April 5th, 2004
When she arrives at the party with Gustave, the first thing that crosses her mind is the last talk she had with Harry. Hermione thought about that day more than she can keep count of. He said he missed her, said he thought about her all the time… But she had to let go. Mostly because she discovered that she's never going to forgive herself if she crosses another line with Harry while he's with Tessa. Because, regardless his words… he's still with Tessa.
And Hermione spots them immediately. They look good together. Really, the perfect image. Tessa is stunning in a nice dress and Harry, in trousers and a tucked shirt, look as handsome as ever. But it's funny that seeing them like this, maybe for the first time, doesn't stir terrible sensations inside her. She's… cool with it.
Gustave squeezes her hand and they walk further into the backyard.
Rachel is four today. Which is kind of crazy. Hermione has no idea where time went, how it happened so fast… Since Harry talked to her, Rachel's weekly visits returned to normal and it feels like she's closer than ever to the little girl. It helps that Rachel is talking and understanding things more, she can elaborate better her emotions and this is amazing, Hermione feels truly honored to be part of her upbring.
Thanks to Harry.
Her eyes stop on him for a second. He's smiling and talking to someone Hermione doesn't recognize. Regardless, he looks happy, his hand on Tessa's waist while she also smiles and participates in the conversation. Rachel is running around with the other kids and she still hasn't noticed Hermione. A few weeks ago, she introduced Gustave to the little girl. They got along pretty well and Hermione is happy, because… things with him are getting pretty serious and she really, really likes him. She can't say she loves him, but in her opinion, she's getting there. Faster now.
"Ugh." Ron complains by her other side. She knows why he's in a sour mood. Since Ron had that talk with Harry, he frequently comes to the house to visit him and Rachel. And he told Hermione that Tessa is treating him so badly that he has no idea how he still thinks about her. Hermione made a face at this, truly shocked that Ron still feels something for Tessa, whatever it is. He was supposed to bring a date with him today, but the woman canceled at the last minute and now he's pouting while looking at Tessa and Harry.
"Behave." She says to him. He rolls his eyes and walks more into the backyard, going to Ginny and Draco.
Gustave brings her closer by the waist and kisses her cheek. Hermione smiles, looking at him. It's the first time they'll be in the same place as Harry for hours and she doesn't know what to expect from this. It should be a normal day since Harry is with Tessa and she's happy with Gustave, but Hermione can't deny that a certain nervousness is taking over her now that they're here. Not just because of Harry, but because of Tessa too. It feels like her relationship with her cousin will never bounce back from all this mess and it saddens Hermione.
She thought so many things would be different.
"Mama Mi!" Rachel finally spots her and Hermione opens a huge smile, crouching to hug the girl. She knows everyone is looking at them.
"Sweetie! Happy birthday!" She squeezes her tightly and kisses her cheek. Both are smiling widely. "Look." Hermione conjures up a wrapped gift and Rachel giggles at the magic. Attached to the present - a very amazing magical book that interactively tells stories - there's a red balloon.
Rachel hugs the balloon, happy. It swells Hermione's heart. Gustave also crouches and gives Rachel a hug, handing his gift to her. Excited, Rachel thanks them and walks over to a magical box where she leaves the presents. Then, she's back to running around.
Harry and Tessa did an amazing job with the party. It's owl themed. Rach has been obsessing with owls since she started learning about them in School. There's even a real owl there that the kids can pet occasionally. But just like last year, those huge inflatable toys are back. It sends a shiver down her spine when she spots the one that flies up high-
Hermione notices that Tessa is looking at her. They hold their gazes. Maybe it's not friendly, but it's polite. Which is more than Hermione can ask, apparently. Harry's not by her side anymore.
And, this time, as a guest and not an organizer of the party, Hermione pulls Gustave with her to talk with Draco, Ginny and Ron. She doesn't need to see if everything is going accordingly to expected and such, so…
"Oh, my, look at your belly!" Hermione exclaims to Ginny, hugging her. It's been almost two months since they last saw each other. Hermione's hours are a bit crazy now and on her days off she's always with Rachel.
