IMPORTANT: This Chapter has been updated as of 02/09/17. I strongly suggest a reread to catch parts I left out the first time around. Also di I say 3K+ words last time? This version reached 4K+ ^w^
LHG 7
Italics: Different language
Hermione's p.o.v
I put on my best smile and greets the newcomers. "Arthur, Molly, it's nice to see you both again. Ron, Ginny, Harry, it's good to see you too."
Arthur looked as amiable as ever but both the Weasley women had a frown marring their face. "Hello dear. Time has done you much good." Said Arthur. "Thank you, Neville, for having us."
I was about to cross the space to hug him when Ron's voice interrupts. "What's Malfoy doing here?"
My back stiffened but it was Neville who answer. "Draco was invited. If you don't like it the you are welcome to leave Ronald."
"We're simply worried about the safety of our grandchildren Neville dear." Molly answered.
I pin my glare at the Weasley Matriarch. "He is my guest. And if you imply even for a moment that I would put my daughter's life in danger then you're mistaken Molly."
Augusta leveled her own look at the Weasley matriarch. "I do not appreciate having my decisions questioned in my own home Molly." She bowed her head at Draco. "Please forgive the slight against you. You are wanted here. Now let us proceed to dinner before this whole meeting descends into a shouting match."
Arthur nodded in agreement. "That would be agreeable Madame Longbottom. My apologies for my son and wife's rash words."
Luna signaled for the elves to bring the kids back and Lady Augusta led the rest of us to the dining room where the elves had everything set up for our party of twenty. The Weasleys and Andromeda all greeted each other but Draco, Neville, Luna, and I stayed away. The Weasleys had never been Draco's favorite people and Luna and Neville grew to resent them too.
I saunter off to Draco's side. "I'm sorry about the Weasleys, well the other Weasleys."
Draco waved my apology away. "It's okay, I'm used to it. I did make all your lives miserable in school and then I joined the Death Eaters. I get it."
"You regret it and that's what matters to us. Just like Harry was a champion for the Light, you were a champion for the Dark, none of us really picked our roles." Neville argued.
"We want you here Draco. You were the only to help Hermione after she foolishly went to Diagon by herself and did not judge her. Let us repay the favor." Luna added after grabbing his arm and his attention.
I grab his other arm. "Look at it this way. I'm just expanding Evangeline's circle of friends-slash-future caretakers. It's all for my benefit."
"Bloody Gryffindors."
"I'm a Ravenclaw."
Draco looked at Luna. "You're the smartest of the lot."
"I'm offended. I'm a genius in Herbology."
"Could people stop looking down on me? Seriously my bank account is bigger than most of you!"
Draco scoffed. "Please Granger, a couple hundred Galleons have nothing on the Malfoy accounts."
Luna added her two knuts. "Someone's playing their own flute. Besides Malfoy is new money compared to the Longbottoms."
I throw a look at Luna. "You're not even married yet!"
"Yet."
"I am suddenly worried that you're only marrying me for the money."
"Took you long enough."
"Say what!"
We enter the dining room and I drag Draco with me to the 'head' of the table. Instead of having the traditional spread on the table, the elves had placed everything buffet-style in the circular table.
I took a seat and leave two empty seats between us for the kids. Speaking of kids Evangeline was running over with Scorpius in hand. Looking at the frown in her face made me worried.
"Is everything all right Evangeline?" I ask worriedly. What if Harry -or worse Ginny- had gotten to her? What if Ginny dared to raise a hand to her? I would kill the redhead. I tune back to her when she starts to speak.
"Mama we just started playing. Can't dinner wait for another segundo?"
Oh, Merlin. I'd riled myself up over nothing. "That will be enough señorita. This is a dinner party not a playdate. I understand that you want to play but now it's time for the cena. Sit, eat properly, and I might consider letting you and your posse leave the table early."
"But Mamam!"
"It's time for dinner Evangeline. This is the second time. Eat or be sent to the time-out corner. You don't want that in front of your friends, oh sí?" I scolded her. Was it being in England or the fact that she felt comfortable here that made her act out I wonder.
"No Mama."
"Sit down then and mind your manners now. Lady Gusta taught them to you for a reason. And remember Evangeline, when in Rome-" I trail off for her to finish.
"Act like the Romans." She finished.
I nod and grab a plate and start filling it. A scoff made my turn come up. It was Molly and she was looking disapprovingly at me. "Yes?"
"Must you be so harsh with the girl? She's only what, three?"
The comment hit close to home but I let it slide. "Evangeline is five Molly and I'm not too harsh. I dole out the appropriate punishment and reward her with the same measure." I set Evangeline's plate down and proceed to fill my own.
"She is still a child-"
"You have raised your children let me raise mine." I cut her off.
"She is not only yours. Does she even know who her father is?"
