A/N – Okay… I got five more reviews… I could have better but I'll make due. I'm glad you all seem to like it. This is my first SS/HG fic… I've read quite a few myself so I'm hoping this is up to all of your standards. Just so you all kno, i am going away on vacation and there wont be any new reviews for two weeks. I promise to try and make it up to you all later.

Summary – Years after Hogwarts, Hermione has lost everything. Her family, her pride, one of her best friends, and her true love. But in the process, she has gained a beautiful daughter, even if her profession is shameful. What happens when the truths are revealed and it turns out she messed things up worse than ever? Her chances at love again, deterred because of a stupid mistake. Will love get a second chance? Or will she push him away after all these years?

Rating – R, for obvious reasons and later chapters

Disclaimer - It really is mine! JKR just stole all of my ideas! And now she's the one making millions of dollars off of books, posters, movies, and other propaganda. God help me, I've gone insane. cries heavily Okay… its not mine… none of it. WAAAAAAA!!!

Chapter 2 Family

Hermione awoke a few hours later to the smell of breakfast wafting into her room. She tried to get her mind together and off of a certain someone. She rose out of bed and took a nice, hot shower to relax her muscles. After she went through her morning ritual of cleaning and getting dressed, she walked downstairs to find Harry sitting at the table with Serenity eating a brunch, since it was about 10:30.

"Smells good Harry, thanks," she said as she sat down next to he daughter.

"No problem 'Mione. I figured you needed your rest," he said as he brought the food to the table. Everyone began to eat, Hermione especially fast. Her work obviously made her hungry.

"Mummy, are you gonna work?" Hermione almost spit out her food at this question. Her daughter normally left well enough alone when it came to her "work", but Hermione guessed that her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Not until later tonight hunny," she replied after gulping down her food.

"I don't want you to work," she said, climbing in her mother's lap.

"I know baby, but I have too. If you want food and toys, then I have to," Hermione said, trying to win her daughter over with logic. But she misread her daughter.

"But I miss you!" she persisted, hugging her mom around the neck.

She's more like her father than I thought.

"But you see me all day!" Hermione replied. She didn't want to have this battle right now.

"So?" her daughter asked with the innocence only a child could have. At the moment, Hermione found it annoying.

"You don't need to worry about it okay? If I could, I wouldn't go to work, but I have to," Hermione said, trying to explain it.

"But…" Serenity started to protest but Harry interrupted her.

"Don't worry about it Sen, you're mum will be fine… you'll get to see her soon enough," he said as he started to take the food off the table. "You have all day with her."

"That's right," Hermione interjected, "I'll be back before you know it," she said, poking her daughter on the nose playfully.

"Okway," Serenity replied, her face making her famous puppy dog pout.

"That isn't going to work this time," Hermione replied. "Now you go off and get dressed and we can go to the park.

Hermione dressed Serenity in cool clothing as well as herself. Then, she and Harry set out for the park, which was only a few blocks away. Hermione and Harry walked together as Serenity ran ahead.

"'Mione," Harry said suddenly.

"Yea."

"You're miserable!" he stated.

"What do you mean by that? I'm perfectly fine," she responded defiantly.

"No you're not. You lost the man you love, your parents, and one of your best friends! I don't think you're fine," he said logically, Hermione was rubbing off on him.

"Harry, that was a while ago. I've gotten over it," Hermione said, looking ahead and watching her daughter skip along the sidewalk after a butterfly. Her eyes brimmed with tears just thinking about it all.

"SEE!" Harry's voice broke in. "Your life is tearing at the seems! Whether it was 6 years ago or not!"

"I know your right Harry, but can't I just burry them away and move on?! NO! The damn memories won't let me, they haunt my everyday! Once when I get in a happy mood, it reminds me of mum or dad or Ron or him! And then it's ruined and I get sad! I can't live like this anymore!" Hermione exclaimed, not even realizing the words that came from her mouth, tears shinning down her eyes.

"'Mione, sit down on the bench and relax. I'll go take Senity on the swings and leave you alone for a little, ok?" Harry said, pushing her into a park bench in front of the swing set.

"Yea, thanks Harry. I dunno what I'd do without you!" Hermione said, giving his a hug.

"No prob," he said, hugging her back. He then walked over to the swings where Serenity was trying to get into a swing that was too high for her. Hermione smiled as she watched her daughter laugh and squeal as Harry pushed her high. She looked so much like her father it was uncanny. But Hermione tried not to dwell on that.

But watching her daughter on the swing brought back other memories, childhood memories. Memories of when her dad used to bring her to the park and push her in the swing. And then to the bookstore. Those were the days. But now she didn't have her parents, and neither did Serenity.

"Hey mum, dad," Hermione said when they opened the door. Her mother enveloped her in a quick hug and ushered her in.

