Author's Note: Sorry this has been a long time in coming. I hope to update a bit more regularly... I need to try to catch Remus and Elizabeth up to the events in "For All the Days to Come", so the stories can run parallel.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters and settings from the books in the series are the property of JK Rowling. They are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.

*****

Chapter 2 ~ The Christmas Surprise

Elizabeth was pushing herself harder than ever. She was determined to get out of rehab and back into her own home... and to do it by Christmas. She had a new member of the family to meet, and she wanted to do it on her own terms. She wanted the luxury of visiting with her daughter and grandson without having to worry about returning to rehab afterwards. She pushed herself through the pain of every step by picturing her grandson in her mind. By the weekend before Christmas, she was nearly walking independantly. She needed to use a cane or lean on somebody to keep herself steady, but otherwise, she was making her way around quite nicely.

By the next time Remus visited, she surprised him by walking to the door to greet him. A huge grin split his face as he opened his arms to her, embracing her fondly as he praised her, "How wonderful, Elizabeth! I'm so happy to see the progress you have made. Hermione will be pleased, I'm sure."

Elizabeth beamed as she allowed him to assist her back across the room, "I can go home tomorrow, Remus! I will be continuing therapy at home, Remus... but I'm going home!"

Remus took the seat across from her, "Does that mean you're all set to visit your daughter and grandson for the holiday?"

Elizabeth chuckled, "Am I ready? Remus... I've been ready to meet my grandson for two weeks now! I don't care how I get there, but I'm going!"

"Of course you are," he laughed, "And I'd be happy to take you there, myself!"

They spent the rest of the afternoon making plans for Christmas morning. Elizabeth insisted that she wanted it to be a surprise for Hermione... she made Remus promise not to tell her daughter that she would be coming. He knew that he would have a hard time containing the secret, and could hardly wait to see Hermione's face when her mother walked into Hogwarts on Christmas day.

*****

Early Christmas morning, Remus informed the Headmaster of his plans. Next, he was off to find the Potions Master. He knocked on the door to Severus' private quarters, and was answered with a curt, "Enter!"

"Good morning, Severus. Happy Christmas!" he smiled.

"Lupin," Severus grunted, "What is it?"

"I have... an errand to run this morning. I have to pick up... Hermione's gift," he met Severus' eye and stressed his next words, "In LONDON."

Severus shot him a curious glance before comprehension dawned in his eyes. His mask softened slightly as he replied, "I see."

"I hoped that you would," Remus replied, "Would you mind escorting Hermione and Samuel to the school alone today? I would really love to go with you, but...."

"Very well, Lupin," Severus sighed, "I'm sure I can manage on my own."

"Thank you, Severus," Remus smiled graciously, "Don't tell Hermione... it's to be a surprise."

"I gathered as much," Severus smirked, "Very well. Good day, Lupin."

*****

Remus quickly made his way out of the school and across the grounds, where he apparated to Kings Cross in London. He had wanted to pick Elizabeth up at her home, but she had stubbornly insisted on taking a taxi and meeting him at the train station. He paced the area between platforms nine and ten as he waited for her. Just as he was beginning to grow concerned, he caught a glimpse of her slowly making her way towards him, leaning heavily on the walking stick that she was using for support.

"Elizabeth!" he gasped as he hurried towards her, "You're overdoing it! I wish you would have let me come..."

She laughed, "Nonsense, Remus! I need to learn to get by on my own!" She leaned in and pecked him on the cheek, "Merry Christmas!"

Smiling at her, he replied, "Merry Christmas, Elizabeth. Are you all ready?"

The excitement shone in her eyes as she nodded, "Definitely!"

He assisted her with the trolley as they approached the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, he gently led her through the barrier and onto platform 9 3/4. She gasped in surprise when they emerged on the hidden platform. She knew that it was there, but had never been through the barrier herself. Her eyes wide, she turned to Remus and smiled in delight.

Remus returned the smile, his eyes sparkling as he assisted her aboard. The train was nearly empty that morning, and they settled into a compartment of their own as the train pulled out of the station.

It was a long ride, but they passed the time with pleasant conversation. Remus told Elizabeth everything that she had missed about her daughter and grandson these past few weeks. Almost everything... there was one important detail that Remus would not allow himself to reveal. It would be up to Hermione to tell Elizabeth about Samuel's father.

Elizabeth told Remus what she knew of the wizarding world... things that Hermione had told her over the years... and she asked many questions about the magical world that they would be visiting that day. Remus told her about the school and the people that she would meet there that day. Eventually, Elizabeth asked him to tell her about himself.

"Remus... I've known you for a few months now. But, I don't know anything about you, aside from the fact that you were one of Hermione's professors, and now you're back teaching again."