"Ah, I know!" Ginny answers. "I mean, you can already tell, right?"
"Yes!"
Ginny has a new glow to herself and as they proceed to talk about the pregnancy and its challenges, Ron, Draco and Gustave are in a conversation of their own.
And when, after a while, Tessa approaches them, Hermione is momentarily shocked to have a reaction. But she greets her cousin with a smile.
"It's a beautiful party." She says in a friendly tone.
Tessa opens a small smile. "Thanks, I- Harry had most of the ideas, I mean, I don't know much about owls and all that, but…" She shrugs.
Hermione gulps. She doesn't know what to say, but Ginny resumes her talk about the pregnancy and she includes Tessa in it, which gives them a lot to talk about. It's a nice conversation and when Gustave comes to her, she introduces him to Tessa.
"Tess, this is Gustave. My boyfriend. Gus, this is my cousin, Rachel's mother."
Tessa widens her eyes, clearly surprised that Hermione is introducing her as Rachel's mother. But… what the hell she thinks? Of course she's her mother.
"Hi, it's a pleasure." Tessa smiles widely to Gustave while they shake hands. "I- I have to talk with a few other guests, but please, enjoy the party."
She leaves and Hermione stays with a good sensation in her heart, it's… for the first time in a long time it felt like she was talking to Tessa. Her cousin. The old Tessa.
So, it's not that hard to enjoy the party.
He's inside the house, looking at the backyard. Rachel is, yet again, like she does in her birthdays - differently from him - having the time of her life. She runs around like there are no consequences and the amount of energy she has amazes him. Rachel only stops to eat. Different from last year, this time there are a lot of kids there too. Friends from the Wizarding School. Also many parents that Harry has to talk to. It's a bit nerve wracking. They all look at him with wide eyes. And he noticed that most are not that welcoming when it comes to Tessa, which angers Harry. A lot.
He washes his hands at the sink. He walked inside to breathe a little. He spotted Hermione the second she arrived and it did things to him. His stomach went to his feet and then back up and his heart started beating like crazy. He was not prepared for it. He really thought things had changed. Since their last conversation he promised to himself that he would make a greater effort with Tessa. And surprisingly, it's working. They're probably at their best moment since she woke up. He thinks less about Hermione. He stopped imagining how life would be if they were still together.
And what changed his mind was Hermione's decision of staying in Paris permanently. She wouldn't consider this if she weren't happy. And it's clear to him that she moved on. He owed himself the same. But, of course, he kept thinking about her when organizing this party. He remembers what he said to her one year ago: that they would have to plan a bigger and better party next year. And… it was the day that he told her he was in love with her.
So much changed since then.
His eyes travel the backyard, stopping on Hermione. She's talking to Ginny. Ron, Draco and Gustave are close by in a conversation of their own. Harry has to admit that Gustave seems nicer than Ned. But even so, he doesn't like the guy… for reasons that he buried very deep inside himself. His eyes fall on Hermione. She's so beautiful. She has a freshness to her that Harry realized she'd lost since Tessa's accident. He lowers his head. Sometimes Ron talks about Hermione's life when he visits. Superficial things, but even so, Harry feels like a starved man when he's fed news of her. Through Ron he knows that Hermione is doing amazingly at the Hôpital. He knows that they're considering promoting her to a higher position, and he also knows that she already cracked two impossible cases with head trauma and memory loss. It… makes him so fucking proud.
Harry never asks about her personal life, though, but there are times that Ron mentions Gustave. Rachel also mentioned her mama Mi's new boyfriend last week. Harry felt a hot anger, a jealousy that puts together Hermione and Rachel. It might be idiotic and primal, but he hates the idea of another man taking care of Hermione and protecting his daughter. The notion is so wrong in his mind. In his heart. But he deals with it.
He deals because he's… with Tessa.
And he squints when he sees her walking to Hermione and Ginny. Harry crosses his arms, watching. Tessa… changed. Since he had that fight with her, she's different. She's more calm. More… loving. Her aggressiveness reduced considerably and now they can actually talk, solve problems like adults. If Tessa eventually mends her relationship with Hermione, Harry knows that things might get even better. They love each other, but Tessa insists on hating her cousin without reason.
