Hi there,
I'd firstly like to say a huge thank you to all my reviewers throughout the story. Your support means a lot to me and I am so glad you are enjoying it. If you would like me to add any additional scenes or ideas you have in relation to this story please let me know.
Chapter 27: A New Home
The dark haired man walked through the near empty halls of Hogwarts. His steps barely made a sound against the concrete floors as the late afternoon sun flooded throughout the archways. It had been a long day that was for sure. After another typical staff meeting with the Divinations Professor attempting to once again capture his attention by making a fool of herself, followed by a session of first years who had no sense of decency other than attempt to explode as many cauldrons as possible, he had been practically pulled in Slughorns office to discuss the latest, trouble making pupils.
"I'd have to say Severus, I'm rather interested in Ms Melonie Bihorn, did you know her mother was the Head Auror at the Ministry of Magic?"
Severus couldn't help but fume after his quarterly evaluation. Why he had to remain under that man was beyond him. Let alone Slughorn teaching Defence Against The Dark Arts. He seemingly found it an injustice. The man was, he supposed, somewhat decent at the subject however he emphasis always remained with how to escape rather than how to face Dark Magic. An area which the greasy haired man excelled at.
Severus growled unhappily as he felt a sudden change in the air.
Of yes, how could he forget, his burden during his break periods or as he liked to call them now 'babysitting hour'.
He turned back to the girl noticing her now missing, 'where'd she go?'
He scrunched his face in anger, 'Minerva was going to turn him into a bloody frog by this rate, or worse...'
Squeak!
He turned around to the sound coming from just behind him but no one was there.
Squeak! He gritted his teeth in frustration about to shout at the girl, where ever she was.
"Hermione, I have no time for ga- Ah!" He felt small hooks scratch on the robes and clothing on his back. A small creature...trying to climb up his body.
He breathed a deep breath out before finally feeling the small hooks touch his left shoulder and turned his head to see a small brown and black striped bat staring wide eyed at him, innocently.
A group of Gryffindore, sixth year girl passed him, glanced at him and chuckled. He growled in dislike, "Ten points from Gryffindore for you incessant giggling and disturbing the halls, Miss Jackbo and Miss Yarring".
The girls glared at him before lowering their heads and ushering a 'yes professor' before continuing to walk down the hallway, books clutched in hands.
"Honestly!" He gritted his teeth about to remove her but she squeaked again before trying to bat her wings in a hopeless attempt to fly. Severus watched cautiously as she tried to take off only to fall back on his shoulder again and again as the Potion's master indured small scratches and bating of her wings on his cheeks.
He watched her fail again after the third attempt before he could no longer contain his laughter at her sorry attempts to fly.
"You are not strong enough yet, you silly girl"
Now he did it, he saw the utter glare in her slit eyes before blossuming her wings for one last flight and taking off. Severus watched in a state of panic watching the bat fly then quickly fall to the ground. He immediately ran for her, diving to the ground before tripping and landing on his shoulder, hard.
'BANG!'
"Ah," Severus mouthed in pain as he released the bat in his outstretched hand and grasped his shoulder.
FUCK! He mouthed silently ensuring the girl wouldn't hear him swearing and picking up another word to take to her mother.
Another round of giggling while he heard other's awing in the background ensued from behind him. He could only grit his teeth in wonder of what they were thinking, 'the Great Git of a Bat saves a tiny bat from falling to the ground' He placed his head on the floor in embarrassment. What a day!
"Aw, Professor can I pat it. I've never touched a bat before" She looked up to see two Slytherin third years standing above him before glancing back at the small bat pawing at his arm to want to try again and fly on his shoulder. He lifted her up and dumped her into one of the second years hands before checking his watch. He had time to make that bloody girl suffer for making him have to dive on the ground for her. He quickly rubbed his large nose in pain before turning back to the small girl's cuddling and cooing the small creature.
