August 19, 2004

Hermione's p.o.v

I put on my best smile and greets the newcomers. "Arthur, Molly, it's nice to see you both again. Ron, Ginny, Harry. It's been too long."

Arthur looked as amiable as ever but both the Weasley women had a frown marring their face. "Hello dear. Time has done you much good." Said Arthur walking across the room to hug me. "And thank you again, Neville, for having us."

I return the hug. Arthur hadn't been fazed by the sight of his Malfoy's only son. The rest of his family wasn't so…restrained.

"What's Malfoy doing here?" Anger was already coloring Ron's face. His entire posture defensive, with his hand on his wand.

My back straightened. Ron was looking for a fight. Still, Neville was the one who answered him. " Draco ," he emphasized, "was invited. If you don't like it you're welcome to leave Ronald."

"We're simply worried about the safety of our grandchildren Neville dear," Molly answered.

My eyes cut to the Weasley matriarch. "Understandable Mrs. Weasley but your fear is unfounded. Draco is my guest and I never allow anyone dangerous to get close to my daughter."

Augusta pinched her lips. Questioning the presence of guests in another one's home was the height of disrespect in a Pureblood's manor. "I do not appreciate having my decisions questioned in my own home Molly." She bowed her head at Draco. "Please forgive the slight against you. You are wanted here. Now, let us proceed to dinner. We are here to celebrate Hermione and Evangeline, not bring up old disputes."

Molly's face soured. She knew she had been wrong but that wouldn't stop her from talking more. "If we never speak of the past the next generation won't learn from our mistakes."

Draco nodded. "And while I would normally agree with you Mrs. Weasley, this is still a kid's birthday party and war talk has no place here."

Arthur nodded in agreement. "Well said Draco. We don't need to bring up bad blood when we are meant to be celebrating. My apologies for my son's and wife's rash words Madame Longbottom."

Augusta nodded and signaled for the elves to begin setting the table before leading us to the dining room where the elves had everything set up for our party of twenty. The Weasleys and Andromeda all greeted each other but Draco, Neville, Luna, and I stayed away. The Weasleys had never been Draco's favorite people and Luna and Neville had grown apart from them.

I walk to Draco's side. "I'm sorry about the Weasleys, the other Weasleys."

Draco waved my apology away. There was shame and understanding in his eyes. "It's okay I'm used to it. I did make all your lives miserable in school and then I joined the Death Eaters. I get it."

"You regret it and that's what matters to us. Just like Harry was a champion for the Light you were a champion for the Dark, none of us picked our roles." Neville argued.

"We want you here Draco. You were the only one to help Hermione after she foolishly went to Diagon by herself and did not judge her. Let us repay the favor." Luna added after grabbing his arm and his attention.

I grab his other arm. "Look at it this way. I'm just expanding Evangeline's circle of friends-slash-future caretakers. It's all for my benefit."

"Bloody Gryffindors." There was a small smile on his lips.

"I'm a Ravenclaw."

Draco looked at Luna. "You're the smartest of the lot."

"I'm offended. I'm a genius in herbology."

"Exactly who has a double Mastery here? I have bank accounts funded solely on spell royalties."

Draco scoffed. "Please Granger, a couple of hundred Galleons have nothing on the Malfoy accounts."

Luna scoffed playfully. "Someone's playing their own flute. Besides Malfoy is new money compared to the Longbottoms."

I throw a look at Luna. "You're not even married."

Luna smiles serenely. "Yet."

"I am suddenly worried that you're only marrying me for the money."

"Took you long enough."

"Say what now?" We laugh at Neville's 'surprised' face.

We enter the dining room and I drag Draco with me to the 'head' of the table. Instead of having the traditional spread on the table, the elves had placed everything buffet-style on the circular table.

I took a seat and leave two empty seats between us for the kids. Speaking of kids Evangeline was running over with Scorpius in hand. Looking at the frown on her face made me worried.

"Is everything all right Evangeline?" I ask worriedly. What if Harry -or worse Ginny- had gotten to her? What if Ginny dared to raise a hand to her? I tune back to Eva when she starts to speak.

"Mama we just started playing. Can't dinner wait for another segundo? "

Oh, Merlin. I had nearly riled myself up over nothing. "That will be enough señorita. This is a dinner party, not a playdate. I understand that you want to play but now it's time for the cena. Sit, eat properly, and I might consider letting you and your posse leave the table early."

"But Mamam!"

"It's time for dinner Evangeline. This is the second time. Eat or be sent to the time-out corner. You don't want that in front of your friends yes?" I scolded her .

