Disclaimer-Me no own, you no sue, me no cry, you no die
A\N—Well, I didn't get quite as many reviews as I had hoped, but I did get quite a few and those of you who reviewed were really nice! Kudos, love and chocolate frogs to my reviewers. Announcer voice. AND NOW! Back by almost popular demand, it's MORE Borrowed Hearts, the Hr\? Romance where you (yes you) get to pick the pairing.
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Hermione's room, Weasley manor, North most tower 9:13 pm
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Harry stood out in the hallway just outside Hermione's room, not really sure if he was going to knock or not. Finally however, he did.
"Come in." the familiar yet unfamiliar voice of Hermione called cautiously. Harry carefully opened the door and crossed the threshold. He found himself in what he had always known to be an impersonal guest room which was visited most often by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, or Ginny, and less often by Ron's brothers. Now however, the room was far from impersonal. Given, it wasn't the room of a wife, (after all, thought Harry dryly, most married folk slept in the same room) but Hermione had had only a little over an hour to adjust to her new status, and indeed, the room was now very personal. It had a double bed with a lace coverlet, a large window seat, many books and other shelves covered with odds and ends. (Every thing from photographs to a toothbrush) It was so obviously Hermione's. The ghost servants had worked fast.
Hermione herself was sitting under the covers on her bed (A\N much as I am now) three books, a large stack of parchment, and a peacock feather quill at easy reaching distance. She was wearing a large t-shirt as a nightgown, and this, compiled with the fact her (slightly bushier than earlier) hair was back in a ponytail and her face clean washed made her look more like the Hermione he remembered. "Yes?" she asked Harry, and although her tone was warm, Harry got the distinct impression she wasn't happy with him.
"Nothing important Hermione." Harry told her, looking at her curiously. "You know, I just haven't seen you in a decade, although you work for my best friend and we have evidently been in the same building numerous times…not to mention the fact that you have two kids…" his voice trailed off, then picked back up. "I was hoping we could talk." He looked at the pile of papers on her lap. "Surely you don't want to go to bed so early?"
"No." admitted Hermione. "I'm tired, but not that tired." She looked at him suspiciously. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
Harry laughed uncertainly. "Even less trusting than I remember." He said softly. "I'm not just being nice to you Hermione. We were best friends remember? If you hadn't suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth, I think we'd still be best
friends."
Hermione's face softened, and she patted the bed at her feet, where Harry promptly sat. "Ok, let's talk." She said
"So is that a novel you're writing?"
Hermione nodded. "I'm not going to work in the Polish and Presto room forever you know. My boys deserve better."
Harry remembered the Polish and Presto room. A small, overcrowded workstation, but Ron never could turn anyone away…
"What's it about?"
"Well," admitted Hermione, "I'm not sure yet. It might be a Romance. With a good mixture of historical fact of course."
"Of course." Said Harry, he looked around at the numerous photographs. There were a few that were of adults, (Harry recognized Hermione's parents, and noticed one of Neville and his wife and daughter in which Neville was attempting to put a tickling charm on his daughter. Unfortunately, he messed up and turned it into the levitation spell in which Jess shot up out of the picture view and Padma hit Neville on the head with her wand before summoning her daughter back down.) But most of them were of Alex and Rion. The earliest ones had apparently been taken with a Muggle camera, but the most recent ones were moving Wizard photos.
Catching Harry's stare, Hermione spoke. "There something my boys…aren't they?" She smiled, a motherly smile, slightly bittersweet.
Harry laughed. "From what I can tell. That...Alex of yours is bound to be trouble. He looks just like you."
Hermione smiled and nodded. " He certainly adores you. Has since I introduced him to Quidditch when we moved back a year and a half ago."
"From where?" Harry prodded.
Hermione's voice took a colder note. "Where we were."
"Oh. So is Rion more like his dad?"
Hermione's voice stayed icy. "The better parts of him."
