Note: Hellooo, I'm so happy with the response this fic got! I'm still learning how to manage a few things on this site!
I hope you enjoy it :)
London, June, 2011
"What's wrong, mum?" Laura asks her.
They're visiting Hermione's parents, getting a tan by their backyard pool. It's been a week since Laura returned from camp. Things are great, the summer is perfect and the time they spend together brings joy to Hermione's heart, however…
Hermione watches her daughter.
Laura has been different, it's not something absurd but Hermione can feel it, she just knows. Laura keeps forgetting simple things they used to do; she lost herself inside the house twice and she never stayed longer than one hour at their library… a place she used to spend entire days, forgetting even to eat. She didn't call her grandma 'G'ma' liked she started doing when she was 9. And, she hugs Hermione a lot more now, any chance the girl gets she puts her arms around her in a tight embrace. She also kisses her mother a lot and compliments her without a reason. Not that I'm complaining. And she really isn't, but…
Hermione squints at the girl. "Nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect, pumpkin." She kisses Laura's head. Wondering.
Over the week a thousand possibilities went through Hermione's mind: she's growing up; she can't pay that much attention to things anymore; she's closer to me because she will be leaving soon to Hogwarts; she met a boy at camp? All kind of things. But there's one that Hermione dare not to think. It can't be. As she says that to herself she trembles a little, because… of course it can. It is possible. I shouldn't discard the possibility, even if it's ludicrous to think that. She shakes her head. No, no. Harry wouldn't send-
She stops mid thought. Of course he would. Her heart beats wildly and she hopes her daughter can't hear. Hermione tries to keep her face as stony as possible while she considers. Harry always said he imagined a normal and muggle life for his kids, a life where muggle activities were routine along with everything magical until the departure for Hogwarts. So sending their daughter to a muggle camp was something he would definitely do. She lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. The fact that she sent Laura to an American camp as a new experience hits her on the face. She knows he lives there since he left England. But the fucking same camp? Wouldn't it be too much of a coincidence? Yes, it would, but-
"Laura" her voice is a little shaky so she clears her throat, the girl has her back to her and her parents are inside preparing snacks "You didn't tell me what you thought of camp, is it the same fun in America as it is here?" She sees the girl stiffens a little.
"Yeah, I guess it is."
Hermione waits but she says nothing more. So she tries again. "Did you make new friends? Were most of them from England?" She tries to sound nonchalant. A normal question her mother would make to her daughter.
Laura fidgets with her hair. She never does that, when she's nervous she bites her nails. "Just Elena was from here, everyone else was from many parts of the States."
"And did you?"
"Did I what?"
"Made new friends? From the States." Hermione might faint.
"I guess…"
The silence between them is heavy, but before Hermione can ask something else her parents come from inside the house laughing and carrying trays of food. Laura turns to face Hermione. The way her eyes, filled with fear and some kind of apology, search Hermione's is almost a confession.
That look is what it takes. Lily. Immediately Hermione's eyes fill with tears, she's shaking.
"Mum." The girl whispers.
Hermione is frozen. She can't think, she can't act even when she sees hurt in Lily's expression, the girl is waiting for a reaction.
"I'm sorry…" she whispers again.
Before Hermione comes to herself her parents catch up with them, offering food, but Laura - Lily - refuses it. With her head down she enters the pool and distances herself from them.
"What happened?" Her mother asks. "Why are you crying, dear?"
Hermione still can't quite understand what she just perceived. This girl she spent her last week with is the daughter she thought she might never see again, the daughter she cried and cried over, night after night, week after week. Months. Years. The daughter she loves so much. She remembers the way she used to smell when she was months old, Hermione could always tell them apart - different from Harry. The daughter she held close to her chest and screamed the day they went separated ways. The day Harry left with her. My Lily.
"Hermione?" Her mother calls her again.
