Grey Eyes
Disclaimer: Still own nothing, all recognizable characters belong to JK Rowling and live in her beautiful mind and beautiful books. Not my gutter of a brain and poor excuse of writing. Good day!
Notes: Just want to say a massive thank you to all who favourited, followed and reviewed this story. And I know, I took ages to update and I'm sorry. I hope this begins to make up for it though.
Also, the timeline for this fic is sort of al over the place. A lot of the story will be told through flashback. This chapter, for example, is set 6 years before the first chapter. That first chapter will be the basis of my timeline. So if the next chapter is "1 month ago", that means it was one month before Aquila and Co. end up at Hogwarts. Make sense?
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~6 years ago~
The blonde and the older woman lay spread out on the ecru carpet, littered with popcorn kernels and chocolate frog wrappers. Michaela, the third member of the party, was curled up fast asleep on the couch, hands clasping the TV remote almost possessively. Beauty and the Beast was paused on the screen, Belle's mouth partly opened, about to chastise the Beast.
Aquila shuffled restlessly, still not tired enough for sleep.
The older woman stretched, before rolling onto her back, and sitting up, cross-legged.
"Aunt Hermione?" Aquila whispered softly
"Yes, Little One?"
"Did you know my dad? My real father, I mean." She asked with such innocent curiosity.
Hermione sighed gently before she began.
"Yes, I knew you father. He and your dad used to be, for the most part, arch enemies."
Aquila gasped in shock. Her companion continued quickly, mentally berating herself for beginning a story in such a brash way.
"But they were more alike than they-or anyone else, really- first thought."
"Daddy always says that my father was a brave man." The young girl stated.
Hermione's heart broke to think that the image of Aquila's father was so vague, only made up of these tiny snippets of information she had managed to coax out of Harry.
"Mal… your father was indeed a very brave man. He didn't have a very easy life. His parents were mean and made him be mean too. But after a while, he found the courage and went up against them. His parents forced him to be on the bad side of the War your dad and I fought in," they never tried to hide the fact from the children that they had indeed been in a war, "but he fought to help the good side, our side."
Hermione wondered how on earth she could make the Second Wizarding War seem so black and white, when there were so many, many shades of grey. Aquila's father included.
"Really?" the child asked, sitting up attentively.
"Yes really," she smiled, "When your dad, daddy's friend Ron, and I got captured, he helped us escape."
"Wow!"
"Yes. And your father was also very smart. He and I used to fight to get top marks when we were at school."
"You were in the same class?"
"Yes, although at the time we loathed it. We loathed each other too. But I don't think I would have done as well as did at school without his competition."
Hermione smiled at that. She had hardly thought about her rivalry with Malfoy as beneficial until now. Merlin, that little Aquila always made her find the silver lining.
"Was he in Gryffindor like you and dad?"
"Oh Merlin No!" she cried, "He was a Slytherin through and through. His parents would have had a pink fit if he had been sorted into Gryffindor!"
Aquila went pale.
"Does that mean I'll be put in Slytherin?" she stuttered
"Goodness no, sweetheart," she cooed as she wrapped and arm around the girl's slim shoulders. "The Sorting Hat will put you where you will do best. It might be Slytherin, it mightn't be. But remember, Slytherin is not a house for dark witches and wizards. It's a house for clever, cunning and resourceful students. But if you really don't want to be in Slytherin, the hat takes that into account too."
"Really?"
"Really, really."
The child seemed to consider this, before finding the information satisfactory. "Okay Aunt Hermione, I believe you."
"Good. Now come on Little One, its way past your bed time. And I'm pretty sure there's something special happening tomorrow, though I haven't the faintest idea what it could be," internally, she smirked.
Aquila looked outraged. "Aunt Hermione!" she exclaimed, "How could you forget? Tomorrow's my birthday!"
Hermione mimed hitting her head on her hand. "Oh, how silly of me! Now, how old are you turning?"
"I'm going to be 5!" she boasted proudly, holding up as many fingers.
"Goodness, you are growing up fast," she smiled as she stood, tugging the soon to be 5 year old towards the kitchen.
"Daddy," shrieked Aquila.
Sure enough, Harry was sitting at the dining table, looking slightly worse for wear, but nonetheless positively delighted to see his daughter.
"What are you still doing up, Eagle?" he asked with a faux cross voice and matching expression.
"Aunt Hermione let me stay up. She was telling me stories about my father."
Hurt flickered across his features for a brief moment before the emotion was banished. But Hermione caught it. She was always good at reading him.
"Was she now?" Harry asked, grabbing his daughter around the waist and sitting her on his lap.
"Uh huh! She was telling me how brave and smart he was. And he had mean parents who made him be mean. But it was okay because he was so brave he became good."
He tapped his daughter gently on the tip of her nose.
"That's right,"
She giggled in response.
"So how come you are so interested in your real father all of a sudden?" Harry enquired.
Hermione could hardly contain a laugh. Yep, same old Harry subtle as a pink elephant Potter.
