DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!!

Normal Life Doesn't Exist

A/N: Hello! I'm updating so soon because I'm going on holiday tomorrow and won't be back until the Sunday after next.

Chapter 6

That night, Hermione closed all the curtains, turned the lights off, put her wine glass in the sink and was about to go upstairs when a knock was on the door. She stood on the first step and then decided to open the door, her wand at the ready behind her back. It was Tom.

"Hello, darling." He said, smiling down at her.

"Hello." She said quietly, opening the door wider. He stepped in and watched her whilst she closed and locked the door, pulling the curtain in front of it closed. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you'd see me soon enough." He said a little loudly, not realising that the girls were asleep.

"Shhh, the girls are asleep."

"They are?"

A door opened upstairs and a pair of voices called down timidly. "Mummy?"

"Not anymore. They're light sleepers. I'm down here, babies!" Little footsteps walked over to the top of the staircase. Tom had to look carefully for them. It was very dark and he had trouble seeing anything. "Babies, come down." They hesitated. "Come on." She said, waving her hand a little wildly. The girls walked side by side down the stairs and stopped a few stairs from the bottom.

Tom gasped. 'Hermione was telling the truth. They do look like me.' The girls looked quite tired, as they should be at 11pm and having been woken up suddenly. They were holding hands, as they usually did, and were looking between Hermione and Tom. Jane, being just a touch brighter than Merope, had a feeling about who Tom was but was waiting confirmation from Hermione. Merope was looking at Tom with attitude, which made him smile.

Jane was wearing a plain pink nightie which went past her knees and Merope was wearing a pair of blue shorts and a white t-shirt with a picture of a grumpy stick woman on it with the phrase 'Attitude? What attitude?' which tickled Tom pink.

"Girls...This is your daddy."

Jane's face lit up and she smiled whilst Merope looked at Hermione disbelievingly. But a moment later, she seemed to accept it.

"Well? Can't I get a hug?"

They practically jumped on him. They both put their arms around his neck and wrapped their legs around his waist and hugged him tightly. He kissed a cheek each and then buried his head in their long hair. Hermione swore she heard him give a choked sob. She listened to them sharing words of love and she began to cry herself. Tom walked over to her and the girls shifted to welcome her into the hug. A few minutes later, she pulled away a little and told them that they needed to go to bed.

"No!" the girls cried. "We want to stay with daddy!"

"Girls, your mother's right. You need to sleep for school tomorrow."

"Can we sleep in your bed?" Jane asked, looking between Tom and Hermione.

"Hermione?" Tom asked.

"Sure. Just tonight though." Hermione managed to get Jane into her own arms and then walked up the stairs. She walked into the room to the left and opened the door to her room. Tom followed her, closing the door behind her.

Hermione was already lying down on the bed, rearranging a sleeping Jane. Tom lay back with her, putting Merope next to Jane, in between them and then they all fell asleep together. A proper family.

--

Hermione awoke first. Jane and Merope were cuddled in the middle of herself and Tom, who had his arm around his children. She smiled at the sight and then had a quick wash, changed clothes and went downstairs to start breakfast. She got to the kitchen and decided to make funny shape pancakes for the girls. She began to pour the mixture into pans and then set the table quickly, putting 2 glasses of orange juice, for the girls, and 2 empty cups for hers and Tom's coffee. She flipped the pancakes, setting the done ones onto a plate and then began making more.

Upstairs, Tom awoke to the smell and sounds of cooking and looked down to see his children. They were perfect. He didn't think he could ever love someone so fast as he had with the two girls but it was instant. It was powerful. He'd do anything for them. He extended his hand and gently shook them awake.

"Hey, girls. Wake up. Mummy's making breakfast."

The two of them groaned and covered their eyes. He smiled, stood up and managed to arrange them so he was carrying Jane in his left arm and Merope in his right. They were more than half asleep and rested their heads on his shoulder. He walked downstairs with them and then into the kitchen. Hermione looked up from flipping a pancake and smiled at him.

"Hiya."

"Hello. What do I do with these?"

"Tickle them."

"Both hands are busy." He said, shrugging.

She smiled again, put the finished pancake onto the plate and then walked up to her family. She started to tickle the small of the girls' backs and they were suddenly fully awake and giggling.

"Mummy, stop!" Jane cried.

"Wake up then, sleepy head." She said, taking Merope off Tom and putting her in her chair. "Funny shape pancakes, girls?"

In answer, the twins started to jump up and down in their seat and clapping their hands excitedly. Tom smirked at them and began to pour him and Hermione coffee. Hermione put the plate of pancakes in the middle of the table and watched the girls fight over who had the triangle.

--

They ate breakfast, Hermione more-or-less smiling constantly. Tom felt a little awkward around the girls but he was still immensely happy about having children. Hermione had expected him to be a little nasty to them but he was fine, like he handled children all the time.

"Girls, go upstairs and start getting ready for school, we'll be there in a moment." She said, standing up and taking the empty pancake plate from the table and putting it in the sink.

"Mummy, do we have to go school?" the two of them turned in their chair, got onto their knees and rested their hands on the top of the back of the chair.

"We've just met daddy." Merope said.

"Yes, you have to go. Don't worry, we'll do something later."

"Diagon Alley?" Tom offered.

"I don't think so." Hermione said unnecessarily loudly. The girls looked between their parents and then at each other.

"Why not?" Tom asked, furrowing his brow.

"Girls, go get ready. We'll be there in a moment." They obeyed, leaving the room hand in hand and skipping. "They don't know." She whispered to Tom as she took their empty coffee cups.

"What do you mean? They don't know...They don't know their witches?" he asked, taking the dirty utensils and putting them in the sink.

"No. I haven't told them."

"Why not?"

"...I don't know. I mean, I know they're only 5 but I was always afraid that somehow they'd find out who you were and...I just don't know!" she snapped.

"Hermione, you have to tell them." He said.

"I don't know how. Or when. Or even why."

"They have a right to know their parentage, family history, all that crap."

"Tom, I can't. I'm still afraid that they'll find out what you do."

"Hermione, isn't it better they hear it from you rather than someone else who'll make it sound worse?"

She sighed. Upstairs, the girls called. "Come on, we have to help them get dressed."

--

After 15 minutes of watching Tom try to put tights on Merope, Hermione laughed and pushed him away, telling him to make sure that Jane brushed her teeth long enough and properly. He did so, smirking at his own failure. 10 minutes later, they left the house and took the girls to school. Hermione kissed their cheeks and then Tom did so awkwardly, making Hermione smile. He straightened up as he saw Jane and Merope run into the building as the bell went.

"Well, the girls are at school, we're alone and we have an empty house at our disposal. What on Earth shall we do?" he asked, putting his arms around her waist.

"I bet you can think of something." She teased, kissing him lightly.