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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Reunion

Harry stuck his head out into the corridor. "You can come in now."

James, Albus, Rose, Lily and Hugo filed into the room, Ron just behind them. "Are you really better, Mum?" Hugo asked nervously.

Hermione smiled at him. "The first spell you did was when you turned a daisy in our garden into a butterfly."

Hugo's face lit up. "You remember that!"

Lily ran to Hermione and hugged her. "Welcome back, Mum."

"Mum?"Hermione looked at her stepdaughter in surprise. "I know there's a lot of things I forgot but when did you start calling me that?"

"Just now. Do you mind?"

Hermione smiled at her. She'd never wanted to replace Ginny in Harry's children's affections but something about Lily calling her that made her feel good. "If you want to call me that, then that's all right with me."

Rose and Hugo joined the hugs. "I've missed you, Mum,"Rose conceded.

"You actually owe this lot a great deal,"Harry remarked. "It was them that found out about Lockhart."

James shrugged. "All in a day's work."

"I wish you'd told me what was going on though,"Albus complained.

"Well, it all happened quickly."

Hermione's gaze had drifted over to her ex-husband during the exchange. There was something nagging at the back of her mind and she wanted to sort it out. "Harry, can you take the children away for a moment? I want to ask Ron something."

Harry nodded and gestured for the quintet of Potters and Weasleys to follow him.

Hermione looked at Ron. "I haven't noticed it before now. But now that I remember everything…I haven't seen Parvati with you."

Ron nodded. "We split up."

Hermione sighed. "Why?"

"We wanted different things. She wanted marriage, children…and I've already had all that."

"You could have it again."

Ron looked at her and sighed. "I think once was enough."

Harry held tight to Hermione's hand as they approached the door, as if afraid that if he let it go she would be gone again and their life together with it. They could have apparated directly into the house but some part of both of them wanted to do it like this.

Harry pushed the door open and he and Hermione stepped inside. "Welcome home, Mrs. Potter."

Hermione took a deep breath. "I am, aren't I? That's what this is. Home."

"Well, it never really stopped being home. It's just now you remember."

Hermione nodded. "Thanks for that. For not giving up on me. Even when I couldn't remember you, I knew I trusted you. You made me feel like I belonged here."

"I guess we've always belonged wherever the other one is."

Hermione put her arms round him and gently kissed him.