Hermione turns to them. Her parents have worried looks on their faces, but she can't tell them. She can't do anything right now because they don't know. They don't know about Lily. They never knew Laura had a twin. Hermione closes her eyes. When Laura and Lily were born, Hermione wasn't in good terms with her parents and they didn't even know she was pregnant, and later when she finally reconnected with them, Harry had already left with Lily. So, for them there was only Laura and a father that died tragically. The lie was easy because her parents didn't know Harry very well, they wouldn't associate Laura's eyes with him. And overall, few people really knew everything, knew they were twins and that they were Harry and Hermione's daughters. What a mess we made, Harry. She wants to scream at him. She's not sure why exactly, but she wants to.
"Nothing, nothing happened, don't worry." She smiles and leans back on her chair.
She knows they don't believe her, but she doesn't care. Not at all. She watches Lily. Am I disappointing her already? The girl swims with a frown. Hermione knows they need to talk, but that can wait, because right now she should be hugging her Lily. Hermione gets up immediately and dives. She swims to Lily.
Hermione's smile might tear her face in two. "Hey, my love. I missed you."
Lily holds back a few tears, relief washing over her face. Hermione hugs her. They are both crying. Lily clings to her putting her legs around Hermione's middle as she walks around the pool, holding her daughter. Just holding her. Her baby girl. After a while Hermione begins to laugh. Out of pure joy. Lily is a little confused but soon she laughs with her mother.
"I knew there was something off." Hermione says. "Merlin, look how big and beautiful you got."
"I missed you mum, missed you all my life."
Lily stares at her with those green eyes. "I'm so sorry, Lily, we shouldn't have done what we did. I'm sorry." She hugs her tighter. "We're going to fix things. Fix this."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"WHAT?" Ron's scream is louder than she expected. She just gives him a look and the red haired lowers his voice. "Hermione, this is amazing!" He's so happy. Hermione feel sthe same and they both smile wide.
"It is."
"I'm so happy this happened!" Ron shouts a little. "Where is she?"
"She's taking a bath. Let her be for now. I need to talk to you."
"Okay, okay." He holds her hand and drags her to the kitchen. "Tell me while I eat." Hermione rolls her eyes.
"Honestly!"
"What? It's not my fault you always have delicious food here." He shrugs. "Go on." He urges her to tell him how she found out that Laura is in fact, Lily. She does.
"Wow. And what now?" He asks.
Hermione grunts. "I guess I have to talk to him." She doesn't miss the way Ron's mouth twitches in a grin. "Don't you dare laugh, Ronald." He does.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, this is just too good." She might curse him. "Hey, hey… I have his contact, do you want me to get in touch with him? Laura's with him, right? Do you think he knows?"
Now it's her turn to shrug. "I don't know. Lily said they learned almost everything about each other to fool us. And you know how smart Laura is, maybe she's still fooling him." Hermione laughs a little. "You know how blind he can be."
"So, she knows everything about his life… interesting." Ron watches her. "Has she told you anything?"
"Everything, I guess. He's… he's an amazing father. She loves him with all her being and I couldn't be happier with that." She stares at the kitchen table with intensity. "I need a beer." She goes to the fridge and Ron just observes her. "No. It won't do." She closes the fridge and opens a cabinet fetching a bottle of firewhisky. Ron whistles. "Shut it. I need this." She pours a big glass and sits back by his side. "So, apparently he had many girlfriends." The word comes out of her mouth like she's spitting venom. And she hadn't asked Lily this, the girl just told her.
"And you had your share of boyfriends, Hermione. Should I remind you the one you are currently with? By the way, where is he?"
"He's on a mission." It's all she says. She takes a big sip. "I don't know if I can deal with this, Ron, deal with him again."
"Of course you can. Don't be ridiculous, Hermione."
She looks at him with sharp eyes. "Are you prepared to see Ginny? She and Draco are married. Lily said they are like family to them. They are always together and-" She stops.
"What?" Ron urges her.
