Author's Notes: Disclaimer still working. This is a little shorter than the rest, however I could not extend it without writing enough for two chapters. Please read and enjoy!
The first thing Hermione had to do was go to her interview. It was 1:45 PM, so she apparated to Diagon Alley and entered Magical Maladies Remedies, and asked for Mr. Goodfreed. Almost immediately she was seen, and nervous, she began fidgeting as she entered. Years ago she would walk into an interview strong and proud, but after being rejected so many times she lost that confidence. Being criticized, ridiculed, and rejected for nearly seven years because of one choice – the choice to raise a daughter by herself – was hard on a person. She would never regret her decision. Severus would be a good father in time, and in time they would accept each other for what they were. But raising her daughter on her own for six years was an experience she would never give up on.
"Good afternoon, Miss Granger. Please have a seat. Now, in your letter you wrote me that you brewed basic potions for Radhuber's Remedies, you got a top mark on your NEWTs in potions, and you have done personal experimentation with success. I like all of this, except why are you applying for the lowest position? You have the credentials for any position. With some extra training, you could even run your own apothecary. Explain that to me."
After this, Hermione decided hiding the truth was not the answer. So she told him – usually she tried to avoid talking about being a single mom due to the scrutiny she received, but now she couldn't keep it in. It may cost her the job, but at this point she didn't want to have to hide Cheyenne or be ashamed of having her. So she told him, about leaving after the final battle, about realizing she was pregnant and making her decision to raise it alone, about how hard her life with Cheyenne was and why it was that way. She told him that at current she was homeless, that she was dealing with the father coming back into her life, and how she was starving. At the end, she was near tears, and Mr. Goodfreed was silently crying himself. He stood, faced away from her, and then finally he spoke. The words were cracked and soft, but she heard them. Hermione almost regretted telling him, but then she realized that this man was not like all the other people out there. He sympathized with her, he understood her, and for the first time in a long, someone accepted Hermione.
"You do not have the position of basic brewer. Be here Monday at 9:00 AM. Be prepared to be challenged. I am putting you in position of an experimental brewer, where you can create new potions and develop ideas and creations. You will be paid highly. You can take care of your daughter. Just one stipulation – you bring that girl in once a month for me to see. You raise her right, with proper food and shelter and clothing. You don't make me regret this. You may go now."
He was still facing away, shaking, as she walked away. She didn't know what she was feeling, it was a new emotion. At first, she was in shock. Then she was in euphoria. Pure euphoria. Her first thought – Cheyenne will have the life she deserves, and I will be the one to give it to her.
Instead of heading directly to Mrs. Willard's house, she took a detour and walked around Diagon ally. It was still late June, so it wasn't the bustling crowd of children and parents. It was still busy, but with every-day normal life. A life she couldn't wait to have. Sitting on a bench, she tried to absorb what just happened. Not only was she given a job, she was given an high position, with a decent pay, with a reputable company, all while being honest about her daughter. It took quite awhile to process, but eventually it did and she was able to think once more. Now she had to go see Mrs. Willard, as it was getting later. Walking through the streets of Diagon Alley, she eventually came upon the house. It was a mid-sized house with plenty of windows, as well as a large yard out front. She walked up, and knocked on the door.
Severus was passed out. He had been exhausted chasing Cheyenne around all day, and now he was too tired. Cheyenne had originally passed out next to him clutching his hand tightly, but she had since woken and was sitting next to her father. Cheyenne had fun with him, but she still didn't understand something. Why did he leave her alone for so long? Did he love her? So she poked him. He didn't respond, so she poked him again, and again, and kept going until he woke. He was not happy to be awoken by being poked and prodded over and over.
"What on earth are you doing, child?" His tone came out meaner than he had anticipated, and Cheyenne began to cry.
"Do you love me?" It was barely understandable through her tears, but Severus heard it and it broke his heart. There was no boo-boo song to make these tears go away, and when he didn't answer right away because he couldn't understand why she even asked that, she climbed off the bed and ran out of the room.
Sighing, Severus got up and began to chase after her. After searching the manor for several minutes, he still could not find her. He began shouting her name.
"Cheyenne! Cheyenne, where are you? Cheyenne, come here!"
After an hour, Severus began to panic. He couldn't even go two days without losing his daughter. Rushing back to his office, he wrote a short note to Hermione explaining what happened. Once he sent it, he continued searching – with no luck.
