Even if

Chapter 26

~Previously. Dumbledore informs Remus and Miah that, he's sending Remus on a mission. Miah is informed that she can't contact Remus for any reason; but may contact himself (Dumbledore. In emergencies.)

Miah settled will in to the potter home. After a while she started to miss Remus more and more. Not being able to contact was killing her. She didn't care much about being stuck in the little cottage all day, every day, for months. No it was having to be away from her husband that seemed to be casing her problems.

Lily tried to comfort her; but there wasn't really anything she could say to her. Miah would silently wonder how he was. Every day she wrote him letters, she knew she couldn't send them so she tucked them into the box and kept them under her bed.

Much to Lily's surprise Miah ahd been getting up with Harry for his 3 am feeding. Lily found her one morning around 6 am sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery, fast asleep holding harry an empty bottle. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. That's what Miah needs a distraction, Lily tho she needed to come up with something for Miah to do during the day.

At breakfast one morning after about 5 weeks in to Miah"s. Stay Lily"s curiosity got the better of her, "you never said who took over the book store while you were away." Lily said.

"The man that hired me agreed to take over for me while I was away," Miah said, "He said he would try to keep it organized for me."

"That's nice of him," Lily said.

Not too long after that Hermione confessed to Lily that she was late. "what do you mean you're late?" Lily asked, "weren't you taking precautions?"

"No," Hermione said, "it didn't seem necessary, we weren't really trying to get pregnant but, we weren't not trying either."

"It could be stress," Lily said, "but I can do a test for you if you like. It's only a yes or no answer really."

"OK.," Miah said. Lily preformed a simple diagnostic test, when the tip Lily's wand blinked blue, Miah asked, "what does that mean?"

"It means you're pregnant," Lily said before she performed a second diagnostic test, "I would say you're about 4 to 5 weeks along.

Miah didn't know whether she should laugh or cry what now? She thought

"What are you thinking about?" Lily asked.

"What do I do now?" Asked Miah sadly, "I can't owl Remus, it could blow his cover"

"We'll keep it to ourselves for now," Lily said, "between you, James and I. We'll pray that Remus comes home soon and in one piece."

A month or so later there still hadn't been any word on Remus. Peter stopped by on a Saturday morning in June, to see if there was anything they were needing. He wasn't expecting to see Miah there. When James asked Peter if there was any word on Remus, Peter just shook his head in the negative. Seems that the only thing anyone knew about Remus was that he was away on some mission. No one knew when he would be back, or if he would be back.

"Dumbledore, doesn't really have any news," Peter said, "most of us are kept in the dark. I don't really think that half the order knows that you're in hiding. Most of them think your out of the country on a mission."

"Peter could you do me a favor?" Miah asked.

"Of course," he said with a tentative smile.

"Could you stop by the orphanage and give Mrs. Jones a message for me?" Miah asked, "could you tell her that Remus and I won't be around for a while."

"Of course," Peter said nodding his head. Of course he wouldn't but she didn't need to know that. Unknown to the Potters and Miah, Peter had his own agenda, and that didn't include delivering massages.

"Thank you," Miah said smiling at him. After having a cup of tea and a biscuit, Hermione suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She stood suddenly, and ran for the bathroom.

"Is she alright?" Peter asked.

"Morning sickness," Lily said. It took Peter a moment before he put two and two together.

"She's going to have a baby?" He asked in awe.

"Yes," Lily giggled.

"Took you long enough to put two and two together mate," James said.

"Excuse me for being women illiterate," Peter said.

James and Lily laughed, "Miah is a bit sad," Lily said sobering a little, "she really wanted to tell Remus, I think she may also be missing Sirius. Do you think you could pass on a note for us?"

"Sure," Peter said, "IH'll see him Tomorrow."

"Give him our love won't you," Miah said gently rubbing her stomach.

"Of course," Peter said with a smile.

It had been a few weeks before they heard back from Sirius. at the end of June, Peter dropped by again, this time with Sirius.

"It's so good to see you," Sirius. said. He looked at Miah, and saw her questioning gaze, "still no word on Remus yet."

"That's alright I suppose," Miah said sadly, "no news is good news."

"True," Sirius. said.

After visiting for a few hours, Sirius. and Peter said they're goodbyes. They promised to try and send word if there was any news on Remus. Before leaving Sirius. hugged Miah, and quite loudly reminded her about her promise of allowing him to name their first born child.

She laughed and said as long as it wasn't anything outrageous she would keep her promise. He laughed but said OK.

