Hey Readers! First off let me thank you for sticking with me for all of this time. I've been working on my capstone courses for my major, and find that studying takes up all of my time. My plan is to get *hopefully* two more chapters up before my winter break ends. I have them planned out, and not enough of a social life to be distracted. ;) Thanks again! I am so honored to have you reading my story. Happy holidays to everyone. Love, PurplePygmypuff

Chapter 26: The Act Of Fixing Things

Hermione bumped Shyla's foot with her own as they lounged on opposite sides of the couch. She had been reading an article on the Swedish Short-Snout dragon in the magazine that had been started by Cho Chang's father; Beguiling Beasts. He owned a publishing firm that was also attributed for starting Witch Weekly, as well as The Practical Potioneer.

They had considered going to Diagon Alley, but determined that the day after Christmas would be far too crowded.

Shyla glanced up from her novel, "Were there any secret societies when you were at Hogwarts?"

Hermione fumbled, dropping her magazine, "What?"

Shyla shrugged, "I'm just curious."

Hermione furrowed her brow and considered carefully how much to tell her young daughter. She had never told Shyla about Dumbledore's Army, in fear that she would get ideas to start her own. She cleared her throat and sat up right, "It wasn't secret, but I was a member of Professor Horace Slughorn's Slug Club."

Shyla nearly laughed, "The Slug Club."

Hermione eyed the girl trying to hide a smirk with her book. "Yes. Students were chosen based on their likelihood of being successful individuals in future endeavors." She gave up on her reading and tossed the magazine to the coffee table before them. "Harry was, of course, a member. He was Slughorn's favorite." She smiled a little at the memory of the awkwardness that Harry ensued while associated.

"Was my da-" Shyla slipped, flinching at her mistake. "I mean… was Ron a member?"

Hermione hid her cringe well as she also remembered how troubled Ron was to not have been invited. "He was not. But, Ginny was. She was attributed as having a wicked talent at casting a Bat-Bogey hex." Hermione was quick to realize her error in telling Shyla about the hex and added, "No, do not ask. I will not tell you how to cast it."

Shyla shook her head carelessly, pursing her lips, "I still have a hard time picturing Ginny as young and well-liked."

Hermione frowned. "Ginny hasn't always been sad. When she and Neville began dating, she was extremely happy. So happy that it was impossible to not be happy with her."

Hermione flattened the yellow dress as she entered Ginny's room at the Burrow. "Are you ready to be Mrs. Neville Longbottom?" She grinned at the red head before her.

Ginny's hair was in long, flowy curls, with a wreath of tiny white flowers sitting atop her head. She turned to the brunette and grinned back. "I'm getting married," was all she could manage.

Hermione smiled softly at the happiness that Ginny had found. It had been nearly five years since the war. The Burrow rarely had unnaturally cloudy days, and the family was finally as nearly normal as the Weasley clan could be. "Your mum wanted me to tell you that you have five more minutes."

"You mean, the woman who planned my wedding down to the last second?" Ginny scoffed, despite the incessant grin she wore.

"You're her only daughter, and she couldn't be happier for you." Hermione stepped behind Ginny and helped her finish the last few buttons on her white dress.

Ginny stood, revealing the entirety of the gown. Feminine white lace draped across her torso, hugging her hips as it fell gracefully. It flowed over her feet, making her legs appear to be endless. The neckline plunged in a V-shape, exposing a tasteful amount of cleavage, which was nearly obsolete from the distraction her pearl necklace provided.

"Oh, Ginny." Hermione gasped, "It's beautiful. You're beautiful."

Ginny smiled and grasped her friend's hand, "Thank you for being my Maid-of-Honor."

The girls held hands as they descended the stairs, mostly out of a fear of falling to their death if one of them were to trip.

At the bottom, Arthur Weasley took his daughter's hand instead, as he wiped a tear of joy from his eyes. "Are you ready?"

Ginny couldn't stop smiling, "Almost." She turned to Hermione, who handed her a bouquet of yellow and white daisies.

Hermione motioned to the other bridesmaids that it was time. She was joined quickly by Luna Lovegood and Avalon Clark, whom Ginny became friends with during the two years she played for the Holyhead Harpies.

The girls wore matching yellow dresses that ended just above their knees, and they each held a small bouquet of white daisies.

"I just love weddings!" Avalon exclaimed as she fixed Ginny's hair last minute, "It gives me the perfect excuse to look like a girl." She winked at Ginny. As the music started, she turned and made her way out the door.

