After spending a lovely Saturday evening with George, Hermione waded through Sunday and Monday in a haze of daydreaming, blank staring while reading, and humming songs she had heard her mother sing ever since she could remember. She was absolutely the least productive she had been since Viktor had invited her to the Yule Ball in fourth year, and she laughed at herself every time she realized she had been staring with glazed eyes at the bouquet of flowers sitting on her dresser for ten minutes straight. Crookshanks reveled in her company, climbing her and making himself comfortable at every opportunity, no matter how odd the body part he settled on.

On Tuesday morning, Hermione felt it might be best if she got herself out of the house. After dressing quickly in her gray leggings, a full aubergine skirt that fell above her knees with a casual white tee tucked in, Hermione considered her options.

Ginny was cracking away at her work this week, she had told Hermione so the last time she had seen her on Sunday at dinner. The redhead had said that if she worked tirelessly all week, she would not have any problems spending Hermione's birthday with her with no thoughts of homework.

Ron was with Lavender most days, attempting to deal with their new relationship accordingly.

She thought of maybe asking George if he wanted to do something, but she wasn't sure if that was wise, considering her state of distraction over the last two days. A bit of space might set her head a little more firmly back on her shoulders.

Harry! She hadn't spent much time with Harry recently. Perhaps since Ginny was busy he would be free today.

Resolving her decision, Hermione piled her hair messily on top of her head, sticking a few hair grips in to hold it there. Fetching her leather jacket and her bag, she snatched her wand up from the kitchen counter and donned her sneakers. Apparating to the top step of Grimmauld Place, she cracked the front door and slipped into the front hall.

She entered quietly more out of habit than anything else because as soon as Harry had defeated Voldemort and set things proper with Ginny and grieved the losses of the magical community, he had returned the Grimmauld Place a determined man. Carting a fireman's axe in the front door, Mrs. Black's portrait had been quickly silenced once and for all. Harry had not stopped hacking her canvas off the wall until her final scream had died out and the floor was littered with splintered wood from both the frame and wall behind it. Taking it one step at a time, Harry had begun renovating the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black from that point forward. He had torn down the wall entirely and rebuilt it, mounting a brand new portrait in place of the old one.

Sirius Black stared back at her from his ornate golden frame, eyebrows raised at her stealthy entrance.

"Promise not to bite, love, even though you're wearing leather. My favourite," he drawled, extremely reminiscent of his former self.

"Hello Sirius. Is Harry in?" Hermione waved.

"In the kitchen. Brace yourself," Sirius walked out of sight, presumably into his frame in the kitchen. Hermione turned and skipped down the few steps onto the kitchen level and pushed through the door at the end of the hall.

"Harry?"

"Hermione!" Harry replied, turning at the sound of her voice. "Say 'Hi Auntie 'Mione'! There she is, isn't she? There's Auntie 'Mione!" Teddy was pumping his fists excitedly at the sight of the new visitor and Harry laughed, rising from his seat in front of the little boy with hair equally as black as his current caregiver. "Hello, Hermione. How are you?" Harry pulled her into a hug and she wrapped her arms around his waist in return, giving him enough of a squeeze to make him grunt and feign injury.

"I'm well, how are you?" Hermione released him and approached Teddy, setting her bag on the kitchen table and bending down to his level. "How are you, my little angel?"

Teddy squealed and made a grab for her necklace, which was dangling precariously close to being within his reach.

"We're good. It's Harry-Teddy time today until Remus and Tonks are finished with work. Andromeda's gone to Scotland for the week, and Ginny's occupied so it's just us! Isn't it, Tedster?"

"I hope I'm not interrupting! I just hadn't seen you in so long, outside of the Burrow, I thought I'd drop by and see if you wanted to catch a film or something," Hermione removed her jacket and threw it around one of the kitchen chairs before settling on the other side of Teddy's highchair.

"You never interrupt, Hermione. A movie sounds good, tonight though? After Teddy goes home? You could hang with us for the day if you like, I'm sure we'd both like the company," Harry suggested, resuming feeding Teddy from a bowl of mashed sweet potato.

"Sure," Hermione smiled. "Had you already planned anything?"

"We were going to go to the park this afternoon, but nothing else in the works. I should probably squeeze in a quick trip to the store if I don't want to starve today, too," Harry wiped Teddy's messy chin and cheeks before continuing with feeding him. Teddy seemed to rather enjoy the sweet potato mash and voiced his opinion whenever he had finished his mouthful.

"Alright, how about I take Teddy with me to the market so you can wash the baby food out of your hair, and then when he goes down for his nap we can have lunch and then head to the park?" Hermione suggested, wiggling her fingers at the little boy, who now had curly brown hair and a rather Hermione-esque nose.

"Would you?" Harry's face begged.

