Fall D3 - Paper
Setting A3 - Ecuador
Shipping B4 - Pub/Bar
Stacked With: SoC; PP; LL; NC; ToS; BAON; FPC; Cluster; MLG; AV; ER; Shower; Fence; Star; SHoE; O3; SN; T3; Mea; TY; Ship War; Ship Bingo; Fall Bingo; Settings Bingo
Individual Challenges: Small Book (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Chef MC; Gryffindor MC; Hufflepuff MC; Magical MC x3 (Yx1); Neurodivergent x2 (Yx2); Rian-Russo Inversion (Y); Ethnic & Present (Y); Disabled (Y); Small Fry (Y); Human Companion; Setting Sail (Y); Hold the Mayo (Y); Zed Era (Y); Old Shoes (Y); Green Acres; Culturally Inclined; Tastebuds; Tell My Story (Y); Go Fluff Yourself; Colors Galore; Adult Activities (Y); Kidder (Y)
Primary & Secondary Challenges: Jet Fuel; Soul-Like; Getting On; Second Verse (Dog Star; Hot Apple; Corvid Brain; Lyre Liar; Rock of Ages; Deadliest Catch; Car in a Tutu; Spinning Plates; Sneeze Weasel; Nontraditional; Found Family; Not a Lamp; Ladylike; Persistence Still); Chorus (Some Beach; Vid Tangent; Tomorrow's Shade; Mouth of Babes; Machismo; Odd Feathers)
Tertiary & Generic Challenges: SHoE (Onus); O3 (Orator; Olivine); SN (Rail; Ameliorate); T3 (Tether); Mea (Ennui); TY (Enfant)
Warnings:
~o0o~
Well, Ecuador wasn't working out. Quito was a nice city, but it just didn't feel right. Cedric gathered his meager belongings and left the hostel he'd been staying in for the past month. He hadn't been in England since the end of the war. He had done his part with the effort, helping cousin Luna and Uncle Phil spread Anti-Death Eater propaganda as well as smuggle out at risk people when he could, but in the end he wanted nothing to do with the country or government that so horribly failed the kids who took part in the Tournament and neglected to do anything about the rising facism.
He made his way to the magic district and went straight to the Portkey office. He knew his way around Portkey offices. They typically had the same set up.
"Hello," he said in Spanish. "Do you have any discount portkeys?"
The clerk checked and nodded. "Yes, yes, we have two that have not been checked in for. One for Kauai, Hawaii, and another for London, England. Which one would you like to take?"
"Kauai, please," he said. Like hell he would pay to go to England again.
"Alright, that leaves in ten minutes," she said and brought out the packet. "Inside you will find your portkey, a sea shell since there is a no litter policy implemented by the local magical center. A map to Kilokilo, which is its own island about ten miles north of Kauai. A pamphlet listing the more important local magical laws, and a wand permit to submit upon arrival. There is also a map of the island itself along with places of note. Do you have any questions?"
"No, thank you," he said. "How much do I owe you?"
She gave him the amount and he handed it over, taking the parcel. He went to the platform just in time for the portkey number to be called. He hurried up and took out the seashell. The attendant counted down and he felt the familiar pull around his middle.
Though it was morning when he left, it was late at night when he landed in the middle of a road. The moon lit up a tall mountain and cast a silver sheen on foliage. Sighing to himself, he set the seashell down, picked a direction, and started walking. If he was caught apparating without a wand permit, he could get in big trouble. Not to mention attempting apparition in an unfamiliar environment could land him in the ocean. Again.
It rained while he walked and he ended up slipping in a puddle. He hated not being able to feel the road beneath these prosthetic feet, but he knew his wheelchair would be even worse in the rain. By the time he made it to a town, the sun had risen and the rain was long gone. He must've looked like hell. He was exhausted, he was hungry. He realized he never picked up his last paycheck before leaving and was silently cursing himself.
Not that they ever paid him on time anyway. That was part of the reason he left.
G-d, he would kill for a cup of coffee.
Searching for someplace open, he inhaled deeply. The air was… cleaner here. The weather was nice, if a little humid. He could stay for a bit. He would just need to find a job. The salty brine of the beach hit his nose and he realized he'd walked to the ocean. The sun catching the water was beautiful.
A flashing "open" sign caught his eye. Manny's Diner and Karaoke Bar. He approached the door and looked at the hours. 6 am - 11pm, every day. A Help Wanted sign was taped up as well. Perfect.
