A/N: Not much Sirius in this one, though!


Revised: 28 August 2004

The Future Awaits
Chapter 12: The Grangers' Past

Sirius watched as Ron disappeared, following the maid.

"What do you reckon they want with my git brother?" asked Ginny.

Sirius snorted silently at the girl's accurate description of the red-haired boy.

"I haven't the slightest idea," replied Harry, who was charming a decorative element with his wand.

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Ron was escorted to a very small, cosy sitting room. The place was oddly cold.

Mr Granger noticed him shivering. He took a small device, which Ron recognized as a 'remote control' and pointed it to a big rectangular thing pasted high on the wall above them. He then looked back at Ron and smiled good-naturedly. The room was still cold, but a little less colder than earlier.

A maid came in just then, bringing in a tray of three glasses of cold-iced water. Ron was fiddling with his thumbs, biting his lips every now and then, not knowing why he was called over for.

Karl Granger chuckled softly at the young man's behaviour.

"Relax, dear boy. I never really get to talk to you. Now, I think is the perfect time. I hope your friends didn't mind."

Ron smiled reassuringly, "No. I hope not."

Karl looked at Ron again, and chuckled once more, earning him a glare from his wife.

"You know, I was once in your place when I met my wife's parents. I understand how you're feeling right now," he grinned.

Ron grinned back nervously.

"Let's get straight to the point then, shall we? I'll ask you a typical fatherly question," Karl winked. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Ron was thinking fast for a good answer. He knew he was looking rigid.

"Umm… I-I… really love Hermione, sir. It seemed like I've had the whole time! I was, am and will love her with all my heart. I would like to spend my whole life taking care of her," replied an apprehensive Ron Weasley.

Mr Granger smiled at the young man sitting in front of him, while his wife sighed adoringly, with her hand placed on her heart, causing Ron to turn into his Weasley-blush trademark.

It was Mrs Granger who spoke then, "You know Ron, the first time I saw you, I already liked you. You looked so adorable in your first year. Ever since Hermione got into Hogwarts, her owls were nothing more than, 'Ron this', 'Ron that'…" she gave out a giggle, similar to Hermione's. "And I found out from your mother, Molly, that it was the same with you."

Ron knew he was as red as ever by then. He then realised that this should also be a good time to tell the Grangers about his plan for their daughter's birthday.

"That's all we need to hear, Ron," said a smiling Karl Granger.

"Umm… Mr and Mrs Granger, there's something I'd like to tell you… or rather, ask you… about. I, uh… I have a big plan in mind for Hermione, this Thursday," Ron said in a shaky voice.

The couple raised their eyebrows, half guessing what was coming next.

"Yes?" Wylona asked, seemingly to be struggling hiding a curious grin.

Ron looked down at his tangled thumbs. "Umm… I, uh… I…" Ron paused to take a deep breathe. Karl and Wylona Granger were biting their lips from laughing at the poor boy.

"I want to ask your daughter's hand in marriage." Ron sighed a relief, feeling lighter than before, but at the same time dreading what was coming next, considering that they come from such a wealthy family.

Mr Granger smiled. "Ron, as long as Hermione's happy, Wylona and I are nobody to stop you from doing what you want. You guys have all your needed blessings."

Ron was stunned. They approved? That easily? Wow!! I love these people!

The Grangers witnessed a sudden delighted smile from the red-haired man. "Thank you, sir."

"Now, son. Since you're going to be part of the family soon, please call us by our first names. Karl, and Wylona," said Mr Granger, gesturing his hand to himself and his wife, who was nodding in agreement.

Ron smile sheepishly. "Alright, Karl, Wylona."

He finally took the waiting glass of water in front of him for a drink. Through the glass, he saw a wooden picture frame sitting on an end table beside him. He placed the half-empty glass back onto the table and took a better look at it. It was a very young looking Hermione, and an older looking girl. In the picture, the girl was giving Hermione a teddy-bear hug, which Ron guessed was the reason Hermione was smiling widely, since the picture was stationary.

"That's Hermione's sister, Megha."

Ron's head darted at Karl Granger, at the name.

"H-Hermione has a sister?!"

"Had a sister…" Karl said wistfully. "Why? Haven't she told you about her?"