He watched with a twitch on his lips as the small creature squeaked and tried to bat her wings to fly towards him.
"Professor Snape!"
Oh no!
He straightened himself before turning to see Professor McGonagall striding down the hallway towards him. Behind him, he could see the two Gryffindore students that he had told off exit from her classroom before casting an angry glance towards him.
"I need to speak with you immediately, ple...is, is that a bat?"
The two girl's turned their heads nervously towards the head of Gryffindore seeing her wide eyes glancing over the small creature in their hands before turning back to their own second in command head next to Slughorn.
"Thank you, Sir"
The two girls deposited the bat in his hands before turning and running. Minerva instantly plucked the bat from his hands as soon as they left and observed the markings of her body as the bat squeaked joyfully towards Minerva. The woman lifted the bats head to see the orbs of golden eyes staring into Minerva's green ones.
"Oh, kitten!" She immediately turned towards her classroom door and walked in meaning for Severus to follow.
"I had no idea she had every intention of turning into a bat" Severus growled, slamming the doors behind him and leaning back on them and expecting a pestering from the new, overly ambitious mother. She shot him a glare before placing the bat on one of the student's tables before leaning down.
"Hermione, dear. Change back please!", the bat squeaked quietly before doing what she was told and changing forms to see her slightly shaking.
Man handled! Minerva scoffed pulling her shaking daughter into his arms as she scowled at the man who was suppose to protect her.
"She likes the students" Severus defended as he allowed his back to remain against the door slightly hesitant of the angry mother.
"Severus, I only told you to do something with her for the day not bloody teach her how to become a bat and be man handled by students"
He rolled his eyes thinking of the irony of the situation.
"And you dear, when did you learn how to transfigure into a bat"
She rubbed her arm nervously as her mother sat her down on the table, "t-two days ago"
"Ooch! Kitten why did you not tell me. I'm so proud of you!" She smiled lovingly at her daughter.
Hermione's eyes were lit up like the moon at Minerva's words, "w-weawwy?"
"Of course dear, that takes a very intelligent and gifted witch to be capable of what you've done"
Hermione smiled back at her mother before sitting up straighter on the desk, "I-I can turn into an ot-ter as well" She smiled toothily, wanting her mother to be even more prouder of her. Minerva's and Severus' eyes landed on the girl, "Really can you show me?"
Hermione nodded before closing her eyes and concentrating. Within a second she was curled up on the table in her otter form barking and rearing at Minerva to cuddle her.
Minerva smirked, picking the baby otter up and brushing it's fur with her hand before she asked Hermione to changed back. She immediately did, happy that her mother was proud of her.
Minerva pulled Hermione into her body and sat down at her desk enjoying the fact that she had an extremely intelligent and gifted daughter to herself. She kissed Hermione's forehead and brushed her unruley hair which she was sure she had once been a plait this morning. Severus groaned before seeing the mother and daughter smiling happily. "I'll leave you two alone" He muttered under his breath before leaving through the door, Minerva could only nod as she cooed her daughter and ran her fingers through the girl's hair.
"First day of Summer school in a fortnight, are you looking forward to it my nighean foirfe ('perfect daughter')?"
Hermione gulped nervously not wanting to leave her parents anymore, "y-you;re gow- go-ing to p-pick me up"
"Ooch dear, we would never leave you, ever. Don't ever think for one second that we would leave you behind"
Hermione could only nod nervously at her mother. Her parents had said that last time and she had practically wound up in a cage. Minerva noticed her adoptive-daughter's look of nervousness and pulled her forward.
Hermione leaned into her mother curling her hands onto her mother's robes and hugging her close. Minerva kissed the girl's forehead as she rocked her back and forth, "I wove...l-lo-ve you, mumma" Hermione whispered into her mother's robes quietly. Minerva smiled happily as she held her closer to her body, "I love you so much Hermione. Don't ever forget that"
She kissed her forehead before kissing her forehead before resting her chin on her daughter's frizzy hair.
