A/N: What has happened to my story? This was supposed to be a fluffy romance between two of my favorite HP characters and now I got crazy step dads and evil creepy things on school grounds giving me nightmares. What happened to all the lovey dovey stuff? It wasn't supposed to have such a major plot I was saving that for Broken Wand….It has a life of its own and I don't know where its going any more.

Hermione's nerves were frazzled by the time Peter arrived home with Sterling. Tonks had begrudgingly left hours ago to Hermione's relief and she'd managed to unpack everything before getting supper going but he'd been late and despite her use of magic to keep it warm she was worried it wouldn't be up to his standards.

"Mione!" The three year old was positively radiant when she spotted her older step sister. She rushed her in a tangled mass of black curls and tiny limbs. Hermione managed a genuine smile as she bent at the waist and scooped her up. 'I missed you. Did you miss me? Look how big I've grown!' Sterling's hands moved in complicated patterns as she signed wildly to her sister.

Hermione held her hand up to indicate she should slow down and pointed at her lips gently reminding the little girl she was supposed to speak as well as sign. Sterling sighed dramatically. She'd been born deaf and it had been Hermione who had taught her to sign, it was her speech therapist that said she should also speak. Hermione had spent hours a night teaching herself sign language when they'd received the news. She had been happily shocked when Peter agreed to learn as well. He may have been an abusive asshole to Hermione but he seemed to love his own child. The witch just wasn't brave enough to put that love to the test and he used that against her whenever he could.

"You have gotten very big and I did miss you. Are you remembering to say your prayers before bed time?" Hermione signed and spoke so Sterling could see how her lips moved and learn to read them. She'd need such a skill if she hoped to attend classes with regular students.

"Yes. I can show you my room. Daddy painted it pink for me, just like a princess." Some of the words were difficult to understand because of her speech impairment but it was easy enough to understand when the baby began pulling her toward the stairs.

She glanced over her shoulder at her step-father and he nodded his permission. "Bring that stick back when she's done." He indicated the lock box he kept on the fireplace mantle. She should have known he wouldn't forget the only weapon she had.

For a perfect few minutes Hermione forgot about the man down stairs waiting for her return. She enjoyed the little ball of energy that was her sibling. They weren't bound together by blood but Hermione loved her just as much. That love was the only reason she would continue to return every break and holiday.

Once she'd had hope she could escape with Sterling, she'd made a plan over the summer to run away. It had all been fanciful thinking; she knew she could never get away with it. If she kidnapped her sister she'd have not only the muggle authorities after her but the magical ones as well. She had been informed ages ago that her ministry was willing to let her leave his custody but the non-magical child had to stay with her father.

If she'd only known what happened to Sterling's mother. That was a useless thought, Peter wouldn't speak of her. One day before her fifth year of school he'd just announced she'd been left in his care and that she was his daughter. It had sorely upset her mother, Sterling was just old enough that she could have been conceived before he'd married her, but if she was his daughter it still meant he'd cheated at some point during their relationship.

They'd argued a lot over her, it drove her mother to heavy drinking. Jean would often forget about the infant , Peter himself didn't seem to have time to take care of her, it was all left up to Hermione. She felt like a mother before summer break was even over. She feared what would happen that year if she had returned to her classes. As it was she'd been given a fitting reason to take a leave of absence with the death of her mother right before term.

Sterling dragged her out of her depressing thoughts by tugging on her hand. 'Look,' she showed her pictures she drawn of their family. She smiled at the picture; she really was talented for a three year old. She was very intelligent as well, Hermione had spent what would have been her fifth year teaching her sibling everything he could, she was amazed at how much she took in. Children were said to be like a sponge but she felt Sterling may have been a little special.

"Hermione! You and Sterling get down here and eat! Don't forget your wand." She tapped her sister on the shoulder and pointed toward the door to her room. Sterling tugged on her hand before she could exit.

'Don't you like it here?' Hermione nodded confused, no point in telling a toddler something upsetting. 'Why don't you stay all the time?'

Hermione knelt down to Sterling's height. "I got to finish school first. Two more years and then I'll be here with you the entire time okay?" Appeased the child beamed and pulled Hermione toward the door.

"Come on sis I'm hungry."