The week Hermione was away she barely had any time to sit and relax. Coupled with work and partaking in site-seeing she usually didn't get back to her hotel until very late. The few times she was able to rest though, she would read the "Dracula' book Harry had given her.
She noticed that it was quite different reading it the second time. Prior to her first reading she'd read exactly nine books about vampires in order to understand their behavior, abilities, and weaknesses. She found 'Dracula' to be rather accurate with only a few minor details being incorrect, and the book didn't frighten her at all nor did it really leave an impression on her mind.
Reading it again all those years later seemed to make it more enthralling and even a little frightening. She was so into the story that by Thursday she was finished and by Saturday she'd reread it.
On her return flight the next day, Hermione realized that she'd have to return the book now, which meant she would have to return to the Potter household. For some reason, that excited her more than her entire week in India had.
As soon as Hermione walked through her door, she dropped her bags on the floor and herself into a nearby chair. She noticed the post owl had been by, and left a letter from her Parents and also one from Gabrielle. Hermione grabbed her overnight bag and pulled the book from it. It was times like this she wondered why the Potter family had been on her mind so much lately.
She at first figured it was because Harry was so famous, he was the Boy-Who-Lived after all and the one to finally defeat Voldemort. She had no idea his wife had died in such a way though or even that he was married. This led her to believe that he was a very private person as she'd always suspected him to be. He was nothing like her other friends, that was for sure. Gabrielle for instance loved the limelight as did her sister. They always wanted to be the center of attention, Hermione preferred to be alone and it seemed that Harry did too.
Mina on the other hand was quite an outgoing little girl from want Hermione could tell. While she had been scared stiff after her kidnapping, she seemed to recover quickly once reunited with her father. Hermione couldn't help but feel relief that the child she barely knew had seemingly suffered no trauma from her experience.
Hermione glanced down again at the book's title 'Dracula'. She found herself wondering what kind of woman Jenna Potter had been. Obviously a very interesting one to have named her daughter after a character in a book about vampires. Hermione smiled at the thought. Getting up, she made sure the borrowed book was secure under her arm and apparated once again to the Potter household. With a little more courage than last time, Hermione knocked on the door, and soon the house-elf Dobby answered it.
"Hello Dobby, it's nice to see you again." She greeted the elf.
Dobby's face cracked into a grin, "Hermione Grangy miss, Dobby is happy to see you too."
Hermione smiled, "Is Mr. Potter in?"
"No, Grangy Miss, Harry Potter sir is-"
"HERMIONE!!" Dobby was cut off by a very familiar scene of Mina running up and attached herself to the bushy haired woman's legs. Hermione's smiled widened as she patted the child's head.
"Hello Mina, how are you?"
"I great!" Mina cried as she let go, "Did you come ta play with me an' Cousin Teddy?"
Hermione blinked, "Cousin Teddy?"
Mina nodded her head furiously, "Yup, he right here, come on."
The little girl grabbed Hermione by the arm and pulled her into the sitting room, where a small boy was currently coloring. The boy looked slightly older than Mina and had brown eyes, but what really struck Hermione as odd was the shocking blue color of his hair. She figured he was either a metamorphmagus or had very liberal parents.
The boy cocked his head to the side when he saw Hermione, "Who's this?"
"This is Hermione Teddy, she's my friend!" Mina answered excitedly.
The boy blinked, "You're Hermione?"
"Yes I am." the brunette answered with a smile.
"Well then can you please tell Mina to shut up already, she's been talking about you all day!" The boy cried with exasperation.
Mina gasped loudly, "I telling my Grandma you said that!"
"Go ahead!" Teddy challenged her.
Mina responded to that in the only way a child her age could: she stuck her tongue at her blue haired friend.
He responded by sticking out his own tongue and the two began a sort of war to see who could go for the longest. Hermione was so amused by the sight that she didn't notice the person behind her until they spoke in a loud voice:
"Who are you?"
Jumping a little, Hermione turned to find herself face to face with a middle-aged young woman giving her a hard, suspicious stare. The woman had a few wrinkles on her face but not many and her dark auburn hair was graying in places. She had hard blue eyes and her lips were pursed into a very thin line. Hermione noticed the woman's hand was in her pocket, obviously to grab her wand if she felt she had to.
"Oh," Hermione started, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just barge in. My name is Hermione Granger, I'm a…"
Hermione stopped there, still hesitant on whether or not she should call herself a friend or not. She found however that she didn't have to as her name seemed to have sparked recognition in the older woman's eyes.
"You're the one my son-in-law told me about, you saved Mina from the Death Eaters." She said, pulling her empty hand from her pocket.
"Oh," Hermione said trying to hide her embarrassed blush, "I wish people would stop mentioning that, I didn't do anything no decent person would have done."
"Hm, yes." The woman answered, still examining the younger woman before her, "I'm Clarice Reynolds by the way, Mina's grandmother."
Hermione was still unsure what to make of this woman, but still she smiled and held out her hand. "Well then, it's very nice to meet you."
Clarice didn't smile, but still took Hermione's hand in her and shook it slowly.
"I'm afraid my son-in-law isn't in right now, he was called into work early this morning and won't be back until late."