"I'm thinking we'll have a family dinner tonight and get started on packing tomorrow morning"
Hermione shifted her eyes to her mother, only moving her head up a little to look at her mother in question. Minerva smirked down at her, "we'll be moving back home to the manor tomorrow"
"Man-or?"
"McGonagall Manor, your grandmother passed it onto me after she moved to her Summer villa in France" the older witch informed the curious girl. "B-but I like living here!" the girl argued her face a little flustered at all the changes that were happening. "Relax dear, I think you'll find the manor a bit more comfortable. It's located in the highlands, away from the buselling cities and close to a nearby town. Plus you will be able to explore a lot more"
Her eyes widened in fear, "W-Will I still b-be able to see Hagwid and Fang and p-pwoff-ess-or Fli-t-wick and-"
"Yes dear, of course you will be" She rubbed her daughter's arms glad Andromeda was able to find Hermione's confidence in telling them if there was something wrong, however it seemed as though the small girl struggled with some anxiety which was only natural considering her struggles.
It was a quiet night tonight as the small family conversed in the living room. Albus chuckling loudly as he sat with his wife, Severus and Poppy were sitting opposite as Isobel cooed and cuddled her granddaughter.
"We're returning to our home come Friday when the students leave for their Summer holidays. That'll give Hermione a week to settle in before she goes to school"
"You're going to love McGonagall Manor, dear" Hermione chuckled as her grandmother tickled her belly. Hermione squealed in laughter as her grandmother blew raspberries on her stomach. "It's out on the highlands, there's a lake for you to swim in and it's near three kilometres to the nearest town. You'll be so happy there, my sweet girl" Isobel cooed to her.
"Ooch, B 'urrainn dhomh do ithe suas ('I could eat you up')" Isobel cooed to the small girl as she continued to cuddle the girl. "tha thu an ogha as fheàrr leam! Tha, tha thu!" Minerva rolled her eyes at her mother's coddling over the girl, fearing the possibility of her never leaving as she cooed to her now 'favourite grandchild'.
"gwandmomma stop!" Hermione bursted in laughter, "I-I'm g-go-ing to...ha, ha... wet myself"
"Ooch" Her grandmother ceased before pulling the girl in for a tight hug, "as-tu pratiqué?" ('have you been practicing?').
Hermione nodded her head, "o-oui, gwand-m-m-èrrr-e" Isolbel kissed her cheek loudly before noticing Poppy's eyes. Isobel gave her granddaughter another squeeze before passing her onto her godmother who looked slightly jealous. Hermione settled very quickly in her godmother's arms as she wrapped her in a tight hug seeing as it was nearly seven o'clock at night time and very close to Hermione's bed time. "She's taken all her potions tonight?" Poppy couldn't help but assess the girl as she tried to rock her to calm her from all the excitement. "On the exception of a sleeping draft, however I believe we will give her that now" Albus flicked his hand towards the kitchen twice. Within an instant a small potion came flying towards Albus' hand. Hermione's eyes widened as she sat up straight. "Papa, d-do I have to take it now. I fweel fine" Poppy put the girl in her father's lap so he could deal with the small girl. Not that Poppy couldn't handle it however Albus and Minerva had only had Hermione for just over six months and were still learning how to really care for a child.
Minerva pulled the thick red blanket she was leaning against on the arm chair and placed it on her husband's lap before he pulled his only child into him and wrapped the blanket around her. "You may take one gulp now and the second in a few minutes" He reasoned with the girl who didn't seem to happy with the outcome but agreed nonetheless and took the potion with a small glare towards her father as she did as she was told.
"Good girl" He whispered softly to her before he continued to hold her in her wrapped blanket and let her rest against him. Minerva leaned forward adjusting the bundle of blankets surrounding the small child as she watched her husband gently attempt to rock the girl to sleep.