Before they knew it, July was turning into august. There was still no word on Remus. Things seemed to be getting worse out here, and Lily and Miah were silently thankful that James hadn't needed to be a part of it. James though was a bit upset to be cooped up and missing out on the action. To be honest they were all going stir crazy.

Miah who was now 3 months pregnant started to show just a bit. Lily loaned Miah some of her maternity clothes, until they could alter some of Miah's. By the time harry's birthday came along, James was so bored that he had taken to making love to his wife during day light hours as well as at night. Miah became designated baby sitter, silently cursing them from time to time when James forgot to use a silencing charm.

She and harry seemed to form a bond, and anytime Lily left the room, Harry would automatically crawl to see her. She would tell him stories about his father and uncles when they were in Hogwarts. She promised him that she would be not only the best flyer there ever was, but a mighty prankster as well.

Lily upon over hearing her one time, told him that if he had to be like someone he should be like his Aunt Hermione, because she was quite wonderful. After putting harry to bed she and Lily shared a cup of tea in silence. There were so many thing that they wanted to say; but neither of them knew where to start.

For harry's birthday Peter arrived with presents from Sirius. and Dumbledore. Hermione made a cake, from ingredients that they had in the cabinets. Harry loved the little broom that Sirius, had gotten him. James was ecstatic that he would have something to do in the afternoons now, limiting his and Lily's activities to mornings only. Miah didn't know whether to be greatfull or disappointed.

Late at night when she knew Lily and James to be sleeping she would sneak downstairs to the kitchen and make herself a cup of tea. Where she would sit and silently send Remus loving messages via the mind. Sure it didn't really work; but it gave her the peace of mind, and the ability to sleep each night. So whatever works.

Tip toeing back upstairs to her bed, she sat at the desk in her room and wrote a short letter to Remus.

My dearest Remus,

Oh how I miss you. I miss you at night, and the way your skin rubs against mine when we hold each other close. I miss you in the morning when you lovingly wake me with kisses and promises of more later. I miss you at breakfast, the way you eat your eggs, and the way you drink your pumpkin juice, and the orange that lines your top lip. I miss you in the afternoon when we visit the orphan's home. I miss the way you are with the children, it makes me wish for one of our own. I miss the way you are at dinner, when your feet rub against mine. I miss the way you pull me to the bedroom to finish up what we started in the morning before breakfast. But what I miss most of all is the way you smile at me with your beautiful hazel eyes, and the way you say hello after being away.

I love and miss you very much

Love your Miah

Hermione folded yet another letter, before depositing it in a shoe box along with letters spanning back over the last 3 months.

Soon James and Lily were helping Miah celebrate her birthday. Although she didn't really want to, they had cake and James attempted to cheer Miah up by letting her pick a movie to watch. Not that there was much on the telly to choose from.

September melted into October and before they knew it, Lily and Miah were putting together a Halloween outfit for harry. Sure they couldn't actually take him out; but they could still celebrate.

On Halloween night, Voldemort, left his lair to confront the child that would one day destroy him. It didn't matter that he was just a child; the fact remained that he would strike him down while he was young and defenseless. It was the perfect plan: go in and kill the boy, and should his parents get in the way kill them too. That was until he arrived at the family's house. Someone was there that shouldn't have been. He couldn't even figure out how she was alive, let alone 19 years of age. He had watched her die, hell he had muttered the spell that killed her.

It hadn't mattered, he just stood there and stared at the woman standing in the open door way. He mumbled a name out loud, "Ailis?" No, he shook his head, it wasn't her. The dark lord doesn't get distracted by ghosts. "move out of the way girl," he said, "or die."

"No," she said standing with her wand ready.

"So be it," he said raising his wand, "Avada Kedavra." She countered with 'stupefy'. They faced off what seemed minutes; but was in fact just seconds. After about a minute her wand fell from her hand. It was amazing she hadn't fallen over dead, she had quite literally disappeared.

It didn't matter what happened to her he kept going up the stairs, he encountered that fool potter and he knocked him out with a stupefy. The man went down with a thud. Voldemort went farther up the stairs and into the first room he came to. There he saw a woman and the child in question. She was telling the child that she loved him, goodie, he thought to himself, she knows what's coming. Yes it was odd that he would think with such words but "goodie," was so much better than "yay."

The woman finally looked up and saw him. She cried out that he should spare harry. "No," he said, and cursed her, and she fell. Finally, he thought, the boy looked up at him with tears in his eyes. Voldemort raised his wand and said the fateful words, "Avada Kedavra."