Harry makes a face and runs a hand through his hair when Hermione introduces Gustave to Tessa. He still needs to greet her. And he's afraid that what he's been ignoring for months might come back when they look into each other's eyes.
She's with Rachel in her arms. They're petting the owl together. Hermione already had a chance at talking with a few people that she'd no idea who they were. It turns out they're the parents from Rachel's friends. Some were nice to her, others a bit more hesitant. It's incredible how many families still frown upon Muggleborns. Hermione can't even imagine how they treated Tessa if they were so cold with her.
But she brushed it away, firm on her decision that nothing is going to ruin her day or Rachel's party. However, she's a bit anxious. Harry still hasn't talked to her. It's not like they're not even friends anymore, is it? Has he made this decision on his own? Is he going to ignore her now? Yeah, she didn't go after him either, but it's his party and she's a guest. It's his house-
"She reminds me of Hedwig." Harry says, stopping by her side. Rachel immediately puts her arms out, wanting him to fetch her. He does and opens a smile to Hermione. "It's nice seeing you."
Her heart is indeed beating faster and she does her best to act cool. "It's nice seeing you too. I thought you were ignoring me." She tilts her head and he lets out a chuckle.
"Never." It's his simple answer. Their eyes are locked. "How are you?" He asks and she can't help thinking how formal he's acting.
"I'm good." She smiles, her fingers on the smooth feathers of the white owl. "You?"
"Good." He nods. "Things are good." She gets what he's saying. Things are finally good between him and Tessa.
"I'm glad, Harry." She says honestly. Then, Rachel gets tired of the owl and Harry puts her down, she runs away from them, searching her little friends.
He inhales deeply by her side, pocketing his hands. Hermione's eyes inevitably search Gustave and Tessa. Gustave is talking with the Weasleys, Tessa is talking to Leonard - who just arrived.
"I- do you think this party outdid last year's?" He asks a bit shyly. Her heart squeezes inside her chest.
"Hm. Maybe." She gives him a side glance. He's smiling. "I mean, that toy should have been banned." She points out to the one she almost vomited inside last year.
He snorts a chuckle and a small silence falls between them. It's so weird. Then, before they can react, Harry's magical camera appears in front of them. They look at each other.
"Come on, one photo." He says and steps into her personal space, his arm going around her waist for them to pose for the picture.
She lets her arm go around him too and they smile together. Hermione's sure is a beautiful pic. And when they move from their embrace, his hand brushes and holds hers in a soft caress, their eyes meet and the camera takes another picture at this exact moment.
Hermione clears her throat and smiles, a bit flustered. She misses his touch.
Harry looks down. "I think we'll soon cut the cake." His voice comes out weird.
"Oh, sure. That's nice." She smiles, but the awkwardness is there. And she's saved by the bell when Ron calls to her. He and Gustave are smiling and looking in her direction. "Oh, they probably want my opinion in an idiotic matter. That's how they function." She says naturally.
Harry sets his jaw but he smiles. "Yeah, probably."
She excuses herself, hating each step she takes away from him.
Ron has to admit that the little party is more fun than he expected it would be. He got a chance to play with the kids and be with his family. Not just that but… since he told Harry about Tessa's lie, it's the first time that she's not treating him badly. She's actually being nice. And he has to confess that it messes with him. The other day Hermione questioned him on how two kisses were able to do this to him. It's like Tessa ruined every other woman for him and Ron has no idea when exactly this happened.
Yeah, he's trying to forget her and all, but each time he sees her - which is a considerable amount of times since he's always visiting Harry - it rekindles the feeling. And the more she ignores him, the more he wants her. This can't possibly be healthy. Not just that but… Harry. He can't do this to his friend, not now that they're finally back in a good place. Not now that their friendship is strong again. Ron shivers just to imagine a scenario where Harry finds out about these kisses he shared with Tessa. It's going to ruin everything again. He doesn't want that.