I glare at the Weasley matriarch. "The moment Evangeline wants to know her father as her father she will ask and I will tell her. Until then mind your own cauldron Mrs. Weasley. This matter has nothing to do with you."
"How dare you say that? Harry is like my son-"
"That is enough. Both of you, sit. Hermione attend to your daughter and guests. Molly control your temper or else. This is a dinner and there are children present. You will both hold your tongues until we've all had enough food in our stomachs."
I throw one last glare at Molly but defer to the Lady of the Manor. "I forgot myself. Forgive me Lady Augusta."
"I'm sorry Augusta, it just irritates me to see such bad child rearing…"
Evangeline threw her hands on the table, imitating my glare at Molly. "Mama is a good Mama! Mama's the bestest and Evangeline is proud of Mama!"
I cough to hide my smile but still reprimand Eva. "Evangeline apologize. We have better manners than to continue a fight that's already over. We have manners."
Ah, passive-aggressiveness at its finest. "Apologies Madame Gusta."
The remainder of dinner passed in relative calmness and mundane topics that would be safe to discuss. I talked about my travels and the people that I had meet while abroad. Luna spoke about the Quibbler and George about his business and his plans to expand.
"Lee and I were talking. Everything has stabilized now and with Hermione here we can dish out even more products." I interjected then.
"I am not working for you George."
He pointed a fork at me. "Unless you want me to blow up half the Alley you'll advise me. Besides you stole my notes last time around."
"I didn't steal them I borrowed them and made some corrections."
"That what she says. Anyways we're thinking France and maybe further into continental Europe. We have the connections."
"How will you manage the new sites then?" asked Draco. "I know you have a branch in Hogsmead but it's easily accessible by Floo."
"We're working on a new set of communication mirrors. I got the idea off the muggle video conferences, it would be a mix between talking through a Floo and communicating via the Marauder's mirrors but on a smoother and more compactible way. You got the owl I sent about that right Harry?"
"Yes." It had been one of the few words Harry had said all evening.
"There you go. We produce those, make versions that we can hang on the walls and then we have instant communications with our other branches. If things go too far south, then we have the option of Floo travel."
"But why stop there? If you make enough of them and find a way to link multiple mirrors, then it could be like the muggle phones. The goblins would invest high money into that specially with a wall mirror that could be a 'house phone'." Added Bill.
It was a good idea. It could connect the world even more than the new Floo. "I agree. I can ask the people I was mentoring if they would mind me sharing their notes on connecting the Floos. You might be able to use the same principles."
Draco looked pensive until he lifted his gaze to George. "How much money would it take to build a prototype?" He looked ready to write the checks. The sneaky Slytherin.
George paused to think. "A couple of thousands of Galleons. We need to buy the mirrors, do the rune work, test them out to see what works and what doesn't. The hardest part would be finding a way to link multiple mirrors and then being able to add more if we want it to work like a phone. We might even have to make a whole new network if we want the mirrors to be able to connect to every mirror out there which means extra resources needed."
Arthur looked so proud of how much thought and how far his son had gone. "Your idea has merit son. The new Floo those kids invented is a good way for travel but these mirrors could revolutionize the communication of the wizarding world."
"But what about owls then? They'd be force out of business." Luna pointed out.
A whole new debate opened in the table about the implications of what such a creation would do to a mean of communication. It was exhilarating discussing new ideas and my brain was kicked into drive with the intellectual material and the many possibilities.
Lady Gusta, Andromeda and the kids kept their own conversation and threw in a couple of words now and then to the discussion. The only ones that didn't participate was Ron who kept inhaling food, Ginny who tried to steer the conversation towards Quidditch, Harry who kept silent, and Molly who kept a disapproving eye on it all.
My portable Floo started vibrating in my pocket. I look at Augusta for permission. "Forgive me Augusta. I need to take this."
"Don't worry Hermione. Dinner is done either way."
I nod at her and step outside the dining room to take my call.
I close the compact and end the call. Nothing could make me change my mind and make me go back to Germany for some years to come. I pocket the Floo and step back into the room.
"-I hate you! You have no right to talk about Mama like that! She's done things for me that no other Mama would have done! She's travelled all over – she's the b-best M-m-mama I c-coul-ld wi-sh f-for!"
"EVANGELINE!" I catch her before the tremors could send her to the floor. She was trembling tremendously and the seizures were staring to get control of her body. "Luna the bracelet! Evangeline, Evangeline look at me. Look at me baby." I grab her head and hold it in place until her eyes could find mine. "You need to relax baby. No, look at me baby. You need to relax. It's fine. Everything is fine but mama just needs you to calm down okay? Mama needs you to relax."