"No Mama."

"Sit down then and mind your manners now. Lady Augusta taught them to you for a reason. And remember Evangeline, when in Rome-" I trail off for her to finish.

"Act like the Romans." She finished.

I nod and grab a plate and start filling it. A scoff made my turn come up. It was Molly and she was looking disapprovingly at me. "Yes?"

"Must you be so harsh with the girl? She's only what, three?"

The comment hit close to home but I let it slide. "Evangeline just turned six Molly and I'm not too harsh. I dole out the appropriate punishment and reward her with the same measure."

"She is still a child-"

"Yes, and she is my child." I interrupt. I set down Evangeline's plate and pour her and Scorpius some water while Draco cut his food into small pieces.

"She is not only yours. Does she even know who her father is?"

I smile at the Weasley matriarch. "Yes, she does Molly."

I ignore the woman and help myself to some soup to start with. The table was full of British fare and it reminded me of simpler days. "The food looks wonderful Madame Augusta."

Augusta smiled. "Eat up then. The elves worked all day to prepare this spread for you and Evangeline."

"Delicious as always Lady Augusta. Though hopefully next year we'll need an actual children's table." Andromeda gave Luna and Neville and meaningful look.

I hide a smile behind my napkin as Neville visibly slumps into his seat. Luna just kept smiling.

Lady Agusta tsks at Neville. "For that to happen we need a wedding." She replies.

Neville sighs. This was a conversation the two had been having since Neville brought Luna home. "We're waiting, grandmother. Luna just got her Mastery and I'm still an assistant professor."

"Indeed. Waiting for me to be dead."

"Grandmother!"

Andromeda laughs. "Just put us old ladies out of our misery and marry the girl already Neville. You've already been engaged for two years."

Neville dropped his face into his hands. "I'm about to make it more if I don't stop being asked."

Luna fake gasped. "You'll make me wait even longer?"

"You're supposed to be on my side, Luna!" Neville whined.

Draco and I catch each other's eye and laughed. This was what I missed when I was abroad.

Luna giggles. "Don't worry Madam, Neville and I will get married soon. We have to take advantage that Hermione and Eva are here. Who knows we could have a double wedding!"

"Can't have a double wedding without a second groom." George pipes in.

"Then it's a good thing we have Keelan." Fleur teases.

I take everything back. I glare at Fleur. "This is the last time I take you anywhere," I mumble eating a piece of bread so I wouldn't have to talk more.

"Now I'm interested. Who is this Keelan we're talking about?" Bill asks.

"Mama's boyfriend!"

I choke. "Evangeline!"

Draco roars on laughter. "Betrayed by your own daughter Granger."

"You have a boyfriend?" Ginny asks with disguised glee.

"No! Keelan and I are not dating."

"He sends her flowers, have been penpals for years, and they lived together in Zimbabwe for a few months. He's total hubby material." Luna ticks off her fingers.

"You've been holding out on me Granger," Angelica adds.

Lady Augusta and Andromeda give me a look. More than anyone else in this room those two wanted me wed, traditionalists that they were. Fleur was always happy to gossip about my nonexistent love life with George and Angelica. By week's end, they'll have figured out Keelan's entire life history.

I chug down my drink. This was going to be a long dinner.

Arthur chuckles. "I think a different topic is in order before Hermione decides to hex you all." He turns to me, "tell us about your travels then Hermione. You've been to many places."

Mr. Weasley is truly a godsend. "Oh, it was wonderful Arthur! I began in Australia finding my parents…"

The remainder of the dinner passed in relative calmness and mundane topics that would be safe to discuss. I talked about my travels and the people that I had met while abroad. Luna spoke about the Quibbler and George about his business and his plans to expand.

"Lee and I were talking. The economy has stabilized now and with Hermione here we can dish out even more products." I interjected then.

"I'm not working for you George."

He pointed a fork at me. "Unless you want me to blow up half the Alley you'll advise me. Besides you stole my notes last time around."

"I didn't steal them, I borrowed them and made some... corrections."

George waved his fork around wildly. "That's what she says. Anyways we're thinking France and maybe further into continental Europe. We have the connections."

"How will you manage the new sites then?" asked Draco. "I know you have a branch in Hogsmead but that easily accessible by Floo."

"We're working on a new set of communication mirrors. I got the idea off the muggle video conferences, kind of like talking through a Floo, and the Marauder's mirrors. You got the owl I sent about that right Harry?"

"Yes." It had been one of the few words Harry had said all evening.

