DISCLAIMER:
I DO NOT OWN THE WORLD OF HARRY POTTER/JK ROWLING. I DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF THIS OR ANY OTHER STORY I HAVE WRITTEN. I SIMPLY PLAY WITH THE CHARACTERS.
AN: Ok so this story, unlike my other Tempus Temporis, is not complete, I will be writing this story as I post. So do not depend on timely or consistent updates. I will be writing with the muse strikes! I have no idea how long the story will be but I do have an idea of where it is going!
Go check out Tempus Temporis if you like time travel fics!
BackGround for Story:
This story is not compliant with JK Rowling's Epilogue. It has been 12 years since the final battle. Ron and Hermione attempted a relationship it didn't work out but that will be explained in later chapters. Lucius Malfoy has been in Azkaban and recently released. Draco did not go to Azkaban was issued a pardon by the MOM. Ron married Lavender, Harry married Ginny, Luna and Neville are married. The rest you can figure out as we go along.
Chapter 1: A Personal Ad
There came a time, a point, a loud hoorah moment that was both a bit disconcerting and enlightening to Hermione. She never pondered or dwelled on the fact that this day would or would not come. Really she never took the time to care either way. What with her education, and now, her career she honestly never considered that what everyone else had made sacrifices for she could possibly regret not having.
Until, today that is, today was quite a monumental day for Harry. Today, Harry was becoming a father, for the fifth time. Ginny and Harry were blissfully in love for twelve years now, married for ten, and children entered the picture around 5 or maybe 6 years ago. She couldn't really remember, with so many children how could she?
Sadly though, Hermione was secretly jealous this time. The days of Aunt Mia were few and far between, but she truly did enjoy the children each time she kept them. What made this day so monumental though, was that not only was Harry having number five, but George and Angie was having number three and four, (yes twins), Ron and Lavender were on number three and sadly Neville and Luna were on there second. Even Draco was in the maternity ward with his horrid wife Pansy and their demon spawn was about to be born at any time.
Literally everyone she knew, liked or disliked was having a baby, blissfully married, and having gloriously normal lives. She was obsessed with work. That's all she had. She didn't have time for a "life" outside the ministry. She had worked hard all these year's and as of just six months ago, she became the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, the youngest person to ever hold the Head Chair, not to mention, her chair on the Wizengamot, and her seat on the board of governors for Hogwarts.
She was lonely, but, not many men found her power and brain's attractive. Every male she has met over the years are either afraid to talk to her, or intimidated by her success. Load of rubbish if anyone were to ask her…doesn't say much for the male wizarding population.
So here she was taking the day off work…patiently awaiting the arrival of a plethora of children…none of which are hers. Great day! She pulled a newspaper off the waiting room table. She never gets to read anymore, not for pleasure, might as well take advantage of the time. She peruses the articles making her way to the classified section. She always found these quit humorous, personal ads, pathetic really, but sometimes necessary.
The more she thought about it the more it sounded plausible that one day she would have a personal ad in the local classified sections of the Daily Prophet, pathetic.
Little did she know, Hermione was about to read a personal ad that would change her life forever. As she read the ad, dismissing it once, twice and a third time, she came back to it one final time. The ad was practically her own. She felt compelled to write the letter she knew she would eventually regret.
Work too much, life is passing me by, time for children has passed, and I'm all alone. My friends have made sacrifices and I have made mine, but our sacrifices differ greatly and now I'm stuck alone. I'm not looking for love, but it would be welcome. I'm not looking for babies, but I wouldn't complain if they came. I'm a driven individual, quite handsome perhaps, that lies in the eye of the beholder and hopefully one of you can determine that. If you are like me and worked your life away, live with regret no more and owl me today! Send your owl's to Platinum Eyes. (Single Female's only please!)
That was so catchy, Hermione thought; she read it over and over again. Perhaps one letter wouldn't hurt. One letter would not hurt, of course not, probably won't even get a reply. What if though, what if she did get a reply, and he was repulsed. Could she really handle another rejection? Even if it is from, no one she knows, from the personal ads?
Bah! She was worrying entirely too much. She tore out the ad from the paper, folded it up and stuck it into her jacket pocket for later. Hermione hated to get her hopes up just to have them trampled on, but for some reason, that catchy little ad has perked her interest in the opposite sex once again.
She patiently waited for the news of children being born. Oddly enough she waited for hours upon hours, eventually falling asleep in the waiting room in the most awkward of positions. She always underestimates how tired she is, until she sits down with nothing to do, her life really doesn't have time for sleep.
The sounds of clicking woke her from her slumber. As she slowly regained consciousness she focused on the clicking. Was it a clock? No, it wasn't a clock, she remembered that awful clicking. The clicking that stayed in rhythm with the stride of long elegant steps, it slowed its pace as it approached the nurse's station. She could hear the nurse giggling and sending the wretched man to the waiting room.
As the clicking resumed Hermione held her breath. The clicking came closer and closer until alas she was face to face with none other than Lucius Malfoy. Gods why didn't she even consider his appearance when she seen Draco earlier. This was the last person she wanted to see, she was sure her eyes were about to bulge out of her head. She had read somewhere he had been released from Azkaban. It's a shame the dementors didn't have a chance at a first kiss with him prior to his departure.
