September 17th 2005 PT2

Bill had pulled Charlie into a hug and held him as his body shook with the agony of having a son that he had never known. He cried for what felt like hours before pulling away and turning to his sister.

"She really did write to you, Charlie," she said sadly, shaking her head, "when you didn't write back she assumed what she already thought to be true, that you loved your dragons and didn't want to give them up, even for a child."

"But I would!" He cried, "if I'd have known…"

"Right now," Bill said gravely, "all that matters is the fact that you didn't know what Hermione thought you did, and she needs to know that. Gin?"

"Already on it!" She called as she stepped into the floo and disappeared.

"Where were you at the turn of the century, Char?" Bill asked and Charlie frowned, thinking.

"Uh… field expedition in… Japan? I wasn't on the reserve. All our mail goes directly there." Charlie muttered and Bill nodded.

"Ok…. How long were you in Japan?" He asked importantly and Charlie thought again before answering.

"Two weeks, I think? We came back about a week into the new year?" Charlie supplied before his eyes widened, "Bill, when did Hermione send this letter?"

"Two days before new years eve, 1999, why?" Bill asked, frowning when he heard Charlie groan brokenly.

"I wasn't there!" Charlie gasped, "after a week all unopened mail is sent back to where it's sent from! And I wasn't there! Oh fuck…"

"You really had no idea about him?" He asked and Charlie shook his head, gulping.

"What's my son's name, Bill?" Charlie whimpered and Bill smiled gently at him

"She named him after dad, mate. Your son's name is Arthur."

For the second time that night, Charlie's body was wracked with sobs as his face fell into his hands.

xxxxxxxxxx

Ginny walked out of the floo in Hermione's flat to find it completely silent and dark. She frowned as she flicked her wand and threw a ball of light to the ceiling, showing her to room. She gasped when she found a tear stained and exhausted Hermione asleep on the sofa. Deciding to deal with that in a minute, she crossed the flat and opened the door to Arty's room, finding him sniffling to himself in bed.

"Hey darling," She smiled sadly, gathering him into her arms, "it's ok."

"Auntie Ginny? Who was that man?" He asked, sniffling and she gulped around the lump on her throat as she stroked his hair.

"You'll meet that man properly very soon, ok? But for now I need you to be a very good boy and go to sleep for me, can you do that?" She asked and Arty nodded, laying down and snuggling into his covers

"Is mummy ok?" He asked quietly, "She was crying when we got home and she didn't read me a story. Is she upset because of me?"

"No love," Ginny sighed, "your mummy… she's just a bit scared right now, but we can make her feel better by being the big brave boy we both know you can be, ok?"

"Ok," he nodded determinedly, "Auntie Ginny? Can you read me a story?"

"Of course I can, love."

Ten minutes later and not even halfway through his story, Arty was fast asleep and snoring peacefully. Ginny had tucked him in and given him an extra strong kiss goodnight before coming out of his room and casting a one way silencing charm on his door so that they would hear him coming but he absolutely wouldn't hear whatever was about to happen.

"Hermione," she hissed as she shook her friend roughly, who glared at her and sat up, "don't talk, just listen, got it? I mean it or I will silence you."

"Fine." She spat and Ginny sighed.

"Charlie never got your letter," she said urgently, "he had no idea until tonight that he had a child."

"Oh is that the bullshit he's feeding you?" Hermione snorted and Ginny flicked her wand, silencing her friend.

"I'm sorry, but I did warn you," she snapped as Hermione sent a death glare at the red head, "He is telling the truth, Hermione. He almost threw up when he found out and he cried when the truth sank in. I am telling you right now that he had no idea about Arty."

Hermione gasped silently at her, smacking her hand over her mouth in shock. Ginny lifted the silencing charm and Hermione cleared her throat.

"How is that possible?" She whispered, frowning deeply and Ginny shrugged.

"I don't know, Hermione, you'll have to ask him. Will you talk to him? Please?"

There were not many time in her life that Hermione had been rendered baffled by information handed to her, but now was one of this times. Could Charlie really have not known about Arty for all this time? Had he been living without the knowledge that they had a son? It would explain why she had never heard back from him, at the very least. Figuring that her son deserved to know the truth, regardless of how unbelievable it might seem, she nodded.

"I'm not saying I believe him," she told a grinning Ginny, "but I owe it to Arty to hear what he has to say. I don't want him meeting Arty until I'm sure he's going to stick around, we need to meet on neutral ground and it will be tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok," Ginny breathed, "I'm going to go and give him your terms, I suggest Grimmauld Place? Me and James can come here to look after Arty while you're there if you want. 11o'clock?"

"Gin? Why aren't your family beating down my door? Surely they heard?" Hermione asked as she nodded.

"Uh, well…" Ginny muttered, her face going bright red, "I might had confunded them just a little. See you tomorrow!"

Hermione burst out laughing and collapsed back onto the sofa as Ginny left via the floo and the laughter faded, morphing into a confused frown. None of this seemed real, these things just didn't happen in real life. She wondered briefly how Charlie had reacted to finding out he had a son, if he was to be believed, for the first time. Was he happy? Was he disappointed? She supposed she would find out tomorrow.

She slowly got up from the sofa and crossed to Arty's room, slowly pushing open the door and wincing when it creaked and she saw her son shift in bed.

"Mummy?" Came a small, tired voice and Hermione smiled as she walked over to his bed, sitting down on the side.

"Hello my little love," she said, stroking his hair, "Mummy didn't mean to wake you."

"Are you still upset mummy?" Arty asked and she nodded.

"A little," she smiled softly, "but I'm definitely not upset with you. Mummy will be ok, promise. I love you, you know?"

"I love you too mummy." Arty said as he laid his closed his eyes again.

Hermione pressed a kiss to his temple and quietly left his room, shutting the door behind her. Her mind was filled with anxiety over what was to come tomorrow as she got ready for bed, but despite it all she fell asleep quickly, exhausted by the emotions of the day.