Chapter 7 - Talk to me

The girl that was her daughter in this world came not long after Ron had left. Hermione didn't know if she had met her dad or if she was simply curious. Her red hair was braided and her eyes blazed a similar way Ron's did.

"You are not my Mom. I don't care what Dad said. Why would he care to protect an imposer? Who are you?" Hermione sighed and sat down. Of course any daughter of hers would see right trough an act like this. Hermione gave her the once-over and decided that she needed to answer a few questions, no matter how hard it was to look at the girl. At first she didn't see the similarities between Rose and herself, only the traits her new daughter shared with Aquila. With a little imagination she could envision an older Aquila in place of Rose. Hermione knew it wasn't healthy, but it was the way her brain kept from accepting the loss of her daughter. Gathering her courage and suppressing any lingering panic she began to explain what she could.

"My name is Hermione Jane Malfoy and yes you are right. I am not your mother, but I was the same girl your mother once was. At least until a certain point where our lives took different routes."

Rose's face showed her distaste when she heard the name.

"Why would any woman in her right mind marry into the Malfoy family?" she spat "That man is a Death Eater, a killer and his son is nothing but trouble. Scorpius is a Slytherin prat and dad told me you called him your son? Did he confund or imperius you?"

"Don't you dare talk like that about things you have no idea about. And stop with that stupid house prejudices. You should know better little girl." Hermione hissed through her teeth and received a shocked look. She knew she needed to get a better grip on her anger, but so many things here set her on edge. The way everyone looked at her, some speculating if she had lost it and the rest pitting her. Rose was placed in the first group and Hermione only wanted to get over with it as fast as possible.

"You really aren't my mother. She would have never lost her temper so easily. Just lucky you want to divorce Dad so we won't need to put up with you."

"There was a time when I had feelings for Ron, but we never worked. Confined on such a small place we were always arguing, he drove me crazy. So yes I married a Slytherin prat as you so eloquently put it. But one with a good heart, that did everything he could to protect his family and in the end, received a fate worse than death in doing so. I will not tell you the whole ugly story, as you are still a child, but war is never pleasant or nice. Yes, I'm a different woman from the one your mother grew into, but I had hoped we would try to get along. I see a lot from your father's traits in you, but was told you have my logical mind. You'll figure it out once you are over your anger."

Hermione got up and smiled sadly at the girl that looked too much like her, if it was not for the bright red hair. It was surreal and made her melancholic. But she was able to look past Roses' resemblance to Aquila and that made Hermione proud of herself.

"He called you a mudblood and bullied you for years. And then you went and married that Death Eater?" Rose shouted.

"So I am to bear a grudge for something that was beaten into him by his upbringing? He overcame what was told to him his whole life and changed to be a better man. While you sit here, still believing every bad things about Slytherin your father told you and are just as prejudicing towards his son as Draco was towards me?" looking the girl straight in the eyes she continued. "I was told my daughter was brilliant, so use your head. Do you dislike Scorpius because he's his father's son, or because of himself?"

"He's annoying and always so obvious. It's as if he wants to show the whole world that he loves me and that I belong to him."

Hermione laughed.

"Sounds like a second James Potter to me."

"What does this have to do with James?"

"Harry's Dad, not his son. You should hear the stories how he swooned over Lily in the seventieths." Then she went back to being serious. "But I'm sure if you simply tell Scorpius in a level-headed conversation that you are not interested and that you want him to stop, he would. Without yelling or hate, just be sincere. Why did you never try that? You don't really want him to stop, do you? As much as you loathe it, don't you depend on it happening? It's hard to accept, but you might want to think about it. To be loved is a gift we should cherish, it always ends to soon."

With that she walked towards the door and shut it silently after herself, giving Rose no chance to answer. She would come back later, after the girl cooled down and left, classes would start soon. For now she would visit the library and maybe the Headmistress. She was in dire need of company that didn't judge her.

XxX

"You can't keep ignoring me Scorpius." Albus told his friend at breakfast. Since leaving the Headmistress office the evening before, Scorpius hadn't looked at Albus nor had said a word. He had dropped into his bed and had been asleep within seconds. Albus on the other side of the room hadn't slept well at all. Nightmares about the story Aunt Hermione had told them kept waking him up every time he drifted off. Once he was awake he couldn't stop thinking about Delphi. She would be even more disappointed in him than his parents. He couldn't rescue Cedric for her and he lost the time turner on top of it. He wanted to talk to Scorpius about it but his friend was no help. Annoyed, he took a bite of his breed and glared at the blond boy next to him.

Scorpius was lost in his own thoughts while he ate. He had told Hermione, no Mrs. Weasley, or was it Miss Granger, about Albus' girlfriend when they met in the other timeline. He didn't trust Delphi and Albus was to love struck to notice something was off about the girl. Why would a young woman spend time with two 15 year old boys, if not to use them. She had send them on the mission after all, by talking Albus into it. Like a true Slytherin, she had used the complex Albus had about his heroic father and used it against him. To be cunning was a good trait, but only as long as it wasn't used selfishly. His Dad always told him to watch out who to trust and never snub the rest.

All Albus talked about the whole morning was how he failed both his family and Delphi. Once he stopped that he asked what Scorpius had seen, if he had met his namesake Severus and about his little sister Aquila. Scorpius didn't want to talk about any of it before he had it figured out. He needed to make sure Albus didn't risk their lives again, that his dad was happy again and show Rose what a great guy he was.

Standing up he took his stuff and shook his head. One step after another, for now they had class to attend and he had a best friend to take care of.

"Scorp!" Albus swallowed his food and ran after him. "Common mate talk to me."

"Alb" Scorpius groaned, but threw his arm around his friend.

"We'll work this out, I know it." Albus promised confident but got no answer as they made their way to Charms.

I wanted to post my chapter for today when I noticed that I hadn't finished the conversation between Alb and Scorp.

So a bit later today but here it is. Have fun everyone :)