Harry tried to turn the topic more back on the boys, and less on Hermione's evidently secret past. "Where are there rooms? Are they ok with this arrangement?"
Hermione looked relived, and gestured towards a connecting door. "Ri's in that room through there so I can hear him if he wakes up. Alex looked all over the tower for the room he thought must be yours, and settled in a few doors down."
Harry grinned. "It's nice when kids like you. Makes you feel like you might be an ok person after all."
"Don't count on that Harry. Just cause the boys are ok for now…"
"Why do I get the instinct impression you are blaming this on me?"
"It was your idea wasn't it? Ron renting a family to secure his business deal? Taking my oldest son in with your charms? That was you right?"
"OK, yes. But you have no idea how much this "deal" means to Ron. It's the future of QQS."
Harry never said that Hermione's job and the jobs of her friends could depend on this deal, but Hermione suddenly understood that and nodded. "OK."
"And I'm not trying to draw Alex in on anything. He seems like a really sweet kid. Coincidently, my room as you said is just down the hall. Ron lets me stay here between competitions and tours and such. Makes living on the road easier." His eyes took on a bitter sweet overtone, but that changed to mischievous. "And I wouldn't be to upset about this arrangement if I were you. I mean, if it hadn't been for the funeral…"
He stopped as her eyes took on a childlike panicked look. " Don't Harry. I haven't thought about that day in ten years, and I'm damn well not going to relive it now."
Harry's eyes widened slightly. "Okay Hermione."
She look as if she was going to say something more to him, but shook her head slightly, and gave him a friendly, yet very removed hug. "I'm going to owl Padma and Neville real quick, then head on to bed." She smiled slightly. "It'll be nice getting to know you again Harry. You…and Ron."
Harry smiled back at her. "Goodnight Hermione."
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Master Bedroom, Weasley Manor, 12:34 am
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Between the time Harry had left Hermione's room, and now, the house had grown quiet. Harry had retired to his own quarters, (which were indeed adjacent to Alex's.) Hermione had turned off her light, and all the ghost servants had virtually vanished. The only sound from either boys room was the steady, soft, trusting breathing of childhood.
In Ron's room however, the Lord of the Manor had only just dropped off into a fitful sleep
Hermione had agreed to help. He hadn't really expected her to, but, considering that she worked for him, it all sort of fit together after all. He hoped the kids would be able to hold their parts. Especially the little one. Even in his sleep Ron sighed. This was really more stress than he had ever expected to handle. Maybe it would all work out. Blancoeeb would be arriving in less than 48 hours, and from then on, they all would either sink or swim so to speak.
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Rion's room, 7:30 AM
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Rion awoke early the next morning and stared out from his crib at the room around him. It was a very pretty room. He thought slowly, blinking his large, dark blue eyes sleepily, his long eyelashes making it look as if angels had landed on his eye lids. The walls were a dark green color, and had teddy bears dancing across it. Rion giggled as one of the teddy bears stood on its head and toppled over, only to resume dancing looking slightly dizzy. Yes, Rion nodded to himself. This was a very nice room. In addition to the funny wallpaper it contained more toys and equipment than the young child had ever seen. But…it wasn't his room. HIS room was a creamy off white color. HIS room was shared by Alex, and had a moving Quidditch Poster, and a still picture of Mummy and Daddy and Alex. Mummy told him he was in her tummy when that picture was taken. That was Rion's very bestest favoriteist picture. And, although there was quite a bit of stuff from home, including his stuffed Dragon, 'Lightful, there was no picture, and no Alex. Having woken up a bit more by this point, Rion began to shriek, his little face turning red in grief.
"Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmyyy!!!"
The Teddy bears, who were all watching Rion with concerned expressions, sighed in relief when Hermione bolted through one of the doors. "Shhhhh baby." She whispered soothingly, lifting him up and sitting down with him in the rocking chair that was next to his bed.
Rion clutched at her, still sobbing.
"Shhhhhhhh Ri. It's alright. Mummy's here. We're just visiting someone. Like we visit Ms. Emma sometimes."
