Chapter 62: Truth Revealed
"Hermione your mother and I need to speak with you this morning." Philip Granger told his daughter over breakfast. He had been up half the night trying to figure out the best way to tell her the truth. Hermione noticed the anxious expressions on her parents' faces and hoped they were finally going to tell her the truth. She smiled at her father reassuringly as he led her to their rooms. Her mother was trying not to wring her hands together in nervousness and her father looked pale and scared. She was then positive she was about to learn her true heritage.
"There is something we need to tell you that is very important," Pip started. "Before we explain I want you to know that everything we ever did was to protect you. We love you more than anything and want you to know that."
Hermione smiled at them, "I have never doubted your love for me and there is nothing you can tell me that will convince me to."
"I guess this story starts many years ago, over 20 actually. Your mother and I were newly married and desperately in love. There was a very large threat and we decided that we could no longer live our lives like we had always planned; it was too dangerous to ourselves and the family we hoped to create. We went into hiding then and changed our names and appearances so that no one could ever find us unless we let them. The threat to our safety was not gone by the time you were born and we decided to keep the truth from you to try and protect you from it. That threat is gone now and we can finally tell you the truth." He told her, wondering how she could stay so calm throughout the whole thing so far.
"Hermione, what your father is avoiding telling you is that we are not muggles." Her mother told her with a sharp look at her father for making her tell the difficult part. "The threat against us was Voldemort and we and your grandparents went into hiding to be safe from the war. We were his number one targets and had to run."
"So you are a witch?" Hermione asked her with a smirk. "How did you become a dentist after being a witch?"
"We had papers drawn up of our muggle heritage and took the necessary university courses. Thanks to being wizards we look younger than we are so it was easy to pass as college students when we were already in our 20's." Pip told her. "We used the Fidelius charm to hide ourselves using one of your grandmother's closest friends as the secret keeper."
"What else are you not telling me?" Hermione said with a glare at her father as he looked like he was ready to end the conversation. She also noticed her mother smirk at him as he started looking uncomfortable again.
"There is a reason we were number one on Voldemort's list." He told her carefully choosing his words. "You see we are of a very old and much respected pureblood family and we openly supported the inclusion of muggle-borns into our society. He was also scared of our family and wanted to destroy the line."
"So you're telling me that I am a pureblood witch?" Hermione asked, knowing if she kept silent her parents would think there was something wrong with her. "How pure of blood are we talking?"
"The purest there is," her father told her quietly. "We are the direct descendents of Merlin himself; the only family with his blood that remains."
"So that is why Nana and Pop disappeared on vacation then," Hermione said. "They broke their part of the Fidelius charm so they could help out with the war and give people hope."
Tori Granger glared at her husband again before turning to her daughter. "I know you are smart my Mia and most likely have already realized the true meaning of this. But in case you have not, it means that your Grandmother is the Queen, your father the prince and that makes you the missing princess."
"Why did you wait so long to tell me? Surely you could have told me once the war was over." Hermione asked giving her father a hard stare.
"I didn't want you to have any more burdens on your plate other than university. I wanted you to live a little before having to take on your family obligations. I guess I was also scared that you would hate me and I wanted to keep my little girl around as much as I could before forcing you to grow up." He told her with a sad smile.
"I couldn't hate you daddy," she told him with a smile. "But I have never been so angry with you in my life when I found out the truth." She smirked at their shocked faces as they realized she already knew the truth.
"How? When?" Her mother said with wide eyes.
"Nana slipped up at the wedding," she told them. "I was upset about the betrothal, which we will be discussing later by the way, and went to ask for her help as the Queen. She told me there was nothing she could do, which I now know is a lie. Afterwards she called me Mia, and we all know that only Nana and mum call me that and that even my Hogwarts friends don't know the nickname."
"I thought maybe Severus had told you the truth, he figured it out before Christmas and your friend Ginny figured it on New Years." Philip told his daughter.
"They were surprised when I told them that I knew. I was aware that they knew who the princess was but were bound not to tell anyone. Once I found the truth we were able to discuss it." She told them.
"Why didn't you come to us?" Her mother asked her sadly.
"Because I was angry that you would keep something so important from me as well as angry about the betrothal that you never once mentioned while I was growing up. I decided to wait until you told me because I was afraid once the truth was out you would force me into marriage and I would have to leave." She told them calmly, surprised she wasn't shouting at them. She guessed her anger had abated over the past month.
