A/N: Thanks to: mald1983, Emi-Bum, pottersgirl91, san01, tofuubeaver, vagrantben, Kari-Hermione, imakeeper, nehimasgift, RedandBlack12, Kuroumo, shadieladie, svelte, PapayaCrazy, KayKay2007, and aznqudditchchick. I couldn't have made it this far without y'all... 227 reviews! Hopefully I can make it to 250 by the end... that's only one more chapter away in case you're wondering, so review, ReViEw, REVIEW! And thanks again... now, here's the chapter.


Chapter 16 – Suffering and Explaining

"You've got to tell her," Ginny's head said from the fireplace of Hermione's living room.

"Do you know what that would do to her? What if she decides to hate me for it?" Hermione pointed out in a panicked sort of way.

"She won't... you're pretty much all she has except Harry, me, my family, and yours. She won't hate you, believe me. Just tell her," Ginny urged. "Oh. I've got to go. Harry's home with the groceries."

"Thanks, Gin. I'll see you later this week."

With that, Ginny's head faded from the fireplace and a small billowing cloud of black smoke rose for a moment before disappearing in the breeze that flowed through Hermione's house from the open kitchen window.

Just last night, Hermione had fought with Oliver about his wanting to be part of her and Kirsten's life once more. She, of course, couldn't allow that. He wasn't going to give up Quidditch and she couldn't go dragging their daughter all over God's creation; that was no way for a child to grow up. But that didn't change the fact that Kirsten had a right to know about her father.

Hermione sighed and thought about Oliver for a moment. He would be given a test today and then released as long as he passed. Hopefully he was gone before she went in to get her check. She couldn't bare seeing him again, she didn't think. It was all too heart wrenching for her to know that things weren't going to work out because he still loved Quidditch more than her and even their daughter now.

"Kirsten," Hermione called from the living room. "Come in here."

Within moments, the back kitchen screen door opened and scrambling little feet could be heard.

Kirsten jumped over the arm of the couch and took a seat next to her mother, panting from her race from outside with no one.

"What is it?" she asked excitedly. "Is it about my birthday!"

"I'm afraid not, dear," Hermione said with a forced smile.

"What is it, then?"

"Just listen to me," Hermione sighed.

Sensing a strain in her mother's demeanor, Kirsten quieted and faced her mother on the couch. What was she going to tell her?

"Now, before I say anything, do you know how much I love you?" Hermione quizzed.

"This much," Kirsten said while spreading her arms as wide as they would go.

"More," Hermione smiled, a lone tear forming at the corner of her eye.

"More than more," Kirsten giggled.

"Exactly. And you know that I only want the best for you, right?" Hermione continued.

Kirsten said nothing to this, only nodded. Hermione then took a deep breath and went on with her explanation.

"You remember your favorite bedtime story?" Again, the little girl nodded. "Those people... remember I said I know them really well?"

"Yeah."

"Well, those people are Oliver and I," Hermione spoke softly.

"Really?" Kirsten exclaimed. "But-," then something dawned on the little girl. They weren't together anymore. "What happened?"

"He wanted to play Quidditch and I couldn't stay with him," Hermione admitted.

"Oh... then what?"

"Then I had you," Hermione replied. "You... my sweet little bundle of joy. My blessing and greatest love."

"Why did my daddy leave?"

"To play Quidditch," Hermione answered, hoping against hope that the little girl she loved so dearly would catch on.

"He left to play Quidditch, too?" Kirsten frowned.

"Kirsten, baby... your father, um... he is- How much do you love Oliver?" Hermione inquired.

"A lot... he's my best friend," Kirsten responded.

"Do you love him like a daddy?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I- wait," Kirsten said, the smile she had started the sentence with fading so quickly that it was heart breaking. "Is Oliver- is he...?"

"Yes, Kirsten, he is," Hermione finally broke. "He's your father. And he loves you so much."

"Then why did he leave?" Kirsten shouted as tears spilled quickly over her little rosy cheeks.

"He didn't know about you when he left. He didn't know you would be coming," Hermione explained. "I didn't even know until a little while after he left."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Kirsten muttered, her voice softened and her tears frozen in her eyes, making them sparkle.

"Because Mommy was afraid to tell him," Hermione sighed as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind Kirsten's ear.

"But you aren't afraid of anything," Kirsten whispered.

"Everyone is afraid of something," Hermione admitted.

"Oh... well, you don't have to be afraid, Momma," Kirsten breathed as she reached up and hugged Hermione around the neck. "I won't leave you because I love you."