Soon it was Hermione's turn. She took a deep breath. For no reason at all, she felt anxious, and a little nervous. The light from the late afternoon sun hit her eyes as she made her way to the grass. It was a perfect day for a wedding.

Neville had been grinning for days, but now, his smile was one of perfect happiness.

"Why did she become so sad then?" Shyla asked, forcing Hermione away from her memories.

She thought about how to reply, seeing as her daughter was only eleven. "When women have babies, sometimes their brain becomes chemically imbalanced. It can cause depression. Ginny's also brought back a lot of painful memories."

Shyla nodded and set down her book, "I'm hungry, what's for lunch?"

Hermione laughed, happy that Shyla still, just sometimes, accepted the first answer she was given. "We haven't been to Luca's diner in a while."

Hermione and Shyla entered the small diner only two blocks from their cozy apartment. Their boots were coated in a light dusting of snow.

"Shoes!" The man behind the counter yelled, "I just had the floors cleaned!"

Hermione grinned, "Hi, Luca."

"Hello, Granger Girls." Luca greeted back.

Shyla glanced around at the patrons sitting at the tables in their socks. It was an odd sight. She shrugged and pulled her boots off, setting them amongst the other pairs. "You're so high maintenance."

Luca scoffed at Shyla, "Who's the one who only ate mac and cheese for six months." He smirked, which surprised Hermione as she realized it was quite similar to Draco's signature smirk. Luca proceeded to clear abandoned plates from the counter, "Here alright?"

Hermione glanced down at her mismatched socks. She hadn't expected the need to remove her boots when she left the house. She shrugged, her socks were festive enough that it almost looked purposeful. One was blue with white snowflakes, while the other looked like a decorated Christmas tree. "How was your holiday, Luca?"

He poured Hermione a cup of coffee, and filled Shyla's with hot chocolate. "I visited Amy earlier this week. For a sister, she's exceptionally annoying during the holidays." His brown hair fell into his dark eyes as he looked down at the counter briefly. He was taller than Hermione, which wasn't difficult to do, but not to the point of towering over her. He was still fit from his days of playing footie in university.

Luca handed the girls each a menu and smiled, "Enough about me, how is boarding school, Shyla?"

Shyla glanced at her menu and closed it, "I am really enjoying it." She carefully considered what she could tell the muggle standing before her. "The school is really cool, and I've made a lot of friends already."

The girls had started eating there when they moved into their flat nearly six years prior. While the outside of the diner was bleak and rather unimaginative, the interior had a unique atmosphere. A warmth that made one feel as if they had been there before. Today, it was decorated lightly with Christmas decorations. Red and green garland adorned with gold stars.

Luca eyed Hermione and smiled softly. Before she looked up to make eye contact he glanced away and took Shyla's menu. "Grilled ham and cheese with cheese fries?"

Shyla grinned, "And a cream soda!"

Hermione playfully shook her head, "I'll have the turkey and swiss."

"Of course, just as predictable, Hermione." He teased.

Hermione was not oblivious to the way Luca looked at her. A few years prior they had even gone a date. It had gone well and they always enjoyed each other's company. Yet, at the end of the night they kissed. A kiss that would have normally sent butterflies to her stomach and make her stay up all night. But it didn't. For either one of them. It was weird, and illogical to not work; and on occasion Luca would randomly kiss her when they found themselves alone. It always resulted in the same shake of the head from each of them followed by a quick "nope!" What Hermione wasn't sure of was why he appeared to still be infatuated with her.

"Is your sister still harping on you to go on a date with her friend?" Hermione asked, changing the subject from her.

Luca scoffed, "Always."

She shrugged, "I think you should go."

"You do?" His eyebrows furrowed as he handed Shyla her drink.

Hermione nodded, "What could it hurt?"

Luca's face fell briefly before he replaced it with a smile, "Maybe you're right."

Shyla rolled her eyes, "Don't even start her on how she might be right."

Hermione gave Shyla her best mum stare, "Mum's are always right."

Back in their flat, Shyla drug a toy across the floor for Wiskers. The cat lept for the fake mouse and kicked it with his hind legs.

"Mum?"

"Shyla?"

"Can I send an owl to Eva seeing if she can spend the night?"

Hermione had been thinking about Draco all day. The day he had to go to Azkaban. While it may not have been to fulfill a punishment, visiting was seemingly just as bad. "Let's wait until tomorrow. Eva has a family thing going on, remember? Besides, her dad said you could come over tomorrow anyways."

"Yeah, okay." Shyla shrugged. She considered letting it go, and not thinking further about Eva having to visit a grandfather she obviously hated. But, being a Granger, she couldn't do that. "This is stupid!"