"What do you mean by leave?" Her father asked her alarmed.
"That brings us into the discussion of the betrothal." Hermione told them and taking a deep breath continued. "I refuse to marry anyone other than Severus. I am in love with him and I believe he is in love with me. We wish to be together and if I have to leave the magical world to be with him then I will. If you were to force me to marry, know that I will never give you an heir and the Merlin line will die out. I also know that mum is no longer able to have children after me so there is no way you can produce another heir without me."
"I wish the decision was up to us sweetheart," her father said, having been prepared for this ultimatum after the scene he witnessed the day before. "Your grandmother is the only one who can break the betrothal. But do not worry; we still have time to get her to change her mind. Although you know the truth we are going to wait until after your year at university before announcing your identity. That way you can go to school just as Hermione Granger smartest witch on the planet instead of being Princess Hermione Granger Kensington smartest and most powerful witch on the planet."
"That is acceptable and it will allow the two of you to come out of hiding. You can end the charm and begin your research again and start practicing magic again. I'm sure you miss it." She told them with a small smile. "As long as you promise to work on Nana and get her to accept Severus' petition for my hand."
"We will do everything we can," her mother said with a smile. "Severus is an honorable man from a very distinguished house. I am very happy the two of you have found each other."
"So," Hermione said with a grin. "Are you going to finally show me what is in the trunks that you demanded I save from the house? I am assuming they are magical items that had to be kept safe."
"The trunks had all of our wands in them as well as other family mementos." Tori told her. "Why don't we spend the rest of the morning looking through them and telling you of our lives before becoming the Grangers and after lunch we can go visit your grandparents? They are eager to see you again and have missed you dearly while you were at Hogwarts."
That night at dinner the Grangers announced to everyone that they were moving back to the muggle world and would be traveling for the rest of the summer. It was the only way to explain how they just disappeared without a trace. They thanked Harry for letting them stay and said all their goodbyes to their new magical friends, promising to keep in touch via owl.
"So they are ending the charm then?" Severus asked Hermione once they were safely back in the lab.
"They want their lives back," she told him. "I can imagine they have been dying to get their hands back on their wands since they arrived here. This way they can stay at the castle and try and get used to magic again. They are not going to announce who I am until after I finish university."
"And what of the betrothal?" He asked her, fear clenching his heart.
"They promised to try and sway my grandmother and I gave them my ultimatum. I will not be parted from you Severus, even if I have to give up my powers to do so." She told him firmly before he pulled her into a deep kiss.
"I will miss having you here beside me every day. I have gotten quite used to your presence and will feel the emptiness when you are in Rome." He told her with a sad smile. "There are still plenty of days left in the summer to enjoy. Besides we will be able to write to each other and I will be able to visit Hogwarts over breaks."
"You would spend you breaks at the castle?" He asked her surprised.
"I'll spend them wherever you are," she told him with a smile. "Besides, my parents will not be available for the next year so I don't have to worry about them." They talked late into the night and finally retired so they would be ready for Bill and Fleur's wedding the next day.
The wedding was beautiful and simple at the same time. Fleur had done a magnificent job planning and it went off without a hitch. It was much more fun than Draco and Gabrielle's wedding as there were not as many people and everyone got along. Severus was surprised by how at ease he felt out of his customary black ensemble but figured it had more to do with the beautiful witch on his arm than anything else.
"Are you ready for your wedding?" Hermione asked Susan as their wedding was a week away.
"Yes, but now I am starting to get wedding nerves." Susan told her. "I keep wondering if I will be a good wife for him and if he will be happy with me."
"I have never seen Ron as happy as he is when the two of you are together. Not only is he one of my best friends but we dated so I think I know him well enough to tell you that the two of you are perfect for each other and that you will make him a very happy man. Especially after you decide to have a family." Hermione reassured her with a grin. "I can also tell you with certainty that Ron and I would have killed each other before ever making it to the alter. So don't let his jealous prat routine get to you, he doesn't want me back, nor does he wonder about what could have been between us. The only reason he does his jealously routine is that he always has. Do remember 4th year when I dated Victor Krum? Victor was one of his Quidditch hero's and he immediately started hating him once he showed me attention. I think it must just be a Ron thing that he feels the need to protect what he feels is his. You should see the look he gets on his face when you talk to another guy."
