As the music died, I stared out at the crowd of people staring back at me. I waited for a response. Without warning, they rose to their feet in eruption of cheering and applause and a surprising whistle from Malfoy. All the teachers and Dumbledore were in tears. Madam Maxime and Karkarooff were in tears as well although Karkaroff tried to hide it.
Still applauding with the crowd, Harry joined me where I stood. Tears were gleaming in his eyes as he pulled me into his arms.
"Hermione, that was unbelievable!"
As Harry held me I had an uneasy feeling that someone, besides the crowd was watching me. I carefully looked around but couldn't find anyone out of the ordinary.
"Hermione, why didn't you tell me you wrote songs and you could sing?"
"I don't know."
"Did Cedric know you could sing?" Harry asked.
I shook my head. "But, he showed me that he could."
"Cedric could sing?" Harry asked. "I didn't know that."
"He could," said Cho, as she joined us, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist. "He had the voice of an angel."
I nodded, tears prickling my eyes. "He did," I agreed, my voice breaking. "He never had the chance to hear me."
"You really miss him, don't you?" Harry asked.
I nodded again. "It's harder than I thought it would be."
"I'm so sorry, Hermione," said Harry suddenly. "I should have never…" He stopped, looking uncomfortable.
"You have never what, Harry?" I asked.
He said nothing.
"Harry?" Cho asked suspiciously.
"It's nothing," he said. "Nothing important."
I sniffed. Dumbledore tapped me on the shoulder and offered me a handkerchief, smiling I took it and wiped my eyes.
"Miss Granger, why don't you go out to the Entrance Hall for some air," he suggested with one his kind smiles. "I have feeling there may be something there to cheer up."
I stared at Dumbledore confused, then I looked over at Harry who shrugged his shoulders looking just as confused as I was.
I started walking down the aisle, wiping my eyes again and ignoring the continuous stares that followed me as I left the Great Hall. I stopped once I was in the Entrance Hall.
"Hello, Hermione," Paige greeted, holding Ciara in her arms. She was wrapped in the Weasley blanket.
"Paige, what are you doing here?" I asked, coming up to her.
"Ciara's been fussy and I can't seem to calm her down," Paige explained.
"Why? Is something wrong?" I asked, taking Ciara into my arms and peering into the blanket. Ciara was sleeping peacefully, her mouth slightly open with her thumb close to it. "She's sleeping."
Paige gave me an innocent smile. "Okay, so I lied. I brought her here because I thought you could use some extra cheering up."
I smiled pulled Paige into a one-arm hug, holding Ciara securely in the other. "Thank you," I said as I let go. Ciara made a tiny moan and wiggled in her blanket but didn't open her eyes.
"This must be your daughter that you told us about."
I turned to see Dumbledore coming towards me with almost the whole crowd behind him. Harry, Ron, Neville, Cho, Ginny, and Luna came to circle around me.
"Yes, sir," I said, smiling down at Ciara. "Would you like to hold her?"
"It would be an honor," smiled Dumbledore. As I placed Ciara into his arms she once again, made a tiny moan that turned into a cry, but she still didn't open her eyes.
"Oh, it's okay, baby," I cooed.
"Oh, Miss Granger, she is beautiful," Professor McGonagall commented as she stared at Ciara over Dumbledore's shoulder. "A real jewel."
"Thank you," I smiled.
"She's has Mr. Diggory's eyes," Professor Spout commented, as Ciara opened her eyes for a brief second while she yawned and then closed them again.
"She's has more than just his eyes," said Dumbledore.
Ciara began to whimper again. When she opened her eyes, she began to cry.
"I think she wants her mother," Dumbledore smiled passing Ciara to me.
"I think she needs to be changed," I smiled back.
"Do you need some help?" Harry asked as I headed up the stairs.
"No, Harry, I'm fine."
I came to the hall where the Room of Requirement was found. When I opened the door, the room was filled with everything I needed. I headed for the changing table. It had a stack of diapers and wipes on the end.
After I changed her diaper, I noticed there was a new set of baby clothes in the rack under the table. I chose a soft pink, full body pajama. After I got her dressed, I noticed a large diaper bag next to the changing table. There was a baby car seat next to it. The car seat was light pink with a flowery pattern in dark brown. I carefully placed Ciara in the car seat and filled the bag with what I needed before heading out.
Later that night, I awoke to Ciara crying. I moaned as I sat up in bed. This must have been what my mother kept telling me about when I was younger. She said I would never let her sleep. I pulled my bed curtains open and I could hear my roommates groaning and moaning with tiredness.
"Hermione, can't you quiet your baby down?" Lavender asked as I slipped out of bed and headed for the bassinet.
"Yeah, I'm trying to sleep," Parvati moaned as I scooped Ciara into my arms.
"Then put silencing charms around your beds!" Ginny suggested angrily as she joined me.
"Sorry, guys," I apologized as I grabbed the diaper bag I headed out the door with Ginny at my heels.
"Just ignore them, Hermione," she said as we headed down the stairs to the Common Room.
I sat down on the couch in front of the fire and pulled Ciara's feeding blanket from the diaper bag.
I was surprised to find that Ciara was still fussy after her feeding, instead of falling asleep.
"Why isn't she falling asleep?" I asked as I gently rocked her while I tried to stifle a yawn. "What am I doing wrong?"
"You're not doing anything wrong," Ginny assured me. "You're just tired. Do you want me to try to get her to sleep?" she offered.
"You can try," I said, slipping Ciara into Ginny's open arms. She still cried, but it slowly faded into whimpers.
"What if I can't handle this?" I asked as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes with my fingers and thumb.
"I know you can," said Ginny as I laid my head back on the couch. "And you know we'll be here to help you."
I nodded slowly as sleep overtook me.