Hermione was sitting in a living room with Mrs. Willard drinking tea. The hot liquid felt so good on her throat and her stomach. Mrs. Willard was a sweet lady and was looking for someone to rent her upper floor which had one bed room, a bath room, and a parlor. The rent was significant, but the kicker was that Mrs. Willard wanted someone to not only watch the house at night but help getting to her appointments at St. Mungo's, the shopping for the house, as well as helping fix things around the house. Hermione was not keen on taking up this extra responsibility, but Mrs. Willard had offered something she couldn't pass up – free daycare. That made everything worth it, and with the new job Hermione was sure she could afford the rooms. In the middle of tea, an owl swooped in urgently and landed on the table in between them. Mrs. Willard reached out to take the scroll, but the owl held its leg out to Hermione. Confused, she took the letter and opened it.
Hermione
Cheyenne ran off and I can't find her. Please come help.
Severus
"I am so sorry, Mrs. Willard, I have to go. My daughter ran away from Severus. I have to go find her!"
"That's fine, dear. Come back once you find her, I want you to move in as soon as possible," Mrs. Willard had a gleam in her eye. She had not yet confirmed that she wanted Hermione to live with her, but seeing the young woman in a panic over her daughter told her everything she was worried about was not true – this woman was not underdressed and starving because she did not care enough about herself or her daughter, she was this way because she felt the brunt of wizarding society.
Severus realized that Cheyenne was not in the house, nor the grounds. He sent out his house elves to do a search on the streets leading away from the manor. Hermione arrived at the manor in a panic, he had been waiting for her before going out and searching himself.
"Where is my daughter? What did you do to her?"
"She woke me up and I was a little curt. The girl asked me if I loved her, and I didn't know what to say – Hermione, I swear I didn't mean to upset her like this. Do you have an idea of where she went?"
"She is probably trying to go home."
"That's miles from here!"
"I know where my flat was. I am most worried because we don't live there anymore, we were evicted yesterday which is why I had you watch her, although from the looks of it she would have been better off with me!"
"She was fine with me! I took care of her, and at least I could feed my own daughter!" He had gone too far, and he knew it. Hermione stormed out of the house and apparated to parks nearby, places they had been, and finally she found Cheyenne sitting on a bench near a park crying.
"Cheyenne, what in the world are you doing out here?"
"D-d-daddy doesn't love me, and I can't find our flat, and I'm tired, and I'm hungry, and I was lost!" As she was crying these words out, she ran to Hermione and held her tight. Hermione stroked her hair and tried to sooth her.
"It's okay, darling, I've got you now. Let's let Severus know you are safe – he was worried sick! You shouldn't run off like that ever again, do you understand me? You could have been hurt, and then who would I read stories to at night?" Hermione picked Cheyenne up and held her tight as they apparated to Severus' manor.
"Oh thank Merlin you found her!"
"No thanks to you. I am taking my daughter to our new flat. I will owl you when she is ready to see you again."
"Cheyenne, darling, I am so sorry. I didn't mean anything, I do love you…"
Cheyenne hid in her mother's shoulder and didn't pay him any attention.
"Goodbye, Severus." And with that, Hermione left, taking Cheyenne to Mrs. Willard's house on the outskirts of Diagon Alley – boxes and furniture still in her pockets.
Severus didn't know what to do. In all of three weeks he found out he had a daughter, spent a day and a half with her, fell in love with her, and lost her. Maybe it wasn't forever, but Cheyenne's rejection stung him to the core. He sat down, and for the first time in years, he cried.
For several weeks following that day, Hermione and Cheyenne grew into a routine. In the mornings, Hermione got Cheyenne up and dressed, and they went downstairs and cooked breakfast for themselves and Augusta. She said she hated being called Mrs. Willard, as it reminded her of her late husband. Once they ate, Hermione left to go to work. Her job was difficult, but not nearly as bad as her previous job. Here she worked on three or four potions at a time – all of them experiments. Once they developed a new variation or a new potion, the instructions were sent down to the basic brewers who made the quantities they needed.
Hermione was making great progress with her job, and she loved that she got off of work at the same time every day. It made her schedule with Cheyenne easier. Her boss insisted that she bring Cheyenne in as often as possible, and when she did Cheyenne would play with a mock potions-kit while Hermione worked. Mr. Goodfreed would often come down and play with Cheyenne as well, make sure she was happy and fed. The pay that Hermione received was much higher than she had anticipated, and she was able to afford plenty of food and the occasional toy and new outfit for Cheyenne.
When Hermione came home, she cleaned the house and cooked dinner while Augusta kept Cheyenne entertained. Augusta was quickly becoming the grandmother to Cheyenne that she never had and often surprised her with gifts. Their life had done a one-eighty in a matter of weeks, and for the first time since Hermione had Cheyenne, she was able to have peace of mind when it came to their future. She never would forget the hard times they went through, which made both her and Cheyenne appreciate what they had.
