Chapter 27 – They worry, Hermione

"Uncle Harry?" a deep voice asked from the fireplace where green flames flickered and a young man's face was to be seen. When there was no answer the head vanished and a few seconds later the man stood in the fireplace, grumbling because he stumbled, and cleansed the ash from his dark robes. His hair was a mushy brown and his green eyes scanned the room for his uncle or aunt. Normally it was around this time of the day they ate dinner here, but the place was empty today.

"Uncle Harry?" he shouted louder and looked towards the stairs, unsure of what to do. When he was a kid he once interrupted them doing adult stuff and while he hadn't understood then, they simply hadn't answered and although he was impatient, he wasn't sure if he wanted to risk it again. Sitting down on one of the chairs he used his wand to make a strong cup of black tea and waited.

Hours later a tired and worn out Harry Potter found his godson asleep in his kitchen with a cold cup in front of him that didn't look like it had been touched. Concerned he woke up the young man in fear of what could be the reason for his unannounced visit.

"Teddy?" Harry kept his voice low and calm when he touched Teddy and shook him lightly.

"Huh?" Teddy rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, reminding Harry a lot of the small boy he had helped raise the last two decades. Upon seeing his Uncle, Teddy smiled, and his hair turned into a deep black to match Harry's. Something he still did after all those years for the people dearest to him.

"What time is it?" Teddy asked still sleep-drunken and took a gulp from his cup just to grimace when he tasted the cold tea.

"It's nearly midnight." Harry told him and sat down on the chair next to his. His robes were ruffled and he took down his glasses to rub his own eyes.

"Vicky will be crossed with me for staying away for so long." Teddy had told her he would visit the Potters but hadn't considered it would be this late. He hoped she hadn't stayed up waiting for him. They both had to work tomorrow morning.

"What are you doing here anyway? Did something happen?" Harry wanted to know while he made them a batch of coffee with his wand.

"You worry too much Uncle Harry. I just had a few questions because of Aunt Hermione." Ever the Gryffindor Teddy asked right away, he was never one to beat around the bush.

"Did Molly set you up to this?" Harry didn't want to sound indicting but he was too tired to keep the hardness out of his voice. When he and Ginny had told Molly to wait until Hermione answered her, they had thought it would help, but Molly had only taken it as a clue for a day or two. He knew his mother-in-law was really worried, but her constant nagging only added to his stress from work.

"No, but I also asked her and all she told me was to ask elsewhere. She was really mad when I brought it up, too. But Aunt Hermione doesn't answer her letters, and that's not like her. You said at dinner a few weeks ago she stayed at Hogwarts, is she still there? I wanted her help with a surprise for Vicky. There is still time, but Aunt Hermione is the best with charms and I want it to be perfect."

Harry smiled at the pure love he could hear in Teddy's voice when he talked about his fiancé. The boy had been smitten since he and Victoire had entered puberty and nothing had changed since then.

"She's a little off at the moment Ted, but nothing you need to worry too much about. I'll remind her to answer your letter, I'm sure she's just busy sorting everything out." Harry eased Teddy's concern with a sour taste in his mouth for bending the truth like he did.

He knew his old friend was having a hard time to adjust to this world, but he had hoped she would settle in and ask for help from him if she required it. As far as he knew the only person she talked to was Ginny, and his wife hadn't told him what her visit to Hogwarts had been about.

"Thanks Uncle Harry, hug her for me once you see her. I know it must be hard to divorce Ron, but if she thinks it's for the best we understand her. She'll always be family, married or not. Sorry to have kept you from your bed. You really should work less, Aunt Ginny will be worried!"

Harry smiled and nodded. The men hugged and Teddy vanished through the fireplace in search of his own woman.

Harry stayed back alone, pondering what he should do about Hermione, but without Ginny's input he didn't want to make a decision.

XxX

The letters from Harry and Ginny were one of the few Hermione read every morning. Harry's mostly were work related, papers she had to sign, which made her wish her resignation would be approved faster.

Today he had added a few personal words again, that made her feel a lump in her throat. Looking at all the other letters she had gotten until now, they were stored alphabetically, hidden in a small box, she got up to get them.

Hermione,

Everyone is really worried about you. There should be quite a few letters from the family enquiring after you. If you have questions you can write to me anytime, but please answer them. They only know you and Ron are divorcing and became anxious when you shut down completely.

Love,

Harry

There were some people she remembered, others she couldn't place and a few she was sure had been born after the war.

She hadn't looked at them after getting the howler from Molly a few weeks back and they kept pulling up now. Ginny had told her about the family dinner nearly a month ago that had led to the fiasco with Molly. She felt sorry because she was the one that caused this rift inside the family, but it meant the world to her that Ginny accepted her, messed up and crazy as she felt at the moment.

Placing the letters from Molly aside Hermione looked at all the other names more precisely for the first time.

Smiling when she saw the names Luna Scamander, née Lovegood, and Teddy Lupin, she took a deep breath and remembered her promise to herself when she saw Ginny. She would try to be the person she always wanted to be after the war. Getting to know more about the Hermione she had replaced would be another step towards that direction.

I missed Teddy so much in HP8...