"Thanks," Susan said giving her a big hug. "I guess I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that. I know that he loves me and that we are good together but I guess there was always some part of me that wondered if I was just second choice behind you."
"He liked you first remember, he still remembers your first kiss and that was well before we dated. He has always been yours Susan; he just took a while to realize it." Hermione smiled, "Besides, I'm for Severus and Ron would never stand a chance in a duel against him!" The two girls laughed and decided to drag their respective partners out onto the dance floor.
Ginny was happy for her brothers that they were getting married but was also sad that Harry had not asked her to marry him. She was afraid he had changed his mind about wanting to marry her. Bill's wedding had been the day before and now she was sitting alone in her room brooding about not being engaged. Hermione and Severus were on the right track, and Neville and Luna were already engaged with Gabrielle already married and Ron and Susan getting married in a few days. She knew she had a year of school left and that they had plenty of time, but she so wanted everyone to know that she was going to be Mrs. Harry Potter.
Harry was plotting; in fact he had been plotting all summer on the best way to ask Ginny to marry him. He was sure that she was starting to get worried and decided to put his plan into action for the next day after getting Ron and Susan's permission. He didn't want their engagement to take away from his best mate's wedding.
The next morning Ginny awoke when Molly came into her room and started getting her ready for the day. She said that the family was all getting together while they could and that she had to look good as they were going to a very nice restaurant for lunch. She even handed Ginny a new sundress in a very pale purple with white lace trim. After plaiting her hair down her back she hurried downstairs to breakfast to find that everyone had already eaten and left.
There was a note on the table from Harry that Winky had her breakfast warm and that he had Quidditch practice that morning and would meet up with her later once she was done with her family stuff. Her mum had also left her a note saying that she was to be at the Burrow by 10:30.
Arriving at the Burrow she was surprised when she didn't see her family right away. The house was almost eerily quiet. "Mum?" She called out and checked her watch to make sure she wasn't late.
"She's not here Gin," Harry said softly to her from behind as he wrapped his arms around her. "I asked your mum to make sure you wore a dress today and to get you here. Come, I have a surprise for you in the yard."
Ginny happily followed Harry on his surprise date. She though he must know that she needed some romance after watching her brothers so happy. "Oh Harry it's wonderful," she said twirling around in the clearing near the woods. She had always loved this spot and Harry had made it perfect. There were rose petals sprinkled over the ground and a pair of doves flying above them. There was a soft white blanket with a bulging picnic basket. Harry led her over and they sat down happily together with him feeding her strawberries and drinking sparkling grape juice. The day was beautiful for Ginny as they sat snuggled together watching the birds and enjoying the snacks that Winky had prepared.
"Ginny, my love," Harry said taking her hands in his after they returned from walking through the woods into their clearing. "I love you more than I ever thought possible. You are my match in every single way. I never want to be apart from you, you are the most precious thing in my life." He sank down onto one knee at this point. "Will you do me the ultimate honor of becoming my wife?" He asked as he held out the ring that was made just for her.
Ginny was crying silent tears of joy at his words and could barely suppress the sob of happiness when he asked her to marry him. "Yes Harry," she said before wrapping him in a desperate hug and kissing him until she couldn't breathe. "I love you so much Harry, I have always wanted nothing more than to be your wife."
Harry grinned and slid the ring onto her finger before pulling her down onto the blanket for a serious snog secession. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about their future and what they wanted in life. It was the perfect day for both of them. "We better get back to your house now or your mother is going to come find us. She is very excited about this." Harry told her and they headed in to meet with the Weasley family so Harry could officially be welcomed to the family.
Ron and Susan's wedding was beautiful in its simplicity. They had it in the back garden of the Burrow with only close friends and family in attendance, Albus performed the ceremony. The announcement of Harry and Ginny's engagement had died down so they could all focus on their friends wedding feast. Molly had outdone herself using both Dobby and Winky to help her prepare the delicious foods for the feast. Harry was Ron's best man while Hannah was Susan's maid of honor. The group had a great time hanging out together and dancing to the music on the stage the twins had set up for the occasion.