Every day, Hermione received a letter from Severus asking if Cheyenne was ready to see him again. Every day, Hermione asked Cheyenne and every day, Cheyenne shook her head. After awhile, Hermione quit sending replies, thinking that continual rejection would be harder on him. She was still angry with him for losing Cheyenne that day, and was not ready to forgive him any time soon. A few more weeks of this, and she started returning the letters unopened. One time he actually tried to send money, and furious she sent it back with a note telling him to never write again. That was the last letter from him.
Hermione tried to write Harry, but her letters kept coming back unopened. After three letters, Hermione decided to find him and find out what his problem was. Apparating to his house about two months after the lost Cheyenne incident, she knocked on the door. Ginny answered and almost immediately tried to slam the door in her face. Having gained confidence from her new job and living situation, Hermione stopped her, walked into the house, and said,
"Where's Harry?"
"He's not here. Now leave."
"I think I will wait." Hermione walked over to the couch and sat down defiantly.
"Oh no you don't! Just because you used to be friends with him doesn't mean you can waltz in here and think that it is okay to sit on MY couch and wait for MY husband!"
"Don't be so dramatic, Ginny, I am waiting to ask him why he sent my letters back unopened," a thought occurred to her, "unless the reason they were sent back was that he never got them…that you hid them from him."
"Why would I do that when he already hates you?"
"He didn't seem to hate me at the wedding."
"Well things change."
"Not like that, they don't. You have always been insecure about him, every woman wants him, someone is going to steal him away, is that it? Because I don't want him, I just want to talk to him. Now, floo Harry and let him know I am here or I will make sure he knows what you hiding letters from him put me through."
"What is so wrong with your life? You were perfect, you had all the brains, the glory from the fight, and you didn't want it, it wasn't enough. You ran away and had a bastard child -" Ginny was cut off by Hermione slapping her across the face.
"Don't you ever speak of my daughter that way again. For your information, I was on the brink of death when I asked him for help. So was she. I have lived through hell these past seven years and you have no idea what it is like to come home – if you have one – to a starving daughter and going to bed starving yourself. For once, Ginny, get some damn confidence in your man! He would never cheat on you, he loves you, and you need to just accept that instead of pushing his friends away to keep him to yourself. Grow up, Ginny, for yourself and for everyone else. I need to speak to Harry and either you can realize that what I have been saying is true and you have nothing to worry about and you go floo him, or I can do it myself and I will fill him in about the letters." At this point, Hermione was standing looking fierce. Ginny sat still for a few moments, trying to absorb what was said to her. After about two minutes, she got up and floo'd Harry. Within minutes after that, Harry was walking through the fireplace with a smile on his face.
"Hermione! Why has it been so long since I've seen you?"
"I've been busy. Got myself another job and new place to live, much better than what I had before. I missed you." She gave Harry a hug, and Ginny had a small tear in her face.
"Harry, Hermione isn't telling the truth. She has written you several times, but I was jealous and I returned them to her. I even wrote her a nasty letter. I am so sorry, but I realize now that you are never going to leave me…Hermione made me see that." A flash of anger went through Harry's eyes, but Hermione said that it was okay, it was all in the past, and they could forgive.
"Well, fine, where is Cheyenne?"
"At home, being watched by Augusta Willard."
"Augusta Willard?" Harry glanced at Ginny. "The Augusta Willard?"
"What do you mean the Augusta Willard?"
"Augusta Willard is the woman who was married to Riddle before he went evil. Once he did she left him, they were only married a year at that point. She didn't believe in the pureblood bull, but she was shunned after that. You living there has probably been the closest to a friend she has had in fifty plus years."
"Is my daughter safe with her?"
This time it was Ginny who answered.
"Completely safe. Augusta is one of the sweetest people on earth, she had no idea who she married when she said her vows – it was a whirlwind romance. They met, and married two weeks later. He kept his dark side secret, and she had a baby a year later. Once she had the baby he killed it, saying that the son would try to kill him one day. He was mad then, but not as much as he was when he died. After that, she left him, warded herself against him, and lived in solitude."
Hermione took a few moments to absorb this information. She knew Augusta was sweet, and she was in love with Cheyenne. Now she had more of an idea of why. Hermione knew how manipulative a man could be, and she believed that Riddle, before he became Voldemort, could kill his own son with some crazed belief. She would have to keep this to herself, she didn't want to bring Augusta more pain than she had endured. She would, however, realize soon enough that Augusta would never be a problem.
So what did you think? I do have a question for my reviewers -
Should Cheyenne forgive Severus, or should Severus demand to see her and convince her he loves her?
This will be my last chapter until after the holidays. I will not have time to write, but I do want to thank all of my reviewers so far. Let me know any ideas you have and what you would like to see.
Until next time,
Mummy Goose