He entered and saw someone moving around by the bar. Upbeat music played over the speakers. In Spanish. Was that the national language here, too? Good thing he was fluent.
The diner was homey. It had wooden furniture, wooden booths, fairy lights along the ceiling, which had been turned off for the morning, a long glossy bar, little jukeboxes on the tables so customers could pick songs when it wasn't time for karaoke, a stage with a deejay booth, and there was the heavenly scent of coffee. The wall behind the bar was full of pictures of the owner and his family, gleaming bottles of alcohol, a large fridge with glass fizzy bottles and a case of tantalizing desserts. The rest of the walls had signed pictures of famous customers.
"I'll be right with you!" a woman's voice called in English. "If you want to have a seat, the counter is open."
"Thanks." He approached the counter and sat down on one of the stools. "Can I have a job application please?"
"Absolutely."
A woman rose up from behind the counter, though her back was to him as she busied getting everything together. She wore a red floral patterned shirt tied in a knot in the back to hug her figure, jean shorts, and yellow work boots. Her thick, coiled afro was slicked back into a puffy ponytail. He couldn't see her face, but he could see a band of tattoos wrapped around her bicep and a small crescent shaped tattoo on her forearm, standing out on her warm brown skin.
"Er… I don't have a lot of money," he admitted. "But I can work for a meal."
"Don't worry about it." She tapped a bulletin board full of slips of paper. "We got a donation system. And if I decide to hire you, all meals are free for employees. Just one more second please."
She took the tray of saltshakers and set it on the end of the counter, then turned on the television above the bar, switching it to a news station.
"Alright." She grabbed one of the donation slips and an application from an accordion folder beneath the counter and turned around. "What can I get for… you… Cedric Diggory?"
He blinked in surprise. "Hermione Granger…"
This was the last place he ever expected to see her. Last he really saw of her was Bill and Fleur's wedding. When he didn't say anything else, she started talking to cover up the silence.
"Customers have the option to buy someone a meal," she said. "We have special days set aside for people to come in for a good meal and company on Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Purim, and Passover. You can choose between three breakfast options or three dinner options. If you need a place to be warm and dry we have a covered patio or you can sit at one of the booths. Just don't sit at those two over there, one is the break table for employees and the other is for our regular, Clarence, and his dog."
Cedric looked at the menu on the slip. Country breakfast, pancakes, waffles for breakfast. Hamburger, chicken tenders, sandwich of choice for lunch or dinner. A pick-two option for fruit, salad, fries, and the side of the day.
"Hi, Mimi!" A haggard man wearing layers much like Cedric was came in with a small, wiry dog.
"Hello, Clarence and Cheddar, too," said Hermione, smiling. She looked at Cedric. "Think about what you want, I'll be right back. Keanu! Clarence is here."
The man in the kitchen set a plate of food and a dog bowl on the window. Hermione brought it over to Clarence and spoke very kindly to him. The old man trembled as he talked and was a little nonsensical, and yet instead of looking down on him like she would have when she was young, Hermione was very kind and responded like she understood everything.
Luna often told Cedric how she thought Hermione Granger could be a little nicer and yet here she was, sweet as can be.
"What would you like to watch today?" she asked, patting Clarence on the shoulder.
"Ellen."
"Ellen?"
"Nah, nah, nah. Price is Right."
"I love the Price is Right." She returned to the counter and switched the channel to the Game Show network. "Alright, Diggory, what would you like to drink?"
"I'll take coffee," he said.
She poured him a mug and placed it in front of him, sliding over the sugar and creamers.
"Why are you here, Granger?" he asked.
She raised an eyebrow. "You first."
He shrugged. "Couldn't stand being home, so I've been on the move since the war ended. I don't normally have trouble with money, I just spent most of my earnings on updating my legs and my last employer didn't pay me. I was feeling stifled so… I moved on. I intend to get a job today somewhere, somehow, I just…"
"Need a good meal and a shower?" she finished.
"Right. Your turn."
"Burned some bridges I shouldn't have," she said. "I came here and my Dad gave me this job."
"I thought… Luna said your parents are dentists," he said.
"That's right. Roger the dentist is my stepdad, Dad and Mum split shortly after I was born. They're still good friends." She rested her arms on the counter. "My dad, Manuia, owns this diner."
"Oh. Is it usually this quiet?"
"It's early," she said. "Breakfast crowd will show up soon enough. And it's September, we're getting into the off-season."
