A/N: Who's caught up?! Laurie's caught up! Who's already into Chapter 15 the awesome plot twisting chapter that Laurie is desperately trying to foreshadow? Laurie is! I hopE my darling reviewers will come out for this chapter and write just a little review. Like, 'hi, this story is pathetic but I read it because you seem like such a charming person and it's depressing that people aren't reviewing you story.' Except for the people who did review last chapter. Thanks! And next chapter rocks! As for the rest of you, you better get on yoRu horse. Or better yet:
SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A COWBOY!
Never mind, READ AND REVIEW!
I hadn't pulled out black robes for four years. Baker didn't even have any black robes. I had to settle on a pair of dingy gray ones I had gotten secondhand and had long since discarded. She didn't look very dressy, but I thought it would do.
Dumbledore's funeral was to take place in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, somewhere else I hadn't been in four years. It was completely packed; people were standing in all along the walls, every inch of the seats were filled; there was barely breathing space. Luckily, Padma had saved Baker and me seats with her at the old Ravenclaw table.
When we walked up, Baker let out of a raucous cry of, "Aunt Padma! Aunt Padma! Look at the awful robes Mummy made me wear!" Both she and I received many harsh looks from people seated around us. Padma seemed to be the only one able to manage a smile. I sat Baker on the bench. She looked desperately up at me. "Mummy, do I have to be hewe?" I put my finger over my mouth threateningly and sat down beside her. I proceeded to look down and tried not to hear what my old classmates were whispering.
"Is that Hermione Granger?"
"Does she have a child with her?"
"Yeah, I heard about her getting knocked up. But, I mean, it's one thing if she's brave enough to show her slutty face here, but interrupting the entire service is totally disrespectable to all of us and Professor Dumbledore."
She knew I had heard her. Marley Johnston and I had always had an unspoken grudge at school, yet I couldn't help but be stung by those words. Hastily wiping tears out of my eyes, I excused myself and walked swiftly back to the Entrance Hall.
I leaned against the cool wall and cried out of pure shame. I should have known this was going to happen. People just don't expect the girl who graduated top of her class to turn up four years later unmarried with a child. Of course they would talk. And it would probably be rude.
"Hey, Hermione, are you ok?"
I turned, wiping quickly at my eyes. He, of all people, wasn't allowed to see me cry.
"Leave me alone, Ron," I muttered.
"What's the matter?" he asked, not taking my advice to back off. "Why are you out here?"
"Leave me alone!"
He pulled my hands from my face. "Something more's the matter with you than just Dumbledore. Listen, seriously, don't cry about Dumbledore," he stressed.
I shook my head.
"Why aren't you in there? Did somebody say something to you, Hermione?"
"No! Just leave it alone!"
From in the distance, I heard someone screaming in the Entrance Hall. I didn't know anybody could possibly be that upset.
"What was that?" he asked, looking away.
"Baker," I breathed, as a boy walked through with a little crying red head in his arms. I ran over.
"Sweetie, are you ok?" I asked, thinking even more about what people would be saying now.
"Some of those Bulgarians showed up- freaks if I've ever seen them," Anthony explained, handing Baker over to me. "I think it scared her."
"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," I said, letting Baker hold tighter to me. "Thanks so much, Anthony," I told him.
"Thank Padma," he said. "I'm going to go back in there now. You two ok?"
"Now, we are," I told him.
"I'll see you later," he whispered and slipped back into the Hall.
I turned around to see Ron staring transfixed at the small form that was Baker. I put her down on her feet and walked her over to him. I could only think of one other time in my life when my adrenaline had been pumping as high as it was in this moment. "Ron, this is Baker." I thought of telling him the truth right then; letting out everything I was trying to keep hidden from him. It would only take one word—our. But, I was too scared to say it. "My daughter." I said it with such conviction, I almost believed it myself. "Baker," I went on, "this is Mister Ron."