But something is clear to him now. There's a need inside him. He wants to be close to Tessa. And he doesn't want her to hate him. He makes a face at his own thought, but his internal conflict is interrupted when Harry and Tessa come from inside the house holding a gigantic birthday cake. In the form of an owl. He snorts a chuckle and looks at Hermione. Gustave is embracing her from behind, but Ron can see the sadness in her eyes. It cuts her open that it's not her and Harry. But she's never going to admit that. Not to herself or anyone else. She's doing an amazing job in living her life and repeating to him that she moved on.
However, for those who really know her - like him - her eyes might tell a different story.
But she sings along with the others, leaning back on Gustave who softly kisses her neck and makes her smile. Ron's eyes go back to Harry and Tessa, Rachel with them, mesmerized by the cake. Harry's camera is taking a lot of pictures, of everyone and of the birthday girl.
They all clap when she blows out the four candles. Ron is happy. He loves this little girl. And then, his eyes inevitably go to Tessa. She's watching Rachel with a teary smile. Harry goes to her, kissing her temple and hugging her. Tessa kisses Harry back, both looking at Rachel with love pouring out of them.
Then, something truly unexpected happens.
Harry seizes Rachel in his arms and brings Tessa closer for the camera to take a photo of them. Tessa smiles, but her eyes search the guests. Ron sees the moment she finds Hermione. And with a deep breath, she calls out to her cousin.
"Come!" Tessa extends her hand in the air, inviting Hermione to be part of the picture.
Harry clearly stops breathing. Then, his chest goes up and down fast, his eyes going from Tessa to Hermione.
Hermione hesitates, Gustave's arms are around her like a protection, a barrier - the man knows everything she went through.
"Come on, Hermione!" Tessa calls again and this time she goes.
Harry has the goofiest smile on his face. And Hermione embraces Tessa's side for the picture. Harry, Rach, Tessa and Hermione. The four. Wide smiles on their faces. A moment of truce. It crosses Ron's mind that Rachel is the main reason why Tessa still has something against Hermione, but at the same time, the girl is their bridge. Rachel is the answer to everything. Their love for her is the answer.
An idea begins to form in his mind… Hermione might truly hate him because of this, but his idea is perfect. If this doesn't work he can't think of anything else. He opens a mischievous smile.
With the photos of the four done, Harry hands Rachel to Hermione for them to take a few of their own. The huge smile on Hermione's face is like a beacon of light in a dark night. Leonard is next to take a few photos of his own. But now, Ron's eyes are following Tessa. She's entering the house with her head down.
He gulps and apparates inside.
Tessa is walking upstairs, surely to the photo room. Ron follows her. Tessa glances behind her shoulder, seeing him. But she doesn't stop and they enter the room together. Ron closes the door behind him.
There's a heavy silence between them. Ron clears his throat. Tessa is not looking at him, she's at the window, looking at the party from there.
"I-" She begins. "The photos Harry's camera takes are revealed instantly." Her voice is low. "I came up here to see them, I want to give a few to Hermione." Her voice falters.
Ron inhales deeply. "It was an amazing thing what you just did." Not that it was that amazing, but by the way she was treating Hermione, it was surely a surprise.
"I- I don't want to keep fighting with Harry because of this." Ron makes an ugly face at her explanation. Of course, she did it for Harry. Not for Hermione. Not even for Rachel.
He sighs. "You should also consider Hermione's feelings in this. Not just Harry's. Not to mention Rachel's." He's a bit angry.
But he walks further inside the room. Indeed, there's a magical device on a table and the photos are being printed instantly. Ron's eyes go over a few. They all look amazing. When he looks back up, Tessa is in front of him, across the table.
"I know, Ron." She whispers. "After you told Harry that I had prohibited Hermione from seeing Rachel, we… had a nasty fight." Ron gulps. She's looking at the photos, going through them. "And he told me a few things that… Hermione is Rachel's Godmother, for fuck's sake. I chose her to be. She's my cousin." Tessa shakes her head, a bit sad. "And things are so much better between me and Harry. Rachel finally accepts me as her mother and I can't help thinking that maybe I was acting like a cunt without reason."