"It's just; I'm going to be 5 tomorrow. I'll be old enough to know. You told me my mother died when I was a baby, and my real father never knew about me. All I knew about him until just before was that I looked just like him." The child seemed unaffected by these statements, but the two adults winced considerably. It was a harsh enough reality, yet alone for a 4 year old to understand and comprehend. "I want to know more."
Harry sighed, and his arms tightened around his daughter. "I understand, Eagle. And yes, you look so much like him. Especially your eyes. Just like his." He said softly.
Harry shook his head and broke his reverie.
"Speaking of eyes, it's about time you went to bed and closed yours. Hmmm?"
The young girl tried to stifle a yawn, but failed miserably.
"Okay dad," she said as she climbed off his lap. Bed sounded like a good place to be at that given time. Hermione agreed.
"Go do your teeth and I'll be up shortly to tuck you in. Say good night to your aunt,"
"'night," she said as she hugged the woman, longer and tighter than usual.
"Sweet dreams, Little One. I'll see you in the morning," she whispered as she pressed a kiss to the young girl's platinum blonde hair. The child then clambered off towards the staircase.
Thank you, Hermione," Harry said as soon as his daughter was out of earshot. He made his way over to the sink and retrieved a glass of water.
"You're welcome, Harry. Aquila is such an angel, it's a pleasure to look after her," she smiled.
"Not just for that. For telling her about Draco. She's been starting to ask questions lately and I've no idea how to answer them."
"Luckily for you, I'm usually the one with all the answers."
She walked up behind him, and placed her hands on his knotted shoulders and began to gently knead them.
"Rough night?"
"Always, but nothing I can't handle."
"That's good."
There was silence for a long period of time. Harry, finding peace in the quiet, away from St Mungo's hustle; Hermione attempting to piece together a question.
"Please tell me you got tomorrow off, Harry, or so help me I'll,"
"Calm down, Hermione! I'm free tomorrow. I was so good tonight, Reed let me take the whole day off tomorrow," he replied with a smirk.
She hit him playfully on the arm, calling him an "oaf."
Then Harry smiled the smile which Hermione had named his "nostalgic smile."
"It's hard to believe our girls are all growing up so fast. "
"I know. What are we going to do with ourselves?"
"Well, I was thinking perhaps we could go back to dating…" he trailed off
"Well, excuse me, but I'm the one who actually has a date. Wednesday night, in fact."
"Oh. Right. I'd forgotten about that. Okay, let me restate that then. Perhaps it's time I went back to dating. Better?"
"Better. The men in this town better watch out, Harry Potter is on the prowl!"
"Is that so?" smirked Harry
"Definitely," she said, wrapping her slim arms around him. "So do I still get to be your wingman?" Hermione asked cheekily.
"Who else knows me as well as you? Of course 'mione. No one else can, if I recall correctly, set me up with a gorgeous man like you can!"
Harry tensed in her arms at that statement. He was thinking about the last guy she'd set him up with. She sighed.
"What is it, Hermione?" he asked. Okay, she thought. He's going to try to feign ignorance then. Well, two can play at that.
"Oh, nothing," she said, stepping back and looking away.
"Hermione Jean Granger, what is the matter?"
So, ignorance wasn't going to work on her part. May as well face it head on.
"It's just, all this talk about Aquila's father. It's getting to you."
"No, it's,"
"Yes it is! Harry, I've tried to be oblivious, but it isn't going to do. You pine after him constantly. You look into his daughter's eyes and you see him. You're in love with him. At least admit it.
"Yes," Harry sighed heavily.
"Good. So what are you going to do about it?"
"Hermione, I can't. What am I going to say? Hey Draco, I'm in love with you. I'm so in love with you, I convince Astoria Greengrass not to have an abortion because I couldn't bring myself to kill your child, and I adopted your aforementioned child, a girl, and raised her as my own. I even named her after a fucking constellation! Her name is Aquila, she's 5 years old, and she has the most beautiful eyes, just like yours."
"Well, you have to do something. At this rate, you'll end up like Snape. Unlike him though, you have a chance to have your happily ever after. So take it. Take that chance!" she grasped his hand tightly.
"Okay," he squeezed back before letting go.
"C'mon, go tuck your daughter in. I'm off to bed. 'Night Harry..."
"G'night 'mione. Love you." He made his way towards the stairs.
"Love you too." Hermione whispered back as she made her way to the lounge to levitate her daughter to her bed.
Harry quietly opened the door to his daughter's room and padded softly across the floor. Her owl night-light was still on, illuminating softly the violet room. He moved to switch it off and waved to the Quidditch player in the poster above it.
He leant in and pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead.
"Goodnight Aquila. My sweet little Eagle."
Her eyes fluttered open slowly and sleepily.
"Daddy," she mumbled.
"I'm right here, Eagle."
"Daddy, what was my father's name?" she asked with such childlike curiosity.
"Dragon. His name was Dragon."
"I haven't even met him, but I already love him. Daddy, do you love him?"
He sighed, having to admit this twice in one night was taking its toll.
"Yes. The two things I love most in this world. My Eagle and my Dragon. Goodnight."
"'Night," she murmured as sleep claimed her once more.
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So, how did you like this chapter? Would love to hear what you think. Please review!
Until we meet again…
Love Peace and Rock always,
RockerBabe414