"What is?" Hermione asked, mindlessly wiping the counter off.

"Eva was in such a bad mood even considering having to see this guy. Why does she have to see him if she doesn't want to?" Shyla spat.

Hermione frowned, "Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do. I don't know why they go visit him, but they wouldn't go if it wasn't important."

Shyla was wound up as tight as a spinning top at this point. "And her mother! I doubt she even showed up for Christmas! What kind of person does that?!"

"The kind who doesn't have her priorities straight." Hermione clenched her teeth. Draco's wife was not her favorite subject.

At this point, Shyla was barely even listening to her mother, just ranting over Talia. "Eva pretends she doesn't care and that her mum isn't important to her. But I don't understand why Eva isn't important to her mum!"

Hermione frowned. "Shy..." She crossed from the kitchen to the living room and hugged her daughter tightly, "What has got you so wound up about this?"

In her adolescent mood Shyla began to cry. "It's not fair! Families like the Weasleys have both parents! And they don't even notice when the broken family leaves!" She sobbed into Hermione's chest, giving into the hug. "And Eva's family has two parents but one of them doesn't even care. Is it because we aren't Gryffindors? I don't understand."

Hermione felt her eyes well with tears, "It's my fault you don't have a father. Not yours. Just like it is not Eva's fault that her mother isn't there. Parents aren't perfect, but the least we can do is show you the love that you deserve." Hermione was upset with herself that she hadn't considered how much Shyla must be missing the Weasley's during Christmas. Their holidays used to be filled with so much joy and singing. "I'm going to send an owl to Katie, and see if you can stay the afternoon with them."

Shyla pulled back, "Why? Why would I want to see them?"

Hermione gave her daughter a small smile, "Because Ali is your oldest friend, and I'm tired of how things have been going. Besides, I need to do a few things on my own today." She paused before continuing, "Will you be okay?"

Shyla nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes. There was no reason to be irrational and emotional over people who didn't want her.

Shyla found herself on the other side of the floo network holding a small tin of holiday cookies. Another present that her mum had remembered to prepare.

"Shyla!" Katie greeted with a large hug, "I've missed you."

The girl hugged her back, tensing a little at the unexpected gesture. Not that Katie had ever treated Shyla poorly; it was just that Shyla had thought they didn't love her anymore. "Mum asked me to give this to you." She handed the tin to the woman before her.

"Thank you, that's very thoughtful."

Shyla glanced around the small home. It was cozy and warm. It was in a light disarray. Toys littered the floor, along with books amongst a pile of blankets and pillows. Shyla guessed that the twins had built a fort. She shuffled her feet against the carpet and stared awkwardly at her hands.

"Ali is in her room." Katie commented, leading Shyla despite the countless times she had been there.

Katie knocked on the door and peeked inside, "Ali, Shy is here to hang out for a bit."

Ali looked up from the book she was reading and grinned, "Shyla!"

Shyla shut the door behind her and sat on Ali's bed, just like old times. The room was small, but cozy. There were Quidditch posters, only one new poster since the last time Shyla visited. The comforter on the bed was the same, and her bookshelf hadn't changed. It felt natural to be in that room, despite the way they had behaved at Hogwarts.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Ali asked casually, plopping on the bed next to Shyla.

Shyla nodded, "Yeah, we went and visited my Grandma and Grandpa Granger. And I've spent some time with Eva Malfoy at her house."

Ali's face scrunched, "Ew, seeing a professor over the holiday? Why?"

Shyla smirked, "It's not that bad. Besides, Eva and I are on a secret mission to get our parents to fall madly in love." She glanced around the empty room for no reason at all and continued, "But, shhh, you can't tell anyone."

"Shy, you're so weird. Who would I even tell?" Ali laughed.

Shyla bit the inside of her cheek, "You mean, you haven't made new best friends?"

Ali shrugged, "I have a few friends, but I wouldn't call them best friends. The girls in my house are more concerned with boys and looking cool to the older students."

"I think Keelee is the only first year in Slytherin that acts that way." Shyla responded casually, "Eva is pretty cool. You should hang out with us sometime."

"I don't know…"

"Why?" Shyla snapped, "Because she's a Slytherin?"

Ali shook her head quickly, "No! It's just - I've heard that Eva is really rude and she tells her dad if students are misbehaving."

Shyla snorted a laugh out, before continuing with a full hearted laugh. "That is absolute rubbish! Let me guess, you all think that Professor Malfoy is scary?"