He snorts a laugh. "I'm glad you're aware." He points at her. "Awareness is important."
Tessa chuckles, squinting at him. "I'm also sorry for treating you badly."
His heart beats faster and he gulps. "Oh? You were? Treating me badly? I thought it was your natural charming self."
She laughs again. He feels some warmness inside him. She has a cute laugh.
"So, you and Hermione are over." Her eyes are on his.
He squints. "Yes. I'm very single now."
Tessa inhales deeply, still looking at him. He has no idea what's happening. But she lowers her eyes, looking at the pictures. He doesn't say a thing, not sure he should. She doesn't either.
But then, she stops moving her hands, her eyes on a photo. Ron looks down-
It's Harry and Hermione. They were moving away from each other after posing. His hand is on hers and their eyes are blazing while they look at each other.
Tessa almost stops breathing. Ron knows what she's thinking. He can see it too. There's love between Harry and Hermione, undeniable love. Undeniable longing. She looks at Ron, holding the picture and then another of Harry and Hermione, some of the three with Rach, a few of Rach and Hermione and one of Hermione and Gustave in an embrace.
"Do you think she'll like these?"
Ron smiles and takes from her hand the one that Harry and Hermione are looking at each other, unaware of the camera. This photo will make Hermione suffer. "Not this one." He winks at Tessa, magically tucking it away.
They share a look filled with meaning. Tessa looks down, sad. Ron moves to her, raising her chin with his hand.
"Why are you so nice to me?" She asks in a low voice, her amazing eyes falling to his lips. "I've been a bitch to you-"
He shuts her up with a kiss.
Tessa takes a second to correspond, but when she does, her free hand goes to his nape and her tongue meets his. Ron squeezes her waist. He's been waiting for so long to kiss her again. He's been wanting to do this since she left his flat that morning months ago. He embraces her and Tessa moves her head to kiss him better. It's such a good kiss. He moans internally and she bites on his lower lip, trapping it between hers, her hot mouth also on his chin. He moves to the other side, changing the kiss and exploring her mouth with his tongue, tasting her slowly. Tessa sighs heavily, completely in the moment.
It's not possible that she loves Harry this much-
Thinking about Harry makes him stop. Ron moves a bit away from her, lowering his head. He's breathing hard and she is too. There's a blush across her face and she looks even more adorable that way. Their eyes meet.
Ron could say a lot of things. But he ponders if that's going to change anything. They've already shared a few kisses and Tessa ignores them. It's like they never happened. She continues to profess her undying love for Harry. Ron is the single one here, if she doesn't have a problem in cheating on Harry, should he be the one calling her out on this? She knows what she's doing.
He wets his lips, her taste in his mouth, and he takes a step back from her, clearing his throat. Tessa looks down, ashamed, her hand over her mouth, a small wrinkle between her brows.
This kiss was different from the others.
One time can be a fluke. Two times is something that they did just to test it out. Now, three… there's no other explanation than them wanting it. Ron gulps, pocketing his hands. Tessa is also behaving differently from the other times, she's not running away or telling him to piss off. In fact, she's looking at him with a strange expression.
"Why does this keep happening?" She asks in a low voice.
He inhales deeply, shrugging. "Because we want, Tessa."
She closes her eyes and he sees that she's denying his words in her head. She's with Harry, why would she ever want to kiss another man, right?
"We…" She looks lost. Then, she makes a face and says, "We should head back to the party."
Tessa begins to walk to the door but he holds her. She looks at him. He wants to kiss her again, but he came after her for a reason.
"Tess, are you ready to forgive Hermione?" He asks in a low voice. He doesn't think Hermione did anything wrong, but in Tessa's eyes she did the worst possible.
She purses her lips, her chin trembling. She's about to cry. "Why do you ask?"
"Because…" He steps closer to her, his hand cupping her cheek, "If you are, I can help you. There's something you need to see and I know Hermione herself will never show you."
She leans a bit into his hand. "And you will?"
"Yes. If you're honest about it, if you really want to mend things with her."
