Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and never will. It belongs to the brilliant mind of JKRowling, and I do not make any money off of this piece of work.

Title: Alyssum
Characters: Alison Harriet Potter (Harry Potter), Bill Weasley, Severus Snape, Rosalita Weasley, Vincent Weasley, Molly Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Percy Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Sirius Black, and other various OCs.
Pairings: Ron/Hermione, Bill/Harry
Rating: M
Chapter: 21
Genre: Supernatural/Drama
Words for chapter: 739
Warnings: Female!Vampire!Harry, AU, OCs, het, language, vampires, manipulative!Dumbledore, violence, post-Hogwarts, post-Voldemort, and the standard whatever else this demented author thinks up.
Summary: Alison Harriet, Harry, Potter disappeared at the age of twenty-one. Years later, a vampire, though no one knows it, appears in London with a striking resemblance to the Girl-Who-Lived. Yet she didn't come alone, as a man arrived with her. Now the duo must survive a normal life filled with challenges and plots to ruin their happiness. Can they pull through, or will one little fact destroy them?
Notes: As with some ideas recently, a female!Harry with a creature element has attracted me. The plot bunny appeared and I actually wanted to write it. The title comes from a plant that appears in the story and relates to Alison. Also, Harry will be called Alison in text and either Alison or Harry by the characters.

Chapter 21: A Distraction

Alison looked up when the door to her store opened. She kept wondering if she was going to continue to face issues, but that didn't seem to be the case right then. She saw that the person that had walked in was Hermione. She smiled at her and waved to her friend rather happily. It was nice to see something other than a dangerous situation.

Hermione smiled at her and cleared her throat. "Can we talk, Alison?" Alison stared at Hermione. The woman's smile was a bit strained. Alison could tell that Hermione needed to talk right then. She cleared her throat and looked around.

She then nodded. "Of course. I'll call Bill down. He has today off. They don't work him every day, which is a good thing for me." She cast her patronus and waited. Bill came down. She kissed his cheek. "I'll be up in the flat. Hermione needs to talk. Just stay at the counter." She then grabbed Hermione and dragged her from the storefront and up to the flat. The kids looked up at them. She smiled at them. Rosalita walked over and hugged Hermione automatically. Alison chuckled at that. The little girl had quickly attached herself to Hermione. It was nice to see that her friend was accepted by one of her children. Vincent nodded at Hermione. He was a little more hesitant, though it was understandable. Alison walked over to the kitchen and began to make tea. "What do you need to talk about?"

Hermione sighed. "I found out that Ron's cheating on me." Alison nodded automatically. She had kind of expected it. The marriage between Hermione and Ron wasn't a good one. In fact, just about everyone with enough sense to pay attention could see that. Hermione ran her fingers through her hair. "Yet…Can I divorce him? I mean, I've been doing the same thing." Alison could see where that would be a problem. Hermione would feel bad about such a thing. However, Alison knew that Hermione wasn't someone who could stay with a man as lazy as Ronald Weasley.

Alison sighed. "I don't know, Hermione. I would assume that you could. He doesn't know that you've been with Draco. That would make it seem as if you're the victim. You are a victim, Hermione. That's proven by the fact that he's denied you the one thing that you've always wanted. He's just mooches off of you." Hermione nodded.

Rosalita made a noise and pulled back from the hug that she hadn't left. "Ron's a meany." The two adult females looked at her. Rosalita looked between them. "Sorry." Alison walked over and hugged Rosalita. She was amused by the fact that the little girl had said what she had been thinking.

Vincent made a noise. "Some people need happiness. My new parents gave that to me." Alison couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. That was the first time that she had heard him say that.

Alison then looked at Hermione. "And Vincent's right, Hermione. Everyone needs happiness. If you're unhappy with him, then leave. You should have divorced him a long time ago, but you're with Draco now. You glow so much now at the mention of him. You never did that with Ron."

Hermione nodded. "I am happy with Draco." Alison smiled more.

She then looked around before looking back at Hermione. "Then you've answered your own question." She liked it when Hermione did the answering for herself. It was a nice thing to have happen. After all, Hermione did it very rarely.

Hermione looked down at the kids and then back at Alison. "You know, I never thought that children could make things so clear." Alison laughed at that one. She hugged both of her kids. She knew just what children were capable of. Her own were proving that over and over again.

She looked at Hermione. "Children are capable of seeing things in a way that we adults have lost. We've forgotten those thought patterns to the point that it's kind of amusing. Children are just capable of figuring it out." She let the kids go. Hermione was silent then. It was something that she liked. Alison fell quiet as well. Alison then went and got the tea. She handed Hermione a cup. The group remained silent and enjoyed each other's company. It was a nice end to what could have been a big dilemma.

A/N: Well, short, but sweet. Giving a moment off of the disaster that's coming. Later.