Isobel couldn't help but lean back in her seat seeing her daughter finally have something she has craved for years. She smirked, thinking to herself of wanting to be more involved in her daughter's and granddaughter's life from now on.
Hermione placed her bag down next to her mother who packing away Hermione's toys and books with her wand. Minerva arched her eyebrow as she picked up the somewhat light backpack and then looked down at the girl's bare feet. "Kitten, please tell me you packed your shoes?"
Hermione gulped and grabbed the bag again before scurrying out of the room. Minerva sighed, making another flick with her wand at the chest to close before walking into Hermione's wardrobe and finding the girl on the ground practically throwing her clothes hastily into a nearby chest. Minerva rubbed her forehead not realising the stress of changing homes was effecting the girl this badly. Although, she shouldn't be surprised, they had finally gotten Hermione into a routine here and now they were completing disrupting it. "Hermione dear" she gently took her daughter's forearms and finally noticed her almost shaken golden flecked eyes. She looked very scared and tired. Minerva wondered how much sleep the girl had gotten the previous night even despite the sleeping draft. The green eyed witch ran her fingers through the small girl's hair before bringing her in for a cuddle. "Let me finish the packing, go find your father. I'm sure he could use some cheering up,"
Hermione could only nod before quickly hugging her mother's legs and running out of the room. Minerva couldn't help but smirk at her daughter's small paddling steps as she ran away. From the back, she could still see Hermione had a small limp from compensating on her injured legs for so long. Minerva's thoughts were somewhat drawn to the images of penguin trying to run away as fast as it could.
It wasn't long before the family had finally packed and ready to return back home or by Hermione's (quiet) standards, be wrenched away from a place that she had only briefly gotten used too. Minerva couldn't help but hold her daughter close as they apparated to the manor. She practically squeezed her daughter in her arms as the pull of both their navels made them wobble in their spot. Still Minerva did not react, he focus solely on keeping her precious daughter upright as she swayed a little on the landing. It was definitely going to take some time to get used to apparating for the girl but flooing was definitely out of the question considering Hermione's almost anger towards fireplaces.
Minerva took a breath as she watched her precious cargo look up and gasp as she moved back towards her mother who picked her up.
To say it was big would be an understatement. Hermione looked in wonder as she clutched her finger's into her mother's robes as she gawped. It must have been at least five stories tall with an attic on top. The entrance to the house had a fresh green garden with large stone gargoils opposite the two side by side columns, almost guarding the double door opening. The outside of the estate seemed to be covered in vines covering the 18th century, olrig country house made up of bath stone.
"Well?" Hermione felt herself being placed on the ground before her hand was taking by her mother. "Our home is safe; go explore" Hermione felt herself being pushed forward by both her mother and father, she immediately looked at them for security before finally taken the first step into her new home.
Minerva couldn't help but smile inwardly as she chased her daughter through the house in her Animagus form. Hermione first started off hesitantly walking through the large entrance which contained a rather large staircase leading up from both sides of the entrance and showed a somewhat open layout house with one main second entrance leading into what looked the living room, to her left a study and to her right the lounge room. Most of the home was lined a red stained cedar wood wall panels with paintings lining the walls. Hermione feet stumbled a she walked without direction taking in every single section of the house before moving into the next room just to the right of the entry way. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the living room built with three sofas and what looked like a lazy man surrounding the large fire. In between a red and golden flecked rug with a rather large mahogany coffee table stood in between. Hermione raised her head up in surprise at the bird sitting above the fire place on the perch just in front of two crossed swords and a plague.
"GWARR"
Hermione smiled wanting to take a step closer and touch the creature however as soon as she felt the warmth of the fire on her cheek she stopped. Memories flooded back of the night she had burnt her forearms and hands trying to get what little possessions she had from the fire and, and teddy.
