This is a short (and long overdue) update, but the next chapter is going to be long and full of reunions and feelings and confrontations and all sorts of good stuff. We're gonna start getting into the real plot here pretty quick. This is intended to be a long fic, so keep with me, lots of stuff to happen!

Hermione's mom had taken Sam out for the morning, so her and Luna had a few hours to sit around and chat before he got home. For a long time they talked about nothing in particular. Luna filled Hermione in on the happenings in the Weasley clan as of late, so that she would be caught up when they went to visit. Then she chattered on about the work she had been doing, potions she had been experimenting with, theories she had been developing. Hermione listened quietly, happy to absorb the information she was being given but not having any of her own to contribute. Finally a lull fell over their conversation, but Hermione wanted it to keep going, she wanted to hear Luna keep talking. It was comforting to her somehow. She asked the first question she could think of.

"So how are you and Harry doing?"

Luna was suddenly very interested in her tea. She swirled it slowly, brought it up to her nose to inhale its aroma, pressed her lips against the mug and took a long, long sip. And then another, when Hermione tried to ask again. Thankfully she was saved by the sound of the front door opening, and small footsteps running through the foyer.

"Mom we're back!" Sam hollered out. A breath caught in Hermione's throat, and her eyes locked fearfully with her friend's.

"It's time, then."

They ran into Sam and Mrs. Granger in the hallway. Sam automatically wrapped himself around his mother's legs.

"Mommy, Gram took me out for ice cream!"

Hermione gave her mother an exasperated look. "It's not even noon yet, Mother."

"That's why it was supposed to be a secret." A playful jab in the ribs had Sam doubling over, giggling. Hermione smiled softly and bent down to look at him.

"Sam honey, I have to talk to Gram for a minute. Aunt Luna is in the kitchen if you want to say hi."

A new smile broke out on Sam's face and he bounced happily out of the room.

"Aunt Luna," Mrs. Granger repeated. "Well she's come back with a vengence hasn't she."

"Mother - " Hermione started but she was interrupted.

"No Darling, I think it's a good thing. You haven't had any real friends in a long time."

"No, I haven't," Hermione agreed. She drew a deep breath before continuing. "Mom, I love you, and everything you've done for me since I came home... I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am."

Mrs. Granger tilted her head knowingly at her daughter. "This sounds like a goodbye."

"Sam has magic, and he has no idea what's happening to him. That was scary enough for me when I had you and dad as a support system, but we got to learn about it together. My son is terrified, and he has no one but me to turn to, and all I'm doing is lying to him."

"Hermione," Hermione's mother grabbed her shoulders with shaking hands. "Eight years ago you showed up at my door a shell of a human being. You had just fought a war for these people and they turned on you anyway. They tried to kill you, Baby, and your friends threw you away for one mistake."

"I ran away because of one mistake," Hermione corrected. "And this decision isn't about me, it's about Sam. He needs to know where he comes from. He wants to meet Charlie."

"So your mind's made up." Hermione nodded. "All right. Just do me one favor, 'Mione. Come home sometimes? I miss you when you're gone. And to have to miss you and Sam? Just...please. Come home."

Hermione threw herself into her mother's arms and there were muffled sobs as both women started crying softly. Mrs. Granger clutched a hand in her daughters curls, a pressed her lips to her ear.

"You will always be my baby girl. No matter what's coming next, no matter how difficult things get. You always have a home to come back to. Don't take the world on your shoulders again Hermione Jean. You have a lot more to lose this time."

Another sob got caught in Hermione's throat as she pulled back from her mother's arms, nodding furiously and trying to wipe the tears off her face.

"Do you want to say goodbye to Sam before you go?"

"No, I think he's going to have enough to process today without worrying about Gram being sad." Mrs. Granger pressed a kiss to Hermione's forehead. "I love you, Sweetheart."

"I love you too, Mom."

Hermione entered the kitchen and found Sam sitting on Luna's lap nibbling on a cookie as Luna prattled on about nargles or some other creature that Sam had never heard of. He was listening intently, like it was the greatest fairytale he had ever heard. It wasn't a fairytale, however, and Hermione wondered how this was going to play out.

"Where's Gram?" Sam asked. Hermione forced a small smile.