He pulled the application closer and started filling it out.
"What sort of help do you need?" he asked. "I can do it all. Mop, sweep, do dishes, wait tables. I'm also quite the handyman if you need something that needs fixing."
"Well… I'm taking advanced education courses at the Kilokilo Community College," she said. "And I have a larger workload this semester. So, I need someone who can pick up the slack, but also be ready to be on call at a moment's notice."
"I have no life so I'm your man," he said and handed the paper to her. "Once you no longer have use for me, I'd be gone."
She chuckled. "Not quite the usual interview, but you've convinced me. As it stands, I need a jack-of-all-trades. Turn over has been really bad with that role and I'm evidently a nightmare to work under. When can you start?"
"Today."
"Great, I'll train you after you eat."
The door leading to the back swung open, but Cedric couldn't see who until they came around the bar. It was a little girl about five or six. She had brown skin like Hermione's, a million little freckles, and curly red hair that bounced with each step. She climbed into the chair next to his and buried her face in her arms.
Hermione leaned over the counter and kissed the top of her head.
"Can I have waffles, Mama?" the girl mumbled.
Mama?!
"Absolutely," she said.
"Waffles," said Cedric, trying to kick his brain into gear. "Waffles sound excellent. Er, however you recommend them."
"Two orders of Rosie's Waffles," said Hermione, jotting down the order and sticking it to the back window. "Rose, this is an old schoolmate of mine, Cedric Diggory. Diggory, this is my daughter, Rose."
"Pleasure to meet you," he said, holding out his hand.
Rose shook it, glanced at his metal legs, then looked back up at him.
"You have dirt on your nose."
He took a napkin out of the dispenser and swiped at it. "I fell into a puddle this morning."
"That's silly. Is it because of your legs? What happened to them?"
Hermione's eyes widened and she looked ready to intervene. He didn't think she'd appreciate him telling Rose that his legs were bitten off above the knee by a massive man-eating plant in a Tournament that had been rigged to kill him and two of his friends so Harry Potter could be kidnapped for use in a ritual.
"Because… I didn't eat my green vegetables," he said and leaned in looking stern. "Do you eat your green vegetables?"
Rose paled and Hermione turned around, her shoulders shaking. The bell by the door jingled and she walked off to take care of her new customers. Cedric sipped his coffee and found himself wishing that he wasn't such a mess. He glanced over at the young girl and found her dozing with her head in her arms.
Last he heard, Ron Weasley was an Auror for the Ministry. He thought he remembered a letter from Luna saying that Hermione had gone away, but… well, she never said she came back, did she? She was here… with a child that had red hair and freckles. Did everyone else know?
Probably not, why else would she be clear on the other side of the world?
"Waffles," sang Hermione, placing two plates of food on the counter. "Turkey spam, Manny's scrambled eggs, and fruit salad."
"Fruit salad," Rose sang.
The waffles were topped with caramelized bananas and smelled heavenly.
"He has more than me!" said Rose, noting she less than half what he had.
"You both have the exact right amount to make your tummies full," said Hermione. "Eat what's on your plate and if you're still hungry, I'll bring you more."
She reached across the counter and tucked a napkin into Rose's shirt.
Cedric unrolled his cutlery and dove right in.
"Mm! This is amazing!" he said. "Send my compliments to the chef."
"Alright," said Hermione, turning to the window. "Ey, Keanu!"
"What?"
"You have beautiful eyes."
Cedric laughed and Hermione grinned, leaving again to bring drinks to a table. She was busy taking orders, bringing orders, cleaning up tables, setting out cutlery. And yet, she was more mellow than he ever saw her at school.
"Hi, Mimi!" a woman called from the front door. "I'm here to take Rose to school."
"Alright, just a moment." Hermione finished setting the glasses of water down and hurried to get Rose's backpack. "Have a good day mi cielita Rosa."
She pressed her forehead to Rose's and helped her down from the stool.
"Be good, Leilani will be picking you up and bringing you here."
"Okay, Mama. Te quiero."
"Te quiero."
Hermione watched her leave, then immediately got back to work. She came back with a tub and Cedric got up.
"Ready to go to work," he said.
"Great, come with me." She turned to the restaurant. "I will be with you all in just a moment. New trainee."
"Take your time, Mimi," said a man.