Something had gone wrong; the spell just sort of bounced off the head of the child and struck Voldemort in the chest. He felt his body disintegrate; it felt like he was melting away into nothing. Then he fled from the room down the stairs and out the front door. Something had gone terribly wrong and he was totally unsure what it was.

Soon after Voldemort was destroyed, members of the order showed at James and Lily's home. The door was open, James was lying at the bottom of the stairs rubbing his head, he couldn't figure out what had happened. He was having a hard time finding leverage to stand, he was dizzy and wobbly. Lily lay unconscious, in the spot where Voldemort stuck her down. Harry cried his little heart out, standing in his crib reaching out for his mum.

A few days later, after everything had been sorted, the Potters thought perhaps it would be good to go on permanent holiday until it was time for harry to start school. Sirius arrived after all was said and done, he had chased after Peter only to loose him in a muggle neighborhood. When Sirius returned the next day he told James that he thought it was best that they go away for a while. What with Harry being the boy that lived and all, and then Remus showed up out of nowhere. He was done with his mission now that there was no need for him to try to achieve the goals for Dumbledore, "Where's Miah?" He asked almost frantic.

"She's gone," James said, "I don't know what happened. One minute she was there, at the front door. The next you-know-who, was staring at her like he knew her. He had said something to her and then he shot the killing curse at her, she disappeared. She's gone; I don't think she's coming back. I'm not sure but I don't think she belonged here."

"I can't believe she's gone," Sirius said cradling his head in his hands, "I just can't believe it." Somehow in all the commotion he had managed to overlook Miah not being around. It hadn't dawned on him till Remus asked about her. How could ha have forgotten about her like that? Had he really been so occupied with finding the traitor among them that he didn't notice his best friend was missing?

"We should be proud of her," James said, "she held her ground and refused to move. I watched as the spell hit her, and I watched her fall. Then she was just gone, I don't think he expected that to happen. I think that had she not been here that Lily and I would be dead. I don't think this is how he planned it at all."

And he hadn't planned it to happen that way; he had planned for the child to be dead.

Soon after every thing was over James and Lily took harry away, out of the country to a peaceful little town in Ireland. James being rich as he was didn't really need a job; but Lily thought him sitting around wasn't such a good idea. So he applied for a job as a flying instructor at an establishment that taught magical children before they were old enough to go to Hogwarts. Lily worked at the orphan home as a nurse and a confidant allowing Harry to have interaction with other children his age.

Sirius while he visited frequently he stayed at the Ministry as an Auror. He was frequently throwing himself into his work to avoid being alone. Some days Sirius, would sit with Remus on the couch drinking bewhisker while trying to forget about the pain. You see they had never told Remus that Miah had been pregnant. Lily thought it would be to much of a heart break for him. To know that not only the love of your life disappeared but your child as well. That wasn't something he wanted to see his friend suffer through. Sirius was having a hard enough time dealing with the pain of Miah being gone.

x.X.x.

(Here is where it gets tricky. I want to put this next part in as a sort of filler; but it will come in handy later in the story. And I realize it's a bit confusing and I'm sorry... well not really. Yes I'm still working on grammar and other things but I wanted to change the name of who Hermione was reincarnated from so the story wouldn't seem so forced...make sense? No? Doesn't to me either lol.)

20 months previous to the fall of the dark lord. (I'm just now realizing that my time line was off. But I'm not about to go off and change it I've already got the next 3.5 chapters written. (I'm editing and I still don't feel like changing it...)...)

It was January third 1980 and Author Weasley was on his way home from work at the ministry. He had to stop in Diagon alley to pick up something for Molly. Now on his way into Diagon alley he came across a small bundle, the child looked to be no more than 3 months old. There was a small bag, next to the basket that held the child and there was a note. It read:

Dear whom ever finds this child,

I am no longer able to take care of the girl. I know this is the entrance to your magical world, for her mother had magic. The child's name is Hermione Granger; she is my sister's child. Both of the child's parents passed away.

Thank you

Mr. Weasley picked hurriedly stuffed the note into the side pocket of the bag, and picked the child up. It was cold outside and there was no telling how long the child had been exposed to the frigid January air. Although she was bundled in a couple of blankets, wore a hat, she had still found a way to free her hands from the bundling blanket. He walked quickly into the leaky cauldron, "Tom," Mr. Weasley said placing the child's basket on the counter, "did you see anyone outside acting suspicious?"

"No," Tom said, "why what's the matter?"

"I found a child out by the entrance to Diagon alley," Mr. Weasley said, "oh no matter I'll just take her home, for the night. Molly will know what to do; I'll have to report this to the ministry."