"Okay." She doesn't hesitate. "I- whatever it is that you wanna show me, I wanna see."
He opens a tiny smile and she does too. Her eyes go again to his mouth, but this time Tessa walks away from him. She leaves the room, going back to the party with the photos she picked out to give Hermione.
Ron has a smile on his face, but he's also nervous now. He can't tell Hermione about this third kiss. She already judges him and Tessa enough for the other two. And he's about to do something that might ruin their friendship.
But well, someone has to do it.
Harry is looking at the pictures from the party. Tessa is giving Rachel a bath and everyone is already gone. The backyard looks like a battlefield of owls. Some balloons were shaped like owls and there are feathers scattered around. It was part of a little surprise for the kids. They all loved the magic with the fake owls flying around.
And in his opinion it was an amazing day. Rachel smiled the entire party and Tessa's gesture of calling Hermione to take the photos with them was something that warmed his heart. He was so happy to see the smile on Hermione's face that…
He gulps, looking at the photos. He's searching for that one. The one the camera took of them while they weren't posing. He knows Tessa gave some photos to Hermione, but not this one, right? He keeps searching, not finding it. It annoys him a bit. Where is it? He has no idea why he wants this photo so damn much, but it reminds him of one that the camera took of them on that New Year years ago. Before the party. After he flew around with Rachel and Hermione combed his hair with her hands.
"Shit." He murmurs. The photo is not there.
Sighing, he sits down on an armchair, looking at the photos with calm now. He smiles at the ones with Rachel - which are 98%. She had a blast. It makes him happy. There are some photos of Draco and Ginny and the kids, the Weasleys. They all look happy. There are also some of Ron and Hermione, provoking each other with owl's feathers. Harry chuckles. Then-
He sets his jaw, gritting his teeth.
Hermione and Gustave. Tessa probably forgot to give this one to her. He's embracing Hermione from behind, she's leaning on him, her eyes closed while Gustave kisses her neck. There's a smile on Hermione's face.
Harry wants to burn the picture. Watch it turn into ashes. He's suffocating with jealousy.
Fucking shit. Shit.
He sets the photo aside and closes his eyes, his hands going through his hair. It- when things were terrible between him and Tessa he could comprehend why he still thought about Hermione, but now that everything is good, he- fuck. He's crazy jealous of her. He deluded himself that the feeling had died. It did not. It's as strong as ever.
But he shakes his head and shoves it down.
He goes after Tessa and their daughter.
June 18th, 2004
Hermione apparates inside Draco and Ginny's. It's her day off and she gets to spend it with Rachel, so, she's excited about it, but when she walks into their living room, Rachel is not there.
Tessa is.
"Hey." Tessa stands from the couch and Hermione takes a second to react.
She blinks, surprised. "Hey, Tess. I- where's Rach? Is everything alright?"
Tessa inhales deeply and nods, "Yeah, Rach is fine, I just- Mi, we need to talk."
Hermione is frozen on the spot. Yes, they were polite and friendly at Rachel's party months ago, but since then they haven't even seen each other and now this-
"Okay." Hermione says slowly. "Are Draco and Gin-"
"They're not home. I asked them if we could have this moment alone, they agreed."
Trembling a bit, Hermione walks closer to Tessa. She can feel her heart pounding inside her chest. She has no idea what's about to happen, but it feels important. She knows it is. She knows everything is about to change again.
A silence fills the room. Tessa is looking at her with a strange expression and Hermione imagines all kind of things- Maybe she's pregnant. It sends a shiver down her spine. Not a nice one. But she shakes the thought away.
"So," Hermione says, sitting down on an armchair. Tessa also sits on the couch. They're facing each other. "I'm all ears."
"Before anything, I don't want you to be angry with Ron. He asked me to say this." Hermione opens her mouth, extremely confused.
"I- What Ron has to do with any of this-"
She stops talking when Tessa takes a leathery black notebook from her purse. Hermione recognizes it immediately. She closes her eyes and curses Ron to the next generation. She hopes his dick never gets an erection again.
