Chapter 7 is up and ready, Yea! More family bonding. It may seem like there is no plot right now but just wait till after Christmas I have something planned. This will go back into the school year. Expect a long story. Starting now I am going to be switching back and forth between Hermione and Minerva's point of view. I don't really like doing it because my English teacher has drilled it into me not to do this but oh well. I want Hermione's thoughts heard. Also I want Hermione to spend more time with Albus so that he can become daddy
Disclaimer: I only own my bunch of Harry Potter books and my laptop. I don't own any characters.
Hermione woke up before Albus and Minerva Christmas Eve morning. She walked into the kitchen and just stood there for a minute. Should I wait for them to wake up or should I make some breakfast, she thought. Then she smiled and got an idea, but she didn't know if it would work.
"Twinky." She called and a pop scared Hermione and she fell on her butt. Twinky looked a Hermione with her big eyes.
"Hi Miss Mione, what do you be needing me for." Twinky asked.
"I didn't think you would come." Hermione admitted and she got up.
"Sure I come, Mistress said I was to help you if you needed me, now what do you need me for?"
"I want to, make a breakfast for Albus and Minerva, To say thank you for them letting me stay here, and Merry Christmas." She explained.
"Sounds like a plan Miss, do you need me to cook." Twinky asked.
"I can make pancakes," Hermione told the elf. "and bacon, and eggs. But I'm worried about not being done in time." Twinky nodded.
"How about I dos bacon and eggs and prepare the table."
"Actually I wanted to give them breakfast in bed. I heard a lot of people like that." Hermione smiled. "I can actually do all the cooking if you can make sure they stay in bed." Twinky looked disheartened briefly. Hermione noticed.
"What's wrong Twinky?"
"Twinky means no disrespect Miss, but can Twinky wants to do more to help little Miss." Hermione pondered this.
"How about you get the trays ready, the drinks ready and then when it's done you take it upstairs. I really want to make the food myself to show how much I'm indebted to them."
Twinky nodded and smiled.
"I can do that Miss, Master and Mistress's faces will be priceless when they see what you are doing for them." Twinky jumped up and done.
"Good." Hermione said with a smile. "Now go make sure they don't wake up." She said and Twinky was gone with a pop.
Hermione was used to making her own breakfast but it had been a long time since she had made this much. She started making the pancake batter first, than she pulled out the bacon so it defrosted. She made a slight mess with the floor, but she cleaned it quickly with her wand. She had just turned the skillet on when Twinky popped back beside her.
"They are waking up Miss what should I do?" Twinky asked. Hermione thought quickly.
"Tell them part of the truth, tell them I have a surprise and it's not done yet so they have to stay there. If that doesn't work lock the door." She said. Twinky left to do what the girl had said.
Hermione knew she had to work quickly. She put the bacon on one side and kept watching it and flipped it whenever it was time. She made the pancakes shaped like Christmas trees, and ordainments. She tried to make one look like an angel; it didn't turn out well. About 30 minutes later she had a stack of pancakes, a plate of bacon, and 2 scambled eggs, one over easy, and one omelet, because she didn't know how they liked their eggs. She took a piece of bacon and ate it. Satisfied she called Twinky.
Albus and Minerva were both propped up in their bed discussing reasons as to why they were being bared in their room when Hermione had walked up the stairs and gave Twinky a thumbs up. Twinky was to follow Hermione in and make the food appear. Hermione knocked on the door. Hearing them answer she went in. Seeing them both just sitting there she felt very nervous, what if they didn't like her present. They were both still in a huge bed both sitting up looking at her. Hermione did have to stifle a laugh at Albus who was wearing bright blue pajamas with stars on them.
"Good morning." Hermione said timidly. They both smiled at her.
"Hello Hermione what's this all about?" Minerva asked. Hermione went to the foot of the bed and smiled.
"Bring it in Twinky." She shouted. And then two trays appeared right on Minerva's and Albus's laps, complete with plate, forks and knifes. Then another tray appeared in between them with all the food laid out. Minerva and Albus stared at it for a second.
"Merry Christmas!" Hermione shouted with a smile, and gave Twinky a high-five. Neither of them had said anything Hermione was starting to get worried. Minerva put a hand over her mouth and started to cry. Hermione's heart sank. She hates it Hermione thought, I messed up so bad she's crying. Hermione hung her head, and thought she felt tears come to her eyes. She looked up and saw and Minerva getting off the bed carefully and she walked to Hermione. Here it comes, Hermione thought.