She stepped up to him and held out her hand. I had to draw a deep breath to keep myself from passing out. Any belief I might have instilled that Baker was only my daughter was gone in an instant. It was like the perfect match. They both had that red hair; though hers was a couple shades darker. What made them nearly indistinguishable were their eyes. They matched flawlessly; that amazing blue, the almond shape, were even the same amount of space apart. Ron was surely about to call me out on my charade. He would say this was ridiculous and he knew a little girl identical to him when he saw one. But, the moment passed, and he said nothing.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Baker."
"Me too," she answered.
"Where's Griselda?" I asked, desperate to pull Ron's attention away from Baker.
He looked back up to me. "She hasn't been feeling too good. All that, on top of the fact she hadn't really known Dumbledore, made her decide not to come." His gaze drifted casually back over to Baker. "D'you two want to sit with me?"
Baker yelped and put her thumb in her mouth. "Don't make me go back in, Mummy!"
"We're going home," I told him. "This service has already started, and we've already caused enough heartache for one day."
"Well, listen, Harry's going to make a speech. Why don't you two let me go hear it, and I'll come back and make sure you get home all right?"
"You know, I think we'll just head on," I told him firmly.
Baker took her thumb from her mouth long enough to speak. "Mistew Won's visiting?"
"No," I said.
"C'mon, just let me take you two home."
"You don't want to go in thewe, Mistew Won; it's scawy. Wanna see Mistew Snuffles? At my house?"
Ron looked down at her, grinning. "Sure".
"I don't think..."
"Mummy! Please, Mummy!"
"Baker, please. You're embarrassing me."
"Sorry," Ron began, "I wasn't trying to—well, you know, I'll just go."
"No, wait," I said. "I could use a—well, its fine. Can you find it ok?"
"Sure."
"We'll take the fire," I told him.
"I figured."
"C'mon, Mummy!" Baker squealed. She led me over to the fire and threw the floo powder in for both of us. "28 Godric's Hollow."
I opened my eyes when the room stopped spinning. "Nice place you've got here," Ron commented, looking around.
I looked around too. It was a mess. There were toys and food everywhere. He was lying.
"Time to see Mistew Snuffles!" Baker yelled excitedly, taking Ron by the hand and dragging him back into her room. I bent down to pick up a piece of clothing Baker had strewn on the floor, and just as my hands neared it, it disappeared before my eyes. I looked up, trying to figure out what was going on; everything I had been staring at only a moment ago was gone.
Baker squealed from the back of the house and ran into the kitchen. "Mummy, nothing's in my woom!"
"She's telling the truth," Ron said, arriving in the kitchen behind her.
"I know she is!" I snapped. "I don't know what's going on." I walked into the next room, desperately searching for anything that proved I was still in my house.
"Hermione, I think you need to come here," Ron called. I followed his voice to the front of the house, and my mouth dropped.
Everything I owned, everything I had worked my entire life for, was in piles in my front yard. Baker ran out towards the two of us, standing on the front porch, and the door slammed closed behind her. Ron pulled at it. "What the hell?!"
"Ron!"
"Sorry," he said. "I just—here." He ripped off a piece of parchment that had just appeared on my front door and put it in my hand.
It took me a moment to fully take in what it said. I reluctantly handed it to Ron; I already had it memorized.
By order of the Ministry of Magic:
Notice of Eviction
On 29 June of 2003 at PM 3:42 Miss Hermione Granger received an eviction notice for the house of 28 Godric's Hollow. Miss Granger has until 30 June of 2003 at PM 3:42 to completely clear the premises. Thank you for your cooperation.
Signed,
Malcolm Dawlish
Minister of Magic
Ron stared at the parchment in amazement. "This can't be legal."
Baker tugged at my robes. "Mummy, what's the matter?
I shook my head. "Quiet, Baker. Mummy's trying to think."
Ron looked up. "Come home with me."
"What? What will that help?" I said, getting hysterical.
"We can sort this out. Look." He waved his wand at all my things scattering my front yard and they disappeared. "Your stuff is already there."
"Fine," I said slowly. "We'll take the fireplace."
"What fireplace?" Ron asked. I conjured one. "Know that's not legal," he said, scratching the back of his neck. I pulled out a handful of floo powder. "C'mon, Hermione, you can't use that fireplace!"
