AN: Ok, so sorry about the long dry spell but university is keeping me on my toes, plus problems here and there but I will try to update one or two more chapters before returning to school in January. Im a lil lost as to where this is going as my heads keeps throwing at me scenes at random that I really have to work to put together into something that makes sense. Ok done ranting and read and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I just like to play around with someone else's characters.

Chapter Eleven: Easy Interactions

"Dad? Why are you standing guard in the portrait right outside Hermione's room?" Michelle asked as she and Katherine walked by Hermione's door.

The portrait made a shushing motion and pointed toward the door. Michelle and Katherine tiptoed to the door and opened it a few inches. Barely enough for them to notice Hermione and Harry curled up in an awkward ball on Hermione's bed. Both sisters stared for a little while before closing the door again.

"Aww. So sweet! They remind me of you Michelle." Katherine said as both sisters walked down the hall heading for the kitchen.

"I know. I wish there was something else we could do for them." Michelle said as she began setting out things for dinner. "I can't believe I didn't notice before what Dad had done… Hermione's erratic behavior during sixth year was because he was lessening the dose of potion, and how we saw her right before the Weasley wedding; she was exhibiting symptoms of an overdose. I still don't understand how that happened. I mean I chucked it up to nerves because she was leaving on a dangerous mission, but if I'd pay more attention, I would have realized she was going through an emotional whirlwind. I should have noticed." Michelle moped.

"We can't change what's done, Chelle. We can only make it better now." Katherine explained softly. "Everyone could claim some of the guilt for what has happened to your daughter and her friends and to the Wizarding World in general in the last twenty odd years, but throwing guilt around isn't going to help. Now we have to make it better. We can't bring those who died back, we can't heal all the wounds, or make all the scars disappear, and we can't even give those who were forced to grow up too fast, their childhoods' back; but there is something we can do. We can try our best to help them heal, we can be with them, try to protect them as much as they let us, and understand them. Not judging them, not asking for more than what they can give, and not smothering them to dead. We just have to be here." Katherine said softly as she wrapped her sister in her arms.

"I wish Dad could be here and fix the mess he made bigger. Who is going to pay for what has been done to my babies? To her friends? To me? To my friends?" Michelle said angrily as she held onto Katherine. "It's not fair!" as soon as the words left her mouth, the dishes that Katherine had magically set on the table exploded into a thousand pieces.

"Now that's out of your system. It's not a wonder that the wards around Hermione's bedroom were in complete lockdown when she got here after the final battle. Like mother like daughter, I suppose." McGonagall said from the doorway. With a wave of her hand she fixed the plates as she strode into the kitchen to stand next to her daughters. "Kate's right, Michelle, all we can do is be here." Minerva McGonagall said and started ordering her daughter about to make a feast for the family and its guests.

With Ron and Hermione's sisters and their boyfriends

"What brings you here, Ron?" Valerie asked as she put her book down in the window seat. Ron noticed Diana, Topher and Damien playing video games and little Jessica drawing in the table off to one side of the entertainment room. "Did you get lost?"

"Ummm.. No, not really. Harry and Hermione had to talk so I decided to make myself scarce." Ron explained as he looked around the room. He stared at Diana and Topher as they waved their wii controls around as they played. "is that magic?" He asked. He blushed brightly, his ears redder than a tomato when little Jessica giggled.

"Close, but no, it's not magic, its technology." Diana said stopping the game and giving Jessica a little glare. "Jessica you really have to understand that just because we were raised in both the muggle and the wizarding world does not mean everyone else was. And you know better that to laugh at people." Diana ranted. Valerie had plucked Jessica from her chair and held her on her hip.

"Beloved? Are you alright? You frightened Jessica." Topher said while placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry petite. I didn't mean to. It's been a rough couple of days." Diana apologized and kissed Jessica on the forehead.

"I know." Jessica said and threw her little arms around Diana's neck.

"I wasn't laughing at Ron, Di. I was laughing at this." Jessica said and pointed towards her drawing sprawled on the table. Valerie picked the drawing up and showed it to everyone. In it Diana (who was only identifiable because of the dark blue Jessica had used to color her shirt) was swinging her wii remote and hitting Topher in the head in the process, causing the figure stick of Topher to fall on top of the stick figure of Damien who had been playing while sitting down on the floor next to his cousin. Diana saw the picture and burst out laughing.

"Excellent job, petite." Diana complemented her baby cousin while apologizing to everyone for making a scene.

A few hours later…. dinner time.

Harry wandered through the halls following Ron's voice. When he reached the living room where Hermione's sisters and Ron were playing, he had hoped to see Hermione there but after he scanned the room he realized she wasn't there. "Hey guys have you seen Hermione? We sort of fell asleep and she wasn't there when I woke up." Harry asked.

"You lost Sparky, Kid?" Topher asked from his place snuggling with Diana in the loveseat.

"I'll look for her; you kids go on down, dinner is ready." Michelle said coming into the room.

"I know where she is!" Little Jessica told everyone and squirmed her way out of Valery's arms. Jessica then, jumped down from the couch and ran towards the hall on the back of the living room that led somewhere or anywhere and certainly deeper into the Dumbledore Manor.

"Should we follow her?" Harry asked looking at Hermione's mom.

"Nahh, don't worry, we'll go. You go to eat." Damien said as he and Topher dashed after Jessica.

"This way you two. The boys will get Hermione and Jessica." Michelle said gently while ushering Ron, Harry, Diana and Valery down towards the dining room where they had prepared the feast to raise everyone's spirits after a very long and saddening day. Michelle could help but shudder at the thought of what still lay ahead of them.