by dr. z (used to be tranquillitas)
A/N: Chapter 4 finally up! I tweaked the story just a bit. Due to several factors concerning the story, GILLIAN BLYTHE IS NOW FIVE YEARS OLD!!! Hope you enjoy! Reviews (constructive criticisms, suggestions, the occasional flame) are very much appreciated. Thanks to trina-k for beta-reading!
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and co. doesn't belong to me! The names of the Blythes are not mine either!
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Chapter 4: And It Starts
Hermione woke up early the next morning feeling something warm against her chest. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with Gillian's wide-awake twinkling brown eyes. She was also on her side, looking up at her with a curious expression on her face. Memories of the night before invaded her thoughts …
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They had finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. After saying the password, Hermione stepped through first, followed closely by Ron. Unfortunately, it was still quite early and majority of the Gryffindors were settled in the Gryffindor Common Room. All eyes were on the three of them.
Hermione and Ron stood by the portrait hole, not quite sure what to do with themselves. Hermione veered her attention to Gillian's hair. Ron suddenly found his shoes very interesting. She could feel Ron's embarrassment and nervousness and was sure that the tips of his ears had gone considerably red.
"Couldn't help yourselves?" Collin Creevey sniggered, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"I thought it took more than 3 hours to conceive and give birth, Hermione," teased Lavender.
"Come on. Let's go. Boys Dorm." They sighed with relief when they identified the owner's voice to be Harry. Ron led Hermione to the 6th Year Boys Dormitory. Harry addressed his roommates, "No one follows." The tone of his voice signaled that he meant business and they respected him. He and Hermione weren't prefects for nothing.
As soon as he had closed the door, Ron started to explain but Harry had put his hand up and stopped him. He crossed the room towards his wardrobe and took out a white shirt from the second drawer. He then retrieved his wand from his trunk. A large barn owl was perched on the windowsill.
"Professor Dumbledore sent me an owl," he explained, pointing to the sleeping occupant on his desk. "I know just the gist of everything, so before I ask you to start explaining in full detail, Hermione, go to your dorm and freshen up. Meet back here in 10 minutes, all right? I'll take care of little Gillian while you're gone. You better freshen up as well Ron."
"No offense, mate, but I don't think she'll go with you, Harry," said Ron. "Madame Pomfrey could hardly keep a hold on her earlier."
"We'll see about that," Harry replied. He put down the shirt and the wand and opened his arms. Hermione, reluctantly, turned Gillian over to him expecting another outcry. After a few minutes, though, Gillian was found still fast asleep in Harry's arms.
"First off, she's tired to the bone. Secondly, I developed a knack for kids thanks to Professor Figg's granddaughter. Third, I am not Madame Pomfrey," he explained, noting the bewildered expressions on his best friends' faces. "Well? Go on, then. We don't have all night, you know…"
"Show off!" Ron muttered, showing Hermione to the door. She was shaking her head and grinning in amusement as she made her way out.
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Ron went out to meet Hermione at the foot of the stairs to the dorm several minutes later and went up together. Inside, they found Harry sitting at the foot of his bed, quill in hand, scribbling on a piece of parchment. Seemingly sensing their presence, he briskly folded the parchment and stood up. He prodded the owl awake, tied the note to its leg and turned to face them. The owl soared out the window back to Professor Dumbledore.
"She's on Ron's bed. She woke up a bit when Dobby and Winky came by while you were gone and Ron was in the shower. They brought over some stuff," he said.
Ron sat by Harry, who sat back down again on the bed, and started explaining, while Hermione went over to Ron's bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. Under the scarlet blankets, Gillian lay there, eyes half-closed. At the sudden dip of the mattress, the little girl's eyes widened in surprise. She turned to face Hermione. Cinnamon met chocolate. When she saw her relax, Hermione came closer to her and gently stroked Gillian's hair that was now combed and pulled back in two low pigtails. She got under the covers and lay on her side, her back to the two boys, facing the little girl. The light blue dress Gillian wore earlier was replaced by Harry's shirt, shrunken a bit. Hermione was beginning to struggle to keep herself awake. She felt Gillian snuggle up against her.
"Hermione?" Ron's voice came from directly behind her. "Come on, I'll walk you to your room. Gillian's sleeping with you."
She nodded tiredly and stood up again. She bent down to pick up the half-asleep five-year old. On her way to the door, she pecked Harry on the cheek.
"Good night, 'Mione. G'night, Gillian," he said and he stroked Gillian's hair.