"Yes, of course. I'm sure Remus and Tonks won't mind him being Harry-less for half an hour or so," Hermione laughed.

After Harry had finished feeding the little boy, he had cleaned him up, changed his diaper and dressed him in clean clothes. Hermione had put his baby carrier on over her jacket and bag and Harry lowered the gurgling baby into the opening, pulling his legs through and buckling him in, effectively securing him to Hermione's front snuggly. She giggled as he wiggled against her and thumped his head onto her chest.

"Alright, we'll be back in two shakes of lamb's tail. Say goodbye, Teddy!" Hermione waved the finger of hers he had clasped in his tiny fist and Harry waved back as Hermione closed the door behind herself and set off down the street. It was a short walk to the store and Hermione made her rounds with a cart, patting a cooing Teddy on the back and talking to him about the differences between fresh, canned and frozen vegetables and how often he should brush his teeth, once he got them.

As she waited in line at the check out, a lady who looked to be in her mid-thirties had tapped her on the shoulder as she bounced Teddy a bit.

"If you don't mind my saying, he is quite the charmer," she had smiled and given him a little wave. Hermione crossed her fingers and hoped Teddy would not contort any of his facial features to imitate the muggle stranger's.

"He is, isn't he?" Hermione muttered, wiping drool of his chubby chin.

"How old is he?"

"He's just over five months," Hermione hoped she remembered correctly what Remus had said at the Burrow the other day.

"Well, he looks just like you; you can see who he took after!"

Hermione smiled kindly and laughed, not bothering to correct the woman who obviously thought Teddy was her own son. She was only 18! 19 in a few days, but still so young. Of course, sooner rather than later she would be taking care of her own children, perhaps sooner than she had thought.

As Teddy and Hermione made their way back to Grimmauld Place, the wind had picked up and Hermione somehow managed to balance the tasks of holding groceries in the crook of her arms and holding Teddy's knitted hat down over his ears. A few short blocks later they arrived back to find Harry freshly showered, making a pot of tea.

"We're back!"

They had tumbled quickly in the front door, wind rustling the plastic of the bags and tumbling Hermione's hair around her flushed cheeks. Teddy squealed in glee whenever her hair tickled his face under his hat.

"Here, let me take those," Harry had taken the burden of the bags hastily and allowing Hermione to follow him easily back into the kitchen. With the chilly wind forgotten, Teddy was snuggling into her chest as the warmth of the house heated his small body. Hermione melted at the way his tiny eyelids fluttered up and down, try as he might to keep his eyes open.

"Little man is tired from his grocery run," Hermione tried not to jostle the dozy boy. "I'll just take him up and lay him down for his nap, shall I?"

"If you're okay doing that, I don't mind taking him," Harry finished unloading the bags Hermione had carted home.

"I can do it, just fix me some tea and I'll be right down."

Harry nodded and Hermione made her way to the first landing. The room set up for Teddy's stays was the one closest to the kitchen and sitting room and she let herself in. Carefully and slowly, she unbuckled the back of the carrier, holding the baby steady and folding down the back flap. She lifted his small form and he snuffled tiredly against her. When she had finally set him down in his crib, she pulled his shoes and outer layers off until he was just in a small blue onesie with his diaper slightly lopsided. Covering him with a small blanket, she kissed his forehead and crept out of the room, leaving the carrier on the rocking chair for another time.

"Perfect," Hermione had accepted her tea from Harry after ridding herself of her bag and jacket again. "He's down now, tuckered out."

"Thanks Hermione. I had him yesterday too, and for the rest of the week. I love him to death, but he's a handful!" Harry set himself down across from Hermione and drank from his mug.

"I don't mind taking him for a day if you'd like a break. Provided it's alright with Tonks and Remus, of course. I'd like having him," Hermione suggested lightly.

"Sure, if you'd like to. We can ask them when they come to get Teddy tonight. Thanks, Hermione," Harry had patted her hand. "So you missed me, did you?"

"Yes, terribly," Hermione nodded solemnly. The majority of her friends had grown up almost exclusively in the magical world, and sometimes Hermione just needed a bit of company that understood muggle life without it having to be explained. Ginny also enjoyed going to see movies with Hermione but it was still the kind of awe and wonder that magic had evoked in Hermione at her first trip to Diagon Alley all those years ago.

"Likewise. How are things?" Harry asked with an air about him suggesting he already knew most of what was going on, likely passed on to him by his girlfriend.

"Good, but I'm sure you know that already," Hermione countered.

"You know me too well, Hermione," Harry shook his head and took another sip.

"Comes with being on the run, I suppose," Hermione said casually and mirrored his actions, setting her teacup down. "Things are good though, with George. I assume that's what you're asking about?"