"No doubt they'll want to send her to the home for magical orphans," Tom said, "I hear it's not such a bad place."

"Yes," Mr. Weasley said, "but I think the youngest child is four. I've no idea if they have the facilities to handle a child this small. She's can't be older than 3 months."

"She's absolutely darling," Tom said, "you best be off, I imagine Molly wanted you to pick something up before heading home, you best not forget it."

"No I best not," Mr. Weasley said, "she'd have my head."

"Perhaps it would be better if you let me look after the child while you go," Tom said, "don't worry I'll make sure no harm comes to her."

"Thank you," Mr. Weasley said.

Tom sat with the child; she fell asleep shortly after Mr. Weasley left. She was a tad warm to the touch and her face scrunched up while she slept. She had a full head of brown curls, no more than an inch and a half long. Her hair seemed to be a chocolate brown with golden flecks. She really was a beautiful baby. Why anyone would not want to take care of such a child was beyond him; but she would no doubt find the children's home a wonderful place to stay. It was just a matter of what to do with her in the mean time.

Mr. Weasley hadn't been gone more than 45 minutes. The scene he saw upon the entry to the leaky cauldron was a memorable one. It seems that several patrons had entered the bar since he had left and not one seemed to be interested in buying a drink. No, they all wanted to know whose beautiful child it was that Tom was looking after.

There was a face or two that Mr. Weasley recognized, but no one who he supped with regularly. Mr. Lovegood was standing behind Tom looking over his shoulder at the child. When Mr. Weasley went to ask about what was going on, everyone quietly shushed at him to be quiet lest he wake her. Mr. Weasley couldn't help but smile to himself, she'd been in the magical world less than an hour and already she was causing a commotion.

"Excuse me," Mr. Weasley said in a low whisper, "I need to be heading off. Perhaps Tom the next time you need a diversion I'll bring her back with me and you can use her to sober up this lot."

Tom and some of the patrons that were close enough to hear chuckled, "the distraction would be welcome I believe," Tom said.

"Weasley you mean to say that this tiny chocolate haired child is yours?" Amos Diggery asked in a hushed tone, "I thought all yours were at home with the misses."

"They are," Mr. Weasley said in a hushed tone, "this little one was found left at the entrance to Diagon alley. I'm taking her home tonight, I'll have to file with the ministry Tomorrow and see what arrangements can be made."

"They just left her at the entrance?" Mr. Lovegood said in a stunned voice, "was there a note?"

"Yes," Mr. Weasley replied, before taking the not out of the childs basket and handing it to him.

Moments later the child in the basket let out a squeak and started to squirm.

"You best be getting the little one home," Tom said, "be sure to let me know how it all turns out won't you?"

"Of course Tom," Mr. Weasley said, "come along child," he said as he picked up the basket and the bag with her belongings, "lets away."

Mr. Diggery looked at Tom, "what was the child's name?" He asked.

"He didn't say," Tom said.

"Doesn't matter," Mr. Diggery said, "I'm sure I'll hear about it Tomorrow." He then sat at the bar and had a glass of Firewhisky

Back with at the Weasley's, Arthur entered his home slightly later than what Molly had expected. She was about to yell at him but was stopped by the suspicious looking bundle that lay in the basked he held in his hand.

"What is it you have there dear?" She asked approaching to see what it was. Upon seeing the small child in the basked she cooed immediately, "and who is this?"

"I found her," Arthur said, "she was left at the entrance to Diagon alley."

"My goodness," Molly said, "we can't keep her Arthur, as much as I would like to."

"I know Molly," Arthur said, "I'll have to take her with me to the ministry Tomorrow to get everything sorted out. But for tonight you can pretend you've the daughter that you've always wanted."

"Oh Arthur," Molly said, hugging him to her, "one day, just you watch, we'll get a little girl. Even if we have to keep producing boys to get one."

"And after you get your girl Molly, what will happen to the rest of us males?" Arthur asked in a mocked hurt voice.

"You'll still be my boys," Molly said, "and I shall love you all forever, but life would be a tiny bit easier if I had just one little girl to dote on, and pretty up."

"Well for now, you can practice on this little angel," Arthur said, "which I think needs her nappy changed."

"You watch the little one's dear I'll get this little angel changed," Molly said, "boys your father is home."

"Daddy," a four year old Percy ran and lunged for his ankles, "missed you."

"And I missed you," Arthur said picking up the child, "were you good for your mother today?"

