Ilovedifferentmixups: Thanks you! Here's the next chapter
Infernalbooks: I know! People always make him so mature…I mean, this guy couldn't even lie properly to Harry in his third year. He must have been fun back in his childhood.
Elianora Annora: Thank you so much! You don't know how much that means. Little things like that just make my day!
RadGrandma: Thank you! Thanks a lot! I thought about Hermione/Peter and well, I can't guarantee the pairing but a close friendship maybe?
SO, next chapter. Christmas party is about two chapters away and I would love some date ideas. Also, I am not a Christian. So most of my knowledge about this festival is based on TV and Books. So anyone, any special thing on Christmas people usually miss or that people like to do?
Beta:MaeSilverPaws1
Chapter 11-Winter is here
The train pulled into on the King Cross' station. As the crimson engine slowed down excited children jumped off and ran to meet their parents.
Hermione climbed down the train followed by a wide-eyed Marlene.
"I can't believe you said yes." She mumbled, her eyes wide and her mouth open.
Rolling her eyes, Hermione said, "This is the seventeenth time you are saying that Marls!"
"But you said yes to Remus! Remus Lupin, our first friend!"
Hermione looking back at Marlene. "Really? I didn't know he was my first friend!"
Marlene scowled. Hermione chuckled and turned to see her parents in a distance, talking to the Potters.
Hermione hugged Marlene and said goodbye. Parting ways, she went to the small group.
"Hermione!" Ginny and Fred took turns to hug their youngest. Hermione turned to the Potters.
"Hello Mr Potter. Mrs Potter." She greeted.
"Hello dear." Euphemia smiled. She turned back to the Prewetts. "So will you come?"
"We will try Mrs Potter." Said Fred. "We Prewetts usually have a small Christmas among our family. Our sons usually do not get enough holidays and Molly's busy with her two sons."
Ginny was busy blushing as Fleamont nodded and looked at her with an understanding look.
"We would love to have the Weasleys as well." Fleamont said with a smile. "It's been years since we have had a party. Had it not been for James, we wouldn't have even considered it."
"Hey Dad!"
The group turned to see James Potter coming towards them along with his group of friends. Remus locked eyes with Hermione and immediately looked away, blushing furiously. Sirius and Peter nudged him from either sides and grinned at Hermione.
"Hello James. Had a good term?"
"Oh it was awesome!" James grinned and looked at Hermione. "May I talk to you Hermione?"
Hermione took a step back. "All right." She said uncertainly.
James flashed her a smile and walked a little further from the group, Hermione following him.
Once they were at a respectable distance, James turned to Hermione with a grave expression. "I am willing to listen your part."
"Excuse me?" Hermione folded her hands and looked at James.
"I am willing to give you what you want." James said.
"the Invisi-"
"SHHH!" James shut her mouth with his hand and looked around. "Are you mad? We can't let everybody know our secret!"
"All right, all right!" snapped Hermione, removing James' hands away from her. "When?"
"At the Christmas party."
Hermione looked at James, confused. "What Christmas party?"
"The one your family is being invited to." James whispered. "Just come and we will talk freely then."
Hermione's spirits lifted. Controlling the urge to smile, Hermione nodded and turned, only to come face to face with a certain Sirius Black.
"What?" Hermione asked. Sirius cocked his head and looked at her. "Most girls jump up with fear and then shout at seeing a Sex God at such a close distance."
James snorted as Hermione scowled. "First of all: I am not one of the most girls and second: the only thing close to a God that you resemble is their pets."
James began howling, causing many parents to turn and look at the odd trio. Students of course didn't pay attention.
"I'll get back to you for that Granger-Prewett." Sirius said through gritted teeth.
"It's just Prewett, Black." Hermione said, looking into Sirius' eyes and walked away.
"A DATE?!"
"Molly, shhhh!"
The older woman laughed nervously as Hermione headed toward the door. Molly's eyes darted towards her two children, both mumbling something in their sleep. In the darkness of Hermione's room, where the two sisters sat on two chairs, Hermione turned back to look at Molly who was grinning at her.
"Yes, a date." Hermione breathed. "with Remus." Takinga breath, she walked back to the chair and sat down.
"Do you need us to have a talk with him Sister dear?"
Hermione jumped and so did Molly as Fabian and Gideon apparated to her side. The commotion woke up two year old Charlie who began wailing.
"Fabian! Gideon!"
Immediately, Gideon ran to pick up the small boy and began cradling him into his arms, causing the boy to fall asleep.
"There was a reason we were whispering." Said Hermione, looking at Fabian. Fabian flashed a grin to Gideon.
"Oh what's the fun in that sister dear?" whispered Gideon, patting the young boy.
"So, a boyfriend, huh?" Fabian smirked. Hermione groaned a three pairs of eyes looked at her.
"We haven't even had a date yet." She said, leaning forward in her chair. "So no, he is not my boyfriend."
Molly sighed. "Oh, the young love! Arthur and I began dating in our fourth year and see where we are today, darling!"
"With all the love I have for you Molly," said Hermione, "I am pretty sure Remus and I will not end up that way. He just has a crush on me which will go away once he realizes what I am."
"What are you?" asked Fabian.
"A 14-year old bookworm with long teeth and bushy hair, who is just not as good!"
"And the best Chaser I have ever seen." Gideon added.
"The girl who fought only the most wanted man by the Ministry." Fabian put in.
"And the most caring person I have ever known." Molly smiled. "And that includes me."
Hermione smiled as Fabian put an arm around her. "Not any normal girl."