"I don't know if it's my place to tell, but… they have a son. Dominic. Lily said he's 8." She looks at him with apologetic eyes. Ron stares at her, open-mouthed.
"Give me some of this." He grabs a glass and pours himself some firewhisky. "Bloody hell." He takes a huge gulp, ending it with a grimace.
"Oh, come on, Ron, don't be ridiculous." She mimics him. "I- I don't want to contact him, I want to go to the States."
Ron widens his eyes. "Just like that?"
"Yes. I gathered it's better to do it already. It's inevitable. With this situation we'll meet eventually. Better sooner than later." She takes another sip.
"I- I want to see Ginny too. You know, we were all idiots to her."
"Yes, I know."
"I guess the ferret really loves her, right?" He questions her with his eyes. He's afraid that the fact that he didn't accept this truth back then is enough to separate him from his sister for the rest of their lives.
"He does. And she will forgive you, Ron, I'm sure. They are Aurors. Draco and Harry." It's the first time she says his name out loud and it does funny things to her. She feels a thrill she hadn't in a while, but she smashes it down. Don't go there. "They seem… they seem to be pretty happy." Her voice falters a little. I wasn't missed much, I guess.
"First, you can't be sure Ginny will forgive me, you know that after a year she had left I tried to get in touch but she refused any kind of approximation and, well, I guess she's just fine, she doesn't need her big brothers anymore. She only contacted us that time, long ago… a letter to our parents, just the words 'I'm fine'. My mother never recovered from that…" He pours more firewhisky. "And second, you are also very happy here, Hermione, without them, so don't go feeling sorry for yourself or anything, okay? You two made this massive idiotic decision and now you have to face the consequences."
"When did you become so wise?" She exhales. "We were so young, Ron… if it was now I would never, never, agree to something so absurd. I would do whatever it took to stop this." She drinks some more. "Lily said she got a Hogwarts' letter." Ron opens his mouth. "And she said Harry prohibited her to go."
"That's harsh."
"I guess he really hates me, right?" She drinks again. "After everything, he can't put her biggest dream in front of what happened between us. Because I can be an adult! If they came here I would lead this accordingly, but noooooooo, 'no way we are moving to London, Lily, no way you're going to Hogwarts, no way I can be around Hermione!'" She shouts the last phrase and Ron puts a hand on her shoulder in comfort. She starts crying silently. "I hate the way he makes me feel so vulnerable, Ron."
"I know, I know." He hugs her. "It's gonna be fine, Hermione." They don't talk for a while. "But, what did you tell her? Because I guess that now that they know…" He doesn't finish and Hermione doesn't answer because Lily comes rushing into the kitchen. Hermione gets up and puts the firewhisky away, drying her tears in the process.
"Uncle Ron!"
"Hey there, you little witch! I can't believe you fooled us all. Give me a big hug, Lily Potter." He opens his arms and she goes to him laughing hysterically. The sound is music to Hermione's ears.
"So, I guess we're going to New York, right?" Ron says.
Lily nods. "Yes, we are, aren't we, mum?"
"Yes. Soon."
Merlin help me.
New York, June, 2011
"HERE, LILY, CATCH IT!"
The girl squeals in response and struggles a little to get out of the way. Harry watches as the quaffle starts its descend passing by her. Draco looks baffled and Ginny, in an extreme fast movement, catches it mid air. Lily seems terrified, her knuckles white from holding her broom in a tight grip.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Harry comes to her side.
She's white as a sheet. She doesn't answer. When they told her they were going to play some Quidditch, Harry thought she would be over the moon, but she barely acknowledged it, but then Draco entered the room with her broom and told her she had to play, they needed her. She accepted with wide eyes.
Fine, she didn't want to play, but this? She acts like she doesn't know how to ride her broom. Harry keeps eying her suspiciously.
"Idontfeelwell" Her words are fast and hard to understand.
