Chapter 1 - Emma Granger
It had been ten years since the Dark Lord had returned to plague the Wizarding world with his presence once more. Thousands of people across Europe had lost their lives in this time, defying the Dark Lord and working towards creating a peaceful future. Countless non-magical folk and Muggleborn families had been obliterated. Many hours had been put towards a battle strategy, but not one had been totally successful. Death Eater's had been killed, and then Voldemort had retreated into hiding to lick his wounds and rebuild an army before attacking again.
This had been the pattern for the last three years. And so, everyone was becoming exhausted and depressed, including even the most cheerful of people. Hermione Granger, former Head Girl of Hogwarts, as well as Arithmancy and Potions Mistress, was no exception to this. She had graduated with honors, achieving the highest scores in twenty years, in all of her classes despite this ongoing conflict.
And on top of the stress of all of that, Hermione had given birth to a daughter to care for all on her own. Emma Granger was a beautiful 18 month old little girl with Hermione's facial features, but straight black hair and eyes like midnight. Hermione was sure that she did not know who the father was, as she had no recollection of ever sleeping with anyone. Harry and Ron liked to tease her that Emma was her "Immaculate Conception".
Dumbledore and Minerva had been especially supportive through the ordeal, sifting through every single one of her memories in order to shed some light as to how she became pregnant to begin with. When they had found nothing, she had resigned herself to the fact that she may never know how it happened. In any case, she loved her daughter and loved to care for the very friendly, intelligent baby, who was actually very selective about whom she liked.
She did not really like Molly, much to the motherly woman's' chagrin; but she loved Minerva and Albus. Emma accepted Ron and Harry, simply because they were 'mummy fends', but never allowed them to coddle or crowd her as they so often did.
Hermione sighed as she walked up the stairs of her two-storey townhouse, carrying a bottle of warm milk. She was 22 years old and already had a child, even before Harry and Ginny who had been married for almost a year already. She didn't even have a boyfriend or lover, and hadn't since her attempt at a relationship with Ron in her sixth year at Hogwarts. Entering the Library, she stood in the doorway and looked in to see her daughter sitting on the floor with her picture book on dragons.
'Emma, it's nearly time for your nap love,' she said, walking in and plopping down beside her.
'Milk?' Emma squeaked, her 'l's' coming out mispronounced as a 'w'.
Hermione smiled at her adorable baby talk and handed her the bottle, before picking her up to carrying her down the hall to her bedroom. Before leaving, she cast a wandless charm to return all of the books to their correct places on the shelves. Settling the girl into her cot, Hermione stroked Emma's hair and kissed her on the top of her head, before tucking her in as she suckled her bottle.
'I love you,' Hermione murmured softly.
'Love Mummy,' Emma said sleepily.
Hermione smiled and left her daughters' room leaving the door ajar so that she could hear her from the library. It was a Saturday, which was why she could stay at home with Emma all day so carelessly. During the week, she taught at Union College – a college focused on the teaching of Potions and Arithmancy. She had continued her education there after Hogwarts, and once she had received her Master's certificates, they had offered her a job. She loved her job, and there was even a childcare centre offered for staff members with younger children. Emma even had a friend there called Michael, who was the College Librarian's youngest child.
She went home to the fireplace in the library and threw in some Floo powder saying 'Potter Residence, Ginny' to make a Floo call.
Ginny's face appeared in the green flames moments after, and the red head was beaming at her brightly. 'Hey Hermione, what can I do for you?' she greeted.
'Are you busy tonight?' she asked.
'Not at all – Harry gets back from Berlin tonight, so we are free,' the red head said cheerfully. 'Did you want to do dinner at the Three Broomsticks?'
'I'd love to,' Hermione answered. 'I'll Floo Minerva and you can ask Ron and Lavender to come too.'
'Sounds great,' Ginny agreed readily.
'You're sounding awfully chipper today. Has something happened?' Hermione asked curiously with a glimmer in her eyes.
'Well… I was going to wait until tonight to tell everyone together, but – I'm pregnant!' Ginny said excitedly. 'I haven't even told Harry yet, but it's definitely a little girl! My own little girl!'