"Fucking shit." She whispers under her breath. It takes her a minute to recompose herself. She's a bit dizzy. She never imagined Tessa would have this notebook in her hands, she never thought about giving it to her. Never considered that she would read it. Hermione can feel a tear rolling down her cheek. "So, you read it?"
"I did." Tessa's voice falters. "And I-" Her voice cracks. She's crying too. "God, this is hard." Tessa purses her lips. Hermione waits. She has nothing to say. Everything she felt on those two and a half years are written down in that diary. Tessa already knows what she thinks. "Since I had a fight with Harry because he found out about me prohibiting you from seeing Rachel I've been thinking a lot about you, Hermione. About us." Hermione looks down. "Even before this diary came to me I- I was already thinking about talking to you. I know I was the worst cunt in the world. I know. And I'm very sorry about it. But when I- when I heard about you and Harry, I lost it. I felt betrayed, stabbed in the back."
"I understand, Tess-"
"Let me talk." She cuts Hermione. Her voice is not harsh, but it's firm. "And your relationship with Rachel…" Tessa sighs. "I can't apologize enough, Hermione. You took care of her. You gave her all your love and I was blind to the obvious." She wipes away a few tears. "I was focusing on the wrong things, hating myself because I slept for years while life went on."
"It was not your fault, Tess." Hermione whispers.
"I know." Tessa opens a sad smile. "I know, but there was a huge hole inside me, you know?" She gulps. "I- I kept imagining everything I lost. I kept thinking about you and Harry, you and Rachel. And please, don't get me wrong when I say this, but… when I suffered that accident, Harry was everything to me. All I ever wanted was to be with him. And Rachel is my daughter, so-"
"You had to blame someone." Hermione says in a low voice.
Tessa makes a face. "I shouldn't have, but I did. It was easier to blame you. You're in Paris, we wouldn't see each other often and I could stay with Harry and Rachel." Hermione bites on her lower lip, nodding. "But I miss you. I miss you so damn much. I- At Rachel's party Ron told me that if I was ready to forgive you he could show me something that-" Tessa chokes, holding tightly to the notebook. "Hermione, these words, this diary, I-" She cries a bit harder. Hermione doesn't move. She's so nervous, so shocked by this conversation. And so hopeful. "You wrote it for me. So I could know what was happening to my daughter, so I could see through your eyes how Harry was getting along with her." Tessa opens a smile. "I can't thank you enough for this. It- this is precious and it made me feel like I was there with you watching my daughter grow."
Hermione sobs, closing her eyes and covering her face with both hands. Then she feels Tessa's hands on hers, she's crouching in front of her.
"You're the sister I never had." Tessa says in a low voice. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you, my God, Hermione, please, forgive me. Forgive me."
Hermione nods, crying. She can't utter a word, she's unable to. But she rises from the chair and brings Tessa with her. They share the tightest hug ever.
"I'm so sorry, I was such an ungrateful bitch." Tessa says, sobbing too. "You- I love you, Mi."
"Tess, I love you too." They keep crying.
And Hermione feels a piece of herself healing. It's odd because she thought she was fine. But now she knows that she's… almost complete.
After a while they get tired of crying and they start to laugh, still in an embrace. Hermione knows there's a lot they need to mend, a lot they need to clarify, but just to have this chance makes her extremely happy.
Wiping her tears, Tessa takes a step back and they sit next to each other on the couch, holding their hands.
"About Harry-" Hermione begins and Tessa raises a hand.
"I- You fell in love." She says simply, shrugging. "I'm sorry about the way I treated your love, it was unfair from me and again, forgive me."
Hermione gulps. "It was never my intention to-"
"Mi, I know. I know." She squeezes Hermione's hand. "It was indeed a complicated situation." They share a look. "But I'm done blaming others, you know? The accident happened and I have to accept it, I have to move on. Like I said, I miss you. I miss having you in my life and I know Harry misses you too." Hermione looks down at that. Harry's surely a touchy subject. "I know we have a lot to fix, but, would you come with me? Back to my house? Rachel is there waiting for you. And Harry knows that I'm here having this conversation with you, I'm sure he's also anxious." She snorts a bit. "Not just him, but Draco, Gin and Ron."