I rake her hair with my fingers and keep focused on her even as Neville drops next to me and Luna snaps Evangeline's bracelet into place. The tremors were becoming weaker and that meant the episode was slowing down even if the tremors weren't gone. "Breath princess. Breath."
It was a tense ten minutes of waiting for the seizure to finally stop. An elf hands me the muscles relaxants Evangeline had been prescribed and I make her drink it. "I'll take her to bed." Volunteered a just-as-shaken Neville. He needed the reassurance that his Godchild would be fine just like I did.
She's fine. She'sfine. Shesfine.
I nod to him and let him pick her up. He didn't say a word but to command the elves to keep the children away. I hadn't even noticed they weren't in the room.
"Why was my daughter having a Grand Mal? What could have possibly upset her that much that her magic reacted that way?"
"The better question is what is wrong with that child? How could you let her magic control her like that? That is an obvious sign of neglect and bad parenting. I do not understand how you could let her behave this way."
I pin my eyes on Molly. "Don't you dare speak about Evangeline that way and do not tell me how to raise my child Molly much less speak of her that way! She is a child and I will not permit you trying to degrade me in front of her."
"I am looking out for her welfare-"
"You raised your children now let me raise mine!"
"It's that exact attitude that has corrupted the girl. I treated you like a daughter, welcomed you into my home, and put you on the path to being a respectable witch."
"I did not need a mother! I had two loving parents who supported me in all my endeavors and didn't look down on me for not fitting into their expectations of what I should be. Did you think I forgot the Scarlet Lady Thing Molly? Because, of course, that is something a mother-figure would do. For the last time, Molly, keep to your own cauldron!"
"Don't you dare raise your voice at my mother Granger! We were not the ones to endanger the life of a kid like that!" Ronald bristles out.
"Hermione would never put her child's life on the line!" Luna defended.
Ginny sneered at her. "Keep out of this Luna. This is Weasley business."
"You make it my business when you attack a friends of House Lovegood."
"Luna that's enough!" I croak out. It was a stony silence that lingered in the room. There was no way I was leaving without revealing some of my darkest truths. "Hermione, what is wrong with my daughter?"
"Harry there is no proof-" A look from Harry cut Ginny off. 'What an obedient girlfriend.' I thought to myself.
"She suffers from seizures," I answer, "it's an after effect of being put under the Cruciatus curse."
Mount Molly was on a rampage. "I knew it! I told you that she is a bad mother! How could you go to war with a child on the way?"
Luna's eyes became a molten azure with anger. "You will shut your mouth Molly! You don't even know the circumstances."
"What I've seen is enough. How can you call yourself a mother and put Harry's daughter in danger like that?"
"I didn't know that I was pregnant."
Ron snorted. "Bullshit. How could you not know you were pregnant?"
"Stress and lack of food tends to stop the body from functions it doesn't believe essential Ronald." I answer venomously. "If I had known I was pregnant I would have turned tail and ran."
"When did you find out?" I let my eyes drift to the side at the fire in Harry's eyes. Still those emerald eyes had an effect on me. "Damn it Hermione I deserve to know!"
My voice bristles. "A couple of days after the final battle. Madame Pomphrey insisted on examining me. It was a miracle that Evangeline had made it so far. I meant to tell you. But I just couldn't."
"Why? Why would take away the last family that I had?" The pain in his voice tore open old wounds and it was all I could to not throw myself into his arms and reassure his fears.
"I wanted to tell you. I came so close to telling you. But how could I tell the man that lost everything to the war that he was the father to a baby that could die at any moment? You lost everything Harry, how was I supposed to tell you that you could lose the only remaining family that you had? Evangeline was a high-risk pregnancy. A wrong move and she would have been gone. You have to understand, you were my best friend, Harry. I couldn't do that to you. I loved you too much to hurt you again.
"I was a coward. When you told me that you wanted nothing to do with that night my first emotion was happiness. I wouldn't have to destroy your world and you could keep on living your life even if it destroyed my soul. I didn't fight your decision, if Evangeline had died it would have been a secret I would take to the grave. I should have and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"You took my daughter from me! You made me think that I was the only one that survived the war when you were dragging my daughter through Merlin knows what!"
"Don't you dare accuse me of being a bad mother Harry! There isn't an obstacle in this world I wouldn't overcome for Evangeline."
Ginevra was stocking Harry's fire. "And yet she's epileptic. Travelled all around the world Granger and couldn't take her to a decent Healer could you? but what is to be expected from the woman that abandoned the country that raised her in its time of need?"
"I DID ENOUGH! I sacrificed my life for this country so don't you dare demand more from me! You don't get to fucking judge me Ginevra!"
"I want custody of my child Hermione. It's obvious that you do not have her best intentions in mind. World fame before your daughter right?"
My body burns with fury at his accusation. "You lost that right the moment you decided you wanted nothing to do with the fact that we slept together. Fight me for custody Potter and I promise you'll lose and never see use again."