Hermione's eyes flicked around the room very quickly to see the grey tabby cat watching her from the arm rest of the couch. As if telepathically, the cat raced out of the room towards the front doors of the house. Hermione's breathing turned erratic as the walls began to twist and bend. Hermione rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket as she stumbled back hitting the stone wall of the living room and sinking down onto the red cedar floorboards. It felt like an eternity had passed before she felt something rub against her blue jeans. The small girl looked up to see the animal placing the teddy down beside her before jumping onto the girls stomach and butting her head against her chin. Hermione couldn't help but smile as she grabbed both her teddy and the tabby cat and held them close.
Before long, she felt the animal jump off her lap and a large shadow grow over her. She looked up to see her mother bending down next to her and helping her off the ground.
"Why don't you go explore the rest of the manor and we'll show you the backyard" Minerva winked at her as she straightened the girl's clothes so they didn't look ruffled. Hermione took one last glance towards the burgendy sofas and nodded. Teddy tucked tightly into her chest she moved into the next room to see a rather large dining room table with eight chairs lining the mahogany wood and a large glass dome window bringing light into the room from the hills.
Hermione couldn't help but stumble towards the window and press her face up against it in wonder. A somewhat medium size lake with a pier stood before the scottish hillside lined the distance. The girl smiled, happy she was surrounded by nature and not the busy bussle of the city which her previous parents where always dragging her around too, dodging people who were like giants to her. The next room she entered was, what could only be described as a very olden kitchen with a similar what would perhaps be a modern day twist. The pattern was much similar to that of the living room with stone walls and red cedar wood floor boards. In the middle of the kitchen was an island panelled with the same red cedar wood and black marble tops. Hermione noticed a door off to the right and licked her lips. In her uncle's home this was the position in which the cellar stood and took a few stumbling steps back before hitting the soft green robes of her mother.
"That's the butler's pantry, dear. It's used to try and keep the kitchen as clean as possible"
Hermione looked up at her mother curiously before the older woman moved to open the door. Hermione's heart beat raced as she watched the door knob turn and open revealing what looked to be a small kitchen. Two kitchens? Hermione didn't seem to comprehend why you would need two kitchen's but then this house was realitively big and old. She could imagine their would be triple of some things. The rest of the lower floor contained an conservatory with a small library of books which seemed as though they the most recent reads and a stairwell with one leading down to the basement and the other leading upstairs. Hermione had more than utterly refused to go downstairs to her mother much to her convenience. Minerva had informed her that the basement was used as a potion's labratory and that she wasn't allowed to go down there without permission anyway.
The second floor seemed to reside the master bedroom, guest room which Minerva had told her was her new room and a large library with a study much to Hermione's amazement.
The third floor another guest room which too both Hermione's and Minerva's surprise had both a trunk and what looked like black robes hanging from one of the coat racks. Hermione heard her mother mumble something under her breath before she was prompted to see the rest of the home.
The two had spent over an hour and a half looking through each and every room of the homestead. Minerva had advised her of which rooms were off limits which included two rooms on the fourth floor, one room on the third floor, the attic, the basement and the butler's pantry.
"What's behind them?"
"One of them is a duelling room, other rooms have some very sharp objects in which I don't want you touching and hurting yourself on" Hermione nodded in understanding as she sat at the kitchen bench watching as her mother prepared three sandwiches. "the last one is your father's study which also contains a few extra gizmo's your father likes to keep as souveneires of the war as well as spellbooks which have a few rather nasty jinx's on them. We've arranged the library on the second floor to only contain books that do not have any nasty side effects from reading"
Hermione could only nod as she watched the blade of the knife cut the sandwich in two, "Hermione I want you to tell me now that you will abide by these rules and stay out of those rooms?" Her mother almost somewhat demanded from her. Hermione could only sigh,
"I am not al-lowed-d to go in the basement, the mini kitchen,"
"Butler's pantry" Minerva corrected.
