A baby was crying in the middle of the woods. Lily didn't know what to make of it, but her motherly instincts kicked in, and she went in search for the baby, her own worries forgotten, if only for a moment. How Peter is dead, Sirius a traitor, and Remus who knows where, and James misery over his group falling apart, Lily stopped thinking. For only than.

If not for sheer luck, she and her husband and possibly her year old child, wouldn't be here. Thanks to Sirius, a former friend of Lily, but especially James's friend.

Lily was only in the woods to clear her head from the madness that had occured. She wondered how they had survived You-Know-Who. It's a miracle to say the least. But they wouldn't have needed a miracle if their ex-secret keeper hadn't betrayed them. How he knew where they were, Lily would never know, for it was Peter, who took Sirius's place as the Potters' keeper, but in the end, it didn't matter.

Lily took a deep breath, wanting to forget all of the treacherous things that had happened. Lily sped up when the baby's crying only worsened.

"Oh, heavens," Lily whispered to herself as she came upon a little bundle, a baby wrapped inside. The baby seemed warm, even in the night on the forest ground. Lily looked around, wondering where the parents may be.

Lily bent down to look at the baby. Her green eyes met the baby's brown ones, and for a moment, the baby stopped crying, staring at the redhead who was bent over her.

The baby was clearly a girl, and she seemed a few months older than Lily's own son, so the little girl must be at least one. But what was she doing here?

Lily noticed gold and she undid the baby's protective blanket, only for a second. Hermione. A necklace ajourned with letters, lied there under the bundle, not exactly around her neck. There seemed to have been some paper, too, so Lily picked it up.

The baby made goo goo noises, which absolutely melted Lily's heart. She stared at the baby for a few seconds more before gazing at the paper in her hand.

A birth certificate. Lily wondered how it was in the baby's possession, and where exactly where her parents were, but Lily came to a blank.

On the birth certificate started the baby's - Hermione, Lily thought - birthday, and parents, among other things.

Her full name: Hermione Jean Granger. Her birthday: September 19, 1979, making her eleven months older than Harry... Which means she's almost two. Lily thought Hermione was too big to be a one year old, and this explains it.

Hermione began crying once again, and Lily gently picked her up and cuddled her. "There, there, 'Mione. Lily's got you," she mummered. Hermione stopped crying with Lily's soothing voice. Lily went on, "Where are your parents?" Lily knew Hermione wouldn't have the slightest clue, she is only a one year old - almost two years old, after all.

"Mummy," Hermione said. Of course she could talk - not like an older person, but still. Hermione was at the age where she could talk somewhat. Just not very well.

Lily's heart broke for the young girl. "Your mummy is..." She didn't finish her train of thought, since Hermione closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Lily couldn't leave her all alone, so with only a slight hesitation, she made her decision.

"Are you out of your mind?" James whispered in a demanding tone, not wanting to disturb a sleeping Harry and Hermione, who nestled beside Harry in his crib.

Lily stared at him. "No, James," she said in a calm tone. "I couldn't leave her. She was all alone. Abandoned. What did you want me to do? Leave her?"

James sighed, not knowing how to answer his wife's question. "I... I only meant, maybe she could go somewhere else. With her own kind."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "Muggles, you mean? So what if she is one? It wouldn't be no different than raising a squib, and you know it!"

"It's not safe for her," James said. "Not with Vol--"

"Don't say his name!" Lily all but screamed. "Jeez, James, stop being so reckless. After all these years--"

There was crying from Harry's crib. Two sets of babies crying, that is. James gave Lily a pointed look, and Lily went to go calm Harry and Hermione down.

James was left to pounder over things. What was his wife thinking, taking in a muggle child?

When the crying had ceased, Lily returned, ready to continue their arguement. "Don't you want a daughter, James?" she questioned.

"We could always get a little busy if you know what I mean--"

"The Weasleys have six sons and no daughters," Lily said. "Don't make it sound so easy. You don't always get what you want."

"Do you really want to keep Harmony?" James questioned.

"Hermione," Lily corrected, glaring at James. "Get the name right. And yes, I honestly do."

There was a knock on the door and James, with one last look at his wife, went to go open it. He returned with Dumbledore.

"Sir," Lily said, "what are you doing here? Is it about You-Know-Who, because we've got--"

Dumbledore smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. "On the contrary Mrs. Potter, it is about Voldermort. He has been defeated."

"Woah, really?" James asked. "Wait, how?"

"Thanks to a certain muggle baby."

Lily glanced at a confused James before they both said, "How though?"

Dumbledore didn't answer that question. Instead he said, "This muggle is in your possession, I believe."

"Wait, Hermione?" Lily said. "How did you know?"

"I have my ways, Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore said. "The child has no family, not anymore."

"That's sad," James said. "Do you want her, or...? We were just about to get rid of her."

"James!" Lily scolded. She faced Dumbledore. "Do you think... Would it be possible... If we raised Hermione?"

"I think that's a fine idea, Mrs. Potter."

"Wait, what?" James questioned. "But we can't--"

"Shut up, James," Lily told him.

"Then it is settled," Dumbledore said, "Hermione shall be placed under your care."

Seeing as Hermione was a muggle, Lily thought it was fit if they moved, where they would be in between the wizard community and the muggle community.

They lived in peace for ten years, as muggles or wizards, whichever they needed to be. Hermione wasn't to know about wizards, so she was kept in the dark.

Until the day Hermione received her very own Hogwarts letter, which came as a huge shock to not just her, but to her new family, as well.