"There you go. We create those, make versions that we can hang on the walls, and then we have instant communications with our other branches. If things go too far south, then we have the option of international portkey."

"But why stop there? If you make enough of them and find a way to link multiple mirrors, then it could be like the muggle phones. The goblins would invest high money into that especially with a wall mirror that could be a 'house phone'." Bill added.

It was a good idea. It could connect the world even closer than the new Floo. "I agree. I can ask the people I was mentoring if they would mind me sharing their notes on connecting the Floos. You might be able to use the same principles."

Draco looked pensive until he lifted his gaze to George with a glint in his eyes. "How much money would it take to build a prototype?"

"A couple of thousands of Galleons. We need to buy the mirrors, do the rune work, test them out to see what works and what doesn't. The hardest part would be finding a way to link multiple mirrors and then being able to add more if we want it to work as a phone as Bill said. We might even have to create a whole new network if we want the mirrors to be able to connect to others mirror."

Arthur looked so proud of how far his son had gone. "Your idea has merit son. The new Floo those kids invented is a good way for travel but these mirrors could truly revolutionize the communication of the wizarding world."

"But what about owls then? They'd be forced out of business." Luna pointed out.

A whole new debate opened in the table about the implications of what such a creation would do to our current means of communication. It was exhilarating discussing new ideas and my brain was kicked into rive with the intellectual material and just the possibilities.

Lady Gusta, Andromeda, and the kids kept their own conversation and threw in a couple of words now and then to the discussion. The only ones that didn't participate were Ron who kept inhaling food, Ginny who tried to steer the conversation towards Quidditch, Harry who kept silent, and Molly who kept a disapproving eye on it all.

My own Floo started vibrating in my pocket. I look at Augusta for permission. "Forgive me Augusta. I need to take this."

"Don't worry Hermione. Dinner is done either way."

I nod at her and step outside the dining room to take my call.

I close the compact and end the call. Nothing could make me change my mind and make me go back to Germany for some years to come. I pocket the Floo and step back into the room.

"-I hate you! You have no right to talk about Mama like that! She's done things for me that no other Mama would have done! She's traveled all over – she's the b-best M-m-mama I c-could-ld wi-sh f-for!"

"EVANGELINE!" I catch her before the tremors could send her to the floor. She was trembling tremendously and the seizures were starting to get control of her body. "Luna the bracelet! Evangeline, Evangeline look at me. Look at me, baby." I grab her head and hold it in place until her eyes could find mine. "You need to relax baby."

Her eyes roamed around blankly, a sign that her condition was getting worse. "Look at me, baby. You need to relax. It's fine. Everything is fine but mama just needs you to calm down okay? Mama needs you to relax."

I rake her hair with my fingers and keep focused on her even as Neville drops next to me and Luna snaps Evangeline's bracelet into place. The tremors were becoming weaker and that meant the episode was slowing down even if the tremors weren't gone. "Breath princess. Breath."

It was a tense ten minutes of waiting for the seizure to finally stop. An elf hands me the muscle relaxants Evangeline had been prescribed and I make her drink it. "I'll take her to bed." Volunteered Neville.

She's fine. She'sfine. Shesfine.

I nod to him and let him pick her up. He didn't say a word but to guide the elves to excuse the guests for the night. I hadn't even noticed they weren't in the room.

I accept Luna's handkerchief and stand up. "Luna, what happened? Why was Evangeline having a seizure?"

Mount molly erupted in earnest. "The better question is what is wrong with that child? How could you let her magic control her like that? That is an obvious sign of neglect and bad parenting. I do not understand how you could let her behave this way!"

I pin my eyes on Molly. "Don't you dare tell me how to raise my child Molly much less speak of her that way! She is a child and I will not allow you to speak badly about her."

"I am looking out for her welfare-"

"Her welfare is not yours to look after!"

"How dare you say that? I treated you like a daughter, welcomed you into my home, and put you on the path to be a respectable witch."

"I did not need a mother. I had two loving parents who supported me in all my endeavors and who didn't look down on me for not fitting into their expectations of what I should be. For the last time, Molly, keep to your own cauldron!"

It was a stony silence that lingered in the room. I finally noticed that out of the original dinner guests, only those without young children and Luna were still in the room with me. There was no way I was leaving without revealing some of my darkest truths. "Hermione, what is wrong with my daughter?"

"Harry there is no proof-" A look from Harry cut Ginny off.

"She suffers from seizures," I answer, not daring look at him, "it's an after effect of the Cruciatus curse."

Mount Molly was on a rampage. "I knew it! I told you that she is a bad mother! How could you let your daughter get hit with an Unforgivable?"

