(I'm overjoyed. I saw someone added this story to an archive :) yay. That feels like the best honor I could have ever been awarded. Thanks to you all who take the time to review this story and of course my other works of fiction. As soon as I'm finished with Moony, My Love, I'm going to be tackling the other long lost projects I've created. Happy reading!)
Chapter 15
It was nearly eleven o'clock when Hermione woke the next morning. She immediately panicked, knowing she hadn't heard Aariya on the baby monitor all night.
"Aariya? Sweetie?" Hermione dove into the nursery to find Molly asleep with the little girl on her chest in Hermione's custom made rocking chair. She smirked and shut the door quietly before she disturbed the sleeping pair, and headed back to bed.
Remus had woken and was currently sitting on the edge of the bed, "Is Aariya asleep?"
"With Molly," she nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Hermione's birthday passed without event, and July slowly melted into August. The Hogwarts group found themselves dreading the return to school. Hermione, however, couldn't wait. It seemed to be the perfect time to go.
She and Remus had located the most beautiful little flat just ten miles from Hogwarts only weeks prior. They'd already moved most of their things into it and were now planning a wedding. It was important for both of them to be married before Hermione's return to Hogwarts. Otherwise she'd have to live at school like the other students.
"I don't want anything big!" Hermione argued with Ginny. She was getting utterly frustrated now. Ginny just wouldn't take no for an answer.
The fiery little redhead paced back and forth in front of Hermione, "This is the only wedding you'll ever have!"
"I don't care! I can renew my vows later if I want a big to-do," Hermione fussed in reply, massaging her temples in frustration.
"Fine. But you're wearing a white gown," Ginny negotiated with a wicked smirk plastered on her face.
Hermione rolled her eyes and finished her makeup and hair, jerking on a purple t-shirt and a pair of jeans over her matching lacy white undergarments. Ginny did a little victory dance before grabbing her sunglasses.
"Can we go to a Muggle bridal shop?" Ginny inquired with curious, hazel eyes.
Hermione gave a bit of a nod, "Yeah. I'd feel better about that. But I need to go talk to my parents first."
She hadn't forgotten about her mother. That day in Hogsmeade rang in her head. The memory of her mother performing charms was daunting. Hermione had simply been avoiding a visit to her parents' home. In truth, she knew both were going to be furious with her for having a baby with a man old enough to be her father.
She left Ginny in search of Aariya and Remus, who were playing in the garden as they always did. Aariya's little hands were dancing around Remus' face, giggles filling the air as he tickled her tiny belly.
"Is she having fun?" Hermione smirked from the doorway, leaning against it with her thin arms crossed over her chest.
Remus grinned and nodded, "This is the most she's laughed yet," he kissed Aariya's forehead and carried the nearly four month old baby back to her mother.
"We're going to visit Mum and Dad," Hermione frowned.
"Why sad?" Remus placed a soft kiss upon Hermione's lips.
"They weren't very happy when I told them I had a baby," she sighed.
"Well I think that's a fairly normal reaction from parents of a seventeen year old young lady," Remus stroked her hair back from her face.
"Wish me luck," Hermione forced a smile and apparated with the baby girl.
Her home stood just as she remembered it; white fence lining the yard, lavender colored siding, pitch black shingles, and tulips littering the yard in dainty patches.
She slowly approached the door, cradling Aariya in her right arm, "Here goes nothing," she knocked heavily and stepped back, shocked when her mother immediately swung the door open and swept Aariya out of Hermione's arms.
"Dearest! Oh! Look at her! She's precious!" Mrs. Granger cooed, nearly disregarding her daughter in the doorway.
"Hi, Mum-"
"Herald, come look!" Mrs. Granger called, heading back into the house with the baby.
Hermione rolled her eyes and followed before the door was slammed in her face. Her mother had taken a seat at the kitchen table and was examining Aariya as if she were some sort of rare diamond.
"Is she blind?" Mrs. Granger spoke to Hermione for the first time. She went white and nodded, taking a seat next to her mother, "What a shame."
"Mum, we need to talk," Hermione sighed, now shaking with fear. What would her mother do once she confronted her about magic.
"Later, dear. Let me visit with my grandchild," Mrs. Granger waved Hermione off with her quick words.
Two hours of cooing and baby talking later, Mrs. Granger finally agreed to sit down with Hermione and talk.
