Chapter one: Angel…
In the battle of Hogwarts many people were lost, amongst them Nymphadora Lupin; mother of Teddy Lupin and wife to Remus Lupin.
Needless to say Remus was devastated. He barely took enough care of his infant let alone himself. 3 months on from the battle and it was the most beautiful august for over a century but Remus Lupin still adamantly refused to leave the house. Mrs Weasley had come to see him several times, but he didn't want to see anyone, he didn't want to seem rude and he knew she was worried but he just wanted to be alone.
It had been 2 weeks since anyone had last attempted to visit. He was not prepared when Hermione knocked on the door, she had not yet come to visit him but he could tell Mrs Weasley had sent her, she had only just returned from the long holiday she had taken with her parents in France.
"Remus it's me, I know you're in there, I've come to see you. I'm not going to give up, I'm coming in whether you like it or not" He had never heard her sound so determined.
"Leave me alone Hermione" He croaked, his voice hoarse from disuse.
"No!" she said, he shook his head, sighed and started to walk back towards the sitting room, there was suddenly a huge BANG and the door was thrown off its hinges, dust flew everywhere and Teddy began to cry. Hermione stood in the door way in a butter yellow sun dress, her long, curly hair half pulled back in a pony tail. She looked stunning, slim, tanned and her eyes holding a determined glint.
"Sorry about that" she said, putting her wand away again. "Had to be done, I'll fix it in a minute, now, where's Teddy?"
Before he could reply she had put the door back on its hinges and was walking past him to get to Teddy.
When he reached the sitting room she was cuddling the little baby and cooing at him, little Teddy was quiet immediately and led in her arms, smiling at her and babbling up at her.
She waved her wand again and the curtains flew open.
"Jesus, Remus" She said "This place is filthy."
Even he had to admit she was right, he was past trying to defend himself and though he hated to admit it, it was nice to have some company.
Copies of the Daily Prophet littered the floor, dirty laundry sat in a basket on the floor and dirty baby clothes were thrown all over the sofa. Remus himself looked a complete state, he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and he was thin and pale from because he hadn't been eating properly.
From where she was standing Hermione could also see through to the kitchen where the kitchen was stacked with filthy dishes. Remus could see her shifting into bossy head girl mode.
"Right Remus you are going to get up those stairs right now. I want you to go to sleep for a few hours while I clean up this mess and then you are going to have a shower whilst I take care of Teddy and make some proper food for you and then you will eat it."
He so wanted to argue but he remembered a conversation he had once had with Harry, Ron and Sirius all of whom had experienced Hermione's temper and none of whom had any desire to repeat the experience. Besides he needed someone to think for him.
So he went upstairs, led down and sunk into the best and certainly first dreamless sleep he had had in months.
Meanwhile, Hermione was downstairs, humming as she charmed all the dishes to clean themselves. Teddy sat on her right hip watching in amazement as she repeatedly turned his teddy bear into a kitten and back again.
When Remus woke up it was to hear Cassandra Warbeck on the WWN downstairs singing some kind of summery love song. He came downstairs, into the kitchen to find Hermione knelt by the fire place singing to Teddy, who was wrapped in a fluffy white towel, drying off after his bath. His, for now, sandy coloured hair was all messed up and standing on end and he was giggling as Hermione sang to him.
Everything was tidier than it had been for months, the sitting room was absolutely immaculate, the kitchen was almost sparkling and she was cooking something that smelled absolutely delicious.
She jumped when she noticed he was there
"Hey Remus!" She smiled, much more relaxed and much less bossy than before. "Why don't you go and have a shower, get changed and take Teddy out for a walk whilst I make Tea for you."
When Remus did return, Hermione had strapped Teddy into his pram and was talking to him as she cut up tomatoes, spring onions and lettuce. She had dressed Teddy in a little white t-shirt, trainers and denim dungarees, even if she said so herself, he looked adorable.
Remus did take his son out for a walk around the tiny village and, for the first time in weeks, he played with him and talked to him. It wasn't as though he had ignored Teddy, he had fed him, washed him, cared for him just as he should but he hadn't really spoken to or played with Teddy.
When they arrived by the house Hermione swooped down on Teddy again and led them out into the garden where she had set up their meal of Garlic bread, lasagne and salad. Teddy's meal of baby food sat on the tray on his high chair.
It was all delicious; Hermione fed Teddy his food whilst having a conversation with Remus. When they had finished Hermione served chocolate ice cream and refused to let Remus get up from the table until he had finished every scrap of food she had given him.
They continued to talk companionably, even when Hermione took Teddy out of his highchair and sat him on her lap. Until…
"Mummy!" Teddy squealed, patting Hermione's cheek with his chubby little hand.
Hermione's eyes widened "No this is mummy" she explained, summoning a photo of Tonks and showing it to Teddy "I'm Mimi"
Teddy looked puzzled for a moment before pointing at the photo and repeating the word 'mummy' giving Hermione a hug and calling her 'Mimi' Hermione smiled and looked up at Remus anxiously, half expecting him to look upset at Teddy calling her 'mummy' but he almost smiled and gave her a quizzical look. "Mimi?" he asked.
"Look, 'Hermione' is a hard name for a baby to say and I hate it when people call me 'Mione. I'm so glad I came here to sort things out, 'Dora wouldn't have wanted you to live like this." He flinched suddenly "I'm sorry, look; I know how you're feeling-"
"How could you possibly know?" Remus snapped, his eyes flashing.
"Stop pitying yourself Remus, thousands of people have had the exact same thing happen to them as you but at least they didn't shut themselves away from everybody who care about them. I don't want to go into how I know what it feels like but suffice it to say I have some idea" She hissed, her eyes filling with tears.
"I'm sorry Hermione, but I lost the only person who has ever loved me."
Her tone softened considerably "Remus, you know that's not true."
Eventually Teddy fell asleep, his head lolling on her shoulder and she put him to bed.
Hermione came back downstairs and began to collect her things.
"Are you going already?" Remus almost whined, he liked having company around and he now felt scared of being alone.
Hermione laughed "Remus, it's nearly 11 o'clock; I've been here nearly 8 hours."
"Oh" she laughed and gave him a hug; it was nice to hear laughter in the cottage again, even if it wasn't his own.
She was almost out of the door when it happened, he grabbed her wrist,
"You will come back tomorrow, won't you?" he looked so desperate, she couldn't have said 'no' had she wanted to, she smiled.
"Of course I will, tomorrow morning" and she went. She turned at the end of the garden path, the streetlight behind her head created a sphere of light like a halo, and she waved.
He almost laughed at the irony of it all, she was a sort of angel, picking Teddy and he up off the ground and reminding him that Tonks loved them both very much and wouldn't want them to ignore everyone who cared about them.
A/N: You thought I was going to put in a kiss there, didn't you? Not for a while yet, sorry!
By the way 'Mimi' is pronounced mee-mee, anyway, I hope you liked it the review button it there, click it and get writing!