This is my first attempt to publish a fan fiction story. I wrote the first part of this story back in 2011! I have hit a writer's block wall somewhere about chapter 8, but I'm hoping that a good response to the first few chapters will give me some inspiration to keep going! This story is dedicated to my brother and his wife who have adopted 5 beautiful children.
If you recognize it, I don't own it! Just playing with some fantastic characters and a fascinating world!
Love of a Child
Chapter 1
Hermione walked with the matron down the bright hallway. The walls were lined with children's drawings and paintings of every possible colour and design. She looked in the windows which gave views of various rooms as they walked by. Inside there were children of all ages, some playing and laughing as if nothing bad had ever happened, and some children sitting alone, looking fearfully all around as if waiting for something horrible to happen. There were rooms with cribs lined up against the wall, and rocking chairs with young medi-witches rocking and feeding babies.
The noise of babies and some older children crying made her heart ache. These were the orphaned and abandoned of the war. Some of them might be reunited with family members, but most would remain here until adopted or old enough to go to Hogwarts as wards of the ministry. She had noticed the queue of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles waiting for their turn to look through the rooms in the hope of finding their lost children. She sincerely hoped that each one of them would.
Hermione had read in the Daily Prophet about this place and felt an overwhelming tug deep inside to give one of these lost ones a home. The urge was becoming so great that she began having dreams each night of a child calling to her. Being the logical thinker that she was, she thought about all the pros and cons and ramifications of adopting a child. She was young, but many people younger than she were already parents. She had completed school, having gone back to Hogwarts as soon as she was able after the final battle. Large numbers of volunteers had repaired the castle, and classes started as scheduled in September.
She worked a schedule out with Professor McGonagall to complete all her classes and take her N.E.W.T.S. by the Christmas holiday. She applied for a job at the ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and was immediately hired. She knew that her name and status as a war hero were mainly responsible for her ease in getting the job, but she soon proved her worth to the department and became a respected member of their team. It pleased her to no end that the people in her department were actually interested in her ideas concerning the rights of all magical beings.
She returned to Hogwarts in the spring to give a speech at the leaving feast, and was happy to see everyone again, but she was glad that she had already started her life after Hogwarts. She intended to pursue university studies, but she would need to attend part time whenever she came up with the funds for classes.
She used a rather substantial monetary gift of thanks from the Ministry right after the war to purchase a small home in a cozy Muggle neighborhood situated close enough to a nice wizarding community for shopping and dining with magical people too. She liked the security of having a home of her own all paid for, to decorate as she wished. So a little after two years since the last battle, Hermione Granger was contemplating the next step in her life.
"So, I have a home and a job. I have good friends to help me raise a child. And I would always have someone to love me, no matter what." She sighed. She was adapting to life without being with Harry and Ron all the time, though they did manage to speak to each other nearly every day at the Ministry, and they were all expected to attend the mandatory Sunday dinner at the Burrow. It did take her a while to get used to the silence at home in the evenings, though.
Harry and Ginny were dating, and Hermione knew that Harry would ask Ginny to marry him very soon, since she had helped him pick out the engagement ring.
What was real hard for her though, was when Ron stopped by her house one day shortly after she moved in to give her his news. He had been dating someone for a while, and hadn't told her because he was afraid of what she would say.
"Ron, why would you be afraid to tell me that you were dating someone? You know that I only want you to be happy."
She was secretly a little broken hearted, since she was kind of still hoping that he would see her as something other than a friend.
"Well, I was afraid that when you find out who she is, you might get upset. She wasn't exactly in our crowd at school." He dropped his head down and shuffled his feet nervously.
"Oh, so she was with us at school? Ok, was she in our year?"
"Yes"
"She wasn't in Gryffindor?"
"No."
"A Ravenclaw then?"
"No."
"So, a Hufflepuff. Well then, let's see, was it..."
"No, not a Hufflepuff, Hermione."
"But that would mean-are you kidding me! A Slytherin?" she gasped. "You have got to be joking, right?"
He just lifted his head and looked her right in the eyes. "No, Hermione, I'm not joking. I told her that I would let you know and not be ashamed of how I feel." He squared his shoulders. "I am head over heels for Pansy, and I am proud to say that she loves me too."
"PANSY? PANSY PARKINSON!" Hermione grabbed the nearest chair and sat down before she could fall down." "How, why? But..."
Ron knelt in front of her chair and took her hands in his. "We ran into each other a few months ago at a coffee shop in Diagon Alley. After the few obligatory insults back and forth, we just suddenly stopped and stared at each other. Then the weirdest thing happened, Hermione. We just started to laugh! I know it sounds crazy, but it just struck us at the same time how ludicrous it was. We realized that we are both just people, and we started talking about everything. After a couple of dates, we decided that we never wanted to stop. I hope you can try to get to know her better, she's gotten past all that stupid 'pureblood versus muggleborn' garbage, really." He gave her a hopeful look, and Hermione couldn't hurt him.
