Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters that appear in the novels. But I do own the ones that aren't there.

Both Your Houses

Prelude: five years after the Golden Trio's graduation



Hermione's tears made small splashes on the baby's face as she handed her to Harry.

"Take care of her for me. Please," said Hermione.

"I promise," said Harry. "She'll be all right. I won't let anything happen to her."

Hermione only cried harder. She hadn't thought it would be this hard. She hadn't thought anything would be as hard as it was.

"Ginny, you'll take care of her, won't you? You'll make sure Harry does his job?"

"Of course," said Ginny, her own tears falling onto her husband's shoulder. "Thank you, Hermione. I will love her so much. I already do."

"And I can still come and see her, right? This isn't goodbye forever?" Hermione didn't want to let her go.

"Of course you'll see her again. You'll be her Aunt Hermione." Harry stroked her cheek.

Hermione choked out a sob. She wasn't sure she wanted to just be 'Aunt.'

"You should go. You'll miss the train," Ginny said gently.

Hermione nodded. She bent down and kissed the baby Harry held in his arms. "Goodbye, my beautiful Lily. Don't forget me. I'll see you soon."

Drying her tears, Hermione boarded the train, her arms aching to hold her daughter again.



"We have to tell her, Ginny!" said Harry. He wasn't shouting, but his voice conveyed the same urgency as if he had been.

"Why? She's been fine all these years, why drag it all out into the open again? Why uncover all the old wounds and old hurt?"

"Because she deserves to know the truth. Hermione needs her to know. I've seen around Lily, and you have, too. It tears her up that Lily doesn't know."

"Does Lily really want to know?"

Lily Potter chose that moment to make her entrance. "Do I really want to know what?" she said.

Ginny gasped and Harry paled.

"Nothing, sweetie," said Ginny to her daughter. "We were just . . . talking about something . . . that we--"

"Sit down, Lily, there's something we need to tell you," Harry said resolutely.

"What do you need to tell me?" asked Lily, sitting a wooden chair and swinging her short, thirteen-year-old legs.

"You know how we always told you that you were a special girl, out special daughter?" Harry began, carefully choosing his words.

"Harry, don't! We don't have to do this!" Ginny cried.

"Yes, Ginny, we do!" said Harry. "Do you remember, Lily?"

"Yes," said Lily, slightly scared. Her parents never fought. This must be big. "But what does that have to do with telling me something?"

"Lily," Harry swallowed and Ginny tried to swallow a sob, "the reason you're special is because you're adopted."

"I'm adopted?" said Lily. That was the news? She already knew that. Her mother had told her that on her tenth birthday. Not a big deal. "Come on, Dad, can't you come up with something more shocking? I found that out years ago."

Harry managed a thin smile. "Actually, I wasn't finished. Lily, your mother is your Aunt Hermione."

Lily gasped and stood up. That she wasn't ready for, but she had to admit, the conversation she had just overheard was kind of a big hint. "Who's my father?" she asked. She had of course asked when she had been ten, but her parents had refused to tell her. They said no one was quite ready for that yet.

"That's the thing, Lily," said Harry. "About your father. He's, well, he's . . . "

A/N: So, was that evil? I hope you enjoyed it! I'm rewriting this story, tell me what you think! I can't promise a swift update, but those of you who read Heart and Blood should know who the father is. Review please!