Hermione led Cedric to the back, setting the dirty dishes next to the massive basin. There was only one cook in the kitchen, but there was room for three more. She opened the door to an office where a small pillow and blanket was set up on a narrow couch.
"You can keep your backpack here," she said. "It'll be just fine. Take off some of those layers, we keep spare shirts. Might be a little big."
She took a printed shirt down from behind the door and handed it to him. It was red, but a different pattern than hers. She handed him a name tag that read: Dave, and a bandana to tie his hair back. It had been a while since he'd last had a haircut.
"I'll put you on busboy duty today," she said brusquely. "Keep the restaurant clean, reset tables, wash dishes, don't make me come after you."
"I can do that," he said.
"Great. Cleaning supplies is in here. If you can't find something, let me know."
She hurried back to the front.
It was a bit busy, the restaurant was definitely popular with tourists even during the off-season. Cedric went unnoticed, clearing tables, wiping them down, and resetting them. He washed dishes when needed, but would run back to the front whenever the bell jingled to see if he was needed to clear a table.
During his shift, Hermione made sure he drank water and had him sit down for a sandwich when it slowed down a bit. He wasn't sure if she had ever stopped moving.
Before he realized it, it was mid-afternoon and Rose had returned from school. There were also more employees, including a burly man soft from good food who could only be Hermione's father. He had long, curly hair slicked back into a ponytail, the same gap-toothed grin Hermione sported, and a sleeve of tattoos running up his right arm.
"Dad, this is Cedric Diggory," said Hermione. "He's… we went to the same school. I gave him a job."
"Good to meet you, Ced," said Manny, shaking his hand. "You have dirt on your nose."
"I'm aware."
"My turn for an interview, just to be sure," said Manny. "Can you work hard?"
"Yes. I worked on a farm, so I'm no stranger to it," said Cedric. "I've been working kitchen jobs for the past seven years. They're the easiest to get."
Manny nodded. "I'll make sure you're on the schedule. See you tomorrow."
"Do you have a place to stay?" Hermione asked.
"Er… no," he admitted. "But I'm sure I can find a motel or a hostel."
"There aren't any hostels around here," she said. "And if you can't afford breakfast you certainly can't afford a motel. Come on, I'll put you up until you get your paycheck."
"I can't ask you to do that," he said.
"You're not asking, I'm offering," she said. "Come on."
He followed her out to a bright yellow jeep. She made sure Rose was buckled up in the back before climbing into the driver's side. Her house wasn't far, but it was a very small town.
He couldn't say he really thought much of Hermione Granger when they went to school. He pointed her in the right direction to a classroom once. After that she was just that freakishly smart girl who carried a ton of books and was Harry Potter's friend. He knew she was the only one who believed Harry when he said he hadn't put his name in the Goblet on purpose.
She approached him once his seventh year, asking if he wanted to join a secret defense league, but he was still recovering from his injuries and relearning how to walk and wasn't in the mindset to be a training dummy again. She was understanding. Come to think of it, she never gave him the same pity others had. If she had, she probably wouldn't have asked him to join in the first place.
And then he graduated and didn't think about her again until she was Undesirable No. 2. He secretly thought she was the bigger threat given her reputation, but that was all. Last he had heard of her, she was working under his father, Amos, and was dating Ron Weasley.
"How long have you lived here?" he asked.
"We always lived here," Rose answered for her mother. "We live next door to Tutu Kane."
"My Dad," she said. "She calls Roger Pop-pop."
"That's nice," he said and hesitated. "What about… I mean…"
"Rose's father?"
"Yeah."
She hissed through her teeth and Rose answered again.
"Tutu Kane said he's a no-good, rotten, heartbreaking lolo."
"Oh."
Hermione sighed heavily. "How'd you end up here?"
"Just drifting," he said. "I can get discounts on portkeys people don't show up for."
"Well, welcome to Kauai."
She pulled up to her house, which was made of wood and was painted a fading turquoise. Rather than stairs like the houses on either side, there was a single long ramp leading up to the front door. She had a swing on the porch and had left the foliage around the house to fend for itself.
The inside wasn't big, but it was lovely. The walls of the living room were a soft seafoam green and there were mismatched bookcases flanking a television. The furniture was also mismatched, but comfortable looking and had as much color as possible. There were stacks of books that couldn't fit on the shelves and a few toys scattered here and there. The open space on the walls had photos and a big star map. Cedric noted there wasn't a single picture from anyone from Hogwarts. She had one of her and Viktor from the Yule Ball, but that was the closest he could see. Most pictures were focused on Rose.
