Hermione was lying on her bed with a cold washcloth over her eyes. The kids would be home within the hour and she wanted to get rid of this pulsing headache behind her eyes before they arrived. Today had been a trying day from when she sent them off to start at Hogsmeade Primary. Benjy hadn't wanted to go.
"I dun't want a new teacher." He had cried. "I want you!"
"Benjy you'd have had a new teacher anyway! You're in third grade now. Go into the school!"
"NO! I'm not moving!"
"Benjamin get in that building right now!"
"NUHUH." she knelt down to look in his eyes.
"That's not all is it?"
"I miss my friends. And… I want daddy to be here." Oh lord why me?
"I know honey we all want Daddy to be here but he can't be. We've had this talk before."
"I know but I still miss him." she hugged him.
"I know you do but he wants you to go to school and get a good education now go on shoo!" he smiled tearily and slowly, braces clanking walked into the school. The twins had been standing by her side during all this and she took one by each hand and walked inside.
When they reached the kindergarten the elderly teacher greeted them with a surpy smile and with a voice so smooth Hermione wanted to break it informed them that,
"Deatheater's children can't be taught here." Needless to say this didn't put the woman on Hermione's good graces.
"Excuse me ma'am?"
"You heard me young lady. If you would kindly leave my sight."
"Listen you err-"quick glance at her children who were staring at her. "I mean ma'am first of all my husband was acquitted by the ministry. Secondly that has nothing to do with my children's schooling." The smile was pasted on now and the voice not so syrupy.
"Yes I am afraid it does. We don't want any trouble here and"
"Right then I shall go speak to your boss then shall I? Come along children." She spun around and headed toward the office.
"Mommy what does come along children mean?" Rosie asked curiously.
"The same thing as c'mon kids we gotta go."
"Oh." She then barged right into the principal's office after leaving the children on a bench outside not wanting them to hear what she wanted to say. The Principal was a fat balding man who seemed to be the type who needed a midlife crisis.
"Mr. Dryashel."
"Yes Mrs. Potter? What can I do you for? Heh heh." He laughed as if he had invented that phrase.
"I am here to complain about that bitch you have down in room two. She refuses to take my children though I thought I remembered a meeting with you just yesterday about my husband's past not affecting my children did I not?"
"Yes of course I don't know what got into Ms. Olebatte's head. Of course you're children can be taught here. Of course now I don't think Ms. Olebatte would be best for them. How about Mrs. Sugnspice, of course I should have thought of her before."
"That'll be fine of course."
"Good good." The oblivious man didn't even notice her mocking him.
So then she led the children to room one where a nice young teacher greeted them. As she walked away she couldn't help shedding a tear at how fast her kids were growing up.
She had then helped with the preparations of the rooms the orphan children would have. She had spent the day on a twelve-foot high ladder tediously painting spots on a thirteen-foot high giraffe. She had been nearing the finish when a sixth year who had volunteered to help had fallen off a nearby ladder flinging paint all over her work. She had been forced to start over and hadn't had time to get half done.
So now she lay on her bed grimacing at the memory of the past day. She was drifting off to sleep when there was a knock at the door. Who the hell? She got up blinking hard. She staggered into the main hall and opened the portrait. She squinted at the person in her doorway. Blond hair and silver eyes? Who was it?
"Hello Hermione. Don't recognize me?" she shook her head painfully.
"Let me give you a hint to quote Ron, 'I never thought I'd let a Malfoy sit with us' although now look who has a Malfoy for a brother in law?" headache forgotten she smiled.
"Hey Justin! How have you been in the past oh five years or so since I last saw you??" She hugged him tightly.
"Fine Hermione just fine. It's nice to know we're practically related." His voice had gotten much deeper and he was taller nearly six foot she guessed.
"Yes I'm so sorry I missed the wedding but well you know…"
"Yeah I guess I do. Who'd have thought it though? A Malfoy marrying a Weasley? The wedding was something though. The bride and grooms sides glared at each other the whole time and Ginny - the smart thing - banned alcohol from the reception. There were enough quarrels as it was."
"I'll bet." Then she seemed to remember herself. "Oh where are my manners? Come in. Gosh you've grown." They sat on the couch.
"Not quite twelve anymore am I? Eh?" he grinned. It was crooked charming sort of grin that she guessed by now had charmed plenty of girls. And once upon a time would have more than likely charmed her if she hadn't been taken from the time she was ten.
"No sire you're not. So got a girlfriend?" she really didn't need to know the answer. She could remember fifth years whispering about
'That hot first year with the silver eyes."
"As a matter of fact yeah I do. Her name's Illana Patil. She's a sixth year actually. But she's an older sixth year. Her sisters came here when you were here right?"
"Yeah they did. Wasn't Pavarti…" she trailed off not wanting to finish but he knew what she meant and nodded
"And Padma." She sucked in a breath this was a detail no one had bothered to tell her. They had probably guessed she didn't know her and in truth she didn't. Not well anyway. She had been the Ravenclaw Prefect so they had met but nothing more than brief "Hello how are you" still the news was shocking.
"Oh how awful for their family…" she was broken off by a bustle of motion from the main hall and a portrait slamming.
"MUM WE'RE HOME!" was the excited yell.
"No kidding? I thought it was just a herd of elephants." Benjy ran to her laughing.
"Good day?" he smiled at her, a charming smile that hadn't changed since he was two,
"Yeah there are some cool kids but I miss you being my teacher." I do believe the whole of Hogsmeade heard that this morning.
"Gee thanks kiddo. You miss your friends too don't cha?"
"Yeah 'specially Timmy but it'll be okay I guess. This one guy's real nice he talked to me and didn't say a word bout my braces and we played football."
"Oh yeah? That's great. Maybe he can come over sometime and see Hogwarts early. What's his name?"
"Erm Theo I think. Yeah, Theo Diggory's his name." Next to her Justin whistled. Hermione nodded and Benjy turned.
"Hey Justin!" Why does he recognize Justin and not me? Silently she answered her own question because he didn't have a head that was about to fall apart.
"Hey little man long time no see." The twins who had been waiting patiently barreled into Hermione's arms.
"Whoa hey guys. How was kindergarten?" they smiled and in unison replied,
"Good!" Jamie scampered off but Rosie stayed always having to give a commentary,
"Ms. Sugnspice is great and she let me paint a picture. I'm gonna give it to daddy! It's of a unicorn. Can you put it somewhere safe?" she handed her mum a rolled up piece of paper.
"Sure sweetie. Go play with your brother okay?" Rosie ran off happily and Benjy followed a minute later.
"So um want to stay for dinner? We're having steak and kidney pie. I'm about to start fixing it and though the houselves can cook so can I." he nodded smiling.
"Sure I'll stay." She smiled. That night was nice to say the least. The kids loved Justin and he seemed to take to them. He spent dinner telling them stories of princesses and dragons and of brave wizards concealing themselves as knights. That night Hermione went to bed happy.