"The-the third door on the right of the third floor, the two rooms to the third and fourth left of the fourth floor nearest the window and the attic on the fifth floor"
"Good girl" Minerva smiled at her before sliding across Hermione sandwich filled with chips and ham. "And how was my little adventurer's first day of her new house?" a cheerful voice said behind her.
"Papa!" Hermione turned to see her father enter the room, sweating from the hot sun outside.
He moved over kissing his daughter's head and stealing one of her crisps before moving over to his wife and kissing her cheek. "Is everything set up outside?" Minerva asked a hint of 'you-better-have-done-or-you're-in-the-dog-house" tone.
"Yes dear. I have recharmed all of the land's boundaries, placed an anti-drowning charm on the lake and bounded the certain areas of the potion's garden which are dangerous" Albus almost collapsed into the seat next to his daughter. He eyed his small girl who had finally noticed him watching her before grabbing another her crisps. "Hey!" Hermione ate one of the crisps before squealing as her father pulled her into his lap and took another crisp. Minerva rolled her eyes pushing the plate back over to Albus' plate. "You realise our daughter is very protective of her food?" Minerva said with a hint of annoyance in her tone. Albus couldn't help but his daughter's cheek several times before passing her her sandwich which she more than happily took a bit of.
"Did mummy show you your room?" Albus teased Minerva as she took a bite into her lettuce, cheese and ham sandwich. Hermione nodded and began to chew on her sandwich as her father continued on to tell her all about the manor itself.
Night had fallen early around the Scottish Hillside and by 4PM Hermione was already in the bath being bathed by her mother after running around in the backyard with her father who thought it would be a good idea to play with Hermione in the potion's garden first and show her how to plant and water the seeds before making 'mud pies'.
"Well dear, what do you think of the homestead?" Minerva asked gently as she placed conditioner and sleek easy into the girl's hair before beginning to comb it through with a brush.
"It's big" Hermione muttered under her breath as she washed between her toes with a cloth.
Minerva chuckled before pouring a cup of water over the girl's head. "I thought you'd be happy with this home. You will be able to explore a bit more on your own and your room is closer in this house to us"
Hermione bit her lip, she had gotten used to the open floor plan of their home at Hogwarts and finding her parents was very easy considering their was one main room. With this manor, there were many rooms and it made her feel somewhat...small.
"It weally, weal, rrr-ea-lly big" Hermione spoke louder before looking over to her mother who seemed to be examining her back. "Ow!" Hermione hissing as the woman accidentally combed close to the girl's back, scratching part of her keloid scarring.
Minerva only noticed the girl's pain and looked straight into the golden eyes. "What's wrong"
"T-The bwush hurt me" Hermione turned and looked somewhat fearful of the brush Minerva was holding. The older woman could only look into the girl's scarred eyes noticing the fear that ran through them. In the time they had spent together she had felt like they had accomplished so much but now she could see if was only the tip of the iceberg.
"I'm so sorry dear. I didn't mean to, You know I would never intentionally harm you, kitten" Minerva ran a hand through her own her before lifting Hermione's hair up and out of her way to see the small area of the scar that had changed red, "you know that"
Hermione could only nod as she leaned over the tug grabbed on her mother's robes with her small hands before pulling herself in for a hug which Minerva was glad to relish as she stared down at the small girl's back.
There wasn't a scratch per say but Hermione's scarring was so sensitive that she could imagine it was definitely uncomfortable. After Minerva had finished cleaning Hermione's hair and back she transfigured the brush and shampoo bottle into a rubber duckie and rubber boat to play as she went about cleaning up.
That evening Minerva had decided that for the first couple of days Hermione would sleep with them until she was acquainted with the homestead. She had pulled Hermione into her lap before pulling out a diary from one of her draws and a packet of pencils to give to the girl.
"Where are we up too?" Minerva cooed into her daughter's wet hair as the girl opened the diary and swiped the pages across.