"They took my house Ron! Try and stop me from using it." I put my arm up and he grabbed it. "Let go!" We wrestled with each others arms a bit, did some sort of weird spin, and before I knew it, were hurtling through fireplaces until Ron put out his front arm and all three of us fell into the Weasley kitchen, quite literally.
Ron helped Baker and me up, smiling slyly. "Mistew Won is fun!" Baker intoned.
I gave him the coldest look I could manage. "Yeah, fun."
Ron turned away. "Now, what gives with the house situation, Hermione? Where should I start looking through the Codes?"
"Don't bother, Ron."
"Huh? But it's your house. You said--"
"It doesn't matter," I interrupted. "Dumbledore owned it. Dumbledore's dead. I guess the Ministry of Magic owns it now."
"But, inheritance--"
"Look, Ron, I just don't know. It looks like I'm homeless."
"Yeah r--"
"Is somebody here?" someone yelled from about two stories up in the house.
"YEAH!" Ron yelled back. I heard muffled footsteps headed down the stairs.
"Hey, I wasn't expecting you back so--" Griselda finally turned a corner and came into full view. She was wearing a baby blue robe and seemed to have not bothered to even brush the blonde on top of her head. Even though she had obviously just gotten out of bed, I still thought she looked pretty. "Hi, Hermione! Hey, Ron," she said more softly, pulling him into a hug. She leaned up on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. He pulled back away from her.
"You're sure?" She nodded. He smiled. "That's great." Then, to my utter horror, with me standing there watching, with his daughter standing there watching, he kissed her right on the lips. I tried not to get a visual in my head of me kissing him just like that but it was to no avail. The memory was still as fresh in my head as the day it had happened.
Gris looked away from him and spotted Baker. "I'm sorry; I don't think we've met. What's your name?"
Baker backed up a little, apparently intimidated by Gris. She mumbled "Baker" barely audibly.
"Baker did you say?" She nodded. "Oh, that's a beautiful name."
"This is Hermione's daughter," Ron said.
"You have a daughter, Hermione?"
"Yes," I said, trying not to roll my eyes.
"And how old is she?"
"Thwee," Baker said, stepping a little closer to Gris.
"I'm Gris."
"Hi, Gwis," Baker said, apparently taking a liking to her.
I cleared my throat. "Miss Gris?"
"Oh, please don't call me that," Gris said, laughing. "That just makes me sound like such an old hag."
"I didn't expect to see you here," I said, trying not to give her time to study Baker too closely either.
"That's surprising as I live here. Didn't Ron tell you?"
Ron shrugged. "Never had the chance."
"I'm sure that was the first thing on his agenda to tell me," I said, testing a bit of that Ginny-sarcasm.
"No, probably not," Gris said thoughtfully, still laughing.
I suddenly realized what I was trying to do. I was trying to challenge her, and she wasn't taking the bait. Why would I be trying to challenge her?
I caught her eye, trying to make up for my behavior, but didn't have the chance. Around us, robes began to swoosh and people with red hair were appearing out of thin air.
"Good Lord, what's going on here?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking around at the extra people in her kitchen. "I didn't know we were having company. I didn't know you weren't staying for the funeral either, Ron. You had me worried."
"Sorry, Mum," Ron said. "Hermione here has sort of found herself in a tight spot."
"Harry, too," Mr. Weasley said, indicating the black head standing in the kitchen that I had just only noticed.
"Evicted?" I ventured.
He nodded. "You as well?"
"So, it seems."
"I start building on my property in Godric's Hollow on Monday."
"Wish I had a plan that full proof," I returned.
"You do," Ginny piped up. "I'm moving into my new flat in a about a week. And apparently, I'll be having three roommates instead of one," Ginny said, pointing at Gris so I understood she was the other roommate.
"No, Gin. I don't want to put you out."
"You and Baker? Never. Anyway, I asked you," she said, so I got the message that she herself had not invited Gris to live with her.
"What about in the meantime?" I asked.
"It'll be a tight fit, but we'll manage," Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully.
