Someone asked me in comments recently why I don't have many Sirmione stories. That's because I come up with odd stuff like this... What's your take? lol
Summary: It was an odd circumstance, to say the least. Hermione Granger wakes five years after the war to a baby crying outside her door. The note was as unusual as the circumstance, but apparently, the child is hers. Worse yet, the person that claims to have been an older version of herself said the baby was someone near and dear to her heart. Will she tell him? What will happen to her life?
AUish. Sirius is convinced by a stranger to not go to the Hall of Prophecies, thus changing the tides of time. The stranger shows up a few nights before the battle with relevant information for the animagus. They clued them in on everyone at risk in the battle… it was a night that he was able to understand the responsibility of words and actions - which have a lasting effect.
Hermione yawned with an audible sigh as she stretched in bed. It was a decent start to a Saturday, and she got to sleep in a bit. By sleep in, she wasn't up at sunrise. The witch rubbed her face and crawled out of the sheets before running to the restroom. All the while, she was ticking things on her mental to-do list. Shopping. Retrieving cat food and other needs. It was all the bulk of her Saturday's laziness.
It was in her kitchen that she first heard the crying. Crookshanks was weaving between her legs as she prepared tea and meowed with urgency. The small child was wailing nearby, and it disturbed her animal.
"Whatcha think, lovely? The next-door neighbors have a new son?" Hermione questioned as she glanced out her window.
She jumped at the crackle of her fireplace, and Ginny popped through. "Hermione!" She gasped with a smile.
"What?" Hermione huffed while gripping her chest. "You scared me half to death!" She hissed.
"So, I have a question I wanted to ask you," Ginny murmured as she shuffled her shoes. "I'm sorry I frightened you."
"Where's the urgency, Gin?" Hermione asked while steeping her tea in the pot.
Ginny tilted her head while moving toward the breakfast nook. "Do you hear that?"
"Yes, I think my neighbors had their baby," Hermione sighed.
She moved to the table and set down the tray with all of the tea fixings. The witches made their cups before Ginny smirked at her. "How do you feel about a baby?"
"Oh!" Hermione gasped and covered her mouth. "Are you pregnant?"
Ginny stifled her smile and nodded. "I am. We found out yesterday. Harry just went to go tell Sirius and Remus the good news."
Hermione clapped and hollered. "Oh! A wee Potter for all of us to love! Ginny, I'm so happy," Hermione said while hugging the redhead.
"Sirius is going to spit flames of excitement," Ginny laughed.
Hermione tried her best not to roll her eyes while sitting back in her chair. "You could say that."
"I don't understand why you feud so," Ginny grumbled.
"The man is deplorable. Do you know what he said to me the other day? He said I'd be better off taking a holiday because I'm going to age faster."
"He's only looking out for you, Hermione. He tells Harry similar," Ginny sighed.
Hermione sipped her tea with a grimace. "And that I should be dating at my age, and enjoying my youth. Where does he come off trying to command me in my lifestyle?"
"I think you're too sensitive. He's very helpful to Tonks and Remus with Teddy. Maybe he just doesn't want to see you end up lonely? You and Ron have been broken up for three years."
Hermione groaned while waving a hand. "It doesn't matter. He doesn't have to be so, so, bossy."
Ginny laughed while shaking her head. "Sirius? Bossy? Come off it, Hermione. You're just irritated that he looks after you. No one else gives you advice because they know you won't hear it."
"Clearly, Sirius did not get the memo," Hermione moaned. Crookshanks jumped on the table and yowled with definite irritation. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked.
The cat hopped down and scratched at the door. "Maybe he wants to go out?" Ginny questioned.
Hermione knew several things about her furry companion. The first item was that Crookshanks came and went as he pleased. She wasn't sure how the cat would get out of the flat, but he would be gone for two or three days at a time, only to return later. The secondary was that Crookshanks hardly ever asked to have the door opened unless there was a visitor.
The witch went to the door, and then there was a knock. When she opened it, Harry was standing there with a basket in hand - it was crying. "Well, I thought you were doing it the old fashioned way, Harry," Hermione mused as she stepped aside.
"Oh, er, this isn't ours. Hermione, someone left it on your porch," Harry declared over the crying baby.
Hermione bristled as she took the basket with the child in it. "What? Merlin, how long was he out there!" She set the baby on the sofa and pulled it from the basket.