"Oh that's fine," Hermione responded, "I only came to return the book Harry loaned me."
Clarice looked confused for a moment, then she noticed the book Hermione was holding and slowly took it from her.
"Dracula…" She read the cover quietly aloud.
Suddenly, Hermione felt a bit nervous. There was something about Clarice's tone that made her feel she had done something wrong.
"…Yes, please tell Harry that I enjoyed it very much, and thank you." Hermione said quickly.
Clarice only nodded, and Hermione decided now was as good a time as any to see herself out. Before she could however, a certain four year old got to her.
"Hermione, you not leaving now, are you?" Mina asked, putting on the same cute face Hermione had seen her use on Harry the week before.
The brunette smiled sadly, "I'm sorry Mina, but I have to. I have to go talk to my boss now."
Mina looked like she could cry, "B-but, you'll be back, right?"
"Of course I will," Hermione answered, kneeling down to look Mina in the eye, "We are best friends after all, aren't we?"Mina's face immediately lit up as she threw her arms around Hermione's neck,
"Yeah! We'll be friends forever!"
Hermione could only smile and hug the child back.
Harry was so exhausted, he almost collapsed in the doorway. He noticed his mother-in-law straightening up the living room as he walked in and plopped down in his easy chair.
"How was work?" His mother-in-law asked with a smile.
"Oh loads of fun," Harry answered with a humorless smile, "Between the mountains of paperwork and five hour staff meetings, it's all just one big party."
"Well I'm glad you had fun." Clarice teased him.
Harry smiled a real smile and rubbed his eyes to try and keep himself awake to talk to her. "How was everything today?"
"Fine," Clarice answered, "Nymphadora picked up Teddy after dinner and then I put Mina to bed."
"Clarice, you have to stop calling Tonks 'Nymphadora'. One day she might actually make good on her threats to hex you." said Harry.
Clarice rolled her eyes, "Harry, I worked for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for forty years, and she's only been an Auror for ten. I think I can take her. You do remember what happened at Mina's birthday last year don't you?"
Harry chuckled, "You mean when Fred and George tried to set off their fireworks in the house?"
"It wasn't funny Harry, someone could have gotten hurt." Clarice reprimanded angrily.
"Ah come on Clarice, they have those things charmed to avoid things like that." Harry answered.
"Charms can only do so much Harry." Clarice answered.
Harry sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Well, after what you did to them I doubt they'll be trying that again anyway."
Clarice smiled slightly.
It was then that Harry noticed the familiar book laying on the coffee table. Harry sat back up the grabbed it in his hand, a motion that Clarice noticed. Her expression darkened significantly,
"Your friend Hermione Granger dropped that off today." She said in monotone.
"Hermione was here?" Harry asked without looking up.
Clarice nodded, "You seem to have taken quite a liking to her…enough to give her Jenna's most prized posession it seems."
Now Harry looked up, "…Oh, uh…Look, I know what you're thinking and, well- come on Clarice you know me better than that. You know I wouldn't just give this to some stranger or-"
"But you did Harry," Clarice interrupted firmly, "You've known this woman for all of what, a week? And yet you just handed Jenna's book over to her like it was nothing!"
"Clarice…" Harry trailed off, knowing from experience that his mother-in-law always won arguments making it pointless to fight her, still, "Clarice, I understand what your saying but…I don't know, there's just something about Hermione. She really seems like someone I can trust."
Clarice sighed, "Harry, both you and I are grateful to her for bringing Mina back safely, but you still don't really know what kind of person she is."Harry looked affronted, "Well obviously she's the type who would help someone in need."
"She did what any decent human being would have done." Clarice argued, "I've dealt with the lowest of the low in my life Harry, so you'll forgive me for being a bit pessimistic."
"Hermione's not like that." Harry stated with finality, "She's a good person."
Clarice sighed, "I've heard you say that before Harry, and you know how that almost ended."
Harry didn't want her to know that she'd struck a nerve, so he simply continued to look stoically into her eyes, "As I said, Hermione's not like that. I like to think myself a good judge of character, and I know Hermione is a good woman."
Clarice sighed again, "I know, perhaps I am being a bit too quick in my judgement of the poor girl. All I want is what's best for you and Mina. You know I have no problem with you seeing other woman, I mean it has been five years and-"
"Woah, woah, woah, hold on a second Clarice," Harry said holding up his hands, "I'm not dating Hermione, I just- I just want us to be friends, you know?"
Clarice smiled, "Yes Harry, I know. And I've practically raised you since you were eleven. So I know when you like a woman as more than just a friend."
Before Harry could answer, Clarice began heading up the stairs.
"I'm going to bed now, I'll have to be up early to catch my train home. Good night Harry."
Harry tried to call her back, but suddenly he remember just how tired he was and simply bid her good night. He then slowly got to his feet and shuffled into his room (Stopping to kiss Mina good night of course). He kicked off his shoes before falling onto the bed and staring at the ceiling, wondering if his mother-in-law was right about him liking Hermione as more than a friend. Unfortunately, he was too tired to ponder very far and was soon fast asleep.
A/N: …I really should stop promising to update faster. I think I'm jinxing myself.
Please review!