"Ok, Ron, if she makes you happy, I will do my best." She gave him her bravest smile and squeezed his hands.
"That's great!" he beamed with a huge grin, and she knew she had done the right thing, but that didn't stop it from hurting her inside. "Pansy is coming to the Burrow for Sunday dinner to meet everyone, and I would sure appreciate it if you could help her to feel welcome."
"Of course I will, Ron." She patted his hand and stood up." I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have an appointment this afternoon and I really must get ready to leave."
"Oh, alright then. See you Sunday?"
"Yes, Sunday."
When he left, she allowed herself a good cry and a sappy movie with a tub of ice cream. She really didn't have an appointment, but she didn't know how long she could keep talking to Ron while acting like nothing was bothering her. "Well, Hermione," she sniffed, "it's not that bad, you really did know deep down that it would never work with Ron. He's too much like a brother." Somewhere in her pep talk to herself, she realized that it was true, and she wasn't quite as upset anymore.
Sunday came and it was time to go to the Burrow for dinner. Hermione looked in the mirror one more time before heading to the fireplace and grabbing a handful of floo powder, "Quit worrying, Hermione," she scolded herself, "the burden is on the girlfriend to make a good impression on the family, which includes me. She just better be good to him!"
Surprisingly, Pansy seemed to fit right in with the Weasleys. Hermione kept watching her for any signs of artifice, but the girl seemed to genuinely enjoy being there.
In spite of herself, Hermione found Pansy to be a caring, friendly person. She had lost everything in the war. Her father, while not a death eater, was sympathetic to their cause and proof was found that he had assisted them. As a result, he was in Azkaban and their wealth was claimed by the Ministry for rebuilding what was destroyed in the war. Her mother left the country to live with relatives, but Pansy, who'd had no involvement in her father's activities, had decided to stay. She had gotten a job as an apprentice with Mr. Ollivander, who never fully recovered after his ordeal as a prisoner of Voldemort. Garrett was as intelligent as ever, but he was frail and decided it was time to train the next wandmaker. He took her into his home and she became like a granddaughter to him. When Molly found out, she insisted that Pansy bring Mr. Ollivander with her to the Burrow next time.
Before she left the Burrow that day, Hermione and Pansy made arrangements to meet for lunch the next afternoon. "I know we didn't get along to well at school, Hermione, but you are so important to Ron and his family, that I really would like to get to know you better. Do you think that maybe we could become friends someday? I could use all the friends I can get."
Pansy looked at her hopefully, and Hermione gave her a tentative smile. "I'd like that, Pansy."
Lunches with Pansy became a regular occasion, and they did become fast friends. Hermione shared her feelings about adopting a child. "I don't know what it is, Pansy, but I feel such a strong pull to do this. I can't explain it. There is a child there calling to me. I really need to give that child a home. I know I'm young and unmarried, but I also know I can be a good mum." She hadn't told anyone else of her plans, and she was watching for Pansy's reaction.
"I think that's wonderful, Hermione!" Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together. "I know I would love to help you, and you know how Molly feels about grandchildren. If you choose to do this we all would stand with you."
Hermione jumped up, and ran around to the other side of the table and threw her arms around her new friend. "Thanks, Pansy! I think I will go to the orphanage tomorrow and see what I need to do."
Pansy laughed. "Hermione, you are a famous war hero! They will probably just ask you how many you want!"
So here she was, being led proudly around the orphanage by the matron, practically being asked that same question. 'Pansy is going to laugh when she hears this!" she thought with a smile.
"Alright, Miss Granger, were you thinking about an infant or an older child?" The matron was looking around as if deciding which direction to take the potential parent.
"I think a little older, maybe two or so?" said Hermione, "Being single, I don't think I'm ready to try parenting an infant alone."
"Ok, let's go to the toddler's room over here." The matron gestured to a room on the right. Hermione walked to the large window looking into a room containing about a dozen very small children. The room seemed in constant motion, with all the little ones running around playing with toys. Hermione couldn't help the wide smile that stretched across her face.
"May I go in there?" she gave the matron a look that reminded her of a child on Christmas morning wanting to open her gifts.
"Yes, what we usually do is have the potential parent spend time with the children, and usually within a couple of visits, you will be drawn to a few children. Your magic will reach out to them and usually one specific child will start to feel drawn to you, so don't worry about which child to choose. If there is a child for you in this room, we will find out." The matron opened the door and Hermione walked into the room.
"Mama!" Hermione just caught a glance at a white blond head before a child wrapped himself around her legs. She looked down into a pair of gray/blue eyes and melted. She placed her hand on the little blond head and felt a surge of emotion like she never felt before. A silver mist rose from both of them and swirled around their bodies. The boy watched, wide eyed and laughing as the mist enveloped them both and then melted into their bodies. Hermione looked, open mouthed at the matron, who was mirroring her expression.
"I've never seen anything like it," she exclaimed, "you two have just spontaneously bonded to each other as mother and son. That ceremony is usually done by a ministry representative when the adoption is finalized. Miss Granger, he is now your child."