I let the tears fall and let Luna hold my shoulder in support as I became undone under the weight of my regret. I took a child from their father and made him miss all the important moments. All those missing years that he couldn't hope to recover but I would not let his threat against me stand.
"You should have been there. You should have been there when we welcomed her into the world. I wanted you to be there so badly but it all happened so fast and I didn't have the strength to make a Patronus."
George who remembered the horror of that night held me, putting his words into a hug that I could understand. No one in the room knew the story of that night like we four did.
"He knew."
My breathing stopped in its tracks. My eyes reluctantly go to Neville's. "No."
Neville didn't meet my eyes but instead looked at where Harry was standing. "August 19. Five pm. You were at a quidditch event." With each word, Harry's face was losing its color. Beside me George was muttering curses and keeping his arms steady around me.
"No."
"My patronus gave him the message and a Portkey. I told him you needed him. He never answered."
Reality crumbled beneath my feet. "Tell me it isn't true." I beg harry.
"Hermione-"
"Look me in the eye and tell me it isn't true."
"I-"
"SHE COULD HAVE DIED! I NEEDED YOU. I FUCKING NEEDED YOU BUT YOU WEREN'T THERE!" My magic unleashed my fury on the room. Paintings trembled and vases fell to the floor. "Every time. Every. Damn. Time. I was there. Every single time that you needed me, Sirius's death, Cedric's, the goddamned tournament, and you couldn't return the favor could you. The one fucking time I needed you to be there for me and for once in your life you couldn't stop thinking about Harry Potter and what Harry Potter wanted."
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry."
"You don't get to apologize! I needed you to be there. I needed you to reassure me that it wasn't my fault. I need you to be the one to stop me from killing myself! But you didn't because it wasn't convenient for the fucking Boy-Who-Lived because after all that I sacrificed for you, I would never amount to anything in your eyes."
My tears had ended but his had just started. All these years thinking that if only he had known, that if he had even the tiniest of inklings he would have been there… 'It was for nothing. It was all for nothing.'
"Merlin please, Hermione you have to forgive me, please. I was young and stupid. I didn't appreciate what I had and took it all for granted, took you for granted. I should have gone to you and faced my responsibilities. You made your choice out of love for me, I made mine out of selfishness and that's the worst thing I could have done and I'm so sorry. But you have to see it wasn't only my fault. You could have said something."
Any other moment before now would have had me wrapping my arms around him but now I could just look at him with contempt. "You don't get to play the too young card Harry. I was too young when I entered the magical world and keeping you alive became my priority, I was too young when I sacrificed everything for you, I was too young when I fought a war but I grew up. I didn't have the option to ignore my responsibility-"
"He didn't know! Stop making this all about yourself and think about Harry! It was war, we all had to make sacrifices to survive. You could have told him that you were pregnant but you hide your shame like the coward you are, you gold digging slut!"
Luna's p.o.v
My hand connected solidly with Ginny's cheek. "If you ever call Hermione a slut again Ginny I will make you regret ever landing an eye on her. Harry disregarded her long before the war started even when she continuedly went back to him. When she left the country his first question was why she didn't tell him because Hermione wasn't there to pick up his mess. Harry might not have known but that doesn't excuse his behavior when he was told that she needed him.
"George spent six months with Hermione in Australia after the war, I know for a fact that he told Harry to pull his head out of his arse and go visit his best friend."
Ginny swiveled to where her older brother stood behind a catatonic Hermione. "You knew? You knew that she was pregnant and didn't tell us?"
"It wasn't my secret to tell." George answered simply.
I grab Ginny's face and hold it. "I wasn't finished. Angelina, Bill, Fleur, even Andromeda, a woman that knew very little about Hermione, went to her. What were you and your family doing? Enjoying the spoils of the war, the same war that we could have only won because of Hermione. And not once did you think about her. Not once did he think about her. So, don't you fucking blame Hermione for the blatant disrespect that you and your family gave her."
I let go of her face making sure to leave nail marks on that face that she put so much worth on. I turn on my heel and grab Hermione before this dinner could take a turn for the even worse. I look at the figure standing in the doorway. At least one part of the evening would turn all right. I greeted the man standing in the doorway.
"Hello Keelan."
Here it is! Chapter 7 at it's finest and two days early. Aren't I awesome? I'm back in college but the biweekly updates will continue! I hope this chapter didn't break anyone (it nearly broke me) but it does explain somethings aka why Hermione didn't tell Harry. It makes sense in my mind. What wouldn't Hermione do for Harry Potter (book 6 not withstanding)? Anyways hope you all enjoyed. Don't forget to review!
Violetvolpe
P.S: Yes, it is 3K words plus. 3,570 to be precise