Harry doesn't wait for her to fall. He catches her and puts her on his broom in front of him. Just once Harry saw that look of pure terror and a sickness so deep to the stomach. Hermione. Hermione trying to fly. He shakes his head and stirs the broom to the floor. Draco and Ginny watch from above, smoothly looking for the snitch -they could be very competitive when it came to Quidditch, married or not.
Lily doesn't say a word and Harry lands them. She exhales loudly after touching the grass with her feet.
"Lily?" He calls hesitantly. She doesn't answer. "Lily?" He calls a little fiercely. Nothing. "Lilian!" She still doesn't answer and Harry's concern only grows. It's been two weeks since she came back from camp and even if he's not the most perceptive father around, he can't ignore how odd she seems sometimes. Even Ginny mentioned it "what happened to this girl in camp? She's acting strange" just after Lily said she preferred to read a book instead of watching a Quidditch game. And indeed, she was a little strange, almost as if she wasn't herself.
It was like a lightning bolt had severed Harry's head in two. She reads a lot now, doesn't like Quidditch and almost fell of her broom. He turns her a little and looks at her. She's still inhaling deeply, trying to calm herself, her eyes lost staring at the grass, questioning its firmness. Could it be? Harry thinks about the possibility. Would Hermione send Laura to an American Muggle Camp? He ponders. Yes. Of course she would. He looks again at the girl in front of him. And takes a huge leap of faith.
"Laura?" His voice is soft.
And the moment he sees her eyes searching for his at the sound of her name, he feels like he's falling from his broom to a fall of unimagined heights. Her eyes widen and he's sure his follow the motion. He opens his mouth and… smiles. A big smile. She searches his face and smiles shyly, color returning to her cheeks.
"Hi, dad." Her voice a tiny whisper.
Harry is crying without restrain. He laughs and cries. He hugs her, smashing the little girl to him. "Laura, my Laura."
They hug for a long while until Harry pulls back and watches her face. His thumb caressing her cheek. "You two are really identical, huh?" She laughs. "You fooled us real good. Except… I figure your mother never allowed you on a broom, right?"
"She says is too dangerous." The girl laughs. "I kinda of agree with her now. Uncle Ron tried a few times, but mum always knew."
"Yes. Your mother always knows." His heart aches a little for Hermione. "Were you planning on telling me this any time soon?" He raises his eyebrows.
"Well… I wanted some time with you and Lily with mum so we thought it wouldn't do any harm… I was going to tell you closer to September… Lily too I guess. I'm going to Hogwarts soon." Harry stops breathing. "Are you really not letting Lily go?"
Harry opens his mouth but Ginny says behind him: "Laura?" The woman already has tears in her eyes.
Laura smiles and goes to Ginny. They hug and Ginny eyes Harry with pure shock, Draco comes behind her and questions the situation opening his arms. Harry mouths to him 'this is Laura, not Lily' and the blonde's eyes widen so much they almost pop out of its sockets. He hugs Lily and Ginny at the same time and Harry laughs at the scene. He feels so light and happy that the impending conversation he's going to have with Hermione almost doesn't affect him. Almost.
They fetch Dominic at his little friend's house and head to Harry's. They laugh and talk about everything that happened in the past two weeks. How Lily, now Laura, was strange, behaving oddly. And the girl explains to them how she met Lily at Camp, how they decided to make the trade and how they imagined it all would be.
Harry still can't believe. He's thrilled to have Laura with him, even more so now that the girl has no inhibitions, she's not trying to be Lily anymore and he's glad. They look the same, but their personalities are totally different.
But the moment they enter the apartment Harry knows something is wrong, he shushes everyone and reaches for his wand. He has a connection to the apartment, only him and Lily know how to disarm the wards, so he knows if someone is inside besides the ones he authorizes. He frowns. The wards here are so powerful, there's no way someone got pass them without sounding my alarm. Him and Draco are side by side, wands ready. Ginny stays put with Dominic and Laura.
They turn the corner of the entrance and a shout greets them.
"DAD! UNCLE DRACO!"
