Disclaimer: I don't own anything (again!) except Lilian (again!) and John (that's new!)!

A/N: Hope you'll like it!

To Angel of the North: Thanks for her help! She has been so nice! She corrected this chapter! I don't know what to do for thanking her! LOL!

Her Choice

Hermione stood up from her chair and went straight into the living room. She reached the sofa where Lilian was sleeping and looked at her, a bittersweet mixture of pride and sadness in her eyes. Then putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder, she tried to wake her.

"It won't work!" said Hagrid from beyond her. "She's just eaten a Sleepy-Sweet, one of Fred and George's inventions. In each sweet there's enough valerian root in them sweets that we won't be seeing her awake till tomorrow at the earliest."
"Oh! But will you wait until tomorrow?" she asked softly.

"Why should I wait till tomorrow?" he asked confused.

"Because if she says she wants to learn magic you have to take her to Diagon Alley! I don't mean to come back to London now!" Hermione's voice rose uncertainly, close to hysteria.

He smiled "OK! That reminds me o' somethin'. Anyway I'll wait til tomorrow fer ye!"

"Thanks, Hagrid!' She looked around searching for something soft but strong. 'where would you like to sleep?"

"Oh don't you go worrying about that, Hermione! I can go to Jilkins, I know some folks there, so..."

"Jilkins?"

"Ye know, Jilkins. School near here, famous it is, for folks like us. If I say I work at Hogwarts..."

"A school of witchcraft and wizardry?" she asked in disbelief.

"Sure! I don't think I could sleep in a Muggle-school!" he said laughing.

"THERE IS A SCHOOL NEAR HERE AND SHE HAS TO GO TO HOGWARTS?" she was getting angry.

"Well, ye see. Professor Dumbledore, great man that he is, wants your little Lilian at Hogwarts, even if she's only half as smart as her mum an' brave as her dad. So he sends an owl to her ladyship at Jilkins, and says he'd like to offer your Lilian a place. Luckily he knew her, Professor Jenkins her name was, from a long time ago, and she said yes."

Hermione started to laugh. "Brave? Her father - brave? What about spiders?"

Hagrid smiled, but he didn't laugh "An' he can't help that Hermione, not something to be joking about. Why I remember..."

"OK, OK! I'm sorry! Anyway, I think it's better if you go now. I need some rest. Tomorrow I have to be up for 6.30!"

"Hermione yer' killin' yerself!"

"Yeah, yeah, OK. Good night Hagrid!"

She hugged him.

"G'night, Hermione! See ya tomorrow!"

He left muttering something like '6.30? Is she crazy?'

She jerked her head and looked at Lilian. "Honey, I hoped it wouldn't come to this. I hoped you wouldn't want to go Hogwarts, but that's quite impossible, so I hope instead that you'll enjoy your schooldays as much as I did. And have as good friends as I did."

She kissed her.

The next day Hermione put two sandwiches and an orange juice on the table near Lilian, hid Hagrid's sweets and left. It was July, but she still had to work all the day, because her boss (and her lover) wanted to see her! Everybody else knew full well that he wanted only make her work hard!

She was back home by 10 p.m. Hagrid and Lilian were talking in the living room. When she entered the room Lilian ran toward her and screamed 'Mum! Look how many things Hagrid got for me! Look at all this gold! We 're rich now!

Hermione knew exactly that the gold would disappear in a while so she smiled.

"Lilian we have something to talk about, so listen carefully! OK?"

"Sure, mom!" she smiled.

They all sat in the living room. Hagrid pulled out the letter and Lilian read it.

When she finished she looked at her mum with a strange light in her eyes. "Wow! Am I a witch or what?" she asked breathless.

"Yes, honey. You're a witch. Not like me or your dad, we're what you'll learn to call 'Muggles'. But sometimes it can happen something like this. So if you want you can go there or else you..."

"OF COURSE I WANT GO THERE!" she screamed jumping up and down.

Hagrid smiled and Hermione sighed.

"Are you sure? I mean you'll be far away from here! You'll be in England!" said Hermione.

"If I'm sure? I'm the surest girl in the world!" she cried out.