"Here? Mrs. Weasley, I'm not sure--
"I'm sorry, honey, but this is my decision," Mrs. Weasley went on, "Now, Ginny can stay in her room, Charlie still uses Percy's old room when he comes for the weekends, so we'll leave that empty, Hermione and Baker, is it?" Baker nodded. "Hermione and Baker will stay in Fred and George's old room; it's biggest. Gris will stay in Ron's room." Gris threw a quick wink at Ron. "Ron will stay on the couch." Everyone but me laughed. "And Harry can stay with him on a cot in the den. Well, that's settled. Ginny and Gris can go help Hermione unpack while my boys and I cook supper. Baker, can you manage Harry?" Baker grinned toothily and agreed to the challenge.
"Gris too," Ginny inserted. "She's sick."
"I'm feeling much better," Gris told her.
"But, we don't want you to get sick again," Ginny said innocently. "C'mon, Hermione. Let's go get you moved in."
"I know it's all rubbish," I muttered, waving my wand so two end tables switched places, "but for some reason, it all feels really important to me."
"I know what you mean," Ginny said, putting up one last box. "That's how I feel about most of my stuff."
"I hope this doesn't put too much stress on your Mum."
"Yeah right. Sweet little Griselda has been living here for a month. Why would you bother her? At least you don't have to be babysat."
"You're terrible," I said.
"It's the truth. Honestly, I can't wait to get rid of that girl."
"What?"
"Never mind." Ginny threw herself back on the bed. "How tragic is it going to be having all of us living in the same house?"
"Huh?"
"You and Ron? Talk about tension. And then throw Gris in the mix. Then, there's me and Harry, who's the greatest guy in the world unless he's being a jackass. He's always feeling so guilty about Luna, and I try to be patient with him. And you and I both think Anthony's really nice and cute. It's just all mixed up. It's like a love--" she counted on her fingers for a moment, "a love hexagon."
"Ginny Weasley, you are so messed up in the head."
"Whatever. At least our hexagon is soon to be a pentagon. I'm so sick of dealing with Gris."
"What are you on about?"
"Don't worry," she said, getting up from the bed and strolling to the door. She opened it. "You'll see." She slammed it behind her and left me wondering.
Just what was she up to?
A/N: Well, since my readers apparently no longer like me, I'm having to take doubly my efforts to get reviews. That, plus the fact that I have had way too much chocolate spurred my limerick. I love limericks. What the hell is spurred anyway? Yey review!!
Review: A Poem
If I were to review
I would review for you
Hospitals suck
Cause they have koolaide not much
It's time to review oooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooo ooooooooooooooooooo! KOOLAIDE, KOOLAIDE, KOOLAIDE!!!! (That was for Torre holla back; well, Torre can't read)
Ok, I feel better. Review! Btw, how the freak do I get italics to show up off Microsoft Word? It's bugging the fork out of me!!
Tiffany-45: Oh, I hope you had a great summer! Mine's over school, you know. See, I would let Hermione tell Baker but if I do I would have to take out my favorite part of the whole story so I just can't cause I like it better this way, ok? I was so glad to see one extra review for last chapter the day before I posted this one! Yey!
Alanpatty07: Thank you thank you, thanks you! You are a darling. I will let nothing of the sort happen again, if you promise to review.
MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus: Thanks thanks thanks! I know you're hiding that it sucked but thanks thanks thanks!
Lisa: No offsense, but you are odd. You like, but you don't. It's good, but it sucks? You're hot but you're cold?!?!?! Talk to me, girl! What's going on?!?!
PixieGirl2009: Can you wait? Just a little longer? The more reviews, the faster I can get these chapters out reviews give me magic powers of fastness!
Mufleta: Israel?! That's so stinking awesome. Mufleta?!? That's so freaking awesome! You are so cool! Yey for coolness! (Yes, English does suck, that's why I'm writing all the author's notes for my next chapter in Spanish!!!
PiNaYPeAcHiE: Thanks so much, I love you so much, whatever your name is cause you are
just such a kick ass reviewer! Yey for kick ass reviewers!
DewDrop Sapphire:I'm glad you care. I am trying!
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