Title: The Bermuda Triangle
Summary: A plane crashes near the Bermuda Triangle and apparently all on board are killed. All, that is, but a mother and her daughter. The Triangle's magic transports the two into the Forbidden Forest and questions arise when the young mother leads her teenage daughter to the school—everybody thought the Gryffindor was dead, but she's here now and her daughter has curly blonde hair and is sorted into Slytherin. What is going on here?
Pairings: Past Hermione/Draco…present Harry/Ginny…who knows what else…
Author: Silver Sparklze
Started: 7th September 2003
Reason For Writing: This story was started as a challenge issued by Sage: The Dark Dryad. Let it be known that I NEVER turn down a challenge…*Ash's sister* LIAR!
Author's Note: Bold writing will be translated at the end of the chapter. Sorry it took so long to update, I've been trying to finish The Thirteenth Year chapter 6 before I posted this, as I post them at the same time. I know, I know, I'm an evil bitch. *Sigh* Well, it's here now, enjoy.
Hermione looked up when someone tapped on her door.
"Come in," She called. She gulped when her two former best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley walked in. "Ron, Harry, hi," She said, smiling weakly.
Both men nodded.
"We've been wanting to talk to you for a while," Ron said, jumping straight into the middle of the topic.
"But Virge said we should wait for you to come to us. But you haven't. So we've come to you." Harry added. Hermione bit her lip,
"What about?" She asked softly. It was then that Ron lost his precarious control on his temper.
"Dammit, Hermione, you know what about!!!" He yelled. "You left, without any warning, not even a note to tell us you were going, or a letter to reassure us you were all right! Then you come back to see your parents, you parents, who are so uptight that your mum must have a pole shoved up her arse, and I can bet you wouldn't have come to see us too! We don't know where you've been all this time; all we know is that you've got a kid! A kid! And when was she born, huh? When? Because I sincerely doubt that you would have just had sex with the first person you met, and been so foolish as to not use protection, either magical or muggle! Who was he? Who?"
Hermione bowed her head.
"You're right," She said softly, "I didn't have sex with the first person I met, nice images, too, Ron. He was someone I'd known for a while, but never really liked. But that summer…he was different. We were both different people without our friends, I guess, and I fell in love." She looked at them both, smiling bitterly, "Who'd have guessed that I was such a bad judge of character, huh?"
"What happened, Herm?" Harry asked, laying a hand on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione smiled at him. He really wasn't all that different. A bit quieter, sure, mainly because of everyone who'd been lost, but all in all the same person.
"The day after…well, you know," She blushed, and Ron's ears went red. Harry, she noticed, stayed as calm as ever, "He came around to my house. He said it was over, that I was ruining his reputation, that he couldn't be seen with a…a mudblood like me," She bit her lip again, as the tears began to fall, the pain she'd felt then coming back to haunt her,
"I couldn't stand it. So I packed my bags, withdrew all my money from the bank, there was a substantial amount, because I had a job then, and left for Australia. I was so close…so close to giving up hope, and ending it all, when I found out I was pregnant. I was overjoyed, I'd always wanted a kid, and so I kept going, just for them. Then I had Jillian, and all thoughts of suicide left my mind forever. She's been my entire world since that day."
"Oh, Hermione," Harry did something then which surprised her, he hugged her tightly. The Harry she knew would never have voluntarily hugged anyone…except maybe Sirius.
Thinking about Sirius hurt her almost as much as thinking about Draco. She couldn't help but feel that if she hadn't been so adamant about Kreacher not meaning any harm, perhaps Harry would have been less likely to believe him when he said Sirius had disappeared. More tears trembled on her lashes, and it was then that Jillian ran in.
"Mummy, Mummy, I've got so much to…" Jillian's voice trailed off as she took in the scene. Professor Potter and Mister Weasley were both standing in there, Mister Weasley on one side of Mum, and Professor Potter on the other. Both looked furious. Instinctively, Jillian grabbed her wand. "What are you doing in here?" She hissed, her hazel eyes blazing suddenly, and a vicious snarl twisting her features. "Leave my mother alone."
"Jillian Hope Kaida Granger!" Hermione admonished, feeling the surprise of both men. And she knew why. At this moment, Jillian looked dangerous, and so very, very like Draco. "Apologise to Harry and Ron immediately! We were only talking!"