"Merlin's beard, Hermione. That's a real baby! Who would do this?" Ginny gasped as she raced over.
Hermione was rocking the fussy child as she glanced down at the basket. "Harry, have a look at that note."
Harry was still scowling as he retrieved the letter. He opened the seal and read the parchment, but as his eyes ran over line after line, they grew large. His face was nearly white as he finished the letter, handing it to Ginny. "Hermione, you might want to sit down," Harry said.
The curly-haired witch held a pinched expression. "What do you mean?" She asked while rocking the child.
Ginny read the letter and dropped it as she gasped. "Hermione, you should sit down."
Hermione waved them off as the baby started murmuring instead of urgently crying. She reached for the letter and read the first portion of the message.
Dear Hermione,
I apologize ahead of time for what I'm forcing on you. Traveling through time has ruined my health, and the birth of our son has depleted the last of what I had. He's the most important person in your life now. I'm sorry that I won't get to raise him, but you being a younger, vibrant version of myself, I know you'll do a stellar job. After all, I was Hermione Granger at one point in my life.
Hermione couldn't catch her breath as she collapsed to the armchair. Adding formula to the shopping list would be most appropriate now.
Sirius and Remus were sitting at the long table when Harry left to bring over Ginny. They were going to have breakfast and talk over plans for the baby. Nymphadora had Teddy in the garden while the morning was ripe.
"Can you believe it? A Potter baby? Moony, we're the luckiest sods to see his grandchild," Sirius sighed with a wide smirk.
Remus laughed while shaking his head. "No, I can't fathom it, Pads. Harry is going to have a child; it's shocking and wonderful."
Sirius took his teacup off the table and lounged. "To think of all the beauty in the world, wrapped up in a child. It's glorious. First, your son and now the next generation."
"It's pleasant to put ghosts to rest," Remus sighed.
Sirius scowled with a nod. "Yes, I agree."
Remus pursed his lips and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Just remember, she wasn't going to stay. I know you're holding out, but you shouldn't. It's time to let it go, Pads."
"I know," Sirius mumbled before draining his cup. "Let's give the boy some cheer when he arrives. It's not every day my godson says he's having a child."
Remus stood up and started preparing the food at the counter. Nymphadora came dashing in with her teal-haired son in tow. "Darling, you should see the remarkable flowers you've grown!" She exclaimed while dancing toward the werewolf.
Remus chuckled and kissed her cheek. "I will after Harry and Ginny get here. We're going to celebrate now, so we don't have to try over the eruption at the Burrow."
"There's blue ones," Teddy said, and his hair changed color. "And red ones," he paused, and his hair turned red. "And even yellow." The boy scowled, but his hair faded to teal.
Nymphadora laughed and ruffled his hair. "Not quite yet, but you're getting so much better, love."
Sirius's back was toward the family, and Remus scowled. He could sense that something was amiss with his marauder. "Why don't you and Teddy go get cleaned up while I cook? I'm sure the Potters will be here shortly."
She kissed his lips while stroking his cheek. "Of course, Remus. Come along, love. Daddy needs to talk to Uncle Sirius."
They disappeared from the kitchen, and Sirius groaned while glancing over. "I'm fine, Moony. Completely chuffed and overwhelmed."
"I know you think of her in all the good moments, but I hope you still remember. She's not here. The witch left before the battle so we could get through it. You told me that yourself."
"I know, but it doesn't take away what she gave me. I know she saved our lives, and I don't even know what she really looked like. The days she spent traveling just to keep those she loved safe. That's true unconditional love, Moony."
Remus paused his task and walked over to his companion, leaning over his shoulder. "I know, but you're only depriving yourself of happiness, Sirius. When is the last time you actually enjoyed someone's company outside of family? It's time to let that go. She wouldn't have done it for you not to enjoy life."
The werewolf was hanging over Sirius's shoulder as the animagus nodded. "Alright," Sirius mumbled. "I'll let it go."
There was a rapping at the window, and both marauders glanced over. Remus scowled and scratched his chin as he stood. "Now, why would Hermione be writing? Do you think she wants to join us?"
Sirius smirked as he watched the werewolf let the owl inside. "It would be nice to see her smiling."
"That witch works harder than anyone I know," Remus sighed as he took the letter. "I hope she does intend to join the festivities," he added while feeding a treat to the barn owl.
