A/N: Slight crossover with the Harry Potter series, except that it's all totally AU. Largely because it's been a while since I read any of the books and I wanted to write this without reading all the novels over again.
---"I hate having to go back to the Dursleys," Harry rolled over in a huff. They were at the Weasleys', enjoying one last day together before splitting up for the summer. Well, Ron would stay where he was, but Harry was bound for the Dursleys, and Hermione was going home to her father.
"I hate going home too," Hermione moaned.
"Why?" Both boys chorused in puzzlement.
"I thought you loved your father," Harry frowned in confusion.
"And I thought he loved you!" Ron had his usual look of bewilderment.
Hermione sighed, twisting her comb in her hands. "I do love him, and he does love me. But, he's always busy and he's hardly ever there. It's just lonely." Her shoulders drooped almost into her lap.
The boys glanced at each other. Neither knew what to say. "What is it now?" Harry asked curiously when Hermione's brow furrowed. She blinked a few times, and cocked her head, as though listening to something. Neither boy heard anything.
Then both backed away in alarm when Hermione drew in a sharp breath, "I have to go!" She turned and almost ran into Arthur Weasley, who had just brought a visitor in with him. Hermione exclaimed, "Daddy! What are you doing here?"
Her father smiled tenderly at her and started to explain, but she interrupted him, "Daddy! We have to go! Nonna's sick!"
His eyes widened in surprise at her comment, then he murmured softly, "That's why I'm here."
She grabbed his hand, "Let's go, then! Hang on!"
"Hermione, that's not a good id..." Mr. Weasley began, but it was too late, Hermione had apparated her father and herself to Los Angeles.
-----
Hermione landed on her father with a thump. She heard the air whoosh out of him. "Oh, no! I'm sorry, Daddy!" She scrambled up quickly and held out her hand to help her father up.
Quade looked at his daughter with amusement.
"I haven't had much practice with apparition," she said nervously. "Are you alright?"
"And judging by Arthur Weasley's parting words, it's not something you're supposed to be doing, either," was Quade's dry rejoinder. He laughed gently when Hermione squirmed. "I'll see what Arthur can to square it with the Ministry of Magic when we get back. You do realize that I had planned on a different means of travel?"
"We don't have much time, Daddy," Hermione's eyes misted with tears.
Quade swallowed a lump in his throat as he recalled why they were here. They turned around when they heard a cough behind them.
"Well, that certainly looked interesting."
At the sound of that dear, familiar voice, Quade had to press his lips together to control the tremble. "Grandpa, how are you holding up?" He wrapped his arms around his grandfather for a tight hug.
Colby returned his hug, holding Quade close for a few extra moments. Then he pressed a kiss on Quade's temple.
Quade noticed that his eyes were sad and he didn't answer Quade's question.
Instead, Colby turned to Hermione, "You're all grown up! How long has it been?" He held his arms out to his great-granddaughter.
She flew into his arms, and hugged him tightly, "Oh, Great-grandpa! Where's Nonna?"
"At the hospital, sweetie. Uncle Quinn is pulling the car around to take me back there. I had to get something for Nonna. Are you two coming along?"
Quinn raised his eyebrows at the two additional passengers that had appeared in the time he went to pull the car around. But he was glad to see his twin. They could face anything together.
Hermione clung to her father as they made their way through the family that thronged around the corridor and the waiting rooms. Other than her own grandfather, she only recognized her great-uncles and great-aunts. She didn't recognize any of the cousins. "Great-Uncle Cameron! Great-Aunt Erin!" she murmured in relief, as Erin swept Hermione into a hug. Hermione didn't quite understand the relationship her father had with Great-Uncle Cameron, but they were close, closer than even with her own grandfather. "Is Great-Grandpa with Nonna? I need to see Nonna. Please?"
"Come on, Quade, bring your daughter. You come too, Quinn," Cameron took charge, and hustled them into the room. Colby had already settled by the bedside, Hannah's hand cradled in his.
"Nonna," Hermione whispered.
Both Quinn and Quade swallowed their tears. Quinn sat on the other side of the bed. "Oh, Nana," he choked, his hand gently smoothing her hair. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Hannah opened her eyes wearily, smiling with an effort, "Quade, darling. You look wonderful. And Hermione! Oh, sweetheart, you look beautiful. And all grown up."
"I love you, Nonna. I'm sorry it's been so long between visits." She reached to kiss Hannah's cheek.