"Rose, you have two hours to wind down and then I expect you to do your homework," said Hermione.
"Yes, Mama." Rose set her backpack down by the door and trotted over to the television. She pulled open the drawer beneath it and selected a tape. Cedric had seen them in Muggle Studies, but had never actually used one before.
Hermione turned to him.
"The couch folds out into a bed, I've got clean sheets for it. Kitchen is through that door there, you're welcome to any of the food we have. In that hall, the first door is the bathroom, you'll have to share with Rose, her room is to the right, mine is to the left, I have my own bathroom. Through the kitchen is the laundry room, and we have a mango tree and a garden in our backyard. If you need anything, just ask."
"Thank you," he said, still feeling like he was in a dream.
He must've been. He was actually passed out on the side of the road. But why would he dream of Granger of all people? Why would he imagine her having a daughter?
"I will… get some laundry going," he said and entered the kitchen.
It was small with yellow walls, teal cabinets, and white appliances. There was a clock on the wall and the kitchen table was littered with homework, school books, and used coffee mugs.
Realizing how filthy his shoes were, he sat down in one of the kitchen chairs and removed them. Someone leaned against him, a hot breath brushed his cheek, and a tongue licked the back of his ear, sending him to his feet.
"What are you—?!" He whirled around to see a massive, fluffy blue poodle with a pink collar and a huge pink tongue lolling around its mouth. "Hello."
The poodle sniffed him and licked his hand.
"I see you've met Etta," said Hermione, entering the kitchen. She had already let her hair down and sat at the kitchen table to start her homework.
Cedric nodded and went to the utility room to get his laundry going. He still had some clean clothes to change into. It was weird using a machine that he didn't have to stick Q-tips in to use. Some places he'd had to hand wash his clothes. It was probably time to get a new wardrobe, but he could manage with this one for a while longer.
"Erm, Granger, what's the weather like here?" he asked.
"Seventy degrees during the day, sometimes eighty, fifty to sixty degrees at night, pretty humid, but there's always a trade wind to keep you cool."
"What?!"
"Oh, right, Celsius. Um… fifteen degrees is the coldest it could get and it rarely gets higher than 32 degrees. I recommend short sleeves during the day and have a light jacket for after dark. Year round."
"Oh! Alright. Thanks."
After getting his laundry going, he went to the bathroom to clean up and change. He'd been feeling pretty grubby. The bathroom was painted a soft pink, the cabinets were black, and the curtain was floral patterned. The water was nice and hot and he relished in the warmth. The hostel he'd been staying in didn't get good water pressure and he was constantly worried about his legs getting stolen.
It happened once before. Seriously, what sort of person would steal an amputee's prosthetics?!
There were fresh, fluffy towels stacked up on a shelf. He dried his long, black hair and combed it out before sitting on the edge of the tub to clean his silicone socks out and wipe down his prosthetic legs. He would probably need to use his wheelchair soon, he was getting sores, but he could deal for now. With his legs back on, he shaved off the beard that had grown in. He hadn't meant to let it get so scruffy.
When he was done, he cleaned the counter, hung up his towel to dry, and dressed in black jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt, then put in a pair of earrings. Father lost his mind when he pierced his ears, but he liked wearing jewelry. If he got some spare money, he might even buy more eyeliner. It made him feel nice, despite the scar that cut through his brow down his cheek. It was a prominent white line across his sandy skin.
Feeling much better anyhow, he stepped back out and put his backpack next to the window. Rose looked over from her show at him. Her eyebrows raised and she looked from the screen back to him a few times.
He sat down in the armchair to see her watching an animated feature. A tall man with shoulder length black hair wearing a loose white shirt and black slacks was showing a woman wearing a blue dress around a beautiful flower field.
"You're scaring me," said the woman. "I have this weird feeling like you're going to leave. Howl, tell me what's going on, please. I don't care if you're a monster."
Rose whispered the lines under her breath, proving she had watched this many times before.
"Please Howl, I know I can be of help to you. Even though I'm not pretty and all I'm good at is cleaning."
"Sophie!" Howl protested. "Sophie, you're beautiful."
Cedric gawked as Sophie shrank down into an old woman and her smooth, charming voice became crackled and ancient.
"Well, the nice thing about being old is you have nothing much to lose," she said.
"That's a nasty curse," said Cedric.