"Are you sure? Nothing's wrong?" Jillian questioned, her furious gaze pinned on both teachers.
"Yes, I'm sure." Jillian immediately relaxed, her scowl changing into a welcoming, yet apologetic smile so fast that everyone blinked. "I'm sorry, Professor Potter, Mister Weasley. I didn't mean any disrespect." She said politely. "Mummy, this is obviously a bad time. Speak to you later?"
"Of course, Jilly-Bean." Hermione smiled, "See you later." Jillian nodded, and left.
"That was Jillian Granger? Your daughter?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Hermione said guardedly.
"Whew! For a moment there, she looked like…like Draco." Harry frowned.
"Don't be stupid, Harry, she didn't look anything like Malfoy!" Ron contradicted. "But she did look scary. Jeez. Well, I'll see you later, Herm. I'm glad we've cleared the air." He offered Hermione a gentle smile, the smile that had prompted Hermione to go out with him in the first place. Hermione nodded,
"Yes, see you later, Ron." She said. Harry sighed, and ran his hand through his messy black locks.
"I've gotta go too," He said, "I'm taking Virge to Hogsmeade for dinner."
"Bye, Harry," Hermione said, watching him leave. She looked around, and cursed. She'd forgotten those damned books again!
***
Hermione staggered under the sheer weight of the books in her arms. That was the reason why she tripped over the last step, and fell.
"Whoa!" She yelped, before feeling two strong arms wrap around her. She regained her balance slowly, leaning her head against the chest in relief. She didn't know who'd caught her, but right now she didn't care. Those few heart-stopping moments had renewed her fear of heights to enormous proportions. She knew she was trembling, but she couldn't seem to help it.
"Shh…it's ok, I've got you." A very sexy, soothing voice that Hermione remembered quite well whispered in her ear. Hermione's head jerked up immediately, her eyes wide and vulnerable for a moment before she masked her true feelings.
"Malfoy!" She spat, wrenching herself from his arms. I will not think about how wonderful it felt to be held by him, I will not! She thought stubbornly, pushing all such thoughts from her mind. She was so engrossed in her internal battle that she didn't see the sad look in Draco's eyes, and by the time she'd gathered the courage to look up, it was gone.
"Believe me, Granger, I feel the same way." Draco hissed. "Watch where you're going next time." He picked her books up off the ground, shoved them in her arms, and stormed off.
Jillian had witnessed the whole thing, and hurried over to where Mum was standing. She touched her mother's arm gently.
"Mummy?" She asked worriedly. Mum smiled at her sadly, tears once again glimmering in her eyes.
"Don't you worry about me, Jilly-Bean. In this day and age, you don't need a man to make you happy. It's a bonus if you do have one; but it's not imperative."
But Mummy, he's your soul-mate."
"Well…" Mum wiped her eyes on her handkerchief. "I suppose I'm destined to be alone. It's all a matter of timing, really. If we'd met later…or fallen in love later…perhaps it would have worked out. But we didn't, so I suppose I must be resigned."
"No! You mustn't!" Jillian was surprised by her own vehemence. "Everyone deserves to fall in love, and be loved, even – especially you!"
"Jilly-Bean, I am loved, and I have fallen in love. It's just my bad luck that the one I love doesn't love me in return."
"Then make him!" During this time they had been walking towards Mum's study, now they were there, and sitting down.
"Jilly, you can't make someone love you. Either they do or they don't. Not even they can choose who they fall in love with. Now, to your lessons.
"Please tell me; the mother, the father, the brother, the sister." Mum looked at her expectantly.
"But Mummy,"
"Jillian, translate."
"Fine," Jillian rolled her eyes, "La mère, le père, le frère, la soeur. Happy?"
"Very good. A sentence please."
"J'aime ma mère." Mum smiled.
"Je t'aime aussi, Jillian." Jillian bowed her head. Then she raised it again, a rebellious look in her eyes.
"But Mummy," She began.
"I said no, Jillian! Discussion closed!" Mum said firmly, frowning. Jillian sighed.
Neither of them noticed a certain silver-eyed black and white cat slink away…
La mère: The mother
Le pére: The father
Le frère: The brother
La soeur: The sister
J'aime ma mère: I love my mother.
Je t'aime aussi, Jillian: I love you also, Jillian.
Ta da! You have no idea how long it took me to unearth my primary school French. I hope you're all very proud.