"Hermione! Dear how we've missed you. All summer and you haven't visited once!" her mother said jokingly.

"Well, I've been kind of… preoccupied," she replied quietly.

"Getting ready for university?" her father asked as he folded the newspaper onto his lap and looked at his only child.

"Well… actually no," she said, looking at her folded hands in her lap and not her intimidating father. "I'm not going to a university."

"Why not?" her mother asked after getting over her shock. "It's all you've been talking about!"

"Some things have come up."

"What things?" her father asked curiously.

"Well… um. I'm going to have a baby," she said barely above a whisper. She looked up at her father and noticed the redness in his face. Her mother, being the cooler headed one, spoke first.

"We didn't know you were… involved with anyone," she said carefully.

"Well she obviously was!" her father broke in. "It's not the bloody Immaculate Conception!" His face was contorted and he was at the boiling point. She could almost see the steam coming out of his ears.

"Well I was daddy… it's just he broke it off with me."

"DON'T! CALL! ME! THAT!" he said quietly, with barely controlled anger. "No daughter of mine is having a child out of wed lock. We're going to the clinic," he said, getting up and roughly grabbing Hermione's arm.

It took a while for the words to register, but when they did, she ripped herself away from him.

"The HELL we are!" she screamed.

"Young lady! Don't talk to your father in that tone!" her mother scolded.

"I'll do whatever I damn well please! I am a grown woman now Rodger!" Hermione said, her voice dripping with venom and malice. "And if I wanna keep this baby, you won't stop me!"

"Who's the father then… you'll get married!" her father demanded, still flabbergasted by her outburst.

"None of your fucking business! He left me and I won't force him into this!"

"Then to the clinic we go," he said grabbing her arm again.

"Don't touch me you bastard!" she said, moving away again. "This is YOUR grandchild! If you don't want to be a part of its life then fine! But you can't make me get rid of it!"

"I'm your father, I can make you do what I want!"

"No… you can't. Your not father of mine and no one can make me do anything except myself," she said moving towards her mother with a pleading look.

"I though we taught you better Hermione," her mom whispered quietly.

"I'm sorry mum. I can't help what happened. But I'm not going to kill an innocent life… you taught me that much," she said, kneeling next to her. Her mother looked at her with sorrow in her eyes. "Please forgive me?"

"Get out of my house!" her father said, opening the door and pointing out.

"Mum?"

"You better go Mia," her mom said. She then mouthed 'I forgive you'. Tears streaking down her face, she stood up and walked out.

"And don't let it hit your ass on the way out," her father said, slamming the door behind her.

Hermione awoke from her reverie to something hopping into her lap. She looked down with tears welling in her eyes. She was met with the deep onyx eyes of her daughter. She was sitting on her knees look at her mother intently.

"Wuz wron?" she asked.

"Nothing babe, just thinking," Hermione replied.

"Bout what?" Serenity asked.

She's to inquisitive for her own good! Hermione thought to herself. She then noted that Harry had sat down next to her and was starring pointedly out into nowhere.

"Nothing," was her reply. She couldn't help but keep thinking about old times.

"It inn't nu'in," the black-haired child responded prudently. "You wouldn' be cyin' if it were!"

Hermione just sighed in response. She looked at her daughter and noticed the fire roaring in her eyes.

"You best tell her," Harry whispered in her ear. "She just gonna keep at it if you don't." She sighed again, this time in preparing herself for the onslaught of questions she was going to receive.

"I was thinking about my parents," she said, turning to look at her daughter who had had her arms crossed. Harry's eyes dropped to the ground. He, once again, knew where this was going to lead.

"You have pawents?" Serenity asked curiously, her arms dropping and eyes softening.

"Used to," was her short response.

"Did dey… die?" the five-year-old asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No."

"What happen to dem?"

"We don't talk much Sen, they don't like mummy anymore."

"Why?"
"Just because," she said at first, but then thought better, "Because they didn't want me to have you. They were mad because I wasn't married to your daddy," Hermione said. She knew it was no use not to tell her, she'd want to know about it some day and she was mature enough now to understand.

It took a while for Serenity to respond to her mother, but when she did, it was something that Hermione should have expected, but was still shocked by it.

"Why aren't you and daddy mawried?" she asked. Hermione just looked at her, not ready for this question. But she didn't have to answer as Harry was quicker than her.

"Sen, we don't know why your daddy and mum aren't married. Your daddy just… wasn't ready and they lost contact I guess… don't worry about it hun," he said, putting an arm around Hermione to reassure her and a hand to Serenity's cheek. Serenity knew better than to keep pushing it. She'd ask about it another day. What none of them noticed was the dark figure looking at the seemingly 'happy family' with a discerning glare.