Chapter Two
1996
At Hogwarts, the Great Hall was filled with students enjoying their evening meal. Chatter and laughter filled the air, as students reminisced about their day. At Gryffindor table, Hermione sat across from Ron and Harry.
In one hand, she held an Arithmancy text book, while the other hand was carefully spooning food from her plate. Her eyes were cast down on the pages, and as she read, she took no notice of the boys' quidditch conversation across the table.
Abruptly, all the bustling and noise in the hall faded. Despite her keen ability to drown out the world around her while reading, her attention was swiftly pulled away from the book. What could cause such immediate silence?
Glancing around at her peers, she noticed many heads were turning toward the entry doors. Shifting her attention, her eyes fell on a very young child. Her hair was icy blonde and full of curls.
Hermione perked up a bit. Ever so curious, she began to speculate how the child got there. Apparation wasn't an option, and she couldn't have wandered in from outside because the gates were sealed off, as was the Floo access. She wondered if maybe someone from Hogsmeade had brought her up. After all, they were in the middle of a war with Voldemort, and there was no safer place than Hogwarts.
The sound of students quietly murmuring began filling the hall once more. In her peripheral vision, she saw the staff begin to rise at the Head Table, but her eyes remained focused on the child. There was something very familiar about her.
She watched as the child stood frozen in place, looking around the room in confusion. She looked like she wasn't sure how she felt yet. Eyes wide with curiosity finally connected with hers.
Hermione only barely registered they were the same golden-brown color as her own when the girl cried, "Momma!"
Her heart sped up as the child ran to her, arms outstretched. The hall exploded in conversation.
The child climbed in her lap, and Hermione turned to Harry and Ron with wide eyes. Across the table, Ron stared back, his mouth open wide. Harry's eyebrows were drawn down in confusion.
She began to speak, but wasn't sure what to say. What just happened? She stared down at the little girl who'd wrapped herself around her, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Suddenly, Professor McGonagall was standing beside her.
"Miss Granger, please come with me."
Leaving her book and her food behind, she wrapped her arms around the little girl and stood. The child rested her cheek on Hermione's chest as they began to exit the hall.
As they left, she noticed a large red ruby had imbedded itself into the stone floor, where the girl had first appeared.
A/N:
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