AN: Thanks so much for reviewing, reading, putting this on alert, and for favoriting! It means a lot to me! Here's another requested song.
I don't own Harry Potter or this song, which is owned by Dar Williams.
"Uncle Jason!" Hermione exclaimed as he opened the door.
"Hermione!" he replied, stretching out his arms to receive her.
Hermione snuggled into his arms and returned the embrace. "It's so good to see you again," she replied, her voice muffled by his fuzzy sweater.
"I've missed you too," he replied before she backed away. "Let's step inside. It's freezing out here."
"It is a little chilly," she admitted as Uncle Jason guided her inside. Hermione admired the angels and Nativity scene that decorated the entrance hall.
In the center of the living room stood a fully lit Christmas tree surrounded by toy train tracks. There were freight cars on the tracks, but the engine lay in the hands of a small child who was skimming it across the floor, providing all the necessary sound effects.
"Timmy! Come and meet your cousin Hermione!" Uncle Jason exclaimed.
Timmy looked up and smiled. "Hello Hermione," he replied.
"Hello Timmy," she replied as she stepped closer. "What do you have there?"
He smiled proudly as he presented the object to her. "It's a choo-choo!" he replied.
"Jason?" a voice called from the kitchen.
"She's here, Martha!" he called back.
A woman emerged from a kitchen holding a red bowl and a wooden spoon. "Hello Hermione," she began with a sweet smile.
"Hello," Hermione replied. "How are you?"
"Fine," she answered. "How are you?"
"Good," she replied. "I'm just finishing dinner. It should be ready in another fifteen minutes."
"Excellent," Jason replied.
"Thank you," Hermione answered.
The woman nodded before reentering the kitchen. "So tell me," Jason began. "How have your studies been?"
"Well, I've just gotten accepted as an apprentice with one of the best Potions Masters in Britain…" she began.
Uncle Jason and she talked about everything from their work to his marriage to Martha and Timmy's new preschool. The conversation stalled, however, when Aunt Martha announced, "Dinner's ready!"
"Time to eat, Timmy," Uncle Jason began as he and Hermione stood.
Timmy looked up from the page he was coloring. "Can't it wait a few more minutes?"
"Well if you don't care if anything is left for you, then I suppose it can," Uncle Jason replied. "Your mom's cooked your favorite cornbread, though."
Timmy leapt up and ran to the dining room. Hermione chuckled as she and Jason followed him. Martha presided at a table full of food, a look of pride on her face. Everyone sat down as Martha announced, "Let's pray."
They bowed their heads to share a moment of silence. Hermione waited for signs of activity... When she heard people shifting about, she raised her head and took the plate which was passed to her. They dished up their food and ate, making sure that all conversation revolved around non-sensitive subjects such as the weather and soccer teams. Timmy stared at Hermione as though he had something to say, but he remained silent throughout the meal.
"I have apple pie for dessert…" Martha began.
"Are you a witch, Hermione?" Timmy finally blurted out.
Everyone grew quiet and stared at him. "Excuse me?" Hermione asked.
"Are you a witch?" he repeated.
A buzzer sounded in the kitchen. "That's the apple pie!" Martha replied, racing out of the kitchen.
Hermione took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm a witch."
"Can you do magic?" he asked, his eyes wide with interest.
"Well," Hermione began before taking out her wand. She touched her dirty napkin and muttered a spell. Timmy gasped as the napkin transformed into a butterfly and flew across the room.
"Wow," he whispered as it landed on his shoulder.
"That's really fascinating," Jason whispered.
Martha entered from the kitchen holding a freshly baked apple pie. Her eyes followed the butterfly as she set the pie onto the table. "I didn't know those things were still around this time of year."
"I didn't either," Jason replied.
"Hermione can I go to school with you and learn how to be a witch?" Timmy asked.
She gave him a smile. "We'll see when you're eleven."
Once Hermione had left, Jason sat in his recliner and stared pensively at the Christmas tree. His visit with Hermione had gone better than he could possibly have hoped, yet it also brought back memories. He remembered being a teenager, hearing his mother rant about how strange Hermione was. Later she would go on lengthy tangents about how her son never should've allowed Hermione to go to that school. That was in large part why he and his brother had become estranged.
Still, he wondered if maybe it was time to change that. Maybe things weren't like his mother had claimed. Perhaps they could try again.
Jason stood up and asked, "Honey, where's the phone book?"