Hey everyone
I just wanted to thank you for all of your reviews. :-)
It really means a lot to me.
Hope you'll enjoy chapter 2.
Thanks to MadamKitten for betareading for me, and for all of her help to make my story better. Huge thank you to you! :-)
Chapter 2
Hermione's day did not start well. She overslept and didn't have time for breakfast. She hurried out the door, and apparated herself to the little book shop she owned in Diagon Alley. She had spent some of the money she received after the war to buy the small shop. She sold all kinds of books, including muggle adventure novels, children's books and cookbooks. Even though she normally opened the shop later on Wednesday's, she still preferred to arrive early to get ready for the day.
Her small shop wasn't overrun by customers, but she did enjoy talking with the few customers who came. Every Wednesday at two in the afternoon children would come from the orphanage, to listen as Hermione read from an adventure novel. It was one of her favorite days of the week.
She landed right in front of her small shop, and was about to enter when she saw that a small dark haired boy stood and cried in front of her entry door. The little boy stood still, and called for his Papa, and it hurt inside Hermione to hear the little boy. There were many people present today in the street, but not one noticed the little boy.
"Hello, little friend, are you lost?" She asked, and knelt in front of him. The little boy nodded, clutching his stuffed hippogriff to his chest.
"Papa!" he cried.
"You can't find you father? Where did you last see him? "She asked then looked to where his little hand was pointing.
"Come, I'll help you find your father." Hermione said and took the little boy's hand in hers as they began to walk through the crowd. She made sure to hold his hand tightly while they were searching for his father.
"My name is Hermione, what's yours?" She asked the boy.
"He..mi .. Hermi ... Mimi?" Said the little boy, he had clearly trouble saying her name.
"You can call me Mimi, if it's easier for you. What's your name?" She asked.
"Lysander" he replied, and squeezed her hand. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the little boy. He was so adorable with his brown hair and dark eyes. He clutched his stuffed hippogriff to him as they walked through the streets.
A few streets away, Rodolphus ran around and shouted for Lysander. He had tried to ask some of the people near him if they had seen Lysander, but no one wanted to help a former death eater. Not everyone thought he and his brother should be pardoned.
"LYSANDER!" Rodolphus shouted and felt like a terrible father. Just great Rodolphus, let your son get away from you with so many people on the street. Really nice. What a wonderful father you are.
"Papa!"
He heard Lysander, and looked down toward the sound and just managed to bend down and catch his son before he threw himself into his arms.
"Oh Lysander, how many times do I have to tell you, never go away from me or uncle Bass. You know this. " Rodolphus said as he held his son close to him and ran his hand over his back to calm him.
"I'm sorry papa." Lysander said, and hugged him. Only now did Rodolphus noticed the young girl in front of him.
"Miss Granger!" he exclaimed surprised. He hadn't seen her for a long time, and couldn't help but let his eyes slide over her figure. She really was a beauty without equal. Rodolphus cleared his throat and put Lysander down.
"Mr. Lestrange, I didn't know you had a son," she said politely and smiled at him. She had noticed the older wizard checking her out, so she thought it was only fair that she did the same. Oh Merlin, he's hot!
"Papa, she helped me find you." Lysander said, as he tugged at his father's hand.
"Did she? Miss Granger, I am grateful, thank you, for helping my son. That means a great deal to me." Rodolphus said and looked at the young woman.
Hermione bit her lower lip, he really had an intense gaze.
"Of course! I found him crying in front of my shop. I couldn't just leave him there alone." She replied, blushing.
"Papa, Mimi helped. Can she eat with us?" Lysander asked. Hermione looked up at the former Death Eater, and had to bite her lip harder to keep herself from chuckling. She could see redness on Rodolphus cheeks.
"It's not sure Miss Granger can." Rodolphus said. The little boy started to tremble, and he could see the tears rising in his eyes. Rodolphus hated when Lysander did it, he always felt awful when his son cried.
"Why don't you ask her if she will?" Rodolphus said eventually. He was really getting soft, but he would do anything for his son.
"Mimi, will you eat breakfast and have ice cream with us?" Lysander said and went over to Hermione and took her hand.
"I would love to, if it's okay with your father?" Hermione said and knelt down in front of the boy. Lysander looked at his father, who just nodded to him.
"Papa says yes!" Lysander laughed. Hermione stood up, and when Lysander took her hand, she felt her heart bursting with happiness. She looked up at Rodolphus who looked down at their folded hands. Lysander began to pull her after him.
"Papa, you can hold Bear?" Lysander asked, and gave Rodolphus the stuffed hippogriff. Rodolphus had put it in his pocket, after having shrunk it. Lysander took his other hand and began to tug him along.
Rodolphus couldn't help but shed a glimpse at Hermione, and when their eyes met at the same time, they both quickly looked away. Lysander didn't notice, instead he just talked happily about everything. Hermione replied politely to all of his questions. He was really an adorable little boy, she had to admit. Sweet and very talkative.
She looked back over at Rodolphus and could see he had red cheeks, he was rather cute when he was embarrassed. She looked at his serious face, and watched as he smiled devotedly down to his son. Rodolphus had a sweet smile with two cute dimples. He had stubble and Hermione fantasized about what it would feel like to have her hand caressing his cheek.
Hermione Jean Granger! What are you thinking!
At the same time Rodolphus had a fight with himself. He couldn't help looking into her dark eyes and he had a great desire to let his hands run through her hair.
Rodolphus, pull yourself together! A young girl like Miss Granger would never been interested in an old Death Eater like you!
They reached their destination and when Madame Maggie saw them coming, she knelt down and waited for the young boy. Lysander quickly let go of their hands to run into Madame Maggie's outstretched arms.
"It looks like you come here often," Hermione said as Rodolphus opened the door and held it for her.