"Mmm, mostly, seeing as that's the biggest change in your life right now. How're you... dealing with things?" Harry surveyed his friend.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose. We're just trying to get to know one another better right now so that we can... I don't know. Decide to marry or not, although the cost of not marrying is that we'll both be paired off with other people, as you know. So it's more like just getting used to each other. Because I think we'll end up marrying. I know it's early on but he's a good man and I can't imagine trading him in for an unknown," Hermione fumbled for words.

"That would be very unlike you. You'll get used to it, I suppose. He's not a bad bloke, at least," Harry commented. "I'll still knock his head in if he hurts you though. I should probably make that clear."

"I had no doubts, Harry, thank you," Hermione laughed. "How about a spot of lunch, and then when Teddy wakes up we can get him set up for the park?"

Hermione and Harry managed to whip up chicken salad sandwiches and some garden salad for their lunch. The two of them spend nap time chatting amiably about everything going on, rumours of other people being engaged, Auror training things, and Hermione's ideas on finding a job.

After dressing Teddy in the most adorable tiny dungarees Hermione had ever seen, the three of them bundled up and left for the park, Teddy strapped to Harry facing forward in the carrier this time. Every time Harry or Hermione kicked fallen leaves around, he pumped his tiny little legs freely and clapping jerkily.

Hermione found herself indulging in the little boy's laughs and giggles, deliberately trying to bring them out. For the first time since receiving news of impending laws nearly two weeks ago, Hermione forgot all about the world moving outside the park.

The two adults enjoyed some time playing with Teddy, taking him on the see-saw and the swings and then walking the perimeter of the park area before heading back as it began to drizzle. When they came in the front door, they were greeted at the kitchen table by Teddy's parents.

"Wotcher, Hermione! Didn't think I'd be seeing you today!" Tonks had gone straight for her son, relieving Harry as quickly as possible, snuggling him close. "I've missed you, my darling!" she cooed to him. Remus smiled and kissed the boy's forehead.

"I didn't think I'd see you either!" Hermione and Tonks shared a one arm embrace quickly. "I just showed up looking for Harry and found something much better." Hermione grinned at Harry's put out look.

"He only had eyes for you today, that's for sure," Harry agreed.

"Speaking of, Harry mentioned he had Teddy all this week and I suggested I take him on one of those days, maybe Thursday, just to give him a small break. Plus, I love spending time with Teddy, and he loves me too, don't you?" Hermione waggled her fingers under the boy's arms and he squirmed and giggled into his mother's shoulder.

"I think that would be fine, don't you Dora?" Remus was nodding at Hermione.

"Yes, of course! I'm sure Teddy would love a day with you. We'd be so thankful, Hermione. Harry has been such a big help lately, but I'm sure he'd like a break," Tonks mentioned.

Harry just smiled back at Hermione.

"Well, why don't I come get him on Thursday morning then? What time do you leave for work?"

"Just before nine," Remus answered, accepting his son from his wife.

"Yes, just pop by around eight thirty if that's not too early for you, and we'll get you set up. You can stay at our place with him if you like," Tonks said, gathering her bag and coat.

"Fantastic. I'll see you Thursday then!"

"Thanks again, Harry. We don't know what we'd do without you," Tonks pulled Harry in for a hug, nearly tripping over a chair leg in the process.

"What are godfathers for?" Harry quipped.

"Nevertheless, thank you. We'll see you tomorrow morning. Have a good night, you two!" Remus called before they all left for the sitting room where the biggest fireplace stood.

"Goodbye!" they both called after them.

The two friends had not removed their coats after coming in yet, and decided to leave again for a nearby muggle movie theatre to see what was playing. With a large black umbrella between the two, they managed to arrive and decide on a recently released comedy about a wedding singer and a waitress. The film had them both in stitches and they left with aching cheeks.

Hermione thanked Harry profusely for letting her spend the day with him and Teddy and for going to the theatre with her before tackling him in a hug and promising to see him again soon. When she arrived home, Crookshanks fixed her with a pointedly annoyed glare from the window sill where he was sitting staring at an owl. The owl was glossy and black and looked quite distinguished. Hermione let the unfamiliar bird in and detached the message from his leg. He flew out into the dark quickly, Hermione unable to discern him from the night sky.

Curiously, Hermione tore it open and read the missive.

'Dear Ms. Granger,

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to contribute to the next edition of Hogwarts, A History. Please owl us at your earliest convenience to inform the publishing house if this would interest you. We can set up a meeting where we can go over what we are planning with this new release, and you can decide if this project is for you. We look forward to working with you.

Regards,

Amelia Wordsmith

Editor-in-chief

M. L. Books'.

A/N: Thank you to all the lovely readers out there! Your reviews and messages keep me going.

I know there was no George in this chapter but not to worry, he'll be back soon.

Don't forget to leave me a review!