Ron didn't answer him, instead he continued looking at Karl incredulously. Wylona, Ron noticed, was wearing a grim look on her face.

"Excuse me, gentlemen. I need to go to the washroom," she finally said.

Ron knew it was Karl's cue to explain the whole thing.

"I can't believe Hermione never said anything about it. But… I can't blame her…"

Ron was attempted to say that Hermione never even told him about her family's financial status, but decided that it would come out wrong. He was eager to know more. Who was this Megha?

"It's a long story," Karl began. "You would have guessed by now that Megha's gone…"

"I've heard of her name. Hermione kept muttering it in her sleep. But she never told me about her," Ron said.

Karl nodded understandingly. "She wouldn't." He then gave a heavy sigh. "I think you have the right to know, about this, Ron. Since you're going to be a big part of Hermione's life."

Karl Granger stood up from his seat, and moved to sit beside Ron, who was sitting on a loveseat. He then, placed a hand on Ron's arm.

"I just hoped that after knowing all these, you won't change your mind on proposing her."

Ron's heartbeat suddenly increased its speed. What could be so horrible that he would change his decisions?

"I have made my mind, sir. And I'm supportive of anything she'd done, doing or will be doing," assured Ron.

Karl smiled and corrected the young man, "Karl."

Ron smiled sheepishly and said, "Yeah, Karl."

The older man sighed again and started, "It was years ago when Hermione was 6 years old, when we were still living in Germany, our homeland."

Ron's eyes widened. Hermione is of German's blood?!

"Her sister was 5 years older than her. They were inseparable. Megha was mine and my first wife's daughter. When my first wife, Tillie passed away, I went back to my long-time lover, my now wife, Wylona, who's a British. Tillie's and my wedding was an arranged one. Wylona and I had a… you can say a 'Romeo and Juliet' love story. My parents hated Wylona. Wylona was an orphan, who was under the guardians of her old aunt. She had no one, other than her. My parents had reluctantly accepted her in the house when I came home telling them that she's their new daughter-in-law. I came from a… royal family. So, moving out was out of question. It was a tradition to live in one whole house as a big family."

"Wylona and Megha really bonded well. When Hermione was born, Megha treated her with all the love she had. My parents still treated both Hermione and my wife as strangers. They only loved Megha. Then the day came when Hermione turned six. That was when we first found out about her powers. It was an accident a six year old witch could do nothing about. She was playing with her step-sister, when we found Megha's lifeless body by her side."

Ron's eyes widened. Hermione killed her step-sister?

"That was when my parents lost all control and became hysterics. They cursed my family. Saying stuff like 'We told you! We told you this woman would bring the unluckiness in our family. Now, see what she has given us? A cursed child!' We were thrown out of the house instantly, and I was even wiped out from the family tree. We had no where to go. My brothers had secretly helped me out finding a place. And this is the place I'd get with the money they gave.., and of course with a lot of extra work from the two of us. Wylona and I became dentists together, since… that's where we actually met, at the MBA classes."

Karl Granger sighed and smiled at Ron. "Till now, I still do not regret my decisions marrying Wylona. I love them as much as I had a long time ago."

Ron smiled. He felt exhausted at the information he just heard. He took another drink from the glass. "I must say that I'm envy of you, sir… uh, Karl. You guys are really good parents. Hermione is very lucky to have you."

Karl chuckled. "We are people in love, Ron. Follow your heart. It will never lead you wrong."

Mr Granger finally stood up. "Well! It was very nice talking to you, son. We'll be seeing you proposing in front of everybody this Thursday."

Ron's eyes widened. Karl guffawed. "Yeah, it's a new tradition I'd made for this family. Proposing should be done in front of the family," he winked.

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Ron went back to Harry, Ginny and Sirius. The three of them had finished their task once Ron arrived.

On their way home, Harry and Ginny were pestering him about 'the talk', but Ron just kept an impassive face. He just told them that the Grangers wanted to know his intentions with Hermione, which was true. But he did not tell them any more than that. Harry however noticed Sirius starring at Ron once in a while, as if trying to figure out on his own what actually happened during the talk.

A/N: Oh gawd! Can't my chapter be any more boring than this?! It's too long-winded and rubbish! My only intention was to explain about the Grangers. Coz' in the books, not much were talked about them. I can promise you the next chappie won't be this boring.