Remus cringed inwardly as he asked, "What do you want to know?" He was not ready for her to find out about his condition, and hoped that he could avoid telling her as long as possible.

"How did you and Hermione become such good friends?"

Remus smiled as he began to tell her about his friendship with Harry's father, and how he had become close to Harry and his friends in the years since he had first taught at Hogwarts. She encouraged him to tell her more about the last few years, when he hadn't been teaching. Eventually, he told her about his part in the war, and about the loss of his last remaining childhood friend, Sirius.

"Sirius Black? The one who's face was plastered all over the muggle news a few years ago?"

"The very one. He was innocent..." he smiled sadly at the thought of his friend's lost years, telling her the basic facts about his wrongful conviction.

"How sad..." Elizabeth nodded, "Hermione has told me so much about her friends, but she never mentioned him. With good reason, I'm sure. She couldn't very well tell her parents that she was friends with an escaped convict, I suppose."

Remus gently steered conversation back to Hermione, and Elizabeth entertained him with some stories about her daughter's childhood.

"When we received her first letter from Hogwarts, we were floored! We had always known that our daughter was... special. There were signs... things we could never explain. We weren't sure what to make of the letter at first, but we let her accept, and it was the best thing we ever could have done for her. She was happier there than she ever was in our world... she never quite fit in with the kids in her primary school."

Remus smiled, "Hermione is very special, indeed. I can't imagine Hogwarts without her!"

When they arrived in Hogsmeade a few hours later, a carriage was waiting for them to carry them to the school. Elizabeth stared in childlike wonder at the village... it looked like something out of a fairy tale. She looked around nervously as Remus assisted her into the carriage. What were those horselike creatures? She gasped and clutched onto Remus' arm as they started to pull away.

"What ARE they?" she asked, her eyes wide as she stared at them in curiosity.

"Thestrals," Remus chuckled, "Oh... you can see them?" he asked in concern.

"Of course I can," she laughed, wondering why he seemed so concerned that she could see the creatures.

"Er... very well," he quickly changed the subject, "It won't be long. Sit back and enjoy the ride!"

As they rode across the snow covered grounds to the school, Remus couldn't help but smile at Elizabeth's delighted reactions to their world. He was almost reluctant to arrive at the school, he was enjoying her company so much. When the castle came into view, Elizabeth gasped. "Oh... Remus... Is that Hogwarts?"

"Indeed!" he smiled.

"Oh!" Elizabeth was at a loss for words. She had never seen anything as magnificent as the castle that was looming in the distance. She was on the edge of her seat with anticipation as they drew closer, and Remus could hardly contain his own excitement at being the one to introduce her to their world. When they pulled up to the front entrance, he exited the carriage first, holding his hand up to assist her down. When her feet were firmly on the ground, she smiled up at him, showing her eagerness to go inside and see her daughter, and meet her grandson for the first time. The ascent up the front steps was slow going, but before she knew it, Elizabeth was stepping foot into the castle. They stopped in the entrance hall to remove their cloaks, and Elizabeth stared around in wonder.

Remus laughed as he steered her towards the Great Hall, "I think you'll be even more excited by what you will see in there!"

"Hermione!" Elizabeth whispered as her eyes misted over at the thought of her daughter. She took Remus' arm and allowed him to walk her to the Great Hall. They paused in the doorway and looked around just as Hermione looked up, her eyes wide in shock. Elizabeth saw her hand the baby over to a tall dark man who was seated beside her, before rushing over to greet them. She held her arms wide to receive her daughter into her embrace, and the tears began to flow as Hermione greeted her.

"Oh, Mum! Can you walk?" Hermione asked her. Elizabeth was choked up and couldn't reply, so she merely nodded her head before she let Remus and Hermione assist her to her seat. A moment later, Hermione brought her son over to meet her. Placing the child into her arms, Hermione said, "Mum, I would like to introduce you to Samuel Remus Granger," Hermione looked down at her son and smiled as she cooed to the child, "Samuel, this is your Grandmum!"

Elizabeth looked down at her grandson... Samuel. She knew that Hermione had named him after her late father, but it didn't truly hit her until that moment. Through her tears, she replied, ""Oh, Hermione! He is beautiful! Your father would be so proud, and honored that his first grandchild is his namesake."

"I wish he were here, Mum," Hermione whispered hoarsely, "I miss him so."

"So do I, dear... so do I," Elizabeth sighed.

*****

From the moment that they stepped in the door, Remus knew that bringing Elizabeth to Hogwarts was the best thing he could have done... not only for Hermione, but for Elizabeth as well. He sat back in his seat at the table, smiling as mother and daughter reunited, and Elizabeth became acquainted with her grandson. He had never seen either of these women look so happy in all the time that he had known them.

He only hoped that he could always help bring joy into their lives.