"No, I'm the one who's sorry, Nana. I should have tried harder," Quade's voice trembled.
"It's alright. Everything's going to be alright." But Hannah's eyelids were drooping, worn out by the effort.
"Alright, everyone out." Colby's voice was sharp with worry.
-----
Hermione clung to her father, as she half-heartedly tried to remember the names of all her cousins. There were Granger cousins of course, and Braxtons, and Kenyons. She sighed. She would never remember everyone.
Her eyes flew open, as her father jerked awake, at the klaxon of alarms that were sounding from the room. Nurses ran from the station, and voices on the PA system called for doctors. Despite all that, the silence from the group was palpable.
A doctor came out from the room, and cleared his throat, "Granger family? Mr. Granger? I'm very sorry."
Hermione burst into tears, and her father drew her close, his own tears mixing with hers.
"Oh, dear God, no! Dad too?" Cameron's horrified whisper carried to everyone in the hallway.
"I'm very sorry." The doctor took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. "We found him slumped over her, with her arms around him. When she passed, he apparently lost his will to live and passed on too. Mr. Granger, they were both over ninety..." he trailed off, unable to think of anything else to say.
-----
The house they'd lived in all these years was filled to the brim again, with three generations of family. Down from four generations, with the loss that day. It was a hive of activity as plans were made for the funerals. Occasionally, they would stop and reminisce. Sometimes they laughed over the memories. Just as often, they cried over them. Pictures were pulled out, and stories were told, and the laughter and tears started all over again.
After several hours of the noise, Hermione couldn't stand it anymore, and wandered out into the garden.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," Hermione was embarrassed when she came upon a couple cuddled up in the swing.
"You didn't intrude," the woman smiled, her voice soft and gentle.
He only grinned at her. Rakish, Hermione thought as she returned the smile.
"You must be one of Great-Uncle Cameron's," her eyes were bright with curiosity, "You look just like him."
He threw back his head and laughed, "You could say that." Lips still twitching in amusement, he looked at her sympathetically, "It gets loud in there, doesn't it? With the entire family there?"
Hermione sighed, "I'm just not used to the noise all in one small area like that. It's quiet at home because it's just Daddy and I. And we have to be quiet at school. It can get rowdy, but it's not like this." Tears welled in her eyes, "I'm sorry. I just wish that I'd spent more time with Nonna and Great-Grandpa. I loved them so, but we were so far away."
The gentle understanding on the woman's face made Hermione's tears flow faster, "They knew and they understood, Hermione. And they loved you too."
"And Daddy? I always wondered if he stayed in England because he felt they didn't love him."
"Don't cry, Hermione. Your father had his reasons. Nonna and Great-Grandpa understood." His voice was gentle. "And your father loves you dearly, you know that, don't you?"
Hermione dashed the tears from her eyes. "I do know."
"Good." The rakish grin was back. "You should probably go back in. And tell Uncle Quinn he should tear the house down and build his studio like he wants to. It's his house now."
"And here, this is yours," the woman unclasped a diamond tennis bracelet from her wrist, and slipped onto Hermione's wrist. She pressed a gentle kiss on Hermione's temple.
Startled, Hermione stared at her. Then her eyes widened. "Oh!"
They both laughed. "Took you long enough," he teased.
"Daddy! Daddy! They're here!" She turned back to them, pleading, "Don't leave. Don't leave yet."
"Who's here?" Quade came running at Hermione's shout. The rest of the family followed. His eyes widened when he saw the shimmer just beyond his daughter.
"It's Nonna and Great-Grandpa! Over here!"
"They can't see us, Hermione," Colby's voice was gentle. "Only you can, because you're a witch. Tell them we love them. It was just time to say goodbye. But we'll be watching over all of you." They smiled and waved as they disappeared into the shimmer of light.
"That's Nana's bracelet," Quinn murmured in wonder. "That's what Grandpa came back to get."
"They look happy, Daddy," Hermione's heart was lighter too. She smiled at Quinn in mischief, "He said to tear the house down and build your studio." She laughed at his astonishment and hugged him. "He says they'll be watching over all of us. Oh, Daddy! Nonna was beautiful. And they looked so happy!"
Quade smiled at his daughter's delighted chatter and drew her into his embrace.
"They loved you, you know," she murmured.
He struggled to control the tears, and finally whispered, "I know."