When Hermione heard that Rose and Lily were going shopping in muggle London, she was quick in making an excuse to tag along. 'I have some things for Gran to pick up', she'd lied when her daughter asked why she insisted on escorting them, earning a scowl from her.
Hermione had been slightly annoyed, but not surprised that Ginny had been okay with the girls going on their own. With the increase in dementor sightings, especially in muggle areas, Hermione wasn't chancing anything, no matter how responsible the girls claimed to be. Besides, she thought. It would be nice to be out in public without being hounded by press. In muggle London, she could be just another face in the crowd.
Hermione sat in a small coffee shop within the ground floor of the busy mall. She'd allowed the girls to roam the stores alone, and after popping into a few book stores, she'd found herself craving a latte. Sipping on the warm drink, Hermione enjoyed people watching while she waited for Rose and Lily.
It wasn't long until she heard the giggles of two girls, and she looked up to see her daughter and niece approaching her, both with several shopping bags in hand.
"Malls are so cool!" Lily said excitedly, sitting down on the stool across from Hermione.
Rose took a seat between them, tucking her purchases on the ground between her legs.
Lily wasted no time enthusiastically showing Hermione all of her purchases. She had found a few pairs of short, some light summer shirts, and a pretty flower necklace.
"What about you?" Hermione asked, casting a glance towards her daughter.
Rose pulled out the pair of black shoes and few tops she'd purchased. She attempted to hide one of her shopping bags from her mother's eyes, but wasn't able to get it past her.
"You missed that one," Hermione noted curiously, pointing to a pink bag. "What is it?"
Rose mumbled inaudibly, blushing.
"Rose?"
Lily smirked looking back and forth between the stare-down occurring between her Aunt and older cousin.
Finally Rose answered. "Just some underwear."
"Oh," Hermione said flatly, unsure of what to say next. She noticed embarrassment on her daughter face while her niece snickered.
Hermione supposed Rose was likely at the age where she'd want some independence. Still though, it seemed odd. Hermione had always purchased underwear for both her children, usually when she noticed they were outgrowing what they already had or when their current inventory started to look tattered. She had just bought Rose a few new pantie briefs and training bras around Easter.
Seeing her mother's mind reeling, Rose frantically began talking to Lily about the Weird Sisters reunion tour, desperate to steer the conversation away from her undergarments. However, Hermione was not quite ready to move on from the subject. Taking a sip of her drink, she discreetly cast her eyes down to the floor and caught a glimpse of the name on the bag. Playful Promises. That alone was enough cause for at least slight concern. It didn't sound like a place where a child or young teen would buy cute underwear with flowers or rainbows on them. What it sounded like was a Women's Lingerie shop.
...
After dropping Lily off back at her home, Rose was quick to make a dash for her bedroom door once she and her mom had Flooed into their living room.
"Hey," Hermione said, grabbing her daughter lightly by the arm and stopping her attempted escape. "Can we talk for a moment?"
"Okay," Rose said with a dramatic sigh.
Hermione sat on the living room sofa, gesturing for Rose to do the same.
"Playful Promises?" her mother said questionably with a raise eyebrow.
Rose turned pink.
"It's not a big deal," she mumbled, her eyes cast down at her sock feet to avoid her mum's gaze.
"Okay, it's not a big deal," Hermione agreed, doing her best not to overreact. "So show me what you bought."
Rose sighed, and knowing there was no way around it, she reluctantly handed Hermione the pink bag.
Silently hoping it was nothing too scandalous, Hermione opened the bag, her hands moving aside the white thin paper at the top. Inside were three lacy pairs of cheeky panties, black, white and bright red, with matching bras. They were the type of underwear that were not only meant to be worn, but also seen.
Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. Okay, she said to herself. It's not that bad. Definitely could have been worse. She cleared her throat uncomfortably.
"Rose..." Hermione began.
"Mum," Rose cut her off quickly. "It's just some underwear. Can we not make a big deal about this?"
"Why did you buy them?" Hermione asked, not sure if she wanted to know the real answer.