She stared daggers through him as he stood stock still at the entrance to the waiting room. He seemed to be just as shocked as she was to see her sitting there, waiting. She wasn't about to move. She wasn't about to speak. She watched him, with his elegant cloths, hideous cane, and surprisingly unkempt hair. His release must have been recent. She couldn't remember, work had been too hectic, she had merely heard in passing.
He did look quite awful, his skin was sallow, his eyes carried large black rings, what once was a handsome man was now nothing more that an empty shell. His face once an impassive mask now carried the lines of fear and shame. No, this was not the Lucius Malfoy from her nightmares, his cloths may say otherwise, but his hollow eyes can't deny the truth.
Shock would have been easier to handle with she realized the man was actually going to speak to her, she couldn't even imagine what scathing remarks he would come up with today. Unfortunately for him she was ready, more than ready to handle the elder Malfoy.
"Ms. Grainger, it is lovely to see you again." He bowed his head and graced her with a brief smile before taking a seat on the opposite side of the room.
Wow, just wow, was he just cordial with her, nice even? She was completely flummoxed into silence. She most likely resembled a goldfish at the moment. Her shock slowly absorbed and reality set back in quickly. This man represented everything she hated since she was eleven years old. How dare he!? He has no right, none!
Hermione was about to give her most scathing of remarks, however, she was interrupted by George running into the waiting room.
"Hermione! The babies, there here! Come quickly!"
Hermione jumped from her chair and gathered her things as quickly as possible. She ran for the door and stopped. She felt his eyes upon her; she turned and looked back at Lucius. She stared at him for a long moment. She could feel her lip drawing up in disgust.
"Mr. Malfoy I wish I could say the same to you, however, I feel you have seen much better days, and the years don't look as if they have been to kind to you. Good day sir."
Hermione turned and abruptly walked away. She felt a pang of guilt for what she said, but it quickly dissipated with a feeling of triumph! She ran towards Harry and Ginny's room first. With their final child, she assumed, they decided to let the sex of the child be a surprise. She could not wait to see the new baby and find out "its" name.
She ran into the room just as the nurse was handing the baby over to Ginny. The baby was swaddled in a tiny pink blanket. The baby was a girl, how appropriate, their first born and last born were girls. Hermione began to cry. She was so overwhelmed with every emotion known to man. She was happy, sad, envious, angry, but mostly she was eliated with happiness.
"Mione, come see you new god daughter." Harry called her over to the bed where he was sitting with Ginny and his new child. His smile stretched from ear to ear. She made her way over and sat down on the bed just below Ginny's arm.
"Would you like to hold her?" Ginny ask while smiling from ear to ear. As if she was keeping some big secret.
"Oh yes, please if I may?" Hermione reached out to hold the baby. She gently began to rock her back and forth on the bed, watching her sleep peacefully in her arms.
She looked up at Ginny and Harry with tears forming again in her eyes. She was absolutely beautiful. Thick black hair adorned the top of this little ones head. The rest were red heads. Hermione had a feeling she also had piercing green eyes, just like her dad.
"What did you name her?" She whispered to the beaming couple.
Harry and Ginny looked at each other and back to Hermione before they both whispered in unison.
"We named her Hermione Molly Potter." Both said while smiling victoriously.
This jerked Hermione's eyes away from the slumbering babe and up to the Harry and Ginny. For the second time this evening Hermione was in complete shock. She never anticipated any of her friends naming their children after her or anyone else she knew. She couldn't help the smile that crept up her face. This was her Hermione. She held the babe just a little bit tighter after that, and whispered sweet words into its ears.
As the evening came to a close, Hermione made her rounds; all the new babies had been born within a one hour window. As if, they all knew they were related somehow and wanted to show the world how family sticks together.
George and Angie ended up having one boy and one girl; lucky for them they get the best of both worlds. Ron and Lavender had a boy, and had the nerve to name him Hugo! That was a name her and Ron had picked out for their first born son before they split up. She laughed for a moment, if only Lavender knew that small piece of information. Neville and Luna had a beautiful baby girl as well. Draco and Pansy had a boy, not that she cared, but they named the boy Nero. Seriously, they couldn't come up with a better name than Nero! Tyrannical rulers' name is not a name for one's child!
She even noticed Lucius walking into Draco and Pansy's room, surprisingly he didn't stay long. She could feel his eyes upon her every second he was near. She couldn't understand his obsession with staring at her today. Like the man had seen a ghost. It made her feel dirty. She could not stand his nerve. As if she would want him to look at her, perhaps he feels guilty. Ha! Doubtful!
After the evening came to a close, Hermione felt the melancholy creeping back up into her consciousness once again. Once she reached her apartment the loneliness of her life consumed her with the familiar sound of a closing door.
She can't exactly pinpoint the moment in her life when she decided to lead a solitaire existence. She walked to her bedroom and flung herself face first onto her bed, mashing the pillow up beneath her head. A few quick screams into the pillow always makes her feel better, even if it's only for a moment.
Her thoughts drifted throughout the events that occurred during the day. How happy everyone seemed to be, how beautiful the memories were that she made. Sadly enough though, she kept remembering Lucius, she almost felt sorry for the man, because he looked as lonely as she felt.
And like a light bulb she suddenly remembered her letter! The personal ad from the paper! She shot up like a bolt of lightning and ran to her living room. She pulled her jacket up off the couch and yanked the personal ad straight out of the pocket. She read the add several more times and decided it was time for a change.
Honestly though, what harm could putting a pen to paper possibly do?