A/N: Remember, I cannot claim any rights to this but the story. I wish, but then again, I am just starting out.
Chapter 4:
The guys follow the sound of female laughter to the kitchen.
"Do you have any clue as to who that woman is?" Blaise asks the others, as they observe the ladies. The proprietor is buzzing around the kitchen making food.
"She seems better." Neville says as he watches her slice the vegetables. "Hey, I haven't seen anyone slice like that since school." The others agree. The lady was methodically cutting the peppers into uniform pieces. Pansy cracks a joke about it.
"Learned from the best, and he was right. It makes it easier to get a perfect result if you start with everything the same." The woman says.
Fred makes the leap of faith. He walks in and sits down. He had a plan. "Our former teacher used to say stuff like that also."
"He wasn't a "teacher" Fred. He was a "Professor" or a "Master". I wouldn't be surprised if his house called him that behind closed doors. It's only polite to do so." The woman answers, while back to and stirring the pot of sauce with a practiced hand. She didn't even hesitate on whether it was Fred and not George. Aside from very few people, no one could tell their voices apart. She starts mumbling something that makes Katie crack up.
"Really, that scene is offensive to witches everywhere." She says, still laughing.
"A little Macbeth is good for the soul, Miss Bell. It keeps us honest." The girl chuckles as she turns to take some bread out of a machine and puts in another prepared pan.
She halves the loaf, and spreads some garlic butter on each half, then wraps the loaf in foil. She then returns to her pot. She takes out some pot holders and is about to shift the heavy thing when Draco takes the pot from her and raises his brow.
"Umm, thank you Lord Malfoy, but I could've gotten it. I've been lifting these for a year now." She shakes her head at his behavior . Of course, Draco changed sides during the war, but he still held her in contempt.
"Eight men of honor in this establishment, surely while we're here, you don't need to lift any heavy things. My father is still living, so it is just Draco, my dear."
"I believe that would go for all of us, but Harry. I guess Neville is almost there. No offense Nev." Blaise counters.
"I apologize, Draco. I need the sauce over here, thank you." He sets the pot down on the trivet and she starts assembling the layered meal.
"Tonight is Italian. Well, as close as an English girl can get. My apologies in advance Mr. Zabini." She bows to the Italian man.
"Ma'am, may I ask your name? You seem to know us well. Were we in school together?" Harry asks.
"Of course, Mr. Potter. I went to Hogwarts. We were in all the same classes, except I had Arithmancy and Ancient Runes with Mr. Zabini. In potions, I helped Mr. Longbottom, so Snape would not roast him over the coals. I sat between you and the youngest Weasley brother, most of the time. I scolded the twins almost on a daily basis it seems, for something or another. Mr. Malfoy and his friends made me wish I never got my invitation. Bill and Charlie were like my big brothers that I could always turn to.
I was valedictorian of our class and still have the highest Newt scores in the country. Snape and Bill's are below mine. I am only second in the hemisphere, to Victor Krum. Fleur's behind me. I was the supposed second daughter of the Weasleys. I was the second to the Man who Conquered. I acquired my business degree in the mundane world; after doubling up on classes my whole six years at Hogwarts. I did the work for two schools at once. I bought this place with my part of the war payment." Hermione looks straight into Harry's eyes. "My name is Hermione Jane Granger. Congratulations Harry, you found me. Dinner is at six. I need a few moments to myself, please excuse me." She walks up to her room and sets the alarm for when the food will be done.
"Harry, you and her need to talk. She has something very important to tell you. I'll be in our room. Go easy on her, she needs her brother; not a tirade. Don't worry, we'll be fine." Katie hugs Harry and kisses his cheek.
"What does she need to tell him?" George asks, as Katie walks out. She doesn't turn around to answer.
"I guess, I need to find out." Harry walks out to find Hermione. He is happy that they found her, but why was she away for so long?
Harry knocks on Hermione's door. He can hear her grumble as she comes to the door. She opens it a crack to talk.
"Harry, what can I do for you?" she assumes her operator's voice.
"You can stop with the protocol and give me a hug first. Then you can tell me what you need to. Katie told me that you needed to tell me something." Harry scratches his head. He is thrown back when Hermione launches herself at him.
"OK, Harry. Come with me." She takes his hand and leads him out to the garden. "Harry please keep your temper and questions until I got this whole thing out." Harry nods. Hermione moves from in front of the stone. "You were right. I was pregnant. I didn't find out until I was five months along and it was too late to do anything. Jasen was already so sick that he was born a month later, stillborn. I delivered on your birthday. My doctor said that the trauma from that day at the Manor, was the cause of Jasen's ailments. I can get pregnant again and should carry to term very well. Katie already knows. She took it as well as I would have hoped."
Harry looks at the headstone. "You gave him my middle and last name." He whispers, then turns to her. "Oh, Hermione I am so sorry. I wasn't there for you. It was my fault, wasn't it. I was more worried about someone else's opinion when I should have been thinking of you. Thank you, for bringing me out here. Place come home sometime. You will always have a place to stay with me. Even if Katie can't deal with it, you are my sister and my best friend." He hugs her and cries with her for their son.
"You need to know, Draco has formed an attraction to the 'Mudblood'." Harry teases Hermione.
Hermione snickers, "I've known about Draco for a while. The Malfoys are known for their veela heritage. I had a dream of him the other day. I'm his mate, huh?"
"Yes, we think so. He's really changed, his parents too. Narcissa is redoing the whole manor so it bears no resemblance to what it did that day. Let's get back to the group. I figure you being alone with another male is driving Draco crazy."
It was, Draco was pacing the floor in his room. He knows that she is safe with Harry, but he was still antsy about her being with another male. He looks out his window, for the fifth time in a minute, they were coming back. Hermione looks like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders.
Harry hugs his sister and goes to his room. He had a son; Jasen James. Now to get Katie's real opinion. Wait! It didn't matter. They were not together. He opens the door. Katie is sitting on the bed, watching a TV show, something that she can't do unless she goes to Harry and Draco's.
"Hey, honey. Did she tell you? I know you are worried. I can see it in your eyes. We are fine, Harry. It was a stressful time for everyone. Plus, I can't say I was a virgin when we got together. I'm worried that she'll always feel slighted by you now. That's a big thing to screw up on, Harry. She needed you and you were not there because she felt you were only concerned for me."