"I keep telling her to go and enjoy her life. It falls through the cracks like sand in an hourglass faster than we can grasp," Sirius sighed.
Remus rocked his head as he peeled open the letter. "Oh, it seems there's a change of plans. They can't make it over this morning. Something happened with Hermione."
Sirius stood up and strode over to take the letter. "What? Is she alright?" He questioned.
Marauders,
We have to run to St. Mungo's with Hermione. No, she's not ill. However, this is an emergency and quite difficult to explain through a letter. I'll have more information after the healers can tell where the baby came from.
Harry
They glanced at each other, and their eyes bulged in mirrored shock. "A baby?" Sirius asked.
"Was she pregnant and not tell anyone?" Remus asked but then shook his head. "No, she was thin and very much herself at dinner last week."
"Wait, just a moment, Moony. Why do they have to go to St. Mungo's?"
"You know as much as I do, Pads. It's a mystery to me," Remus sighed.
Nymphadora walked into the room after a clatter in the hallway sounded her near arrival. "Where's Gin? I thought we were having breakfast?"
"We did too until Harry wrote. He has to take Hermione to St. Mungo's. Apparently, there's a child involved," Remus mused.
"Where the baby came from. Cousin, I'm completely baffled," Sirius remarked while handing Nymphadora the letter.
The witch's hair turned bright pink as she gasped. "Do you think Hermione is pregnant too?"
"No, I don't think she is. I think there's an infant in question," Remus voiced.
Sirius scratched his chin and shrugged. "Maybe someone left a child on her doorstep. Wouldn't be the first baby left in a basket in this family."
Remus winced and huffed. "Dark humor isn't going to cloud your concern, Padfoot. Maybe we should go check on them?"
Nymphadora waved a hand before folding the letter. "No, let Hermione figure it out. Remus, she won't ever come over at this rate. She doesn't need Sirius being so overbearing. You keep telling her what to do, and she keeps avoiding us."
"All I said was that she needed to take some bloody time off! Even Molly agrees with me. You know how much of a miracle that is," Sirius groaned.
"Well, by the sounds of things, she might be needing to take some time off. No reason to race off to St. Mungo's if they weren't concerned with who the child's parents are," Remus added with a grimace.
"I happen to enjoy that she will put you in your place. Sometimes you need it," Nymphadora retorted while grinning.
Sirius sneered and straightened his posture. "I'll have you know, that little witch, though bookish and intelligent, has a stubborn will. I've tried to assist her as well as I can."
"Getting Hermione sloshed over Christmas and singing carols doesn't make you best mates," Remus groaned and stepped from the Blacks.
Sirius barked out laughter and exhaled. "Oh, she was magnificent — one of my favorite memories of her. I do miss her," he grumbled.
"Then you need to stop telling her how to live her life," Nymphadora responded. "Remus doesn't tell me how to live mine, and we have a productive relationship."
Remus's cheeks were burning as he cleared his throat. "Dora, she's not his wife, she's Harry's best friend. We do have a bit of responsibility to her."
She flicked her hand out, and it knocked the cooking tools array. "Sorry," she huffed while straightening them. "She's an adult witch and one I respect immensely. Hermione is allowed to be the woman she wants to be, and no one, not even her parents, is allowed to tell her how. Stop trying to smother her and just help her. That's why she likes me best," Nymphadora giggled with a grin.
"Okay, okay, I'll yield. I only want her happiness, cousin. That's why I worry," Sirius sighed.
"Good, then you both won't mind if I skirt off to St. Mungo's and check on her. I want to know what's happening," She said as her hair shifted to green.
Remus twitched his nose and nodded. "Alright, it's best if one of us goes."
Nymphadora skipped over to Remus and kissed him tenderly. "I love you. Please make sure our son eats? I'll be back with a full report on our favorite babysitter soon."
"I thought I was your favorite," Sirius grumbled.
She winked. "I mean a babysitter for the babysitter. Tootles," she declared and paced from the room.
Remus shook his head when the fireplace went off. "I don't know how she does it, but that witch could talk herself out of anything."
Sirius chuckled and shrugged. "It's because you love her, Moony."
"Let's get breakfast on, and we'll wait for word," Remus grumbled as he stood up. "Teddy, come on down for breakfast!" He hollered after poking his head in the hallway.
Breakfast was tame in comparison to what was truly going on… everyone's world was going to alter in a big way.