Author's Note: So here is Chapter Eleven! Can you believe we are near the end? Only four more chapters to go!

Chapter Eleven:

"the Forbidden Forest"

As it neared the middle of April, the new family sat together in Hermione's office. Lauran had elected to eat her grand breakfast in privacy with her mother that evening and Hermione had seemed to enjoy the company. Lauran, on the other hand, had other intentions on this night.

"Mum? I'd like to know something."

Hermione sighed, "What is it, love?"

"I want to know who my father is. And why you seem so reserved about telling me."

Hermione's face became shrouded in panic for a brief second before she calmed herself and responded, "Alright, Lauran, but I have to warn you…this story is no fairy tale. It has no happy ending, unless, of course, you consider that I have you now. It does not begin with happiness and love. In fact, those aspects play no part in it at all. I hate to admit: I never loved your father. Now, Lauran, I love you with all my heart, even when your father shows in you. I am sure you have heard the story of Harry Potter in his first year of Hogwarts and what happened when he protected the Philosopher's Stone from Lord Voldemort?"

Lauran nodded, saying that she'd been taught so in her Wizarding History class. Hermione continued, "They don't tell the whole story. In fact, they don't know the real story. They don't know that Ron and I faced Quirell alongside of Harry and they don't know the role I played in Harry and Ron's survival. You see, Quirell decided that he wanted a little something for his efforts. Something that Voldemort couldn't give him. Something I could. He bargained that if I gave up my innocence, he would spare Harry and Ron. I was a young girl, but I was also a Gryffindor. I was very noble. Now, Voldemort didn't like this so he attempted to stop Quirell from carrying out this plan, but he failed. In the end, Quirell won and stole my innocence. Harry defeated him in the end, but the wound was there. Soon after, I discovered I was pregnant…with you. Oh, I was determined to keep you," Hermione was in tears now, "but my parents wouldn't have it. I was young, they said, I had my whole life ahead of me. One day I would thank them. But I never have, and I don't know if I ever will. Some say that giving up my innocence was the worst mistake of my life. I disagree; giving up you was the worst mistake of my life and I will never forgive myself."

Hermione sobbed and reached to put a hand on her daughter's shoulder, but was sorely disappointed. Lauran pulled away from her and stared at her mother with disgust or anger; which, Hermione couldn't be sure of. She looked as if she were about to say something, but then thought better of it. Without warning, she spun around and ran from the room. Hermione was stunned, after all, she'd known Lauran would not handle the news well but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined her to react like that. Picking up her wand she rushed from her office and followed after her daughter.

After an hour of searching, though it'd felt like only minutes, Hermione rushed to see McGonagall and inform her. As always, the Headmistress was understanding, but firm all the same. Unfortunately, there was not much she could do. She could place the school on a lockdown of sorts and have every student return to their common rooms, meanwhile, the rest of the staff would continue to search for the girl. Hermione wished that she was in possession with the Marauder's Map, but, sadly, it was with Harry.

Hours later, Lauran still remained missing. It completely baffled Hermione. Where could that girl have gotten off to that the staff had not already looked? Unless, she kept moving there was no way possible she was in the castle. Hermione's eyes widened. In the castle! They'd searched the entire castle ten times over, but no one had searched the grounds. Of course, Hagrid had stayed out by his cabin keeping a look out for the girl but what if she'd already got past his watch. Running out through the large doors making up the entrance of the castle, Hermione's heart rate picked up. Her daughter could be anywhere and for all she knew, Lauran could be dead. She yelled her daughter's name and watched birds fly from the tops of trees in fear of her voice, but received no answer. With desperation, she called again, and again she got no answer. She threw herself into a run in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. As promised, he was standing outside, his hand over his eyebrows blocking out the setting sun and keeping a fierce look at his surroundings. Hermione ran up to him and let out a terrified sigh.

"Oh, Hagrid. Please tell me you have seen her?"