"They're pretty," Rose said quietly. "I just thought they looked nice."
"These just seem a bit..." Hermione searched her mind for the right word. "Mature."
"Well no one will see them but me," Rose countered.
It was a fair point, and one that Hermione hoped would be true for many years to come. It relieved her that Rose had made that comment. She certainly didn't want to ask if she'd bought them for someone to see despite the terrifying thought having crossed her mind. Surely she hadn't bought them for a boy? Scorpius? No, she was overreacting.
She didn't want Rose to grow up just yet, but she knew she couldn't stop it. Remembering the awkwardness and confusion of becoming a young woman herself, she handed the pink bag back to her daughter.
"Just don't let Dad see them, okay?"
...
Harry poured two glasses of scotch over ice, carrying them both towards the chairs near the fireplace in his study.
Ron, Hermione, and the kids had come over for dinner, something that they hadn't done alone in a long time. After eating, Hermione and Ginny had disappeared to living room for a glass of wine, while the kids had gone upstairs. Ron had suggested to him that they have a drink in Harry's study. 'Something strong,' he'd said.
Harry handed a glass to Ron, who was sitting on one of the lounge chairs, before taking his own seat across from him.
"This dementor problem must really be testing you guys at the Ministry," Ron said, taking a small sip of his drink.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked. Sure, the dementors were problematic, but not anything he hadn't handled before.
"Hermione was really worked up the other week," Ron explained. "Only thing I can think of that's happened recently is the dementors. Unless something else is going on?"
Harry shook his head, guilt plummeting into his stomach as he thought about the real reason Hermione had been so upset.
"I was really worried about her," Ron continued. "Especially after she spent that night drinking herself sick."
"Sorry about that," Harry cringed, remember that it was he who Hermione had gotten the alcohol from.
Ron waved him off. "It's fine, just glad she's back to herself somewhat. She was having nightmares for a few nights so I just figured something serious must be going on."
"About what?" Harry asked, his interest peaking.
"Don't know, she didn't want to talk."
Harry felt a wave of self pity wash over him. Could the nightmares have been related to him? Did Hermione find the idea that the two of them had been together that repulsive? She'd certainly taken the news worse than he'd expected.
"You're jobs are pretty stressful, aren't they?" Ron said suddenly, catching Harry off guard.
"Well, yeah," Harry said, taken aback by Ron's strange statement-like question to which the answer was obvious.
"Right," Ron said quietly, looking uncomfortable. "I guess I'm just wondering... do you and Ginny still find time together?"
"Sure," Harry answered, still confused by the line of questioning. "We manage to squeeze in some time to relax just us. Sometimes a quick fly together at the nearby park."
"That's nice," Ron said before looking to see if the study door was fully closed. With a low voice he added. "But are you still... you know?"
Harry stared at him blankly.
"Having sex?" Ron finally asked, his ears now flaming red.
Harry almost choked on his drink. In all the years the two of them had been friends, there had been an unspoken agreement that neither of them would discuss that aspect of their lives.
"Look, I know I'm asking about my sister," Ron said quickly, still looking thoroughly embarrassed. "I'm not asking for the details. I'm just... curious to know if it's still happening."
"Okay, yeah," Harry said uncomfortably. "Yes, we make time. Usually a couple times a week."
"Thought so," Ron muttered, taking a long sip of his scotch.
There was a short silence where Harry wondered why Ron was asking, but then the obvious dawned on him.
"I'm guessing you guys don't?" He asked gently.
"It's been awhile," Ron confirmed irritably. "March, around the time of my birthday, but before then it had been a long stretch too."
Harry simply gave a nod of acknowledgment and then stared into the crackling fire. He didn't know why, but the thought of Ron and Hermione being together made his stomach churn. He'd never really had to consider it much before, other than when Rose and Hugo had been born, and he didn't care to now.
"You think her job is too much for her?" Ron asked.
"I don't think anything is too much for her," Harry replied honestly, and then feeling bad for his friend, suggested, "you should try talking to her."
Ron sighed. "I had a feeling you'd say that."