"Here, drink your tea dear."
"Thank you Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh it's quite all right. To tell you to truth I love having another girl around to dote after. That, and Ginny doesn't like me babying her anymore. Oh! That's the timer, the scones must be done."
Mrs. Weasley stood up from the table and went over to the oven. "Now, a simple cooling charm so it doesn't burn your mouth."
She walked back to the table and sat down next to Hermione. "There you are my dear, fresh out of the oven."
"Thank you."
Mrs. Weasley looked out to the window to see her children playing in the yard. Arthur was still at work and would be home soon. She really should start dinner but did not want to leave Hermione alone.
Oh Hermione, the poor girl!
The boys brought her in and she was in hysterics. No one could understand a word that she was saying. So Mrs. Weasley firmly ordered them all outside and took Hermione in a great big hug. The girl stopped all noise and just stood there. Then the tears came rushing back and she threw arms around the older woman. Slowly she calmed down until she was only hiccupping. Mrs. Weasley led Hermione to the table and sat her down, then gave her a cup of tea.
"Now, the boys are outside and it's just you and me. Want to tell me what's wrong, dear?"
Hermione put her cup and scone down, took a gulp of air, and then slowly let it out. "Well, it all started when my grandparents came to visit yesterday."
XxXxXxXxXx
"And…and…and then I ran out the door and into Harry and he just took one look at me and gave me to Ron and said to take me back here."
Mrs. Weasley narrowed her eyes. Those Grangers were lucky that they were muggles. If they had magic in them she'd walk right out of their fireplace and hex them good! A nice fine hex that would scar their faces and paint ugly words all over their house. Something to humiliate them in front of the whole community. The nerve of them! Throwing out their child because she was magical and might like girls! Absurd! She still had a half a mind to send howlers to them.
"Mrs. Weasley?"
"Yes, dear?"
"I just thought of something."
"What is it?"
"Why did Harry give me to Ron?"
"Oh, well he picked up your bags for you, dear."
"Alright."
Mrs. Weasley sighed inside. This was not the bright and bossy Hermione that she knew. This Hermione was quiet and pliable. "Why don't you help me with dinner, and then you can eat early and go to sleep. Everyone can talk to you tomorrow."
"I'm not hungry. Can I just take my tea and scone with me?"
"Of course. Here dear, I'll grab two extra scones and the pot of tea. Let me walk up with you."
"Oh no!"
"What's wrong?"
"Crookshanks! I left him at home. I mean, I left him at their house."
"It's okay dear, we'll get him for you."
Mrs. Weasley, now feeling very tired herself, led a freshly crying Hermione up the stairs and tucked her into bed.
XxXxXxXxXx
"Hey, Harry?"
"Yes, Ron?"
"Why did you go inside Hermione's house after you gave her to me?"
"I spoke with her father."
"And?" asked Ginny.
The three of them were lying on the grass looking up at the clouds.
Harry sighed. "Her family is about as kind as mine."
The two redheads winced.
"He told me that Hermione no longer lived there. And that they would not support one of her kind."
"They did what?" yelled Ron as he sat up. "They can't do that!"
"Yeah!" said Ginny as she sat up and crossed her legs. "Don't they know how great Mione is?"
Harry sat up as well. "I guess not."
"Well," asked Ron, "what do we do?"
"I asked her father when we could come and get Hermione's things. He said after school starts would be a great time because Mrs. Granger will be at work most of the time. We just have to ask your parents of they can do it."
"Mum and Dad will."
Ron nodded at his sister. "Yeah, they love Hermione."
"I know," said Harry.
"But Harry, what else can we do?"
"I don't know, Ginny. Just be there for her, I guess. You both know how much she loves her parents. This must be really hard for her. We just have to listen whenever she wants to talk."
XxXxXxXxXx
"Molly, calm down."
"Calm down? Calm down? Arthur, after what they did to her! Those…those…those ungrateful muggles simply throw away a precious gem like our Hermione and I'm supposed to stay calm!"
"I see your point. But yelling will not get us anywhere right now. Oh Molly, please don't yell at me again. I just got home and I'm tired. Why don't we just sit down for dinner and discuss it when the kids are in bed and not listening at the door?"
"I can't believe you think so lowly of us, dad!"
Mr. and Mrs. Walked into the kitchen to see the group of children scurrying back to their seats at the dinner table.
"Fred Weasley, what have I told you about eavesdropping?"
"Actually, Mum," George said, "you told me not to. You never said good ol' Fred couldn't."
"Mum, waff's wronk wiff 'ermioned?"
"Ronald, chew and swallow before you talk!"
"Yeah, Ronnekins, chew and shallow like a big boy!"
"Maybe he doesn't know how to, George!"
"Poor baby, Ron!"
"Enough!"
"Sorry, mum."
"Yeah, sorry, mum."
"I said, 'what's wrong with Hermione?'"
"She's tired, and no! You will not be bothering her after dinner. The only one allowed in that room is Ginny."
"Why Ginny?"
"Because it's my room, Ron."
The table burst into laughter as Ron turned bright red.
XxXxXxXxXx
Hidden on the stairs Hermione listened to their banter, and unbidden a smile came to her lips. Everything in the world may be upside down and spinning. But the Weasley's would always be the same