Sorry I haven't updated in about a week, I've been really busy with school stuff…and it just keeps coming! ARGH! Anyway, enjoy!
Disclaimer: *sigh* Don't own anything!
You're going places, Hermione
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Chapter Thirteen: The secret
"We didn't move any of your things." Mrs Granger said as they dropped Hermione's suitcases in her room.
Hermione smiled as she looked around, everything was exactly how she remembered leaving it. It was eerie.
"Alright sweetheart," Her father kissed her on her cheek, "I'm going down for a bit of nap. Welcome home."
"Thanks Dad."
He walked out of the room and her Mum instantly enveloped her in a hug.
"My baby," She said softly, "I'm so glad you're back."
"Okay Mum." Hermione choked, struggling to breathe.
Mrs Granger pulled back and smiled; "I'm going to have a bit of a nap too. I'll see you later."
She went to leave but stopped in the doorway.
"And…and dear?"
"Yes?" Hermione wondered, turning around.
"Let's…let's not tell your father that I told you we know about the baby, okay dear? He'd be rather mad if he knew I'd spilled the beans."
"Sure, no problem."
Mrs Granger smiled and disappeared from sight, leaving Hermione to her own surroundings. However, immediately on her mother's departure, a flurry of orange and white belted into the room and sprung itself on Hermione.
"What on-" She began before stopping, "Oh Crookshanks! How are you?"
It was her familiar from Hogwarts, a rather fat, bow-legged cat with a squashed face. Hermione had nearly forgotten about him.
She put the cat down and made her way over to one of her bags where she pulled out a piece of parchment. It had a hastily scrawled address on it. She stared at it for a good long while before looking over at Crookshanks.
"What do you think?" Hermione asked him, "Should I go and see Ron now?"
Crookshanks raised his head and gazed at her with big yellow eyes.
She sighed, "I was afraid you'd think that. Alright then, I'll just owl Ginny first."
Hermione ventured down into the kitchen and sure enough, found a tawny old owl half-asleep in a cage in a corner.
"Hello Hewlett," Hermione greeted him, "You still in the same place from ten years ago? Must be boring for you. Listen, I need you to deliver a letter for me to Ginny Weasley-"
Hewlett gave a start and opened his eyes widely.
"Good bird." Hermione praised.
She grabbed some paper nearby and a pen and scribbled a short message:
Dear Ginny,
I don't know how to say this, and I don't know if you'll believe me if I do, but I'm back in England!
There are so many things that I need to work out, so I thought it would be best to return. The first thing I'm going to do is go and see Ron and work out an arrangement for the baby.
I've missed you! Won't it be nice to catch up together regularly like old times? We can do it often now!
Hope to hear from you soon.
All my love,
Hermione
Hermione took Hewlett from his cage and tied the letter securely to his leg before she opened a window and let him out.
After a further fifteen minutes she had freshened up a little, left a note for her parents telling them she had gone downtown, and called a taxi.
Calmly, Hermione told the driver where to go and tried to contain the nerves that were starting to make an appearance in her stomach.
* * *
"Alright miss?" The driver asked as he pulled up in front of Ron's house. Hermione nodded.
"Yes," She squeaked, "It's…it's…thank you."
She dug into her purse and paid him before mustering up the courage to step out of the vehicle. The house before her was modern looking and medium sized. The neighbourhood was quiet and had the same sort of enchanted atmosphere Hermione remembered from her visits at The Burrow.
She slowly walked up the few steps and hesitated briefly before knocking on the door. She could hear voices inside and what sounded like banging.
There was a muffled shout, "I'll get it!", before the front door swung open and Hermione found herself face to face with a young girl.
"Oh," Hermione frowned and retraced a few steps, "I'm sorry, I must be at the wrong house…do you know if the Weasley residence is nearby?"
"This is the Weasley residence." The girl said, frowning back.
"Oh…" Hermione said quietly, surveying the girl closely now.
She had fine shoulder length deep red hair, freckles across the bridge of her nose, pale skin and brown almond-shaped eyes…Hermione's eyes. She felt something jump inside her. This girl was her daughter. Up until this moment Hermione had been picturing her child as a small baby still. That certainly wasn't the case anymore.
"Why are you staring at me? Who are you?" The girl demanded, "Are you an escaped mental patient from St Mungo's, because if you are, I'll call my dad! He's big, he could beat you up!"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh and it seemed to help her find her senses.