Bill and Fleur were enjoying being married and were set to leave on their honeymoon in the morning at the same time Ron and Susan would be off. Ron had somehow arranged to be gone for the two full weeks even with just starting with the Cannons. Susan would start her healing program at St. Mungo's a week after they returned and Bill had decided that he would only work part time for Gringotts now as Harry was paying him enough to take care of his accounts. Fleur was working in the ministry and had been rumored to be looking at taking a job as the French Ambassador to the Royals as she had already interviewed once for the position.
Hannah and Justin were living together while they decided what they wanted to do with their lives and Neville was preparing to start his apprenticeship with Professor Sprout. He was just glad that he would be at Hogwarts with Luna for the next year. Dennis and Colin along with Luna decided to start a weekly Hogwarts newspaper for all the students to participate in and the boys were spending the summer pursuing their hobbies of painting and photography respectively. Draco and Gabrielle were also deciding what to do with their lives now that they were graduated and the war was over. Draco was considering a position at the ministry under Arthur that could lead to his placement on the Wizengamot if he performed well and Gabrielle was deciding if she wanted to get her charms mastery or work for a research lab.
"I can't believe the summer is almost over," Hermione sighed as she and Severus danced. "All my friends are growing up and moving on with their lives. It is a bittersweet moment where I am happy that we all survived and are doing well but sad that our time at school and spending time together so often is over. It will be hard to get together as a group very often and with what my duties will be after school I am afraid we will all drift apart."
"Those closest to us will always remain so, even if we only see them on holidays or assorted weekends," He told her with a smile before claiming her lips in a kiss. They had forgotten they were in the middle of a group of people and were startled by the flash of a camera and turned to see Colin looking smug.
"Good thing I'm not a reporter for the Daily Prophet," he told them with a wink and hurried away, still not sure that Snape wouldn't hex him.
"I guess we need to be more discrete in public," Hermione said still trying to control her blush.
"I don't care if everyone in the world knows that I kissed you," he told her pulling her close again. "I only hope that if someone were to find out about our relationship that they would not slander your name in the papers. After that article about your betrothal I don't want the public to think of you as some scarlet woman."
"They can think whatever they like," Hermione said with a grin. "In fact I would love to see the look on Rita Skeeter's face when she learns the truth about me. I don't think anyone will care what was written about me before once that news breaks."
"You have never told me what your hold over that horrible woman is," he told her with a smirk. "I know you must have some dirt on her."
"I do," Hermione said with a grin. "Now though she and I have the same secret, only no one else knows hers. There is a reason that Harry calls her the bug lady."
"Anamagi? Wow, I never would have though her intelligent enough to complete the transformation." Severus said shaking his head, "So that is how she got all those stories about you and Harry during the tri-wizard tournament even though we never found any evidence of her on the grounds."
"Correct in one," she told him with a grin. "I captured her at the end of the year trying to listen in on the conversation in the hospital wing and put her in an unbreakable jar so she couldn't transform. I held her there for the entire summer before letting her free with the promise that she would never write lies about myself or Harry again. It was also how we convinced her to write that article in the Quibber in 5th year since she had no other employment."
"Have I ever told you how much I enjoy seeing your Slytherin side?" He purred into her ear. "You my brilliant witch are amazing."
"Hermione! The bouquet toss!" Ginny yelled and called her friend over. The unmarried women were lined up behind the bride to catch the bouquet, it was one of Susan's favorite muggle traditions and she decided to add it to their wedding. What no one else knew was that had charmed her bouquet to fall into the hands of the next woman who would be proposed to, assuming of course a bouquet could divine such a thing.
Hermione had always liked the bouquet toss idea and was wondering if she would catch it. Would that mean that she was the next to marry? And if so would that be to Severus or the mysterious man her family had chosen. Susan tossed the bouquet and it sailed right into Hermione's outstretched hand. The girls all squealed and giggled and Hermione posed for photos with Susan.
"Just tell me one thing Hermione," Susan said as they were alone taking the photo. "Do you love him?"
Hermione realized that she had not really confided in her new friend her feelings for Severus and knew that Susan was worried she would have her heart broken. "With all my heart," she told the bride.
"Then I am happy for you." Susan said and the two gave each other hugs and congratulations, Hermione for her catch and Susan for the marriage.
"Have a wonderful honeymoon," Hermione said and then laughing told her, "You better take plenty of contraception potion, Weasley men are quite fertile!" She then headed back to Severus so they could go back home.