Luna wraps her arm around me. "It wasn't by choice Molly. Death Eaters caught up to us in Australia."

"When did you find out?" I let my eyes drift to the side. "Damn it Hermione I deserve to know!"

"A couple of days after the final battle." I force my eyes to meet his pleading for him to understand. "I meant to tell you but—." I was a coward. I didn't want to face the consequences. I was afraid of your reaction. There were a thousand and one reasons why I kept my mouth shut six years ago.

"Why? Why would take away the last family that I had?" The pain in his voice tore open old wounds and it was all I could to not throw myself into his arms.

"How could I tell the man that lost everything to the war that he was the father of a baby that could die at any moment?" I cry. "You lost everything Harry, everything and everyone. How could I tell you that you could lose the only remaining family that you had? You were my best friend , Harry. I couldn't do that to you. I loved you too much to hurt you again.

"I was a coward. When you told me that you wanted nothing to do with that night my first emotion was happiness! I wouldn't have to destroy your world and you could keep on living your life even if it destroyed my soul. I didn't fight your decision, if Evangeline had died it would have been a secret I would take to the grave. I should have and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The tears started falling and I let Luna hold me as I became undone under the weight of my regret. I took a child from their father and made him miss all the important moments. All those missing years that he couldn't hope to recover.

"You should have been there. You should have been there when we welcomed her into the world. I wanted you to be there so badly but it all happened so fast and I didn't have the strength to make a Patronus."

"He did know. Or at least knew that you needed him."

My breathing stopped in its tracks. My eyes reluctantly go to Neville's. "No."

Neville didn't meet my eyes but instead looked at where Harry was standing. "August nineteenth. I found out later that he was at a quidditch game." With each word, Harry's face was losing its color. Beside me, Luna tightened her hold.

No.

"My Patronus gave him the message and a Portkey. I told him you needed him. He never answered."

Reality crumbled beneath my feet. "Tell me it isn't true," I beg harry.

Harry look horrified. "I didn't – I didn't know ."

Wasn't I important enough?

Tears start to fall. "I needed you. I needed you and you weren't there."

"I didn't know."

My magic unleashed my fury on the room. Paintings trembled and vases fell to the floor. "I was there. Every single time that you needed me I was there and the one time I needed you, you couldn't return the favor because you could never stop thinking about Harry Potter and what Harry Potter wanted."

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry. "

"I don't need your apologies, I needed you to be there. But you didn't because it wasn't convenient for the fucking Boy-Who-Lived, because, after all, that I sacrificed for you, I would never amount to anything in your eyes."

My tears had ended but Harry's had just started. All these years thinking that if only he had known, that if he had even the tiniest of inklings, he would have been there…

It was for nothing. It was all for nothing.

"Merlin please, Hermione you have to forgive me, please . I was young and stupid. I didn't appreciate what I had and took it all for granted, took you for granted. I should have gone to you and faced my responsibilities. You made your choice out of love for me, I made mine out of selfishness and that's the worst thing I could have done and I'm so sorry."

Any other moment before now would have had me wrapping my arms around him but now I could just look at him with contempt. "You don't get to play the youth card, Harry. I was young when I entered the magical world and keeping you alive became my priority, I was young when I sacrificed everything for you, I was young when I fought a war but I grew up. I didn't have the option to ignore my responsibility-"

Ginny cut me off. "Stop trying to blame him. Stop trying to make this about you. You chose to run away; you chose not to tell him. He didn't know! It was war, we all had to make sacrifices to survive. You could have told him that you were pregnant but instead, you hide like a coward."

Luna's p.o.v

My hand connected solidly with Ginny's cheek. "If you ever call Hermione a coward again Ginny I will make you regret ever landing an eye on her. Harry disregarded her long before the war started even when she continued to go back to him. Harry might not have known but that doesn't excuse his behavior when he was told that she needed him.

"What were you and your family doing? Enjoying the spoils from the war. Not once did any of you think about her. Not once did he think about her. So, don't you fucking blame Hermione for your blatant disregard."

I let her face go making sure to leave nail marks on that face that she put so much worth on. I was ready for this dinner to end but as I see the figure standing in the doorway, I knew at least one part of the evening would turn all right.

"Hello, Keelan."

A/N: Just to clarify a little bit. The floo Hermione uses to take the call is just a miniature floo. She still has to put her face in a fire to call people. The communication mirrors the twins are working on would work more like modern phones. Think landline (that you can travel through) versus a wireless phone.

A/N2: Don't forget to review.