As Minerva pulled out a phamplet for an Oxford Summer School as a next choice for Hermione's education. "April 15th" Hermione stopped herself for a second before looking uneasy, she was almost too quiet. "I-It's my pawents...tomorrow" she didn't finish the statement not wanting to admit what happened. "Ooch, deary. I'm so sorry" Minerva leaned forward before wrapping her arms tightly around her daughter. "We'll go visit them tomorrow," She muttered into the small girl's ear. There was at least something in Minerva's comfort that made Hermione at least try and force a smile back towards Minerva. She nodded quickly, happy to see them again before turning back to the book. The older woman could only smile and brush the girl's hair as she continue to watch her daughter write in her diary of her days progress, the highlights and any dreams that she had had during her naps when she no longer had to take dreamless sleep for during the day.
"...and I pwayed with...pl-le-ay-d with pa-pa ma-king m-u-d pies" Hermione wrote down in large but neat writing before attempting to draw a picture next to it. Over the months, Hermione had successfully been able to cut her therapy sessions down from three times per week to once per week much to Minerva's delight. She had made so much progress in such a quick period of time and the two of them had been addiment on practicing all the homework Andy had given them, including getting the girl to be more vocal in her wants and needs, likes and dislikes, any fears or problems.
"What a day!" Both Hermione and her mother turned their heads towards the master bedroom door to see Albus entering in his night time pj's which consisted of a long sleeved red top with purple pants. He moved the covers to the side and climbed under the sheets before kissing his wife and daughter's cheeks. "I told you, you shouldn't be answering owls after hours"
"Unfortunately, Hogwarts are still handling the backlash of all the drugs entering the school. One of the boys had also advised their parents that our girl had been injured"
Minerva's eyes bulged at the statement. They had wanted to keep Hermione at arms length from the Ministry. It really wasn't their business knowing that Hermione existed in the first place.
"They don't-"
She was cut off by Albus' nodding.
"Cornelius sent me a letter this evening advising of his condolences of the girl's injuries and advised he was surprised that we even had a daughter in the first place"
"What did you say to him.
"I simply told him that we were wanting to keep her out of the spotlight. It was an unfortunate event that the girl had been caught in the crash after she had wondered off from her godfather's quarter's to look for her mother even after she had been told to stay put"
Hermione glanced from him back to her book with a pink blush on her cheeks feeling somewhat in trouble. Albus shot her a gentle smile, "I told him that she was healing well and there was some residual scarring of course. He had insisted however on seeing her in person after our meeting tomorrow in my office"
"I was wanting to take Hermione for a walk tomorrow morning around the boundry and then Hagrid's taking her fishing at 11"
"I've set the meeting for nine as to not interfere with too much of our day"
Minerva sighed wanting to keep the holidays to just themselves, however she also felt that this was likely to be cut short seeing as one of the other master bedrooms upstairs had been only recently deemed occupied by someone throwing their stuff in their.
"How's the drawing going, kitten?" Minerva was pulled out of her thoughts by Albus' voice. Hermione couldn't help but twist her upperbody on the spot and flash her father a proud smile as she showed him the drawing in the book of what looked like two roughly drawn circular people with smiles on their faces standing together next to a coloured in smaller circle.
"Look papa, it's us making mud pies in the garden" Albus pulled her off her mother lap and lowered her onto his belly before giving her a cuddle. "It's beautiful dear" He brushed the hair from her face before resting her gently in his arms, "I bet you'll make an artist one day"
Hermione smiled at him before sliding off and resting her head in the crook of her father's neck. Minerva watched the calm, loving smile that flittered over Albus' lips. A genuine smile of love and adoration. Minerva couldn't help but feel tears prickling at her eyes as she rested her head on the pillow closest to her daughter before wrapping an arm around her.
Yes, she was very grateful to finally have a family of her own.
Hey guys,
thank you reading, if you liked it please leave a review and tell me what you think.
Next chapter will be titled the fishing trip and the haunted house