"I mean, kind of." Ali blushed, realizing that what she had heard may not have been true after all.

Shyla rolled her eyes, "He's really nice. I mean, after I got in huge trouble with the lake monster and then for fighting, he started having me come talk to him once a week. At first, it was torture, and I just wanted to leave. But he let me try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team if it meant I stopped getting into trouble."

"I suppose." Ali agreed casually. "My head of house, Professor Lindbergh, is okay. But his breath smells like old cheese."

"Gross!" Shyla exclaimed, her nose scrunched.

The girls sat in an awkward silent before Ali finally continued, "Listen, Shy. I'm sorry about what I said during detention. It wasn't fair."

Shyla laid back on the bed and sighed, "I never changed. Neither did you."

"Maybe we were just looking for Gryffindor traits and we happened to ignore the rest…" Ali admitted, "Sometimes I wonder if I would be happier as a Hufflepuff."

Once again, Hermione Granger stood in front of The Burrow. Per usual for this time of year, it was decorated with twinkling lights without strands to hold them in place and precariously placed garland.

She rested her hand on the gate and sighed to herself. She had been hoping things would blow over shortly after Shyla's sorting. But seeing as that was not the case, and that it was hurting her daughter, she had to take the situation into her own hands.

"Hermione." Arthur Weasley greeted as he opened the door to the crooked home.

Hermione composed herself and entered the gate, "Sorry to disturb. Could I speak with you and Molly?"

Arthur nodded, "Of course, come in." He cleared his throat after hugging the woman before him. "I've been trying to talk some sense into her and Ginny. I'm glad you're here."

Hermione paused, unsure if she wanted to handle Ginny at the same time.

Arthur sensed her hesitation and gave her a very small smile, "Ginny is at home today." He paused before continuing, "She's doing better. Neville found her a new doctor, and it has really been helping."

"I'm glad. I hate seeing her so sad."

"Me too." He sighed and reopened the door to his home. "Come in."

Molly shuffled out of the kitchen wearing a flower patterned apron. She pursed her lips at the sight of Hermione before her.

Hermione straightened her posture. It felt like a business meeting. "Molly, I need to speak to you about Shyla."

Molly pursed her pink lips into a frown. "You made your choices, Hermione."

"Yes, I did." She agreed with a nod. "And those were my choices, and mine alone. I acted selfishly; afraid that you wouldn't accept her if she wasn't Ron's."

Molly sniffled into a light blue handkerchief, "It felt like the little bit of Ron that I had left was ripped away from me."

Hermione's brow furrowed and she found herself staring at her feet. "You loved Shyla thinking she was Ron's, and now you want nothing to do with her." She unintentionally choked on her words. "She doesn't deserve this. I made a mistake, and I lied. This is not her fault."

Arthur frowned, removing his glasses from his wrinkling face. "Molly, it has gone on long enough."

The woman in all her fury turned to her husband, "How can you say that! Our boy is gone!"

"Ron has been gone for nearly twelve years. And to assume that Shyla was going to be just like him was always wrong." Arthur argued.

Hermione had wished many a times that she had just told everyone the truth. Amazing how one misplaced lie can cause such heartbreak and anger. "I'm so sorry. To both of you."

Molly wiped a tear and stared into Hermione's glossy eyes, "If- if Ron had survived, was there any possibility of loving him?"

Hermione wasn't sure why Molly was asking this. She had to know what her answer would be. She slowly shook her head, "Ron was my friend. But only my friend. Please know that I have always loved your family as my own, and never wanted to jeopardize that." Hermione frowned before looking back at Molly, "I don't know what it is like to lose a child. I hope I never have to go through that. But I do know what it is like to lose my two best friends in one day. There I was, friendless and pregnant. I didn't know what to do. So I hid. I was in no condition to be a- a war hero. For so long I thought I should have died with them. I should have been brave enough, strong enough, to continue fighting. Truth is, I wasn't, and I would be dead if it wasn't for Draco Malfoy. You can hate me and spit on my grave after I'm gone, but please, stop taking this out on Shyla. That is all I am asking." She found tears streaming down her cheeks, which she wiped away with the sleeve of her coat.

Molly pulled Hermione into a motherly hug. An action that caught Hermione off guard. "I'm sorry." She whispered between sobs. "I don't hate you. I've been so caught up in losing my boy that I forgot that it would have been even harder if we had lost you as well."

"Shyla can't escape being a Weasley." Arthur smiled, "Even if it is just an honorary title."

Hermione smiled gently as Molly released her, "Thank you."