It was a beautiful day. Snow covered most of England. Despite the cold, Diagon Alley was buzzing with excitement for the upcoming Christmas. The Prewett family was buying last minute gifts or more like just gifts. Arthur was for once not busy with Ministry work and thus watching his sons and chatting with Hermione, who being the organized person she was had already bought most of the gifts.
"So you are saying Hermione that muggles have actually made a device which flies?" Arthur asked excitedly, sifting on the bench.
Hermione nodded.
"Muggles are so fascinating!"Arthur exclaimed. He looked at Bill who was pointing at a shop and telling Charlie something. "I just don't understand how they are so much better without magic!"
"I agree Arthur." Hermione said. "Muggles are really something else."
Hermione looked off in a distance, wondering. It had been days since she had thought about her parents. Her first parents, the Grangers.
Now would be the time they would have just met. From the stories, it was around that year's Christmas that in a very boring Dentist seminar two young doctors, just new in the field had bumped into each other and began to talk. Or would begin to talk.
"DO you know they have special healers just for teeth?"
"Really?" Arthur said, sitting up straight. "Wow! How do you know so much Hermione?"
"I read." Hermione shrugged. Arthur chuckled and pushed up his spectacles.
Fabian and Gideon appeared at a distance. At first, they were holding their packets and bickering. Suddenly, they dropped their bags and began a snowball fight in the middle of the Alley. Hermione chuckled and turned to Arthur.
"So are you coming to the Potter's party?" asked Hermione.
Arthur shifted uncomfortable. "I don't know." He finally said. "We Weasleys have always been pretty different from the rest of the pureblood society. I mean, you remember what it was like when my parents talked to yours. I just, don't know if I should go."
"The Potters would be glad to have you." Hermione said. "They aren't like the other purebloods."
"Maybe." Said Arthur.
Hermione smiled. And then the temperature dropped.
Bill, who was talking nonstop, suddenly shut up and looked at Arthur. "Da-Dad?" he asked, scared.
People stopped on their tracks and looked far away, as if remembering their worst memories. Fabian and Gideon, a few steps away, whipped out their wands and became alert.
"Wh-What's happening?" asked Arthur, holding his sons protectively.
Hermione took out her wand. "Find Molly, Mum and Dad and get out of here."
"Hermione, what are you talking about?" Arthur asked.
Hermione looked up and said, "That."
Arthur looked up and saw something he never thought he would.
"RUN!" Hermione shrieked. Arthur, without sparing a glance at her, whipped out his wand and hid his sons under the bench. "Stay here." He commanded, and Bill nodded. Charlie began whimpering. Arthur gave a quick peck to his sons and looked up.
"Hermione, go. I can handle this."
Hermione turned to Arthur. "Arthur, take care of Bill and Charlie!"
"I am much more advanced in magic." Arthur said, shifting uncomfortably. "It's better if you go. Dueling with the you-know-who is much more different than this. Just knowing the theory won't help here."
Hermione shook he head and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"
A large silver otter whipped out of her wand and chased away the Dementor which was inches away from her. Minutes later, a weasel joined her. A lion and a dog went pouncing towards the Dementors, causing them to flee.
"Where did you learn how to conjure a Patronus?" was the general question by her brothers and brother-in-law. Hermione was about to answer when she spotted someone at a distance, a Dementor inches away.
"MUM!"
In mere seconds, Hermione ran to Ginerva Prewett's side and shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
A huge otter, larger than any before she had conjured, ran out of her wand and chased the Dementor away, leaving behind an unconscious Ginny.
"Mum?" Hermione shook her mother as Fabian and Gideon ran to her side. Gideon immediately casted a charm.
"She-She's alive. We-We have to get-get her to St Mungo's!"
The Prewett and Weasley family was all waiting outside a room in St Mungo's. Molly was crying uncontrollably as Arthur comforted her. Gideon engaged the children in a conversation as they munched bits of chocolate. Fabian was consoling Fred, or rather himself that Ginerva would be all right.
Hermione was standing away from the group, leaning on the wall. Her memories darted off to times she didn't want to remember.
"It's so cold nowadays!" Molly exclaimed, rubbing her hands together. She peered out of the window to see snow and a few Dementors. Because of the Fidelius Charm, they weren't seen. But Dementors could still feel them.
Ron groaned and Hermione tightly held his hand.
"I am fine 'Mione." He mumbled and then began coughing.
"You certainly aren't! Go to sleep!" Hermione snapped and shushed him. With a smile on his face, he said, "All right Mrs Weasley!" and drifted off to sleep.
Once Ron fell asleep, Hermione stood up and walked up to Molly, who was staring out of the window.
"It was a day like this," Molly suddenly said, "that I really lost my first family."
Hermione turned to the older woman. Fred's death had taken its toll on all of them, but Molly and George were the ones who were most affected. Wrinkles on her face were more prominent now and she looked troubled every day.
"What happened Mrs Weasley?" Hermione asked.
"It's Molly for you now Hermione." Molly smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. She looked out again and looked far off in a distance. "We were out shopping for Christmas. It was still one of the early years, so You-know-who was not really that big. A few Dementors came to Diagon Alley and my mother" her voice cracked and she wiped away a tear," my mother became their prey. Father was never the same after that and he died a few days later. Fabian and Gideon, my brothers, they weren't the same either. They just threw themselves in the work. They were Aurors you know."
Hermione looked far away in a distance. She looked back at Ron who didn't have much time left.
Hermione couldn't stop as tears flowed. Every year they went to Diagon Alley just days before Christmas and nothing ever happened. The story had just been forgotten by her. If only she remembered…