He looked at her sadly, "No. I haven' seen her, but I might've heard 'er. Did ye hear that scream a few moments back?"

Hermione's eyes widened even more so than they already were, "Scream?!?"

With that she took off running in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. It was the only place she could be if she'd been screaming. She pushed herself through the brush and the trees, crying out Lauran's name. After what seemed like ages, Hermione tripped over something in the middle of a pathway Hagrid had created. Ignoring the blood she felt trickling down her chin from a cut she had received, presumably on her cheek, she turned her head to face what made her fall. Her heart caught at the sight she saw. There was Lauran, her baby, crumpled on the ground, covered in dirt and blood. Hermione sobbed out her name as she crawled to the lifeless form. Cradling her daughter in her arms, she cried, begging her to wake. As she did, she examined her. She had cuts all over her arms and legs and even some on her face. Some were deeper than others, but none was insignificant. Based on her appearance and their surroundings, Hermione guessed that she'd been attacked by Bowtruckles. Hermione thanked Merlin that her daughter had managed to fight them off before…she didn't want to think about how they probably would have gouged Lauran's eyes out if given the chance. Bloody Hell! I hate my mind at times, Hermione thought, cursing herself for thinking about gouging and eyes.

"Ferula," she said conjuring bandages over Lauran's wounds, and then she moved Lauran's body out of the forest, passed Hagrid and into the castle where she took her daughter to the Hospital Wing with, "Mobilicorpus."

***

The next morning, Lauran awoke facing the stern eye of her mother staring her down. She nearly jumped at the glare she was receiving and was amazed that her sweet and loving mother was capable of owning such a look. She attempted to move but found that her body was too stiff, so instead she settled for speech.

"I'm sorry."

Hermione jumped up and Lauran prepared herself for the blow, "You damn well better be sorry! Running off into that forest! It's forbidden for a reason, you know! You could have been killed! How do you think I would have felt then?! Did you even stop to think about that? No."

Lauran looked down, ashamed at herself. It was true, she hadn't thought about her mother and what her reaction would be if she got hurt. But Lauran was hurt. This whole time she had envisioned a perfect love story about how her mother met her father and fell in love and created her, but now she was disheartened to learn that her mother and father had hated one another and the only reason she existed was through rape. She found that thought rather depressing. Lauran also remembered feeling fear of her mother not wanting her anymore after being forced to the relive the whole experience. She remembered that feeling the most, for that was the reason she ran. She hadn't known where to go, so she ran to the forest. She ran and ran until she was attacked by some type of creature she'd never known before. They'd scratched at her arms and her face until Lauran was able to fight them off, with much luck. She wrapped herself together, cradling her legs in her arms. And now she was here. And now she understood the magnitude of her mother's anger.

Hermione calmed herself a bit, "Tomorrow, when you leave here, you will be fulfilling a day-long detention. You have also lost fifteen points from Slytherin. I expected better of you, please do not disappoint me again."

***

The next morning Hermione felt awful. It was not just because she had just been forced to punish her only daughter severely, but she felt sick to her stomach. This baffled her. She could not think of one reason that she would be feeling as such. She had waken early and was now on her way to McGonagall's office to request a substitute for the day. When she was granted her request, she returned back to her quarters. To her surprise there was an owl sitting on her desk. She approached it, taking some feed out of a bowl and giving it the owl. Placing a small amount of money in its pouch, she took the letter from its beak and, as the owl flew away, opened it.

Miss Granger,
If it may be possible, I would like to write an article on you and your 'new' daughter. I was recently at the custody hearing, where you came to my attention. I would like to interview both you and your daughter, and then write about the nature of your reasoning. Additionally, I would like to write about your struggles as a young mother. Please respond within the next day so that we may set up the date and time of our interview.
Sincerely,
Rita Skeeter

Hermione was furious and irritated that Rita Skeeter would even suggest such a thing. Fueled by her anger, she wrote a very lengthy reply denying her request of an interview.