Hermione felt a tingling rush over her body and tears blurred her eyes quickly as she looked upward and smiled, causing the tears to roll forth. She hugged Kirsten with all her might and thanked God for her.


A week removed from his release at St. Mungo's, Oliver felt as though he need to go back because someone was seriously draining the life from him.

"Wood! C'mon!" shouted his coach from the ground at the middle of the Puddlemere pitch.

Oliver rolled his eyes and grunted angrily. He was frustrated and his goal blocking had been suffering since he had left St. Mungo's.

"Are you all right, Oliver?" Amy called from the stands.

She might have not played anymore, now a month pregnant, but she still showed up to cheer her husband and the rest of the team on.

"Fine," Wood mumbled to no one but himself as he shook his head and hunched his shoulders, readying himself for play once more.

"All right, let's get this going, then... again," the coach sighed as he blew a whistle and things went chaotic.

Three Chasers raced up field through an obstacle course as Beaters practiced in an enclosure at the bottom of the field about ten feet up. They were practicing aiming and such as Wood glared at the approaching Chasers.

Flashes of his accident hit him, but that phased him in no way. He leaned low on the broom and prepared for the block. 'Almost there' he thought, his mind drifting back to his days on the Gryffindor team.

--Flashback--

He glided slowly from right to left as Marcus Flint and two Slytherin Chasers knocked his Chasers off their brooms and laughed as they got hit with Bludgers. Wood glared and gripped his broom handle as tight as possible while the neared. Ten feet away... seven feet... four feet. The throw. Block!

Wood smirked and laughed as Flint cursed and the Gryffindor crowd cheered. Oliver looked around at them and spotted one out of the crowd that he cared more about than any other. Hermione.

She was jumping up and down, a glowing smile on her laughing face as she screamed for Gryffindor and shook her red and gold banner. Madam Hooch's whistle blew.

"Wood!"

--End Flashback--

"For the love of Merlin... earth to Oliver!" the coach was screaming frantically as he blew his whistle to get Oliver's attention.

Wood snapped from his reverie in just enough time to see the Quaffle fly past his left side and into the goal on his far left.

"Bloody hell!" Wood cursed as he went down to where the coach was calling everyone in.

The team walked across the field, all huffing and panting from their practice.

"Oliver, what's going on up there? You forget how to play?"

"Coach," Kelly hissed.

"I haven't forgot how to play," Wood sneered.

"Then where's your head, boy?" the coach groaned.

"I just- I'm-"

"You're not afraid of another accident, are you, Oliver?" Kelly asked.

"No!" Wood snapped. "Just- bloody forget it. I need a break."

With that, Oliver stalked off the field and over to the locker room doors. He opened them only to have enough warning time to drop to the ground as an ear aching screech sounded and a flurry of white feathers appeared.

"Ruddy owl," Oliver grumbled as he stood up.

He continued on his way into the locker room and began removing his pads, throwing them angrily into his locker. He dropped down onto the bench and rested his head in his hands as he took a deep breath and gave way to the vision of Hermione's face once more.

"I'm going to end up going insane," Wood sighed as he stood up and removed his shirt.

There was another screech from the owl as it landed on top of his locker and dropped a letter onto the floor.

"Fan mail," Oliver grouched as he picked the letter up and tossed it into the top of his locker before grabbing his towel and heading for the shower.

It was too bad that he failed to notice the writing on the letter. The writing of someone he cared about greatly.


A little less than two days later, Oliver sat in that same locker room awaiting the coach's orders to walk out onto the field. Tonight was the usual pre-season 'Meet the Team' appearance banquet thing, whatever you wanted to call it, and Oliver was feeling rather tired.

He had been up early each morning, and out on the pitch three hours before any of the rest of the team. He was slowly, snailishly to be exact, improving on his blocking. He sighed and leaned down, resting his forearms on his thighs as he prepared himself for the headache of screaming fans that awaited the team's arrival.

"Everyone ready?" the coach gushed as he came dashing into the locker room. "It's a packed house tonight."

"Cheer up, Oliver," Amy whispered in his ear as she patted his back.

Oliver sighed and stood up, as he did, his head hit something feather light and it came falling out of the top of his locker. He stooped to pick it up and his eyes grew wide as he stared at the parchment.

"Daddy," Oliver breathed, reading the address label.


Kirsten looked around at everyone who was gathered at The Burrow. There was Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, her grandma and grandpa Granger, her mom, Ron, Luna, the twins, Ginny, Harry, and even Padma.

"Make a wish and blow out your candles, Kirsten," chimed Hermione and Mrs. Weasley.