'Wow Ginny! That is really great! How far along are you?'
'About three weeks, so the baby should come in June next year,' she replied.
'Well I am very happy for you – babies are blessings,' she said softly.
'Where is Emma?' Ginny asked.
'Taking her nap,' Hermione answered.
'Well I had better go and organize this with Lav and Ron, so I'll see you two at seven?' Ginny said with a contented sigh.
Hermione nodded and broke the connection, tossing in some fresh powder with the intention of calling on Minerva. She found that Minerva was not at home, so she decided to try again later. At three, Emma woke up and started calling Hermione from her bedroom, to let her out of the crib. Once released, the girl began toddling around happily, her steps still a little wobbly. They went downstairs for an afternoon snack.
Hermione placed a kiddy cup of apple juice down in front of Emma - who was seated comfortably on her high chair, along with biscuits for both of them. Emma had recently gotten another few teeth and had enough to eat things like that. While they were happily chewing away, Hermione went to the sitting room to try and get a hold of Minerva again with no success.
Figuring she must have gone away for the day. She guessed that it would just be the six of them including Emma that night. At five, Hermione bathed Emma and then dried and dressed her in white tights, a yellow dress, a little black coat and black shoes. She was so adorable. Afterwards she showered herself and came out wearing grey trousers, a white blouse, her navy sweater and black shoes. She found Emma in the sitting room downstairs, levitating a number of her stuffed animals.
'Now Emma – what sis mummy tell you about using magic?' she scolded softly, shrugging into her long black coat before picking up her daughter.
'No Magic, mummy,' Emma answered.
'That's right, no magic,' Hermione replied, kissing her on the cheek and the end of her cute little nose.
She Apparated them into Hogsmeade and walked the short distance to the Three Broomsticks. She saw Ginny and Harry already sitting at a table, waving them over and smiling. Harry was beaming. Hermione was glad that he could still find it in him to smile like that, despite all of the devastation in his life.
'Hey Harry, how was Germany?' she asked, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek.
'Horrible and wet,' he answered, taking Emma off her hands and hugging her briefly, before the girl scrambled over to Ginny.
'Emma, don't be rude to Uncle Harry,' Hermione chastised as the girl curled into Ginny comfortably.
'Don't worry about it 'Mione. At least she doesn't totally reject me like she does Molly,' Harry said with a sheepish smile.
Ron and Lavender chose then to walk in. Lavender had accepted Ron into her life once they had left Hogwarts and the two had been dating seriously since. They were getting married in the spring. The table magically expanded to fit the new arrivals, and the couple joined them and sat down.
'Hello, 'Mione,' Ron greeted, kissing her temple and reaching over to tousle Emma's hair.
'Ronald!' Lavender exclaimed, and he retracted his hand from her.
The two guys went up to the bar and placed the drink orders, returning a few minutes later. Emma drank her apple juice from her kiddy cup quite happily. When Hermione asked her what she wanted to eat, Emma pointed at the spaghetti.
'Hermione!' exclaimed a familiar voice across the pub, and she turned to see who it was.
Minerva had just entered with Albus in tow, and began walking towards their table. The table must have sensed the change in the number of people dining there, and lengthened to fit two more. Minerva sat right next to Hermione and Albus opposite with Ginny, Harry and Ron.
'I tried to call you earlier,' Hermione explained. 'But I assume you were out?'
'Yes, actually – Albus and I have been looking for a replacement Arithmancy Professor seeing as Vittoria Vector has expressed an interest in resigning and leaving Hogwarts at Christmas,' Minerva answered.
'Did you find one?'
'Not yet,' Albus answered cheerfully as he returned to the table and sat a drink in front of Minerva and one for him also.
Dinner was lovely that night, and everyone had such a good time. When it was finally time to leave, Emma was half asleep and leaning heavily against Hermione's shoulder. Cradling the girl against her, she bid farewell to everyone, and left the pub. Apparating home, she undressed the sleeping Emma and redressed her in her warm flannel pajamas and carried her to the main bedroom. After changing her own clothes, Hermione snuggled into her bed next to her little girl.
'Goodnight, my sweet little girl,' she mumbled sleepily.