Minerva knelt down and wrapped her arms around Hermione and held her tightly. Hermione was shocked and confused. Then it hit her Minerva had been crying because she was happy. Minerva pulled back and smiled at Hermione.
"Why are you crying sweetie?" She asked smiling with a touch of worry.
"I saw you crying and thought you hated the breakfast." She explained. Now that she realized how wrong she had been Hermione felt embarrassed. Like she wanted to just crawl into her bed and stay there for a week.
"Oh, sweetie," She pulled Hermione close again. "I love it thank you." She smiled and let go of Hermione. She got back into the bed, and looked at her husband. "I think we should get started eating this."
"I completely agree my dear." They started filling up their plates.
"Come sit up here Hermione." Minerva said patting the bed in front of her. Hermione climbed up and sat in front of Minerva. "Aw," Minerva said looking at the pancakes. "Is this a Christmas tree?"
"Yes, I was going to put little candies on it to be ordainments but that didn't sound breakfastly." She explained. Albus looked at her in disbelief.
"Hermione, candy goes with everything. You need to learn that." Albus said seriously. Minerva looked him and whacked him over the head with a pillow, softly.
"Do not get her addicted to candy like you are please." Minerva said. She turned back to Hermione. "Did you make all the food Hermione?"
"Yes, does it taste alright? I haven't made this much food in a long time." Hermione asked worried.
"It's heavenly dear." Minerva said putting another pancake on her plate.
"Oh and Twinky was a big help, I don't think I could have carried that food all the way up here." Hermione explained. The bedrooms were on the third floor, it would have taken her a long time to get up there with food.
"Well it is delicious." Albus said with a smile at Hermione. "I think we have a chef Minnie."
"I think we do." Minerva agreed and Hermione blushed. "Have you eaten Hermione?" Minerva asked.
"I had a pancake and a piece of bacon that was enough." Hermione said. Minerva frowned.
"You made all this food and didn't eat any of it." Minerva sighed.
"Well I was going to eat what ever you two didn't eat." She said looking down. Minerva picked up her wand and transfigured the two quills on her bed side table into a plate and fork. She handed them to Hermione. Minerva didn't like that food seemed to be a rough issue with Hermione. She assumed it was because her parents left the girl alone for 7 days with very little food.
"Thank you." Hermione mumbled. Hermione picked up a pancake from the plate and saw the one she attempted to make look like an angel. She put it on Minerva's plate and picked up a Christmas tree. Minerva didn't say anything but Hermione thought that she saw a small smile.
They were soon all done with the food and Albus made the plates disappear. Hermione went back to her room and changed, while Minerva and Albus got ready for the day.
"That was so sweet of her." Minerva said as soon as she and her husband were alone.
"Yes it was." Albus responded pulling Minerva into a hug. She sighed and leaned back onto him.
"I'm still worried though, I want her to be comfortable with me. I know I can't expect it to happen right away but yesterday she just seemed so much better and the food incident just brought it all back." Minerva said sadly.
"She is already warming up to you." He told her and they sat on the bed.
"I know I'm just worrying." She admitted. Albus chuckled.
"That just proves you care about her." He said softly and kissed her. "However I do have some bad news." He said seriously.
"What?" She felt a feeling of dread spread through out her.
"I am stealing her to make cookies today, and you can't stop me." He said with a smile and jumped up and ran out of the room before she realized it. At the same time Hermione came out of her room into the hall way. Albus grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her towards the kitchen.
"Hurry don't let her catch us." He said laughing as Hermione followed him confused. He pushed her into the kitchen in front of him.
"What are we doing?" Hermione asked.
"Shush!!!!" Albus whispered. "Don't make a noise or she'll find us." He had the door opened a crack and was peeping through it. Hermione came over and looked to.
"So why are we hiding?" She asked.
"Because it's funny, Minerva loves a good joke even if she won't admit it." He paused and locked the door. "Plus whenever I decide to bake all day, she sits in and decides to make fun of me all day. So this year she's banned from the kitchen." He said with a big smile.
"Won't she get mad?" Hermione said smiling now.
"No, especially if I hide you in here with me. She would never get mad with you." He said.