"That's because papa can't cook and when Uncle Bass try, everything turns black!" Lysander giggled. Hermione couldn't help but laugh and looked up at Rodolphus who was now blushing profusely.
"Unfortunately, this is what happens when you grew up with a house elf." Rodolphus shrugged.
"Then it's good that I can make sure you boys get something to eat! Come my boy and say hello properly to me," Madame Maggie said, and Rodolphus went over and kissed her once on each cheek.
"I have something for Lysander in the kitchen, go over and sit down, we will be right there," Madame Maggie said. Rodolphus went to one of the tables farthest away, overlooking the street, and pulled Hermione's chair out before she sat down.
"Thank you" she replied, blushing. She couldn't help but feel a little like a princess, because of Rodolphus behavior.
"Would you prefer coffee or tea, Miss Granger?" He asked.
"Tea, thank you."
He went and fetched a mug of tea, and sat down in front of her with his own cup.
They sat for a while, and sipped at the tea.
"I didn't know you and Bellatrix had a son, I'm sorry that he lost her," Hermione said.
Rodolphus who had been in the middle of a sip, choked on his tea, and cleared his throat.
"Bella is not his mother," he replied and put the cup down.
"Oh, I thought ... it just sounded like Lysander only had you and your brother," Hermione said as she cleared her throat.
"His mother's name was Leliana Dalia, she was from around here. We met many years ago and became very close. Lysander was the result. When Bellatrix discovered our relationship, she sought out Leliana for revenge. Fortunately, Leliana was able to get Lysander to safety before Bellatrix arrived." Rodolphus said as he thought back of that fateful day.
He would never forgive Bellatrix, he spent the first year after the war, searching for Lysander. When he finally found him, he used some time to make sure that Leliana was given a proper burial at her family's graveyard.
When he finally came back, he confided to Madame Maggie, who had done her utmost ever since, to make sure they always had food. She helped Rodolphus when he didn't know how to change a diaper, and how to take care of Lysander.
"Oh I'm so sorry! No child deserves to have their mother taken from them. I'm so sorry I brought it up. That couldn't have been easy for you." Hermione said, and out of reflex, put her hand on top of Rodolphus's hand that was lying on the table. Neither of them had expected to feel a jolt of electricity flow through their joined hands. It caused Hermione to gasp as she quickly pulled her hand away. They were saved from the awkward silence, when Lysander came running down with several of Chocolate Frog cards in his hand.
"Look papa! Maggie saved all these cards for me!" the little boy proudly said.
"See Mimi, I got yours card too!" Lysander exclaimed and climbed up on Hermiones lap to show her his card.
Hermione looked down at the card and smiled. She still found it a bit strange to see herself on a trading card.
Rodolphus sat for a long time and observed Hermione and his son. He could not help but imagine how it could be, if he and Hermione were together. Then Lysander would finally have a mother he deserves.
Just then Madam Maggie arrived with pancakes for each of them.
"My boys love pancakes!" she said, and pinched both Rodolphus and Lysanders cheeks. Hermione couldn't help but laugh when she saw Rodolphus blushing. He was really cute when he blushed.
"Maggie" he grumbled.
"No, no young man, don't you start with that. You're like the son I never had, both you and Rab. Tell me, where is your brother anyway?" the elderly woman asked about.
"He said he would be here later," Rodolphus said. Madam Maggie was like a mother the Lestrange brothers and had always been. Normally he enjoyed her mollycoddling, but not when a young witch sat opposite him with his son on her lap. He didn't want to look like a teenage boy, who couldn't take care of his son or himself.
When Madam Maggie went to help her other customers, Rodolphus began to prepare a portion of pancakes for Lysander.
"Please help yourself Miss Granger." he said politely as he gave Lysander his food.
Hermione took some pancakes and began to eat them while she kept an eye on Lysander in her lap. She could feel Rodolphus's intent gaze, but tried to ignore it.
"You said you found Lysander in front of your shop, which shop is it?" Rodolphus inquired curiously.
"I own Diagon Tales, I sell Muggle books, and every Wednesday afternoon at two, the children from the orphanage come to listen to me read from an adventure book." she replied.
"I've never heard of that shop, but Rabastan would have. He worked in Flourish and Blotts, but was fired a few days ago." Rodolphus said.
"Why?" Hermione asked curiously as she poured a little juice for Lysander.
"Let's just say that Mr. Greengrass is not so happy that Rabastan isn't in Azkaban at the moment. He thought that getting him fired might keep Rabastan away from his eldest daughter." Rodolphus said.
"Oh! I'm sorry to hear that! I hope he finds something else. What about you? What are you working with?" Hermione asked.
"I work at Gringrotts as a Cursebreaker part-time, it's hard to get a full-time job, when I have a son to look after." He said.
They continued to eat making small talk, until Hermione looked at the clock.
"Merlin, is that the time? I'm sorry Mr. Lestrange but I've got to run. The children from the orphanage come in half an hour!" Hermione exclaimed as she put on her coat.
"Are you going Mimi?" Lysander asked sad about.
"I have to little friend, but I'm sure we will see each other again," Hermione said and mussed the little boy's hair. Lysander gave her a hug, and sat up and continued to look at his cards.
"Once again, thank you for the help Miss Granger." Rodolphus said as he escorted her to the door.
"You're welcome, thank you very much for breakfast. I'm sorry I couldn't stay to get ice cream too," she said.
"Maybe another time, if you want to, of course." Rodolphus said and blushed.
Hermione couldn't help herself, so she stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Only afterwards she thought that maybe she had gone over the line and blushed.
"I would really like to." she said before she rushed out of the café. Rodolphus stood and looked after her, as his fingers brushed his cheek where her lips had briefly been.