Slowly turning towards the voice, Hermione caught sight of Andromeda stumbling towards her. Obviously, the witch had drank more than her share of drinks. Hermione forced a smile to grace her lips. "Yes, you do."

The dark-haired witch reached Hermione and grasped her scarf in her hands before bringing her finger to her lips. "Shhhh, can't tell you who you are." The witch was attempting to whisper, but Hermione was sure that anyone listening could hear the drunken witch.

Hermione gently grabbed the elder witch's arm and directed her to the front entrance. Once outside, she turned back to the grinning witch. "What are you doing here?"

Andromeda blinked a few times as she took in the witch's frustrated expression. "I...you never came back." She began toying with the loose threads at the end of Hermione's scarf. "I thought you'd come."

Hermione's expression softened considerably. Had she been wrong to stay away? "I was thinking about visiting. It has been busy at the bookstore." She hated how feeble the excuse was, but she did not have anything else. Her entire life revolved around the shop.

Andromeda's head bobbed up and down for a moment before she pinned Hermione with her stare. "Books. You weren't there. He said you ate at the pub. You weren't there."

Hermione sighed and ran a hand through her straight black hair. "I went to my apartment first."

Saying that was a mistake. "Your apartment? Can I see it?" The excitement in Andromeda's eyes was taxing Hermione's patience.

"Andy, I need to get back to work. My lunch is almost over." She took in the state of the witch, noticing how glassy her eyes were. "Will you be alright to floo home?"

Andromeda barely nodded. "I'll apparate home."

The elder witch looked ready to turn on the spot, and Hermione threw her hands up in exasperation. She could not let her apparate in this state. "I'll show you my apartment. Come with me." She trusted that the inebriated witch would not remember the way, so she grasped her arm and began to lead the way. "We must stop at the bookstore for a moment. I need to speak with Barold." She felt terrible for leaving him short handed, but she didn't have much of a choice. Andromeda's safety was more important.

Upon reaching the bookstore, Hermione instructed Andromeda to sit on a bench outside. The elder witch argued but eventually gave in, kicking pebbles with the toe of her boot as she hummed quietly to herself.

It only took what felt like a moment for Hermione to rejoin her. She allowed the younger witch to help her to her feet. The pair then navigated to Hermione's personal hole in the wall.

"Wow." Andromeda drew the syllable out, letting it fill the room. "It's small."

Hermione chuckled at the witch's firewhiskey-induced candor. "It's big enough to suit me. I don't need anything larger than this. It's just me."

Andromeda's eyes took in every nook and cranny of the room. It didn't take long to scan across the immaculately made bed with a navy bedspread, the two bookshelves serving dual purposes as nightstands, the mini fridge covered in magnets with muggle photos, the too-small sink, and the closed door that presumably led to an even smaller washroom. "It's lonely in here."

Hermione huffed in annoyance. "If all you're going to do is pick on my home, I'm taking you back to yours." She hastily crossed her arms over her chest.

Andromeda's eyes darted to the younger witch. "I didn't mean anything. It's just quiet." She allowed her eyes to scan the room again, lingering on the photographs on the fridge. "My house is quiet, too. I don't like it."

Hermione could assume that Andromeda's dislike for silence stemmed from her grief. She missed the bustle of her family.

That was understandable to Hermione. If she considered that side of the scenario, she would be forced to admit that she also missed the busy ruckus that comes from living with other people. Hermione lived with rowdy Gryffindors for seven years of her life. The chaos was home to her, but she did not want that home anymore. It no longer catered to her needs. "I prefer the silence. It gives me time to think." And avoid human interaction. Which she would rather be doing now, but that did not seem to be an option.

The elder witch found her eyes lingering on the grinning photograph of her daughter. Her bright emerald eyes shone in the still photo. Her short magenta hair was spiked and pointed in every direction. She appeared to be laughing at something, but Andromeda could only imagine what that might have been.

Before Andromeda pulled her eyes away from the photograph, Hermione turned toward the fridge. A small smile graced her lips as she turned back to the older woman. "She had the best smile regardless of the face she wore."

Andromeda's head bobbed in acknowledgment as she slowly met the young girl's gaze. "She really did. It can still light up the room, even when she isn't here."

Hermione placed a hand over her chest, subconsciously attempting to soften the pain that threatened to overwhelm her. She managed to force out, "I have more pictures of her. I can show you if you would like."

Andromeda nodded vigorously before silently kicking herself for the sudden movement. "I would love to see any pictures you want to show me." She knew that Hermione did not have to share any aspect of her life, so she was entirely grateful.

It was an olive branch, and Hermione knew it. She was offended by Andromeda's statements, but she also understood that the older woman was hurting. Additionally, the woman had already been kind to Hermione by offering to let her come visit Teddy in secret. It was only right that she made a gesture in return. "There are quite a few pictures. Did you want to look at them here?"

It was only in that moment that Hermione began to feel ashamed of her living space. There was nowhere to sit but the bed, and Andromeda had already stated that she was uncomfortable in the small area. "We can go back to your home if you would like. I can apparate us there so that you do not have to worry about splinching yourself." Although Andromeda looked more steady than she did in the pub, Hermione knew that she was still too intoxicated to adequately control an apparition without potentially hurting herself. Hermione also wondered if the witch was still more intoxicated than she appeared and was merely appearing more steady due to the sobering effects of their conversation.

Andromeda followed Hermione's lead and glanced around the single room again. "It might be better to go back to my home. I will have to retrieve Teddy in a few hours, and I should probably take a sobering potion before then."

Hermione grinned then, thinking of the small boy. She was not sure if it was appropriate to ask, but she forced herself to push forward. "Do you think it would be alright if I stayed long enough to see him for a little while? I really do miss him." She could not face the boys. Or the Weasleys. Or Minerva. She couldn't look any of the adults in the eye, but she felt strangely comforted by a small child.

Andromeda's eyes shone as she forced herself not to squeal in delight. "Of course, you can stay. When I'm feeling a little less topsy turvy, I'll make us some dinner, and we can catch up during a normal hour. How's that sound?"

The younger witch raised an eyebrow at the excitable woman. She just did not take no for an answer, did she? Deciding not to answer for the moment, Hermione grabbed her beaded bag and began to retrieve what she needed.

First, she pulled a rucksack from the bag and placed it on the bed. "Accio books." She gestured at the small stack of new books from Barold and grinned as they flew towards her. She set two of the books to the side before placing the third book into the empty sack. Reaching back into the beaded bag, she found a shoe box. Without opening the box, she placed it into the backpack.

Andromeda watched as Hermione then conjured clothing and placed it into the sack. She was sure that the girl was merely being cautious. A year on the run had likely turned her into a sort of doomsday prepper.

If she brought a change of clothing, however, it would be easier to convince her to spend the night again.

When Hermione finally pulled the drawstring on the bag and cinched it shut, she looked to the older witch expectantly. "I take it you're ready to go?"

Andromeda bobbed her head before grasping the arm held out for her.

With a twist, they both disappeared with a pop.