"Really?" She asked. He nodded.
"Ok, before she comes, what are your three favorite kinds of cookies?" He asked.
"Chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin, in that order." She told him. He made a white board appear in thin air.
"Ok, chocolate chip is a given because who doesn't like chocolate chip, peanut butter is good because Minerva likes that to. I'm afraid we don't have the ingredients for oatmeal raisin. Then we can make ginger newts because Minerva loves them. Then the traditional Christmas sugar cookies. Than my favorite lemon pistachio cookies to round it off." He said beaming. He had wrote this all on the white board and put it on the kitchen table. They heard a pounding on the door.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brain Dumbledore!" Minerva shouted though the door. "Open this door, or I will blast it open." This just made him laugh.
"Now Minerva you wouldn't want to do anything that could scar our young guest, and make her get the wrong impression of you." He said with a smile, letting Hermione know he was just kidding. Minerva huffed from outside the kitchen.
"Why am I not allowed in?" She asked clearly annoyed with her husband.
"Because my dear, you said this was a stupid tradition and since you think it's stupid you can stay out of the kitchen where your negative energy can't affect the cookie making process." He said matter of factly. Hermione was holding in another laugh with her hands over her mouth.
"Fine." Minerva said crossly, "I'll be in the living room grading papers if anyone cares." She shouted. She wasn't really upset but she was annoyed with her husband. She wanted to spend time with them on Christmas eve, but she knew Albus wouldn't stop this charade. She summoned her work and settled in the living room and got the fire going. Albus was listening at the door and smiled at her last declaration.
"All right lets get started. Hermione I want you to start cracking some eggs, 6 eggs for now, with 2 in each bowl." She ran to the cabinet and pulled out 3 bowls, before getting the eggs out of the refrigerator. Albus pulled out flour, vanilla, baking soda, and sugar. It took them an hour to make the batter for the chocolate chip, peanut butter, and ginger newt, and Christmas cookies. Albus put the first three types of cookies into the oven, and Hermione started rolling out the sugar cookie dough and started stamping out different shapes. Albus joined her and they made a mess covering the dough in sprinkles.
Than after they finished that Albus started to prepare his lemon cookies. He told Hermione that he is the only one who can make these right, so he gave her the leftover chocolate chip cookie dough and told her to eat as much as she could of it. The girl was only too happy to oblige him. About 30 minutes later the oven dinged and they pulled all the cookies out. Hermione transferred all the cookies to plates and jars, while Albus but what was left in the oven. Hermione gleefully tried to sneak a cookie when Albus wasn't looking and ended up with flour in her face as Albus had flicked it at her. She glared at him and he laughed. Then they both tried one of each and were very happy with what came out.
"How about you go take Minerva a cookie, that should appease the dragon." Albus told Hermione jokingly. She nodded and ran out of the room with a chocolate chip cookie and ginger newt cookie.
Minerva looked up at Hermione when the girl entered the room with the cookies and accepted them with a warm smile. Hermione ran back into the kitchen quickly because Albus told her to give them to Minerva and then get back into the kitchen. Hermione went back out and gave her a peanut butter one after a few minutes.
When Hermione went back to the kitchen Minerva got an idea to get back at Albus and waited for Hermione to come back with another cookie.
Minerva had to wait a bit though as Hermione, stayed in the kitchen until the final batch of cookies were done. They were done soon, and Hermione ran out with a plate this time with a few of every cookies and a glass of milk for her mentor. Minerva took the plate out of Hermione's hands and took the glass of milk. However when Hermione made to leave back for the kitchen, Minerva reached out and pulled Hermione down onto the couch next to her.
"WAH!" Came from Hermione's mouth as Minerva pulled her down. Minerva shushed her, and held onto Hermione so that she couldn't run away. Minerva grinned and still with a hand on Hermione she ate some more of the cookies feeling pleased with her self.
It didn't take long for Albus to come in and wonder where his little helper had gone. He entered the living room with some more cookies and good naturedly glared at his wife who was smirking at him holding Hermione.
"Well I was wondering where my helper was." He said pretending to be mad. "I was about to send Fawkes to go look for her." Minerva gave him a shrewd look.
"You stole her already this morning, it's my turn." Minerva said matter of factly. Hermione blushed she wasn't use to this much attention.