Hermione sighed again. "OK. You can go if you really want to. But remember that your name is Lilian Smith and your mum's name is Audrey Smith. Don't mention my name at Hogwarts! Never! Do you understand ?"

Her daughter nodded, far too happy for mundane things like speaking!

"Well, get ready to leave, then. Hagrid will take you in a place called Diagon Alley, in London, for some shopping!"

"LONDON?" she screamed.

"Remember that yer a witch, Lilian! An' Diagon Alley is the perfect place fer a witch who is goin' ter Hogwarts. An' don't worry about the distance we can be there in a minute with the floo powder! So go get ready!" said Hagrid. He looked as if he was the happiest half giant in the world!

Lilian nodded and disappeared into her room.

Knock, knock. Somebody was knocking on the door.

Hagrid and Hermione looked at one another, fear etched on their faces.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Hermione, honey, it's me, John! Open the door!" said a male voice from the outside.

She looked Hagrid again. Now she was smiling. Not a true smile, it didn't seem to reach to her eyes.

"I'm coming!" she yelled back.

She opened the door and a tall and good-looking man came in. Without a word he kissed Hermione on the cheek, looked at the smiling Hagrid and then fainted.

Hermione sighed. "John! John!" she called shaking him.

He opened his eyes and looked straight in Hagrid's.

"Who is he?" he whispered to Hermione.

Hagrid couldn't feel anything good from that man!

Hermione smiled "Why, Hagrid, my boss and friend, John Cliff. John, this is Hagrid, he's from a school in England, where Lilian will be going in September."

"Yeah, it's a pleas-" Hagrid was going to say 'pleasure' in an unconvincing tone of voice, but John interrupted him. "England?" he screamed.
"Yeah, it's a great school. It's just a little bit far from here, but we can see her every summer and at Christmas time! She really wants to go there!" she smiled again.

"And what will you do? First you'll to send her in England and, then it won't be enough, you'll go to live there near her and, then, what about us? I need you here!" He was very bossy with Hermione.

"Yer ruddy great Muggle." Hagrid exploded "Lilian is not yer daughter, and our Hermione is not yer property, and if she wants to go she'll go, and I'd like ter see yer stopping 'em."

Hermione put herself between the two men.

"Hagrid, calm down!" She said to Hagrid, then she spoke to John "Well, John, he's right! But don't worry, honey, I won't go away!" she whispered sweetly to his ear.

Hagrid rolled his eyes and at that moment Lilian ran from her room to the fireplace, all ready to go. Nobody moved. After a long pause Lilian noticed John.

"Oh John! How nice to see you." She said politely but with a sad voice.

"Nice to see you too, Lilian!" he said "I have a present for you. I hope you'll..."

She took the present from his hands and she unwrapped it. A book! Another book! Did he think that she spent all her time reading? She looked at the cover and threw it on the sofa.

"Thanks so much! I can't wait to read it! Now why don't you and mum go out for a nice slushy romantic dinner?" she said impatiently.

"Lilian!" Hermione hissed "It's 2 a.m. and John was going to go! Right love?"

Without wait for an answer she kissed John softly on his cheek, pulled him out of the door and quickly said a good night.

Then she looked angrily at Lilian and said "It's better if you go now! If here it's 2 a.m. in London it'll be 7 in the morning. You can go and have breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron! So, hurry up!"

"Mum, don't be angry! I just wanted to go! I'm sorry but I'm so excited!"
Hermione smiled "I know. But you should always hurry up! Here's the money! Be a good girl and don't spend too much!"

Lilian smiled and then she hugged her mum.

"Thank you mum!" she whispered.

"Don't you worry yourself, Hermione! She'll be back soon enough! And we won't be spending too much! Ready Lilian?" Hagrid smiled to the little girl as he spoke.

Lilian nodded.

"Lets go then! Hermione I hope to see you!" he said hugging her. Now was Hermione the one who nodded.

They entered the fireplace and Hagrid put an arm around her shoulder.

"Stay near me!" he said.

Lilian nodded again. She was breathless.

"Diagon Alley!" Hagrid screamed then a green flame spread around them and in a moment they weren't there anymore.