Hermione grunts when she mentions Ron. "I could kill him, you know." They chuckle. "But I guess I should thank him."
Tessa tilts her head. "You should." They touch their foreheads. "Thank you so much for everything. For taking care of Rachel and giving Harry what he needed to be an amazing father. And thank you for never giving up on me. For always praying and studying the case. I owe you a lot, Mi."
"You owe me absolutely nothing." Hermione moves back to look into her eyes. "I'm just thankful that we're here now. Thankful that we found our ways back to each other."
Tessa cries a bit more, but she takes the notebook and opens on the last page. "I just wanna ask you about this last entry." Hermione gulps. They're both nervous. "Do you still envy my life? Do you still want Harry?" She's direct. "Please, I need to know. It changes nothing between us, but I need to know. Have you moved on? Are you happy, or-"
"Tess." Hermione cuts her, her hands over Tessa's and on the diary. She inhales deeply. "Yeah. I've moved on. I'm happy. I feel like things are the way they're supposed to be. Harry's my friend and I'll always have a place for him in my heart, but life goes on." She tilts her head, opening a small smile. "I love Gustave. I really do." And she's being honest. She said the words to him a month ago. They're happy together.
Tessa gulps. "I'm happy for you, then, Mi." They share another hug. Then, Tessa hands over the diary. "Here. Keep it safe." They share a smile. Hermione magically tucks it away in her pocket. "So, let's go?"
Hermione nods. "Yeah. Let's go."
Tessa shows her the car key and they share a laugh. The Muggle way it is.
When Harry hears the car outside, he can't tell who's more nervous. Ron seems about to faint. Harry doesn't know what he did to promote this conversation between Tessa and Hermione, but he surely is in trouble with Hermione. Draco and Ginny look just as anxious. Rachel is also restless. Unaware but at the same time perceiving that something huge might be about to happen.
And he… He doesn't know what he's feeling. He wants Hermione and Tessa to mend things so damn much that he can't even comprehend. They both need this. They need to reconnect and understand what happened all these years. Harry gets a chance to speak to Tessa every day, she never blamed him for a thing. But with Hermione things were different. And he can tell that she misses her cousin, so-
Voices sound outside. Laughs.
"Oh." Ron widens his eyes, rising from the stool. "Oh, please, I don't wanna die."
Ginny laughs at his remark. Harry only squints. He's curious about everything but he didn't ask questions. If whatever Ron did works, then he's fine with it.
"Hey, there!" Tessa's voice comes from the foyer. They hold their breathes. "I've brought a guest!"
And in no time they're stepping inside the kitchen. Both look like they've cried a lot, but they're smiling and in Harry's opinion they never looked so pretty in their entire lives. It's like a breath of new life entered them.
He smiles. Hermione greets Ginny and Draco first because they're at the entrance of the kitchen. Tessa comes to him. She kisses Rachel's head - who goes to greet Hermione with a loud shriek - and embraces his side, giving him a peck.
When Hermione stops hugging Rachel, her eyes go through them and stop at Ron.
She crosses her arms. Ron's still frozen in front of the stool.
"Ronald Weasley." She says, squinting. Harry snorts. The scene is too familiar. "I swear, I could kill you. I've already cursed your next generation in my head, you know?"
He makes a face, "Hermione, I-"
She raises a hand. "But, I'll actually thank you."
Ron widens his eyes and Tessa laughs. A sincere and clear laugh. Hermione also laughs and she goes to Ron, hugging him tightly. Harry hears the words she says in his ear, 'Thank you, idiot. You get to live this time.'
And, to his surprise, Tessa shoves him forward, to greet Hermione. He tries acting naturally, Hermione too, but their hug is fast and a bit awkward.
"I guess you'll be seeing a lot of me around here now." She says to him in a nice tone.
He smiles. "I hope so." Harry would stay there, looking at her. But he clears his throat and claps his hands, "So, what do you guys want for dinner?"
And when they're all sitting at the table, laughing and talking normally, his heart swells.
It's a moment of happiness.