"What is it?" Mrs. Granger took a seat on the plush, brown couch next to her daughter.
"Mum... Are you a witch?" Hermione asked softly. She could see Mrs. Granger go white at this question, and she already knew the answer considering her mother hadn't answered.
"Yes," she sighed, "I was."
"Were? You're always a witch," Hermione frowned.
"No. I commited a crime. I lost my wand."
Hermione stared at her mother in awe for what seemed like hours before she finally spoke, "H-how?"
Mrs. Granger sighed heavily, "I married a muggle."
Hermione shook her head in confusion, shifting Aariya to her right shoulder, "That isn't a crime!"
"It isn't now. But it was. That's something you won't read about in your History of Magic book," Mrs. Granger waved her hand over the coffee table and her vase of flowers transformed into a book. She cracked it open and found the page she was looking for. "Read."
Hermione leaned over and skimmed the page, reading aloud, "Marriage Act: In order to reduce the amount of squibs born to magical families, no witch nor wizard shall marry a muggle. Any who do so will automatically lose their wand. Those who refuse to surrender said wand will be sentenced to Azkaban for thirty and two years."
She gasped, furrowing her brow as she looked up at her mother, "When did this go out of act?"
"Fifteen years ago. You were already born and you weren't a squib. You were performing accidental magic before you were even a year old. Every time you cried your diaper would explode."
"Mother!"
"It's true!" Mrs. Granger laughed, "I just loved your father so much that I couldn't let him go because of a stupid law."
Hermione nodded her understanding and hugged her mother tightly, "We need to go home. I'll be back soon for a visit," she forced a smile and waved her wand to turn the book back into a vase.
BBBB
"Watch out!" Hermione shrieked.
Aariya came giggling and zooming through the air on her toy broom, "I didn't think those things were supposed to fly that high!" Remus yelled over the noise, diving just before Aariya hit him in the head. He popped back up and turned around to watch her come back toward him.
"Catch her!" Hermione squealed just as Remus reached up in the air and snatched the one year old off her broom.
Both parents sighed in relief, "What if she'd fallen?" Remus growled.
"It wasn't my idea to get the stupid thing!" Hermione screeched, snatching the fumbling and giggling Aariya out of Remus' arms.
The two had been arguing for a week now, both irritated with the other over the wedding. Remus had decided to put it on pause the last summer, thinking that Hermione needed to concentrate on school rather than going back and forth from their flat.
"Have you picked up your dress?" Remus sighed and flicked his wand at the dishes. They automatically began washing, drying, and putting themselves away.
Hermione shook her head, "Ginny is picking it up this afternoon. She's supposed to bring it straight here," she set Aariya down in her playpen and watched as the sandy-haired girl felt around for her favorite toy. Hermione reached in and handed the talking baby doll to her daughter. Aariya babbled happily and cradled the toy as if it were a real baby rather than a doll.
"I just hope everything will be ready by Saturday," Remus sighed and took a seat at the kitchen table.
"It will be," she narrowed her eyes at him, "Why? Do you think I can't handle it?"
Remus' eyes widened and he shook his head defensively, "No, no! I didn't say that!"
"Well that's what it sounded like!" Hermione's hands flew to her hips and she shifted her weight to one leg in a snarky motion.
"Don't start this again!" He pleaded, groaning.
"Fine," she sneered and jerked open the refrigerator door.
"Hey! Got your dress!" Ginny came through the kitchen door with a grin on her face. Hermione shut the refrigerator and grinned widely, her entire mood changing.
She'd been having these mood swings a lot lately, and Remus honestly didn't understand it. He'd been trying to ignore her anger and then sudden happiness, but it was beginning to make him suspicious.
"Let me see!" Hermione bounced as Ginny unzipped the dress bag to reveal a gorgeous, strapless, candlelight gown. It reached the floor with no train. The cut was A-line and the bodice was fitted and low cut. "Oh! It's perfect!"
Remus rolled his eyes and turned to Aariya who was directly behind him, "Your mummy is bonkers."
Aariya responded by sticking out her tongue and drooling.
"Exactly what I said," Remus smirked and couldn't help but laugh at the baby's action.
(Okay, so you're probably confused. Aariya is now a year old and Hermione is about to turn 18. She and Remus are getting married that coming Saturday, and the wedding will be in the next chapter. K? Thanks! Please review!)