They stop in motion. All Harry can see is his daughter running to his arms. He kneels and catches her.
"Sweetie!"
Harry's mind is a little slow and confused, but when he understands he lifts his eyes and is met by the vision of a woman that could be a goddess. Hermione stands tall in the middle of the living room, her red summer dress complimenting her figure. With his peripheral vision he sees Ron, but he can't concentrate on that now. Lily lets go of him and hugs Draco that is by his side. Harry gets up and looks at her. Hermione looks back at him. He didn't thought it possible but she looks more breathtaking than the last time they saw each other. He always thought she was beautiful, but now- I don't have words to describe it. It's a moment Harry can only feel, and he does. Every pore of his body is responding to her presence, a pleasant chill runs through him. Those eyes. How he'd missed the warmth she could give him with just a look, with just a touch. He refrains himself from walking towards her and touching her skin. Touching her full lips. Gripping at her hair while he kisses her-
"MUM!"
Laura comes into the room and Hermione's eyes finally leave Harry's. She smiles at her- their daughter and hugs the girl. Finally Harry's eyes go to Ron, but the man is not looking at him.
"Ginny." Ron says lowly.
Everyone stop and look at the siblings. Ginny comes to Harry's side, holding Dominic by the hand, and stops almost in front of Ron. Harry can see she's shaking a little. Draco on his other side is not even breathing. Ron is crying now and Harry frowns. He dares a glance at Hermione and catches her staring at him. She averts her eyes.
"Dominic-" Ginny's voice is hoarse, dry. "This, this is your… your uncle Ron. Can you give him a hug?" Ginny encourages the little boy, who is staring at Ron with wide eyes.
"Like… like your brother, mum?" The boy asks. He seems hesitant and Ron seems desperate. Harry knows he has others nephews from his brothers, but he also knows that his relationship with Ginny was always special.
"Yes, love, like my brother." And she smiles a little as she looks at Ron.
"Come Dominic, uncle Ron is super cool." Laura says, and Harry admits to himself that he only knows it's her because of the clothes she's wearing. Merlin, they are exactly the same. How am I going to tell them apart?
"Yes! He is!" Lily replicates. Harry sees the confusion on little Dominic's eyes. Two Lilys right, bud? But the boy goes to Ron, trusting his cousin's opinion, and the man kneels the same way Harry just did to greet Lily. Dominic hugs him and Ron cries some more. Harry looks at Hermione. She's watching the scene, crying too. Ginny is crying also. Should I be crying too? He looks at Draco. The man is still like a statue.
"Hermione." Ginny says and goes to her.
"Ginny." It's the first time Harry hears her voice in a long, long time and now he feels like crying. How he lived without her all these years?
And after the women's hug, everything sets to motion quickly. Harry watches as Ginny hugs Ron too and both utter apologies to each other, he sees Draco hugging Hermione and making fun of Lily and Laura. Then he sees Hermione hugging Dominic as Draco shakes hands with Ron, both men smiling a little. It's just when Ron comes to his side that he moves.
He hugs his best mate, his first true friend and inevitably cries. "I missed you, man." Ron says and Harry agrees. It feels good to be in his presence. It feels familiar.
And then what was in motion stops again. Hermione is looking at him. They don't dare move.
Ginny clears her throat. "Soooooooooo, who wants some ice cream!?" She asks the kids and leaves with them towards the kitchen. Draco and Ron look from Harry to Hermione. And then Draco asks "Hey, man, want a beer?"
"Yes, please, yes."
And they head to the kitchen. Harry can still hear Draco saying "Can I call you brother?" and Ron answering "Try it and you are a dead man, Malfoy."
They are alone now. Hermione. In his apartment.
"So-"
"I'm-"
They begin at the same time. There's an awkward silence between them. Harry gestures to her, asking her to talk first.
"I'm… I'm sorry if we scared you showing up like this, but Lily said it was okay and she was very persistent."