Rion looked up at her. "Al-ix?" he whimpered.
"Alex is just down the hall baby." She ran her fingers through his hair in a circling motion, and Rion giggled, content again.
"Let's go wake him up shall we?" Suggested Hermione.
"Okay Mummy." He jumped off her lap and latched on to her hand, and they walked down the hall quietly.
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Alex's room, 7:50 am
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Hermione walked quietly into her oldest son's room. His wallpaper was Quidditch themed, and Quidditch balls and broomsticks were darting across it, ridden by mini Quidditch players. Alex was sleeping peacefully on a bed covered with an old yet well restored comforter. Hermione felt her heart twinge when he shall the bright orange Chudley Cannon's bed spread that had covered Ron's bed as long as she had known him. Looking closely at the spread she could even see where she and Ginny had spilled fingernail polish on it, the summer before seventh year.
While his mother was lost in old memories, Rion had scampered to his brother's bed and had climbed up on top of him.
"Geroff Ri!" Complained Alex tiredly. Hermione walked over next to him and tickled him awake then kissed him on the nose.
"Morning Mum." Alex smiled slightly. Rion looked at him. "Good Morning Ri." Alex told him, kissing his brother on the head.
"Goo Mornin' Al-ix!" Rion replied happily.
Hermione laughed. "Up my boys. Perhaps we can get ourselves something to eat in this place. If my memory serves me correctly, Ron and Harry won't be up for hours.
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Weasley dinning hall, 9:29 am
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I can't believe you fixed breakfast for us 'Mione." Harry told her as he finished off his pancakes. "This is the best breakfast I've had in a long time. Contrary to Ron's belief, these ghost's can't cook."
Hermione smiled gracefully at the compliment. "Well, I didn't really intend on fixing breakfast for the two of you, but we all love making pancakes, so there were plenty left over. Perhaps I could give those ghosts some lessons."
Ron looked flustered but didn't reply.
"So," Hermione said finally. "Tell me a little more about this Blancoeeb guy."
"Well," Ron began, "he's this really important Wizarding sport bloke from America. And he's arriving tomorrow evening and has the potential to ruin my life."
"Blancoeeb doesn't sound like an American name to me." Hermione told him.
"Yes well, Granger sounds so English now doesn't it. But you probably don't go by Granger anymore do you Mrs.-?"
"I do indeed." Hermione spoke quickly before the boys could. "And Hermione will be fine Ron." She smiled tightly. "We're not strangers after all."
Ron nodded, and then Harry spoke, addressing Rion and Alex.
"Do you think you will be able to call this man Daddy?"
Alex nodded slowly, but Rion looked troubled at his brother. "He's not Daddy!" He told Alex plaintively.
Alex shook his head. "Daddy's not here any more Rion." Seeing his little brother's lip begin to tremble he quickly continued. "Do it for Mummy ok Ri?"
Rion nodded and then turned to Ron. "OK Daddy."
Ron looked cautiously at the other people at the table for a moment. The boys were whispering to one another, and Hermione was beaming with Motherly Pride at her children. He didn't want to admit the warmth that ran through him when he heard the words 'Daddy'. He had a feeling Harry already knew though.
"OK." He sighed finally, clapping his hands so that the ghosts began to clean up the table. "This is what you need to know—Mrs.Weasley."
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A\N—end of chapter 5. Once again, I am very sorry for the shortness. I'm working on that. Is it still good? I hope so. I'm having severe writers block, even for my authors note. Any suggestions what so ever, do let me know. I tried to format this chapter better, I just figured out how, so if it doesn't work, let me know. If you have any ideas for scenes or anything, tell me, or if you want to write a scene and it fits in with my story line I would love to use it (and credit you of course.) I gotta go to bed now; I've got work tomorrow. School starts Monday. It's sad. Thank you to all my reviewers, I love each and every one of you. Read and Review. Howlers are welcome; it's much to quiet at 1 in the morning.
~CR~