They crossed the Common Room, trying to ignore the penetrating, yet amused, stares of their Housemates, they went up the steps to the Girls Dorm. Upon reaching the door, Ron took Gillian from Hermione, who in turn opened the door and stepped aside to let him in. After closing the door behind her, she led him toward her bed. After Hermione pulled down the blankets, he gently put down the sleeping girl. He turned to her.
"Get in, 'Mione," he instructed. Too tired to think about what he was asking, she obediently got under the covers and lay down beside Gillian. Ron proceeded to tuck them both into bed. Hermione's eyelids were getting heavy again.
"We're going to have to work together to raise this child," she yawned, as he kissed Gillian's forehead good night. "No more stupid questions about Bulgaria, alright, Ron?"
He chuckled a bit before answering, "I promise, 'Mione," and kissed her cheek. "Good night."
She didn't hear him leave the room.
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"Good morning, Gillian," Hermione sat up and greeted the little girl, who was stretching and yawning a bit.
"G'morning, My-nee," she replied, smiling. Hermione stopped in mid stretch.
"How did you know my name?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"That's what the other boy, Ron, I think, said to you. It is My-nee, isn't it?" Gillian sat up, too, and titled her head to the side a little, a thoughtful look on her face.
Hermione nodded to the little girl, a genuine smile on her face.
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"Are you going to be my mum now?" Gillian asked tentatively. She knew that her real mum was not coming back. She knew that she had My-nee and Ron to take care of her now. She just needed to put a tag on what her My-nee and Ron were to her.
Hermione nearly dropped her fork when Gillian addressed her. They explained to their Housemates earlier in the morning the situation of little Gillian Blythe and Gryffindor House accepted her with open arms. They were now at the Gryffindor table eating breakfast with the rest of the school, save for Professors Dumbledore and McGonagal. Some of the chatter and clanging of cutlery had also stopped as the students seated nearest them waited for her answer. She raised her head slightly to meet Ron, his blue eyes giving her assurance. He was seated directly across her, Harry at his side.
She turned to the little girl at her side and smiled. "I guess I am Gillian," she responded, assuring her self more than Gillian. "I guess I am." She planted a kiss on the top of her head. She bent down to pick up her fallen book bag from the floor, her wand sticking out, and set it in between Gillian and her.
"Aw, isn't that sweet, Crabbe? The ickle mudblood's a mum now," Draco Malfoy's taunting voice, loud enough so the whole table could hear him, shattered the tender moment. "Reckon the father's Weasel. No doubt about that." Malfoy's goons, Crabbe and Goyle, stood behind him. Their booming laughter at his lame attempt at a joke annoyed the Gryffindors. If looks could kill, Malfoy and his cronies would be nothing more than a smoking pile of hot ashes behind Hermione.
Ron and Harry stood up almost simultaneously, anger visible on their faces. How Malfoy was made prefect, one could only guess and hope it was an honest mistake. Before any fight could ensue, Harry and Ron's tense faces softened into grins.
A strong gust of wind blew through the Great Hall, upsetting Malfoy's perfectly gelled hair. He let out a gasp when he caught sight of the strands of hair that fell to his face. His hand reached up and pulled more of his hair to his face. Instead of the usual blonde, his hair turned a nice stripe of scarlet and gold. He turned around and, behold, Goyle's hair was a lovely design of blue and bronze. Crabbe's hair was a masterful pattern of yellow and black. He slowly turned back to face the Gryffindors, hands balled into fists, knuckles white with rage, momentarily forgetting his prefect status, and ready to pound the insufferable twit who did this to them.
Fortunately, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagal decided to enter the Great Hall at that very moment. They were met with the laughing faces of the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor students and the appalled looks of the Slytherins. Draco and his company walked hurriedly back to the Slytherin table and sat down hastily, their head down.
"And who may I ask, is responsible for this, er, colorful display?" the Headmaster asked, his eyes twinkling in silent amusement, as he sat down in his seat. Professor McGonagal crossed her arms in her seat, her eyebrow raised at her House, expectant.
The famous trio suddenly felt the spotlight on them. Harry and Ron sat back down. They all looked at each other expectantly, but none of their eyes shown with the guilt (or pride) of a perpetrator. Hermione felt something tugging at the sleeve of her cloak. She looked down at Gillian.
"I want to make right their hair now. Um, how do I do that?" she asked innocently, a wand in her right hand. Hermione checked the bag between them and, sure enough, her wand was not in it.
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A/N: SORRY (x10) for not updating right away! I was in the province for 2 weeks and, unfortunately, was not able to get my hands on a PC there...Thanks so much for being patient with me! ~z