"No, I'm not insane," She said reassuringly, before pausing, "And…and my name is Hermione Granger."
The girl raised her head, "Oh, it is?"
"Yes." Hermione replied politely.
It was strange for her to be standing in front of this child, knowing how connected they were, and be treating her like a stranger she had just met on the street. She wondered if the girl knew who she was? Judging by her tone when Hermione had said who she was, the girl did.
"Who is it?" A voice called from behind the girl, "Is it for me?"
"No it's not! Don't come-" The girl began to say but stopped just as a boy appeared beside her.
Whatever it was that had jumped inside Hermione before was going crazy now. She gaped at the boy. He looked exactly like the girl, except he had short red hair and considerably more freckles.
"Hello!" The boy greeted, "My names Morgan Weasley-Granger, how can I help you?"
"And…and who are you?" Hermione asked the girl, trying to make sense of things.
"None of your business-" The girl began before being cut off.
"Her names Paige," Morgan said happily, "Paige Weasley-Granger. Is there anything I can do for you ma'am?"
Before Hermione knew what she was doing she had opened her mouth and uttered, "Are you twins?"
"Yep." Said Morgan proudly. Paige scowled.
"Real twins?"
"Er, yes." Morgan repeated, looking uncertain now. He whispered something to Paige that distinctly had the words 'insane' and 'St Mungo's' in it. Hermione was stunned. This couldn't be possible. It just couldn't! If they were twins, then that meant that they were her twins. But no one had told her she'd had twins.
"What the ruddy hell are you two doing!" Came Ron's booming voice, "You don't stand with the door open like that if you-"
He froze as Hermione came into view. She in turn narrowed her eyes at him.
"H-Hermione!" Ron managed to croak.
"Hermione?" Morgan frowned and then his eyes widened, "Oh! Hermione!"
"Hello Ron." Hermione said stonily.
"I…er, how are you? What are you doing here?" He asked.
"I thought I'd drop by," Hermione said, surprised at how cold her voice was "Would you mind telling me how this came about…"
She gestured at the twins.
"That…er…I…er, I can explain that!" Ron said quickly.
"Well hurry up then please," Hermione said sharply, "I want to know what's going on!"
Ron opened his mouth to speak but a loud eruption from a distant room distracted them all. Ron and the twins turned around in confusion and Hermione's brow furrowed as Ginny came running down the hallway, covered in copious amounts of soot.
"Ron!" She shouted, "Hermione's on her way! Quick, give me the twins and I'll take them…" Ginny trailed off, her gaze meeting Hermione's.
"Hi Ginny." Hermione greeted.
"Oh…nevermind…" Ginny grinned slightly, "Hey Hermione. Nice to see you."
The group settled into an unusual silence. No one seemed to want to speak as they all surveyed each other, but it was Morgan who finally broke the tranquility.
"Why don't you come in and have a cup of tea?" He suggested to Hermione, "That way you and Dad can talk things over."
"Yeah," Ron nodded at his son, "Yeah that sounds good. Listen mate, why don't you and Paige go to Aunt Ginny's for a few hours."
"Whatever." Paige mumbled, shoving her brother from the room. Ginny followed them, smiling sheepishly, and Ron ushered Hermione inside.
"I can't believe you never told me I had twins." Hermione told him.
"Can I take your jacket?" Ron asked.
"What on earth possessed you to keep it from me!" She demanded.
"How do you have your tea?"
Hermione looked at him exasperatedly. She realised if she started interrogating him then they would most likely be skirting around the problem for hours because of Ron's evasiveness. She took a deep breath and forced herself to smile patiently.
"Two sugars, lots of milk." Hermione said clearly, placing herself in a nearby seat.
"Right." Ron smiled back in relief and immediately set about making the drinks.
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A/N: Ugh, what an awful chapter! And it was incredibly short…sorry guys! I just wanted to post something before the week started again!
NEXT: THE SURPRISES
I thought ten years of study would be perfect for how long she was gone…it'd show her dedication and it just fits in with where I want things to go!
I'm going to try and be more descriptive and such with my next few chapters; I should be able to if I get more time on my hands!
And Toasterlicious…I deleted the Annabelle story because all my future chapters got erased and since it had already happened before I was just too mad and annoyed to continue…SORRY!