"She had to go home." Hermione pulled out the seat next to Luna and sat down. "Sam, I wanted to talk to you about what happened yesterday."

Sam's eyes went wide. "I didn't do it on purpose. Really I didn't. It was an accident. You aren't going to send me away are you?"

"Sam!" Hermione slid out of her chair so she was kneeling on the floor in front of her son. "I would never send you away, why would you even think that?"

"When you were sick that time, you sent me to stay with Gram. She said it was because you couldn't handle me. I'll be better Mommy, just don't get rid of me."

"Sam," Hermione said slowly, trying not to let tears fall down her face. "That's not what Gram meant. When I was sick I couldn't even take care of myself, so she took you so that I could focus on getting better. It was only for a couple of weeks. I'm sorry if we didn't explain that to you well enough, but it had nothing to do with you. I would never ever get rid of you."

Sam was shaking, so Luna tightened her arms around his waist in a backwards hug. A look passed between Hermione and her friend, and she continued on bravely.

"You didn't do anything wrong yesterday. See, you're growing up, and every little boy goes through a lot of changes when they grow up, but you are a very special little boy, different than all your friends. You can do magic."

"Magic's not real." A scared and confused look passed Sam's face. "I'm not a baby, Mom."

"Magic is real," Hermione said gently. "And you can do magic, because I can do magic. And because your dad can do magic."

Sam said nothing, so Hermione reached into her pocket and pulled out the slim piece of wood she had been keeping there.

"This is my wand, I can use it to cast spells. Look." Hermione pointed the wand at herself, and Sam's eyes widened as his mother's hair changed from green, to pink, and then back to its natural brown.

"In a few years you'll be old enough to have a wand, too."

"If - if magic is real, why does Mrs. Morey say it isn't?"

"Your teacher doesn't know about magic. This place where we live is called Muggle London - most everyone who lives here doesn't have magic and doesn't know it exists. But there's another part to London where magic is everywhere. That's where Luna lives, and your dad."

"You have magic too?" Sam craned his head aroud to look at Luna, who smiled at him and nodded her head. "Wow."

"I shouldn't have lied to you Sam," Hermione went on. "But I wanted you to have as normal a life as possible. But now, I think it's time you saw where you came from."

"What do you mean?"

Hermione smiled, and the smile was genuine, though she couldn't quite bring it up to her eyes. "Sam, do you want to meet your dad?"

Sam threw himself off Luna's lap and at his mother. His arms encircled her neck and he squeezed his little body against her with all the strength he could manage. Hermione laughed and hugged him back, but her eyes met Luna's with a terrified, doubtful expression.

"Not just your dad," Luna added. "You have an aunt, and a whole mess of uncles. And you have another grandmother and grandfather."

Hermione's heart swelled at the mention of Ginny, who she was really dying to see. As terrifying as it was, she also missed Molly with every fiber of her being, and her and Arthur had always been close. Emotions rushed at her as she realized she would also be reunited with Fred, and George, and Bill, and... Ron...

"Mommy why are you crying?"

"I'm happy," Hermione said with a laugh, and she realized as she said it that it was not, in fact, a lie.

A few hours later Hermione had packed a couple small bags, Sam was freshly showered and had put on a nice shirt, and a palpable nervous energy was buzzing between them. A loud crack! sounded in the living room, indicating Luna had just returned from the Burrow.

"What did they say?" Hermione demanded anxiously.

"I talked to Molly and Arthur, I explained everything. They are absolutely thrilled, 'Mione. They are more excited then I've seen them in years. Molly's already getting a big dinner together, and Arthur got most of the kids on the floo. Bill won't be able to make it, but the twins and Ginny are on their way. Just a warning Ron is bringing Harry with him."

"Are you ok with that?" Hermione asked gently. Luna shrugged.

"Don't worry."

"And...Charlie?"

Luna nodded. "He'll be there."

Sam came up and grabbed his mother's hand tenetively.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked. "You've apparated before, it's a little scary, remember?"

Sam bravely squeezed his mother's hand, and reached out for Luna with the other. The three of them stood in a circle, and Hermione took a deep breath as she let images of the Burrow flood her mind.

Crack!

I'm halfway through writing the next chapter so expect it within the week (or sooner). If not, please feel free to hunt me down. I'm allypopx on Tumblr if you need to harrass me.