"She put it on herself by accident," Rose explained. "She thought she'd be better suited as an old lady."
"Mm, those are the worst sort," he said.
He wasn't entirely sure what was going on in the movie, but the end was very touching. He hoped to see the beginning sometime.
"I wish my hair looked like starlight," said Rose, tugging on a lock of red hair. "The kids at school tell me my red hair looks wrong."
"There are lots of stars that are red though," said Cedric. "So depending on how you look at it, you could say your hair is like starlight. Your freckles, too. I was always jealous of the kids who had freckles. I thought they were so cool. And you seem like a very cool kid."
Rose blushed and jumped up to turn off the television. She got her homework out and set up on the coffee table. Cedric stood and wandered over to the bookcase. There was quite an array of books. All color-coded. Even Luna didn't arrange her books like this, but she probably would if he suggested it to her. He perused the titles and selected one that seemed interesting.
"Dalet, gimmel, veis, beis…"
He turned around to see Rose sitting with her eyes scrunched as she pointed to a chart containing letters of the Hebrew alphabet. She kept peeking to see what was next.
"You know," he said. "My mum, may her memory be a blessing, taught me an Aleph-Bet song when I was learning Hebrew."
She looked up wide-eyed. She had her mother's eyes. "How's it go?"
He sat down next to her and, a bit hesitantly, sang the song, pointing to each letter as he sang it. Rose listened intently, then sang it back perfectly when he had finished.
"Very good!" he said. "So, you're in Hebrew school?"
"Uh huh. Mama said it's important."
"I didn't go to a shul, my mum taught me everything," he said. "Of course, we didn't even have a temple in the town I lived in."
"We go every Saturday morning. I have shul while Mama and Tutu Kane go to service, but Mama likes me to practice a little every day with my homework."
"I think that's a good way to go about it," he said. "I was homeschooled growing up. What are you learning now?"
She brought out the rest of her homework and talked to him about it as she worked. She had a little trouble with her spelling homework, but she was good at Maths. Cedric helped where he could, but his education was vastly different from hers.
"Thanks for your help, Cedric," said Rose, putting her homework in her backpack. She tipped her head. "Mama said you went to school together. Does that mean you're a wizard?"
"Er, yeah," he said. "Though I can't cast anything at the moment. I have to get permission to use my wand."
"So you're like Howl! Can you turn into a bird?"
"I'm afraid not," he said. "I was training to turn into an animal, but it's difficult when pieces of you are missing."
She made a small 'o' with her mouth. "Do they hurt?"
"Only sometimes," he said. "Mostly, I just get the feeling like… when your foot has fallen asleep. I sometimes think my real legs are still there, but it's just metal or nothing at all."
"I bet it doesn't hurt when you step on Legos," said Rose.
"No, but slippery surfaces are pretty tricky," he said. "It's difficult to keep my footing, so I have to make sure I'm wearing good shoes."
"Dinner will be ready in five minutes," Hermione called. "Wash your hands and get your drinks."
Rose got up and went to the bathroom, standing on a stepstool so she could reach the sink. She was such a small child. Had he ever been that small? He must have. He washed his hands after her and went to the kitchen. Rose was singing the aleph-bet song as she got juice from the fridge.
"That's a nifty song," said Hermione. She was stirring something on the stove that smelled heavenly.
"Cedric taught it to me," said Rose, setting a container of juice on the counter and climbing up a step ladder to get a cup.
Hermione looked at him with surprise.
"Rose is very smart," he said. "I only had to sing it once."
"Yeah, I quickly ran out of sign language to teach her. My cousin teaches her more when she visits." She smiled proudly and tipped her head. "I didn't know you were Jewish. Er, we try not to eat pork, but sometimes the pork spam is all I can afford. Food can be so expensive here. Rabbi said that when food is scarce it's more important to fill your stomachs."
"Plus, Mama says if G-d didn't want us to eat shrimp he wouldn't have made it so good fried, sautéed, or scampi'd," said Rose.
Hermione made a face as one did when they were ratted out by a child.
"I'll eat whatever," he said. "Though I try to eat Kosher when I can. Frankly, I hated that Hogwarts didn't give us much choice or even really let us celebrate because, 'wizards don't really focus on religion' but yet they—"
"—celebrate Christmas and Easter!" finished Hermione. "I know! It drove me mad."
"Me too," he said. "I stopped wearing my yarmulke because Snape kept docking points for it. Eventually I gave up and my mum understood. You know, my friend Shaylyn Ramsey decked him for trying to take off her hijab?"