"'es," the child exclaimed, hugging his father. Arthur looked at bill and Charley who were 9 and 7, and asked, "was he?"

"He was good to a point," bill said, "the twins on the other hand were a bit of a handful."

"Thank you for helping your mother," Arthur said, " your mother is due again in a couple of months and I would like it if you could help her as much as you can during the day."

"Don't worry," bill said, "me and Charley got it covered. We've been trying to keep Percy occupied while mum tends to the twins, and I can help change nappy's if needed, mum's been teaching me."

"That's good of you my boy," Arthur said, "here's your mom now."

"Who is that she's carrying?" Bill asked, "that not Fred or George."

"No that's a little girl that's going to spend the night," Arthur said, "she lost her mum and dad. I'm taking her with me to the ministry Tomorrow to see if the orphanage can take her."

"Oh," bill said, "she's so small, she's even smaller than the twins."

"Can you take her dear?" Molly asked, Arthur, "I have to finish dinner."

"Sure," Arthur said, "everything alright?"

"She's a tiny little thing," Molly said, "I had to shrink some one of the outfits in her bag. Who ever did the shopping for her didn't realize she's small for her age. Also she had a tiny little bit of a fever, we'll want to keep an eye on her tonight if it worsens we'll have to floo the doctor. How long was she outside for?"

"I don't know," Arthur said, "I not even quite sure how old she is."

"Well the ministry will knowif she of magical blood," Molly said, "That kind of thing shows in the records automatically."

"Good to know dear," Arthur said, "maybe you should start working and I'll stay home with the kids."

Molly could tell he was joking and laughed at his comment."I can see it now you would floo me at work half an hour in begging me to come home a allow you to go back to work. If chasing after Percy didn't kill you, then dealing with the twins when they both need to be changed at the same time and also eat at the same time. You'd quit inside an hour."

"Your probably right," Arthur said, "plus we'll have another little one to introduce into the fray here in a couple of months."

"Yes there is that," she said looking over her shoulder at him, "what are the chances that the magical orphanage can take care of a child as small as her, usually they don't interfere until a child is 4 or 5?"

"I don't rightly know Molly," Arthur said, "the ministry would probably pay for someone to care for her until she is of the age to be taken in by the orphanage."

"Perhaps, if it comes to that they would allow us to keep her?" Molly asked, "I can see you've already become attached to her, Charlie looks like he's fallen in love with the little angel."

"Do you really think you could give her up after having her here for 4 possibly 5 years?" Arthur asked.

"I imagine it would be quite hard," Molly said, "but if she's magical she'll attend Hogwarts, with some of the boys, I'm sure they'll become friends. She can possibly come over for during the holidays and for part of the summer. She deserves to be taken care of in her first years by someone who will cherish her. I can't imagine someone like the Malfoy's or the blacks taking care of a child for the first five years."

"No I can't see anyone taking care of her like we could," Arthur said, "sure we can't afford a lot, but she would be loved."

"Why don't you call Charley and bill, in for dinner," Molly said, "I'll retrieve Percy."

"Yes madam," Arthur said with a mock muggle military salute before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Arthur was a big fan of anything and everything muggle he could come across, and the muggle military was one of the first things he learned about. They had weapons that made the Wizarding community look like they were still in the dark ages.

Arthur took the little girl with him to retrieve bill and Charley, they were trying to play a game of rewarding chess, but it looked like they were just putting their pieces in harm's way so that they could see them get smashed to smithereens

"Boys, dinner is ready," Arthur said, "come and eat." "were coming," they said.

Believe it or not but Arthur was starting to become a little attached to the little girl in his arms. He put her back into her basket and set her on a chair next to him, so he could keep an eye on her. She was smacking her lips as she watched him eat.

"I think she may be hungry Molly," Arthur said.

"Oh right," Molly said, "I forgot about her bottle." Molly summoned the pre-made bottle from the counter and handed it to Arthur.

Molly watched as Arthur struggled to eat and feed the child at the same time. It was all she could do to stifle a laugh. She finished eating and saw to her boys. When they were cleaned up and put in the safe play area in the living room, she stood and took the baby so that Arthur could eat.

"Here I'm finished," Molly said, "you eat I'll see to the little darling."

"We should probably start calling her by her name," Arthur said, "but Hermione is a bit long for a baby."

"We could call her Mi," bill said.

"Alright Hermione," Molly said, tucking a little cloth under the girls chin, "we are going to start calling you Mi."

When the child cooed and reached out for Molly, she took it as a sign that she liked the shortened form of her name.