Disclaimer: Much to my eternal disappointment I still don't own Harry Potter.

This was an interesting chapter to write. I thought we needed to shake things up a bit. I promise that the next one will be more exciting… a lot more drama filled with some sweet thrown in.

Chapter 8

Four hours later I'm standing on the doorstep of The Burrow. My palms are sweating, my arms are itchy and if I'm completely honest with myself I'm so nervous that I feel as if I'm going to wet myself. Even Sirius looks a little tense. I look down to see Lyra standing in front of the two of us, her hair pulled back in two long loose braids, those big grey eyes staring straight at me. In an instant I'm calm… calm for my daughter. It's funny how being a parent makes you an adult in an instant.

I smile at Sirius and he knocks once before entering. Lyra skips in behind him and after taking a deep breath I follow them. Everything looks the same. It's uncanny really. The kitchen looks exactly the same as it did when we were teenagers. There are dishes washing themselves, knitting needles clicking… and of course the Weasley Family clock. I notice straight away that all hands point to At Home. I guess no one was going to miss this show for all the galleons in London.

"Hermione!" Molly has me wrapped in her arms before I can even manage a hello. "Oh dear it's so good to see you again!" She hugs me tighter if possible and I feel guilt pooling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't just leave Sirius when I left… I left them all.

When I'm finally released it's straight into another set of arms. Arthur Weasley was just like Molly when it came to treating me like a daughter. I'm pretty much cast from one set of arms to another as every Weasley hugs me as hard as they can. Every Weasley that is except Ron and Ginny. They are noticeably absent. Then all eyes seem to be drawn to Lyra who up until now has been standing patiently next to her father.

"Well hey there!" Charlie Weasley says kneeling down to meet her at eye level. "I'm Charlie and I hear that you like dragons!"

Her little face lights up at the mention of the scaly things. "You're the dragon trainer brother!" Lyra squeals with a clap of her hands. She would indeed pick a dragon over pretty much every other magical creature. "I'm Lyra" she introduces herself thrusting out her hand, before stating with an authority beyond her years, "I'm sitting next to you at lunch."

I glance at all the smitten redheads in the room and back at the confident child in front of me. She dressed herself after breakfast. She's wearing her favourite green fairy t-shirt with a pair of jeans that I charmed at her request to sparkle fairy dust around the cuffs … Sirius of course completed the look by conjuring a daisy chain, that she placed straight around her head. I can't help but smile at how much she looks like a mini muggle hippy.

Everyone starts to file into the dining room (it seems so formal sitting anywhere but the kitchen). I stop to pull on Molly's arm. "Molly… Is Ron at home?"

Her face falls slightly. "He just needs some time. You know what Ron's like… he…"

"I'm what?" A sharp voice asks behind us.

She doesn't even hesitate. "You're a stubborn man who is acting like a child. You should just be happy that she's safe."

Ron's face is flat. "Yeah well I didn't hear you sounding so chipper when you found out about the kid she kept from Sirius! In fact I remember you mentioning a few things that would definitely not be considered 'safe'."

"Ronald Weasley!" Molly all but yells at him.

I place a reassuring hand on her arm. "Molly it's fine. I'm sure I deserved more than that. You had a right to be mad, but Ron" I say turning directly to face him "I'm back now and I'm trying to make up for what happened. I don't know how many times I can apologise before it starts to lose it's meaning."

"Well from where I'm standing you haven't apologised to us once!" This time it's Ginny who has spoken. Stepping up to stand next to Ron, she flicks her long hair behind her left ear. I can't help but gasp at her beauty. She was always pretty, but she's truly grown into a stunning woman… and she's pregnant.

"Ginny-"

"I was under the impression that we were 'close'. I guess I got that pretty damn wrong!" Her face is as stern as Ron's but there's something behind her eyes that I can't decipher. "I for one though don't want to hear an apology." Ron turns to gape openly at her. "What? I'm serious! I don't want to hear it. She had her reasons. What's done is done Ron. There's more to life than holding grudges." She rubs her belly before walking past me into the dining room.

Ron's shaking by this stage. "Ron please." I take two steps towards him but he's shaking his head.

'No!" he yells. "You don't just get to pretend that you didn't put me through hell! And why? Because you fucked Sirius Black! You FUCKED him and then had his fucking kid Hermione!"

"That's enough Ron!" Sirius' deep voice is firm as he places his arm around my waist. I don't realise until that moment that tears are running down both my own face and Ron's.

"Enough? Enough is it? Yeah well it sure looks like you forgave her pretty damn quick! How'd Parkinson take that Sirius? You know, the woman you were shagging up until last week?"

I feel as if the wind has been knocked out of me! Sirius tightens his grip on my waist before letting go completely and taking a step towards the seething man in front of us. Ron's face drops as if he's only just realised what he's done. His gaze strays to mine and my eyes must say it all. "Hermio-"

"Lyra!" I yell into the dining room.

"Mi don't do this!" Sirius says trying to grab my arm.

I ignore him. Pulling Lyra up into my arms I turn to Molly. "It was too soon Molly." It's all I say before I run to the kitchen door. Sirius is hot on my heals but he can't get to me before I apparate away.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

"Martha!" I yell banging on her door. "Martha open up!"

The door swings inwards. "Hermione what are you doing back here? I swear I heard you this morn-" She stops mid sentence seeing my grimace and Lyra's tears. "What happened?"

"MUMMY WOULDN'T LET ME STAY AND TALK TO CHARLIE!" Lyra screams, breaking into fresh tears. Scrambling down from my hold she thrusts herself into Marty's legs before running straight into her living room.

"Charlie Weasley? When the hell did she meet Charlie Weasley?"

I lean against the doorframe. My whole body feels as if it's going to fold in on itself. "Martha I just need you to watch her for a few hours while I get myself together."

"Hermione I'm not letting you leave without telling me what happened."

"We went to the Weasley's for lunch. We didn't stay for too long. There was a lot of yelling… from Ron. Sirius has been screwing Pansy Parkinson… that is pretty much before he screwed me last night… and then Lyra screamed bloody murder when we left because I'd wrecked what in her eyes was a perfectly entertaining lunch! Martha I need a few hours to myself! Please." My chest is heaving and I know I'm on the verge of breaking right here.

"Leave her here overnight. I'll bring her around in the morning or something…" Martha's voice is quiet and like always she knows exactly what I need. "Are you sure you don't want to stay as well? We can give her a sleeping draught and get rip roaring drunk?" I just smile at her, a tear running down my cheek. "Okay well I'll see you tomorrow then."

I nod once and all but run from the apartment. I know exactly what I need and where I'm going to get it!

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~