"Oh, I would have too," said Hermione, getting three bowls down. "All I had the room for was lighting my Shabbat candles."
"Yeah. You couldn't leave campus, so I had to have my bar mitzvah before the school year since my birthday is in October."
"Me too! Same with my quinceañera. I got three coming of age ceremonies," she laughed. "Thirteen, fifteen, and seventeen. I was rolling in it."
Cedric grinned. "¿Tú hablas español?"
"¡Sí!" she continued on in Spanish. "Where on earth did you learn it?"
"Mother and Grandmama insisted I was well-versed in as many languages as possible," he said, pouring himself a glass of juice. "English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Tamazight, Latin. I'm fluent in some and can just make my way in others. My grandmum was Amazigh, Granddad was from Sudan, both were ambassadors and translators for ten different languages; they moved to France where my mum grew up and she went to Hogwarts her seventh year where she met my dad. I'm Jewish through both of my parents."
"You don't meet a lot of Jewish North Africans."
"No, you don't," he agreed and returned to English. "What about you?"
"My mum was Dominican and moved to New Zealand when she was a teenager, my dad is Afro-Samoan. He went to college in New Zealand and that's where they met."
"You don't meet a lot of Polynesian or Latino Jews."
"No, you don't," she agreed. "Table is sort of crowded at the moment. Guess we'll eat in the living room."
"What are we having?" Cedric asked. "It smells great."
"Brisket ramen stir fry," she said.
"Noodles!" Rose cheered. "My favorite."
"Go on and take your drink to the living room, Rosie," said Hermione. "I'll bring you your bowl."
"Okay, Mama."
Hermione divvied up the food into the bowls and handed Cedric one.
"Thank you," he said.
"Yeah, no problem. Thanks for keeping Rose company."
"Oh, it's my pleasure. You have a very sweet daughter."
"I honestly don't know where she gets it from," said Hermione. She tucked a bottle of water under her arm and brought her and Rose's bowls out to the living room. She made sure Rose had everything she needed before plunking down into her armchair and reclining.
"Mind if I sit next to you, Rose?" Cedric asked.
"Uh-uh." Rose scooted over to give him room and pointedly picked the broccoli and carrots out of her bowl to eat first.
Hermione put on what Rose wanted to watch, which was a show called Avatar. Cedric watched intently, though he had no idea what was going on. What was it with children being given the world-saving destiny? He'd never heard of adults being labeled as the Chosen One.
The dinner was really good. He never would have thought to reuse leftover brisket like this. He wished there was more, but he had the feeling Hermione was on a budget. She was in school, so was her daughter. It was just the two of them, three if you counted the dog. And where the hell was Ron in all this? He chanced a look at Hermione to find her dozing in her chair.
"Are you done eating?" he asked Rose.
"All done!"
He got up and carried the dishes to the kitchen. It was a mess, but the sort of mess that came from being too busy and exhausted to do anything else rather than apathy. He rolled up his sleeves and cleared the trash from the counter, then washed the dishes stacked up by the sink. He wasn't entirely sure where everything went, but he dried and put away what he could.
Rose came in just as he had finished.
"Just tidying up," he said. "Do you need something?"
"Just hungry," she said.
"Good food helps you grow," he said. "What would you like? There's some fresh fruit here, is it for anything?"
"Just to eat."
"Well, then, I'll make us a sweet treat for dessert."
He washed the apples, strawberries, and blueberries before chopping up the first two. He poured it all into a bowl and mixed in the apricot preserves he found in the fridge before warming it up in the microwave. He spooned some onto a plate for Rose.
"Ta da!" he said. "No crust pie."
Rose seemed skeptical until she took a bite. "Mm!"
They took it out to the living room. Hermione sniffed and sat upright, looking around blearily.
"What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her eye. "What are you eating?"
"No crust pie," said Rose.
"It's fruit mixed in jam," said Cedric. "There's more if you want it. Still warm."
"Oh! I'd never thought of that before," she said and looked at her watch. "Finish that up quick, Rose, it's nearly time for bed."
"Can't I stay up Mama?" she asked.
"You need your rest," said Hermione.
"Please?"
If Rose were his daughter, Cedric didn't think he could ever say no to those big brown eyes. His resolve was breaking and she wasn't even directing them at him.
"It's a school night."