"It's okay, really, no harm done."
He doesn't know what to do or how to act. He feels like a teenager all over again. Come on, Potter, think.
"Please, sit."
Please, sit? What was that? She's the mother of your children, she was your best friend for your entire youth and after ten years you say please, sit? Are you an idiot?
"Are you okay, Harry?"
Hermione is watching him, one eyebrow lifted.
"Yes, yes." He sits on the couch opposed to the chair she chose.
"So…" she says.
"So…"
She sighs deeply. "I guess we have a lot to talk."
"Yes, I would say that." He runs his hand through his hair. "But wow, I was not expecting this, to be honest. However, I'm glad it happened. Laura is amazing, Hermione, and I'm over the moon to have spent this time with her."
"I understand. Lily is amazing also, Harry." She stops. "And… I guess the same way as you, I want to end this agreement."
Harry nods. "Yes. There's no way I'm staying away from any of them ever again." He tilts his head to the side. "When did you find out about it?"
"A week ago. You?"
Harry laughs a little. "Today. About five hours ago, maybe?" She's the one smiling now. "Come on, she tricked me very well."
"Oh, I'm sure of it."
A tense silence falls upon them. Harry is not sure of what to do. He knew, deep down, that he still had feelings for her, but he never imagined that the first thing he would want to do when he saw her again was give her a kiss. A passionate kiss. They parted ways not in the best of terms, hell, it's not for nothing that we haven't spoken in ten years. Harry remembers all the fight, the yelling, the tears, the sorrow, the pain, the regret after. He imagines she must be thinking the same now that the initial shock of seeing each other is gone.
The air seems heavier. Hermione shifts uncomfortably in her chair and Harry sees a glimpse of hurt in her eyes, but it's soon gone.
"We need to talk about Hogwarts." She says. Harry freezes and waits for her to continue. She examines him with her eyes. "Lily said you were very clear that she's not going…"
"She isn't."
"Harry-"
"It's not open for debate, Hermione. I don't want her to go. We have a perfect life here and she doesn't need all the attention that comes with her name in England. You know that. Besides, it is dangerous," She rolls her eyes, "even if you don't admit it, you know it is! She has a target on her back because she carries my name."
"Please, Harry, what difference does it make if she's here or there? If some evil wizard wants to harm you, or her, he will do it regardless the place." Her tone is edgy and Harry knows it very well. She's losing her patience.
"I won't discuss this again, Hermione. My mind hadn't changed after ten years. It won't now."
"You can be such an asshole sometimes, Harry." He raises his eyebrows at her. "Hogwarts is the safest place on the wizarding world."
He snorts. "Of course, I remember it very well when death eaters invaded the school and killed the fucking headmaster, also when a final battle broke loose there and killed many students."
"Times are different now, you can't live in the past forever. Voldemort is gone, his followers are all in Azkaban."
"But what he stood for still exists and those that believe in it yet blame me for the end of their supremacy." His voice is low, his tone dangerous. He learned to control his temper throughout the years, but Hermione pushes the right buttons.
"Stop this nonsense, Harry. The war is over and Lily is paying the price for your thick head and ridiculous hero's complex!" Hermione's voice is a tone higher. She too is angry now, her eyes blazing.
"Lily is my daughter and she's not going, that's final!" He stands up and she follows.
"She is our daughter! And if she wants to go, SHE'S GOING!"
They stare at each other. The magic around them cracks a little and that brings Harry back to his senses. He rubs his face and closes his eyes, breathing deeply.
"Mum, dad?"
They turn at the same time to the source of the little voice. Laura and Lily are staring at them with sad faces.
"Don't argue, please." Laura says.
"Pumpkin, we're not. Everything is fine." Hermione goes to them and hugs both girls. "How was the ice cream? Good?" They nod. "Can I have some?"
They nod again and Hermione holds them by the hand. Before she turns to enter the kitchen she looks one last time at Harry and he knows what that look means.
This isn't over.