled, her makeup nice, and actually making an effort to look nice, had made an impact on Mrs. Granger who had hugged her daughter for dear life before leaving with Mr. Granger, while Hermione walked back down the street with Harry and the children before grasping Harry and James’s hand – and ensuring that Harry had a firm grip on Lily – and disapparating, appearing shortly after at the empty Black cottage. Sirius must have decided to stay out later than expected.
With a smile, Hermione removed the children’s coats and then her own before looking up at Harry with a sigh. “Thank you Harry. That – you- were perfect.” And with that simple statement, she rose up on the tips of her toes and planted and kiss on his cheek.