"What if I'm not done with her?" Albus whined and pouted. Minerva laughed and pulled Hermione closer to her. Albus left the room in a huff which just caused his wife to laugh at his antics.
"Is he really mad?" Hermione asked worried.
"No he's just being silly." She said sitting up. She started piling the essays she had been grading.
"Do you have to grade a lot of essays?" Hermione asked sitting next to her.
"Sadly yes, it's always essays." She sighed "Speaking of which have you done your essay yet?" Minerva asked.
"Yes." Hermione said proudly. "Do you want it?"
"I don't need it but if you want to get it I'll grade it now." Minerva told her.
"Isn't that kinda cheating?" Hermione asked.
"I don't see how, your done with your essay and I'm just going to grade it early. It'll save me a paper to grade back at school." She informed Hermione. Hermione sat there silently for a minute.
"I'll just bring it down later." She told Minerva. There was a noise from behind the couch.
"Oh Minerva." Albus said sweetly from behind her. She turned around.
"What?" She said just as sweetly. Albus gave a mischievous grin and flung flour into her face. Hermione was trying hard not to laugh at the sight of her teacher covered in flour. Minerva got up slowly.
"Your going to wish you didn't do that Albus Dumbledore." She summoned another bag of flour and threw some back at him. This started a full fledged war between the two. Hermione was watching them awestruck. Two people who before this week she had thought to be very strict and respectable, who she never thought would have flour war with each other. It was to much for Hermione who burst out laughing. She was feeling very mischievous and when Minerva dropped her bag to try and grab Albus's, Hermione dove for it. Barely believing what she was doing, she took two fistfuls and threw it at both of them.
Minerva turned in shock to Hermione, surprised that the girl threw flour at them. However Albus took that opportunity to dump half his bag on Minerva. She summoned her bag out of Hermione's hands and threw it at him. Hermione couldn't help giggling, they were getting flour everywhere. However they both soon ran out of flour and turned to the laughing girl on the floor.
"You think this is funny?" Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes. Hermione nodded.
"Well how about a hug." Minerva said walking towards Hermione with her arms open grinning. Hermione screamed and ran around the room trying to avoid Minerva. She wasn't fast enough though and Minerva wrapped Hermione into a big hug getting flour all over the girl. They all ended up on the couch laughing.
"Ugh, you two are messy." Hermione said, shunching up her nose as if they smelled.
"Your messy too kitten." Minerva said she put more flour on Hermione's nose. Albus chuckled and with a wave of his hand all the flour disappeared.
"How'd you do that with out your wand?" Hermione asked excited. The couple laughed at the girls excitement.
"I'm afraid you won't learn any wand less magic until you get into NEWT level classes." Albus told her which caused a small pout. Minerva smiled at them.
"Well I see we've gotten a fresh sheet of snow. Should we go outside?" She offered.
"Yeah!" Hermione shouted and ran upstairs to get changed. Albus and Minerva chuckled and got ready to go out. Hermione came back downstairs after a few minutes and saw Albus and Minerva ready to go. She was wearing her new jacket and Gryffindor scarf.
"Here Hermione, you need some gloves, and button your jacket up all the way. And make sure your hat covers your ears. And . . ." Albus cut Minerva off.
"Minnie she's fine. We do have to make sure she can walk around outside." He laughed and lead them out side. They spent a couple hours outside. They made big snowman, and a little snowball fight broke out. A little later Minerva made Hermione some temporary skates and the girl was skating over the frozen lake.
Minerva and Albus were sitting together on a bench watching Hermione fall on the ice, and gradually get more confident.
"I have a feeling this is going to be a really great Christmas." Albus remarked pulling Minerva closer and they leaned on each other.
"I agree," She smiled. "I love having her here. I just hope she's having as much fun as we are." She remarked.
"I think she is." He assured her, waving a Hermione who had just waved at them. Then she fell again. Minerva hissed.
"Maybe one of us should be out there with her. She's been falling down a lot." She was half-way up in her seat. Albus pulled her back down.
"She's fine." He said.
"How can you be so sure?" She asked looking at him in disbelief.
"Because my dear as you have forgotten, we are wizards. I cast a cushioning charm on the ice before Hermione ever went out there." Minerva leaned against him.
"I love you." She said.
"I know." He replied.
Hope everyone liked this chapter. It was to longest I've ever written. And next chapter is Christmas morning.