DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!!
Normal Life Doesn't Exist
Chapter 8
The next night, Tom was taking them all out for dinner, by way of apology. When the girls had asked, he simply said that he wanted to treat them. They accepted this answer and were very excited about going out to a restaurant with their parents. Tom had convinced and helped Hermione to explain that they were witches and let them skip school to take them to Diagon Alley. They were excited by everything and weren't even a little mad that Hermione had kept it from them.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, Tom, Hermione, Jane and Merope were sitting in a carriage to take them to the restaurant. Jane and Merope were reading a basic spells book and Hermione wasn't looking at Tom. Just near the end of their journey, Tom leant forward and tried to speak to Hermione.
"Darling, please talk to me."
"You aren't forgiven. I don't know if I can ever forgive you for that."
"For what?" Merope piped up.
"Adult stuff, sweetheart." Hermione said simply. Merope just went back to her book. "You tried to use-"
"I know. I know I said that but I don't know if I could have done it anyway."
"I don't care." The carriage slowed to a stop. "I'm not forgiving you."
The door to the carriage opened and a hooded man came into view. "Give us your wands." He ordered. Tom handed his over calmly, knowing back-up was on the way already. "You too." He said to Hermione, who was hugging Jane and Merope, silently assuring them that everything would be alright.
"I don't have it with me."
"Oh, we'll see." He said, pushing Jane and Merope out the way, grabbing Hermione and pulling her out of the carriage. The other door opened and Tom was pulled from the carriage and thrown to the floor.
"Stay in the carriage, girls!" Hermione screamed as she was beginning to be dragged into a dark area. "You hear me? Stay in the carriage!" She was thrown to the floor and the man was about to join her but a curse was said.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Her attacker fell to the floor with a flash of green light and Hermione just looked at him for a moment. A shadow fell over her and she looked up to see who her 'rescuer' was.
"Hello, love."
"Abraxas?" she whimpered.
--
Abraxas and Lucius had arrived within moments of Tom sending them a mental note that he was unarmed, defenceless and at wand-point. They Apparated a few feet away from the carriage. Abraxas heard Hermione screaming and went to her whilst Lucius killed the other man and helped Tom recover from his short but brutal beating. Tom was sitting in the open carriage doorway, his back to the frame, hugging the girls and checking them for injuries.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Jane?"
"Where's mummy?"
"She's talking with someone."
Merope asked, "Who?"
"Abraxas."
"Who's that?"
"My father." Lucius interrupted. He was having mixed emotions concerning the girls. He was happy for Hermione at having the joys of children but was angry at the fact that they weren't his, as he desperately wished they were.
The girls looked at Lucius. "Who are you?"
"A friend of mummy's." Tom said simply, not wanting them to know of Lucius' relationship with Hermione.
--
Hermione and Abraxas sat on the floor, a blanket under them - Abraxas still too pompous to even sit on grass as he talked with the woman he loved and lost - as Abraxas answered all her questions.
"How can you look so young? Tom give a Regeneration Potion?"
"Yes, he did." He answered simply. He was having trouble talking with her, something he hadn't expected when he knew that he was to see her again. Deep down, he was still angry at her for leaving him at Hogwarts and leaving behind only a note but he was still happy that she was alright and sitting beside him.
"You're still angry with me, aren't you?"
"...Deep down I am, yes, but I understand why you had to leave." His voice was quiet and soothing, almost lulling her to sleep, the events of the day wearing on her.
"I'm sorry." she said, leaning her chin on his shoulder.
"You've nothing to apologise for, love. It's past."
"Abraxas...What did you do after I left?"
"My mother arranged a marriage for me, to a witch who didn't know the difference between a potion and a spell."
Hermione laughed gently, he even smiled a little. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine. She's dead now anyway, so..."
"She's Lucius' mother." She scolded, trying to make him feel something for his dead wife but he gave her nothing.
"I'm glad she's gone. Throughout the entire marriage, she wanted everything and let me have nothing."
"I'm sorry. Again."
Abraxas turned to her and smiled. "You have children." He stated, having seen the girls.
"Yes, I do."
"They look like him." He said, looking briefly to Tom and then back to her again.
"Yeah. They act like me though. That's the only reason I know they're mine. Besides the stretch marks and still remaining baby weight."
"You're beautiful." He said quietly.
She didn't say anything for a moment. "We should get back."
"Do we have to? I like to be alone with you."
"Abraxas, I'm married. I'm married with children. I'm happily married, with children. I can't do this." He looked ashamed of himself. "Join us for dinner."
"I can't." he said, trying to get out of it.
"Abraxas, I'm married to Your Lord. I am Your Lady. And I'm ordering you to have dinner with us." She said, getting up and pulling him with her.
"Getting bossy?"
"Oh, you know me."
"That I do."
"Stop it." she scolded, smiling.
--
Dinner was quite awkward between the 6 of them. Hermione sat opposite Merope, with Jane at the foot of the table. Lucius was next to Hermione, opposite Abraxas and to the left of Tom, who was at the head of the table. Hermione talked mostly with the girls, helping them with their reading and colouring and Tom, Lucius and Abraxas talked about The War and tactics, surprising Hermione considering they were in a restaurant.
"Mummy?"
"Yeah, babies?"
"We need to go." They said quietly.
"Oh, alright." She said, standing up. The girls clambered out of their chairs and one of Hermione's hands each. Tom looked up at her questioningly. "They need to go." She said quietly.
"Mummy!" they snapped, blushing.
She smiled down at them and led them to the bathrooms. Abraxas, getting an idea, left the table after excusing himself and followed them to the bathroom. Hermione was standing outside the single women's toilet, obviously waiting for the girls. He approached her, his goal the only thing in his mind.