Kirsten forced a smile and leaned forward over the huge cake on the table with six crackling sparkler like candles. She sighed, sadness creasing her forward as she thought for a moment. She then took the deepest breath she could muster, held it for a moment, and then let it all out in a raspberry blowing sound which extinguished the candles.

"Time to cut the cake," Ron called, removing his arm from around Luna and picking up the knife.

He and Mrs. Weasley began cutting cake and handing it out as Luna and Ginny took over on ice cream. Fred and George wandered a short way away and were playing with something they were hunched over. Hermione noticed this and the fact that they were trying to light it with their wands.

"What are you two up to!" she bellowed as she advanced across the yard toward them.

In the commotion, Kirsten slipped down away from the table and was heading for the house when Harry walked over and picked her up.

"Why, hello there, birthday girl!" he laughed as he held her bridal style and spun her around. "How about some cake and ice cream. I'll rock, paper, scissors you for the iced rose."

"You can have it," Kirsten sighed.

Harry frowned and sat her down, kneeling down next to her.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought he'd be here," Kirsten sniffled as she fought back tears.

"C'mon now... it's your birthday. No crying," Harry scolded playfully.

"It's my birthday... I'll cry if I want to," Kirsten pouted.

Harry laughed and began singing lightly in her ear.

"It's my birthday, I'll cry if I want to. Cry if I want to."

Kirsten faltered and laughed at his antics and he scooped her up and headed for the food table. Just as they neared it, though, a loud bang issued out over the yard and everyone jumped, turning to the twins and Hermione who were all three sprawled on the ground under bright pink firework writing. Happy 6th Birthday Squirt!

Kirsten laughed and cheered as Fred and George stood and bowed, Hermione glaring and wiping black soot from her clothes and face.

"You two," she grumbled as she rolled her eyes and huffed angrily.

"You should've stayed back," Fred advised a little too late as he tried to stifle a laugh.

"Aren't uh... burnt, are you?" George asked as he grinned from ear to ear.

"No... just blackened," Hermione grouched.

"Thank you, Fred. Thank you, George," Kirsten squealed as she leaped from Harry's arms, stumbling as she hit the ground and running to the twins, attaching herself to George's midsection.

Hermione sighed, she couldn't help but smile as she turned to Harry who offered her a napkin. She took it, punching him playfully on the arm as he smirked in a way that said he was fighting back a laugh at her. She wiped her face, and as she looked up to say something to Harry, something caught her eye.

Coming up the gravel driveway to The Burrow was a dark figure. She couldn't quite make it out, but she saw that it was a man with his hands in his pockets and his head slightly bowed. He was walking at a rather slow pace and he seemed to be staring at his feet.

"Momma, look!" Kirsten half yelled, half laughed as she stood across the yard with the twins.

They were lighting off more fireworks, these ones coming out as dragons, centaurs, unicorns, and pixies. Hermione nodded and waved, turning back to the driveway which the man was now halfway up.

"A middle piece or an edge, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she held an empty plate and waited for Hermione to pick her piece of cake.

"None right now, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, you're going to eat," Molly clucked as she cut a rather large portion of the edge and placed it on a plate.

Hermione took it and wandered away from the table, sitting the plate down on a bench next to her dad.

"What's the matter, Hermione, darling?" he asked as she turned back to the drive and watched the shadowy figure get closer, now three fourths of the way up the drive and coming slowly into the dim light of the decorations for Kirsten's party.

"Nothing, Dad," Hermione replied as she started over, very slowly, toward the drive.

She was in a different zone in that moment. She lost track of the distance she was walking, had walked, had left to walk. She lost realization of her surroundings, that is until a great bang issued overhead and she whipped around quickly to see the sky light up a sea green and baby blue as a unicorn dashed and pranced about the sky. Everyone from the party clapped and cheered as the color died in the sky and it went back to its normal dark blue covered in little, barely visible white dots that were stars.

Hermione turned back to the drive and saw that the figure had stopped, their head raised toward the sky. She started over toward them again as they stood there, stalk still, eyes on the sky. She quickened her pace, her breathing picking up as she heard another one of the twin's fireworks whizzing up into the sky.

Light purple and yellow lit everything up and Hermione finally saw who was standing in the drive. The gravel crunched under her feet, only just enough for her and the man standing near her to hear. Everyone else was oblivious to the fact that they were there, staring at one another with everything in the world to say, but not speaking a word.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione finally asked.

"I was invited," he muttered as he held out a letter written by a child with the word Daddy written in the address area.