Rose pouted and ate her no-crust pie as slowly as she was able to. When she finished, Hermione ushered her on.
"Call me when you're done," she said. "I'll tuck you in."
"Yes, Mama." Rose sulkily went to her room to get ready for bed.
Hermione remained where she was, listening intently.
"Floss!" she called when the door opened.
The bathroom door shut again.
"Can mums just hear when their children are skivving off?" Cedric whispered.
"Yes. It was bestowed upon me the moment I gave birth," she said. "My dad always said mums know when the children are misbehaving and dads know when they're in immediate danger."
"Makes sense," he said.
"I'm ready to be tucked in now!" Rose called.
Hermione got up and went to her room.
"There we go, under the covers. Tuck, tuck, tuck!"
Cedric pressed his hand to his mouth and tried not to laugh. It was utterly adorable. She really filled in the role of a mum well. It was obvious how much she loved her daughter. When he turned six, he was deemed too old to be tucked in. Never mind stories.
"What shall we read tonight?" Hermione asked.
"Cinderella!"
"Cinderella, alright." Hermione cleared her throat and there was the rustle of pages. "Once upon a time, in a far off kingdom…"
He'd never heard this tale before. Cedric remained as he was and hung onto every word. Hermione did the voices and told it like it was the first time Rose was hearing the story, though he was sure she'd heard it a million times before.
"Why couldn't the fairy godmother make the spell last longer?" Rose asked when the story ended.
"Well, she used a transfiguration spell," said Hermione. "And it's well known that transfiguration spells are temporary. Especially big ones like that. The golden slippers only stayed because they were a gift."
"How come they didn't fit any other girl? Don't lots of people have the same feet?"
"I think the fairy godmother put a spell so they would only fit Cinderella," said Hermione patiently. "There are lots of charms like that."
"Mama?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think they really lived happily ever after?"
"I don't know, but I think they were willing to put the work in so that more of their days would be happy than sad. Get some sleep, Rosie. I love you."
"I love you, too, Mama."
"Etta, bedtime."
Claws clacked across the wooden floor and the bedroom door was shut.
Hermione returned to the living room and opened the closet. She placed a bundle of sheets next to Cedric.
"I imagine you're tired," she said. "I've still got homework to do, but you're welcome to go to bed at any time."
"Oh, thank you," he said.
"I won't tuck you in though," she teased and he chuckled.
"Well, darn," he said, snapping his fingers.
She laughed and went into the kitchen. Cedric got up moments later and followed her.
"Granger… why are you here? I don't understand."
She wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself.
"Like I said, I burned some bridges I shouldn't have," she said uncomfortably. "I… realized that the Ministry would never dismantle the system that allowed Voldemort to take power or make things better for Magical Beings. And then I got into a row with Harry and Ron didn't take my side. He never took my side. When I told him I was pregnant… he called me a liar. So, I returned to the only place I'd ever been truly happy and I haven't left since."
Oh.
Cedric pursed his lips and looked down. "I see… I'm sorry."
She shrugged and sat down in her chair. "Rose is my entire world. I would do anything for her. I'm hoping with these courses I can get a 9-5 so I can be there for her. I like the restaurant, but I can't see myself working there the rest of my life."
"Yeah, I hear you," he said.
"What about you?" she asked. "Where have you been all these years?"
"I was stuck," he said. "I was Cedric Diggory: The Failed Champion. Nobody would let me do anything. It was just my legs, you know? My brain works just fine, though I knew most people thought I was too thick to string two words together. I could have been doing something. Instead…" He rubbed his neck. "When the war ended, I decided that I'd had enough of my father's disappointment and everyone else's pity, so I packed up my things and I left.
"It hasn't been easy. There have been plenty of nights where I went to bed hungry, but… I can be myself. No one is going to yell at me if I want to wear earrings or eyeliner or if I do something less than absolute perfection. So… I'm happy."
"Guess we're in the same boat then," she said.
"Yeah." He reheated the fruit and spooned some on a plate. "Here, it's brain food."
She smiled and scooped some up, taking a bite. She closed her eyes. "Mmm… This is really good."
"I'm glad you like it."
Hermione tapped the paper with her pencil.
"When did you say your birthday was?"
"September 7th."
"That's today."
"Is it?" He shrugged. "I haven't celebrated in a while, though Luna and Fleur usually send me cards in the mail. Don't be alarmed if an owl from them shows up."
"Alright, erm… happy birthday," she said.
"Thanks."