01.
Wednesday, October 8, 2003.
"Mione! Mione!" cried little Teddy when he caught sight of her in the doorway of his grandmama's bungalow.
He dropped his toy sword and ran towards Hermione with a great big grin on his face.
"Teddy, darling! Look how big you're getting!" Hermione said, opening her arms in invitation.
It had been several months since she'd seen the boy, and at only five years old, Hermione had worried he'd forgotten her. But as he kissed her on the cheek when she lifted him up, she took comfort in the reminder that Teddy would never be able to forget her; their connection was too strong.
The whole time she was in Italy for a project with her company, Lux, researching the history and uses of several elusive creatures, she'd missed his chubby little smile the most. And the bedtime stories. The walks in the park. The fantastical games they'd play. Even just lying with him while he napped.
After the war, Hermione had gone through several episodes as a result of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Living alone in a small apartment in Muggle London hadn't made things much better, but caring for Teddy when Andromeda became sick had, for some odd reason, helped her through her struggles. Being responsible for someone else seemed to be the thing that kicked her in the arse and made her want to be better if only so Teddy had an enchanting childhood.
So when Andromeda fell ill the following day, Hermione didn't mind caring for Teddy. In fact, while she unpacked and readjusted to being home, she got back into the routine of essentially being Teddy's nanny. They played with his toy pirate ship and his swords, and she read him marvellous tales of the sea.
"Look out, Mione!" he shouted, running about the room with a small wooden ship wheel. "There are sharks in the water! Sharks in the water!"
Laughing, she picked him up and tossed him onto the bed to attack him with kisses and tickles.
"Darling, you must steer us away from those rascal pirates, you must!" Hermione cried out.
"Ahahaha, Mione, I-haha, I can't steer with you-haha, with you tickling me!" Teddy squealed as he made for an escape. But Hermione's hold was too strong and he succumbed to the silly torture in a fit of giggles.
Hours later, when he became too tired to continue playing and they had been lying on her bed while she whispered tales of her time in Italy, he was gently lulled to sleep. Laughing quietly, she gently picked him up and walked him to his own bed, kissed his forehead, and murmured a soft I love you into his ear.
And she did.
Over the years, Hermione had grown quite attached to Andromeda Tonks who had become something of a second mother to her as her own mother had abandoned her after learning what she had done to them during the war, no matter that it was to protect them. And so Hermione had started having the occasional dinner with Teddy and Andromeda. Which turned into dinners every weekend after babysitting Teddy while Andromeda ran errands. Which turned into Hermione staying over when Andromeda fell ill. Which brought her to the present: a permanent resident of the House of Tonks.
As his godparents, she and Harry had discussed Teddy's future many a time and they had both come to the conclusion that, Merlin forbid, should anything happen to Andromeda, Hermione would become Teddy's primary caregiver. Harry loved him to death, but ultimately, Hermione knew he wanted to have a bit of freedom with Ginny after being a pawn against dark wizards his whole life. And Hermione knew... she knew she wouldn't be able to deal with Andromeda's death without Teddy.
Andromeda's health had been deteriorating quite rapidly over the last two years, which was when Hermione had first offered to stay the night with Teddy. It was now reaching a point where they both knew she didn't have much longer, but Hermione refused to acknowledge it.
So when two nights after her return, Hermione was awoken by a shuffling sound and a dull thwump, she scrambled out of bed, pulled her wand from under her pillow, and ran to Andromeda's room, fear in her heart. The sight that awaited her was enough to make her recoil and run to the floo to send for help from St. Mungo's.
• • •
Hermione now spoke with the nurse, telling her how she'd found Andromeda face first on the ground slumped in an awkward position, her body contorted in an unnatural way.
"Yes, she was feeling quite unwell the last day or two," she said. "Though I'm not sure how she's been feeling these last few months. I've been away on business since June."
The nurse nodded her head as she jotted down some notes, checked the monitors a last time, and then looked up at Hermione.
"Well then, Ms. Granger, that should be all, thank you for your time. Let me or any other staff member know if you need anything, alright dear?" And with that, Nurse Darien left, letting the door click shut behind her.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione let herself relax a little bit in her chair. Earlier, she had bought a small hot chocolate for Teddy who was now sleeping in her lap with a dreamy smile on his face and a bit of froth on his upper lip. She gently brushed her thumb to wipe it off and stroked his hair. As she shifted him in her hold to accommodate her numbing legs, his eyelids fluttered and he murmured about pirates and whipped cream. Chuckling to herself, Hermione began to sing a soft, melodic tune to coax Teddy into a deeper sleep and finally closed her eyes, letting the fatigue and panic escape in a deep exhale.
She would have fallen asleep, too, were it not for the soft knock on the door. Cracking an eye open, Hermione was shocked to see Narcissa Malfoy standing in the doorway looking between her sister and Hermione with despair.
Narcissa had become a surprising, though not entirely unwelcome fixture in her life. Two years after the war, she had sent Andromeda a letter begging forgiveness and asking her round for tea, and from there, the two sisters had spent every other Sunday sipping tea and fawning over Teddy. However, the history between Hermione and herself was a dark one, and though Hermione had forgiven her, she was always on her toes when the Lady Malfoy was around. A habit she couldn't yet shake.
Narcissa pursed her lips before whispering a polite Hello.
A beat passed during which Hermione busied herself again with stroking Teddy's brown locks before she nodded her head jerkily and motioned for Narcissa to sit in the wooden chair next to hers.
The pair sat together without a word passing between them until soft sobs interrupted the silence. After much contemplation, Hermione hesitantly offered her hand to Andromeda's sister, putting aside their dreadful past.
Narcissa paused only briefly to look at her in reverence before taking it and squeezing it in thanks.
Hermione was lulled to sleep by Narcissa's crying and Teddy's soft mewls.
A/N: First chapter of many! Please read and review!
xx franklyneptune